Date : 15.09.

2013
Topic :
Place : Nizhny Novogorod Russia
Link File : https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtehT7wPEN7vrXl6Kp5X7ItXAZLw?e=e1qqDy

Guru Maharaj: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Devotees: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
(Guru Maharaj repeats it three more times and devotees follow)
Guru Maharaj: Hare Krsna.
Devotees: Hare Krsna
Guru Maharaj: We welcome everyone to the Sunday program. In every temple of ISKCON we
have the Sunday program. Prabhupāda when he started the movement, he started with the
Sunday program. And the purpose of the Sunday program was to encourage those who are
engaged professionally, who live outside the temple, who come and associate with the
devotees. Prabhupāda said one time a day will come when most of the western devotees will
live at home. So, the Sunday program offers a wonderful opportunity for us to associate with the
devotees. And the people who live at home do jobs and businesses, should make it a point to
come every Sunday to the Sunday program. How many of you come every Sunday to the
temple? Ok
I thought everyone would lift their hands up. That means all of you are not fully convinced that
you must go to the temple for ‘sādhu-saṅga’. Sādhu-saṅga’ is very important for spiritual
advancement. So, I was thinking that instead of speaking on all these festivals, Maybe I will just
focus on one verse of the Bhagavatam from the fourth canto. Tomorrow will speak on Vaman
Dev. Tomorrow is I think most of you will be here tomorrow. This week is full of festivals.
Actually, if you look at a Vaiṣṇava calendar, it is full of festivals. There's never a dull moment in
ISKCON. There's always so much to do and not enough time to do. That's better than to be in a
position where you have a lot of time and nothing to do. What's better? Lots to do and no time
or not enough to do and more time.
This is a very sweet verse we will read the translation and purport.
oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
Devotees: repeat the verses
Is there anyone in the audience who's coming up for the first or second time to the ISKCON
program?
One person, special ,three. A special welcome to all of you. So this is a verse from the fourth
canto of Bhagavatam which describes the story of Dhruva Maharaj.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of stories and instructions. They all have a powerful message for us.
And by absorbing ourselves in these past times, we get purified. Like we mentioned earlier, this
whole week, this whole period is full of festivals. We recently celebrated Janmashtami where
lord Sri Kṛṣṇa the appearance day of the Supreme personality of Godhead.
And why does lord appear?
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
(BG 4.8)
He comes to establish religion. Religion means the words of God. dharmaṁ tu sākṣād
bhagavat-praṇītaṁ. Religion means the words of God. Religion is not something that you and I
can fabricate. And if you follow the general process of religion, then they will be cleansing of the
heart and that will be the achievement of the goal of life.
Once Prabhupāda commented after greeting the deities, which is accompanied by the
Govindam prayer. Prabhupāda said “Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi”, We are
worshipping real God not some imaginary God. And when the lord appears he performs super
human activities. Activities which cannot be replicated by any individual. That’s why he is God.
This is not imagination or mythology.
One of God's names is Achintya. What does Achintya mean?
Devotees: Inconceivable
Guru Maharaj: Inconceivable. God is inconceivable. But he becomes conceivable if you are
engaged in devotional service. And lord appears to protect his devotees. Just as lord appeared
as Nṛsiṁhadeva to protect his beloved devotee Prahlāda.
And Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyam Anyone understands the nature of my
appearance and disappearance becomes free from the cycle of birth and death,
Then, how do we get this transcendental knowledge, with the help of the devotee of the Lord.
So, Prabhupāda appeared during the appearance day of the Supreme Lord. Nanda Maharaj
was celebrating the appearance of the Lord, and at that time Prabhupāda appeared. That's why
we celebrate Prabhupāda's appearance day the following day. Prabhupāda was a pure devotee
who appeared to save humanity. Kṛṣṇa explains in the fourth chapter of the Gītā
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
(BG 4.34)
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a self-realized soul. Caitanya Mahāprabhu had
predicted 500 years ago that the holy name will be chanted in every corner of the globe. When
Prabhupāda met his spiritual master in 1921 and in the very first meeting Bhaktisiddhanta ji had
seen “He is that man who can fulfill Caitanya Mahāprabhu prediction”. In the very first meeting
Bhaktisiddhanta told him “You are an educated young man take the teachings of lord Caitanya
to the western world. Prabhupāda took this instruction to heart. Bhaktisiddhanta left the planet in
1936. Two weeks before he left the planet, Prabhupāda wrote a letter to him. Prabhupāda said,
you have many disciples, sanyasis who are doing so much for you what can I do to please
you?. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati repeated the very instruction he gave in the first meeting,
which was, to take lord Caitanya teachings to the western world.
So, after having established Kṛṣṇa consciousness in America Europe, Prabhupāda focused on
what was at that time, known as the Soviet Union. And during his brief trip of five days, he
planted a seed and the seed continues to blossom. So, Prabhupāda was the pure devotee that
Bhhaktivinoda Thakur had predicted would appear to make Lord Caitanya’s prediction come
true.
So, by taking Prabhupāda's instruction to heart, you all will make spiritual progress. I see this
very nice display of Prabhupāda's books here. Prabhupāda, emphasized a lot on reading the
books and distributing the books because these books can save us from going to hell. I was
recently in America and I was asking one of the sankirtan devotee who live in the temple, how
did he become a devotee. So, he said he had a friend who brought a Bhagavad Gita four
months ago. And he never touched it, he had no interest in reading it, So his friend was giving
this devotee, who was not a devotee at that time a lift in his car. He saw Bhagavad Gita lying in
the back window. He said, can I borrow this Bhagavad Gita? His friend said why borrow? take it.
I have no interest in reading it. I just met a nice Hare Kṛṣṇa monk, so I brought it he was so
polite, but I have no interest in reading, take it. So, he started reading the book and started
chanting and became a nice devotee. So, this is one of the thousands of examples about the
power of book distribution.
Then we celebrate the appearance day of lord Balarāma. Balarāma means what? spiritual
strength. When Kṛṣṇa appears, he appears with his eternal devotees. Sometimes Balarāma
appears as older brother and sometimes as younger brother. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared,
he appeared as the older brother. And Lord Balarāma also performs super human activities. By
reading the pastimes of Lord Balarāma we get purified.
We just celebrated the appearance day of Srimati Rādhārāṇī. And you had two days of lectures
of Rādhārāṇī, So I wont repeat. She is fifteen days younger than Kṛṣṇa. And, she is the greatest
of the devotees. When Kṛṣṇa was in Dvārakā he had a headache once. And, Nārada Muni
came there. Kṛṣṇa said Nārada I have a severe headache. This can only be cured if I get the
dust from the feet of my devotees. Nārada said you have unlimited devotees my lord they all
gladly give the dust from their feet. I will get it, no problem. He went to Rukmiṇī. She said dust
from my feet will touch the forehead of the Lord. That will be terrible and disastrous
consequence. He went to Satyabhāmā. She also refused. Śiva Brahmā they all refused. He
came back to the Lord. I'm surprised no one wants to give the dust from their feet. They are all
concerned that they have to go to hell. The lord said you go to the Vraja Gopīs?
Oh, I forgot they were too far away in Vṛndāvana……………. …..(9:30 sec) and there were no
airplanes at that time. Nārada Muni doesn’t even need plane, he has his own Nārada Muni
airways. He can travel anywhere. Durvāsā Muni does not need an airplane. Ok so Nārada Muni
came to, the Lord came, Nārada Muni came to the Vṛndāvana. He saw all the Gopīs they were
looking towards Dvārakā. Why? Because the Lord was in Dvārakā. They were just meditating
on the Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Dvārakā. An when they saw Nārada Muni they received him very
warmly.
We're very happy to receive you. Have you brought some special message for us. Nārada said
the message is, the Lord is having a severe headache and he wants the dust from the feet of
his devotees. The Gopīs headed by Rādhārāṇī said we will gladly give the dust from our feet.
Please, please, please take the dust from our feet. And Rādhārāṇī was leading from the front.
Nārada Muni said but do you realize the consequences. Even Brahmā Śiva refused to give the
dust from their feet. What did Rādhārāṇī and the Gopīs say, we don’t care if we go to hell. Our
concern is only Kṛṣṇa’s welfare. If Kṛṣṇa is happy, we are happy. That should be our mood.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī six principles of saranagati. Saranagati
means, what does it mean? To surrender. So, we are here to surrender to whom.
Devotees: Kṛṣṇa
Guru Maharaj: Kṛṣṇa. So, what does it mean to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, it means we accept certain
guidelines. What are the guidelines? It's to accept everything favorable for spiritual environment.
And to reject everything unfavorable. Accept the Lord as your maintainer and protector. He is
the maintainer and protector and no one else. Make your desires consistence to the desires of
the Lord.
And, lastly, humility. So, whatever pleases Kṛṣṇa should please us, it's not that what pleases us
should please Kṛṣṇa. That's what we all like to believe, isn't it? What pleases me should please
Kṛṣṇa. But getting inspiration from Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs our mood should be what pleases
Kṛṣṇa pleases me. So Rādhārāṇī and the Gopīs told Nārada, “So how will you going to carry
this dust to Dvārakā all the way. By devotion. When Kṛṣṇa heard about this experience he was
very pleased. So now do you see who is the best devotee.
Rādhārāṇī represents the Hladini shakti of the lord and she is always engaged in just
worshipping the lord and she serves the devotees of the Lord. Rūpa and Sanātana one time
were holding this very important position in the government. But then, they both withdrew
resigned and proceeded to Vṛndāvana. And, they were leading life of mendicants. Very simple
life. Doing madhu kari. You know what’s madhu kari? They were just begging. Even at one time,
they had so much opulence that when Rūpa Gosvāmī left his government service he had a
whole boat full of Gold coins.
And so, when Sanātana Gosvāmī came to see Rūpa Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī wanted to
offer his brother sweet rice, but he didn't have the ingredients. The Lord understands the desire
of the devotees. So Rādhārāṇī disguised herself as a beautiful young girl. And, she came to
Rūpa Gosvāmī. You want to make sweet rice? Here's the milk, sugar, rice, and when Rūpa left
she instantly made beautiful sweet rice. Durvāsā Muni had given her a benediction that anything
you cook will be best in the world. So, when his brother Sanātana came, when Rūpa came he
saw this very nice sweet rice cooked and Rādhārāṇī disappeared after cooking. So
Rūpa Gosvāmī how such nice sweet rice has been cooked. He smelled the fragrance. So, when
his brother came Sanātana came Rūpa offered this very nice sweet rice. Sanātana said oh ho
how did you get all these ingredients. Rūpa said one beautiful young girl village girl came and
offered all these ingredients and she said take it and she disappeared. The fragrance was so
powerful. Sanātana had no doubt that this young girl was none other than Rādhārāṇī. He
chastised his brother why are you taking service from lord, just like Mādhavendra Purī when he
saw the lord had disguised himself as a cowherd boy and gave him milk he was very
embarrassed, that he took service from the lord.
So, that should be our goal in life, just serve without taking anything in return. Of course, Kṛṣṇa
just say’s in the Gita, people come to me under four circumstances. One is, who needs money.
All of you want money? You are detached. Then one who is in distress, you all get into distress.
Then, one who is inquisitive. They say let me go and see what is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Like, in the early
days, many people came to the Sunday program. They heard of the wonderful love feast we
had and they got so attracted by the Sunday feast they started coming regularly and became
devotees. Did it ever happen Nizhny Novgorod. You should make very nice prasadam on
Sunday. So, people come for prasad. So sometimes they come out of curiosity
And the fourth category is the genuine seeker of knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says all of them are pious at
least they're coming to me. But the best is who comes as a result of knowledge. So, some of the
other. So, Rūpa Gosvāmī was chastised by his brother for having taken service from Rādhārāṇī.
Then Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was once doing Japa in the hot weather at Rādhā kund.
Raghunātha dāsa was a renunciate of the highest order. Born in a millionaire’s family he
renounced all the comforts to stay in Vṛndāvana and Rādhā kund. He would offer 1000
obeyances a day, Chant one hundred rounds a day, take little milk that’s all. So, in the hot sun,
he was doing chanting his rounds. Rādhārāṇī, felt compassion upon her devotee. She came
from behind and held her saree like an umbrella. Sanātana happened to see that. He
chastised,you took service from Rādhārāṇī. Then they build this bhajan Kutir. And that’s how the
bhajan kutir concept started.
So Prabhupāda used to say Rādhārāṇī recommends to Kṛṣṇa, he never says no. He is a nice
devotee. And how do you worship Rādhārāṇī. By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Rādhārāṇī
represents the highest level of devotional service, not some mundane relationship. She's golden
in complexion. And when Kṛṣṇa stands next to her, he also becomes golden. We worship
Rādhārāṇī as the greatest of devotees, the internal potency of the Lord. The lord wanted to
know how intense is Rādhārāṇī love for him when he appeared as Caitanya Mahāprabhu
So, then we have the appearance of Lord Vāmanadeva. God is inconceivable. We'll discuss that
tomorrow.
And then you're going to have the appearance day of whom?
Devotee: Bhaktivinod Thakur
Guru Maharaj: He was a great Ācārya who brought Caitanya teachings to light. Prabhupāda
used to say he is virtually the founder of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. He wrote around
hundred books in English, oriya, Bengali. And he established the true teachings of the Lord
because the teachings had fallen into wrong hands and he established pure teachings of the
Lord. The most of the bhajans we sing are composed by Bhaktivinod Thakur. And his books are
great inspiration for the devotees.
And then we have the appearance day of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
Devotee: Disappearance
Guru Maharaj: Disappearance day of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Namacharya Haridāsa Ṭhākura ki Jai
we say, he was the perfection of devotional service. Haridāsa Ṭhākura is considered incarnation
of.
Devotees: Brahma
Guru Maharaj: Brahmā had kidnapped the cowherd boys and calves He had heard so much
about Kṛṣṇa's greatness. Just like the Vrajvasi’s they were hearing of Kṛṣṇa killing these
demons, they began to wonder who Kṛṣṇa is. Is he a demigod? Is he? He seems to have
special blessing from Nārāyaṇa. He seems to be empowered. By the lords Yoga-māyā potency
even his close associates cannot understand his divine position. Because if they knew Kṛṣṇa is
the supreme their relationship would have taken a different format. The Yaśodā was always in
anxiety, she was worried a demon will attack my son. When the two huge arjuna trees fell down
in the compound. Mother Yaśodā was in the kitchen, and she heard this heavy sound, she came
running outside. How did the trees fall, thank God my son got saved. And the trees fell only
inches away from the child.
So, by the Yoga-māyā potency lord Brahmā could not understand Kṛṣṇa's supreme position. So
Brahmā stole the cowherd boys and calves. But he was defeated by the lord, just like Indra was
defeated. The Lord knew it was Brahmā who had kidnpped. The lord thought how can he go
back to Mathura without the cowherd boys and calves. So what did he do, he expanded himself
as his calves and cowherd boys. When the elderly gopīs were witnessing, mother
Yaśodā relationship with her son, they had desire may we also have this opportunity.
So, by expanding himself as the cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa gave the elderly gopīs the same privilege.
And the affection that the mother's had for their son. The affection that the cow's had for the
calves was far greater than before, because it was Kṛṣṇa who had expanded himself.
And then after one year Brahmā saw this cowherd boys and calves playing. So, he realized his
plan was defeated. So Brahmā prayed for to be humble, and that was the birth of Haridāsa
Ṭhākura. You should meditate on Haridāsa determination to chant the holy name. How the
prostitute came and seduced him and how she was defeated. So, māyā is always trying to
seduce us. Da an
Devotees: Da

Guru Maharaj: Did māyā try to attract you all.

Devotees: Da
Guru Maharaj: inacda Snigda
Devotees: Laughter
Guru Maharaj: Māyā devi is always trying to tempt all of us, no exceptions. Senior devotees ,
junior devotees everyone is being teased by Māyā. So do we have any defence Yes.
Devotees:Da
Guru Maharaj: Whats our defence. Haridāsa is a brilliant example. He was so absorbed in
chanting the holy name that Māyā was defeated. Each one of us if we sincerely chant the holy
names every day. Oh Māyā do we have to chant three hundred thousand names a day now. Da
Devotees: laughter
Guru Maharaj: You have a discount. Big discount. Chant 16 rounds. When Prabhupād first
started the moment, he told the devotees to chant 64 rounds a day. This was in the first temple
in New York. The devotees started chanting 64 rounds. And they came to Prabhupād ,
Prabhupād 64 rounds is too much. We are American we cannot chant 64 rounds. Prabhupād
said ok 32 rounds. They tried chanting 32 rounds. All of them came back and complained. And
Prabhupād said 16 rounds and no less. There is a quote from Srila Prabhupād where he says if
you chant 16 rounds a day and follow the four regulative principles then you can definitely go
back to Godhead.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura was also able to defeat Māyā devi and he was so compassionate. Haridāsa
Ṭhākura was once dragged through 22 market places. Why? Because he would not stop
chanting the holy name. And Mohmmad kazi could not tolerate that. But Haridāsa was so
compassionate he was not worried about his own self he was worried about what will happen to
those who are charged for beating him.
Next week we are also celebrating the disappearance day of Jiva Goswami.
Devotee: That’s tomorrow appearance.
Guru Maharaj: appearance. So, we have these festivals, we should absorb ourselves in this
experiences. Kṛṣṇa says
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
(BG 9.34)
Always think of me, bow down to me, offer homage to me. So one way to always engage the
mind positively is about thinking about one or two pastimes of the lord and his devotees. So we
read to you verse from the fourth canto today. Where Sunīti is advising her son, take shelter of
the supreme personality of Godhead. She was very kind to him. Dhruva was insulted by his step
mother, she would not let him sit on his father’s lap. She said you haven’t taken birth from my
womb so you cannot sit on your father’s lap. Dhruva was offended. So, Dhruva was offended
and Dhruva went to his mother. Is there anyone who can help me?
She said, I can't help you and only God can help you. God is very kind to his devotees.
Dhruva was determined to find God. Oh, the sages say God can be found in the forest.
Dhruva decided to proceed to the forest. As he was heading to the forest, the great sage
Nārada appeared. The sage Nārada said, young boy, where are you headed for? To look for
God. Oh Oh, is this the age to look for God, this is the age to play. When we take to spiritual life
what do your friends and relatives say, is this the age to look for God. Sometimes we see when
old people become devotees, their loved ones come and say, oh why are you looking for God ,
why do you want to serve God now, wait for a few more years. So, when is the age to look for
God? When we are half dead, half blind, we can’t walk, so virtually on your death bed………….
(24.09) So Nārada Muni was testing Dhruva. Just like here in ISKCON when someone wants to
be initiated, he has to wait for a period of time. The candidate is tested, how serious is he. So
Nārada Muni was also testing Dhruva, He said this is not the age to look for God. What did
Dhruva say, If you can help me I will talk to you or leave me alone. Nārada Muni could see his
determination, so on the spiritual path we need determination therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has
given this following advice.
utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
(NOI 3)
If you want to enhance your devotional service you know the fact is you need determination. So
it doesn’t matter whether you are brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa, your residing
in Russia, america or India you need determination to succeed. Prabhupāda gave the example
of the sparrow whose egg was stolen by the ocean. And the sparrow told the ocean return my
children. The ocean just laughed it up. The sparrow said I will dry you up. It was a small
sparrow, to dry the ocean is that humanly possible.