The essence of all festivals
In fact Srila Rupa goswami explains in His Bhakti rasamrita sindhu,that its an essential vaishnava principal in a very wonderful way to celebrate the various festivals that the previous acharyas has given us. Why do we celebrate this festivals? we celebrate to create unity amongst One another, exclusively for the purpose of expressing our desire to love and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead… and how do we celebrate this festivals? Guru maharaj explained that various festivals may have certain details but essentially we celebrate all festivals by having wonderful kirtan,by discussing krsna katha and by having Krsna’s prasadam. If you notice every festival is essentially the same. Kirtan, krsna katha and prasadam. We never want to change that, it is an eternal lila. It is the eternal activities of the spiritual world. kevala ananda kanda… chanting, dancing and feasting.
Nitai gour premanande.. Hari hari bol(chorous).
Nitai gour premanande.. Hari hari bol(chorous).
Nitai gour premanande.. Hari hari bol(chorous).
Sri harinaam sankirtan ki… jai(chorous)
Chowpatty beach became Vraja Bhumi
Sometimes there is different preparation for the feast. Sometimes some various songs in the kirtan and on each day we discuss the particular relevance of how krsna is manifesting his supreme opulence to us, on that particular occasion. Today is one of the most beautiful and wonderful festivals of the year in the Vrindavan dham. All of the temples make luxurious arrangements on this day, by decorating the altar with beautiful flowers, by singing for the deities and often by bringing the deities on procession through out the streets. Since we are not in Vrindavan forest, we chose to find our little grove of trees, because after all we are going out not for our pleasure, but for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath. So that was the closest atmosphere I could find to vrindavan dham, the groves of banyan and peepal trees and in the moonlit forest and actually when radha gopinath and their devotees are chanting, tonight Chowpatty beach became Vraja Bhumi. Hari bol!!!(Chorous). Actually it became the forest around Govardhan Hill. Hari bol!!(chorous).
Srimad Bhagavatm – amala purana
Srimad Bhagavatam describes the beautiful pastime of radha Krishna.in the 10th canto Sri Sukhadev Goswami specially explains in chapter 29 through 33 the wonderful pastime of the rasa Lila which are very esoteric, very confidential and only very purified advance devotees, those who have no material desire can understand them in truth. In various puranas Srimati radharani’s name is directly and specifically explained but in srimad bhagvatam we donot find even one time srimati Radharani’s name being spoken. It’s spoken indirectly. In One verse it is explained ‘aradhito’, aradhito which means the most best of all the gopis who worship Krsna, supreme most above all others. Sometimes people ask why in other puranas Radharani’s name is directly mentioned, but in Srimad Bhagvatam which is the topmost important of all purana, it is not? Every other purana is tinged with gyana kanda, karma kanda and yoga kanda. Artha, kaama,dharma, moksha . its only srimad bhagvatam which of all the vedic literatures, amalam purana, spotless pure, without any tinge of material pursuit.
True identity of Srila Sukhadev Goswami
The great acharyas explain it in this way that whenever srila sukhadev Goswami speaks, Vyasdev writes ‘Sri Sukha uvacha’. Now kavi karnapur, a great associate of Lord Chaitanya in his ananda vrindavan champu explains who this sri sukhadev goswami is. ‘sri sukha uvacha’ sukha means parrot. And whose parrot? Sri’s parrot. The parrot of sri. And who is sri? Srimati Radharani. Just like if you go to Barsana the most popular name of Sri radharani is Sriji and the temple anugar is called sriji mandir.
Sukha became dear dear loving pet of Sri radhika
Kavikarnapur explains how in vrndavan Srimati Radhika, she had a pet parrot. And sukhadev goswami was previously this parrot. And she used this little parrot used to sit on the left finger of Sri Radhikarani’s hand and with her right hand she would feed the parrot the seeds of pomegranate fruits and she would very affectionately pat her beloved parrot sukha and she would say bolo Krsna krsna!bolo krsna krsna!and sukha would say Krsna krsna! Krsna krsna! And parrots have a special empowerment that they can imitate exactly the sound of the voice of the person who tells to speak. So when he would say krsna krsna the sound would be identical to srimate radharani’s voice and she would become very happy. In this way sukha became dear dear loving pet of Sri radhika.
When Krishna takes something , He will never give it back, that’s his nature
One time sukha flew to nandagaon, and at nandagaon he came to the little garden where krsna is sitting and started saying krsna krsna! Krsna krsna!. And his voice was identical to radharani’s voice.so this very much attracted the mind of Sri Krsna. So he began to pat the parrot. Oh you are so nice! Where have you come from? Who are you?and sukha said actually I’am from barsana. I’m the favourite of Sri radhika rani and I’m so unfortunate that I have left her to come here. At that time Lalita and Visakha they were searching and they saw srimati Radharani’s parrot in Krsna’s hand. And they said why you give us this is radharani’s parrot. why you have taken? And krsna said “ I’ll not give back to you. If its actually your parrot then you call it and see it if it comes”. And they were calling and the parrot stayed with krsna. So they said Krsna, this is your nature, when you take something you never give it back. That is His mercy. We are praying that He takes our hearts and never give it back. So they told Mother Yasoda and mother Yasoda said “krsna you are always playing with these animals, it is time for your bath, to take Prasad” and she took the parrot and gave it back. In this way so many wonderful pastime would take place between Radha, Krishna and little Sukha. When it was time for sri radharani and sri Krsna to leave this world, to return to the spiritual world of Goloka Vrndavan. They called Sukha, their little pet parrot and said we are going back to Goloka Vrindavan, leaving this material world but You must stay back in this world because someone must speak Srimad Bhagvatam for the deliverance of all living beings.
Departure of Radhagopinath from the material world
kåñëe sva-dhämopagate
dharma-jïänädibhiù saha
kalau nañöa-dåçäm eña
puräëärko ‘dhunoditaù
Bhagvatam explains after Krsna left this material world to return to the spiritual world, He descended in the form of Srimad Bhagvatam, which is the literary incarnation of the supreme Lord. And it’s the Srimad Bhagvatam that will give light in this age of Kaliyuga. And it’s the srimad Bhagvatam which is the manifestation of krsna in this age to give Pure love of God. So the parrot began to weep, began to cry “ You are going and you are living me alone in this terrible place of birth and death! How will I survive in separation from you?” The parrot began to cry, tears coming from his eyes. And then Radha gopinathji explained to him that there is no one else we can find who can speak Srimad Bhagvatam as well as you. So you must stay. So radha gopinathji returned to Goloka Vrndavan and the little parrot Sukha was too much in separation, so he decided I’ve to hear someone reciting srimad Bhagvatam.
Sukha hears the recitation of Srimad Bhagvatam from Lord Shankar
So he was thinking Lord Shankar , he is always reciting srimad Bhagvatam. So he went to Mount Kailash and there Lord Shiva was discussing srimad Bhagvatam to his beloved consort parvati. But the first three cantos of Bhagvatam involved very deep philosophy, so during that time goddess Parvati fell asleep. Just like even in our class today, if we start telling some philosophy, so many people will fall asleep. But sukha was sitting on a tree unseen by anyone and he wanted to continue hearing. So shiva would see Parvati apparently sleeping and he would say are you listening? And sukha would imitate Parvati’s voice perfectly and say ‘yes yes very nice, very nice and so Mahadev would continue his narration. And every now and then sukha would say ‘yes, yes, very nice, very nice’.
In this way Lord shankar completed the entire srimad Bhagvatam, he came to the end of the twelveth canto and at that time parvati woke up. And she said to Lord shiva ‘oh! I was sleeping. I missed it. Did you already get to the tenth canto. Did you already discuss Krishna’s lila.’ Lord Shiva said ‘yes of couse, I did.’ She said ‘ well, speak it again, because I did not hear any of it, I was sound asleep from the time of 3rd canto. Lord shiva said ‘ what did you mean you are sound asleep?’ I heard you saying, ‘ yes, yes, very nice, very nice.’ ‘who is that, who else is here to say that?’ so lord shiva began to look, here and there and everywhere.
Lord Shankar tries to kill Sukha
And then, he saw a little parrot on the tree, the only one else around. And he was thinking “aha parrots are expert in imitating people’s voice. This parrot is an animal unqualified to hear Srimad Bhagvatam. If one hears Srimad bhagvatam unqualified and hears this esoteric confidential subject matter, then if he speaks it certainly he will contaminate peoples mind. Only a qualified person should hear Bhagvatam. Therefore I must kill this parrot before he misuses his teaching”. So he took his trident and Shukha flew away and Lord Shiva began to chase after him. And shukha was flying, flying and then he went all the way to Badrika… Badrika ashram where Veda vyas happened to be speaking srimad Bhagvatam to his wife and meanwhile lord Shiva was fast approaching and veda vyas was describing the beautiful narration of krishna’s lila. And it was so wonderful to hear, that his wife was so astonished that her mouth was opened wide in astonishment. At that time, the little parrot Shuka flew into her mouth. It was hiding in her stomach. Hari bol! Hari bol!(chorous).
Appearance of Srila Sukhadev Goswami
Lord shiva came to badrika ashram, and he bowed down at Vyasdev’s lotus feet and he said, ‘ pranam, srila Vyasdev. Did you see a parrot. I’m looking for a parrot.’ Vedvyas said,’ why are you looking for a parrot?’ ‘because I want to kill it!’ ‘why you want to kill a little parrot?’ He said, ‘because he is an unqualified listener, and he heared me speaking the entire 12 cantos of Srimad Bhagvatam.’ Vedvyas said what is the, what is the result of one who hears the entire 12 cantos of srimad bhagvatam attentively? He said the result is that person becomes immortal. So he said well if that parrot is immortal then you will never be able to kill it. So why are you wasting your time? Why don’t you just go back to kailash and forget about this parrot. And veda vyas is very expert in presenting his argument. So lord Shiva said yes what you are saying is true, so he went back. And that little parrot remained within the womb of Vedvyas’s wife for sixteen years. And on the order of Radha and Krishna, after sixteen years this great parrot who was appearing externally like a liberated soul would not leave the womb until he heared krsna’s lila. And after sixteen years when veda vyas began to recite Krsna’s lila, he came out as srila sukhadev goswami. Haribol(chorus)…
Sri sukhadev Goswami ki jai.
Those who actually have the grace of Radha and Krsna can perceive the real teachings and real essence of srimad Bhagvatam
And because he was srimati radharani’s pet parrot the name of srimati Radharani if he ditrectly spoke it , it is described by srila sanatan goswami in Brhad Bhagavatamrita that he would have gone in a trance of minimum six months. But Internally he would be absorbed in ecstatic experiences but externally all of his senses and would just shut down. And maharaj Parikshit only had seven days until he was supposed to die. And it was Sukhadev Goswami’s , it was his duty to speak entire twelve cantos of Bhagvatam within that seven days.So for this great reason, those great acharyas who understand the real significance of Bhagavatam, they know that Sri radha and krsna are glorified throughout it, but in an indirect way, in certain cases. Not exactly indirect, actually very direct but slightly concealed. Just like butter is concealed within milk and you know it is there. Only those who actually have the grace of Radha and Krsna can perceive the real teachings and real essence of srimad Bhagvatam. Prema pumartho mahan, which is filled with pure, unmotivated, uninterrupted love of krsna.
Srila Sukhadev Goswami ‘s explanation on rasa lila
In the srimad Bhagvat, Sukhadev Goswami explains the rasa lila and that particular rasa lila was the rasa lila that took place during the month of Kartik, on Sharad Purnima. When Krsna met with the residents of Vrindavan the gopis under the Bamsivata tree and had lila in places like seva kunj, nidivan, sringar vata, Yamuna, tir ghata in the village that is now called vrindavan, that is where that wonderful lila took place.
Srila jayadev goswami’s explaination on rasa lila
In the geet govinda by jayadev goswami, he explains another rasa lila which is the basant rasa lila. The rasa lila that krsna would perform with the devotees, the gopis during the spring time season. And that would take place at Govardhan hill. It is described on this night, basant panchami which is considered the first day of the spring when the flowers begin to bloom and the birds begin to sing in sweet voices. At that time Krsna, he goes to a place near govardhan hill and Chandra the lord of the moon, he becomes a full moon just to celebrate his descendent Krsna who was born in the lunar dynasty, wonderful pastimes and to insist and on this night Chandra remains a full moon near govrdhan hill for one night of Brahma which is many millions of Yugas. And therefore that place is called Chandra sarovar where the vasant rasa lila takes place.
Krishna is the supreme enjoyer but his enjoyment is to serve His devotees.
And of course, what takes place in this beautiful dance on pure unmotivated unimterupted love between Krsna and his Gopis and Srimati radharani is very very high pure subject matter. But who of us is qualified to speak it or hear it? But it is explained herein how lord Krsna under the excuse of fixing the flower ankle bells of radha rani places His head upon her feet. Just to show that he is eternally subordinate to the love of His devotee. And it is true. And this is the greatest opulence of lord Krishna. How although he is the supreme absolute truth, the cause of all causes, the source of everything that exists, everything and everyone is subordinate to krsna either through His internal or external energies. But yet Krsna, He humbles himself by his own free will to become the servant of his devotees. And actually all of the beautiful pastimes of Lord krsna are simply meant to give pleasure to His devotees. Krishna is the supreme enjoyer but his enjoyment is to serve His devotees. And His devotees only enjoyment is to serve him. And when we speak of raasa, it is a very very high subject matter, but In essence this is what rasa means the loving exchanges between the supreme lord and his infinite parts and parcels. Krsna’s only enjoyment is to give pleasure to his devotees and devotees only enjoyment is to give pleasure to krsna. And pure bhakti means when we have no inclination for our own pleasure but we completely forget ourselves to give pleasure to krsna and to give pleasure to Krsna’s devotees. If Krsna dedicates His eternal existence to give pleasure to His devotees then how much more will it please Krsna if we give pleasure to His devotees. And To the degree we relinquish our own egoistic desire for position, for name fame or for any physical pleasures or comfort , to that extent we can actually taste the real sweetness of Bhakti.
ye yathä mäà prapadyante
täàs tathaiva bhajämy aham
Appearance of srila Raghunath das Goswami
According to how we approach Krsna, krsna reveals Himself accordingly to us. We find in the lives of six goswamis how to such an extent they deprived themselves of even the simplest, most basic physical needs so that they could completely immerse themselves in satisfying radha Krsna and the devotees. Today is the appearance day of srila Raghunath das Goswami who actually showed us more than any one else how to enter into the loving pastimes of Radha Krishna. Raghunath das Goswami, he would everyday perform sadhana ,which was so strict. Krsnadas kaviraj goswami explains that raghunath das goswami’s regulative principles were unerasable as the lines in stone. He would chant lakhs of name of Krsna everyday.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Minimum 2 lakh of Krsna’s name.that equals I believe 136 rounds of the Hare Krsna mahamantra everyday and he would never fail. And minimum 1000’s of time he would offer his postrated obeciances to the lotus feet of the devotees, the vaishnavas. Knowing unless he humbles himself before the vaishnavas all of his chanting of the holy name will have no pleasure to Krsna and it’s a fact if we are not humble servant of the Lord’s devotees. Your chanting of the holy name will give no pleasure to Krsna or to Sri radharani. It is the quality of that humility and that desire to be servant of the servant of the servant that gives substance and spiritual quality to our chanting of our harinam. And he would also bow down in prostrated obeciances many 1000’s of time everyday to the deity of Krsna. He worshipped the beautiful govardhan sila that was personally given to him by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself. And he was so much busy, completely immersed in this type of chanting and seva, that he simply did not have time for eating or sleeping.
Following in the footsteps of Raghunath Das Goswami
Some of you tonight are thinking may be I should go, its getting late but Raghunath das goswami when he was absorbed in hearing and chanting the glories of Lord, he never considered these things. Perhaps no one will leave early tonight. If you do it will appear very obvious. Raghunath das goswami would, he would only sleep few hours a week. why? Because he considered that this life is meant for service for Radha and krsna, why should I waste it sleeping? Srila prabhupada explaines that oversleeping is sinful. In fact prabhupad said oversleeping is like breaking the four regulative principle. Why? Because you are simply wasting the valuable human form of life in total ignorance. And if you oversleep you become influenced by tamaguna, mode of ignorance. Therefore Krsna says this path is not for one who eats too much or sleeps or eats too little or sleeps too much or sleeps too little. We should sleep as much required and no more. If anything a little less, raghunath das goswami would sometime sleep 1 or 2 hours a day or sometimes he was too busy. And as far as his eating, he was so busy using his tounge to chant the holy name Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare and discussing the beautiful glories of sri cahitanya mahaprabhu and sri sri Radha Govindaji that he did not want to use his tongue for anything else. And it is described that every few days he would take just 2 or 3 drops of buttermilk. And as he would be drinking that butter milk he would be thinking “what a condemned fallen sense enjoyer I am, I am taking all this time away from radha krishnas seva and gurudev’s seva just to enjoy my senses”. It was this complete giving of himself , complete renunciation of anything for the service of the lord and his devotees that actually gives us entrance into the wonderful pastimes of radha and Krishna. It is not that just by listening to high subject matter like rasa lila that you will attain love of god. It is by following in the footsteps of raghunath das goswami. If you try to imitate him you will die. We must follow the principle of taking what we need only to give us strength for devotional service and to make Krishna the centre of our life.
The appearance of Smt. Visnupriya Devi
It is also the appearance day of Smt. Visnupriya devi. Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu who was her beloved husband. When he decided that for the sake of delivering the atheistic class of men who are too proud to listen to him, he had to take sanyasa. The simple people who were good at heart they already became his devotees. But he decided to take to the renounced order for those people who were too arrogant to hear him because he was a grihastha. He was patita pavana. He came to deliver the most fallen. And when he explained to his beloved consort Visnupriya that he is going to take sanyasa, she was weeping, she was crying that I cannot live without you. I should commit suicide. You are my life, my soul, my only treasure my only wealth, You are everything. And she was only 14 years old. But lord Chaitanya told her that I will always be with you within your heart, you will always be within my heart. But all this fools and rascals, I must sacrifice even your love to give them my association and teach them how to chant the holy names.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
It is the only means of their deliverance in this age of Kaliyuga. So she said Whatever makes you happy my lord you must do that. Let me or no one else get into the way of what pleases you. That is a pure devotee. And after Chaitanya mahaprabhu accepted sanyasa srimati vishnupriya served the beautiful deity of sri Gauranga and she would chant hare krsna mahamantra. After every round she would put one grain of rice aside and after all day of chanting
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Krishna consciousness is not cheap
She would take those grain of rice and she would cook them and she would offer them to the deity of Gauranga. That’s all she would take. She became emaciated. She lost her beautiful luster because she was completely engrossed in giving everything of herself for the pleasure of the Lord. Krishna consciousness is not cheap. Krsna consciousness is the most valuable treasure and we have to pay the highest price. And what is the highest price? It has nothing to do with any monetary value of this world. We have to give our life. When the gopis of Vrindavan heard krishna’s flute and they went to meet Lord Krishna. He told them now I see you and you see me now you go back, your husbands are waiting and your families are waiting. They said my lord, we have come, previously we worshipped you by giving flowers and by giving fruits. But tonight you see we have nothing in our hands. We have come to give you the supreme offering, we have come to give you our very lives. This is our offering. Please kindly accept it . krsna cannot refuse a devotee who gives their life and that is the price of love of krsna and nothing less.
Without that faith anything else we do in Krsna consciousness has no significance
What does it mean to give our life? It means simply man mana mad…. Always think of me, become my devotee, worship me and offer your homeage unto me. This way you will come to me without fail. We give our lifes by following the process of Krsna consciousness, which begins with sadhu sanga, by associating with devotees and in that association we hear about Krsna and we learn to chant his holy name and we learn how to serve deities and serve the devotees and serve the guru, the spiritual master. We learn how to utilize all our senses in the Krsna’s service. We learn to dovetail everything we do for Krsna. Whether we are grhastha or brahmchari vanaprastha or sanyasi. But the most important beginning is through the association of devotees we develop shradha, we develop faith. Without that faith anything else we do in Krsna consciousness has any significance. And when we associate with materialistic people, our faith is diminished. Therefore we must regularly have sadhu satsang. It is must and with that faith we hear the glories of the Lord and most of all we learn the process of chanting his holy name.
Above all the name of Krsna and all mantras, the most powerful, the most intimate, most sweet is the maha mantra
taror iva sahiñëunä
amäninä mänadena
kértanéyaù sadä hariù”
Our goal in life is not to be an advance devotee, our goal in life is to be more humble than a blade of grass, to be more tolerant than a tree. Our goal in life is that day when we desire no recognition from anyone else and we want to offer all respect to others. That is our goal. Because in that state of mind , kirtaniya sada hari, we can always chant the holy names. Chaitanya mahaprabhu taught us
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
in this age of Kaliyuga there is no other way, no other way, no other way except hari naam, hari naam, hari naam, chanting of the name of hari. And he particularly took this verse from Brhad naradiya purana. There are many other verses in other scriptures which explain chanting of the holy name is the only way in this age of kali.
kaler doña-nidhe räjann
asti hy eko mahän guëaù
kértanäd eva kåñëasya
mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet….
There are innumerable verses glorifying the name of krsna as the only process in this age of kali. But this particular verse
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
Mahaprabhu especially stressed this because there is so much stress given in this verse.
Everyone together
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
And above all the name of Krsna and all mantras, the most powerful, the most intimate, most sweet is the maha mantra
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Why did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chose this Hare Krsna mahamantra?
This maha mantra can neutralize all sins and awaken our original natural love of God, more greater than any other process in this yuga of kali. Hare is the name of srimati radharani, the eternal pleasure potency of the supreme personality of Godhead. Krsna is krsna who is all attractive and Rama is sri Radha raman the enjoyer of srimati Radharani and one who gives pleasure to srimati radharani. In Vrindavan other sampradayas and Vrajabasis they chant the mantra
Radhe Krsna Radhe Krsna Krsna Krsna Radhe Radhe
Radhe Shyam Radhe Shyam Shyam Shyam Radhe Radhe
Everybody please,
Radhe Krsna Radhe Krsna Krsna Krsna Radhe Radhe
Radhe Shyam Radhe Shyam Shyam Shyam Radhe Radhe
Some people they feel actually these mantras are in one sense are non different but Radha Krsna this yugala maha mantra is more direct because some people really don’t know what hare means. When you say radhe everyone knows who is radhe. And similarly rama , some people say that Rama is Balaram or Rama is Parasurama or rama is Dasarathi Nandana Rama Chandra of ayodhya. So why not the yugala mantra because it is very direct and specific. Why did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chose this Hare Krsna mahamantra? And the reason is very important and if you understand this you will have very deep appreciation for maha mantra.you see according to the shastra there is a rule, that when something is presented in an indirect way, it actually has more intimacy and sweetness than when you do it in a direct way. Rama means one whose life is utterly surrendered to giving pleasure to his divine pleasure potency srimati Radharani. That is the meaning of rama as lord Chaitanya chanted it. Shyama means krsna who has a beautiful blackish complexion. And hare comes from the word Hara which comes from the word Harana which means one who steals.
There is a beautiful mantra srila Rupa goswami, srila raghunatha das Goswami and lord Gauranga mahaprabhu explained this word harana means that it is sri radha rani who steals the heart of Krsna. And hare is the calling out of radharani who has that devotional power to steal the heart of krsna and krsna is that one who steals the heart of all living beings. So when we are calling out the name hare, we are praying to the divine mother, the supreme reservoir of all bhakti, and when she favours us ,the goswamis explain when she favours us then because she steals the heart of Krsna, prabhupad said when she says Krsna look at what a nice devotee this person is, then radha and krsna they steal our heart.
Turning our hearts into butter
When we were in kurukshetra, actually calling out the supreme most name of God and when we chant the maha mantra, the names which are non different than radha and krsna, they are actually awakening our natural love for Lord within our hearts. It is said that the heart has to become soft like butter before krsna wants to steal it. But first we have to make our hearts into butter. How do we do that? Through the process of churning, when you churn the cream through satsang our heart becomes like cream and through harinam its like churning that cream. chanting japa and kirtan is like churning our hearts to make it into nice soft butter. And you have seen how they churn butter. They go like this, this is the motion, they have a stick and they have a rope and they go back and forth like this. And similarly when we are chanting japa on our beads, it’s the same motion. When we finger our beads like this and we churn with the mantra
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
chanting the maha mantra regularly through japa, through kirtan gradually we churn our hearts, and make it into nice soft butter, in which Radharani and Krsna, they will steal the soft heart for their own enjoyment. And that is our goal of life. To make our hearts, our minds, our everything simply so delicious for radha and Krsna and the devotees to enjoy.
So tonight is Basant Panchami and what is the greatest way we can give pleasure to radha and Krsna? What is the greatest way we can assist them in their wonderful pastime? By learning to be the servants of the servants and glorify them through the process of chanting the holy names. At this time there will be a wonderful darshan of Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha. Everyone with great feeling and great devotion kindly cry out the holy name of Krsna.
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