20221020 Addressing Diwali Meet in Institution of Liver And Biliary Sciences (ILBS)

The following is an address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 20th, 2022 in New Delhi, India.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

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: This month we are observing the Kārtika month, and we are also observing Diwali and these are very sacred occasions. In the Purāṇas it gives a history how the devas in the higher planets who are responsible for managing the universe, they wanted help from Lord Viṣṇu. So in this month they approached Him in the ocean of milk. And there since He was taking rest, the devas thought better we wake Him up in such a way that He won’t be angry with us. So they started chanting: Hare Kṛṣṇa, playing on instruments, dancing. So Lord Viṣṇu woke up and He was very happy to see all the devas chanting His holy names. He said, on this tithi, any spiritual activity performed we will get 100 times the benefit. The month was the month of Dāmodara, the month of Kārtika, the tithi was Ekādaśī.

Apart from that we know that Lord Rāma was banished by his father for fourteen years. And how his wife, Sītā, was kidnaped by Rāvaṇa and how on the Vijaya Daśamī, He liberated Rāvaṇa. Then, at this time, He came back to Ayodhyā. The Ayodhyā-vāsīs were so eager to receive Lord Rāma, they lit up the whole city of Ayodhyā. So that is one of the reasons why we observe Diwali.

Also, in the month of Dāmodara, Yaśodā had bound Kṛṣṇa up with rope. He was being a naughty, young boy and so she thought I will tie Him to the churning stone. But actually, although He is playing as a little child, He is the Supreme Lord, and nobody can tie Him. She brought all the ropes in the house, trying to tie Him up, fell two inches short! She brought more rope, two inches too short! She brought more rope, still two inches too short! She could not understand, no matter how much rope I bring, it is short! Then He showed mercy on her. He thought, she thinks she is My mother, and she wants to discipline Me. So, I should let her do it. She got a blessing Lakṣmī, Brahmā, Śiva never got. Nobody tied up Kṛṣṇa. He is Acyuta, He is untiable, unstoppable. But out of love, He allowed Himself to be tied up and then He dragged the stone through the two trees, and freed two devas, sons of Kuvera, who had been cursed to stand as two Arjuna trees. Do we have a picture of Yaśodā Dāmodara anywhere? Since there maybe some regulations of fire here in the auditorium, you can download on your mobile phone, there is an app Real Fire which is available for both Android and Apple users, and I think the name is ‘Real Flame’. It produces on your mobile phone a virtual flame and you can offer that and get a 100 times benefit!

I was introduced saying that I give peace. Actually, in the Bhagavad-gītā there are three things, if you know you that, you can have peace! Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ (Bg. 5.29) – there is one Lord who accepts everybody’s religious rites, tapasyas, whether you are Hindu, Christian or Muslim, whatever, one God is there. sarva-loka-maheśvaram – He is the Lord of all the universes, all the planets. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ – He is the well-wisher, friend of everybody. jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati – If you know the Lord in this way, you will have peace. You may know me, I was a patient in this institution. I just came in for a checkup. I am very grateful to Dr. S.K. Sarin for his care of me. And many of you maybe know, I had Hepatitis, and I attended some function here in the hospital on Hepatitis Day. And I am very honored to be present in this Diwali celebration. Kṛṣṇe matir astu! All best wishes to all of you!