Subject: Preparing Us to Weep - Badger - June 13, 2010
Preparing Us to Weep - Badger, California - June 13, 2010
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja Preparing Us to WeepJune 13, 2010: Badger, California
[It was at this Badger festival that Srila Maharaja told the devotees that – after fourteen years of visits – this would be his last visit. Preparing the devotees for the proper moods of separation from himself, he chose a Harikatha topic dealing with separation. The following is a continuation of that series of Harikatha. After Krsna’s kumara, paugunda, and kisora pastimes in Vraja, Krsna and Balarama lived in Mathura and afterwards in Dvaraka. Soon after Krsna arrived in Mathura, He and Balarama attended Sandipani Muni’s Gurukula in Avantipura, modern-day Ujjain. The setting of this lila is just after Krsna and Balarama returned to Mathura from Sandipani Muni’s Gurukula.]
Krsna has now returned to Mathura from Sandipani Muni’s gurukula. One day, having ascended to the roof of His palace in Mathura, He looked towards Vrndavana. Weeping, He was remembering past days, when He was in Vraja.
In the meantime Uddhava appeared there on the palace roof and approached Krsna, who took his hand in His own hand.
“Uddhava,” Krsna said, “You are My friend and advisor, and you are a disciple of Brhaspati. Brhaspati taught you all sastra, but he does not know prema-tattva, the fundamental truths of the pure, unalloyed love, and thus he could not impart this to you.
“I want to send you to the school of prema in Vrndavana, where I too learned prema. Please go there and convey the messages I will now give you for the Vrajavasis there. They will be satisfied only by My words; your words will not do.”
Uddhava thought, “Krsna is sending me to Vraja, but I cannot remain anywhere, for even a moment, without Him.”
Krsna assured Uddhava, “When you go there you will see that I am partly in Mathura, but I am fully in Vrndavana. So don’t worry about being separated from Me.”
Krsna continued, “The gopis in Vraja console each other, and thus their suffering due to My separation is somewhat mitigated. On the other hand, no one here in Mathura is qualified to understand – and thus participate in sharing – My suffering; therefore My suffering knows no consolation. No one here knows Vraja-katha; no one here knows about the love and affection of the gopis, Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba, and the other Vrajavasis.
“Go and see that I am in Vraja, associating with all the gopis and cowherd boys there, and see that everyone there is very happy. Don’t hesitate. I am fully in Vraja.”
Because Uddhava has almost the same bodily complexion as that of Krsna, and because Krsna gave Uddhava His own garland to wear, Uddhava looked very similar to Krsna.
As Krsna and Uddhava walked and talked, they finally approached the chariot that would be driven to Vraja, Uddhava said to Krsna,
“Please return to Your palace now. You have told me in detail all the things You want me to share with the Vrajavasis. I will tell them everything and try to inspire them.”
Uddhava climbed onto the chariot and it began to drive off. As long as the chariot and the dust raised from the wheels of the chariot were visible, Krsna remained standing and watching. Then, once the raised dust could no longer be seen, Krsna returned to His palace in Mathura.
He was always remembering the love of the gopis and other Vrajavasis, and would think to Himself, “How the gopis loved Me! I would not be able to repay them, even if I would try to do so for the period of one day of Brahma’s life (4,300,000,000 Earth years). And, how Baba and Mother, and all the other Vrajavasis loved Me!”
When Uddhava reached Nanda Maharaja's pastures, the sun was just setting, and because the cows and other animals returning to the village from the forest were raising dust with their hooves, his chariot passed unnoticed.
Nanda Baba heard that Uddhava had come, and he was waiting at the doorway to his palace. When he took Uddhava inside, Uddhava noticed that no cooking was taking place at all. When Krsna had left Vrndavana, the cooking totally stopped, and spider-webs now covered the kitchen and stove. What was the need of cooking? They had previously cooked for Krsna, but now for whom would they cook?
Nanda Baba sent someone to a brahmana’s house, and that person brought back sweet-rice without sugar because the brahmana had no sugar. What to do? Uddhava was hungry, so he accepted and ate that unsweetened sweet-rice. Nanda Baba then called a servant and told him to massage Uddhava’s feet. All arrangements were made to properly honor a valued guest.
Nanda Baba wanted to ask, “How is my dear Krsna?” but due to his mood of separation his voice choked and he began to weep. After some time, he said, “Uddhava, Krsna did not kill Kamsa. The sinful Kamsa was killed by his own sinful activities.
“To forget Krsna,” Nanda Baba wept, “I go to the Yamuna River. But when I go there, I remember how He and the gopis used to meet at the banks of the river at the time of Holi, during the Springtime; and still more memories comes to me. I then left there and went to Govardhana, but still more memories come.”
I went to Nandagaon, but that place told me of Krsna’s sweet pastimes – the pastimes showing how Yasoda and I loved Him so much.
I went everywhere in Vraja to forget Him, but I found that there is no place for me to pacify myself.” Nanda Baba was bitterly weeping.”
Astonished, Uddhava thought, “Krsna told me to pacify them, but what should I tell them? If any worldly person’s son was to die, I would tell that person, ‘Don’t worry, remember Krsna,’ and that person may be pacified. But what should I tell a person who is weeping for Krsna? ‘Don’t weep’? All scriptures forbid me to say this. And if I say, ‘Oh Nanda Baba and Mother Yasoda, weep more and more for Krsna,’ I cannot foretell what would happen.”
Thus in dilemma, Uddhava searched his heart for words. He thought, “Krsna has sent me here, so what shall I do in this situation?” [He conveyed to Nanda Baba Krsna’s message, that Krsna would soon return to Vraja, and that He is the Supreme Lord of all the worlds.]
But no word was found In Uddhava’s dictionary to pacify Nanda Baba, and in the end he concluded, “In sastra it has been written,
‘Those who weep for Krsna are truly fortunate.’ You are very fortunate.”
Nanda Baba replied, “Uddhava, I thought that since you are a friend of Krsna and you have studied under Brhaspati, the priest of the demigods,, you would be mature. I thought that you would be a learned person, but now I understand that you don’t know anything. Your intelligence is still puzzled. Your baby-teeth have yet not gone.
“There was once a father named Dasaratha. When Dasaratha heard that his son Rama had been exiled to the forest and that he was now separated from Him, he called out, ‘Rama, Ha (Alas) Rama, Ha…’ and then he left his body. Why is my life-air still in my body? Why is it not leaving? It must be that it is made of a thunderbolt.”
In this way the entire night passed in conversation, with Nanda Baba weeping. All that time Mother Yasoda did not open her eyes, for she was weeping, weeping, and weeping.
No Separation Between Us - Badger, California - June 14, 2010
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja No Separation Between Us
June 14, 2010: Badger, California
After hearing from the gopis, and especially after hearing Brahmara-gita from Srimati Radhika, Uddhava was astonished. He was especially astonished to hear and see Srimati Radhika’s divyonmada, of which citra-jalpa is one of the features [*See endnote 1-3], and which is one of the symptoms of Her adhirudha-modana-mahabhava [*see endnote 3]. He had never before seen or heard anything like this.
Uddhava then began to convey Krsna’s message to the gopis, as Krsna had requested him to do. Sri Krsna told them: “You are never actually separated from Me, for I am the Soul of all creation. Just as the elements of nature ‒ ether, air, fire, water and earth ‒ are present in every created thing, so I am present within everyone's mind, life air and senses, and also within the physical elements and the modes of material nature.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.29)
In other words, Krsna is everywhere. Even if you want to be separated from Him, you cannot be separated.
Uddhava told the gopis about brahma-jnana, transcendental knowledge about the individual soul and the Supreme Soul; but the gopis did not like hearing it. The result of Uddhava’s speech was not that their mood of separation diminished. Rather, the fever of their mood of separation climaxed.
Uddhava then relayed to them that Krsna had said, “The gopis should close their eyes, and then they will see that I am there.” They closed their eyes and saw that Krsna was there with them, dancing and singing and performing all the activities of rasa. Seeing this, all the gopis became satisfied.
After this, Uddhava began to pray:
nayam sriyo 'nga u nitanta-rateh prasadah
svar-yositam nalina-gandha-rucam kuto ’nyah
rasotsave ’sya bhuja-danda-grhita-kantha-
labdhasisam ya udagad vraja-vallabhinam
[“When Lord Sri Krsna was dancing with the gopis in the rasa-lila, the gopis were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This transcendental favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or any other consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never was such a thing even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, whose bodily luster and aroma resemble the lotus flower; what to speak of worldly women who are very beautiful according to material estimation.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.60)]
Uddhava glorified the gopis, saying, “These gopis are so lucky that at the time of rasa-lila Krsna put His arms around their necks.” Why did He do this? He was showing them that He will never leave them. This kind of love and good fortune has never been experienced by the demigods’ wives or even by Laksmi-devi. No one in the world is as lucky as the gopis.
asam aho carana-renu-jusam aham syam
vrndavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam
ya dustyajam sva-janam arya-patham ca hitva
bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrgyam
[“The gopis of Vrndavana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Krsna, for which one should search by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vrndavana because the gopis trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet.” (Srimad-bhagavatam 10.47.61)]
How Uddhava glorifies the gopis! He prays, “Aho (Alas)! I want to be a thin blade of grass, or a creeper growing on the ground. In this way I will be blessed by the dust of the gopis’ lotus feet as they – their ornaments and clothing disarrayed, on the wrong parts of their bodies – run to meet with Krsna in rasa-lila. Even the Vedas and Srutis are not lucky enough to touch the foot-dust of those gopis.”
Uddhava is praying, “In my next birth I want to be the foot-dust of the gopis.” That is why, even today, in Uddhava-kunda in Govardhana, he is residing as grass and thinking, “When the gopis come, they will put their feet on my head.” If Uddhava had directly prayed to them, “Please put your foot-dust on my head,” the gopis would never have agreed. He therefore considered it better to ask to be a blade of grass, so that the gopis would place their lotus feet on him as they went to the rasa dance with Krsna.
ya vai sriyarcitam ajadibhir apta-kamair
yogesvarair api yad atmani rasa-gosthyam
krsnasya tad bhagavatah caranaravindam
nyastam stanesu vijahuh parirabhya tapam
[“The Goddess of Fortune herself, along with Lord Brahma and all the other demigods, who are masters of yogic perfection, can worship the lotus feet of Krsna only within their minds. But during the rasa dance, Lord Krsna placed His feet upon these gopis’ breasts, and by embracing those feet the gopis gave up all distress.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.62)]
Uddhava continued, “The gopis are so fortunate! Sri Laksmi-devi, who is worshipped by the entire world, as well as Brahma and others like him, also desire the dust of the lotus feet of Krsna upon their heads. Those very feet are directly placed by the gopis on their breasts during rasa, but this is impossible for others.”
[“I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the women of Nanda Maharaja’s cowherd village. When these gopis loudly chant the glories of Sri Krsna, the vibration purifies the three worlds.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.63)]
“I offer vandana (prayers) to the gopis who live in the village of Nandagaon, who glorify Krsna by their singing and weeping. The hari-katha (narrations of the glories of Sri Krsna) emanating from their mouths as they weep purifies the entire universe.” For example, when Krsna disappeared from them during rasa-lila, the gopis sang:
gopya ucuh
jayati te ’dhikam janmana vrajah
srayata indira sasvad atra hi
dayita drsyatam diksu tavakas
tvayi dhrtasavas tvam vicinvate
[The gopis say, “O most beloved, because of Your birth in this land of Vraja, the entire area has become more glorious than Vaikuntha and other planets. It is for this reason that Laksmi, the goddess of beauty and wealth, eternally decorates it with her presence. O beloved, in this blissful land of Vraja, it is only we gopis who are not happy. We maintain our lives solely for Your sake, being extremely anguished in separation from You, and are wandering from forest to forest in search of You. Therefore, please appear before us now.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.1)]
No one before them has ever given such hari-katha; no one can do so now, and no one will be able to do so in the future. The gopis’ hari-katha purifies the entire world.
Uddhava lived with the gopis for three months. He went with them to Nandagaon, Varsana, Govardhana, Ter-kadamba and many places, and pacified the them. Weeping, the gopis spoke the hari-katha of each place.
After the three months were over, Uddhava said, “Oh Nanda Baba, Mother Yasoda, and all of you Vrajavasis, I want to return to Mathura to tell Krsna of all I have seen and heard here.” The gopis warned him, “Don’t tell all of this to Krsna in one day, otherwise His heart – which is very soft – will break. Please tell it to Him gradually – little, by little, by little.”
When Uddhava was seated on his chariot as he was leaing Vrndavana to return to Mathura, Nanda Baba came to him with all the utensils that Krsna had previously used, including His flute and His ornaments.
“What is the use of keeping all of these things here?” Nanda Baba said in a mood of great separation as he handed the items to Uddhava. “We know that Krsna will not return here, so please take these things and give them to Krsna. Tell Him that I have heard from many people, such and Paurnamasi and Gangacarya, that His qualities are like those of Narayana. I pray to Lord
Narayana that He be merciful to me. Wherever we take birth, may all of our existence be an offering to Krsna.”
Neither Nanda Baba, nor Mother Yasoda, nor any of the Vrajavasis believe that Krsna is God, the Lord of lords. By this statement of Nanda Baba's it seems that his madhurya-bhava has dissipated somewhat, but that is not the case. Sometimes thoughts, which appear to indicate that the Vrajavasis have a conception of Krsna’s Godhood, surface during their moments of sadness and suffering , but this is not their true thinking. Nanda Baba's madhurya-bhava is indicated by his mentioning that he had heard this from others. Also, there is some sarcasm in his mood. He is in a state of suffering, which is why he spoke as he did; but when he was okay, he never did so.
In this way, we have finished Uddhava-samvada.
Gaura-premanande!
*Endnote 1:
[“It is virtually only within the princess of Vrndavana that the ecstasy of bewilderment arises. She has attained to a special stage of this bewilderment, a wonderful state that resembles delusions, known as divyonmada. Divyonmada has many aspects, which come and go unsteadily, and one of these manifestations is citra-jalpa (talking like a mad person). This talk, induced by Her seeing Her beloved's friend, is filled with covered anger and comprises many different ecstasies. It culminates in Her intense, anxious eagerness.” (Ujjvala-nilamani, by Srila Rupa Gosvami)]
*Endnote 2:
[“When one is highly elevated in love (adhirudha) of Krsna, he becomes transcendentally mad (divyonmada) and talks like a madman (citra-jalpa).” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 14.15)]
*Endnote 3:
[“Only in the conjugal mellow are there two ecstatic symptoms called rudha and adhirudha . The advanced ecstasies are found among the queens of Dvaraka, and the highly advanced ecstasies are found among the gopis. Highly advanced ecstasy is divided into two categories ? madana and mohana. Meeting together is called madana, and separation is called mohana. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 23.57-58)]
[“The situations known as rudha and adhirudha are possible in the conjugal love relationship. Conjugal love exhibited by the queens at Dvaraka is called rudha, and conjugal love exhibited at Vrndavana by the damsels of Vraja is called adhirudha. The highest perfection of adhirudha, affection in conjugal love, involves meeting (madana) and separation (mohana). In the ecstasy of madana (meeting), there is kissing, and in the ecstasy of mohana (separation), there is udghurna (ecstatic unsteadiness and incoherence) and citra-jalpa. As far as citra-jalpa is concerned, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a portion known as Bhramara-gita in which various kinds of citra-jalpa are mentioned. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14)]
[Vijaya: “Kindly explain in detail the bhava par excellence, adhirudha-bhava.” Gosvami: “When the anubhavas of rudha-bhava reach their climax and sparkle with extraordinary splendor, then the loving emotions enter the realm of adhirudha-bhava.” Vijaya: “How many kinds of adhirudha-bhava are there?” Gosvami: “This wonderful bhava is of two hues: modana and madana.” Vijaya: “What is modana-adhirudha-bhava?” Gosvami: “In maha-bhava, when the entire spectrum of sattvika-bhavas being exchanged between the nayika and nayaka, Sri Radha and Sri Krsna, scintillates exceptionally, higher even than the uddipta, blazing level, then this is called modana-adhirudha-bhava. In modana-adhirudha-bhava, both Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna are overcome with anxiety and discontent. Furthermore, in modana-adhirudha-bhava, the love of Srimati Radhika touches heights of ecstasy unknown to all the other gopis.” Vijaya: “Gurudeva, I am eager to learn about some particulars of modana-adhirudha-bhava. For instance, in whom does this bhava reside?” Gosvami: “Modana-bhava is only present in the yutha of Srimati Radhika, nowhere else. Modana is the favorite pleasure arena of the hladini- sakti. At a certain stage, in viraha-dasa, the anguish of separation, modana converts to mohana and then, as viraha-dasa becomes all-encompassing, all the magnificent sattvika-bhavas radiate at the level of suddipta, greatest brilliance.” Vijaya: “What are the anubhavas in the state of mohana?” Gosvami: “Some of the symptoms are that Sri Krsna swoons unconscious in the embrace of a nayika who is not Srimati Radhika. For example, this may occur in Dvaraka when He is in the embrace of Queen Rukmini and remembers His amorous pastimes with Srimati Radhika in the leafy bowers of Vrndavana. Srimati Radhika accepts the severest hardship and grief in the pain of separation, and yet wishes only for Krsna to be happy. Yearning for union with Krsna brings such a pang of separation to the heart of Srimati Radhika that the entire material creation and even Vaikuntha are plunged into the deepest sorrow. Even birds and beasts shed tears as Srimati Radhika expresses to Her intimate sakhis that Her heart-pangs may cause Her death, and if this were to happen then Her body should be covered with earth so that the burial spot may bring consolation to Her beloved, Sri Krsna. Only Srimati Radhika, the Queen of Vrndavana, is embellished with the infinite depth of these anubhavas of m ohana-adhirudha-bhava. Furthermore, the super-excellent splendor of the sancari-bhavas of mohana-adhirudha-bhava is fully manifested in Srimati Radhika alone.” Vijaya: “Prabhu, if you consider it appropriate, kindly elucidate the divya-unmada-laksana, symptoms of spiritual madness, which you have just briefly described.” Gosvami: “When mohana-adhirudha-bhava enters its zenith, an amazing and inexplicable condition of the mind known as divya-unmada is created, which is a mental state very similar to bhrama, or delusion. Divya-unmada is of many different varieties, two of which are udghurna and citra-jalpa.” Vijaya: “What is udghurna?” Gosvami: “When many astonishing but helpless endeavors are made in divya-unmada, this is known as udghurna, ecstatic unsteadiness and incoherence. Srimati Radhika was in the grip of udghurna after Krsna had left for Mathura, Her mind benumbed by the pangs of separation. At times, She thought that Krsna was on His way back, and She hurriedly arranged everything in the kunja. Sometimes, like an outraged wife, She chastised the black clouds for infidelity, mistaking them for Krsna. Sometimes, in the darkness of night, She secretly hurried to an imagined rendezvous with Krsna.” Vijaya: “Kindly explain citra-jalpa.” Gosvami: “When the nayika meets the intimate friend of the nayaka, feeling the acute pangs of separation, she unburdens her love-laden heart by discussing many confidential matters that may go through a whole range of emotions from garva, awed respect towards the beloved, to utkantha, excessive eagerness for union. The term for such conversations is citra-jalpa, varieties of mad emotional talks.” Vijaya: “What are the variations in citra-jalpa?” Gosvami: “The ten limbs of citra-jalpa have been delineated in the Bhramara-gita section of the tenth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. They are prajalpa, parijalpa, vijalpa, ujjalpa, sanjalpa, avajalpa, abhijalpa, ajalpa, pratijalpa, and sujalpa.” Vijaya: “Kindly explain prajalpa.” Gosvami: “On account of the innumerable and wonderful inflections in the amazing range of bhavas, citra-jalpa is very personal and difficult to fully describe, but some of its aspects can be expressed.
To narrate insultingly with gesticulations induced by feelings of malice, envy, and pride, about the tactless inappropriate behavior of one's beloved is defined as prajalpa.” Vijaya: “What is parijalpita?” Gosvami: “In the madness of love, to expertly point out the personal faults of one's beloved, Krsna ? such as cruelty, treachery, fickleness, heartlessness, and ingratitude ? is called parijalpita.” Vijaya: “What is vijalpa?”
Gosvami: “Within Her heart the nayika feels deep love for Krsna, but externally She uses harsh and cutting remarks towards Him. These are symptoms of vijalpa.” Vijaya: “What is ujjalpa?”
Gosvami: “When with offended pride and feeling both jealousy and respect, the nayika angrily slanders Krsna for his cheating ways in the art of love, it is known as ujjalpa.” Vijaya: “What is sanjalpa?” Gosvami: “Feeling deep resentment, the nayika exposes Krsna's ungratefulness in love with many cryptic and humorous words of derision. This is called sanjalpa.” Vijaya: “What is avajalpa?” Gosvami: “In the anger of avajalpa, Krsna is declared to be hard-hearted, lusty, and sly, and therefore one is fearful that one's hopeless attachment to Him may prove to be self-destructive.” Vijaya: “What is abhijalpa?” Gosvami: “Lamenting and making witticisms such as: ‘When Krsna causes the pain of separation even to innocent birds such as His pet parrot and peacocks, it is certainly futile to become attached to Him,’ is defined as abhijalpa.” Vijaya: “What is ajalpa?” Gosvami: “Feeling despondency, the nayika professes apathy towards Krsna because of His deceitful and merciless ways in love that bring only distress to Her. She suggests how pleasurable it would be to forget Him and pay attention to something else. These are the symptoms of ajalpa.” Vijaya: “What is pratijalpa?” Gosvami: “In pratijalpa, the nayika soliloquizes about Krsna's libidinous desires being more befitting a pirate or the like. Therefore, if She were to meet with Him, that would certainly be rash and foolhardy when He is already romancing so many other women ? but pretending to be interested in Her alone. This message is given by the nayika to the awaiting messenger sent by Krsna.” Vijaya: “What is sujalpa?” Gosvami: “When the nayika is grave, humble, and listless because of pangs of the heart, but straightforwardly and repeatedly enquires about Krsna with unrestrained eagerness in love, this is called sujalpa. This completes the list of citra-jalpa.” (Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 36)]
MAHAT-SANGA CHANGES YOUR BODY
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja MAHAT-SANGA CHANGES YOUR BODY
Badger, California: May 21, 2004
[Dear Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Sri Sri Radha-vinode-bihariji.
We pray that you will receive inspiration from this timely discourse by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, given in Badger, California May 21, 2004:]
[“By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one’s material distresses.” (Srimad- Bhagavatam 3.7.19)]
Vidura was the prime minister of King Dhrtarastra. He was an extremely religious person, a very high class of devotee who was fully surrendered to Sri Krsna. He knew past, present and future.
He saved the five Pandavas from burning in the house of lac and he protected them on several other occasions. When Duryodhana insulted him, he gave up his bow and crown and at once left home to go on pilgrimage. When he returned after five or six months, he saw that his entire dynasty had been destroyed; The great war had been finished and Duryodhana and all his brothers and friends had died. Vidura went to the palace of Dhrtarastra and delivered him from maya.*[See endnote 1] Krsna later ordered him to go and approach Maitreya Muni, so he traveled to Badrikasrama to meet with him.
In Brhad-Bhagavatamrta Srila Sanatana Gosvami has quoted Vidura’s words in the verse above, and he has explained some of its very deep meanings.
You may or may not remember; yesterday I told you something very important. Gopa Kumara, known as Svarupa in Goloka Vrndavana, was a transcendental associate of Lord Krsna. He was not subject to birth or death. He was like Nanda Baba and Srimati Yasoda devi in that they also had never been mortal conditioned souls at any time. He never had to practice the regulations of sadhana-bhakti.
The Mathura brahmana, on the other hand, was a conditioned soul. Still, without having performed any real sadhana, he became just like his Guru, Svarupa. He became the bosom friend of Sri Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana. How did this miracle occur? This is the result of mahat-sanga.
Quoting the above-mentioned verse of Sri Vidura, Srila Sanatana Gosvami tells us that even those who are involved in buddhism or mayavada – if they associate with any mahat-purusa they will be changed from mrta (death), to amrta (immortality). Their bodies will be changed in quality, as the body of Sri Narada Rsi was changed from a material body to a transcendental one, and they will thus be qualified to serve Sri Krsna and Srimati Radhika in rasa. Srila Sanatana Gosvami is giving this hope to those who will always remain in mahat-sanga. In that sanga, all possibilities arise.
One who is fully engaged in favorable service to a mahat will be able to see Lord Krsna massaging the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika, and Krsna will be saying, “Oh, now You are so tired, and You are perspiring.” What Krsna is not able to perform during the Rasa dance, Srimati Radhika can quickly perform. Krsna may sing the notes ‘sa re ga ma pa da ni,’ but Srimati Radhika begins from there and goes further and further up. What did Krsna say then? “Thank You, thank You, thank You. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu! I cannot do as You can.”
The fully surrendered soul engaged exclusively in the service of the mahat-purusa will have a chance to see these pastimes and all the other pastimes of Sri Radha-Krsna, and also to serve in those pastimes. In the form of a sakhi, he (she) will see that Radhika comes and takes the flute of Krsna. She gives it to Lalita and Visakha, and Krsna then goes to each and every gopi – begging, begging, begging, begging.
Those who are fully surrendered to mahat-sanga will have a chance to see all these pastimes. Their sufferings will be transferred into bhakti-sampat, the wealth of bhakti. If their fathers, mothers, wives, husbands and children kick them out of the house, they will realize, “This is the mercy of Krsna. I was always very attached to them, but now they have kicked me out. Now I will go to Vrndavana and chant, ‘Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ My friends will be monkeys, birds and other animals of Vraja, and that is fine with me.” If such devotees are insulted, they will think like the brahmana mendicant at Avanti Nagara: “Oh, today my life is successful.”
Try to follow these principles. Don’t worry whether anyone is insulting you or kicking you out of their homes. There is no harm in that. Come to Vrndavana. Sri Krsna, Srimati Radhika, and Their special messengers are there to look after you all. Do not fear. If you sit on the parikrama path, so many devotees will give you bread, butter, garments, and everything else you require for maintenance. So, why worry?
I have personally experienced this care. Once I went empty-handed to Giriraja Govardhana, and there was a big flood at that time. I was thinking, “Where to go? What to do?” In the meantime, Sri Govardhana sent my pandaji (pilgrimage priest and guide). He saw me and said, “Oh, you are here? Come with me to my house. My house is outside the village in a remote place, so you can stay there.” Then, while I was there, he sent me chapatis, ghee, puris, rotis, sabji, and dhal. Now, in that very place, our Giridhari Govardhana Gaudiya Math is being constructed.
So do not worry. Come. You can give up all the worries of householders – your husbands, children, wives, wealth, and all material considerations. Come to me, empty-handed (empty-hearted, meaning free from all material desires and false philosophies), and I will take care of you. If you cannot come now, then come at the time of Vraja Mandala parikrama. Make a vow that, “I will not return from there.” Follow the example of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami – purchase a one-way ticket.
We have explained the above-mentioned verse of Sri Vidura in a very easy way; and now we will explain something which is hidden in it. If you serve a mahat-purusa, regularly hear his hari-katha and follow the process given in the Bhagavad-gita, you will realize the truths hidden therein.
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
["Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)]
The words tattva-vida and tattva-darsi have the same meaning. The tattva-darsis, the great souls who have seen the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, explain all spiritual truths very easily. In fact, even if they do not speak at all, atoms of hari-katha emanate from their body and enter your heart. This will help you to understand and realize Krsna – if you are serving.
Sri Krsna is kutastha, meaning ‘incomprehensible.’ Krsna is sarva kal vyapi (past, present and future are within Him; He is present within the three time phases; He is omnicient), avyaya (without deterioration), anadi (without beginning), ananta (unlimited), and nirguna (free from all tinges of material qualities). But He is also Madhusudana. If one will serve a maha-purusa, this anadi ananta Krsna will come to you and reveal Himself as Vrajendra-nandana Syamasundara.
["Krsna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes. (Brahma-samhita 5.1)]
If you are experiencing a strain in following of the principles of bhakti-yoga, this will disappear and everything will become very easy. When Srila Haridasa Thakura was beaten in 22 market-places he did not feel any pain in his body – because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had taken it all away. If you are experiencing any suffering in krsna-bhajana while following nirjala-ekadasi, while doing parikrama of Govardhana – 14 miles at one time – or during Vraja Mandala parikrama, mahat-sanga will take away all those sufferings. Moreover, the endless pain of repeated birth and death will disappear very easily. Otherwise, without mahat-sanga, there is no way to be free.
Another meaning of kuta is mountain – the mountain of Vraja. The name of that mountain is Giriraja Govardhana, and there Krsna grazes cows. Moreover He plays there with the gopas, and moreover He engages in dancing and singing and playing in the caves of Govardhana with the gopis. There are so many gopis, like Candravali, Radhika, Lalita and Visakha, Padma and Saibhya; and with them He is sometimes relishing viraha-rasa (feelings of separation), sometimes relishing sambhoga-rasa (feelings of meeting), and sometimes creating confusion here and there.
Kuta also refers to annakuta, the festival held by Nanda Baba and the Vrajavasis on the kuta, the peak, of Giriraja Govardhana. Lord Madhusudana is there, tasting the honey of the love and affection of the gopas, gopis, cows and all the Vrajavasis; their rati-rasa is there. Those who serve the lotus feet of the maha-purusa will have a chance to dance with all the gopis and Lord Krsna in rati-rasa.
yat te sujata-caranamburuham stanesu
bhitah sanaih priya dadhimahi karkasesu
tenatavim atasi tad vyathate na kim svit
kurpadibhir bhramati dhir bhavad-ayusam nah
[“O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.31.19)]
Ultimately, in connection with this verse kuta does not mean annakuta, nor does it mean Giriraja kuta. It means something else. When Krsna feels tired, He wants to keep His lotus feet on the lotus-like breasts of the gopis. This is the highest meaning of the word kuta, and it ultimately refers to Radhika. That person serving a maha-purusa can feel all the elevated moods of the gopis, and especially those of Srimati Radhika. These are some of the hidden meanings of the verse by Sri Vidura.
Lord Kapiladeva told his mother:
satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati
["In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.25)]
Lord Kapiladeva is an incarnation of Sri Krsna, a saktyavesa-avatara. Here he is speaking to his mother, Devahuti, who is an exalted devotee. She questioned him, “How can my life be successful?” By his mercy he spoke this verse. Later, after he left home, she became oblivious to the external world. She had no bodily consciousness. She would take off her garments and forget to use them. She would be quite naked and, apparently like an animal, she was not conscious of when she would pass stool or urine. She forgot her surroundings.
[“Bhakti becomes manifested by the association of the Lord’s devotees. The association of devotees is obtained by previous accumulated piety.” (Brhan-naradiya Purana, 4.33)]
If one is fortunate, if he has served sadhus – those who are krsna-tadiya (belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead) – then sadhu-samagama (the place where one meets a sadhu) will come to him. There are two kinds of sadhu-samagama – madhyama and uttama. First, without your awareness of what is transpiring, a sadhu will come and create your sukriti by engaging you in some kind of service. Then, more advanced sadhus will come and you will begin to be qualified to hear from them.
You cannot easily understand what the most elevated class of sadhu is telling or not telling. However, you can render some service to him. You can give him a small sweet, some garments to wear, or a drink of water. You can present him gifts of this world, but you cannot understand the transcendental subjects spoken by him and the depth of his association. Gradually, by such service, you will have an urge to inquire from him, and then you will develop so much taste in hearing him.
You can pray to Krsna's associate, the high class Vaisnava, maha-purusa, “Prabhu, I want mahat-sanga.” So, first a madhyama-adhikari will come, then a more advanced devotee, a kanistha-mahabhagavata, then a madhyama-mahabhagavata, and after that an uttama-mahabhagavata like Sri Narada Rsi and others will come to you.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will send you to Sri Svarupa Damodara, who is Srimati Lalita devi in Krsna-lila, and to Sri Raya Ramananda who is Srimati Visakha devi. We cannot imagine the extent of Lord Krsna’s mercy. It may be that a sadhu who is higher than Uddhava will come, and that sadhu will tell you hari-katha. He will tell you the nectar topics of rasa-lila from Gopi-gita, Brahmara-gita and Venu-gita, and by the result of hearing these subject matters you will become overjoyed. Karuna-rasayana. These kathas are not like quinine. When a person is sick with malaria, quinine is given with a sugar coating. This hari-katha is not like that.
Karuna rasyana; hrdaya rasayana. This hari-katha is very tasteful. It is nectar for the heart. Parama sukya daya. It gives the highest happiness. In Brahmara-gita Srimati Radhika is saying, “Oh bumblebee, go away from here.” She has become mad in love and affection in separation. “Oh bumblebee, you are impure. You are a liar, and you are the messenger of the greatest liar in the entire world. He has taught you how to try to pacify Me. For Him we have left our homes and became street-beggars. For Him. From now on we will not make any compromise. Go away at once! I don’t want you here!”
The bumblebee replies, “Oh, Svaminiji, my Prabhu, Krsna, is totally innocent. He wants to serve You. If You think He is not qualified for this, then why do You continually speak about Him? Give it up. Forget Him.” Srimati Radhika replies, “That’s the problem. We can be separated from Him, but we cannot be separated from His hari-katha.”
Srimati Radhika instructs us, “Oh, audience, don’t hear krsna-katha, otherwise you will become mad. You will become like birds without a nest, always weeping, ‘Krsna, Krsna, Krsna,’ and making your family members weep. Krsna is cruel, and hari-katha is cruel like Him. So never hear His hari-katha. If anyone comes to you carrying Srimad-Bhagavatam under his arm, boycott him. Do not go to listen to his katha.”
This hari-katha, the words spoken by the pure servants of Srimati Radhika and the gopis, is so powerful that it can cause the endless chain of birth and death to disappear in a moment. A desire to serve Krsna will develop and that desire will gradually increase. First sraddha will manifest, gradually bhava-bhakti (rati) will appear, and then, step by step, prema-bhakti will appear.
First sraddha will come, and then anarthas will go away by performing bhajana and engaging in guru-padasraya (taking shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide self-realized Guru) and all the other limbs of bhakti. Then, anisthitha-bhakti (unsteady devotion), then nisthitha (steady) bhakti, then ruci (taste) and asakti (attachment), then rati will come, and gradually prema-bhakti will come.
Here, prema-bhakti means seva-nisthitah (fixed in continuous service). An example of this is Hanuman, who is always serving Rama. Higher than Hanuman are the Pandavas, higher than the Pandavas is Uddhava, still higher are the Vrajavasis, and among them Madhumangala, Sridama, and Subala are so high. Higher still is Nanda Baba, then Yasoda-maiya, and higher than them are the gopis. Among them Candravali and others are very high. Still higher are Lalita and Visakha, and the highest is Srimati Radhika.
If you continually hear hari-katha under the guidance of a pure Vaisnava, then sraddha, rati, and pure bhakti will automatically come.
Among the sixty-four limbs of bhakti; these nine are the most important:
[“Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) – these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23)]
Among the nine, these five are the most important.
[“One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.128)]
Among the five, sravanam, kirtanam and smaranam are the most important, and among these harinama sankirtana is the most important.
["Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krsna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. (Sri Siksastakam, verse 1)
All your desires, including the desires you don’t know you should have, will be fulfilled.
Gaura Premanandi!
[Endnote 1: “Thus Maharaja Dhrtarastra, the scion of the family of Ajamidha, firmly convinced by introspective knowledge, broke at once the strong network of familial affection by his resolute determination. Thus he immediately left home to set out on the path of liberation as directed by his younger brother Vidura.” (Srimad-Bhagvatam, 1.13.29)
Send in Names
Dear respected readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
You may not know that we have a new list, for sending out Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s introductory hari-katha lectures. So, if you would like to ask your friends, co-workers, family members and people you meet on the street if they would like to receive these introductory lectures, please feel free to do so. The first five or so lectures they will receive will be basic lectures. These new readers, who are new to Krsna consciousness, will thus be able to become familiar with the philosophy before receiving the lectures we send out on the main list (which includes lots of verses and Sanskrit words).
Anita dasi taking an email address for the hari-katha mailing list to somebody she met on the street in Bangalore.
..
Morning Walk - Malaysia - January 26, 2009
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja Morning Walk
January 26, 2009: Malaysia
[Dear Respected Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
You all may have seen the recent publication of Walking with a Saint, Morning Walks and darsans from 2008. We are now working on 2009 edition. Below is a morning walk from Malaysia as a sneak preview to the book.
We will be continuing with these volumes of walks and darsans if we can get recordings of walks and darsans from world tours and from India. If anyone has any recording of any darsan or walk from 2007 and before as well as any pictures, please contact Isa dasa (williamglick@gmail.com) or Vasanti dasi (vasantidasi@gmail.com). Thank you.
Aspiring for the service of the Vaisnavas,
Vasanti dasi]
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (To Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja) Please explain the meaning of ‘anyabhilasita.’
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: When I was explaining anyabhilasita sunyam last evening, I did not explain the details of what are favorable and unfavorable actions.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: So, can you explain the details now? I would especially like you to explain the meaning of the phrase:
["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: Okay. So, as you were saying to me last night, there is unfavorable karma and favorable karma.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What does anyabhilasita mean?
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: Anyabhilasita means that one should accept what is favorable for bhakti and reject whatever is unfavorable. Sunya means...
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I know that you cannot explain it. Try to read Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu.
(To Tamal-Krsna das) You explain.
Tamal-krsna dasa: I am not qualified, Gurudeva. I cannot explain it.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You can explain so much about magic. Why not these topics? I want you to be a good preacher. You can preach.
Tamal-krsna dasa: Thank you, Gurudeva. Thank you.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You are very bold, but you should know the meaning of bhakti. What is bhakti?
Tamal-krsna dasa: Bhakti is eternal spiritual bliss and devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakti.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is not the definition. You must learn what it means.
What is the idea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu regarding our supreme object of worship? Do you know the verse beginning aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa tanayas tad dhama vrndavanam?
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargesa ya kalpita
srimad-bhagavatam amalam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya-mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah
["The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis of Vrndavana. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."]
Tamal-krsna dasa: No.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I know that in your old age you cannot memorize the slokas, but you should know the meaning of this sloka and preach about bhakti.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (To Bhagavat Maharaja) Do you understand?
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: Yes. Anya-abhilasa. Abhilasa means ‘desire.’ We should not have any desires for unfavorable karma, jnana, etc. Sunya means ‘we should be devoid of these unfavorable desires.’
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No, this is not the meaning.
(To Giri Maharaja) What is the meaning?
Sripad Giri Maharaja: Anyabhilasita sunya means ‘devoid of all desires other than the desire to serve Krsna favorably.’ It means ‘devoid of all material desires.’
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It does not matter whether the karma or jnana is ‘favorable’ or ‘unfavorable.’ We must give it all up. We must give up the desire for taking birth in the heavenly planets and for moksa (impersonal liberation), and for all things other than the service of Krsna.
But why has the word anyabhilasita been stated? Why not simply the word anyavilasa?
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: Because ‘ita’ indicates special circumstances, as in the case of Draupadi. When Draupadi found herself in a situation where she had no other shelter, she called out to Krsna for His shelter. She did not do this for some material desire for protection, because Draupadi was completely surrendered to Krsna. This was a special circumstance.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: A life-threatening circumstance.
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: Yes, life-threatening. So she called out to Krsna.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes.
Prakasatma dasa: Yesterday we heard the story of Narada Muni and Dhruva Maharaja. Visnu manifested Himself to Dhruva Maharaja, who was a sakama-bhakta (one who performs bhakti in order to achieve some material benefit). Regarding Narada Muni, Visnu only appeared to him for a moment – and then disappeared because Narada had some attachment to sattva-guna (the material mode of goodness). Narada had a desire to meditate in the forest, which was a desire in the mode of goodness, and for this reason Visnu didn't show Himself to Narada. Yet, he showed Himself to Dhruva Maharaja, who had a much stronger material desire.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is the answer?
Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja: You once explained that for those devotees who want suddha-bhakti, pure, unalloyed bhakti, Krsna personally takes over their karma. He gives them more parabdha-karma to get them to the point where they can attain suddha-bhakti because their intentions are originally for suddha-bhakti. I think Narada Muni falls in that category?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (To Sripad Giri Maharaja) Can you explain?
Sripad Giri Maharaja: I don't know, Gurudeva. I’ll be honest.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Dhruva was a sakama-bhakta (a devotee who performs his devotional activities with material motives); and from the beginning, Narada was a niskama-bhakta (a devotee who performs his devotional activities with no material motives). We should know that gold is more valuable than iron, and that the value of cintamani is so many more times higher than the value of gold. Similarly, niskama-bhakti is very high. Dhruva Maharaja performed bhakti only for a worldly kingdom, whereas Narada did not have such desires.
Narada had been performing austerities, but precious things cannot be acquired by the practice of general austerities. Therefore, it was in order to increase Narada's eagerness that Bhagavan told him, “You will not see me again in this lifetime.” He did this because He wanted to make Narada more advanced in devotional service. He wanted him to be a rasika-bhakta.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Once you explained that even when Narada Rsi's mother expired, he did not concern himself with performing ceremonies for her. Rather he immediately went to the forest to do bhajana. On the other hand, even when Dhruva was seated in the transcendental airplane that was just about to take him to Vaikuntha, he remembered his mother, Sunéti. He thought, "How shall I go alone to the Vaikuntha planet and leave behind my poor mother? I will not go without her."
Sripad Giri Maharaja: Sakama-bhakta Dhruva Maharaja is an example of a karma-misra bhakta (bhakti mixed with the desire for fruitive reward). Who is a typical example of a jnana-misra-bhakta (bhakti mixed with the desire to merge into impersonal brahman)?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The four Kumaras, and also Sukadeva Gosvami in his first stage.
Sripad Giri Maharaja: What about Lord Siva?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Oh, he is so high – far superior to other devotees. He is the guru of all Vaisnavas. He is even Narada's guru.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: “Vaisnavanam yatha sambu – he is the greatest Vaisnava.”
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He is not under any rules and regulations, or anyone’s control.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: In one form, Sivaji is Gopisvara.
Sripad Giri Maharaja: And Lord Brahma?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Brahma is a dasya-bhakta; adhikarika-dasya
Sripad Giri Maharaja: Is he a karma-misra or jnana-misra bhakta?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Adhikarika-dasya means that he has been given the order and adhikara (qualification) to create the world. He can create only by the power of Krsna, and he does so. Because he is creating by the order of Krsna, therefore he is called adhikarika-dasya.
Sripad Giri Maharaja: So, Brahma is always a pure devotee?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He is a suddha-bhakta, but not a rasika-bhakta. He may become a rasika-bhakta in the future.
Moreover, there are so many Brahmas. Our Brahma has requested to Krsna that he become the foot-dust of the gopis in Vrndavana; this is not an ordinary prayer.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Brahmaji became a mountain in Varsana (Brahma-parvata) by performing worship of Radha.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. Sankara manifests in Nandagaon as the mountain, Nandisvara Hill, and Brahma as Brahma-parvata in Varsana.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Brahma prayed to Krsna, “May all Your pastimes with the Vraja gopis be manifest on my head,” and he was thus blessed to become a mountain.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Brahma is our adi-guru (the first guru in our Brahma-madhva-gaudiya Sampradaya), not Sankara. In this way we follow Brahma, not Sankara.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Sankara is followed by Visnusvami of the Rudra sampradayas.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (To Padmanabha Maharaja) The color of your cloth is too dark. Better to reduce it somewhat.
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: I made a mistake – too much dye.
Sripad Damodara Maharaja: Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote that even if guru makes a mistake, he is always right.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is the meaning?
Sripad Damodara Maharaja: I don't know. That's why I'm asking.
And the conditioned soul, even if he is right, he is always wrong.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If guru is wrong, he is not guru. On the other hand, if Narada or any bona fide acarya in our guru-parampara act as though they don't know about something, they are guru.
Narada Rsi approached the demon Kamsa and asked him, “What are you doing? Why have you excused Devaki and Vasudeva? I know that that the demigods had a meeting and discussed various ways to kill you. Those demigods have now appeared as Devaki and Vasudeva and their associates for that purpose.”
After Kamsa heard this from Narada, he killed the sons of Devaki and Vasudeva and also began to harass Devaki and Vasudeva themselves. What is the significance of this? Although Vasudeva and Devaki are the father and mother of Krsna, Narada told Kamsa to harass them. Why?
Sripad Damodara Maharaja: He did it so that Kamsa would commit more offenses and Krsna would therefore appear sooner.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: What Narada did seems to be wrong, but it is not.
Sripad Damodara Maharaja: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also said that even if guru makes a mistake when reciting a verse, he is right; and the conditioned soul, even if he recites the verse correctly, he is wrong.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Our Guru Maharaja hardly ever quoted slokas; he mostly used logical arguments. Moreover, when he did refer to a sloka, he uttered only two or three words, not the complete sloka.
Sometimes guru’s pronunciation may be incorrect, but guru is correct. In this way we can apply what you have quoted, but not where other matters are concerned. Guru can never do wrong.
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: Srila Gurudeva, you told us that when you met our Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja in his final days, he told you, “I have made a mistake, because I preached against my god-brothers.” Then you told him, “No, no. You have not done any wrong. We understand why you did what you did. It was to encourage your disciples, for preaching.”
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, yes, yes. He knew the reality. What he did was to encourage his disciples, for preaching. What he did only seemed to be wrong; it was not. Guru says certain things due to special circumstances.
Markendeya Rsi dasa: Srila Gurudeva, today is your birthday. For your birthday, I am presenting you with some videos of your world-wide preaching.
Today I'm begging you to give me a little mercy so that I can develop the goal of life that you are distributing.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: My speaking should come in the form of books.
(To Padmanabha Maharaja) Do you understand?
Sripad Padmanabhu Maharaja: Yes.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What I am telling in my morning walks and darsanas should come in the form of books.
I have already told this to Padmanabha Maharaja.
Sripad Padmanabhu Maharaja: It should be made into books. Yes.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This should be done very soon.
Sripad Padmanabhu Maharaja: Yes.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Gurudeva, this devotee is from Nandana’s apartment building in Kuala Lumpur.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Oh, thank you. Please attend our classes. And may you very soon become a pure bhakta. Very soon you will become old and have to give up this body, and not a farthing of what you have collected will go with you to the next body. Without bhakti, you cannot be happy in your life. So you should take up this process very soon, chant the Holy Name, and be happy forever.
Devotee: Thank you, Gurudeva. I'm trying very hard. I'm trying.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Don't delay.
[Devotees who have not been on the walk but who have been waiting at the door of Srila Maharaja’s residence now sing “Happy Birthday” and “Govinda Damodara Madhaveti,” and they present him gifts.]
Vrnda devi: It is also Janaki didi’s birthday today.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (Throwing flower petals on Janaki dasi’s head) Mangalam bhavatu, kalyanam bhavatu, krsna-bhakti bhavatu, radha-dasyam bhavatu (May your life be auspicious, may you attain pure devotion to Sri Krsna, and especially may you attain the service of Srimati Radhika).
[Devotees sing “Radhe Radhe Radhe, jaya jaya jaya Sri Radhe.”]
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (calling out loudly) Jaya jaya Sri…
Devotees: (calling out loudly) Radhe!
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (calling out loudly) Jaya jaya Sri…
Devotees: (calling out loudly) Radhe!
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (calling out loudly) Jaya jaya Sri Radhe!
Devotees: (calling out loudly) Radhe!
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: My darling daughters and sons, I’ll meet you soon.
For the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada - December 25, 2010
Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
Today, December 25, 2010 is the divine disappearance day of our divine preceptor, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. Instead of sending you only one of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s lectures on Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada’s glories, we are sending you several. The lectures are situated in a very interesting website (created in Srila Prabhupada’s honor) called The Unconventional Teachers. To reach this website and Srila Narayana Maharaja’s lectures in a moment, please click on the banner below.
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