HomeMissionAbout UsBhakti is LoveSacred PlacesTeachersBhaktiYogaMastersBhaktiYogaTeachersBhakti DiscoursesSrila GurudevaResourcesAudio & VideoeBooks & MagazinesHarmonist MonthlyKirtansLinksPhoto GalleryPurchase BooksSearchSite MapTraveling to IndiaVaisnava CalendarEventsBhakti NewsTour ReportsUpcoming EventsContact UsCentersTeachersWebsite ContactsHome Events Tour Reports A Trip to Nepal
A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["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)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Trip to Nepal Sita Devi`s Birthplace
HomeMissionAbout UsBhakti is LoveSacred PlacesTeachersBhaktiYogaMastersBhaktiYogaTeachersBhakti DiscoursesSrila GurudevaResourcesAudio & VideoeBooks & MagazinesHarmonist MonthlyKirtansLinksPhoto GalleryPurchase BooksSearchSite MapTraveling to IndiaVaisnava CalendarEventsBhakti NewsTour ReportsUpcoming EventsContact UsCentersTeachersWebsite ContactsHome Events Tour Reports A Trip to Nepal
A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["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)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["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)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
Glorification of SRI SITA-RAMA
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
GLORIFICATION OF SRI SITA-RAMA
Mathura, April 13, 2000
[This year, 2009, September 28th is Rama Vijayotsava. which is the day commemorating Lord Rama’s killing Ravana. In honor of this day, we are sending out Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s lecture in glorification of Sri Sri Sita-Rama:]
After Ravana was killed, Sita devi had to undergo the agni pariksa, fire test. Of course, Maya-Sita entered the fire, and the real Sita devi remained unharmed – proving that she was completely pure and chaste. Rama then gave the kingdom of Ravana to Vivisana, Ravana's brother, and after that he took Sita devi and all their associates to Ayodhya on a mystic airplane. There were millions and billions of associates, but this airplane was able to expand so that they could all fit on it.
On their journey, Rama pointed out to Sita all the places where they had enjoyed pastimes together, or where He and Laksmana had killed various demons. For example, Rama would say, "Oh look, here is where we built the bridge to Lanka. Do you remember?" When they reached Kishkinda, where all of Rama's monkey associates lived, they stopped. Sita devi then invited all the wives of the monkeys to come aboard the airplane, as they were also very interested to see Rama's coronation.
The party stayed one night and then went to Citrakut. Hanuman took the form of a brahmana and went to the place where Bharata was staying in Nandigram. Bharata was living the life of a renunciate, wearing simple cloth, with matted hair and living on fruits and roots; and all of his ministers lived in the same way. In the guise of a brahmana, Hanuman approached Bharata and said, "Oh Bharata Maharaja, Rama has come. Prepare to welcome him!" Upon hearing that his dear brother had finally returned, he was overjoyed and fainted. When he came to consciousness he said, "I want to give you many gifts. So please accept 18,000 cows, as many beautiful women as you desire, horses and other wealth. Still I cannot give you anything equal in value to the news you have given me." Hanuman then returned to his original form, and Bharata said, "Oh, you are Hanuman!"
After Rama’s abhiseka ceremony, he wanted to give many gifts to everyone. Sita devi thought of a very nice gift to give Hanuman, so she gave him her most beautiful pearl necklace. Hanuman took it, examined it and broke it, and the pearls scattered all over the floor. Sita devi was surprised and asked, "What are you doing?" Hanuman replied, "Oh, I was just seeing if 'Rama' is written anywhere here." "But don't you know Rama is in your heart?" she said. Then Hanuman tore open his chest. In this way, Rama’s associates teach us that whatever is given to others should be in connection with Krsna.
Lord Rama and Sita devi stayed together for many years, and everyone was very happy within their kingdom. Some people, however, criticized Rama for accepting Sita back after she had been in the palace of Ravana. According to Vedic principles, it is unacceptable to accept one's wife after her being away for one night – what to speak of one year. One evening, the wife of a washer-man came home late. Her husband immediately told her that she could not enter the house. He threw her out saying, "I am not like Rama, who accepted his wife back after she'd been with another man."
This news spread and the story got back to Rama. He was most disturbed, and realized that he had to do something. How could he rule a kingdom in which some of the people did not have faith in him? He called a meeting, asking all his brothers to come; but none of them could give him any advice. He himself then realized what to do. He remembered that Sita had desired to visit all the sages in the forest and shower them with gifts. He asked Laksmana to take her to the asrama of those sages, deliver his sorrowful message to her, and then leave her in the forest. Laksmana was devastated that he was called upon to do this, but he could not say anything, as he was Rama's younger brother. He therefore had to accept that responsibility.
Sumanta was Laksmana's chariot driver, and moreover a very great minister of Rama. Laksmana told everything about Rama's order to Sumanta and said, "My life is full of miseries. Now, today is the biggest misery of my life!" They passed Prayag and went across a river. "Valmiki's asrama is here," Laksmana told Sita. Then, with a heavy heart he told her, "Everyone is accusing Rama of accepting an unchaste wife. Many people don't have full faith in him now; so how is it possible for him to rule the kingdom and guide the citizens properly?"
When Sita devi heard this she fainted, and when she revived she said, "I don't want to create any difficulties for him. I do not want him to be disturbed by the public. Please pay my obeisances to all. Laksmana, I want to pray at your lotus feet, as I have offended you twice. The first night in Ayodhya, after our marriage ceremony, I stopped you from massaging Rama's lotus feet. Though this had been your cherished duty for many years, I took this away from you. When you asked Rama about this, he could not answer. Then we asked the great sage Vasistha and he said, 'The duties now have to be divided. So Laksmana, all the duties outside of the house should be taken by you. Sita devi should now perform all the duties inside of the house.' In this way it was decided.
"Secondly, I was once allured by a deer in the forest when we were in exile. I heard Marici call out, 'Alas, Laksmana!' Assuming it was Rama's voice, I told you to go immediately to help Him. You said, 'No Sita, it is an illusion created by a demon.' I insisted and told you, 'I know. You are a spy of Bharata, and you have lusty feelings for me. That is why you don't want to save your brother!' These words pierced your heart. You replied that you always saw me as your mother and had never even seen my face; you had only seen my feet. You could not bear these harsh words. Then, when you went to see Rama, he chastised you saying, 'Why did you take heed of the words of that woman?' Then Ravana came here and begged, 'biksana dehi' three times. When I did not want to come outside of your circle of protection he threatened me, 'I curse you that your husband will die if you do not give anything to me here!' So please forgive me for these offenses."
After leaving Sita devi in the forest Laksmana lamented, "Oh, alas! I will surely give up my life!" Sumanta tried to pacify him, and told him the truth of the matter. "Once I was with Dasaratha Maharaja, and at that time two sages, Vasistha Rsi and Durvasa Muni, came to visit him. Maharaja Dasaratha served them very nicely and then asked them to kindly tell him about the future of his four children. Vasistha Rsi remained silent and Durvasa Muni responded by saying, ‘Oh, you have four sons. Very good." Dasaratha Maharaja said, "Yes, first tell me about Rama's future." Durvasa said, "Rama's future will undoubtedly be full of miseries. He will have to leave Ayodhya, and everyone there will feel unbearable separation from Him. You will not be able to bear His absence, and you will die in separation. Rama will later have to be separated from his wife, and after suffering immensely they will become reunited. Then again they will have to be apart; and Rama will rule the kingdom alone without his wife. Do not tell this to anyone." Dasaratha Maharaja was in complete shock, but he promised that he would not speak what he had heard to anyone. He said, "From today, I am your disciple."
Having heard this from Sumanta, Laksmana realized that his brother Rama is in fact the Supreme Lord Visnu. Sumanta continued telling Laksmana the story that Durvasa Muni had told to Dasaratha Maharaja: "Once, a very big battle ensued between the demigods and the demons. The demons were defeated and went to the wife of Brghu Maharaja to take shelter; and, being very merciful, she gave them shelter. The demigods went to Lord Vamanadeva and told him the situation. He then took His cakra and beheaded Brghu Maharaja's wife. Brghu Maharaja was very upset and cursed Vamanadeva saying, "You are responsible for my wife's death. I loved her very much. Now I will have to suffer so much in separation from her. For this I curse you that you will have to suffer in the same way in the future. You will have a very beautiful wife who will serve you in every way. You will be fully satisfied and completely enamored with her feminine grace and charm, and her saintly qualities. You will then be separated from her, and you will always suffer immensely from that pain of separation." Hearing this, Vamanadeva happily accepted the curse. He knew that in the future the whole world would be benefited by this. Also, this was but a pretext, as separation naturally increases the happiness of meeting.
Sita devi was walking towards the asrama of Valmiki Rsi, when some of his brahmacaris spotted her. They informed Valmiki that a lady looking like a demigoddess was coming. Valmiki came out to greet her, and immediately recognized who she was. He said, "Oh, you are Sita devi, the wife of Lord Rama. I know this because I have written the Ramayana. Please come in." The ladies there were very pleased to see Sita devi and said, "Oh, please allow us to serve you." Valmiki instructed them how to serve her in every way.
When Rama sent Satrughna to Mathura, he happened to come near to Valmiki's asrama on the way. He paid obeisance to Sita devi and her sons, Luv and Kush, from a distance. Luv and Kush were very intelligent children. Valmiki was very expert in archery, singing and music, and he taught Luv and Kush these arts. They could thus sing in all ragas very sweetly. Valmiki also taught them the Ramayana.
No one in the entire kingdom was there to console Rama. However, the ladies were there to console Sita devi in the asrama of Valmiki. One day Rama turned to Vasistha Rsi and said, "Will you please perform a sacrifice?" Vasistha replied, "Then you must call your wife back." "Oh, I cannot do that." "Then you must remarry," he insisted. Rama said, "It is not possible." "Then you will have to make a golden deity of Sita devi." Vasistha then performed the sacrifice. In fact, every year he performed a very big sacrificial ceremony for Rama, near Naimisaranya on the bank of Gomati, with a new golden deity of Sita devi each year.
One year many kings and sages were called, and Valmiki came with Luv and Kush. The boys were extremely beautiful, with very broad chests and slender waists. During a rest period, Valmiki asked them to sing Ramayana. They had melodious voices, and they sang in such a heart-rendering way that they captured everyone's hearts. Rama was especially touched, and tears came to His eyes. Valmiki had previously warned the boys, “If anyone asks you who you are, tell them, 'I am a disciple of Valmiki'”. Rama ordered Laksmana, "Go and give them eighteen thousand gold coins and many, many beautiful clothes and gifts. Then ask them who they are."
When they were presented with these gold coins, clothes, and gifts, they said, "What will we do with all these things? We are brahmacaris." Then Laksmana asked which dynasty they belonged to, and they replied, "You seem very learned. Why ask this? Why not ask who is our Gurudeva? We are disciples of Valmiki Rsi." For five or seven days they came and recited the Ramayana, and after many days Rama and others came to know who they were.
Rama then called Valmiki and requested that Sita devi come and prove Her chastity so that he could call her back. Valmiki said, "I have never spoken a lie in my life. I can assure you that Sita is completely pure and chaste." Rama said, "I know that. I'm quite confident of this, but I want proof for my citizens. So please bring Her here. Then we'll see what we can do."
At this time Brahma, Sankara, and many demigods and goddesses came, curious to see this event. Sita devi sent Luv and Kusa ahead to their father. She arrived thereafter, and Valmiki spoke gently to her, "O daughter, Sita devi. Come forward and prove your chastity." Sita devi said, "Mother, please prove this to one and all, that I have never served any other man. I have never even had thoughts of any man other than Rama in my whole life. Please accept me, mother." Pritivi-devi appeared from the earth and Sita sat on her lap on a golden throne. In a moment, Prthivi-devi completely covered Her. In other words, she took Sita devi with her, back under the Earth. Rama couldn't bear to see Sita leave him like this, and he fainted. Then, when he returned to consciousness, he prayed to Prthivi-devi, requesting her to bring back Sita. He told her, "One time I went with a bow to the ocean and he was very much afraid. So I can turn you into dust in a moment." Just then Brahma came and told Rama, "No. Don't do it! This is the last time. Sitaji has gone to your own abode, so you should very quickly wind up your pastimes and go there."
Gaura premanande!
.
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GLORIFICATION OF SRI SITA-RAMA
Mathura, April 13, 2000
[This year, 2009, September 28th is Rama Vijayotsava. which is the day commemorating Lord Rama’s killing Ravana. In honor of this day, we are sending out Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s lecture in glorification of Sri Sri Sita-Rama:]
After Ravana was killed, Sita devi had to undergo the agni pariksa, fire test. Of course, Maya-Sita entered the fire, and the real Sita devi remained unharmed – proving that she was completely pure and chaste. Rama then gave the kingdom of Ravana to Vivisana, Ravana's brother, and after that he took Sita devi and all their associates to Ayodhya on a mystic airplane. There were millions and billions of associates, but this airplane was able to expand so that they could all fit on it.
On their journey, Rama pointed out to Sita all the places where they had enjoyed pastimes together, or where He and Laksmana had killed various demons. For example, Rama would say, "Oh look, here is where we built the bridge to Lanka. Do you remember?" When they reached Kishkinda, where all of Rama's monkey associates lived, they stopped. Sita devi then invited all the wives of the monkeys to come aboard the airplane, as they were also very interested to see Rama's coronation.
The party stayed one night and then went to Citrakut. Hanuman took the form of a brahmana and went to the place where Bharata was staying in Nandigram. Bharata was living the life of a renunciate, wearing simple cloth, with matted hair and living on fruits and roots; and all of his ministers lived in the same way. In the guise of a brahmana, Hanuman approached Bharata and said, "Oh Bharata Maharaja, Rama has come. Prepare to welcome him!" Upon hearing that his dear brother had finally returned, he was overjoyed and fainted. When he came to consciousness he said, "I want to give you many gifts. So please accept 18,000 cows, as many beautiful women as you desire, horses and other wealth. Still I cannot give you anything equal in value to the news you have given me." Hanuman then returned to his original form, and Bharata said, "Oh, you are Hanuman!"
After Rama’s abhiseka ceremony, he wanted to give many gifts to everyone. Sita devi thought of a very nice gift to give Hanuman, so she gave him her most beautiful pearl necklace. Hanuman took it, examined it and broke it, and the pearls scattered all over the floor. Sita devi was surprised and asked, "What are you doing?" Hanuman replied, "Oh, I was just seeing if 'Rama' is written anywhere here." "But don't you know Rama is in your heart?" she said. Then Hanuman tore open his chest. In this way, Rama’s associates teach us that whatever is given to others should be in connection with Krsna.
Lord Rama and Sita devi stayed together for many years, and everyone was very happy within their kingdom. Some people, however, criticized Rama for accepting Sita back after she had been in the palace of Ravana. According to Vedic principles, it is unacceptable to accept one's wife after her being away for one night – what to speak of one year. One evening, the wife of a washer-man came home late. Her husband immediately told her that she could not enter the house. He threw her out saying, "I am not like Rama, who accepted his wife back after she'd been with another man."
This news spread and the story got back to Rama. He was most disturbed, and realized that he had to do something. How could he rule a kingdom in which some of the people did not have faith in him? He called a meeting, asking all his brothers to come; but none of them could give him any advice. He himself then realized what to do. He remembered that Sita had desired to visit all the sages in the forest and shower them with gifts. He asked Laksmana to take her to the asrama of those sages, deliver his sorrowful message to her, and then leave her in the forest. Laksmana was devastated that he was called upon to do this, but he could not say anything, as he was Rama's younger brother. He therefore had to accept that responsibility.
Sumanta was Laksmana's chariot driver, and moreover a very great minister of Rama. Laksmana told everything about Rama's order to Sumanta and said, "My life is full of miseries. Now, today is the biggest misery of my life!" They passed Prayag and went across a river. "Valmiki's asrama is here," Laksmana told Sita. Then, with a heavy heart he told her, "Everyone is accusing Rama of accepting an unchaste wife. Many people don't have full faith in him now; so how is it possible for him to rule the kingdom and guide the citizens properly?"
When Sita devi heard this she fainted, and when she revived she said, "I don't want to create any difficulties for him. I do not want him to be disturbed by the public. Please pay my obeisances to all. Laksmana, I want to pray at your lotus feet, as I have offended you twice. The first night in Ayodhya, after our marriage ceremony, I stopped you from massaging Rama's lotus feet. Though this had been your cherished duty for many years, I took this away from you. When you asked Rama about this, he could not answer. Then we asked the great sage Vasistha and he said, 'The duties now have to be divided. So Laksmana, all the duties outside of the house should be taken by you. Sita devi should now perform all the duties inside of the house.' In this way it was decided.
"Secondly, I was once allured by a deer in the forest when we were in exile. I heard Marici call out, 'Alas, Laksmana!' Assuming it was Rama's voice, I told you to go immediately to help Him. You said, 'No Sita, it is an illusion created by a demon.' I insisted and told you, 'I know. You are a spy of Bharata, and you have lusty feelings for me. That is why you don't want to save your brother!' These words pierced your heart. You replied that you always saw me as your mother and had never even seen my face; you had only seen my feet. You could not bear these harsh words. Then, when you went to see Rama, he chastised you saying, 'Why did you take heed of the words of that woman?' Then Ravana came here and begged, 'biksana dehi' three times. When I did not want to come outside of your circle of protection he threatened me, 'I curse you that your husband will die if you do not give anything to me here!' So please forgive me for these offenses."
After leaving Sita devi in the forest Laksmana lamented, "Oh, alas! I will surely give up my life!" Sumanta tried to pacify him, and told him the truth of the matter. "Once I was with Dasaratha Maharaja, and at that time two sages, Vasistha Rsi and Durvasa Muni, came to visit him. Maharaja Dasaratha served them very nicely and then asked them to kindly tell him about the future of his four children. Vasistha Rsi remained silent and Durvasa Muni responded by saying, ‘Oh, you have four sons. Very good." Dasaratha Maharaja said, "Yes, first tell me about Rama's future." Durvasa said, "Rama's future will undoubtedly be full of miseries. He will have to leave Ayodhya, and everyone there will feel unbearable separation from Him. You will not be able to bear His absence, and you will die in separation. Rama will later have to be separated from his wife, and after suffering immensely they will become reunited. Then again they will have to be apart; and Rama will rule the kingdom alone without his wife. Do not tell this to anyone." Dasaratha Maharaja was in complete shock, but he promised that he would not speak what he had heard to anyone. He said, "From today, I am your disciple."
Having heard this from Sumanta, Laksmana realized that his brother Rama is in fact the Supreme Lord Visnu. Sumanta continued telling Laksmana the story that Durvasa Muni had told to Dasaratha Maharaja: "Once, a very big battle ensued between the demigods and the demons. The demons were defeated and went to the wife of Brghu Maharaja to take shelter; and, being very merciful, she gave them shelter. The demigods went to Lord Vamanadeva and told him the situation. He then took His cakra and beheaded Brghu Maharaja's wife. Brghu Maharaja was very upset and cursed Vamanadeva saying, "You are responsible for my wife's death. I loved her very much. Now I will have to suffer so much in separation from her. For this I curse you that you will have to suffer in the same way in the future. You will have a very beautiful wife who will serve you in every way. You will be fully satisfied and completely enamored with her feminine grace and charm, and her saintly qualities. You will then be separated from her, and you will always suffer immensely from that pain of separation." Hearing this, Vamanadeva happily accepted the curse. He knew that in the future the whole world would be benefited by this. Also, this was but a pretext, as separation naturally increases the happiness of meeting.
Sita devi was walking towards the asrama of Valmiki Rsi, when some of his brahmacaris spotted her. They informed Valmiki that a lady looking like a demigoddess was coming. Valmiki came out to greet her, and immediately recognized who she was. He said, "Oh, you are Sita devi, the wife of Lord Rama. I know this because I have written the Ramayana. Please come in." The ladies there were very pleased to see Sita devi and said, "Oh, please allow us to serve you." Valmiki instructed them how to serve her in every way.
When Rama sent Satrughna to Mathura, he happened to come near to Valmiki's asrama on the way. He paid obeisance to Sita devi and her sons, Luv and Kush, from a distance. Luv and Kush were very intelligent children. Valmiki was very expert in archery, singing and music, and he taught Luv and Kush these arts. They could thus sing in all ragas very sweetly. Valmiki also taught them the Ramayana.
No one in the entire kingdom was there to console Rama. However, the ladies were there to console Sita devi in the asrama of Valmiki. One day Rama turned to Vasistha Rsi and said, "Will you please perform a sacrifice?" Vasistha replied, "Then you must call your wife back." "Oh, I cannot do that." "Then you must remarry," he insisted. Rama said, "It is not possible." "Then you will have to make a golden deity of Sita devi." Vasistha then performed the sacrifice. In fact, every year he performed a very big sacrificial ceremony for Rama, near Naimisaranya on the bank of Gomati, with a new golden deity of Sita devi each year.
One year many kings and sages were called, and Valmiki came with Luv and Kush. The boys were extremely beautiful, with very broad chests and slender waists. During a rest period, Valmiki asked them to sing Ramayana. They had melodious voices, and they sang in such a heart-rendering way that they captured everyone's hearts. Rama was especially touched, and tears came to His eyes. Valmiki had previously warned the boys, “If anyone asks you who you are, tell them, 'I am a disciple of Valmiki'”. Rama ordered Laksmana, "Go and give them eighteen thousand gold coins and many, many beautiful clothes and gifts. Then ask them who they are."
When they were presented with these gold coins, clothes, and gifts, they said, "What will we do with all these things? We are brahmacaris." Then Laksmana asked which dynasty they belonged to, and they replied, "You seem very learned. Why ask this? Why not ask who is our Gurudeva? We are disciples of Valmiki Rsi." For five or seven days they came and recited the Ramayana, and after many days Rama and others came to know who they were.
Rama then called Valmiki and requested that Sita devi come and prove Her chastity so that he could call her back. Valmiki said, "I have never spoken a lie in my life. I can assure you that Sita is completely pure and chaste." Rama said, "I know that. I'm quite confident of this, but I want proof for my citizens. So please bring Her here. Then we'll see what we can do."
At this time Brahma, Sankara, and many demigods and goddesses came, curious to see this event. Sita devi sent Luv and Kusa ahead to their father. She arrived thereafter, and Valmiki spoke gently to her, "O daughter, Sita devi. Come forward and prove your chastity." Sita devi said, "Mother, please prove this to one and all, that I have never served any other man. I have never even had thoughts of any man other than Rama in my whole life. Please accept me, mother." Pritivi-devi appeared from the earth and Sita sat on her lap on a golden throne. In a moment, Prthivi-devi completely covered Her. In other words, she took Sita devi with her, back under the Earth. Rama couldn't bear to see Sita leave him like this, and he fainted. Then, when he returned to consciousness, he prayed to Prthivi-devi, requesting her to bring back Sita. He told her, "One time I went with a bow to the ocean and he was very much afraid. So I can turn you into dust in a moment." Just then Brahma came and told Rama, "No. Don't do it! This is the last time. Sitaji has gone to your own abode, so you should very quickly wind up your pastimes and go there."
Gaura premanande!
.
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Preaching in Pietermaritzburg
Recently many devotees from our
Gaudiya Vaishnava family here
in Pietermaritzburg contacted
me regarding some defamatory
remarks made by one of their leaders
about my Beloved Srila Gurudeva
Sri Srimad Paramhamsa Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja at their Sri
Radhastami celebrations in Pietermaritzburg.
The feelings of these innocent Vaishnava`s
were hurt as many of them are taking Siksha
from my Beloved Srila Gurudeva.They said the
remarks were uncalled for especially in a
public forum where Hari Katha is being discussed
and also many new people may have come for
the very first time.We are living in the "New
South Africa" where we were brought up during
the apartheid times to hate other races,religions
cast and creed,it seems some in the disguise of
being Vaishnava`s have not changed in their attitudes.
So much for peace,when we Gaudiya Vaishnava`s have
the Highset philosophy of God and are meant to be
preaching Love and Affection but instead is sowing
the seed of hate albeit be it for their own kind.
It seems from these Hate speeches,Krsna Consciousness
needs to be spread more in South Africa,also there is
another sect of so called Vaishnva`s that are being
critical to Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakur here
in Pietermaritzburg by stating that he took Sanyassa
from the picture of Srila Gaura Kishore das Babaji Maharaja.
My appeal to all these devotees to please stop being
critical to 1)My Beloved Spiritual Master Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and look at his contribution
to our Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.
For an example my Beloved Srila Gurudeva.defended
our Sampradaya from the Apasamradya`s this can
be evidenced from his book called the 5 essential
essays,where my Beloved Srila Gurudeva quotes from
Shastra regarding statements which if not corrected
would have brought discredit to our Sampradaya.
Also not only did he defend our Sampradaya but
also the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
founded by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Srila Bhaktivedana
Swami Prabhupada the foremost preacher of Krsna Consciousness
in the western worlds,when Srila Prabhupada`s son took
ISKCON to court and claimed that his fathers(Srila Prabhupada)
temples and his achievements belonged to him as his father(Srila
Prabhupada) was not a sanyassi but a business man.This court
action was in the Bombay High Court.The Governing Body Commission
(GBC)enlisted the assistance of my Beloved Srila Gurudeva Sri Srimad
Paramhamsa Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja,and my beloved
Holy Master gave shastric evdence to the Honourable Judge that how Srila
Prabhupada was a Sanyassi and that he personally performed the Yajna
for the Sanyassa initiation.Therafter the Honourable Judge ruled
based on My Beloved Srila Gurudeva`s evidence that Srila Prabhupada
was in fact a Real Sanyassi and not a business man,and that he had
no claim to ISKCON or it`s assets,imagine what would have happened
if this evidence was not given,also My Beloved Srila Gurudveva`s health
was not good at that time and he spent many hours in the court.
Then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakur,such a great link
in our Parampara,Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
empowered so many great souls,Like Srila Prabhupada,My
Param Gurudeva Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Prajnana
Gosvami Maharaja(The sanyassa Gurudeva of Srila Prabhupada),
Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami
Maharaja,Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja
and so many others.Had it not being for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakur the world would be devoid of Krsna Consciousness.
So my appeal is lets all work together for spreading
Our most Merciful Gauranga Mahaprabhu`s Sankirtan Movement
and please his pure representatives.
Sri Guru Varga Ki Jai!
Gaudiya Vaishnava family here
in Pietermaritzburg contacted
me regarding some defamatory
remarks made by one of their leaders
about my Beloved Srila Gurudeva
Sri Srimad Paramhamsa Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja at their Sri
Radhastami celebrations in Pietermaritzburg.
The feelings of these innocent Vaishnava`s
were hurt as many of them are taking Siksha
from my Beloved Srila Gurudeva.They said the
remarks were uncalled for especially in a
public forum where Hari Katha is being discussed
and also many new people may have come for
the very first time.We are living in the "New
South Africa" where we were brought up during
the apartheid times to hate other races,religions
cast and creed,it seems some in the disguise of
being Vaishnava`s have not changed in their attitudes.
So much for peace,when we Gaudiya Vaishnava`s have
the Highset philosophy of God and are meant to be
preaching Love and Affection but instead is sowing
the seed of hate albeit be it for their own kind.
It seems from these Hate speeches,Krsna Consciousness
needs to be spread more in South Africa,also there is
another sect of so called Vaishnva`s that are being
critical to Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakur here
in Pietermaritzburg by stating that he took Sanyassa
from the picture of Srila Gaura Kishore das Babaji Maharaja.
My appeal to all these devotees to please stop being
critical to 1)My Beloved Spiritual Master Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and look at his contribution
to our Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.
For an example my Beloved Srila Gurudeva.defended
our Sampradaya from the Apasamradya`s this can
be evidenced from his book called the 5 essential
essays,where my Beloved Srila Gurudeva quotes from
Shastra regarding statements which if not corrected
would have brought discredit to our Sampradaya.
Also not only did he defend our Sampradaya but
also the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
founded by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Srila Bhaktivedana
Swami Prabhupada the foremost preacher of Krsna Consciousness
in the western worlds,when Srila Prabhupada`s son took
ISKCON to court and claimed that his fathers(Srila Prabhupada)
temples and his achievements belonged to him as his father(Srila
Prabhupada) was not a sanyassi but a business man.This court
action was in the Bombay High Court.The Governing Body Commission
(GBC)enlisted the assistance of my Beloved Srila Gurudeva Sri Srimad
Paramhamsa Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja,and my beloved
Holy Master gave shastric evdence to the Honourable Judge that how Srila
Prabhupada was a Sanyassi and that he personally performed the Yajna
for the Sanyassa initiation.Therafter the Honourable Judge ruled
based on My Beloved Srila Gurudeva`s evidence that Srila Prabhupada
was in fact a Real Sanyassi and not a business man,and that he had
no claim to ISKCON or it`s assets,imagine what would have happened
if this evidence was not given,also My Beloved Srila Gurudveva`s health
was not good at that time and he spent many hours in the court.
Then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakur,such a great link
in our Parampara,Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
empowered so many great souls,Like Srila Prabhupada,My
Param Gurudeva Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Prajnana
Gosvami Maharaja(The sanyassa Gurudeva of Srila Prabhupada),
Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami
Maharaja,Nitya Lila Paramhamsa Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja
and so many others.Had it not being for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakur the world would be devoid of Krsna Consciousness.
So my appeal is lets all work together for spreading
Our most Merciful Gauranga Mahaprabhu`s Sankirtan Movement
and please his pure representatives.
Sri Guru Varga Ki Jai!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
I`m posting this article on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakur for our recent new devotees
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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada
The Disappearance Day of
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada
(from the book Shri Prabandhavali by Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja)
Today is the anniversary of the day of separation from nitya-lila pravista om vishnupada astottara-shata Shri Shrimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. It is the day of pancami, and he also appeared on pancami. He took birth in the home of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who is an eternal associate of both Shri Krishna and Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Just as the sage Bhagiratha brought the Ganga to this world, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the great personality who brought the current of bhakti to this world in the modern era. When the so-called gosvamis were making a business out of bhakti while engaging in varieties of worldly enjoyment, when in the name of Mahaprabhu so many kinds of bogus philosophies were prevalent, such as sakhi-beki, smarta-jati, sahajiya, etc. – at that time Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura came. After that, Prabhupada appeared in the form of his son, Bimala Prasada. If these two great personalities had not appeared, then shuddha-bhakti would not exist in the world today. And from the time that they disappeared, society began reverting back to its previous condition. At first there were thirteen known sahajiya cults, then our Guru Maharaja, Shrila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami, counted thirty-nine. And how many there are now, no one knows.
I am also seeing how things are gradually changing. We saw how renounced the devotees were before. For instance, we never used to see socks on the feet of any Vaishnava, and we never saw devotees wearing such sweaters and cadaras as we do now. They only wore the bare necessities of clothing and a cheap blanket, even as they attended mangala-arati in the morning cold. It is only after the disappearance of Prabhupada that devotees can be seen to wear these other things. They would live with such simplicity, eating only shak, rice and a thin dahl, but in comparison to them, just look at the way we are living! And I speak for myself also – their knowledge, their renunciation and their spiritual conception were of such a high standard that in comparison to them we are so inferior.
The period between Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura was an age of darkness for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Living at that time were some real Vaishnavas who performed real bhajana, but mostly, just as we still see sometimes today, the so-called Vaishnavas only performed rituals for wages. When someone would die, people would call the Gaudiya Vaishnava babajis, who would come and chant some ceremonial kirtana and perform other rituals for wages. And there was so much misconduct in their behaviour. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura thought, “These people are Vaishnavas? The conception of Mahaprabhu has completely vanished. What can be done?” He was very worried. Bhaktivinoda Thakura endeavoured to his utmost, but changes did not come about in his lifetime to the degree that he would have liked. He went from town to town and village to village inaugurating the nama-hatta. In each village he would assemble four or five of the religious men, form a committee and hold programmes for harinama-kirtana on Sundays. Gradually it spread from one village to the next, but overall his preaching was limited to Navadvipa, Calcutta and the rest of Bengal.
He published the magazine Sajjana-toshani, and through its medium he gradually published Shri Caitanya-caritamrita and other books in instalments. He made a circle of devotees, and also revealed Navadvipa-dhama through his writings, although the scholars of society and the sahajiyas didn’t accept his ideology. Then Prabhupada appeared in Puri. Because Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a district magistrate, he would be transferred here and there, but he would always keep Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and Caitanya-caritamrita with him and explain them to his son. Prabhupada received so much instruction from him, but we should understand that Prabhupada is an eternally liberated soul; there was no one in the world like him. Without being educated in school or college he learned all subjects very quickly and became a great scholar in Sanskrit. His English was so high that even professors of English could not understand it. I have been told by some learned Western devotees that when reading his Brahma-samhita, they must repeatedly consult the dictionary. And his Bengali was also of such a high standard that even eminent scholars found it difficult to follow. He said that spiritual language should be like that; it shouldn’t be so simple to understand. As one progresses spiritually by remaining in the company of Vaishnavas, he will be able to understand spiritual vernacular.
At the age of seven or eight, Prabhupada began worshipping a deity of Kurmadeva, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him the maha-mantra and other mantras for his puja. At the age of eighteen, all of the scholars of astronomy in Bengal gave him the title “Sarasvati”. After that he attended college but quarrelled with the professors, saying, “Will I learn from you, or teach you?” When he abandoned his studies, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other family members became concerned, so they took him to Puri where he began studying at Satasana Äshrama, which is where Svarupa Damodara and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had lived. Vaishnavas used to regularly meet there, and now Shrila Siddhanti Maharaja has a matha at that very place. There Prabhupada began giving readings from Caitanya-caritamrita. Present there were some babajis who considered themselves rasika, and when they heard Prabhupada’s explanations, they became inimical to him. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him away from there and had him begin teaching the son of the king of Tripura.
Prabhupada had a great library of Vaishnava literature, and having read through it thoroughly, he began teaching the son of the king in such a way that the boy accepted a chanting mala and began wearing tilaka. He became detached from the world, and gradually, hearing hari-katha became his sole interest. Seeing this, the queen became very annoyed and said to the king, “This boy will become useless! Then, after your demise, what will happen? Who will make offerings to our departed souls? He will become a renunciate, and everything will be ruined! Quickly get rid of this teacher. Give him four hundred rupees to go – we don’t need money, we need a son!” That was approximately one hundred years ago, so you can imagine how much four hundred rupees was worth then. The queen put so much pressure on her husband that in the end he approached Prabhupada and very humbly said, “It is a matter of great unhappiness that our family members are not in favour of you; they are afraid that the boy will take up bhakti and become a renunciate. I consider that it has been our great good fortune to have met a person like you and had our son educated by you, but the others don’t understand.” The king approached Bhaktivinoda Thakura and offered the money to him, but without accepting it they left there.
Then Bhaktivinoda Thakura started a homeopathic shop. When the shop was unsuccessful, he thought, “I was not made to run a shop anyway,” and he went and purchased some land in Mayapura. After locating the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, he installed deities there of Gaura, Vishnupriya and Lakshmipriya, as well as small Radha-Krishna murtis. After Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s disappearance, Prabhupada was determined to follow the Navadvipa-dhama parikrama that his father had written, and to attract people he invited great kirtana performers to attend. He set up a large tent, thousands of people came for the parikrama, and there the katha of shuddha-bhagavad-bhakti commenced.
Gradually, qualified youths of only sixteen, seventeen and eighteen years, whose hearts were soft and pure, came forward, and Prabhupada made them into brahmacharis and sannyasis. With great ease he was able to train them, but those who were over fifty years old, like parrots could not be taught anything new. Then devotees like our Guru Maharaja, Bon Maharaja, Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja, Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja, Aranya Maharaja and Narahari Prabhu came. In the beginning there in Mayapura, Narahari Prabhu would offer arati while Prabhupada played the hand-held gong, and gradually the preaching started. The convention of tridandi-sannyasa was established, and the result is that today the name and conception of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are being vigorously preached. Within eleven years, from 1926–37, preaching was spread everywhere, but before that, so much time was spent in merely setting the foundation. Prabhupada published many magazines – daily, weekly, monthly – in the Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Orissan, English and Assamese languages, and very easily we have all inherited the fruit of his endeavour. He established the Gaudiya line very strictly with great endeavour, and there were so many difficulties in his preaching campaign that we cannot even imagine them. There was so much opposition to Prabhupada’s preaching at that time that his disciples were not even allowed to enter the mandiras in Vrindavana or Navadvipa.
Prabhupada began culturing the creeper of devotion by cutting off all of the unnecessary branches and sub-branches. How? First of all he revised the guru-parampara. He said that we are of Mahaprabhu’s line, and he removed the names of those who were not fully perfected. After establishing the names of Brahma, Narada and Vyasa, he went straight to Madhva. Prabhupada accepted the names of those from whom the people of this world would get the most benefit, and mostly they were brahmacaris. For the most part he didn’t accept the names of those who had been grihasthas for a long time. After Madhva, he recognised some special personalities, and then he went to the name of Madhavendra Puri. Everyone accepts him, and then from him there is Ishvara Puri, Svarupa Damodara, the Six Gosvamis, and then Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. At this point some had divided into the lines of Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Äcarya, Gadadhara Pandita, Vakreshvara Pandita, Lokanatha Gosvami and others, but Prabhupada said, “We accept in our line those who are fully perfected souls, who know the correct siddhanta and who are rasika, wherever they are.” In this way all of the various lines were represented in our parampara in one place or another.
There are so many lines of disciplic succession, but Prabhupada said that we will recognise the guru-parampara, not the disciplic succession. The guru-parampara is composed solely of those who were bhagavata-gurus, even if they made no disciples and there is therefore no direct disciplic line coming from them. Some of them may not have initiated any disciples at all, but still they are jagad-gurus. In this way, with all-pervading vision he collected all the mahajanas and made what is known as the bhagavata-parampara or guru-parampara.
After the departure of Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, so many familial disciplic lines arose, but Prabhupada ignored them and gave recognition to Baladeva Vidyabhushana, and then Jagannatha dasa Babaji. He accepted only those in whom he detected the real spiritual siddhanta. Simply receiving the mantra in one’s ear and wearing a dhoti or other cloth given by the guru does not qualify one as the guru’s successor. Bhaktivinoda Thakura did not receive any mantra from Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, so how was he his disciple? He was a disciple of his conception: his feelings towards Krishna, his conception of rasa and his conception of tattva. This is a disciple. Most people can’t understand this, but being able to see with such insight, Prabhupada declared this to be our line. Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji Maharaja was also not an initiated disciple of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but he embraced all of Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s sentiments and conceptions, and due to this his name appears next in the succession. At this point, all of the babajis said, “Whose disciple is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati? Who gave him sannyasa? Why doesn’t he wear the same cloth as Sanatana Gosvami did? In our sampradaya, after Nityananda Prabhu and Svarupa Damodara, everyone wore white cloth, but we see that he wears saffron cloth and has accepted a danda. How can he do this?” But what relation does wearing either orange or white cloth have with bhakti? Is there any relation?
kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, shudra kene naya
yei krishna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya
Shri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 8.128)
Whether one is a brahmana, a sannyasi or a sudra, if he knows krishna-tattva, then he is a guru, so what to speak of being a Vaishnava? Prabhupada was thinking, “We are not qualified to accept the dress that was worn by such great personalities as Rupa, Sanatana, Jiva and Krishnadasa Kaviraja. We will remain in the ordinary dress of sannyasis and will not accept the dress of paramahamsa-babajis. Remaining within the varnashrama system as brahmacharis and sannyasis, we will keep the ideal of that paramahamsa dress above our heads. Otherwise, if we accept that dress and commit sinful activities, it will be aparadha at the feet of Rupa and Sanatana.” Some babajis criticised him for training brahmacharis and giving them the sacred thread, but our Guru Maharaja said that those babajis were all fools, like animals. They wore paramahamsa dress and gave the elevated gopi-mantra to anyone and everyone who came, yet Prabhupada was only training brahmacharis and giving them instructions on how to control the senses – so which is correct? First Prabhupada wanted us to understand what is siddhanta, i.e. jiva-tattva, maya-tattva and bhagavat-tattva, and how to avoid maya in the forms of kanaka (wealth), kamini (women) and pratistha (prestige) – these are the beginning instructions. Gopi-bhava is very elevated; first we must understand that “I am krishna-dasa” and begin taking harinama. But these babajis immediately give their conception of gopi-bhava to whoever approaches them; then they all chant “I am a gopi, I am a gopi” and in this way create a disturbance in society.
Every morning in our matha we sing the song in which Prabhupada established the bhagavata-parampara: krishna haite catur-mukha... In his composing of this song, he accepted all of the great, perfected personalities from different lines and declared, “This is the line of Gaura.” If Prabhupada had not come, then today would the name of Mahaprabhu and talks from Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam be found anywhere? Here in Mathura, in Vraja and everywhere else, gaura-kirtana and hari-katha are still going on and have not vanished. Therefore the world will forever remain indebted to Prabhupada for his preaching. He never approached wealthy people, but he would take one paisa from each person he met. And our Guru Maharaja did the same. Although he was from a wealthy family, he would take a wooden box with a slot in it into the market and also onto the trains, trams and buses. He would speak with people from all classes, and in this way the preaching spread in all directions. We should also engage in such a pure form of preaching, and not just remain idle after hearing this. As if giving an injection, you should all encourage others to start taking harinama and hearing this conception, whether you are a man or lady, married or unmarried. And don’t think that because one is not educated he cannot do it. Did Haridasa Thakura have any college degree? Did Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and others? But their activities were first class, and their conceptions were extremely high.
We are regularly hearing tattva from scriptures such as Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Brihad-bhagavatamrita, but how will others also get the opportunity to hear it? After hearing it we should take it to many other people, and this is the duty of each and every one of us. With great love we should take harinama and encourage others to chant it. We should hear siddhanta ourselves and then help others to understand it; that will give Prabhupada great pleasure. To the very end of his life Prabhupada said, “We are mere labourers; we are the peons of bhagavat-katha.” He never made himself a permanent living situation in an opulent temple, but always kept moving. These days we do things a little differently, but we should always try to follow not only Prabhupada’s philosophical conception but the ideal he showed through his own behaviour as well.
These ideas serve as the very foundation of bhakti, and if this foundation is not established, then we will fall from hearing the higher levels of katha. For instance, Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written a song entitled Vibhavari Shesha, which includes lines such as:
yamuna-jivana, keli-parayana,
manasa-candra-cakora
nama-sudha-rasa, gao krishna-yasha,
rakho vacana mana mora
Shri Krishna is the life of the Yamuna, He is always engaged in amorous pastimes and He is the moon of the gopis’ hearts. Sing the glories of He whose name is pure rasa – O mind, always remember these words.
In our matha we sing this every day, and there is certainly some benefit in it, but do we understand the complete bhava contained within it? Nothing remains outside these lines – not the rasa-lila, not the Bhramara-gita, not the Venu-gita, nothing. Everything is there, and all of the previous lines of this song are similarly saturated with both rasa and tattva. Phula-shara-yojaka kama – what is the meaning? The complete kama-gayatri has come here. Shara means an arrow, an arrow of kama (desire) which Krishna places on His bow. How many of these arrows does Krishna have? Five: His sidelong glances and His eyebrows, cheeks, nose and smile. So tell me, is there anything remaining outside these lines?
Helping the people of the world to understand these topics is the real task of the guru-parampara – those who are conversant with rasa, the diksha- and shiksha-gurus. If we examine one line of this song after another, then for so many days so many lectures could be given, and our hearts would become full of rasa and divine bliss upon hearing their full meaning. So much bhava has been put into each word by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and it is the same with the compositions of Narottama Thakura and Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. To understand what our acharyas have given, great intelligence and bhava are required. And if we have such a bhava in our hearts by which we can understand the poetry and the special characteristics of acharyas like Prabhupada, then wherever we may go, it will always remain with us.
In explaining the line param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam from the first verse of Mahaprabhu’s Shikshastaka, Prabhupada wrote that this is the Gaudiya Matha’s mode of worship. There are three stages: the beginning stage of sadhana, the intermediate stage of bhava, and the final attainment produced by that bhava, which is called prema. Sadhana is that practice by which shuddha-sattva-bhava arises, and if it does not arise, what one is practising cannot be called sadhana. We can all examine ourselves and see if we are practising the sadhana that makes bhava arise or not. Are the symptoms there, or not? We may not even have the proper aim in our sadhana. If someone is striking a match, what is his aim? To obtain a flame; and if after striking one match a flame is not obtained, then he will take another match and try again. Our endeavour to reach the sadhya (final attainment) through the practice of sadhana is like that. Kshud-anuvritti (spiritual “hunger”), tusti (satisfaction) and pusti (strength) – these three things should appear, and if they don’t, then we are not really practising sadhana and cannot be called real sadhakas. Whatever we do should be done with this vision: “By performing this activity, bhava for Krishna will arise.” Is the match producing a flame or not? If we see that our sadhana is producing attachment for material results such as pratistha, then we are moving in the wrong direction. Therefore we should understand this point well: the sole aim of kirtana is to make bhava arise.
Ceto-darpana-marjanam: in our practice of nama-sankirtana, have our minds become purified or not? Are our minds going towards wealth, material enjoyment and prestige? Do we consider material enjoyment to be poisonous or favourable to us? Material enjoyment is poison. Haridasa Thakura was taking harinama in a solitary place when a very beautiful woman approached him and said, “Prabhu, you will no longer have to cook for yourself. You won’t have to fetch water, and I will also serve your tulasi plant. You can just chant harinama all day and I will perform all of your tasks. And if you become fatigued, I will massage your feet.” But did Haridasa Thakura accept her?
All types of material enjoyment should be understood to be poison, whether one is a man or a woman. If we consider things like luxurious food and accommodation to be favourable to us, then the mirror of the mind will not be cleansed and the reflection of one’s own spiritual form will not be visible. The mirror should be made pure; there should be no dust or anything on it. We should be able to see what is our illusory body, what is our spiritual body and what all of our faults are; but it is our great misfortune that instead we only see others’ faults. The first type of contamination affecting our minds is thinking that we are the material body. We are eternal servants of Krishna, but the most prevalent dust on the mirror of the mind is thinking that we are the material body. Endeavouring for the happiness of the body is dust on the mirror, or contamination on our minds.
There are so many anarthas: swarupa-bhrama (bewilderment concerning one’s actual form and nature), asat-trishna (desire for temporary things), hridaya-daurbalya (weakness of heart) and aparadha (offences). Besides these, described in Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s Madhurya-kadambini, are utsahamayi (false confidence), ghanatarala (sporadic endeavour), vyudha-vikalpa (indecision), vishaya-sangara (combat with the senses), niyamakshama (inability to uphold vows) and taranga-rangini (delighting in the material facilities produced by devotion).
Then there are four types of aparadha: dushkritottha (arising from previous sins), sukritottha (arising from previous piety), aparadhottha (arising from offences in chanting) and bhaktyuttha (arising from imperfect service). When all of these are eradicated, then our real selves, the atma, will reflect in the mirror of the mind; but for now our vision is distorted. We consider the pain and happiness of the material body to be our own, and our worldly relations and worldly loss and gain to be related to our very selves. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam: this is the forest fire of material existence in which we are time and again taking birth.
When the mirror of the mind is purified, then this great fire will be extinguished and we will progress along the path of sadhana for uttama-bhakti, that devotion which is free from any tendencies towards karma or jnana. That devotion will be klesha-ghni, that which burns away so many types of difficulties. It will not happen all at once, but gradually. First there is shraddha, then nistha, and then we will move towards ruci and asakti when our anarthas will have been mostly eradicated. However, those anarthas may still exist in root form. One may shave his head, but has even one hair completely disappeared? Its roots are still there, and hair will again appear after a couple of days. In the same way, when we have reached the stage of asakti, only the roots of anarthas will remain; externally they will not be visible. If a favourable environment is given to them – that is, if we keep bad company or offend a Vaishnava – then they will reappear. But upon reaching the stage of bhava, they will be finished forever.
Then there is shubhada, which is of many varieties. In the worldly sense, shubha means having wealth, good progeny, position, fame and knowledge, and keeping the body healthy so that the effects of old age will not come prematurely. But what is real shubha? Having ruci for the name and lila-katha of Bhagavan and for the limbs of bhagavad-bhajana-sadhana. Having eagerness for these things is shubha, and that shubha is the lotus flower described by the words shreyaù-kairava-candrika-vitaranam. If the rays of the moon fall upon it, it will bloom purely and without blemishes. How will such pure bhakti arise in the heart? The shakti of harinama is like the rays of the moon which make the lotus of the heart gradually bloom, taking it through the stages of nistha, ruci, asakti and bhava. When it fully blossoms, that is the stage of prema. But for the shakti of harinama to act in this way, our interest must be drawn away from material life. In the same way as two swords will not remain together in one scabbard, maya and bhakti will not remain together in one’s heart.
Vidya-vadhu-jivanam: nama-sankirtana is the very life of vidya-vadhu. Vidya is that by which we can know jiva-tattva, maya-tattva, and ultimately Krishna; it does not mean knowledge of mundane science or how to make money. Real vidya is bhakti and ultimately assumes the form of the vadhu, or consort, of Krishna. First there is sadhana-bhakti, then bhava-bhakti, and finally prema-bhakti. After entering prema-bhakti, one’s devotion develops through the stages of sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava and finally mahabhava. The embodiment of mahabhava is Shrimati Radhika, who is the vadhu, or consort, of Krishna. Over and above the sandhini-shakti, the samvit- and hladini-shaktis fully manifest as radha-bhava. This is vidya-vadhu, and if even one ray of this transcendental potency enters into our hearts, it is called bhava.
Änandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam: if we are chanting harinama with this bhava, then with every step we will experience increasing ananda, divine joy. In the maha-mantra, there is krishna-nama and also Hare, which means She who attracts Krishna away to the kunja, Shrimati Radhika. This bhava is so deep that it has no end, and this is the nama, so saturated with rasa, that Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought to this world. When we chant the maha-mantra with this bhava, then every step will submerge us deeper into the ocean of divine bliss. Purnamritasvadanam – what is purnamrita, the complete nectar? Prema, and one will perpetually relish it. Absorbed in chanting the name in this way, our acharyas such as Jayadeva Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and Bhaktivinoda Thakura could envision divine pastimes and compose such nectarean literatures. And sarvatma-snapanam – one will never desire to resurface from that ocean of nectar where there is not even a trace of maya, meaning that they have entered into swarupa-siddhi. This is the explanation of the first verse of Mahaprabhu’s Shikshastaka given by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, whose return to Shri Radha-Krishna’s eternal pastimes we are commemorating on this day.
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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada
The Disappearance Day of
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada
(from the book Shri Prabandhavali by Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja)
Today is the anniversary of the day of separation from nitya-lila pravista om vishnupada astottara-shata Shri Shrimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. It is the day of pancami, and he also appeared on pancami. He took birth in the home of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who is an eternal associate of both Shri Krishna and Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Just as the sage Bhagiratha brought the Ganga to this world, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the great personality who brought the current of bhakti to this world in the modern era. When the so-called gosvamis were making a business out of bhakti while engaging in varieties of worldly enjoyment, when in the name of Mahaprabhu so many kinds of bogus philosophies were prevalent, such as sakhi-beki, smarta-jati, sahajiya, etc. – at that time Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura came. After that, Prabhupada appeared in the form of his son, Bimala Prasada. If these two great personalities had not appeared, then shuddha-bhakti would not exist in the world today. And from the time that they disappeared, society began reverting back to its previous condition. At first there were thirteen known sahajiya cults, then our Guru Maharaja, Shrila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami, counted thirty-nine. And how many there are now, no one knows.
I am also seeing how things are gradually changing. We saw how renounced the devotees were before. For instance, we never used to see socks on the feet of any Vaishnava, and we never saw devotees wearing such sweaters and cadaras as we do now. They only wore the bare necessities of clothing and a cheap blanket, even as they attended mangala-arati in the morning cold. It is only after the disappearance of Prabhupada that devotees can be seen to wear these other things. They would live with such simplicity, eating only shak, rice and a thin dahl, but in comparison to them, just look at the way we are living! And I speak for myself also – their knowledge, their renunciation and their spiritual conception were of such a high standard that in comparison to them we are so inferior.
The period between Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura was an age of darkness for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Living at that time were some real Vaishnavas who performed real bhajana, but mostly, just as we still see sometimes today, the so-called Vaishnavas only performed rituals for wages. When someone would die, people would call the Gaudiya Vaishnava babajis, who would come and chant some ceremonial kirtana and perform other rituals for wages. And there was so much misconduct in their behaviour. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura thought, “These people are Vaishnavas? The conception of Mahaprabhu has completely vanished. What can be done?” He was very worried. Bhaktivinoda Thakura endeavoured to his utmost, but changes did not come about in his lifetime to the degree that he would have liked. He went from town to town and village to village inaugurating the nama-hatta. In each village he would assemble four or five of the religious men, form a committee and hold programmes for harinama-kirtana on Sundays. Gradually it spread from one village to the next, but overall his preaching was limited to Navadvipa, Calcutta and the rest of Bengal.
He published the magazine Sajjana-toshani, and through its medium he gradually published Shri Caitanya-caritamrita and other books in instalments. He made a circle of devotees, and also revealed Navadvipa-dhama through his writings, although the scholars of society and the sahajiyas didn’t accept his ideology. Then Prabhupada appeared in Puri. Because Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a district magistrate, he would be transferred here and there, but he would always keep Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and Caitanya-caritamrita with him and explain them to his son. Prabhupada received so much instruction from him, but we should understand that Prabhupada is an eternally liberated soul; there was no one in the world like him. Without being educated in school or college he learned all subjects very quickly and became a great scholar in Sanskrit. His English was so high that even professors of English could not understand it. I have been told by some learned Western devotees that when reading his Brahma-samhita, they must repeatedly consult the dictionary. And his Bengali was also of such a high standard that even eminent scholars found it difficult to follow. He said that spiritual language should be like that; it shouldn’t be so simple to understand. As one progresses spiritually by remaining in the company of Vaishnavas, he will be able to understand spiritual vernacular.
At the age of seven or eight, Prabhupada began worshipping a deity of Kurmadeva, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him the maha-mantra and other mantras for his puja. At the age of eighteen, all of the scholars of astronomy in Bengal gave him the title “Sarasvati”. After that he attended college but quarrelled with the professors, saying, “Will I learn from you, or teach you?” When he abandoned his studies, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other family members became concerned, so they took him to Puri where he began studying at Satasana Äshrama, which is where Svarupa Damodara and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had lived. Vaishnavas used to regularly meet there, and now Shrila Siddhanti Maharaja has a matha at that very place. There Prabhupada began giving readings from Caitanya-caritamrita. Present there were some babajis who considered themselves rasika, and when they heard Prabhupada’s explanations, they became inimical to him. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura took him away from there and had him begin teaching the son of the king of Tripura.
Prabhupada had a great library of Vaishnava literature, and having read through it thoroughly, he began teaching the son of the king in such a way that the boy accepted a chanting mala and began wearing tilaka. He became detached from the world, and gradually, hearing hari-katha became his sole interest. Seeing this, the queen became very annoyed and said to the king, “This boy will become useless! Then, after your demise, what will happen? Who will make offerings to our departed souls? He will become a renunciate, and everything will be ruined! Quickly get rid of this teacher. Give him four hundred rupees to go – we don’t need money, we need a son!” That was approximately one hundred years ago, so you can imagine how much four hundred rupees was worth then. The queen put so much pressure on her husband that in the end he approached Prabhupada and very humbly said, “It is a matter of great unhappiness that our family members are not in favour of you; they are afraid that the boy will take up bhakti and become a renunciate. I consider that it has been our great good fortune to have met a person like you and had our son educated by you, but the others don’t understand.” The king approached Bhaktivinoda Thakura and offered the money to him, but without accepting it they left there.
Then Bhaktivinoda Thakura started a homeopathic shop. When the shop was unsuccessful, he thought, “I was not made to run a shop anyway,” and he went and purchased some land in Mayapura. After locating the birthplace of Mahaprabhu, he installed deities there of Gaura, Vishnupriya and Lakshmipriya, as well as small Radha-Krishna murtis. After Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s disappearance, Prabhupada was determined to follow the Navadvipa-dhama parikrama that his father had written, and to attract people he invited great kirtana performers to attend. He set up a large tent, thousands of people came for the parikrama, and there the katha of shuddha-bhagavad-bhakti commenced.
Gradually, qualified youths of only sixteen, seventeen and eighteen years, whose hearts were soft and pure, came forward, and Prabhupada made them into brahmacharis and sannyasis. With great ease he was able to train them, but those who were over fifty years old, like parrots could not be taught anything new. Then devotees like our Guru Maharaja, Bon Maharaja, Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja, Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja, Aranya Maharaja and Narahari Prabhu came. In the beginning there in Mayapura, Narahari Prabhu would offer arati while Prabhupada played the hand-held gong, and gradually the preaching started. The convention of tridandi-sannyasa was established, and the result is that today the name and conception of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are being vigorously preached. Within eleven years, from 1926–37, preaching was spread everywhere, but before that, so much time was spent in merely setting the foundation. Prabhupada published many magazines – daily, weekly, monthly – in the Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Orissan, English and Assamese languages, and very easily we have all inherited the fruit of his endeavour. He established the Gaudiya line very strictly with great endeavour, and there were so many difficulties in his preaching campaign that we cannot even imagine them. There was so much opposition to Prabhupada’s preaching at that time that his disciples were not even allowed to enter the mandiras in Vrindavana or Navadvipa.
Prabhupada began culturing the creeper of devotion by cutting off all of the unnecessary branches and sub-branches. How? First of all he revised the guru-parampara. He said that we are of Mahaprabhu’s line, and he removed the names of those who were not fully perfected. After establishing the names of Brahma, Narada and Vyasa, he went straight to Madhva. Prabhupada accepted the names of those from whom the people of this world would get the most benefit, and mostly they were brahmacaris. For the most part he didn’t accept the names of those who had been grihasthas for a long time. After Madhva, he recognised some special personalities, and then he went to the name of Madhavendra Puri. Everyone accepts him, and then from him there is Ishvara Puri, Svarupa Damodara, the Six Gosvamis, and then Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. At this point some had divided into the lines of Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Äcarya, Gadadhara Pandita, Vakreshvara Pandita, Lokanatha Gosvami and others, but Prabhupada said, “We accept in our line those who are fully perfected souls, who know the correct siddhanta and who are rasika, wherever they are.” In this way all of the various lines were represented in our parampara in one place or another.
There are so many lines of disciplic succession, but Prabhupada said that we will recognise the guru-parampara, not the disciplic succession. The guru-parampara is composed solely of those who were bhagavata-gurus, even if they made no disciples and there is therefore no direct disciplic line coming from them. Some of them may not have initiated any disciples at all, but still they are jagad-gurus. In this way, with all-pervading vision he collected all the mahajanas and made what is known as the bhagavata-parampara or guru-parampara.
After the departure of Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, so many familial disciplic lines arose, but Prabhupada ignored them and gave recognition to Baladeva Vidyabhushana, and then Jagannatha dasa Babaji. He accepted only those in whom he detected the real spiritual siddhanta. Simply receiving the mantra in one’s ear and wearing a dhoti or other cloth given by the guru does not qualify one as the guru’s successor. Bhaktivinoda Thakura did not receive any mantra from Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, so how was he his disciple? He was a disciple of his conception: his feelings towards Krishna, his conception of rasa and his conception of tattva. This is a disciple. Most people can’t understand this, but being able to see with such insight, Prabhupada declared this to be our line. Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji Maharaja was also not an initiated disciple of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but he embraced all of Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s sentiments and conceptions, and due to this his name appears next in the succession. At this point, all of the babajis said, “Whose disciple is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati? Who gave him sannyasa? Why doesn’t he wear the same cloth as Sanatana Gosvami did? In our sampradaya, after Nityananda Prabhu and Svarupa Damodara, everyone wore white cloth, but we see that he wears saffron cloth and has accepted a danda. How can he do this?” But what relation does wearing either orange or white cloth have with bhakti? Is there any relation?
kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, shudra kene naya
yei krishna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya
Shri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya-lila 8.128)
Whether one is a brahmana, a sannyasi or a sudra, if he knows krishna-tattva, then he is a guru, so what to speak of being a Vaishnava? Prabhupada was thinking, “We are not qualified to accept the dress that was worn by such great personalities as Rupa, Sanatana, Jiva and Krishnadasa Kaviraja. We will remain in the ordinary dress of sannyasis and will not accept the dress of paramahamsa-babajis. Remaining within the varnashrama system as brahmacharis and sannyasis, we will keep the ideal of that paramahamsa dress above our heads. Otherwise, if we accept that dress and commit sinful activities, it will be aparadha at the feet of Rupa and Sanatana.” Some babajis criticised him for training brahmacharis and giving them the sacred thread, but our Guru Maharaja said that those babajis were all fools, like animals. They wore paramahamsa dress and gave the elevated gopi-mantra to anyone and everyone who came, yet Prabhupada was only training brahmacharis and giving them instructions on how to control the senses – so which is correct? First Prabhupada wanted us to understand what is siddhanta, i.e. jiva-tattva, maya-tattva and bhagavat-tattva, and how to avoid maya in the forms of kanaka (wealth), kamini (women) and pratistha (prestige) – these are the beginning instructions. Gopi-bhava is very elevated; first we must understand that “I am krishna-dasa” and begin taking harinama. But these babajis immediately give their conception of gopi-bhava to whoever approaches them; then they all chant “I am a gopi, I am a gopi” and in this way create a disturbance in society.
Every morning in our matha we sing the song in which Prabhupada established the bhagavata-parampara: krishna haite catur-mukha... In his composing of this song, he accepted all of the great, perfected personalities from different lines and declared, “This is the line of Gaura.” If Prabhupada had not come, then today would the name of Mahaprabhu and talks from Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam be found anywhere? Here in Mathura, in Vraja and everywhere else, gaura-kirtana and hari-katha are still going on and have not vanished. Therefore the world will forever remain indebted to Prabhupada for his preaching. He never approached wealthy people, but he would take one paisa from each person he met. And our Guru Maharaja did the same. Although he was from a wealthy family, he would take a wooden box with a slot in it into the market and also onto the trains, trams and buses. He would speak with people from all classes, and in this way the preaching spread in all directions. We should also engage in such a pure form of preaching, and not just remain idle after hearing this. As if giving an injection, you should all encourage others to start taking harinama and hearing this conception, whether you are a man or lady, married or unmarried. And don’t think that because one is not educated he cannot do it. Did Haridasa Thakura have any college degree? Did Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and others? But their activities were first class, and their conceptions were extremely high.
We are regularly hearing tattva from scriptures such as Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Brihad-bhagavatamrita, but how will others also get the opportunity to hear it? After hearing it we should take it to many other people, and this is the duty of each and every one of us. With great love we should take harinama and encourage others to chant it. We should hear siddhanta ourselves and then help others to understand it; that will give Prabhupada great pleasure. To the very end of his life Prabhupada said, “We are mere labourers; we are the peons of bhagavat-katha.” He never made himself a permanent living situation in an opulent temple, but always kept moving. These days we do things a little differently, but we should always try to follow not only Prabhupada’s philosophical conception but the ideal he showed through his own behaviour as well.
These ideas serve as the very foundation of bhakti, and if this foundation is not established, then we will fall from hearing the higher levels of katha. For instance, Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written a song entitled Vibhavari Shesha, which includes lines such as:
yamuna-jivana, keli-parayana,
manasa-candra-cakora
nama-sudha-rasa, gao krishna-yasha,
rakho vacana mana mora
Shri Krishna is the life of the Yamuna, He is always engaged in amorous pastimes and He is the moon of the gopis’ hearts. Sing the glories of He whose name is pure rasa – O mind, always remember these words.
In our matha we sing this every day, and there is certainly some benefit in it, but do we understand the complete bhava contained within it? Nothing remains outside these lines – not the rasa-lila, not the Bhramara-gita, not the Venu-gita, nothing. Everything is there, and all of the previous lines of this song are similarly saturated with both rasa and tattva. Phula-shara-yojaka kama – what is the meaning? The complete kama-gayatri has come here. Shara means an arrow, an arrow of kama (desire) which Krishna places on His bow. How many of these arrows does Krishna have? Five: His sidelong glances and His eyebrows, cheeks, nose and smile. So tell me, is there anything remaining outside these lines?
Helping the people of the world to understand these topics is the real task of the guru-parampara – those who are conversant with rasa, the diksha- and shiksha-gurus. If we examine one line of this song after another, then for so many days so many lectures could be given, and our hearts would become full of rasa and divine bliss upon hearing their full meaning. So much bhava has been put into each word by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and it is the same with the compositions of Narottama Thakura and Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. To understand what our acharyas have given, great intelligence and bhava are required. And if we have such a bhava in our hearts by which we can understand the poetry and the special characteristics of acharyas like Prabhupada, then wherever we may go, it will always remain with us.
In explaining the line param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam from the first verse of Mahaprabhu’s Shikshastaka, Prabhupada wrote that this is the Gaudiya Matha’s mode of worship. There are three stages: the beginning stage of sadhana, the intermediate stage of bhava, and the final attainment produced by that bhava, which is called prema. Sadhana is that practice by which shuddha-sattva-bhava arises, and if it does not arise, what one is practising cannot be called sadhana. We can all examine ourselves and see if we are practising the sadhana that makes bhava arise or not. Are the symptoms there, or not? We may not even have the proper aim in our sadhana. If someone is striking a match, what is his aim? To obtain a flame; and if after striking one match a flame is not obtained, then he will take another match and try again. Our endeavour to reach the sadhya (final attainment) through the practice of sadhana is like that. Kshud-anuvritti (spiritual “hunger”), tusti (satisfaction) and pusti (strength) – these three things should appear, and if they don’t, then we are not really practising sadhana and cannot be called real sadhakas. Whatever we do should be done with this vision: “By performing this activity, bhava for Krishna will arise.” Is the match producing a flame or not? If we see that our sadhana is producing attachment for material results such as pratistha, then we are moving in the wrong direction. Therefore we should understand this point well: the sole aim of kirtana is to make bhava arise.
Ceto-darpana-marjanam: in our practice of nama-sankirtana, have our minds become purified or not? Are our minds going towards wealth, material enjoyment and prestige? Do we consider material enjoyment to be poisonous or favourable to us? Material enjoyment is poison. Haridasa Thakura was taking harinama in a solitary place when a very beautiful woman approached him and said, “Prabhu, you will no longer have to cook for yourself. You won’t have to fetch water, and I will also serve your tulasi plant. You can just chant harinama all day and I will perform all of your tasks. And if you become fatigued, I will massage your feet.” But did Haridasa Thakura accept her?
All types of material enjoyment should be understood to be poison, whether one is a man or a woman. If we consider things like luxurious food and accommodation to be favourable to us, then the mirror of the mind will not be cleansed and the reflection of one’s own spiritual form will not be visible. The mirror should be made pure; there should be no dust or anything on it. We should be able to see what is our illusory body, what is our spiritual body and what all of our faults are; but it is our great misfortune that instead we only see others’ faults. The first type of contamination affecting our minds is thinking that we are the material body. We are eternal servants of Krishna, but the most prevalent dust on the mirror of the mind is thinking that we are the material body. Endeavouring for the happiness of the body is dust on the mirror, or contamination on our minds.
There are so many anarthas: swarupa-bhrama (bewilderment concerning one’s actual form and nature), asat-trishna (desire for temporary things), hridaya-daurbalya (weakness of heart) and aparadha (offences). Besides these, described in Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s Madhurya-kadambini, are utsahamayi (false confidence), ghanatarala (sporadic endeavour), vyudha-vikalpa (indecision), vishaya-sangara (combat with the senses), niyamakshama (inability to uphold vows) and taranga-rangini (delighting in the material facilities produced by devotion).
Then there are four types of aparadha: dushkritottha (arising from previous sins), sukritottha (arising from previous piety), aparadhottha (arising from offences in chanting) and bhaktyuttha (arising from imperfect service). When all of these are eradicated, then our real selves, the atma, will reflect in the mirror of the mind; but for now our vision is distorted. We consider the pain and happiness of the material body to be our own, and our worldly relations and worldly loss and gain to be related to our very selves. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam: this is the forest fire of material existence in which we are time and again taking birth.
When the mirror of the mind is purified, then this great fire will be extinguished and we will progress along the path of sadhana for uttama-bhakti, that devotion which is free from any tendencies towards karma or jnana. That devotion will be klesha-ghni, that which burns away so many types of difficulties. It will not happen all at once, but gradually. First there is shraddha, then nistha, and then we will move towards ruci and asakti when our anarthas will have been mostly eradicated. However, those anarthas may still exist in root form. One may shave his head, but has even one hair completely disappeared? Its roots are still there, and hair will again appear after a couple of days. In the same way, when we have reached the stage of asakti, only the roots of anarthas will remain; externally they will not be visible. If a favourable environment is given to them – that is, if we keep bad company or offend a Vaishnava – then they will reappear. But upon reaching the stage of bhava, they will be finished forever.
Then there is shubhada, which is of many varieties. In the worldly sense, shubha means having wealth, good progeny, position, fame and knowledge, and keeping the body healthy so that the effects of old age will not come prematurely. But what is real shubha? Having ruci for the name and lila-katha of Bhagavan and for the limbs of bhagavad-bhajana-sadhana. Having eagerness for these things is shubha, and that shubha is the lotus flower described by the words shreyaù-kairava-candrika-vitaranam. If the rays of the moon fall upon it, it will bloom purely and without blemishes. How will such pure bhakti arise in the heart? The shakti of harinama is like the rays of the moon which make the lotus of the heart gradually bloom, taking it through the stages of nistha, ruci, asakti and bhava. When it fully blossoms, that is the stage of prema. But for the shakti of harinama to act in this way, our interest must be drawn away from material life. In the same way as two swords will not remain together in one scabbard, maya and bhakti will not remain together in one’s heart.
Vidya-vadhu-jivanam: nama-sankirtana is the very life of vidya-vadhu. Vidya is that by which we can know jiva-tattva, maya-tattva, and ultimately Krishna; it does not mean knowledge of mundane science or how to make money. Real vidya is bhakti and ultimately assumes the form of the vadhu, or consort, of Krishna. First there is sadhana-bhakti, then bhava-bhakti, and finally prema-bhakti. After entering prema-bhakti, one’s devotion develops through the stages of sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava and finally mahabhava. The embodiment of mahabhava is Shrimati Radhika, who is the vadhu, or consort, of Krishna. Over and above the sandhini-shakti, the samvit- and hladini-shaktis fully manifest as radha-bhava. This is vidya-vadhu, and if even one ray of this transcendental potency enters into our hearts, it is called bhava.
Änandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam: if we are chanting harinama with this bhava, then with every step we will experience increasing ananda, divine joy. In the maha-mantra, there is krishna-nama and also Hare, which means She who attracts Krishna away to the kunja, Shrimati Radhika. This bhava is so deep that it has no end, and this is the nama, so saturated with rasa, that Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought to this world. When we chant the maha-mantra with this bhava, then every step will submerge us deeper into the ocean of divine bliss. Purnamritasvadanam – what is purnamrita, the complete nectar? Prema, and one will perpetually relish it. Absorbed in chanting the name in this way, our acharyas such as Jayadeva Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and Bhaktivinoda Thakura could envision divine pastimes and compose such nectarean literatures. And sarvatma-snapanam – one will never desire to resurface from that ocean of nectar where there is not even a trace of maya, meaning that they have entered into swarupa-siddhi. This is the explanation of the first verse of Mahaprabhu’s Shikshastaka given by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, whose return to Shri Radha-Krishna’s eternal pastimes we are commemorating on this day.
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nformation on this Great Soul.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Harinam Sankirtan in the city centre of Pietermaritzburg
Haribol to all
All Glories to our
most Beloved Srila
Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Maharaja.All
Glories to our Beloved
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
the Yuga Avatar.
Yesterday the devotees
here in Pietermarizburg
gathered at the city
hall ad performed
Harinam Sankirtan
and walked to the
business hub of
the main shopping
malls.The devotees
were armed with
Kartals and Mrdanga
and all were happily
engaged in the singing
and dancing of the Holy
Names.Many onlookers
also had smiles on their
faces as we passed them.
Some even joined in the
Kirtan and were feeling
happy such is the greatness
of the Holy Names.
The success is all due to
the Mercy firstly of
our Beloved Srila Gurudeva
the present Yuga Acharya of the
Sankirtan movement and our Beloved
Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Jai Srila Gurudeva,Jai Sacinanda
Gaura Hari.
All Glories to our
most Beloved Srila
Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Maharaja.All
Glories to our Beloved
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
the Yuga Avatar.
Yesterday the devotees
here in Pietermarizburg
gathered at the city
hall ad performed
Harinam Sankirtan
and walked to the
business hub of
the main shopping
malls.The devotees
were armed with
Kartals and Mrdanga
and all were happily
engaged in the singing
and dancing of the Holy
Names.Many onlookers
also had smiles on their
faces as we passed them.
Some even joined in the
Kirtan and were feeling
happy such is the greatness
of the Holy Names.
The success is all due to
the Mercy firstly of
our Beloved Srila Gurudeva
the present Yuga Acharya of the
Sankirtan movement and our Beloved
Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Jai Srila Gurudeva,Jai Sacinanda
Gaura Hari.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
For Srila Jiva Goswami`s Appearence Day
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Srila Jiva Gosvami's Appearance Day
[September 1, 2009 (in India), is the divine appearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami. In honor of this day, we are sending you this lecture given by Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:]
Srila Jiva Gosvami’s father, Anupama, was the brother of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. His exalted father and uncles were employed by the Muslim ruler, Srila Sanatana Gosvami as prime minister, Srila Rupa Gosvami as the private secretary, and Sri Anupama as treasurer. All three of them met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He came to Ramakeli, where they lived.
As the only son of the three brothers, Jiva received abundant affection. Srila Rupa Gosvami was always especially affectionate towards him and treated him as if he were his own son. When Jiva was still very young, Srila Rupa Gosvami took him to Mahaprabhu, who blessed him by placing His hand on his head.
During childhood, Jiva studied and soon learned all logic, Sanskrit grammar, and theistic philosophy from the books in his father’s home. Before Srila Rupa Gosvami and Anupama left household life to retire in Vrndavana, they divided all the family’s wealth and property, allocating sufficient funds for Jiva to continue his studies. All three brothers realized that he was the only son in their dynasty, so they nurtured him with great affection and ensured he had whatever material facility he required.
Jiva had a very soft nature, and as he grew up, he gradually began worshipping Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Making garlands for Them and offering puja to Them, he would become immersed in meditation, preferring these activities to playing with other children. When he was about fourteen years old, he went to Navadvipa. By then, Mahaprabhu had returned to the spiritual world and all the devotees of Navadvipa had left and gone elsewhere. Because Navadvipa now brought them all great sadness, Srivasa Pandita, Advaita Acarya, and everyone else had left, and Navadvipa was deserted.
A few days before Jiva’s arrival, Sri Nityananda Prabhu had arrived at Srivasangana from Khardaha. When Srila Jiva Gosvami arrived, Nityananda Prabhu was very pleased to meet him. Nityananda prabhu placed His feet on Jiva’s head and said, “I came here just to meet with you, otherwise I would have stayed in Khardaha.” He showed Jiva all the places of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in Navadvipa, and then showed him great mercy by ordering him to go stay with Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana.
On the way to Vrndavana, Jiva stopped in Varanasi, where he met a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya named Madhusudana Vacaspati who was teaching Vedanta, but not the commentary of Sankaracarya, which was famous at that time. Mahaprabhu had refuted that commentary when Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya tried to teach it to Him. Madhusudana Vacaspati was a great scholar and, having studied and understood everything which Mahaprabhu had taught to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, was teaching it there. Jiva Gosvami went to his home and learned all bhakti-vedanta from him. He also learned Sankaracarya’s commentary, because without learning it, he would have been unable to refute it. After studying all of this and fully understanding it, he proceeded to Vrndavana. There in Vrndavana, Sanatana Gosvami placed him in the care of Rupa Gosvami, and he stayed near Rupa Gosvami’s hut at the Radha-Damodara temple.
Rupa Gosvami would read everything he was writing to Jiva Gosvami. One day while they were in the midst of reading together, an effulgent, elderly brahmana arrived there. This was most likely, judging from his age and his scholarship, Sri Vallabhacarya, who knew Rupa Gosvami from the time Mahaprabhu was in Prayaga. He was approximately the same age as Sri Advaita Acarya, so Rupa Gosvami would have been the appropriate age to have been his son. He asked, “Rupa, what are you writing these days?”
Hesitating a little, Srila Rupa Gosvami replied, “I am writing a book entitled Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.” Vallabhacarya then picked up the book and, turning the pages, said, “Very good, I will look through it and correct any errors.”
At that time Jiva Gosvami was fanning Rupa Gosvami with a leaf from the tala tree, but when he heard Vallabhacarya say this, he felt disturbed; according to him, his Gurudeva was being criticized. Later when he went to the river to fetch water, he met Vallabhacarya, who was just finishing his midday bath. Jiva Gosvami said, “Gosai, you said before that you would proofread the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu which Rupa Gosvami is writing. If you have found any errors, precisely where are they?”
Vallabhacarya replied, “How can you understand, child? Have you studied Sanskrit grammar?”
“Yes, a little.”
“Then what could you possibly understand?”
“Still, please just show me any errors you have detected.” When Vallabhacarya showed him an apparent error, a fierce debate commenced between them. Eventually Jiva Gosvami established the point so convincingly that Vallabhacarya could neither refute it nor give any answer.
When Vallabhacarya returned to the Rupa Gosvami’s hut, he asked, “Who was that boy who was fanning you? He is very intelligent and extremely learned in the scriptures.”
Very humbly and with folded hands Rupa Gosvami replied, “He is the son of my younger brother and is also my disciple. He does not know how to behave.”
“No, he is a genius, and in the future he will be very famous.”
Soon afterwards, Vallabhacarya left. When Jiva Gosvami arrived with the water, Srila Rupa Gosvami said to him, “You are so intolerant that you quarrel with an elderly, scholarly brahmana who kindly proofread something for my own good? Your behavior is unacceptable; leave now.”
Being obliged to obey his guru, Jiva Gosvami left Vrndavana. He went to the village of Bhayagaon to live in a cave infested with crocodiles. There, for some days, he remained in the cave doing bhajana and crying, feeling bereft of his guru’s affection. He stopped eating and taking water, and within a short time he became emaciated. After some time, Sanatana Gosvami happened to visit that village as he was wandering around Vraja. The local people said to him, “Baba, we always considered you to be a great bhajananandi (one who is absorbed in bhajana), but a young boy who is even more of a bhajananandi than you has come to our village. Day and night he calls out the names of Radha-Krsna and weeps. We take him food but he refuses it, and he never sleeps either. Day and night he remains immersed in bhajana; we have never seen anything like it.”
Srila Sanatana Gosvami could understand that this was Jiva, and immediately went to him. Reunited, they both wept. Sanatana Gosvami then took him back to Vrndavana, where he said to Rupa Gosvami, “The duty of Vaisnavas is to be compassionate to others, yet you renounced this young disciple of yours who is adorned with so many extraordinary qualities. You should be merciful to Jiva, but instead you banished him. This was a mistake and you should correct it. I am ordering you to quickly call him back.”
Hearing this, Rupa Gosvami began crying for Jiva, whom he loved so much. When Sanatana Gosvami brought Jiva there and placed him in the lap of Rupa Gosvami, both guru and disciple wept. Rupa Gosvami arranged for Jiva to be treated by the best doctors from Mathura, and gradually Jiva became strong again. From then on, their former practice resumed with Rupa Gosvami giving whatever he wrote to Jiva to proofread.
Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami expanded upon and enhanced the writing of other acaryas. One such acarya, Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, had heard hari-katha directly from Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, who he considered to be his siksa-gurus. While studying the writings of ancient Vaisnava acaryas such as Madhva and Ramanuja, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami selected different points in relation to sambandha (establishing one’s relationship with Krsna), abhidheya (acting in the dealings of that relationship), and prayojana (achieving life’s ultimate goal), and compiled everything in a notebook.
Srila Jiva Gosvami learned all of this tattva from Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Then, he took the volume which contained all the information on sambandha and enlarged it. He also took from the conceptions given in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Brhad-bhagavatamrta, and the other books composed by Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, and composed the first sandarbha.
The word sandarbha means ‘a chest of valuable jewels.’ Of the Six Sandarbhas, the first four – Tattva-sandarbha, Bhagavat-sandarbha, Paramatma-sandarbha, and Krsna-sandarbha – all expound sambandha-jnana. They include knowledge of the jiva, the illusory energy, and the objective of the jiva; all of this was explained in the first four sandarbhas.
In the Tattva-sandarbha, the conception of pramana (the body of evidence) and prameya (evidence) is given. What is the meaning of pramana? In any issue, whose words will we accept as authoritative? Suppose a young boy reports that a large fire has ravaged a holy place and everything has been burned. An elderly gentleman, however, reports that a small fire started in a tea shop there, but was easily contained. From these conflicting stories, whose words will we accept as authoritative? Certainly, the man’s words are more authoritative because he is older and more mature than the boy.
This conception of pramana relates to many things. Different people may assert their beliefs that this world is real, their status as human beings or brahmanas is real, or that they are masters of their property. All this false identification and proprietorship causes so much fighting and quarreling. Another man will say, “These things are all temporary, so do not bother fighting over them. Instead, do something for your soul and for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they are permanent.” Which of these two opinions will we accept? Analyzing the relationships between the Supreme Lord, the jiva, and material existence, Srila Jiva Gosvami explained where we should place our faith. He wrote that the Vedas are the sole authority, and that any other, so-called authority lacks credibility. That which we perceive with our limited senses and mind may be defective, but the words of the Vedas cannot be so.
In his Bhagavat-sandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami writes that everything we see has the same source. The Absolute Truth is one, and He is naturally endowed with inconceivable potency. By the power of this potency, He exists within four forms: svarupa (His original form), tad-rupa-vaibhava (all incarnations, beginning with Baladeva Prabhu), jiva (the living entity), and pradhana (the illusory energy). He is like the sun which also exists in four forms: its original form, the sun disc, its rays, and its reflected light which is compared to maya.
Jiva Gosvami took parts from the book Brahma-sandarbha and wrote his own Bhagavat-sandarbha, in which he analyzes brahma-tattva (the established truth about the Supreme Spirit Whole) and refutes the opinions of Sankaracarya. The jiva is not brahma (an impersonal God). If brahma is the Absolute Truth, which is full in knowledge as some say, then how did it separate into billions of living entities and become bound within material existence? Sankaracarya states that it was covered over by maya, but then where did this separate entity he calls maya come from? If there is no separate entity known as maya and all is the one brahma, where could this other object known as ignorance have come from? Refuting all of Sankaracarya’s concepts, Srila Jiva Gosvami proved that Krsna is Parabrahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of brahma.
He also analyzed paramatma-tattva, and in the Krsna-sandarbha he explained how Krsna alone is the original Personality of Godhead. He explained how Krsna is all-powerful (sarva-saktiman), how He is an ocean of rasa, how from Him the jivas and all else emanate, and how the jivas can achieve His eternal association. He refuted the concept that Krsna is an incarnation of Narayana. Using evidence from the Vedas, Upanisads, and Puranas, he established that Krsna is the original Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that all other incarnations are His plenary or partial expansions. On the basis of scriptural evidence, he reinforced Mahaprabhu’s conception, which had been established in the literatures of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami. In doing so, he established our sampradaya upon a firm philosophical foundation. He protected the flowing river of rasa by placing large rocks of siddhanta on both its banks; in that way no contaminated water of misconceptions could ever enter it.
In his Bhakti-sandarbha, he explained many subtle aspects of bhakti. He delineated the sixty-four types of bhakti, and he expertly explained guru-tattva. He also described guru-padasraya, the process of taking exclusive shelter of the guru, how it should be done, what are its rules and regulations, and so on. If the guru carefully evaluates the prospective disciple and the disciple carefully considers the guru, then a circumstance will never arise where the disciple will have to abandon his guru. He taught that one should not accept a guru whimsically; one should accept a guru in whom he will never lose faith, otherwise there will be a problem. One should make sure that he only accepts a sad-guru, who is detached from sense enjoyment, who is conversant with all tattva and siddhanta, who is rasika, who is spiritually realized, and who is affectionate towards him. One should examine the guru carefully, even if this process takes as long as a year,
Srila Jiva Gosvami also explained that all bhakti is not the same, just as all varieties of water are not one and the same – there is clean water, purified water, contaminated water, sewage water, and so forth. Jiva Gosvami examined all these issues in depth in his sandarbhas, which one must read in order to understand the true nature of bhakti. Thus, by regularly hearing the knowledge delineated in these books and by associating with advanced Vaisnavas, one’s bhakti will gradually become uttama-bhakti. Srila Jiva Gosvami described at length the five types of prema (santa (neutrality), dasya (servitorship), sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parental love), and madhurya (amorous love)), especially emphasizing gopi-prema and explaining the sadhana for achieving it.
Much of this came in his Gopala-campu, which is a very philosophical book. Srila Jiva Gosvami wrote that book in Goloka Vrndavana and then gave it to this world. He composed so many literatures that we could spend this entire birth immersed in reading them. Moreover, in practicing the sadhana prescribed by them, who knows how many lives we could spend? If we endeavor to enter into these books, and if we examine both the personal conduct and conceptions of Jiva Gosvami and try to personally follow them, our spiritual lives will certainly be successful. May Srila Jiva Gosvami be merciful upon us so we can learn all the instructions he gave, in order to perform bhajana purely.
.
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Srila Jiva Gosvami's Appearance Day
[September 1, 2009 (in India), is the divine appearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami. In honor of this day, we are sending you this lecture given by Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:]
Srila Jiva Gosvami’s father, Anupama, was the brother of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. His exalted father and uncles were employed by the Muslim ruler, Srila Sanatana Gosvami as prime minister, Srila Rupa Gosvami as the private secretary, and Sri Anupama as treasurer. All three of them met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He came to Ramakeli, where they lived.
As the only son of the three brothers, Jiva received abundant affection. Srila Rupa Gosvami was always especially affectionate towards him and treated him as if he were his own son. When Jiva was still very young, Srila Rupa Gosvami took him to Mahaprabhu, who blessed him by placing His hand on his head.
During childhood, Jiva studied and soon learned all logic, Sanskrit grammar, and theistic philosophy from the books in his father’s home. Before Srila Rupa Gosvami and Anupama left household life to retire in Vrndavana, they divided all the family’s wealth and property, allocating sufficient funds for Jiva to continue his studies. All three brothers realized that he was the only son in their dynasty, so they nurtured him with great affection and ensured he had whatever material facility he required.
Jiva had a very soft nature, and as he grew up, he gradually began worshipping Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Making garlands for Them and offering puja to Them, he would become immersed in meditation, preferring these activities to playing with other children. When he was about fourteen years old, he went to Navadvipa. By then, Mahaprabhu had returned to the spiritual world and all the devotees of Navadvipa had left and gone elsewhere. Because Navadvipa now brought them all great sadness, Srivasa Pandita, Advaita Acarya, and everyone else had left, and Navadvipa was deserted.
A few days before Jiva’s arrival, Sri Nityananda Prabhu had arrived at Srivasangana from Khardaha. When Srila Jiva Gosvami arrived, Nityananda Prabhu was very pleased to meet him. Nityananda prabhu placed His feet on Jiva’s head and said, “I came here just to meet with you, otherwise I would have stayed in Khardaha.” He showed Jiva all the places of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in Navadvipa, and then showed him great mercy by ordering him to go stay with Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana.
On the way to Vrndavana, Jiva stopped in Varanasi, where he met a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya named Madhusudana Vacaspati who was teaching Vedanta, but not the commentary of Sankaracarya, which was famous at that time. Mahaprabhu had refuted that commentary when Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya tried to teach it to Him. Madhusudana Vacaspati was a great scholar and, having studied and understood everything which Mahaprabhu had taught to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, was teaching it there. Jiva Gosvami went to his home and learned all bhakti-vedanta from him. He also learned Sankaracarya’s commentary, because without learning it, he would have been unable to refute it. After studying all of this and fully understanding it, he proceeded to Vrndavana. There in Vrndavana, Sanatana Gosvami placed him in the care of Rupa Gosvami, and he stayed near Rupa Gosvami’s hut at the Radha-Damodara temple.
Rupa Gosvami would read everything he was writing to Jiva Gosvami. One day while they were in the midst of reading together, an effulgent, elderly brahmana arrived there. This was most likely, judging from his age and his scholarship, Sri Vallabhacarya, who knew Rupa Gosvami from the time Mahaprabhu was in Prayaga. He was approximately the same age as Sri Advaita Acarya, so Rupa Gosvami would have been the appropriate age to have been his son. He asked, “Rupa, what are you writing these days?”
Hesitating a little, Srila Rupa Gosvami replied, “I am writing a book entitled Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.” Vallabhacarya then picked up the book and, turning the pages, said, “Very good, I will look through it and correct any errors.”
At that time Jiva Gosvami was fanning Rupa Gosvami with a leaf from the tala tree, but when he heard Vallabhacarya say this, he felt disturbed; according to him, his Gurudeva was being criticized. Later when he went to the river to fetch water, he met Vallabhacarya, who was just finishing his midday bath. Jiva Gosvami said, “Gosai, you said before that you would proofread the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu which Rupa Gosvami is writing. If you have found any errors, precisely where are they?”
Vallabhacarya replied, “How can you understand, child? Have you studied Sanskrit grammar?”
“Yes, a little.”
“Then what could you possibly understand?”
“Still, please just show me any errors you have detected.” When Vallabhacarya showed him an apparent error, a fierce debate commenced between them. Eventually Jiva Gosvami established the point so convincingly that Vallabhacarya could neither refute it nor give any answer.
When Vallabhacarya returned to the Rupa Gosvami’s hut, he asked, “Who was that boy who was fanning you? He is very intelligent and extremely learned in the scriptures.”
Very humbly and with folded hands Rupa Gosvami replied, “He is the son of my younger brother and is also my disciple. He does not know how to behave.”
“No, he is a genius, and in the future he will be very famous.”
Soon afterwards, Vallabhacarya left. When Jiva Gosvami arrived with the water, Srila Rupa Gosvami said to him, “You are so intolerant that you quarrel with an elderly, scholarly brahmana who kindly proofread something for my own good? Your behavior is unacceptable; leave now.”
Being obliged to obey his guru, Jiva Gosvami left Vrndavana. He went to the village of Bhayagaon to live in a cave infested with crocodiles. There, for some days, he remained in the cave doing bhajana and crying, feeling bereft of his guru’s affection. He stopped eating and taking water, and within a short time he became emaciated. After some time, Sanatana Gosvami happened to visit that village as he was wandering around Vraja. The local people said to him, “Baba, we always considered you to be a great bhajananandi (one who is absorbed in bhajana), but a young boy who is even more of a bhajananandi than you has come to our village. Day and night he calls out the names of Radha-Krsna and weeps. We take him food but he refuses it, and he never sleeps either. Day and night he remains immersed in bhajana; we have never seen anything like it.”
Srila Sanatana Gosvami could understand that this was Jiva, and immediately went to him. Reunited, they both wept. Sanatana Gosvami then took him back to Vrndavana, where he said to Rupa Gosvami, “The duty of Vaisnavas is to be compassionate to others, yet you renounced this young disciple of yours who is adorned with so many extraordinary qualities. You should be merciful to Jiva, but instead you banished him. This was a mistake and you should correct it. I am ordering you to quickly call him back.”
Hearing this, Rupa Gosvami began crying for Jiva, whom he loved so much. When Sanatana Gosvami brought Jiva there and placed him in the lap of Rupa Gosvami, both guru and disciple wept. Rupa Gosvami arranged for Jiva to be treated by the best doctors from Mathura, and gradually Jiva became strong again. From then on, their former practice resumed with Rupa Gosvami giving whatever he wrote to Jiva to proofread.
Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami expanded upon and enhanced the writing of other acaryas. One such acarya, Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, had heard hari-katha directly from Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, who he considered to be his siksa-gurus. While studying the writings of ancient Vaisnava acaryas such as Madhva and Ramanuja, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami selected different points in relation to sambandha (establishing one’s relationship with Krsna), abhidheya (acting in the dealings of that relationship), and prayojana (achieving life’s ultimate goal), and compiled everything in a notebook.
Srila Jiva Gosvami learned all of this tattva from Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Then, he took the volume which contained all the information on sambandha and enlarged it. He also took from the conceptions given in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Brhad-bhagavatamrta, and the other books composed by Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, and composed the first sandarbha.
The word sandarbha means ‘a chest of valuable jewels.’ Of the Six Sandarbhas, the first four – Tattva-sandarbha, Bhagavat-sandarbha, Paramatma-sandarbha, and Krsna-sandarbha – all expound sambandha-jnana. They include knowledge of the jiva, the illusory energy, and the objective of the jiva; all of this was explained in the first four sandarbhas.
In the Tattva-sandarbha, the conception of pramana (the body of evidence) and prameya (evidence) is given. What is the meaning of pramana? In any issue, whose words will we accept as authoritative? Suppose a young boy reports that a large fire has ravaged a holy place and everything has been burned. An elderly gentleman, however, reports that a small fire started in a tea shop there, but was easily contained. From these conflicting stories, whose words will we accept as authoritative? Certainly, the man’s words are more authoritative because he is older and more mature than the boy.
This conception of pramana relates to many things. Different people may assert their beliefs that this world is real, their status as human beings or brahmanas is real, or that they are masters of their property. All this false identification and proprietorship causes so much fighting and quarreling. Another man will say, “These things are all temporary, so do not bother fighting over them. Instead, do something for your soul and for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they are permanent.” Which of these two opinions will we accept? Analyzing the relationships between the Supreme Lord, the jiva, and material existence, Srila Jiva Gosvami explained where we should place our faith. He wrote that the Vedas are the sole authority, and that any other, so-called authority lacks credibility. That which we perceive with our limited senses and mind may be defective, but the words of the Vedas cannot be so.
In his Bhagavat-sandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami writes that everything we see has the same source. The Absolute Truth is one, and He is naturally endowed with inconceivable potency. By the power of this potency, He exists within four forms: svarupa (His original form), tad-rupa-vaibhava (all incarnations, beginning with Baladeva Prabhu), jiva (the living entity), and pradhana (the illusory energy). He is like the sun which also exists in four forms: its original form, the sun disc, its rays, and its reflected light which is compared to maya.
Jiva Gosvami took parts from the book Brahma-sandarbha and wrote his own Bhagavat-sandarbha, in which he analyzes brahma-tattva (the established truth about the Supreme Spirit Whole) and refutes the opinions of Sankaracarya. The jiva is not brahma (an impersonal God). If brahma is the Absolute Truth, which is full in knowledge as some say, then how did it separate into billions of living entities and become bound within material existence? Sankaracarya states that it was covered over by maya, but then where did this separate entity he calls maya come from? If there is no separate entity known as maya and all is the one brahma, where could this other object known as ignorance have come from? Refuting all of Sankaracarya’s concepts, Srila Jiva Gosvami proved that Krsna is Parabrahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of brahma.
He also analyzed paramatma-tattva, and in the Krsna-sandarbha he explained how Krsna alone is the original Personality of Godhead. He explained how Krsna is all-powerful (sarva-saktiman), how He is an ocean of rasa, how from Him the jivas and all else emanate, and how the jivas can achieve His eternal association. He refuted the concept that Krsna is an incarnation of Narayana. Using evidence from the Vedas, Upanisads, and Puranas, he established that Krsna is the original Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that all other incarnations are His plenary or partial expansions. On the basis of scriptural evidence, he reinforced Mahaprabhu’s conception, which had been established in the literatures of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami. In doing so, he established our sampradaya upon a firm philosophical foundation. He protected the flowing river of rasa by placing large rocks of siddhanta on both its banks; in that way no contaminated water of misconceptions could ever enter it.
In his Bhakti-sandarbha, he explained many subtle aspects of bhakti. He delineated the sixty-four types of bhakti, and he expertly explained guru-tattva. He also described guru-padasraya, the process of taking exclusive shelter of the guru, how it should be done, what are its rules and regulations, and so on. If the guru carefully evaluates the prospective disciple and the disciple carefully considers the guru, then a circumstance will never arise where the disciple will have to abandon his guru. He taught that one should not accept a guru whimsically; one should accept a guru in whom he will never lose faith, otherwise there will be a problem. One should make sure that he only accepts a sad-guru, who is detached from sense enjoyment, who is conversant with all tattva and siddhanta, who is rasika, who is spiritually realized, and who is affectionate towards him. One should examine the guru carefully, even if this process takes as long as a year,
Srila Jiva Gosvami also explained that all bhakti is not the same, just as all varieties of water are not one and the same – there is clean water, purified water, contaminated water, sewage water, and so forth. Jiva Gosvami examined all these issues in depth in his sandarbhas, which one must read in order to understand the true nature of bhakti. Thus, by regularly hearing the knowledge delineated in these books and by associating with advanced Vaisnavas, one’s bhakti will gradually become uttama-bhakti. Srila Jiva Gosvami described at length the five types of prema (santa (neutrality), dasya (servitorship), sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parental love), and madhurya (amorous love)), especially emphasizing gopi-prema and explaining the sadhana for achieving it.
Much of this came in his Gopala-campu, which is a very philosophical book. Srila Jiva Gosvami wrote that book in Goloka Vrndavana and then gave it to this world. He composed so many literatures that we could spend this entire birth immersed in reading them. Moreover, in practicing the sadhana prescribed by them, who knows how many lives we could spend? If we endeavor to enter into these books, and if we examine both the personal conduct and conceptions of Jiva Gosvami and try to personally follow them, our spiritual lives will certainly be successful. May Srila Jiva Gosvami be merciful upon us so we can learn all the instructions he gave, in order to perform bhajana purely.
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