20180406 Question and Answer Session

Guru Maharaja 

♪♪♪ mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram♪♪♪

Nitai Gaur Hari Bol !!

Gajapati Maharaj, he said that the Lord Jagannath is the Most Merciful. He was only known in Orissa. But he was made known all over the World by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami. I remember how Srila Prabhupada had made Lord Jagannath so famous. Lord Jagannath was the first deity of the Lord in ISKCON. Malati Devi Dasi, she brought Lord Jagannath to the temple. As soon as Prabhupada saw Lord Jagannath who was placed on his table, he bowed down and asked “Do they have two more deities like Him? One white face and one yellow face.” She said that there was a gift shop which had three – Black, White and Yellow. Srila Prabhupada said to bring all three. She brought Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra. In New York all the three deities were worshipped by Srila Prabhupada. And when I joined in San Francisco temple there were these three deities. And on the Rath Yatra Day I shaved up before the Rath Yatra. In Montreal we had the three deities - Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra. Also, the three deities were in Montreal and there was a Jagannath deity. So I used to cook for Lord Jagannath. Today Sita Janani, a dear disciple from Penang, Malaysia, she was 93 years old she left her body in Jagannath Puri temple. So I was reminded of these deities.

Prabhupada said that we should worship Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra. Prahupada told me to get the association of these deities in Jagannath Puri and he said that Lord Caitanya had predicted that his movement will reach every town and village and he said that people in Orissa now they have accepted Lord Caitanya as the Personality of God Head. So they should allow the devotees from different countries to enter into their temple. Otherwise it was offensive, since they knew who Lord Caitanya was, it should be no surprise that his prediction came true and that the devotees from all around the world were going to Jagannath Puri. So I went to the Administrator’s office in Puri and requested him to permit us to enter the temple. He seemed somewhat surprised and he suggested to talk to RamKrishna Mission. So I went there and the RamKrishna Mission had said that they are not the Gurus of Jagannath Puri temple and he told me to see the Shankaracharya. So I went to see Shankaracharya. He was on the Southern side of Jagannath Temple. He had a beautiful RadhaKrishna temple. I asked him if we can enter in Jagannath Puri temple. He said, “All you have to do is, to take 1 Kg burning ghee and drink it hot then you can go.” I said I will die. “Next birth you will be born as a Hindu.” That was not the exact solution, that I was looking for. I said, I thought there is no hope in talking to him. I mentioned that you have a beautiful RadhaKrishna deity. He said this is my Leela.

Devotees – Laughter

Guru Maharaja –

They are beautiful, but you are getting old. That is my Leela.

 I said everyone goes through that Leela.

Devotees – Laughter

Guru Maharaja –

Old age, disease, death. I bowed down and proceeded, but Prabhupada, he won’t give up. He told me that he had some God brothers who spent a long time in Jagannath Puri. So I talked to them and I learnt a little more. There is some assembly called the Mukti Mandap and they are the ultimate authorities of Jagannath Puri.

So today I was thinking how Prabhupada is so merciful and Sita Janani left her body in a sacred Dham of Shri Kshetra, how devotees visit Shri Kshetra, how we can see the places of Lord Gauranga’s past times and how they visit the temple and bathing places all around Jagannath Puri. Bhakti Purushottam Swami he takes a large group in Puri Parikrama. So somehow or other we need to fulfil this desire of Srila Prabhupada.

We hear that today is the last day of the Retreat for the South American ISKCON Leader’s Chorus. We hope that your experience has been fulfilling. This is a step forward where all the South American leaders are getting the maximum training. All Glories. Of course, this is an initiation. That means the beginning. And more and more devotees can increase so that South America becomes more organized and visionary.

I thank all the teachers for coming. I thank all the students for participating. I thank all those who contributed. I would like to be there and spend time. But due to health reasons I am not able to come. I thank Eknath Gaur Das and others who have put this together. All glories.

Tags – 3 deities, Sita Janani, Hindu, Mukti Mandap, South American ISKCON