20230302 Śrī Navadvīpa Maṇḍala Parikramā Mahā-milan Address

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: I think I will speak some English and some Bengali. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had predicted that on one side the Ārya-bhaktas the different countrymen of Western countries like England, etc. They would embrace each other and chant “Jaya Śacīnandana!” There will be no prejudice of caste, creed, color, nationality and so on. He had made this prediction during the British regime. So this was an amazing statement, nobody could believe it but it has happened. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, he used to take out parikramā with 5000 devotees. And I am sure he will be very happy to see so many people observing the Navadvīpa-maṇḍala parikramā. I was trying to send some audio clips to the different parikramā parties.

Last night I went to the International party, heard some of their realizations. Some came from Montreal, Canada, Portugal, Bosnia, Africa and some parts of India. So, one devotee, he came from Malaysia. He was a Tamil. But he knew English. Now he said, I came with 15 people, 10 people went to the South Indian party. I thought, I eat iḍli, dosa every day. I will perform parikramā along with all the international party devotees. So that was very interesting. Of course, I tested the South Indian prasāda! Tested! Tested! Paniyāram, iḍli, various chutneys etc. It was alright, nice! But I did not get the other Bengali groups, what kind of prasāda they had, I did not get them.

Someone told me, that with great effort I came to the parikramā. But since I was at the parikramā, it was simply nectar! It was a feast for my ears. Feast for my eyes. Feast for the body! And feast for the stomach! And they did not take any charge for my prasāda! I am very, very grateful. One person said, I was not able to chant Gaurāṅga with great feeling. But on the parikramā I saw people taking prasāda, going to the bathroom, walking, they were chanting Gaurāṅga, Gaurāṅga, Gaurāṅga! Now I have it! I can now chant Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Some devotees were saying in our temple we rarely see some advanced devotees. But on this parikramā we could hear four or five different sannyāsī, gurus giving lecture, every day. One devotee, he had a broken collar, that was very unbearable but he attended the parikramā. And at the Jagannātha Temple, I heard how Bhakti Puruṣottama Swami had given a talk.

One person, a Christian devotee, he said my parents did not want him to go for the parikramā. But Lord Gaurāṅga, He stole my heart. Now, I want to go back home to my country and want to preach. I want to distribute many books. Anyway, I heard that many devotees have pledged to take Caitanya-caritāmṛta. I will touch those books but other Mahārājas like Bhakti Puruṣottama Swami and Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami, Gaurāṅga Prema Swami and others can touch on my behalf. Also Jananivāsa and others who are present on the dais. Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thank you for coming.