20200112 Evening Darśana

mukam karoti vacalam pangum langayate girim
yat kripa tam aham vande sri gurum dina tarinam
paramananda madhavam sri caitanya isvaram

Had a meeting with the Temple of Vedic Planetarium Exhibits. People from New Zealand, Australia, India, England participated. So we are trying to present the philosophy of the Vedas, the Puranas, in a scientific way. Srila Prabhupada wanted to show the people in general, and the scientists, that the Puranas are good science. And that the observable reality that the scientists are not able to see with the telescopes, had been predicted long ago in the Vedas. So if they can believe in the things that are observable, then what to speak about the things they cannot observe? They should accept that. So, in the Bhagavatam it describes about Goloka Vrndavana and Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. But scientists have no way to tell that. Even they send a spacecraft, the Voyager, to the next galaxy, and they will radio back if there is life there, in ten thousand years! So you wait up for that! Ha! Ha! We won’t live beyond a hundred! But in the Vedas it is described that there is life on every planet and that they have different dimensions and different ecology. Just like in the ocean, there was a fissure that produced ammonia gas. That any ordinary fish that swam in that gas, they die immediately. Just like we would. We cannot breathe ammonia. But there were fish who breathed ammonia and live in that gas. If they swam out, they died! So like that, we may think that oh, like there can be no life on Venus, because they have some gas. Or it is too hot. But the Vedas say that even in the sun, there is life! They have bodies made of fire and the Sun god. He is very effulgent! The king of the sun planet. In the Vedas say that at the end of every day of Brahma there is a destruction of the sun. And he goes to sleep, then he wakes up, he creates the sun and all the planets again. The scientists are trying to figure out how long our sun will last. They said 5 to 8 billion years. The Vedas say, 4.7 or 5, I forget. So the Vedas have a good chance. One day the scientists may catch up! Ha! We are not against science but we are just saying the Vedas, the Puranas, they should also be referred to. I was present at a symposium or congress organized by Swarup Damodar maharaj. And one of the speakers present was a physicist who had received a Nobel prize for his discovery in Physics. He said, twenty years ago if you said I would be sitting with religionists, I would say you were crazy! But today, I am here because in Physics we discovered that consciousness is there!! And we don’t know anything about consciousness. But you may know, so we are here to know from you about consciousness! You see, Srila Prabhupada was speaking to my purva ashrama mother and he was telling her that, you are the living force in your body. And when your living force leaves the body, the body is dead. And the living force is the consciousness. So, like that, we want people to understand, what is life? And how they can succeed in achieving the perfection of life. 

So today we have many devotees here who are taking initiation. That means they are connecting with Radha and Krsna through the guru parampara. They have dedicated themselves to practice bhakti yoga. This is very important. You see, practicing bhakti yoga is a very serious business. Of course, any yoga is serious. But bhakti yoga, you can achieve success in this one lifetime. And to do that, one has to be committed. So, one accepts the spiritual master as a representative of the guru parampara and Krsna and so in that way, they offer their service to the guru and he offers it to his guru, and he offers it to his guru, and in this way it reaches to Krsna. Some people have taken shelter and I have accepted them. But, there may be some formality that they have to complete. Those who are taking initiation today, they went through all the formalities. We have two levels of initiation – first level we call the first initiation. Ha! In that, you see that according to the previous acaryas’ system, there are several things which are done at the time of initiation. Though some sampradayas and some missions do it differently. But the way that Srila Prabhupada divided it was, that some of the things are done in the first initiation, and some of them are done in the second initiation. In the first, we get beads, we get name, we sit in the yagna, we take certain vows. And then, they get a spiritual name. Some people just get the beads and then they get the rest of the things in the second initiation. They call the first initiation Harinam and second as diksa. But Srila Prabhupada did two diksas – part in the first and part in the second. So it is a bit different. So in the second initiation, we receive a secret mantra which is SECRET! I cannot say that to you, only to them! Sorry for my sense of humor! But this second initiation brings you closer to the spiritual master, and allows you to worship the installed deities. So they get the secret mantra. So who sat in the yagna today for taking first initiation? You took your vows before the fire? The four regulative principles and the chanting of the minimum japa, 16 rounds? And you will help me with fulfilling some of the instructions that Srila Prabhupada gave me? And those who sat in the yagna for the second initiation? So you reconfirm your vows of the first initiation? Yes! Thank you! After I speak we will give the beads out and the names. So prior to initiation, we have some trial steps. When one takes aspiring, they want to take initiation in the future. And there are no vows for the preliminary steps. Just that they are going to try. And to take aspiration, one should be at least 8 years old and chanting at least one round. And been in contact with the movement for a year or more. And one may chant more but they don’t chant 16 rounds for six months. Then we have shelter, we call guru asraya. In that, they are chanting 16 rounds for six months and they basically follow the regulative principles. But they don’t need to take a vow, it is just a trial. They will see if they are, by serving the spiritual master, they see if they have made the right choice or not. And in these preliminary steps, one can change. It is allowed. So we have these two preliminary and two initiations. For the initiated devotees, anything you do, you are connected to the spiritual master. You do good things, good for him. If you break the principles, it is bad for him. It is a heart to heart connection! So Srila Prabhupada said, please don’t make me take birth again! He wanted the devotees to go back to Godhead. If you want to birth again, and again and again and again, don’t take initiation! Ha! Ha! If you want to go back to Godhead, and serve Krsna, then it makes sense! 

So, you see Lord Caitanya was known as Nimai Pandit. And He was the greatest of Navadvip, which was a city of scholars. So, He came in disguise, although He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He acted like an ordinary priest or father (?) Then He went to perform pindi for His father, the final rites of His deceased father in Gaya. There are eleven Gayas. One is Bodh Gaya where Lord Buddha meditated and had realization. And one is Visnu Gaya where you do this worship of the lotus feet of Lord Visnu and offer the results to your forefathers. Or in some cases like, a lady, her son died untimely, and so she offered the pindi for her son. It is not normal. Normally, the son or daughter offer for the parents. That is why they are called putra or putri, that they can save their forefathers from the hellish existence. Then Lord Caitanya took initiation from Iswara Puri Maharaj and He became very ecstatic. He started dancing and chanting and tears were pouring from His eyes. So then, His actual love of Krsna began in Bihar, in Jharkhand. When He returned to Navadvip, He was a changed person! Everything He did, it was Krsna conscious! He taught His students the Sanskrit grammar in using the names of Krsna. And He was chanting and dancing in ecstasy. So some of the neighbors of Saci mata, His mother, approached her. They said, your Son has some mental problem! Some air is disturbed. In the Ayurvedic system, air, phlegm and pitha (bile). They say when there is a mental disturbance, the air has gone to the head. One lady said, you should give your Son, tender coconut! Cool it to bring it down. Other said, no, no, that is not enough, give Him oil from the roots of the herbal plants. The third person said, tie Him up with ropes, He is too far gone! And mother Saci said, no, no, everything is alright with my Son. Lord Caitanya went to Srivas Thakur and asked Him, can I ask you a question? What is Your questions? You see, people say I have a disease! I want to know from you whether I have a disease or not! What are Your symptoms? Whenever I hear the name of Krsna, ha! Ha! I start crying! Ha! Ha! My hairs stand on end! My voice chokes up! Sometimes I faint! Sometimes I laugh! Ha! Ha! Like this, I have different symptoms. So Srivas said, yes, You have a disease! And I want that disease too! Ha! Ha! Gauuuuranga! Gauuuuuranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! He said, even Siva and Brahma, They would like that disease! You have the disease of love of Krsna! So naturally, the common people they cannot understand Your ecstasy. You come here in the evening, I will invite those people who can appreciate Your ecstasy. That is how the nocturnal kirtan in the Srivas Angan, Srivas courtyard, began! Every night they would gather together and chant, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare! Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! So, different things happened. One day, a yogi, came from the forest. He was wearing the bark of a tree. He was living off the leaves and roots in the forest. He was very austere. He came and he asked Srivas Thakur, can I watch the kirtan of Lord Gauranga? I heard that it is very ecstatic, I would like to see. But Srivas said, well, except for devotees, I cannot allow anyone! Please, please allow me! Please, please! That is a brahmacari so I should allow him (Srivas thought). So he said, you can stay in my house and look through the window. So Lord Caitanya was chanting and then He stopped the kirtan. I am not feeling ecstasy today! Who of you are responsible? Everyone was feeling guilty! Must be I did some offence! But Srivas, he knew that he was having the brahmacari looking through the window. He said there is one non-devotee watching, he is a brahmacari. Bring him here said Gaurahari! And they brought the brahmacari. He came wearing his bark. He was carrying a stick. Lord Caitanya asked him what do you do? He said I live in the forest. I eat the fruits, roots and leaves. So why have you come here? You came to the city because you want to be respected, you want puja. And you come to the city they will feed you nice things, treat you very nice. You don’t have real bhakti; you are here just for sense gratification. Out! So they took him outside the door. Inside, Lord Caitanya was chanting – Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! The brahmacari was thinking, the yogi, it is true, I am not evolved as spiritually as those people chanting. But somehow I was so fortunate, I could see Lord Caitanya chant! He started crying! And Lord Caitanya stopped the kirtan, He said, now He is ready to come! Bring him in! Ha! Ha! Gauuuuranga! Gauuranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Gauranga! Nityananda! Nityananda! Nityananda! Nityananda! Gauranga! Nityananda! Gauranga! Nitai Gaura Haribol! So, that is why the great spiritual masters they would pray to Lord Caitanya, You have come down to deliver the most fallen, there is no one more fallen than me! They took a humble role. I told Srila Prabhupada once, I am the most fallen! Then he told me, you are not the most anything! Ha! Ha! Ha! He kept me humble. You shouldn’t think, I am the most fallen, or the most anything! Anyway, somehow, we have this special mercy to hear about the pastimes of Lord Caitanya and the pastimes of Lord Krsna! Gauranga! So, by this bhakti yoga, we think of Krsna all the time. One of the nine practices of bhakti yoga is smaranam. To remember Krsna. Most people, they don’t have like a relationship with the Supreme Person. But by bhakti yoga, we feel connection all the time. If we commit some offence, like if you stop chanting, then maybe we don’t feel. That is why we want devotees to regularly chant and to render service, so they can always feel connected. And their connection is the greatest happiness, that is the happiness we are looking for! Everyone wants to be happy, right? We can be happiest by remembering and serving Krsna. Hare Krsna! Srila Prabhupada, he brought the science of bhakti yoga and Krsna consciousness, all over the world. We are very grateful to Srila Prabhupada! So what is the next program? 

Guru maharaj said: They need to ask for initiation, and they get attached to the beads! 

(Initiation ceremony then commenced for receiving beads and getting their spiritual names)

Sarangapani Kesava Dasa

Dipa Das (Guru maharaj said: You have been under shelter for the longest time – 15 years!) Dipadatri Gaurangi devi dasi! 

Sangeeta mataji is from Odisha. (Guru maharaj asked : Dika chauci? In Odiya. Do you want initiation?). 

Sangeetapriya Madhavi devi dasi!

Aparna Sharma – Apara Haripriya devi dasi! 

Kamala – (Guru maharaj took the bead and said: Srila Prabhupada once took the beads and said this is not straight, and threw it and said this is not bona fide?) 

Guru maharaj said in Hindi: Aapka naam :Kamala Nandarani devi dasi

Jassal and Nishi – (Guru maharaj said: both together). 

Your names Jaya Subala Balarama das and Adiswari Revati devi dasi

Three second initiations now they told guru maharaj.