20241109 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.15.1

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

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.15.1

śrī-śuka uvāca
tataś ca paugaṇḍa-vayaḥ-śrītau vraje
babhūvatus tau paśu-pāla-sammatau
gāś cārayantau sakhibhiḥ samaṁ padair
vṛndāvanaṁ puṇyam atīva cakratuḥ

Translation: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Rāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa attained the age of paugaṇḍa [six to ten] while living in Vṛndāvana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of Their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vṛndāvana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to encourage His cowherd boyfriends, who had been swallowed by Aghāsura and then stolen by Lord Brahmā. Therefore the Lord decided to bring them into the palm-tree forest called Tālavana, where there were many delicious ripe fruits. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa’s spiritual body had apparently grown slightly in age and strength, the senior men of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, decided to promote Kṛṣṇa from the task of herding calves to the status of a regular cowherd boy. He would now take care of the full-grown cows, bulls and oxen. Out of great affection, Nanda Mahārāja had previously considered Kṛṣṇa too small and immature to take care of full-grown cows and bulls. It is stated in the Kārttika-māhātmya section of the Padma Purāṇa:

śuklāṣṭamī kārttike tu
smṛtā gopāṣṭamī budhaiḥ
tad-dinād vāsudevo ’bhūd
gopaḥ pūrvaṁ tu vatsapaḥ

“The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kārttika is known by authorities as Gopāṣṭamī. From that day, Lord Vāsudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”

The word padaiḥ indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed the earth by walking on her surface with His lotus feet. The Lord wore no shoes or other footgear but walked barefoot in the forest, giving great anxiety to the girls of Vṛndāvana, who feared that His soft lotus feet would be injured.

Jayapatākā Swami: Today is Gopāṣṭamī. I will recite a śloka from the 10^th canto. Today is another special day in this month of Kārtika. We had the Govardhana-pūjā and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance day. Today we are having Gopāṣṭamī. And in the future, few days from now, we will have the Bhīṣma-Pañcaka. Braja-vilāsa Prabhu announced that Māyāpur is the place of festivals. So, this is another grand festival! The gośālā has different programs arranged. Today is the day we will have the darśana of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs dressed up in such a way that Their lotus feet visible and They are in sevā. It is very important for us that we understand that devotional service means we have to actively serve. Some people visit Māyāpur and they want to ask some questions to the devotees. Sometimes devotees tell them, I am busy, I have work, sevā. So we should have some devotees who are particularly designated for the sevā of cultivating the visitors. Bhakti means sevā. Devotion means service. And we want to please Kṛṣṇa, Gurudeva. We see how the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī, They are in serving mood.

Today also, they have scheduled an initiation ceremony. That is why I may not able to attend all the Gopāṣṭamī programs.

So doing devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, we try to keep ourselves engaged in devotional service. Since the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī are engaged in the sevā of Gopāṣṭamī, I also think that most of the ladies will also be involved. I was told that to serve in this program, many ladies, mātājīs are serving here, in the kitchen and altar. The Deities have special arrangements of dressings.

The program of initiation means they are connecting with the guru-paramparā. But they should use this opportunity to serve and to understand the philosophy. Just a few days ago, I met an 11-year-old boy, he already got his Bhakti-śāstrī! So for the young people, they go through the whole Bhakti-śāstrī course. Those who are 40 or older, if they want they can take a one-time summative test. It is assumed that the older devotees have read the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda many times. So now there are various ways to get the degrees. One exam for Bhakti-śāstrī, two exams for Bhakti-vaibhava. And for Bhakti-vedānta, they have some fast track thing. So young or old, everyone can get these certificates, degrees. I got my Bhakti-vedānta degree and during Śrīla Prabhupāda’s presence, I got my Bhakti-śāstrī. And now when I have time I am doing my Bhakti-Sārvabhauma. So books of Śrīla Prabhupāda should be distributed and studied. His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami, what would you recommend to the devotees?

Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa! Now marathon is going on, so we will distribute books for one month and then we will study the books nicely. We are going to inauguration on 14^th morning the Marathon. So, we request the devotees to participate in this Marathon. Full month of December and part of January. MI, Māyāpur Institute, has facilitated for devotees to study all the śāstras. Whatever Guru Mahārāja is saying like sabbatical course or full course have been facilitated by MI. Also, we have online and offline, both are open to everyone. So after lockdown many devotees in many parts of the world are participating in online course. And at the same time we have facilities in MI for offline courses as well. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if one lives in Māyāpur, they have all these facilities. If one is visiting then online study is possible. The older people are very busy with different programs, so I asked Vrajeśvara Gaura dāsa to help them with the one-time summative test.

Kṛṣṇa is getting so much bliss! He creates ananta-koṭi brahmāṇḍas. But His real happiness are these Vṛndāvana pastimes. People don’t know he is God. It is said that He is walking barefoot in the forest. And all the cowherd boys are walking with Him and the cows. One of His friends said there are very sweet fruits in the palm forest but one demon called Dhenukāsura is stopping everyone from going into that forest. So then Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, They are thinking to please their Vṛndāvana friends. This is around the Gopāṣṭamī day. And Balarāma, He went into the forest to see what is there. He hugged a couple of tāl trees. In Māyāpur, we have some tāl trees. He hugged the tree and knocked down some fruits. They made a sound when they hit the ground – bok, bok, bok, bok. So Dhenukāsura heard that and he came to see who entered his forest. Mind you, Balarāma is six to ten years old! This giant donkey came to attack Balarāma. And donkeys, they tend to turn around and kick. So Dhenukāsura, this way he kicked Balarāma from behind. But Balarāma He grabbed his feet, spun him around and threw him on top of the tāl tree. Jaya Balarāma kī! Dhenukāsura, he fell down and he was dead! Then the other donkeys, who were there with him, they attacked Balarāma. This way, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma They both threw each of the donkeys on top of the tāl trees. So when the trees started shaking with the burden and they fell on the ground. This way, all the donkeys were dead. And so the devotees took the tāl fruit and ate. Have you all had tāl fruit? It is like a jelly. When the tāl fruit is ripe, it is like jelly. Otherwise, the tāl fruit is, what to say, very aromatic. So Kṛṣṇa was having fun! He was killing demons and giving fruits to His friends! Dhenukāsura, I don’t think he will obstruct you from going to the gośālā!! Dheukāsura and all his friends have already been killed by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. So you can go safely to the gośālā!!

So the devotees who are taking initiation, it will start around 10.30 am. So, if they want they can see the gośālā first and then come. This initiation is arranged by the JPS Office. I don’t know what their exact schedule is. So I will say a few words about initiation. We take four vows. To prohibit, avoid breaking the principles. And then one vow to chant at least 16 rounds a day.

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

So one of the vows is to avoid illicit sex. Those who are married, they can have relationship with their wife by doing garbhādhāna-saṁskāra then that is not offensive. After the marriage, then there is a garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. And you can read that in the Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā. That was written by Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, one of the Six Gosvāmīs.

So those who are gṛhasthas, they have to act like a gṛhastha. The other āśramas – brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa – there should be sense control. So, hope that all the initiated devotees knows their vows and follows. Because devotional service is blissful! We don’t have to do anything else to get happiness. It is very nice to see all the devotees here! So on Gopāṣṭamī, we can celebrate Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. So, Kṛṣṇa was enjoying Vṛndāvana, we should enjoy serving Kṛṣṇa. Our Sevā Resources Department head, Vraja-vinoda Śyāma Prabhu is saying that they will list the services that devotees can do in Māyāpur. We should be eager to offer services! That is what bhakti-sevā means.

Whose darśana is first? First Narasiṁhadeva! Then Pañca-tattva then Māyāpur-candra and Rādhā Mādhava Aṣṭa-sakhi. So, I will let you all to go take darśana of Lord Narasiṁhadeva. Now I will do go-pūjā.