20220809 Evening Pandal Address

The following is a Puṇḍarīka Dhāma evening address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 09th, 2022 in Bangladesh.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Jayapatākā Swami: Dear devotees, today is the last night in Puṇḍarīka dhāma. And this way, I hope we will come again with Kṛṣṇa’s mercy! But initiation ceremonies will happen online again. And I will at least come once to Bangladesh. Now, in the winter there is a plan to visit Dhaka and Noakhali. I hope that all the devotees who have come will do something. Every month I sent a letter to all my disciples. But in Bangladesh, I have many disciples, but we don’t have the contact numbers of all, many are not correct. That is why in order to look into the needs and care of my disciples, I want to open an office in Bangladesh. And that office will coordinate with Māyāpur.

This way, Lord Caitanya, He came in Bengal, He wanted that all the people of the world love and worship the Lord. He toured South India and on the road as He walked He would embrace anyone He saw on the way. This way they got kṛṣṇa-prema. And this way He distributed kṛṣṇa-prema to all. His system was for everyone to chant, and sing and do kīrtana of the names of Kṛṣṇa. Actually, there is no difference between the Lord, and His name. In the sixth canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is the story of Ajāmila. Ajāmila took birth in a good family. He used to worship the Lord, etc. And he was married to a nice lady. But unfortunately, he got attracted to a prostitute. He used to do various things, but then he left all that and started living with the prostitute only. He had ten children. The youngest son he named Nārāyaṇa. The Lord who is present as the Paramātmā in everyone’s heart, enthused Ajāmila to name his youngest son, Nārāyaṇa. It is said that he had great affection with the youngest son. He used to call him again and again – . “Nārāyaṇa come, Nārāyaṇa eat! Nārāyaṇa, come with me! Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa!” This way calling out the name he got ajñāta-sukṛti. This way chanting the name of the Lord, his sins were absolved, and he was purified. He did not do any nāma-aparādha. The seventh offence of the offences to the Holy Name is when one decides to chant and thinks I will commit sin and then chant to get purified. This way if one commits offence then the sin will not be absolved He did not call out to his son as Nārāyaṇa but unknowingly he was chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa calling out to his son. That way, at the time of his death, the Yamadūtas came to take his soul to hell. At that time, he called out to his son, “Nārāyaṇa!” But that way, at the same time he remembered Ādi Nārāyaṇa. Then the Viṣṇudūtas came and sent the Yamadūtas away. The Viṣṇudūtas said that because he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, we have a right over him. Not yours they told the Yamadūtas. This way, the Yamadūtas had always taken away the sinful souls but never had they faced an obstacle like this. They went to Yamarāja and they said, what is this? We thought that you were most powerful? But four people came who were four handed and they snatched the soul of this person and sent us away. Yamarāja asked them, how were they to see? They said, they were very beautiful and blue bodied. Yamarāja said they were Viṣṇudūtas and Lord Viṣṇu is above me. He is the Ādi Puruṣa, Parameśvara. He has given me the authority to check out the sinful souls and punish them suitably. But when people chant the name of God, Viṣṇudūtas will come and you cannot take them. Those who do not take the name of Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa or say lies, do sinful activities, you should bring such souls to me. This way, those who chant the name of the Lord, you cannot bring them to me. This way after understanding, the Yamadūtas were silent. This way, the Viṣṇudūtas took the soul of Ajāmila and got him out of the Yamadūtas hands. And then the Viṣṇudūtas went away. All this, Ajāmila was listening and then he thought and repented that he had done lot of sins, he had left his good wife and did lot of horrible sins. This way he went to Badrinātha and there he did sacrifice and meditation. This way at the end of his life he went back to Godhead. The name of the Lord has so much strength – there is no comparison. That is why all should take the name of the Lord, chant japa, do kīrtana.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma ,Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

This way Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi used to chant and remember the name of the Lord and that way love of Godhead awakened in his heart. Near here is the āśrama of Vāsudeva Datta and Mukunda Datta. Vāsudeva Datta and Mukunda Datta appeared in Chaṭṭagrāma (Chittagong). But to have the association of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, they had their āśrama near Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi. When Vāsudeva Datta was in Navadvīpa-dhāma he prayed to Lord Caitanya that all the souls in the world should go back to Godhead and that I should suffer for all their sins and I will go to hell. Because I got the good fortune of Your love and affection, but those unfortunate souls who have not been able to get this, I want that all of them should get this and go back to Godhead. Lord Caitanya said, that for your merciful attitude, why will the Lord give you suffering? According to your wish all will be liberated, and I will liberate all the people. That is why we should remember Vāsudeva Datta and we have the opportunity to get his mercy. Have you seen the temples of Vāsudeva Datta and Mukunda Datta. It is about 500 meters away. This way we see that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates were just wonderful and rare! Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi what qualities, Vāsudeva Datta what qualities, Mukunda Datta who was a very good singer his qualities, Lord Caitanya used to be very attracted to all of them. This way, Lord Caitanya’s light, His parts, His associates, His strength all had come from Goloka. Golokera prema-dhana harināma saṅkīrtana! Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura had sung this in Bangladesh. The Lord came and brought this kṛṣṇa-prema but we are so sinful that we do not want to chant the name of the Lord. There is no difference whether one is a male or female, whoever has devotion for Kṛṣṇa, everyone can experience this. I hope that everyone will get the sole wealth which is kṛṣṇa-prema! Haribol!