19920424 Smṛti Vyāsa-pūjā Celebration

Following is a talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Maharāja on April 24^th, 1992 in Mathurādeśa. The talk was given at a Smṛti Vyāsa-pūjā Celebration.

Jayapatākā Swami: During that, dozens of managers are participating in the programs, the families. There is the children’s program. The next day we did a Harināma in Śrī Raṅgam, got a special darśana of the Raṅganātha Deity. Then did a program in Tirucirāppaḷḷi, then came back to Madras and did a program in T. Nagar in Madras and then came up to Bangalore and went to Melkoṭe and saw the Yoga Nṛsiṁha Deity and did Harināma there. And in Mysore, we had a Ratha-yātrā festival. And that previous, that ex-royal family member of Mysore, he inaugurated the first Ratha-yātrā in Mysore, a paṇḍāla program.

So, we had from Poland, Seoul, from communist countries, from Germany, from Austria, from England, from Italy, from various countries in South America, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, also from America, from Malaysia, Singapore, from various countries from all over the world they came. I took them on this tour so they could see the cultural areas of South India and then we had every evening – preaching programs. So, they liked, I am responsible for Eastern and Southern India as a Zonal Secretary, in addition to Southeast Asia and the Gulf but because I lived in Māyāpur, after that, because I lived in Māyāpur since nineteen seventy, so I learned Bengali language, I took about fifteen devotees to Bangladesh. We had programs in Bangladesh also and they came back for the celebrations in Māyāpur. So, everyone said they really enjoyed, got a deep experience visiting the holy places in South India.

And the South Indian brāhmaṇas and devotees, they are very enlivened to see devotees from all over the world chanting saṅkīrtana in the streets and holy places. In Bangladesh we had very big festivals. We had twenty thousand, thirty thousand people coming each day. One program was in Hārināgara, in Sātkhira district, in the Sundarbans. It is just at the border of the Sundarbans. There is one river and on the other side there are the tigers. So, one person, he did not come to the program. He went out in the forest to get honey and he was eaten by a tiger. So, his relatives are saying he should have gone. They are lamenting, “If he had only gone to the kīrtana, he would have been saved.” He went in the forest and he became tiger food. [Aside: What is the next program? Very good.]

Question: The chanting of the mahā-mantra. I hear it always said that you have said to repeat the japa some number of times. Say sixteen times for some levels. You have to do that to be successful, they say. Now I should like to know, is there any practical indication of that success in chanting the mahā-mantra? What do you feel? Is there any change in a person? What is the ratio in the measure of success in chanting the mahā-mantra?

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, it is just like if somebody eats a meal. How do you know when you are full? The person himself will know that when they are feeling satisfied, when they are full, they cannot eat anymore. When we chant, actually spiritually we feel satisfied. But that is at different levels, over a gradual period of time. But ultimately one will feel completely self-satisfied through the chanting. But in the Nectar of Devotion, as well as in the Madhya-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, also possibly in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, these levels of advancement through the chanting are documented.

That there are eight different levels that we go until we reach ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, or bhāva and then after that we need the mercy of the guru and Kṛṣṇa to get prema, which is the highest level of pure spiritual love. So, the different eight levels are śraddhā, sat-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti and bhāva. These are Sanskrit terms. I do not know if you understand. So, śraddhā means faith. The first day someone comes, they have faith, they chant, they listen. So, but… by that they get some interest and they want to come and associate with the devotees, help in some devotional service. So, coming and discussing and associating with the devotees is the next level. That is called sat-saṅga.

Then from there one comes to the level of bhajana-kriyā. Then bhajana-kriyā means the activities of bhajana, chanting rounds, doing the pūjās, eating the prasāda. There are many activities we can do in devotional service. Activities are known in Sanskrit as kriyā. So, bhajana-kriyā means the activities of devotional service, done in a more regulated manner. Sporadically one may be doing in the first stages, but when one is doing it as a regular practice, that is called the bhajana-kriyā level.

So, actually if somebody is fully awakened, they will want to chant all of the time. But because we are not in the habit yet, so, therefore counting how many times we chant, this is a very good system to ensure that we chant a minimum amount. Ofcourse simply the numbers is not sufficient. We should also try to improve the quality also. Just mechanically chanting will not give as much effect as if we chant very attentively. But counting definitely helps. It is a recommended process that if we individually chant some japa and count, it is considered a very great sacrifice. In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa said, yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ‘smi [Bg. 10.25] that of all sacrifices, chanting this japa, counting the names, is the highest of all the sacrifices. There are many reasons for that. Of course, in the scripture it says that we should recommend, we should chant a hundred thousand times the names of Kṛṣṇa in a day. But that one hundred thousand times is about sixty-four rounds. And that is like for great sannyāsīs and persons who do not do anything else practically, it takes about six hours to chant that much, six to eight hours. That is a whole job in itself. So, previously the great yogīs, bhakti-yogīs, they would chant throughout the day. Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant three hundred thousand names a day. Day and night he would chant. He would only sleep one hour a day. It is a liberated stage.

So, our Gurudeva, he saw that in this present day and age, people are not able to chant so many times Hare Kṛṣṇa and remain fixed. Their mind becomes very restless. So, he said that if somebody is fully practicing devotional service, chanting sixteen mālās or twenty-five thousand times Hare Kṛṣṇa in a day, then he guaranteed that under the guidance of a bona-fide guru, they would be able to reach Godhead. There would be no doubt about that. They could easily reach Godhead with that amount of devotional activity. Of course one may reach with less also. Even if you chant one time Hare Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, that can save you but if we are practicing every day, naturally at the time of death we will also chant. Otherwise, possibility of chanting is less.

So, if you pay your full premium, then there is no doubt. If you pay half premium, little more risk is there. So, at least something, if someone does, that is helpful. In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt [Bg. 2.40] Even if one does a small practice of dharma, that can save us from the greatest danger but if you want to be guaranteed success, then it is better to follow some proper guru who gives a system whereby we are guaranteed success. So, anyway, all these fit within the bhajana-kriyā. Then simultaneously as we are chanting, we are getting more strength, we are getting a more spiritual understanding.

Then at the same time as we are advancing, we should try to get rid of the various things which might be obstacles in our path. Say someone is habituated to drinking, he should give up gradually drinking. Maybe he does not have enough willpower to do it initially. But by chanting and building up his spiritual strength, he can give up all types of unwanted habits. He can regulate his life easier because he is getting some spiritual happiness, some peace of mind. So, he does not need these other crutches, like intoxication and gambling and so on. So, you get rid… the next stage is that one gets the strength to get rid of unwanted things. In the beginning, if you say to someone, “You give up all these things,” they might say, “Oh, how can I do that?” They become frightened, you see. So, first it is more important they build up their spiritual strength, they chant, they take the prasāda, they hear the classes. And then naturally as they get more strength, they can give up these unwanted things. It is almost second nature. “Why am I wasting my time with these things? I do not need anymore.” So, that is the next level. That is the fourth level. It is anartha-nivṛtti.

The fifth level is niṣṭhā. Once you get rid of the bad habits, you are keeping on with your bhajana-kriyā, your activities in devotional service, you become very fixed. That time you become really strong in devotional service and you become fully convinced. At that time, it is very hard to move someone from the devotional path. They get a very profound understanding and their devotional service increases a lot. Their enthusiasm increases. So, they go on doing more devotional service very regularly, very fixed, getting up in the morning, chanting, everything, offering their food, regulating their family activity. All the things are very regulated, person is feeling very peaceful.

So, what happens, they start to get a deeper taste. They actually start to feel great inner happiness. So, that is called ruci. They are really getting a taste in the spiritual life. So, that very constant taste. Occasionally you might get a taste in the earlier stage also. But it is a constant taste, a constant nectarian taste through the devotional activities. That comes in the level called ruci, where it is a constant taste. That taste will increase more until one becomes very attached to Kṛṣṇa. They cannot think, “How can I live without Kṛṣṇa? How can I live without chanting?” Now they will not think, “Why I have to chant?” They think, “How can I live without doing all these things? Without this, I will die.” Or something like that. They will feel very much attached. So, that attachment is called āsakti, being attached to Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. You see, That is a very advanced level.

And then that attachment further increases and one gets ecstasy in love for Kṛṣṇa. Ecstatic love. That means that tears come in the eyes naturally. The hairs are standing on end. The voice chokes. Sometimes one becomes stunned. One might faint. One laughs uncontrollably. There is shivering in the body. Hairs standing on end. It is called aṣṭa-sāttvika-bhāva, eight ecstatic symptoms. These are not to be imitated or artificially manifested. But by devotional service, they will automatically come in the advanced levels. And that is happiness. Unlimited happiness, more than this impersonal liberation or anything, unlimited – that happiness makes all material happiness look like just nothing at all.

Then from that happiness, from that ecstatic love, then one can come to pure love, called prema. The first eight levels you can get by your own endeavour. With the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa you can progress very steadily, one after another. So, all these things are very… I am just saying in a nutshell. These are already clearly documented. What are the symptoms on each level? How will you know which level you are on when you are chanting? This detailed explanation is also there. What are the symptoms? Internal symptoms that you can see in yourself. External symptoms you can see in others.

Actually, bhakti-yoga is a science. It is a very systematic process. And you can see in yourself how you are advancing. What are the symptoms that should be coming on each stage? He is asking a very good question. But of course, the science is one that you are doing, like the experimental laboratory is yourself. It is actually you do not have to experiment. All the experiments have been done. You are not researching anything new. But for yourself it is new. You are just repeating the same experiment that so many others have done before and achieved success. And they have already documented on each level, “This is what we saw, this is what we experienced.” And others behind them, they also followed the same procedure. They got the same results. So, it is not, you see, an experimental process or some process which is not proven. It is a proven process. But I am just giving like as an example that for us it is a new experience. It is at each level. But what we can expect, we can get an explanation and what we can recognize when we are on that level. Is that all right?

Devotee: Very satisfying, Prabhu. Now I can see that as you referred to it, reciting the mahā-mantra strengthens this all. Not only the dropping of bad habits, but also the development of love. Love the highest, as you said. And then this love is something maybe that we can see in what we do every day to our family, to our associates in the office, to, you know, it is something that can be seen, you know, this love, because it has to be done.

Jayapatāka Swami: When you develop your love for Kṛṣṇa, naturally you become a friend of everyone because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart. And so naturally then you, the effect should be that you deal with your family better, with your friends better, with your office people better. Of course, sometimes someone may be a very neophyte. He is just starting, and then he may not always be able to keep the balance. So, sometimes he may not act perfectly. Then someone will criticize, “Oh, he is a devotee, he acted like that.” That makes him more angry. That day we have to expect in the beginning we may make so many mistakes. The path of perfection is going to be filled with certain tests. And even if we trip or we fail one test, that is a good lesson for us to pass it the next time. You see, there is no limit how many times you can take the same test. You can always go back for re-examination and you will be re-examined until you pass each level. Once you pass it, then after that, passing it again is no problem.

Once you have already passed the exam, then if they want to give you the same exam, what is the problem? There is no more any test at all. You have already passed that level. So, gradually we find that in Vṛndāvana or in these holy places, the Six Gosvāmīs, they were described that they became so dear, they were dear even to the ruffian people, even to the anti-social people, they are very dear, even to the saintly people and the godly people, they were dear to everyone.

A devotee naturally becomes a friend to everyone because he does not have anything to exploit anyone for, he does not have any other motive. Of course, that we can fully see when a devotee, you know, is leading in a more sāttvika life. If a devotee has to act, for instance, his dharma is to do business or his dharma is to be a warrior, so you will not be able to see that in the battlefield or in the business area, to the same extent you could see in the environment of a purely sāttvika or mode of goodness environment.

But those who have the vision, they can see that even if someone is doing business, if their intention is ultimately through this business, “Let me serve Kṛṣṇa,” then you see that they avoid unnecessary entanglements, they go to the less, they will not take unnecessary risks and so that will free them from a lot of anxieties and they will also be able to deal better. Although to do business means you have to do certain things, to do… if a person is a government worker, he has to do certain things. So, that according to their activities, they will do their duty and within their duty, they will also excel, they will show tremendous good qualities.

But because we are living in an environment, for instance, the world today is not so devotional. Like there was one disciple I had in Madras and he was very enthusiastic, he was a director of an ink factory, so after taking initiation, he started wearing tilaka and shaving his hair with śikhā. I said, “Being a gṛhastha, you do not have to do that, you do not have to shave your hair, wear this large śikhā, because you are doing business.” Now the world is a little more agnostic. But he said, “No, no, I want to do like this.” But then he found, because he was in charge of sales, that his customers were trying to cheat him. They thought, “Well, he is a sādhu, so it means he is a very honest person, we can cheat him.” So, he was facing a lot of difficulties. So, then after some time, he followed my advice and he grew his hair a little bit and he was not so externally showing all these things. And then the people were respecting him more, because people are more materialistic today. If you show too much devotion, instead of respecting, instead they think, “How I can cheat you?” It is a very unfortunate situation in the world. So, we have to deal according to time, place and circumstance.

One of the principles of devotional service is very practical. But one of the principles Śrīla Prabhupāda taught is, “Utility is the principle.” So, according to the situation, we have to act. If we are in such a country, where there are various environments, we have to act according to that environment, according to the time, the place, the circumstance. Say we are travelling, there may be some exceptions that are allowed, but under normal circumstances, those are not allowed. When we are travelling, we can buy some vegetarian food outside, but if we are in a house, we should cook and offer to the Deity. We should not buy from outside, generally speaking. Like that, there may be some exceptional things that we can do in certain places and times.

So, that is why this science, one needs a guru, one needs a guide to learn this science. The scriptures are here. These have been very nicely written by our Founder in English language and translated in Tamil and other languages also, so that people can read and understand how to practically practice this. Actually, I have one disciple of mine in Peru. He was before very angry, and sometimes he would get arguments with his wife but after being a devotee, his wife told me, “Now he is much more peaceful. Before, sometimes I would get frightened, he would maybe hit me or something. At first, I thought that not such a change was there, but now I see, after a couple of years, now he never mistreats me in any way, and he is very nice and gentle. And so now, I am also now chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. I got inspired by my husband.” So, in various ways, we have heard people give their testimonies, how it has changed their lives. So, but why listen to others? You can also try yourself and see what experience you get. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Vijaya Veṇu-gopāla dāsa: […] Let me, and all the devotees here, take shelter of your boundless mercy. Your useless servant, Vijaya Veṇu-gopāla.

Prema Padminī devī dāsī: [begins with her offering of Vyāsa-pūjā homage to Śrīla Guru Mahārāja]

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. On this most glorious and auspicious day of Vyāsa-pūjā, I beg to offer my homage to you. Even though I am most unqualified and unworthy to do so, still your mercy is infinite, which is my only hope. Dear Śrīla Ācāryapāda, how can we understand your greatness, your compassion to deliver all the fallen souls? We are only reminded of Bhakta Prahlāda. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Seven, Chapter Nine, Text Forty-four, Prahlāda Mahārāja says to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva:

prāyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kāmā
maunaṁ caranti vijane na parārtha-niṣṭhāḥ
naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa eko
nānyaṁ tvad asya śaraṇaṁ bhramato ‘nupaśye
[ŚB 7.9.44]

“My dear Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himālayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.”

Dear father, how liberal and magnanimous is your outlook on fallen conditioned souls like us. You must be so dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva and Śrīla Prabhupāda. We beg you, dear Ācāryapāda, please bless us that we may follow you very sincerely. Dear Ācāryapāda, your every visit to Muscat has enriched us, strengthened us in our battle against Māyā. In fact, you are the only victory banner which is carrying our faith through. Dear father, it is only by your mercy and blessings that we are able to serve you more and more. We would love to have you here oftener, since just by your presence and association, all our doubts are vanquished and our determination to serve you and Kṛṣṇa is enhanced. O dear Vaiṣṇava, how fortunate are the souls to have your darśana. We wish that more and more souls can come under the shelter of your lotus feet.

As we battle with our baser natures and try to serve you more and more, please dear father, be with us, strengthen us, guide us and protect us. Only your blessings and instructions can elevate us from our fallen states and give us the ultimate benediction of kṛṣṇa-prema, which is what you said will please you most. Dear Ācāryapāda, we offer our humble obeisances to you again. Please bless us that we may completely depend on your mercy and follow your instructions perfectly and serve you eternally.

Your ever-loving servant,

Prema Padminī devī dāsī

* * *

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

namo oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmī iti nāmine

Vighna-nāśa Govinda dāsa: Dearest Gurudeva, I beg to humbly submit this Vyāsa-pūjā offering at your lotus feet with your blessings,

The days were dark, in the ocean of sharks,
Barbed by the locks of impersonal fogs,

Stocked with racks of sinful packs,
Cruised in the docks of sensual sacks,

Heard someone tapping my back,
Kind like father and loving like mother,

Made me look at the track of cracks,
Soft in words and gentle in approach.

Fool was I, to not look back,
Till I faced a thrashing face,

With mercy as force and blessing as shower,
Made me awake and shone the light.

It is none but my beloved Guru Mahārāja, Aṣṭottara-śata-śrī Śrīmad Jayapatākā Swāmī Ācāryapāda, who dragged this fool from the darkest pool to the blissful shining light of Kṛṣṇa. I pay my humble obeisances unto his lotus feet, again and again and again, endlessly. He is the ocean of knowledge, filled with nectar of the pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He showers the whole world unlimited mercy and delivers the fallen souls eternally and causelessly. He risks his life for making our life perfect in path which leads to the Lord. How is that we could give them back, for that he has done for me and my family.

I am totally unfit to do any service unto His Grace or any of them up the line unto the Lord, without his causeless mercy. Therefore, I beg for your mercy with ananta-koṭi daṇḍavats at your lotus feet, to let me serve you with all my heart eternally under your order. I am at your doorstep as a menial servant, although with no qualifications at all, begging for your order and wishes to remain there forever and serve you as you desire.

Trying to be your humble servant,

Vighna-nāśa Govinda dāsa.

* * *

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

namo oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmī iti nāmine

Bhakta Rāja-gopāla: To My Dearest Śrīla Ācāryapāda,

Blind was my vision and ignorant was I,

Path was dark which made me cry.

Caught in the arms of death and birth,

That embraced this whole material earth.

Bed of thorns on which I slept,

And tears of blood I wept.

Struggled in pain under Māyā’s grip,

With lust in me and ego as a whip.

Felt I alone amongst many and all,

My riches were not worth a penny at all.

Free I thought and stride was I,

And sank into this ocean without any pause.

Deserted I was in this material world,

Until I got your hands to hold.

I could see you showered on this fallen soul,

Who wandered around without any goal.

Your lotus-like eyes are beautiful to see,

And would make even Māyā flee.

Just make one glance at me,

From all the miseries would I become free.

Heart of my hearts you always stay,

With torch of knowledge you show me the way.

Ended those nights which gave birth today,

O merciful Lord, how would I repay?

Enlightened the world by your moon-like face,

And set every town spiritually ablaze.

Melted many hearts which were like stone,

Uprooted from minds the weeds that had grown.

As a tree that bears fruits and gives us shade,

Through heat and storm it would wane.

Enjoyed I the spiritual fruits you gave,

And from storms of Māyā I got shade.

Dust of your lotus feet I would smear,

And of your glories I would hear,

Thus become free from all kinds of fear.

O Lord, to me you are so dear.

Meaning: “I was blinded by the illusion and was ignorant. The path seemed dark and in pain and made me cry. Added to this I was caught in the vicious circle of birth and death which revolves in this material world. Day after day I felt as though I was sleeping on a bed of thorns and I shed tears of blood. Māyā was whipping me with lust, ego and envy and I struggled in pain. Even though in this material world there were many, yet I felt alone. The real miseries of life could not be removed with all the money I had.

As I was drowning in this material ocean, I went for temporary solution, just like catching a straw thinking it to be a log of wood to save myself. I was deserted in this world and was wandering around without any aim. You extended your arms to hold. What to say about the mercy you showed on this fallen soul. Your eyes are like the petals of the lotus flower that had just bloomed and even the powerful Māyā could not withstand and would run. O Lord, please just glance on me once and I would get myself rid of all the miseries of life.

Deep in my heart you are and with the knowledge as torch you show me the way. All my ignorance like those darkest nights that were haunting me ended and knowledge as bright day was born. O Lord, you are so merciful and I do not know how to repay and I would always remain indebted to you. By your face which is like a full moon, you enlightened this whole world and, in every town, and village you go, you would set it ablaze by the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have melted many hearts which were like stones and from the minds you have uprooted the evils which are like the weeds that had grown.

Just like a tree that bears fruits and gives us shade wading through storms, heat and so on, I am enjoying the spiritual fruits which you distribute and under your shelter I get saved from the strong attacks of Māyā. With the dust of your lotus feet. I would smear my body and I would always hear your glories by which I would get purified and get free from all kinds of fear. O Lord, you are so dearest to me.

A most fallen servant of yours,

Bhakta Rāja-gopāla.

* * *

namo oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmī iti nāmine

Devotee: I offer my humble obeisances unto my beloved spiritual master Śrīla Ācāryapāda. I can offer some of my offerings to Śrīla Ācāryapāda that he is very merciful and this mercy is limitless. I could really experience this during my tour with him at Māyāpur and all through South India. Of course, he was so merciful that he had given me many personal services which I was really very much happy to do it. And I sincerely pray to Kṛṣṇa and Gaurāṅga that I perform much more services to my beloved spiritual master without any mistake.

He is also so glorious and his glories have been spread all through the nook and corner of the world. I could hear this when I was with him during his tour. When I visited Jagannātha Purī, I could meet Māyāpur-candra Prabhu who was the temple president there in the Purī temple. And he was telling me, rather he was telling everyone about the glories of Śrīla Ācāryapāda. He was telling one incident that happened in Śrī Raṅgam. There was a brāhmaṇa who was very pious and at one night he had a dream that some Western sannyāsī was giving Bhāgavatam class or some preaching to many disciples. And he was just pondering over it as to who it is. Then he had left it.

Then sometime afterwards Ātmananda Prabhu, who has now, rather has translated Bhagavad-gītā into Tamil, that Prabhu had gone on his preaching mission and he happened to meet that brāhmaṇa. So, that brāhmaṇa had expressed his dream to this Ātmananda Prabhu. Then he could not identify because he could tell only Western devotees and he could not figure out as to who it was. And while he was preaching, a small photograph fell from the books which he was having. And immediately the brāhmaṇa could spot out, “Oh, this is the person with whom I had dreamt of.” It was nothing but Śrīla Ācāryapāda. All glories to Śrīla Ācāryapāda! Jaya!

And another incident also he was telling that it has been written in some scriptures that Jagannātha Purī temple, the main temple which is not so far in the hands of ISKCON, but in due course of time it will be taken over by ISKCON. I pray to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that I am able to perform all services and execute my beloved spiritual master’s orders without any mistake and with all full desire so that I am able to please my spiritual master. Jaya Śrīla Ācāryapāda! Hare Kṛṣṇa.

* * *

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

namo oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmī iti nāmine

Devotee: […] Śrīla Ācāryapāda, I am just trying to translate whatever I could understand. I am not very good in Bengali. No, our Bhakta Prabhu was just describing the importance of having a Prabhu, teacher. Spiritual master is always required in the lifetime. And if we have a spiritual master, he can torch the light and liberate us out of the births and deaths. And we have been taking life after life and getting entangled in the Māyā and having this kāma, krodha and all sorts of enemies which take us away from the spiritual path. But if we have a spiritual guru, and Śrīla Ācāryapāda is the only guru who can liberate us, who can show us the path how we can get out of these births and deaths. And Śrī Kṛṣṇa has, through the disciplic succession, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and after Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīla Ācāryapāda has come. So, only Śrīla Ācāryapāda can show us how we can do the chanting of,

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

So, we keep on chanting this, and in this Kali-yuga, only this nāma-saṅkīrtana is the process. You just keep on chanting Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, all these three. Just keep on chanting and do keep on doing devotional service to Śrīla Ācāryapāda with full devotion. Then we can just think of… just expect something to get out of these births and deaths. And I think that is what Bhakta has told.

And I would like to pay my obeisances to Śrīla Ācāryapāda, and I did not prepare any note. But I was in total Māyā before coming to you and just by coming to know about you, I am at least trying to get rid of all these things. But it is very difficult because I am the most useless servant. But I have a wish in my life that I should be totally devoted to you and I should be with you and nothing else. I hope with your mercy I will be able to do it at least one day in my lifetime. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Haribol.

* * *

Devotees: We have all, everyone has gathered together. We wish to offer you a guru-dakṣiṇā which is on behalf of all the devotees of Muscat-yātrā. Please accept this small offering. Jaya Śrīla Ācāryapāda! Jaya! Haribol!

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda mādhavaṁ śrī-caitanya īśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatāka Swami: So, it is customary on the appearance day of the guru in the Vaiṣṇava tradition in our disciplic succession that we worship the guru as a representative of Lord Vyāsadeva. Since a guru, whatever he speaks is to be backed up by the śāstra, he is a living example of the Bhāgavata. Bhāgavata explains that there is person Bhāgavata and book Bhāgavata. Bhāgavata means that which is in relation to Bhagavān. So, the book which is explaining about Bhagavān is called Bhāgavata. And the devotee who is surrendered to the lotus feet of Bhagavān, who is serving the Lord, he is also called Bhāgavata or sometimes mahā-bhāgavata, great devotee.

So, in the other Advaita-sampradāyas, they observe Guru-pūrṇimā. But in the Vaiṣṇava tradition, they observe on the appearance day of the guru. Of course, the appearance day was on Ekādaśī after Rāma-navamī. And that was observed in Māyāpur. But here some of the devotees, they wanted the opportunity, since they could not all be present at that ceremony, they want the opportunity to read out their offerings and to observe some of the, remember some of the qualities of the guru and the ceremony of Vyāsa-pūjā in his presence. So, we call this Vyāsa-pūjā-smṛti, remembering the Vyāsa-pūjā.

So, as on Vyāsa-pūjā, we are accepting these offerings on behalf of the disciplic succession. The principle is that in order to serve Kṛṣṇa, we need to serve the devotee of the Lord. Kṛṣṇa has explained in the Purāṇas that those devotees who claim to be His devotee are not His true devotees, but those who are actually serving His devotee. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He explained,

nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vana-stho yatir vā
kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-pūrṇāmṛtābdher
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
[Cc. Madhya 13.80]

That I am not a vipra, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not a śūdra. Then what, who am I then? gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ, that I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the master of the gopīs, of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That this is my identity.

So, this identity is a very big question. Just like we ask people, “Where do you come from?” Some people are coming from India, from South, from North, from East, from West. Some are coming from Bangladesh, some are coming from America, from England, from various other countries in the world. So, generally we tend to identify that “I am this, this is who I am.” “I am a Bengali, I am an Indian, I am a Chinese, an American, a Russian.” But actually, these are… as we discussed this morning, these are identifications of the body. Body is related to a particular place. But actually, we are not the body.

All the transcendentalists of all schools in India accept ahaṁ brahmāsmi principle, that I am a spirit. So, the spirit is not connected with the body. Spirit is going from body to body, birth after birth. So, then, the one understanding is, “All right, I am a spirit soul. This is my identity.” But then, that is only seeing the spirit without understanding what is the whole picture. If we see what is the relationship of the part with the whole. Well, this is a spirit, this is a part. There are many spirits. So, what is the relationship of this ātmā with the material world, with the Lord? So, then we come to the understanding that the spirit soul is actually the servant of the Lord. So, that is why Lord Caitanya explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī that – jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108] that svarūpa, or the actual identity of the soul, is to be the servitor of Kṛṣṇa.

Then that is further understood that there are so many great personalities, to be a servitor of Kṛṣṇa is a very great thing – Rādhārāṇī, Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, Arjuna, these are not ordinary souls. To be directly a servitor of the Lord is the most exalted position. Just like in many countries you do not see the head of state. You may see his photo, you may hear about him, see in the newspaper. Rarely you can see the head of state. But those who are the intimate assistants to the head of state, his ministers, his personal assistants, aide-de-camp, they have to also have certain qualities to be able to relate with that person. They have to also naturally be of very high calibre. Otherwise, they will not be able to do such a responsible service and to be able to exchange with such a great person.

So, they also give a lot of respect, like if an ambassador comes as representative of the country, he is also given all the respect due to the country. So, guru is like the ambassador of Kṛṣṇa. He is coming in the disciplic succession from Vyāsa, from Madhva, from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and from Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī and Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda. So, therefore, the guru is also offered all respects like one would offer to Kṛṣṇa because he is the ambassador of the spiritual world, he is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is the external manifestation of the Lord. Kṛṣṇa gives His mercy through the via media of the guru.

It is like the government may give out welfare through the welfare ministry or health and welfare ministry. So, generally people, they like the welfare ministry, no problem. But not everybody likes the police ministry. Those who are honest citizens, they may like the police if they are protecting them from the thieves. But those who are thieves, they do not like the police. So, in the universal arrangement, there are many ministries like you have Yamarāja. Yamarāja is not equally appreciated by everyone. For the great devotees, they do not mind, Yamarāja is also another devotee. They are not afraid of death. But for many ordinary people who are misbehaving, the thought of Yamarāja is not so appealing. They are not eager to go to their judgement at the present time.

You see, but the guru is another department. He is simply there to give out the welfare, give out the mercy and by the guru’s mercy, one will never have to see Yamarāja in his angry mood. One only has to go before Yamarāja if one has done the various sinful activities of life. And therefore, Yamarāja has to give out some appropriate reactions. But by doing devotional service, one is freed from all the karmas and one can go to the spiritual world or one can even meet the devas, but not in a negative sense, but in another positive sense that they are appreciating that, “You have served the Lord.” So, the way that we understand about devotional service is through the mercy of the guru. And the śāstra explains, gurum evābhigacchet [Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12] That it is absolutely essential that we should have a guru. In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa explains: [Aside: What is that verse in the Gītā?]

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
[Bg. 4.34]

That we need to ‘praṇipātena’ – surrender to a guru, ‘paripraśnena’ – to offer questions to the guru, ‘sevayā’ – to serve the guru, and ‘upadekṣyanti’ – to follow the instructions of the guru. So, we follow the rules given by the guru because guru has seen the truth. The guru may directly see the truth or he may be revealed the truth by his guru and he has realised it by practically applying it.

So, the guru has a function to understand the śāstra, to live by the śāstra, to instruct others in the śāstra and to, in this way, disseminate the mercy of the Lord to everyone. So, disciples are offering their worship to the guru. Sometimes this is not appreciated. Why should… Apparently, a man is being worshipped. “Why should someone worship a man? You should only worship God.” You hear people say like that. But we are not worshipping guru as a man but as an institution. The guru is an institution of the Lord’s mercy. He is a svarūpa, he is a representative. So, in that sense, he is being worshipped, not as a great man.

Although the devotees, they may appreciate some quality in their guru, there is a way that they can meditate and see the greatness of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy and that builds their faith. So, they offer sometimes Vyāsa-pūjā offerings purely on the philosophy, sometimes about their appreciation of the mercy of the guru on them, sometimes some quality of the guru which has inspired them, or sometimes about their intention of serving the guru in a better way. Various ways or types of offerings are given. Of course, the offerings should all be according to sādhu and śāstra.

I do not know, Jagannātha Purī there are some predictions that devotees, certain devotees will worship that temple. But I never heard that my name was mentioned as the first thing. I do not know if it mentions any name. It just says that the hands of the pūjā will shift in the future. There is some prediction given by some sādhu or some saint or some local śāstra. Anyway, these things we have to always see, what is the actual śāstric evidences. But apart from that, disciples, they may also get so much inspiration from the qualities of their guru.

So, we observe that on the guru’s appearance day. Since you could not be here, be there, some devotees wanted to offer that today. So, this is a special Vyāsa-pūjā-smṛti. These principles are very clear. The guru takes the responsibility for the disciple, all the karmas of the disciple, also the responsibility of the guru to clear away. Therefore, the disciple is very careful to follow the orders of the guru. The guru’s responsibility is to reach the disciple back to Kṛṣṇa. So, guru and Kṛṣṇa are working hand in hand – they are one team effort. Kṛṣṇa is in the heart also guiding and guru is outside guiding. But we are not so pure that we can understand what Kṛṣṇa is telling us in the heart all of the time. So, we need to get this verified by the guru.

So, if we have guru, then there is no need of any fear. We can always act in such a way that we are free from the karmic reactions, that we are doing proper devotional service. So, someone has a guru, that means he is protected and he does not have anything to fear in life as long as he follows the instructions of guru. So, guru is also following his guru, that guru is following his guru and this is called the system of guru-paramparā.

So, this is a primordial system, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2] The knowledge is handed down through the guru-paramparā. So, if anyone wants to know about Kṛṣṇa, then one has to approach the guru-paramparā. Otherwise just discussing it with another person is of no use. This is not authoritative. This is a science which is a great eternal science which is handed down and it has to be learned from the previous masters. And in this way, one can understand. So, thank you, I am accepting these offerings as being offered to Kṛṣṇa through me. [Haribol!] May Kṛṣṇa bless all of you with His mercy. [Jaya Śrīla Ācāryapāda!] Hare Kṛṣṇa.