19900311 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.23 Gaura Pūrṇimā

Lecture Code: 19900311

Scripture: Srimad Bhagavatam

Verse: 1.18.23

Place: Sri Mayapur Dham, India

 

Date: 11-March-1990

Transcribed by: Anupama-gopi devi dasi

Transcription start date- 15/05/19 end date- 22/05/19

 

First Level proofer: Medhavini Sakhi DD

Proofed Reading completed: 13/09/19

 

Status: Completed

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The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami on March 11th 1990 in Sridham Mayapur.  The class was given on Gaura Purnima day and there was a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1st Canto, 18th chapter, 23rd verse.

 

HH Jayapataka swami recites twice with audience repeating

 

ahaṁ hi pṛṣṭo ’ryamaṇo bhavadbhir                                                 ācakṣa ātmāvagamo ’tra yāvān                                                        nabhaḥ patanty ātma-samaṁ patattriṇas                                             tathā samaṁ viṣṇu-gatiṁ vipaścitaḥ

 

Synonym

aham — my humble self; hi — certainly; pṛṣṭaḥ — asked by you; aryamaṇaḥ — as powerful as the sun; bhavadbhiḥ — by you; ācakṣe — may describe; ātma-avagamaḥ — as far as my knowledge is concerned; atra — herein; yāvān — so far; nabhaḥ — sky; patanti — fly; ātma-samam — as far as it can; patattriṇaḥ — the birds; tathā — thus; samam — similarly; viṣṇu-gatim — knowledge of Viṣṇu; vipaścitaḥ — even though learned.

 

Translation by His Divine Grace Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad

O ṛṣis, who are as powerfully pure as the sun, I shall try to describe to you the transcendental pastimes of Viṣṇu as far as my knowledge is concerned. As the birds fly in the sky as far as their capacity allows, so do the learned devotees describe the Lord as far as their realization allows.

 

Translation with repeat by audience.

 

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda

The Supreme Absolute Truth is unlimited. No living being can know about the unlimited by his limited capacity. The Lord is impersonal, personal and localized. By His impersonal feature He is all-pervading Brahman, by His localized feature He is present in everyone’s heart as the Super Soul, and by His ultimate personal feature He is the object of transcendental loving service by His fortunate associates, the pure devotees. The pastimes of the Lord in different features can only be estimated partly by the great learned devotees. So Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī has rightly taken this position in describing the pastimes of the Lord as far as he has realized. Factually only the Lord Himself can describe Himself, and His learned devotee also can describe Him as far as the Lord gives him the power of description.

 

Thus, end the Bhaktivedanta Swami translation and Purport to Text 23 Chapter 18 canto 1 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

 

 

HH Jayapataka Swami:

Suta Goswami has been requested to explain the science of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. To explain the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. So, in response, he explains that he will try to explain the transcendental pastimes of Vishnu as far as his capacity allows. The Lord’s pastimes are unlimited. Anantasesha, the transcendental snake incarnation of the Lord who had hundreds and thousands of head is not able to explain all of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord even with thousands of head. Even in one day of the Lords pastime, Anantasesha cannot find the end of the Lord’s transcendental glories. So, it is quite reasonable that Suta Goswami is qualified that he can only explain the glories and pastimes of the lord up to the capacity that the Lord blesses him with.

 

This is the proper attitude for devotee. Here we can understand the difference between the Lord and the devotee. The Lord knows everything about himself completely and the devotee knows as much about the Lord as the Lord has revealed to the devotee. The non-devotee cannot know the Lord in truth at all. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti  (BG 18.55), without being a devotee of the Lord no one can know Kṛṣṇa. So, the devotee knows that I don’t know everything about Kṛṣṇa. How is it possible? Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. I only know as much about Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa has revealed to me. Śrīla Prabhupāda explained that, on this planet, our Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has 18,000 verses, but in the higher planets they have a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with 200,000 verses which is more than 11 times the size. So, the Lord’s pastimes are actually unlimited and still even though we may not know everything about the Lord whatever we know is all relishable.

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave an example from the vedas that anywhere you bite into a ripe mango it’s sweet and juicy. So, although we may not know all the unlimited pastime of the Lord, whichever pastimes we know are all transcendental, full of nectar, full of bliss, full of knowledge. So, within the Lord everything is included. Within the personality of Godhead, the Paramatma as well as the impersonal brahman are all included. One doesn’t need to separately endeavor to realize other aspects of the absolute truth. One should directly go for realizing the Supreme Personality of Godhead and automatically one realizes all the other aspects of Godhead of the PARAM brahma.

 

In modern science, the scientists are becoming more and more experts. We have heard recently how the Bhakti Vedanta institute has been preaching to famous scientist of this world. They are trying to categorize and explain all the natural phenomena of this world. How does the brain work? How does the body work? How does the physical nature operate? Why are the different elements etc. etc. etc. Going on and on. Knowing all the law that govern nature.

 

Every time a new insight, a new category or matter or some new theory is substantiated or found.  Then, there is a very big fanfare. People are very happy. There is a new scientific discovery. But in the Vedas, it is explained that even if the scientist can know every single atom in the entire universe comprised of millions and millions of stars and planets, still, one can never know all the transcendental qualities of the Lord. In their narrow vision the scientists are looking for new frontiers. They see the ocean, the depth of the ocean as a new frontier yet to be fully discovered. The depth of outer space as a frontier. They are looking for new frontiers. But why don’t they look in the frontier of the absolute truth.

 

All the great thinkers, all the great sages they were coming forward not to hear how many categories were there since we have material elements. They wanted to know the overall picture. What is the total truth? The absolute truth. Ultimately, they want to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the fountainhead of everything. This is the highest science. The person who realizes absolute truth is the greatest scientist. But the person is not exactly the same as one would employ to investigate insects and leaves and atoms and so on. In order to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead we need to realize through the self, through our spiritual vision. That spiritual vision is given by Kṛṣṇa.

 

Suta Goswami could speak only if he was given the mercy to speak. His father, Romarharshana due to his impure mentality he was denied of the mercy to speak on the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Suta Goswami, his son, was given that opportunity. We should take it as the causeless mercy of the Lord, if we are able to engage in devotional service. We should take it as a causeless mercy of the Lord, if we are able to glorify Him. To explain to someone about the transcendental glories of the Lord.

 

Sometimes, neophyte devotees who in their immature state of their devotional service decide to abandon the nectar of devotional service for chewing the cud in the material world again. Then they sometimes criticize that, what has the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement done for me materially? I didn’t get my college degree, or I didn’t get this or I didn’t get that. It is very unfortunate. And we need to understand from the very beginning, that the Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is giving us the greatest thing. If we want to get a college degree we go to college. If we want to get a technical degree we go to a technical school, if we want to get love of Godhead, if we want to get freedom from the cycle of  birth and death, if we want to get transcendental knowledge, if we want to engage  eternally  in pure devotional service then we come to the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement and this is what we get. Of course, this is the highest benediction. There is nothing higher than that.

So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He wanted to give the mercy which was not available anywhere else. You know you will find so many universities offering degrees, but how many places will you find someone who will free people from the cycle of birth and death, engage them in pure devotional service and give them the highest benediction of love for Kṛṣṇa.

So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he wanted that this message be spread all over the world. This is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, adi lila Chapter 9.

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda  (audience repeat)

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda (audience repeat)

CC Adi 9.39

ataeva saba phala deha’ yāre tāre (audience repeat)

khāiyā ha-uk loka ajara amare (audience repeat)

Translation

“Distribute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. Let people eat these fruits and ultimately become free from old age and death.

 

Purport By Śrīla Prabhupāda

 

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement introduced by Lord Caitanya is extremely important because one who takes to it becomes eternal, being freed from birth, death and old age. People do not recognize that the real distresses in life are the four principles of birth, death, old age and disease. They are so foolish that they resign themselves to these four miseries, not knowing the transcendental remedy of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, one can become free from all misery, but because they are enchanted by the illusory energy, people do not take this movement seriously. Therefore, those who are actually servants of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu must seriously distribute this movement all over the world to render the greatest benefit to human society. Of course, animals and other lower species are not capable of understanding this movement, but if even a small number of human beings take it seriously, then by their chanting loudly, all living entities, including even trees, animals and other lower species, will be benefited. When Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Haridāsa Ṭhākura how He was to benefit living entities other than human beings, Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is so potent that if it is chanted loudly, everyone will benefit, including the lower species of life.

 

HH Jayapataka Swami:

So, in this way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to flood, wants to see the whole world flooded in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. He wants this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to spread. Because of his desire Śrīla Prabhupada was empowered to spread Kṛṣṇa Consciousness all over the world. Because of Lord Chaitanya’s desire Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is continuing to spread all over the world. And because of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s transcendental desire, the whole world will one day be flooded with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Nitai Gaura Premanande 

Hari Hari Bol!!!  (everybody Chants)

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that sometimes here in Mayapur, the Ganges floods and that this flood actually signifies that from the birth place of Lord Chaitanya, the Harinam sankirtan movement began. The sankirtan movement, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should flood the entire world with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

 

Here devotees have come  this year not only from all over the western world, not only from the southern hemisphere also from Russia and all eastern countries and this reunion with our beloved spiritual brothers and sisters from what used to be behind the iron curtain as we know it  in call it in the west or from the soviet and eastern bloc countries. This has certainly given all of us unlimited happiness and further enhanced the appreciation of the power and glory of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s message. Certainly, at this festival in this great reunion under the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupada and all of the Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees representing different yatras from all over the world we want the special mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to indeed flood the whole world with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, spread the whole world with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

When Lord Chaitanya _____ (22.18) a season in the winter right now, in the spring, she started to rise within her banks and the people were astonished. Why is the Ganges starting to flood in the Ganges? We are seeing in this festival somehow it is constantly raining. Certainly, everything in Mayapur dham has significance. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wants that the whole world be showered with the transcendental mercy of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and that the whole world be flooded with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

When the Ganges knew that Lord Chaitanya was coming as a small child, coming to bathe, she started to just rise up on the banks. When the Lord touched her lotus feet, touched her transcendental waters she was in complete ecstasy. When the Lord submerged himself in her waters, who can explain her ecstasy. Just to get the touch of the lotus feet of Vishnu, when he delivered Bali Maharaja, Ganges is considered the charanamrita of the Lord, what to speak of when the Lord personally came, bathed in her waters, swam in her waters, completely submerged Himself within her spiritual waters. The Ganges was experiencing unlimited spiritual bliss. Sometimes when the Lord would leave the Ganges, she would purposely make her waves move so she could get one more touch of the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya.

One time the Ganges became so ecstatic and having the association with the Lord. There was one brahmin, he was a great devotee of Mother Ganges and he would everyday do arathi to the Ganges, offer flowers, offer puja. He had a little grass hut built by the side of the Ganges, something like Prabhupada bhajan kutir.  He lived there by the side of the Ganges and jalangi river.

 

That brahmin he saw Chaitanya as a child, as a small child for the first time. Seeing child Chaitanya, he couldn’t take his eyes from him. He was just glued, how beautiful a form, who is this person? Why am I feeling so attracted to this child? And then as baby Chaitanya was by the side of the Ganges. Other brahmins and others, they were somehow in a distant place doing their prayers, chanting the holy name to the Ganges, offering their worship. But all of a sudden, the Ganges was moving trying to____ (25.38) ...  the Lord was standing by the side of the Ganges, waves were coming trying to touch the lotus feet of the Lord. Then finally all of a sudden, the brahmin was watching.  Why is there is calm? There is no wind why waves coming? And he is just observing. And he can’t stop looking at the baby form of Chaitanya. All of a sudden, he sees come from the water the personified form of Mother Ganges. She comes out and offers her obeisances to the Lord. Offers prayers to the Lord and the Lord smiles over the mother Ganges.

 

The brahmin was daily worshiping the Ganges. He never even hoped that he would ever see the personal form of mother Ganges, just to worship her waters, worship her in her vivid form. He was so overjoyed with that. But to be able to actually see the personified form of the Ganges which only the very great and rare saints have ever been able to see, he was completely stunned and fell unconscious on the ground. Then the Ganges, she went back into her water and just remained in her water form. In this way the Ganges has got so many transcendental pastimes with the Lord.

 

We should understand that in Mayapur even though sometimes it floods, this is also a transcendental pastime of the Ganges. Even when it doesn’t rain sometime, she would flood to get the dust from the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya. It’s part of the leela of Mayapur dham. It has always been like that. It will always will be like that. It is one of the glory of Navadvip Mayapur dham. Actually, one of the reasons why the Ganges is giving here in the holy dham and everywhere love for Kṛṣṇa, love for Vishnu.

One-time Lord Mahesha he was leading a kirtan, chanting the holy name and Narada muni was playing on his tambura, his veena and accompanying with the drum was Ganesha. The 3 of them were playing a huge kirtan and Mahadeva in his kirtan he was so ecstatic that the whole world started to, the whole universe started to vibrate. And finally, in the ecstatic kirtan being performed by Mahesha, Narad and Ganesh, all of a sudden Vishnu himself appeared. He said, “I cannot maintain myself, I cannot in the ecstasy of your kirtan, actually by your kirtan you have caused part of me to melt in love.” Your loving devotion has caused this pure love to melt in a water pond. That pond of melted pure love is the holy river Ganges.  And therefore, Lord Chaitanya when He came here the Ganges seeing the most merciful Lord she became even more and more ecstatic. So now just as the mother Ganges is purifying the world, we found in the purport rather in the introduction to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad Gītā that the Ganges is the nectar coming from the lotus feet of the Lord but the Bhagavad Gītā is the nectar coming from the Lotus lips of the Lord. Therefore, bathing in the vibration of the Bhagavad Gītā, we can understand how purifying that is. Similarly, the glories of the Lord which is the nectar of the Lord coming from the lips of Suta Goswami and other great acaryas and devotees in our line, that nectar of the Bhagavat is also completely purifying for the whole world. So, the more the people are bathing whether here directly in Mayapur dham, in mother Ganges or in the Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gītā and Chaitanya charitamrita classes all over the world or while reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books in their home they are all bathing in that nectar. And that will awaken their spiritual desire, their spiritual consciousness.

So Suta Goswami here had mentioned to glorify the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. We can understand the vibration of glorifying those transcendental pastimes and they are non-different from the Ganges. They are also purifying nectar flow which can awaken our love for Kṛṣṇa. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His desire was that this transcendental vibration, this flow of nectar should encompass the entire world. Why should there be anyone who doesn’t get the nectar. Actually, so many avatars have come, they have killed sinful, demoniac people. What other incarnation, what other avatar is there who has invited the sinful people to come and get delivered? Who has absorbed unlimited sin simply to give people pure love of Godhead? There is no avatar as merciful as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu avatari. Therefore, we have the greatest benediction by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy to be able to be part of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Instead of being, become bewildered, attracted by the illusory energy and we start to see the glitter and glare of the material world as something permanent, as something which can give happiness. What foolishness. What happiness is there in the material world?

Namine Kichuna……..bhuvana margi

It is like a desert. The whole world is just like a dry desert in the vision of the devotee because there is no nectar of Kṛṣṇa. But when you add Kṛṣṇa Consciousness just like adding water in the desert then the desert itself can become a garden. You add Kṛṣṇa consciousness to this world which is dry like a desert, where people are simply going through the cycle of birth, death, old age and disease you add the nectar of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and the whole world can become a beautiful paradise. This is the gift that Śrīla Prabhupāda has given to the world. He has actually brought to the western world the most valuable thing. The most valuable gift. So here just as all the devotees after preaching in various parts of the world we are able to come together and reunite. This reuniting with the devotees is something so special, it’s actually even attractive for Lord Chaitanya. He likes to be united with His devotees.

 When devotees would come from Bengal to Jagannath Puri walking all the way. One time they came and Lord Chaitanya was going in procession with Jagannath to the Narendra Sarovar in Puri. At that time the devotees of Lord Chaitanya could hear the kirtan in the distance so they started to go quickly. The men were ahead, the wives, women were behind. They couldn’t see Lord Chaitanya. All of a sudden in a distance they could see Jagannath procession going. They could see Lord Chaitanya and his associates doing Kirtan. And immediately seeing Lord Chaitanya they started to chant

Nitai  Gaura Premanande Hari Hari Bol!!!(everyone chants)

Hari hari bol!!!

And they paid their prostrated obeisances. Lord Chaitanya he saw all the devotees had come and immediately Lord Chaitanya ran with his associates and they met with those devotees and they were embracing. Lord Chaitanya embracing Adwaita gosai, different devotees embracing and paying their obeisances to each other, embracing. And in the back the Mathajis they were seeing Lord Chaitanya and, in their heart, they were embracing his lotus feet, in respect, in love. In this way everyone was crying in ecstasy. Lord Chaitanya was crying, all the associates were crying. They were all crying with extreme transcendental joy. To be reunited with the devotees. So, this reuniting is a special ecstasy that Śrīla Prabhupāda has given, although we may not be so pure to equally appreciate but actually as we advance, we are continuously advancing in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

This was explained by one of the speakers how everyone in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is advancing. I completely agreed with that statement in the class with one exception. That was myself. I was wondering why everyone is advancing except for me. I can see how all of the devotees are advancing but I seem to always be in a rut. So, I am just praying that all of these devotees will have your mercy upon me so that I can also advance in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

But actually, how all the devotees are all coming together This is something very very special. We even cannot imagine how special it is. It’s something that gives Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, gives Śrīla Prabhupāda extreme pleasure.

If we gather together to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, to discuss Kṛṣṇa Katha, to engage in devotional service, to make strategy how to spread this message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world, how to protect the movement of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness from any attack of Maya. These are all Transcendental aspects of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness which are very dear to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually, I was asked to write an article for ISKCON Générale but it did not get included because there were so many other articles and mine was too long as usual but it was about the history of the GBC and our movement. And in the research, I found that Sri Jiva Goswami, he had inaugurated the Vishwa Vaishnava raj Sabha. The Vishwa Vaishnava raj Sabha was re- established by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati thakur and we can see the action of Śrīla Prabhupāda, he is continuing this Vishwa Vaishnava raj Sabha of course maybe not everyone knows Sanskrit well enough to know what Vishwa Vaishnava raj Sabha means. Vishwa means universal, Vaishnava you all know means the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. Raja means the king and Sabha means the assembly. So, this was explained by our previous acharyas. That who was the king. The king is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki!!!

Jaya (Audience response)

He is the Lord of all the Vaishnavas. Kṛṣṇa or Sri Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya. And His... congregation of devotees, they are the Sabha. You see, they are all the members of the Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha. Amongst them there is the Patra  Raj like the prime minister is Rupa Goswami. Rupa Goswami is manifesting the desire of the Lord into the world. And that is protected by other representatives, leaders or prime minister in the disciplic succession. Someone maybe agani that means that amongst the assembly he is taking a leading role in pushing on this sankirtan movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is taking some responsibility. Every devotee is a member. Every devotee should be taking responsibility up to their capacity. Just as Suta Goswami said I will try to speak the glories of the Lord’s Pastime up to my capacity. Just like a bird can fly in the sky up to its capacity up to the realization I have got, I will try to explain the glories of the Lord. Up to each individual capacity we should be trying to take as much responsibility as much as a burden from Śrīla Prabhupāda, and Lord Chaitanya for spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. And because in fact the devotees are taking this very seriously, taking up this responsibility therefore all over the world this Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is expanding. No one can say it’s due to one person, it is due to the mercy coming down from the previous acharyas, through Śrīla Prabhupāda through all of the devotees. But some by the mercy of the Lord they are taking apparently more responsibility but everyone needs to take responsibility to their capacity. Those who are leading in taking capacity they are considered according to the Jiva Goswami agrani as someone who is very dominant, he is also Patra Raj or representing the Raja. We see that Śrīla Prabhupāda is the Patra raj founder acarya of Lord Chaitanya’s branch the international society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he has given us this special mandate to see that this branch itself spreads all over the entire world and gives the shade to everyone.

So just as in the Vaishnava raj Sabha, at the time of the six Goswami’s. It describes the six Goswami’s, Bhugarba Prabhu goswami, Lokanath goswami many other similar very exalted Vaishnavas. They would actually sit together discuss Kṛṣṇa Conscious topic and give direction to all the Vaishnavas.  It was, in those days, a type of Governing body but it was something done spontaneously by the senior Vaishnavas and this tradition was already there it’s been handed down. Bhaktivinod Thakur he said in his namahatta that there would be a panchayat or a Governing body which will meet in camera and whatever decision made this will be considered non different from Nityananda’ instruction. He said that the senior Vaishnavas they will meet together and on the basis of sadhu shastra and Guru they should come to the   proper Siddhanta and decision and that would be blessed by Nityananda prabhu. And in this way, it was handed down to Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati thakur who said to govern the Gaudiya mutt by Governing body. They didn’t follow it for very long but Prabhupad re-established and we are going on.  Although we are not able to do perfectly there are so many errors no doubt in every activity.  But we are trying to do according to this desire of Rupa Goswami, of Bhaktivinod Thakur, of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and of course our own founder acarya who is the funnel for all the mercy of the previous acaryas for us is Śrīla Prabhupāda.

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki

(Jaya) (audience chant)

 

So, you can see how the whole Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is designed by Śrīla Prabhupāda, is all part of the plan of the Lord and coming it together this is also   plan of the Lord. And in conclusion I just would like to explain some of the details how Lord Chaitanya also after He started the sankirtan movement He started to come together with different devotees. As you know Nityananda prabhu was travelling all over India and he had completely covered the entire India even maybe more than once and he was waiting in Vrindavan all the deers were coming and licking his body. They were so happy that Balaram was back in Vrindavan. But all of a sudden Nityananda Prabhu got the vision that now the Lord is waiting for me. Now He has begun the Sankirtan movement, now it is time for me to go. So Nityananda prabhu he came to Navadvip dham, he came and he stayed in the house of Nandana acarya. At that time Lord Chaitanya called all his devotees. Gauranga called everyone and said my eternal counterpart, my eternal associate, my brother, my spiritual brother he is here. Now in Navadvip you go out and find him. So, he sent all the devotees and they were looking. What is his name? Nityananda. So, they are going everywhere looking. Where is Nityananda? They are going this part of the city, that part. They are going door to door knocking (Making knocking sound)

Hello,” Is Nityananda here.”?

Nityananda? We do not know any Nityananda.

They went on next next.

Finally, they are going the whole day, the whole afternoon, the whole evening and finally they are going even in the night, (Knocking)

Hello. Is there any Nityananda?

Nityananda? What are you doing? It’s late at night!!!

What’s wrong with you people

Gauranga

Don’t you let people sleep? Finally, they couldn’t look anymore. People were getting angry. They were waking them up from there sleep. They all went back to Lord Chaitanya. They hadn’t found Gauranga. Excuse me. They hadn’t found Lord Nityananda.

They went and they told him. “We failed you. We looked everywhere. We couldn’t find him.” Then Lord Gauranga He thought for a minute. Said “yes of course, you cannot find him. He is the Lord. No one can find the Lord by looking for him.” The Lord can only be found if He reveals himself. Those who are teachers of God they cannot find god by looking you find the Lord by practicing devotional service and the Lord reveals himself. You know this is the actual philosophy. So, Lord Chaitanya revealed this to his followers. You are looking for Nityananda Prabhu. How do you find him?   He will only be found if he reveals himself. But then Lord Chaitanya he says “But I can find him”. He cannot hide from me. Of course, because Lord Chaitanya himself is the Lord. How can the Lord hide from the Lord?  Tomorrow we will go and I will find him. So, the next day in the morning Lord Gauranga He went with all of his associates and they were chanting. And He is going around the city of Navadvip probably He chanted right over here, right over this place we are sitting because He went from here over a few hundred meters to the south maybe 2 or 3 hundred and there is the house of Nandan acarya. So, then Lord Chaitanya and His associates they went right into the courtyard of Nandana acaryas house. There Nityananda Prabhu was seated when he heard the Kirtan he had already jumped up; his hair was standing on end in ecstasy. Is that my Lord? Is that my Gauranga?  And then all of a sudden Gauranga came in. His golden form with garland, tears in his eyes surrounded by his associates, there was Gauranga. There was Nityananda. The devas, they were seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarama united again. Gauranga and Nityananda united. They were playing dundubhi drums, showering flowers from the sky. The whole heavens were making transcendental vibration.

Lord Nityananda said “Gauranga”!!!

Then Gauranga said “Nityananda”!!!

Gauranga!!!

Nityananda!!!

Gauranga!!!

Nityananda!!!

They ran to each other and they just embraced each other tears flowing from their eyes. The devotees were all chanting

Hari Bol!!! Hari Bol!!!   Hari Bol!!!  Hari Bol!!!   (audience chants)

They were coming back They were rolling in the ground They were pulling their hair. They did not know what to do. So much ecstasy was coming, just radiating from the bodies of Gauranga and Nityananda and then the two eternal brothers they started to do kirtan. And they went into ecstatic kirtan through the entire Navadvip.  And for the first time all the mayapur nivasis they could see Gaur and Nityananda chanting together in ecstasy, chanting with all their associates. Who is this? We knew Gauranga. We knew Nimai. Now who is this transcendental figure so beautiful. So wonderful.  In this way Nitai and Gaura they gave their mercy united here in Mayapur dham.

 

Jay Gaura Nitai !!!(audience chant)

 

Nitai Gaura Premanande!!!

Hari Hari Bol (audience chants)

 

Then doesn’t end there. Then Lord Chaitanya took Nityananda, said come with me to my home. I want you to meet my mother Sachi. As soon as He came to the house there, Mother Sachi she saw immediately she felt in her heart Vishwaroop. I feel like this is my Vishwaroop the elder brother of Lord Chaitanya who had left and taken sannyasa. Lord Chaitanya he went and told his mother, “yes, this is actually Vishwaroop come again in this form.” and then Mother Sachi she went Vishwaroop!!!

 

Then the Lord went sshh...!!! Don’t tell anyone. This is a secret.

 

Then she went over she just saw Nityananda and she felt so much love. She said I had one son here and now I have two. You are my son. And then Nityananda paid his prostrated obeisances to Mother Sachi. Yes, I am accepting you as my mother today and she just went and embraced as a son. In this way Nitai and Gaura in so many ways were confirmed as brothers.

Actually, Vishwaroop is an expansion of Sankarshana who is an expansion of Balaram. So actually, it is true that Nityananda is non different from Vishwaroop.  So, in this way Mother Sachi is so ecstatic to be with Nityananda and Gauranga that that day she was just completely in ecstasy and she wanted to cook a big feast of Kṛṣṇa prasad. So tomorrow also we want to prepare a big feast for Nitai Gaura here on Lord Chaitanya’s birthday. And they are already cooking today. Anyway, that’s all in the tradition. So, we can see how this is the place where the Lord and His devotees also become united, they come together. So today we are all together, thanks to Śrīla Prabhupāda and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki!!!

Jaya (audience chant)

Nitai Gaura Ki

Jaya (audience chant)

Gaura Premanande!!!

Hari Hari Bol (audience chant)

(Clapping)

Any Questions?

Question (inaudible) (51.48)

Couldn’t hear

How did he meet the others? That will take a few days and weeks. Of course, each one is a whole history in itself. Even though he met Srivas for the first time after starting the bhakti movement They met before but when they met and he was in his prema mood. He was in the mood of giving Kṛṣṇa prema that was a special meeting. it’s like a whole chapter in the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta how Lord Chaitanya met Ramananda Raya. How they sat and discussed.  The whole Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is discussion of how Lord Chaitanya met different devotees. It’s meeting and separation. When we meet, we are fully in spiritual happiness and we come closer together by serving the same Lord. Why are we brought together? We have one unifying objective. We all want to see that Prabhupad, the previous acaryas, Gauranga Mahaprabhu and his associates they are pleased. We are all trying to please the Lord. Because the single objective is there everyone is united. Although everyone is diverse doing different services, with different qualities but they are all serving with one objective. So, while we are serving together, we become more and more unified, and then when we have to go out, we feel separation. We feel a vacuum. Actually, in Mayapur after the devotees leave it is an empty feeling.

Actually, we have to really preach to keep the devotees here. It is such an empty feeling after having all these so many wonderful Vaishnavas that when they all leave to Vrindavan and go back to their preaching fields, there is such a separation mood here in Mayapur. Everyone just wants to go somewhere and be with the devotees again. I think to describe how Chaitanya met with the different devotees we will have to read the entire Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chaitanya Bhagavat, Chaitanya Mangal and few other books to get that answer. So please forgive I can only give Nitai and Gaura today.

Any other questions?

 

 Question (inaudible) (54.30)

That is explained by Prabhupad in one of the purports in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

The question was that there is sometime a flood of the river Ganges in Mayapur. How is that a transcendental leela? It has a transcendental significance. Whatever the Ganges does is a leela but it has also a significance. Prabhupad said as I explained earlier in a purport of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta that same mayapur is the birthplace of the Sankirtan movement in this world. This is the place where Lord Chaitanya started the sankirtan movement. And if the Ganges floods here she is indicating a need for giving more effort in inundating the world with the sankirtan movement.

It is very interesting that just after ISKCON got this land in 1971 there was inundation. In 1978 there was inundation. I think you all know what happened in 1971 why there was a need to inundate the world. After Śrīla Prabhupāda left the world, we had to really endeavor to inundate the world to remain fixed in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. Then in this way again the next flood came in 87. It was also a historical year in our movement. So even we can see in the last 3 major floods it all coincided with particular moments in ISKCON when we also needed some special purification. But I won’t go to limit that this is the only. That is something which I realized that it coincides but we cannot limit it that it only means this much. But what Śrīla Prabhupāda said that means she is giving indication, flood the world more intensely we are not flooding it enough. So please everyone please flood the world very seriously so then I am sure here in mayapur we won’t have so many floods.

 

Yes

(Question inaudible) (57.02)

No I don’t know exactly what you are referring to but Lord Chaitanya when he was in Goloka Vrindavan before coming here , when Narada muni went to see him to request him to come down there were several besides him, Adwaita gosai was requesting Narada muni personally went there and requested at that time Lord Chaitanya said that I am going to flood everything with Kṛṣṇa prema but I am going to personally  preach and flood India. But later in distant land where there are very simple people may have escaped by mercy flood, I will send My senapati bhakta my commanding general devotee. He will come and he will flood the rest of the world with my sankirtan movement.

Śrīla Prabhupāda ki!!!

Jaya (audience Chant)

This is not something we are saying today this is recorded 450 years ago. This was revealed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Swaroop Damodar recorded and written down in the Chaitanya Mangal. So, this is something which is already there 450 years ago explaining that someone will come he will be senapati bhakta he will be a commanding general devotee he will come and he will deliver the rest of the world. And yet Srila Prabhupad always said that my responsibility is not to preach in India I was specifically given the responsibility to deliver the rest of the world. But he said I have to do something in India because how can I stand by and see India go down in spirituality when the rest of the world is becoming Kṛṣṇa Conscious more and more. This is special, personal thing I am doing although I have been ordered specifically to deliver the rest of the world.

Any other questions?

(Question inaudible) (59.34)

You remain doubtful about the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement.

(inaudible)

Why does one remain doubtful about the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement? Due to ignorance, due to lack of understanding we have doubts. You go in a dark room you feel doubtful where is the chair? Where is the bed? Where will I step on something. Due to lack of knowledge we have doubt and fear. You turn the light on there is no more fear. The only reason, the only thing separating someone from having full faith in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is full Knowledge. Therefore, it is so important to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just by reading alone we will not be able to digest all of the knowledge. Srila Prabhupada explained that by serving in devotional service this increases our spiritual appetite and digestive capacity to be able to digest the Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy. Digestion meaning to realize it. So, if someone has doubts it is due to the lack of understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lack of understanding maybe due to offences maybe due to being a neophyte, maybe due to various reasons, lack of proper understanding, lack of devotional service so on and so forth. But by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the process of sadhana bhakti then gradually all the doubts are eradicated and then we become fixed nishta, nistavan bhakta. We become a fixed-up devotee. We do not have any more doubts in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We fully believe that yes that Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is the solution for the world, is the greatest benediction of the Lord. We come to that understanding. That is the basic understanding one needs to be an empowered preacher to be, act as a spiritual master in the movement. One has to come up to the point of Nistavan, believing in the Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement.

Now there are many people who don’t have faith in the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. They are not nishtavan. And some of them they start to speculate and create their own concocted doctrine. So Bhaktisiddhanta thakur he explained when I was studying this one article about Vishwa Vaishnava raj Sabha. He re-inaugurated that 4 years after Bhaktivinod thakur disappeared from the planet and he said that so long as Bhaktivinod was in the planet everything was very nectarian. He kept away all the, he was fighting against all the bogus doctrines and he kept pulling at the lotus flower bud that was the flower of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s prema bhakti. But he found after he left that the preaching went on and that flower even blossomed more and it actually opened up and the fragrance started to spread far and wide and it started to uplift more and more people. But at the same time now you see that there are devotees who are not having faith in Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching so they are including their own speculation and in the dress of devotee they are preaching doctrines which are against the principles of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is actually, they are like insects, like worm trying to eat the lotus flower of Lord Chaitanya’s prema bhakti sankirtan movement and because of their attacking this lotus flower the stem is being hampered from spreading far and wide. So, all the sincere followers of Bhaktivinod Thakur, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur said that’s fine, we have to get rid of all these insects which are chewing on the lotus flower.