Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

The Glories of 
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
The Bona fide process of Siddha-Pranali

The glories of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura are so great that even Lord Brahma, with his four mouths, cannot completely describe them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a transcendental personality and we are not transcendental, so how then can we touch his glory? Only a transcendental person can expound on his glory.

We have heard from our gurudeva and other Vaisnavas, and we have also read in authentic books, that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was given the title ‘Seventh Gosvami.’ From the time of the Six Gosvamis up to his time, no one else was ever designated as such. During his manifest stay in this world (1838-1914), learned persons and devotees saw his glorious activities and gave him this title. It was he who once again illuminated the true principles of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. If he had not appeared when he did, all the teachings of pure Gauòiya Vaisnavism would have been forever drowned in an ocean of oblivion.

That time was a dark period for Gaudiya Vaisnavaism. The sahajiyas  [see endnote 1] used to give what they called siddha-pranali (the process, or system, that gives perfection), or siddha-deha (one’s perfected spiritual body, by which one can render transcendental service unto Sri Radha and Krsna), to anyone and everyone, without even knowing whether or not their  so-called followers were actually devotees. 

The followers neither knew any Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy nor did they have any sadacara, (proper etiquette and behavior), yet they would take shelter of their sahajiya-babaji gurus who pretended to give them their siddha-deha. 

They misunderstood Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. According to their conception of siddha-deha, Gauòiya bhajana meant traveling to Vrndavana, living there, and having children with other’s wives. They considered that by doing this they had become gopis. “Come on, come on,” their guru would say to them. “I’m giving you siddha-deha and siddha-pranali.” 

To whom did he pretend to give siddha-deha? Thinking, “I am this body,” his disciples did not even know the ABCs of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Such persons did not know that they are eternally part and parcel and servants of Krsna. In reality, instead of being given gopi-bhava they were given ‘goopi’-bhava!

What are ‘goopis’? Goopis are those who are lovers or beloveds of this world. They think that they should find a lady, live with her, and enjoy sex life. They think this bogus prema to be Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s philosophy.

[Prakrta-sahajiyas are those who understand the aprakrta (spiritual) pastimes of the aprakrta Supreme Personality of Godhead to be prakrta (mundane) like the affairs of ordinary men and women, and who think that the aprakrta-tattva is attained by a material sadhana (malpractice in  the name of spiritual practice). (from Parama-gurudeva’s biography, part 6)]

In the name of Gauòiya Vaisnavism, these sahajiyas would perform Hare Krsna kirtana, following the dead body during funeral processions, and then take a large payment from the deceased’s rich relatives. In their so-called kirtanas the word ‘Krsna’ did not clearly manifest; it was difficult for the audience to actually find the word “Krsna.” The chanters sang, “Hare Kr-sna-a-a-a-a-a-a,” in a very fancy melody. Then the audience applauded, calling out, “O, very good, very good,” and paid them some rupees. Although those chanters drank wine and ate meat and fish, they still thought what they were doing to be all right, and they were still called Vaisnavas by unintelligent people. Because of such disgraceful displays, learned and educated persons became ashamed and did not want to associate themselves with the words ‘Gaudiya Vaisnavism.’

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was, in his time, the first person to preach the factual philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to this learned society. By his preaching, people came to know about true transcendental love, prema-bhakti, and it is for this reason that he was given the title Seventh Gosvami. 

Just as King Bhagiratha brought the Ganges River to the Earth, to India, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura brought the bhakti-ganga (the flowing Ganges River of bhakti) to this world. Because of him, so many people became inspired to follow pure Gauòiya Vaisnavism. If he had not appeared, we would not have joined this mission. If Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja had not come to the West – if he had not gone to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and if Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had not come from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, what would have been your fate? Your good fortune is coming from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who preached the very pure doctrines of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

To Help Them

It is due to lack of intelligence – to ignorance – that these so-called babajis speak the way they do. In order to help them, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura clearly explained the entire process for achieving spiritual perfection in his final literary work, Jaiva-dharma. In that book he clearly elucidated the qualifications for receiving siddha-deha, explaining how the bona fide guru reveals siddha-deha to a qualified disciple; and previously, in his book Bhajana-rahasya, he clarified many deep siddhantas on the same subject. Those who actually want to enter into the realm of bhakti may try to follow Bhajana-rahasya, Jaiva-dharma, and all his other books.

In Bhajana-rahasya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote that our bhakti begins by our trying to serve and realize the first verse of Sri Siksasakam: ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, Then we follow and practice the second verse: namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-Saktis. And then the third: trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna. If we factually adopt the qualities delineated therein, we may enter the fourth: na dhanam na janam na sundarim. At that time we are detached from worldly desires and tastes. Then, when we become still more pure, when we are always chanting and remembering Krsna without being disturbed by any obstacle, we can enter the fifth: ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram.

Entrance into this fifth verse is the beginning of siddha-deha, at which time we realize ourselves as eternal servants of Krsna in a specific relationship. All aspects of our eternal relationship with Krsna are already in our atma, or soul, just as the potency of a fully grown tree is present in the seed of that tree. With water, air, and light the seed sprouts, and gradually leaves, branches, flowers, manjaris, and finally fruits also manifest. The entire tree or creeper is there in its seed, but only when air, water, and sunlight touch it do all its features sprout. Similarly, the full potency of our pure bhakti is present in our atma, but it manifests only by adopting the correct bhakti process. In this fifth verse, the jiva-svarupa is revealed. 

The sixth verse of Sri Siksastakam states:

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati

[“O Prabhu! When will my eyes be filled with a stream of tears? When will my voice choke up? And when will the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name.”]

When a devotee realizes his atma and understands that he is an eternal servant of Krsna, he has no worldly attachments. It is then that the svarupa-sakti [see endnote 2], as hladini and samvit, mercifully manifests in his heart. He then begins to weep, and, while chanting the holy name of Krsna, he rolls on the earth and sings, “Agha-damana (O Krsna, the killer of the Agha demon), Yasodanandana (O son of Yasoda), O, Nanda-sunoh (O, son of Nanda Maharaja), where are You?”

The devotee may sometimes get a glimpse of Krsna and immediately run towards Him. And then, when Krsna goes out of sight, that devotee rolls on the ground in separation. If a person does not feel this type of separation from Krsna, his siddha-deha will not manifest. Those who artificially exhibit emotions of separation will go to hell, like the thousands of babajis (those with false initiation into false renunciation and false spiritual perfection) in Vrndavana and Radha-kunòa who are simply illicitly giving birth to children and engaging in other malpractices. 

One of the brothers of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to think that his father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, was his physical body. In fact, he thought of himself as the son of Kedarnatha Datta (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s civil name), not Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura considered his father to be an associate of Sri Krsna, Srimati Radharani, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never considered him his material father, a person made of blood and flesh. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura actually followed the path of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Whatever his father spoke, he totally accepted and followed. 

Our goal is siddha-deha, but what is siddha-deha? What is siddha-pranali? Who started it, in what year did it begin, and from where did it originate? Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami are called Gosvamis, not Babajis. No one has given them the title Rupa Babaji, Sanatana Babaji, or Srila Raghunatha dasa Babaji. At the time of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, no one addressed him as Visvanatha Cakravarti Babaji. During his time the process of giving someone this bogus version of gopi-bhava was not practiced. Who gave this siddha-pranali to them?

What is siddha-pranali? Siddha-pranali is Siksastakam – from the beginning verse, the first verse. One knows first of all that he is an eternal servant of Sri Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he therefore follows trnad api sunicena. He becomes detached from worldly attractions and chants and remembers Krsna twenty-four hours a day under the guidance of any very qualified Vaisnava.

tan-nama-rupa-caritadi-sukirtananu-
smrtyoh kramena rasana-manasi niyojya
tisthan vraje tad-anuragi jananugami
kalam nayed akhilam ity upadesa-saram
                                                                                                [Sri  Upadedamrta 8]

[“The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one’s full time – twenty-four hours a day – in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord’s divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one’s tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vrndavana-dhama] and serve Krsna under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord’s beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service.”]

This is real siddha-pranali, and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has explained it in his prayer called Manah-Siksa. All the verses of his prayer are pranali – not artificially imagining, “Oh, you are a gopi. You are Lalita-gopi. You are Visakha-gopi.”

From where and from whom has this artificial siddha-deha come? There is no history. It is not in our culture, nor is it the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Real siddha-deha and siddha-pranali manifest when we follow the correct process – from sraddha to nistha to guru-karana (taking complete shelter of guru), guru-bhajana, and guru-seva and after that, bhajana-pranali. It comes by purely adopting the process of sravanam (hearing), kirtanam chanting), visnoh-smaranam (remembering the Lord), pada-sevanam (serving the Lord’s lotus feet), arcanam (worshipping), vandanam (offering prayers), dasyam (becoming a servant), sakyam (becoming a friend), atma-nivedanam. (surrendering everything)7 It comes by:

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana
mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana
                                                         [ Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.128)]

[“In the association of devotees one should chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside in Mathura, and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.”]

These are the processes to adopt, by following which, Sri Krsna and Srimati Radhika will mercifully give us siddha-deha. 

How Sri Narada Muni Received Siddha-Deha

Srimad-Bhagavatam states that Narada Muni received his mantra from Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara. Later, as soon as his mother died, he left for the dense forest. There he bathed in a river, sat down silently under the shade of a banyan tree, chanted his mantra, and meditated upon the Supersoul within his heart. After practicing this for many years, Lord Visnu momentarily manifested in his heart and then vanished. 

Narada wept bitterly in separation from Lord Visnu, and then a voice from the sky called to him, “Narada, I will not give you darSana again as long as you are in this material body. Continue chanting My name, remembering Me, and glorifying My pastimes all over the world. At the appropriate time, when death comes, you’ll put your feet on the head of death.” Following Visnu’s instruction, Narada always chanted and remembered the Lord, and while playing on his vina he sang songs and poems glorifying the pastimes of Krsna. For example, he sang, “Radha-ramana haribol.” 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote about many pastimes of Krsna and His devotees in his own poetries and songs. For example he wrote a song beginning, “Narada muni bajaya vina radhika ramana name – Narada Muni plays his vina while chanting the glories of Radha and Krsna.” He also wrote,

yasomati-nandana, braja-baro-nagara,
gokula-ranjana kana
gopi-parana-dhana, madana-manohara,
kaliya-damana-vidhana

[“Lord Krsna is the beloved son of mother Yasoda; the transcendental lover in the land of Vraja; the delight of Gokula; Kana ; the wealth of the lives of the gopis. He steals the mind of even Cupid and punishes the Kaliya serpent.”]

After many years, death came to Narada. At that same moment his siddha-deha manifested, and in that siddha-deha (transcendental body) he became so strong that he could travel anywhere in the universe or beyond. Unlike Dhruva Maharaja,  Narada did not require the help of an airplane to transport him to Vaikuntha. 

We should try to know all of the processes taught by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura: sravana dasa, varana dasa, smarana dasa, bhavapana dasa (the stage of bhava or svarupa-siddha), anusmrti, and finally prema-sampatti dasa. It is in sampatti dasa that siddha-deha (vasthu-siddhi, one’s spiritual form) will manifest. 

In sravana dasa, one hears from his bona fide guru about Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, and the entire philosophy of Srila Rupa Gosvami. In sravana dasa there are many things to learn, such as who you are and what is your name – not the name of your material body, but of your transcendental body. The true guru knows this. A false guru does not know all this, but by imagination he gives this type of information. The bona fide guru knows everything: your name, your relationship with Sri Krsna and Srimati-Radhika and the gopis, your place of residence – whether it is at Radha-kunda or Javata or Nandagaon or Varsana – the name of your father and mother, your service, and the nature of your beautiful form. He then reveals your particular service (agya) to Radha-Krsna conjugal, and your palya-dasi-bhava. 

There are eleven items in all. In sravana dasa, therefore, you will hear and understand about the process for perfection from Jaiva-dharma, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, and all the books of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

Taste in the Name and Mercy to All

To teach the actual process was the main objective of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, whose teachings can be summarized in two lines: Jiva-daya krsna-nama, sarva dharma sara. This is also the sum and substance of all the teachings of all the Vedas, Vedanta, Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita, the Puranas, Srutis, Smrtis, Pancaratra, etc. 

In essence, there are two principles – jiva-daya and krsna-nama. The meaning of jiva-doya is ‘mercy to conditioned souls.’ Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has elaborately explained that the best daya, or mercy, is turning conditioned souls from their worldly moods to the mood of service to Krsna. It is worth more than opening hundreds of thousands of hospitals and universities, or donating hundreds of thousands of dollars in charity. Jiva-daya is the most special gift, and it can be given only by a realized soul.

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
                                                                [Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 17.21)]
[“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.”]

Jiva-doya is attained only by chanting Krsna’s holy name. Krsna’s name is Krsna Himself, but we can chant suddha (pure) nama only in the association of the bona fide guru and bona fide Vaisnavas. Without this association we can neither chant the pure name nor engage in pure suddha-bhakti.

What is suddha-bhakti (pure devotion)? Raganuga-bhakti is suddha-bhakti. [see endnote 3 and 4] We may think that vaidhi-bhakti is auddha-bhakti, but it is not, nor will it ever become so. Spontaneous devotion to Krsna is raganuga-bhakti,9 and when the practice of raganuga-bhakti fully matures, it is then called ragatmika-prema. When we yet have no ragatmika-prema, then cultivation of that pure ragatmika-bhakti with all of our senses is called raganuga. When our hearts accept the same mood that Srila Rupa Gosvami possesses in his heart – the mood of a palya-dasi (unpaid maidservant) of Srimati Radhika – it is called rupanuga-bhakti.

We conditioned souls are eligible to become palya-dasis. We cannot become like Lalita or Visakha, whose position (as a direct beloveds of Krsna) is beyond our limit of attainment. We can follow only Srila Rupa Gosvami or Rupa-manjari, Rati-manjari, Lavanga-manjari, and all the other manjaris. The sahajiya-babajis’ utterance of “Oh, you are Lalita. I am Lalita” is nothing but mayavada philosophy, or monism, artificial imitation.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura foretold that in the near future many hundreds of thousands of Western devotees with Sikha and tulasi-mala will meet with Indian devotees, and they will all chant together, “Haribol, haribol,” “Gaura premanande, hari haribol,” and “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” Thus, all over the world, this pure mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will spread. This idea was started by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He is the root of all our preaching, and therefore we are truly indebted to him.

[Endnote 1: from Paramagurudeva’s biography, part 6 section g, quoting Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s essay entitled The Depravity of the Sahajiya Doctrine) : The jiva is cinmaya (spiritual), and its only natural dharma is cinmaya service to Krsna. The word ‘sahaja’ means saha-ja, i.e. that which arises along with the atma. Transcendental service to Krsna is sahaja (natural) for the pure atma, because it occurs along with the jivatma and thus it is naturally inherent. However, it is not natural in the stage of bondage to inanimate matter. Sahajiyas cheat others and are themselves cheated or deprived of their pure and natural love for Krsna by transforming the union of man and woman into a mundane, supposedly natural dharma.] 

[endnote 2: The Lord’s divine potency is known as svarupa-sakti. It is called svarupa-sakti because it is situated in the Lord’s form. This potency is cinmaya, fully conscious, and thus it is the counterpart and antithesis of matter. Consequently it is also known as cit-sakti (potency endowed with consciousness). Because this potency is intimately connected with the Lord, being situated in His form, it is further known as antaranga-sakti (internal potency). Because it is superior to His marginal and external potencies both in form and glory, it is known as para-sakti (superior potency). Thus, by its qualities, this potency is known by different names – svarupa-sakti, cit-sakti, antaranga-sakti, and para-sakti. The svarupa-sakti has three divisions: (1) sandhini, the potency which accommodates the spiritual existence of the Lord and all His associates, (2) samvit, the potency which bestows transcendental knowledge of the Lord, and (3) hladini, the potency by which Krsna enjoys transcendental bliss and bestows such bliss upon His devotees.]

[endnote 3 – from Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja (lecture in Vrndavana, Nov.12, 1972): The more you are engaged in devotional service, the more your senses become pure or uncovered. And when it is completely uncovered, without any designation, then you are capable to serve Krsna. This is apprenticeship. Vaidhi-bhakti, that is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, para-bhakti, that is raganuga-bhakti.

[endnote 4 – from cc: “The original inhabitants of Vrndavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti.]

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Gaura-Nitai with Srivasa Pandita on our far left

[Respected Harikatha Readers, 
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
This year, 2013, Srivasa Pandita’s disappearance day is July 2nd (in America). Our hope is that you will relish Srila Gurudeva, Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s lecture, given in honor of this day, in Turnbridge, England, on July 8, 1999. As all of Srila Gurudeva’s discourses are ever-fresh and new, so is this one, below. 
Your aspiring servants, the Harikatha Team] 

      
  Today is a very sacred day. It is the disappearance day of Srivasa Pandita. In this world a person’s disappearance day is considered somewhat of a bad thing, so why do I call this a sacred day? If anyone dies in this world, there is suffering and lamentation; a feeling of separation. We are also feeling separation today, but actually, today is the day that Srivasa Pandita joined the maha-rasa of Krsna, or he went from this world to Vaikuntha to eternally serve his holy master there. He is so happy today.         
        Where did he go? Did he go to Vaikuntha, or to Ayodhya, or to Dvaraka, or to Goloka Vrndavana? Where did he go?

Sripad Asrama Maharaja: He went to Svetadvipa in the form of Srivasa Thakura, and because he’s also Narada Muni, he also went to Vaikuntha.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Where did he go?

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: He’s always in Svetadvipa serving Mahaprabhu, and always in Vaikuntha in the form of Narada Muni. In the form of Madhu-mangala he is serving as the cowherd friend of Krsna and joking with Him in Goloka Vrndavana. Where ever Krsna’s pastimes and Mahaprabhu’s pastimes are going on, in this planet and so many other planets, Narada is also there.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Narada Rsi has so many forms. As his worshipful Deity, Krsna, has so many forms everywhere, with so many manifestations, and Narada Rsi does as well. He is everywhere: in this world, in Vaikuntha, in Dvaraka, in Svetadvipa – everywhere. In the form of Madhumangala he is serving Krsna in sakhya-rasa, and he may serve Srimati Radhika as Naradi-sakhi. Srivasa Pandit is the same as Narada. As Srivasa Pandita, Narada Rsi serves Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 
        Srivasa Pandita’s wife is Malini-devi, who used to serve Nityananda Prabhu like a very little baby. Sometimes Nityananda Prabhu, quite naked, would sit on the lap of Malini-devi and drink her breast milk. At that time he was about twenty five or thirty years of age, but in relation to Malini-devi he always thought of Himself as Baladeva as a little baby. Once, when Malini-devi was weeping, Nityananda Prabhu came to her and asked, “Mother, why are you weeping?” She replied, “I had a silver cup full of ghee . A crow came and took it, and flew away.”  Nityananda Prabhu called out, “O crow, come on, come on. Return that silver cup.”  After a short time, that crow returned the cup. 
        Mahaprabhu once told Srivasa Pandita, “Tomorrow is Vyasa-puja. I know you are poor, but Vyasa-puja will be at your home, so try to make all the arrangements for Vyasa-puja. Srivasa replied, “No problem; by Your mercy, everything is available at my house. All the necessary items such as cloth, rose water, fragrant flowers, sacred thread (upanayana), ghee, betel nuts, and pan leaves are there in my house. I also have the book that describes how to do Vyasa-puja. With great fortune, I will celebrate Vyasa-puja tomorrow.”
        What is the importance of Vyasa-puja? It is the backbone of all devotees.  It is the birthday of Srila Vyasadeva, of whom all gurus are manifestations. All knowledge comes from Vyasadeva – all transcendental knowledge. There was still something lacking after he wrote most of the Vedas, but Narada completed that by inspiring him to write Srimad Bhagavatam.  
        Vyasadeva divided the Vedas, manifested the Upanisads and so many Puranas, and even the Mahabharata, in which Krsna told Bhagavad-gita (Gitopanisad). He manifested all kinds of required knowledge, but still, he was not happy.  His spiritual master, Narada, came and told him what was still lacking in his literary works. Vyasa had not told very clearly that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He had not clearly written that Krsna was controlled by the gopis. He had not written that Mother Yasoda tied Krsna to a grinding mortar, although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One day she refused to take baby Krsna in her lap, saying “Oh, You are a naughty boy; always stealing butter and yogurt from the neighboring gopis.” Hearing this, Krsna cried bitterly, rolling on the earth. 
       Vyasadeva had not written that Krsna used to perform the rasa dance with all the gopis, and that He was especially controlled by Srimati Radhika. Krsna had personally declared, “I cannot repay the gopis, and especially Radhika.”

na paraye ‘ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah ya mabhajan durjaya-geha-srnkhalah amvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32.22)

[“I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore, please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.”]

        Vyasadeva had not written about the pastimes Krsna performed in Vrndavana in places like Radha-Kunda. Narada told him that this is what was lacking, and that was why he was not happy. Following Narada’s instructions, Vyasadeva then meditated in trance and took shelter of bhakti.           
       What is the meaning of bhakti? It means total surrender to gurudeva. We usually surrender to gurudeva only by words, not by action, not by pure heart, and therefore we may change our views about him. Sometimes we may even change gurus, just like a man divorces a lady – and you may do so twenty times. Sukadeva Gosvami never changed his guru, Rupa Gosvami never changed, and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami never changed. Every guru in our disciplic line is always in this line of Vyasa.   
       Vyasa followed his gurudeva, and thus he saw all the pastimes of Krsna from boyhood to the end in Dvaraka in his trance. His teachings were completed by this. So, the meaning of Vyasa-puja is to follow gurudeva as Vyasadeva followed his gurudeva, Narada.  
       But guru must be like Narada, not like a kali-yuga guru, a fallen guru who has no knowledge or realization of all the teachings of the sastras (Vedic scriptures). A guru must be like Vyasa – expert in all sastras. Such a guru can remove all the doubts of his disciples. If one cannot remove his own doubts, how can he remove others’ doubts? If a guru says, “I can remove all your problems, but you should help by getting some money for me,” he is not really guru. If he is dependent on his disciples, he is not guru. A real guru will clear all your doubts. He will keep Krsna in your hearts forever.  
       Diksa means: ‘di’ = divya-jnanam; transcendental knowledge will manifest in your heart, and then, ‘ksa’= all kinds of problems, sufferings, and sorrows will disappear at once, just as all darkness disappears on the arrival of the sun. The service of such a guru is the backbone of a disciple. 
       So, Mahaprabhu ordered Srivasa Thakura, “You should observe Vyasa-puja here.” Srivasa Thakura replied, “Though I am poor, by Your mercy everything is in my house, and tomorrow we will do it.” The next morning all assembled there; only Caitanya Mahaprabhu was not there. Nityananda Prabhu was there, and he was also waiting for Mahaprabhu. When Mahaprabhu finally arrived, Srivasa Pandita complained against Nityananda, “I requested Sripada (Nityananda Prabhu) to perform Vyasa Puja.” The lotus feet of Krsna are called ‘sripada.’ “I said, ‘Sripada, please begin Vyasa-puja.’ But He simply made the sounds: “Hmmm…ummm…haaah…hmmm,” like a crazy person. Mahaprabhu then requested, “Sripada, why are you not beginning the Vyasa-puja? You should do it.” Nityananda became happy. He stood up, took a garland, and placed it around the neck of Mahaprabhu.
       Srivasa Pandit had been requesting Nityananda to put the garland on the neck of Vyasadeva, who was represented by a picture, as Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja’s picture is here. He was also represented by a kalasa (pot) that held within it a coconut and mango leaves, and that had painted on it a sacred svastika. In order to invoke the presence of Srila Vyasadeva, during the arcana process wherein he would be worshipped, mantras would be uttered before it, like “Svagatam, svagatam, svagatam (Welcome, welcome).” 
       Srivasa Pandita had been telling Nityananda, “Give this garland to Vyasadeva,” but Nityananda Prabhu was only mumbling, “Hooo…haaa,” waiting for Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Nityananda Prabhu wanted to show that Krsna Himself is jagad-guru. Although He is the real guru, husband, beloved and son of all, every soul has their specific individual relationship with Him. He placed the garland on the neck of Mahaprabhu, everyone present became so happy, and kirtana began.
       Vyasa-puja means to take an account of how much of our heart we have given to our gurudeva, and to measure our bhakti, to see whether we are advancing in bhakti, or reducing. As businessmen check daily or weekly their gains and losses by reviewing their activities and their results, Vyasa-puja is the day disciples make ‘cashbook and ledger.’ Are you in gain, or in loss? If you are not taking this gain/loss account on the day of Vyasa-puja, it means you have no respect for your gurudeva, you have no belief in him, no belief in Krsna, and no bhakti. You are a ‘show-bottle’ devotee.
       This Vyasa-puja ceremony was performed in Srivasa Pandita’s house. Do you know how strong a devotee he was? He had four brothers, and throughout the whole day and night he would meet with them for kirtana. They would continually chant with their big karatalas, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
       Some of the neighbors complained about Srivasa to the Muslim Kazi. They told him “He thinks he is better than Muslims because he is a Hindu. He is a culprit. If he and the other Hindus have to sing so loudly, it must mean that their God is blind and deaf; He cannot hear well. They spend their entire nights creating disturbances. We cannot sleep. What should we do?”
      The Kazi ordered, “Take his house and throw it in the Ganges! Then the other Hindus will be afraid to carry on with their disturbances.” He then went with his guards to Srivasa Pandita’s house, where he broke the mrdanga, and that place thus became known as Khola-bhanga-danga, the place where the Kazi broke the mrdanga drum. He also threatened the devotees, “In the future, you cannot chant, ‘Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.’ You can chant ‘Khuda,’ ‘God,’ or ‘Allah,’ but not so loudly. Don’t make so much noise. Don’t disturb anyone.”
        But what happened? One of those guards came to the Kazi, the Muslim governor, only chanting “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,” as though he had become mad. He wanted to speak something, but nothing was coming out except, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.” The Kazi asked, “What happened?” The guard replied, “Oh, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.” The Kazi asked again, “What happened? Tell me.” He replied, “Oh, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Just see how my beard has been burned.”  The Kazi asked, “Who burned it?” The guard answered, “I don’t know who burned it, but it is burned, and now I can’t say anything other than ‘Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.’” This strange thing happened repeatedly there.
        Caitanya Mahaprabhu soon heard about the Kazi’s breaking the mrdanga, and told His associates, “In the evening, burn torch-lights in every home. I shall give protection to everyone. Let us see what kind of Kazi comes to stop our kirtana.” He called all His associates for sankirtana, after which hundreds of thousands of devotees came there. All had torches: sticks of wood, with the end wrapped in cloth dipped in kerosene oil and set ablaze.              
       They all accompanied Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the Kazi’s palace, at which time the Kazi thought, “Oh, a rebellion! A revolution! So many are coming like dacoits; and it may be that they will kill me.” Seeing this, the Kazi entered his house and locked the door. 
       When Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived, He said, “Oh, where is that Kazi?” The devotees totally uprooted the Kazi’s garden. Murari dasa was laughing like Hanuman, and jumping here and there with a desire to burn down the Kazi’s house. But Mahaprabhu stopped him and said, “The Kazi is like my maternal uncle,” and called out, “O Kazi, please come. You are my uncle.” [In Krsna’s pastimes, the Kazi is Krsna’s maternal uncle]
       The Kazi came and opened the door, honored Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and they went inside for discussion. Mahaprabhu asked him, “Why do you kill cows? All Hindus consider the cow to be like a mother, because she gives milk to all. She does not discriminate whether one is Hindu, Muslim, or Christian. Hindus consider the cow as their mother and the bull as a father, but you kill them and eat their flesh. Why? Can you show me where in the Koran it has been written that you should do so?” The Kazi replied, “I cannot show you; it has not been written that we should slaughter cows. We should respect them.”
       Those whose breast-milk you drink are like mothers, and they should be treated as such. But, people all over the world take the flesh of these animals along with drinking their milk. I see here and here and there, especially in America, that those who slaughter cows have now become cows for slaughter. I once saw thousands of cows ready to be slaughtered. At first I became so unhappy, but at the next moment I considered, “Oh, they were previously humans who ate cows. And now, as a result of their actions, they have become cows.” So, you should not consume meat, eggs, or wine, etc.  Otherwise those animals will surely take revenge – and if they are not taking revenge, then Krsna will make you suffer. All living entities are eternal servants of God. We all belong to His family – brothers, sisters, mothers, an sons – so we should not eat flesh. 
        Thus, the Kazi told Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “After I went to the Hindu’s house, broke the drum, and forbade the performance of congregational chanting, in my dreams that very night I saw a greatly fearful lion, like Nrsimhadeva, roaring loudly, His body was like a human being’s and His face like a lion. He jumped upon my chest and began to scratch it. Placing His nails on my chest, the lion said in a grave voice, ‘I shall immediately bifurcate your chest as you broke the mrdanga drum.” I then prayed to Him, ‘Save me, save me! I promise I will never do this again.’ He was merciful, but He left the mark of His nails on my chest. From now on, no one in my dynasty will ever kill cows, nor will they create disturbance to the kirtana party.” After this incident the Kazi’s subjects all became like Hindus. 
        All this occurred because of Srivasa Pandita; the kirtana had taken place at his home. He was such a strong devotee. 
        I am seeing that if any small problems arise for you, even very small ones, you become like crazy persons and are bewildered as to what to do and what not to do. You may even give up your mala and kanti-mala. You should try to be like Srivasa Pandita. 
        After Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, He would go to Jagannatha Puri every year for the Ratha-yatra festival. There Svarupa Damodara and Srivasa Pandit would discuss various subjects. Do you remember this? You should explain.

Syamarani dasi: This discussion takes place in the midst of the nine-day Ratha-yatra festival. Five days after Ratha-yatra starts, there’s a festival called Hera-pancami. At that time King Prataparudra arranged for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates to see a beautiful drama about Ratha-yatra. In that drama, Krsna of Dvaraka leaves the Goddess of Fortune in Dvaraka, which is represented by the Jagannath Puri temple, and He goes on the pathway pulled by devotees to Puri’s Gundica temple, which represents Vrndavana. Lord Jagannatha, who is Krsna of Dvaraka, says to Laksmi, who represents Krsna’s 16,108 queens, “I’ll be back after a day or two.” But now it’s been five days and He hasn’t returned, so Laksmi becomes angry. 
       This drama is performed by male devotees dressed up as the Goddess of Fortune, with very, very opulent sari and ornaments, and her maidservants. The maidservants carry Laksmi to Gundica on an opulent palanquin, and then they grab the servants of Jagannatha, tie them with silk ropes, arrest them, and force them to fall at the feet of Laksmi. Laksmi is thinking, “Why should Krsna, who has all opulence, all wealth, and all facilities in Dvaraka, leave all that and join a group of cow-herders in Vrndavana?” 
        Caitanya Mahaprabhu took great delight in this mock argument between Srivasa Pandita and Svarupa Damodara. Svarupa Damodara is Lalita in Krsna-lila, the most intimate girlfriend of Radhika, who helps facilitate Radhika’s pastimes with Krsna. He takes the side of the Vrajavasis, and Srivasa Pandita, who, as Srila Gurudeva mentioned, is actually Narada Rsi, takes the side of the residents of Dvaraka. Narada Rsi’s worship is in the mood of opulence. His worshipful Deity is Narayana, Dvarakadisa, Rama, and Krsna in the mood of opulence. Srivasa Pandita complains to Svarupa Damodara on behalf of the Goddess of Fortune, “Why are you so much favoring the gopis? They’re just cowherd girls, and they simply boil milk. They’re not opulent like my Goddess of Fortune. They just have some trees, some fruits, and some flowers; but no jewels, opulent bedding, gold, valuables, or palaces like my Goddess of Fortune.”
         Then, on behalf of the Vrajavasis, Svarupa Damodara said, “These cows are not ordinary cows; they’re wish-fulfilling cows who fulfill all the desires of the inhabitants of Vrndavana. All the trees there are kalpa-vrksa trees, desire trees. Whereas the devotees in Dvaraka may have desires for opulence, the devotees in Vrndavana have no such desires. They simply want to take the fruits and flowers from the trees and offer them to Krsna. The grass and flowers that are growing in Vrndavana are not ordinary. Even the value of cintamani is surpassed by these flowers. The cintamani stones are worn as ornaments on the feet of the gopis to attract Krsna. Even more valuable are the flowers used by the gopis to decorate themselves and thus attract Krsna, enchant Krsna, and even induce Him to faint.”
         He explained that in Vrndavana every word is a song and every movement is just like a dance. The gopis far surpass any Goddess of Fortune; millions and millions of Goddesses of Fortune cannot equal the natural opulence, beauty, and sweetness of any one of the gopis. In this way he was defeating Srivasa Thakura, and Srivasa Thakura became so ecstatic because in actuality he also is familiar with the glories of Vrndavana.
         At another time, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the mood of Krsna, said to Srivasa Thakura, “Give Me My flute.” Srivasa Thakura said, “I can’t; the gopis have already taken it,” and he began to explain to Caitanya Mahaprabhu the beautiful pastimes of rasa-lila, honey-wine drinking, and playing in the Yamuna. In this way, he, too, takes pleasure in hearing and speaking the pastimes of Vrndavana. Therefore, when he heard this from Svarupa Damodara, he became greatly ecstatic and began dancing like a madman.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Here, Srivasa Pandita is like Narada Rsi – very tricky. All the devotees of Krsna, especially those in Vrndavana, must be tricky like Krsna. Narada is also tricky, and a high class of devotee. He wanted to manifest this siddhanta, this true philosophy, that Krsna of Vrndavana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; not Narayana in Vaikuntha. Narayana has all kinds of opulence, and no one is His friend or parent. He is superior to all. He receives pranama (obeisences) from everyone, and blesses everyone, saying, “Mangalam bhavatu – may all auspiciousness be upon you.”
         It is not at all like this In Vrndavana. What will happen there? Krsna’s cowherd friends Sridama and Subala say to Him, “Oh shala (a word used as an insult), what are You doing?! You are so naughty and mischevious.” If His friends come to His palace and see that He is still in bed, they jump on His bed and say, “The cows are waiting here and there, and you are still sleeping!” They pull Him out of bed. 
         Sometimes Sridama defeats Krsna, who then smiles and tells him, “I have defeated you.” Sridama says, “No, I have defeated You. When one is defeated, his back is flat on the ground.” Here Sridama had defeated Krsna and was sitting on His chest, thinking, “I have defeated Krsna.” But Krsna told him, “I have defeated you.” Sridama asked, “How have You defeated me?” Krsna replied, “My nose is up, and your nose is down.”
         Can anyone in Ayodhya or Vaikuntha play like this? Never. There are no friends of Narayana, and no father and mother, whereas in Vrndavana there are thousands of fathers and mothers of Krsna. Krsna became the son of all the gopis and gopas during His Brahma-mohana-lila, and He became the husband of so many young gopis and the calves of all the cows. He can play in this way. 
        Narayana has one very chaste wife, Laksmi – actually there are three [Sri (Laksmi), Bhu, and Nila] but one is prominent, and that is Laksmi – but she can only massage His lotus feet, keeping His feet on her breast and always offering prayers. On the other hand, here in Vrndavana, Krsna has so many consorts, and all are greater, and more beautiful and sweet than Laksmi. They can all control Krsna. They can tell Him, “Oh, You should massage my feet,” and Krsna will have to massage them. When the gopis are tired and perspire from dancing and singing during rasa-lila, Krsna takes His pitambara (yellow shawl) and wipes away their perspiration. This is a very beautiful scene; it is the affection and love of Krsna. Such love manifests in Vrndavana, never anywhere else. Who will be so foolish as to not serve Krsna? 
       Do you know Putana? She was a witch who came to kill baby Krsna by the poison on her breast, but Krsna sucked out the poison and her life, and gave her a position like a mother in her next life. So, who will be so foolish that, giving up Krsna, he will serve others? We must serve Krsna.
        By his tricky behavior, Narada Rsi inspires Krsna to display various pastimes, and somehow or other he always manifests the glories of Krsna’s devotees. We see in Brhad-bhagavatamrta how he glorified the high classes of devotees and incarnations of God. In this way, he discovered that the gopis are the best devotees, and that Vrajendra-nandana is the Supreme worshipful Deity. We should try to make Narada (Srivasa Pandita in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes) our guru.
        Do you know how strong a devotee Srivasa Pandita is? One day he was doing kirtana with many devotees in his courtyard, Srivasa-angana. While Mahaprabhu was dancing and singing with His associates, Srivasa Pandita’s only son died. All of Srivasa’s brothers’ wives, and all the neighbors’ wives, were weeping while Srivasa was attending the kirtana. 
       At that time Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “I’m not feeling so happy. Something is going on. What is it?” No one would tell Him the news because Srivasa Pandita had warned all those who were surrounding the boy and weeping, “If you weep loudly, and if the dancing and singing of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s kirtana is disturbed, I will jump in the nearby Ganges. They continued weeping, but not loudly. One of the devotees approached Mahaprabhu and whispered in His ear, “Today this boy has died, and inside they are all still weeping. The dead body is there.” Mahaprabhu stopped His kirtana and asked, “Why did you not tell me this before?” He went inside and said, “O my dear boy, where have you gone? You are sleeping; at once wake up.” 
        A very wonderful thing happened then. By Mahaprabhu’s mercy life at once returned in the dead body of the boy. The boy stood up and began to talk. Mahaprabhu asked, “Why have you left your father and mother here? You were okay here.” 
        The boy replied, “I was not happy here. I have had so many hundreds of thousands of fathers and mothers from so many births, and from the beginning of this creation I’ve been the father or mother of so many. Who is my father? I don’t recognize him. I don’t want to be here. I have so many facilities now. I want to go to where I have now taken birth.” 
        In this world, those who have taken birth must die. You should realize that this body is not yourself. This world is full of so many problems: birth, death, suffering, and sorrows. Babies will, after some time, become old, like me, and after that, when they will be one hundred, they will not be able to walk. They will say with false ego, “I have become one hundred years old,” but they don’t consider that their one hundred years have passed. Young people are very energetic, going here and there, taking wine, eggs, and meat, and thinking that they will be very strong by that. But they don’t know that very soon they will become old. Their hair will be white, their organs will all be weak, and after some time they will not be able to walk. The government will give them retirement pension, and after that they will have to go to old-age homes. Their children will not care about them, and after some time they will not be able to breathe properly. Overcome by coughing, they will have to die.”
         This human body is very rare. After millions of births you have received this body, so don’t waste it. From this moment, try to become a pure devotee. Follow Krsna Consciousness, always chanting and remembering Krsna under the guidance of a very qualified, realized guru. Thus, come in the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Rupa Gosvami, and be happy forever. This endless chain of birth and death, the reactions of your past activities, bad and good, will be finished by chanting the holy name. 
         But it is essential to chant the name in the proper process in order that it will become the pure name. If you have any worldly desires while chanting, then your worldly desires will be fulfilled and you will be like zero. Do you understand what I have told? Suppose you are chanting “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,” but in your heart you are thinking, “Some money should come; wealth should come; a very beautiful girlfriend or boyfriend should come; I should have a very beautiful, powerful car and a very beautiful royal palace; I should always travel in a high-class airplane newly made in France that is faster than the speed of sound.” In that case, your youth, and your life, will be ruined.
        The son of Srivasa Pandita continued, “Now that I’ve taken birth, from the beginning of my life I will chant and remember Krsna, so I don’t want to return here.”

Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Mahaprabhu’s pastime is going on at Srivasa Pandita’s house, and Srivasa Pandita is an associate of Mahaprabhu, so why leave that situation?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Because he now took birth in Krsna’s pastimes, which is the fruit of association with Mahaprabhu and His associates. He had taken birth from the womb of a gopi, and this was the causeless mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu; this is why he did not want to return. If that boy had gone to any other place, certainly he would have wanted to return. He was realizing that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was none other than Krsna Himself, and by His mercy he had come in the womb of any gopi. Therefore, that boy refused to come back. 
          Let us not waste our time. Let us be fully surrendered, with great faith in Krsna and His name. Krsna has invested all His power, mercy, opulence, and qualities in the name ‘Krsna.’ In fact, He has made His name even superior to Himself. No one can touch Krsna by any one of the mortal senses. But Krsna has performed a miracle, which is that anyone, even a very wretched or foolish person like Jagai or Madhai, can chant His name whether or not his chanting is pure. That name will become pure by the mercy of the name, as long as the chanter is not committing any offense. If you are not committing offenses, like criticizing a Vaisnava, and you have great regard for all, thinking, “All beings are eternal servants of Krsna, and I am as well,” then you can have a relationship with everyone. 
          We should honor all; we should do pranama to all, as it has been told in Bhagavad-gita and Caitanya-caritamrta. Suppose someone is worshiping Krsna, and taking bath in the Ganges with the understanding that, “This Ganges water is a tirtha; the ocean is a maha-tirtha.” Still, if that person is not honoring devotees, not thinking that Krsna is present in all living beings, and not regarding all beings, he is not a pure devotee. Rather, “Sa eva go kharah.” He is an animal, and among the animals he is like a donkey. The donkey runs after his wife for sex life, and gets kicked by her hind legs.  
         When Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard the boy’s words, He said to his mother, “Do you want this boy?” She replied, “I have received my son – Yourself. I am happy for that boy. Now he can go anywhere he likes.” Everyone became happy. This is a wonderful pastime of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but it was due to Srivasa Pandita. 
           If any problem comes to you, always be very strong like Srivasa Pandita. There are so many things to say about him, like how he took birth in his pastimes as Narada Rsi. He was already in Goloka Vaikuntha and Vrndavana, but in the very beginning of this creation, Krsna wanted him to come here. He therefore manifested from the throat of Brahma. What is the meaning behind this? Narada is always playing a very sweet sound on his vina as he chants Hare Krsna: “Narada Muni bhajaya vina, radhika-ramana name.” 
        He is the master of all raga and ragini (Vedic arrangement of notes): sa-re-ga-ma-pa-da-ni-sa. All these sounds have come from the strings of his vina, on which he plays so many transcendental songs. From where did he learn all this? Srimati Radhika is his guru – ultimately all ragas and raginis come from Her ankle-bells. He learned from Radhika’s ankle-bells. 
         So, he manifested in this world from the throat of Brahma, and began to chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna.” Brahma told him, “O son, I want you to follow my orders. Where are you going?” Narada replied, “I want to follow my brothers, the four Kumaras: Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanat.” As soon as his brothers had been born from Brahma’s mind, they were also always chanting Krsna’s name, and they wanted to go to the forest to perform austerities. They left, and never followed their father’s order that they marry and beget many children to fill the world with human beings. 
          Then Narada was ‘born,’ and Brahma ordered that he also enter married life, but he also refused. Brahma repeatedly requested him to remain at home, and when he would become mature, he would marry and have many children. Although Brahma warned him, “If you do not obey me, I will have to give you a curse,” Narada did not obey him. He went to the forest to chant Krsna’s name, at which time Brahma became very angry and said, “You will take birth in a family of Gandharvas (Heavenly singers) and Kinnaras. There you will have to marry thousands of Apsaras (heavenly angels), and you will be dancing and singing with thousands of wives.” Narada replied, “I may go there, but I will not marry.” 
          Thus Narada became a Gandharva of Heaven named Upabarhana. He was there dancing, but always remembering Krsna. One day Brahma ordered him: “I am going to Puskara, and you should come there with your whole family. You will have to dance there as an invocation. Narada went there and began to dance naked, and in a very wrong way. He wanted his father to be angry and give him another curse, so that he would be free from that life. Brahma surely became angry, and said, “You don’t remember that I cursed you before, and you had to become a Gandharva? Now I will curse you again. You will go to the Earth now, and take birth from a sudrani, a low-caste woman.”
         Narada was then born from the womb of a sudrani. As a young boy he received the mercy of his brothers, who instructed him in Krsna consciousness. Soon after he was given a mantra by them, his mother was bitten by a snake and died, and he took this as an opportunity to leave home and go alone to the forest. He went to a very deep, dense forest and continuously chanted that mantra. After some time he became perfect, and Narayana, his worshipful Deity, gave him darsana.
         You have been chanting for so many years – some devotees for fifteen or sixteen years, and some for longer – but you are not experiencing a change in your consciousness. You are very weak, always dependent on money or some position. You are not very surrendered. For thousands upon thousands of years you have been attached to family, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, and you are now also chanting, without the Krsna conscious result. It may be that some worldly happiness will come by such chanting. You can become Indra or a very wealthy person. Or, you can become like Bill Clinton and become attached to any office girl. You cannot control your mind, but still you are chanting “Hare Krsna.”
         Be like Narada. He was fully absorbed in his chanting, not knowing where he was or who his body belonged to. Krsna came to him, in the form of Narayana, so we should try to do like him. If you are engaged in one-pointed bhajana to Krsna, quite absorbed and having faith in your guru’s and Krsna’s words, Krsna will surely come and give you darsana. If one knows the mantra for charming a snake and he utters that mantra, a poisoned person’s snake poison will go down. Why is our chanting of “Hare Krsna” not giving us perfection?                    
         Krsna’s name is so powerful; all powers are there.
namnam akari bahudha nija sarva saktis tatra arpita niyamitah smarane na kalah etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivami drsamiha jani nanuragah
(Sri Siksastakam, Verse 2)

         What is the meaning?

Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: Krsna has empowered His holy names with all transcendental sakti, potencies. There are no hard-and-fast rules for chanting these names. Out of kindness and mercy Krsna has allowed us to approach Him through these holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment to these holy names.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Here it is said that the holy name has no rules and regulations. We can chant it during the day or night, sitting on our bed, without taking bath or washing the mouth, in the morning, evening, daytime; at any time, such as when walking. But we should try to follow Srivasa and Narada. 
        Narada was initiated by his four brothers, the four Kumaras, and Srivasa Pandita was also initiated by a high class Vaisnava with all the symptoms written in the Vedas, Upanisads, and Bhagavatam. If at the time of initiation, you have received the holy name from a pure guru, then that name will be powerful and Krsna will come to you. 
       For example, Narada’s gurus Sanat, Sanatana, Sanaka, and Sanandana gave him a mantra, after which he very easily received the darsana of Krsna. If your guru is like that, and you are following like Narada, then suddha-nama, the powerful transcendental name, will manifest in your heart. On the other hand if your guru is fallen, having no faith in the name and only chanting six rounds, or two rounds, or sometimes not chanting at all, and after some time he also falls externally, that holy name will not be so strong. No potency will be there, and without potency, your chanting can only give you a shadow of the name. Liberation may come, or worldly wealth may come. You will not get Krsna-prema. 
        Try to follow all these teachings, and be very strong like Srivasa Pandita, even if someone takes your whole wealth and position, and you become poor like him. 
        One day, Srivasa Pandita said to Mahaprabhu, clapping his hands, “One, two, three.” Mahaprabhu asked, “What are you doing?” Again Srivasa Pandita said, “One, two, three.” Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why are you doing that?” Then Srivasa Pandit explained, “We are chanting and remembering Krsna throughout the day, and doing nothing for our maintenance. If there is nothing to eat in my house today, then I will wait. On the second day I will also wait. If nothing comes on the third day, no harm; but if nothing comes on the fourth day, I will jump in the Ganges. I will not do anything but chant and remember.” Mahaprabhu told him, “This can never happen to a devotee like you. The Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi-devi, may have to beg anywhere, but not My devotees or Krsna’s devotees.” 
        You must believe in this. Go on chanting. Krsna’s name is more merciful than Krsna Himself; have faith in that. But that name should come from a reliable, or bona fide, guru.

Gaura Premanande!

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

For Mohini Ekadasi

Badger, California: June 20, 1998

[Respected Harikatha Readers, Obeisances to you. 
This year, 2013, the holy Mohini Ekadasi is today, May 21^st. We sent you this Ekadasi lecture a month ago, on  another Ekadasi, but because today is Mohini Ekadasi, and Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s discourse is about Mohini, we are resending it to you.
Your aspiring servants,
The Hari-katha team]

Today is Ekadasi. I have discussed before that we have eleven (ekadasa is the Sanskrit word for eleven) senses including the mind. By Ekadasi, we will always want to be near to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [On the previous Ekadasi, which was on June 5th, Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja said, “This is called upa (near)-vasa (residing).” Upavasa is generally taken to mean ‘fasting,’ but here Srila Maharaja is giving the deeper meaning – ed.]

If all of our senses are serving the Supreme Lord, the mind is remembering Him, the ears are hearing His hari-katha, the eyes are seeing the Deities, the head is offering obeisance to the Bhagavatam, the devotees, and the Deities, the hands are performing arcana,the tongue is speaking hari-katha and singing kirtana, the feet are walking here – this is now a strong and sacred tirtha, where hari-katha is going on– you will surely be with the Supreme Godhead.

There are two gains in this: external and internal. On this very day, until the full moon or new moon day, if you go to the ocean you will see very high waves. Why? The moon has some concern with water. We have water in our bodies. If you do not control what you eat and drink on the Ekadasi day (the eleventh day of the full and new moon), then whatever disease you have may increase from Ekadasi up to the full moon or new moon. If you fully fast, the moon will have no bad effect, but if you are taking grains, chappatis, bread, and too much water, then it will have an effect. You can take the accounts in big hospitals and see that so many more patients die from Ekadasi to the full moon or new moon day, and after that it is ‘normal’ again.

If you are not eating anything you are not supposed to eat, then all things will be controlled and a good effect will come. Your body will be very strong, healthy, and light, and your digestion will be okay. On the other hand, if you are eating bread, for example, it acts like blotting paper. If you drink water, it will pass out of the body as urine or sweat, just as if you pour water on a stone, cloth, or oil – it will go away; but if you put a heap of cotton in water, that cotton will take days to dry. Even if you squeeze that ball of cotton, it will still contain some water.

[June 5th: Not following Ekadasi will be harmful to us. On Ekadasi the moon comes closer to the Earth, and therefore it attracts water from everywhere – from the sea, from the river, from our bodies, and so on. If one takes any grains on this day, the grains become like blotting paper. If you drink water, the water will very soon pass out from the body. However, if you take grains and water together, the grains become like blotting paper or cotton and hold the water. Even if you squeeze the cotton, some water will remain.

Similarly, if you eat any grain, that grain becomes like a sponge; it will hold a lot of water. The moon will attract that water and all your diseases will increase. You can see this in the sea or ocean. At this time there are high tides and the waves also become very high.]

Our rsis (sages) were realized in these topics –both materially and spiritually. It has been told that we should not take any grain on Ekadasi. If by not taking grains you become hungry and if you are a male or female of Kali-yuga, then no harm, you can take water or juice; but not at every minute: first grape juice, then rabadi, then malai, then mango juice, then apple juice, and after that very, very good chapatis made uwith potato flour – eating, eating, and eating. This will have a bad effect on that Ekadasi day.

You can take water twice a day on Ekadasi. Or, if you can’t just do that, you can also take fruits and vegetables once in the evening. If you are feeling weak, then you can take water and a little food two times.  But don’t take much, otherwise you will not get the fruit of Ekadasi. Externally, for worldly reasons, this fasting is good for your health. Also, for poor persons, if they drink water and take nothing else on that Ekadasi day, they don’t have to spend money. If one takes so many things, like juice and dried fruits, it will cost so much.

For your increased spiritual advancement on Ekadasi, if you hear the holy name, chant and remembering Krsna, and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam in the assembly of devotees, you will quickly develop krsna-prema.

For us fallen conditioned souls, Krsna has personally become Ekadasi. Ekadasi has no consideration of caste or creed. For example, it is not that Ekadasi will give its fruit only to someone who is initiated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. If anyone, irrespective of caste or creed or any designation follows Ekadasi, he will gain internally and externally.

You may already know the history of Ambarisa Maharaja, so I won’t speak much about it now. He engaged in worldly affairs.  He was not a renounced sannyasi or brahmacari. He was a great ruler, a king, with a wife and children. He had a large treasury, an army, and so many commanders and priests, but he was superior to Durvasa Rsi, a brahma-jnani. If Durvasa Rsi would curse anyone to die, that person would die; and if anyone had died, then he could sprinkle water on them and say, “Come on, come on, why are you sleeping?” And that person would immediately return to life. But Maharaja Ambarisa defeated Durvasa Rsi. Amabarisa Maharaja considered, “I will have to give honor to Ekadasi, not to any brahma-jnani or yogi.” He wanted to honor both, but when there was a contradiction, he preferred that Ekadasi should be more honored than this class of brahmana.

You may also know the history of Rukmangada and Dharmangada. Rukmangada was a king, a very big emperor, and his son’s name was Dharmangada.  He was accustomed to fully observing Ekadasi. He would not eat anything the night before Ekadasi, then he would fully fast on Ekadasi, and on the third day he would take some mahaprasadam as parana(the breaking of the fast) after honoring all Vaisnavas and worshiping Krsna, and after that he would fast the rest of the day.  He did not sleep for three nights, and he would continually chant and remember the Lord.

This is full Ekadasi. In Kali-yuga it is not possible to follow that; this was perhaps in Satya-yuga. Some concessions have been given in Kali-yuga, but don’t take undue advantage of this.  Try to follow as much as you can.

Rukmangada was not only practicing Ekadasi in that way, but he would make an announcement throughout his kingdom on the day before, that all his subjects should obey him and observe Ekadasi  – and all would do so.

When the king became older at about fifty years of age, he gave his kingdom and position to his son, as he wanted to go into the dense forest to fully chant and remember Krsna.

In the forest he was practicing all his spiritual duties, but one day a very beautiful, half-naked, teenage girl came along – playing and picking flowers. Seeing her standing practically in front of him, the king said to her, “You are so beautiful. Who are you, and why have you come here?” She replied, “I have been searching for a husband, but I have not found anyone in the world to marry. Now I have seen you, who are so beautiful; and even though your age is more than fifty years, you look young, like a youth of sixteen. I want to marry you.”

The King told that girl, “I have left all these material things. But you are so beautiful, so I will not neglect you. I want to marry you as well.” She said, “If we marry, we will have to return to the kingdom. You will again have to be king, and you will have to obey me.” “No problem,” he replied, “I will obey you.” Then she said, “If you do not obey me, I will at once divorce you.”The King assured her, “I will try to always obey you. I will not neglect you.”

He sent a message to his son, “I am returning with my new wife.” When his son heard this, he became joyful, thinking, “Now my father is coming.”He called to his mother, “Mother, the king is coming with his new married wife. You should not think you are the queen. You should treat her like your older sister and try to serve them both. I will also try to do this.”

This is hard to follow nowadays. If a wife sees her husband smiling and speaking to another girl, especially a young beautiful teenage girl, she will become upset, thinking, “What to do?! What to do?! ”Then, if she again sees this, she may commit suicide, or she may give poison to her husband and his beloved as well. All intelligence disappears at that time. But here, when the king came with his new bride, the first queen and her son personally performed arati to them both. She took the king’s foot-dust and told him, “I am your dasi, your maidservant.” She continued to serve them as the king and queen. She fully gave up her false ego that, ‘I am queen.’ She always gave preference to them.

All wives should try to be like this. If your husband is talking or smiling with another, what harm is it to you?  Is there any harm if he loves both you and another lady? Krsna had so many queens. Rukmini did not object, nor did Satyabhama. Satyabhama used to have maan with Krsna, but not towards her sisters. Moreover, this was transcendental.

When the next Ekadasi was about to come, the king’s son Darmangada went out to declare everywhere, “Tomorrow is Ekadasi. All of you please obverse it.” The new queen heard this and told her husband, “What is this silly thing? What is Ekadasi? I will not follow it, and you should also not follow it. A king should be smart and strong, and if you fast, then you will be too weak to control the kingdom.”

The king replied, “I cannot give up Ekadasi. I must observe it, and I am asking you to try to observe it.” She said, “I am calling all the brahmanas, and if they say that the king should observe Ekadasi, then you can observe it. If they say that there are no rules and regulations in sastra for a king or ruler to observe Ekadasi, then you will have to give it up.” He agreed, “Yes, invite them.”

All the brahmanas came, but she had bribed them the night before. Especially in Kali-yuga, brahmanas have become very greedy. They will give up their brahminical principles even if you give them a few Indian rupees. These brahmanas were also greedy, and because they were given so many golden coins, they declared, “A king should not observe Ekadasi.  Everywhere in sastra – in the Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the Puranas – it has been told that Ekadasi is only for widows, for those who are old and cannot digest or sit properly, and for those who are going to die and have nothing to do.  A married lady whose husband is alive should not follow, and little boys and girls should also not follow. Only widows should follow. For rulers, for a king like you, there is no need to follow Ekadasi.” That girl became so happy and said, “You should follow the brahmanas.”

The king argued, “None of them are true brahmanas. I will not follow them. I know they are greedy, and they don’t know scripture.” She replied, “I am going to give you up and return to my father.” The king agreed, “You can go, no harm.”

When that new queen was ready to leave, the first queen came, fell at her feet, and asked, “Why are you doing this? You are my sister, so I would like to give you a good suggestion. Try to obey your husband. He has been following Ekadasi since his childhood, and cannot give it up.”

The girl replied, “I can obey, but on one condition. If you and the king will kill your son and give his head to me on a golden plate as a gift, I will then allow the king to observe Ekadasi.”

Hearing this, the king replied, “I don’t want a wife like her. She should go away.”

Happy to hear the girl’s condition, the first wife told the king, “I am your good wife, so please obey me also. After ten, twenty, or a hundred years my son will die. So if we make this sacrifice in relation to following Ekadasi, we will be the ideal example for the entire world, for all time. It is so auspicious to be able to offer the life of our son for the glories of Ekadasi; besides this, easily we can obtain another son. So please accept her proposal, and thus there will be no need to send your Mohini away.” 

And the son said to his father, “I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to offer my life for the glories of Ekadasi; so please dear father, grant me this golden chance.”   

Somehow his first wife pacified him and he became ready. The son now became happy, thinking. “My life is successful, because I am serving my father and mother. In fact I am serving two mothers.” 

Now, when the father and mother came to cut off the son’s head, that girl was at once changed into a Deity, and a manifestation of Krsna, Dharmaraja appeared there. Holding up his hand, he said, “Don’t do this. I sent this girl to test you, and you have passed the examination.”

That girl then declared, “I want one thing. You passed the examination, but if anyone will take a grain on Ekadasi, or if he eats beyond what he should be eating, the fruit of his good activities (karma) will come to me. I will gain that.  If anyone is taking grains on Ekadasi, all kind of sinful reactions will come to that person, and his all good karma will come to me.” That lady was Mohini-devi.

We are not realizing this fact – how gainful it is to follow Ekadasi. Ekadasi is the mother of bhakti. If anyone observes Ekadasi in the right way, bhakti automatically will come. Whether one is a Vaisnava or not, if he observes Ekadasi, surely he will advance in bhakti and become happy.

Therefore, on Ekadasi, by all the ekadasa (eleven) senses, we can engage in:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasya

sakhyam atma-nivedanam

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.5.23)

[Prahlada Maharaja said: “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.”]

One can practice the sixty-four kinds of bhakti on Ekadasi day, thinking, “I will take leave from my office and worldly affairs, in the morning performing arati and until the night not engaging in any worldly activities, not taking any grains, and always reading and hearing Bhagavatam.” Certainly he will gain from this.

In India, one day, I saw that a cow was dying but her soul was not leaving her body. Her stomach was swollen, her eyes were full of tears, and she was so sad. Many persons were looking on, but doing nothing. An elderly lady-disciple of mine was passing by and saw her. She at once came to me, weeping, and told me, “This cow is not dying, and not living.” What should I do?” I asked her, “Have you followed many Ekadasis?” She said, “Yes, so many.” I said, “How many?” She replied, “On the Ekadasi day, since childhood I have been fully fasting and also not sleeping in the night.”  InMathura, even little boys and girls fast fully –taking no water or grain or anything else.

I said, “Can you give the fruit of one of your Ekadasis to that cow?” She said, “O surely.”

I said, “Tell that cow in her ear, ‘O Mother cow, I am giving the fruit of one of my Ekadasis to you. Please take it.’”As soon as she did that, the cow looked towards her and then immediately left her body. All were in wonder, thinking, “Oh, how quickly it has been done.”

She also chanted to that cow: “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,” and gave her Tulasi leaves and Ganga water in her mouth.

You should all have faith like this.