19830624 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.2.5

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Svāmī on June 24, 1983 in Miami, Florida. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 5th Canto, Chapter 2, Verse 5.

tasyāḥ sulalita-gamana-pada-vinyāsa-gati-vilāsāyāś cānupadaṁ khaṇa-khaṇāyamāna-rucira-caraṇābharaṇa-svanam upākarṇya naradeva-kumāraḥ samādhi-yogenāmīlita-nayana-nalina-mukula-yugalam īṣad vikacayya vyacaṣṭa. (ŚB 5.2.5)

Translation (by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svāmī Prabhupāda): (Jaya!) As Pūrvacitti passed by on the road in a very beautiful style and mood of her own, the pleasing ornaments on her ankles tinkled with her every step. Although Prince Āgnīdhra was controlling his senses, practicing yoga with half-open eyes, he could see her with his lotuslike eyes, and when he heard the sweet tinkling of her bangles, he opened his eyes slightly more and could see that she was just nearby.

*Translation with repetition*

♫ Purport: It is said that yogīs always think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within their hearts. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogīnaḥ (Bhāg. 12.13.1). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always observed by yogīs who practice controlling the venomous senses. As recommended in Bhagavad-gītā, yogīs should practice samprekṣya nāsikāgram, keeping their eyes half open. If the eyes are closed completely, there will be a tendency to sleep. So-called yogīs sometimes practice a fashionable form of yoga by closing their eyes and meditating, but we have actually seen such so-called yogis sleeping and snoring while meditating. This is not the practice of yoga. To actually practice yoga, one should keep his eyes half open and gaze at the tip of his nose.

Although Āgnīdhra, the son of Priyavrata, was practicing mystic yoga and trying to control his senses, the tinkling sound of Pūrvacitti’s ankle bells disturbed his practice. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ: actual yoga practice means controlling the senses. One must practice mystic yoga to control the senses, but the sense control of a devotee who fully engages in the service of the Lord with his purified senses (hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam) can never be disturbed. Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī therefore stated, durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭra-yate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). The practice of yoga is undoubtedly good because it controls the senses, which are like venomous serpents. When one engages in devotional service, however, completely employing all the activities of the senses in the service of the Lord, the venomous quality of the senses is completely nullified. It is explained that a serpent is to be feared because of its poison fangs, but if those fangs are broken, the serpent, although it seems fearsome, is not at all dangerous. Devotees, therefore, may see hundreds and thousands of beautiful women with fascinating bodily movements and gestures but not be allured, whereas such women would make ordinary yogīs fall. Even the advanced yogī Viśvāmitra broke his mystic practice to unite with Menakā and beget a child known as Śakuntalā. The practice of mystic yoga, therefore, is not sufficiently strong to control the senses. Another example is Prince Āgnīdhra, whose attention was drawn to the movements of Pūrvacitti, the Apsarā, simply because he heard the tinkling of her ankle bells. In the same way that Viśvāmitra Muni was attracted by the tinkling bangles of Menakā, Prince Āgnīdhra, upon hearing the tinkling bangles of Pūrvacitti, immediately opened his eyes to see her beautiful movements as she walked. The prince was also very handsome. As described herein, his eyes were just like the buds of lotus flowers. As he opened his lotuslike eyes, he could immediately see that the Apsarā was present by his side.

Thus end the purport by His Divine Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svāmī Prabhupāda to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Text 5, Chapter 2, Canto 5 in The Activities of Mahāraj Āgnīdhra.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here we see, another example of how the material attraction works. In several places in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, it is explained through this practical type of pastimes, just like when Lord Śiva saw the Mohinī-Mūrti, here again we are seeing Āgnīdhra Mahārāja, he is seeing Pūrvacitti and another place it also describes Viśvāmitra and others.

So, how the Bhagavad-gītā describes that by contemplating on the object of the senses one develops attachment, from attachment then one starts to develop lust and this way desire, illusion, anger, fall down, everything comes one after another. So he was there meditating with his half opened eyes, and the object of the senses drew his senses, and then, I am sure that we will see how step after step, how he becomes conquered by the senses. So, this should give us all a good example how we have to at the very root of thought, root of the desire, we have to control the mind, and continually bring the mind back to Kṛṣṇa. It is very hard for these yogīs when they simply meditating on the nose and in front of their nose is Pūrvacitti, an Apsarā, to bring the meditation back to the nose.

(laughter)

And when they trying to meditate on the oṁkāra, something going on in their ears, they hear the jingling, the jangling, uh, tinkling of bangles, it’s very hard to bring their consciousness back to this meditation. But for the devotee who is hag and bring his mind back to the beautiful form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, who can bring his ears back to the beautiful sound of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then it is possible to control the senses even though the senses are so dangerous, compared to serpents.

Similarly, another example is there of another type of serpent, Prabhupāda discussed here about yogīs who are actually more or less imposters. They are not even following this practice of yoga. Yesterday on the plane someone asked me, "I heard that there are two types of yoga, one is the exercise and the other is meditation." Actually, nobody knows what yoga is? They all think that yoga just means exercise, and now people think that, "Maybe you can also meditate." But that the actual purpose of yoga is to reach the absolute truth. This they have kept a secret, so therefore it’s also an advice for us, that

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ na kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā
(ŚB 5.6.7)

Not to hear, the uh, lessons on the transcendental qualities of Hari, the explanations of Bhāgavatam from the lips of non-Vaiṣṇavas. By doing so this is like drinking milk touched by the lips of a serpent, one will become poisoned and fall down. So, we are so fortunate that Lord Caitanya, He taught the Six Gosvāmīs, then in turn they taught other disciples, in this way the disciplic succession has handed down this message, down to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrīla Abhaya Caraṇa Bhaktivedanta Svāmī Prabhupāda and Śrīla Hṛdayānanda Gosvāmī Ācāryadeva.

Devotees: Jaya.

Jayapatākā Swami: Like this the disciplic succession is coming down, so that we can get the transcendental and pure message. So, this paramparā system is so important because each spiritual master is taking on the mood of the previous spiritual master, and the line from the previous spiritual masters, in this way it is transmitted down generation after generation. According to time, place and circumstance preaching is going on but the original mood, the original vision is always intact, bringing people up to the highest standard of pure Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

This way actually reflecting on the original situation just after Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu left this planet. Of course, we know that even Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he requested to leave before Lord Caitanya, because he knew that it would be so difficult to be present after He had gone. The separation of the devotee should be so intense that it would be unbearable especially for him, he was so close to Lord Caitanya. So, he requested to exit first. You get an idea of the situation that...

So that time Rūpa and Sanātana, the Six Gosvāmīs they were in Vṛndāvana. But after some time Rūpa and Sanātana also joined Lord Caitanya after finishing their writing. That time after their departure we know that Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, he finally made his way over to Vṛndāvana where he met Jīva Gosvāmī and took initiation from Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. And who gave him back to Jīva Gosvāmī for instructing him. Didn’t keep him but gave him to Jīva Gosvāmī because he was more expert in, certain aspects of training people in the philosophy.

In fact, Hṛdayānanda the disciple of Gaurī, Gaurī Dāsa, Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita who was Subala Sakhā in Kṛṣṇa’s pastime, he had a disciple called Dukhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, which means unhappy servant of Kṛṣṇa. (devotees laugh) He sent him with a little note to Jīva Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, "Please train up my disciple and sent him back to preaching." so when was there he was so enraptured with Śyāmasundara that he was given the name Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita, another very prominent ācārya in our sampradāya. Similar time Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura also found his way to Vṛndāvana after the big Gaura Purnima festival with the Jāhnavā devī and Acyutānanda, the son of Advaita Ācārya and Bir Candra, the son of Nityānanda and Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and others. Or actually that was much later, is was just before. Excuse me Narottama Ṭhākura was before that. This is was just in the beginning. He went there directly from Kheturi when he ran away from his home. He went directly, practically this was a stop in Navadvīpa uh, a few places, he went directly to Vṛndāvana and there he took initiation from Lokanātha Gosvāmī, after a long... That’s another pastime… Long trial, testing by his spiritual master.

So there these three devotees are all studying under Jīva Gosvāmī, young brahmacārīs studying under Jīva Gosvāmī. Each had the different initiating spiritual masters. Jīva Gosvāmī himself was of course a spiritual master, but he was instructing them. And they would, apart from their lessons, they would sometimes go over to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and see Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī and Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, sometimes they go to Govardhana see Dvija Haridāsa. This way they would be having so many pastimes in Vṛndāvana. Sometimes even they would even see Lord Caitanya in darśana. They would see Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and sometimes in their meditation different pastimes. They loved Vṛndāvana, they were so happy there in the association of devotees.

But the Caitanya-caritāmṛta had been written, all the works by Rūpa and Sanātana were written, but they had never been taken to Bengal. They were just sitting there, waiting. There is no paṇḍitas there for copying. In those days you didn’t have the printing press, they had the hand copying. So, all the paṇḍitas were in Navadvīpa, that was the head of all the education in the country. So, one day Jīva Gosvāmī had a dream from Rūpa and Sanātana that Śrīnivāsa Ācārya should go. The very same day Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was having darśana at the āratī of Govindadev in the Govindajī temple, that before Govindajī was taken to Jaipur. In the ārati Govindaji spoke, “Śrīnivāsa should take all the literatures and go east.”

"East? Govindadeva!"

Immediately, everyone of course was so surprised, you don’t normally expect the Deity to make a proclamation. Of course, that’s due to our possibly not understanding the Deities potentials. It is unlimited, personal arcā-avatāra. So, the deity actually ordered Śrīnivāsa Ācārya to go, and the others also, Narottama and the Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita were also sent along. But this time Narottama composed a little song, little śloka offering his obeisances to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of devotee, and who has so many energies. Some of these personal energies were manifesting as the writers of transcendental literature like Rūpa and Sanātana. And he said some of these energies were the distributors of these literatures like Śrīnivāsa Ācārya.

So, when this first saṅkīrtana party left when it was ready to go, all the books were... the king there, the local king, he gave a bullock cart with guards, they put all the books in the big uh... with uh... in a big trunk with the Caitanya-caritāmṛta on the bottom and the other books up on the top, and then they were about to go on an auspicious day, then even Raghunātha Dāsa came out of Rādhā Kuṇḍa, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja came out from there also, they all… all the… the associates of Vṛndāvana, all the remaining Gosvāmīs, all the eternal associates like Bhūgarbha and Lokanātha, whoever was still left, who hadn’t disappear, they all came to see off the first saṅkīrtana party as they were going out to bring this books to Bengal to copy them, to distribute them, to establish their philosophy, throughout all the nations and all the... in those days there were so many different kingdoms, so all the different kingdoms which were different nations all over uh, that part of India and to spread it everywhere from there. So, in fact they walked up the edge of Vṛndāvana, but because most of them that point, they just went to the edge of Vṛndāvana and saw them off. Only Jīva Gosvāmī and one or two others, they went all the way to them… with them up to Mathura.

This way from Mathura they saw them off and then they all headed along the path of the Ganges, along the road, till finally they went to what’s now today Uttar Pradesh, Bihar to finally they got on the border of Bihar, they are heading towards Navadvīpa, they entered into Bengal. They entered into Bengal it was very beautiful. There is so many beautiful trees, and coconuts, and bananas, and… Bihar and other places tend to be a little bit dry, but Bengal is luscious because the Ganges flowing through and so many rivers like the Damodar, flowing through it, the Ajaya. So as soon as they entered into Bengal, they were very happy. They knew that they are getting closer to Navadvīpa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura mentioned how in the whole universe that this earth planet, this the particular planet of, is the most, wonderful because… because here Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself and Lord Caitanya appears. And then in the whole earth planet the Bhāratavarṣa is the most auspicious and there the, land of Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmī is the most sacred and within that the Śrī Māyāpur-dhāma, Navadvīpa is the most, transcendental and beautiful place in the whole.

So in this way, they were very eager that now they are coming closer, already entering Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, they are going on, they rested. Of course, you know the pastime how there was a King called Kambhirambhira Mahārāja Vikrama Mahādeva Shah and that, he had little secret service. That secret service was, especially sent to, rob people, and he had a nice astrologer. He was also used to tell when people were going on the road, “They have a lot of money”.

So, in this way… yea… you know it’s like little, you didn’t have enough taxes, there those days they could not you know jack the taxes up to 90 %, you can only take 25%, that was like you had to follow the Vedas. So, when the King wanted a little extra, so he had a little pastime, that he had you know special guards (laughing) and he had an astrologer and the astrologer would calculate.

Says, “Wow! There is some very valuable treasure then coming along the road." Then he would send out his own troops dressed as bandits, they robbed the people and take the money. The people would come and say, “Protect us! We were robbed.”

Shhh….

You know. Give them a little of your pocket money and send them on. (laugh) This was you know uh, but he was actually a strange combination, he was like one of these fringe kinds (Laugh), because he used to everyday listen to the Bhāgavatam, whenever he would get a little... he would have Bhāgavatam class in his courtyard... He was a little pious in that way, but then when he got a little uh... wanted a little quick money, just like some people do when they... you know, "Well..." He would you know send out his uh, private group there.

So, this time the astrologer told them that, "The most valuable treasure is coming. It's incredible. It is priceless! According to this, it’s beyond calculation its value!" (Laughter) He said, "Wow!" He said you know… he just…(laughter)

"...and, there isn’t hardly any guards according to this, it’s practically unguarded." you see.

"Oh!" He said, "Call my special team!" (laughter)

The team came. Now he says, "I have this assignment. You have to go out, there are some people coming along with this treasure and then you bring it to me, and I will reward each of you with a 100 gold coins."

And so, they went out. And Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, and Śrīnivāsa and Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita (laughter), couple of you know, guards, they were taking rest in the evening after finishing their japa. And then right two in the morning, one in the mo... they see that, well just everyone is asleep. So, they go, and they steal the box. It’s like taking candy from a baby sleeping.

They woke up. “The books are gone.” And just I can’t explain what happened to those devotees. Narottama and Śyāmānanda and Śrīnivāsa, “Where are the books? Where are the books? They, No! No! Ācāryas, everyone, they've given the books, the books are gone!"

They were pounding their head on the stones and crying. Finally, Śrī... after just going on like that for hours and hours, Śrīnivāsa got them all together and looked everywhere. After a couple of days, he told them, "Please, it was a reminder, this is definitely Kṛṣṇa’s ah… this is Kṛṣṇa’s ah… it is... Kṛṣṇa did this. We can’t lose these books. We'll definitely get them back. You go to Kheturi, Narottama. And I will send you message as soon as I get the books. I will find it, don’t… don’t every one of us stop preaching. You go on and start the preaching. And Śyāmānanda Prabhu please you see your spiritual master and go preaching. And uh, I will inform you as soon as I find the books , let me, it is my original responsibility, let me find the books, and let us not all of us just waste our time in this way, let it me out find the books, somehow or another I know that Lord Caitanya will not allow this books to just remain uh, lost like this."

So in this way Narottama went, he started preaching in Kheturi by the East Bengal and sent preachers to Manipur, and made the whole state of Manipur into a Vaiṣṇava State, his disciple Ganga Dāsa, and that’s why the Manipuris, they do all these, they are really great devotees of Narottama. The disciple and grand disciples of Narottam Dāsa Ṭhākura went and preached. Śyāmānanda was met his spiritual master Hṛdayānanda and he was sent to Orissa for preaching. And then they all got together again later on several occasions. So, in this way we could see that...

Devotee: What...

Jayapatākā Swami: You want to hear what happened to the books? (laughter) Thought I'd leave that for next time. (laughter) I'll not get out that easy. (laughter)

Devotee: Didn't think I would. (Laughing)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, actually we can see from this, how in the time of Lord Caitanya although they didn’t officially have you know GBC like that, but although they had many spiritual masters and they had many, different, devotees but practically which is like spontaneous GBC. Just all the Gosvāmīs and the senior devotees, they would discuss, and whatever they decided all the other devotees would accept, and everyone was working together. It was one movement. It wasn’t like a dozen movements. It was one movement, but each had their own preaching place and had their own assignments, and they would come together and have big festivals on Gaura Pūrṇimā, and disappearance day and appearance days of great associates of Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda’s appearance like that. And it was just a spontaneous.

We're seeing here in ISKCON, Prabhupāda has kept the same mood. Now making the whole ISKCON world movement with so many different spiritual masters and preachers, and GBCs and sannyāsīs and temple presidents and regional secretary so on. Saṅkīrtana devotees and how they all preach in the different areas, then we get together to the Māyāpur festival, sometimes we get together just like this, getting together you are having association Śrīla Ācāryadeva, Jagajīvana Mahārāja here, Jayadvaita, different preachers.

Like this sometimes it'd be informal, sometimes they'd have formal get togethers. So, Śrīnivāsa of course at that time he sent them all away, then he just started to pray, just started to pray that, "Lord Caitanya, I've taken this great responsibility from all these devotees."

And in the meantime, of course the word got back to Vṛndāvana, everyone, "The books are gone."

So, Śrīnivāsa he prayed and prayed and then he started looking everywhere, and just looked everywhere, asked the people. Finally, someone told, “Why don’t you go and ask the King?” (laughter)

Now in the meantime the robbers took the books back with the big box, back to the King. The King, he said, “This is so valuable I don't even want them to see what's in it. I'll just give them the money." So, he gave them the money, and sent them off. "Thank you very much, good job! Well done!” (Laughter). Then he put the treasure in the bag, locked all the doors (laughing), broke it open, opened it up, "Books!? (laughter) Books!? (laughter), What is this?" He looked at the books. "These are religious books. This is something Bhāgavatam and what..." He called his paṇḍita in, and the paṇḍita tried to figure out, said, "This is very difficult. This is very difficult to understand." (laughter)

He said, "Oh no! Now I've done it! Yeah, this is the most valuable. This is some rare scriptures, and those men, those were sādhūs. Those were Vaiṣṇavas. ” And he knew that much reading out Bhāgavatam, "But now, I have stolen from so many karmis, and then I… I got… I can get rid of that karma but now I have stolen from the Vaiṣṇavas, oh no! Now my whole kingdom is going to be finished, my dynasty, everything, I am going to be wiped out! Oh no!"

He sent back those bandits, "Find the people you stole this from. Wherever they are, find them, and bring them here."

They were looking all over you know, they couldn’t find. They were already sent, only Śrīnivāsa was looking, was there. So, in the meantime uh, the King was everyday listening to the Bhāgavatam and in complete anxiety thinking, “How am I going to get out of this (everyone laughing), now I have done it?”

So, one day Śrīnivāsa came into the courtroom and he heard the Bhāgavatam, and the Bhāgavatam... These were smārta-brāhmaṇas. They didn’t know how to properly explain the Bhāgavatam. So then, Śrīnivāsa came in and he was hearing this crazy interpretation of the Bhāgavatam (laughter), he just couldn’t tolerate. And he said, "This is not correct."

Now when you come in to the Kings uh, courtroom and the rāja-guru of the King is giving Bhāgavatam class and you say that this is bogus, you better know what you are talking about. (laughter) Otherwise you may lose part of your body. (laughter) So then, immediately the… some of the minister said, “Oh! So, here is someone calling the King's guru doesn’t know what he is speaking about?”

The King says, "Then, you explain!” So, then they gave him the Bhāgavatam. So, he started giving the Bhāgavatam class. And he explained the Bhāgavatam; Of course, being Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, got the name Ācārya given to him by the Gosvāmīs, because he was so expert in explaining the Bhāgavatam, personal disciple of… śikṣā disciples of [Śrīnivāsa]… of Jīva Gosvāmī, disciple of Gopāla Bhatta Gosvāmī. So, he explained the Bhāgavatam of course so much, that everybody was melted. Then the King thought, “This may be the one who owns the books.” (laughter).

[break] ...happened? (laughter)

He took them in the back, and he said “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

So, then Śrīnivāsa Ācārya he just opened up and uh, he started to explain that, "Kṛṣṇa is ever existing in the spiritual kingdom. He has come down as Śacī-sūta. He has come down as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and He gave his own nija-bhakti, His own devotional service, His own prema-bhakti and He went and He preached all over India, He went to Purī, He went to South, He went everywhere and when He came back and He preached in Rāmakeli and He delivered the two ministers, the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister- Rūpa and Sanātana and sent them to Vṛndāvana."

And the King Bhira said, "Phew, I always thought that those guys were really stupid, to have left their job as Prime Minister of the emperor.” (laughs) Because he has to pay taxes to them because he was one of the minor kings under Hussain Shah. He was one of the King, mahārājas over the emperor. Emperor means you have so many sub-kings, and he also has to pay tax to Rūpa and Sanātana. (laughter) He always thought, "Why they left? They were so powerful." He could never understand. (laughter) Then you know then he was starting to understand, you know.

So then he explained that how they wrote so many literatures and there was the King of Kheturi, the Rāya, and his son Narottama, Narottama was a prince, he also went to join Rūpa and Sanātana in Vṛndāvana and then I went there and I was assigned with the responsibility of bringing these great souls, all their writings to Bengal to Navadvīpa to be copied with Narottama and Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita. We were going along, “My books were all stolen, all the valuable writings of these great, great, these great saints, these great devotees, who had written all the teachings of Lord Caitanya, they had written, and they were stolen. Please can you help me, where are they?"

The King fell at his feet, “I took them! I took them! I took them! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! I don’t want to…” you know, then he completely... he just said, “I want to accept you as my spiritual master.”

“Just never mind all that. Where are the books? Take me there immediately, where are they?" (laughter) So, then uh, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was taken by the King in the room and he, “Oh the books. Haribol! Haribol!”

The King said, “Nobody can understand what they mean." And the Caitanya-caritāmṛta had been put in the bottom, and when they opened up the trunk it was on the top. That’s why one of the reasons also why it is accepted as the topmost literature in our sampradāya. It was right on the top of all these literatures. So, then Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, he started to give the class on Caitanya-caritāmṛta there. The King became his disciple. The Queen begged also to be initiated. First, he gave first initiation, after some years he gave 2nd and he became the King’s guru. The King said, "I will get all the books copied. You don’t have to go to Navadvīpa. I will personally bring them from Navadvīpa. I will get all the books copied here, it is not that far. You stay here. You make my whole Kingdom Kṛṣṇa conscious.” And then he sent messengers over to Narottama and Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita, “Tell them that everything is alright."

And uh, Narahari, who was still on the planet, one of the original associates of Lord Caitanya, kiba narahari ādi kari… he ordered Śrīnivāsa Ācārya that, "Since you have this great opportunity for preaching as the king’s guru you should become. And for other reasons you should... even though you want to just..." He was that time still like a brahmacārī. He wanted to take... you know just remain like that. But Narahari ordered him, “You should get married, because you can't be in a King's court and be a sannyāsī. It's not appropriate. Those days sannyāsīs you know from Pratāparudra’s pastimes would not be in the King's court. “You remain as the King’s Guru and you make the whole kingdom Kṛṣṇa conscious and from there you organize the preaching everywhere."

So, in this way the first books were brought over. And I was just meditating on how Śrīla Prabhupāda had taken up that mood of writing and of distributing transcendental literature, doing both of the energies, the pastimes of both of the energies of Lord Caitanya. And how Śrīla Ācāryadeva, he also has taken up this transcendental service, writing literature and he is encouraging the disciples here in Florida as well as in all over in Latin America and South east U.S. A wherever his disciples are to distribute books and to preach. How simultaneously he is writing and distributing books, he is doing both of these. Even our great previous ācāryas, some would do one and some the other. But he has taken up this service and he is doing both. And having his devotees distribute these books. So, actually we can see that how this responsibility is handed down in the paramparā, different responses are handed… responsibilities are handed down and how seriously the different devotees take this up. I was hoping to hear from Śrīla Ācāryadeva how we should take up this responsibility of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness spreading it all over the world and every town and village, as handed down by the previous ācāryas. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Haribol!

Devotee: Śrīla Ācāryapada ki

Devotees: Jaya!

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Gosvāmī: Is Gopiparāṇadhana here? I was just thinking as you were speaking, how enlightening these pastimes are? How enjoyable it is to hear the stories and how important it is to produce more and more of these literatures? We can see from the, pastimes we are hearing how, just like Lord Caitanya, preached of course in South India, and also in Purī, and in Bengal. He started his saṅkīrtana movement in Bengal. Then he took sannyāsa and had traveled for some time, preaching in different places, but especially in South India, also other cities, then He settled in Jagannātha Purī and of course sent His followers to different places in India for preaching work. And Prabhupāda always said how uh, Lord Caitanya left the world for His later followers, to give them something to do, so we've been given so many places where we can also preach. Lord Caitanya actually saved the entire world but still He… superficially some places were not yet saved so that we could also have engagement.

So similarly, as you were speaking, I was thinking, uh, how many wonderful literatures Śrīla Prabhupāda has left for us, to read and to… wonderful stories about the saints, uh these stories about the great… great Vaiṣṇavas, so many wonderful literatures. Even now, we're working on the philosophy book, Dialectical Spiritualism, how Prabhupāda has left us this work and especially the... the followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu their pastimes. Of course, we have the main literature which is Caitanya-caritāmṛta, but still there are so many literatures, and so by hearing you speak I have become very enthusiastic to hear more of these things.

Just like there are so many statements in the Bhāgavatam, where the sages or Parīkṣit Mahārāja replies to the speaker that we are not satiated by hearing.

vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma uttama-śloka-vikrame
yac chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ/svādu svādu pade pade
(ŚB 1.1.19)

They said vayam – we, vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma – We are not satiated, uttama-śloka-vikrame yac chṛṇvatāṁ - by hearing about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. So in the same way by hearing these wonderful stories about Śrīnivāsa, you were talking about, Śrīnivāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīnivāsa, Śrīnivāsa is differeent from Śrīvāsa of pañca-tattva. Śrīnivāsa is the son of Śrī Caitanya Dāsa and uh, Lakṣmī Priya, the devotee that met Lord Caitanya when he took sannyāsa in Katwa. This Śrīnivāsa Ācārya is compared to Śrīvāsa.

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Yeah, I knew that he was another person because you said he was brahmacāri. Of course, Śrīvāsa was a householder.

Jayapatākā Swami: Yeah, I should have explained that in the beginning.

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Śrīnivāsa. Vāsa or nivāsa basically means the same thing residence. vāsa, or nivāsa and Śrī means the goddess of fortune, it's a name of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa’s chest is the residence of the goddess of fortune, so Kṛṣṇa is called Śrīvāsa - he is the residence of the Goddess of fortune, or Śrīnivāsa. Anyway footnote. But, uh, so there are many statements... many statements in Bhāgavatam where the hearers, whoever is hearing says that, "Please go on, please go on speaking, we want to hear more." And then they request, "What about that other pastime?"

So, of course we don’t have time immediately but I think that uh, by hearing these nice pastimes from Śrīla Ācāryapada, a realized uh, Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmī-vāsī, (laughter) by hearing from the right person I think that all of us uh, become more eager to hear more and more about the activities of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers. So, we are very blessed because uh, because we are working on the BBT here. We have our BBT department, so, we can not only relish personally, but we can also distribute.

So, from the very beginning when we began to organize the BBT in Miami. Uh, the idea was in the very beginning that this should be a center for new books. They are of course printing BBTs around the world for translating books and re-printing it and so on. But my idea from the very beginning was that there should be a BBT division for flooding the world with new literatures. Uh, this was certainly Prabhupāda’s mood to constantly supply new books and new things. Of course, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is eternally same and there is that aspect which Prabhupāda taught us that, "Don’t change anything" and so on. "Leave everything as it is." So, that aspect is there that it's eternally the same.

We shouldn't. But at the same time within that same Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, there is newer and newer experience, and that’s the whole meaning of spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa is nava-yauvana and the books are also nava-yauvana, ever fresh, so uh, that was my dream, or that was my vision that nowadays people are so eager to read newspapers, "What's the news?" (Laughter). You see, everyday people want to see what is new and watch television and what’s the latest movie, what’s the latest book, what’s the latest this, what’s the latest that." So, in this age certainly people are addicted to this, "What’s new? What’s the news? What’s happening today?" And Prabhupāda certainly uh, was the master of this technique. He provided newer and newer literatures and newer and newer programs for preaching.

So, in the same way I have always felt very strongly that, there should be a program throughout the world to flood the world with newer and newer Vaiṣṇava literatures, so that no one will want to read the filthy news magazines, or no one would want to go to these obnoxious movies, or relending. There should be so many new literatures that the devotees and even the pious people in general, they are just, they don’t even have time to read all the new books, there are so many, just like a little child in the candy story. He can’t eat everything, can’t put enough in his pockets. (Laughter)

When I was a child, I always… my… my... I thought the ultimate thing in life would be to be, in candy store. I could take whatever I wanted. I… children think like that. So, if a child is in the candy store, then he can't fill his pockets enough. He can't carry all the candy that’s there. So, in the same way there should be so many transcendental literatures that the devotees... just like when we know that a new magazine comes out or a new book comes out, we are very eager to read it, somehow or other, we… isn't it? We try to drop everything and read it. In that same way there should be so many transcendental literatures that the devotees are struggling just to keep up. In that way, practically there would be no maya in the whole world and uh, there should be so many books, Vaiṣṇava literatures that if someone joins the movement, practically it would be a lifetime engagement just to read all the books.

In other words, someone can be a scholar who reads many many books, and yet they'll all be... they'll be all our books. So, that’s the idea, that uh, there should be so many transcendental literatures that there will be unlimited enthusiasm and excitement, and everyone would be always talking about Kṛṣṇa. I know that one time I was in the old Brooklyn press. I was visiting there I think... or maybe it was in Boston. I forget. Maybe it was in Boston, but I know that suddenly all the devotees were talking about something that they just transcribed from Prabhupāda, that uh, when Garuda flaps his wings it makes a sound of Sāma-Veda. The sound of Garuda's wing-flapping is the sound of Sāma-Veda. You remember that?

We are all talking about. So, there so many exciting wonderful things. Similarly, these pastimes that Ācāryapada now has just told us, they are so nice, and there are hundreds and thousands, isn’t it, they are almost unlimited, unlimited. So, especially, those who are in Miami, in the BBT, all the devotees in Miami, we are very fortunate because uh, certainly Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested His most confidential associates to write books.

Uh, Prabhupāda says in his tape, purport Śikṣāṣṭakam prayers, that "Lord Caitanya requested His followers to write books, a task which those who follow Him carry out down to the present day." So, ah… we are especially fortunate that we have got this unusually intimate connection with Lord Caitanya, that we can actually produce newer and newer Vaiṣṇava literatures, and in this way, we can directly be Kṛṣṇa’s instrument for revealing to the world this ecstatic pastimes.

I know just by hearing what Ācāryapada just spoke, I felt very enlightened and uh... yes. Very enlightened and uh, purified by hearing this wonderful pastime about Śrīnivāsa and all the Vaiṣṇavas in Vṛndāvana. By hearing it, all of us have expanded our consciousness simply by hearing these wonderful pastimes. So, if there can be newer and newer books, it is so important. So, all the devotees in BBT here, they should make a big commitment, very serious commitment to do this. This is the world headquarters in ISKCON for the production for new Vaiṣṇava literature. Our mahā-paṇḍita is here Gopiparāṇadhana

Devotees: Jaya!

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: And now Jayadvaita Svāmī is here. He is a Prabhupāda’s senior Editor, personal editor. So, this is very auspicious. Of course, we cannot expect a sannyāsī to always stay. But if we pray sincerely and bake many cookies, (laughter) maybe he can stay, this can be his home away from the road.

Devotees: Jaya!

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: So, actually this was uh, this was my dream that there should be center in ISKCON for producing so many new literatures that practically there is no time for anyone to talk about any material thing. At least within our society there would be no more talk about material things. No one will want to read any material literature. There would be so many Vaiṣṇava literatures that this would actually drive māyā out of our entire movement. Because, just by this flooding, like flushing out, like cleaning with water, there will be so many literatures, this flood will drive out all material vibrations out of our society. In this way ISKCON will actually become a society of pure devotees by influence of all these new literatures.

So, this is our opportunity. It's a great opportunity, and if we can do it, then undoubtedly, we will all get special mercy from Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So, all Glories to Śrīla Ācāryapada, All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapatākā Swami: Very inspired by your discussion. If you ever like, I am always ready to give any manuscripts.

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Ah!

Devotees: Jaya!

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: So Mahāpaṇḍita you should... Jaya! So in the mood of Śrīla Ācāryapada, Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Morning News. (Laughter)

Kṛṣṇa is the eternal Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is Acyuta. He never falls down. So, as soon as a living entity surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, he is connected to that paramparā, then He occupies that post, do you understand? Now when you surrender to that person you are surrendering to Him not just because he is got a real good personality or because you know, or he is an expert violin player or do you understand, he is a good public speaker or something like that. No, because he is there with Kṛṣṇa, therefore you surrender. Now your surrender to him is like as the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, if for some reason, a person like that, which is a little unusual but there are all historical examples, a person of that position, he takes a walk, so your surrender is to that is to Kṛṣṇa through him, do you understand?

So, you can't change your position, your surrender was bona-fide. Now if that person gives up that position then you no longer surrender to him, it’s just like, may be your position doesn’t change, do you understand? Your position doesn't change. Just like for example, if you are paying you taxes to the government, so if the particular government worker resigns from his service, you still have to pay your taxes, and the government will have to provide someone to collect the taxes. Do you understand? The government doesn’t change, and your position doesn’t change, you still have to pay your taxes. So, if a particular tax collector gives up his government service, then the government will have to have someone else collect the taxes, but nothing is changed. Do you understand? Your decision to give taxes to the government hasn’t changed. Your obligation to the government hasn’t changed and your activity will not change. Yes?

Question: How come that the relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master is eternal? The eternal relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master.

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Yes, (laughing) if he is actually bonafide. If he is actually bonafide. You understand? If someone is not a bonafide spiritual master, someone is only pretending to be a spiritual master, then how can the relationship be eternal? So therefore, the disciple has to know the real symptoms. Just like for example, in the case I was just mentioning, there were some symptoms which were very unusual, that were not the normal symptoms. So, some of the people in in England they were not, of course the young devotees they didn't know, but they were not very strict and serious and seeing that the same standard was kept. Do you understand? In other words, just like we are… we are always preaching, that is the duty of our disciple to see, to select a bonafide spiritual master.

So, the point is that anyone who joins this movement sincerely will get Kṛṣṇa and will get a bonafide spiritual master. And the symptom that is getting one that is he will get Kṛṣṇa. If you are getting a bonafide spiritual master, then you are getting the proper instruction. Any guru in ISKCON who is presenting Prabhupāda as he is, or presenting the standard program, he is a bonafide guru. Just like if I tell my disciples, "Read these books." So, I am giving them the right knowledge, you understand?

Now, if someone is actually a bonafide spiritual master, then that relationship is eternal. So it’s not that, it’s not that, because one particular person had some difficulty therefore I will become doubtful. This is also a foolish idea. Just like in the Gauḍīya Maṭha, all of them deviated except Prabhupāda. I mean fifty of them or something like that, there were 100 or something, I don’t know how many... do you understand? And every last one of them, every single one of them, deviated from Bhaktisiddhānta's order. And out of the movement of hundreds and thousands of people, Prabhupāda was the only one who actually carried it out exactly as Bhaktisiddhānta wanted, do you understand?

So, it’s not that when we heard about Gauḍīya Maṭha, we begin to doubt our spiritual master. No, we become more proud of our spiritual master. So, it’s just like my parents always used to tell me, "You should be glad that your parents don’t drink or smoke… or… tell me that, some parents beat their children, some parents do this, some parents do that.”

So, in that way Kṛṣṇa has given these historical examples. Kṛṣṇa has given these examples, so you should be happy if you have a guru who doesn’t drink or smoke. (Laughter) Yes, actually, we accept that Śrīla Prabhupāda among his godbrothers… not that all they fell down to sinful activities, but they deviated from the preaching mission and Prabhupāda told us that, none of them actually really captured the purport completely. So, it's in the līlāmṛta, all. Prabhupāda's frustration trying to work with them. So, does that make us doubt Śrīla Prabhupāda? No, it makes us glorify him more. That if others have failed, that means it must be very difficult. Because someone has not… could not do it, that means it must be a very difficult thing. It must be... So, therefore, it made us more attached to our spiritual master.

So, Prabhupāda said, "If you see, if you try to see the guru without Kṛṣṇa then that’s bad. If you try to see Kṛṣṇa without the guru, that is also bad. If we see guru as the representative of Kṛṣṇa, then we will never be deviated.”