bhakti-rase bharila, dharila bhu-ta-gra-ma

In His early pastimes He is known as Vis’vambhara because He floods the world with the nectar of devotion and thus saves the living beings.

ḍubhṛñ dhātura artha — poṣaṇa, dhāraṇa

puṣila, dharila prema diyā tri-bhuvana

The verbal root “ḍubhṛñ” [which is the root of the word "viśvambhara"] indicates nourishing and maintaining. He, Lord Caitanya,nourishes and maintains the three worlds by distributing love of God.

śeṣa-līlāya dhare nāma ‘śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya’

śrī-kṛṣṇa jānāye saba viśva kaila dhanya

In His later pastimes He is known as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. He blesses the whole world by teaching about the name and fame of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada

Lord Caitanya remained a householder only until His twenty-fourth year had passed. Then He entered the renounced order and remained manifest in this material world until His forty-eighth year. Therefore śeṣa-līlā, or the final portion of His activities, lasted twenty-four years.

Some so-called Vaiṣṇavas say that the renounced order of life is not accepted in the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, or disciplic succession, until Lord Caitanya. This is not a very intelligent proposition. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the sannyāsa order from Śrīpāda Keśava Bhāratī, who belonged to the Śańkara sect, which approves of only ten names for sannyāsīs. Long before the advent of Śrīpāda Śańkarācārya, however, the sannyāsa order existed in the Vaiṣṇava line of Viṣṇu Svāmī. In the Viṣṇu Svāmī Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, there are ten different kinds of sannyāsa names and 108 different names for sannyāsīs who accept the tri-daṇḍa, the triple staff of sannyāsa. This is approved by the Vedic rules. Therefore Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa was in existence even before the appearance of Śańkarācārya, although those who know nothing about Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa unnecessarily declare that there is no sannyāsa in the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya.

During the time of Lord Caitanya, the influence of Śańkarācārya in society was very strong. People thought that one could accept sannyāsa only in the disciplic succession of Śańkarācārya. Lord Caitanya could have performed His missionary activities as a householder, but He found householder life an obstruction to His mission. Therefore He decided to accept the renounced order, sannyāsa. Since His acceptance of sannyāsa was also designed to attract public attention, Lord Caitanya, not wishing to disturb the social convention, took the renounced order of life from a sannyāsī in the disciplic succession of Śańkarācārya, although sannyāsa was also sanctioned in the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya.

Prabhupad is explaining here that some people who do not have a great understanding they declare that amongst Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas sannyāsa is not recommended. There is often the quote from shastra that in the age of Kali yuga there are several things that are forbidden. One is the performance of the aśvamedha-yajñas, performance of the Gomedha yajñas, begetting children in ones brother’s wife and the acceptance of sannyāsa. But according to the great achyaryas, this is to be understood that the type of sannyāsa that is being spoken of is not what the acharyas are giving in regard to the renounced order of life. After all Vishnu Swami, Sripad Śańkarācārya, Madhavacharya,  Ramanujaacharya, sannyāsa is very prominent in all of these great sampradayas. In fact Śańkarācārya was so strict that he would not even accept you as serious student until after you had taken sannyāsa. First take sannyāsa then you can understand Vedanta from me. And here Srila Prabhupad is explaining that Vishnu swami, he was sannyāsi himself, was giving the tridanda sannyāsa even before Shankaracharya’s time.

How did Mādhavācārya take Sannyas

We find in the life of Mādhavācārya who is founder of our sampradaya. When he was only twelve years old he took sannyāsa although his parents his mother and father how much they weeped how much they cried. It is not that they had all blessings from their family members. Mādhavācārya -how did he take sannyāsa? When he was eight years old, he accepted initiation from his gurudeva, Acyuta Prekṣa. He decided,”I want to take sannyāsa, I do not want to be with my family anymore because it is a hindrance to the mission of becoming Krishna conscious and spreading the message of Krishna consciousness.” And his father was so much attached to him, his mother was so much attached to him. He was the only child. He was the only son. “Who will maintain us, who will protect us when we are old “,they were thinking. What to speak of just the natural love and affection for him. When his parents came to the ashram of Acyuta Prekṣa and found out that he was planning to take renounce order of sannyāsa they demanded that he come home. He would not come home. They begged, they pleaded, they ordered. He would not come home. So his father went to the wife to explain the situation. She said that we must get him back somehow or other. So again he went and by that time Mādhavācārya was already traveling with his gurudev. The father went through the jungles, through the forests, through the villages, through the agricultural fields trying to find him and finally in a jungle setting he found his little son, his little boy with his gurudev. He begged, he pleaded, he commanded, every possible trick- he cried, he weeped. “We will commit suicide “, the father said. Finally he fell at the feet.  Mādhavācārya was very firm. He said”I am not coming, I am going to dedicate my life in this way”. The father said that but you are only our son you must come home. This is against all principles.

Sarva dharma parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisami ma sucah

Mādhavācārya understood that if you surrender to Krishna utterly all other principles are irrelevant .All social obligations and all other principles of morality are to be abandoned by one who is completely surrendering their life to the mission of Sri Krishna. So Madhavacharya was so staunch that finally his father said if you do like this your mother and I both will commit suicide. Mādhavācārya looked at them and said then commit suicide. Go ahead do it. And then finally his father fell at his son’s feet. Mādhavācārya  said that you know an older person will never fall at younger person’s feet unless the younger person is  a sannyasi. So by your falling at my feet you are confirming my desire that I should take sannyāsa. The father was appealing in a very humble tone at that point and he said we have no other child. Please at least wait until we have another child, another son to take care of us. So Mādhavācārya  soften his heart. He said that all right when you have another son then I will take sannyas but I will not come home in the meanwhile I will stay with my gurudev as Bhramachari. So the next year a child was born and then he came. He came only for that otherwise he was staying with his gurudev in the ahram. He said that now you give me your blessings to take sannyāsa because a child is born. They said,” no no not possible.” They changed their mind of course. He said that ok I will make you a deal don’t give me your blessings, I will be bramhachari but you will never see me again for rest of your life. Give your blessings, I will take sannyāsa but I will communicate with you every now and then. Those are your two alternatives. So under those circumstances they knew he was very serious, they gave their blessings and then he accepted sannyāsa at twelve years old. And all of his principal followers were sannyasis. Before he left this world he established eight sannyasis and each of them established eight mutths and to this day those eight sanyasis,not by birth but by their disciplic succession of initiation or diksha the sannyasis of those eight and there was another four so now there are twelve mutths that lead the entire Madhva Sampradaya. So who can say that sannayas is not recommended in Vaishnava order?

How did Ramanuja take Sannyas

And then there is a life of Ramanuja, another of the great vaishnava acharyas.  Ramanuja was a married man.  One very great sadhu, who he considered shiksha guru was coming to where Ramanuja was living. They were in Kanchipuram area .One day Ramanuja went out and this very great sadhu came to the house begging and Ramanuja’s wife insulted him and told him “ go away, worthless sadhu ,beggar what we need you for?go away”. When that person, in his dejected state, was going away he met Ramanuja on the way. He heard what happened.  Ramanujam told this sadhu that I will tell you what to do.”Take this  note to my wife that you are a messenger that there is problem in her father and mother’s family and that they need her to come home, to her native village immediately. And because you are the messenger from her family, she would very nice to you”. So he went to the house of Ramanujam and gave this message and she said,” Oh! I must go immediately”. Then when Ramanuja came home, she said that  I have received this message and so he said that  you better go immediately. It is very important. Your parents are calling for you. So when she went home and Ramanujam was thinking “ she is not favorable to Krishna Consciousness ,she is not helping me, she is not properly respecting the sadhus or my gurus therefore it is not favorable condition”. So while she was away at her parent’s house, Ramanuja took sannyāsa. Never to see her again. He is another of the great acharyas in the four sampradayas. His principal followers also were very very great scholars sanyasis. Also Ramanujam had many very very great powerful grihasta disciples.

How did Lord Gaurangan take Sannyas

Then of course the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna descended as lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.  Although he was only 24 years old, his wife was only 16, his mother was old and a widow. She had no children. Śacīdevī  had two sons. One had already taken sannyāsa and left her heart broken. She had eight daughters before that. They all died just after birth. So all she had left was Lord Gauranga, this was all she had in life. An old helpless woman, and a young teenage wife who was helpless to take care of herself and He was only 24. 24-years-old is the peak of the time when people really want to start enjoying life.But when He saw that His household life was unfavorable for His mission, even though He had such love for His mother and His wife. As far as they were concerned, there was nothing unfavorable. They were completely supportive. Whatever He wanted to do they would support and completely dedicate their life and soul to anything  He desired. But the society was not properly respecting Him because of His ashram. He understood that people will offer obeisances to me, people will hear me better. How did he get this realization? One day Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu was sitting under a tree and in great ecstasy he started chanting “Gopi Gopi Gopi” the  names of Gopis and one brahman student very proud,very arrogant like most of the people of Navadweep at the time specially Brahmanas. He came and said what are you doing chanting name of Gopis this is not prescribed in the Shastras you are supposed to be chanting the name of God but He was in ecstatic trans. He was in the mood of Sri Krishna, Sri Radharani and their love. So He picked up the stick and chased that student away. That student became so insulted that who is this person. “ I am high class high born Bramhan  and he is chasing with the stick.” So he went to all the other bramhans students and they became outraged that how can anyone can take a stick upon one of them. “Everyone should respect us, honor us, adore us and he is chasing us with stick.” So there was much criticism. So Lord Gauranga began to think at that time that as long as  I am in household ashram these puffed up mayavadis, “these arrogant brahmans they will not listen to me but if I am a sannyasi everyone will offer respect to me and everyone will hear this message.” So therefore he left in the middle of the night.  A night before,He told Lord Nityananda, Chandrashekhar Acharya,Mukunda, Gadadhar and few others that “we will go to Katwa and I will accept sannyāsa”. That night Vishupriya was massaging His feet with great chastity and devotion and she fell asleep. As He was leaving the house Śacīmata  was getting dreams that my son might leave tonight, an unbearable thought so she was standing at the door and Lord Chaitanya  came to her and touched her feet and said that mother I am going to take sannyāsa. She stood  petrified like wood. She could not move, she could not speak and then He left.

So why did He choose  Keshav Bharati? As it is explained here, Chaitanya Manaprabhu specifically  took initiation in Madhava sampradaya. Out of the four sampradayas He specially chose Madhva sampradaya because He knew this mayawada philosophy was so prominent in society among transcendentalist that in order to establish pure Bhakti one must very much refute this mayavad philosophy. He accepted more that more than any other acharya Madhava has done this. Bhaktivinod Thakur explains that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted two essential principles from all four Sampradayas. He really did not favored one over the other. In fact Sri Gaurang Mahaprabhu synthesized in such an intimate and beautiful way all the four vaishnava sampradayas. From the Madhva sampradaya he took tremendous refutation of mayavad  or impersonal philosophy which declares the living entity and the Parmatam are one and the same. He established we are eternally simultaneously one and different. acintya bheda-abheda-tattva. And also from Madhvacharya he took the worship of the deity of Krishna. And those of you who have gone to Udupi, you find Madhvacharya’s worshipable deity as child Krishna, Vrindavan Krishna. From the Ramanuja sampradaya, He took the path of raga, raga marga, which means the path of spontaneous love and service to the Vaishnavas.  Ramanujachrya very much stressed service to the Vaisnvas.

Question: Path of raga what does that mean?

Maharaj: Raga marga means spontaneous love.

From the Vishnuswami sampradaya or the Rudra sampradaya, he took complete dependence on only Krishna Sri Krishna Sharnam mam.

From Nimbarka sampradaya, he took two principles- the paramount importance of Sri Radharani and worship of Her lotus feet and the high esteem for the gopis love for Krishna.

So Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu accepted initiation from Ishwara puri who is a disciple of Madhvendra Puri,very much because this sampradaya was teaching this refutation of this mayavad philosophy which was very important. So why is it after that making that decision for His first initiation that he accepts sannyāsa in the mayavad sampradaya. It is a mystery. Prabhupad is here giving light. The reason is the whole purpose or the whole reason He took sannyāsa is to get people to respect and hear what He had to say for their own purification and salvation and because the people of the age were so much thinking in terms that sannyasis means Shankar sanyasis that the vaishnav sanyasis were not getting proper respect. Shakaracharyas teachings and his sannyasis were very very powerful at that time therefore He accepted sannyāsa from Keshav Bharati so that He would get the respect and the obeisance by which people will benefit. And Keshav Bharati maharaj was also a disciple of Madhvendra puri and Keshav Bharati maharaj also accepted Shankara’s line of sannyāsa for the same purpose. To reach people’s heart with the message of  Bhakti. Sri Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu’s  own guru Ishvara Puri  also a disciple in a vaisnava sampradaya, disciple of Madhavendra puri,  also took Sannyāsa from the mayavad  school.Therefore what Sri Chaitany Mahaprabhu did was very much in line with His previous acharyas. Then what was the purpose? The whole purpose of His taking the sannyāsa was to some how or other reach people and change their hearts, change their lives even though it was very unorthodox as far as tradition goes. In another words,  Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Ishvar Puri, Keshav Bharati -their spirit, their teaching, their love everything was aligned with the path of Bhakti. Internally their sannyāsa was for only for the purpose of dedicating their mind, body and words and soul to the service of  Krishna. The internal purpose of sannyāsa was simply according to the principles of Bhakti in the purest and highest stage, but externally they took forms by which they could reach people better. They did this because this was the climate in India at that time. How to reach people? Kal desh Patra. A good preacher has to evaluate the time, place and the people and preach accordingly. Otherwise what is use of preaching all nice philosophy if nobody listens, if nobody’s heart changes, if nobody’s life change?

In the Shankar sampradaya there are ten different names awarded to sanyasis. Of course after hearing all this and when Sri Chaitany Mahaprabhu after he took Sannyāsa, what did he do? He traveled so many places, in relationship to Raghunath Das Goswami. He told Raghunath Das, when Raghunath escaped from his parents, he was also the  only son. His parents were great great devotees. They were so wealthy. They were practically sponsoring the missionary activities of all Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Raghunath didn’t want to be like that. He didn’t want to be big big beneficiary of the devotees. He wanted to be a sanyasi .He came to Jaganath puri and fell at the feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu after escaping and Lord Gauranga said,” oh, Raghunath you are very fortunate. Household life is like deep pit where people go to pass stool and those attached householders are like worms in that stool and you are so kind because only Krishna can free you from that situation”. He accepted him and Raghunath became a Goswami.  Rupa and Sanatan were high posted ministers under the king and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when He met them then He said leave this place, take sannyāsa and go to Vrindavan. He gave them sannyāsa  and sent them to Vrindavan. He may not have given them sannyāsa with the fire sacrifice and all the external but He gave them sannyāsa by His order, by His spirit. He told Raghunath Bhatt Goswami that your parents are very very great pure devotees. You should go back and take care of them but do not marry. As soon as they leave their bodies come back here and become a Goswami. And also there is this  Kurma Brahman in South India. He was a householder. He wanted to leave and take sannyāsa. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said,  “no, go back home. You take care of your family always chant Hare Krishna and preach in that ashram”.  Ramananda  Ray  was also grihastha. Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu  wanted to stay just in that position. So you see Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu was not for or against grihastha life. He was not for or against sannyāsa life.  He was for only one thing, whatever is best for preaching Krishna consciousness and he was against anything that was obstruction to that. Therefore most of His disciples were grihasthas and He encouraged them to go on like that, but  He encouraged some special few by saying that you should take sannyāsa. You should dedicate your life only for this purpose.

So therefore we must understand according to our founder of this whole institution. We are not talking about material institution. We are talking about spiritual movement, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the founder of this great spiritual movement. He has got himself. dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat-pranitam.  Real religion can only be propounded by one person and that is God. And  all we can do is be His representative. This is the best only thing and if we are not representing God, what He has taught, what he has given through Guru, Sadhu, Sastra then we are simply cheating people, misleading people. So Sri Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu established this principle that I am not a Brahman, Kshatriya, vaishya, Shudra. I am not a sannyasi, grihstha, vanaprastha  or bramhachari. I am only aspiring to be the servant of the servant of the servant of Gopi bhartur, of Lord of the Gopis. So in this way we are not against or for any ashram. We are only for Krishna consciousness and  there is need for first class sannyasis. Anyone who says that Vaishnavas or in Vaishnava line people should not take sannayas, is crazy. How can they speak against the example and teachings of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Ramanujacahrya, Madhvacharya, Vishuswami, even Shankracharya although he was mayavadi disguised internally. Vaishnav yatha Shambhu he is actually the greatest vaishnava Shiva. We should not favor one ashram and unfavor another ashram. We should understand that there is need for first class sannyasis who are dedicating their mind, bodies, words only to the service of Krishna. There is dire need for first class bramhacharis who are setting higher standards of just giving as the humble servants of the sannyasis. There is a dire need of first class grihasthas, people who are living in this world but not of this world as well as vanaprashtas, those grihasthas who are gradually dedicating their lives to more and more renounced spirit. So in this way there should not be sectarianism amongst the ashrams. If there is then that means neophyte understanding will better than you. Nobody is better than anyone. In the vaishnava sampradaya who considers himself the least is the best  and he who considers himself the best is the least. So in this way Srila Prabhupada was very very strongly making this point of the importance and the sanctity of all these four ashrams and why Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally accepted the renounced order of life? In the Shankar sampraday there are ten different names awarded to sannyasis. Tirtha, asram, van, arany, giri, parvat sagar, saraswati, bharati and puri. Before one enters sannyāsa he has one of the various names for a bramhachari, the assistant to a sannyasi. Sannyasi with the title tirth and asram generally stay at Dwarka, their bramhachari name is Swarup. Those known by the name of vana and aranya stay in Jagannath puri and their bramhachari name is Prakash. Those with the names  Giri, Parvat and Sagara generraly stays at Badrika ashram and their bramhachari name is ananda. Those with the title Saraswati, Bharati and Puri usually live in Shringeri in south India and the bramhchari name is chaitanya. Sripad Shankaracharya established four monasteries  in India in the four directions, north,south,east and west. And he entrusted them to four sannyasis who were his disciples. Now there are hundreds of branch monasteries under these four principal monasteries and although there is officially symmetry among them there are many differences in their dealings. The four different sects of their monasteries are known as anadvar, bhogavara,kitvara and bhumivara. And in course of time they have developed different ideas and different slogans. According to regulation of the disciplic succession, one who wishes to enter into the renounce order in Shankara sect must be first trained as brahmachari under a bonafied sannyasi. The brahmachari’s name is ascertained according to the group to which the sannyasi belongs. Lord Chaitanya accepted Sannyāsa from Keshava bharati. When He first approached Keshava bharati, He was accepted as a brahmachari with the name Sri Krishna Chaitanya brahmachari. After he took the sannyāsa, he preferred to keep the name Krishna Chaitanya. The great authority in the disciplic succession had not offered to explain why Lord Chaitanya refused to take the name bharati after he took Sannyāsa from a bharati until Bhaktisidhanta  Saraswati Goswami Maharaj volunteer the explanation that because the  sannyasi in Shankara Sampradaya thinks that he has become the supreme, Lord Chaitanya wanting to avoid such a misconception kept the name Sri Chaitanya  placing Himself as an eternal servitor. A brahmachari is supposed to serve the spiritual master, therefore He did not negate that relationship of servitude to His spiritual master. Accepting such a position is favorable for the relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master. The authentic biographies also mention that Lord Chaitanya accepted the danda and the begging pot symbolic of the sannyāsa order of time when he took sannyāsa. So here Srila Prabhupad is describing that traditionally when one serves a sannyasi, one takes a particular  brahmachari name, but after taking sannyāsa one inherits  the name of that particular  sannyāsa line. Because |He took sannyāsa from Keshava Bharati Maharaj, he should have been named Bharati Maharaj. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was thinking that  now I have received the dignity of the sannyāsa, the external dignity in the eyes of people taking sannyāsa in this order but he wanted to give another lesson to people which is very important. Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati is explaining because according to the Shankaras when you take sannyāsa you become Narayan. They even address themselves as Namo Narayan. Now sometimes Ramanuja bhakta also says Namo Narayan. When Ramanujam says Namo Narayan that means I offer my obeisances to the Narayan who is paramatma in your heart. But the shankaras idea, when they say among sannyasis Namo Narayan, that means because you are sannyāsa you are Narayan. One who takes sannyāsa in their order becomes God. By that act of renunciation from everything in material world he becomes God. But Shri Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu did not want people to think because He took sannyāsa He was God. He came to establish eternal servitude to the God. Brahmachari name means servitude and Sannyāsa name means becoming God in the Shankara line. So He kept his bramhachari name to show people although I am a sannyasi, my mind is that I am eternally the servant. I don’t want anyone to think for even a second that I think I can ever become God.

So any questions?

Devotee: Sometimes there are some vaishnava sanyasis names like  which are also names of Krishna like Radhanath Swami. What does that indicate, a servant of Krishna?

Maharaj: See all of our names are various names of Krishna. He did this because He was specifically in this line. He wanted to establish. Because we are not in this line we don’t have to worry about this misconception. Because we are taking sannyāsa directly and purely in the vaishnava sampradaya, there is no question of misconception for us. But because He was taking sannyāsa in an impersonal sampradaya He wanted to make sure that distinction was there. That is the difference. In the vaishnava samradaya it is understood whatever your name is you are accepting the position of eternal servitude.

Devotee:  you told about Ramanujahcarya taking sannyāsa but it is said that if you have a wife you have to take her consent before taking sannyāsa.

Maharaj: Who says that?

Devotee: Scriptures.

Maharaj: what does it say?Where? There are different shlokas for different folks.

Sarva dharma parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisami ma sucah

Krishna says abandon all these other shlokas and just surrender to me.You cannot understand the scriptures except from acharyas, their example and their teachings. If you try approach scriptures on your own and you will be bewildered because you will find so many conflicting statements. Did Lord Chaitanya get consent from Vishupriya. She didn’t even know until after He was done. And He was playing a part of devotee to show an example to show us. He was not in a role of God. Then Ramanujacharya’s wife didn’t even know until after he was done.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupad?

Maharaj: Did Srila Prabhupad get the consent of his wife?

Devotee: In one lecture he was saying that now my children are married

Maharaj: Yes there may be but he never got consent. His children were grown up, his wife was alright but they still demanded that he take care of them. In fact one year or some years ago I went to the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir in Navdveep Dham and while I was there I was introduced to one of the Srila Prabhupad’s sons. And you know that temple is the most magnificent temple practically all over India- the gardens, the fountains everything is so beautiful full of life. I was telling him that this is what your father has done. You must be so proud of him. Not only he has done this but he has opened hundreds of centers throughout the world and changed millions of people’s lives   and he printed and distributed more Bhagavat Gitas than anyone in the history of the world. And you know what he said to me? He said to me but he never should have left my mother. You know what he did to my mother when he left. He was like, that it was more important. So in most cases that is true just like when one of Srila Prabhupad’s disciples wanted to take sannyāsa and he said that unless you have the blessings and heartfelt permission from your wife you cannot do. Prabhupad was  generally be like that amongst his disciples.

Purport by SrilaPrabhupada

Dasya, sakhya, vatsalya,shringar are the transcedental modes of loving service to the Lord. Shanta Rasa or the neutral stage is not mentioned in these rasas because although in shanta rasa one considers the absolute truth the sublime great; one does not go beyond that conception. Shanta rasa is a very grand idea for materialistic philosophers but such idealistic appreciation is only the beginning. It the lowest among the relationships in the spiritual world. Shanta rasa is not given much importance because as soon as there is a slight understanding between the knower and the known, active loving transcendental reciprocation and exchanges begin. Dasya rasa is the basic relationship between Krishna and his devotees. Therefore this verse considers dasya to be the first stage of transcendental devotional service.

Here Srila Prabhupada is commenting in regard to the shanta rasa, in regard to the reverential aspects of Supreme personality of Godhead such as Narayana. For the God of creation, as understood in the religions of the west, shanta rasa is most prominent . But in the realm of Vrindavan, shanta rasa is considered to be of less importance. To the extent that Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami is specifically dealing with the four rasas beginning with dasya rasa, sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa, shringar.

Purpose behind Krishna’s descent to this material world

dāsa-sakhā-pitā-mātā-kāntā-gaṇalañā

vrajekrīḍākarekṛṣṇapremāviṣṭahañā

Translation

Absorbed in such transcendental love, Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa enjoys in Vraja with His devoted servants, friends, parents and conjugal lovers.

Purport

The descent of ŚrīKṛṣṇa, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is very purposeful. In the Bhagavad-Gītā it is said that one who knows the truth about ŚrīKṛṣṇa’s descent and His various activities is at once liberated and does not have to fall again to this existence of birth and death after he leaves his present material body. In other words, one who factually understands Kṛṣṇa makes his life perfect. Imperfect life is realized in material existence, in five different relationships we share with everyone within the material world: neutrality, servitorship, friendship, filial love and amorous love between husband and wife or lover and beloved. These five enjoyable relationships within the material world are perverted reflections of relationships with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in the transcendental nature. That Absolute Personality, ŚrīKṛṣṇa, descends to revive the five eternally existing relationships. Thus He manifests His transcendental pastimes in Vraja so that people may be attracted into that sphere of activities and leave aside their imitation relationships with the mundane. Then, after fully exhibiting all such activities, the Lord disappears.

The five rasas, Prabhupada is explaining, are always existing amongst the living beings within this material world and off course how much these rasas become the all and all of this life and soul. The motivating power within people’s lives, within this world, the rasa friendship.

Rasas in this material world are perverted reflection of rasas in spiritual world

First we begin with servants, when we go to school, we have to sit, submissively hear from our teachers. When we go to college we must also sit and hear from our teachers. When we get a job as an employee we either have to serve the government or serve our employer or the owner of the corporation or we have to serve our customers. So, this idea of service is very very prominent in everyone’s life, is it not? Practically everybody’s occupation is in the rasa servitude. So, they probably spend 9 hour a day in the dasya rasa, serving the community, serving their employees, serving their firms, serving their customers and all of these things. And off course they have their friends, everyone has their social life. Some people they play together, some people go to races together, some people play cards together. These are the common things in Bombay today in the name of Sakhya Rasa.

Sometimes the adults, if they are more pious, they discuss politics and all non-sense together.  What else you do with friends here in Bombay? Sometimes they go to movies together, they go to athletic events together, they go to picnics together. Sometimes they may even go to a temple together and off course children, they have their friends, they play, they race, they run, they compete in Sakhya Rasa. Our nature is, from our very childhood our life and soul has been being with our friends and just having fun in Sakhya Rasa, when we grow older we have so many friends and off course then there is the Vatsalya rasa of this material world. Parents! How much their whole life revolves around their children? When a mother has a baby child her whole life is simply revolving around caring for this baby, loving this baby, protecting this baby and father’s life and soul is working and taking care of and then gradually watching him grow up and helping him, providing for him, educating him. Vatsalya Rasa in this world.

And conjugal rasa in this world. How this sex attraction is so powerful. As soon as this age comes our sex desire becomes active in our hearts. It’s such an unavoidable meditation in the opposite sex longing to be with the opposite sex, longing to have intimate reciprocations with the opposite sex, if we are in a pious society. If we are in an impious society there is dating and all of these activities that go on in the west. In India people are a little more civilized; generally you are quite young before you get into all these dating habits, you get married. And then there is this rasa of lovers.

But in the material world all these rasas, they are very temporary and often times they end in ghastliness. Friends, how long do people remain friends in this world? Just think, throughout your life, there are different sets of friends, most of them have nothing to do with you now. From certain age, you develop different interests, then you don’t want to be with them anymore and then you go to another stage in your life.As soon as your interests change, your friends change and you don’t want to remain with those friends anymore. So, all this is so temporary. Often time’s friends become enemies because of envy, competition.

The Servitor Rasa

Everyone is looking for promotions. Why? Because they do not want to serve, they want to control, they want to be master. People can’t stay in a company without the promise that they will get promoted to higher and higher level. So, that you have to serve less people, and be served by more people.

So in this world, people are not satisfied with Sakhaya Rasa and people are not at all satisfied with Dasya Rasa. And Vatsalya Rasa, this intimate love for children and children, you cannot control children in this world. If they go the other way, they become the source of the greatest anxiety. If here in India, a child wants to marry a woman of another cast, his parents are ready to commit suicide, it’s terrible terrible pain to their hearts. What to speak when they move in to temple, their parents are constantly in anxiety. I think it’s true for many of us here today. So, this Vatsalya Rasa in this material world generally ends in frustration and anxiety. What to speak of conjugal lovers.

In the western world one out of every two and a half marriages ends in divorce within the first three years due to frustration, anxiety, envy, competition amongst lovers. It just torments people. Due to frustrated sex desire people become alcoholic, they become drug addicts, they become criminals. In fact Siegman Fried was one of the great philosophers of the west, he analyzed that all the problems of the world are simply motivated or born from sex frustration. His whole philosophy, he wrote entire books that were centered on how this whole world is simply centered around sex attraction. Sex attraction is all and all he said. And all the problems of all aspects of life, if you go down to its most fundamental problem, its frustrated sex life. He did not talk about soul, he did not talk about God. The only process is somehow or the other, one should have full and wholesome sex life. Otherwise all frustration and anxiety. Basically he said it is impossible to have full and satisfying sex life. One time they were arguing with our devotees and our devotees were explaining that there is something beyond sex. And off course these people could not accept because they were so steeped in this idea. So these Freudian philosophers were brought to Prabhupada after the devotees got frustrated that they could not defeat them in argumentation, they brought them to Prabhupada and Prabhupada said ‘Yes you are right, everything is revolving around sex life. All the problems in this world are based on frustrated sex life. Whatever your friend is saying, is true. But only from the material point of view. But what is untrue is that he does not understand that there is another principle behind material existence’

You can understand that this MadhuryaRasa(Conjugal Rasa) in this material world is the most ghastly frustrating situation. Why? Because these five rasas which we all are so much involved in, are perverted reflections of the true rasas of the spiritual world. In spiritual world these rasas are perfect and complete. Why? Because the object of our service, of our friendship, of our parental affection or of our conjugal love, the object is perfect and complete but because in this material world, the object of these rasas is incomplete and imperfect, the experience is imperfect and incomplete and therefore the soul is always frustrated.

That is why Rupa Goswami warns us that if you are attached to your family, your home, your society, your wealth, your love, do not go to Keshi Ghat because Krishna is standing there in his beautiful threefold bended form decorated with peacock feather, playing upon his flute, when you see him, you will never want to go back to these other relations of this world. Your friends, your parents, your children, your employees, your government, your lovers, they will have no meaning to you anymore, they will not have any flavor to you anymore, after you experience these rasas in relationship with Krishna. Why? Because Krishna is perfect and complete and soul is looking for perfect and complete relationships.

Therefore it is understood that these five rasas which are the basis of all pleasure in this material world are simply perverted reflections of the perfect rasas of Vrindavana.

Purpose of Material World

yatheṣṭavihari‘ kṛṣṇakareantardhāna

antardhānakari‘ manekareanumāna

Translation

Lord Kṛiṣhna enjoys His transcendental pastimes as long as He wishes, and then He disappears. After disappearing, however, He thinks thus:

cira-kālanāhikariprema-bhaktidāna

bhaktivinājagateranāhiavasthāna

Translation

“For a long time I have not bestowed unalloyed loving service to Me upon the inhabitants of the world. Without such loving attachment, the existence of the material world is useless.

Purport

The Lord seldom awards pure transcendental love, but without such pure love of God, freed from fruitive activities and empiric speculation, one cannot attain perfection in life.

Here Krishna das kaviraj Goswami says, “see how empowered he is, that Krishna is revealing to Kaviraj Goswami, how he thinks. Chaitanya Charitamrita is a very very advanced literature. In the Bhagavada Gita it is revealed to us what Krishna speaks and in the Srimad Bhagavatam it is revealed to us, even more intimately what Krishna does, his activities. But in Chaitanya Charitamrita here, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, as the representative of the Lord is revealing to us how Krishna thinks, what are his thoughts, what is his heart’s feelings and really entire Chaitanya Charitamrita is the revelation of Krishna’s heart. The Bhagavada Gita is his words, the Bhagavatam is his actions but Chaitanya Charitamrita, the whole principle is Krishna, is his thinking within his heart, I want to experience the feeling of the love of Radha and Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna experiencing the inner love of Radha and Lord Chaitanya is expressing through his action, through his words that inner love. So here kaviraj begins this very very very transcendental, intimate revelation of Krishna’s heart. After disappearing from this world Krishna thinks like this, “for a long time I have not bestowed unalloyed loving service to me upon the inhabitants of the world. Without such loving attachment, the existence of this material world is useless.”

Purport

The Lord seldom awards such pure devotional love but without such pure love of God freed from fruitive activities and imperfect speculation, one cannot attain perfection in life. Krishna is thinking that this material world is useless, unless the people of this world develop loving attachment to me. The whole purposes of this material world essentially is to caste us into these five perverted rasas and totally frustrate us through these five perverted rasas. So, that we turn away from these five perverted rasas and seek out true eternal rasas by developing attachment to Krishna.

Perfect marriage is the marriage that frustrates people so much that they never want to have such a situation ever again. They do not divorce, they have to do it, they have to stay together because of their moral obligation but it is such a frightening situation that you never ever want to take birth again in this material world, you just turn to Krishna utterly. So, this is a perfect relationship. Off course Sanyasis say different things. Grahastas say that a perfect marriage is where everything is very smooth, very nice, very wonderful and everything else. Off course it is like that when you together cultivate Krishna Consciousness and fully engage in devotional service, it is also perfect. But even if it is ghastly, frustrating and terrible, it gives you thirst to attach to Krishna only and nobody else,that is also perfect. So this is the purpose of this whole material world, to frustrate people with these five perverted rasa that they just long for attachment to Krishna. So, Krishna is here thinking that unless I come down and reveal myself to the world and attract them to me, then the whole world is useless. Then they will be just frustrated and will be looking for another alternative, another alternative, and another alternative and another alternative in the same sphere of illusion.

sakalajagate more karevidhi-bhakti

vidhi-bhaktyevraja-bhāvapāitenāhiśakti

Translation

“Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhūmi.”

Story of Vena

Just like there is story of Maharaja Anga, he was a very pious king, he was a very great devotee of the Lord and he had a son, his name was Vena, King Vena.  And King Vena, he was such a Rascal from his childhood, he used to murder his friends in his play, that was his fun. He would get his friends together and torture them so that they would be screaming in pain and kill them. He would be like aaahhhh. Just see how good fun I have had today, his childhood games, he was always lying and always cheating and his parents had no control over him, no control , he was terrible and everyone was complaining and Maharaja Anga was the king, he was supposed to have respect, he was the prince, his dignity. All the citizens just thought what kind of a terrible King is this, he has such a terrible son, and he is uncontrollable, utterly dis-respectful, and cruel. When he would be coming, people would run away. “Here comes cruel Vena”.

So his father was so utterly frustrated for years and years and years, there was nothing he could do, he was beyond his control, his heart was so filled with pain to have a son like this but one day at the peak of his anxiety he realized that this is the mercy of God. I am such a pious person. I have such a nice Kingdom, such a nice wife, such a nice palace. If it wasn’t for a son like this, I would never detach myself from these things but now I can’t stand my palace because now my son is there.  I can’t tolerate anything about this kingdom because my son is there. So, he says I must go and take Sanayas, not formally, but in spirit he just one day without telling anyone he just, paid grateful obeisance’s to the Supreme Personality and he left, never to be seen again and he attained the perfection of life. He was so happy that by the grace of God he had such a terrible situation that he was able to detach himself from the material life. Because he was essentially a God conscious person, he was a Krishna conscious person, the frustration of the rasas of the material world; this vatsalya rasa for him was terrible. It actually profited him to become exclusively attached to Krishna andhe attained Krishna consciousness.

Everywhere in the world people worship me according to scriptural injunctions but simply by following regulative principles one cannot attain loving sentiments of the devotees of Vrajbhumi. In the name of religion people are very much either following certain rituals, certain superstitious traditions or even those who are more sincere, they strictly follow scriptural injunctions. He says everywhere in the world, he is talking about all religions, but he is explaining that by simply following these religious principles and adhering to scriptural injunctions one cannot attain loving sentiments of the devotees of Vraja that is the purpose of life.

Purpose behind descent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

aiśvarya-jñānetesabajagatmiśrita

aiśvarya-śithila-premenāhimoraprīta

Translation

“Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me.

Purport

After His disappearance, Lord Kṛṣṇa thought that He had not distributed the transcendental personal dealings with His devotees in dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya rasas. One may understand the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the Vedic literatures and thus become a devotee of the Lord and worship Him within the regulative principles described in the scriptures, but one will not know in this way how Kṛṣṇa is served by the residents of Vrajabhūmi. One cannot understand the dealings of the Lord in Vṛndāvana simply by executing the ritualistic regulative principles mentioned in the scriptures. By following scriptural injunctions one may enhance his appreciation for the glories of The Lord, but there is no chance for one to enter into personal dealings with Him. Giving too much attention to understanding the exalted glories of The Lord reduces the chance of one’s entering into personal loving affairs with The Lord. To teach the principles of such loving dealings, The Lord decided to appear as Lord Caitanya.

aiśvarya-jñānevidhi-bhajanakariyā

vaikuṇṭhakeyāyacatur-vidhamuktipāñā

Translation

“By performing such regulated devotional service in awe and veneration, one may go to Vaikuṇṭha and attain the four kinds of liberation.

sārṣṭi, sārūpya, ārasāmīpya, sālokya

sāyujyanālayabhaktayātebrahma-aikya

Translation

“These liberations are sārṣṭi [achieving opulences equal to those of the Lord], sārūpya [having a form the same as the Lord's], sāmīpya [living as a personal associate of the Lord] and sālokya [living on a Vaikuṇṭha planet]. Devotees never accept sāyujya, however, since that is oneness with Brahman.

yuga-dharmapravartāimunāma-sańkīrtana

cāribhāva-bhaktidiyānācāmubhuvana

Translation

“I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age — nāma-sańkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service.

āpanikarimubhakta-bhāvaańgīkāre

āpaniācari’ bhaktiśikhāimusabāre

Translation

“I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself.

Purport

When one associates with a pure devotee, he becomes so elevated that he does not aspire even for sārṣṭi, sārūpya, sāmīpya or sālokya, because he feels that such liberation is a kind of sense gratification. Pure devotees do not ask anything from the Lord for their personal benefit. Even if offered personal benefits, pure devotees do not accept them, because their only desire is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by transcendental loving service. No one but the Lord Himself can teach this highest form of devotional service. Therefore, when the Lord took the place of the incarnation of Kali-yuga to spread the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa the system of worship recommended in this age. He also distributed the process of devotional service performed on the platform of transcendental spontaneous love. To teach the highest principles of spiritual life, the Lord Himself appeared as a devotee in the form of Lord Caitanya.

āpanenākailedharmaśikhānanāyāya

eita’ siddhāntagītā-bhāgavategāya

“Unless one practices devotional services himself, he cannot teach it to others. This conclusion is indeed confirmed throughout the Gītā and Bhāgavatam.

yadāyadāhidharmasya

glānirbhavatibhārata

abhyutthānamadharmasya

tadātmānaḿ sṛjāmyaham

“‘Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion at that time I descend Myself.

paritrāṇāyasādhūnāḿ

vināśāyacaduṣkṛtām

dharma-saḿsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmiyugeyuge

“‘To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.’

utsīdeyurimelokā

nakuryāḿkarmacedaham

sańkarasyacakartāsyām

upahanyāmimāḥprajāḥ

“‘If I did not show the proper principles of religion, all these worlds would fall into ruin. I would be the cause of unwanted population and would spoil all these living beings.’

yadyadācaratiśreṣṭhas

tattadevetarojanaḥ

sayatpramāṇaḿkurute

lokastadanuvartate

“‘Whatever actions a great man performs, common people follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.’

yuga-dharma-pravartanahayaaḿśahaite

āmāvināanyenārevraja-premadite

“My plenary portions can establish the principles of religion for each age. No one but Me, however, can bestow the kind of loving service performed by the residents of Vraja.

santvavatārābahavaḥ

pańkaja-nābhasyasarvato-bhadrāḥ

kṛṣṇādanyaḥkovālatāsv

apiprema-do bhavati

“‘There may be many all-auspicious incarnations of the Personality of Godhead, but who other than Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa can bestow love of God upon the surrendered souls?’

tāhāteāpanabhakta-gaṇakari‘ sańge

pṛthivīteavatari‘ karimunānārańge

“Therefore in the company of My devotees I shall appear on earth and perform various colorful pastimes.”

etabhāvi’ kali-kāleprathamasandhyāya

avatīrṇahailākṛṣṇaāpaninadīyāya

Thinking thus, the Personality of Godhead, ŚrīKṛṣṇa Himself, descended at Nadia early in the Age of Kali.

Purport

The prathama-sandhyā is the beginning of the age. According to astronomical calculation, the age is divided into twelve parts. The first of these twelve divisions is known as the prathama-sandhyā. The prathama-sandhyā and śeṣa-sandhyā, the last division of the preceding age, form the junction of the two ages. According to the Sūrya-siddhānta, the prathama-sandhyā of Kali-yuga lasts 36,000 solar years. Lord Caitanya appeared in the prathama-sandhyā after 4,586 solar years of Kali-yuga had passed.

caitanya-siḿheranavadvīpeavatāra

siḿha-grīva, siḿha-vīrya, siḿherahuńkāra

Thus the lionlike Lord Caitanya has appeared in Navadvīpa. He has the shoulders of a lion, the powers of a lion, and the loud voice of a lion.

seisiḿhavasukjīverahṛdaya-kandare

kalmaṣa-dviradanāśeyāńhārahuńkāre

May that lion be seated in the core of the heart of every living being. Thus with His resounding roar may He drive away one’s elephantine vices.

Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu ki Jai!!!

Some of these beautiful slokas are really the most precious slokas. Kaviraj Goswami is revealing the heart of Krishna, why and when He decided to appear as Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I would like you to tell me now what the reasoning in Krishna’s heart was? Why he decided to appear in Kali yuga as Lord Shri Chaitanya? Everyone can give one reason that we explained.

A pure devotee even rejects the four kind of liberation; he simply wants unalloyed loving service to the Lord in any situation. This is the spirit of the residents of Vrindavan and this is unique among all the Vaikuntha planets. In Vaikuntha all these four kinds of liberation are present but the brajvasis reject all of them, they only want to be Krishna’s friend, His lover, and His parents.

And then he explains that “I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age Naam Sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the Holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy realizing the four mellows of devotional service”.

This is very important; he is explaining here that simply by the congregational chanting of the Holy name, the whole world could realize the four mellows of loving devotional service. Dasya Rasa, Sakhya Rasa, Vatsalya Rasa, Madhurya Rasa. Krishna himself here is explaining the power of the Holy name. That simply by congregational chanting of the Holy name the world will dance in ecstasy realizing these four mellows of devotional service. That is why Srila Prabhpada would follow this line of reasoning of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, of Krishna and he would say “Just chant Hare Krishna and be happy”.

And then he describes “I shall accept the role of a devotee and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it myself. By practicing what? The congregational chanting of the Holy name. Krishna decided that I am going to distribute the highest principles of The love of God in these four ecstatic mellows of Vrajbhumi by personally demonstrating the chanting of The Holy name of The Lord.

And then He becomes very strict preacher. Unless one practices devotional services himself he cannot teach it to others. This is what Lord expects from his preachers, “Unless we practice devotional service ourselves, we cannot teach it to others”. So He took the responsibility He has given to his preachers. He has taken upon himself to practice it. The Supreme Lord Krishna has decided that I will practice it myself to set the proper path for all and then he explains the reasons in the Gita.

“Whenever there is a decline in religious principles and arise in irreligion, I descend to protect the pious and annihilate the miscreants and re-establish the principles of religion. I appear millennium after millennium”.

And then He explains if I do not personally take this cause upon myself the whole world will be lost.

And then He explains that His plenary portions can establish the Yuga Dharma for the various ages but no one but Him can reveal and bestow the loving service of the devotees of Vraja and then He explains that out of so many of His auspicious incarnations that have come to teach love of God, to teach the ultimate goal of life but He realizes that only if I appear in my original supreme from, can I distribute the love of Vrindavan.

Therefore, in the company of my devotees I shall appear on earth and perform various colorful pastimes. And KrishnaDas Kaviraj Goswami concludes this particular section by saying that “May that Lion Lord Chaitanya be seated in the core of the heart of every living being. Thus with His resounding roar He drives away one’s elephantine vices and what is that resounding roar of Lord Chaitanya: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

It is a very very beautiful explanation by Kaviraj Goswami, “The descent of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu”, how poetic. He is explaining Krishna’s own mind and Krishna’s own feelings. How Krishna made the decision to come to this world as Mahaprabhu, there must be something special. Any questions

Question:- After descent of the most merciful incarnation of Lord Krishna as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, situation has gone down so worse at the same place where he appeared. Is it his wish or is it that he has been completely forgotten?

Answer: - Because in Kali Yuga things deteriorate very fast and therefore Lord sends his empowered representatives to revitalize. Although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to distribute the highest principles of love of God. In the age of Kali yuga, even the best things instantly become perverted. Therefore Mahaprabhu established these highest principles but He will maintain them, preserve them only through the present Acaryas. Unless there are living embodiments, who are living according to these principles, they will be completely forgotten and lost to the whole world.

Chaintanya Mahaprabhu came to establish by His lila, by The Chaitanya Charitamrita, by Chaitanya Bhagavat, He has come to establish the highest principles. He empowered Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami to reveal the way. But even with all these great literatures and all of his great histories. Still in the age of Kali, things instantly become perverted and dwindle. Therefore Lord through the disciplic succession of great Acaryas, He is empowering Himself, He is empowering His representatives personally to continue the force of purity of this great Naam-Sankirtan and when there is a dwindling it only gives more glory to that devotee that He empowers. So kali yuga takes its course, its allowed to take its course but then He empowers His devotees, how much more they become glorified by their tremendous compassion at work and the Lord finds the greatest pleasure in seeing His devotee glorified.

Question :-Not Audible.

Answer: – There are two types of Acaryas:- one is who has descended specifically to execute the will of The Lord and one is a devotee who has by the process of surrendering, empowered by The Lord. Ultimately The Lord works His will through the person who has completely surrendered, depending on the desire.

What was the difference between Srila Prabhupada and his God brothers, many of them were exalted pure devotees, hard to judge who has a higher rasa with Krishna in the spiritual world. But the only difference is, his desire to rescue the souls of this world is burning far greater than any of the others and for that reason Krishna empowered him more than all the others

bhuvi bhaumāni bhūtāni

yathā yānty apayānti ca

nāyam ātmā tathaiteśu

viparyeti yathaiva bhūh

Translation

In this world, we can see that pots, dolls and other byproducts of the earth appear, break and then disappear, mixing with the earth. Similarly, the bodies of all conditioned living entities are annihilated, but the living entities, like the earth itself, are unchanging and never annihilated ‘na hanyate hanyamane sarire’

Purport

Although Kamsa is described as a demon, he had good knowledge of the affairs of atma-tattva, the truth of the self. Five thousand years ago, there were kings like Kamsa, who is described as an asura, but he was better than modern politicians and diplomats, who have no knowledge about atma-tattva. As stated in the Vedas, ‘asango hy ayam purusah’ the spirit soul has no connection with the changes of the material body. The body undergoes six changes birth, growth, sustenance, by-products, dwindling and then annihilation, but the soul undergoes no such changes. Even after the annihilation of a particular bodily form, the original source of the bodily elements does not change. The living entity enjoys the material body, which appears and disappears, but the five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether remain the same. The example given here is that pots and dolls are produced from the earth, and when broken or destroyed they mingle with their original ingredients. In any case, the source of supply remains the same.

As already discussed, the body is made according to the desires of the soul. The soul desires, and thus the body is formed. Krsna therefore says in Bhagavad-gita (18.61):

isvarah sarva-bhutanam

hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthati

bhramayan sarva-bhutani

yantrarudhani mayaya

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.”

Neither the Supersoul, Paramatma, nor the individual soul changes its original, spiritual identity. The atma does not undergo birth, death or changes like the body. Therefore, a Vedic aphorism says, ‘asango hy ayam purusah’ although the soul is conditioned within this material world, he has no connections with the changes of the material body.

He is revealing to us through his purports something that is very important for us to understand. In the first and second chapters of his purports to the Bhagavad-gitā, he is explaining the difference between the body and the soul with many examples to convince our intelligence that we are not this body. Now after one completely becomes learned and realized in Bhagavad-gitā. It is at that time that it is appropriate to start the study of Srimad-Bhāgavatam. And one carefully begins with first verse ‘janmādy asya yato ‘nvayād itarataś cārthesv abhijñah svarāt’ and very gradually under the supervision of bonafide guru one studies Bhāgvatam.

The first chapter is considered as the feet of the Lord, the first canto. And then each canto is considered thighs, knees, the waist, the chest, shoulders, and the tenth chapter is considered to be the beautiful moon like face of Sri Krishna. And it is not proper etiquette to approach or respect a person’s head.

Etiquette to worship Lord

We must always approach by the feet, even when we come to the temple, it is not proper respect to just look at the beautiful face of Gopinath first, when we come to the temple the proper respect and etiquette is to first look at our Guru Maharaj, but not look at him in the face but at his lotus feet. And then from his feet with humility our vision gradually approaches his benevolent and compassionate face. And then we approach Lord Nityanand in the same way, and then Gauranga in same way, then Srimati Radharani meditating first on her lotus feet, offering our obesiances and prayers to her lotus feet, and gradually approaching her beautiful smiling compassionate face. And then we approach the lotus feet of Krishna in the same way. This is the proper way that we should come into the temple, each time we come.

Srimad-Bhāgavatam is non-different than Krishna, The Srimad-Bhāgavatam is murti of Krishna in form of words. That is why in order to give this idea which is truth to the people we have made in our temple a very beautiful altar which is specially and exclusively for the worship of the Srimad-Bhāgavatam, we have built a very beautiful Simhāsana for the Bhāgavatam.

Srila Prabhupada explained to us Srimad-Bhāgavata. These books are deities and they can be worshipped, one can offer ārati, one can offer food and one can do everything to The Bhāgavatam because Bhāgavatam is non-different than Krishna Himself. And we must approach to Srimad-Bhāgavatam with this type of respect. We first approach the lotus feet and gradually we go upward.

EXAMPLE:

Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur when he went to Vrindavana, He was very anxious to see the smiling face of Sri Krishna by hearing Rasa-lilā. But he simply kept everyone’s attention at The feet of Krishna. For one month he spoke on the first verse, to teach people a lesson, that it is very important, not to become proud and think we can jump into higher realizations. Before we understand not just intellectually but before we really absorb and realize the basic principles of Krishna consciousness.

So, here we find Srila Prabhupada he came to the west, he had the first canto of Bhāgavatam and translated with the purports. And then he translated for the world ‘Bhagavad-gitā As It Is’ and at the beginning of Gitā, he described the difference between the body and soul, trying to convince us that we are not the body, trying to convince us to give up sense-enjoyment that only pertains to the body. He translated the second canto, third canto, fourth canto, fifth canto, sixth canto, seventh canto, eighth canto, ninth canto. Then he translated the entire Ādi lila, Madhaya lila and Antya lila Caitanya Caritamrta, the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, Isopanishad. And finally in the very end of his lila on the Earth he is translating the tenth canto of Srimad-Bhāgavatam. And here we find in his purport the same exact explanations as we find in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gitā, we are not this body, the difference between body and soul, with all sorts of philosophical ways to convince our mind of this truth. Hānh!

It is for this reason that Srila Prabhupada’s books are so glorious and illustrious in this age of Kaliyuga. Because although he is giving factually the highest knowledge, the highest information of Lord Sri Krishna’s lila. He is keeping it all very strictly in perspective of the basic principles of Bhagavad-Gitā’s philosophy. Therefore, a person can read any of his books from any place and not be bewildered.

Srila Prabhupada was very much stressing how one must very carefully study Bhāgavatam. Infact Sukadev Goswami describes that one who jumps into tenth canto Rasa lila without first realizing the preliminary truths, such a person he is performing an act which is more deadly than drinking poison.

So, Srila Prabhupada, he wrote his books and after writing them they were published. By the tens of the thousands they were published and he told his disciples to distribute them and they were distributing them to people in the streets, on the airports.

Very few of those people especially people in the western countries have gone to Bhagavad Gitā and the first nine cantos. So the devotees were feeling perhaps they were doing some mistake by distributing his books eighth canto, seventh canto, tenth canto, ninth canto, how is it possible Prabhupada, How will they understand. He said, “They cannot understand the Bhāgavatam but I have made my translations in such a way that any place you pick up my Bhāgavatam, you learn Bhagavad-gitā. And how every verse applies to the Gitā’s original instructions.”

And therefore he specifically wrote these purports in such a way for the modern age man. For those who are advanced devotees the highest information, the highest realizations are given. But for those who are not so advanced it is all in perspective of the basic principles that you are not this body and that you should simply become a servant of Krishna.

So expertly Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has empowered him in this way.

“So here we are the highest, most intimate and confidential of all the entities of Vedas the tenth canto of Bhāgavatam and we are reading how you are not this body. You should give up the bodily concept of life. And of course sometimes we are reading these beautiful pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna. And then we come to this and we wanted to skip through this because we already have heard it so many times. I want new rasas, I want new nectar, I want the juice of newer and newer subject matter of the Krishna’s divine pastime. ‘na hanyate hanyamane sarire’, how many times I heard it. For last 20 years I have been hearing ‘na hanyate hanyamane sarire’, I want to hear something else. I know I already know. But the problem is we do not know. Therefore we must be continuously reminded otherwise everything else we learnt will be misunderstood utterly. It is the intellectualization which is not very impressive to a sadhu. Realization is impressive to a sadhu. And realization is manifested though humility and devotion. And that is the most important principle. We can become learned, we could according to our capacity.”

We were speaking last night at one lecture, that the Srimad-Bhāgavatam cannot be understood by one’s intellectual capacity. The Srimad-Bhāgavatam can only be understood only by receiving the blessings of the great devotees of the Lord. And we receive these blessings by enquiring submissively however learned we are, even if we are great great scholars. If we do not enquire submissively we can never understand the Srimad-Bhāgavatam. And that submissive enquiry must be substantiated by menial service.

Even in our own Hare Krishna Movement, Srila Prabhupada was actually a very good scholar, but Bhaktivedanta, Vedanta means the end of knowledge, but what is the end of knowledge, bhakti, it was his sacrifice and devotion, which is his greatest attribute. And Prabhupada describes, it was his humility that so many of his godbrothers and so many scholars are actually much better than him at scholarship. Some of his disciples who had big big universities like Yell university, Harvard university in Sanskrit they became devotees, they studied under him, and they were at the same time studying very scrutinizingly all of these academic subjects in regard to the Vedas and they felt that were more learned than Prabhupada, and from academic point of view perhaps they were. And because of this they could not be submissive before him, they were thinking that my academic understanding of Sanskrit is superior to my guru. Therefore their humble service attitude was spoiled by this conception. And ultimately out of pride they left the Gurudev, thinking that I know what you are teaching is too preliminary to one is advanced in Vedantic study to somebody like me.

What happened to those people? Many of them completely fell down into the materialistic activities, most of them did. They became professors at universities, but no devotion. That was definitely abhakta. And others they just went on to their own. They went to some other gurus. And in this way because of their aparadha Krishna is not going to be very generous in giving His mercy to such people.

Srila Prabhupada’s greatness was his complete sacrifice and surrender to The Lord and He was great scholar but that was not his real opulence. And just to show this when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu approached Prakasananda Saraswati, he approached in that way, “that you are a great scholar, know the Vedas in and out, you know all the aphorisms, all the slokas, you spent you whole life in this field, I just chant the holy name, my guru Maharaj he said that I’m not fit to study the Vedas just chant the

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

And therefore my guru because he gave me his blessings I achieved love of God.”

And following in the footsteps of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Sanatana Goswami was most learned, he factually was the most learned. It doesn’t mean that being learned is a curse; being learned is a benediction only if it is situated on the foundation of humility otherwise it is a curse.

janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir

edhamana-madah puman

Queen Kunti said, “Good education, high birth, physical beauty, good parentage, strength all these opulences are curses if you become proud. But if they are built on the foundation of humility they are great opulences.”

Sanatana Goswami was most learned erudite, highly educated in academic but when he approached Gauranga Mahaprabhu, he didn’t say O I’m very learned scholar, could you give me something more than I already know. He didn’t know anything. All these scholarship is all, there is no realization, and there is no substance. I know I can cite any sastra but I don’t even know who I’m. I’m still addicted to the senses and the mind.

Even some devotees in the field of interfaith sometimes they say that we have the highest knowledge than any other religions; one doesn’t understand the deep intimacies of rasas that is described by Rupa Goswami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sidhu. All one knows is the basic preliminary, ‘God is Great’. That’s very nice.

There was one devotee at New vrindavan and he would not come to the Srimad-Bhāgavatam class. He would not come to Bhagavad-gitā class because he said that “these classes are for neophytes, all you are talking about is ‘na hanyate hanyamane sarire’”, he said that “I have been a devotee for fourteen years, I heard it, I know it. I want classes which are teaching the higher rounds of consciousness.” And yet the same person at the same time was factually taking intoxications regularly and from time to time having illicit sex. So I told him very frankly I think that you are not even ready to hear Bhāgavatam class, Bhagavad-gitā class, you are not even following those principles. But because of pride he was not able to enquire submissively and receive blessings which would give him the strength to become Krishna conscious.

So here in the tenth canto the super excellent, the crest jewel of all Vedic literature. Srila Prabhupada is reminding us ‘na hanyate hanyamane sarire’.

“You are not this body. You are the eternal soul and giving so many beautiful examples how just as the material elements earth, water, fire, air and ether, they are permanent but the manifestations, their mixtures are temporary. Sometime earth, water, fire, air and ether they formulate themselves into an earthen pot, that pot may last for ten-fifteen years, ultimately the pot dissolves back into the earth, what is the difference, the form has changed but the elements remain exactly the same. They transform from one form to another.

In this way the material energy is eternal and ingredients of material energy are eternal, it is only the specific manifestations that are temporary. And we are such crazy fools that despite all lofty big philosophy we still cannot overcome attachment to the misconception that we are the grossest, most externalized transformation of these material ingredients. We have not even come to the realization that we are composed of earth, water, fire, air and ether, if we did we would understand that these are permanent, this physical body is permanent”.

apareyam itas tv anyād

prakrtir viddhi me parām

Beyond that is the soul which is eternal, which is undying ‘na hanyate hanymane sarire’.  

Soul does not die while the body does. We are only under the conception that the conditioned souls that this very very grosses most external particular form in which the mixture of the ingredients of material nature have formulated that we are that. Such an illusion. And we are reading here this morning wonderful thing in this world how many people even consider that they are not this body. The materialists never consider. And of all the great religions of the world there is hardly a person that really seriously considers that they are not this body. Most people their religion is they speak some philosophy, they hear some prachvachan, they go to temple, the church, the cine-God, the mosque, they do their puja. But they never grasp the idea that I’m not this body and live according to this principle.

But here we find that Kamsa, Kamsa was an asura but he knew this very well. Obviously he was not realized to this subject, but intellectually he was a very great scholar of the Vedas. Intellectually as we are going to read in the next few verses his preaching is exactly non-different than the acaryas of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. Is there anything different that he is saying here and tomorrow what he is going to say one who doesn’t understand the constitutional position of the body and the soul becomes too attached to the bodily concept of the life. Consequently because of attachment to the body and its by-products he feels affected by union with and separation with family, society and nation. As long as this continues one continues his material life. “My dear sister Devaki you have all good fortune unto you. Everyone suffers the results of his own work under the control of providence therefore although your sons are unfortunately killed by me, please do not lament for them. In the bodily conception of life one remains in darkness without self-realization, thinking that I’m being killed, I’ve killed my enemy.”

As long as the foolish person thus considers the self to be the killer or the killed he continues to be responsible for material obligations and consequently he suffers the reactions of happiness and distress.

Now these verses if I would just read the verse, not tell you where it is from. And I would say that this is spoken by Ramanujacharya. You’ll say, Aah! Yes, of course, this is spoken by Mādhava. Yes, He is speaking very nice philosophy. This is spoken by Rupa Goswami. Yes of course, Rupa Goswami is teaching us this very pure knowledge. I would give any of the name of the acaryas to these verses, you would accept, yes this is their philosophy; this is what they are teaching. But I’ll inform you that this is spoken by Kamsa. The enemy of God, the persecutor of the vaisnavas.

How is it possible? He has great academic knowledge but has one thing missing, the humble spirit of service.

The whole purpose of all this knowledge is to bring us to the point of devotional service. Unless we apply that principle of humble devotional service all the knowledge is like the jewel on the head of serpent, looks very beautiful but what is the use. Actually jewel on head of serpent makes the serpent more dangerous because it’s so beautiful and attractive that we think, O very nice, I want to be with this serpent because he has a nice jewel. But the fact is he is just as venomous, as envious as a serpent without a jewel.  So therefore, here Kamsa he is appearing to be a very great sadhu, he is speaking a nice pravacan here. But his life is a different thing. He has not adopted the humble spirit of service.

nasta-prayesv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

bhagavaty uttama-sloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

susrusoh sraddadhanasya

vasudeva-katha-rucih

syan mahat-sevaya viprah

punya-tirtha-nisevanat

“That by serving the great souls the taste for really hearing the Srimad-Bhāgavatam awakens into our heart” this is the principle. We must simultaneously hear and chant in the mood of devotional service. That was Kamsa’s one defect. He had all the information, he had the entire intellectual, philosophical prowess but he didn’t have the service attitude. And therefore nobody cares about Kamsa, nobody quotes Kamsa. Although he is saying the same thing no one wants to quote Kamsa. Hiranyakasyipu also in seventh canto he was speaking very very wonderful pure philosophy but how many times we hear quoting Hiranyakasyipu or Kamsa. They are saying the same thing but nobody will be inspired by hearing their words.

Haridas Thakur explained that the preacher is one who preaches by his example. And therefore the difference between a demon and devotee is that the devotee always has the senses under the control of devotional service of the Lord. The yogis and the jnānis they also often times have their senses under control. They do not indulge in any type of sinful activities or sense gratification in the gross form. But they are not putting their senses under the control of Krishna, pure devotional service. That is the difference between a devotee and all other classes of men.

Actually, Prabhupada is explaining here that Kamsa is better than the modern politicians and diplomats, because he had this higher intelligence, this higher knowledge. And because of that he was so fortunate, he was directly punched on the head by Krishna. The modern politicians are just kicked in the head by maya but Krishna personally punched Kamsa, liberated him. So that is his special qualification (Maharaj laughs). Are there any questions

Prabhupada explains that he was Krishna conscious. Not only he understands philosophy very well intellectually but he was also constantly thinking of Krishna. Probably more than any of us. Out of fear he was constantly thinking of Krishna, his whole life was centered around killing Krishna. But this is not favorable for devotional service, unfavorable to Lord, unfavorable Krishna consciousness. So Srila Prabhupada explains if Kamsa because he was always thinking of Krishna in such an unfavorable envious, revengeful way, what to speak of a devotee who thinks of Krishna with love. What will be his destination?

 Is there any questions.

Question : question not audible?<35.26>

Answer : Even if a person is not completely pure, if a person is honestly striving to be pure than we can offer all respects and we can even receive shelter from such a devotee. But a person who is a cheater, a person who is giving his own opinion, who is not humbling before the disciplic line of great acaryas, who is not by honest means really striving and struggling to become what he is preaching.

Such a person is an honorable person, he is a true sadhu. Not every sadhu is pure devotee of the Lord. Just like our guru maharaja asked all of us to preach, he didn’t say you must become a pure devotee before you preach. He said you preach in the mood of humbly serving me and striving and struggling to follow my instructions and whoever hears from you will be infinitely benefitted. So that humble spirit or really striving to be the servant of the servant if someone has that attitude, he is really by all means living a life of pursuance of the highest principles of purity. And we should have great respect and honor for such a person.

But if a person accepts a position of some paramhamsa, the great devotee of the Lord, and even such a person is not repeating, he is giving his own interpretation, his own opinions, is not humbly representing the disciplic line. If a person is engaged in illicit activities without really even endeavoring to thinking that it’s all right, I’m very great! Then such a person we should understand is, that association is absolutely contrary to our interest.

Therefore we should seek out the shelter of the sincere devotees of the Lord. Just like here in the temple, these devotees are very sincere. They may or may not be cent percent paramhamsas. I’m not the judge, they are not the judge, but they are sincerely struggling & striving to be the servant of their Gurudev and they are simply humbly repeating his message. We can find shelter at his lotus feet of these devotees.

So if there are so many counterfeits, five hundred rupee notes, but the fact that there is counterfeit means there also was real. So however many counterfeits we may have been exposed to in our life, we should not just decide that well forget five hundred rupee notes. We should be looking for the real one.

In Bhāgavatam it describes very clearly that in Kaliyuga, what is religion is taken to be irreligion and what is irreligion is taken to be religion. And how do you think this comes about. When the Brahmins and the Swamis, and the priests, and the ministers, when they teaching irreligion in the name of religion. It’s not that the people just formulate these ideas, this is what is being taught by the religious leaders. What the great man do, common man follow. So the Bhāgavatam warns us that this is the situation in Kaliyuga, that there are so many cheaters, who call themselves god, who declare themselves to be incarnations, who are teaching their own opinions, who are teaching compromised philosophy just to attract the masses to them. Hānh! So that’s very clearly explained, stressed, emphasized but at the same time even more emphasize simultaneously that you must take shelter of the lotus feet of the sadhu. Aanh!

So we must seek out those sadhus who are really sincere, who are really striving for the truth, who are really humble servants of the precious acaryas. However many people cheat us we must keep looking, keep waiting, keep praying and when we find such a genuine person we should feel most grateful

Question : question not audible?

Answer : There are so many popular beliefs in the west, we do not take them very seriously. It’s also a popular belief that if you do not have sufficient sex you cannot be healthy. There is a man living right next to us who has written many books in this regard “The importance of proper sex life”. And I was in the Delhi airport few days ago on display right where you are going into the security, there was on display book table and display book was called “The joy of sex life”. It’s a popular belief, so there are so many popular beliefs. But what is the source of these popular beliefs – sense gratification. They all fit intellectual people, a very dangerous in this regard. Simple people it cannot do so much harm. But intellectual people they use their good good highly learned intelligence, their philosophical capacity to justify their own sinful desires in the name of god, in the name of socialism, in the name of communism, in the name of capitalism, in the name of religion. They are very expert. They can write volumes and volumes and volumes and volumes of books with the most decorative vocabulary. Just prove to themselves and to others that you can enjoy. There is no scriptural evidence anywhere in any western or eastern scripture that the animal has no soul but people like to eat animals, so when they are challenged why are you killing? They have to have a good excuse. So they write nice books that the animals have no soul. And the people who want to believe, who want to eat meat to them this is very welcome philosophy, but it is not the truth so there is a popular belief only because people do not want to give up their sinful activity. Nowhere in the new or old testament it is said that the animals has no soul. Infact in the testament it is explained in the kingdom of God the lambs, the lions, the deers, the birds, the man everyone lives together in love. No one is afraid of one another. That is the perfect situation.

Question : question not audible?

Answer : So many tendencies are in our minds. One has to feed those tendencies that emphasize by Gurudev, one has to starve those tendencies which are contrary to the instructions of Gurudev. Its natural we all have the tendencies of pride, lust, envy, anger and greed. These tendencies are deeply rooted within us. We all want to be senior, even when we come to devotional service, but we also by the grace of Gurudev.

Sri   Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya , the great thinker and scholar , he lived in Navadvip .  And later , in his life , he moved to      purshottam    shetra .Sri jagannath Puri Dham. There he became the most adored and sought after of all  scholars in all of  the world .He was a student of  philosophy of Sri Shankaracharya , in fact , he  interpreted  the shastras according to the mayavad interpretation .But , his intelligence was so great , that people considered him the embodiement of Brihaspati , who was the spiritual teacher and master of the devatas .Even the greatest of all vaishnava  sanyasis would travel long long distances ,  to become his student .So , when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Jagannath Puri , upon seeing the beautiful form of Lord Jagannath , he fell unconscious in divine ecstasy .At that time , the guards of the temple took hm as some sort of pretender , were about to beat him and physically kick him out of the temple .

But Sarbhouma  Bhattacharya could see the uncommon symptoms of spiritual  emotion , in the body of Sri Chaitanya .Although he had never seen him before , the beauty  of his charming golden form captivated the  heart of Sarvabhauma.  Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was the spiritual guru for practically all of Jagannath Puri , including one of his dsiciples was the king Maharaj ,  Prataprudra       so therefore , whatever he said , was considered the authority of god .

So , Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya ordered the guards to bring Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu into his own residence .There he began to very carefully analyze the condition of the Lord, and he found that there were no symptoms of life .There was no pulse , there was no heartbeat .There was no blood .He had never seen such uncommon features in anyone, but at the same time , he did not look dead .He took some very very fine cotton and put it to his nose , and saw some fine fibres slowly moving , and he could understand , that this young sanyasi  is still living .

According to the scriptural injunctions , he tried to bring him out of his state of samadhi. But nothing was successful , until sometime later , Sri Nityananda Prabhu , Jagatananda Pandit , Sri Damodar Pandit , were allowed in Jagannath puri Dham and they heard the news that a young sanyasi had fallen unconscious in the temple and his body was brought to the home of  Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya they immediately went to that place , and the only way to bring the Lord out of his trance was the loud chanting of the Holy name .So they began to chant , with great , great intensity , fearing that the lord would leave them if they did not bring him back as soon as possible .So with a  tumultuous roar , they began to chant

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna , Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

And after along time, to the great amazement of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya suddenly the lord leaped into the air and began to cry out “hari hari “crying tears of ecstacy and then he could see that he was associating again with his devotees as well as with strangers, so although,  he was beside himself, in ecstasy of love on seeing his first darshan of Lord Jagannath , Balarama and Subhadra , he became very calm and peaceful.

Sarvabhauma was thinking that this boy who has taken sanyasa at such a premature age, it would be very difficult for him to maintain his vows. So therfore he immediately accepted the Lord, just like his own son. And he explained to the lord, that unless, you are very very well equipped, with full knowledge of the Vedanta Sutra, you will not be able to overcome the temptations of maya in this age of kaliyuga.

“So being the great scholar that I am, out of concern for you, I will teach you.” So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, being most humble and benevolent allowed Sarvabhauma to relate to his service. Meanwhile, Gopinath acharya, who was a very very great and sincere devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu understood his divine position, as Krsna Avatar, and he began to explain to Sarvabhauma that “you do not understand, he is god, you cannot teach him” he has nothing to learn from you. You are nothing, but are just a dry logic scholar. You have no devotion.”

Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya said , “What do you mean he is god ? He is not god .according to shastras god is tri yuga , he only appears in tri yugas .He does not appear in Kaliyuga .

Gopinath Acharya began to explain that he is called tri yugi because he appears in tri yugas as he is .He claims himself to be god , but in kaliyuga , he comes hidden in the guise of a  devotee, therefore, he secretly spoken about in the scriptures. Being a great scholar of vedanta, you should know these things.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya would not accept and then gopinath acharya said that “your heart is simply contaminated in empty  logic, only when you are touched by the divine mercy of the Lord, then you will understand him as he is. “So Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said “alright, let us see.”

For then for many many days, for seven days, he instructed Chaitanya Mahaprabhu properly in the precepts of Vedanta Sutra. In the Jagannath temple and Sri Chaitanya Prabhu very quietly listened and did not say a word – and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya asked, at the end of his narration, even though I have explained, you have not asked a single question? You have not raised any points for clarification? I Do not know if you are listening or not listening? I do not know what is in your mind “Do you understand what I have spoken?”

Sri Gaur Sundar replied, My dear Sarvabhauma, the Vedanta Sutra is very easy to understand. It is written by Srila Vyasadeva. It is the commentary of the vedic literatures. And it is clear to see that the truth of the Vedanta Sutra as it is to see the sun in the middle of the day. But your interpretation is like a dark black cloud obscuring the real meaning.”

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said “what? How can you say this? If you have a better interpretation, you tell me.”

So then Lord Chaitanya being very humble, said “with your permission, I will proceed.”

Then he began to explain the vedanta philosophy in such a way that Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya had never heard before and he completely crippled – defeated, every point of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. He established that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and only through pure devotion can you attain his mercy.

Then Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya could understand that only Krsna himself could come up with such an interpretation and he realised that this is the highest truth.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya came back to his home, and all that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revealed to him – his divine form, standing with 6 arms – bhuja, in the form of Krsna, Rama and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Seeing this beautiful form, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya fell down in full prostration and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the morning Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had brought him some nice Jagannath prasad, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya rose from his bed and immediately called out “Krsna Krsna ” and without even washing  his hands or his mouth, he began to eat the prasad. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very surprised to see this. He said “you are a great brahmana, who follows all the brahminical principles very strictly and brahmanas never are allowed to put anything in his mouth before washing it properly and taking a bath. Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya quoted a verse from a scripture – this Mahaprasad is so sacred because it is the sweet remnants of the Supreme Personality, Krsna, but one must take it immediately, with great reverance and devotion, even if it is coming from a distant place, even if it is stale, it is the mercy of the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very happy. He explained that this is the perfection and fulfillment of my mission. Even the hard hearted, literal scholar like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya has understood, the sweetness of Krsna’s prasad.

So i would like to read a few verses as the story goes on in the Chaitanya Charitamrita - from that day onwards , Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya , did not know anything but the lotus feet of the Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and from that day he could explain the revealed scriptures ,  only in accordance with sincere devotional service .

Seeing that Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya was firmly fixed in the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Gopinath Acharya , his brother in law began to dance and clap his hands and chant “hari hari ”

The next day , the Bhattacharya wanted to visit the temple of Sri Jagannath .But before visiting the temple he wanted to meet Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .

When he met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , the Bhattacharya fell down to offer his respects .After having offered various prayers to him ,he spoke of his previous bad disposition with great humility .

Then the Bhattacharya asked Chaitanya Mahaprbahu , which item is most important in the execution of devotional service ?

The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord .

Harer näma harer näma harer näma iva kevalam

Kalau:  nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä,

In this age of quarrel and  hypocracy, the only way of deliverance  is just the chanting of the holy name of the Lord , there is no other way   – no other way – there is no other way .

Sri Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu very elaborately explained the Hare nama verse .In the  $$$$$$  purana , and Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya was struck with wonder to hear his explanation .

Gopinath Acharya reminded Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya “my dear   Bhattacharya remember what I told you has now taken place .!

Offering his obeseinces to Gopinath Acharya , the    Bhattacharya said , “because i am related to you , and you are a devotee , by your mercy the Lord has shown mercy to me ”

“you are a first class devotee , whereas i am in the darkness of logical arguements .Because of your  relationship with the Lord , the Lord has bestowed his benediction upon me

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased with this humble statement and after embracing the bhattacharya , he said “now , go to see Lord Jagannath in the temple ”

After visiting the temple of Lord Sri Jagannath , Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya returned home with jagadananda and Damodar. The   Bhattacharya brought large and excellent qualities of food remnants blessed by lord Jagannath .All this prasad was given to his old brahmana servant along with damodar and jagadananda.

Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya then composed 2 verses on the leaves of a palm tree , giving the leaves to Jagadananda prabhu , he requested him to deliver it to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .

Jagadananda and Damodar , both returned to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , giving him both  , the prasad and the palm leaf on which the verses were composed .But Mukunda Dasa , took the palm leaf , from the hands of Jagadananda , before he could deliver it to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .

Mukunda dasa then copied the 2 verses on the wall outside the room .After this , Jagadananda took the palm leaf from Mukunda dasa and delivered it to Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu. As soon as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu read the 2 verses , he tore up the palm leaves .All the devotees read the verses written outside on the wall , and they all kept them within their hearts .

As soon as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu read the 2 verses , he tore up the palm leaves .All the devotees read the verses written outside on the wall , and they all kept them within their hearts .

The verse is read as follows  -

See what is happening to Sarvabhauma  in  his pure devotion after his extraordinary condition – he has written these 2 verses , which delivers to the world the secret of Mahaprabhus divine mission , which reveals him to be the Supreme Lord Hari , himself.

And beacuse Sri chaitanya Mahaprabhu was in the role of a devotee , he would not tolerate anyone  , addressing him as God , or glory , his secret identity as Krsna .This was his natural humility as a devotee , or as the Lord protecting the innocent from understanding who he really was .So , Jagadananda was told by Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya to deliver these 2 verses to Sri Chaitanya but Mukunda Dasa in the heart of such a pure soul who has received such intimate mercy from the Lord , must be the most precious verses ever written .

He realised that if he glorified Lord Chaitnaya according to his divine  realisation , Lord Chaitanya would certainly  tear up these verses and no one will ever be able to see them again .So therefore , before giving them back to Jagadananda , he copied them on the wall , so that all devotees , throughout times to come could hear this glorification .and then he gave back those palm leaves and Jagadananda Prabhu got them to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , who as soon as he read  them , tore them to pieces and threw them away .The devotees were so anxious to run outside and see what was written outside on the wall .What must have invoked such transcendental  emotion for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .?

These 2 verses are celebrated by all Gaudiya vaishnavas as the essence of all the scriptures and the true identity of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Vairägya-vidyä-nija-bhakti-yoga   çikñärtham ekaù puruñaù puräëaù, çré-kåñëa-caitanya-çaréra-dhäré

“Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment from whatever does not foster Kåñëa consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.

kälän nañöaà bhakti-yogaà nijaà yaù

präduñkartuà kåñëa-caitanya-nämä

ävirbhütas tasya pädäravinde

gäòhaà gäòhaà léyatäà citta-bhåìgaù

Let my consciousness, which is like a honeybee, take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has just now appeared as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu to teach the ancient system of devotional service to Himself. This system had almost been lost due to the influence of time.

PURPORT

As stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (4.7):

yadä yadä hi dharmasya

glänir bhavati bhärata

abhyutthänam adharmasya

tadätmänaà såjämy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.” (Bg. 4.7)

This is also the case with Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s appearance. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu appeared in this world as a disguised incarnation of Kåñëa, but His appearance is confirmed in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the Mahäbhärata and other Vedic scriptures. He appeared in order to teach the fallen souls in this material world, for in this Age of Kali almost everyone has become attached to fruitive and ritualistic activities and mental speculation. Consequently there was a great need to revive the system of devotional service. The Lord Himself personally came down disguised as a devotee so that the fallen populace might take advantage of the Lord’s example.

At the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gétä, Lord Kåñëa advised complete surrender unto Him, promising all protection to His devotee. Unfortunately, people are so fallen that they cannot accept the instructions of Lord Kåñëa; therefore Kåñëa returned with the same mission, but He executed it in a different way. As Lord Çré Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He ordered us to surrender unto Himself, but as Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, He taught us how to surrender to Kåñëa. Therefore He is praised by the Gosvämés: namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäye te. Lord Çré Kåñëa is certainly the Personality of Godhead, but He is not as magnanimous as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Lord Kåñëa simply gave orders for one to become His devotee (man-manä bhava mad-bhaktaù), but Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu actually taught the process of Kåñëa consciousness. If one wants to become a devotee of Kåñëa, he must first take shelter of the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, following in the footsteps of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya and other exalted devotees.

These 2 verses composed by Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya , would always declare  his name and fame as loudly as a pounding drum because they have become pearl necklaces around the necks of all devotees .

Indeed Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya became an unalloyed devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .He did not know anything but the service of the Lord .

The  Bhattacharya always chanted the holy  name of Sri Krsna Chaitanya , son of mother Sachi .and $$$$$$$$$$ of all good qualities , the chanting of  holy names became his meditation .

In these verses by Sarvabhauma   Bhattacharya, the         mission of the Lord revealed .

Vairägya-vidyä-nija-bhakti-yoga   çikñärtham ekaù puruñaù puräëaù, çré-kåñëa-caitanya-çaréra-dhäré

That the Lord has come by his own example to teach us .The 3 principles of Krsna Consciouness , one is vairagya .Which means to eject anything that is not favourable for devotional service . Rupa Goswami explains that whatever people can use in Krsna’s service , must be accepted .It is in complete renouncaition to give away something that can be ordinarily utilised in the glorification of the Lord .This is the principle which makes Krsna Consciouness the fullest and purest philosophy because it teaches us how to utilise each and every thing in this world for its proper original source .

Which means , service to Krsna .This is the essential purpose of everything that exists , to be utilised in the service of the Lord .

Therefore , vairagya , or perfect renounciation is to give up the desire for sense gratification .To utilise everything for Krsna’s gratification .

Vairagya vidya – vidya means knowledge .The highest and purest knowledge of truth that Krsna explains in the Bhagwat Gita .Is to understand that all living beings are part of me and they are in me and they are mine .,Knowledge means to discriminate between matter and spirit , that we are not this body , we are the spirit , the soul – we are part and parcel of Krsna , and therefore , the function of our life is bhakti – devotional service .

Vairägya-vidyä-nija-bhakti-yoga

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given us this great gift .The process of Krsna consciouness .

Narottamdasa Thakur , in his beautiful song  , he explained , kevala ananda kanada – that this process of devotional service is very joyful .Simply dancing , chanting , feasting ! Simply glorifying Krsna in everything we do .Who would not be attracted to this process .?Narottamdasa Thakur explains , that anyone who is being severely punished by yamaraja will not be attracted to this process .Because it is so sweet , it is  so simple , it is so wonderful , because whatvever we do , we do as an offering of love to the one who is all attractive – the  personality of Godhead .Who would not be attracted to the qualities of Krsna ?Who would not be attracted to the pastimes of Krsna ?Who would not want to surrender everything to the all merciful , beautiful form of Lord Sri Krsna ?Who would not want to taste a little  prasad cooked with  love and devotion and offered to Sri Krsna ? Who would not want to dance with the pure hearted souls ?In jubilitaion – in celebrating  – the coming of the Lord in the form of his holy name ?

Rupa Goswami expalins who would not want to chant the 2 syllables Krs- na ?

The 2 syllables Krs- na – when they come to my tongue , i wish to have many many tongues .

One tongue is not enough to taste the infinite sweeteness of the holy name .If i had millions and trillions of tongues , they still would not be enough .Who would not be attracted to chant the name ? And when that name enters into the ears  with all of its sweeteness , with all of its charm and beauty ,we desire millions and trillions of ears .

And when these 2 syallables , enter my heart – it conquers everything else  , just like we read in the newspapers , that the allied forces conquered Kuwait and the enemy the Iraqi soldiers had to leave .

They could not go through simultaneoulsy in presence of this army they all left and fled for their lives .

The allied forces put their flag of victory in a prominent place to make it clear to all that we have conquered .,

In the same way the holy name conquers our hearts .When the holy name is heard submissively through our ears and hearts it conquers all the opposition of material desires and attachments .They all must leave for their lives .They all must escape from our hearts .From our consciouness .The flag of Hare naam , is implanted in the core of our heart .

And then we understand the essence of life – kirtanaya sada hari – We always chant the holy name with a lot of love .Who would not be attracted ?This is the great gift of Sri Chaitanya MAhaprabhu that he had come to deliver free Krsna’s holy name and the process of chanting purely .

He went into the streets – making it invaluable for all – following his footsteps – let us now arm oursleves with the divine ashray of the deity of the hare krsna mahamantra .Let us go into the streets – let us assist our spiritual in his mission – so in every town , in every village the holy name of Krsna will be chanted .

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Thank you very much.

Question :

Answer :  If the teacher does not teach devotion to him, such a teacher is not a good teacher.  A true guru is one who teaches us  the path of devotion to God.  And our devotion to the teacher is in following that path which leads us to God.  It is common in India, it says “the guru who says he is God is dog”.   But the guru who says that I am the eternal servant of God, teaching you also how to be the eternal servant of God, such a teacher is as good as God.

Question :

Answer : Every sound is a manifestation coming from God,  ‘Janmady asya yatah’, but God is that supreme source from which  everything emanates.  The sunshine is emanating from the sun, but  there is difference between the sun and the sunshine,  and at the same time there is no difference.  The sunshine is the energy, the sun is the energetic source.  God is the energetic source of all that exists.  Everything in this creation is that energy emanating from that supreme source.  If you understand the nature of God, you perceive all of His energy as non different than Him.  But at the same time you see difference.  The difference is that this is His energy, this is His love.  But you understand that Krishna or God is the source of all this.  Everything becomes beautiful when we see it in relationship with the source.  Just like a father, if a father or mother has a little child say four years old, and the child draws a picture,  you know that the picture is not going to be very nice from the artistic point of view.   If he takes that picture and gives it to a stranger, who doesn’t know who painted it, he will think it is ridiculous.  ……………..   But when the father sees that picture, love will just awaken in his heart, when he sees that picture.  Why?  Because he knows where it came from, someone he loves.  Do you  understand the example.  Everything within this creation; the fire, the grass, the wind, the water, the cold, the rain, if you understand that it is all coming from God, and you have the love of God, then you will appreciate and you love all these things, because you see God within it, just like the father sees the child within that painting.  But if you do not understand God,  if you do not understand God’s love,  then all these thing will be strange and mysterious.  We like the heat and hate the cold.  But if we love the God, we like the heat and cold equally.  Because we will see God in both.  Because they are all emanating from the supreme  truth Sri Krishna.

Question :

Answer : Every subject in this world is a serious subject.  If you are serious to learn, you will find a teacher.  The greatest musicians study under other great musicians.  The greatest artists study under other great artists.  The greatest lawyers, doctors, and professors study under other great lawyers, doctors and professors.  So why should we take spiritual life so cheaply.  But if  every other subject matter when we take it seriously, we try to find a teacher to teach us. But we think that in approaching the science of God, we can just figure out our own way.   It is said that by the mercy of Krishna one gets guru and by the mercy of guru one gets Krishna.  If we are truly and deeply serious about finding God, then the Lord within our heart will direct us to a teacher who can show us the path.  And even the great personalities who don’t need teachers, they accept teachers just to show us how important it is.   Jesus accepted John  Baptist.  His guru, he accepted initiation.  John Baptist said  “you are better than me, your feet …….   My head, I could I do this”. He said “no, no, it is important, they all must see that I am accepting it.

Krishna became the disciple of His  own devotee, Sandipani Muni, just to show the world the importance.  If we are humble then we will be  …. to accept guidance and knowledge.  But we should not do it artificially or superficially.  When genuine faith awakens within our heart then we understand what is a guru.

Question :

Answer : Krishna is name, the divine …. of the great divine name of that supreme God that is the source of everything.  It is mentioned in Quran that supreme God, the source of everything is known as Jehovah, in the Christian scripture – Christ.  Jesus or Christ, where Christ or Christos  is the name of God……  But that Supreme Godhead – Krishna appeared in this world 5000 years ago, in India and manifested beautiful and wonderful pastimes, and also spoke Bhagvad Gita, and He was called upon by the name of Krishna.

Question :

Answer : We are part of God. We are God in that the part is the part of the whole.

Question :

Answer : Throughout the world it is said “what America does the whole world follows”.  In one sense America is the most important country in the world, because at this particular time, actually for the past over one century, America has been the leader of the world, in technology, in science, in political military power…..  Therefore, the various spiritual traditions in all over the world have understood that if America can become spiritualized then world will become spiritualized, because the whole world is looking towards America.  Our gurudev Srila Prabhupada, he was trying to spread Krishna consciousness in India for many many years.  Krishna consciousness is from India.  But the country of India became so westernized, not just in physical form and mentality but by becoming very very materialistic.  People were mad after American movies, mad after American styles, mad after American music, and leaving behind their own spiritual heritage and roots.  So Srila Prabhupada was thinking that the great gift of India to the world is the spiritual heritage, but the people of India are leaving it all behind, are chased after the west, and we are trying to tell them  the great wealth  and treasure of their culture, they don’t want to hear.  And he was thinking because they are chasing so madly after the things of America, so if Americans become Krishna conscious and they come back to India, then Indians will listen.  And it was true.  He went to the west and so many young men and women from America and Europe became Krishna conscious, especially America.  He brought them back to India and they were saying “we should chant Hare Krishna, we should understand Bhagvad Gita”.  And the Indian people were thinking ‘O’, the American say Bhagvad Gita is good, it must be good.  To a large extent, I am not saying everyone in India was like that, but to a large extent, in all over the world that is well known.  So American are in a very important and very powerful position in this world for the re-spiritualization of this planet, and in one sense it is our good fortune that we can do so much if we just humble ourselves before God.

Question :

Answer : This is why we need a teacher ……… because although in order to  truly  be able to perceive God and everything, we have to learn how to discriminate.  What will help us to purify our hearts, and what is not conducive…..  This  is very important.  Because after all ‘beauty is in the eyes of beholder’.  Some people think that I see God in eating your flesh.  Does that mean I have the right to kill you and eat you, because I see God in eating your flesh.  I means what are we trying to  ……………..   We can’t spiritual life so cheaply that it is what we want to be.   You are talking about music, if the music is truly glorifying God and then that music will awaken our love of God.  If it is glorifying intoxications, physical and sensual relations with others, then it has nothing to do with connecting our consciousness to God.

tértha-bhütäù svayaà vibho

térthé-kurvanti térthäni

sväntaù-sthena gadäbhåtä

(SB 1.13.10) 

Synonyms

bhavat—your good self; vidhäù—like; bhägavatäù—devotees; tértha—the holy places of pilgrimage; bhütäù—converted into; svayam—personally; vibho—O powerful one; térthé-kurvanti—make into a holy place of pilgrimage; térthäni—the holy places; sva-antaù-sthena—having been situated in the heart; gadä-bhåtä—the Personality of Godhead.

Translation

My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.

Purport

The Personality of Godhead is omnipresent by His diverse potencies everywhere, just as the power of electricity is distributed everywhere within space. Similarly, the Lord’s omnipresence is perceived and manifested by His unalloyed devotees like Vidura, just as electricity is manifested in an electric bulb. A pure devotee like Vidura always feels the presence of the Lord everywhere. He sees everything in the potency of the Lord and the Lord in everything. The holy places all over the earth are meant for purifying the polluted consciousness of the human being by an atmosphere surcharged with the presence of the Lord’s unalloyed devotees. If anyone visits a holy place, he must search out the pure devotees residing in such holy places, take lessons from them, try to apply such instructions in practical life and thus gradually prepare oneself for the ultimate salvation, going back to Godhead. To go to some holy place of pilgrimage does not mean only to take a bath in the Ganges or Yamunä or to visit the temples situated in those places. One should also find representatives of Vidura who have no desire in life save and except to serve the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead is always with such pure devotees because of their unalloyed service, which is without any tinge of fruitive action or utopian speculation. They are in the actual service of the Lord, specifically by the process of hearing and chanting. The pure devotees hear from the authorities and chant, sing and write of the glories of the Lord. Mahämuni Vyäsadeva heard from Närada, and then he chanted in writing; Çukadeva Gosvämé studied from his father, and he described it to Parékñit; that is the way of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. So by their actions the pure devotees of the Lord can render any place into a place of pilgrimage, and the holy places are worth the name only on their account. Such pure devotees are able to rectify the polluted atmosphere of any place, and what to speak of a holy place rendered unholy by the questionable actions of interested persons who try to adopt a professional life at the cost of the reputation of a holy place.

This evening, we are reading from the Srimad Bhagvatam, first canto. This verse has been spoken by great king Yudhishtir Maharaj to his beloved and devoted uncle Vidura.  Shrila Prabhupada explains in the purport that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always with His pure devotees because of unalloyed devotional service which is without any tinge of fruitive desire and any material speculation. They are always in the service of the Lord specifically by the process of hearing and chanting. In the Bhagavatam, there are beautiful descriptions of real compassion and kindness of pure devotees like Vidura and how much we can learn by hearing the qualities of these great Parmahansas.

Hearing Glories of Lord’s devotees-door for perfection

Nama-Sankirtan is the yugdharma of this age. These children were very well behaved during kirtan which proves this. People are not very much philosophically inclined in this age but towards chanting and dancing everyone is inclined. Do you like to chant? , do you like to dance? Do you like to hear philosophy? Do you like to eat Prasad? Chanting, dancing and feasting are conclusions of all philosophy but hearing the glories of these great devotees of the Lord is the door that opens wide for perfection of human form of this life, which is self realization.

Miseries are bound to come- Ordeals of Pandavas

In Mahabharat, we find how Pandavas were put in so many embarrassing and disgraceful situations. Although, factually they did not do anything to deserve it. Yudhishtir Maharaj was the embodiment of dharma and never deviated from truth. It is said that even in his mind he never thought of mala volition and never spoke a single word of lie in his entire life. And yet, he and his noble brothers were prosecuted in so many ways because that is the way of politics. Throughout history, throughout all lands, whenever people are greedy for power and control, for wealth, they will do anything.

We find, although Dhrtarastra was actually a very noble king and his son Duryodhana was the embodiment of all the good qualities. They had one anartha or unwanted quality within their hearts and that was greed for power and to control; and this one quality practically burnt all of them to ashes. Therefore in so many ways they defied Pandavas; they said evil things about them; they spread terrible rumours and propaganda against them. Even when they were children they were poisoned; they tried to burn them in the house of lakh; they cheated them in dice game; they banished them to the forest & took away all of their belongings ;and that was not enough ,even in the forest time and time again they tried to ridicule and humiliate them.

Vidura – A noble man

And, through all of this Vidura took care of Kunti, the mother of Pandavas. She suffered hundred times more than the Pandavas themselves, why is this? Because devotees are willing to accept any inconvenience upon his own life and accept it as grace of the Lord but the devotees cannot tolerate seeing another devotee mishandled, mistreated, and therefore queen Kunti who was such soft hearted mother and loving devotees, she had to witness all of these terrible atrocities upon her own beloved children. You can imagine that she was not feeling this just for one night but for fourteen years! While they were banished in jungles, she did not know where they were? Who they were with? She did not even know whether they were dead or alive. And all along this Vidura was the one who took care of queen Kunti. She remained in his home; he was always the well wisher of Pandavas. Vidura was such a noble and gentle soul that time and time again he was the one who saved the life of the Pandavas. It was by his arrangement that the Pandavas were escaped from house of lakh.

Though Duryodhan and company conspired in so many ways and tried to kill Panadavas, Vidura was so soft hearted and loving that even for the evil minded Dhrtarastra and Duryodhana, he was their well wisher. He was, time and time again, giving Dhrtarastra good advice, giving him the chance to rectify his sinful offences and to live according to the truth. It is described that Vidura also tried to correct incorrigible Duryodhana and instructed him accordingly but he could understand that Duryodhana was so intoxicated that he was completely empowered by his greed, his thrust for controlling others that he could not hear.

Bad Association- cause of degradation

Although Dhrtarastra was actually the great gentleman, because of his attachment to Duryodhana, because of that association, he was acting in the most abominable and sinful way and all of the spiritual principles were compromised. No matter how great you are, if you choose bad association you will become abominable in the eyes of God. Who are we to compare with Dhrtarastra? Sometimes we think that oh! Dhrtarastra is such an evil man but actually he was the great descendant of the Kuru dynasty, he was the eldest of the three brothers, he was factually the son of Vedvyas which means he was directly the son of literary incarnation of God, and what type of high birth we have? And he was spoon fed and trained by Bhishma himself. He had the best birth from the best family; he was trained by the best war man and actually he was a great loving soul. He had only one defect, he was attached to the association of somebody who was very lusty for power and could not control his mind and senses. In Bhagvatam it is said:

It means that associating with great souls and rendering service to them opens the doors to liberation wide open but by associating with those persons who are too much attached to the wealth of this world and the enjoyment of this world, the doors to the hell ,the doors to the lowest ignorance are opened wide. Whoever we are, we should know that our destiny is according to our association.

Vidura- As a spiritual master

Vidura was the man of great wisdom and he understood the truth of Dhrtarastra’s heart. He understood if he could simply give up the attachment and association of his son Duroydhana, he would be a great person and his name would be glorified through out history and in scriptures. But everything was spoiled due to Dhritrstra’s this one weak point, Duryodhana. Therefore Vidura spoke to Dhrtarastra, “you are attached to offence personified in the form of your son, give up listening to him, do what you know and what is right within your heart, and do what all noble and great souls are advising you to do”. And on so many occasions Dhrtarastra had tears in his eyes. He pleaded Duryodhana to give Pandavas what they wanted. They are right and we are wrong. But Duryodhana knew that his father was very much attached to him and he was very clever. He told Dhritrashtra,” My dear father, if you give anything to Yudhishtir I will commit suicide and you will be the cause of my death”.

This is how maya works. If you try to do anything good in life you should know that there will be opposition. Maya will strike at your weakest point and would try to keep you away from the truth and also away from the God (14.07). So Vidura was like spiritual master. He was alerting Dhrtarastra of being manipulated and exploited by the sentiments of his son and always telling to do right things and take right decisions. Krishna is on the side of Pandavas and whatever he would do against them, he would be directly doing against God Himself.

Vidura leaves Hastinapur

When Duryodhana heard Vidura preaching to his father in this way, he became angry like a serpent, his eyes became red like hot coal and he began to hiss like a serpent. In very harsh and rude words he screamed to his uncle, “If you do not leave this palace and kingdom at this very moment, you will not have even breath to live. You will die. And Vidura knew that Duryodhana was about to beat him, to punish him and perhaps kill him. Vidura was very pleased one hand and also very sad on the other. He was very sad to see that Dhrtarastra was supporting his son and was blind through the material attachment and bad association. How pitiable?  But at the same time he was happy that he could get away from such an offensive condition and leave that place to go to the holy places of world to worship the Lord in complete freedom. So at that time Vidura left the palace and for many years he travelled to various holy places simply in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord.

In fact he went to the holy dham of Haridwar on the bank of the holy river Ganges there he lived with Maitrey Muni. He fell at the feet of Maitreya Muni and begged him for enlightenment.

You see even the greatest devotees of the Lord; even such paramhansas like Vidura are always seeking out the association of other saints. They are always eager to hear from them submissively. Sometimes we find people thinking themselves spiritually advanced and they need not to listen to anyone anymore and everyone should listen to them. But we find here that truly the more advanced we become spiritually the more we should aspire to humble ourselves to hear from the great souls. So here we find Vidura after the battle of Kurusketra was fought and over. He did not have to take part in that. He was aloof. He was in holy places.

Opposition for devotees- God’s Arrangement

After, Krishna and the Yadus left this world back for spiritual world, Vidura was returning to Hastinapur and he was returning for one purpose alone to preach Dhritrastra and save him from wasting his human from of life. This is the compassion of the great devotees of the Lord and we find in this story that anyone who tries to do anything good for spreading holly name of God will meet opposition. This is history throughout all the great religions of the world. If there is no opposition that means we are necessarily doing something wrong. People think if I become devotee of God then I am striving to do His work in this world and then why should there be any opposition. God is the supreme controller. But the fact is He is the supreme controller means He will arrange opposition because it is required.

In this age of Kaliyuga people are madly running towards material sense enjoyment. Do you think if you actually preach the word of God or try to do something to put forward the mission of the Lord people will not be afraid, people will not be threatening? Our Guru Maharaja A.C.Bhaktivedant Swami Prabhupada, he came to America when he was seventy years old; he had no money; he had no friends; He came and appeared to be very very harmless. But Srila Prabhupada told us that if they knew why he came into their country and what he was going to do they would have killed him right then. Why? Because he had come with transcendental vibration of Gods name and message, which is completely contrary to the direction of the life of practically everyone, in the world.

Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, how much opposition he and his devotees had by Chand Kazi and by orthodox Brahmans. He was preaching there everyone to simply chant the holly names of God irrespective of caste and creed and they would be able to attain the highest level of consciousness and should be respected as such. The Brahmans hated Him for this. They wanted to destroy Him. And there were many Muslims; they also hated Him because He appeared to be threatening many of their political positions. At that time India was under Mughal rule.

We find in the life of Prahlad Maharaj, how much opposition came upon him although he was innocent five year old child simply because he spoke the word of God. He had no other problem, he was a perfectly well behaved son, he was a good student, and he was pleasing to his father in every aspect except one that he was preaching God’s words. And therefore in so many ways, his life was threatened.

All Merciful God – Provides eternal peace

So taking to spiritual life is not to make nice position for you in this world. People worships many demigods because they want wealth, they want so called peace on the material platform. But if you worship the Supreme God you will get the Supreme peace but not on the material platform. Why? Because God is all merciful. If He gives you all peace on the material platform, you will be satisfied with the material platform and the nature of the material platform is that its devastation is inevitable. There is no peace in this world. It is all an illusion. At any moment there can be cyclone, at any moment hurricane, at any moment flood, at any moment terrible accident, disease and death.

samäçritä ye pada-pallava-plavaà

mahat-padaà puëya-yaço muräreù

bhavämbudhir vatsa-padaà paraà padaà

padaà padaà yad vipadäà na teñäm

(SB 10.14.58)

To the degree you are attached to peace in this world to the degree you are going to suffer when there are changes. When it will change? It is just a matter of time. Change is must and that is guaranteed. Therefore those religious people who are trying to promise you peace in this world they are cheating you, they are giving you something cheap. Ultimately it would be taken away and you are going to suffer. That you want? Therefore Srimad Bhagvatam & Bhagvad Gita, the great scriptures and sadhus like Vidura who are presenting these scriptures they are not promising you peace in this world, they are promising you peace within your own heart which is transcendental to this world of conflict. Such are the embarrassing political situations in this world that the God only knows what tomorrow will bring. The example of how the goats are in line to slaughter house and they are kept pacified by giving them nice fresh green grasses but meanwhile they are in line coming closer  and closer to their death. But they don’t see that everyone head of them is getting their head cut. They only see nice green grass. So this material civilization is like a line of foolish goats.

Material energy, maya, and all of her representatives are just feeding you nice green grasses and making you think oh! How nice life really I have. How much I am enjoying. But at every step you are coming closer to your death. Can anyone deny that? If anyone here, even these little children they don’t know what we are talking about (27.22). At one time we were like that and soon we are going to be like something else. Can anyone change the course of time? Can you change the course of time? Or would you like to stay a little girl forever or do you want to become like your grandmother? Doesn’t matter what you want? Therefore what the scriptures are teaching and what the true representatives of the teachers of the scripture are teaching, there is no peace in this world but peace is within and in self realization. Arjuna wanted peace; Krishna said if you want peace you have to fight this war because there is real peace in surrendering to My will and not in trying to make your separate endeavors. And Arjuna found the supreme peace in loving service to Krsna.

Holly names of God- Source of supreme peace

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam

sreyah-kairava candrika-vitaranam vidyavadhu-jivanam

anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam

sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

Lord Sri Krsna Chaitnya Mahaprabhu has come with a formula by which all beings for all ages of all caste and from all nations can find the Supreme peace within their hearts. And, that formula is learning to take shelter of holly names of God, to stop taking shelter of the sources of misery which are giving us pleasure in this world and to take shelter of Krsna, Who is so benevolently and magnificently making Himself available through His holy names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

When we chant the name of Krishna we are invoking divine presence of God, Who is the source of all bliss, sat-cit-anand .By associating with all blissful we would become blissful.

ishvarh param krsna satcitanand vigrah

anadhir adhir govindam sarva karana karanam

Krishna is eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss. We become like what we associate with. Dhritrastra became a fallen fool because he associated with the fallen fool. But later on when he associated with, after Duryodhana was gone, with Vidura, he became a saint. What we associate with we become like. Krishna is sat-cit-anand, namcintamani krsna caitanya rasvigraha. He is no different than His name. When we associate with name of God, when we associate with the eternal, we become eternal. When we associate with the source of all knowledge we are filled with pure knowledge and when we associate with embodiment of all bliss, we become supremely blissful. And how do we associate with Krsna, through His name, through His words and especially through His devotees.

Vidura – a genuine sadhu

Therefore in this verse we are reading today.

bhavad-vidhä bhägavatäs

tértha-bhütäù svayaà vibho

térthé-kurvanti térthäni

sväntaù-sthena gadäbhåtä

(SB 1.13.10) 

It is explained by Maharaj Yudhishtira to Vidura, “your presence is holy places personified because Krsna is always within your heart. Therefore whatever you say whatever you do reveals Krsna to the hearts of the persons in contact with. So what do we want in life? Vidura came to preach to Dhrtarastra in this particular chapter today to give up his crazy desire and stop trying to find peace in this world and take shelter of Krsna. And that’s what all great saints teach. This is the meaning of bonafide sadhu. A sadhu who does not preach the message of God is sadhu in name only but not in quality. And if we want the true fortune and the treasure of this human life, we should be seeking those persons, those places which are giving this rare and most treasure of all gifts, “the information about the God, how to find true peace not in this world but in the kingdom of God and within our own heart” .

Glory of India

Are there any questions? Mahaprabhu would you like to translate? Hare Krishna. To come together, to hear and to chant the glories of the Lord, to help one another to come closer to God; are the greatest acts of love in this world. And these types of programs, these types of arrangements are perhaps the greatest need within our human society. After all when we come home from our business, perform our work everyday, what do we do? Just fifty years ago, in India especially ,practically all over the country, our Guru Maharaj  used to tell us that after sunset everyone would come together to hear and chant the glories of the Lord. They organised the kirtan of the Lord. Entire village would come together, families would come together and what they did? They would hear Mahabharat, Srimad Bhagvatam, Bhagvad Gita & Ramayana. In this way India had shown the world the greatest civilization.

But now unfortunately, we have our televisions, our cinemas, our newspapers and we are engrossed in these things. We are leaving behind the two purpose of life which are coming together to hear and chant the glories of the Lord. So we would like to thank for all of you for coming, and the especially to our host this evening for such beautiful arrangement. And of course this program has been arranged in honor of the birth day of son of Mr.Daga, Gaurav.So I would like to offer him best wishes that Krishna may always be with him to guide him, protect him for His loving service and I request all of you, also, offer your good wishes and prayers for his auspicious future in Krishna Consciousness. Hare Krishna. Is Gaurav here? Please come. This is the day; you have to accept humiliation and embarrassment. But we love you very much. May Krishna always be with you! After this auspicious gathering to night, we will all honour Krishna’s Prasadam. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

parisad-gana eka, sadhaka-gana ara

Types of Devotees

Pure devotees are of two types: personal associates [parisats] and neophyte devotees [sadhakas].

Perfect servitors of the Lord are considered His personal associates, whereas devotees endeavoring to attain perfection are called neophytes. Among the associates, some are attracted by the opulences of the Personality of Godhead, and others are attracted by nuptial love of Godhead. The former devotees are placed in the realm of Vaikuntha to render reverential devotional service, whereas the latter devotees are placed in Vrndavana for the direct service of Sri Krsna.

Here the categories of great devotees are given. It is explained that the sadhaka is the neophyte devotee who is advancing on the basis of following regulative principles for the purpose of allowing the natural attraction for Krishna to take place. And Lord’s personal associates are those pure devotees who have attained the perfection of life in the sense, that they are  attracted by the natural instincts to the loving service of the Lord. And here it is descried that such pure devotees are categorized as those who are attracted by the opulence of the Personality of Godhead and others who are attracted by the natural love of the Godhead,it means very intimate. So the former is placed in the dham of Vaikuntha.

Vaikuntha is that place where those pure souls who have completely immersed in the loving surrender to the Lord dwell having the same bodily features as the Lord as His eternal servitor. In the Vaikuntha planets everyone recognizes that  Narayan is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the absolute truth and how infinitely blissful it is that they never have to suffer birth and death, they never have to suffer old age or disease. In pure spiritual bodies they reciprocate loving service to the Lord. The  Lord is the supreme master and they are the eternal loving servants. This is vaikuntha dham, the spiritual world.

But it is descried in Brahma samhita and also explained here by Srila Prabhupada that of all the vaikuntha planets- Goloka is considered as the highest of all spiritual realms, because there, the sense of awe and reverence is forgotten due to an intensification of ones intimate affection for Lord Shri Krishna. And in Goloka Vrindavan essentially there are three rasas, sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa and madhurya rasa. Loving friendship, love as a parent as well as love as a conjugal lover. It is described that even the servants of the Lord are mixed with these higher, more intimate affections.  In vaikuntha no one considers himself to be Narayan’s friend, what to speak of His parent or His lover. They are all His eternal obedient servants and worship Him with love.

Vaikuntha

There are many vaikuntha planets. Each of the ten avatars, in fact all of the great avatars, have their own vaikuntha planet. There is the vaikuntha planet where Lord Narsighdev is the supreme. There is a vakuntha planet for Vamandeva, for Parashuram, for Lord Ramchandra.  Those devotees who become purified in worshiping them in this world they return to that vaikuntha planet of the lord whom they consider their worshipable ishtadev for all of eternity.

So where the eternal Lord of Ayodhya ,Lord Shri Ram is residing, it is a very high vaikuntha planet. There we find Hanumanji, who is the eternal servant of Ram, and simply wants to obediently engage in Ram’s service day and night, carry out whatever order he has. He does not consider himself as the friend of the Lord. He considers himself simply the most fortunate of all living beings, because he is ever allowed by the grace of Ram to engage in his obedient service. Such an exalted position. This is awe and reverence.

Vrindavan

But you see in Vrindavan such a servant as Hanuman would not fit, because in Vrindavan nobody is the obedient servant of Krishna.

It is explained by the goswamis, that in the house of Nand Maharaj or Nand gram, although He has servants in the dasya rasa, how they serve him. Nand maharaj and Yashoda, have their young cowherd boys who are like servants, you get this for Krishna, you do this for Krishna. They are house servants they are in dasya rasa.

But what do they do while serving Krishna, they joke with Him, they put their arms on Him, they embrace Him. This is the natural love of Vrindavan. There are no formalities amongst anybody. Even the peacocks, the birds, the trees, nobody in Vrindavan has a formal relationship with Krishna. Those apparently in shant rasa, dasya rasa, they are actually all mixed very  intimately with sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa and conjugal rasa. Therefore the sense of awe and reverence does not exist in vraja dham. This is the realm of Vaikuntha.

What to speak if Hanumanji went to Vrindavan and he would see the gopies chastising Krishna,he can never chastise Ram. He would see Krishna pouring his tears upon the feet of Radharani begging forgiveness, because she is angry with Him. How would Hanumanji tolerate his Ram in such a position what to speak of friends jumping on His back, playing with Him, defeating Him in wrestling. This is the difference between vaikuntha and goloka.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come along with his eternal associates to bring this spirit of spontaneous loving devotion in the mood of the vrajvasis to this world. Actually in goloka Vrindavan there are five rasas in which the principle rasa in which  Lord Krishna is served- neutrality (shant rasa),servitorship (dasya rasa), friendship (sakhya rasa), parental affection (vatsalya rasa), conjugal love (madurya rasa). In the conjugal love there are different neighborhoods in goloka, there is Mathura, Dwaraka, Navadwip, and Goloka Vrindavan.  In the palace of Dwaraka, on this supreme planet Krishna is worshipped in conjugal love, what is called swakiya rasa, where  he is married to His consorts. But in His original, highest form of love, Govinda, the conjugal rasa is in the parakiya mood, which means paramor and is considered to be the sweetest and highest expression that a jivatma, the eternal associates are reciprocating with Sri Krishna.

But factually in vrindavan everyone in all the rasas is tainted to some extent with this conjugal rasa because it is so prominent throughout the entire atmosphere, that every living being is influenced and is very much in love with Krishna by this. So therefore Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami is explaining the supreme most exalted position of worshiping Govinda in goloka vrindavan.

Karmakanda

Throughout in this material world, this is a place of birth and death, it is a place of suffering. Karmakandis, they perform great tapasya and perform wonderful wonderful sacrifice and  great pious activities and  charities and take so many vows in order to attain higher levels of sense enjoyments in the heavenly planets. The vedas are divided essentially in these different categories and most of the vedas teach us karmakanda, the path of pious sense enjoyment through worshipping demigods, through performing charity, piety, sacrifice and pooja. We can attain chandraloka, indraloka, brahmaloka, where we could live millions sometimes billions of years and never have to suffer until our karma is exhausted and then we have to come back to this world

abrahma buvanal loka punar avartino arjuna..

Therefore Krishna says forget this karmakanda, it’s so temporary; it’s for the less intelligent.

Krishna says tri-vidham narakasyedam dvaram nasanam.

He says vedas mostly deal with karmakanda, they mostly deal with three modes of material nature, transcend these things, give them up Arjuna. One who is frustrated, after going up and down from the heavenly planets enjoying and suffering, one finally comes to the platform that this whole material world is a place of misery. Then one takes to the process of gyanakanda, through discrimination and through studying vedanta renouncing the pleasures of this world one can ultimately attain mukti.

Mukti means that level of consciousness which is millions of times more blissful in any pleasurable condition, even in heavenly planets because it is a place where you are situated at last in your eternal constitutional position, in the sense that you never have to see birth and death again. Sat-chit-ananda, you have attained sat- eternal life.

But as it is explained in the Bhagavatam, arujya tisthen param padam tataha, that eventually because this soul is pleasure seeking, it has not found the love that it is looking for in mukti, so it comes down again in this material world.  From karmakanda to gyanakanda, some people in the middle they follow the principles of the vedas, astangakanda, where they want to attain great mystic powers. There are eight mystic siddhis that one can attain. Prapti siddhi where you can take anything from anywhere, if you want you can get the soma nectar from the moon. Srila Prabhupada knew one man who had prapti siddhi. If somebody wanted a pomegranate from Kabul, Afghanisthan then within seconds he produced it. This is prapti siddhi. Anima siddhi, laghima siddhi, you can become smaller than the smallest, bigger than the biggest. You can read another person’s mind, you can get control of other people’s lives, you can create planets. These are some of the eight mystic perfections.

But ultimately they are all temporary. So after that frustration one seeks out mukti.  Even mukti is not our constitutional position. After seeking that one takes to the path of Upasanakanda.

These are the four principles kandas or paths within the vedas- karmakanda (fruitive activity), astangakanda (mystic power), gyanakanda or mukti and upasanakanda which is the path of Bhakti. When one perfects the path of bhakti, there are two levels, one will be elevated to the vaikunta where we worship the Lord in awe and reverence and the other is to attain the highest of  realm of the vaikunta,  which is goloka vrindavan, where one is simply worshipping Krishna in the most intimately pure love.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Grace

The followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu headed by Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami who has given us his life, in teaching in its most authoritative form,  the most exalted characteristics of what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given to the world.

Swarup damodar goswami  prayed that  this beautiful Supreme Personality of Godhead who has appeared like the moon, coming from ocean of the womb of mother Sachi,  has come to bestow upon the world what no one else has ever done, Access into the conjugal loving relationships to Lord Sri Krishna in Goloka Vrindavan.

We know that there are many pious people and there are many religious people who are teaching various forms of spirituality to various religions around the world.

Krishna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah, abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me.

In kaliyuga, most of the so called religious teachers are not teaching surrender to God, they are teaching karmakanda. You will get nice material  benefits if you worship god and you will also be saved in the end. People follow such persons because they want better material life and they want some sense of security of the hereafter.

Here in India we find many gurus teaching the astangakanda, how to attain mystic powers, how to perform miracle through breath control, through manipulations of one’s life airs, through tapasya, fasting and so forth.  We also find many spiritual teachers who are teaching ultimately the goal of life is salvation or mukti. and people strive through births after births after births to attain such a level. It very very rare to find one who is teaching pure devotion. But mostly everyone is teaching pure devotion in the mood of awe and reverence in vaikuntha.  Therefore in relationship to interfaith we understand that God is one and anyone who is teaching without adulteration what is in various scriptures of the world they are teaching real religion and therefore we offer all respects to such a person.

At the same time, we should be very joyful in knowing comparatively, what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his divine associates are giving. They are giving the most pure essence of the highest realizations of that one Supreme Godhead, how to love Krishna as a friend, as a parent, as conjugal lover. Of course in neophyte position most of us are somehow or other struggling within. We may not be able to artificially imitate this high levels of realizations but we can understand the exalted nature of the acharyas who are on this position. We could pray that for the rest of eternity, we can take the dust of the lotus feet of such exalted persons upon our head and follow in their footsteps and ultimately by their mercy it is guaranteed that we will also be given entrance into the lila of Sri Sri RadhaGopinath in the spiritual realm of Goloka.

After describing this, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami is about to explain in next several verses the different categories of incarnations of Godhead. Krishna is known as Avatari that means he is the source of all incarnations. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also considered as Avatari he is source of all incarnations. He has just explained  the avatari, his nature, and types of devotees who realized the avatari in his various forms, and now he is about to explain the various incarnations of the Lord, how He reveals Himself within this material world, as well as in the upper worlds. In the spiritual world this is a very  interesting subject matter.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur explains that if one very carefully studies categorically, the various incarnations of Godhead, his partial incarnations, qualitative incarnations, his empowered incarnations such a person becomes purified of all material desires and attains love of Godhead.  When we first study it appears very complex how, where , why the Lord is manifesting Himself in many wonderful ways, but actually if it is presented systematically according to the shastra with a careful explanation, it will not   only satisfy the mind but will give great satisfaction to the heart. We can see how Krishna is so infinitely great and because of his infinite love for the conditioned souls he reaches out to our hearts by expanding Himself in so many wonderful ways. And by His  lila, He is  simply expanding the pleasures of the spiritual world.

Beginning Monday we will begin to describe various categories of the incarnations of godhead and I would like it if someone could give me some sort of either board or black board something, we have to make some sort of charts. Without charts it is very difficult to visualize and understand how these various incarnations relate to one another. I may need four boards, just card board and  white sheets something that’s big and can rolled when you are not using it.  Monday we will enter into the realm of the Lord’s various   incarnations. Thank you very much.

Adhau shraddha… what does adhau mean? In the beginning, adhau shradhha tatha sadhu sanga ,bhajan kriya, this means that beginning this way, by the mercy of Krishna, one is let  into the association of devotees. Ishwara sarva bhutanam hrddeshe arjuna tishthati Krishna is in everyone’s heart.  By the mercy of Krishna, when He sees that there is little spark of faith, He directs us to the association of devotees. He is the one that brings us into the association of devotees. Beside what Radhakrishna prabhu was saying  so many people met Prabhupada, nobody meets Prabhupada by accident. It is only by the mercy of Krishna one gets guru whether you accept or not that is your choice but it is only by the mercy of Krishna that one gets guru. So only by the mercy of Krishna that one can have the association of sadhus.  When Krishna sees that there is some desire perhaps created by previous associations of  last life’s, by some development of religiosity in our last life, by often times its by agynat sukruti when we even  unknowingly appreciate a devotee or unknowingly  give some donation or appreciate someone that creates a spark of faith in sublime process of bhakti in our heart,  and when that spark is there Krishna from within the hearts directs us to sadhu satsanga.

In beginning there is that little faith, then in the association of devotees it is explained in the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self realization. This would bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. That is bhajan-kriya. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master one becomes free from all material attachment that is anartha-nivrutti, that means all unwanted things are cleansed from our heart. Then one attains steadiness, steadiness means nishtha means our faith becomes unshakable.  Then one acquires higher taste param drstva nivartate which is ruchi. That higher taste is the beginning of  raganuga bhakti, spontaneous devotional service. But please understand that raganuga bhakti is still under the category of sadhana.

Sadhana bhakti has two categories vaidhi bhakti and raganuga bhakti.

Vaidhi bhakti means you really have no taste or very little, if we are out of discipline and austerity , we  accept those favorable and reject those unfavorable.  The second part of sadhana bhakti is when we have no more anartha nivrutti, all of the unwanted desires are cleansed form our heart and we have a spontaneous taste for Krishna. We simply want to engage in his service. That is called ruchi. And then according to Rupa Goswami how does he word it ….yatha ruchis tatha, atha shaktis …that is explained in the teachings of Lord Chaitanya as rati or attachement . In the actual verse atha shaktis which means attachment tapobhavas, that develops into bhava. It is described in this literal translation after one acquires a taste in hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead that taste leads one forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness which is matured into bhava or the preliminary stage of love of God .And then  prema, real love of God  which is the highest perfectional stage of love. atha shaktis tatho bhavas tatha premabudanshati satak ayam premnat …….any questions…(question being asked)

You can not attain this love, by the mercy of Krishna and by the mercy of Guru. This level is revealed to you, simply by faithfully chanting the holy names and faithfully pleasing our spiritual master and Krishna. Lord Sri Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu gives this realization. You cannot attain it, He gave it to Jagai and Madhai instantly. You don’t think  He can give it to you. Do you think your fallen condition is so great that it is more powerful than God himself?  That is another type of false pride. That I am so fallen that Krishna cannot give me the highest, that its beyond His power. My power of sin is greater than His power of deliverance. Yes we are most fallen and we have no power to even control our senses but if we surrender to Krishna and fall at the feet of Krishna and call out  His  holy name offenselessly and we call out the holy name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , then He delivers us. He is all powerful, he is patit-pavana. He can give the most degraded the highest gift of the prema bhakti. So we must understand these things because if we don’t understand these things we will not understand the power or the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And that’s why we are here, that’s ultimately the whole purpose of this  class- to understand the power of the mercy of Lord Chaitnya Mahaprabhu . We cannot try to understand the power of His mercy on the basis of all relative conception of Him as an ordinary person like us and since I am so fallen He can’t do it. When we understand what heights of the gifts He has given to the lost fallen degraded creatures of earth then we understand that there in no one so beautiful so great and so merciful as God in this form of Sri Gauranga. Yes in this life you can attain this stage if you simply accept His mercy.

Lord Nityananda he was the most important _______ of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. And what did he say? Just accept the mercy of Lord Gauranga.

Bhaja Gaurango, kaho gaurango, laho gaurangera naam re, je jana gaurango sehai mora prana re. What does that mean? (someone answering). That’s how it is. That is all Nityananda taught. He sent  millions of people, billions of people back to Goloka Vrindavan on the basis of this one little mantra Bhaja Gaurango, kaho gaurango. Just accept the name of Gauranga. Just take the mercy of Gauranga. That is the only qualification just take it, just accept it. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come as a patit pavan.

Narottam das thakur has prayed patit pavan hetu tab avatar, mosam patit prabhu na paibe aar. This means Chaitanya Mahaprabhu you have come to give the most fallen and degreded people the highest realization of prema bhakti. But my claim is first I am the most fallen. So rather than being disturbed thinking that I am so fallen, how will I ever understand these highest understandings of love of God, rather than being disturbed you should be encouraged, you should be thinking that how infinitely merciful Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is, if I simple accept His mercy He will give me this. What do you think? We are reading Chaitanya charitamrita all this philosophy ultimately is meant to bring us to this one point of understanding the glory of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy and accepting it. By reading CC and by going through all this very deep  philosophy we can  have some glimpse of how great the mercy of Sri Gauranga is. This is the prayer of  all the great acharyas,  to Sri Gauranga.

Rupa Goswami prayed namo mahavadanyaya Krishnaprema pradayate, krishnay krishnachaitanya namine gaurtvishe namah. No other incarnation in the history of all the creations of all the universes is ever been so munificent manifest benefactor as You. You are giving the conjugal love of Krishna freely to anyone who accepts Your mercy. Even the most fallen.  What is your mercy? To be the servant of your devotees and to sincerely chant Your holy names. You are giving us a simple process, and  through this process you are giving the highest realizations which are unattainable even by Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. It is explained in the beautiful prayers that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come to give it freely to everyone. Therefore Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami in one beautiful shloka of Chaitanya Charitamrita, he explains that just try to understand the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and you will be astonished. What is that verse? (some devotee answering) what is the translation? (if you constantly think about the causeless mercy of Lord Chaitanya you will be astonished) (Maharaj laughing) Those who have some intellectual capacity, Krishnadas Kaviraj invites please try to apply your good intelligence to understand the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, because when you understand the nature of this mercy you will be astonished. There are many vaishnav schools and it is not a question of being arrogant or  thinking we are better than you. But the gaudiya vaishnavas, because of this,  the nature of this mercy which is revealed in the Chaitanya Charitamrita,  in Chaitanya Bhagavata by Rupa and Sanatana, Raghunath das, Jiva Goswami, we understand that of all vaishnava schools to receive the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the most special, precious gift coming from above. Because by that causeless mercy the highest reaches down to the lowest, where there is no qualification necessary except one- to simply accept his mercy. There is no other qualification. If there is any other qualification what we are saying is true, what you are saying is absolutely true if we have to qualify ourselves to become prema bhaktis .But there is only one qualification.

Lord Nityananda said just take the name of Gauranga, just receive his mercy and you will be my life and soul. You see we are talking about the conjugal love affairs of Radha and Krishna, and when Nityananda prabhu was preaching He understood that the conjugal love of Radha and Krishna is so high that we cannot grasp it. People cannot understand it. Chaitnya Mahaprabhu was teaching how to attain the highest love of God in conjugal affection with Radha and Krishna. He was teaching that directly. But Lord Nityananda was thinking that people will not understand, they are too fallen, too degraded, they cannot enter into this conjugal love of Radha and Krishna. But if they just accept Lord Gauranga, they automatically attain that, because He is the embodiment of that conjugal love of Radha and Krishna within Himself. If you get the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, you have Their mercy, you have already entered into the conjugal love of Radha and Krishna.

Nitaichandra padakamlayor koti chandra sushitalapi.

Therefore it is explained by Narottam das Thakur, that if you attain  the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nitaynanda only then, will you  enter into the realm of the conjugal love affairs of Radha and Krishna. Because Lord Nityananda is bringing to you the feet of Lord Gauranga, who is the embodment of Radha and Krishna’s conjugal love affairs.

The spiritual master is the representative of Lord Nityananda, so in this line coming down through Gaur-Nitai, if we simply receive the mercy and how to receive the mercy? Just by being a humble servant and following the instructions. You could do that. Can you not do that?  Sometimes it  might be hard for you, it  might be difficult for you , but if you simply do that from your heart, and by the mercy of Lord Gaursundar all of the sins ,you are reading about will become an irrevocable realization within your own life. (some question) one should aspire to receive the cause less mercy of Sri Gauranga. (Maharaj laughs …..question) we cannot but by the grace of Gauranga we can. So we should simply try to attain the mercy of our spiritual master and try to attain the mercy of Lord Gauranga and understand that it is by their gift that this realization is coming, not our aspiration for that.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu simply aspired to be the servant of the servant of the servant. If you do that this will all be given to you. (Maharaj laughs….question) we should be pessimistic towards ourselves but optimistic toward mercy of guru and Gauranga. Isn’t that the way all the acharyas pray. (Maharaj laughs) Supreme hope. Rupa goswami said one must have hope against hope then you will achieve the mercy of Sri Gauranga. Therefore this is the supreme optimism. The ultimate mercy of God has descended like rain, we should be  willing to expose our entire life to that downpour of love of God Krishna, Nitai-Gauranga have brought to this world.

param karuna pahu duijana nitai gaurchandra, sab avatara sar shiromani keval anandkand.

Lochana das thakur, who is also the author of  Chaitanya Managala, one of the original biographis of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he wrote this bhajana. Param karuna pahu duijana nitai gaurchandra, that the  supreme param karuna, the supreme notion of mercy, supreme mercy is being distributed  by following Lord Chaitanya. Chanting, dancing and feasting. By chanting, dancing and feasting you cannot attain love of god, but by chanting, dancing and feasting you can receive the mercy of Lord Nityandanda and Lord Gaurchandra. Then they may give you that love of God. That is their mercy. That is what they have come for. We must understand the power of Their mercy. The Supreme personality of Godhead. We must dedicate our life to that. (some question) Because if you don’t consider yourself most fallen, you cannot reach out for mercy. Mercy is not for qualified people, if you are qualified for something, would it be mercy? What is the definition of mercy? You don’t deserve it, but you are getting it anyway. Right? If you go a store besides say we want to buy a Maruti van. We go to the store, we give Five lakhs and  say “give me Maruti van”. They give you the van. Do you say” Oh, you are very merciful”? Do you say that? But what if you go the store and say “I have no money, but for my guru maharaj I want this van”. Then he says “oh, you don’t have to pay, just use it properly”. Then would you say that the person is merciful.

So what is the definition of mercy? You don’t deserve it, but you get it anyway. Not by your qualification but by the benevolence of the giver. That is what mercy means. If you think you are qualified there is no question of mercy. But if you consider yourself the most fallen, the most undeserving and you are on a proper state of consciousness by which the Lord will be merciful upon you. (some question) This all should be less.

(Question) spontaneous devotion.(question and discussion among devotees) Bhava is not part of sadhana bhakti. (discussion follows) yes…yes… not bhava, raga (discussion) sadhana means vaidhi bhakti and raga bhakti. (discussion follows) that is at higher level. Raganuga bhakti means the original. Raga also extends itself beyond sadhana bhakti.  After all is there not attachment in the spiritual world? But it is beyond, the attachment that is mixed with bhava. To the point. it crystallizes into pure state of bhava and then prema, that attachment. (Devotee explains what maharaj is saying) yes it is. Everything is contained everywhere, when raganuga exists everything is being added to it. Do you think  when you are primary (discussion) everything is included? But this is described in the raga.

It seems a question was asked on -many times the temple program run late in the evening, so it is not possible to get good rest and be there for the morning japa. How should we manage in these circumstances?

Rising early in the morning for japa

That is why the schedule is now that the japa begins at 5, so there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to ever miss japa in the morning, and be attentive and awake. Late means between 10 and 11.  Absolute late is one should never have to ever take rest after 12.  Then you still get of almost 5 hour rest but practically any program we are back before 11 that means almost 6 hours rest. So this is no longer a valid excuse for anyone ever. You must rise for morning japa. You must be attentive and should not waste unnecessary time at night.  You have to take little rest during the day and you must do it but under all circumstances you should be there for japa in the morning.

Any other question?

It seems a question is asked on- how can we know that we are advancing in Krishna consciousness?

Our spiritual advancement is dependent on the degree of our surrender to spiritual master

Srila Prabhupada said, you make advancement in Krishna Consciousness according to degree you accept responsibility on behalf of your spiritual master. This is the greatest illusion and not only that but it is a poison within our congregation to think that we can artificially imitate advanced devotees.  Just like we were speaking last night that some of our devotees they want to be paramhamsas, going to Vrindavan simply to be on your own, according to our sampradaya the paramhansas stage, which means beyond the regulative principles because you are so advanced! And we find that of our devotees who go there they have no responsibility, they simply go to enjoy. They wanders through the  groves of Vrindavan, they go to the holy place, they read all kind of books which give them all sorts of pleasures, so I know this pastime, I know that pastime. They are not in Vrindavan; Vrindavan is revealed to a person who is surrendered to the lotus feet of his guru and who takes all responsibility for guru. Those persons will never see Vrindavan until they become a little serious, come back to their guru’s feet, surrender and be an obedient servant.  They are simply seeing a superficial, artificial reflection of Vrindavan.  You cannot see Vrindavan, you have to obediently serve Krishna and then Krishna reveals Vrindavan to you wherever you are. So those who independently leave the responsibilities of their guru, to go to the Holy dham they don’t go to the Holy dham at all. The people right here who are responsibly accepting austerities on behalf of their guru, they are actually on the path to Vraja, they are on their way to Vrindavan.  These are the people in the dream world. Krishna is not cheap, this is called sahajiya, to take Krishna cheaply and all the great acharayas condemned this sahajiya mentality. Trying to take a position far more advanced then you are.

Rupa Goswami explains, that

adau shraddha tatah saadhu sango tha bhajana kriya,

That first there is little faith, that faith is nourished by associating with devotees, by accepting a spiritual master, bhajana kriya, and by being disciplined by him. This is the process; gradually anartha nivrati, all unwanted things are removed and when there is nishtha, strong faith, then there is ruchi which is actually experiencing the higher taste. Then you can get a little glimpse of what is Vrindavan. That is a very high platform, very high. And we find that even in Vrindavana those people who are bonafide sadhus, they are surrendered, accepting austerities and responsibly, being disciplined and obeying their guru. But people who just go there just to wander through the groves and do what they want, they are not going to serve, but to enjoy. This enjoying spirit is the very thing that’s keeping us away from Krishna. Even to enjoy the holy dham is Maya. We go to the holy dham to serve the holy dham and how do we serve the holy dham which is non- different to Krishna, by serving His representative, spiritual master. It’s much more difficult staying here, but this is how we will be able to perceive the real Vrindavan. And what does it mean to stay here? It means to accept responsibility.

To the degree we are willing to accept responsibility, to that degree we will become mature devotees. We have the responsibility to chant every day, prescribed number of rounds. We have the responsibility to follow the four regulative principles; we have a responsibility to be humble and cooperative and put ourselves second, to create the unity amongst the Vaishnavas. We also have the great responsibility that in the guru’s mission that there are certain areas of service that our temple authorities  are giving us and we will advance to the degree we take those things seriously, not being lazy, not thinking someone else will do it, not being under the impression that let me get it over with. This is your connection to Krishna, your service. And you have to take it with the heart that is grateful and you have to be enthusiastic to do it as well as you possibly can. This accepting of your responsibility is the basis of bhakti.

Rupa Goswami tells us in the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, even in the discharge of ones most ordinary daily activities, one must do it very consciously and very carefully and one must put ones heart into it. The disciple that a guru is most pleased with is a disciple that the guru can depend upon. A useless disciple he does not know whether he is going to do this or that. May be he is going on leave when things get bad. What pleases a guru,  when a disciple…, when spiritual master knows  come hell or high, no matter what happens   this disciple is going to be there . Right where I want him to do this service. His mind, his senses, his family, the whole society, if a nuclear war comes, he is going to be right there doing his service. Spiritual master can only built his mission on the foundation  blocks of such devotees.

To the degree you are not dependable and steady and giving confidence to our guru that we are going to be there where he wants us, to that degree we are not like that, to that degree we are useless and to the degree we are like that, to that degree we are truly assets to build his mission, Lord Chaitanya’s mission. This is the fact and this is what the real blessings of the spiritual master comes when we become dependable when he can trust. That when he gives us a service he does not have to chase after us, did you do it, will you do it? He knows he is going to do it, he is going to give his life, he is going to try nothing is going to come in between him and his execution of the service.

Taking our responsibilities seriously

And that does not mean that the spiritual master must directly give you the service. That is the total disturbance, if the guru has to meddle in all management activities. If he can depend and  you being the servant of the servant of the servant, he  deputes particular servants who give instruction, if he knows you are going  to be carrying out the service of his servants, then you become the dear most in his heart. So we have to learn to be dependable, not whimsical. We have to follow our guru’s desire not our minds, and this austerity is performed by taking our responsibilities. The servant of the servant of the servant has told me I must do like this I am going to do it, I am not going to change my ways and I am not going to volunteer for anything else until I can see that it is a higher service coming from higher authorities that I should do something else. I am going to be dependable and responsible, so I can help my guru. If we are not dependable and responsible then the Vaishnavas have to go out of their way and leave their own service just to try to rescue me. We are distracting the mission. But if I am dependable and I am responsible in whatever I may ask to do, rising in the morning, coming to the morning program, if I am doing food for life, I am doing book distribution and I am pujari whatever it may be. And the Vaishnavas and the spiritual master, they can build their service and they know that whatever I  am suppose to do is taken care of, I am going to try my best. And the more devotees we have  like that  who are responsible and willing to make sacrifices to that extent this movement will grow, to that extent Maya cannot stop this movement, to that extent we will become empowered, individually as well as united. This is of the upmost importance. Don’t take any service whimsically. If you are asked to change a life boat, that changing of a life boat is your path back to Godhead. Don’t think all it a small thing someone else will do it.  He asked me but someone else will do it. He asked me do it now but I’ll do it tomorrow or the next day because it is not convenient now. Whatever little service you are given, you have to take that as your life and soul and you have to be responsible. This is the way we make spiritual advancement. This is the way we become valuable assets to our guru’s mission and this is the way we become dear to our spiritual master and dear to Sri Sri Radharani and Lord Sri Krishna.

Therefore Prabhupada said, now I repeat again, that you make advancement in Krishna consciousness to the extent you accept responsibility in the mission of your guru. We don’t want useless devotees who just go up here and go up there thinking that they are advanced babajis. They are not advanced babajis, they are pretenders, and they are cheap pretenders. They might be blissful, but these people are blissful going to the cinemas and going to the dance halls too, it doesn’t mean they are advanced and tears roll from their eyes. According to Bhakti Vinoda Thakura, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, people who are not obediently serving their guru, who shed tears when they are chanting the holy names, those tears wash away all the conclusive truths of the Vedas, they wash away our devotional propensities. But those who  humbly submissively obey the order of the guru and serve the gurus order responsibly, when they shed tears not out of show but out of natural devotion, humble devotion, those tears water, water the fruit  of love of God to grow.

So we are not impressed by pretending babajis, shedding tears, going around Vrindavan chanting Radhe Radhe. We give no distinction or dignity to such devotees because it is only a distraction. We give only distinction to those devotees who are humble, sincere, responsible serving the mission of their guru and who are mature on the real path back home, back to Godhead as ordained by the great acharyas. And in order to do this we have to be fixed first of all in the knowledge of the disciplic succession of guru and Gauranga. Therefore, we are reading books and this is of utmost importance for each devotee.

Our own gurus books are the best to read, not any other books from outside is appropriate

Srila Prabhupada, he has given us books especially meant for our self realization, especially for our purification. Now there are many other books by many other acharayas, by many other bonafide spiritual masters and there are many books written by sahajiyas and imitationists that are not authorized. First of all we should consult the senior Vaishnavas before taking any book outside of our own guru’s line, because we don’t know, we are fools.  There is one Hindi book that many many of our brahmacharis have been reading and enjoying. And I went to one of either, I can’t understand Hindi,  I can’t make a comment on it, but I went to one of Prabhupada’s dearest Godbrother, not Godbrother but friends and associates who Prabhupada said we should consult in these  technical matters. I asked  him and he said I know this book very well, it’s written by a cheap imitationist, and it should not be read by any descendant of Bhaktisiddhanta and there are all of you are probably reading it, enjoying your senses and being polluted. What do you know? You don’t know anything; going beyond the limits of your guru is false pride, thinking I know what is best for me. And there are other books which are certainly bonafide books, which will have the same conclusions but my question is how have you first studied, learned, digested and understood your own spiritual master’s books and your own param guru’s books? These books may be bonafide and may be very very enlightening to us, but let’s go one step at a time. Srila Prabhupada sacrificed so much of time and energy to write these books especially targeted towards your purification. We don’t just mean reading them over and getting through and say oh I am finished; we need actually studying them and understanding them. How much reading time do you have? First of all you should master these books, you should be able to quote them, you should be able to cite them in preaching, any predicament of life you should remember the instructions in them, you should learn and be scholar in these books first, then you can think of doing further research in other books for enlivenments, inspiration and reference. I want to know many of you are reading so many books, even Prabhupada books, how have you really understood and learned these books?

When we were in Vraja dham, one sadhu, a very good sadhu was recommending one book about so many saints. He was saying it is so important to read stories about saints, so I looked at these two devotees I was with, they wanted to get these books, we should learn more about saints, we must know about the great acharyas and the great devotes how we understand Krishna ? I named about 15 great devotees that Prabhupada tells wonderful stories about in Chaitanya Charitamrita and Srimad Bhagavatam. I asked them to tell me, they could not tell me one story from one of those fifteen names and I could have said fifty names. They couldn’t tell me hardly anything about any of them. I said right in your own spiritual master books, right in your own home, right in your own book shelf, within the last 10-15 years you have the most wonderful, direct and most important stories about the most importance saints of our disciplic line, you know nothing about them and you want to run and go find other books to read about saints. This is taking your guru cheaply.

Therefore other books by other bonafide Vaishnavas acharyas that are authorized by your temple authority, this is what brahmacharya means, they can be read but they should be read very minimal in comparison to how much you are studying your own spiritual master’s books. In my opinion minimum one hour every day, our brahamachari should be reading Prabhupada books, studying, understanding, and digesting because these books will teach you how to get the real foundation and make spiritual advancement. Why do you take the guru? To get direction from him. And then after you really learned the stories, learned the philosophy, understand it, then for reference yes there are other books that are also very-very beautiful, very spiritual, very high, very pure. But there is nothing higher, purer then the books of your own guru, that’s the way you should feel in your own life. That is your first priority. Otherwise our minds will simply be diverted in every other direction accept surrender, unless we really have a strong philosophical base.

Brahamacharis should be learned in the scripture. I want each and every one of you brahamacharis to make it a point to very very carefully, scrutinizingly study Srila Prabhupada books. And Prabhupada’s books are translated in Marathi, they are translated in Hindi and they are in English. They are even in Bengali; there is no excuse for any of us to say that we cannot read out Gurudeva’s books.

A person speaks in between but not understood properly.

So I would like you and Devamrita, Shyamananda to come together and think of some way of further inspiring and giving people an understanding of the responsibility of reading their spiritual master’s books. You can do this? This is a responsibility, it is an austerity and it is necessary, especially for brahamacharis and sannyasis, its essential.

A person speaks in between but not understood properly.

To the extent we want to remain children. There is no harm in it, but that something we just do of little on the side if you want to do. That is not the basis of our reading, the basis of our reading is to hear from the acharayas. You are not going to get in purified by reading those; you are just going to get little enjoyment. May be you learn a few little stories. But the purification comes by studying the translations and the purports of the great acharayas. That’s where purification and knowledge comes, that’s going to come through your own guru maharaja’s books.

It seems a question is asked on movies based on Srila Prabhupada books.

If they are actually based on the books of Prabhupada, then that is good. But that should not substitute for our studying his books. Because the movies do not include his purports. And Prabhupada said, 99 percent of the value of my books is in the purports, because the translations you’ll never really understand what it means unless you carefully study the purports. Therefore in the Gaudiya Vaishanava Sampradaya, you will not find acharyas simply translating, they will always translate with purports. Bhakti Siddhanta and Vishwanath Chakravarty Thakur and Baladeva Vidyabhushana, they translated with in elaborate purports. Bhakti Vedanta Swami…. voice lost in between… his purport. And of the two, the purport is far more important because the translation is untouchable to your heart without the help of the explanation of the previous acharayas.

So therefore these movies only tell stories and even then they are not exactly what Prabhupada has said. So it’s all right, we are not against it. But it’s not going to really bring you to a higher realization. It can never be used as a substitute to studying the scriptures.

It seems a question is asked on -can we not watch these movies to utilize our time?

I would say there is certainly better ways to utilize our time, but I am not against it. If they are actually valid, but there are better ways to utilize our time.

A person speaks in between. Seems to be asking question about songs.

What we have to know, the best songs are the songs of our parampara, they are the best. But sometimes we sing songs that many of them are simply Krishna’s names, that are written by vaishanavas who we know that are authorized vaishanavas, that are not rasa bhasa or sahajiya by nature, but they learn local language, people can respond, so they are all right we are glorifying Krishna’s name, they are good but it should not be just done whimsically where any devotee just goes out looking for songs. They should have, they should be reviewed and be sanctioned by our senior devotees. Not just whimsically.

Just like in Pune, one of our senior devotees in public kirtan started singing a song which according to our sampradaya  is rasabhasa, it’s a song  somewhat offensive, because it is a popular song and we have to stop him  in the middle of the kirtan, we don’t sing that song. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very careful about this rasabhasa, in fact there were many melodious songs in Vrindavana that are sung everywhere and right in Chaitanya Charitamrita Prabhupada says, these songs have a very beautiful melodious and poetic value, but they have no spiritual value because they are mixing different moods and they are not accepted by our acharyas.

Question– How do we know which is which?  How do you know, are you a acharya?

Therefore it is best when we accept sources that we know are coming from genuine sincere vaishnavas and it should be with the sanction by the authority of higher devotees. But there is a special purification that we should always aspire for in the songs of our own acharayas like Narottam Das Thakura, Bhakti Vinoda Thakura, personally to me no other songs can compare to them, but with the purpose of bringing everybody into a congregated spirit of understanding, the glories of kirtan we sing many Hindi songs also but in our heart the songs of Narottam, BhaktiVinoda, Lochan Das are incomparable to realizations of those songs, are untouchable. Untouchable means that they are so high and they are so deep and they are so sweet with devotion.

It seems a question is asked on what are bonafide songs.

I would say that the songs that are in our song book which we come together and make a song book of songs we know are nice. Then we should not speculate.

It seems a question is asked about singing of songs by professional singers.

We are not concerned with professional singers. We are concerned with receiving our kirtan, our bhajans, our philosophy not from entertainers who are speaking to millions of people, not from entertainers who are singing to millions of people. For we are concerned with people who are deeply rooted vaishanavas who are sincerely and honestly following in the footsteps of the previous acharyas. Such persons we receive inspiration and information from, nobody else.

Someone asks a question but it is not clear.

Good for grihasthas, but is not good for brahmacharis. It’s not good for grihasthas either so much but it won’t hurt them too much. Brahmacharis will ruin, it will turn your saffron into a lighter shade of white. Brahmachari means regulated.

Someone asks a question but it is not clear.

Importance of controlling our tongue

If someone offers you some mahaprasad, then you should honor little whenever it is, whenever they offer, you can honour little bit. But as far as going out of your way to find mahaprasad at times that are unregulated to eating schedule. That is simply feeding the tendency for your tongue to continue to be uncontrolled.

 jihvara lalase yei iti-uti dhaya

sisnodara-parayana krishna nahi paya

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunath Das Goswami that he who simply chases after the satisfaction of his tongue, his belly and his genitals cannot attain Krishna. Bhakti Vinoda has said that tongue is the most ferocious and uncontrollable and is a straight line of all your senses, and if you can control your tongue, all your other senses will be controlled. If you cannot control your tongue it’s impossible to control your other senses. And controlling a tongue means two things, not to criticize others, not to gossip, but only speak constructive Krishna katha that’s conducive to increasing our service and other service. That is what we should speak. And also we must control the tendency to taste nice food stuffs. Prasad may be nice, that is all right to take, but we should take it at the times that we are regulated to take it. Otherwise if you just take it at the whims of our tongue and the whims of our mind, we become a slave of our mind and a slave of our tongue. It is said, that this human form of life is the boat that can guide us across that can bring us across the ocean of birth and death. And the spiritual master is the captain of the boat. He is directing how our body should act, how it should live. But as far as the boat itself, there is something called the rudder, you know what the rudder is? The boat may be as big as this room and the rudder is only this big. It’s on the bottom, its shape is just like your tongue, it’s flat. And according to the direction, the radar goes, the whole boat goes. According to how you control and don’t control your tongue, that’s how your whole life is directed or misdirected. Therefore according to the direction of the captain, the spiritual master, the great sadhus we must learn to control our tongue. Without that control of the tongue we simply are the slaves of our senses

jihvara lalase yei iti-uti dhaya

sisnodara-parayana krishna nahi paya

Mahaprabhu says, you cannot attain Krishna through that process.

Raghunath Das Goswami asks Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,” what are the duties of a person who are in the renounced order of life”? Brahamachari means renounced order of life. And His instruction was,

 gramya-katha na sunibe, gramya-varta na kahibe

bhala na khaibe ara bhala na paribe

Do not speak non-sense; do not speak what the general public is speaking, gramya-katha, ordinary gossip. And never hear it, gramya-katha na sunibe, never hear it and never speak it.

bhala na khaibe ara bhala na paribe

Do not eat luxurious foods, unregulated and do not dress luxuriously. These are the basic principles for one in a renounced order. If you find that of this verse not to speak or hear non-sense means to control the tongue and not to eat unregulated, too opulently, that is also the control of the tongue. Most of the renunciation is the control of the tongue and then what is the next verse,

amanina mana-dena

kirtaniyah sada harih

The next verse He explains is, one should offer all respects to others, one should expect no respect for oneself, one should always chant the name of Krishna and in one’s mind one should always be engaged in serving Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan. This is sum and substance of the duties of one in the renounced order, to be a humble servant, to chant the Holy names, to control ones speech and ones tongue, ones tendency for tasting. Otherwise we become the slave of the senses.

Any other question?

Possessiveness, for a grihastha?

According to the shastra, the way to counteract the very deeply strong tendency for possessiveness in the grihastha life is to giving charity to the Vaishnavas and the brahmans, to the mission of the guru. According to the shastra, the first fifty percent you have give it to your guru’s mission. And then whatever else you have, maintain, that is the ideal standard. You never be possessive if you do that, because the first priority with whatever you get goes to Guru and Krishna. You cannot do fifty percent; you should aspire to come as close to that as possible. But that should be the first thing you do with your Laxmi or your wealth or whatever you have. Not that I will take care of my own needs and whatever little is left will see. This is how a grihastha suppose to be trained according to the shastra. Then you will not be possessive, for you should give in charity and you should also always be aspiring to be the humble servant of the servant. And very important that you are always looking of to those who are in a renounced order of life. To the degree the grihasthas have respect for the dignity of the brahmacharis and the sannyasis, to that degree they will advance properly in Krishna consciousness. This is always been the teaching of Srila Prabhupada through his books. But this is very important for the first class brahmacharis and grihasthas. Because although grihasthas might be very very expert in whatever they do, often times they are very very expert. He may be expert managers, expert preachers, expert at giving donations and managing affairs, business, and doctors whatever. They will become proud and they will become possessive and they will become attached. Unless they have a very very deep and high esteem for those in the renounced order of life and they are thinking when will I become like that?

And we find the great kings like Yudhishtra, who was more an expert grihastha than him? When Narada muni or some great soul would come, he will simply bow down and say when will I become like you? You are really great, look at me. Dasharatha maharaja same thing, these are the real great grihasthas. They might even be better than those who are in renounced order of life. Ambarish maharaja was thinking that way towards Durvasa muni. He was far more advanced than Durvasa muni, but his humility was as a grihastha, that when will I become like you? You are so renounced and so great. So that high esteem for those in a renounced order of life is a very very essential ingredient within the heart, necessary within the heart of the grihastha. And therefore that high esteem must manifest in aspiring to be the humble servant of those in the renounced order of life.

And as far as brahamachari counteracting possessiveness, that comes by serving the other Vaishnavas. By keeping nothing for oneself, but being a servant. Whatever we keep we should understand it’s like holding on when we are trying to swim in the ocean, it’s like holding on to some heavy weight. Bhagavatam says, when one is drowning in the ocean and he is attached to beautiful golden crown, it might look nice, it might give him pride and prestige, but it only helps him sink faster and deeper. Nothing is ours, everything is Krishna’s…..voice missing…., dive for ourselves, we should know its bondage, and it’s going to cause us suffering.

It seems a question is asked on how should we deal with our relatives, wife, children.

Possessiveness means that you are meant to protect them on behalf of your guru and Krishna. They are not yours, they are not your slaves, and they are not your servants. You are their servant, you may have to train them, you may have to discipline them but in the mood of being their servant. Because they are Krishna’s children and Krishna has entrusted them and He has entrusted them to you. But they are His sacred property. Therefore you must always be in a mood of being the servant of all Vaishnavas, all family members, everyone. Sometimes we may have to serve them by disobediently following the order, Sometime you may have to serve them by disciplining them, by giving them instructions, But the mood is always service, there is nothing is yours. It is the sacred property of God, every devotee. The temple president is the servant of the people who are under him, he doesn’t think they are mine, they are my servants. He is serving them because they are his guru’s property. He must engage them in guru’s work. The father sees the children and the wife in the same spirit and the wife must see the husband and the children in the same spirit. This is an essential necessity of all our relationships, but nothing is ours. We are the masters over no one; this is ego and the servant. These people are my guru’s property, they are more precious than me. I have a great responsibility in my relationship with them.

We are not takers, we are givers. Even when we receive we are actually giving them the chance to serve, we are not taking something from them. When we expect something for someone, we should not expect it for ourselves; we should expect it for them. It’s like when you are a doctor when he expect someone to take medicines, is it for your good or his good? Devotional service is a medicine, if someone is serving you as the representative of the guru, we should not be expected for our self, and we should be expected for their benefit. It’s a medicine that will heal them. That should be our spirit. Therefore we are not attached, we have no personal attachment. But out of compassion we are diligently trying to engage them in their duty. A wife is meant to serve the husband, but the husband should not be proud thinking that she is serving me. By some inconceivable arrangement, I am supposed to be the representative of guru to this person. Therefore in serving me she is actually purifying her own existence because she is serving a guru. It’s not for me; I am not attached to what she gives me. I am only attached that she makes spiritual advancement. Then you are always in a mood of a servant, not an enjoyer. This we must cultivate, this consciousness being the servant of the servant.

It seems the question is asked on how to utilize spare time?

How to utilize spare time

Think of Krishna. How does one think of Krishna? By associating with devotees, by taking on some extra services if there is some need, by chanting extra rounds, by reading the shastra, engage that spare time in one of the nine processes of devotional service, use your good intelligence of what the best way you can now serve Krishna and remember Krishna. And if your good intelligence is in doubt then you ask someone who is in a respected position, how could I best utilize it this time, my spare time? Should I read, should I chant, is there some service that I can offer?

It seems a question is asked on –if someone offers us prasad at an odd time, what should we do?

You can honor a little; you can offer your prayers and honor a little. If you regulate your life so you are planning I am going to have  prasad  tonight so I would not have this time, then you have but you can take the more simpler items, you don’t have to take all the opulent items, you always have a choice. If you are taking the Prasad here then you just take little little, but don’t take it as a justification to transgress the principle of controlling the tongue. That is dangerous.

It seems a question is asked on – whom should we consult for our life’s problems?

You mean if you are having problems who you should consult? You should consult a person who you have faith as an advanced devotee who is going to properly represent your spiritual master’s teachings. That should be your first choice. If you just consult everybody and anybody you can get many opinions. Therefore your first choice to be to consult someone who is really teaching and living what your guru maharaja is giving to you.

 It seems a question is asked on – how should we preach to people having very different background than ours.

That  is according to who you are preaching to. Our philosophy is always one God; we are not a sectarian movement. There is one God. You have to preach in such a way that you are going to nourish that particular person’s spirituality. You simply repeat what is in your gurudeva’s books. Preaching means, an expert preacher is kala, desha, patra, he preaches according to the person, the place and the time; he emphasizes different aspects of our philosophy.

It seems a question is asked on –books outside parampara.Answer-What is the use of that, taking shelter of other books that are not coming in parampara? Actually most of our devotees speak English and it might be little more difficult but it might be an austerity but let them…. better they perform a little austere and get the real thing and just enjoyed the easiness of getting something that’s not the true thing.

Someone asks a question, but it is not clear.

We can discuss that later

 It seems a question is asked on – some specific book published by Gaudiya mission.

Let us read our own gurus books first. I have nothing against that book, I am sure it’s a nice book, its approved by the Gaudiya mission, no doubt they are bonafide Vaishnavas. But the problem is they are easier to read than our gurus books, that may be, but that doesn’t mean we should neglect our gurus books because there are going to be something easier than our gurus books. Right? So let us take it as an austerity to study very carefully and understand our guru’s books. Not that we emphasize  other things because they are easier, there’s lot of things easy that we don’t do because we are trying to be very very strict in serving our spiritual master and understanding the basic principles of Krishna consciousness from him. Prabhupada’s books in Hindi are understandable. If that is honestly our situation then we should listen to tapes, become very attentive in classes, but we should try to read, we should honestly make an attempt, it’s a great gift that our guru has given us. But if we just have no inclination in reading book we are just not able to, we just following a sleep every time we try, better you listen to tapes and you do some service. But most of us are not in that category.