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

Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!


Date: February 16th, 2011

Topic: Appearance of Lord Nityananda

Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami

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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

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.]





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Harinam sankirtana ki. Jai!

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_