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.