20130407 Talk

20130407 HH JAYAPATAKA SWAMIGURU MAHARAJ GAVE A TALK IN GUWAHATI, ASSAM, INDIA

This body was born in the USA but I have become an Indian citizen. Now I am speaking to you as an Indian citizen. 

Mukham karoti …

I would like to first offer my respect to Shri Janakivallabh Patnaik, the Governor of Assam, to Their Holinesses Dhir Damodar Swami and Bhakti Nityananda Swami, to our MLA Captain, Rabindra Bordlai, to Marici das and other members present here. I am very honored that Iskcon has organized this program to celebrate the universal brotherhood. As Marici das mentioned, this is a holy place and so it is very opportune to mention that this city of Pragyadishpur is mentioned in the Puranas. So regarding celebrating universal brotherhood, our founder acharya mentioned that if you want universal brotherhood, you should accept a universal father. That there is only one Supreme Personality of Godhead. As His Holiness Dhira Damodar Swami mentioned, He may be called by different names in different countries, whether Jehovah or Allah or Jagannath or Krishna, He is the same Lord and He is our well-wisher. There is a verse of Bhagavad Gita – bhoktaaram yagna tapasaam, sarva loka maheswaram, suhridam sarva bhutaanaam, gyatva mam shaanti mricchati. That if we understand this one Supreme Lord that He is the one who accepts all offerings of penance, prayer and He is the well-wisher of everyone. So our devotees are very eager to see these, those who are visiting here on the safari, they would like to see the spiritual places of Assam. Well, apart from that they are very happy to be here to present whatever they can for this great reunion. In this world there are the three modes of material nature. Satva, rajas and tamas. So tamo guna, they are happy when they see others suffer. And rajo guna, mode of passion, they are happy when they profit. And satva guna, they are happy when others are happy. And the Supreme Lord is pure goodness. So in the Krishna consciousness movement we are told that the great saints, they were para dukkha dukhi. They were sad to see others sad. Para sukha sukhi, they are happy to see others happy. So this night is to make all of you happy

So the Lord, He comes down as various avatars, like in a drama performance He comes and performs. 5000 years ago, He came down as Lord Krishna. He is the original Personality of Godhead. He also came in Treta yuga as Lord Rama. In every yuga, He comes. Sambhavaami yuge yuge. And He has unlimited forms like Varahadev, Nrsimhadev, Matsya avatar, unlimited. So He wants you all to be happy. 

500 years ago, He came as Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He took the role of a devotee and He was simply working for the transcendental bliss of everybody. Simply by saying His name one would feel love of Krishna. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, 5th Canto, Rishabhdev told brahma sowkhyam anantham, that spiritual happiness is unlimited. So, many people think that religion is a means to get material happiness. But we want to establish universal peace, universal brotherhood and unlimited happiness. One brahmana, he was angry that Lord Caitanya was chanting the names aloud. He said, I curse You to never have any material happiness. Lord Caitanya, He danced in ecstasy! Haribol! Because He did not want material happiness, He wanted unlimited spiritual happiness. 

One day He went to see Srivas Thakur. He said, Srivas, can I ask you a question? Srivas was a senior devotee or senior transcendentalist. People say that I have a disease, Lord Caitanya said. I want to confirm, do I have a disease or not? What are Your symptoms, Srivas asked. He said, whenever I chant Hare Krishna, tears come from My eyes, My hairs stand on end, My voice gets choked up, sometimes I get stunned and I fall unconscious. Like this I have so may symptoms, I cannot control, I laugh, I dance and I don’t care what people think! So, do I have a disease? Srivas said, yes, You have a disease. I also want that disease! You have the disease of love of Krishna! And Brahma, Shiva, they also want that disease. So that was the special message of Lord Caitanya that we should try to give people – spiritual, unlimited happiness. Today we have people from all over the world and show universal brotherhood, they want to make all of happy. And they are very honored that His Excellency the Governor is present here. So I won’t speak more because I want to hear His Excellency! I hope you all have a very nice night tonight!

(The Governor then delivered his speech)