Tridandi Swami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja FOR RAMACANDRA VIJAYOTSAVA
[October 17, 2010 is Ramacandra Vijayotsava , the day that Rama defeated and killed Ravana. We hope that you will relish this lectur4ew that Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja gave on Lord Rama's appearance day on April 12, 2000 in Mathura:]
Who is Sri Rama? He is Krsna Himself, and Sita is Radhika Herself. In order to establish the principles of maryada, regulative etiquette, Krsna appeared in the form of Sri Rama. His associates also appeared in Rama-lila. Gopisvara Mahadeva manifested as Hanuman and Baladeva appeared as Laksmana. Satrugna and Bharata are also manifestations of Krsna because they are His weapons. They are respectively Sanka and Cakra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself read and glorified the pastimes of Sri Rama.
Valmiki has described the pastimes of Rama in great detail. He was a siddha mahatma, a realized soul. Popular Indian stories say that in his previous life he was a dacoit, and he used to kill people for his living. One time he met Narada Rsi and, by that meeting, his heart was transformed and he became a sadhu. According to the scriptures, Valmiki was actually the son of a great rsi. He performed austerities for a long time and by that he became perfect. One of his disciples, a very famous rsi, was named Bharadraja. Once they both went to bathe in the river. After Valmiki took his bath, he saw a male and female kraunch-bird sitting in a tree. A hunter struck the male bird with his bow, killed him, and the bird fell out of the tree. Valmiki became angry and spontaneously cursed this hunter, "How cruel you are! How could you do this? May all your happiness go away, and may you never be happy again in your life."
When Valmiki returned to his asrama, he thought, "Why did I become so angry? I am supposed to be a rsi and have control over my senses. Life and death are very temporary, so why did I get disturbed seeing this? And how did these particular words come out of my mouth?" His words were very special. They had four gerands – four lines with the same meter as the slokas in Ramanyana. He therefore wondered why these particular words and this particular meter came out from his mouth.
Lord Brahma then appeared and said, "You should write the pastimes of Lord Rama, using verses which are in this meter." Valmiki replied, "How can I do that?" At that time Narada Muni appeared and initiated Valmiki. He said, "You should meditate upon the pastimes of Lord Rama in samadhi, and by bhakti all those pastimes will manifest in your heart. Valmiki followed those orders and, as the pastimes manifested in his heart, he began writing the Ramayana.
Valmiki was on the planet at the same time as Lord Rama. But before Rama enacted most of His pastimes Valmiki had already written about them, except for one – when Sita entered the earth. Why did he not write about this? Because he taught Rama's pastimes to Luv and Kush. If he would have told them in advance what happened to Sita, they would have been very disturbed. Just as Vyasadeva never preached Srimad Bhagavatam, but Sukadeva Gosvami later preached it all over the world, similarly, Valmiki Rsi taught Rama-lila to Luv and Kush.
Maharaja Dasaratha is the actual father of the Lord, birth after birth, and Kauslaya is His mother. They are eternally the mother and father of Krsna in His different manifestations. Yasoda and Nanda are non-different from Dasaratha and Kausalya.
Maharaja Dasaratha was getting quite old and he was disturbed that he had not begotten a son. He therefore asked his spiritual master, Vasistha Rsi, to perform a parestha yajna – a sacrifice with the goal to get a son. Half of the kheer, (sweet rice), offered in the yajna, was given to Kausalya, one quarter was given to Kaikeyi, and one quarter to Sumitra.
In due course of time all of the queens gave birth to sons – Kausalya to Rama, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Sumitra to Laksmana and Satrughna. They were loved, they did childhood pranks, and they went to the asrama of Valmiki. Along with Visvamitra Rsi they went to siddha asrama and there they killed two demons who came to disturb the rsis' sacrifices. He also delivered Ahalya, who by the curse of her husband, had been transformed into stone. Suppose you have a fruit of amla in your hands. You can see it very clearly. Similarly Valmiki, by the blessings of Narada, saw all these pastimes as clearly as if they were happening in front of his eyes.
Along with Visvamitra and Laksmana, Rama went to Janakapuri for the svayambara of Sita devi. There He broke the bow of Lord Siva which had been given by Parasurama to Maharaja Janaka. At that time Parasurama appeared and manifested all the anger that was in his heart. When Rama strung the bow without any effort, Parasurama then understood that Lord Rama was the amsi, the actual source from whom he himself had manifested. Lord Rama told him, "Now that this bow is in my hands, I have to kill something – either you or that anger that is in your heart. Previously he had to be angry in order to kill all the demoniac kings who had been ruling the earth. Now that work was over and therefore Rama said, "I should kill that anger within you." Parasurama prayed, "Please take out that anger which is in my heart." After Lord Rama took it away, he was transformed into a rishi and after that he performed many austerities. Lord Rama and Sita Devi were then married and went back to Ayodhya.
There is a secret meaning behind the pastime of Queen Kaikeyi asking her two boons from Maharaja Dasaratha. Kaikeyi was not cruel. She loved Sri Rama more than she loved Bharata. When Rama was a young boy, He sat in the lap of Mother Kaikeyi and requested, "I want to ask you something. When I grow up and return home after My marriage, My father will think of giving this kingdom to Me. I want you to ask him to give the kingdom to Bharata, and to send Me to the forest for fourteen years." Hearing this, Kaikeyi fainted. When she regained consciousness she said, "I cannot do such a cruel thing." But then Lord Rama said, "For the benefit of the whole world, you will have to do this." So Kaikeyi agreed.
There is another important point in this connection. When King Dasaratha married Kausalya, he did not beget any sons from her. He further married 360 queens, but still there was no son. One day, when he was out in the forest hunting animals, he traveled all the way to the border of Afghanistan. He was very tired and therefore went to visit his friend Maharaja Kaikeya, the king of that entire area. Maharaja Kaikeya ordered his daughter to take care of the king. The next day, very pleased by her service, Maharaja Dasaratha asked him if he could marry his daughter, Kaikeyi. The king said, "Yes, you can marry her, but with one condition. If she begets a son, that son will become the king of your entire kingdom." Maharaja Dasaratha replied, "There is nothing that will please me more. I have no son, so if she begets a son I will be very happy to give my entire kingdom to him." This was another reason why Bharata became the king instead of Rama.
There is still another reason. One day Bharata's maternal uncle came and requested Bharata and Satrugna to accompany him for a few days. In the meantime, Rama Navami came – the Appearance Day of Sri Rama. On this day the celebration of His appearance took place, and His marriage also took place. On the day before, Maharaja Dasaratha had told Vasistha that he would like to give his kingdom to Rama and make him Yuvaraja. Rama would conduct all the duties of Maharaja Dasaratha in his absence and after he would leave the world, Rama would become the king. Everyone was very happy to hear this. Vasistha said, "Tomorrow, Rama Navami, all the planetary positions will be very auspicious. You should give him the sacred initiation tomorrow." There was no time to talk with Bharata and Satrugna. Also, Maharaja Dasaratha thought, "I have already promised that I will give my kingdom to Bharata. So how, in front of him, can I give it to Sri Rama?"
When Kaikeyi heard the news about Rama's coronation she was very pleased, and she gave her garland to her maidservant, Mantara. By the influence of the demigods and because Rama had to perform His pastimes, Mantara's mind became evil. She told Kaikeyi, "How can you be so foolish? If Rama becomes the king, Bharata will become a servant, and you will become a maidservant. For the rest of your life you will have to serve Kausalya and Sri Rama." Initially Kaikeyi resisted and was not influenced by Mantara's words. But then she remembered Sri Rama's request to her in His youth – that she should ask Maharaja Dasaratha to send Him to the forest. Remembering this, she made her heart very hard. Then she went to Maharaja Dasaratha and asked him for her two boons. Maharaja Dasaratha fainted. When Lord Rama heard what happened He was very pleased that Mother Kaikeyi had done what He had requested. He came to Maharaja Dasaratha and Queen Kaikeyi and she ordered Him to go to the fo rest, saying that this was also the desire of Maharaja Dasaratha.
When Rama was exiled and was living in Chitrakuta, Bharata, accompanied by many citizens, went there to request him to return to Ayodhya. On his way to see Rama, they also passed by Baradvaja Rsi's asrama. Bharadvaja requested Bharata, "Please, be our guests for a day here. You should rest and take prasada." But Bharata replied that he had come with lakhs of people. Almost the entire population of Ayodhya has come with me. How could they all fit in your asrama?" But Bharadraj said, "Please give me a chance to serve you." By his mystic power Bharadraj manifested an entire city, which was greater and more opulent than Ayodhya. For each of the queens there was a raj-bhavan. There were so many kinds of foods and preparations – just like anakuta. Mountains of prasada were created and everyone was served.
Kaikeyi also went to Rama and said, "I was the one who asked for the boon that you be banished to the forest. Since I was the one who asked you to go, now I take it back. Now I am asking you to come back." Lord Rama replied, "No, the command was not only from you. You and father both asked it together. Father is here no more, and you are only half, fifty percent. I don't know if it is his desire or not. So I cannot go back."
There was an assembly meeting held wherein Maharaja Janaka spoke with Bharata. Janaka Maharaja described the meaning of prema. He said that real love is to understand what pleases the beloved. Janaka said, "If it is Lord Rama's desire to stay here, then it is better to follow what He wants, and not try to force your desire on Him."
Rama, Laksmana, and Sita devi then traveled to Chitrakuta. There Rama performed jalanjali, offering water the ancestors. Actually Maharaja Dasaratha had never died, so ultimately there was no point of His doing this. However, since He was performing narvata-lila, human like pastimes, he offered the water.
Sita and Rama went to the asrama of Anasuya, who gave Sita a special 'anga vastra' that even if she didn't eat, her body would never dwindle. That is why, when she was at Ravana's place, although she never ate any food given by Ravana for a whole year, her body never dwindled. Anasuya was the wife of Atri Muni who had performed great austerities. By these austerities Brahma, Visnu and Mahesh had all appeared. She made them become her little children, and all their wives came requesting her to please let them go.
Agastya Rsi gave Rama the bow with which He killed Ravana. Then Surpanaka came and Laksmana cut off her nose. Then Rama killed Kara and Dusha. Kara means donkey. He next killed a demon named Trisura. Ravana then came to revenge Surpanaka's dishonor. He stole Sita, Rama killed Maricha, they met Sabari, and then at Kishkinda they met Hanuman. Hanuman first appeared to Them in the form of a brahmana, to test if they were really Rama and Laksmana. Later, at Rsimukha Parvat Hill Sugriva met Lord Rama and they made a treaty of friendship there. After Sugriva explained what Bali had done to him, Lord Rama killed Bali.
Subject: For the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja - October 22, 2010
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja Disappearance Day of
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
[This year, 2010, the disappearance day of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja is on October 22md in India. Below, please find 2 lectures given on his disappearance day, in Vrndavana, India, on October 17, 2005. One lecture was given in the morning and the other in the evening:]
Morning class:
Today is the first day of our Urja-vrata , niyama seva and Damodara-vrata. Today is also Saradiya-Purnima, the day leading to the full moon night, when Lord Sri Krsna began His performance of the Rasa Dance. Today is also the disappearance day of my Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. On this day he entered the eternal abode of Sri Krsna in the evening, just when the moon was rising. Where was he? At the rasa-sthali in Sri Navadvipa Dhama, which is non-different from Govardhana. At that time we were all present, as our Gurudeva chanted, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare," and entered into nitya-lila (Krsna’s eternal pastimes)."
Not only is this month full with Lord Krsna's pastimes, but in this month there are also many appearance and disappearance days of great Vaisnavas. Srila Bhakti Sri Rupa Siddhanti Maharaja and Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja appeared in this month. We also honor the disappearance festivals of Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja, our Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, and Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, who all entered nity-lila during this month.
My Gurudeva used to say, "Where was I? I was drowning in maya, in the cycle of repeated birth and death. But Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, was so merciful. He took me by the sikha and engaged me in his service."
So, who am I? I was born in Bihar, the country of the demon Jarasandha. Even the Pandavas never traveled there – it is such an unfortunate place. But my Gurudeva was so merciful. He caught me, and he fully engaged me in his service.
Because I was serving him, I received so much opportunity to hear the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Especially, I could hear the glories of Srimati Radhika – and by my Gurudeva's mercy I could understand something of Her glories. It is only by his mercy that people throughout the world now listen to my hari-katha, and wherever I travel in the world, they offer me so much respect. It is only by his mercy that I also received the mercy of all the associates of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I am very, very fortunate, and my good fortune has only one cause – the service I performed for my Gurudeva.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has taught us the following: suppose a person is engaged in the service of Sri Gurudeva or the Vaisnavas. If at that time, in another place, hearing, chanting, remembering and offering of prayers to the Lord is going on, but because of serving the spiritual master under his personal direction, that person cannot engage in these activities of bhakti, for him there is no loss at all. He will have all his desires fulfilled; he will get the results of all devotional activities. But for this to happen, he must have a spiritual master who is of the highest caliber.
Although my Gurudeva has unlimited transcendental qualities, his wonderful speciality, his best quality, was his unprecedented guru-nistha, his faith and loyalty to his Guru. Such faith and loyalty is the backbone of bhakti. Unless one has faith in one’s own spiritual master, one cannot come even close to having bhakti. We could see the guru-nistha of our Gurudeva, especially at the samadhi place of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, in Mayapura-dhama. Coming before the samadhi of Srila Prabhupada, he was not able to complete his utterance of the name, 'Prabhupada'. His voice would choke and, weeping, he was not able to speak. At that time he indicated to us: "Oh, you can say something."
My Gurudeva fulfilled all the heartfelt desires of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. He would totally defeat all those who were against Srila Prabhupada and suddha-bhakti (pure devotion to Sri Krsna). Once, during Sri Navadvipa parikrama, Srila Prabhupada's parikrama party came to Paramatala in Navadvipa. All the sahajiyas [*See Endnote 1] and smarta-brahmanas [*See Endnote 2] present were very much disturbed by his forceful preaching, and they had gone there to kill or at least injure the Vaisnavas.
At that time my Gurudeva took Prabhupada to a secluded place and gave him his own white clothing. He took the sannyasa dress of his Guru Maharaja, who then secretly went back to the Matha (temple), while Gurudeva stayed there and risked his life until he was rescued by the police. [*See Endnote 3] All the disciples of Srila Prabhupada who were present had run here and there to protect their lives, but our Gurudeva showed his unprecedented attachment, faith, and loyalty to his Guru by risking his own life to save him. He used to say, "We should have the resolve that, 'I will fulfill the mano-'bhistha, the innermost heartfelt desires of our Prabhupada.'"
The sahajiyas used to criticize and say, "In the Gaudiya Matha they are not doing anything worthwhile. They suck only the pit of the mango. We, on the other hand, are tasting the rasa-lila of Radha and Krsna. We are tasting all the juice, whereas in the Gaudiya Matha they are only sucking on dry philosophy. And actually, they don't know anything." Hearing about this, Gurudeva crushed their statements. With very forceful language he cut all their conceptions into millions of pieces, until they finally fell at his feet and begged forgiveness.
Some of the members of the Nimbarka-sampradaya wrote an article saying that the scholar Kesava-kasmiri defeated Sacinandana Gaurahari (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu), and that Sacinandana Gaurahari then took initiation from him. When Gurudeva heard about this, he became red with anger and ordered me, "Bring my pen!" He then wrote a very powerful article, stating that there was actually no one called Nimbarka Acarya. He wrote that if there would have been such a person, his name would have been mentioned in the commentary he wrote on the Vedanta. Rather, there was a great Vaisnava called Nimbaditya, and it was he who wrote the Vedanta commentary of his sampradaya. In the end, these persons also had to come to Gurudeva and beg for forgiveness.
Gurudeva was also very rasika. He wrote a very beautiful arati-song for Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. That arati is so attractive that Pujyapada Srila Bhakti-vilasa Tirtha Maharaja took it and wrote his own name as the author. When Gurudeva heard about this he laughed and said, "Oh, that is all right. After all, this arati song is about the glories of Prabhupada."
Thus, just as Srila Rupa Gosvami fulfilled the mano-'bhistam of Mahaprabhu, my Gurudeva completely fulfilled the mano-'bhistham of his spiritual master. He preached all over India, especially in all the villages of Bengal, like Medinapura and Caubis Pargana.
He was also responsible for the sannyasa of Sri Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja had taken harinama and diska from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada, but he took sannyasa from Gurudeva.
Don't think this was an accident. He did this with full knowledge, accepting Gurudeva as his sannyasa-guru. He did not want to take sannyasa from anyone else.
We pray on this day for the mercy of Srila Gurudeva, so that we may have unprecedented guru-nistha like him. By such guru-nistha, one definitely achieves all perfection. That evening:
Today is the disappearance day of our Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravistha Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. He was a mahatma, a perfect personality.
Practically from the time of his birth, he used to go with his father to any place where there was a recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ramayana, or any hari-katha. He was always attracted to hearing hari-katha. His family came in this parampara; his father and mother were disciples of Sri Vijaya-krsna Gosvami.
When his father went to the spiritual world, his mother became in charge of the household. She was very, very strict. She came from a family of land-holders, and she had a very strict character. One day, her son Vinoda did not return to the house on time, and she therefore stood outside with a big stick in her hand, waiting. At eleven pm, her son had still not returned, and when he finally came, she demanded, threatening him with the stick, "Where have you been?!" She threatened him two or three times, but he did not answer.
Finally he said, "Oh mother, I have formed a committee in the village. We collect the money that we receive for buying our lunch. With that money we perform service to the poor people in the village, by supplying medicine, food and clothing. There is an old lady in the village who has become struck with cholera and who has no other family members. Therefore, spending our own money, we have called a doctor and arranged for medicine and food. Now she is doing okay and therefore I have returned." When his mother heard this, the stick dropped from her hand and she said, "You are very, very kind, and very merciful." From that day on, she never chastised him again.
Sri Vinoda brahmacari was a life-long brahmacari; he never married. At the age of sixteen, along with his aunt Sarojavasini-devi, he came to visit Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada at the time of Sri Navadvipa Parikrama. His aunt was Prabhupada's first lady disciple. Srila Prabhupada had previously not been willing to give initiation to any lady, and therefore she had asked very boldly, "Oh, only men are living entities? Only men will do bhajana? Only men will go back to Godhead and ladies will not?" Prabhupada then became a little ashamed and started giving initiation to ladies at that time.
Still, at that time Prabhupada had not given guru-mantra to anyone. At the time of Gurudeva's harinama and diksa initiation, he gave him all the mantras, like brahma-gayatri, gaura-mantra, gaura-gayatri, krsna-mantra and kama-gayatri – but he did not give him guru-mantra and guru-gayatri. Therefore Gurudeva asked him, "Does that mean I have to go to another Guru and take guru-mantra there?" Prabhupada smiled and give him the guru-mantra and guru-gayatri, and from that time he began to give everyone guru-mantra and guru-gayatri.
Gurudeva left college at the age of eighteen, and he performed amazing services to his Guru Maharaja. What is now known as Chandrasekhara Bhavan in Navadvipa was a Muslim graveyard at that time. In one night, Gurudeva took all the headstones and threw them away. Then, in one part the devotees planted many big and small mango trees, bamboo, and jackfruit, after which all the Muslims went to the district magistrate and complained, "They have destroyed our graveyard." The district magistrate came, saw that garden and said, "How can such a big garden have become manifest in one night? No, this place has been here for a long time." He threw out the Muslim's complaint.
Gurudeva also arranged for the building of the first big Gaudiya Matha in Calcutta, which is now Sri Baghbazar Gaudiya Matha. There was a very wealthy personality living in Calcutta who had come from Gurudeva's own village, and Gurudeva went there and met him. Gurudeva's family members were the land-owners of that village, so when he went there for collection, that man said, "How can I serve you?" Gurudeva answered, "Actually, we want to build a Gaudiya Math in Calcutta." That man gave the land. Gurudeva then said, "How can you give a plate without food on it?" So that man also gave the money for the construction of the building. *[See endnote 4]
Gurudeva was very expert in philosophical conclusive truths, and in that regard I will relate one incident. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada had a speciality: if any brahmacaris would disagree among themselves, he would order one of the contending brahmacaris to glorify the other, and vice-versa. He had a very beloved disciple named Sri Paramananda prabhu. Once, Paramananda and Gurudeva had some disagreement. Therefore, Prabhupada ordered Gurudeva, "You should glorify Paramananda prabhu." Gurudeva then stood up and began to recite verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam, like:
["How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.14.32)]
And from Vedanta-sutra Srila Sridhara Svami quoted:
["I worship Madhava, the embodiment of paramananda, whose mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mounatains."]
Quoting many different verses from Vedanta and Srimad-Bhagavatam that contained the name Paramananda, Gurudeva gave a nice explanation and all were astonished.
At the time of the disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, some persons came and said, "We will perform agni-samskara. We will cremate his body." At that time, Gurudeva, like a lion, stopped them, saying, "Oh, you want to burn him? You can burn me first! I will never allow you to cremate his divine body." He then organized a special train, and many brahmacaris, sannyasis, and householders went on that train with Gurudeva and the transcendental body of Srila Prabhupada to Mayapura. There, at the Gaudiya Matha, Gurudeva arranged the samadhi-ceremony of his Guru Maharaja.
After some time, Srila Prabhupada came to Gurudeva in a dream and said, "You have to take sannyasa. If you don't, all my Gaudiya Mathas and my preaching will be destroyed." In that dream, Srila Prabhupada gave Gurudeva the sannyasa-mantra and the name Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. Then, on the day of Visvarupa Mahotsava, in Katva, our Gurudeva took sannyasa from Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja, and from then he became famous by the name Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. *[See endnote 5]
In those days, many people considered that the real explanation of Vedanta was given by Sri Sankaracarya, who propounded Advaita-vada, impersonalism. Gurudeva rejected this idea and, following the conception of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana, gave his sannyasis the name 'Bhaktivedanta' (meaning that devotion to Sri Krsna is the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate goal of Vedanta study).
Some people became disturbed by this, saying, "What speculation is this?! Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura never gave anyone the name 'Bhaktivedanta'." Gurudeva replied, "Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu was given that name by his Srila Prabhupada while he was a householder." We three – Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja and I – were his first sannyasis, and after this, Gurudeva made thirty more sannyasis.
Every year, Srila Gurudeva performed parikrama, going to many holy places like Dvaraka, Kedarnath and Gangotri in the Himalayas and so on. "I was with him at that time." He had so much affection for his disciples.
Gurudeva was very expert in all philosophy. He was also very rasika (relishing his loving relationship with Lord Sri Krsna), and he was a very expert writer. He was an excellent writer and he was an expert debater also. I have learned how to do this from him. I am therefore now also giving good scriptural arguments against so many false philosophies.
Sometimes, Srila Gurudeva used to go to the court. One time the judge began to ask, "Why have you come to court? Only lawyers and judges come here.” Gurudeva then told a story from Sri Sri Radha and Krsna's loving pastimes. He explained that once, Sri Krsna did something wrong, and the gopis made a court case against Him. Srimati Radhika was chosen as the high court judge. The cowherd boys Subala and Madhu-mangala became the lawyers, and they defended the case of Krsna. It was ultimately decided that Krsna was wrong, and therefore Lalita ordered that He would have to undergo some reformatory action. He would have to write a declaration saying, "I am the servant of Srimati Radhika.” Gurudeva gave this argument in the court – that court cases are also there in the eternal pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. *[See endnote 6 for another, similar incident.]
Gurudeva preached all over India, and his sannyasa disciple, Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, preached all over the world. By his mercy, I am also preaching all over the world."
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja ki jaya!
[*Endnote 1:
["We therefore see that devotees known as sahajiya, who make everything very easy, do not associate with advanced devotees. Such persons, in the name of devotional activities, are addicted to all kinds of sinful acts – illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. There are many so-called devotees passing themselves off as devotees while engaging in these sinful activities." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.41, purport by Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada)]
[*Endnote 2:
"A smarta-brahmana is always interested in material profit, whereas a Vaisnava is interested only in satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.19.33, purport by Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada)]
["A smarta-brahmana – one who strictly follows the Vedic principles on the mundane platform. On the mundane platform one cannot believe that prasada is transcendental, that Govinda is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or that a Vaisnava is a liberated person. These transcendental considerations are out of the ordinary Vedic scholar's jurisdiction." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 12.180 purport by Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada)]
[*Endnote 3:
“Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was doing Navadvipa parikrama along with thousands of pilgrims. On the third day he came to Navadvipa town, in front of the Praudha Maya temple, which was surrounded by a big population. All the so-called brahmanas and caste Gosvamis there were in opposition to Srila Prabhupada, because they felt he thought himself superior to brahmanas. They made a conspiracy saying, "We will punish and kill him. About a thousand of these brahmanas took sticks, bricks, stones, soda-water and hot water, and they threw these from all the houses. They wanted to kill many devotees along with Srila Prabhupada. All the devotees ran away, 'keeping their feet on their heads.' They were running here and there, wherever they found a way. This was reported to the police, but the police were silent; they were favoring the caste brahmanas.
“There was no way to escape. Srila Prabhupada was alone; all his senior disciples had fled. One brahmacari was with him – in white cloth, not saffron. He at once signaled to Srila Prabhupada and they both approached a house. He begged the householders, "Oh, please open the door. We want to stay for a moment. He immediately gave Srila Prabhupada his own white clothes, and took his sannyasi clothes and danda. In this way he actually took sannyasa there, and then he somehow sent Srila Prabhupada, in white cloth, to Mayapura. No one knew about this, and everyone surrounded that house. They thought, ‘Oh, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati is here; so we must take him.’
“He knew that this was a very dangerous time. He was Vinodabihari Brahmacari then. He was very young, perhaps only 21 years of age, but he was very bold and very strong and he had no fear at all. In the meantime some police came, and after sometime the public disappeared.
“After sometime he also went to Mayapura, and everyone saw that Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari was now a sannyasi – not Vinoda Babu. That same night he changed his clothes, but Prabhupada accepted him as a sannyasi disciple.
“Now you should consider who was Vinodabihari Brahmacari. He was my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja.” (Secret Truths of the Bhagavatam (a compilation of lectures by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, p. 145-146)]
[*Endnote 4:
“Sri Jagad-bandhu was originally a resident of the village of Vanaripada in the Varisala district of East Bengal. Later he started a business in Calcutta and became very wealthy. In Calcutta he lived in Bagbazar on the bank of the Ganga in a gorgeous, palatial house. It so happened that Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacariji and his god-brother Mukunda-vinoda Babaji Maharaja were performing bhiksa (begging alms of grains door to door) and preaching in that area one day for guru-seva.
“When they arrived at Sri Jagad-bandhuji's home, they saw on the door a plaque with the inscription, 'The bhavan of Sri Jagad-bandu dasa of Varisala'. Vinodabihari suddenly remembered that the man was a subject of his family's protectorate. He told the gatekeeper to say that Vinodabihari from Vanaripada wanted to see Sri Jagad-bandhu dasa. When Jagadbandhuji heard this, he immediately ran barefoot to meet Vinodabihari. Recognizing the brahmacari as his landlord, he knelt down and offered pranamas. With great respect, he seated both of his guests on chairs and began to listen to their bhagavat-katha. He became very pleased as he listened to their discourse about the Supreme Lord, and his delight and faith increased even more when he heard that Vinoda-bihari had left home and was engaged in various kinds of seva to Jagadguru Srila Prabhupada.
“Jagadbandhuji then said that he also wanted to perform seva for the Matha. He revealed that he had previously resolved to donate land to the Sri Gaudiya Matha but now, having heard Sri Vinodabihari's hari-katha, he had decided to do more. ‘Is it right for one person to give a plate and someone else to serve food on it? That will not do. I shall carry the entire financial responsibility for the construction of both the Matha and Mandira.’
“This actually came to pass. In 1930, Sri Sri Gaura Vinodanandaji were installed in Their enormous Sri Mandira with hari-nama sankirtana and much pomp and grandeur. That is how the great endeavor of parama-niskincana Sri Vinodabihari, who was completely dedicated to the lotus feet of his guru, became the foundation of the establishment of the Baghbazar Sri Gaudiya Mahta.” (Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, His Life and Teachings, by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, p 44-46).
[*Endnote 5:
“At this time, while Sri Krtiratna was sleeping during the last part of the night, he dreamed that Srila Prabhupada laid his hand on his right shoulder and spoke to him in a grave voice, saying, "Until now you have not taken sannyasa. Today I am giving you sannyasa" In his dream, the complete sannyasa ceremony took place, and when the ceremony was over, Srila Prabhupada instructed Srimad Bhaktisaranga Gosvami Maharaja to call out ‘Sri Kesava Gosvami Maharaja ki jaya!’ The jaya dhvani was so loud that Krtiratna Prabhu woke up. He told his senior god-brothers about the dream and they were elated to find 'Kesava' among the 108 sannyasa names.
“When Srila Prabhupada had been personally present, he had on several occasions expressed his desire to give sannyasa to his intimate servant, Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari. He used to say, ‘Vinoda is sannyasi by body, mind, and words. It only remains to change his outer dress.’
“On one occasion, Srila Prabhupada had planned to give Sri Vinoda-bihari sannyasa. Dor-kaupin (loin-cloth), danda and all the requirements had been prepared and all the arrangements were completed, but Sripada Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana Prabhu, who was the secretary of the Gaudiya Mission, made a humble submission at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada: ‘If Sri Vinoda-bihari is given sannyasa now, it will jeopardize the protection of the matha and mission. Please, postpone his sannyasa.’
“On another occasion, the arrangement for Vinoda-bihari's sannyasa was made again in the Baghbazar Gaudiya Matha. This time it was due to the special petition of Bhagavatratna Prabhu that Srila Prabhupada did not award sannyasa. On a third occasion, Srila Prabhupada ordered Vinoda-bihari in a dream to take sannyasa, saying, ‘Vinoda, because you have not taken sannyasa until now, my entire preaching work is being ruined.’ Finally, on the fourth occasion, hearing Srila Prabhupada instructing him to take sannyasa, and actually seeing himself accepting sannyasa from Srila Prabhupada in the dream, Krtiratna Prabhu took this matter very seriously and vowed to accept sannyasa on the upcoming holy day of Bhadra Purnima in Katva, where Sriman Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa.
“Accordingly, on Purnima, Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari accepted sannyasa in Katva, by the pancaratric method of Samskara-dipika, from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada's dear disciple, Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Gosvami, who was a great transcendental writer, poet and philosopher. His sannyasa name was announced to be Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaj. Pujyapada Srimad Bhaktibhudeva Srauti Maharaja performed the priestly duties of the ceremony and instructed the brahmacari how to put on kaupin and the outer cloth. Srila Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja recited the sannyasa-mantra. Thus the sannyasa dress and sannyasa name given by Srila Prabhupada in the dream became a complete reality. (Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, His Life and Teachings, by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, p. 89-90)]
[*Endnote 6:
“Once Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari attended a religious assembly in Krsnanagar, at which attorneys, barristers, a retired judge and other eminent learned and respected people were present. Many of them gave sincere and thoughtful speeches, and one in particular spoke with great humility and regret. "I have uselessly wasted my whole life in court proceedings," he began. ‘My birth has become unsuccessful because I have not performed hari-bhajana, the worship of Lord Hari. Human life can become successful only through hari-bhakti, but I have distanced myself from it. Now in old age my senses are becoming weak, I can not understand anything, and death is imminent.’ Speaking in this way he prayed at the lotus feet of the Vaisnavas and Bhagavan for Bhagavad-bhakti.
At the end of the meeting, the respected chairman asked Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari Krtiratna Prabhu if he would kindly say something. He stood up and began to speak simply and naturally, but with very powerful language. "The hidden purport of all sastras is Bhagavad-bhakti. Of all forms of Bhagavad-bhakti, the prema-mayi bhakti (bhakti imbued with prema) of the associates of Vrajendra-nandana, Sri Krsna in Vraja is topmost. Therefore, Vaisnava acarya Sri Cakravarti Thakura has said,
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas-tad-dhama vrndavanam ramya kacid-upasana vraja-vadhu vargena ya kalpita srimad-bhagavatam pramanam amalam pram pumartho mahan sri caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradaro nah parah
"’”Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna is the supreme worshipful Deity. Sri Vrndavana Dhama is worshipful like Krsna, because it is the place of His pastimes. Amongst all forms of worship, the gopis' worship of Krsna is supreme. Srimad-Bhagavatam offers the supreme, flawless evidence of this truth. This is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
"’In the sastras there are also examples of court-proceedings. I think that the performance of court-proceedings is the best sadhana in hari-bhakti. Besides, court-proceedings are actually hari-bhakti; it is just that people do not understand how to perform them. For those unfortunate souls, the opportunity to attain bhagavad-bhakti is very remote.
"’We are in the party of the most worshipful Srimati Radhika, and our special seva is to arrange for Her meeting with Krsna. On one occasion, Sri Krsna went to meet with Srimati Candravali in her kunja. Radha's sakhis made up some excuse to extricate Him from there, and they brought Him to Sri Radhaji's kunja at Sri Radha-kunda. There, in front of Kunjesvari Srimati Radhika, He was made to write, “I am the servant of Radhaji. I will never leave Radhaji and go elsewhere.” Then He had to sign this declaration. A few days later, though, Sri Krsna, compelled by His nature, neglected His promise and again went to Candravali's kunja. Radha's sakhis, seeing that Sri Krsna was so opposed to Sri Vrndavanesvari Radhika, filed a court-case against Krsna, who was not at that time present in Her court, and they issued a court decree with which He was bound to comply. In this way they arranged His sweet meeting with Srimati Radhika by means of a warrant.’
“The lawyers, the judge and all the other people were pleased and impressed with Sri Krtiratna Prabhu's sweet speech, which was filled with scriptural siddhanta. His philosophical lecture made a deep impression in everyone's heart and made them realize that the most important achievement in the human form of life is to attain the service of Sri Radha-Govinda, and nothing else.
“He then explained that birth in a high family, beauty, education, wealth, etc. are not required for sri krsna-bhajana. On the contrary, Krsna-bhajana is the qualification and birthright of every human being. Thus, it is necessary for all of us to perform hari-bhajana. (Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, His Life and Teachings, by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, p 52-53)]
