20240115 Addressing Bengali Congregation

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: Do I speak in Bengali? This is Lord Kṛṣṇa’s place of pilgrimage. The places of pilgrimage are Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā. Lord Caitanya was in Navadvīpa dhāma which is audārya-dhāma. Rādhārāṇī, She created Navadvīpa dhāma. She played the flute so beautifully that Kṛṣṇa came. Kṛṣṇa came and saw Rādhārāṇī playing the flute and saw Navadvīpa dhāma created. Kṛṣṇa said, “You have made this beautiful dhāma for Me!” That is why Navadvīpa dhāma is audārya-dhāma, mercy dhāma. It is non-different from Jagannātha Purī. Like there are various dhāmas, this is Navadvīpa dhāma and is non-different from Goloka Vṛndāvana. So there are various dhāmas of the Lord in this material world. You live in this Dvārakā dhāma - you are living in this very special Dvārakā dhāma. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is mention of this Dvārakā dhāma. When we live in such dhāmas it is recommended that we chant the names of Kṛṣṇa. In dhāma there is facility to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Vipra Sudāmā had gone to Dvārakā and had taken some flat rice with him. He saw that Kṛṣṇa was living so full of opulence. He was ashamed that how could I give this prasāda to Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa said, you have brought this prasāda for My pleasure, so I am very happy accepting it. He forced Sudāmā to give Him the prasāda. He took once, He took twice and when He was going to take the third, Rukmiṇī devī stopped Him from taking that. She said that, “If You take the third time, We will not have anything more to reciprocate and we will be in trouble. What do You have more?” This way Lord Kṛṣṇa was satisfying Sudāmā. Lord Kṛṣṇa is happy to serve His devotees. Kṛṣṇa does not need anything, Kṛṣṇa is Absolute. But if His devotees give something then He is very happy.

You have all come here, I am very grateful for that. I had come for the meeting and been invited to various places. I went from Māyāpur to Tripura to Kolkata and then here to Ahmedabad. After coming here, I became a bit sick. That is why I am staying here for a few days. Have seen the doctor twice. Maybe after two or three days I will leave. You should all serve Kṛṣṇa and get spiritual bliss.

Śrīla Prabhupāda had gone to the Western countries and he personally established 108 temples all over the world. He said that all of you try to build many temples, we now have about 800 temples. Lord Caitanya had desired that His devotees should fulfill His desire–

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
[CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126]

I hope that all of you will fulfill Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s desire. Lord Caitanya has told the devotees to chant and do kīrtana of Lord Kṛṣṇa all the time. Haribol! Gaurāṅga!

You all stay in Gujarat. I hope that you will all get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. He lived the first 24 years in Māyāpur and then next 24 years, some years in Nīlācala and 6 years travelled around south India and other parts of India. Svarūpa Dāmodara had mentioned that Lord Caitanya had come to Dvārakā dhāma as well. Then He went to Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. He would think of Vṛndāvana and be ecstatic in love of Godhead. His secretary said he did not know what Lord Caitanya would do in Vṛndāvana he would not be able to control Him. He said that it would be better to go back to Nīlācala. In Vṛndāvana He was going into ecstasy and going out of control. We hope that all of you will take advantage of staying in the dhāma. Śrīla Prabhupāda distributed the mercy of Lord Caitanya all over the world.

Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī devī were together. Rukmiṇī devī said, “You know everything. What Lord Brahmā is doing in Brahmaloka, what Lord Śiva is doing in Kailāsa. But one thing You don’t know. Rādhārāṇī knows, I know but You don’t know.” Kṛṣṇa did not know something, no one had told Him that before. Rukmiṇī devī said, “Yes, You don’t know one thing.” Kṛṣṇa asked Rukmiṇī devī, “What is it that I don’t know?” She said, “There is no one over You. But You don’t know how much Your devotees love You and in what way they love You.” Kṛṣṇa then said, “I will come Kali-yuga as My devotee!” Three times He said, “I will come as My devotee! I will come as My devotee!” That is why He came in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When He was travelling in south India on the road He would embrace people and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. There are some villages in south India where they still chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. You have all come here and you are all very fortunate. Lord Caitanya came to this material world to liberate all the people. No one could recognize Him.

There was a poor brāhmaṇa who came to Nīlācala from south India and wanted to get the blessings of Lord Jagannātha. One huge person emerged from the sea in Purī. He then took the form of a normal human and the poor brāhmaṇa was surprised to see this and asked him, “Who are you?” The man said, “I am what I am! Who are you?” he asked. He said, “I am a poor brāhmaṇa.” The person went to see Lord Caitanya and Lord Caitanya was in Kāśī Miśra’s house. Lord Caitanya asked the person what news of Laṅka? Then the brāhmaṇa came to know he was Rāvaṇa’s brother Vibhīṣaṇa. Lord Caitanya was very happy, and He spent time talking with him. Then Lord Caitanya asked Vibhīṣaṇa that being a king he should assist the brāhmaṇa. Then Vibhīṣaṇa went to Lord Jagannātha temple. The brāhmaṇa went behind Vibhīṣaṇa. The brāhmaṇa told Vibhīṣaṇa, “Who this person was?” Vibhisana said, “You are so stupid, He is Lord Jagannātha, He is Kṛṣṇa who came as a human. You are so stupid you cannot recognize Him.” Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!