Venue: Guayana, Guayana katha, 2006, June 29. Parikshit Maharaja Ki Jai!! Hastinapur ki Jai!

So as now king Parikshit was ruling of kingdom, one day as he was on a tour, going around checking out, how is everything working? Then he noticed, hey! What’s going on here, at a distance he saw, someone Oh! He looks like a king, look he has a dress and crown, he has sword also, but what is he doing with the sword? There is a cow near him, he is trying to hurt the cow, he is the trying to kill the cow, No! King Parikshit was very furious; he rushed to the spot towards that place. He jumped down on him own chariot, he took his own sword and King Parikshit was ready to slaughter that so called king.

He was not a real one but fake king he only looked like a king, he was only dressed like a king that was the Age of Kali, the kali had appeared disguised as a King only to kill the religion, symbol of religion that’s cow. But then this kali disguised as a king, he begged for pardon, begged for forgiveness. Please! Please! Spare my Lord, spare my life oh! Lord. No king Parikshit was still very angry ready to kill, but he kept appealing “forgiving is considered superior to killing, the act of forgiving somebody”. So King Parikshit decided to forgive ok you may go. But where could I go? wherever  I go, it’s your rule, you are going to follow me, you are  going to be chasing after me, please give me some place,  some corner in your kingdom where I could stay as  I am, the bad character as I am, the age of kali as I am.

Ok you could stay in four places, King Parikshit gave 4 places for this age of Kali to reside in. oh!  What are those 4 places? King Parikshit said “dyutam-panam striyah-suna yatradharmas catur-vidhaha” (S.B 1.17.38)

The 4 places of irreligion, where irreligion is practiced, such 4 places you could reside- what are those places? “dyutam”  Where there is a gambling, places of gambling is one place for you. “panam” please ! Tell me what is the other place? Yes, places where there drinking and smoking and chewing tobacco all the intoxication goes on that is also designated place for you. But you said 4 places, what is the third place? Third place is place where there is illicit sex. Sex outside marriage or even exercise sex in the marriage that is also the place. Places of prostitution, cinemas and these television which is all sex and violence business, you could stay in Hollywood you could stay Bollywood. Ya! these are your places. Ok that’s third and  fourth one is place of meat eating, where  there is slaughter, animal killing, meat eating, fish eating, egg eating that is also location for you to reside. So kali had these 4 places “dyutam” because in this list in Bhagavat “Dyutam” – gambling is mentioned 1st, usually we say the other way round and then finally he was given one more place also, oh! Any other place you could think of? Yes! Yes! I could think of one more place. And King Parikshit said whether is gold, the black marketing unnecessary   accumulation at the cost of others that is also your location.

So these places where given by King Parikshit to the age of Kali 5000 years ago and Kali had kind of hard time finding such places in those days. But gradually, gradually kali has worked very very hard and  has expanded his networking day and night, you  learn lesson from kali, he is very hard working determined to expand his empire and after 5000 years, he had hard time finding places of Meat eating, Gambling, Intoxication , illicit sex and now what has happened? Where are those places , where there is no meat eating? Where is that place- no illicit sex! Where is that place? Where is that country? Where there is no intoxication where is that place where there is no gambling? It’s all over everywhere this way the irreligion has been propagated spread all over the world.

As one eats meat he become merciless, this 4 sinful activities correspond to 4 pillars, 4 supports of the religion, 4 principal and positive principals of religion, correspond with the four sinful activities. The Meat eating has connection with the “Daya” “Daya dharma ka mula hai”. “Ahinsa parmo dharma” the nonviolence is supreme religion, Buddha appeared and he declared this.  So with meat eating all mercy is finished, no more compassion. With intoxication no more tapasya, no more austerities. Daya is the 1st principal, mercy is the 1^st, then tapasya – an austerity is number 2.

With illicit sex no more “suci” no more purity which is 3rd principal of religion and gambling smashes all the truth, no more truth (satya) ‘daya, tapasya, suci-pavitrata and satya’. These are 4 pillars of dharma. These are 4 pillars of dharma, they are being weakened and destroyed by this 4 sinful activities of these age of kali.

And to conclude we could only say what is the solution “harer nama harer nama harer nameva  kevaluam! Kalu nasteva nasteva nasteva  gatir anytha” . Chanting of the holy name, chanting of the holy name, chanting of the holy name, chanting and hearing of the holy katha.  “Sarvanam kirtanam” chanting the glories, spreading the  glories of the Lord all over is the only solution “the only way you could defeat the age of kali, only way you could drive away  this kali from your home, from your life , from your country is  to chant out loud “Hare Krishna Hare krishna, krishna krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare” and hold Bhagavat katha preferably  “nityam bhagavat sevaya” and  eat Krsna Prasad and  be in company of devotee of Shri Krsna  and in this  way there will be “param vijayate sri Krsna sankirtanam” there will be victory.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sankirtanam army could be victories. So with this aim in mind aim of defeating this age of kali, kali’s forces are to be defeated. This is the purpose of the foundation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Hari Haribol………..Haribol and right behind is Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.  And you could see the success that Hare Krsna movement is having all over the planet. Srila Prabhupada introduced these 4 principals, how many of you are ready to follow?  Prabhupada asked in New York, after he was only few months in New York in 1965 and he had some followers, they were coming to 26 Second Avenue in Manhatan, Prabhupada had his store front preaching centre.  How many of you are ready to follow 4 regulative principles?  Please raise your hands and so many were ready. American boys and girls were ready to take vows yes from this day no more meat, fish, eggs. From this day onwards no more intoxication, from today no more illicit sex and no more gambling. Americans were taking these vows and following them strictly.  And then Prabhupada moved to another country into another, into another and he came to Venezuela also traveling, travelling 14 times around the world and this elderly saintly gentleman, sadhu jetage parivrajachari he travelled 14 times around the world and during his travel he came close to this country and that was Venezuela . Where ever he went wonderful response he met persons who were willing to follow four regular principles. And it is possible to follow 4 regulative principles with the help of chanting of Hare Krsna those who chant “Hare Krishna Hare krishna, krishna krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare” and recite Bhagavat gita and Bhagavatam, maintain the company of devotees of Shri Krsna and take Krsna prasad becomes easy to follow these principles. So for past 40 years now this endeavour is on, there are all ready over 500 ISKCON temples, farms and communities and 100s & 1000s of followers of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu following these 4 regular principles chanting Hare Krishna and they are happy. So we invite everybody to join this effort for the welfare of humanity at large. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.

Nitai Guar Premanande ……………Hari Haribol.

In remote corners of Vrndavana, Pilgrims find little known places of Krsna’s  pastimes and get a clearer view Into their own hearts.

THE VRAJA Mandala Parikrama* is a walking pilgrimage throughout the land of Vraja, or Mathura, the district in North India where Lord Krsna appeared five thousand years ago. Devotees walk the entire parikrama path, stopping at the places where Krsna performed His pastimes. Vraja Mandala Parikrama can be considered pada-sevanam (serving Sri Krsna’s lotus feet), one of the nine forms of devotional service.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Within Mathura, the Yamuna River and the twelve forests of Vrndavana form the stage for the divine play of Radha and Krsna’s transcendental pastimes. Lord Krsna presides over the seven forests on the Yamuna’s western bank: Madhuvan, Talavan, Kumudavan, Bahulavan, Vrndavana, Kamyavan, Khadiravan. And Lord Balarama rules the five forests decorating the eastern bank: Bhadravan, Bhandiravan, Bilvavan, Lohavan, and Mahavan. These twelve beautiful forests are the most important places of pilgrimage.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, set an example by touring Vrndavana’s twelve forests. While Lord Caitanya was performing the parikrama, the residents said:

Who says He is a sannyasi? He is Krsna Himself appearing in this dress and form. Just see the proof. Different birds are all coming for His darsana [audience]. The cuckoos and parrots are happily addressing Him as Krsna, and the peacocks are dancing in jubilation. See the wonderful blooming of the trees! O brother, just see the creepers showering flowers on this person, who is disguised as a sannyasi. The deer are coming near Him and staring undivertedly towards His face. All the cows are coming running from all sides with raised tails, and they also look at His face. By the tears of ecstasy falling from the eyes of these creatures, we can understand that they are meeting Him after a long period of time.

From the book Mathura Mandala Parikrama, based on Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakura’s Bhakti Ratnakara

The six Gosvamis and other associates of Lord Caitanya, as well as thousands of faithful in His line (Gaudiya Vaisnavas) throughout the centuries, have enthusiastically executed Vraja Mandala Parikrama, a blissful form of devotional service. In October 1932, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, the spiritual master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, led a group of more than a thousand disciples and other pilgrims on a month-long parikrama of the sacred places of Vrndavana. It was one of the largest parikramas ever seen in Vrndavana. Srila Prabhupada, then a married man living in Allahabad, traveled to Vrndavana intent on seeing Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and hoping to join the parikrama party.

“I was not initiated at the time of the parikrama,” Srila Prabhupada recalled, “but I had very good admiration for these Gaudiya Math people. They were very kind to me, so I thought, ‘What are these people doing in this parikrama? Let me go.’ So I met them at Kosi.”

Today dozens of groups of devotees from different parts of India still perform the padayatra (walking festival) of Vraja Mandala to see and hear about the places of Krsna’s pastimes. Every year during the month of Kartika (Oct.-Nov.), Krsna devotees taste the ecstasy of circumambulating Sri Vrndavana Dhama. Besides being a wonderful way to see and serve Sri Krsna’s transcendental land, Vraja Mandala Parikrama purifies one’s consciousness.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has described Vraja: “I remember the Lord standing by the banks of the Yamuna River, so beautiful amid the kadamba trees, where many birds are chirping in the gardens. And these impressions are always giving me transcendental realization of beauty and bliss.” Even non-devotees can feel the bliss described by Rupa Gosvami. The places in the eighty-four-square-mile district of Mathura and Vrndavana are so beautifully situated on the banks of the river Yamuna that anyone who goes there will never want to return to this material world.

Simple, Sacred Life

We rise before the sun and walk through hills and valleys, traveling deep into Vrndavana. Little remote villages dot our path. Village life is simple and austere, but the villagers are warm and generous. Whenever we stop they offer us fresh water, buttermilk, and steaming hot whole-wheat rotis (chapatis, or flatbreads).

As we cross cultivated fields, a team of oxen and a straw-laden donkey amble past rice paddies ornate with exotic birds. The sounds of the cuckoo bird, the mourning dove, and the Hare Krsna maha-mantra mingle together. Some devotees keep to the back of the kirtana party, silently chanting japa on their beads. The morning is calm, and the soft sandy path is gentle on our feet.

As we enter Madhuban, children bounce beside us, their eyes twinkling with glee. The kirtana reverberates off the mud walls and through the narrow lanes. The village brahmana greets us, a wise old man with happy eyes and stubbly beard. He sprinkles holy water on us. The cow-dung homes smell fresh and clean. In a spotless courtyard, children carrying bows and arrows imitate Sita, Rama, Laksmana, and Hanuman. Villagers invite us into their homes for something to eat or drink.

While some devotees rest or read, others venture farther into the village to get a closer look at the life of the local residents (Vrajabasis). Some devotees take a refreshing bath in a pond, while others wash their laundry. Clustered around the village water pump, we watch the children dexterously fill their waterpots. It is a crowded scene. Suddenly, a teenage boy and his mother approach the well. The boy pushes his way through the crowd and takes hold of the pump handle. We think he’s angry that we’re using “his” pump. But with an infectious smile, he begins to pump water for everyone.

Time to Think

Most devotees who visit Vrndavana never experience Vraja like this. One devotee comments, “If you don’t walk, you miss ninety per cent of Vraja.” Normally in Vrndavana we tend to feel like transcendental tourists, catching buses to the holy places. But to see Vraja on foot allows one more time to think and to find one’s real identity.

We visit Talavan forest, where Lord Balarama killed Dhenukasura. In the village of Etarsi, we visit the temple where breathtakingly beautiful deities of Balarama and His eternal consort, Revati, reside. A tala tree stands just inside the temple compound.

It is traditional to perform parikrama barefoot, and we try our best to follow the example of the saintly persons who have walked before us. Sometimes small thorns prick our feet, and we try to remember the austerities of Dhruva Maharaja, compared to which ours are insignificant. Vraja Mandala Parikrama strips one of all pretensions. We may have a big position in this world, but the thorns don’t discriminate.

Before it gets too hot, we climb to the summit of Kedarnath Mountain. A stone staircase etched into the mountainside leads us up 270 steps to a temple of Lord Siva. The temple is a natural cave, its overhang resembling the hoods of a multi-hooded snake. From atop the hill, we view the unique panoramic scene of the Vraja plains, stretched for about twenty kilometers all around us. As our gaze wanders out over the expanse of sacred land, we meditate on and hear about Krsna’s Vrndavana pastimes.

Krsna’s Footprints

In the early afternoon we take to tarred road on a seemingly endless walk to Caran Pahari. Here, Krsna would play His flute and melt the rocks with a touching melody. The rocks captured Krsna’s footprints. We eagerly rush to see them and smear on our heads the dust from these fivethousand-year-old footprints. We pray that our stone like hearts may also melt in response to Krsna’s call.

Where Krsna played His water sports and submerge ourselves in the Yamuna River, where He performed unlimited pastimes. We feel like we are following Him around Vraja. If we stay on His trail, we’ll turn the last corner of material attachment and catch up with Him. On parikrama we get a glimpse of the mood of separation from Krsna as we wander through the forests of Vrndavana. Parikrama instills appreciation for devotional sentiments even within the heart of a neophyte devotee.

Finally we see the city of Mathura rise from the plains of Vraja like an ancient medieval kingdom. We’ve made it! One hundred sixty-eight miles in thirty days. A tremendous feeling of accomplishment and exhilaration rises in our hearts. Our Vraja Mandala Parikrama is almost over, and our walk on the path back to Godhead has shortened.

A tall bridge leads us across the Yamuna back to Mathura. The kirtana resounds through the crowded back streets of the city. We take our final bath at Vishram Ghat. Vraja Mandala Parikrama is a perfect test for one’s spiritual health. In the pure atmosphere of the Lord’s land, our impurities stand out clearly, like black spots on a white sheet. Out here we see how far we have come in spiritual life and how far we have to go. Yet, this is encouraging; it increases our desire for purification, so that one day we may become qualified to reside eternally in Vrndavana. Lokanath Swami is the director of ISKCON Padayatras (“walking pilgrimages”) worldwide and the author of the recently published book Kumbha: The Festival of Immortality. He has been coordinating Vraja Mandala Parikrama since 1987.

Replica of the Spiritual World

IN THE SPIRITUAL world of Vrndavana the buildings are made of touchstone, the cows are known as surabhi cows, givers of abundant milk, and the trees are known as wish-fulfilling trees, for they yield whatever one desires. In Vrndavana Krsna herds the surabhi cows, and He is worshipped by hundreds and thousands of gopis, cowherd girls, who are all goddesses of fortune. When Krsna descends to the material world, this same Vrndavana descends just as an entourage accompanies an important personage. Because when Krsna comes His land also comes, Vrnda-vana is not considered to exist in the material world. Therefore devotees take shelter of the Vrndavana in India, for it is considered to be a replica of the original Vrndavana. Introduction to Teachings of Lord Caitanya, by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Instructions from Sage Narada

Narada Says to Dhruva: “My dear boy, I therefore wish all good fortune for you. You should go to the bank of the Yamuna, where there is a virtuous forest named Madhuvana, and there be purified. Just by going there, one draws nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always lives there.” Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.42

Acquiring Spiritual Flavors In Vrndavana

SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA Sarasvati Thakura states that the business of the tongue is to gratify itself with the varieties of flavor, but by wandering in the twelve holy forests of Vraja-mandala (Vrndavana), one can be freed from the twelve flavors of material sense gratification. The five principal divisions of material relationships are neutral admiration, servitude, friendship, parental affection, and conjugal love; the seven subordinate features of material relationships are material humor, astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread, and ghastliness. Originally, these twelve rasas, or flavors of relationships, are exchanged between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity in the spiritual world; and by wandering in the twelve forests of Vrndavana one can respiritualize the twelve flavors of personal existence. Thus one will become a liberated soul, free from all material desires. If one artificially tries to give up sense gratification, especially that of the tongue, the attempt will fail, and in fact one’s desire for sense gratification will increase as a result of artificial deprivation. Only by experiencing real, spiritual pleasure in relationship with Krsna can one give up material desires.

SRILA PRABHUPADA appeared in this world just a day after the celebration of Lord Krsna’s appearance day. We followers of Srila Prabhupada’s see this as a sign of his intimate relationship with the Lord. The Vedic literature teaches us that because a spiritual master such as Srila Prabhupada is the Lord’s most confidential servant, we must honor him as much as we honor the Supreme Lord Himself. We are therefore honoring Srila Prabhupada throughout his Centennial Year and especially on the 100th anniversary of his appearance day.

Srila Prabhupada often said, “I am not God, and you are not God, but we are eternal servants of God.” Although we are all servants of God, most of us have forgotten our positions. Prabhupada, however, was a self-realized servant of the Lord, as we can understand by examining the selfless work he performed on behalf of the Lord.

In Bhagavad-gita (4.8) Lord Krsna says, “To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.” Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse that the Lord sometimes comes to earth Himself and sometimes sends His empowered representatives to carry out His mission. Let us briefly consider Srila Prabhupada’s contributions to the Lord’s mission on the earth.

To Deliver the Pious

To shelter pious and sincere souls, Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The Society’s schools, farms, and temples are spiritual oases that give relief to faithful devotees in the desert of material existence. And the different aspects of the Society such as Deity worship, Food for Life, congregational chanting, and spiritual festivals are meant to revive the devotion of pious souls and prepare them to return to the spiritual kingdom of the Lord.

To Annihilate the Miscreants

Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada worked to curb down the demoniac tendencies of the people of this age. Prabhupada spoke out strongly against anything or anyone opposed to Krsna consciousness. His words were razor sharp, his books bombs smashing illusion. His Bhaktivedanta purports will continue to devastate atheistic opponents for thousands of years to come.

To Reestablish the Principles of Religion

Real religion is one: to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada translated bhakti not just as “devotion” but as “devotional service,” to emphasize that devotional service is the eternal occupation of all living entities.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the main process of devotional service for the present age: the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Lord Caitanya spread the holy names within India. And Srila Prabhupada said that Lord Caitanya had left to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness the job of spreading the holy names to the rest of the world. When Prabhupada first came to America, he chanted by himself in New York City. Later, he encouraged his disciples to chant and dance through the streets of cities all over the world.

In early July forty devotees attended a two-day conference on social development within ISKCON. The conference, held at Radhadesh, ISKCON’s center in Septon-Durbuy, Belgium, was the third in a series of conferences meant to develop recommendations to the GBC (ISKCON’s governing body) concerning ISKCON’s social structure. The discussions at Radhadesh centered mostly on the importance of the grhastha asrama, or married life in Krsna consciousness.

Silver Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s Moscow Visit

Guests from Europe and America joined nearly one thousand devotees from all over the Commonwealth of Independent States for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Krsna consciousness in Russia. The event took place in Moscow on July 14. Syamasundara Dasa, who had accompanied Srila Prabhupada on his visit to Moscow in 1971, guided a tour of the places they had stayed at or visited. Special guests were Professor C. G. Kotovski, whom Srila Prabhupada had met during his visit, and Ananta Santi Dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s only disciple in Russia. The event coincided with the arrival in Moscow of Padayatra Europe—a group of devotees completing a 10,000-km walk from Belfast.

ISKCON Incorporation Day

On August 7 devotees gathered in temples worldwide to remember the early days of ISKCON and review its purposes, as given by Srila Prabhupada when he incorporated the Society in 1966. Devotees discussed the successes and failures of their respective centers and made plans for improvement. In many places devotees passed out pamphlets explaining the Society’s goals, purposes, and history.

Other Centennial News

TV Series on Srila Prabhupada

In India, a weekly television series about Srila Prabhupada is now on the air, in Hindi. The series is called “Abhay Charan—The Life and Teachings of Srila Prabhupada.” Doordarshan, Indian national TV, broadcast the first episode on September 7, the day after Srila Prabhupada’s appearance. The series is scheduled to run for at least 104 weeks. Producer: Bhakti Caru Swami.

Street Named After Srila Prabhupada

Bhaktivedanta Swami Circle is the new name for the street in front of ISKCON’s temple in Durban, South Africa. The city renamed it in honor of Srila Prabhupada.

New Books about Srila Prabhupada

The Centennial Year has inspired many devotees to publish their memories and realizations of Srila Prabhupada. Many books about Prabhupada are already available, and more are expected before the end of the year. Here is a list of books we know about: Published *

Acarya—Portraits of Srila Prabhupada, by Sesa Dasa

The Jaladuta Diary, by The Bhaktivedanta Archives

Journey to the Pacific Rim, by Bali Mardana Dasa

My Glorious Master, by Bhurijana Dasa

Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany, by Vedavyasa Dasa

One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

Prabhupada Sayings, by Aditya Dasi

Srila Prabhupada At Radha Damodara, by Mahanidhi Swami

Srila Prabhupada’s Visit to Malaysia, by Janananda Dasa

A Transcendental Diary, Vols. 1-3, by Hari Sauri Dasa (more volumes to come)

Venue: Mayapur, March 1st, 2011 Reading from Bhagavad-Gita As it is, Chapter 2, text no.9, Bhagavad-Gita was spoken in morning and we are hearing in the evening (Maharaj addressing a devotee in Bengali “Bosun, Bosun”). So we have seen the Lord. Yes! You have seen the Lord? Yes! Where is He? Where is He? Where is He? Did you see Him today? Are you seeing Him now? (A devotee answers Lord is everywhere, maharaj say “bhagvan samne ashen ki na ashen” (laughter). So we all like see Him, we all like see Him. It is also very important that we hear Him. People like to see Him but not hear Him. We should come to the temple to see the Lord and hear the Lord.

So we have seen Him, He is standing right before our eyes. Please you takes darshan, please look ‘Ghanshyam’, please look ……look… Jay Radha Madhav Astasakhivrund ki……………………….. …….Jay!!! In fact we will see Him more by hearing; the way to see the Lord is Krishna not with the eyes but in fact with the ear we see more than with our eyes.

We have visitors sitting; we have some guest also with us, so we welcome them all the devotees and guests. We said Krishna spoke Bhagavad-Gita in the morning, not this morning some five hundreds ago in Kurukshetra, He spoke ‘Bhagavad-Gita’ during early morning hours. You all agree? He spoke in the morning not during lunch or after His diner He spoke in the morning, sunrise sun was rising in the east. Army had already arrived and there were camps, two camps Pandav camp, Kaurav camps and as in the rule for Dharmaudh at sunrise they commence the battle. It goes all day long and then at sunset full stop.  So that particular morning it was also ‘Ekadashi’ the name is also there of that Ekadashi Mokshada Ekadashi.

So we know who spoke? Where He spoke? What time He spoke? What did He spoke? Everything is very clear.  So here in the temple every day we read one verse, one shlok, one statement from the Lord. In fact Krishna begins His speech, His dialogue, His conversation with Arjuns in the 2nd chapter of Bhagavad-Gita. 1st chapter of Bhagavad-Gita is also Bhagavad-Gita but it is not technically song of Krishna or statements of Krishna, Arjuna and another’s have spoken more in the 1st chapter. And then Sanjaya also speaks makes his comment, Sanjaya is also. There were 3 parties who were listening to Bhagavata-gita simultaneously. Arjuna was of course It was meant for Arjuna it’s also meant for you. And as Krishna – Arjuna dialogues was happening in Kuruksetra, sanjay also able to hear in Hastinapur in same time, durdarshan, durvani, television. There are two parties and 3rd one there was a tree not for from where Krishna – Arjuna dialogues was on seated in the chariot very next to very close to the chariot there was a tree akshya vat tree is still there. You could go see that tree even today the tree is standing even tree has become immortal by hearing Bhagavat-gita, what to speak of us. Sanjay is  also one of the speakers of Bhagavat- gita or communicator.

So todays verse is spoken by Sanjaya, Sanjaya uvach: “Evam uktva hrsikesah gudakesah parantapah, na yotsya iti govindam uktva tusnim babhuva ha” (B.G 2.9)

Sanjay uvach- Sanjay said, Evam – thus, uktva-speaking, hrishikesham – unto Krishna, master of senses, Gudakesh- Arjuna master of curbing ignorance, parantapaha – of chastiser of enemies, na yotsye – I shall  not fight,  iti- thus, evam, govindam- unto Krishna, the giver of pleasure to the senses uktva-saying, tusnim-silent, babhuva- became, ha-certainly.

So Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna chastiser of the enemies, told Krishna “Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent.

Purport: Dhrtarastra must have with very glad understand that Arjuna was not  going to fight and was instead leaving the battle field for the begging profession  but Sanjaya disappointed him again relating that Arjuna was competent to kill his enemies (parantapaha). Although the Arjuna was, for the time being overwhelmed with false grief due to family affection, he surrendered unto Krishna, the Supreme spiritual master as a disciple. This indicated that he would free from false lamentation resulting from family affection and would be enlightened with perfect knowledge of self realization or Krishna consciousness and would then surely fight. Thus Dhrtarastra’s joy would be frustrated, since the Arjuna would be enlightened by Krishna and would fight at the end.

“Evam uktva hrsikesah gudakesah parantapah, na yotsya iti govindam uktva tusnim babhuva ha” (translation repeated)

So Srila Prabhupada is pointing out in this purport when Dhrtarastra heared or he is hearing now. Sanjaya is speaking Dhrtarastra is right there hearing him and Arjuna is declaring, the declaration, the decision of Arjuna is beginning communicated to Dhrtarastra by Sanjaya. “na yotsya” I shall  not fight and he is addressing Govinda, Oh! Govinda I shall not fight. He said this much and tusnim babhuva became silent. It’s good news for Dhrtarastra (laughs) that Arjuna is not going to fight. Oh! That’s wonderful and that what we were looking forward to Arjuna is going to fight my children would be spared or they would be become victorious if Arjuna did not fight.

But in this verse, Sanjaya is he is talking to Dhrtarastra, he is describing Arjuna as “parantapah”. He is a chastiser of enemy and Srila Prabhupada in this purport he is pointing out yes! Temporarily he has been overwhelmed by affection, family affection, family ties “moha”, illusion but as he would be listening to Krishna, becoming his disciple and then coming out and then he would, chastising ultimately chastising, fighting, killing enemies and becoming victories.

Arjuna has come on the scene with the determination to fight, seated in a very special chariot. Shlok “tatah svetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitua” (B.G. 1.14) The 1st chapter says – white horses were pulling the “mahati syandane” very special expensive, nicely carved chariot “madhavah pandavas caiva” and in that chariot 2 personalities are sitting Madhava and Pandava and this Pandava is Arjuna “divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh” and soon both of them they sounded, they blew their transcendental conch shell. Krishna blew his conch shell called “Panchyajanya”. The name of Arjuna’s conch shell? “Devadatta dhanajaya”. Devadatta was the name of conch shell and there are names of other Pandavas conch shells are also mentioned. So Arjuna was very much eager to fight. So before beginning to fight he was desirous to see his enemies. Please show me who they are? Who do they think they are? They would fight with me, please bring my chariot forward.

“senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me cyuta” (B.G. 1.21)  Arjuna says senayor ubhayor madhye in between two enemies “ratham sthapaya” please get my chariot situated in between two armies. Immediately Parthsarathi, Lord Krishna has become the chariot driver of his devotee. In his left hand, He has the ropes of the horses. Lord is having big “cabuk” and He started taking the chariot forward. So soon the chariot was in between the two armies, closer to enemies’ camp. And Arjuna is seeing who has come who has assembled? That time as Arjuna in observing the armies, enemies camps, enemies. Krishna says pasyaitan just see “pasyaitan samvetan kurun iti” (B.G. 1.25) all those who have assembled here are none but the Kurus. Lord is giving some hint to Arjuna oh! You wanted to see, just see who has come to fight with you. Or you have to fight with Kurus they are Kurus, you are also Kuru same family wake up Arjuna take note of this Arjuna. Not only Arjuna seeing but Lord is also showing, getting his attention just see, just see. Kurus have come to fight with, you, same family.

So by seeing and by hearing the whole chemistry inside, within had changed very fast. His blood was boiling; take my chariot he was getting ready, sharpening his arrow. But now as he has seen and also heard from Krishna just 5 words “pasyaitan samavetan kurun iti” (B.G.1.25) this 4, 5 words these are the only words Krishna speaks in 1st chapter of Bhagavad-Gita nothing more, nothing less. Then Arjuna begins trembling, his body is shaking. “sidanti mama gatrani” (B.G.1.28) my body is trembling, mukhama parisusyati my mouth is drying up. “ gandivam” –dhanushya (B.G.1.29) the bow is slipping right out of my hands. Can you fight with you shaking hands? Can’t fight? You have to be very steady focused, motionless. So, so many things are happing to his mind, whole body transformations are there and then Arjuna he is also thinking, he is expressing himself now.

“na ca sreyo nupasyami hatva sva-janam ahave”(B.G.1.31) I don’t see any benefit, no sreyo, no long term benefit really by killing “hatva sva-janam ahave” in this horrible battle, killing our own family members. I don’t see any benefit and I am not interested.

“na kankse vijayam krsna na ca rajyam sukhani ca”(B.G.1.31) Arjuna is making very clear, I don’t want kingdom, no happiness. I am not interested in this and then Arjuna keeps on talking more and more and more. So many concerns what about this dharma and what about jati dharma? What about kula dharma? What about this and that? So many dharmas, so many concerned, so many issues. So with each additional idea that he presents, he is deviating more and more deviation, this is the way to go, but with each idea he is turning away from Lord’s idea and soon he would be 180* and this is  what is the verse “tusnim babhuva” I am not going to fight. The fighting this was Lord’s idea and Lord’s desire, Lord’s plan. “paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrutam dharmasamsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge” (B.G.4.8) I appear, this is the purpose for which I appear, this is Dharma yudha and this meant to establish Dharma, and to protect the devotee like you Pandavas and to kill the miscreants this is the vision of the Lord, the purpose of this advent. But now Arjuna is not showing any interest in his plan or vision or desire of the Lord.  Vasudev ki jai……………..

So again also at the end of the 1st chapter Arjuna he sits down, making it clear that I am not going to fight. Sometimes the bulls or buffalo, he buffalo, not she buffalo. Pulling the cart and big load and its summer season and its hard for him to pull further. Sometimes the farmer he is beating the buffalo, he is trying to push or pull more him forward, when the he buffalo doesn’t wants to move and wants to make it clear what does buffalo do? He sits down (laughs) he makes very clear statement ok this is it now you know my dear farmer I am not going to move. The last statement of the 1st chapter was very similar also and also.

Spoken by Sanjaya “evem uktvarjunah sankhye rathopastha upastha upavisat, visrjya sa-saram capam soka-samvigna-manasah” (B.G.1.46) sanjaya said

Radha madhva ki jai………………………….

Arjuna having thus spoken on the battlefield cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot his mind overwhelmed with grief. So as Arjuna was talking to Lord what about this? What about this dharma? He was thinking he would convince him. Arjuna was expecting yes….yes…yes fine what you said is exactly right Arjuna I agree with you forget this battle lets have breakfast. (Laughs).

As Arjuna was talking and talking and talking the 1st chapter is like Arjuna –gita not Bhagavad-Gita. So Arjuna- gita,  song of Arjuna. So he was thinking that oh! This did not work now, I will say something more this statement will convince the Lord. If not this, that one probably the Lord would say or that’s fine forget this battle lets go have breakfast.

So Arjuna is sitting in the chariot making it very clear that he is not going to fight. Infact Arjuna begins “ashrupurna kulekshanam” he is in tears Arjuna in tears. Could you imagine, Arjuna is full of compassion and depressing mind, eyes full of tears. Now the 2nd chapter, 2nd verse this is where Krishna begins talking. 1st thing that Krishna had to say was, Arjuna was expecting Lord is going to praise my statement, appreciate what I have said. Congratulation well done, well spoken Arjuna. But that was not the case instead Lord said “kutas tva kasmalam idam” kutas tva =where from kasmalam idam all that you have spoken, that-idam. Kasmalam=all this rubbish. Ok where in the dustbin where is dustbin (laugher) it should be dumped in the dustbin. This is Lord’s comment observing on all that Arjuna had to see Arjuna was thinking I am speaking something very intelligent social concern this issue, that issue, family, tradition.

Infact when people read 1st chapter they hear Arjuna speak or they read what Arjuna has to say they kind of agree with Arjuna. Forget all other people when you read it for 1st time, I used to when I was reading chapter Arjuna statement this makes sense its right carry on Arjuna yes yes go on  speaking I was kind on Arjuna ki jai…..but Lord doesn’t say Arjuna ki jai (laugh). So then there are more statements then Arjuna again speaks and then they become quite and that is today’s verse. And then toward the end of Bhagavad-Gita. Lord is talking and concluding, saying “sarvadharma paritajya………… (B.G.18.66) what? Give up these varieties of religion. Why is He talking of this? “sarva dharman” what is the connection? Why Krishna says Arjuna “sarvadharman parityaja” you give up all varieties of religion, why? Is this in Bhagavad-Gita context or there is some other connection. Right here in the 1st chapter all the dharmas, some of the dharmas, Arjuna has mentioned what about this? What about that? And Krishna says “give it up” these thoughts. Lord accept my dharma not your dharma. I think, according to me, it’s my opinion; “give this up” this is all gambling, it all mental speculation and gambling but this a bigger gambling – mental speculation, I think according to me. Arjuna is talking in 1st chapter. My opinion and Krishna says give it up.

So the 1st word in Bhagavad-Gita is.  What is the 1st word in Bhagavad-Gita? “Dharma” the first word is dharma and last word? “matir mama” last word is “mama”. 1st word – dharma last word – mama, put it together “mama-dharma” whole Bhagavad-Gita is what? My Dharma, my law, my Lords law, law of the Lord that’s dharma, religion, whole Bhagavad-Gita is dharma.

Give up other ideas and accept Krishna ideas, the original ideas, beneficial for everybody, living entities, and the family and the society and humanity. So we will stop here.

Srimad Bhagavad gita ki jai…………….!

Sri Krishna Arjuna ki jai………………….!

Sri Radha Madhava Ki Jai………………!

H. H. Lokanath Swami Ki Jai……………!

The Inhabitants of the earth benefit from a cosmic fight for immortal nectar.

THE LORD’S pastime of protecting the devas (demigods) from the asuras (demons) by producing nectar from the ocean of milk is described in detail in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 8, chapters 5 through 11.

Millions of years ago, the sage Durvasa visited the capital of Indra’s kingdom in the heavenly planets. While Durvasa Muni was passing on the road, he saw Indra on the back of his elephant and was pleased to offer Indra a garland from his own neck. Indra, however, being too proud of his material wealth, took the garland and placed it on the trunk of his carrier elephant. The elephant, being an animal, could not understand the value of the garland. It threw the garland between its legs and smashed it. Seeing this insulting behavior, Durvasa Muni cursed Indra to become poverty-stricken.

The asuras, the natural enemies of the devas, took this opportunity to attack Lord Indra and steal all the riches and virtuous possessions in his kingdom. A fierce battle for supremacy of the heavenly planets raged. Bereft of all influence and strength, the devas were defeated.

The devas then went to Lord Brahma for help. Unable to offer a solution, Lord Brahma took them to Svetadvipa, the abode of Ksirodakasayi Visnu in the ocean of milk.

Snake-And-Mouse Logic

Lord Visnu advised the devas to cooperate with the asuras and churn the ocean of milk to attain an immortal nectar that would make the devas invincible. He told the devas to follow the logic of the snake and the mouse in dealing with the asuras. A snake and a mouse were once caught in a basket. The snake said to the mouse, “Look, I could eat you very easily, but it’s more important for me to get out of this basket. So why don’t you make a hole so that we can both escape?” The mouse agreed and started working. But as soon as the hole was big enough, the snake ate the mouse and came out of the basket.

Similarly, the Lord wanted the devas to take help from the asuras, but He had no intention of giving any of the nectar to the asuras. He would appear as Mohini-murti and cheat them.

The asuras and devas uprooted Mandara Mountain to use as a churning rod and requested Vasuki, the king of the serpents, to serve as the churning rope. With the churning, the mighty golden Mandara Mountain began to sink slowly into the ocean of milk. The devas and asuras became discouraged at the turn of events.

Then the Lord took the form of a tortoise, known as Kurma-avatara. He entered the water and held the great mountain on His back. The mountain moved back and forth with the churning motion, scratching the back of Lord Tortoise, who, while partially sleeping, was pleasingly experiencing an itching sensation.

Soon a fiercely dangerous poison was produced from the ocean, covering all directions. The compassionate Lord Siva drank the poison and held it in His throat, turning his neck bluish and earning him the name Nilakantha, “one who has a bluish neck.”

Products of The Milk Ocean

The milk ocean then produced many wonderful items: a surabhi cow, a beautiful horse named Uccaihsrava, the elephant Airavata, eight great white elephants that could go in any direction, eight she-elephants, the crescent moon, a conch shell named Pancajanya, a bow named Haridhanu (“the bow of Hari”), the goddess Varuni, the precious Kaustubha jewel, a desire-fulfilling parijata flower, Apsaras (the most beautiful women in the universe), Laksmi (the goddess of fortune), and Dhanvantari.

A partial incarnation of the Lord, Dhanvantari rose slowly from the ocean. Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.8.32-33) describes his beautiful form:

He was strongly built; his arms were long, stout, and strong; his neck, which was marked with three lines, resembled a conch shell; his eyes were reddish; and his complexion was blackish. He was very young, he was garlanded with flowers, and his entire body was fully decorated with various ornaments. He was dressed in yellow garments and wore brightly polished earrings made of pearls. The tips of his hair were anointed with oil, and his chest was very broad. His body had all good features, he was stout and strong like a lion, and he was decorated with bangles. In his hand he carried a jug filled to the top with nectar.

The jug of nectar was the prize everyone was waiting for. The asuras quickly stole the jug, and they began to fight over who should take the first drink. While they argued, the Lord assumed the form of an extremely beautiful woman known as Mohini-murti and slowly approached them.

Mohini-murti said, “The demigods are very miserly and are excessively anxious to take the nectar first. So let them have it first. Since you are not like them, you can wait a little longer. You are all heroes and are so pleased with Me. It is better for you to wait until after the demigods drink.”

The asuras, overwhelmed by Her beauty and charm, gave Her the jug of nectar, and She promptly delivered it to the devas.

The asuras were furious at the deception and attacked the devas with all their force. According to the Skanda Purana, at one point during the fight, Jayanta, a son of Indra, took the kumbha (jug) and ran away toward the heavenly planets. The asuras followed, eager to retrieve the nectar, and the fierce fighting continued. From time to time during twelve days of fighting, circumstances compelled Jayanta to place the kumbha at four places on earth: on the bank of the Godavari River in Nasika, Maharashtra; at the Shipra River in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh; at the Ganges in Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh, and at the Triveni-sangam in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.

When the kumbha was lifted at each location, some drops of nectar fell onto the earth. That same nectar appears at these sites during certain planetary configurations. Even today, millions of people come to partake of the nectar, to become immortal by bathing in the holy rivers and drinking the nectarlike waters. Because the fighting between the devas and the asuras lasted for twelve earth years (twelve demigod days), Kumbha-melas are held at each of these sites once every twelve years.

Lokanath Swami is the director of ISKCON Padayatras (“walking pilgrimages”) worldwide and the author of the recently published book Kumbha: The Festival of Immortality.

Srila Prabhupada at Allahabad

FOR THIRTEEN YEARS Srila Prabhupada lived in Allahabad. He moved there in 1923 with his family. Allahabad was a good location to start his pharmaceutical business, Prayag Pharmacy. He entered a business partnership with a physician, Dr. Ghosh, who diagnosed patients and gave medical prescriptions, which Prabhupada would fill. Motilal Nehru and his son, Jawaharlal, (the future Prime Minister of India) were both customers at Prabhupada’s pharmacy.

During his time in Allahabad, Prabhupada stayed in contact with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, whom he had first met in 1922 in Calcutta. On November 21, 1932, under the direction of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, the Allahabad Gaudiya Matha held a cornerstone-laying ceremony for their new temple. The governor, Sir William Haily, was the respected guest. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta held an initiation ceremony, and Prabhupada received initiation (harinama and Gayatri) from him.

Previously, upon learning that Prabhupada had requested initiation, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had remarked, “He likes to hear. He does not go away. I have marked him. I will accept him as my disciple.”

Prabhupada at Kumbha-mela

The Vedic literature states that whoever bathes in the Triveni-sangam at the auspicious time of the Kumbha-mela is guaranteed of liberation from birth and death. That is why the Mela has always attracted millions of pilgrims.

Yet Srila Prabhupada said, “We are not interested in liberation. We have come to preach devotional service. Being engaged in Krsna’s unalloyed devotional service, we are already liberated.”

In contrast to almost everyone present, Prabhupada emphasized giving spiritual knowledge as the prime reason for attending the Mela. The devotee’s only ambition is to enlighten as many people as possible. Pilgrimage was secondary. With this mood, the devotees attended the 1971 Kumbha-mela with Prabhupada and enthusiastically presented Krsna consciousness to the millions of pilgrims.

None of the western devotees had ever attended the Kumbha-mela. The many bizarre sights can bewilder and confuse the mind, but Prabhupada reminded the devotees that spiritual life is neither exotic nor bewildering, but simple and practical.

“To go to a holy place means to find a holy person and hear from him,” Prabhupada had said. “A place is holy because of the presence of the saintly persons.”

In a conversation recorded in January 1977 (just before the Kumbha-mela), Prabhupada said that the real purpose of the Kumbha-mela is to take advantage of the spiritual knowledge presented there:

The Kumbha-mela is sat-sanga. If you go to the Kumbha-mela to find out a man of knowledge, then your Kumbha-mela is right. If one thinks that this salila, the water to take bath in the water is Kumbha-mela, then he is a go-kharah [a cow or an ass]. But the real idea is “Now there are assembled so many saintly persons. Let me take advantage of their knowledge.” Then he is intelligent. People should take advantage. You can go to different groups of saintly persons.  Different groups means “ brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti”. There are some yogis, some jnanis, some bhaktas. They are of the same category, little difference. But they’re all spiritual. They have no interest in this material world.

Some Real Yogis

Srila Prabhupada said that although many of the sadhus present were inauthentic and didn’t really know the highest goal of human life, many were perfect yogis. These yogis, from remote parts of India, would come out for the Mela and then return to seclusion.

“I have personally seen,” Prabhupada said, “that they take bath in the Ganges and come up in the seven sacred rivers. They go down in the Ganges and come up in the Godavari River. Then they go down and come up in the Krishna River, and go down, like that.”

The devotees, therefore, should respect everyone who attended the Mela.

Prabhupada also explained that one is not liberated automatically by taking bath at the Kumbha-mela on the specific auspicious days. But by coming to the holy tirtha and taking bath on the holy days, the door to liberation gets opened.

“If you are trying to enter a room and the door is closed,” he said, “there is some prohibition. It is more difficult for you to enter the room. But if the door is opened for you, then your entrance to the room is easier.”

Monkey Renunciation

After the 1977 Kumbha-mela, the story of the death of a Naga Baba made the national newspapers. Wearing no clothing, he had died from the extreme cold. Prabhupada commented on the incident. “He must die. They imitate. They have no sadhana [regulated spiritual practice], no bhajana [worship], and simply naga [naked].”

The devotees told Prabhupada that the imitators smoke chillums (marijuana) and become so intoxicated that they don’t feel the cold. One disciple told Prabhupada that he had seen a Naga who had been smoking cigarettes for twelve years without stopping. Another man had been holding his arm up in the air for the past twelve years. His fingernails had grown very long, and his arm was flat. Another renunciant hadn’t sat down for eighteen years. He carried a small swing with him, which he would tie to a tree and lean on.

“This is markata-vairagya, the renunciation of a monkey,” Prabhupada said, referring to the type of renunciation that, although difficult to perform, doesn’t produce any advancement in Krsna consciousness. The monkeys also have no clothes to wear and live in treetops in the secluded forest, but the male monkeys have a large group of female monkeys to sport with. Some devotees concluded that severe penance was not recommended anywhere in the Vedas, but Prabhupada corrected them: “No, Hiranyakasipu did it. But what did he gain? He became a raksasa [demon] and was killed.”

The Significance of Prayag

THE WORD prayag refers to a place where great sacrifices are held. Many ages ago, Lord Brahma chose as a place for sacrifice a prime piece of land encircled by three sacred rivers: the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati. That site became known a Prayag. In A.D. 1573, the Mogul king Akbar erected a large fort at the confluence of the three rivers and renamed the city Ilahabas or Ilahabad, “the city of Allah.” From that time, Prayag became known as Allahabad.

The confluence of the three rivers is known as the Triveni-sangam. Tri means “three,” veni refers to a braid, and sangam means “union.” The dark blue and black Yamuna flows swiftly into the white and gray Ganges. The Sarasvati flows underground.

Bathing in any of these sacred rivers is purifying, but the purification is said to increase a hundred times where the rivers meet. The Varaha Purana states: “In Prayag there is the Triveni. By bathing there one goes to heaven, and by dying there one gets liberation. It is the king of all tirthas [holy places of pilgrimage] and is dear to Lord Visnu.”

Lord Brahma has said, prayagasya pravesesu papam nasyanti tatksanam: “All sins are at once cleansed upon entering Prayag.”

Many exalted saints and sages have visited Prayag. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, and Advaita Acarya all spent time there during pilgrimage tours.

The unseen merciful hand of Lord Krsna helps a determined young student become one of Srila Prabhupada’s first Indian disciples.

I was born in Aravade, a small village in the Indian state of Maharashtra that differs little from more than seven hundred thousand others in India. After I graduated from high school, my family sent me to Bombay to study chemistry in college. But my college career was not to be.

In the year 1971, in late March, something happened to prevent me from following the program my family had so carefully laid out for me. For the first time, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was touring India with his foreign disciples. They had arrived in Bombay just before I had, and now they were going to have a pandal (a spiritual festival) at Cross Maidan.

The devotees publicized the pandal very widely, in newspapers and on billboards. In the advertisements, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were described as American, Canadian, European, African, and Japanese sadhus (saintly devotees). This was unprecedented. Previously, whenever the word sadhu had been applied to someone, it was understood that the person was Indian. There could be no other consideration. But these advertisements were talking about sadhus from all over the world. This was indeed a novelty for every Bombayite, and it especially fascinated me.

Intrigued, I went to the Hare Krishna Festival, which was quite well organized. The Hare Krsna sadhus were the biggest attraction for me. I appreciated their singing, dancing, walking, and talking. In fact, I liked everything about them, and I attended the function practically every evening. I would simply watch and listen. Though I knew English, I wasn’t fluent, and speaking with foreigners was too difficult for me. I purchased a few magazines and a few booklets with the little money I had.

Srila Prabhupada spoke every evening. He discussed many issues relating to Krsna consciousness and made many points. But the point that had the greatest impact on me, and which attracted me to him and his society more than anything else, was the simple point that if you serve Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you simultaneously serve everyone and everything else. Srila Prabhupada gave the analogy of what happens when one waters a tree. Just by pouring water on the root of a tree, one automatically waters all the leaves, branches, fruits, and flowers on the tree.

Srila Prabhupada had simplified my job. “Here is my chance,” I thought. I had always wanted to serve others, and thus at different stages in my life I had contemplated becoming an engineer or a doctor or a lawyer. Whenever I thought of my future, I would think of how I could serve others. Yet although throughout all these years I had mainly thought of service, I didn’t know where to begin, and I had practically no resources in my possession. But now Srila Prabhupada had cleared my path by showing the easy way of serving the whole creation through the simple medium of serving the Lord, the source of all that be. This idea greatly appealed to me.

As scheduled, the Hare Krishna Festival ended after eleven days, and everything went back to normal.

I continued going to college in Bombay. I shared a room with some people from my village, whom my family had asked to keep an eye on me. Once, several years before, I had left my studies and gone to join an asrama in a town nearby my village. I had almost made it to the asrama, but the unseen merciful hand of the Lord brought me back so that later I could join Srila Prabhupada instead.

After this incident, my family had anticipated my going away somewhere, sometime, and that is why they asked the villagers to watch over me. But how much could they watch me? I had gone to the Hare Krsna function practically every evening, and no one had noticed that. I would keep Hare Krsna magazines and booklets inside my big fat chemistry books and read them for hours. My roommates would marvel at how seriously I was studying chemistry. They couldn’t detect that instead of absorbing myself in analyzing chemical solutions, I was probing into the ultimate solution to the problems of life.

Whenever my roommates went out, I would bolt the door and, with my arms raised, chant Hare Krsna and dance to my full satisfaction. Having seen the devotees chanting and dancing onstage at the festival, I was trying to imitate them. Thus, in hiding, I was following the process of Krsna consciousness: chanting, dancing, and reading over and over again the few pieces of literature I had.

I knew that the Hare Krsna devotees were living somewhere in Bombay, but after the function their small group had merged into the big city, and I was deprived of their association.

One year passed.

Then, in March 1972, ISKCON organized another festival, this time at Juhu Beach. During the course of the year, the devotees had purchased some land at Juhu, and the function was going to be held right on their premises. Once again, advertisements appeared in the newspapers and in other media, and news of the festival reached me by the causeless mercy of the Lord. I had been waiting for this news, and I was extremely happy to receive it.

Naturally, I attended the programs. I would go long before they began, borrow books, and read them. During the chanting I would join in wholeheartedly. The foreign devotees, in Indian dhotis and kurtas, and the Indian student, in imported trousers and shirt, would dance together.

Occasionally, during prasadam time, when I happened to be near the gate, the devotees would invite me to come and take prasadam with them. I was eager to observe their life closely, so I would take advantage of the opportunity and join them. They were all nice devotees. On top of that, they were all foreigners, and I was duly impressed.

A few days after the festival at Juhu ended, I sat down and composed an application for membership in ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness). I had decided to join the devotees, and to join any organization, I thought, one needed to fill out an application. I addressed my application to the president of ISKCON, Bombay. I wrote that I agreed to follow the four regulative principles no meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and no gambling. I also stated that I liked their dazzling aratis, ecstatic kirtanas, and sumptuous prasadam. (I had picked up all these terms from their publicity handouts.) I went to a typing institute and had the application typed out. ISKCON was an international society, so I thought everything had to be formalized and just right.

Then I went to the Hare Krsna asrama at Juhu and asked who the president was. It wasn’t difficult to get to see him. His name was Giriraja dasa. He went through my letter-application, and on the spot he accepted me and embraced me. Not only that: he welcomed me in and immediately introduced me to all the asramites as a new devotee.

I quickly adjusted to my new lifestyle. I had a new home, a new uniform, new associates, a new program almost everything was new to me. Nonetheless, I immediately embraced all of it and liked it. Although the devotees were mostly foreigners, I felt completely at home. I was determined to make this my life’s commitment.

One week passed quickly. Then my elder brother arrived at the temple with one of my old roommates. Among the things I had left in my room was a handbill with the Hare Krsna address at Juhu on it. That’s how they’d found me. It was no big surprise to them that I’d joined the devotees. They had been expecting something like this for some time, and now all they had feared had come to pass.

My brother wanted me to visit my family, especially for the sake of my mother. If I wouldn’t go she might die, he said. But he assured me my family had no objection to my returning after the visit. I had always respected my brother, and here he was practically begging me to return home, saying that it was a matter of life and death for my affectionate mother and that I could return soon. Finally, I asked permission from Giriraja and left, wearing my new uniform of dhoti and kurta.

After I arrived in my village, people began saying that though I used to be such a nice boy, now something had gone wrong with me. The difference was that I was wearing a dhoti and kurta, chanting Hare Krsna, and avoiding the association of nondevotees. The townspeople considered all these things strange and abnormal.

My father requested me not to wear my new clothes and not to put on tilaka, even though he wore clothes similar to mine and occasionally wore tilaka himself. He was a devotee of Lord Vittala, a form of Lord Visnu, or Krsna, and devotees of Lord Vittala apply tilaka in a way similar to that of the Hare Krsna devotees. On special occasions my father would put on his tilaka, but he didn’t want me to imitate him, because he was worried about what people would think. (If such is the reaction of Indian parents, I can hardly imagine the reaction of parents of devotees in other lands).

Thus my parents tried everything in their power to dissuade me from returning to the Hare Krsna devotees. They even went to astrologers to learn some way to “cure” me or to find out how long I would continue living this “strange type of life.” They were really concerned.

More than a week passed, yet no plans were made for my return to the devotees, as per the original agreement between my brother and me. My parents kept telling me that some relative or other still had to come see me and that it wouldn’t be proper for me to leave without meeting him. My family planned to enlist the relatives as agents to somehow or other talk me out of this sadhu business. My parents tried everything on me, but my mind was fixed on going back to the Hare Krsna devotees.

One day I saw my sister shedding tears. When someone asked her what was wrong, she replied, “Just see how in our house all the other boys are nicely engaged in playing cards, but my brother Raghunatha isn’t sitting with them.” Such was the cause of her tears. She was feeling sorry that I wasn’t playing cards with the other boys but was instead busy chanting the holy names of God on my beads.

When my family all realized I wouldn’t give up the life I had embraced, they came up with the proposal that I could continue the life of a sadhu but that I should do it in our village. They promised to build a small temple so I could do my devotional practices there. I rejected this idea, too, however, because I wanted to associate with the devotees. There is no question of leading a spiritual life without proper association, without the association of devotees who are practicing Krsna consciousness full-time. I didn’t want to be just another bogus sadhu. India was already overcrowded and overburdened with them. I wanted to engage in the service of Krsna in the Hare Krsna movement. Srila Prabhupada had already cleared my path. He had given me my life’s mission, and I was fully satisfied once and for all with that.

I had sold my heart to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna. So, finally, my family accepted the inevitable. I returned to Bombay after about a month and moved back into the asrama. Since I had stayed in my village quite a long time, I wasn’t sure how Giriraja and the other devotees would react to my return. When they saw me, however, I was surprised to find myself most welcome, just as before and they were surprised to see me back in their midst. Their experience had been that many Indian devotees had come and gone, promising to return soon, but hardly any had actually returned. Thus they were surprised and pleased to see me. By the causeless mercy of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, my return to the devotees became possible.

Although it may appear that my joining ISKCON disrupted my family’s life and caused a disturbance in my small village, these negative effects were only temporary. In the years since I joined ISKCON, I and many other devotees have often visited Aravade and taught the principles of Krsna consciousness, and now my family and my whole village embrace ISKCON as a genuine religious movement. There are seven full-time devotees from there, my sister has enrolled her son into the ISKCON gurukula school in Vrndavana, and whenever I see my father he asks me for tilaka and proudly decorates his forehead with it. Also, my family and many other families in Aravade regularly chant Hare Krsna on beads. All in all, my whole village loves the Hare Krsna movement, and there is no disruption of any kind.

Venue: Guayana , Guayana katha, dated: 2006, June 30

Hare Krishna……………… Jai Shri Krishna…………….Jai Shri Radhe………………..Jai Shri Vrindavan.  By causeless mercy of the Lord, we have this good fortune great fortune of coming together every evening, some of us were also getting together during the day time around noon time and then again evening this is Krishna’s kindness to all of us. We would not know, but punya karma what pious deeds we have performed to have this rare gift, rare opportunity to associate with Shri Krishna in the form of His name Krishna appears in form of His name and in Bhagvat He appears also in the form of katha , in the form of His past times. We are able to associate with the Lord through these manifestations of his name, His qualities, and His past times.

“brahmanda bhramete kaun bhagyavan jiva”. The Shastras say that, we had been wondering all over the universe “brahmanda bhramete kaun bhagyavan jiva”. Then Krishna makes some of those jivas, some of those souls very fortunate by bringing them in contact with the devotees and as they come in contact with the devotees naturally those devotees tries to attract those jivas to Krishna.

“guru Krishna prasade pai bhaktilata beja” Krishna prasade pai, then finally we get that beja that seed within us of Krishna of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna enters our heart, our consciousness and if we keep watering that seed then that will sprout, that will grow into seedlings and a plant, and a tree and eventually there will be fruits of Love of Godhead, Krishna prema that we could relish. So these are our beginning days but good beginning its kind of work done. We just have to stay on this path; we have been put on right path by Lord Shri Krishna by giving this opportunity of hearing his katha, directly from Bhagvatam. We would like you to carry this katha with you read this katha which is Krishna himself look after this katha, these pastimes; this is Krishna read and preserve this Katha.

“Krishna se tomara krsna dite paro, tomara sakati ache” The devotees of gaudiya sampradhya, gaudiya parampara, gaudiya line starting from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we have this mood. O! Devotee O! Vaishnava, you have Krishna and I know you are competent to give that Krishna to me “Krishna se tomara krsna dite paro, tomara sakati ache” that is why I am running after you.

“ami to kangala krsna krsna boli dhai tava pache pache” That is why I am chanting Krishna Krishna running after you begging you to this poor soul you please deliver Krishna, please give Krishna you enrich me also with Krishna.

“ohe! Vaishnaba thakura doyare sagara edase koruna kori” O! Vaisnava, O! Devotee, please have mercy upon this fallen soul, please give Krishna to me have mercy upon me. So This is the mood of devotee, one devotee gives Krishna to other devotee as he talks about Krishna he is giving Krishna as he sings about Krishna, he is giving Krishna, as he is gives prasadam to others, he is giving Krishna, as he brings him to Vrindavan he is giving Krishna, as he is giving Bhagvat –gita, Bhagvatam to read he is giving them Krishna. Krishna in all these forms giving Krishna, giving Ram, giving Parshuram, giving Narsimha , Krishna Tatvas. So Bhagvatam is merciful incarnation of the Lord and we had been serving this Avatar, Vangamai Murti in the form of Bhagvatam by reciting this Bhagvatam, by hearing this Bhagvatam, and by contemplating reflecting upon this Bhagvatam. And this is not an ordinary thing, a rare gift, there is lot more, we are just giving introduction, there is a whole ocean, full of knowledge and nectar, past times, Krishna is Ananta.

“yasantam navidhu sura suraganaha devaya tasmai namah” yasantam navidhu His anta, His end no one knows, He is just unending, Krishna is unending , unlimited ocean, all that doesn’t mean He has no form, He has form. He has ocean full of talks, topics related with Him. So we are just sharing few topics, just sampling, wishing that you develop attraction to hear about Krishna, develop attachment to Krishna read about Krishna our eternal friend. So yesterday we were in middle of that pastime of Brahma Vimohan Lila towards end of yesterday’s session.

So Krishna was in Vrindavan of course He is always in Vrindavan and He was there on the bank of river Yamuna and He was sitting there for lunch surrounded by His cowherd boyfriends and soon some of the boys noticed, where are the cows they were just now here eating green grass. But they are not in the sight anymore.  So different cowherd boys where getting up and trying to locate the cows where are the cows? Where are they?  And they are trying to locate them find them, where are they? They were getting into anxiety and Krishna could see that and some of them were getting ready to stop the lunch and go to find out the cows. But Lord Krishna He said no no my friends please you all sit down, I will go and get them why disturb your lunch you enjoy lunch prasad I will find them and He goes looking for those cows.

He goes looking everywhere in the all different forest and top of mountain, Govardhan hill and the   valley here there, everywhere and they were no where to be found, disappointed as He was Lord Shri Krishna was failure in His mission. He was only returning to the same spot, where his friends were sitting and eating Krishna prasad. But as He returned to that same spot, further surprised. Aye! I didn’t find the cows and now where are my friends. And now He was looking for His friends, He was searching for them everywhere. No clues, no trace He was looking for their footprint this that, any indication He did not find them and after He was thinking what could have possibly happened to my friends? and also to those cows? And He came to conclusion, yes yes that this must be the job of Brahma.

Brahma had stolen my friends the cows also so by this time it was late in afternoon it was time to go back home, every day, every day in the evening, He would return to Vrindavan to Nandagram with hundreds and thousands of cows and His friends, Krishna playing flute good fun all the way on the back home back, back to different villages, His village Krishna’s village His friends accompanying.  But today He was thinking, oh! Today I am just by myself what to do? How could go alone? And what could I say to the thousands of parents of my friends? And what about those cows in cows sheds? May be something could be explained to the families, but what about the cows? If they did not see their calf, what could they think? How could they survive? So what to do? And off course it is not you or me, He is the Supreme Personality He came to conclusion and yes I know I know what to do and immediately He expanded and in matter no time there were as many cow herd boys as many He had that day coming with Him herding the cows. And not only friends He also had the cows same number, exact number and not just the numbers but they were just exact same replica, their forms each calf the way did their mooing each calf does it differently right. Not that each calf was sounding the same no, He became the cows hundreds and thousands, He became friends 100’s and 1000’s of friends each one as they were before.

Their looks everything their clothing, their stick the same length of sticks, same kinds of habits, same kind of likes and dislikes. Ok now everything was set no problem now they leave for homes on the way Krishna is playing His flute as usual and everyone else is playing different, different roles. But who are they today? Who is the each cowherd boy today? Who is He? Any idea, who were those boys? Krishna ya you could close your eyes and say, so all Krishna each cowherd boy was Krishna but playing role of different different cowherd boys and same thing with calf each calf was Krishna. They were all returning to their respective homes and they were, upon arriving in the village the cows are going to the different goshalas, going to their respective mothers and all the cowherd boys they also returned to their respective homes.

Cows are meeting the calves, mothers’ cows are greeting the baby calf and parents are doing greeting their children at their respective homes. But today all those cows in all those goshalas in the Vrindavan they have different feelings they are licking the bodies of their calf as the calf is drinking the milk from udders of the cows. And the mothers in their respective homes were also greeting children, bathing them, dressing new dress, feeding them food, breast milk and all those cows, and all those mothers have a great time today everyone is so blissful they never had experience anything like this before and they do not know why what is happening today.

What is a special event, occasion, what was special was they did not know they were not their own children “that was Krishna” those cows were Krishna. Well what did Brahma do was, He did in fact a favor to all the resident of Vrindavan and to the cows also may be Krishna was disappointed for a while thinking O! This is the job of Brahma that fool, I will teach him a lesson. But all this years all those cows were thinking, O! You know when Krishna is hungry He always drinks His cows, His mother’s milk directly, but you know, could He ever drink our milk like our calf drinks, could Krishna ever do that to us. O! I wish cows think I wish Krishna was my calf O! That would be wonderful could I have Krishna as my calf could He drink the milk directly from my udder from me, you know that day what happened that’s another story.

When mother Yashoda that on diwali day Radha Damodhar past time, Krishna was tied to the mortar as Yashoda was feeding Krishna her breast milk, there is a milk on the stove in the kitchen, he thought well that its end of me, Krishna is just feeling up His belly with His mother’s milk, what about me? He is not going to drink me. The milk in the pot on the stove in the kitchen, thinking O! He is not going to drink me, O! what good is my life I better finish my existence thinking so the milk overflows and jumps in the fire of that stove and because mother Yashoda heard. OH! I forgot I had put milk on the stove and its overflowing. So she dropped Krishna on the floor and she ran to the kitchen to protect that milk to save that milk but the milk was ready to give up its life (laughs). So in Vrindavan even milk is a person and wants to serve Krishna and than what to speak of those cows and their milk which they possess.

So sometimes cows thinking He is drinking His mother’s milk or our milk is first so milk man comes that  is boiled , and sometimes He drinks or sometimes He don’t drink but it is possible sometimes could He directly drink our milk, would we have this opportunity. So cows had been thinking like this, so their desire was fulfilled, today although the cows were not realizing, What was going on there?The same thing was their mothers all the elderly Gopi’s of the Vrindavan. They were thinking oh! Such beautiful, wonderful, sweet, darling this Krishna is! Nanda Nandan Yashodha nandan O! Could I ever have a child like Krishna? But there is no one else is like Krishna, so Krishna had to become their child and today He was the child of all those mothers all over of Vrindavan and He was in their lap and drinking their milk and well the next day. All the cowherd boys they come in the morning to Krishna’s doors knocking at the door. Aye! Let’s go lets go, blowing their buffalos horns, they play buffalo horns the cows had come and then Krishna Balarama they got ready and they went into the forest and they had fun all the day and they returned and again next evening cows have great time, greater time than day before and mothers have greater time with their children and the next day they go into the forest and they return and the third day and the fourth day and the first month and six months past and almost one year has passed. And everyday all this time all the children cowherd boys and their Krishna and all the cows of Krishna and everyday those mothers and those cows are experiencing greater and greater bliss, happiness, joy they are becoming more and more Krishna conscious .

And they had a Bhagvatam, Sukhdev Goswami describe that you know before this particular period these mothers, ladies and their children they always had this thought that oh! This is my son and that one is my neighbor’s son, this is their son, his son, my son, oh! This is Krishna so three identity they were thinking, this is my son this one is somebody else son and this is Krishna but as during this almost 1 year period and as lot of time with passing of every day there was no more distinction, they were not able to make any distinction oh! Here is my son, here is Krishna and here is someone else’s son.

They had a thought that it’s the same person, their son and someone else son and mother Yashoda’s son there is no difference. So they were evolving with this realization its just same person although there were not talking, sharing this but they all were wondering, this thought was diminishing my child, someone’s else child, this is Krishna there was no more distinction. So like this, one year went by and Brahma who had gone taken away Krishna’s friends and cows and hide them in a cave at long distance away in his abode then he return and for him it was just matter of one moment, Brahma quickly went and returned and that was one year on this planet.

So Brahma wanted to come back and see the fun Oh! Let me see He must be by himself may be whole advertisement is going, we lost the boys, we lost cows in the newspaper, in television everywhere. In America if cat is lost they write something and they hang somewhere cat lost and they have photograph of the cat and whole thing goes on, in the newspaper that cat is lost, dog is lost. So Brahma was thinking probably lost and found the whole thing must be going on and they all must be in great stress, Krishnas all job finished He must have closed his shop by now.

This was Brahma was thinking as he was returning towards Vrindavan and as finally he was in Vrindavan, What did he see? Everything was intact as it was before, no change, zero change, nothing had altered as he had stolen all the friends and all the calves and he was surprised to see looking everybody’s there, Krishna is there, look all those boys, friends are there they are playing having great time, look at the cows and they are there grazing and they are heal and hearty no one is in anxiety, no one is bewildered , no one is lost nothing. And then Krishna knew ok! Brahmaji I know you are, I know you are looking and looking at my show here. You have taken a close look at our Lila here and as I have have your attention now please carefully. And the next scene was that each of those cowherd boys and each of the calf; they all become forehanded, forehanded Vishnu’s form, Krishna’s form. Hundreds and thousands each person is forehanded, crowns, Pitambhar, “ Kanti kaustubha mani virajita” and all beautiful features whole thing was just effulgent like a brilliant as billions of suns dazling and Brahma also noticed that whole creation is worshipping, each one of those forms is being worshipped, that was second scene. And as Brahma was further amazed and bewildered, the third scene was there was only Krishna, everyone else disappeared, Krishna withdrew all those forms, there was just only one person Krishna and in his hand there was a Yogurt and rice still wet fresh and He was holding some pickle and other things in his left hands, as per description of Sukhdev Goswami . And He was looking hey! What happened to my cows? Where are the friends? And He is searching, looking for them and Brahma is watching that one also. So at this point, bewildered and surprised and amazed and now realizing the blunter the offence that he committed by interrupting Lord’s past times in a way he interrupted and at the same time nothing was interrupted and he could see each cowherd boy was Lord himself.

That was a second scene each calf was Krishna himself and by now He was by himself there was no-one else just one person looking at this point Brahma descends, he rides on a swan he came down. He fell flat at the feet of the Lord touching his crowns, all the hairs with the crown, touching the feet of the Lord, he was in tears, as if he was washing the lotus feet of the Lord with his own tears and trembling, and shaking begging to the Lord for the great offence that he had committed at the feet of the Lord.  Then he managed to stand before the Lord with folded hands and he offered prayers to glorify the Lord pacify the Lord, wonderful prayers as we have heard the prayers of Kunti, there is another set of prayers in Bhagavatam of Lord Brahma 14^th chapter of the 10th canto of the Bhagavatam, please study this prayers. Then towards the end of prayers Brahma circumambulated the Lord offered obeisance to the Lord and he departed and he quickly managed to this time he did not get another year to go and come back.

So Krishna was now He was in the mood of looking for his friends. So now the cows were found and He was returning to were his friends were taking lunch Prasad and all the boys how were seating in the same place after one year they were now sitting back at the same spot, where they had sat one year ago and as they saw Krishna coming all the boys say oh! You are so fast we haven’t even finished our lunch, you came back quickly, how fast you are how smart you are Krishna? They did not realize all they had transpired. They were not there from one year; they were backed into those position after one year .But they were thinking hey! He has come back we haven’t finished our lunch. So whatever Krishna returned and He joined them, in their lunch Program and it was late afternoon towards evening time so they all returned and when they returned that evening there were all the cowherd boys, they were getting their parents hey…. Daddy sit down, come here, come here, no no I am busy no no come here you know what today what happened? Oh! What happened ok I will sit down and each cowherd boy in each home they were talking, they use to do this all the time it is everyday affair. Whatever experiences they used to have with Krishna all day in the evening that will become talk of the town just like a radio station,  good evening news, communication would reach far and wide, all Krishna’s daily pastimes communicated.

By those correspondents by their 1st hand experience, they would share these wonderful activities and that day they said you know today that serpent that Aghasura we thought he was just a statue or some kind of cave so we entered, and they explained the whole thing. But you know finally Krishna killed that demon and that’s why we were able to come back home alive. You know Krishna is such a powerful, wonderful person friend, they are glorifying, appreciating Krishna like this.

So, Sukhdev Goswami was not going to talk about this pastime this Brahma Vimohan lila, what he had mentioned to King Parikshit was in the past time that took place, when the cowherd boys were of age of 5 years old, that past time was related to all the residents of Vrindavan when the cowherd boys were six years old. He made this mention to king Parikshit and he was kind of was going to go on with the next pastime and the king Parikshit he become very curious O! what did you say for 1 year no one knew about this killing of Aghasura how is it, so what happened? Why did those cowherd boys, normally they would tell that same evening. But why did they wait for 1 year to relate this pastime with their parents and then Sukhdev Goswami deeply thought of this pastime, this confidential past time and then related, narrated that to king Parikshit. So these are some of the highlight of that pastime, please read this, hear this, discuss this further amongst yourselves this past time of Krishna. Isn’t that sweet past time? No, so so, think and then respond, it’s sweet or not sweet? very sweet, someone says very sweet, the sweeter it gets as you here next time it becomes sweeter and sweeter and it’s not only Krishna’s pastimes are sweet there is a song that says lot of things are sweet about the Lord, there are hundreds of things unlimited things or everything infact is sweet. The things in relationship with Krishna are very very sweet so we will sing this it is called madhurashtakam “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram”(bhajan)

“madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram” Everything is sweet madhuradhi pater first of all Shri Krishna is pati , the master, the boss of madhurta, sweetness, everything about Him is sweet, adharam madhuram His lips are sweet, His heart is sweet, His talk is sweet, His walk sweet, His stick is sweet, His flute is sweet , dust of His lotus feet is sweet, His feet are sweet, His friendship is sweet,as He sings that is sweets, as He talks that is sweet, His form is sweet, His tilak is sweet like that goes on and on and on……..  And think this is the complete list but this is just to give an idea of sweetness of Krishna. The part which you should try to sing is, this chorus “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram” (by Shri Vallabhacharya) says everybody “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram”

HARE KRISHNA…………………………….

Venue: Mayapur, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.59 at

na yasya cittam bahir-artha-vibhramam

tamo-guhayam ca vishuddham avishat

yad-bhakti-yoga anugrihitam anjasa

munir vichaste nanu tatra te gatim

TRANSLATION

The devotee whose heart has been completely cleansed by the process of devotional service and who is favored by Bhaktidevi does not become bewildered by the external energy, which is just like a dark well. Being completely cleansed of all material contamination in this way, a devotee is able to understand very happily Your name, fame, form, activities, etc.

Maharaja: This chapter is called the chanting the song sung by Lord Shiva or Rudra-geeta

Maharaja reads purport by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada:

As stated in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.25):

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

bhavanti hrit-karna-rasayanam katham

taj-joshanad ashv apavarga-vartmani

shraddha ratir bhaktir anukramishyati

Simply by the association of pure devotees one can understand the transcendental name, fame, quality and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has repeatedly said:

‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’—sarva-shastre kaya

lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54)

Simply by associating with a pure devotee, one becomes wonderfully advanced in Krishna consciousness. Sadhu-sanga, or association with a devotee, means always engaging in Krishna consciousness by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and by acting for Krishna.

SADHU SANGA CAN BE EXTENDED BEYOND THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE:

Maharaja comments: Sadhu sanga doesn’t end. Being in the close proximity of sadhu or physically with the sadhu is only the beginning as it sounds here. Association continues beyond getting together. That association continues even if they depart and go away. While in physical association, the sadhu says, “chant Hare Krishna”.  So even though the sadhu departs, one who continues to chant “Hare Krishna” according to the sadhu’s instruction continues the association. The sadhu’s association is extended beyond the physical presence in such a case.

Krishna proudly declares says in Bhagavad Gita (10.11) – “Mat chittah mad-gata pranah, bodhayantam parasparam”. What do My devotees do, when they get together? They remind each other about Me, their conversation or ‘samvad’ is about Me. Thus when they get together, they converse about Me and when they depart, their association continues if they keep chanting the name and follow the instructions about the dos and don’ts. Beyond the class, or the get together or the ‘ista gostis’ or physical association, the devotees’ association continues if they continue to reflect and contemplate upon the discussions.

Maharaja continues to the purport by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, “Specifically, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra purifies one, and this chanting is therefore recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpana-marjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the names of Krishna, the mirror of the heart is cleansed, and the devotee loses interest in everything external.”

SANSKRIT WORD FOR MIRROR IS “DARPA-NA”

Maharaja continues to speak: Have you heard the words, “dambha” and “darpa”?  They indicate false ego. Darpana means mirror. As you look into the mirror, what does it do? It increases your false ego. Darpana is meant for extending, enhancing, solidifying your darpa or false ego. Darpa-‘na’ is the word for mirror in Sanskrit. Darpana in Sanskrit means one that increase your false ego, solidifies your bodily concept.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Siksastakam says, ‘Cheto darpana marjanam’.  This ‘darpana’ that He is talking about in Siksastakam is kind of different from the word ‘mirror’.  He speaks of Chetana’s darpana.  By “Cheto darpana”, He refers to mirror of the consciousness.

Of course, devotees stop looking at the other mirror. Their mirror is so tiny, they do not want to look at their bodies, but look at only the tilak. So they move their mirror up and down over the tilak. If they use the mirror to look at their own bodies, there will soon be competition. While comparing with others’ beauty, they will assure themselves – I am not less beautiful! And of course, as conditioned souls, they will become envious of the Lord, and also envious of the beauty of the Lord.

Lord has blooming lotus eyes, reaching up to ears “karna paryantam”. Gauranga’s eyes reach His ears. Krishna’s eyes, Radha’s eyes are blooming, wide open, because Krishna wants to look at Radha rani and Radha rani at Krishna. So just a little opening is not enough. So He keeps opening His eyes, so He can drink the beauty of Radha rani. They compete with each other in wide opening of Their eyes. Thus Their eyes get opened up to the ears. When we look in the mirrors, especially ladies look at the mirror; they want to extend their eyes also to reach their ears by using the brush and makeup etc.

Thus, “Yasyatma buddhih,  kunape tri-dhatuke” (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.84.13). One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air is strengthening his concept of “I am the body”. So a devotee in fact stops looking into the other (regular) mirror or stops looking at his own image in the other (regular) mirror. When that mirror is out, then the remainder of the  mirror is that of the chetana or the  mirror of consciousness –then  he is able  to look at his real ‘self’, the Supreme Self, and his relationship with the Supreme Lord – everything can be seen into that mirror of consciousness.

But that has to be planned so that one is able to throw the regular mirror, or stop looking into the mirror, and appreciate one’s own beauty – then only it is possible to look into the mirror of consciousness from deep within. Cleansing of the mirror of consciousness takes place, as one minimizes his bodily concept of false ego. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has specifically recommended this “cheto darpana marjanam”.

Maharaja continues to read the purport by His Divine Grace: Specifically, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra purifies one, and this chanting is therefore recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpana-marjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the names of Krishna, the mirror of the heart is cleansed, and the devotee loses interest in everything external.

REALLY CLEANSED MIRROR OF CONSICOUSNESS- SRILA RUPA GOSWAMI:

Maharaja continues to speak: in this way, he becomes free from false ego. In Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.31 Prahlada maharaja said, “Bahir artha manina (considering external objects as valuable)”. Bahir means external. Artha means something meaningful. For example economic development is meaningful. So bahir artha manina – everything that is external is meaningful to the people. This is Prahalad maharaja talking to his father. They just only think that everything else (external or bahir artha) – all that is out there is so very important, meaningful and useful.

Here in this verse, it says Bahir artha vibramam – consciousness is disturbed by this bahir artha resulting into bewilderment. The purport says that by chanting the names of Krishna, the mirror of the heart is cleansed, and the devotee loses interest in everything external. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with Rupa Goswami and Anupama in Prayag, He saw in them zero ego, absolutely no ego. These two personalities were holding straw in their teeth – dante trina dhari. They were literally holding the straw in their teeth which is a symbol of extreme humility.  At that time, Mahaprabhu was surrounded by large crowds of people at the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Even though it was not time for flooding of the rivers, Mahaprabhu was flooding that region with the love of Godhead and all the people were drowning in that flood of love of Godhead. So these two personalities, Rupa Goswami and Anupana were standing away from Mahaprabhu at a distance. Finally when they found Caitanya Mahaprabhu by Himself, they went near and offered the praise to the Lord, “Namo maha vadanyaya Krishna prema pradayate, Krishnaya Krishna Caitanya namne Gaura tvishe namah”. (C.C. Madhya 19.53) – “O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisance’s unto You.” They stood up with folded hands with their bodies trembling, tears gliding the cheeks and then they fell down into the dust of His feet and again stand up with trembling bodies and tears and repeatedly fall down. This went on for many times. Vallabhacharya had come to meet Caitanya Mahaprabhu to invite Him to his home.  So Mahaprabhu introduced Rupa and Anupana to him, saying that these two Rupa and Anupama – they all always chanting the names of Krishna. The holy name is always dancing on their tongues. Immediately they again started offering obeisance’s. Hearing this Vallabhacharya got up and wanted to go near where Rupa and Anupana were sitting. But these two got up and started running away saying, no don’t touch us, we are not worthy, untouchable etc.

I was amazed when I was reading this part and laughed to myself while comparing my humility with Rupa goswami and Anupana.  Their consciousness is purified – cheto darpana marjanam! In fact, we are lowly, untouchable – asprishya. Association of such devotees is useful for purifying our consciousness.

Maharaja continues to read the purport by His Divine Grace: When one is influenced by the external energy of the Lord, his heart is impure. When one’s heart is not pure, he cannot see how things are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. “Idam hi vishvam Bhagavan ivetaro” (SB 1.5.20). He whose heart is purified can see that the whole cosmic manifestation is but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he whose heart is contaminated sees things differently. Therefore by sat-sanga, or association with devotees, one becomes perfectly pure in heart.

IN ‘SAT’ SANGA, THE SAINTLY PERSON GIVES ASSOCIATION OF KRISHNA:

Maharaja continues to speak: In one of the lectures of Srila Prabhupada, a devotee was reading a part from Lord Kapila’s instructions and Prabhupada said, why people complain that they have not seen God? Do they not see the sun shining? If they see the sunshine, do they not see God. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, Prabha asmi shashi suryayo.. (BG 7.8 – I am the light of the sun and the moon);  raso aham apsu Kaunteya – I am the taste in water. Once in Juhu temple when Prabhupada was giving a lecture, he picked up his glass of water, took a little sip and said aha! That taste in water should remind you about Krishna. That is Krishna consciousness. Just drinking water can remind you about God. So a devotee makes a connection in everything.

There are only three things in the world – chit, achit and jiva – the Lord, His external energy and the living entity. Chit includes all spiritual kingdom, the Lord, His forms, pastimes, names. Achit is His external energy called material external manifestation. The third entity is the living entity. Only three things in this world exist – not many.

So this bahir artha vibramam chittam (as said in the current verse) means the external energy, the achit has entered his consciousness, heart, mind and intelligence. The idea is to get rid of this achit which causes bewilderment (vibramam) and just be with the chit – internal potency and the Supreme Lord. Srila Prabhupada concludes in his purport – Therefore by sat sanga or association of devotees one becomes perfectly pure in the heart. He mentions in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25 – “satam prasangat mama virya samvidau” (In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.) Lord Kapila in this verse says, that among the special association of devotees, ‘I’ become the topic of their discussion. They discuss about My power, My beauty and thus the nectar from that discussion purifies their hearts.

So when we associate with a saintly person, in fact the saintly person gives us the association of Krishna. He just presents Krishna, talks about Krishna saying here is Krishna. This is called “sat sanga” or association with “Sat”. Krishna is called “Sat-chit-ananda or Om Tat Sat. Krishna is that “sat” or satyam. Satyam Param Dhimahi (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.1 – I meditate upon the absolute truth, who is Krishna).

When Lord Krishna was in the womb of Devaki, the demigods started offering prayers to the Lord called garbha stuti. (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.26)

satya-vratam satya-param tri-satyam

satyasya yonim nihitam ca satye

satyasya satyam rita-satya-netram

satyatmakam tvam sharanam prapannam

(The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestation-creation, maintenance and annihilation—You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the real truth, in all the ingredients of creation, and therefore you are known as antaryami, the inner force. You are equal to everyone, and Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the beginning of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisance’s, we surrender unto You. Kindly give us protection.)

So many times in this verse, they used the ‘satyam’ indicating the Lord.  Hence in the ‘sat-sanga’, the association of devotees, the truth or the Lord is presented or the Lord is made available.

Maharaja continues to read the purport by His Divine Grace: One who is pure in heart is never attracted by the external energy which urges the individual soul to try to dominate material nature. The pure heart of a devotee is never disturbed when he executes devotional service in the form of hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. In all, there are nine processes one can follow in the execution of devotional service. In any case, a pure-hearted devotee is never disturbed. The bhakti-yoga process must be carried out by avoiding the ten offenses one can commit while chanting the mahä-mantra and the sixty-four offenses one can commit while worshiping the Deity.

CHANTING HARE KRISHNA IS COMPLETE  WITH  VIDHI AND NISHEDHA OF SCRIPTURES:

Maharaja continues to speak: one part of the instructions is to chant Hare Krishna. The other part is avoiding offences. Chanting Hare Krishna is not enough; with that goes a supplement of avoiding offences. Rather the second part is equally or even more important than chanting Hare Krishna. Instruction is to chant Hare Krishna, but how do chant Hare Krishna? So vidhi and nisheda (dos and don’ts) of the scriptures make the instructions complete. Instruction is not complete unless you hear what not to do as well. Bhakti Vinod Thakur in his song says, “Aparadha shunya hoiya loha Krishna nam” – Being careful to remain free of offenses, just take the holy name of Krishna.  Thus chanting is not complete unless the other instruction of avoiding 10 offences is strictly followed.

Maharaja continues to read the purport: When a devotee strictly follows the rules and regulations, Bhaktidevi becomes very much satisfied with him, and at that time he is never disturbed by anything external. A devotee is also called a muni. The word muni means “thoughtful.” A devotee is as thoughtful as a nondevotee is speculative. The nondevotee’s speculation is impure, but a devotee’s thoughts are pure. Lord Kapila and Shukadeva Gosvami are also called muni, and Vyasadeva is addressed as Mahämuni. A devotee is addressed as muni, or thoughtful, when he purely understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conclusion is that when one’s heart is purified by the association of devotees and by the avoidance of the offenses committed when chanting and worshiping the Lord, the transcendental name, form and activities of the Lord are revealed by the Lord.

AMAZING ARRANGEMENT FOR APPEARANCE OF SITA DEVI & RADHA RANI:  Today is Sita navami. There is Ram navami and there is Sita navami. Similarly there is Krishna Janmastami and Radha ashtami. What a coincidence – or what an arrangement!  What a connection!

Radharani’s and Sitadevi’s appearances are also amazing. Radha rani was found in a blooming lotus floating in Yamuna river. Vrishabhanu was attracted to the lotus and went near and found a child within the lotus. That was Radha rani. Something similar happened with Sitadevi’s appearance. King Janak was ploughing a field, his plough got stuck. He stopped and digged a little and found a container. Within that was Sita devi.

Hari bol.

Soon after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, soon after I said Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa at the age of 24, He was just 24 years old. Of course could Lord be just 24 years Lord? I was also 24 years old at some time. So that is age of my body, Lord’s body is eternal. This is how; we end up saying, yes! He was 24 years old! He took sannyasa for the benefit of the whole world. That sannyasa initiation arouse additional devotion within heart of the Lord while He is playing role a devotee.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna himself, not only just Krishna, but He is also Radharani. “Sri Krishna Chaitanya – radha krishna nahi anya” – He is non different from Radha and Krishna. But as He is playing the role of devotee “bhaktavatar”, He is experiencing intense love for the Lord which was resulted, additional love which was resulted by His sannyasa diksha. Then the first thought that Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had was I would like to go to Vrindavan, where is Vrindavan?? Where is Vrindavan??I want to go to Vrindavan. Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu He kept wondering, in fact going round and round in Raaddesh.

Srila Prabhupada explains this as Raaddesh as that part of Bengal where Ganga does not flow. And He was going round and round because He had no sense of direction. He was just totally absorbed in Krishna – OH! Where is Krishna? Where is Vrindavan? And He kept just going round and round. There were few devotees Nityananda Prabhu and two more devotees were accompanying the Lord.  Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he comes across some cowherd men of that area, He inspires them to chant, He says bolo Krishna, bolo Krishna Hare Krishna (audience – Hare Krishna……..) and they chant. It may be difficult for me to get you chant Hare Krishna but for Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is the Lord, He is Lord of their hearts. So yes they were all chanting and Mahaprabhu was going closer to them and  blessing them,  touching their heads and Mahaprabhu asked them, which way is to Vrindavan could you please tell me?  Which way is to Vrindavan? Nityananda Prabhu he had already kind of prompted this cowherd men, if this sannyasi inquires from you which way is to Vrindavan, just tell him just go along the banks of Ganga.

That was not the way but this is Nityananda  Prabhu’s trick. So cowherd men, boys they are just, you want to go to Vrindavan that’s the way just go on the “banks of this river” and as Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was going that way, chanting and dancing.  Caitanya Mahaprabhu as you know He never walked, did He fly by air Mauritius (laughter) He only danced or He walked ok He walked but His walking is so artistic, like a actor. When He walks we could watch his steps it’s pleasing. So Mahaprabhu would walk, only dance and sing He was doing that and Nityanand prabhu was following Him.  As Caitanya Mahaprabhu was totally absorbed in his mood of Krishna and at one point he notices Nityananda prabhu is also following He says aye! “Where are you going”?  I am also going to Vrindavan. So they are walking after some distance, Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is inquiring oh! How far is Vrindavan from here? To this inquire Nityananda prabhu said “oh, we have reached Vrindavan” Here is Jamuna and as Mahaprabhu heard that He was in Vrindavan and there was Jamuna. Immediately His ecstasies where now thousand folds and He jumped into river. Jai Yamuna maiya ki…………… Jai Yamuna maiya ki…………… Vrindavan dham ki………………….

At some point, when He was in kind of finish with his Holy dip of Jamuna, but He had no additional garments, He had wet cloths. There He sees Advaita acarya, oh! here are some clothes for you my dear Lord. Seeing Advaitacharya Caitanya Mahaprabhu said “oh! How come how did you know that I was in Vrindavan”? Soon Shri Mahaprabhu realized and He was thinking “Advaita acarya! he has come to Vrindavan or am I in Shantipur in his hometown?”. And there is what had happened this was trick of Nityananda prabhu and this was all planned between Nityanand prabhu and  Advaita acarya to bring the Lord to Shantipur so that resident of Navdweep, Mayapur and specially Sacimata would have another opportunity of having audience with the Lord. And thus Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ends up Caitanya Mahaprabhu he was in Shantipur and devotees in great number turned up for darshan and Sacimata was invited to come. She comes running, takes her Nimai in her lap and profusely shedding tears as if she was doing abhishek with her tears of her Nimai.

Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu spent several days in Shantipur specially doing kirtans big kirtans, long many hours of kirtan that was life of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, chanting and dancing. “Kirtaniya sada hari” always chanting “satatam kirtayanto mam”.  Always chanting the glories of the Lord, always chanting the holy names. Sacimata knew Nimai has taken sannyasa. Of course you cannot come back home, I know that, but could you stay in nearby Holy place. Of course you could go anywhere the whole world is open for you. You could go to Durban also, Durban that ban which is at long long distance, doordarshan, Durban this is one of the bans, one of the ban like Vrindavan, Durban so another ban another forest. So He could have stayed in Vrindavan or Haridwar or Banaras, Pandharpur or so many places. No no you please stay in Jagannath puri which is not far from Navadvip Mayapur and we will get news from time to time. Devotees from Navadvip and Mayapur could visit you conveniently. So, no problem Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu gladly accepted the proposal of Sacimata and then He proceeded for Jagannath puri chanting and dancing again accompanied by a small group of devotees. And now as they are very close to Jagannath puri, Jagannath puri dhama ki jai…………………………………………….

They could see Jagannath puri and at this place Nityananda prabhu had broken danda, Caitanya Mahaprabhu had taken sannyasa but Nityananda prabhu took away danda of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu broke into pieces, throw it away. You have nothing to do with varnasram, you do not have to accept sannyasa, have all these symbols. Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a bit annoyed with avadhut, Nityananda prabhu is avadhut above rules and regulations and he did not want Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu  also to follow such rules. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu as He was bit disturbed with this act of Nityanand prabhu, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said “I will go by myself to Puri”  and from that point onwards, Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu kind of ran towards Puri leaving the main party behind, as if he was getting pulled by Jagannath the powerful magnet. And as Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered Jagannath puri temple and he saw Lord in front of him, he could not even utter the full name, Jagannath. We could say nothing happens much to us, but for him he could only say Jag…. Jag….. and his voice was choked up and he fell unconscious, losing all external consciousness he fell on the temple floor. In the temple hall there was great personality Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and he has seen others in the past coming and exhibiting these ecstasies but just a show they were show bottles the fake ones.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very curious to understand ecstasies, the symptoms of this personality, Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He lifted Mahaprabhu and brought Mahaprabhu to his own residence and examined all the symptoms and he realized this was not even ordinary bhava, but this was mahabhava genuine symptoms of ecstasy. Soon the main party arrived they had darshan they were expecting Mahaprabhu to be there in the temple waiting for them. But that wasn’t the case there was no Mahaprabhu in the temple. As they inquired after which they were informed, “yes you go to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya home probably you will find him there”. Then all the devotes ran to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya home they found Lord totally unconscious they all started chanting Hare Krishna (Bhajan).

And the result was so it’s a good reason for us to sing also or by singing this way we try to become part of that party Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s party. Try to experience we are also there or we are witnessing this pastime, we are hearing that party singing and then we also sing along. So Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to external consciousness Haribol…… Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai………….. So this is how Mahaprabhu entered Jagannath puri. He was thinking of Lord Jagannath all the time, on the way to Jagannath Puri as Akrura was thinking of Krishna when he went from Mathura to Vrindavan. And Srila Prabhupad reminds this is the way when you go to Vrindavan go to Vrindavan way Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Jagannath puri or way the Akrura went to Vrindavan. You cannot  purchase a ticket, train does not take you to, plane does not take you Vrindavan and Puri. The mood will on the way to Vrindavan or Puri will bring us there, otherwise our body there and mind back in Durban and always in touch with mobile phones. Keeping in touch with family as a result disconnected from the Lord. If family is Jagannath conscious, they may be talking to you on phone about Jagannath and that will help you to go closer to Puri.

So Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was there in Jagannath puri for total 18 years of which 6 years He was travelling all over, South India, another time He goes to Bengal and Bangladesh and back to Jagannath puri. So this is second time He comes back to Jagganath puri. Third time he goes to Vrindavan through Jharkhand forest. You heard Jharkhand forest pastime there also one state now in India  newly formed state like Maharashtra, Gujarat like that Jharkhand is one new state. Caitanya Mahaprabhu travelled through there, danced and made the animals also to dance in ecstasy. Mahaprabhu goes to Vrindavan He does his Brajmandal parikrama and comes back. Like that three times he went on travels, “Hare krishna naam gaur karila prachar”. He was singing that “Hare krishna naam gaur karila prachar”.

Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had appeared to establish the yuga dharma. “dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge” (B.G 4.8) — I appear in every age to establish the principles of dharma, the prime principle of dharma in this age of kali chanting the holy names of the Lord. So Lord travelled all over establishing, chanting dharma, sankirtan dharma. So finally He was also back from Vrindavan. Now He would be spending 12 more years in Jagannath Puri dham which has very similar mood like that of Vrindavan soon after He took sannyasa as we mentioned  He wanted to go to Vrindavan but He ended up in Jagannath puri which abode of Lord Jagannath who is Krishna himself.

“Sri gaur sri Krishna sri jaganath” Well Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu himself is also Krishna, Jagannath swami is also Krishna. So in Puri, Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu experiences of being in Vrindavan. In Jagannath Puri He would go for darshan of Jagannath everyday and the two Lords would be taking darshan of each other. Caitanya Mahaprabhu very anxious  to see Jagannath. One time Mahaprabhu He was inquiring could someone show me the Lord? Could someone show me the Lord? He was stopping people could someone show me the Lord?  could you bring me to the Lord. That person he did not know what to do how to response. Then he turned to another one what about you please bring me to my Lord that also did not work then another one and then another one and another one.  He was going shop to shop stopping people. He was so anxious so curious to meet his Lord, to have darshan of his Lord.

Finally He came across one smart Jagannath Puri wasi, resident of Puri. Oh! You want to see the lord, yes yes then please come along and he took Caitanya Mahaprabhu, where did he take Caitanya Mahaprabhu? To the temple, please come along and brought inside Jaganath’s temple. Oh! You wanted to see the Lord there you see. And as Mahaprabhu saw there was no Jagannath there at that time, he saw Muralidhar, Shaymsundar playing flute in the place of Jagannath swami. “Jayati jayati devo devakinandano”

So Jayati jayati devo Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also at the time of rathyatra, He would offer this player. Oh! Lord all glories unto you, all glories unto you “Jayati jayati devo devakinandano”

So you are Devaki Nandan, son of Devaki, you are Krishna, you are Vrisni vanshi, Krishna you are. In Jagannath puri, Jagannath swami is very special Krishna. What is the specialty? What is the special feature of Jagannath? Jagannath is that Krishna who is feeling very very intense separation from his devotes. Specially Vrindavan wasi specially Gopis and Radharani. That is the mood, where are they? Where are they? That’s why Lord’s eyes are that’s why they are bigger. So that is Jaganath swami Krishna feeling separation from his devotees. And here is Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu he has mood of devotee, he has mood of Radharani and he is feeling separation from Krishna, the Lord. So this is the match Jagannath swami is feeling separation from his devotees he is looking for his devotees where are my devotees?  Where are my devotees?  How are my devotees? And here is Caitanya Mahaprabhu where is my Lord? Where is my Krishna?

So this is perfect, Jagannath swami and Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In Jagannath puri temple, there is a Garuda stambha, Garuda is on a pillar, Garuda is the carrier of Jagannath, Vishnu he is like a vehicle, like your vehicle is parked in front as soon as you are out of  your home your vehicle is there ever ready. So Garuda also parks himself whenever Lord wants to go he is ready to go. Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would be allowed only to go up to that pillar and not forward; if he would go forward then he would be finished. Like He would be  in a stronger magnetic field. So better to keep him at safer distance so devotes would not allow him to step forward. He had to stand next to Garuda stambha and take darshan, watch see Jagannath swami and as Mahaprabhu would hold Garuda stambh by the touch of the fingers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there are finger prints of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in that Garuda stambha, I was just there, again in the past also I have seen this time also I not only see, but I also placed my fingers in the same place and I was trying to feel something trying to go into the past and imagine Mahaprabhu standing there and holding that pillar. Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu goongatha, his qualities, his pastimes are the birds would go in Trans “pasan vidare” the rock would melt by his touch or by hearing his pastimes.

Such is the power of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his pastimes, his qualities. “gaurangera madhura-lila jar karne pravesila, hrdoya nirmala bhelo tar”.  “gaurangera madhura-lila jar karne pravesila, hrdoya nirmala bhelo tar” . As the pastimes of Gaurang Mahaprabhu enter the ears and it’s not sufficient to enter the ears, his pastimes should finally reach the heart. Because our soul is not in the ears, our soul is not in the ears. What is the sitting place of soul?  Heart. I think that is the purpose of what we are doing here “ekdun tikdun jai vare” it’s a saying in Marathi. So it has to go all the way to heart. Not again entering one ear and coming out from another. So we take this pastime in and arrange the meeting, meeting of Lord’s pastime with the soul. Thats the goal, soul has to be brought in contact with the pastimes of the Lord. That is also one feature of the Lord, Lord is non different from His pastimes, Lila, as He is not different from His holy dhama, His holy name, His holy form. Some of this are Lord’s personal features. Narottam das thakur sings as pastimes of Gauranga Mahaprabhu are heard, hrdoya nirmala, that person’s heart will become nirmal. Free from dirt, free from contamination, free from modes of material nature. This is the purpose of what we are doing here.

By hearing this pastimes of Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri we would like to purify ourselves, yes is that the purpose? The pastimes of Gaurang in puri are unlimited. It’s the ocean of pastimes, we just need a drop. Because we are very tiny, tiny souls. The drop is like a ocean for us. If we get few drops, we would be drowned in that drop of the pastimes of Gauranga Mahaprabhu.  Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jaganath Puri as he was returning from his travells,Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya he approached King Prataprudra, where could Lord stay? Please make some arrangement. King Prataprudra was  devotee of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although king of Orissa, king of puri, but very very humble, pure soul, pure devotee, he was always very anxious to serve Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He said oh! That Kashi misra’s home would be very appropriate place for Mahaprabhu to stay. There is where Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed when he returned. Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at Kasi Mishra’s place; I don’t know whether you have heard the name called Gambhira. There is a place called Gambhira, Gambhira also means serious.

Gambhira serious place that place is very very serious place. That place was chosen because it is not very far from Jagannath puri temple and it is secluded and is very quiet, for this reason, Kashi Misra home was chosen as residence for Shri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And the place where is stayed is very tiny, very tiny place, I was just there very small place. Sanyasi, as He was, renounced, he was happily residing in that small place. Although Kashi Misra had big palace, many quarters. But Mahaprabhu chose a small corner, small quarter where next 12 years, he would be spending there. Jaganath puri is going to be his base, no travels. From there He would go everyday for darshan of Jagannath and after having darshan of Jagannath, next place Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would visit everyday this was daily practice visiting Siddha bakula , where Namacharya Haridas Thakur was residing.

Namacharya Haridas thakur was born in Muslim family as a result; he was banned from darshan of Jagannath. Do not think that it is a new policy of modern time, even 500 years ago, Haridas thakur because he was from non-Hindu family, he was not allowed. I was also not allowed darshan of Jagannath one time that was my first time in Jagannath puri must be, 1977, I as we were going group of ISKCON devotees. The Pandas stopped pandit is called panda and as we went no no you are Christians and these ISKCON people they have converted you. I do not know where they got this secret (laughs). I tried to convince but did not work pandas were strongly built and I was small. They literally picked me up and put me outside. But while as we were battling with the panda, one of my American god brothers, born in Christian family but he had Indian kind of complexion and he took advantage of that when pandas were busy with me. So he was there in front of Jagannath swami, praying for me (laughter). He soon returned outside the gate, Maharaj tulsi for you tulsi for you. By his mercy I had tulsi at least of Lord Jaganath.

So Haridas thakur, at least I was fighting to go in there Haridas Thakur did not fight.  He considered himself not qualified for darshan of Jagannath, he would only take darshan of chakra at the top of temple and that was good enough. That is considered good enough and even offerings of the food could be made to chakra. Lot of people to this day also offer the food to chakra. Haridas Thakur just took darshan of chakra at the temple door. But then Mahaprabhu would come to meet Haridas thakur. So he was not allowed to go in for darshan of Jagannath but Jagannath would be walking he could walk who is Caitanya Mahaprabhu? “sei gaur sei Krishna sei jagannath” . So Jagannath swami is Gauranga Mahaprabhu He would come to Haridas thakur and give him darshan and embrace him and this was every day. Haridas thakur he would just chant and chant and chant and that’s all what he did. Haridas thakur would chant and chant and chant and that’s all what he did.

And if we are asked, can’t chant, can’t, can’t, chant chant chant, no can’t can’t can’t Prabhupad said this also. So he would always chant, very little rest, very little food. Always chanting Thats why Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him title Namacharya Haridas thakur. Namacarya he has another name, he is also known as Brahma Haridas, non different from Brahma. Brahma appeared to take break from his management affairs. He decided to do little mantra meditation and Srila Prabhupad comes in that parampara. First acarya in Srila Prabhupad parampara is Brahma and so he is setting examples, teaching in this age of kali, chanting is the way, he did not deliver discourses on this topic, but simple chanted and set the glorious examples.

So at this place where Haridas thakur there was not much shelter lot of times he would be chanting in hard sun and so one day Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to see Haridas thakur, he brought a toothbrush, it was not made up of plastic, it was a babool tree, So everyday Jagannath swami woken up, they offer him the brush. That days brush mahaprabhu carried with him, planted that. Soon that grew into shady tree and became known as siddhabakul tree. Tree that was planted 500 years ago, that tree is still there, then Haridas thakur was sitting in the shadow of that tree and chanting ‘Hare Krishna…….”. Siddhabakul another is very important spot in Jagannath puri. In puri, you feel strong presence of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu whereever you go, whole atmosphere of Puri is surcharged with memories of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and pastimes and so many places. You could go visit Puri places reminding of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Haridas thakur samadhi is there.

Gundhicha temple is there, before day of rathyatra Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would go there and personally clean the temple, not order others aye! Or call up some coolie’s aye! 10 rupees ok, bring some more sweepers with you, no he did not he would personally go take his devotees take brooms and take many pots  it’s a wonderful pastime.

There are series of festivals which took  place 500 years ago and for thousands of years in fact this festivals one after the other, one leading to others, leading to Jagannath  rathyatra, and  Gundicha marjan prior to rathayatra so series of festivities. We could briefly talk about snanyatra of the Lord and then netroustav, feast for the eyes. Then rathyatra utsav and Jagannath swami staying in Gundicha temple then ultta rath.  And Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visit of Alalnath while no darshan available. For two weeks puri temple is closed, we should know this from the snanyatra time to rathyatra time for two weeks. If you want to have darshan, you have to go to another temple. That is where you take darshan of Jagannath. Taking darshan of that deities is as good as taking darshan of Jagannath. Caitanya Mahaprabhu would do this so Caitanya Mahaprabhu made these festivals memorable, unforgettable experience.

Rathyatra that we are celebrating here is all because of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he made these rathyatras, he was there for 12 years attending rathyatras, rathyatra after rathyatra. Not just witnessing or  taking photographs, or standing on roof top and making some observations, but he was integral part of rathyatra festival. Jagannath up there Krishna and Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the mood of Radharani in front of him on the streets of puri, in front of rathyatra.

Venue: Cross Maidan Festival : Reading from Bhagvad-gita -As it is chapter 7, I was not mentioned any particular verse, then there are so many choices of course by now you must be knowing why chapter 7 has been selected for this festival here at Cross Maidan. Yes exactly Srila Prabhupada had been giving his discourses on this chapter 7. In 1971 during morning hours, Srila Prabhupada ki …………………….jai. Of course I missed the morning talks, morning talks are for more serious students. Anyone could come in the evening but to come in the morning it takes, you to be somebody seriously interested in the subject matter. So maybe I did not have so much interested in 71, I was coming in the evening attending Srila Prabhupad’s Hare Krishna festival right here at Cross Maidan. Unfortunately I did missed morning Bhagavat gita lectures. The 7th chapter onwards of Bhagavat gita 7th  through 12th  chapters is considered as ‘Bhakti Yoga’ discussion.

“yoginam api sarvesam, mad-gatenantar-atmana, sraddhavan bhajte yo mam, sa me yuktatamo matah” (B.G 6.47). This is how Krishna has concluded the 6th chapter of Bhagvat-gita saying that of all the yogis – The Bhakti yogi is the topmost “sraddhavan bhajte yo mam sa me yuktatamo”  yuktatamo means the topmost. This way one who is engaged or this way one who links with me, yoga is linking and the best and complete linkage is there when there is a Bhakti yoga with devotion and of course it is  Srila Prabhupad the Vaishnav acharya who describes or translates Bhakti as not just devotion but Devotional service. While lot others are, whenever there is word Bhakti devotion they say, devotion. But Prabhupad translates this devotional service not just sitting around, so that is over that meditation is over and Dhyana yoga is getting completed here and now is a time for, meditation as well as action that is devotional service.

“mam anusmara yudhacha” cha means and, You have to do 2 things Krishna says “mam anusmara” that is one thing while remembering me “yudha” you have to fight “cha” means and this and that. Not only mam anusmara only remembrance or not fighting but fight while remembering me that is Devotional service for ksatriya. So that Bhakti yoga is being described here in 7th chapter and some more chapters. The knowledge of the absolute is the title of the chapter. Shri Bhagavan uvaca, so we will just take look at different verses of this chapter. I was just running through the chapter I could see practically every verse in this chapter is the most quoted verse. Srila Prabhupada used it very frequently; many of the verses were used. “mayy asakta-manah partha, yogam yunjan mad-asrayah, asamsayam samagram mam, yatha jnasyasi tac chrum” (B.G 7.1)

‘Please hear’ who says this? Shri Bhagavan uvaca, “Shrunu”, attention or says try to hear, in fact early morning also it is little difficult we are fresh not fresh also at the same time, sleepy morning sometimes.  So the advice here is try to hear the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. Now hear Oh! Son of Prutha how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of me with mind attached to me you can know me in full free from doubt. How fortunate is Arjuna we are hearing these words of Sri Krishna here at Cross Maidan, some 5000 years later, but there was Arjuna hearing it directly from the lotus mouth of Lord “ya svayam padmanabhascha mukha padmat vinisritaha”.  Bhagavat gita is very very special scripture because it has been spoken by Lord himself “Padmanabh” the Lord with lotus navel speaking these words from his lotus mouth “mukha padmat” and “padmanabh vinisritaha” these words are coming right out of mouth of the Lord. The 1st person to hear this right in front of Sri Krishna is Arjuna. He was recipient of this mercy and to these words he has said this is prasad my dear Lord.

“nasto mohah smrtir labdha, tvat-prasadan mayacyuta” (B.G 18.73) Hye! Acyutam OH! Infallible one, I am thankful to you for this prasad. What he has heard, he has heard 18 chapters almost, few more sentences to go and then Arjuna says yes ‘nasto mohah’ my illusion finished “nasto mohah smrtir labdha” I have regained the consciousness and this has become possible “tvat-prasadat” by your prasad only, the prasad that Arjuna is referring to are these words of Shri Krishna in the form of Bhagavat gita. So He was the 1st one to receive prasad and what we get here in Cross Maidan is what? maha maha prasad.

Acharya have heard this in disciplic succession and we finally heard it from Srila Prabhupada. Bhagavad gita – As it is, let Krishna speak for himself Srila Prabhupad would emphasize let Krishna speak ‘you shut up’ OH! You have spoken enough could you shut up now kindly stop! Let Krishna speak. Of course those who sit with Bhagavad gita even they do not let Krishna speak that’s the point what to speak of others those who are busy just doing prajalpa or gram katha but who do so called Bhagavad katha, Bhagvat gita talks even they do not allow Krishna to speak. Hence Prabhupada had to insist let Krishna speak for himself. He can speak let him speak, so that is Bhagavad gita-As it is, so we are hearing it from Srila Prabhupada so it is maha maha maha maha prasad.

“asamsayam samagram mam, yatha jnasyasi tac chrum” (B.G 7.1) So if we allow or as acharya’s allow Krishna to speak then “jnasyasi” to know Krishna becomes possible. Samagram Krishna as He is could be known if we hear Bhagavad gita-As it is. And asamsayam there is no doubt about this, there was no even need of such a statement Krishna is speaking so there is no doubt but He is still using that yes don’t be doubtful why should one doubt. Krishna had no doubt infact Krishna was not doubting but it is for us “sarvam etad rtam manye, yan mam vadasi kesava” (B.G 10.14) this was Arjuna’s stand. “sarvam etad rtam manye, according to me ‘manye” I consider this is Arjuna speaking “am manye” ‘I consider what do you consider Arjuna? “sarvam etad rtam” all that you, Krishna is speaking this is nothing but the truth “sarvam etad rtam manye, yan mam vadasi kesava”. You are talking to me oh! Kesava and this is all truth nothing but the truth you are speaking this is Arjuna’s stand. Still Krishna says “asamsayam samagram mam, yatha jnasyasi” – you will know by doing what? Shrunu – just hear, give me ear, hear right here.

“jnanam te ham sa-vijnanam, idam vaksyamy asesatah” (B.G 7.2) Again samagram Krishna already said that again He says “asesatah” as I speak this would be complete,  nothing no balance I will talk complete “asesatah” sesa – asesa, sesa means balance something is remaining. Anantsesa Krishna is unending of course He is “asesatah” and I will talk of jnanam also  savigyanam “jnanam vigyanam sahitam” in other words. My talk will be dealing with jnana and savigyan  “ajgyatva na eha” In this material world there is nothing more to be known I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge both phenomenon and numinous this being known nothing shall further remain you to be know and then Krishna talks. Everyone is not interested, everyone doesn’t come for this knowledge, everyone doesn’t come to the pandal, everyone doesn’t, is not interested in these topics these Hare Krishna or the religion or God Krishna

“manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah” (B.G 7.3) out of many thousands among men one may endeavor for perfection & those who have achieved perfection hardly one knows me in truth how rare is knowing Krishna. Krishna clarifies here “manusyanam sahasresu” out of thousands & thousands – “manusyanam sahasresu kascid” someone “kascid yatati” endeavor “siddhaye” for perfection and “yatatam api siddhanam” and out of those endeavoring “kascin mam vetti tattvatah” those who know me as I am tattvatah that is even more rare. This knowing Krishna tattvatah is of great importance, Tattvatah – tattva, tattva one who knows this tatt, tatt means that, what is that, that is Lord, tatt means Lord. Om tatt sat, tatt means Lord tattva the siddhant the whole science about that “tatt” is called as tattva & then “tattvatah” to known Lord “tattvatah” full tattva siddhant.

“janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah” (B.G 4.9) so that kind of understanding would help “tattvatah” and “tyaktva deham punar janma, naiti mam eti so arjuna” naiti mam eti for that person there is no birth but he comes yeti he comes to me he doesn’t go for another birth but he comes to me so how important is this tattvatah, tattva buisness has been stated here. “ bhumir apo nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha” (B.G 7.4) Again very often quoted verse by Srila Prabhupada talking about 5 great elements and 3 subtle elements & the grand total is asta – astadha 8 all this 8 elements are “me bhinna prakrtir” this is my external energy “bhina” separated energy Prabhupad translates, separated energy earth, water, fire, ether, air, mind, intelligence & false ego all together these 8 constitute my separated material energies.

Although the scientists have further broken down these great elements into other more elements and they have reached number 108, about 108 they are not able to kind of go beyond that just discussing with some scientists few days ago how number is about 108? I said yes that’s something special number Gopis are 108, Upanishads are 108 and what else is 108? Our beads, 108 beads so how many elements they have 108, those many elements some gases are also there some elements are there physical we could touch & some like that. So all those are also in the body all that is in Bhramhand is also that in this body in Pinda this is called as pinda, body all that is outside of course because we eat part of Bhramhand and then  this is little 50 kg or may be some are 150. So all that is outside around is in there but of course mind, intelligence & false ego is even beyond the list of 108 elements. So that makes the body different from the dead matter and there is yet another element which is very special that Krishna is going to be talking about in a minute’s time.

“apareyam” immediately He says  “apareyam itas tv anyam, prakrtim viddhi me param, jiva-bhutam maha-baho, yayedam dharyate jagat” (B.G 7.5) He is talking here besides these, these means these 8 elements that He had just talked about. Oh! Mighty armed Arjuna there is another Superior energy of mine which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material inferior nature. The body is there He has mentioned comprising of 8 elements but “jiva bhutam” yet there is another energy of mine ‘param’ is superior. He is describing that energy as superior jiva bhutam that is the living entity. 8 elements is the matter & Prabhupad, the scientists are kind of coming to some right conclusion finally Srila Prabhupad writes that in “easy journey to other planets” he talks about the Russian scientists. They are wondering oh! If there is matter then there must be antimatter also then it is complete. Only matter oh! There must be antimatter, anti material. So what is that anti material what is that, that is the spirit? That’s the soul. So in one verse Krishna talked about the matter & that energy is inferior energy and here is talking of “param prakrtim” My superior energy is anti material it is jiva bhutam that is the living entity in this body & then He himself then Krishna is establishing himself also there is a body, there is a soul and there is Me then.

“etad-yonini bhutani, sarvanity upadharaya, aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha” (B.G 7.6). Then that is “aham” and this aham is referring to Krishna and then that is Me aham , aham but there is no pride in the Lord aham. He is just speaking the truth what else could He have said He is speaking as He is aham yes. “krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha” I am what am I? I am both origin and dissolution of this world. And I have created all created beings have their source in these two natures Krishna says what are these 2 natures? One is the matter and another one is spirit these two natures are created, all created beings have their source in these 2 natures of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world know for certain that I am both origin & dissolution so He is all in all. “Mataha” such a famous verse “mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya, mayi sarvam idam protam, sutre mani-gana iva” (B.G 7.7) Prabhupad’s favorite verse, Prabhupad wanted emphasizing Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead how many times he has said this, how many times has he written this wherever he mentions Krishna, right Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Never tired this is contribution of Srila Prabhupad, this is Srila Prabhupad emphasizing again this is Bhagavad gita As it is. “mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti” There is no one else with full realization & conviction Srila Prabhupad repeats the  message of Krishna Oh! Saraswati tell me, Srila Prabhupad would ask Saraswati tell me OH! You know Krishna? Who is Krishna? Who is Krishna? You know Saraswati in 71 she used to be on the dais just few years old,  Malati & Shyamsundar their daughter. Sometimes Prabhupad would ask do you know Krishna? She would say ‘Yes, yes’ I know Krishna, tell us tell us & she would say Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead & Prabhupad fully satisfied he would say she knows more than other so called  learned scholars. They don’t know but she knows. Who is Krishna? Krishna is Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti” nanyat there is no one else “kincid asti” not even little bit mattah superior – no, no not even little bit kinchit- just tiny bit “nanyat kincid asti” Oh! Arjuna there is no one superior to me Krishna is described as “asamourdhvam” asama-aurdhvam

No one is equal to Him urdhvam no one is above Him avurdhvam, aswarudhavam & He is one “oh! Conquer of wealth there is no truth superior to Me everything rest upon Me as pearls are strung on a thread” there is a common thread. Thread is common amongst all those pearls in a necklace. Every pearl has a thread and same thread, same thread through each pearl. So likewise same Krishna through each & every atom, not just Bhramhanda. This is the realization of Brahma also “andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham-govindam adi purusham tam aham bhajami” (Sri Brahma-samhita 5.35) Oh! I am right in there in Bhramanda in universe I am there as Garbhodaksaya Vishnu “andantara-stha” what about “paramanu-cayantara-stham” paramanu the smallest unit you break down, break down break down Brahmanda the smallest unit is molecule, atom that  is paramanu-cayantara-stham in there also I am  there. So there is mani “mani-gana iva” “mani gana iva”(B.G 7.7)

So Lord is in that sense also He is all pervading, He is everywhere, atoms are everywhere, He is in each & every atom. So we hope one of these days they looking at the atom, nucleus, proton, neutron as they make progress take close look if they ever could produce microscope of course that microscope infact is Bhagavad gita and that microscope is Bhagavatam its available here right and now see through the eyes of the scriptures and you will see within that tiny atom Lord residing in there, that provision has already been made.

“raso aham” and now Lord is taking few examples ok He takes this mani, that mani this pearl that pearl different things He picks up from this universe and He says I am in this, I am in that, I am in here there starting with “raso aham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh pranavah sarva-vedesu  saddah khe paurusam nrsu”  (B.G 7.8) Few samples to begin with rasa. I am rasa, I am taste, did I say it right? Taste, taste two ways to say, 3 ways English teacher is correcting, juice has taste “raso aham” I am taste of what? “Apsu” in water. Taste in water that is Me “raso aham apsu kaunteya” – Srila Prabhupada would aleast once or may be more times Prabhupad  picked up while talking on this verse once he picked up his water cup & he drank water. Every time he drank water & he spoke every time he drank – he could remember taste of this water oh! That’s Krishna. He would become Krishna conscious he said, is it difficult? All day you are drinking water oh! This taste is Krishna. “raso aham apsu kaunteya”

“Prabhasmi sashi suryayoh” – prabha means light I am also light Krishna says and He mentions two objects “sashi suryayoh” sashi is moon & surya is sun, the light of sun & the moon that is Me so every time you see the sun or sun rays or every time you see and without help of sun you cannot see, Prabhupad would explain such a simple thing but stupid as we are, we never think sorry! Stupid as I am. I don’t think that I need help of sun to see this is again Prabhupad training us ok if there is no light, you have your eyes there is no light could you see? no. I can’t see what is your power of seeing if there is no light? and light is Krishna. Only with the help of Krishna you could see. If He doesn’t wants to show you, you can’t see. Can’t we see how controlled we are? “Prabhasmi sashi suryayoh” and  the light and then it was Prabhupad who explained it further that light of sun and moon is not its  own light it is in fact the light of Krishna, Bhramajyoti coming from spiritual sky and the sun is only acting as the mirror and just reflecting that light of Krishna when we were just children. When I was a child in the village I remember that we take a mirror & go out of house during the day & then (laughs) reflection of it we would throw right into the house, right into the eyes of the mother. Hey rascal!  And she cannot see and then she is screaming or we will tease her somebody& we would go outside and put the bright sunrays right into the eyes with the help of the mirror.

Yes you know you have done this ever? You have some experience like, at least few, yes anyone else? Oh! So many what happened, I thought I was only one. This kind of tricks are kind all of pervading, must be same God who is keeping these tricks around and alive & so this like a child throwing with the help of the mirror light into the dark house so this universe is otherwise dark & this Bhramhanda, the sun & moon are acting like mirrors & original Krishna Kanti the Bhramajyoti is reflected upon this, inside this world. So “Prabhasmi sashi suryayoh pranavah sarva-vedesu” (B.G 7.8)

Omm……………this is “pranavah sarva-vedesu” (B.G 7.8). “ommm” “climmm” “shremmm” These are different “pranavah” but of all this “ommm” this is Me. Of all the different syllables “om” in vedic mantra that’s Me and the sound there is “sabdah khe”  shabda is sound and “khe”  “bhumir, apo, nalo, vayuh, kham. What is kham? – Ether the 5th element. Earth, Water, fire, air, ether kham. The sound in ether is Me Krishna says. Sound in ether is that’s Me, its Krishna.

“paurusam nrsu” and  the ability in man or woman, ability anyone who is able capable that ability capable, that capability that ability is due to Krishna. “paurusam nrsu”. So like that Krishna is pointing out here how He is that common thread that goes through the whole creation. “punyo gandhah prthivyam” (B.G 7.9) Sometime ago (laughs) there was some kind of obnoxious  smell. Did you smell it? I was smelling it was not pleasing at all, some smell but bad smell that’s not Krishna. “punyo gandhah prthivyam” prithvi  this is prithvi earthly planet prthivyam in prithvi, in earth there is gandhah smell and punyo gandha. Original Prabhupad translating that original smell, fragrance in the earth that is Me, that’s Krishna. And that fragrance is in the flower. One time Prabhupad also said he was looking at the beautiful bloomed fragrant flower and he said this is like the face of Lord Krishna. That beauty that smell every time you smell you are not supposed to be smelling first offer it to Krishna what a beautiful flower! Let me offer this to whom? Krishna. Other person would think oh! What a beautiful flower let me offer this to my girlfriend or Boyfriend so the consciousness is different. So they are trying to exploit, abuse Lord’s energy, Lord is in there and like that “jivanam sarva-bhutesu tapas casmi tapsvisu” (B.G 7.9)

“bijam mam sarva-bhutanam viddhi partha sanatanam”  (B.G 7.10) like that He goes on “buddhir buddhimatam asmi tejas tejasvinam aham” In this I am, if someone is intelligent that intelligence is me Krishna says & I give  intelligence mataha from me intelligence. “balam balavatam caham” (B.G 7.11). Strength of the strong that is me, it should be used in my service this is Krishna’s proposal says. “dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo smi bharatarsabha”

Prabhuapad  pointing this it is right there, throughing some light on this “kamo smi” even the lust that is Me, if it is dharma-aviruddho, aviruddho means it is not contrary to dharma. If lust is not contrary to dharma within the parameter of dharma than that kamo smi aham, that kama that’s is Me.

And then He continues and then we have reached the 14th verse after different mentions how Lord is in everything, He is the common factor, the thread in all whole existence and He says “daivi esa guna-mayi mam maya duratyaya mam eve ye prapaddyante mayam etam taranti te” (B.G 7.14). So this is guna-mayi  maya this is my maya I have mentioned this this this all these different things “esa” all this is guna-mayi, guna-mayi means full of guna, three modes of material, its full of 3 modes of material nature  things “mam maya” and this is my maya and because it’s my maya of course it’s my maya so  it has to be  “duratyaya” very difficult to overcome, very powerful because whose maya is it? Its Krishna’s maya so it has to be powerful otherwise what kind of maya is it? It is your maya my maya not so strong but its Krishna’s maya and “duratyaya” very difficult to overcome but its not only scary He is just letting us know yes yes its difficult to overcome, on your own, ok go ahead try it,  it will not work, You would not succeed in overcoming this maya on your own and this is where I come into the picture. I am just around here, here, here look here, I am here come near OH!  Dear! Here here, He is calling.

“mam eve ye prapaddyante mayam etam taranti te” Lord says “mam eve ye prapaddyante” if they surrender unto me “mayam etam taranti te”– yes for sure very easily they could overcome my maya which is I have described as strong maya. Doesn’t matter it is my maya, my maya is not strong than I am, it is my maya I can just order my maya, Hye maya! Oh! Maya get out, out I say, maya out like the owner of the dog orders different names. Oh! Dog, my friend wants to come in get out of here. So that kind of command Lord has over his energies, his own energies. But there are, Krishna continues there are some what kinds of people – 4 kinds of people they do not surrender unto Me. Lord just gave a clue that if you surrender unto me you will cross this maya, overcome this maya. But then the next verse He says there are 4 kinds of people they never surrender unto me you know, they never surrender unto me who are they? You want to know? Anyone interested? Not so much interested, interest is growing gradually ok.

“na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritah” (B.G 7.15) Prabhupad  always fools and rascals and demons, cats and dogs. When I joined, around the time I joined, I was like couldn’t he use some better terms people used to come all the way down town coming to Juhu. I had just joined and people coming big big people with their, ties and coats their  wives  sitting next to them  with pearls and Prabhupad- rascals and fools and demons, cats and dogs on and on and on . I was just a new bhakta and I was thinking what! Such a nice people they are with their wives and family members they came all the way from the town just to hear that they are cats and they are dogs, you fools, you rascals, you demons (laughs). I had hard time digesting for some time I had difficulty how could but soon I was, well gradually I realized that Prabhupad was presenting Bhagvad gita – As it is. So these terms are right there in Bhagvad gita which other speakers, the commentators they do the sugaring of the pill but Prabhupad was presenting it how? As it is, straight forward. So who are they? “Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind whose knowledge is stolen by illusion and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto me”. So these are the 4 fellows, 4 kinds of people this is not talking of Indians or Hindus only but people on this planet all over the world, they don’t surrender unto Me, these 4 kind. And then Krishna goes on to now that there are also 4 kinds of people they surrender unto Me. These 2 verses are next to each other for your information now you will not forget. First list of those who do not surrender now those who surrender unto Me.

“catur-vidha bhajante mam janah sukrtino arjuna arto jijnasur artharthi jnani ca bharatarsabha” (B.G 7.16) these are 4 kinds they surrender unto Me and they have been described as “sukrtino”. Krta means activity, krti, krti krta “sukrta and duskrta” good activity and bad activity. So sukrtino surrenders and duskrtino do not surrender and they are “arto” – in great distress those who are in great distress they surrender unto Me. “jijnasu” those who are curious, “artharthi” need of money and “jnani” some knowledge they have. These 4 kinds of people they come to Me, they surrender unto me. We have few more verses

“bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate” (B.G 7.19) talking of surrender there are some people do take little extra time but they have been described here as “jnanavan” and finally they surrender unto Me. who surrender to me? “jnanavan”. Earlier previous verse said “sukrtino” the pious people, soul’s surrenders unto Me. Here He says “jnanavan” those who are in knowledge “jnanavan” they surrender unto Me. “bahunam janmanam ante” after many many births  “bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan” those who have knowledge they surrender unto Me. And what is knowledge – “vasudevah  sarvam” this is called knowledge. If someone asks what is knowledge? Krishna is describing what is knowledge? – “vasudevah  sarvam iti” “iti” means this much. One who knows, how much? “vasudevah  sarvam” Vasudev is all in all, that  person is described here as “jnanavan”. That person is in full knowledge and in full knowledge as he is, what does he do?  “mam prapadyate” surrender unto Me. How many such people surrender unto Me?  “sa mahatama su-durlabhah” very very rare persons surrendering  unto Me with full knowledge after acquiring full knowledge surrendering  unto Me. Such thing is rare “sa mahatama su-durlabhah”.  After having talked of persons surrendering unto Him Krishna now states – there are some others yes yes they do surrender but not to me who are they? who are they? Find this out.

“kamais tai stair hrta-jnanah prapadyante nya-devatah tam tam niyamam asthaya prakrtya niyatah svaya” (B.G 7.20) “kamais tai stair hrta-jnanah” Those who are afflicted, influenced by by what? “Kama” – lust “kamais tai stair” and what does that “kama” do “hrta-jnanah” hrta means stolen “hrta-jnanah”. They are stolen, they are deprived the knowledge is confiscated from them. They have no knowledge who has stolen? “kamais tai stair hrta-jnanah” the lust is stealing lust is the thief, stealing the knowledge “kamais tai stair hrta-jnanah” and they have intense desires and desires have to be fulfilled. So yes they do surrender prapadyante but nya-devatah, oh! They have found some other devatah. They have found some other personality Anyadevatah meaning Krishna says other than Myself. Those who are “jnanavan” those who are full of knowledge, they come to me. But there are others whose knowledge has been stolen by the lust so they go to others. And who are they? anyadevatah, they are the demigods and demigoddess are the one that they go to.

“antavat tu phalam tesam”  (B.G 7.23) Ok fine we can’t stop them from going to anyadevatah other demigods but they should know Krishna says   “antavat tu phalam tesam” . the fruit that they are going to be deriving, the benefits  fruit that they are would be deriving from going to other demigods is going to be “antavat” is going to be “anta” its going to be  ending very soon not lasting very long. And they are  “alpa-medhasam”   this is how  Lord is describing them as less intelligent as they are. The demigod worshippers are less intelligent “devan deva-yajo yanti mad-bhakta yanti mam api” and they go to the demigods. Those who worship demigods go to demigod,  mad-bhakta but those who my devotees “yanti mam api” they only come to me Lord is making the distinction here. And now the case of the mayavadis,  Krishna talked of the materialist those who do not surrender , then He talked about those who surrender but not unto Me but they go to Demigods, and now He is talking of the impersonalists.

“avyatam vyaktim apannam manyante mam abuddhayah param bhavam ajananto mamavyayam anuttamam” (B.G 7.24) “avyatam” so these are the impersonalists also described as unintelligent man as “mam abuddhayah” they have no buddhi no intelligence. So what do they think what is their philosophy “avyatam vyaktim apannam manyante” oh! They think the Lord is ultimately “avyatam”. He is impersonal, He is just a light, He is all pervading then occasionally He becomes “vyakta” He takes a form. He is normally avyata, He is  not manifested  He has no form but then He assumes the form “avyatam vyaktim apannam manyante” They consider “manyante mam” muze about Me they think like this and of course they are “abuddhayah” they are less intelligent “param bhavam”  they do not know My superior nature which is inexhaustible and the finest.

“naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah” (B.G 7.25) oh! I do not like this Lord is making a comment.  “naham prakasah sarvasya” I do not everyone doesn’t get light, doesn’t see the light of the day or doesn’t become knowledgeable “yoga-maya-samavrtah” and yes

They are all governed by My maya “yoga-maya-samavrtah”. They are all covered, I am never manisfest to the foolish and unintelligent for them I am covered by my internal potency.Therefore they do not know that I am inborn and infallible. And this is Lord we are getting closer to this chapter of course we did not cover every verse,  we skipped few. There are 30 verses in this chapter.

“vedaham samatitani vartamanani carjuna bhavisyani ca bhutani mam tu veda na kascana”  (B.G 7.26) Lord says “vedaham” – I know veda aham – I know Vedas or I know Vedas I know I know not only Vedas but I know Vedas also but  everything else that is to be known is known to Me. “Samatitani” all the things from the  past everything from past I know. “Vartamanani”. Everything that is happening right now right here I know “ Vartamanani”. bhavisyani. I know the future of everything of everyone but the trouble is “tu” means but saying something different, contrast while I am like this I know past, present, future of anybody, everybody, everything. “mam tu veda na kascana”   but also I know all living entities but Me no one knows, but Me no one knows . And in the very beginning of this chapter  Krishna had said , “Srnu”, you better hear me  Arjuna jnasyasi and by hearing me you would towards the end He says no one knows  me but knowing because possible by “srnu” by hearing that’s why Krishna is speaking so that we would know.

“yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha –vratah” (B.G 7.28) text 28 “Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination” .Devotional service is getting established here You hear Me you would know me, You know me then you would serve me, that’s the sequence. Bhajante – They will go for worshiping me bhajante mam. How will they worship? “drdha –vratah” established in knowledge, equipped with the knowledge they will worship me, haven’t  become free from “te dvandva-moha-nirmukta” they would become free from dvandva, dualities of this existence free from illusion. “yesam tv anta-gatam papam” papam  finished by hearing me. jananam punya-karmanam  All those pious persons those who listen to me they will worship me “bhajante mam drdha –vratah”. Those in full consciousness the last verse of the chapter.

“sadhibhutadhidaivam mam sadhiyajnam ca ye viduh prayana- kale pi ca mam te vidur yukta-cetasah”  (B.G 7.30) “Those in full consciousness of  Me, who know Me, the Supreme Lord, to be governing  principle of material manifestation of the demigods, and of all methods of sacrifice can understand and know Me the Supreme personality of Godhead, even at the time of death”. They would know prayana- kale pi they would keep knowing and remembering Me  even at the time of ‘prayan-kale pi” even at time of death. So that’s the perfection if we remember the Lord at the time of death. So The next chapter would be “Attaining the Supreme” – knowing the Supreme, knowledge of the Supreme this was the chapter “Knowledge of the Absolute” – 7th chapter and 8th chapter is  “Attaining the Supreme” you know you achieve.

Any questions, any comments (maharaj asking the audience)

Question1. Maharaj ji you quoted one verse where Krishna says He knows the future, many people want to know the future so they go to astrologer so is that equivalent to trying to find Krishna?

Answer: Everyone is curious Krishna is knowledgeable He also knows the future,  persons curious to know the future they go to the astrologer to know their future but Krishna also knows so is there difference. Yes the astrologer – if you chant Hare Krishna those who are chanting Hare Krishna they need not go to astrologer. Those who chant Hare Krishna and also “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare! Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”

Hye! Lives are changing means your future is changing and it is ever changing. What your astrologer is going to tell you is like a action – reaction if you perform this action this could be cumulative effect. So the astrologer has way to calculate or know your past and then your activities. He also asks you some questions and he has way to find out your past and based on that – and at that time your life is governed by so many different planets, there are governing factor. Then nothing changing so far you remain mundane and that’s your future, because this action that action this rahu, this ketu that graham so this is your future. But as soon as you chant Hare Krishna, surrender unto Krishna that is surrendering unto Krishna everything changes.

“aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah” (B.G 18.66) I am going to make you free from all the reactions of your previous lives and do not fear you will come to Me. So astrologer could  talk about your next birth based on your  previous birth but if you hear Krishna, surrender unto Krishna then there is no more birth and astrologer has no way to talk beyond this creation or Bhramhanda. They can’t talk of that future but scriptures could tell yes you could go not only back to Godhead but you would take this flight and you will land there and you would be received by this party and this is your rasa – mellow, dasya, sakya and you will be entering this nitya lila and engaging so like that, this is what you are. They see inside you within this 8 elements gross and subtle there is a soul they see the soul and talk of the soul. So astrologer could talk of the bodies’ future and the mind, intelligence, false ego part. But as soon as you are surrendered it’s another jurisdiction and another knowledge, another future.

Question2. In the verse “raso aham apsu kaunteya” what does apsu refers to? How could we taste Krishna?

Answer:  Apsu refers to water; Prabhupad in the purport is also talking about drinks and vine. Well Wherever there is water infact, in  water there is water, in juice there is water, in vine there is water, the grapes you  take fresh grapes and do so many things with the grapes and rotten them and  this and that and  essence of this you want to drink that’s vine. But originally it is coming from water. So the taste is essentially a characteristic of water, fragrance comes from the earth like that Krishna describes. If there is sound that comes from ether, in the air there is a sound and touch, in the fire there is sound, touch and the form,   in the water there is sound, touch, form and taste. In the earth there is sound, touch, form, taste & smell. So water is known for its taste. Wherever there is taste that is from water. So I think I have heard you could correct me, they would remember that taste in that vine there is a Krishna connection they would become Krishna conscious. Because that taste is originally the taste of the water.