20241101 Address to the ISKCON Chowpatty Kārtika Yātrā

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: So, I heard that the sound system was not working. I heard that His Holiness Rādhānātha Swami was leading kīrtana and all of you were dancing! They asked me to come and speak a bit. I was told the people would be very happy.

So I was thinking that Lord Caitanya and His associates came down to spread the movement of Harināma saṅkīrtana. You were all chanting here by Lord Caitanya’s desire. If someone chants in the holy dhāma of Navadvīpa, he gets a thousand times the benefit. And if someone desires to hear about Kṛṣṇa and chant the holy name, Lord Caitanya, within their heart, He inspires them. So you were all chanting and that is the best way to worship Lord Caitanya in Navadvīpa dhāma! Many of you have already been welcomed but some of you may have come in later. So I take this opportunity to welcome you all!

You see, Kṛṣṇa, He was thinking, I have enjoyed pastimes in Vṛndāvana, but I would like to give it out to everyone. It has been a long time since I did that. And that is also what Rukmiṇī told Lord Kṛṣṇa, “You know everything. You know what Lord Brahmā is doing in Satyaloka. You know what Lord Śiva is doing in Kailāsa. You know what is going on in ananta-koṭi-brahmāṇḍa. But there is one thing You do not know! Rādhārāṇī knows, I know but You don’t know!” No one ever told that to Lord Kṛṣṇa before. So He asked, “What is it that I don’t know.” So, Rukmiṇī told Him in Dvārakā. Rukmiṇī said, “You don’t know how much Your devotees love You and in what way Your devotees love You. There is nobody above You. And therefore You don’t know this.” He said, three times, “I will come in the Kali-yuga as a devotee!”

This Navadvīpa dhāma was made by Rādhārāṇī. When She was playing on Kṛṣṇa’s flute, He was wondering, who is playing the flute so nicely. So He came to Navadvīpa and saw Rādhārāṇī playing on the flute. And He told Her, “You have made such a beautiful dhāma for Me!” So this Navadvīpa dhāma means nine islands – each island is connected to one of the nine bhakti-yoga practices. Here we are in Antardvīpa. Around Antardvīpa there are eight islands. I don’t know which islands you may visit. You can take a virtual parikramā, which you can take on the ‘Māyāpur App’ which you can download and have a virtual tour of the islands. How many of you have smart phones? So you all can use the app, ‘MĀYĀPUR’. It is available in Google Play store on Android and also on Apple store.

Kṛṣṇa said He will come in Kali-yuga. He took the mood and the color of Rādhārāṇī. So He did not do anything. Advaita, who is Lord Viṣṇu’s avatāra, He cannot give this mercy. He gives liberation, but to give out kṛṣṇa-prema, that takes Kṛṣṇa, Himself. So we hope that all of you get kṛṣṇa-prema while you are here. Gaurāṅga!

Here, I see Pañca-tattva and Rādhā Kṛṣṇa behind us. Anyway, Lord Caitanya and His associates, They started the saṅkīrtana movement here. And He was here for 24 years and then He went to Jagannātha Purī and He travelled all over India for six years. He had some internal reasons for coming as well. Then He enjoyed in Jagannātha Purī. I would like to come every night and tell you about Lord Caitanya! Thank you, I think you have other programs after this. Hare Kṛṣṇa!