Madri's Blog Inspired By August Assembly

Maha harinam with 4200 books distributed video1

2011-08-08T19:00:00.000+02:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NJq5KwoxO4

Maha harinam and 4200 of Srila Prabhupada's books

2011-08-08T11:46:00.000+02:00

For three hours last Saturday, 6th August 2011 two hundred devotees participated in a maha harinam in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa. 4200 of Srila Prabhupada's books and 9500 packets of caramelized peanut prasad were distributed to Native African citizens.

This is the third such program held here during this year. In March this year we went on maha harinam and distributed 1000 books, more prasad packs and pamphlets with 70 devotees. Then Nrsimhananda Prabhu who is the organizer of this event encouraged the devotees to double it for Srila Prabhupada's pleasure. Then on the 7th May 2011 he arranged another maha harinam and 100 devotees attended. The target was surpassed by Srila Prabhupada's mercy and the devotee’s enthusiasm. More than 2000 of Srila Prabhupada's books in English, 5000 pamphlets, 4500 packets of caramelized peanut prasadam was distributed during the harinam.

Nrsimhananda Prabhu, who also serves as the co-international director for Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture, then embarked on a program of doubling the effort. Hence with the support and co-operation of more than 200 devotees the program reached new heights distributing 4200 books in two hours. Understanding that these attempts have not reached millions more we plan to double the numbers for the next harinam. Planning has already begun.

Many devotees who participated in these efforts have never distributed books before and have commented that the experience was most inspiring. Some said that despite having attended many blissful festivals in various Iskcon centres this sort of festival of giving really touched their hearts. Indeed the missionary spirit of distributing the mercy has a special effect.

The harinam chanters lead such ecstatic kirtans and the chorus was tumultuous. Srila Prabhupada's books, prasadam and the holy names, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, form a complete package of happiness for the giver and the receiver - of this there is certainly no doubt.

The recipients of the books could be seen immediately reading or paging through the books on the pavements, bus stops or taxis. We pray that the Vaisnavas and readers bless these humble attempts.

Devotees chant and dance

People were very receptive

Seen above are our green eco friendly sankirtana bags

Blissful chanters in the incomparable beautiful devotional attire

Collective devotion in the sankirtan mission makes a difference.

Ecstatic kirtan leaders with contagious enthusiasm

We just wanted to please Srila Prabhupada

Their lives will never be the same!

Pretty in sari

The interest was so inspiring for the distributors

The sankirtan bags were packed and ready

All the green bags in the background!

Merciful mothers distributing books

Even baby Vaisnavas came!

Something in the books for everyone

Reading immediately - good things should never be postponed!

Vaisnava krpa- these lives have been touched

Planting the seed of Krishna consciousness

Reading immediately

May Sri Nitai bless our future endeavors to follow His mission

Can afford it...give what you can!

Witnessing the captivating sight of harinam sankirtan

A Feast For The Eyes

2011-05-23T09:04:00.001+02:00

Their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

our sankirtan inspiration

May He who has broken open the store house of love of God and freely distributed it keep us engaged in His divine mission

The above darsan is from Srila Prabhupada's Iskcon in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8th May 2011, dressed while chanting of several songs of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakur _/\`o_

More than 2000 Books Distributed on Maha Harinam - 7 May 2011

2011-05-20T10:00:00.000+02:00

In March this year we went on maha harinam and distributed 1000 books, more prasad packs and pamphlets with 70 devotees. [I blogged videos and pic previously of this.] My husband, Nrsimhananda Prabhu was determined to double it for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. So on the 7th May 2011 he arranged another maha harinam and 100 devotees attended. The target was surpassed by Srila Prabhupada's mercy and the devotees enthusiasm.

More than 2000 of Srila Prabhupada's books in English, 5000 pamphlets, 4500 pkts of caramelized peanut prasadam was distributed during the harinam. Of the 100 devotees that attended, some distributed books, others chanted with intense enthusiasm, some held mantra cards and flags and some carried bags for the book distributors.

The weather was rainy and cloudy as we congregated in the car park and took our sankirtana bags. So the devotees gathered under shelter and chanted on the street below the parking. Some of us started book distribution. The sun came out for the two hours that the harinam lasted and as we returned to the parkade the heavy rain resumed.

The mini bus taxi's stopping off to drop and pick up passengers proved a good spot. Generally here in Johannesburg mini bus taxi drivers are known to be dangerous and short tempered. It is common knowledge that they generally carry guns and don't necessarily obey road rules. However the smiley faces and friendly approaches of the book distributors even earned their attention and many left with books. It was fun to stop a taxi and distribute books to everyone inside even the driver.

The area that we go on harinam is central Johannesburg. It is inundated with many shoppers. Actually there are so many people that we are only able to reach a few of them. If a person rejects a book there are so many more people to approach. This helps build a momentum of one's enthusiasm. 20 years ago I recall we would go to the same spot every Saturday. And when I was a full time book distributor we would do the spot on some weekdays too. One can meet people from all over Africa there. And they all speak fluent English so we distribute books in English and are able to have great conversations with them.

In the week that followed Nrsimhananda Prabhu received calls from people who received the pamphlets that had his mobile number and the addresses of the local temples. People wanted to know more about Krishna consciousness.

A week later one devotee who owns a business in Turfontein, which is far from the harinam spot encountered a gentleman who walked into his business. As the devotee attended to his request the man asked him if he was a Buddhist. The devotee pointed to a picture of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna that he had on his wall and asked the man if he knew Them and if he heard of the Hare Krishna Movement.

The man pulled out a copy of 'Raja Vidya The King of Knowledge' and asked the devotee if he read this book. The devotee asked him where he got that book from and the man said he got it the previous Saturday from a distributor in central Johannesburg. Since then he had been carrying the book everywhere he went and was reading its contents with great interest.

After the harinam and book distribution many devotees spoke of their realizations. One said that he realized being part of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement meant that he simply had to do sankirtana. Many others remarked that it was the best day of their life because in participating in sharing the mercy with others they were able to feel so much happiness themselves. Nrsimhananda Prabhu told me that even though he served as temple president for many years in the past and organized many festivals and Ratha Yatra's and even had acquired land and established a temple for the installed Deities this service of organizing maha harinam with book distribution and simultaneous harinam and prasad distribution gave him unparalleled feelings of happiness. Maybe because it involves reaching out to new persons.

After the harinam book distributors were in agreement with Nrsimhananda Prabhu's idea that we should 'double it' for the next maha harinam in August this year. So the target is now 4000 books and 8000 pkts of caramelised peanut prasadam.

We pray that by the mercy of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and all his sincere followers that we may be able to be of continued service to his great mission. Even though our attempts are simply like a spider trying to help the great Hanuman build the bridge to Lanka, with sincerity we pray to continue to be part of the spreading of Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

200 sankirtan bags packed with books, prasad and pamphlets

Jubilant devotees from the Soweto Yatra

Recipient of the Mercy

Krsnalaya Mataji distributing books

Book distributors grabbed two bags each to distribute!

Young devotee children did not want to miss out on the mercy

Mother and daughter distribute books

Books were well received

Taxis in motion must be stopped for a book!

The kirtan was reaching such heights of ecstasy while the books were being distributed!

Cars in motion were stopped to get the mercy

Harinam organizer Nrsimhananda Prabhu calls for 2nd vehicle to deliver more books

Everyone must get some mercy

The holy name resounded

The devotees were blissed out

Together we made a difference

Books finished in less than 2hrs and the distributors chanted with greater ecstasy

HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu thanks the devotees in the car park and gets everyone's approval to double it next time.

Happy devotees

2011-03-31T19:51:00.000+02:00

"Regarding dancing, our dancing is ecstatic. We need not waste time 5 hours daily instead of chanting, for practicing. We are not professional dancers, neither we require it. These things should not be encouraged. In New York they have such activities, but they should not be going on in Gurukula. " [Srila Prabhupada Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1973]

This was last Sunday morning at Iskcon Pretoria. High energy sadhu's.

Next Harinam's advert Part 1

2011-03-25T19:08:00.001+02:00

With prayers to double it!

Annual Journal for Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC]

2011-03-23T16:37:00.000+02:00

Together we made a difference!

2011-03-08T12:59:00.001+02:00

On a recent morning my husband, Nrsimhananda Prabhu told me that we need to have a maha harinam and distribute a thousand of Srila Prabhupada's books as a pre Gaura Purnima festival offering. He then set about planning towards this goal. In addition to the books he printed color glossy pamphlets that had a brief description of the glories of chanting and the addresses of our local Iskcon temples. Then he decided to add prasadam to our distribution package. After some discussion we concluded that sugar coated peanuts would be the most practical prasad to distribute. Then he motivated some devotees to join in. Within a week mantra boards were made, sponsorships secured, handbills/pamphlets printed, 1000 books picked up from our local temple, 50 eco friendly bags secured to pack everything in for the devotees.

Above is a picture of the prasadam sugar coated peanuts. these are roasted and then added to melted sugar, cooled and then packed into sealable small packets. The nuts were then dropped of at various devotees homes for packaging. 70kgs were bought and prepared. Since we hold BCEC [Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture] classes at different venues weekly we had our students pack all the books, prasad and handbills in the bags on Friday evening so that on Saturday morning all we had to do was distribute.

Many friends from all over johannesburg came and collectively we were able to serve with feelings of greater joy.

Between seventy to ninety devotees participated blissfully. Mothers brought children and even babies in their prams/pushchairs. The harinam lasted for three hours. Before we were half way through 1000 books were distributed. It was so ecstatic to look around and see so many devotees distributing the mercy. The kirtan was reaching higher levels of ecstasy and the book distributors were blissfully approaching anyone and everyone! By the end of the harinam in addition to 1000 of Srila Prabhupada's books in English, 3000 packets of peanut prasad, some simply wonderful sweets and laddus were distributed and 2500 handbills. All was possible by the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, Srila Prabhupada and his sincere followers.

Above the sankirtan van is being opened. It was loaded with the fifty prepacked bags. Nrsimhananda Prabhu is seen above with the microphone in hand telling the devotees, many of whom have never been on harinam or book distribution before, how to go about with their distribution. He shared some lines they could use when approaching people.

Each bag looked like the one pictured above. Some devotees carried the bags and others helped them distribute after clearing their own bags. I must admit that the feelings of happiness in such an engagement, with such association made one feel ever more grateful to be part of Srila Prabhupada's mission.

The devotee pictured above was a great full time book distributor at one time. Now as a mother of two she brought her two young sons who together with their father ecstatically participated in the distribution.

The people were so receptive.

The weather was as is normal here, sunny with a slight breeze.

Each book is on its own journey, destined to reach some soul somewhere. Our duty is simply to vibrate the message and be an instrument in distributing it. Many homes in Africa have multiple family members so we pray that many will benefit from every single book distributed.

"So our request to the publishers and book sellers, that "Let this literature be distributed properly. People will be benefited." Because, after all, each and every human being is a spiritual being. He is not this body. That is the mistake of the present civilization." [ An excerpt from Srila Prabhupada's lectureSrimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973]

The sankirtana movement has been introduced by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu just to dispel the illusion of maya, by which everyone in this material world thinks himself to be a product of matter and therefore to have many duties pertaining to the body. [ NAM 2b11: By Chanting the Holy Name One Becomes Enlightened]

Above, bliss after and during this insignificant service to the mission of Guru and Gauranga. We pray to be able to double these attempts soon.

More pictures can be seen at:

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150119170551178&id=609996177&aid=291221&notif_t=photo_album_reply&closeTheater=1#!/album.php?fbid=10150119170551178&id=609996177&aid=291221&notif_t=photo_album_reply&closeTheater=1

Just transcribed HH Radhanath Swami speaking on Sri Nityananda Trayodasi - 2011

2011-02-17T15:53:00.000+02:00

Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: February 16th, 2011

Topic: Appearance of Lord Nityananda

Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami

________________________________________________

HH Radhanath Swami: I am very grateful for this opportunity to be with all of you in the holy dham Sri Mayapur on the holy day of the appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It appears that there is no verse selected so with your permission I will just talk in what time is allotted.

How Lord Nityananda Prabhu revealed the glories and the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is one of the most important truths that Gaudiya Vaisnava’s ardently worship. The first author of Lord Caitanya’s life was Sri Vrindavan dasa Thakura. He wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavat. He was the last disciple of Lord Nityananda. He was given the order of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and with that order he became empowered to reveal Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the whole world.

It was Niyananda Prabhu who appeared in divine vision to order Sri Krishna dasa Kaviraja Goswami to leave his home forever and to go to Vrindavana and compose Caitanya-caritamrta. Krishna dasa Kaviraja Goswami gives credit to Nityananda Prabhu because it is he who is speaking through Krishna dasa Kaviraj Goswami with the mercy of Rupa Goswami and Raghunath Goswami to reveal Mahaprabhu’s life and teachings to the world. And Rupa and Sanatana Goswami when they went to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Ramakeli (the first meeting) they first approached Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Thakur Haridasa. It was Lord Nityananda Prabhu who personally brought them into the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

They are our sambandha and abhideya acaryas. And our prayojana acarya Raghunatha dasa Goswami he tried to leave his home in Sri-krsnapura, Adi-saptagrama again and again to dedicate his life to Lord Caitanya but every time he was dragged back by force by his family members. Then he went to Panihati to see Lord Nityananda Prabhu offering his obeisances from a distance.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu was sitting under a beautiful banyan tree on the bank of the Ganges with His associates and he called Raghunatha, “You are a thief. You are hiding in a distant place. Your atonement is feed all of My devotees, everyone with cida dhahi, chipped rice in yogurt.” Raghunatha dasa Goswami took this very seriously. He bought practically every flake of chipped rice and all the yogurt not only in Panihati but also from the villages nearby. He soaked half in milk. He soaked all in milk and then he put half in yogurt and half in a combination of condensed milk and camphor, ghee and sugar. He gave everyone two clay pots and Nityananda Prabhu was so happy to see this.

Raghunath dasa Goswami brought such happiness to all the Vaisnavas and to all the people in general. He personally called Lord Caitanya to honor that feast with Him. In a divine spiritual body Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya went throughout the crowd taking some chipped rice and yogurt from each pot. Then Nityananda Prabhu gave all His personal remnants to Raghunath dasa Goswami. The next day Raghunatha dasa Goswami fell at the feet of Nityananda Prabhu and prayed that, “One cannot achieve the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu without the Your mercy. I beg You, please liberate me from the bondage of this material existence and give me the shelter of Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu place His lotus feet on Raghunatha dasa Goswami’s head and He said, “Because you have pleased all the devotees and Lord Caitanya came I bless you.” Actually he first asked all the devotees to bless Raghunath dasa Goswami. “Because you have to render service to the devotees very soon you will be liberated from all material bondage and you will become Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal associate under the care of Swarup Damodara Goswami.

So our sambandha, abhideya and prayojana gurus were all brought to Lord Caitanya by Nityananda Prabhu. The two most prominent biographies of Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inspired or ordered by Sri Nityananda Prabhu. And our beloved Srila Prabhupada he established Lord Nityananda’s deity along with Lord Caitanya all over the world because he was so much in that spirit of compassion.

Nityananda Prabhu is guru-tattva. Narottama dasa Thakura prays:

vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta haila sei, balarama ha-ila nitai

That the son of Nanda appeared as the son of Saci and Balaram appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. Balaram is the original guru because He serves the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead always in the mood of serving Lord Krishna. He expands Himself as the dhama to provide a beautiful place for the Lord to have His pastimes. He manifests as the Lord’s shoes, the Lord’s bed, the Lord’s ornaments, the Lord’s clothing and in all of the various rasas of relationship He is prominent. He serves the Lord in these ways in santa rasa; dasya rasa; as a gopa in sakya rasa, the Lord’s friend; as His elder brother. Sometimes He takes the role of vatsalya rasa and expands Himself as Ananga Manjari, Srimati Radharanis younger sister in madhurya rasa. In this way Sri Nityananda Prabhu is enthusiastic to serve is all pervading.

As Balaram we know the pastime of Romaharsana Suta. Romaharsans Suta was sitting in a place as a spiritual leader in the presence of great sages, Naimasaranya. But when Balaram appeared Romaharsana Suta payed no attention. Lord Balaram understood that he has too much false pride. He spoke very angrily, “Although you Romaharsana Suta are directly a disciple of Vedavyasa. You have profoundly learned the Vedas, Itihasyas, the Puranas and all these scriptures from Him. Yet all your knowledge has not annihilated your false pride. Therefore I consider your knowledge of the scripture to be completely useless like an actor playing the role without any realization. I have come to liberate the world from cheaters like you.”

Then He picked up a piece of grass and touched that grass to Romaharsana Suta and Romaharsana was liberated. [Laughter from audience.] The sages said, “What are we going to do now?” [Laughter.] They said, “Just before You came we were going to bless him that he would live a long life! [Laughter from audience.] Balaram said, “Well if you like I can bring him back.” They said, “We know that You are the Supreme Lord. We can ask for You to bring him back!” Then the Lord atoned by removing Balvala who was disturbing their sacrifices and He said, “The father lives through the son.” So Balaram empowered Suta Goswami to speak to the sages.

As Lord Nityananda Prabhu that grass that He liberated Romaharsana with in a similar way He too grass between His teeth and here in Navadwip he went house to house, door to door, shop to shop. Grass in His teeth is an expression of totally humbling oneself before someone else, taking the grass they step on and putting it in your mouth. He would bow down, roll on the ground and beg people, “Please take the name of Krishna.” And if they refused, which most did he would kneel on His knees and beg them.

The Supreme Absolute Truth who is actually the source of Nrsimhadev; Varahadev, who is Balaram with the plough he started dragging the entire city of Hiranyakaspu [Hastinapura(?)] into the Ganges that had all the Kurus including Bhisma surrender to His Supreme power. That same Balaram is going to sinful ordinary people with straw in His teeth crying and begging them, “Take the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

parama karuna, pahun dui jana, nitai-gauracandra

Locana dasa Thakura is saying that these two brothers are supremely merciful. They have given what nobody else has given freely. Locana dasa Thakura also wrote in another song that Nityananda Prabhu is never angry. He goes town to town, village to village giving ecstatic love for Krishna to everyone and anyone never considering their qualification or disqualification. All He asks is, “Just accept.”

The place that Srila Prabhupada went, the tolerance, the compassion, the humility in which he gave such wretched, sinful people an opportunity to attain life’s perfection. He truly was the embodiment of Lord Nityananda’s mercy. We can always … remember him and worship Him on His appearance day. There are many stories in the Vaisnava literatures.

Not far from here is a village called Udani (?) There was a marriage close to there, where Nityananda Prabhu’s wife Jahnavadevi along with Narottama dasa Thakur, Ramacandra Kaviraj and many other intimate associates of both Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya were present. …place after Nityananda Prabhu had already departed from the world Jahnavadevi invited everyone, “Let us go to Ekacakra, Nityananda Prabhu’s birthplace.” She had never been there before.

They all went together. Their hearts were overflowing with happiness just at the prospect of seeing this holy place. They had heard so much about it for so long. They were going down a simple lane that was shaded by Pipal trees with singing birds. They saw from a small distance a very old brahmana who was walking with a stick. He started coming towards them but then he sat under a tree. He was looking with wonder thinking, “Where are all these Vaisnavas coming here for?”

They all approached him and spontaneously bowed down. Then they asked, “We have heard so much about Ekacakra that it is a very prosperous town but it appears to be in total ruins. Do you know anything about the history?” The old brahmana sat down with Jahnava and Narottama and all of these devotees. Then he explained the history of Ekacakra.

He said, “At one time this was such a prosperous and affluent town with great scholars, great devotees of the Lord. And there was one astrologer. He was the best of all astrologers. He came to the conclusion that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Balaram will take birth in Ekacakra but I am so unfortunate that I will not live to see that most auspicious day.”

Then all the other astrologers and scholars came together and agreed that this is absolutely true. Lord Balarama will come here. Then this old brahmana said that was a very great scholar and saint of the name Bhoja. He was very influential in every way but he and his wife were very sad. Every time they would give birth to a child just after birth the child died. He performed much prayer and tapasya and ultimately a beautiful child was born to them. The named him Ojha. He became a very great scholar and a great devotee of Krishna. Because of his scholarship he was given the name Hadai Pandit. His father and mother arranged for him to marry a girl named Padmavati who was equal to him in every way.

A few days after the marriage Hadai Pandit’s mother and father died. He was struck with grief. As time went on the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared within the womb of Padmavati. Then on this day, the thirteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Marg a beautiful child was born in Ekacakra. People from all over the town were coming to see the beauty of this child. Some said, “He is so beautiful. He is so soft like butter. His complexion is like gold. Everything about Him charms our hearts.”

The people of Ekacakra were coming day and night just to be with this child. Hadai Pandit was giving charity to everyone in every way he possibly could with the prayer of protecting his beloved boy.

The brahmana told Jahnavadevi that one time he was in serious distress, anxiety. So naturally he ran to the house of Hadai Pandit and Lord Nityananda Prabhu climbed up on his lap and immediately he became ecstatic. All of his distress vanished.

At the time of the name giving ceremony of Lord Nityananda some called Him Nityananda and some called Him Rama. As He crawled around His name was Nitai to the people of Ekacakra.

For His mother it was unbearable to separate Nitai from her lap even for a moment. And Hadai Pandit if he wasn’t looking at Nityananda Prabhu he was in great distress. As Nitai began to crawl and then began to walk His mother and father showered Him with the most intimate affection. His mother would anoint His body with oils that were very fragrant to cool Him but His body was cooler and more fragrant than the oils.

One day she put ornaments and beautiful dresses of silks on little Nitai and said, “Now play.” He said, “But you keep Me with you all the time. I have no friends to play with.” So from that day onwards they invited the little children of Ekacakra to play with Nitai. And there was only one game they played – enacting the pastimes of Krishna. Nitai was the actor, the director, the script writer and it was spontaneously. Everyday Nitai would dress them up according to their parts and make all kinds of props. Everything was so authentic.

When they wanted to do the birth of Krishna he called all His friends to meet Him at midnight! [Laughter.] All the little children made a replica of the prison of Kamsa and then they brought little baby Krishna across the Yamuna. There was a river there so they went across the river and brought Him to Gokul. They played. Usually Nityananda Prabhu would play the part of Krishna. One boy would be Putana, Trnavarta, Sakatasura. Nitai would play the role of Krishna stealing butter. And they really did very authentically. He would go into the houses of the people of Ekacakra and steal the butter. [Laughter.] Then another boy would bind Him up with ropes and He would knock down the two Arjuna trees. The played the killing of Bakasura, Aghasura, Vatsasura. They played the game of stealing the gopi’s clothes. He lifted Govardhan Hill. They killed Aristasura, Vyomasura ans when they played the lila of Akrura taking Krishna out of Vrindavan, Nityananda Prabhu played the part of a gopi and wept rivers and rivers of tears from His heart. Everyone watching was astonished.

He played the pastimes of Lord Krishna in Mathura and Dvaraka, in other avataras, of Vamanadev. Nityananda Prabhu personally played Nrsimhadev and one of His friends was Hiranyakasipu.

And in Rama lila in one pastime Nityananda played His own role as Laksman and another boy was Ravana and threw a lotus flower at Nitai’s chest representing the sakti-sila and Nityananda Prabhu fell to the ground. There was no heartbeat and no breath. The children did not know what to do. They were weeping and crying. Soon Hadai Pandit and Padmavati came running to the place. When all the other people of Ekacakra came Nityananda Prabhu appeared dead. They were all chanting God’s names and trying to mentally restore him but nothing worked.

Then somebody said, “He is playing these dramas as something very real. Did He say anything to any of you what to do for Him if it becomes like this?” One little boy said, “Yes. Yes. I forgot. I was so much in trauma. [Laughter.] He said if I fall down unconscious gather around Me and cry, which we are all doing. [Laughter.] But then have the boy playing Hanuman to get the medicine for Me.” [Laughter.]

One little boy said, “Yes. Yes. I am Hanuman.” [Laughter.] and he came running and the other little boys who were playing demons were trying to stop him. Then Hanuman went to the Himalayan Mountain and the little boy brought some herbs back and gave it to the doctor who put it in Nityananda’s nose and He opened His eyes and smiled.

He was only ever a small boy. Nobody told Him these pastimes. Somebody asked Him, “How do You know all of this?” he smiled and said, “These are My transcendental pastimes.” [Laughter.] But due to His yoga maya potency nobody could understand what He was talking. In this way He spent His youth.

When He was twelve years old, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared here in Navadvip and Lord Nityananda, this little boy roared in ecstasy. The whole universe shook. Nobody understood what was happening. And he was thinking, “How am I going to leave My home? My mission is to assist Lord Gauranga in His lilas, His mission of spreading the nama- sankirtana mission in all directions. How can I leave My mother and father? How can I leave the people of Ekacakra? They are so attached to Me they can’t live without a second of not seeing Me.

By His own mystic potency a sannyasi came to Ekacakra. He came right to the house of Hadai Pandit, who fed him Prasad, gave him a sitting place. And the two of them, Hadai Pandit and this sannyasi spoke about Krishna all night long. In the morning as the sannyasi was about to leave he said to Hadai Pandit I wanted to ask you for one thing.”

Then Hadai Pandit very enthusiastically from his heart said, “Anything you want I will give you.” He said, “I am travelling all over India to holy places and I have no brahmana assistant. Give me your lotus son, Nityananda Prabhu to travel with me.” It was like a massive thunderbolt striking the soft heart of Hadai Pandit. In his mind he was thinking, “He has asked me to give him my very life. I cannot tolerate even a moment not seeing my son. What can we do? If I give it to him, if I give my son I will die. If I don’t my whole life will be ruined for not serving a great soul.”

He was thinking of King Dasaratha when asked by Visvamitra Muni if e was willing to give Rama, his own life and soul to travel with him. Hadai Pandita went to Padmavati and told her what has happened and asked her opinion. She said, “Whatever you do I accept that.”

Hadai Pandit entrusted his little son to the sannyasi. And Nityananda Prabhu strangely showed total detachment as he walked away with this sannyasi. As soon as they left the house Hadai Pandit and Padmavati fell to the ground unconscious and as soon as the regained consciousness all they could do was weep and cry incessantly.

When the people of Ekacakra heard about this it was unbearable of them. They all ran looking for this sannyasi. Every person in Ekacakra decided that, “When I find this sannyasi I will fall at his feet and offer him all my sons. We will give him all the sons.” Because they all wanted Nityananda Prabhu more than their own children, more than their own lives. “Just give us Nityananda back.”

They went running in all directions but they could not find that sannyasi. For the next three months Hadai Pandit and Padmavati could not eat a morsel of food. They cried. They only thing that kept then alive, (and they didn’t even lose any weight) was their intense twenty-four hour attachment to Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Sometimes Hadai Pandit like a mad man would cry out, “Nitai! Nitai! Come and sit on my lap. I haven’t seen you for such a long time. Nitai, please let’s go to your favorite lake, Padmavati-kunda and let’s take bath together.”

At other times he would look around with tears in his eyes and he would cry out, “Nitai, I am seeing You again. Please let us take Prasad. Padmavati has made just Your favorite foods to eat. Come let’s eat together. Nitai the crops are just bearing about to give fruits. Let’s go walk through the fields together and see everything.” Sometimes he would call out to Padmavati, “Padmavati, look! Look down the road! It is Nitai! He is returning! The sannyasi is bringing Him home again! He is bringing him home again! Look! He is coming! He is coming!” And they looked down the road weeping, crying but He never came. Crying out the names of Nityananda Prabhu, Hadai Pandit and Padmavati left this world for the spiritual abode.

The brahmana told Jahnava and all the devotees that after Hadai Pandit and Padmavati left nobody could live in Ekacakra anymore. It was too painful. Nityananda’s little friends were constantly in tears and with broken hearts as were their parents. Ekacakra was practically deserted and had turned into ruins. And the brahmana said, “But I can’t leave. Even though this has happened years ago every day since Nityananda Prabhu left I go to all the places where He had His pastimes just waiting for Him to return and I pray only one prayer in my life, “Let me take birth life after life after life waiting for Nitai to return to Ekacakra. In every lifetime let me give up my body crying out the name Nitaicand!”

Then the brahmana fell to the ground weeping. Jahnava, Narottama dasa Thakura, Ramacandra Kaviraj and all these great associates of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu saw him, they all fell to the ground weeping, chanting the holy names of Lord Nityananda.

[Audience chant loudly] Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Then the brahmana told Jahnava that he would give them a tour but as he brought her to the house of Hadai Pandit which was crumbling and in shambles he could no longer control himself. He quietly left and Jahnava told the devotees, “Let him leave.”

That night it was dark. They all slept in the house. Jahnavadevi was thinking, “I never got to meet Hadai Pandit or Padmavati. I never got to be with Nityananda and His family here in Ekacakra.” She started crying and she was given a spiritual vision where the house was beautifully decorated, a very opulent place and there was Nityananda Prabhu and Padmavati and Hadai Pandit showering her with so much affection. Then the dream ended and she woke up crying again. Then she had another dream where on the bank of the river in Ekacakra in a beautiful garden there was a throne and Nityananda Prabhu was sitting with Jahnava and Vasudha on either side and He was offering such intimate expressions of affection to them through His words and His glances. All her desires were fulfilled.

Nityananda Prabhu after He left Ekacakra He went on pilgrimage to so many places with this sannyasi and eventually came to Vrindavan. During the pilgrimage He met Madhavendra Puri and accepted him as His guru, Lakmipati Tirtha and accepted him as a guru. In Vrindavan He waited.

After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came back to Navadvip from Gaya He began His sankirtana movement. The Lord was calling Nityananda from His heart and Nitai came to Navadvip to the house of Nandanacarya.

Oneday Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in ecstasy. He said, “A great personality has come here.” He told Srivas Thakura and Haridasa, “Go find Him. I had a dream last night. A chariot that can take anyone and everyone to the spiritual world, Goloka came right in front of My house. And on that chariot there was a very powerful personality. He had lotus eyes. He was very strong. He had blue garments. He carried a plough on His shoulder. There was a flag of a palm tree on that chariot. This person’s eyes were rolling as if He was intoxicated in ecstatic love. He had an earring on His left ear and as he was swinging back and forth he said again and again, ‘Is this the house of Nimai Pandit? Is this the house of Nimai Pandit?’ ”

Lord caitanya said, “I could understand that this was Lord Balaram Himself. I asked Him, ‘Who are You and what are You doing here? And this great personality said, ‘I am Your brother. Tomorrow We will get to know each other.’ Go find Him! Go find Him!”

Srivas Thakura and Haridas Thakur went to every house, to every shop, to every market place, to every bathing ghat in all of Navadvip and finally they came back and said, “We have searched everywhere for nine hours. We can’t find such a person!’ Lord Caitanya smiled and said, “Nityananda Prabhu is very mysterious.” Then he said, “I will take you.” And The Lord brought Them right to the house of Nandanacarya where Sri Nityananda Prabhu was sitting.

When Lord Caitanya and all the devotees first saw Him they bowed down. And when Lord Nityananda Prabhu saw Lord Caitanya, He became stunned. His eyes could not blink. He was drinking the beauty of Lord Gauranga with His eyes, tasting it with His tongue, smelling it with His nose, touching it with His arms. He was totally absorbed with Caitanya Mahprabhu like a statue. Lord Caitanya told Srivas, “Chant a verse.’ Srivas chanted a beautiful verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam describing Krishna standing in the pastoral grounds in the forest of Vrindavan. He had curly blackish hair encircling His moonlike face, beautiful lotus eyes. A blue flower over His ear! He had a wonderful flower garland on. He entered into the pastures of Vrindavan playing His flute.

When Nityananda Prabhu heard this He fell unconscious and when He finally came to consciousness He began rolling and roaring ecstatically with torrents of tears flowing from His eyes. Only Lord Caitanya could calm Him down.

Then on that historical moment Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda danced together in the ecstacy of kirtan. Sometimes They embraced. Sometimes They raised Their arms. Sometimes They touched each other’s feet. They connection of these two eternal associates, Krishna and Balaram have appeared again together in the land of Navadvip dancing and chanting. All the devotees raised their arms loudly chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.

[Audience chant loudly] Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

And now HH Sripad Jayapataka Swami Maharaj who for the past forty years has been spreading the glories of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and His very dear associate Srila Prabhupada all over the world will speak. Srila Jayapatak Swami Maharaj Ki Jai! Thank you very much. [Applause.]

[To receive Mayapurlive lectures by email, write to mayapurlive@pamho.net]

HH Atmanivedana Swami speaks in Mayapur

2011-02-15T21:48:00.000+02:00

Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: February 13th, 2011

Topic: Dhruva Maharaj Goes Back To Godhead

Verse: SB 4.12.11

Speaker: HH Atmanivedana Swami

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sarvatmany acyute 'sarve

tivraugham bhaktim udvahan

dadarsatmani bhutesu

tam evavasthitam vibhum

Translation: Dhruva Maharaja rendered devotional service unto the Supreme, the reservoir of everything, with unrelenting force. While carrying out his devotional service to the Lord, he could see that everything is situated in Him only and that He is situated in all living entities. The Lord is called Acyuta because He never fails in His prime duty, to give protection to His devotees.

Purport: Not only did Dhruva Maharaja perform many sacrifices, but he carried on his transcendental occupation of engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. The ordinary karmis, who want to enjoy the results of fruitive activities, are concerned only with sacrifices and ritualistic ceremonies as enjoined in the Vedic sastras. Although Dhruva Maharaja performed many sacrifices in order to be an exemplary king, he was constantly engaged in devotional service. The Lord always protects His surrendered devotee. A devotee can see that the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]). Ordinary persons cannot understand how the Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, but a devotee can actually see Him. Not only can the devotee see Him outwardly, but he can see, with spiritual vision, that everything is resting in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as described in Bhagavad-gita (mat-sthani sarva-bhutani [Bg. 9.4]). That is the vision of a maha-bhagavata. He sees everything others see, but instead of seeing merely the trees, the mountains, the cities or the sky, he sees only his worshipable Supreme Personality of Godhead in everything because everything is resting in Him only. This is the vision of the maha-bhagavata. In summary, a maha-bhagavata, a highly elevated pure devotee, sees the Lord everywhere, as well as within the heart of everyone. This is possible for devotees who have developed elevated devotional service to the Lord. As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.38), premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena: only those who have smeared their eyes with the ointment of love of Godhead can see everywhere the Supreme Lord face to face; it is not possible by imagination or so-called meditation. [End of Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 4.12.12]

Atmanivedana Swami: So from the pastime of Dhruva Maharaj we understand that originally Dhruva Maharaj had only one desire in his heart. He wanted to achieve a kingdom which is greater than his grandfather. Simply this was so because he was refused to sit on the lap of his father. So we have studied in the previous verses how under the instructions of his mother he knew that the only way he could get this position was by approaching the Supreme Lord. So initially when Dhruva Maharaj was approaching the Supreme Lord with his severe austerities he only had one desire and that was to achieve the greatest kingdom.

After his sever austerities when Dhruva Maharaj was given audience of the Supreme Lord face to face Dhruva Maharaj was completely awe struck by the beauty of the Supreme Lord and the effulgence emanating from Him. He could not say anything but simply fell at the feet of the Lord. When the Lord saw that Dhruva Maharaj was completely surrendered to Him in that spirit He touched his head with the conch. Then Dhruva Maharaj started speaking very beautiful poetry in glorification of the Lord. When all that was finished the Lord said, “Now that you have finished this official business I know that you are performing these austerities for a reason. I know why you were doing that but still I want you to ask for it.”

Dhruva Maharaj at that point was completely purified by the beauty of the Lord and the personal face to face darsan of the Lord that he said, “Now that I have seen You dear Lord all my material desires are vanquished. I have no desire for anything. All I want is your lotus feet.” This is the condition of a soul who gets to see the Supreme lord face to face. All his material desires are completely vanquished from the heart.

Our good fortune is that by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, he introduced us to Krishna consciousness. Not only did he introduce us to Krishna consciousness but he allowed us to have personal vision of the Lord in the form of His deities. So when we see the Supreme Lord in His deity form as described in the scriptures and by saintly persons that He is non-different from the Supreme Lord Himself.

We take darsan of the Lord every day. When we come to Mayapur we take darsan of Sri Sri Radha Madhava. When we are in our respective temples which ever presiding Deities are there we take darsan of those particular deities. They are non-different from the Supreme Lord. We take darsan everyday but it doesn’t have the same effect on our heart as Dhruva Maharaj had when he saw the Supreme Lord face to face. So we would ask, “Why is this condition not in my heart? When I see the Supreme Lord face to face why am I not actually being purified?”

We have to understand that when we see the Supreme Lord unless and until our hearts are very pure and free from all material contamination then only you will see the Lord as he is. Otherwise generally our approach to the Supreme Lord is with the theoretical understanding that here is the Supreme Lord and it is my duty to bow down to Him and I bow down to Him with awe and reverence. But we don’t feel that the Supreme Lord is physically there in His magnificent beauty and in His all perfection. That we don’t see.

It is simply because we have not developed the eyes to see the Lord. In fact in the Bhagavad-gita Krishna is telling Arjuna that, “In order to see My Divine form I have to give you special vision. Only through that you can see.” Generally we are trying to see Krishna with our material eyes. Our material eyes are only equipped to see the material world, not beyond. Our sense perception, through the five senses that we have we can only perceive the material world. We cannot perceive the spiritual nature of the creation, the spiritual understanding, or the spiritual energy. All we can perceive is material.

If we really want to see the Lord then we have to see the Lord in the heart. And that same lord when see in the heart will be manifest in the Deity form. Because when we see the Deity as we are serving the Lord on the altar we become purified by the lord’s mercy that he is allowing us to serve Him and worship Him and offer Him service. Through this service gradually purification will take place and He will begin to reciprocate with the Lord. Unless and until you are serving the Lord you won’t have that reciprocation.

When we see the Lord we are only seeing the form of the Lord. Why is that? Because once you come in the temple room, we bow down to the Lord. After we have bowed down to the lord and we have offered our prayers we ignore Him. Generally in our material situation if you go to see a great person and if he gives you audience with great difficulty then in his presence we are very conscious and aware of him. You will not ignore him.

For example if you go to see the president of this country and only with great difficulty you can get appointment to see him through all the channels. Finally you are in his office. He receives you. He shakes hands with you and offers you a seat. After all the general business is taken care of receiving and social interaction is done then you begin to turn to your colleague and start chatting away and ignore the president it is completely against the protocol.

Similarly he is just a mundane person and because when you see a mundane person you are so much conscious and aware of his presence that your mind is focused on him and you are dealing with him for the business that you have gone to see him for. After the business is finished and you officially say your goodbyes and leave the office then you may get forgetful of him. That is okay. But while in his presence you will not ignore him. You are very conscious of him.

Here the Supreme Lord Himself out of His causeless mercy He is manifest before us. He is giving us His divine audience but we take it for granted. The Lord is giving us His darsan but we don’t reciprocate with Him in that mood. We are always very forgetful. That is why it is very much advised in the scriptures that we practice our devotional service in the mood of constantly trying to understand the Supreme Lord and His mercy which is upon us. Gradually when we develop that then our spiritual life will progress and soon you will see the lord in His beautiful manifestation and He will reciprocate with you.

Sometimes we say that it is very difficult that the Lord does not reciprocate with us. But He does reciprocate with us every day. The only thing is that we do not recognize His reciprocation because we are so conditioned in the material world and with material reciprocation that we are trying to relate the Supreme Lord’s reciprocation with us on a mundane level.

Every day when we have experiences with devotees or in the material world with the non-devotees it is some reciprocation. It is either a physical contact. There is a verbal exchange of words; exchange of gifts; exchange of service. All these things are based on mundane level. It is reciprocation. You may do something for some one. He may do something for you.

Same with the Lord when we are rendering service to Him He is also reciprocating with us. He says very clearly in Bhagavad-gita: ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg 4.11] – “I reciprocate with you as You reciprocate with Me.” So obviously when we are rendering service to the Lord, we are chanting His holy names, we are offering Him prayers, we are offering Him gifts. He is also reciprocating with us. Only thing is that we cannot recognize that because that our condition is such that unless and until the Lord physically comes in front of you and gives you something then you will say, “Oh! Now the Lord has given me His mercy.” Yet ever day he is giving us many things.

He is giving us our prasadam, he is giving us our accommodation to stay, He is making all arrangement for us to live and survive in this world. So all these things are His gifts but we don’t see that as the Lord’s gifts. We think, “This is all mu doing. This is my arrangement and I worked hard for it. Therefore it is I who is the doer.”

Again we understand from our philosophy that it is not you or I who are doing things. It is the Supreme Lord who is the doer. We are only instruments in His hands. Just like in Bhagavad-gita Krishna says, “I am the ability in man.” [BG 7.8] he gives us the ability. It is not that we have the ability. If He withdraws that power from us what do we have? We have no power!

Sometimes we are so proud that, “I am living because I am very healthy and I do everything with my own strength and energy.” But simply the process of breathing – if the Lord withdraws that what happens? We suffocate and we cease to exist anymore. And this sometimes we can experience in our own lives that how helpless a condition we are in without the Lord’s mercy.

I can relate one experience of how I was feeling very helpless. When I was in the Himalayas between Yamunotri and Gangotri after the Yamunotri trip. It was Yamunotri’s appearance day so we were very happy that it was a very auspicious day and we went to Yamunotri. And I heard from many devotees who had already done this journey before that it is a very, very hard journey to get up there. So we went there. Very early in the morning we began our trek to the source of the Yamuna. Somehow by the mercy of the Lord we reached there and we took a bath in the Yamuna River and the hot spring. We took darsan of Yamuna-devi and came down.

The next day I was feeling, “Okay I did it. Why were all the devotees talking about how rough it is and how difficult it is! It was so great.” I was thinking that I prepared for it because prior to going up there every day I was going for a five or six kilometer trek. Not just a leisure walk but fast walking. So I was preparing myself thinking that I was very strong and healthy and I could do anything now. So I was thinking “I” was doing these things. It was very nice.

The next day on our way to Gangotri we were driving up the mountain roads and somehow there was some delay so could not go to the destination in our prescribed time. Somehow we managed to reach Gangotri at around 11.30pm. Everything was very quiet except for the ‘coolies’ there who were waiting for pilgrims to come and they would pounce on them like vultures and try to make as much money out of them as they could.

When our car reached there we told few of the devotees to take out the baggage and prepare. Another devotee and I said we will go and check out the hotels where we are. So as we were walking all the ‘coolies’ were surrounding my other colleague. So I said,” You deal with him. I don’t want to deal with all this.” So they went ahead and at that moment I just collapsed. I collapsed and I could not do anything.

Moments before I was very strong and very healthy! I just fell there on the ground and was unconscious for maybe two hours. As I came to my consciousness I began to feel my body again I grabbed onto the side of the wall and sat up and started breathing. I was thinking, “I was fit but what happened?” in a moment, “Boom!” Krishna showed me that, “You are not what you think you are. I can withdraw this strength from you at any second.”

When I experienced this I was thinking this is something very, very deep thought provoking experience – that Krishna can withdraw His mercy from me at any second if you take it for granted. So we have to be so careful in our position that the mercy of the Lord that has been bestowed upon us, he is bestowing it without a cause. Simply out of His mercy and compassion for the living entity, especially those who are favored by the Supreme Lord although we are not deserving to come to the devotional level He is allowing us to worship Him and come to the platform of devotional service.

Devotional service as Prabhupada explains is not easily granted to anyone. Prabhupada says that with devotion you can actually purchase Krishna. Krishna is known as Ajay. He cannot be conquered by anyone but with devotion He becomes submissive.

We know from the pastimes of Mother Yashoda and Damodara that when Krishna in His baby form was doing mischief, stealing butter and yogurt from the gopis homes all the gopis came to complain to Mother Yashoda. So Mother Yashoda thought that, “Now I am getting a little frustrated with His behavior because every day I am getting so many complaints. Maybe I will have to discipline Krishna a little bit.”

So when she thought, “I will discipline Krishna.” Then she chased Krishna in the courtyard but she could not catch Him. Finally Krishna said, “Okay I will surrender to you since you are my mother and you have so much love and attachment to me. So when Mother Yashoda grabbed hold of baby Krishna then Mother Yashoda said, “Now I am going to tie you to the grinding mortar as punishment.”

She was trying to tie Krishna with rope. We have all heard this pastime many times. Every time she tried to tie Krishna to the grinding mortar the rope was two inches two short. In our experience if we are trying to tie a package or anything with a rope and you find it is a little short you get a longer one. And with the longer one we are hundred percent sure to be successful in tying. But in this case every time she got a longer rope it was always two inches too short.

Mother Yashoda was then feeling in her heart, “How cruel I am. He is my love. He is the joy and pleasure of my heart. How can I punish Him.” Immediately by feeling that her heart was filled with love for Krishna. Tears started coming from her eyes. These tears were not out of frustration that she could not tie Krishna but it was due to her love for Krishna that, “he is my life and soul. He is pleasure. How can I punish Him?” So when Krishna saw these tears from the eyes of Mother Yashoda, “Now Matta you can tie Me because you are not tying me with the rope, mundane material but you are tying me with you rope of love.” So Krishna immediately allowed Himself to be tied.

The second part of the story is that because Krishna had to deliver the two sons of Kuvera who were cursed to be trees. So that is another part. But most important is that here Krishna submits to mother Yasodha to be bound by the rope. And that rope is of love.

Similarly Prabhupada says that anyone who has devotion in their heart they can actually tie Krishna with their love and Krishna has to submit to you. He is the Supreme creator and master of the whole universe and he is submitting to you. So when we are on a devotional platform he submits to us. So it is not an ordinary position. It is a very, very rare position we have got.

This position is simply by the mercy of the pure devotee of the Lord that he sees the living entities suffering in this world and out of his compassion he comes to save us. And he picks us from the ocean of suffering in the filth of this material world and he cleanses us and puts us on a high pedestal of devotion.

When we are doing devotional service according to the scriptures it is said that those who are engaged in devotional service to the lord are worshipped and honored. So we have been granted a very, very honorable position. And we see in our experience that many times those who have understanding of Vedic culture or at least some understanding of dharma when a devotee goes to them they will show you a lot of respect and honor.

They are not showing this because you are some great person or you have your own merit but simply because you have surrendered to the Supreme he is showing you respect. So such a great position we have been given. We cannot take this for granted because at any moment this position can be withdrawn. Once it is withdrawn then you will be suffering in this material world for many, many lifetimes.

Somehow this position has come to us and we should be very, very mindful of this position now and be so careful that we do not do anything that would create a situation where we would lose the mercy of the Lord. Every day our devotion should be so fixed.

Just like in this verse Dhruva Maharaj after performing severe austerities, he was a young five year old boy and when he had audience with the Lord and the lord gave him all the mercy. He did not said, “Now that I have got the Lord’s mercy, I have taken darshan of Him face to face. I am now freed from my bondage I don’t need to do anything. I can just take it easy now because I have reached my goal.” We don’t see that.

Here we see Dhruva Maharaj after all that he went back. He got his kingdom and he was performing his duty as a king taking care of all his citizens or the welfare of everyone to be a proper king. To show everyone what a proper king is and set a proper example of a perfect leader. He was always concerned for the welfare of those who are under him.

Prabhupada also said many times that when somebody is appointed as temple president, Prabhupada said that temple president is not just a managerial position but that now you have been given responsibility by the Lord of all the devotees that are under you to personally take care of them and nurture their spiritual life so that they become fully fixed in the service of the lord. And we have to do everything possible within our powers to encourage all those who are entrusted to us. If we neglect that that would be the greatest disservice to our own spiritual master and to the Supreme Lord because the Supreme Lord is entrusting us.

So similarly here Dhruva Maharaj is entrusted with a kingdom. He was performing sacrifices to ensure that everything is provided for his citizens so that they are not short of anything and they can engage themselves fully in devotional service by his own perfect example. Here it is said that he was setting an example by his own exemplary practices. Not only was he performing sacrifices but he was also engaged in his devotional practices.

Similarly we also have to be in the same position as Dhruva Maharaj to continue increasing our devotional service. It is not something that we have been given we do that and that is it. That is the end of the day. It is not a nine to five job. Something like you go to your place of employment, they employ you and they say the conditions are there and they say, “Okay you work for me from nine to five and at the end of the week we shall give you this much salary.” And that is fixed.

Krishna consciousness is twenty-four seven. Devotional service never ends. Not service ends at all. It is a continuation. And the more and more you become purified in the heart the more and more you understand your real position. Then you will be engaged in more and more service because you have all this clear understanding.

Many times you have heard, jivera 'svarupa' haya -- krsnera 'nitya-dasa.' [Madhya 20.108-109] Eternally we are servants of Krishna. And if you are a servant of Krishna what does that mean? Serve Krishna! And serving Krishna is not a part time job. It is a full time twenty-four-seven.

We see in the example of Hanuman that he was serving the Supreme Lord Rama twenty-four hours a day. In the morning when Lord Ramacandra wakes up hanuman is right there at His feet. He is ready to execute any orders and all through the day he is serving Lord Rama. After Lord Rama’s service is finished and He takes rest in the evening he takes on a second services. He goes onto the roof of the palace and stands guard that nobody will disturb the sleep of his Lord. In the morning when the lord awakes he is down there again.

So when does hanuman sleep? He doesn’t sleep because he is completely fixed in his service to the Supreme Lord. In our position of course we cannot try to imitate Hanuman because you may be able to stay awake for maybe twenty-four hours. Sometimes even that is not possible because we see in our own experience that during japa time, after very enthusiastically chanting and dancing, after Tulasi puja we go Hare Krishna Hare Krishna and drop off. [Laughter.] Even then we are having difficulty staying awake and in the Bhagavatam class we are struggling to stay awake, [Laughter.] because we actually haven’t developed taste to hear the glories of the Lord and also we haven’t yet developed taste to hear the speaker the message. Sometimes the message is so strong that it is directing to us individually.

I have had experience of this. Sometimes while I am sitting in class and the speaker is speaking and I am thinking, “Is he talking to me because the point he is making is very much in tune with me. He is directing to me what I am not doing right. How did he know?” Actually I am receiving that from where I am sitting. I don’t like to hear that. So I say, “I am a perfect person. I am serving Krishna. I have been a devotee for - God knows – eternity. I can hardly remember my past now since I joined.” And I think, “I am perfectly situated now! Why he is talking like this. Why is he giving me this instruction?” So we don’t like to hear that.

The real mood that we should have is if somebody is telling us something that means that Krishna in our heart is instructing through this person. Awaken yourself to these things. You are becoming complacent in your practice of devotional life. As we are progressing in our spiritual life and the longer we are in the movement our enthusiasm should increase ever more and we should be hearing more and more.

Sometimes we say, “Prabhu I have been around for forty years now and you know when I was young, then I was fired up. Now I am getting old. So I have to take it a little easy because you know the body is giving problems with this and that!” But Prabhupada didn’t say that. At the age of seventy he was running around the world opening up centers, saving living entities. You and I he was saving us. He did not say, “Well I am an old man. I just had an heart attack on the way here and you know this is bad news. I cannot do these things.”

Even when he was coming towards America in the bay of Colombo, Sri Lanka side when he suffered his heart attack the captain of the ship, Mr Pandia told Prabhupada, “Swamiji you are very sick now. Better we drop you off here and you make arrangements that you go back to India and take care of your health and your medical needs. Then we shall see what happens after that. I don’t think you should carry on.

Prabhupada said, “No. My business is to go forward. I have a straight mind now. I have to fulfill the order of my spiritual master come what may.’ And we all have experience of reading in Prabhupada Lilamrta and all Srila Prabhupada’s disciples who were with him during those early developing days how vigorously Prabhupada was working day and night. He was not thinking for a moment, “I will need a break.” Devotees were telling Prabhupada, “Please take it easy. Take a break” Prabhupada said, “No time for break. Work now Samadhi later.” He said, “Do it now.”

Here he is setting an example for us and we are thinking, “Oh I will take little break.” I have seen – and this is not a criticism for anyone or any particular center – but devotees are becoming complacent of the causeless mercy which we have received and are thinking, “We are now devotees so our ticket back to Godhead is guaranteed. So I am going back to Godhead anyway so why should I worry about it. I chant my rounds and I do my sadhana. I go out preaching now and then. I am doing my thing okay. So I am not so bad.”

We find devotees like to take holidays. Prabhupada said holiday for a devotees [laughter from audience] that you come to Mayapur for Gaura Purnima and you absorb yourself in the dham. And what do you do in the dham? Eat pizza? [Laughter.] No you come to the dham to associate with the devotees. You hear. So many devotees are here. So much realization is in their hearts. You exchange your thoughts.

The nectar of Instruction says devotees exchange their views with other devotees to enrich their hearts, their devotion, their understanding. Then you go to the places of pilgrimage where different divine pastimes of the Lord took place and revive those pastimes in your heart by being in the actual place were these wonderful pastimes took place and energize yourself with spirituality.

So when you return to your respective places that you are so fueled with this transcendental spiritual energy that you want to go and give the mercy t others. If what you have received you give, it increases many fold. If what you receive you keep, you are miserly, you become stagnated and then you lose that mercy.

Prabhupada never did that. Prabhupada never took holidays so why we are doing that? Why we are not following in the mood of being engaged all the time? It is because we are very complacent thinking, “I am done now. I am saved.’ This is not saved yet. Prabhupada said the only time you are saved is that last breath you take and say, “Hare Krishna” and you go. Then you can consider, “I have done it.” Up to that point you have never done it.

I will give two examples from personal experience. In 1993 when I was suffering from some neck problem they had to operate on me. So the doctor and one councilor came to me and they were counseling me. They were saying that, “We are going to prepare you for the operation but before we take you in you have to do two things. One is the procedure were we have to explain to you the fear of death.” So they were asking me, “Are you afraid of death?” I said, “No. what death. Death is taking place every day. I may die today or tomorrow, what is the problem?” So I started preaching to them from Bhagavad-gita. [Laughter from audience.]

After half an hour of me preaching from Bhagavad-gita they said, “This is our job to tell you and you are telling us.” [Laughter from audience.] I said, “Yes because my spiritual master is so kind to me that he showed me my real position. So I am not fearful of death. My only fear is that at the moment of death I only want to remember Krishna. Other than that I have no fear whether I die today or tomorrow. It does not matter because we all have got to go so why must I worry about it? The only thing we should worry about is whether I will think of Krishna when I leave my body.”

After that they said, “Now you have to sign these consent forms. There is ninety-three percent chance you will be okay but there is seven percent chance that you may die. If you die we are not the cause of it.” So you have to sign otherwise they will be sued not by me but by someone else [Laughter from audience.] who will take advantage of my position.

So I signed everything and I requested the doctor, “Before I go into unconscious state when you give anesthetic tell me how long does it take for anesthetic to take effect?” So he said, “This is the latest anesthetic. As soon as we put the tube in your hand within less than a second you will go.” I said, “Let me know when you are doing that.” So when he was doing it he said, “Now we are doing it Mr. …” So I said, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna.” I did not even finish the mantra and I was gone. [Laughter from audience.]

Five hours later the nurse was trying to slap me on my cheek to bring me back to consciousness and I am going, “ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ [Laughter and applause from audience.] So I felt very good. Then I asked her, I said, “Nurse, when they are going to operate on me.’ She said, “Operation is already done. You have been out for already five hours.” And I thought, “My God when I chanted Hare Krishna and when I finished with Hare Rama there was five hour gap in between [Laughter from audience.] but I was feeling very confident that Srila Prabhupada said Krishna takes care of you if you surrender to Him. So I was feeling very happy.

I was thinking that if I died at least I would have been half way through my mantra. So seeing the mantra was buzzing in my mind so when I came to consciousness I continued chanting. So I said, “Okay if I had gone that time no worries!” One minute here and the next minute in the spiritual world! So I was quite happy but then as I explained in 2008 when I was in the Himalayas and had this problem that I collapsed, at that point no Hare Krishna!

I was thinking, “My God, Krishna saved me here because if at this moment I had left my body because I was in Gangotri where you chant you can go back to Godhead I was not thinking of Krishna.” As I came back to consciousness I grabbed my mala and said Hare Krishna. Just in case I die now [Laughter from audience.] I am going to chant Hare Krishna.

Then all night because I had heart attack and there was no medication or anything, I was suffering from heart pain and I went Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. It was cold and very uncomfortable because I knew if I go there is no medical help now here in the mountains. If I am going to die at least I am going to die chanting Hare Krishna. I was chanting, chanting, chanting. But it was a little too late because just moments before when the incident happened I was not chanting.

The experience in 1993 was quite nice full of confidence that Krishna is protecting me. I can chant Hare Krishna. Even though I could have died there I was chanting but years later I am in a different situation. So that was my own proof that don’t take things for granted. Whatever we have is simply by the mercy of the Lord. It is not something that we can take very lightly. And the ability to chant His holy names is also by the mercy of the Lord. If he doesn’t allow us to chant we can’t chant.

We experience this in our preaching that we request someone, “Please chant Hare Krishna.’ “What?” “Just say Hare Krishna.” He doesn’t want but his good fortune is that at least he won’t say something from his mouth but his ears are open and the sound vibration goes to the core of his heart and he can at least hear the chanting of Hare Krishna.

We all know that sravanam is the highest principle. So that would help him to begin his devotional life. In my own example that I gave I was full of confidence thinking that if I die know it is okay. There is no problem but it did not happen. And another thing is I will share with you is that in 1996 after the experience in 1993 during which I was quite happy that I chanted Hare Krishna and was fully protected, going back to Godhead. 100% guaranteed.

In 19996 two other devotees and I were going in an auto rickshaw and all of a sudden I don’t know what happened the auto rickshaw slipped and there was a truck in front and Dehli buses are not known for their good brakes. There was a bus right behind us and we could have been squashed. There was no doubt that we would have died. But at that point of impact when that happened I was discussing with my friend that, “My God even in Dehli they have a Bank of Japan. And if at that moment I had left my body I don’t know where the hell I would be, thinking of Japan. [Laughter from audience.] Maybe I would be born as a Japanese somewhere. But there was no Krishna!

So any moment any incident can happen. Are we ready? So we should be like Dhruva Maharaj here – fully engaged in devotional service. Every opportunity we get should be fully engaged so that we don’t get complacent in our practice and be thinking, “Okay I am in Krishna consciousness now. I am here for so many years. What can happen now? Nothing can happen now. I can carry on with what I have been doing.” But it is not a question of carrying on in our spiritual life. It is a question of making progress every day. And this progress is not something like you physically see like you plant a seed in the ground and you see a little sprout coming out and soon it is growing into a big tree. And you say, “Wow. The big tree is progress.”

This is not something physical or something external. It is something internal. It is a change of consciousness. It is a change of heart and how the heart is becoming more and more pure so that the soul is free from all material contamination and all desires. If still after forty years of chanting Hare Krishna and you still have desire for something material then you should be a very, very worried man because even a slight desire for something material will throw you off. You have to stay back. You are going full speed ahead by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and his transcendental work. Krishna consciousness, Iskcon is going all the way to the spiritual world. We are passengers in the boat but one small desire you have to go overboard. You journey stops here even though you were on full swing.

So we should not create anything which will bar us from going forward in continuing our journey. We should always be thinking that, “I want to make progress.” And then as you become more and more purified in the heart your desire to do more service will increase. And if our desire for service doesn’t increase then we should be again very worried.

Sometimes when service does come to us we are not too enthusiastic to do it. We say, “Why not ask this devotee? He is free. He should do it.” Very kind of you but [Laughter from audience.] but that devotee will make progress and you will not be making progress. So something has come o you by the mercy of the Lord and you are saying, “No thank you! I am okay.”

At the time of death when Krishna says, “I am okay.”Are you okay because you are not going to remember Him. So we have to be in a position that constantly we are remembering the Supreme Lord and praying to Him and through the prayer only we can remember Him. It is not that simply by just chanting the holy names with our japa mala because when we are chanting our japa we are very, very happy. When we get initiated, when we receive our japa mala we are going Hare Krishna Hare Krishna very proudly. “I am initiated disciple now, chanting sixteen rounds every day. Hare Krishna. The counter beads are more important to us than the japa mala. Japa mala is an instrument to chant Hare Krishna. But counter bead now to say the last bead has gone down. “I am finished for the day.” No more chanting. But Prabhupada very cleverly said it is the minimum requirement. He did not say this is the maximum requirement. [Laughter from audience.] Maximum requirement is different thing. You have done your maximum. Okay you have reached the top. But it is the minimum.

At least once you have finished that minimum requirement hen you have to do more. This is just the basic qualification required. Not that it is a qualification itself. It is allowing us to just enter into the spirit of devotion. So when we are in the mood that we have finished our sixteen rounds for the day, that means my chore for the day is finished and now I can relax and do anything else. We will be in terrible trouble if we do that because as I said that any incident could take place at any moment, anytime or any place. The question is are we ready? If we are not then we are in big trouble.

So we should always be thinking and praying to the Lord, Dear Lord please allow me to chant You holy names every day.” Our prayer and our crying from the heart should be like that. That is why Prabhupada says that we should be crying to Krishna. When he is explaining in the talk on the Hare Krishna mantra he says that one should cry from the heart like a child crying for his mother.

The child crying for the mother is out of his hopelessness, “Mother I need help here. I need feeding, I need cleaning.” He can’t sleep, he can’t do anything. He cries, “Mum I need feeding.” Because he is a child. He is still helpless. We should be cultivating that helplessness in our mood. But sometimes as I said I am a fully grown man. How can I be helpless? Because we think we can do everything on our own but nothing can be done.

So our prayer to Krishna should be in that helpless mood. And when we show that helplessness to Krishna then out of His kindness he puts a helping and towards us. “Okay I will help you out here.” But if we do not then, on the one hand we say, “Krishna help, Krishna help.” And on the other we say, “I can do it on my own also. So then Krishna says, “Why come to me then. Why waste My time?”

Krishna does not have time to waste. No He is has got the whole universe to run! It is for us to be in the mood of helplessness. If we make our prayers in helplessness the Krishna will reciprocate with us and we will feel genuine connection with Krishna and we will fell that He is there with us at every moment and every step. He is not abandoning us in any way. Although Krishna never abandons us in any way, only we abandon Him.

When we are engaged in some maya then we abandon Him. We are thinking, “Krishna You stay here for a while. I’ll finish my business here and then I can come back to You and say, ‘Okay Krishna now I want to be with you.’ ” Krishna is so kind that even if you go away and come back He will say, “Okay I will let you back in.” But after some time after doing that sometimes we stay out and never come back.

So we have to be very, very conscious as this purport says Dhruva Maharaj was constantly engaged in his devotional practice. So we should not be neglectful of our devotional practice but always endeavor to continue to pray to Prabhupada and Krishna that, “Please allow me to engage.” And we should make many, many arrangements for our own devotional practices. There is no such thing that there is something that you have done and that is it. You have done your maximum but nothing stops. If some project is there and you have finished, start a new project. If your service is finished you start a new one. Continue!

The mood of continuation will allow us to think about Krishna all the time. Then we can think of Krishna at every moment because we are fully engaged directly in some service or reading or chanting or studying. If you perfect you devotional life even in sleep you will be thinking of Krishna instead of nightmares. If you have nightmare you know that you are not completely there yet. But if you have very nice dreams about Krishna serving the Lord and His devotees then you know that you are making some head way.

This is our mood. So we should take this lesson from Dhruva Maharaj. We should appreciate the mercy we receive from the Supreme Lord and from His pure devotee and we should guard that very carefully so that we do not get complacent in spiritual life and make progress. Thank you very much for allowing me to share my thoughts with you. Does anybody have any comments or any questions?

Prabhu: Thank you very much Maharaj for the very nice lecture. We should not take our devotional service very lightly. And you have related your own experience also. My question is that if we have to put so much effort to continue our devotional life to reach our goal of Krishna prema, if we have to remember Krishna all of the time even if we are not able to and we have to do so many activities to engage ourselves in Krishna consciousness to attain Krishna’s mercy then how we can understand that Krishna’s mercy is causeless?

HH Atmanivedana Swami; Krishna’s mercy is causeless. The thing is if you appreciate something that is good then you will want to do something more for Krishna. A mundane example is if you are struggling in the material world and somebody say, “You are struggling for your basic survival, I will give you a good house and I will give you a good job.” That person is very kind and compassionate to you by relieving you of all this difficulties won’t you feel indebted to him and do more for him?

Similarly Krishna is doing so much for us. Shouldn’t we feel indebted to Krishna and say, “Krishna, You have done so much for me can I do anything more for You?” So that is why we are doing more. It is our reciprocation with the Lord. The more Krishna does for us the more indebted we feel towards Him and the more we want to do for Him. This is spiritual transcendental reciprocation between the Supreme Lord and His devotee. The devotee does not feel that he is doing anything more.

He always feels that, “I am so inadequate that I am not doing enough to please Krishna. It is not that we cannot understand Krishna’s causeless mercy. Krishna’s causeless mercy is there but it is a question of reciprocating once we appreciate what Krishna has done for us and how we are going to repay that debt or how we are going to reciprocate with Him. This debt we can never repay. So we should always feel inadequate that even though I am doing so much it is not enough. I should always s do a little more to feel pleased in my heart that I am doing my best. Krishna looks at that.

Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaj. How can we increase our enthusiasm in Krishna consciousness?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: Best way to increase our enthusiasm in Krishna consciousness is to associate with those devotees who are fully engaged with enthusiasm. If we are with them then our enthusiasm also increases. If we are associating with those that are not very enthusiastic and fully absorbed in devotional service then we seek out good help from devotees. There are very many devotees who are enthusiastic. We seek their shelter and their association. In their association you will develop enthusiasm. That is the best way.

So we have any time restriction?

Mataji; No.

Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaj. In this verse maha-bhagavat he sees Krishna everywhere. You gave the example that you where in an auto rickshaw and you saw the Bank of Japan or when you where in the Himalayas you were relaxing and you were not chanting at that time so you said maybe you did not remember Krishna but the maha-bhagavat would he see the auto rickshaw, the Bank of Japan, would he see everything as Krishna?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: There is a difference between the maha-bhagavat described here by Srila Prabhupada. The maha-bhagavat sees everything in relation to Krishna. So even if he sees the Bank of Japan he will not think that this is Japanese bank but he will see how it is related to Krishna. A maha-bhagavat sees everything in relation to Krishna. As we have explained, Krishna is within and without. So he sees Krishna everywhere.

Just like as it is said here the mountain, the trees, the wonderful scenery, everything is Krishna but we cannot see that. We see from a mundane point of view nice tree, nice river or mountain, water is flowing there from the waterfalls. We see a beautiful scenery but we do not see that this is an act of Krishna. This is Krishna’s beauty. Because Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, “I am the taste of water, I am the smell of earth.’ All of these things! But when you smell the fragrance of fresh soil we don’t think of Krishna. Krishna is saying, “I am the fragrance of earth. I am that taste in water.’ When you are thirsty, when you are appreciating a glass of water to quench your thirst do you think, “Wow. Krishna!” You don’t see but a maha-bhagavata he sees everything in relation to Krishna That is the difference. So we have to be of that understanding training to see everything in relation and nothing is separate from Krishna.

Prabhu: Our philosophy is acintya bheda-and-abheda-tattva—simultaneous oneness and different. So this I think comes in oneness. The perception that this is Radha and Krishna. Everything that is within the perception of the maha-bhagavat. Let me ask for a Mayavadi what is the ultimate reality and he would say Brahman. And if somebody were to ask us what is the ultimate state of reality do we say Krishna, love of Krishna? Do we say this?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: We say the Supreme Lord is the ultimate. The Mayavadi says the Brahman effulgence, impersonal concept. But that is because his relation is to that point. Each one will perceive that Lord differently according to you realization. That is why Prabhupada says that you see the Lord as the Lord of energy in an impersonal way or you see Him as the Supersoul, localized aspect in the heart or Paramatma or you see Supreme Bhagavan with full opulence. Each one according to your development of consciousness and your relation with the Lord according to that you will see that and he has described that. It is not that you are stuck there. Gradually you will develop and you will see better. The point that we are trying to make is that a maha-bhagavata sees everything in relation to Krishna. Everything is not separated from Krishna.

We in the material world think that everything is material and everything is separate from Krishna. That is the only problem. So by understand from scriptures and from great saintly persons through our own practice and understanding we shall see how everything is so beautifully arranged by the Lord’s mercy. The sun is rising every morning. It is not coming by some mechanical process. It is purely by the mercy of the Lord and His arrangement.

Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaj. Thank you very much especially for pointing out that it is not sufficient to carry on but we should make progress also. I have a question. How do we know that we are trying our best in our endeavors?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: You have to try your best. If you endeavor for something if you just do you normal best then that is the result you will get but if you give your hundred percent, you have to know that you are trying your best. “I am giving my everything, my last energy, my last drop of blood I am giving.” If you feel comfortable with that then that is your best. I cannot judge which your best is. Only you will know what your best is. This is why we are all individually situated. If I am doing some act of service am I giving my best? Am I eager to complete that task, whatever the task is? Am I doing it with full vigor and energy?

In Krishna consciousness as I said the mood is that you are helpless and in our helplessness we just try our best. Keep doing it, keep doing it! Only you can know what your best is. I cannot describe what is one’s best because each individual knows their own capacity. They know their own ability their own desire in the heart. How much I can give to Krishna. Yes Prabhu.

HG Sruta Kirti Prabhu: With regards to this question asking how we know we are doing our best…if we are not doing our best. In a couple of books Srila Prabhupada along those lines Prahladananda dasa brahmacari one time asked Prabhupada, “Am I choosing Krishna or am I choosing maya?” He said, “You are always choosing maya.” This was very earlier on in his Krishna consciousness. Later on Giriraj Maharaj said, “Srila Prabhupada sometime I feel like I am in maya.” Prabhupada turned to him and said, “Sometimes?” So even when you are giving your best it is most likely that those that are giving a 110% to Krishna they are thinking they are not giving their best.

HH Atmanivedana Swami: Yes well we have to learn from Bhaktivinode Thakur who is understood to be a maha bhagavata. No question about it. But when we read the prayers of Bhaktivinode Thakur he in his heart out of humility is saying, “I am so bereft of love for Radha and Krishna. I have no love for Them.” But when we look at the prayer or just four lines of bhajan which we sing every day, Jaya Radha Madhava it has got such a deep powerful meditation that all the five kinds of relationship and all the major pastimes of the Lord are in these four lines. So powerful! And only someone who has tremendous love for Krishna can do that. But he is saying that, “I am like a worm in the stool.” So he is feeling very insignificant.

When we are making advancement then we really see our position as completely insignificant, not that we are something. As soon as you think, “I am something. I have achieved something.” Then we are in complete maya or illusion because in the entire cosmic creation we can think what our position is. According to the scriptures our position is very simple. We are one tenth thousand the tip of a hair and that is practically insignificant.

In relationship to the cosmos just this planet earth, what is our position? 6 billion human being walking around this planet earth and I am one of that 6 billion. What is my position in relation to the 6 billion never mind all the other billions and trillions of entities? So I am insignificant. When you begin to think that you are something or you are making achievements then you are going down the wrong path.

The more advancement one makes, the more one endeavors for Krishna consciousness he sees himself as totally insignificant. He only becomes significant when you are in connection to Krishna because you are then connected to that Supreme one. And you and me are something because it is standing next to that One otherwise if you take that one out zero is zero. Any mathematician will tell you a billion zeros put together is still zero. Zero plus zero is zero. Zero times zero is zero. Zero minus zero is zero. Any we are zero but we become something when we are at the lotus feet of Krishna. His mercy allows us to be something if he desires but from our point of view from where we are standing we always think because I am next to Krishna I am still zero. But Krishna sees, “He is next to me . He is my devotee.” That is the difference.

We will take one last question.

Prabhu: The question is the location of our Supersoul. Maharaj you said in your lecture that the Supersoul is situated in the heart of the living entity and just recently I heard an expression that the soul of the soul. Like the first soul is the Supersoul. The soul, like sometimes we say the soul of this body, then I heard an expression the soul of the soul. And from this expression I was thinking of the oneness of the soul and Paramatma that it is united in a sense but then it is next to each other. They are side by side or is it that they are within the heart of the living entity?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: First of all you mentioned that the soul and the Supersoul is within the region of the heart. It is not specifically in the heart. It is in the region of the heart. Now we can debate about that. It still doesn’t matter. Scripture says it is there.

Secondly Prabhupada explains that there is citation from the Vedas were there are two birds sitting on the tree. One is eating the fruits and the other is observing. Prabhupada said the observing bird is the Paramatma and the bird eating the fruit is the living entity engaged in material activities. So obviously it is two different things. You can never merge it. This is the Mayavadi concept that we merge into one so that we lose our identity. Prabhupada is very clear about this thing. He is saying, “No. The living entity is an individual spark. Although he is coming from the Supreme soul but he does not merge to become one. He is still independent.

Prabhu: The expression of the soul of the soul.

HH Atmanivedana Swami: I don’t know where this expression the soul of the soul. It is only the soul not that the soul has a soul also. This body has a soul. That is you and me. I am the soul but my soul doesn’t have a soul.

Prabhu: Your soul doesn’t have a soul?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: No. because I am the soul.

Prabhu: But our soul is simultaneously one and different.

HH Atmanivedana Swami: yes but that does not mean that the soul has a soul. The body has a soul. I have never found any description anywhere in the scriptures that says that the soul has a soul or the Supersoul has another soul. No. Prabhupada said that the Supreme Lord Krishna is complete. He is not like me that His hand and leg – everything is one, but at the same time it has form. It is no like some jelly or something, some light or some energy.

Prabhu: are they side by side?

HH Atmanivedana Swami: Yes. That is what scriptures are saying. You have to accept that.

I think time is up. Thank you very much. Mataji, one last question or comment. [End of recording.]

[To receive Mayapurlive lectures by email, write to mayapurlive@pamho.net]

Harinam sankirtana ki. Jai!

2011-02-08T11:39:00.000+02:00

Last Saturday a small group of us went on harinam and book distribution in Johannesburg.

When on harinam you never know the potency of chanting or being an instrument of the holy name. Seen in the above picture dressed in orange is Pabalo. She told me that when she was in high school in the 1990's she saw a harinam party at this very location and gazed at them in admiration. Now years later she is courting a devotee who brought her to the harinam.

Lokanath Prabhu, harinam organiser on clay mrdanga and Nrsimhananda Prabhu on Tilak mrdanga.

These onlookers could not resist dancing with the devotees.

The busy shoppers could not escape the market place of the holy name. All we have to do is simply vibrate this transcendental sound.

Distributors of the holy name danced a lot in the streets attracting much attention.

Damodara Prasad Prabhu distributed books too. Distributing books in English to the native Africans is blissful experience. I took along a bag filled with "Chant and be Happy". On my way from the elevator to the car two musicians greeted me with a loud Hare Krishna and asked for a copy of 'Science of Self Realization'. My bag was empty but we exchanged phone numbers and arranged to meet up next time we go on harinam.

Anna, in brown T-shirt got to play kartalas for the first time. She managed the beat quiet well.

Srila Prabhupada's books in English were well received.

Many people were videoing and taking photographs of the devotees. We pray that whoever watches these clips get to hear the holy names too!

We pray that we may be of increased service to this sankirtana mission of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. _/\`o_

Grains cooked by non devotees

2010-12-22T08:32:00.002+02:00

The Hare Krishna Movement is sometimes called “the kitchen religion” because devotees place great importance on cooking for Krishna, honoring (eating) prasadam, His sanctified remnants, and distributing them to others. However sometimes as aspirant devotees and due to lack of preparation temptation is there to serve grains cooked by non devotees in devotee gatherings. Below are some interesting quotes I find inspiration from in my endeavors to eat and distribute only prasadam.

Grains cooked by nondevotees are particularly contaminated. The Kurma Purana says that all the sins of a man remain in the grain; therefore when one eats the foodstuff offered by another, he eats his sins as well. Once Srila Prabhupada was given bread cooked by nondevotees. Next day he requested, "Please do not give me bread cooked by nondevotees. It gave me nightmares. All the vibrations and thoughts of those who cook grains enter into it." When Srila Prabhupada was asked if sankirtana devotees in Germany could eat karmi bread, he replied that this is not permitted except in an emergency (TD 1 p.330.) This also applies to karmi biscuits, cakes and similar foods.

Other rules are that one should not offer foodstuff which is cooked by a non-Vaisnava, one should not worship the Deity before a nondevotee, and one should not engage himself in the worship of the Lord while seeing a nondevotee.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => NoD 8: Offenses to Be Avoided

Regarding the Christmas Day meal with your family, I do not think you should partake of the food prepared by non-devotees. Better you should prepare your own foodstuffs and offer to Krishna and then, if you like, you may offer these remnants to Lord Jesus. I think that Lord Jesus will also appreciate this. Of course you may sit down with your family and take fruits and milk which they offer but rather than taking the foods which they have prepared, you may prepare and offer your own prasadam for Lord Krishna, and then offer the same to Lord Jesus.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968

In Bhagavad-gita Krsna describes eating unoffered food as tantamount to eating mouthfuls of sin. And in Caitanya-caritamrta Srila Prabhupada explains that especially contaminating to the consciousness are grains cooked by nondevotees. In fact, he says, you take on the sinful karma of the person who cooked the food. That's an extra burden we'd do well to avoid.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Purity On The Job

Manimanjari Dasi: "The next morning, while we were taking breakfast, Hamsaduta came to the prasadam room and told us that Srila Prabhupada had asked about the devotees' menu on sankirtana. When told that we bought rolls and bread from the bakeries, Prabhupada became concerned. He instructed Hamsaduta to tell us that under no circumstances should we eat grains prepared by nondevotees. Rather, the temple should bake bread or make capatis that the devotees can take with them.
"We didn't think about using yeast to raise the dough. Our first attempts at baking bread were unsuccessful. Because Germans can't live without their daily ration of fresh baked, crunchy bread, Srila Prabhupada was consulted about our using yeast. When he heard that yeast is the dried form of a single-celled fungus, he said it was all right, but that we shouldn't offer the bread to the Deities."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SPDG 14: Prabhupada at Schloss Rettershof

Lord Caitanya warned that eating the food of materialistic people will pollute the mind; thus we will not be able to remember Krsna and our life will be spoiled. Grains cooked by nondevotees are especially contaminating. If we can take nice prasada, what is the need for anything else? Even when out traveling, we should take care not to sacrifice our standards for the sake of convenience. Srila Prabhupada: "Food prepared by an unclean, sinful man or woman is extremely infectious."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => BIKC 40: Giving Up Nondevotional Attachments

Food prepared by an unclean, sinful man or woman, especially a prostitute, is extremely infectious. Ajamila ate such food, and therefore he was subject to be punished by Yamaraja.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 6.1.67

Jihva-vegam- "The only way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is the old American quotation. The lusty desires of the cook are transferred through the food to the mind of the waiting recipient; the wicked desires of the hotel's cook are also readily available in the fancy prepared dishes. The heart is an open receptacle for the wicked and lusty desires of the cooks who prepare foodstuff's, which encourage sinful activities, save and except the foodstuffs prepared by the hands of the ardent devotee of the Lord for the exclusive pleasure of the Lord, the remnants of which are distributed and shared with great relish after being offered to the Lord by the devotee. One who can, with all the determination at his command, remove all desires for tasting anything but Sri Krsna's divine remnants can alone be called an acarya.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhuvanesvara

May you find inspiration in the above as I have. Hare Krishna.

Health Update - HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami

2010-12-21T15:12:00.002+02:00

The following is a message from Maharaja's disciple:

"Thank u all for your prayers. Maharaj is recovering well. He is sitting up without the brace and will be discharged tomorrow. Despite his condition he is determined to continue preaching and travel as scheduled. He will leave to Cape Town soon. He is still in a lot of pain. Doctors believe the blackouts were due to a too high dossage of medication. Please continue to keep him in your prayers." [from Deva Deva Prabhu]

Please Pray for HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami

2010-12-21T08:21:00.002+02:00

Dear devotees,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Earlier this morning, HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj fell due to blacking out and was severely hurt. Maharaj suffered a fracture in his back and cuts at the back of his head. He is currently in a hospital in Port Elizabeth.

Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj is in caring hands and in a very good hospital. When I called there a short while ago, Maharaj was chanting his rounds.

As I get updates on Maharaj's condition, we will let you know. In the meantime, please keep Maharaj in your thoughts and pray for his speedy recovery.

Hare Krishna.

May this find you well.

Your servant,
Swarup Damodar Das

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 14th Nov 2010, Iskcon, Johannesburg, South Africa

2010-11-15T15:43:00.003+02:00

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 17th Oct 2010, Iskcon, Johannesburg, South Africa

2010-10-25T09:43:00.003+02:00

Questions from me to the Vaisnavas

2010-10-22T19:08:00.003+02:00

Dear Vaisnavas,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I was wondering if anyone can tell me if Srila Prabhupada advocated the worship of Yasoda Damodara in his physical presence. I heard that he said it is not necessary to put Yasoda Damodara and that we can offer lamps to Sri Sri Radha Damodara.

Seems like he never introduced worship of baby Krishna like Vallabha Sampradaya does. Also did Srila Prabhupada install any Laddu Gopal Deities? [different subject.]

I would also like to know where to find footage of Srila Prabhupada during Iskcon's first Kartik. Is it in the 'Following Prabhupada' series?

Looking forward to your enlightening responses.

Thank you.

Hare Krishna.

Namamrta Program in Nairobi, Kenya

2010-10-01T12:13:00.004+02:00

Last week Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC] offered the Namamrta program in Nairobi, Kenya. Both Co-international directors of BCEC, HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami and HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu served as co-facilitators. The program was held over four days and included harinams as well as an indept study of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's instructions on the chanting of the holy name. The apt venue for the program was Iskcon Nairobi.

Participants in this program commented that this opportunity made them relish and understand the great gift that Srila Prabhupada has given. Indeed his centers in the material world are synonymous with an oasis in the desert.

Comments from attendees are as follows:

HG Umapati Prabhu, the temple president of Iskcon Nairobi commented that, "This program is directly presenting what Srila Prabhupada gave to us. I have truly benefited in understanding the need for attentive chanting."

HG Mahaman Prabhu, the temple president of Iskcon Mombasa also attended the program in full and commented, "I have been guided through this program how to chant the holy names offenselessly. I find this program to be so beneficial that my suggestion is that it be held atleast two to four times every year."

Yogesh C Rawal said, "I truly appreciate the guidance on how to overcome the obstacles in approaching Sri Krishna through His holy names."

Many others said that their lamentation was that they did not get to attend a course like this earlier in their devotional lives and felt that this program afforded them guidance on how to build a firm foundation for spiritual progress.

His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami facilitates a session.

Many participants took days off from work to attend.

Class of Iskcon Nairobi Namamrta level one program.

Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Bankibehari

Their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

Their Lordships Sri Sri Sita Ram, Laxman, Hanuman

Students share during a session.

The Deities in the pics above are all from Iskcon Nairobi. The Temple there has three altars, a beautiful life size deity of Srila Prabhupada, a very nice sweet shop, classrooms for BCEC courses, three storey guesthouse and appartment rooms on the premises where grhasta rent at a good rate. About 30 devotees attend mangalarati daily and about 60 attend Deity greetings and Guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada. During the day many guests attend aratis. On Saturdays a special program is facilitated for the local Kenyans with class in the local dialect, kirtan and sumptuous prasad. Regular Sunday programs also attract huge crowds. All glories to Iskcon's founder acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

HH Jayapataka Swami speaks on Jhulan Yatra

2010-08-24T16:38:00.001+02:00

Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: August 21st, 2010 - Dvadasi
Verse: Special class on Jhulan Yatra
Speaker: HH Jayapataka Swami
________________________________________
mukam karoti vacalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande
sri-gurum dina-taranam

paramananda madhava
sri caitanya isvaram
hari om tat sat

Special class on Jhulan Yatra

I don't know if I can speak for one hour on this but I will try.

Some appropriate verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam should be selected.
[Devotee: You want it know?]

So in India this Jhulan Yatra is a very important festival. It is done in
the rainy season. In India it is the rainy season. So here in the rainy
season it is a bit humid and sticky. At that time we like to have a little
breeze. So the idea is that swinging Radha Krishna will create a breeze. In
different parts of Vrindavan they observe the Jhulan Yatra. Some do for
thirteen days, some do for four days - all different. According to
Prabhupada's instruction we start yesyerday on Ekadasi and we go until the
Purnima. How many of you went the Jhulan Yatra at the Gurukul? So many
didn't go there. …You should go . It is a good opportunity to do some
personal seva for the Deities. There is lights all the way. You may think
it for some wedding or something. No. It is for the Jhulan Yatra. Radha
Madhava Ki Jai!

Raharani went to meet her parents. Her father is the King of the Varsana
Hill and Her mother as the Queen. So His name was Vrsabhanu and her name
was Kirtida. Vrsabhanu and Kirtida. Her brother was Sridama. She went to
her home to see her mother and father at the time of Jhulan Yatra. In the
lila when She is in parikiya rasa She externally has a mother-in-law and
sister-in-law. Jotila was the mother-in-law an she said, "No. No. You
shouldn't go." Then Radharani was crying, "I want to go and see My mother
and father." Some gifts were sent to here by Vrsabhanu Maharaja. So she
gave these gifts to Jotila. Jotila was happy to get all these gifts. So she
said, "Okay. You can go just for a short time. And watch out for that
black-faced boy of Nandagram, Krishna! He always creates some problems.
Watch out for him."

Then no one was coming to pick her up and She can't go alone. "Oh they
forgot Me, they forgot Me!" Then the news was given to Vrsabhanu Maharaj
and Kirtida. So they sent Sridama right away. "Bring your sister here." So
She was so happy to see Her father and mother. They embraced Her and were
very happy. So Krishna gave in some disguise. So Radharani was sitting on
the swing alone and He was pushing Her. So He began to push Her very
strongly. She was always taking shelter of Krishna in danger. So She
shouted, "Krishna! Krishna save Me!" Then Krishna came and sat by her side.
She embraced Krishna. So Krishna likes this festival because Radharani hugs
Him out of Her own desire. Otherwise He has to do so many tricks to get
Radharani to embrace Him. In this festival She does it naturally.

So this is the Jhulan festival. We get a chance to pull the Deity everyday.
Actually swing festival is observed in various temples around the world.
Iskcon observes, apart from Iskcon other temples also have a swing festival
but the tradition within Iskcon is that everybody gets a chance to swing
Radha and Krishna. So this great opportunity to do some personal seva to
the Deities. Although we see the Deity we may not be able to do some
service. Only the pujaris do. In Jhulan yatra we can pull the Deities, we
can swing Them. Aren't you happy to do this service? [Haribol] Whether you
are initiated or not initiated, whether you are man or woman, young or old,
everybody gets a chance to swing the Deities. [Haribol!] So this is a very
nice festival. You found the sloka? Tenth canto.

So one year I took the safari group and we went to Vrindavan. So I thought
it takes about one month to go by foot but in jeep it was covered in a
week. So when we got to Varsana then we couldn't proceed further. We felt
so blissful there that we spent two days there. There at the village of
Citra devi we lived there for one day. There the monkeys come in a queue
and they drink buttermilk. So the main person of the village he invited all
of the safari devotees and he personally gave them this buttermilk to
drink. There we hade darsan of Krishna kund. We saw the Madhumangal's
meeting place baithak (?) it is called, sitting place. We also went to the
temple of Radha and Krishna doing the peacock dance. They say the picture
was painted four hundred years ago by a blind artist. You may wonder how
can a blind man make such a beautiful painting. They don't allow anyone to
take a photo. So we heard the pastime how Radharani and the gopis They
watched a peacock dance. So Krishna said, "You are not watching Me? Will
you watch Me? You are watching a peacock!" "The peacock is dancing. You are
not dancing." So He went and started dancing with the peacock. So how is
that Radharani said, "All right you are dancing but the peacock is better."
So then Krishna danced again. He said, "How is that?" So Radharani said,
"Well You did better but still the peacock is better than You." Then He
really danced so nice that Radharani also danced with Him. So She took the
role of peahen and He danced like a peacock.
Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Syam!

So we heard to many pastimes. We went to the forest. So they say that those
who build a house they will live eternally on this. So we all built a
little house there. [Question: Where they live eternally?]

There was a house and they say that Radharani used to stay in that house
sometimes. So there one poor brahamana came. He said, "I want to marry my
daughter but I have no money to give as dowry." So Krishna said, "I am a
poor cowherd boy. I don't have anything. I only have Radharani. So you can
have Her." So all the gopis said, "Oh no!!!" How can you give Radharani?"
So He said, "Well you can buy Her back in Her weight in gold." So they put
Radharani on one side of the scale and all the gopis they started taking
out all their golden bangles and so much gold appeared. They put all the
gold until Radharani became lighter. Then Krishna told the poor brahamana,
"You can take all this gold." Like that so many pastimes are there.

Then we went to the temple in Varsana, the temple of Radha and Krishna.
There is Varsana Hill and across, some distance is Nandagram…so much to
see, so much to hear. I can tell you al the pastimes. Just a few!

So this Jhulan Yatra is a festival that Krishna personally observes. And He
enjoys it very much. So we get a chance to swing the Lord and Radharani
every year. Actually we get three chances here in Mayapur. We get five days
now and when the Deity goes in the Prabhupada lake for chandan yatra. At
that time They sit and again we can swing Them there also. And again during
the last five days of the Gaura Purnima festival we also for one or two
days we do the swing festival. So like this we get extra chances.

Maharaj Prataparudra was a great king but he swept the road in front of
Lord Jagannath. So when Lord Jagannath saw he was doing some seva then He
was very pleased with the Maharaj. So although He said He would not meet
any Maharaj as they were in the mode of passion. But He gives special mercy
to Prataparuda Maharaj because he did service. So we all have a chance. We
can do some service and by doing a little service we get such mercy. So we
should be eager to take up any opportunity to do service.

In the Brahma-samhita it says the goddesses of fortune they are busy
cleaning the stones, the roads, the streets in Vaikuntha. There is not much
dirt in Vaikuntha but the Laxmis want to show the Lord that they are
serving Him.

In our Krishna consciousness movement we get a chance to do some personal
service for the Lord. This is called bhakti-yoga. We do japa, making flower
garlands, we cook for the Lord, we dress the Lord. We do all kinds of
service. So one of our services is to do the Jhulan. You see in bhakti yoga
there are different chances to do service - snan yatra, we bathe the Lord
Jagannath. Many people come to bathe the Lord. On the appearance day of
Radha and Krishna we do some bathing. On Janmastami we bathe the Lord. On
Radhastami we bathe the divine couple, on Ratha yatra we pull the Lord.
[Guru Maharaj we found some descriptions of the rainy season. We couldn't
find in particular jhulan yatra.] So in the system of bhakti yoga we use
our senses to serve the Lord.

hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Madhya 19.170]

We use our sense to serve the master of the senses.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Madhya 19.170]

So we like to use our senses to serve the Lord. We should take prasad with
that in mind. We should not take it thinking that it is ordinary food. We
should take it that this was tasted by Krishna. If you want to advise the
cook you should not do it in front of the prasad. Maybe he put too much
salt or no salt or something - whatever. We tell that separate away. In
front of prasad we should offer respect. We should think that this is holy
food. So like that there are a lot of rules we should observe. Seva
aparadhas or service offences. I just told Gauridas and Rupa Goswami's
disappearance day, tirubhava mahotsava.

Gauridas was a friend of Krishna from Krsnalila. He had come down to this
earth to participate with Lord Krishna as Gauranga. So he had an asrama in
Ambika Kalna. There he asked Gaura Nitai to please stay. But They said,
"How can we stay here. We have to go. We have to see various devotees." He
said, "You are my friends. You should stay." "But We cannot stay. We have
to go." "So give me a deity of Yourselves." So They said, "Well We never
gave any Deities before." He said, "Don't cheat me. I want a deity or You
stay here." "I will give to him." So the brought a carpenter and he carved
two Deities. So when the deities were finished he said, "So these deities
are non different from You?" "Yes." "Let Them go and You stay." But Lord
Nitai Gaura, They raised their hands. [Haribol] They became the deity and
They began moving and started to leave. Gauridasa said, "No you please
stay. Let Them go." "Okay and They became the Deities. And the deities
began moving. He said to the deities, you stay, "Okay." So they raised
Their hands and became Them and the other started to leave. And Gauridasa
could not keep up. So he said, "Okay okay!" So still you can see the Gaura
Nitai deities in Kalna about forty or so kilometers south of Navadvip.

There is another pastime with Rupa Goswami. Rupa is ninth gopi, navam gopi.
We worship asta sakhi. So he is the ninth. So he is a very advanced devotee
and he was in charge of the whole sampradaya after Lord Caitanya He
gave...So it was a big loss when he left the world. So there in the Radha
Govinda temple they have a ...puja. So it says Srinivasa acarya he was
there about this time. He got in time just to see the festival of Rupa
Goswami's departure. That is another story. Rupa Goswami, he wrote many
books for us. He gave us Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu that has been translated by
Srila Prabhupada as the Nectar of Devotion. Lord Caitanya instructed Rupa
Goswami for about eleven days at Prayag ghat - Dasasvamedha ghat. So we
pray at the lotus feet of Rupa Goswami for his mercy -

vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau;
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

[Haribol] So everybody who hasn't already taken some grain should take some
grain by 9.30am. [Dvadasi] So I will take some questions.

Question: Guru Maharaj. As Gaudiyas we know that jhulan means Srimati
Radharani but especially in Bengal there are maximum grhastas they do with
Gopal and somethings there. In many, many houses they do. Even some of our
namahatta devotees they do. So can you instruct us a little bit?
HH Jayapataka Swami: As I said in different temples around India they
observe swing festival. Even in Tirupati they swing Balaji but especially
these days are for Radha and Krishna. Krishna is more pleased that you
swing Him with Radharani. So we should take the chance, take the
opportunity to observe Jhulan yatra at this time with Radha and Krishna.
But if some namahatta only has Gopal deity they swing Gopal. But where we
have Radha and Krishna we always like to observe with Radha and Krishna.
Sri Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Syam.

Question: Dear Guru Maharaj I heard once that Srila Rupa Goswami was a
nitya siddha and Sanatan was sadhana siddha. Is that true? Is there any
difference after becoming fully realized between a nitya siddha and a
sadhana siddha? Please explain.
HH Jayapataka Swami: I heard that Sanatan Goswami came from the spiritual
world and also Rupa Goswami. Sanatan Goswami joined the lila here. So we
have to join the lila somewhere in some universe. Then from this universe
we can go back to Godhead, can go to Goloka Vrindavan. Or we can go
directly to Vaikuntha. But if we want to go to Goloka we need to join the
lila somewhere. Anyway, where I heard this about Sanatan Goswami I don't
remember. That is in the research department to see if it is bona fide or
not.

Those who have come from the spiritual world like Swarup Damodar - Lalita,
they never fall. They are internal potency. Others get fallen but then they
get liberation. That is the difference. So the internal potency is much
greater but in the lila … see the difference. So thank you very much.
Haribol. See you tonight at the Jhulan yatra.

[I heard this beautiful class and was enlivened. So I transcribed it for
the pleasure of you all. Your servant, Madri dasi[GRS] - Johannesburg,
South Africa]

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 18th July 2010

2010-07-20T09:35:00.004+02:00

Sri Sri Nitai Saci-suta

Chota Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

Sri Giriraj

Jai Nitai

Jai Gaura-Hari

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari [Iskcon in Johanessburg, South Africa]

Darsan @ Iskcon, Johannesburg; South Africa Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

2010-07-12T16:30:00.005+02:00

"When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villagesand played the mrdanga, and the cymbals chimed in time. Lord Gauranga's shimmering golden features danced, and His footbells jingled." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"All the devotees chanted the names Mukunda, Madhava, Yadava and Hari, their mouths being filled with the vibrations. They would announce to the still sleeping people, "You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies!" [2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"
"You have achieved such a rare human body, but you do not care for this gift. You remain not serving the darling of Yasoda and slowly fall through your last moments to death." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"With every rising and setting of the sun, a day passes and is lost. Then, why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart?" [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone's heart, the holy name has risen like the shining sun.Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

The above darsan was on the Disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur.

Namamrta Program in Midrand, Johanessburg, South Africa

2010-07-05T08:55:00.003+02:00

Recently Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC] facilitated another enlivening Namamrta program in Midrand, Johanessburg, South Africa. A group of devotees wishing to associate with each other for mutual spiritual upliftment gathered despite very low temperatures and focused on improving their Japa. In Bhagavad-gita Sri Krishna explains, "The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me." [Bg 10.9] Indeed I can say as co-facilitator that we were all feeling great bliss from engaging in this sublime process. Immersing oneself in such devotional activity in the association of sincere devotees gives one complete satisfaction. The attendees were completely oblivious of the world cup events or any other need.

Biraj Naidoo attended the course and said,"This course is extremely beneficial and is the changing point in my life."

Their Lordships Sri Sri Gauracandra are the presiding Deities [cast in brass and painted] at the house where this program was held. These Lordships have survived a house fire last year on Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja night, where the entire house and its possessions were turned to ashes - including granite shelves. They have been expertly restored after the fire and continue to bestow Their mercy on us all.

Above: a happy group of devotees who attended together with co-facilitator HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu seen here far right of top row. Shereen who attended said, "I really enjoyed everything. I am an aspiring neophyte but the language used was easy to understand. I was kept captivated and did not even notice the hours and days go by. The prasadam was also sumptuous." Priya said, "I feel completely spiritually motivated by the dynamic facilitation and indept knowledge." Pariksa said, "This program left me with a greater appreciation for Srila Prabhupada and the Holy names." Saridiya rasa devi dasi said, "No words can do justice to the brilliance, knowledge, spiritual intensity, sincerity and professionalism in which the program was offered....."

As simple post-people of the divine message of the parampara we can take no credit. Rather we offer our deepfelt gratitude to all the Vaisnavas who have touched our lives in various ways either by accepting us as your students, by making available your audio lectures, by inspirational blogs and articles or by personal friendship and example.

Should you feel inspired to hold a similar program in your country or area please read more about us in the last journal http://bhaktivedantacollegeofeducationandcu.blogspot.com/
and contact a director near you or write to us at head office and we shall try to help facilitate you.

Harinam in Johannesburg City Centre

2010-07-02T08:39:00.002+02:00

On Saturday mornings Johannesburg City Center is swarmed with a buzz of shoppers. On one Saturday every month a small group of us do harinam in the streets. It enlivens us to chant and dance amidst the African people. Below HG Mayapur Chandrodaya Prabhu distributes some books to passersby. I also do books on the harinam and find that Srila Prabhupada's books are well received. People give small donations. We sponsor the books and accept whatever contribution they give. Most Africans that I encounter speak English. So we distribute books in English. To survive in the working environment English literacy is important. Indeed even in our neighborhood young children converse in fluent English. It seems like soon native languages will be a thing of the past.

Below a group of youngster from Soweto joined in the harinam under the guidance of HG Mahaprabhu Dasa. Mahaprabhu and his good wife Malini devi dasi are originally from Soweto but have lived as full time devotees in asrams for many years. They moved out to start their own preaching center at Mother Malini's dad's house which she inherited after his demise. There they operate a Sunday program and do Food for Life. Many school children are attracted and attend these programs.

Mother Svaha who also works in the co-operate environment joined us for harinam and is seen with the hailer in hand. She led and ecstatic kirtan and many danced as her voice resounded the holy name.

Hg Nrsimhananda Prabhu is seen with a yellow mrdanga. He is also in the co-operate world and is my husband. He serves as the co-international director of the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture. Most evenings after work he teaches Srila Prabhupada's books at varying venues. He served as temple president for many years as was responsible for growing the congregation long before Namahattas were established. Actually the namhatta council was established only earlier this year or perhaps late last year. BCEC has been operational since the last 18yrs and continues to do so. Most initiated devotees in this area have been introduced to Krishna consciousness through the College classes. As a person preferring to act he remains an active preacher and follower making himself available to the devotee community at large at all times. The Iskcon News in its coverage of Iskcon in Johannesburg seems to create project a different perspective of how the congregation development took place here.

An enthusiastic bystander adds a few beats to the kirtan with an empty bucket.

hare krsna hare krsna
krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare

BCEC Namamrta Program at Iskcon Toronto with HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami

2010-06-09T12:48:00.000+02:00

The Namamrta program focuses on strengthening the practice of Japa, relishing kirtan and harinam in the association of devotees within our Iskcon society. Indeed Srila Prabhupada's temple is a fitting venue for such a program. The attendees are often left with inspiration and conviction that this facility can be a source of constant spiritual strength. HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami travels to various countries facilitating such a program. This program at Iskcon in Toronto was held earlier this month.

What participants had to say about the Namamrta program held in Toronto:

"Best organized program I have ever attended, even in outside "secular" and
material world" - Milind Joshi

"Wonderful association and devotee camaraderie" - Jack Persaud

"The most important thing I learned was how to "hear" the Holy Name." -
Sita Thakurani dd

"The 64 rounds day made me realize how truly valuable the Holy Name is and
how fortunate I am to have it." - Recha Grover

"The thing I liked most about the program was being able to chant together
as a group." - Jagannath Misra dasa

Smiling faces everywhere as devotees dance and sing their hearts out!

Skit on mechanical chanting

A sea of devotees take over the streets bringing the Holy Names and Srila
Prabhupada's books to whoever they meet!

Light-hearted moments!

Hare Krsna!

The happy and grateful devotees who participated in the Namamrta Level 1
program in Toronto

The overwhelming sound vibration of the Holy Name engulfs all the participants as they chant together and in the presence of Srimati Tulasi Maharani.

Humility Breeds Humility

2010-05-25T08:54:00.000+02:00

HG Jayananda Prabhu turns negative to positive

"HG Jayananda Prabhu would always turn a weird situation into doing benefit for the other person. Like the Fisherman's Wharf episode, when the lobster-murder stand people threw hot and stinky fish water at the devotees' feet as they went by on harinama. I would have gotten into a fight with them, like yelling and shaking fists, but Jayananda Prabhu was in control of his senses and approached them with cookies and said, “Thanks for doing such a nice service of cleaning the sidewalk.” This genuinely affected them.

Similarly, he was always trying to give prasadam to others, like visitors of the temple, or taking out extra prasadam to the streets for the bums, and so forth. He was found to be cooking prasad for drunks in a bar. He was always asking wandering hippies to help with the carts, not just to get their labor, but to engage them in service for their benefit, knowing that even a little service brings transcendental eternal blessing."

Devotees in Halifax, Canada relish BCEC courses

2010-05-18T15:30:00.000+02:00

H.H Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami, founder of Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC) spends most of his year travelling to various places all over the globe and teaching structured courses based on the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami. Since generally most yatras have a skeletal staff to maintain preaching in their local vicinity it is not possible to fly individuals abroad to study scripture. Hence BCEC teachers offer such study opportunities in various countries in collaboration with the local management of Iskcon centres.

Above attendees of Bhakti Sadacara course in Halifax, Canada, conducted by Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami from May 11th to May 15th, 2010.

Students' Comments:

"Precise and clear explantions. The flow of Srila Prabhupada's teachings wonderfully enter the heart" - Stefina Tukker, Halifax, Canada
"Good diversity kept our minds focused. The course positively helps to raise consciousness in the devotee community." - Damodara Gopala Dasa, Halifax, Canada

Mini Pearl Festival!

2010-05-17T11:52:00.000+02:00

Sri Sri Nitai Saci-suta

Sri Giri Govardhana

This is darsan of Their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaura Hari currently being worship @ Iskcon in Johannesburg, South Africa - 16 May 2010, Sunday

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all." [Adi 1.3]

"Sangopangastra-parsadam further indicates that Lord Caitanya is Lord Krsna. His body is always decorated with ornaments of sandalwood and with sandalwood paste. By His superexcellent beauty He subdues all the people of the age. In other descents the Lord sometimes used weapons to defeat the demoniac, but in this age the Lord subdues them with His all-attractive figure as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Jiva Gosvami explains that His beauty is His astra, or weapon, to subdue the demons. Because He is all-attractive, it is to be understood that all the demigods lived with Him as His companions. His acts were uncommon and His associates wonderful. When He propagated the sankirtana movement, He attracted many great scholars and acaryas, especially in Bengal and Orissa. Lord Caitanya is always accompanied by His best associates like Lord Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa." [SB 11.5.32]

Their Lordships Sri Sri Chota Nitai Gaura-Hari. ""Behold the great fortune of the devotee Kholaveca. Lord Brahma and Siva shed tears upon seeing his greatness. One cannot attain Lord Krsna by any amount of wealth, followers, or learning. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is controlled only by pure devotion. "Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had a very sincere devotee whose name was Kholaveca Sridhara and whose only business was to sell pots made of the skin of banana trees. Whatever income he had, he used fifty percent for the worship of mother Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he provided for his necessities. On the whole, he was so very poor that he lived in a cottage that had a broken roof with many holes in it. He could not afford brass utensils, and therefore he drank water from an iron pot. Nevertheless, he was a great devotee of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is a typical example of how a poor man with no material possessions can become a most exalted devotee of the Lord. The conclusion is that one cannot attain shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna or Sri Caitanya through material opulence; that shelter is attainable only by pure devotional service." [SB 5.19.7]

Lessons in Vaisnava care for me!

2010-05-14T10:15:00.000+02:00

May service bring us closer!

It is all about the company you keep!

Towards strongether brotherhood and sisterhood!

Suryia and Roscoe live at the Tigers sanctuary in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina
The orangutan was in the rescue center and was not doing well. This old hound wandered in truly emaciated and the orangutan took to him the moment the dog arrived. He stayed with the hound night and day until he was well and during the process found a reason to live. They are now inseparable.

Give a little heart!

Strengthen our relationships

Emapthy!

Compassion!

"In short, a compassionate poor man may consider others' pains and pleasures with empathy. A poor man is seldom puffed up with false pride, and he may be freed from all kinds of infatuation. He may remain satisfied by whatever he gets for his maintenance by the grace of the Lord."[KB 10: The Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva]

Harinam Bliss in Johannesburg, South Africa

2010-05-14T08:43:00.000+02:00

dharma pathe giya tumi loho harinam

tabe tumi anyere koriba paritran

jata saba dasyu cora dakiya aniya

dharma-pathe sabare laoyao tumi giya

"Embarking upon the path of dharma, chant the holy name of Lord Hari. Then you will also deliver others. Now please go and call as many thieves and criminals that you can; gathering them together, cause them to similarly adhere to the path of dharma." [Ref. VedaBase => Song 1]

3) Oh, seeing the miserable condition of the fallen souls of this world, Nitai has personally brought the holy name from the transcendental realm of Vraja! Oh, Lord Siva chants this holy name with his five mouths! This holy name is so sweet! Oh, Lord Brahma chants this holy name with his four mouths! This holy name is so sweet! Oh, Narada Muni chants this holy name while playing on his vina! This holy name is so sweet! Oh, just by the dim reflection of this holy name, the sinful Ajamila went to Vaikuntha! Bhaktivinoda therefore says, "Oh, continuously chanting this holy name, go at once to the divine realm of Vraja! This holy name is so sweet!" [This song is for singing while performing parikrama of Navadvipa-dham]

On Saturday, HG Lokanath Prabhu arranged our monthly harinam in central Johannesburg. Here in South African there is a 'always remember soccer and never forget the worldcup' vibe. So harinam adds to the festivities. For us we pray that it will remain an eternal festival. The world cup buzz is temporary but the holy names is eternal. I took the opportunity to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books and one devotee had a ghee bucket full of mangal sweets that he distributed. Coming together for harinam creates an unparalleled joy in the hearts of the participants. Indeed the bliss is contagious as when we stop an each traffic light the crowd begin their tribal jigs and vuvuzelas are blown. God save Africa!! Jai Nitai!

HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami does BCEC Japa; kirtan and bhajan program at Iskcon Manila, Philippines

2010-05-05T15:46:00.000+02:00

Over the last few years HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami has made frequent visits to Iskcon Manila, Philippines where he held various structured courses based on the teachings and books of Iskcon's founder acarya His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. As the founder and Co-international director of Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC) he travels extensively to various countries doing such courses thus inspiring the attendees to delve deeper into the studies and practice of the teaching of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Maharaj serves prasad to the devotees.

The devotees attending the last Japa, kirtan and bhajan program with HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami recently at Iskcon Manilla were blissed out chanting and dancing. The exuberant devotees could hardly stay on the ground.

The presiding Deities at Iskcon Manila are seen in the above picture.

Above the devotee attending the program were inspired to continuously come together and chant in each others association. Many remarked that their japa will never be the same again.

The program continued over four days during which the devotees formed a great bond absorbing themselves in hearing and chanting.

Above the group picture shows that Srila Prabhupada did what no other could do. His teachings continue to make followers in this remote part of the world. Had it not been for him the sublime teachings of the Vedas would have been confined to India.

BCEC Japa, Kirtan and Bhajan Program at Iskcon Pretoria

2010-04-29T10:54:00.000+02:00

Last weekend 65 devotees participated in a Japa, kirtan and bhajan program hosted by Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture at Iskcon Pretoria. The program was held over three days. On the third day participants chanted japa from 1.30am. Part of the objectives for choosing to conduct such a program at the local Iskcon centre was to create an awareness of the reason Srila Prabhupada created so many centres around the world. Indeed Srila Prabhupada institued a full morning program to provide spiritual strength for his followers. Many participants in the above program felt inspired to continue to attend the morning programs on an on going basis.

Some comments from participants were as follows:

Leanne Pillay: "The program addressed my doubts and bad habits before I could voice them and helped me deepen my relationship with the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna through His holy names."

Radhanam Dasi: "This program was an eye opener. I wish I had learnt all of this knowledge right in the beginning of my Krishna consciousness, but better late than never."

Ngobile Simelane: "The program made me aware how not to miss the real point of this human life and to cherish this gift that Srila Prabhupada so mercifully benedicted us with."
Estelle Crowngold: "The association of devotees provides so much spiritual strength especially to perform spiritual austerities."
Mercy Pakela: "This program is a must for every person. I take with me such a welth of knowledge for self improvement."
Sundarananda dasa: "I realized that I could have made a lot of spiritual progress in the years gone by had I known this very important knowledge. I look forward to a brilliant future."

As co facilitator with my husband HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu I felt completely inspired to see the process that Srila Prabhupada so compassionately gave us work wonderful miracles in the lives of so many.

Darsan @ Iskcon, Johannesburg; South Africa Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

2010-04-13T15:58:00.001+02:00

Sri Sri Nitai Saci Suta

Japa and Kirtan Program in Bon Accuiel, Mauritius.

2010-04-12T18:34:00.000+02:00

In March,2010 the co-international directors of Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture or BCEC, HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami and HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu facilitated a Japa and Kirtan Program in Bon Accuiel, Mauritius. The program was attended by 50 devotees who had taken days of from work to participate.
Facilitation included group work, was interactive and life altering. The support of the association of devotees coming together for the common goal of improving their chanting was indeed very spiritually uplifting.
Some comments from attendees were as follows: Nitya Kishori devi dasi said, "It was wonderful. Attending it once only is not enough. I wish I could attend these japa and kirtan programs every so often as I felt a great surge of spiritual strength."
Ram Vijaya Dasa: "I no longer feel that chanting is a burden, obligatory. Now I am able to relate to Lord Krishna in a more personal and loving way."
Abhiram Dasa: "This program is such a great source of help at self improvement and community development - so beneficial. I found it to be an immense source of encouragement in my attempt of spiritual growth."
Should you want to arrange a program like this in your area please write to us at BCEC@pamho.net

Beat Africa - Kirtan with HH Bhakti Brnga Govinda Swami at Ratha Yatra in Durban, South Africa

2010-04-09T15:59:00.000+02:00

"Srila Prabhupada walked in front of the cart clapping his hands to the beat of the kirtan. He raised his hands in the air encouraging everyone to dance. He looked like the supreme puppeteer. As he raised his hands, everyone leaped into the air in ecstasy. It didn't require any purification. If you were near him, you were in bliss." [HG Sruta Kirti Prabhu wrote - Prabhupada, the Puppeteer and London Ratha-yatra]

Here by Prabhupada's mercy we all came together and chanted in bliss.

Kirtan with HH Bhakti Brnga Govinda Maharaj at Durban Ratha Yatra 2010

2010-04-09T07:53:00.000+02:00

"In it's 22nd year, Durban Ratha Yatra is one of ISKCON's biggest chariot parades is in the world. This year BB Govinda Maharaja led an historic kirtan for over 3 hours along the parade route. Both devotees and guests were mezmorised." [HH Indradyumna Swami]

Japa and Kirtana Program in Johannesburg, South Africa

2010-03-30T21:41:00.000+02:00

Long weekends are always a benediction for devotees trying to make the most of good sanga. Recently such an opportunity was afforded to us here in Johannesburg. Forty devotees attended the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture's Japa and Kirtana Program which was held over three days. The goal of the program was to relish the association of devotees and to reaffirm the need for chanting attentive japa and kirtan. The temple room at the Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Mandir - our local Iskcon Branch provided a very apt atmosphere. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda came to propagate the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in this age of Kali. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON has written in this regard, "Lord Caitanya preached this method of yajna and it is understood from this verse of Srimad Bhagvatam that anywhere and everywhere the sacrificial method of sankirtan-yajna may be performed in order to drive away the personality of Kali and save the human society from falling a prey to the influence of the age." [Ref. VedaBase => SB1.17.33]

For three full days the devotees gathered in all seriousness and studied together Srila Prabhupada's instructions on the importance of chanting attentively. Part of the learning was to also engage in kirtans.

Seen below with yellow mrdanga HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu, co-international director of Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture - BCEC was the co-facilitator and organiser of the program.

HG Prema Sakti dasi comments after attending the program, "The japa and kirtan program was a powerful experience which has inspired me not only in my chanting but in my saddhana overall. It was introspective, interactive, light-hearted and also provided many tools to improve the quality of my chanting to develop a relationship with Sri Nama Prabhu. Both senior and newer devotees who attended expressed their sincere appreciation of the sessions."

HG Madhuri dasi wrote in appreciation after her attendance, "The japa and kirtan program was very blissful and highly appreciated. I have gained something valuable for a lifetime, the power of the holy name. The tools given at the japa and kirtan program has given me a more positive meaningful understanding of the power of chanting. The workshop is very effective, the techniques given were to my eternal benefit. This methods applied will opened up my heart to hear the holy name and increase devotional service. My third day of japa and kirtan program was very blissful. Chanting amongst all the congregation was awesome. I could go on chanting and never felt tired sleepy or the need to go home, the holy name is so powerful. I hope we have these workshops often to keep us on track."

As co-facilitator I was very moved to see the effect of the maha-mantra on these 40 devotees. Each one shared unique experiences and felt very sad to leave when it ended. On the day dedicated to personal bhajan the devotees chanted a japa together for many hours. Most completed 64 rounds and more. During this day I saw the power of association. One normally overactive three year old devotee child accompanied her father to attend the midday arati. Normally she scampers around the temple but on that day when asked if she would want to chant like the rest of the devotees she willingly agreed and completed 1 round of japa without interruption and clearly pronounced each mantra much to all of our surprise. All guests who came for darsan were also offered japa beads and joined in the chanting. It was such an amazing thing to behold. The enthusiasm of the 40 devotees sincerely and seriously chanting was definitely contagious. Indeed it reminded me of Srila Prabhupada's words in the Nectar of Instruction, "One should always engage in the service of the Lord in the association of the Lord's devotees. Association with those engaged in a similar line of business is very conducive to advancement in that business. Consequently materialistic persons form various associations and clubs to enhance their endeavors. For example, in the business world we find such institutions as the stock exchange and chamber of commerce. Similarly, we have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give people an opportunity to associate with those who have not forgotten Krsna. This spiritual association offered by our ISKCON movement is increasing day by day. Many people from different parts of the world are joining this Society to awaken their dormant Krsna consciousness." [NoI: verse 2]

"Not only is the chanter of the maha-mantra purified, but the heart of anyone who happens to hear the transcendental vibration of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is also cleansed. Even the souls embodied in lower animals, insects, trees and other species of life also become purified and prepared to become fully Krsna conscious simply by hearing the transcendental vibration." [NoI: verse 4] We look forward to more such opportunities of association. Hare Krishna.

Relishing the study of Srila Prabhupada's books

2010-03-17T07:33:00.001+02:00

The Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC] was established in 1991 by HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami under the guidance and instructions of HH Giriraj Swami in an attempt to help fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire. After distributing more than 30 000 of Srila Prabhupada's books in South Africa HH Brhat Bhagavata Swami was instructed by HH Giriraj Swami to make a program whereby the recipients of the books were tested for their understanding of the knowledge therein. Hence HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami started BCEC.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has written, "Bhagavad-gita is the widely read theistic science summarized in the Gita-mahatmya (Glorification of the Gita). There it says that one should read Bhagavad-gita very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of Sri Krishna and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations." [Bg 1.1]

In keeping with this desire of Srila Prabhupada BCEC has been offering structured courses in Vaisnava Etiquette; Spiritual Master and Disciple; Science of Self-realization; Bhagavad-gita As It Is; Sri Isopanisad; Nectar of Devotion; Nectar of Instruction; Srimad Bhagavatam and other books by Srila Prabhupada. Courses are interactive and are conducive for seasoned devotees or are also adapted for curious newcomers. These courses have been taught since 1991 in various countries. Educational courses for children are also available and have been taught through the years.

More information on BCEC and contact details is available at our new blog: http://bhaktivedantacollegeofeducationandcu.blogspot.com/

Contact a Director near you to enrol now.

Understanding the Unlimited with our limitations

2010-03-15T08:39:00.000+02:00

"The frog in the well" logic illustrates that a frog residing in the atmosphere and boundary of a well cannot imagine the length and breadth of the gigantic ocean. Such a frog, when informed of the gigantic length and breadth of the ocean, first of all does not believe that there is such an ocean, and if someone assures him that factually there is such a thing, the frog then begins to measure it by imagination by means of pumping its belly as far as possible, with the result that the tiny abdomen of the frog bursts and the poor frog dies without any experience of the actual ocean. Similarly, the material scientists also want to challenge the inconceivable potency of the Lord by measuring Him with their froglike brains and their scientific achievements, but at the end they simply die unsuccessfully, like the frog." [SB 2.5.10]

Our futile pursuit of happiness in the material world

2010-03-15T08:37:00.000+02:00

"If I do not think of Krsna, My impoverished mind will die within a moment like a fish out of water. But when I see Krsna's sweetly smiling face, My mind and eyes are so pleased that My desire for Him redoubles." [Antya 17.59]

The pursuit for happiness in this material world in like a fish trying to survive out of water.

Srila Prabhupada write in this connection, "Everyone in the material world is engaged in all kinds of political, philanthropic and humanitarian activities to make material life happy and prosperous, but this is not possible. One should understand that in the material world, however one may try to make adjustments, he cannot be happy. To cite an example I have given many times, if you take a fish out of water, you can give it a very comfortable velvet bedstead, but still the fish cannot be happy; it will die. Because the fish is an animal of the water, it cannot be happy without water. Similarly, we are all spirit soul; unless we are in spiritual life or in the spiritual world, we cannot be happy. That is our position.Everyone is trying for that spiritual realization. But we do not know. Therefore, we are trying to be happy here, in material conditions. We are becoming frustrated and confused. Therefore, we have to withdraw this understanding that we shall be very happy by making adjustments to this material world. Then Krsna consciousness will be effective. " [TYS 3: Beyond the Laws of Nature]

Darsan Johannesburg, South Africa - Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

2009-12-28T20:59:00.002+02:00

Transcript of HH Lokanath Swami's lecture - 2010-02-06 - SB 3.32.23

2009-12-28T20:59:00.001+02:00

Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: February 6, 2010
Verse: Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.32.23
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami
____________________________________

vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

TRANSLATION: Engagement in Krsna consciousness and application of devotional service unto Krsna make it possible to advance in knowledge and detachment, as well as in self-realization.

PURPORT: It is said by less intelligent men that bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is meant for persons who are not advanced in transcendental knowledge and renunciation. But the fact is that if one engages in the devotional service of the Lord in full Krsna consciousness, he does not have to attempt separately to practice detachment or to wait for an awakening of transcendental knowledge. It is said that one who engages unflinchingly in the devotional service of the Lord actually has all the good qualities of the demigods develop in him automatically. One cannot discover how such good qualities develop in the body of a devotee, but actually it happens. There is one instance where a hunter was taking pleasure in killing animals, but after becoming a devotee he was not prepared to kill even an ant. Such is the quality of a devotee.
Those who are very eager to advance in transcendental knowledge can engage themselves in pure devotional service, without wasting time in mental speculation. For arriving at the positive conclusions of knowledge in the Absolute Truth, the word brahma-darsanam is significant in this verse. Brahma-darsanam means to realize or to understand the Transcendence. One who engages in the service of Vasudeva can actually realize what Brahman is. If Brahman is impersonal, then there is no question of darsanam, which means "seeing face to face." Darsanam refers to seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Unless the seer and the seen are persons, there is no darsanam. Brahma-darsanam means that as soon as one sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he can at once realize what impersonal Brahman is. A devotee does not need to make separate investigations to understand the nature of Brahman. Bhagavad-gita also confirms this. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate: [Bg. 14.26] a devotee at once becomes a self-realized soul in the Absolute Truth. [End of Srila Prabhupada’s purport.]

HH Lokanath Swami: You are all familiar with this verse? In the very beginning it appears and it is here again. The difference is jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7] (?) Engagement in Krishna consciousness and application of devotional service unto Krishna make it possible to advance in knowledge and detachment as well as in self realization. So this is Lord Kapiladeva speaking. He has been speaking for some time. He spoke yesterday also. You heard, nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18] . We are just taking a bite at a time.

tasmat tvam sarva-bhavena bhajasva paramesthinam SB 3.32.22]

That was what we spoke yesterday.

tad-gunasrayaya bhaktya bhajaniya-padambujam [SB 3.32.22]

So already padambujam has been mentioned. Here it refers to darsanam. You start with the lotus feet and then you take complete darsan. Brahma-darsanam. Param brahma param dhama [Bg 10.12] Brahma is param brahma. That is Krishna. His darsan becomes possible by vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah. [Aside –Jayo!] When we talk about darsan, darsan is here. Radha Madhava Ki Jai! So bhakti yoga, performance of bhakti yoga and bhakti not of anybody and everybody - vasudeve bhagavati – bhakti of Vasudev. And who is this Vasudev? What kind of Vasudev? Bhagavati – the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not Bhagavatidevi. Full difference is there. Bhagavatidevi is rasva(?) here. Bhagavati his ears are there – Bhagavati. As devotional service unto Vasudev is performed, janayaty – that will give rise to janayaty, - janma will take place. As one performs devotional service someone takes birth – janayaty asu – quickly - janayaty asu vairagyam, jnanam - renunciation and knowledge. yad brahma-darsanam – as well as. Prabhupada says, as well as self-realization or brahma- darsanam. Darsan – seeing face to face becomes possible by performance of devotional service. Devotional service is complete and independently most powerful source of everything. Bhanu Maharaj was very nicely explaining that yesterday. From bhakti comes, jnan and vairagya and darsan ultimately - not the other way round.

anayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

Once upon a time Narada Muni had a meeting with Bhakti Devi. In Vrindavana they met and Narada Muni said to Bhakti Devi - Bhakti Devi at this time is in big trouble because her two sons – that’s what Narada Muni will be talking. Jnan and vairagya are sons of bhakti. janayaty asu – here we are talking about janma. Jnan and vairgya are are taking birth from Bhakti Devi. [Sanskrit] Once upon a time O Bhakti Devi you had your hands folded, you were in front of the Lord and you enquired kim karomi – what can I do for You my Lord? [Sanskrit] At that time Krishna ordered you or gave you assignment – Bhaktan posa yati(?) Please nourish My devotees. [Sanskrit] And you were ready! “Yes Sir! You wish is my command.” “So be it.” The Lord was very pleased. [Sankrit] At that time the Lord became very, very pleased with you. And what did that pleased satisfied Lord do for you? [Sanskrit] he gave you one maidservant called mukti. The Lord made mukti your dasi. Mukti becomes your maidservant. [Sanskrit]And He also gave two sons – one was jnan and the other was vairagyam [Sanskrit.] You will not find an age like Kaliyuga. The best of all the ages! And in this age of Kali [Sanskrit] I will establish you O Bhakti Devé in this age of Kali I will propagate you. I will establish you [Sanskrit] in every house. [Sanskrit]In everybody or every society or from [Sanskrit] Every society, I will establish you. How will I do this? Do I have some strategy? He says, “I have a strategy how I will propagate you, establish you. [Sanskrit] Sounds familiar? sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg 18.66] It is said in different words here. [Sanskrit] I hate (?) all other processes, all other dharmans or all other ways. [Sanskrit] To keep in forefront of Me. Mahotsavan – the festival, I will organize festivals - mahotsavan. And with the festival as the forum, I will propagate you, establish you everywhere. That was Narada Muni speaking. This is Srimad-Bhagavatam-Mahatmya - Padma Puraëa, Uttara Kanda by Srila Vyasadeva. The greatness of Bhagavatam - Bhagavatam- Mahatmya . I wanted to stop there but you are enquiring.

So Bhakti Devi will go back now to her abode. Her two sons at one point they were in big trouble. Bhakti Devi says, “I was born in South India. Then I kind of grew up, I flourished in Karnataka and Maharastra. Jai Maharastra! But when I went to Gujerat I was fit for intensive care unit - ICU! Somehow I managed to come to Vrindavan I got revived [Sanskrit] In Vrindavan bhakti dances. But look at my sons they are still trembling and because of weakness and exhaustion. Maybe their last breath is not far, it appears! Could you do something? And then he was trying different things – chanting this mantra and the Puranas and the Itihasas, then Vedanta-sutra and this and that. Some help was coming, getting little bit revived or opening little bit eyes and little movement was there but not total revival.

So Narada Muni travels all over looking for the solution. What could be done! What could be done! Then he ends up as he was looking he ends up in Badrikashram were he comes in contact with four kumaras and he explains, “You know this is that state of affairs with Bhakti Devi’s sons and she has asked me to do something. I tried this. I tried that, this mantra, that Veda, that Purana but nothing seems to be working. Do you know what could be done?” And they said, “Sure. You have not done one thing. Or let’s do one thing. Let them hear Srimad Bhagavatam.”

Then the four Kumara’s stepped down. They came down to the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of Ganga at Haridwar and Bhakti Devi managed to come also to that site where the four Kumaras had come and they were about to recite Srimad Bhagavatam. And everybody was there. Vaisnavas were the first ones to come and all the rivers, all the holy places; all the scriptures also had come. All the demigods are there and Narada Muni is sitting and Bhakti Devi, jnan and vairagya and four Kumaras begin to recite the Srimad Bhagavatam - om namo bhagavate. And it went on and on and on. And then the Lord appeared.

yatra gayanti mad-bhakta tatra tisthami Narada [Padma Purana]

Darsanam becomes possible as one performs devotional service – brahma darsanam. So by process of devotional service they are all busy with the process. It is called sravanam. Sravan bhakti then kirtan bhakti, smaran bhakti. This is bhakti - bhakti-yogah prayojitah [SB 1.2.7] As one engages in this bhakti tad darsanam – darsan becomes possible.

So as they were reciting Srimad Bhagavatam and everyone was listening with rapt attention the Lord appeared – who is non different from His pastimes. The Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead is non different from His transcendental name, form, pastimes or the sound vibration thereof. It is Srila Prabhupada’s purport – SB 1.6.33. I like this.

“As soon as a pure devotee engages himself in the pure devotional service of hearing, chanting and remembering the name, fame and activities of the Lord, at once He becomes visible to the transcendental eyes of the pure devotee by reflecting Himself on the mirror of the heart by spiritual television.” [Srila Prabhupada’s purport – SB 1.6.33.]

As the topics are heard it is like a television is switched on and on the screen you see the Lord and His form and His pastimes. Whatever you are hearing about that is non different from the Lord. So the television of the consciousness – This statement also is by Narada Muni and there also he is talking about darsan from,

ahuta iva me sighram darsanam yati cetasi [SB 1.6.33]

From the consciousness darsan becomes possible. Sighram – as asu vairagyam – quickly! Quickly the jnan, vairagya and darsanam becomes possible as we are hearing that from Kapiladev, Narada Muni elsewhere. How I cam to Krishna consciousness he is talking. How I cam to Krishna consciousness – those kind of articles we write. So he is speaking that firstly to Srila Vyasadev. He is saying, sva-viryani tirtha-padah priya-sravah [SB 1.6.33]. When Lord’s sva-viryani – His virya – His prowess and other items are recited, spoken this is what happens. Then Kapiladev says,

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido [SB 3.25.25]

As soon as the Mahatmas come together – satam – mahatmas come together, immediately - mama virya-samvido - mama virya – Me, Myself, Krishna becomes the topic - bodhayantah parasparam [Bg 10.9] samvido – prasangan or samvit – they talk – akyan – immediately begins.

We also have. Srila Prabhupada also – I am kind of jumping – a similar strategy as Narada Muni coming in that disciplic succession. This strategy also to propagate Krishna consciousness was – mahotsavan – the festivals. He named it Sunday festival and that festival and Mayapur festival and Vrindavan festival, Ratha yatra festival and Janmastami mahä mahotsava and Ramnaumi and on and on and on and on. And our morning program is a festival in itself and wherever there is chanting and dancing and feasting that is a festival. So as soon as devotees get together immediately at the center of that festival - mama virya-samvido and as the topic of discussion begins that is bhakti. That is bhakti!

Sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati [SB 3.25.25.] The stages are from sraddha to prema immediately begins unfolding. Mahatmas come together, the beginning of the festival, beginning of the GBC meetings, GBc’s have come ABC’s have come. Everybody has come together. Senior men have come representing Srila Prabhupada and as soon as the santas come immediately mahotsavan - festival begins, the topic of Krishna begins. They begin talking, they begin singing - Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. bhakti-yogah prayojitah - begins and that results in jnan vairagya and darsanam. We come to the festival to become a little more jnanis – knowledgeable, but that the source is bhakti. Bhakti is at the center. From bhakti we derive jnan, from bhakti we derive detachment, with the help of bhakti come prem and darsan of the Lord – everything in the context of bhakti – context of bhakti. And bhakti is propagated through the festivals.

So the four Kumaras they are also festival is Bhagavat recitation – mahotsava – was going on and Bhakti Devi, jnan and vairagya also was hearing and as the Lords topics were being remembered and reciteted Lord appeared there. And some more personalities appeared there. Brahma comes, Siva comes all devatas come, Sukadeva Goswami comes – om namo bhagavate As Sukadev Goswami was coming was coming he was reciting verses from Bhagavatam as he always doe. Prahlad Maharaj comes. Uddhava comes. Vyasadev has arrived. Indra is there, the whole universe is there practically and the Lord has already appeared there. As Bhagavat is recited the Lord has appeared and with all these devotees big roaring kirtan begins. Prahlad Maharaj is playing kartalas, Uddhava is playing whompers, Narad Muni has his vina – vina dhari. [Sanskrit] Arjuna is something like – aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! – raga kartaha arjuno.(?) [Sanskrit] Indra is playing a mrdanga in that assembly. [Sanskrit] Jayho jayho, jayho!!! The Kumaras are doing that and Sukadev Goswami is expressing all prowess, all the emotions.

So everyone has a role to play in that. And that kirtan and look! He is showing us - look at jnan and vairagya and Bhakti Devi also they are dancing like peacock in that kirtan. When they were brought on their feet their ambulance put them on the stretcher and gentle place them. They were lying down and trembling they were not sure whether they will survive - last breath. But as they heard Bhagavatam, as they performed this sravan bhakti of hearing Bhagavatam not only did they survive but they thrived/survived and they jumped and they were dancing in that kirtan. So this is Bhagavatam Mahatmya.

They are making the point that from bhakti comes jnan and vairagya. Janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7] She had given birth to them but then the influence of the age of Kali and they were very much exhausted and out of it but as they came to the festival, they heard Bhagavatam from the lips of these devotes – the four Kumaras. Their batteries were charged. We talk this language in Iskcon. And it was the end of the festival. We are in the first day of the festival. Immediately they were equipped with jnan and vairagya and darsanam. Darsan was already taken in that place because in the middle of the recitation of Bhagavatam Lord has appeared and everybody is able to take darsan of the Lord.

This year also is another big festival or a big theme for the festival is what? You know what – Lord Caitanya’s [aside – Ekalavya said something] 500th anniversary of sannyasa. This is the theme of the different festival, different devotees, different leaders are making that the theme of their festivals. I don’t know what’s the theme of this festival – but very much that sannyas took place not far from here. The Lord who stayed in Yogapith here in Mayapur.

Caitanya Bhagavat says if you wish to develop detachment and vairagya you should listen to the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu taking sannyasa. Are you interested in developing detachment? Anyone here? No one is attached. Suno suno bhai prabhurere sannyas(?) Suno brothers and sisters – only brother are mentioned but all the souls – [Bengali] If you hear the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa you will develop all the detachment. You just have to sit down and hear the Lord’s pastimes. He is taking sannyasa, He is renouncing all that. If you sit down and hear this and automatically – Prabhupada says automatically, unknowingly! Does anyone know how it happens but it happens. You just hear and bhakti is so potent. You touch the fire – how you touch, when you touch, who touches, regardless of all this it will burn. So listen to the pastime of Lord taking sannyasa. Now is not the time.

For those who had come to Nimai’s home – business as usual – everyday they used to come and hat day they also had come. “Where is Nimai?” There was no Nimai. He had already left. Only Saci matta – she was also just sitting around and not only sitting of course – full of tears, speechless. And after long time she said, [Bengali] “Listen, listen O you all assembled. You know this is property of Visnu.” Her home – Nimai’s home “And you are Vaisnava’s. Go ahead pick up everything and anything that you like, some parcels – something, something. You take it away now.” Like that she was hinting indirectly what had happened that night. And soon they all realized.

[Bengali] They are all falling down, collapsing. Like when you cut banana tree at the bottom it falls down. So they all were falling, collapsing all around. [Bengali] And they were full of arthas (?) crying. [Bengali]They were embracing each other and crying. And they were rolling on the ground. Someone says, “Okay. Let’s all go now. Let’s go home and let’s put all our homes on fire. Let’s wear some earring and take some kamandalu or some staff. Let’s leave this place. There is nothing here worth residing.” Those were their thoughts. Those were some but there are more. That was the nature of their thoughts. Does that sound like detachment?

“Anything and everything that we are attached to just burn that to pieces or ashes! Let’s just walk out of here. Let’s get out of here.” While they were crying of course Nimai had left. (Is someone going to stop us? You? Those who were in business they left already – Laughter.) So Caitanya Mahaprabhu had crossed Ganga and reached Katwa and met Kesava bharati getting ready for sannyasa.

“Hey who has recommended this sannyasa?” Some people in the audience they said, “We don’t accept this sannyasa. No whay he has to take sannyasa. Who is recommending this and who has put this into the sastras – this process of sannyasa? No, We don’t… No, no, no!” Protest – no sannyasa. The barber had come and he was sitting in front of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was shaving hair. He had razor but he was trembling. “ No I cannot cut this hair now.” He thinks the hair of the Lord is the Lord Himself. His hair is non different from Him. “ I cannot cut hair!” And he was crying and rolling on the ground while others were protesting. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Haribol! Haribol.” “Sit down sit down stay there, we shall see what happens.”

It says in Caitanya Bhagavat that it took most of the days spent in getting shaved! People were protesting. The barber was no ready. Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the middle jumps up and is dancing and He sits down again. The whole scene was going on. Finally He was shaved up. Then He runs to Ganga to take bath and comes back. For the first time he now has saffron clothes on and He really looks beautiful. Kandarpa-koti-kaminiya-visesa-sobham. [Brahma-samhita 5.30.] That kind of attractive he looks like.

Then Kesava Bharati, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “You know last night one mahajan said one mantra to Me – sannyas mantra.” “Oh which one?” And Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “This mantra. This mantra he said. Is that the right mantra?” “This is pukka! This is the one. This is the right mantra.” So Caitanya Mahaprabhu had given the mantra to Kesava Bharati and that was the right mantra. So Kesava Bharati was initiated first. “Okay now give Me that mantra.” So Caitanya Mahaprabhu received the mantra. “Okay take danda, take kamandalu.” And there was a big roaring kirtan. Before that, “Your name is - You are Krishna. You are known as Krishna. krsnaya krsna-caitanya- [Cc Madhya 19.53] And because with Your sankirtana you will make this world full of Caitanya – full of Caitanya. The world is dead but with Your sankirtana You will make this world lively and living and You will stir up the whole world – Caitanya. So Krishna and with sankirtana You will bring – invest Caitanya consciousness into everybody. So You name from today onwards would be Sri Krishna Caitanya.” And so that was it and there was a big kirtan.

Lord Caitanya’s danda flew somewhere, His kamandalu flew somewhere and He was dancing in kirtan. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu Ki Jai! Nitai Gaura Premanande. Hari hari bol. [Applause]

Sannyasa acceptance by His Grace Brhat-mrdanga Prabhu

2009-12-28T20:59:00.000+02:00

On 24th December 2009 at Sri Sri Radhanath Temple of Understanding or Iskcon Durban, South Africa, in the presence of His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, His Holiness Bhakti Bhrnga Govinda Swami, and several hundred devotees, HH Giriraj Swami awarded sannyasa, the renounced order, to Brhat Mrdanga Prabhu. He is now His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami.

His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami, in his quest for spiritual understanding prior to becoming a full time member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness joined the Divine Life Society were he studied under Sri Swami Sahajananda. However due to his constant inquest into spiritual understanding Sri Swami Sahajananda told him that he was a missionary and should join the Hare Krishna Movement. He acquired a set of the Srimad Bhagavatam and several other books written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and was deeply moved by these sublime teachings. This prompted him to become a full time member of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Here is a brief Bio Data of His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami.

1983 - Brhat-mrdanga dasa, a former school-teacher, joined ISKCON in Durban,
South Africa.

1985 to 1988:
a) Distributed over 30 000 books (mainly "Science of Self Realizations" and
"Bhagavad Gitas" in South Africa.
b) Preached extensively to high school and university students in South
Africa .
c) Placed full sets of Srila Prabhupada's books in over 50 libraries,
colleges and universities through book sponsorships in South Africa.
d) Sankirtana Leader and Chairman of ISKCON Kwa-Zulu Natal (a province of
South Africa) Congregational Council.

1989 to 1992 - Vice-President of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple, ISKCON
Durban.

1990(July) to 1991(April) - Completed the First(and only) Preacher Trainer's
Course at VIHE, Vrndavana.

1991 - Founded the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture(BCEC) in
Durban, South Africa.
a) Under his direction(and travelling internationally since 1994), BCEC has
expanded to other countries: Hong Kong, Philippines, India, Kenya,
Mauritius, England, Ireland, Canada, USA, Trinidad and Guyana.
b) BCEC offers bridging courses like 'Bhakti-Sadacara', 'Yoga Ladder'
leading up to Bhakti-sastri/Vaibhava degrees. Certification includes
Bhakti-sadacara certificate, Bhakti-gita diploma and Bhakti-sastri/Vaibhava
degrees. Courses are also offered for children. Since July 1991, 13470
students have passed through Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture.

1997 to 2000 - President of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple, ISKCON Durban.

2001 to 2004 - Co-President of Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, ISKCON
Vrndavana.

2004 to 2006 - Regional Secretary for Gauteng, South Africa.

Currently, Brhat-mrdanga dasa serves as:
* Co-International Director of Bhaktivedanta College of Education &
Culture(BCEC)
* Member of the GBC Ministry of Educational Development (MED)
* Member of the GBC Succession Committee
* Chairman of ISKCON Leadership Education And Development System (ISKCON
LEADS), A GBC Succession Committee Initiative
* Member of the Board of Directors of Mayapur Institute (MI)

To those who know him well he remains a friend, mentor, role model and well-wisher.

From meditative bhajans to blissful kirtans

2009-12-22T16:18:00.000+02:00

At the Japa retreat with HH Giriraj Swami and Her Grace Mother Arcana Siddhi held in South Africa between the 11th to the 15th Dec 2009 each day culminated in the meditative kirtans with HG Madhava Prabhu. Madhava Prabhu is formerly from Mauritius and has been a devotee from his early childhood. His parents are also initiated long standing devotees in Mauritius. Madhava Prabhu mentioned on the first night that he was once told by HH Radhanath Swami that good japa leads to good kirtan. He asked the devotees to allow the holy name to enter to their ears and to then allow it to enter into their hearts.

In Africa beat is in the blood so eventually what started as meditative bhajans exploded to kirtan and blissful dancing. Kirtan brings together such a feeling of togetherness amongst the devotees. Above is HH Giriraj Swami and His Grace Karanamrta Prabhu swing on each others arms.

All of the 140 devotees made two trains at one point - one with the Matajis and one with the Prabhus.

Above is HG Madhava Prabhu and His Holiness Giriraj Swami chanting and hearing. Chanting we were told is our time to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Each mantra is an opportunity to hear and associate. When one chants with humility and sincerity, attentively then the various gates/obstacles/knots in the heart open and a flood of grace or mercy will be experienced. We broke our relationship with Krishna. The essence of Bhakti is to re-establish our relationship with Krishna. The essence of the process of bhakti is to chant attentive japa.

Meditative japa will also help us to always remember Krishna and to never forget Him. In a relationship it is not that we should give full attention to the beloved for two hours and then ignore Him for the following 22 hours. When a relationship is cultivated/reawakened through meditative japa then the mercy of the holy name flows and one feels like chanting more, associating with Krishna more, through all of our actions and thoughts throughout the whole day.

Above are two illustrious attendees at the retreat, HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami and HG Brhat-mrdanga Prabhu [who in a few days will take sannyas initiation from HH Giriraj Swami] dancing through a tunnel of devotee hands. Indeed kirtan in the association of devotees brings bliss to all. Happy chanting and dancing - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Japa Retreat with HH Giriraj Swami and Her Grace Arcana Siddhi Mataji

2009-12-19T13:38:00.000+02:00

After four years HH Giriraj Swami visited South Africa. He has been doing several programs and attended the annual Ratha Yatra at Lenasia, Johannessburg. From the 11th to the 15th December he had a Japa retreat with about 140 devotees. Together with Her Grace Mother Arcana Siddhi an extremely well appreciated workshop was expertly facilitated.

His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami was also in attendance. The atmosphere was very surcharged with spiritual energy as every one gathered to chant at 4.30am. The setting was the tranquil atmosphere of the Drakensburg Mountains. The focus want to chant attentively and to hear each mantra. Each name is actually a personality that can reciprocate with the sincere chanter.

One day was set aside to chant 64 rounds. All the devotees participated in all seriousness. Some chanted much more. The attendees proclaimed the experience to be life altering. Hearts were pierced and minds were spinning. One devotee remarked that his chanting for many years was synonymous to calling numbers but at the retreat he learnt to chant with his heart as well as hear every name audibly.

To chant with a mood of a receiver rather than an achiever was the prerogative. Quelling the turbulent mind and engaging it peacfully was also discussed. The beauty of the Japa Retreat was that we did not have to hear anything but japa.

Many preachers that attended the Japa Retreat developed determination to put all the tools into serious practice and to repeat the experience in various places. Indeed personal japa cannot be the same after attending this retreat.

Mother Arcana Siddhi, who also facilitated the workshops was an embodiment of love, compassion and deep friendship to all. During her breaks she spent much time speaking to devotees. Whatever she taught was present in the character of her husband His Grace Karanamrta Prabhu. Just to be in the presence of such serious chanters, such special facilitators was indeed a benediction that really touched the heart. We are all very eager to do the next level workshop together and to progress eternally together, to please Srila Prabhupada and to thus advance spiritually together forever.

Each evening culminated in meditative bhajan and kirtan with His Grace Madhava Prabhu.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

HH Giriraj Swami melts more hearts at the Drakensburg Mountain Village

2009-12-18T13:21:00.000+02:00

On 9th December 2009 His Holiness Giriraj Swami, Mother Arcana Siddhi and her good husband His Grace Karanamrta Prabhu went to the Drakensburg Village - South Africa. Many were attracted to their presence there and enthusiastically chanted in response to Maharaj. This is the first time that the holy name was heard and spread in this remote village.
HH Giriraj Swami distributed prasad to the locals. He also taught them to chant Hare Krishna.

Above the devotees get a demonstration of an African tribal dance from an old lady.

Lots of cows wander the land freely. Other African wildlife is also present in this wilderness.

Darshan - Iskcon Lenasia Ratha Yatra, Johannesburg, South Africa - 5th,6th Dec 2009

2009-12-08T12:45:00.000+02:00

Please pray for Krishna Das Prabhu

2009-09-09T14:06:00.000+02:00

On the evening of Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa puja this year we called Krishna das Prabhu who is pictured above [the pic is the only one I could find of him and is taken from his web page.] He was as usual so enlivened to increase his committment to preach Krishna Consciousness. We were enlivened by his attitude. A few hours later at 2am his house burnt down. Krishna das Prabhu slipped his young son Darshan out through a burglar bar and sent him to get an axe from the gardener's quarters. This is what he used to slash the burglar bars and save his family from the flames of the burning house - including his mother in law who was recovering from a hip relacement operation. A neighbor later saw the burning thatch roof and broke the concrete pillars and steel gate and helped the rescue operation. The house burn down and everyone else escaped with no injuries by Krishna's kind mercy.

Krishna das Prabhu was hospitalized on the 26th of August and discharged yesterday. He sustained some injury in his ear and lungs etc. He was discharged yesterday - 8th Sept. Today as he was boarding a plane to go to work he collapsed and was hospitalized. A scan was down and a brain tumor is suspected.

We humbly appeal to the worldwide community to pray for his well being and for his family to have the strength to overcome these trying times.

His family and him were the host of many travelling preachers like, Their Grace's Hari Sauri Prabhu; Deena Bandhu Prabhu, Uttama Mataji and Partha Prabhu, Kurma Prabhu and many others. He is an outstanding Vaisnava. Please pray.

Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa puja offering - 2009 - HH Giriraj Swami

2009-08-21T07:29:00.000+02:00

My dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my prostrated obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories toYour Divine Grace. All glories to your causeless mercy.
We have gathered at your lotus feet to glorify you on your appearance day.Today I thought to read a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam that describesKrsna's mercy, as bestowed in particular upon the demoness Putana. The verseis appropriate because it glorifies the quality of mercifulness, which wasso prominent in you, and it suggests to what extent you were willing to givemercy. Even to a demoness who came to administer poison to Him and kill Him,Krsna bestowed His supreme mercy. In a similar mood, you bestowed your mercyupon people who were lowly and fallen, and you were unreserved in bestowingit upon them.
The verse is from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Three, Chapter Two: "Remembranceof Lord Krsna."
aho baki yam stana-kala-kutam jighamsayapayayad apy asadhvilebhe gatim dhatry-ucitam tato 'nyam kam va dayalum saranam vrajema
"Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted theposition of mother to a she-demon [Putana] although she was unfaithful andshe prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?" (SB 3.2.23)
In your purport you write:
"Here is an example of the extreme mercy of the Lord, even to His enemy. Itis said that a noble man accepts the good qualities of a person of doubtfulcharacter, just as one accepts nectar from a stock of poison. In Hisbabyhood [Krsna] was administered deadly poison by Putana, a she-demon whotried to kill the wonderful baby. And because she was a demon, it wasimpossible for her to know that the Supreme Lord, even though playing thepart of a baby, was no one less than the same Supreme Personality ofGodhead. His value as the Supreme Lord did not diminish upon His becoming ababy to please His devotee Yasoda. The Lord may assume the form of a baby ora shape other than that of a human being, but it doesn't make the slightestdifference; He is always the same Supreme. A living creature, howeverpowerful he may become by dint of severe penance, can never become equal tothe Supreme Lord."
Srila Prabhupada, you always glorified Krsna as the Supreme Personality ofGodhead, and you instructed everyone to take shelter of Krsna. Many peoplewho came in touch with you were struck by this fact. George Harrison, forexample, said that so many svamis and gurus tell their followers tosurrender to them but that you, Srila Prabhupada, always said, "Krsna is theSupreme Personality of Godhead; one should surrender to Him."
Once, a new devotee approached you and said, "Srila Prabhupada, I can trustyou; I can surrender to you. But I can't trust your representatives. I can'tsurrender to them, because I fear they may cheat me." And you replied,"Don't surrender to me either. I may also cheat you. Surrender to Krsna."
Your purport concludes:
"Lord Krsna accepted the motherhood of Putana because she pretended to be anaffectionate mother, allowing Krsna to suck her breast. The Lord accepts theleast qualification of the living entity and awards him the highest reward.That is the standard of His character. Therefore, who but the Lord can bethe ultimate shelter?"
Srila Prabhupada,
As aspiring devotees, we still have qualities in common with Putana, and sowe too are in need of extreme mercy from the Lord--and from Your DivineGrace.
One quality mentioned in the verse is jighamsaya--she acted out of envy. Weare in the material world out of envy of Krsna. We don't want to accept Himas the supreme enjoyer; we want to enjoy independent of Him. We are enviousof Him, and it is actually envy that keeps us in the material world. Onlyone who is completely liberated and pure can be free from envy. SrinivasaAcarya glorifies the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, dhiradhira-jana-priyau: Theyare dear to both the gentle and the ruffians. They are pleasing to everyonebecause they are not envious of anyone (nirmatsarau), and thus they areworshipable (pujitau). You explained that one who is nonenvious isworshipable because one can be nonenvious only if he is a pure devotee. Ournatural position is to serve Krsna (jivera 'svarupa' haya--krsnera'nitya-dasa'); if we act as anything other than an eternal servant of Krsna,it means that we have not fully realized our actual position and that ouroriginal envy of Krsna, which brought us into the material world, is still,to some degree, lingering.
After starting your mission in New York and San Francisco, you suffered astroke, and after all efforts to recover in America had failed, you decidedto return to India to recoup your health. Before your departure, you visitedthe San Francisco temple. No one had expected you, in your condition, tospeak, but you asked for the microphone. You spoke about your mission, howunder the order of your spiritual master you had brought Lord Caitanya'smovement to America and how Krsna had kindly sent so many sincere souls. Youtold the devotees, "I have a few children in India from my family days, butyou are my real children. Now I am going to India for a little while."
One of your early disciples from San Francisco suddenly entered the room.The devotees knew that he wanted to leave Krsna consciousness, that hehadn't taken his initiation vows seriously, and that he wanted to moveon--he didn't want a spiritual master any more. The other devotees had triedto discourage him, but he had persisted. Now they were incredulous: howcould he do such a thing on the night before your departure?
The devotee, Ravindra-svarupa, fell to the floor to offer obeisances, but hedidn't rise up. Instead, he began crawling on his hands and knees towardyou. This dramatic encounter is vividly described in SrilaPrabhupada-lilamrta: "Ravindra usually had a cavalier manner, enhanced by ahandsome face, long tousled hair, and a beard. But now he was wretched andsobbing and crazy. He crawled towards Prabhupada, who sat but two steps offthe floor on the simple redwood dais. Prabhupada looked at him withcompassion: 'Come here, my boy.' Ravindra crawled up the steps and placedhis bushy head on Prabhupada's lap. Moved, the devotees watched asPrabhupada stroked Ravindra's head and the boy cried and cried.
"'What's wrong, my son? You don't have to be so unhappy.'
"Ravindra bawled out, 'I want . . . ,' he sobbed, 'aah . . . to . . . aah .. . reach God directly! Without anyone in between!'
"Prabhupada continued to pat and stroke the boy's head: 'No, you continue tostay with us if possible. Don't be a crazy fellow.' Ravindra's weepingsubsided, and Prabhupada continued, speaking both to Ravindra and to theemotion-struck group in the room. 'I am an old man,' he said. 'I may die atany moment. But please, you all carry on this sankirtana movement. You haveto become humble and tolerant. As Lord Caitanya says, be as humble as ablade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. You must have enthusiasm andpatience to push on this Krsna conscious philosophy.'
"Suddenly Ravindra's tears were gone. He jumped up, dejectedly stood,hesitating for a moment, and then hurried out the door, banging it behindhim.
"Ravindra-svarupa's dramatic exit from Krsna consciousness shocked thedevotees. Prabhupada sat still and continued speaking to them gravely,asking them to stick together and push on the movement, for their ownbenefit and for others. Whatever they had learned, he said, they shouldrepeat.
"They realized, perhaps for the first time, that they were part of apreaching mission, a movement. They . . . had a loving obligation to Swamijiand Krsna."
Although Ravindra-svarupa's exhibition may have been extreme, in principlehe is no different from many of us. We also don't want anyone between us andKrsna. We don't want to surrender; we want to be Krsna. But by your mercy wehave been engaged in devotional service and are undertaking the process ofpurification--chanting the holy names, hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam,associating with devotees, worshiping the Deity, and as far as possibleresiding in Mathura, Vrndavana, Mayapur, or any temple of Gaura-Nitai orRadha-Krsna.
Putana was asadhvi, unfaithful. And she pretended to be something that shewas not. She was actually a demon, but by her mystic powers she presentedherself as a very beautiful woman. Of course, it is not entirely wrong topresent oneself as something that one is not. Sometimes, for social reasons,we must, but internally we should remain faithful. The problem is thatinternally sometimes we become unfaithful (asadhvi). We want tosurrender--we decide to surrender--but then we take back our surrender. Ithappens all the time. We surrender--decide to surrender--and then withdrawour surrender. We are not sure whether we should surrender. We are not surewhether the process will work, whether we will get the result. We are notsure whether we will be successful in our attempt. We are not sure whetherKrsna will take care of us. We are not sure our desires will be fulfilled.
Ultimately, it comes to faith (sraddha), upon which all progress depends.
'sraddha'-sabde--visvasa kahe sudrdha niscayakrsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
"Sraddha is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental lovingservice to Krsna one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Suchfaith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service." (Cc Madhya22.62)
Even in your presence devotees did not always understand you. Most of thepeople who joined you were young, in their late teens or early twenties, andit was years before any of them left his or her body. The first I recall wasJaya Gopala dasa, who lost his life in an automobile accident. His youngwife was distraught, and you assured her that Jaya Gopala had gone back toGodhead and that she would join him. One of my godbrothers commented thatyou had said that just to encourage her.
Then I came across a book called His Divine Grace by Danavir Goswami.Looking through it, I saw a photo of Jaya Gopala, with the caption: "SrilaPrabhupada stated that Jaya Gopala was not ready to go back to Godhead butthat Krsna made an exception and took him back anyway." That is causelessmercy--your mercy. Krsna has no interest in anything of the material world.He is interested only in devotees. And it is only because of the mercy of adevotee that Krsna takes interest in someone who is not yet truly a devotee.Why else would Krsna make an exception for us--other than your mercy?Otherwise, who is Jaya Gopala dasa--or any of us--to Krsna? It is because ofour connection with you that we have any standing in Krsna's eyes.
Of course, as you always told us, Krsna is the Supersoul. He is in the heartof every living entity as the witness and overseer. And He loves the livingentities and accompanies them wherever they go. But He is neutral. He letsthem act to fulfill their desires. He doesn't interfere. However, when adevotee intervenes, Krsna takes special interest. One who has received adevotee's mercy gets Krsna's mercy, and that is true for all of us, yourfollowers, now. Otherwise, why should we be engaged in devotional service?We are just conditioned souls who have come into the material world toenjoy, in imitation of Krsna. Why should we even be in your temple? We arehere by your mercy, and thus we are making the effort to purify our hearts,hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and chanting the holy names, and become truedevotees.
Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami told me a nice story--a thought or realization thathe had had. It relates to your mercy and leads to the conclusion kam vadayalum saranam vrajema: "How shall I take shelter of one more merciful?" Inother words, "You are so merciful; how can I find anyone more merciful? Howcan I take shelter of anyone else?"
Sometimes it happens that your followers meet saintly persons outside ofISKCON. One year, Satsvarupa Maharaja went to Jagannatha Puri, during theholy month of Purusottama, to spend some time with one such sadhu. But whilethere, Satsvarupa Maharaja felt uncomfortable; he didn't feel at home inthat association. He felt that you created ISKCON to be his home and that hecould feel at home only in ISKCON--nowhere else.
Then he went a step further. He imagined a time when he would leave his bodyand come to the precincts of Krsnaloka and the gatekeeper would ask him,"Who are you?" He suddenly became fearful, thinking that he was taking agamble by turning himself into a siksa disciple of that sadhu rather thanremaining an exclusive disciple of Your Divine Grace. He wasn't sure exactlywhat his relationship with that sadhu was or what that sadhu might say toKrsna on his behalf.
Then he imagined a different sequence. In this one, when the gatekeeperasked, "Who are you?" he would reply, "I am Satsvarupa dasa, a disciple ofHis Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada." He imagined thegatekeeper going to you and asking, "Satsvarupa has come to the gate--Whatshould we do?" And he imagined that you would say, "Satsvarupa? MySatsvarupa? Call him immediately."
To me, this provides a striking picture of you and your mercy, and it servesto answer the rhetorical question "How shall I take shelter of one moremerciful than he?" For us, there is no one more merciful. There is no needto take shelter of anyone else, and there will be no gain if we leave you totake shelter of anyone else.
Two years ago I had the good fortune to meet your disciple Narayani dasiagain. I hadn't seen her for many years, and then, at a japa workshop inHouston, I met her again.
During the workshop a devotee asked her, "Sastra says that if you chant amantra knowing its meaning you get more benefit than by reciting it withoutknowing its meaning. So, what is the meaning of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra?"She replied that the mantra is a prayer, "O Krsna, O Radharani, pleaseengage me in Your service. O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me inYour service." A little later someone else asked the same question.Obviously they were looking for more. And she gave the same answer. Shesaid, "I know that there are other explanations of the meaning, but this isthe meaning that Srila Prabhupada gave, and I'm satisfied with it. I don'tfeel any need to pursue the matter further."
After the last session of the workshop I asked her about that question andher response--"Did you give that answer because it was a general audienceand you wanted to stay within Srila Prabhupada's direct instructions? Was itbecause of the circumstances that you gave that answer?" She said, "No, it'sbecause of me." She said that sometimes as a teacher at the VIHE she isexpected to speak from the commentaries of previous acaryas, on theBhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, but that if she sees a differencebetween what a previous acarya says and what you say, she can't present whatthe previous acarya says. She told me, "It's not because of thecircumstances or the audience--it's because of me." I asked, "Why do youwant to repeat only what Srila Prabhupada said, not what any other acaryahas said?" And she replied, "Because Srila Prabhupada is more merciful."
Then she told a story that she had heard. You were giving a talk in whichyou said that in order to go back home, back to Godhead, one must be centpercent pure, cent percent free of material desires and attachments. Whenyou saw that the devotees were discouraged, you said, "All right, 90%."Still they were dejected. Then you said, "All right, 80%." Still they werecrestfallen. Then you said, "All right, 75%--but not less."
After the talk, you commented, "If you just hold on to my lotus feet, I willtake you back to Godhead. I have the key to the back door."
Mother Narayani continued, "Actually, my only qualification to speak or todo anything is my faith in Srila Prabhupada. I feel that we are not soqualified to go in the front door, so our only hope is to strictly followSrila Prabhupada, because he can recommend us to Srimati Radharani and LordKrsna and open the door for us to enter the spiritual world."
We, your followers, have already received your mercy, and we are in aposition to receive even more. We just have to follow your instructions.Once, I heard that you had said, "Your qualification is that I give aninstruction . . ." I thought the rest of the sentence would be "and youfollow it," but the statement was "Your qualification is that I give you aninstruction and you try to follow it." Not even that we follow it--just thatwe try to follow it.
(Of course, we must try sincerely and seriously, by all means, with all ofour energy and resources, to follow.)
In our japa retreats we emphasize chanting with attention, without offense.We encourage devotees to pronounce each syllable distinctly and hear eachsyllable attentively. To chant inattentively is an offense. So, I thought ofmy initiation letter--you sent it to me in Boston from Los Angeles--in whichyou instructed me to avoid the ten offenses. And I thought, "Oh, my God,that was practically the first instruction I got from Srila Prabhupada--theone I got when I was initiated--and now, forty years later, I still haven'tbeen able to follow it, which is another offense: to disobey the orders ofthe spiritual master." So I thought, "I am just drowning in offenses." Andthen I thought, "I better reread that letter, to try to get some strengthand inspiration." I reread it, and there was the instruction: "You shouldavoid the ten offenses as far as possible." You were so merciful--you knewthat I couldn't avoid them completely. So you saved me from the offense ofdisobeying your order, by writing "as far as possible."
So that is our qualification, according to you. And that is our hope. If wesincerely try to follow your instructions strictly--if we just hold on toyour lotus feet--you will do the rest. You will take us back home, back toGodhead.
And then? As you wrote, "We will have another ISKCON in the spiritual sky."And what will we do there? We will engage in the same activities that yougave us here--chanting, dancing, feasting, and discussion of Krsna. As yousaid, "The aim of this Krsna consciousness movement is to enable us toapproach Radha-Krsna and associate with the Supreme Lord in His sublimepleasure dance . . . to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krsna." And ifwe are not completely successful in the present lifetime? You wrote, "It istrue that the spiritual master remains in the material universe until all ofhis disciples are transferred to the spiritual sky. . . . Therefore, everystudent should be very much careful not to commit any offense that will bedetrimental to this promotion to the spiritual kingdom, and thereby thespiritual master has to incarnate again to deliver him. This sort ofmentality will be a kind of offense to the spiritual master. Out of the tenkinds of offenses, the number-one offense is to disobey the orders of thespiritual master. The instructions given to the disciple by the spiritualmaster at the time of initiation should be strictly followed. That will makeone advance to the spiritual path."
Srila Prabhupada, I do not want you to have to come back to deliver me, orany of us. I will try my best to follow your instructions, withoutoffense--and depend on your causeless mercy.
Hare Krsna.
Your fallen, eternal servant,Giriraj Swami

The Art of Desiring - HH Giriraj Swami

2009-08-21T07:15:00.000+02:00

The Art of Desiring - An Appreciation of Srila Prabhupada by Giriraj Swami Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja August 14, 2009 Los Angeles
Srila Prabhupada initiated a disciple and gave him the name Bhavananda dasa,explaining that bhava meant "the material world" and ananda meant"bliss"--"the servant of the bliss of the material world." The disciple wasa little concerned--What was Prabhupada saying about him? What was thesignificance of his name?--so he approached him. And Srila Prabhupadareplied with a profound answer, which really reflected his mood--why, for example, in his old age he left Vrndavana to come to America. SrilaPrabhupada replied that the devotee has no happiness independent of Krsna's,that his happiness lies in Krsna's happiness, and that nothing gives Krsnamore pleasure than a devotee's bringing souls back to Him. So, preaching gives Krsna the greatest pleasure, but you can preach only in the materialworld. Thus, preaching is the bliss of the material world (bhavananda), andthat is the greatest bliss, because it gives Krsna the greatest pleasure.
Once, some years later, on an Ekadasi, I was with the same devotee,Bhavananda, and another devotee, Acyutananda (ananda abounded in thosedays), in Madras. Bhavananda and I were in the mood to go out and preach.But Acyutananda said, "No, it's Ekadasi. We shouldn't go out. It'sinauspicious. And besides, it looks like rain." We thought, "Oh boy, he isso attached to external rules and regulations. But we have the real spiritof preaching. We are going to go out and preach. We are not going to worryabout Ekadasi or some rain."
So we went out, in a light drizzle, and within minutes the sky poured downrain. And the rain didn't stop. Rather, it came down heavier and heavier. InMadras then, at least where we were walking, there was not much of adrainage system--just an open ditch two or three feet deep, lined withconcrete. And as the inundation continued, the channel filled with water,and soon you couldn't distinguish between the water on the street, the waterin the ditch, and the water on the fields beyond.
So, we were walking along blissfully, inspired in our mission, in ourservice to our guru maharaja, and Bhavananda Prabhu fell into the ditch. Hewas in water up to his waist. So, I gave him a hand, and he climbed out ofthe ditch. As it was, we were drenched with rainwater, but now he was soakedwith sewage water. So, what to do now?
Later, I related the incident to Srila Prabhupada, declaring that BhavanandaPrabhu had equal vision--he didn't distinguish between high and low. And Iquoted the verse from the Bhagavad-gita (5.18),
vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastinisuni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah
"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision alearned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater[outcaste]."
Srila Prabhupada replied, "Yes. You have theoretical knowledge, but he hasrealized knowledge, practical realization, so he is more advanced."[laughter]
In a way, Srila Prabhupada was joking, but I took everything he said ashaving deep meaning and significance, and I didn't doubt the truth of whathe said. It pricked my false ego a little, but it didn't bother me too much.If that's the way it was, then that's the way it was. Bhavananda Prabhu wasmore advanced. He was more realized.
Then, as happens in life, even in devotional service, we have ups and downs.But I was heartened to hear what Srila Prabhupada said about two ways ofattaining perfection: One is sadhana-siddhi: by executing the regulativeprinciples of devotional service and getting the mercy of Krsna, one attainsperfection. And the other is krpa-siddhi: even if one is unable to followall the rules and regulations strictly, if he has an overwhelming desire torender service, then Krsna or the spiritual master will by mercy bring himto the point of perfection.
This is a very important factor: desire. Once, Srila Prabhupada said, "Krsnaconsciousness is the art of desiring." Of course, the desire for lovingservice to Krsna is already there, naturally, within the heart:
nitya-siddha krsna-prema 'sadhya' kabhu nayasravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
"Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the livingentities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When theheart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens." (CcMadhya 22.107) If we just have that desire, and chant and hear in theassociation of pure devotees, Krsna and Prabhupada will fulfill our desire.
Early in my association with devotees I had heard that Srila Prabhupada hadsaid that all we need to become Krsna conscious is eagerness, that thedesire to become Krsna conscious is as good as becoming Krsnaconscious--because Krsna fulfills all desires. Thinking of SrilaPrabhupada's statement, in a large outdoor program in India, I asked him, "Iheard that to become Krsna conscious all we need is the desire, that we justhave to be eager. Does this mean we don't need to read books?" And SrilaPrabhupada replied, "If you desire to be Krsna conscious--if you areeager--you will accept whatever will help you to become Krsna conscious. Sowhy not read books?" So, it is a matter of desire, but it is also a matterof expressing the desire in practical activities.
Later, I read a verse that provided the scriptural basis of SrilaPrabhupada's statement:
krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyatetatra laulyam api mulyam ekalam janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate
"Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by piousactivity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only bypaying one price--that is, the intense eagerness and desire to obtain it. Ifit is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay." (Padyavali14, Cc Madhya 8. 171)
On this auspicious occasion, in this august assembly, I pray to SrilaPrabhupada, and to all of you, to kindly bless me that the desire to servehis lotus feet--to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates and SriSri Radha-Krsna and Their associates--will become stronger and stronger andstronger, to the exclusion of all else.
tvayi me 'nanya-visaya matir madhu-pate 'sakrtratim udvahatad addha gangevaugham udanvati
"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance,let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You." (SB 1.8.42)
Thank you very much.

When Africa cried Gauranga!

2009-08-20T09:10:00.000+02:00

Below are the two mrdanga maharatis, ex gurukulis from Vrndavan Gurukul now responsible, Krishna conscious men in society. Kesava in blue and Krishna das with blue and yellow covered mrdanga.

These devotees chanted heartfelt kirtan to glorify Lord Balaram.

The holy name resounded in all directions.

Nrsimhananda Prabhu with orange mrdanga led a very long ecstatic kirtan. They devotees were soaked in perspiration in the bliss of the festivities!

"‘In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.'
[Cc Adi 17.21]

Ratha Yatra in the remote town of Ermelo; Johannesburg - South Africa

2009-07-14T07:54:00.000+02:00

Ermelo is a remote town that is a three hour drive from Johannesburg. The devotees from the surrounding towns got together to arrange their second annual Ratha Yatra festival.

Below are the beautiful and most merciful Lordships Sri Jagannath, Sri Baladev and Srimati Subadra before they embarked on the three hour journey to Ermelo.

The picture below features the Hamanskraal team of enthusiastic chanters. Being on school holidays prior to this festival they embarked on a daily harinam for the entire week. In reciprocation we facilitated their travels to attend this magnificent festival. Without their ecstatic participation in the harinam the festival would not have been the same. Of course they all had lost their voices by the next day and were blissfully exhausted!

Below HH. Bhakti Caitanya Swami gives the introductory talk from the chariot at the beginning of the procession.

Many plates of sumptuous breyani and legendary halava were distributed. The harinam led everyone to the Cassim Park Hall wherea purely Krishna conscious line up of spiritual entertainment ensued. The youth performed three dramas that proved to be very effective preaching. The music group - 'The Golden Age' enthralled the crowed with their Krishna conscious Hip Hop musical performance. His Grace Brhat-mrdanga Prabhu and His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami both delivered enlightening talks and were available, speaking to devotees and guests throughout the festivities. The festival culminated in blissful kirtans leaving us all desiring to be in the next festival. Many books as well as candy prasad were distributed.

Darshan of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari - 21 June 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa

2009-06-24T08:26:00.000+02:00

Below: Their Beautiful Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari.

Below: Sri Gaura-Hari

Below: Sri Nitai

Below: Sri Giri-Govardhana

Below: Sri Sri Nitai Saci-Suta

Below: Sri Sri Chota Nitai Gaura-Hari

RathaYatra - Johannesburg, South Africa - 20 June 2009

2009-06-24T07:57:00.000+02:00

This is the beautiful darshan of Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subadra Maharani just before They left for the Ratha Yatra festival last Saturday. They are the personal Deities of HG Syamasundara Prabhu and Mother Astasakhi and go to all the Ratha Yatra's in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Last Saturday They were in Randburg in Johannesburg. Next month They go to Ermelo Rathayatra - 4 hour drive from home. In September They go to Soweto Ratha Yatra. Then in December They go to Lenasia for another Ratha Yatra. At some point in time They go to Cape Town - another province.

"So these European and American Vaisnavas, they're hankering after jagannatha svami nayana pathagami bhavatu me. Now it is through your intervention they may be able to see Jagannatha Swami. (chuckles) They are hankering like that, jagannatha svami nayana pathagami bhavatu me."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srila Prabhupada, Evening Address to Pandas and Scholars -- Jagannatha Puri, January 26, 1977

Kirtan at Iskcon Pretoria, South Africa by Nrsimhananda Prabhu

2009-05-29T20:14:00.000+02:00

Like I have said before in Africa beat is in the blood. Watch this kirtan my husband sings. I got this mail today.

Hare Krishna,Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.We always knew Pretoria kirtans were world famous :) well here's the proof on YouTube ! ECSTATIC kirtans led by none other than His Grace Nrsimhananda Prabhu !http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7qGyvqnAnQ&feature=related(make sure you go till the 5 min mark !)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyasUYy9LO8Word of caution: Be prepared to get 'ecstatic-fied'.. I was literally dancing out of my chair as I watched this, with my colleagues wondering what's happening ! :)All glories to the kirtaneers of Pretoria, who fire us up every week !Your servant,Aditi

Festival of love in Soweto, South Africa

2009-05-28T15:34:00.000+02:00

There is a statement by Lord Siva in the Padma Purana:

aradhananam sarvesam
visnor aradhanam param
tasmad parataram devi
tadiyanam samarcanam
[SB 11.2.45]

"O Devi, the most exalted system of worship is the worship of Lord Visnu. Greater than that is the worship of tadiya, or anything belonging to Visnu." [SB 11.2.45]

On May 16th, 2009, Iskcon Soweto hosted a festival of love celebrating the birth of a very dear devotee of Lord Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada, HH Bhakti Nrsimha Swami(GRS). Maharaj has always been a well-wisher, close confidant, counsellor, friend and mentor to the devotees. A disciple of HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj, he is the first second generation sannyasi from the South African yatra having been initiated into sannyasa in Easter 2008 at Ratha Yatra, Durban South Africa. Below is a picture of him during the festival celebrating his birth. His attire being a blend of Africa and Vaisnava generally attracts the local native African people and does not make him appear too foreign in robes.
He joined at Iskcon Durban in the 1980's, served in the Food for Life department, helped translate the first of Srila Prabhupada's books into Zulu. He was instrumental together with other devotees in arranging the huge Festival of Rainbow Children in a stadium in Durban in 1996 which was attended by Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela publicly announced that that was the happiest day of his life during his address at the festival. Maharaj travels through small towns in South African preaching and mentoring devotees. He aslo travels to Poland, Mauritius, Russia, Scotland, Europe, America, India, East Africa, Nairobi, (where he served as Temple President for six months) India and Swaziland(where he pioneers the preaching and establishment of an Iskcon centre.)

He was born a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and was thus vegetarian from birth. His father was a priest. Maharaja's insightful lectures in English and various other languages are known to inspire many individuals. His kirtans are also very melodious.

Above Nrsimhananda Prabhu (In grey jacket to the left of the saffron clad devotee) leads kirtan while others dance at the festival of love. This was attended by many native African guests who clapped and chanted spontaneously also. In Africa beat is in the blood!

Above Maharaj talks to guests and his newphew Moosa, (Wearing garland and seated to Maharaja's left.) a university graduate who came all the way from Natal to attend this glorious event.

The talks by the devotees expressed so much of love and gratitude to Maharaj for being so easily accessible to everyone without discrimination. Although Maharaj is not an initiating Guru the devotees showered so much of love in gratitude for his valuable siksa. Above Mahaprabhu das, the leader in Iskcon Soweto lovingly feeds Maharaj birthday cake cooked and decorated by his amazing wife Malini devi dasi. Mother Malini together with her team of grand devotional cooks also cooked an amazing feast of Butter-masala paneer, green beans and potatoes, corn and paneer samoosas, Greek salad, gulabhs, puris, fancy rice and lots of other sumptuous preparations. For many of the guests this was a unique experience in savouring vegetarian cuisine.

Above the devotees loving carry Maharaj during the kirtan. Maharaj was so unsuspecting as he gracefully danced with his danda.

The program was held in a grand hall in Soweto and was beautifully decorated. Bhakta Matsya, a school teacher and Mahaprabhu were the chief organizers. 95% of the attendees were of native African origin. Many guests were fascinated to watch the exchange of love between the devotees and Maharaj and were encouraged to want to be part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Being not far from the horrible past when apartheid was prominent it was indeed very refreshing for them to see a native African being offered so much love and respect. All glories to Srila Prabhupada who built a house in which the whole world can live. Jai Srila Prabhupada!

Please pray for HG Mahaman Prabhu

2009-05-14T17:19:00.000+02:00

Devotees Injured in Traffic Accident, Indore
BY: BASU GHOSH DAS (ACBSP)
May 12, BARODA, INDIA (SUN) — Mahaman Prabhu progress report - May 11, 2009 - Good news
Here is a progress report on the condition of Sriman Mahaman Prabhu that I just wrote [to a godbrother] after speaking on the telephone with Mahaman Prabhu's wife, Paramahamsa Mataji, just a few moments ago:
Home Base: ISKCON-Baroda Dear Prabhu,Namonamaha. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Received your message:
How is Mahaman Prabhu's condition? Our prayers are for his speedy recovery. I tried to contact that mobile number of his wife which you gave, but no response. Just now I phoned his wife -- it's 8:00 AM IST on Monday, May 11, 2009 -- on that very same mobile number: 93004-74043, and she answered immediately.
Maybe there was a "glitch" (problem) with the "line" when you phoned? This is a "Reliance" number and it's not unusual for there to be problems connecting to such numbers from other SP's ("service providers"). My phone is BSNL, the Government telecom here and at least today it went through! ;-)
The report is good. Although Mahaman Prabhu's condition is "serious" (she didn't state that, but it was "critical but stable" before, so I conject that the improvement "upgrades" his condition, thus), and he's still in the ICU, they've removed oxygen support (he was NOT intubated, at least) and he's able to breath normally, on his own. There is a constant drain of fluids from his lungs -- or an infection or collection of blood & fluid (I won't know exactly what the doctors are calling that till I go there -- and I'm now planning to do so after he's out of the ICU) in that area.
Mataji said that it will be a few more days before he's shifted out of the ICU. They allow visitors only a few minutes with him in the ICU, so my feeling is that it's best to let the "major healing" take place, and then visit him when I can spend more time with him.
HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj visited him last Tuesday. Ganga Narayan Prabhu, TP of ISKCON Ujjain visited him again yesterday. Otherwise, there haven't been other "out of town" visitors, yet.
ISKCON Juhu will be shortly arranging for a collection of contributions to help cover the hospitalization costs of his care. ISKCON Baroda VP Nityananda Ram Das was there last Sunday & Monday, and we contributed on the spot a cash donation of approximately US $400 (Rs. 20,000/-).
Details will be sent out on the internet shortly (of how to send the contributions to Juhu temple), so that those who wish to help cover the expenses of his hospitalization and treatment, may do so. It's anticipated that the costs may go up to about Rs. 5 lakhs, that's approximately US $ 10,000. Around a lakh of Rupees has already been spent by his wife on his treatment... (US $ 2,000).
Thanks for you kind message and prayers. I'm copying this to Mahaman Prabhu's e-mail address, so that when he gets better, he'll see how many devotees were thinking of him and praying for him!
Hope this meets you well.
das,
Basu Ghosh Das

His beauty is His weapon

2009-05-11T17:02:00.000+02:00

HH Kadamba Kanan Swami's talk at the 30th installation anniversary of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, Johannesburg, South Africa, 18/04/2009

2009-04-23T18:34:00.000+02:00

HH Kadamba Kanan Swami: When Govinda Maharaj took us back to Vrindavan I also started thinking about Vrindavan and what came to mind was that one very senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada who was very much involved in the Vrindavan project from the very beginning was Dhananjaya Prabhu. He was a householder. So one day Srila Prabhupada called him and said that you could start a business and as a business you could produce Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and then the book distributors they can take those Deities and as they meet nice people in their book distribution they can just give them a set of theses Deities and They can just be kept as souvenir dolls. Just like from different countries they collect some dolls. So he wanted us to tell people that these were Hare Krishna dolls and they can keep them in their house and we were to tell them that if everyday the would put a little water before those dolls that would bring them luck. So what an amazing vision that Srila Prabhupada had. One may say from which scripture, where is it mentioned that the Deity can be worshipped in such a way but Srila Prabhupada had such a profound vision, such a profound understanding of the mercy of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai that he saw it like that. He understood it like that and only to leave us in amazement because it takes a devotee of the caliber of Srila Prabhupada so intimate to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai who is so much in direct connection with Them that he can understand Their moods. Thus he understands that it was the desire of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Themselves who in Their very merciful mood somehow or the other were ready to reach out to those who were not following any regulative principles at all but somehow prepared to go to their houses.

With this meditation I like to approach Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari. How inconceivably great Their mercy is we can not even imagine. We thought we came to Krishna consciousness because of our own interest in spiritual life but actually simply because Gaura Nitai smiled upon the world suddenly people took interest in spiritual life Suddenly because just Their presence was there in the material world the entire population of the world began to open up to the Absolute Truth thus we cannot imagine how potent the influence is and how much the influence of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari is present in our lives. We have no idea. We don’t know how much the fate of Krishna consciousness here in South Africa has been steered by Them. We don’t know what invisible strings They pulled, invisible to our eyes, how many arrangements They have made, how many people They have sent for various purposes, we have no idea! But we can understand that They did, we can very much understand that They did and thus we can all understand that somehow or the other Krishna consciousness reach us through Them.

I first came only fourteen years ago for the first time to South Africa. Time goes fast. It is already fourteen years. At that time the Deities were in Hillbrow which was an amazing temple in so many ways but destiny had it that They had another plan. They had another plan! The plan of the Lord is only known to His devotees. Krishna reveals His plans through His devotees. Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, Their plan maybe obscure in the way that we don’t know what arrangements They will make but Their desires are not obscure. Their desires are not at all obscure. We know very well that They have a great desire to reach out to all and everyone without consideration of their qualification or their conditioning.

Somehow or the other that means that they have come for us. We should not think that Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari as the deliverer of the most fallen have come for others who are very fallen and that we are so exalted that we have come as the eternal assistants of the Lord. No one should think that we have somehow or the other received that mercy. That is our good fortune and that is why we are here. Certainly without Their presence, the presence of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari there will be not question of Krishna consciousness really having taken the proportions that it took in South Africa. What more is to unfold we don’t know, we really don’t know. Yes maybe They will move at Their own will again and again. That could be or maybe They will just stay were They are. These things are inconceivable. We are dependent on Their mercy.

The occasion of Their appearance is especially blessed. It is not an ordinary festival. It is a potent time. It is a time when blessings are more present than any other time. So this is a good opportunity to pray for inspiration and strength. That is my meditation as I am here today and I pray that we may be able to do something, that we may be able to take Krishna consciousness to anyone and everyone, not just looking at those who are coming forward and already following but that we may somehow or the other find the inspiration to take Krishna consciousness to all kinds of people who are not following any standards that we may also bring Krishna consciousness to them. Because the more we try to fulfill the desires of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, the more They will reciprocate and the more They will make miracles happen. Lord Caitanya performs many miracles in His pastimes. Very famous pastime is of course Jarikanda, the forest where He made tigers and deer’s embrace. Considering that, there are no limits, no limits in what is possible but I wish to witness some of these miracles in South Africa.

Personally I am of a very impatient nature. I can’t wait! So after fourteen years I have seen something but still my desires are not fulfilled. I wish to see something very, very extraordinary if possible in this lifetime and to see that in South Africa deer’s and tigers or opposites amongst people that were totally at odds with each other will all come together and embrace in ecstasy. It is already happening to some extent and I can’t wait for the rest of the miracles of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari to unfold. The more the devotees try to carry the message of the Lord anywhere and everywhere the more it will happen. Thus when I think of Lenasia I always see it as a preaching base. I am always thinking that this is the place where there is support. Just like the military has a base, safe place, and then we go out on missions. Partha Sarathi has told me a lot about his missions and I Think that this place is a perfect place for missions in may areas and I hope that in that way Lord Caitanya’s desires will be fulfilled. He must have a purpose why He came here.
Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai! (Applause.)

HH BB Govinda Maharaj at the 30th anniversary celebration of the installation of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari in Johannesburg, South Africa - 18/04/2009

2009-04-22T20:41:00.000+02:00

His Holiness Bhakti Brnga Govinda Swami Maharaj an His Holiness Indradyumna Swami Maharaj concluded the program of two days with the most ecstatic kirtan ever. About 300 devotees danced to their potent chanting for about three hours. Below is a pic of Maharaj with kurta soaked from dancing. The devotees were so inspired that no one wanted to leave. It truly felt that the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda were being manifest and distributed to everyone through these two empowered representatives. We pray for a repeat performance in the near future.

HH BB Govinda Maharaj: Hare Krishna. Well at least Indradyumna Swami was temple president and started ratha yatra. I have done nothing here in South Africa except I keep coming periodically and relishing the association of the wonderful devotees of the South African yatra. This is the thirtieth anniversary of the installation of the Deities. In 1977 few years before the installation I was serving in Vrindavan and I would finish my cooking service around two in the afternoon and then I would go have a good scrub and then I would go in to Srila Prabhupada’s room and I would sit there in the afternoon. That was during the final period of Srila Prabhupada’s pastimes in this world. And they would read Srila Prabhupada reports of preaching from around the world because these reports were would really enliven Srila Prabhupada. When he would hear the reports of temples being opened, when he would hear reports of book distribution, when he would hear reports of devotees being made he would become very, very inspired. He would even say, “By hearing reports like this I will live for one hundred years.”

Once when I was sitting there and Tamal Krishna Maharaj was just by Srila Prabhupada’s bed next to Srila Prabhupada and he started reading the news reports or the letters to Srila Prabhupada and there was the report from South Africa about the opening of the Cato Ridge Temple and Srila Prabhupada heard the report of the temple opening and Srila Prabhupada was very enlivened. So Tamal Krishna Maharaj began reporting or started reading and there was one point in the letter, in the report that said that the Krishna Consciousness Movement has been established to defeat bogus yogis. When Srila Prabhupada heard the word bogus yogis he smiled and he said, “Stop. Read it again.” So they read that line again how the Krishna Consciousness Movement was meant to defeat and thrash bogus yogis then Srila Prabhupada started speaking. He started speaking about there are so many bogus teachers from India. In particular he started speaking about two individuals from Bengal and how they done nothing but destroy the spiritual culture of Bengal and then Prabhupada said, “Continue.”

In the next point the article said that the Krishna Consciousness Movement is meant to make people happy, healthy and holy. When Prabhupada heard that he smiled and said, “Stop. Read it again.” So Tamal Krishna Maharaj read it again and Srila Prabhupada said, “This is the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All of you prior to prior to receiving the mercy of Lord Caitanya your lives were empty, you were not healthy, you were not happy and also you were not holy but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has changed all of that.” And Srila Prabhupada continued speaking about the great mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So we were all just listening and we had to get real close to Srila Prabhupada. His voice was strong. We all surrounded his bed and were listening and finally Srila Prabhupada stopped speaking and Tamal Krishna Maharaj said, “Srila Prabhupada this Krishna Consciousness Movement is an ocean of bliss.” And Srila Prabhupada said, “Mmm what did you say?” And Tamal Krishna Maharaj said, “This Krishna Consciousness Movement is an ocean of bliss.” And Srila Prabhupada said, “Mmmm what did you say?” Tamal Krishna Maharah repeated, “Srila Prabhupada this Krishna Consciousness Movement is an ocean of bliss - anandambudhi-vardanam.” When Srila Prabhupada heard anandambudhi-vardanam he was laying flat in his bed and with great effort he brushed his hand into the air and he pointed his finger, his finger was shaking like this, and then Prabhupada said, “Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam.” And his hand went down and we all said, “Jai Srila Prabhupada.”

So that was Cato Ridge opening, the Deities came. Now thirty years later we are seeing the fruit of devotion in Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I travel all over the world. The South African Yatra has really produced jewels of Vaisnavas. We have our Srila Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaj, we have Srila Partha Sarathi Goswami Maharaj, our Syamlall Prabhu has been here for so many years, so many devotees. This is the fruit of sincerely worshipping and following the instructions of Lord Caitanya. In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said,

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah (SB 11.5.32)

That in Kali-yuga people who have some intelligence left will understand that the method of worshipping the Lord in this age is the performance of sankirtan yajna, which was taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And we should rest assured that if we continue the performance of the sankirtan yajna and continue the worship of the Deities here and continue bringing people to their lotus feet then They will bless us and we will attain the goal of life which is love of Krishna. It is an honor for me to be here with all of you here today who contributed to the worship and the expansion of the Krishna consciousness movement in South Africa and I hope that your success will grow as the years pass by Thank you very much. Hare Krishna! (Loud Applause.)

Talk by HH Indradyumna Maharaj at the 30th installation anniversary of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari - Johannesburg, South Africa - 18/04/2009

2009-04-22T12:59:00.000+02:00

His Holiness Indradyumna Maharaj: Before I begin I would just like to point out that Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj for many of you is your diksa guru or siksa guru. Above all the official terms he is one of the pioneers of the Krishna consciousness movement here. He has touched briefly on some of the services that he has done. I can see why you are looking at him like he is your Maharaj, he is your GBC he is your leader here but he preaches in other parts of the world as well. I don’t want to make you jealous or anything but when he is there in far eastern Siberia and he is addressing the devotees he is also speaking as their leader and they look to him in the same way as you look to him and he is their Maharaj and also Lithuania and that part of the world as well. I just wanted you to know that you are very fortunate. We have to share him. I hope you appreciate how fortunate you are to have such leadership here which amongst other leaders as well. The jewels that we have in this wonderful yatra, so much success! One time Prabhupada said any program is only as good as the person that is heading it up but you must be good followers as well because that also has to be there.

I don’t feel that I have any claim to be sitting here this evening with all these great devotees. As I look around I must admit that I don’t know most of you and probably most of you don’t know me. I think I just got here by chance or something. I can’t claim that I have done anything. I did have a stint as a temple president in Durban in 1987. I don’t know if I am famous or infamous for that. If it was infamous please bear with me. Being the temple president is most probably the most difficult service in this movement and I learnt the hard way. Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj was actually the president in 1986 or thereabouts. I just came down for a visit to rest and eat and I remember the temple was running very nicely. Maharaj was doing well and then I don’t know what happened. I got this idea that I wanted to be the temple president. Probably pratista or something like this. Maharaj was chanting I don’t know if he remembers. He was chanting his rounds around the moat one morning and I just walked up and said, “Maharaj what do you think if I became the temple president here?” And his immediate reaction, he was so merciful he said, “Oh that would be very nice.” He handed me the hot potato. It only lasted about nine months or so. We went into debt. We had a great time. We had a lot of kirtan, putting on ratha-yatra, a lot of great feasts and in the end there was no money left in the treasury.

Anyway I am happy to be in this august assembly. Actually I was reading the other day about the life of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. When he was a young man actually he was still a teenager. He was going to school but in his spare time he would go to the park near the university that he was studying in and unlike many teenagers today they engage in so many frivolous sports and such activities, we won’t go into detail. In those days India was very much different than it is now and such and illustrious personality he would sit in the park and he would speak philosophy to the students and he would encourage others to debate with him. This was their pastimes during the school breaks and as a result many of the young men became very attracted to him and he started a men’s group called ‘august assembly’ and this was their free times and in the evenings and vacations. They would just sit and discuss philosophy and come to the conclusion of bhakti, Krishna consciousness. The criteria for joining that group was that you had to come before the Deity and take a lifetime vow of celibacy. It was a serious group – a lifetime vow of celibacy.

So we have many scholars here in this august assembly who did much to spread the Krishna conscious movement here, all part of Lord Caitanya’s master plan because He is the yuga avatar He delivers the yuga dharma which as you know is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra - Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur once said that you can judge the value of an article by how many times Krishna’s name is mentioned. Just the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. As part of that yuga dharma that very simple and sublime process of chanting Hare Krishna He had a whole master plan how that chanting would be spread throughout the world and how those individuals who came in contact with that chanting would benefit from it. Along with the chanting is there a life style, a culture.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He appeared, He began this master plan by sending His most intimate disciples the six goswamis of Vrindavan to Vrindavan and He gave then specific instructions. He said that they should write books on the science of Krishna consciousness. They should establish temples there and that they should install Deities in the temples and really that is the master plan of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It evolved down to the present day and we see that, that plan has come to this wonderful country, South Africa. No we have very beautiful temples. So in these temples the Deities that are worshipped are an intricate part of Vedic culture since time immemorial. Prabhupada when he came to the west around 21971 his health was not so good so he was going back to India to recuperate and recover. He wasn’t even sure that he would come back but at that time he said that when he was going on the way to Japan to arrange for his books to be published and then he was going to India to establish a temple for the International Society for Krishna consciousness.

At that time he said what is the need for a temple because in India there are thousands of temples. Perhaps if you take into consideration the home temples there are millions of temples. He said, “What is the need for another temple? But still because we are the International Society for Krishna consciousness we want our own special place of worship.” History has shown how Prabhupada went back to India and practically alone although many disciples were helping him and he was pushing us in the west to distribute his books and give the money to build the temple. It was his desire by his desire that today we the members of the society and the members of India that we have our Juhu beach temple in Mumbai, we have our Vrindavan temple – Krishna Balaram Mandir, we have our Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir. These are the main centers, which serve and will continue to serve the devotees in this movement for the next ten thousand years. So temples are very integral part of our society. Mahaprabhu had his devotees establish the famous seven temples in Vrindavan and went on to five to seven thousand – I forget the actual figure.

Prabhupada came to the west and practically from the moment he landed in New York City he was walking around, we hear from Satsvarup Goswami in his Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta, Prabhupada was looking for a place to establish a temple He wanted a place where new devotees would come to worship Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. He even had a few buildings that he had noticed that would be good. Of course these buildings were worth millions and millions of dollars but as we know Srila Prabhupada always thought very big and I don’t know whether it was he who said it or one of his devotees but he said that this word impossible is a word in the fools dictionary. And again history has shown that Prabhupada went on to establish temples not only New York City. There are several temples there now but not only all over America but all over the world.

Very often we stress the distribution of books because we know how dear it was to Srila Prabhupada. He wanted that and he still wants that we distribute his books all over the world but the temples are equally important and the worship of the Deity are equally important because the result of distributing those books which is the success of every yatra in this world is that people want to come and see what it is all about. So if we just have a little hut somewhere in the middle of the field people would not come and make a request. Therefore we have to build these big beautiful opulent centers so that people would come and visit us. I was told that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur he would have his disciples build these temples as part of the expansion of the Gaudiya Math all over India particularly in Bengal and Orissa and all over India and soon as the brahmacaris would be accomplished in building a center or temple, they would be exhausted then immediately he would begin another temple some place else. It is very much our culture. You could say it is balanced – the preaching and the Deity worship that goes on in the temple. As our movement is evolving we see that they are both equally important although Prabhupada stressed book distribution he also personally saw to that many beautiful temples were established. We can personally experience the result. We get a book or we come to a ratha yatra, or we come to a congregational meeting, we see the devotees chanting then what is the next step? It is to come to the temple and were is all the temple activity centered around? The Deities!

As Maharaj was so nicely describing the beauty of the Deity even from the external point of view these Deities look beautiful but Maharaj with his deep spiritual purity he was appreciating also Their spiritual beauty and this is the effect. Even if a person is materially or mundanely covered when he comes to the temple he experiences something different in the Deities association. The same is true when you go to the holy dham. There is something special about the dham, the Yogapith, place of the Lord’s place of pastimes. Even a mundaner when he comes can experience a change of heart. So when they come to your temple and they see these very beautiful Deities of Gaura Nitai there is a change of heart. To coin the phrase that Srila Prabhupada used for our paintings – it is like a window to the spiritual world. Arca-vigraha is the mercy incarnation of the Lord because Krishna comes for a short time by cosmic time. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was here for forty-eight years. Krishna was here for hundred and twenty five years. It is just a spark in cosmic time but the arca-vigrahas considered the mercy incarnation of the Lord because It comes on the request of the pure devotee and stays and there is no difference between the Deity of the Lord and the Lord Himself.

As we know the young brahmana when he came back to ask Saksi Gopal to bear witness for him in Orissa he asked the Deity if the Deity would come. He said, “My dear Lord You are not a statue, You are directly the son of Maharaj Nanda.” So when people come they are having darsan of the Lord and that is purifying. Actually we think of darsan as coming before the Lord and seeing Him, awakening our transcendental senses by meditating on the Lord and the Lord is looking at you. What is the value of the Lord looking upon you? Our eyes are covered so how much are we able to see? Gradually, gradually, gradually we begin to see more so much so that and advanced devotee he can stand in front of the Deity for hours on end and never get restless and go away. Because of our neophyte condition we believe in the Deity. We only stand for a few minutes and we become restless and we go away but if you are actually convinced that here is the Lord you would want to stay all day in front of the Deities. What is the benefit? The benefit is that His transcendental eyes are looking into your heart and what is the effect of the Lord on the heart? ceto-darpana-marjanam – He is purifying the heart. So we should give as many people as possible to come before these wonderful Dieties and have these Deities look into their hearts and purify the lust, anger and greed - obstacles to pure devotion. This gives the Deity great pleasure.

We must worship the Deity according to all the rules and regulations. Prabhupada said detail is a sign of love. We must follow all the details of Deity worship particularly very clean and always on time. Prabhupada said these are the golden rules of Deity worship – punctuality and cleanliness and make nice offerings and on Their birthday, appearance day and other events that are special. We should know that it really pleases Gaura Nitai to bring many people through these doors, conditioned souls for darsan of the Lord. That pleases the Lord more than anything. So as Maharaj was saying we should arrange for as many people as is possible to come and take darsan of the Lord. That means moving Them to another site. Generally in India once a Deity is established It is never moved, that is Vedic tradition. That is why sometimes when you are driving in India you would come to a road and there would be a temple in the middle of the road, a small like chapel kind of temple and you wonder why in the world there is a road that goes around the temple and you have drive around it. Because in India once the Deity is established, He is there, you don’t inconvenience the Lord or request Him to please come here, you don’t inconvenience Him by asking Him to move but this Lord,

namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah (CC Madhya 19.53)

He is so merciful; He is willing to be moved everyday if necessary to claim all conditioned souls. How do we know that? Because as God Himself He traveled the length and breadth of India to deliver conditioned souls! Generally the Lord comes and has His lilas like in Ayodhya Dham, Vrindavan, Mathura, Dwaraka but Caitanya Mahaprabhu He is so eager to reclaim fallen conditioned souls He went from village to village, town to town, city to city – you can trace His route historically if you read Caitanya Bhagavat, Caitanya Caritamrta you can trace where He went exactly and who He met. The immovable Lord was moving by His will to claim conditioned souls. In that sense we can understand if it is required for the purpose of preaching to a bigger congregation to introduce more conditioned souls to His lotus feet we can move – I heard a rumor that we want to have another temple some place else closer to the action so that I am sure will be a great success. It is not an easy thing to do. We were discussing it at dinner. Some of the pastimes of these great stalwart pioneers, Medhavi Prabhu and Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj, Symalal, Ramanuja Acarya – the older devotees, how hard they had to work to collect the funds to establish that temple in Durban, Chatsworth. Someone can stay that it was not honest upfront means, they were wearing wigs and they were selling Hong Kong paintings. We say utility is the principle. If anything it was a white lie it wasn’t a black lie. (Laughter) We judge by the result. By giving to that unknowingly people get ajnata sukriti, unknown spiritual advancement. There are examples of centers in India that have been built under questionable means.

The temple at Sri Rangam, actually there was one sadhu who was lamenting, “Why can’t we have one big beautiful temple in this holy place?” He would always go to all the businessmen, the merchants and the wealthy people and the politicians and ask, “You give some donation for building some nice temple.” For some reason they were adverse, some material consciousness there! So he came up with a very peculiar way to establish the temple. He went out into the forest and he contacted the dacoits. He said to the dacoits, “Why don’t we all work together. I will help you, I will protect you, I have a lot of connections in town.” The famous robbing theory, they steal from the rich to give to the poor. Krishna is not poor but anyway he employed his devotee in this way and the dacoits under the direction of this sadhu they would rob these wealthy merchants when they were going to deposit their money or going here or there. They came up with a vast amount of money. Of course he promised that he would give them a certain percentage in the end after the temple was built. It was built and they came and said, “We want our money now.” He said, “This is all Krishna’s money. Why should I give it back to these rogues? They are going to use it for all kinds of illicit activities.” So he said, “The money is there on the island. I put I under a tree. We will go to the island and then I will give you your reward.” He rowed there. Of course none of them knew how to swim because in India most Indians don’t know how to swim. He just managed to turn that boat over and they all drowned and he swam out to shore. He must have had some swimming lessons and in this way this is history. This is how the Sri Rangam Temple was originally constructed. I am not recommending (laughter) times have moved on and we have become pure brahmanas and honest so it is really a question of the desire. Nowadays you have a larger congregation. You have many experienced devotees, many good ideas and a wonderful national council working so cooperatively together I am sure if you want you can do it. That dream can actually come true. Sometimes you think do dreams actually come true. They can come true.
There was one gentleman in Bengal around the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur who was in his late twenties and he decided that he would leave his education and go find a spiritual master in Navadwip. So as he left home he wasn’t married he was studying. He walked away from everything, promising career, beautiful women they wanted to engage him to. He just decided that he wanted to pursue spiritual life so he went to Navadwip. Unfortunately he fell into bad association the apasampradaya. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur was preaching very strongly against them. He was living in the ashram of one of their gurus. It just so happened that he heard about Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur so he left the ashram of this bogus guru and he went to hear from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. He was so impressed, so astounded by the philosophy that he heard that after the lecture Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur called him and gave him some instructions. He went back to the ashram that night and he was so excited that he could hardly sleep. He didn’t eat. Finally he fell asleep and that night he dreamt that the bogus guru and some of his female associates were attacking him in the forms of tigers. That was a terrible nightmare he had. Subtly Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur in his dream appeared and chased the bogus guru and the tigers away and invited him to his ashram. He woke up at about 4.30am or 5am and immediately went to the ashram of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, fell at his feet and asked him to accept him as his disciple and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur did accept him. That was his very first disciple. This is the story of how he got his very first disciple. So it is a dream but it came true. In the same way if you have this dream because if not manifest in the dream if you want to establish a bigger place of worship were you can offer more service to your beautiful Deities as a means to bring more people of this part of South Africa to Their lotus feet I am sure that under the great leadership that you have certainly it would be possible. Hare Krishna. (Applause.)