Yearning to hear Krishna Katha
SB 11.6.48-49 at
Venue: ISKCON Chowpatty
Dated: 17 Jan 2018.

Hare Krsna! Thank you for inviting us, it’s a great opportunity for us to be here at Radha Gopinath mandir ki … Jay! Whichgot realized as per the wishes of Srila Prabhupada or we were remembering while Prabhupada was here at Bharatiya Vidyabhavan, that time he pointed out, I don’t know which way, ‘there should be one temple here or there will be one temple here in future’. And eventually that has happened. He wanted one temple in Juhu, that happened and Radha Gopinatha temple is also here. World famous temple, Radha Gopianath or ISKCON Chowpatty isworld famous!

Udupi Krsna temple is famous because of Srila Madhvacarya and this temple is also famous for Radhanath maharaj.He is like mathadhisha, mandiradhisha. There are unlimited glories of Radha Gopinath temple and Radhanath maharaj and all the servants of Radha Gopinath here. So to have opportunity to be here at such a world famous temple is honor. So thank you for the opportunity to be amongst you all here this morning.

This morning we did, I also was part of Srila Prabhupada’s Guru puja and we had kirtan together. So we continue being together this morning as we recite Srimad Bhagavatam canto 11, chapter 6, text number 48 and 49. Only one text is on the board there. So please repeat.

vayam tv iha maha-yoginbhramantah karma-vartmasu
tvad-vartaya tarisyamas tavakair dustaram tamah(S.B 11.6.48)

smarantah kirtayantas tekrtani gaditani ca
gaty-utsmiteksana-ksveliyan nr-loka-vidambanam (S.B 11.6.49)

Translation: O greatest of mystics, although we are conditioned souls wandering on the path of fruitive work, we will certainly cross beyond the darkness of this material world simply by hearing about Your Lordship in the association of Your devotees. Thus we are always remembering and glorifying the wonderful things You do and the wonderful things You say. We ecstatically recall Your amorous pastimes with Your confidential conjugal devotees and how You boldly smile and move about while engaged in such youthful pastimes. My dear Lord, Your loving pastimes are bewilderingly similar to the activities of ordinary people within this material world.

Purport- ‘In this verse Uddhava, by stating bhramantah karma-vartmasu, humbly presents himself as one of the conditioned souls entangled in fruitive activities. Still, Uddhava is confident that he will certainly cross over the illusory energy because he is addicted to chanting and remembering the glorious activities and words of Lord Krsna.

Similarly, Rupa Gosvami has stated:

iha yasya harer dasyekarmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasujivan-muktah sa ucyate

Although one may outwardly appear to be involved in this material world, if one is always engaged, twenty-four hours a day, in the service of Lord Krsna, then one is considered to be a liberated soul. Uddhava states here that hearing and chanting the holy name and pastimes of Krsna is infinitely more effective than becoming a naked yogi in the forest and running the constant risk of becoming, due to lusty desires and sex indulgence, and risk of becoming naked monkey in the forest. Uddhava is begging the Lord for the mercy of His Sudarsana cakra, whose effulgence is represented by the process of remembering and chanting the pastimes of the Lord. One who absorbs himself in the incomparable bliss of thinking of the Lord’s abode easily becomes free from all lamentation, illusion and fear. That is the recommendation of Sri Uddhava.’

Hari Hari!
The chapter is entitled- ‘The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabh?sa’, which is not far from Dvaraka. Uddhava is speaking; he has been speaking from some days now. As you have been doing your Nityam Bhagavata sevaya, you have been hearing Uddhava speaking. He was speaking and speaking and he has spoken this, as we have just now heard.And he is compelled to speak this particular way because he has gota clue, more than a clue that Lord would be leaving, winding up His pastimes and returning to His own abode.

Demigods initially had appealed for Lord’s advent. Lord responded to their appeal and had advented and was on the planet for past 125 years. And Lord has accomplished His purpose of the advent,‘paritranaya sadhunam’ has happened, ‘vinasay ca’ demons have been killed. There was a big hit list that He had been working on. ‘Dharma samstharpanarthaya’ that also had happened. And then demigods, they were thanking the Lord for His advent and for all that He has done for the world and for the earth and they have said earlier that,You may leave my Lord now.
And then, so Uddhava has found out. He had more than a clue that Lord is leaving and he doesn’t want him to be left behind. Then first thing he had said,

‘sva-dhama naya mam api’

Oh! My dear Lord, please take me along with You, me too me too.

‘naham tavanghri-kamalam ksanardham api kesava’ (SB11.6.43)

He addressing Kesava, I cannot be away from you not even for ksanardha. For a fraction of second or a moment; I cannot be away from Your lotus feet -‘tava anghri-kamalam’. He could have said that I cannot be away from Your feet, but he also has said I cannot be away from Your lotus feet, glorified lotus feet of the Lord.

‘tyaktum samutsahe natha’- I cannot tolerate that separation, being away from You. ‘svadhama naya’- please bring me to Your own abode.

So this is his appeal, he has begun his appeal with that statement and he had been talking and talking and finally he has said, again he is addressing Lord as Maha-yogin. He has addressed as Kesava and now as Maha-yogin.

‘vayam tvihamaha-yogin bhramantah karma-vartmasu’

In the purport it has been pointed out, clarification is needed. You interpret only when some clarificationis necessary, otherwise things are clear, then no need for interpretation. I was just hearing Prabhupada’s lecture and he was making that point.

So at this point, one may wonder why Uddhava said vayam. It’s not just me but vayam, but many of us or all of us, bhramantah, we are wandering or going round and round and up and down. How does that sound? And we had been wandering all over, because of karma vartmasu. We have taken the path of the karma, karma kanda. Karma kanda, jnana kanda, keval visera bhanda, big pot of poison we had been drinking.

Anyways, it is pointed out in the purport. This is humility of Uddhava. He is humbly making this statement. Or it also could be said, he is representing all of us, the people of this world.

bhramantah karma-vartmasu

So we had been wandering but there is hope for us also. Krpanah phala-hetavah, Lord is saying, they are the misers, one is krpana and other is brahmana, the miserly and the other one broad minded, refined Brahmin. They are misers, who go for phala-hetavah, and they are karmis-they perform karma and they want to enjoy fruit of their karma, fruitive workers are phala-hetavah.

karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu

Krsna expects this to happen. Karmanyevadhikarah- yes you have right to perform karma, activity; but ma phalesu, don’t touch the fruit.

yatkarosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva madarpanam (BG 9.27)

But the karmis, karma-vartmasu their hetu their intension is to enjoy the fruit. So they are described as krpanas.
So those who had been wandering with this phala-hetavah, karma-vartmasu, vartma means path, for them also there is hope. Dustaram tamah, those who are caught in the grip of the darkness, ignorance, dustaram-insurmountable, mama maya duratyaya, Lord says, Maya causes tama the darkness. So they could also be saved, those who are karma-vartmasu, following path of fruitive activities, how they could be freed from the clutches or freed from the darkness or ignorance?

tvad-vartaya tarisyamah

Tarisyamah, we could cross over this insurmountable darkness of ignorance by tvad-vartaya. Varta is news. What is the news? Ka varta? That dialogue between Yudhistira maharaj and Yaksha, many many questions were asked and Yudhistira maharaj had answered all of those questions.

atha kim ascaryam param

So what is the news? Breaking the news, lots of news of this world, which bind and throws you in the ocean of darkness. But that varta is of two kinds, maya varta and Krsna varta or Krsna katha and grama katha. Tvad-vartaya, Your varta, news about You which could be heard and relish in association of devotees, like you are doing this. Let’s see how long it goes on.

tvad-varta tarisyamah tavakair

In association of pure devotes, if Your varta is heard and relished, then dustaraih tamah, we could be liberated from the darkness of ignorance.

Anyways there is more in next verse. Smarantah kirtayantah krtani gaditanica, so that varta is further unpacked or unfolded and explained, smarantah, kirtayantah te, about You. First he said tvad-varta and now he said te, about You. smarantah kirtanyantah te, it’s like sravanam kirtanam vishnoh, same thing. So kirtan has happened. Kirtayantah te, smarantah te, so first we have to do kirtan,

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

You also have to hear that kirtan and who hears? Who is the hearer? Ear hears? Body is dead, ear is there, but does ear hear or someone hears? So hearer is no more there. Hearer has gone. So who is the hearer?Us! Who are we? We are spiritsouls. We have to hear.

So first we say kirtan then there is sravanam and that results in smarantah. Kirtayantah te, smarantah te, and then Uddhava goes on. So hear and remember what? Krtani gaditani ca, it’s ca there. Ca means and, this and that, yes this could also be applied, ca is at the end. So smarantah kirtayantah te, remembering You, hearing You, krtani gaditani ca, so hearing and remembering what? Krtani, Your activities, Your krtya, and ca gaditani, Your words. Thus we are always remembering and glorifying the wonderful things You do, krtaniand the wonderful things You say gaditani, ca.

And towards the end, well he is giving little hint about the activities- krtani, the gati- the movement of smita.He just said few words but that is the idea, Uddhava said few words, now we are focusing on just few words or we are trying to hear those few words. But what do we hear? What sense we get out of what we hear or what Uddhava says? He said something. We kind of all the way heard but what did we hear? What kind of emotions or thoughts arouses?

Krtani, the activities of the Lord, and it says, gati the movement of smita, smita is what? The smile, but he says utsmita, that we should not be missing. What kind of smita? Widely, boldly, utsmita is broadly smiling.

utsmitekasana ksveli, He is not only smiling but it’s said, when Lord chews His tambulamasala, tambula pan, His lips are already reddish they become more reddish, they are reddened. And when Lord after eating His tambula, then He smiles, that is very special smile. His beauty really comes across as He smiles.

Normally also whenever photograph has to be taken what do they say? Smile, so that they could capture real you. As soon as we smiles beauty 10 fold, 100 fold, I don’t know how much when we smile our beauty, 2 fold or 3 fold 5 fold…. Lord smiles and what to speak of utsmita then His beauty is further enhanced. And that beautiful Lord eksana, that becomes His pastime in itself. Just looking at His devotee with the smile on His face, utsmita eksanaksveli, that kind of loving pastime, loving dealing.ksveli is translated as loving dealing, loving pastime. So pastime immediately becomes lovely as Lord puts on little smile, little smile on His face and glances at His devotees.

So Uddhava is talking all this. He hasn’t talked much. But he has talked everything also. So that kind of Lord I am going to be missing as You leave to Your own aboard.

The day Lord left this planet, that was the beginning, tad dina, from that day onwards, kali’s advent, took place. What kind of kali? Sarva sadhana badhakah. Introduction to the kali. You want to know who is Kali?Sarva sadhana badhakah, all your sadhana, badha- obstacles all the time, at every step, every day, every week, sarva sadhana badhakah, so that is dustaram tamah.

So Uddhava is already feeling separation from Lord. No no Lord I cannot be away from You. Please bring me with You. Otherwise I would miss my Lord. Utsmiteksanaksveli, the Lord who smiles among many many things, unlimited things You do. One of those good thingsYou do is also Your smile, Your smiling glance falls upon us, and that is perfection of our life. But You would be leaving. Please do not do so. You may leave but bring me with You.

So in response to this, Lord is going to say, ‘well I had come so I also have to go. One who comes, goes.’ Then Lord said, ok I will stay behind, I will go and I will stay in the form of Srimad Bhagavatam. All My kathas, all My pastimes will stay behind. I appeared and performed the pastimes and those who were contemporary human beings; they are benefited by My pastimes, My presence and My pastimes. But as I leave, then what would happen that is also concern of Uddhava what about me? No no I will stay behind in the form of Bhagavatam. And then Uddhava said, Ok then I don’t mind, if You stay behind in the form of Bhagavatam then I will also stay. He agreed to stay.
Like this also was said earlier, towards the end of 9th canto.

Kalau janisyamananam duhkha shoka tamo nudam
anugrahaya bhaktanam supunyam vyatanod yasah (SB 9.24.61)

For the benefit of the unfortunate folks of this age of kali, anugrahaya bhaktanam, Lord is going to stay behind in the formof Bhagavatam.

yasminsat-karna piyuseyasas-tirtha-vare-sakrta
srotrsnjalir upasprsya dhunute karma-vasanam(SB 9.24.62)

Simply by receiving the glories of the Lord through purified transcendental ears, the devotees of the Lord are immediately freed from strong material desires and engagement in fruitive activities. And people of this age of Kali would drink this piyusa, this nectar of Krsna’s pastimes, dhunute, there will be cleansing done, of what? Karma-vasanam.

Uddhava had said karma vartmasu, same thing had said earlier.

karma vasanam dhunute

As one hears Srimad-bhagavatam, the pastimes of the Lord, karma vasanam, cleansing of karma vasana. As we perform the karma, some activity, activity is over but what remains behind is vasana.

‘papachi vasana nako dau dola tyahuni andhala barach mi’

Tuka mane, Tukarama maharaj said, ‘better to be blind Oh! Lord, papachi vasana, do not give me that kind of vasana, desire, the seeds, some thoughts, ideas, some concepts about seeing some sinful forms or seeing some forms which will invoke some vasana desire. Better make me blind.’

So how to become free from karma vasana, those desires, thoughts, the seeds?karna piyusa, by hearing Srimad-bhagavatam.

Jnanagni sarva karmani bhasmasat kurute tatha

Krsna also said that, jnana agni or bhakti agni, the fire could do what? This karma vartmasu or karma vasana, bhasmasat- burn to ashes.

Srinvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah,
hrdyantah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam (SB1.2.17)

Bhagavatam says as soon as you hear Bhagavatam, Lord makes space, room for Him in your heart. He gets situated. Getting rid of all the dirt, everything else is out.

As we say Krsna surya sum, all those connections are there,

Krsna surya sama, maya haya andhakara,
yahan Krsna tahan nahi mayar adhikara

So as soon as Krsna makes His appearance in the form of His pastimes, He is there and as mentioned by Uddhava, dustaram tamah, the darkness is gone.

om ajnana timiranadhasya, jnananjana salakaya caksur unmilitam

You are blind and here comes Srila Pranbhupada. Srila Prabhupada comes and he is giving all the dictation, translation and purport and as we hear, as we read what happens?jnananjan shalakaya, caksur unmilitam, our eyes are open, jnananjan, which is expected to result in premanjan.

And once that is there then, santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayani, and such person will see, as he has been hearing and hearing and hearing and well lot of this. From the sound comes the form. We hear the sound and it takes shape. We hear the pastimes, and they take the shape. Krsna takes His shape and He never performs pastimes alone. Pastime means Lord and the devotees. So as we hear Krsna and the whole pastime appears before or within us. So santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti. They see the Lord within the heart.

caksudana dila yei janme janme prabhu sei

Our eyes are opened byacaryas ,of course sastras are opening, Bhagavatam is opening our eyes. Trying to open some of your eyes. They have great determination, not opening eyes. Or maybe you are seeing pastimes of the Lord in the heart, which I am not seeing. (Laughter)

nityam bhagavata sevaya bhagavati uttam sloke bhaktir bhavati naistiki

As we hear and go on hearing, nityam all the time constantly, this talk of 24 hours, purport says 24 hours we stay busy busy busy then bhaktir bhavati. In that, Prabhupada comments that way, nityam bhagavat sevaya.

‘Ok Bhagavatam, two kinds of Bhagavatam, book Bhagavat and the person Bhagavat.’ Srila Prabhupada ki Jay! You serve Bhagavatam, book Bhagavatam, hear, remember Krsna, you are reminded of Krsna and you also serve pure devotees, person Bhagavat. Prabhupada has given us lot to do. There is so much to do. There is so much to do.

So Lord did not leave, Lord stayed behind. People of age of Kali would say, Oh! what about us? We the unfortunate folks, it’s too late, Lord was here, He has gone now.’ But Lord has kindly stayed behind in the form of Bhagavatam, in the form of His pastimes and that is also one of His forms. The lilas of the Lord is also one of the svarupa of the Lord. There are many svarupas.

kali kale nama rupe krsna avatar

But kali kale also this lila rupe krsna avatar and our acharyas have stayed busy with nama and rupa.

sri radhika madhavayorpara madhurya lila guna rupa namnam, pratiksana

As Uddhava says ksna ardham, even fraction of second I cannot stay away.

pratiksana asvadana lolupyasya vande guroh sri caranara vindam

So our acaryas representing the Lord and continue to establish dharma in this world. Yeah they stayed busy.

nana sastra vicaranaika nipunau saddharma samsthapakau,

nana sastra- big pile of sasras in the middle and they are nana sastra vicaranaika, they are discussing, debating.

radha krsna padarvinda bhajananden mattalikau

Radha Krsna bhajan ananda matta, what are you hearing? Our acaryas are busy, Radha Krsna bhajan ananda, that bhajan must be giving them ananda immediately.

‘anandi ananda gade ekade tikade chohikade, anandi ananda gade’

As soon as there is ananda, anand mattalikau, they were intoxicated, addicted to hearing and chanting and remembering.

And that is why Krsna said, My devotees, mat-cittah, their citta is in me. Tvad-vartaya,Your pastimes, mat cittah, their consciousness is glued down. Do you know glue? They can’t separate it, it’s glued. So mat cittah, mad-gata-pranah, and what they did they do? Their citta, consciousness is glued to Krsna, at His lotus feet.

mat-citta mad-gata-pranah bodhayantah parasparam

They are busy, bodhayantah parasparm, each other, they are conversing, they are talking, reminding, about Me.

kathayantasca mam nityam tusyanti ca ramanti ca

Ramanti, ramaman, they are happy,happily they are wandering, residing, eating, acting. So they are hearing, chanting, happily doing all this.

This is Lord’s expectation as He spoke to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita, and this is the standard and this is standard practiceon daily basis, and very spontaneously in spiritual sky. In Goloka what the devotees do? This is what they do.

bodhayantah parasparam kathayantas ca mam nityam tusyanti ca

All the residents of Goloka that’s all that they do. They are always busy, talking about Krsna, lot of talk goes on.Even when they are acting,

hatha may kama and mukha mai nama, nama ya lila

All that they do is accompanied by hearing and chanting.That is why also harer namaiv kevalam, Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada says, everything that they do, Yeaheven smaranam padasevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam and sakhyam atmanivedanam. All these activities should be accompanied by or with what? sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam kirtanam has to be there. It’s constant factor, with all that you do, padasevanam, and arcanam is incomplete without sravanam, cintanam.

There is no kirtan singing during arati, that is mode of ignorance. Kirtan has to be, the glories of the Lord has to be chanted. So harer namaiva kevalam. So whether Harer namaiva or Harer lila eva kevalam. Nama and Lila is there. In name it is expected that you are remembering whole Krsna. Say Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, is anything more need to say? Having said Krsna, we have said everything that could be said. As we say Krsna, we glorify the pastimes of Lord.

Mamacittam akarsaya, our acaryas comment, when we say Hare, as we say each word, Hare, that Hare is getting our attention, some way, some special way. We say Krsna, yah karsati sa Krsna ,mama cittam akarsaya.

sva madhuryena mama cittam akrsaya

This is what we are saying also. Gopal Bhatta Gosvami maharaj, contemporary personality, contemporary of Caitanya Mahaprabhu; he is commenting on this Mahamantra and he is giving comment on each name. There are 16 names. As we say Krsna, sa madhuryena mama citta akarsaya.So when we say Krsna, we want to be attracted by madhurya of Krsna. We said Krsna, we just said, but we are wanting all madhurya, manifest in our heart, in our consciousness. We only said Krsna. Sva madhurya, there is so much madhurya, madhurya lila is there, venu madhurya is there, prema madhurya is there, rupa madhurya is there. We just said Krsna but with that saying Krsna, all these things are said or we get connected or we would likeall that make appearance in our hearts, mama cittam akarsaya.

mama seva yogyam kuru

We said Krsna, another Krsna, there are 8 Krsnas, and 8 Radhas. 8 times we say Radha, 8 times we say Krsna. So mama seva yogyam kuru, Oh Krsna Oh Krsna, you are trying to get His attention, Oh Krsna. And each one of the 16 names is address. Uddhava is addressing Lord directly, they are face to face. Oh Kesava, Oh this that. So we are also addressing as we say Hare, Hare is address. We are addressing Radharani. Is She there? She must be. We are addressing so She must be existing. Hara her name,from Hara comes Hare. Hara exists otherwise where did the name Hara come from? If the God did not exist, tarka vitarka, if God did not exist, where the name God come from? First He exists then the word God exist. God exist and then word God exists. So first Krsna exists and then His name also exists. Radha is there and then we say Hare, so that Hare and that Krsna, we are addressing. We are addressing Radha 8 times and Krsna 8 times. We are addressing, sambodhana. There is no visarga after Krsna, two dots after Krsna, because it is sambodhana. So we are addressing, so when we are addressing, are you saying something? So when we are saying Krsna, we are saying something to the Lord, we are appealing to the Lord, seva yogyam kuru, please make me eligible, competent to serve You my dear Lord. And the prayer also is that, let there be reciprocation between You and me my dear Lord. That is trying to get attention of the Lord.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

Srimad-bhagavatam is heard then Krsna makes His appearance because He is non-different from His pastimes. So Uddhava had stayed behind, Lord had left. Then all the queens of the Lord, Lord instructed to Arjuna, you protect them you take care of them, you bring them to Hastinapur. They would be under your care. So these queens had ended up in Vrndavan. Krsna is no more on the planet, His manifest lila is no more, so while all the queens were in Vraja, they were missing Krsna. Where is Krsna? They are expecting Krsna but He is no more. His prakatalila is unmanifested. He has wound up. Prakat lila is now aprakat lila. So the queens were part of prakat lila, manifested pastimes. So they were not seeingprakat lila and they were missing Lord like anything.

To cut the long story short, it was strongly recommended that all these queens go to the banks of Kusum sarovar and perform sankirtana. To play their vinas and mrdangas and sing melodies, sankirtana, and they were told by Sandilya Rsi, that Uddhava will make his appearance and he will take care of the rest. ‘You are missing right?You are wondering where is your Lord. You want to see Him,you want to meet Him, you want to enter in His pastimes?’‘Yes yes we want to do.’‘Ok then do this.’ So they all went. King Pariksit was also there. Vajranabh, king Pariksita and all the queens they go perform kirtana and in the middle of kirtan Uddhava appears. Jay Uddhava!

Where there is utsava there is Uddhava. Utsavas are represented by Uddhava. There was kirtan mahotsava. As soon as kirtan mahotsava was performed, Uddhava appeared. Then Uddhava was talking Bhagavatam, all the pastimes. He was witness; he was with the Lord all the time, so he was sharing all the pastimes with the queens and some Vrndavan pastimes. And as the queens were hearing the Bhagavatam, hearing the pastimes and this recitation of Bhagavatam went on for one month.For 30 days and 30 nights they were hearing this Bhagavat katha from Uddhava. Uddhava was the speaker.Bhagvatam is again going to make appearance through the lotus mouth of Uddhava.

Bhagvatam has stayed behind and he is going to make appearance as Uddhava speaks. As he was talking and talking the pastimes of the Lord and queens were hearing and hearing with attention and devotion and what else? They were also contemplating as they were hearing, mananam was also going on. Contemplation was going on. And that resulted in, all these queens seeing Krsna, performing all the pastimes right in front of them. And then like the first batch or some queens they got up and they started entering the respective pastimes, whichever pastime they belonged to as per their sambandha and lila and vesa and rupa. And then more and more queens were getting up and they were disappearing, they were all becoming nitya lila pravista. Jay om, this queen ki jay, and that queen ki jay!

And soon there was just Uddhava and Vajranabh, the king. And all the queens entered in the abode of the Lord, they entered in the pastimes of the Lord. They were back with the Lord through the medium. What was the medium? Bhagavatam. Recitation of Bhagavatam, hearing Bhagavatam did all the job, nasta prayesu abhadresu. Of course we can’t apply that really to the queens. But it could happen to others also if they are not siddha or liberated.

Ceto darpana marjanam or nasta prayesu abhadresu or hrdyantastho hy abhadrani vidhunoti, the cleansing.

iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu jivanmuktah sa ucyate(NOD 1.2.187).

In the purport of that, Rupa Gosvami has quoted, first thing become jivan mukta, you are free and you could take off anytime and you are back with the Lord. So that status, that eligibility could be attained. So that kind of visa of Goloka you could get stamped on your passport. This person will be allowed entry in Goloka. By hearing and hearing.

So sabda, anavrtti sabdat, with that ana avrutti, avrtti means repetition, ana means no, no repetition of birth and death, no more. Anavrtti sabdat, this is vedant sutra, one sutra. Repetition of birth and death is no more,ana- avrtti is possible by sabdat.sabda para brahma, sabda, words of Bhagavatam, words also the Holy name, all sabdas, all transcendental sabdas, anavrtti, they have potency.These sabdas could neutralize the bondage caused by the grama katha, varta of this world, sabda of this world, mundane sounds have bound us. The cause of bondage is this sabda, mundane words. So the way to neutralize, rectify, or get rid of bondage caused by the worldly words with the transcendental words and that is krtani, pastimes of the Lord, gaditani, the words of the Lord, that is Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita.And this is done and anavrtti sabdat, one could be completely freed from the bonds and becoming free from bonds is not the only goal. That could be just attaining mukti. Ok you are mukta, but not bhaktah as of yet. So one could become mukta and bhakta by nityam bhagavat sevaya, by this recitation of Bhagavatam.

So kindly Lord has stayed behind in the form of Bhagavatam and kindly Srila Prabhupada has translated and written purports based also on the commentaries of our previous acaryas. And when Srila Prabhupada went to west, what did he carry with him? He carried sabda with him. We say that he was friendless, his friend wasthere, Krsna was with him. And we say oh he was penniless or he had only 40 not dollars, 40 rupees. It was equal to 8 dollars or something in those days. But he had so much wealth, that he was carried. But one sense he had only 40 rupees, but was that all he had with him? He had what? He was carrying the Holy name with him. He wentto deliver the Holy name.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

And what else amongst many other things? He had delivered Bhagvatam which he had translated back there in Radha Damodar temple, the first canto. So the sound of Holy name, the wealth of Holy name, sound of Bhagvatam he took with him. And again we have to try to understand, Holy name is Krsna and Bhagvatam, the pastimes is Krsna Himself.

Abhinnatvam, this could take life time to realize, the Holy name is Krsna. As you chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, we are trying to realize that this is Krsna. What I am hearing? This is Krsna. The Bhagvatama recitation, pastime, this is Krsna. And when that realization would take place that yoga has happened, yoga means link between the soul and the Supreme soul. Bhagvatam is that Supreme soul. Holy name is Super soul or Supreme soul, Lord Himself and there is a link.

We are linked, Sambanda has happened, then Abhidheya-we remain busy busy, and then there is Prayojana, Radha Gopinatha ki Jay, Prayojana, vigraha, attainment of Krsna prema, loving emotions and devotions for the Lord and not just emotion and devotion but devotional service in fact. Bhakti is not translated by Prabhupada as just devotion. Mayavadis the peace lovers only.They may translate bhakti as devotion. But Prabhupada said, devotional service. We attain finally devotional service of Radha Gopinath, then we are fully situated.

hitva anyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih (CCM 24.135).

Krsna has His svarupa and we also, Krsna has given us also little little rupas, svarupas. We have svarupa, so we are situated, svarupena vyavasthiti. In relationship with Bhagvatam, pastimes, relationships with Holy name, all this nama rupa guna lila dhama, they help us to revive our dormant love, loving service with the Lord and finally situate ourselves into our own svarupas.

And Krsna says,
man-mana bhava mad bhakto madyaji mam namaskuru,
mamevaiyasi satyam te pratijane priyosi me (Bg 18.65)

If you have done this and that, man-mana, have become My devotee, mad bhakto, and remembering Me, worshiping Me, offering obeisance’s unto Me then you come back to Me. Where is that back? Back home, back to Godhead. So that person goes back to home, back to Krsna. So that is the program, the mission, the vision of this Hare Krsna movement. On behalf of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada established, founded this International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Ultimately with the aim of bringing souls back to Krsna, back to Godhead.

And Prabhupada emphasized going back to home, back to Godhead, so much so much, all the time. It was therebut others we don’t hear them talking so much about it. Either they become Svarga-vasis or Brahma lean. Two popular destinations are there, they want to go to Svarga or ‘jyota me jyota milado’, merging into Brahman. But there is very little talk of going back to Krsna. Srila Prabhupada emphasized, popularized, insisted uponthis going back. Svarga and other destinations are even fara distance away, but our so called leaders, political leaders, destination is chalo Delhi, not beyond, chalo Delhi. If you are in Gali, chalo Delhi. That is their campaign. But Prabhupada’s campaign is going back to Godhead.

ami jato amachya gava, amcha rama rama gyava

Tukaram maharaj went and Prabhupada has given us everything on behalf of Caitanya Mahaprabhu . So that people of this world; again it is not, how it could be limited to Hindus only or Indians only. It couldn’t be like that. The message of Gita,gaditani and krtani, the Bhagvatam ,it is for all the souls. Why would God, this is for Hindus only or Indians only. This is for all the souls, they are His souls. Wherever they are mamaivamso jiva, mama eva, not only He said mama amsa, mama eva, Mine only. Eva means He is insisting, emphasizing or eva also means full stop. There is nothing more to be said. Mama eva amsah, wherever they are, sarvasya ca aham, hrdi sannivistah, I am in the heart of all the living entities.

So this program of Hare Krsna movement is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s program, Krsna’s program, Krsna’s movement in fact. And now it is available, Prabhupada has kindly made it available all over, everywhere. And it is meant to reach every town and every village and sometimes in between the villages also. When we go on padayatra, sometimes devotees remember, ‘hey My name would be chanted in every town, and in every village,’ Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted. But we, padayatris chant in between the villages also. So prediction is being made true by Prabhupada’s strategic planning, more than true.Beyond the villages and town, in between the villages and towns, in the galis of villages.

Gehe gehe jane jane , that also was the vision of Narada muni. ‘I will spread you Bhakti devi, I will propagate you in foreign lands also and jane jane, in every society, gehe gehe, in every home, I will make sure you reach every home.’ So Narada muni and company, there is whole parampara. So every soul is in fact a target, every soul. Without discrimination, Lord cannot. This is Lord’s vision, Lord’s thought. His heart goes to everybody and He kindly made this arrangement through International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Lord could reach far and wide through His holy name, through His books, Bhagvatam and Maha prasade Govinde, prasadam also. What not, there are so many other aspects, festivals.

sarva dharman tirskrtya puraskrtya mahotsavan

Narada muniwas talking.How would you propagate bhakti everywhere, jane jane, gehe, gehe? He said sarva anya dharman tirskrtya, other dharmas , other strategies, I will kind of put them on a back burner or on the side, tiraskrtya, sarva dharman tirskrtya. Tiraskrtya, I will hate, put them aside, on back burner. Puraskrtya, I willfore front mahotsavan, through the mahotsav, utsava, Uddhava, utsava.Through the ustava, through the festivities, I will propagate you Oh Bhakti, everywhere. This is Padma Purana. Narada muni directly talking to Bhakti devi and he is talking this. Yes through the utsavas I will propagate you everywhere.

So that also we see, Prabhupada representing Narada muni. Prabhupada gave us utsavas, festivals of so many kinds, Sunday festivals and Jagannath Rathayatra mahotsav ki Jay! Yatra festivals, Janmastami festival, Gaur pornima festival, Mayapur Vrndavan festival. What other festivals? Pushya abhishek festival, this festival that festival. And the morning program, temple program is festival in itself, chanting and dancing. What is festival?If there is music dance and something feast, festival is complete.Kirtan mela like that. So through the festivals, ISKCON is full of festivals and through the festivals bhakti spreads. Krsna makes Himself available. Festival also is kirtan festival, Sravanotsav, Mayapur they have Sravanotsav, new name of none other than Sravanotsav, Kirtanotsav, kirtan mela utsav, and everyone likes utsavas. Utsav priya manavah, manavas are utsav priya. They all like utsav and we have lots of utsavas. Hari Hari!

Question by a devotee.
I have taste for hearing, but no taste for other limbs of devotional service. No taste for chanting and service. Can I be hopeful that it will develop in due course?

Answer by Maharaj- There is hope, that’s what Uddhava is talking about. Vartaya tarisyamah, we will all become free from tamah, dustaram tamah. By this tvada vartaya tarisyamah, varta, the pastimes or as you say like hearing Bhagvatam, that’s good fortune. Something you like and soon it is expected that you will like other things also. By hearing and hearing, you should be understanding not only lila, the pastime is Krsna, but the Holy name is also Krsna. Of course prasadam is Krsna. No one takes any lesson to realize that. As soon as you eat, any Tom Dick and Harry realizes, it’s so sweet or there is sweetness. What is that due to? That is because of Krsna.

Yeah so you say you like lila but may be not other aspects. That is because your liking is still incomplete. As your liking and love would arise or increase more and more and more in other aspects of Krsna, Krsna related items, including devotional service unto Krsna would also happen. There is something shortage. Karoti nischidram anusankirtanam tava (SB 8.23.16)

Yajna is being performed, then karma and mantra tantra.And if there is some defect in mantra chanting or tantra performance of yajna or applying mantra , execution, execute that which is said in mantra or vastu, samagri , ingredients that you use in a yajna; if there is some defect in mantra or tantra or vastu, samagri , sarvam karoti nischidram. Nischidram means whatever faults, flaws or loopholes were there, karoti nishcidram. Some sanskrit word for you, chidra you know, hole. Nischidra, some flaws, some defects in mantra, recitation or this or that, all that is taken care of. You are forgiven or rectified by tava anukirtanam, by performance of kirtan, gradually all other defects or imperfections are taken care of.

And when we say kirtan, well you said you like Bhagvatam but not kirtan, something like that you said. But Bhagvatam is also kirtan and kirtan is of course kirtan. There is nama kirtan, guna kirtan, lila kirtan, like that goes on. They are all kirtan. Kirtan is kirtan, nama kirtan, rupa kirtan, lila kirtan, kirtan means kirti, His glories and in fact they cannot say, ok I like only kirtan but I don’t like pastimes. What you are not realizing is the name is not different from the form, not different from pastimes, not different from qualities. They all are related, same person, if you are liking kirtan, you are also liking lilas, you are also liking guna. So whichever part or whichever door that you are entering through, keep going, you will realize as you make the progress. So at the center there is Krsna.