20180218 NMP Day 1 Addressing Hindi Party in Pratapa Nagar

The following is a talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 18^th, 2018. The talk was given to the Hindi Party during the Navadvīpa Maṇḍala Parikramā.

Jayapatākā Swami: I offer my obeisance’s to Śrīla Prabhupāda and all the previous ācāryas, to Lord Caitanya, to Nityānanda, to His associates, and Rādhā and Mādhava.

I hope you are all having an ecstatic time on Navadvīpa Parikramā.

Devotees: Haribol!!!

Jayapatākā Swami: Can you hear me?

Devotees: Haribol!!!

Jayapatākā Swami: Thank you. So, you are the first party to go to Navadvīpa dhāma. I hope that you will make a nice impression. I will ask how they like your kīrtana.

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Originally, Navadvīpa town was on the Eastern side of the Ganges, but the British mainly changed, so they shifted many things to the West, and that’s why we see the Lord Caitanya’s Deity, Jagannātha Bābājī’s [bhajana-kuṭira] on the western side of the Ganges; also, the Deity of Prauḍa Māyā.

The śāstra says that dhāma is protected by Vṛddha Śiva and Prauḍa Māyā, and Vṛddha Śiva is a form of Lord Śambhu, and in Navadvīpa if you want to enter deep in a realization of the holy dhāma (then) you need the mercy of Lord Śiva. Also, his wife, Devī, she protects the dhāma also. Her name is Prauḍa Māyā. So, when we go down the main street before you come Dhāmeśvara Mahāprabhu before that temple of Prauḍa Māyā. And, so the devotees pray to Prauḍa Māyā that she let them enter the spiritual…

Viṣṇupriyā, she carved the Deity from the original neem tree. What it is there now is not 500 old. And normally they charge to see the Deity; but [for] ISKCON they don’t charge because usually they get donations more than what they charge. Also, they have some mahā-prasāda, or mahā-bhoga, you can offer to the Deity.

So, in Navadvīpa, we were advised, these are the most important things for the devotees to see. Now when we go on a parikramā through the Navadvīpa – nine islands, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that it purifies the whole planet, and also the residents of this universe are all purified. All the holy places are manifested in the holy dhāma. But it depends on us how much we take shelter of the dhāma. That’s why every step is more valuable than all [inaudible] good effect. And we should be very grateful that the Lord manifested His dhāma here on earth, so that we all get spiritual blessings for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So, we are trying to also develop the holy dhāma which will make Lord Caitanya even more happy. So, the Navadvīpa-vāsīs were all very attached to Lord Caitanya. When you are chanting and dancing, it is certainly inspiring for them, but still there are those who look [inaudible] to criticize. So, I hope you all liking Navadvīpa dhāma parikramā.

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: How many are there in the Hindi party?

Devotees: [in Hindi] This year the number has increased.

Jayapatākā Swami: You are all coming from different parts of India. Thank you very much, daṇyavad, and you will reach camp first before all the other [parikramā parties]. I liked to be with you, but I am not released yet from the hospital. So, that’s why I am calling from here to give you some association.

Devotee: Haribol!