Radhanath Swami Passes on the Glorification to the Predecessors
Radhanath Swami Lectures on the Occasion of his Vyasa Puja, 1996
I am eternally indebted and most grateful to all of you for so kindly allowing this fallen soul to be engaged in serving you by assisting you in your service to Srila Prabhupada’s great mission which is the mission of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whatever kind words may have been spoken, they are all meant in truth as an offering to the lotus feet of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada; whose mercy is all we are made of. And to whatever extent I have the fortune of bringing his teachings and his grace into your lives; to that degree I am your worthy servant. The Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya is that unbroken chain in which the highest and purest truths of the spiritual world have descended into this world of birth and death. And by accepting the teachings of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; we all have the greatest treasure of the fulfilment of our human existence.This human form of life is meant for service to Godhead; it is never meant for service to our ego, our mind or our senses or that of others even near and dear to us. Krishna Consciousness is the cure for the great and only real disease; the disease of ignorance which is the cause of all suffering.
Radhanath Swami says Vyasa Puja is a day for Exchange of Gratitude
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us such a simple and sublime process by which we can truly perfect our existence and achieve that destination beyond material existence- the lotus feet of Sri Krishna. And that is by association in the mood of a humble servant with the Lord’s devotees, assisting the great Acharyas in their mission of uplifting the fallen; hearing the glories of the Lord and chanting his holy names – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Days like today are traditional observations in which an exchange of gratitude and love are meant to take place. But the real offering is our lives, 24 hours a day every day. When I see all of you working together cooperatively, in a spirit of humility and devotion, making sacrifices to protect and expand Srila Prabhupada’s mission; when I see you strictly following your sadhana each day, and when I see you all coming together to dance and to chant; I know Srila Prabhupada is pleased, I know all of the previous Acharyas are pleased and that is my greatest pleasure in this world. On this day, I only pray that I can eternally aspire to be the dust at the lotus feet of all of the sincere servants of Sri Rupa and Raghunath and that, in this year of Srila Prabhupada’s centennial, together with great determination, with great enthusiasm, making great sacrifices; we can cooperatively make such a beautiful offering to Srila Prabhupada, by making his teachings and his mercy known to the whole world. Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki Jay! Sri Gaur Bhaktavrinda ki Jay! Sri Nitai Gaurachandra ki Jay! Sri Harinam Sankirtan ki Jay!
Radhanath Swami speaks on The Jaladuta – Sacrifice, Surrender, Fearlessness and Faith of Srila Prabhupada
This is a very symbolic cake that has been made. It appears that this cake represents the Atlantic Ocean and on top is the Jaladuta. Jaladuta is the cargo ship which brought Srila Prabhupada from India to the West. And thus all of us sitting on this raised platform have been so mercifully delivered by his divine association. Jaladuta represents the complete sacrifice that Srila Prabhupada made for all of us and all living beings. The Jaladuta symbolises in our lives, complete fearlessness. Srila Prabhupada did not know whether he would live or die. He did not know where he would be going or who he would meet. The Jaladuta represents to us Srila Prabhupada’s absolute faith in the order of the spiritual master and in the holy name of Krishna- that simply by chanting Krishna’s name, anyone and everyone regardless of their birth or qualifications could cross over the ocean of material existence and achieve Krishna’s lotus feet. Jaladuta also represents to us Srila Prabhupada’s fervent, determined and burning desire to show compassion to us, to all living beings and risk his life to extend that compassion to even those who have no inclination to receive it. Suffering heart attacks, sea-sickness; but he never considered going back. He only considered his service to his spiritual master. In this way it is very appropriate. The Jaladuta represents the highest principle of surrender to the spiritual master because Srila Prabhupada embodied that principle and manifested it so magnificently by his journey across the world at all risks to serve the order of his Guru. So we are all aspiring to board this Jaladuta and imbibe the spirit in which Srila Prabhupada exemplified. None of us should ever in a dream consider that we can imitate what Srila Prabhupada has done. But if we make our life and soul to be the servants of the servants of the servants; then he will certainly cast his merciful glance upon us and empower us to fulfil that heart’s desire.
Radhanath Swami Glorifies his God Brothers & God Sisters
Thank you very much. So I am supposed to do like this? Srila Prabhupada has said like this. By the sword of knowledge we could cut to pieces the ocean of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada ki Jay! Sri Gaur Bhaktavrinda ki Jay! I am especially grateful to my dear Godbrothers and Godsisters who are so kindly trying to encourage me. Malati Devi, who is like my life and soul, she is such a dear God sister, she is such a dear daughter of Srila Prabhupada and is influencing so many people’s lives by her tremendous devotion. Srila Sridhara Maharaj who has sacrificed his life in so many difficulties, who has taken the service of being temple president of Radha Rasbihari Mandir, who has taken the service of fund raising to build the beautiful Temple of Understanding, the most magnificent project in the history of our movement-these are the symptoms of one who has given his life in the service of the Vaishnavas. Srila Nityodita Maharaj is always a very kind and loving friend, this afternoon he can tell you the real story that Damodar told; if you so desire to hear. Chandramouli Maharaj and Nityodita Maharaj, we grew up together in the same hometown of New Vrindavan, growing vegetables, milking cows and worshipping the deities in the service of Srila Prabhupada. His Holiness Srila Jayadvaita Maharaj, who is a guardian and protector of Srila Prabhupada’s Siddhanta in this International Society of Krishna consciousness and who has just preserved within our movement such a high standard of Srila Prabhupada’s true wealth, desire. His Holiness Srila Dhanurdhar Maharaj, who is such a wonderful learned devotee, so humble and gentle and who has brought such beautiful disciples like Brajkishor into Srila Prabhupada’s movement. His Holiness Srila Giriraj Maharaj, who is such a dear friend and such a perfect and gentle Vaishnava in all of his characteristics and qualities. And they have somehow or the other extended themselves in order to try to encourage this fallen Godbrother of theirs. They have extended themselves in such a wonderful way to help all of you have deeper and deeper faith in the gift you have been given, the gift of Bhakti; a gift of the Harinam Sankirtan movement. So we are all indebted to them. They are all my senior Godbrothers and Godsisters and as I worship them; I pray that you also worship them. And I would like to thank all of you again and again and again because it is through your generous hearts that I am allowed to serve my beloved Guru Maharaj in a wonderful way. Hare Krishna.
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