Mac-citta mad-gata prana
Bodhayantah parasparam
Kathayantas ca mam nityam
Tusyanti ca ramanti ca
The thoughts of my pure devotees dwell in me. Their lives are surrendered to me and they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and conversing about me.
Purport
Pure devotees whose characteristics are mentioned here engage themselves fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord .Their minds cannot be diverted from the lotus feet of KRISHNA. Their talks are solely on the transcendental subjects. The symptoms of the pure devotees are described in this verse specifically- devotees of the Supreme Lord are twenty-four hours daily engaged in glorifying the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts and souls are constantly submerged in KRISHNA. And they take pleasure in discussing him with other devotees. In the preliminary stage of devotional service, they relish the transcendental pleasure from the service itself and in the mature stage they are actually situated in love of God. Once situated in that transcendental position, they can relish the highest perfection which exhibited by the lord in His abode. Lord Chaitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a seed in the heart of the living entity. There are innumerable living entities travelling throughout the different planets of the Universe and out of them, there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service is just like a seed and it is sown in the heart of a living entity. And if one goes on hearing and chanting –
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
that seed fructifies, just as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering. The spiritual plant of devotional service gradually grows and grows until it penetrates the covering of the Material Universe and enters into the Brahmajyoti effulgence of the Spiritual Sky. In the Spiritual Sky also that plant grows more and more until it reaches the highest planet which is called ‘Goloka Vrindavan’, the Supreme planet of Krishna. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of Krishna and rests there. Gradually, as a plant grows fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also produces fruits; and the watering process in the form of chanting and hearing goes on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the Chaitanya Charitamrita. It is explained there that when the complete plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love of God. Then he cannot live even for a moment without being in contact with the Supreme Lord, just as a fish cannot live without water. In such a state, the devotee actually attains the transcendental qualities in contact with the Supreme Lord. The Srimad Bhagvatam is also full of such narration about the relationship between the Supreme Lord and His devotees. Therefore the Srimad Bhagvatam is very dear to the devotees. In this narration there is nothing about material activities, sense-gratification or liberation. Srimad Bhagvatam is the only narration in which the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord and His devotees is fully described. Thus, the realized souls in Krishna Consciousness take continual pleasure in hearing such transcendental literatures, just as a young boy and girl take pleasure in association.
“Their thoughts of my pure devotees dwell in me, their lives are surrendered to me and they derive great satisfaction and bliss in enlightening one another and conversing about me. “
Purpose of friendship
Herein we find in Srila Prabhupada’s beautiful explanation of this sacred verse from the Bhagavad Gita, the goal of life which we should all be striving for, that our thoughts may forever dwell in Krishna, and that our lives be forever surrendered to the will of Krishna, and that we may always have the Supreme fortune of the association of Krishna’s very great devotees. And in that association, derive great satisfaction and bliss, enlightening one another, and hearing and chanting the glories of Krishna. Society was created by the Lord for this purpose. All interrelations have their real meaning and purpose. And sharing our true natures with each other. The true nature of every living being is that we are part of Krishna, that we are lovers of Krishna. To inspire that love in one another is real friendship. Coming together with other human beings for any other purpose than that; is actually a sorrowful waste of human existence.
Lord Chaitanya associating with his devotees during chatur masya
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was living in Jagganath Puri, every year at about the time of rath yatra, he would call all of his devotees to live with him in Puri and during those months of the Chatur masya, throughout the day and throughout the night ,he would have no other activity than just being together hearing the glories of the Lord, discussing the pastimes of the lord and chanting the holy names-
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Although the Lord’s devotees, they lived in various places:- Srikanda, Kulinagram, Shantipur, Navadip, various parts of Orissa, they would during that time of the year leave behind all of their responsibilities. Obviously many of them were Grihasthas, some were Brahmacharis, some were Sannyasis. There is not much consideration- you are Brahmachari or Grihastha , you are Vanaprastha, you are a Sanyasi .There is not much consideration about our wordly responsibilities at that time of year every one put everything aside and just went Jagganath Puri to be with Lord Gouranga Mahaprabhu and the devotees. In this way Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu established one of the most important spiritual principles for anyone endeavouring for spiritual advancement and that is on a regular basis we must put everything of this world aside and just come together with other devotees and hearing chant the glories of the Lord throughout the day and throughout the night.
Importance of hearing and chanting in association of devotees
So, for several years following the footsteps of Lord Gouranga Mahaprabhu and all of the great Acharayas, we have been coming here to Pune to celebrate this wonderful yatra. It is a time when we forget every other responsibility we have in this world except our prime responsibility- to hear and chant the glories of the Lord in the association of devotees. It is a time when every other topic in this world we leave it behind- the newspapers, the political events, whatever is being spoken up in the radio, in the televisions, all of our business affairs, all of our household and family affairs, forget it. It is all temporary; it is all ultimately an illusion. There is only one reality- Krishna and even though in our life we have to deal with all these things, if we want to deal with them in a proper prospective, we have to come together in the association of devotees-exclusively for the purpose of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord and get completely intoxicated and surcharged with Krishna Consiousness, then we can go back and perform our duties in pursuance of the real goal of life. Unless we regularly come together, we are bound to become so greedy and illusioned by our wordly activities. We become so corrupt by the network of maya therefore such yatras are essential and we cannot put everything else aside no matter how important it is for this, then we are not serious about spiritual life. These are the most sacred days, the most sacred moments of our existence.
Real meaning of Associating with devotees
Srila Prabhupada used to say that anyone who thinks they can become Krishna conscious without learning to properly associate with other devotees is in illusion and what does it mean to properly to associate with devotees? It means to be the servant and how do we serve? Krishna is explaining here in this beautiful verse- by enlightening one another about Krishna. By enthusing one another for Krishna. Krishna is non different than his name. Krishna is non different in the message of his wonderful pastimes, his teachings. So, how can we serve one another during this blessed opportunity that we have together- by our enthusiasm. During the Kirtana, there will be many Kirtans; forget your happiness and distress, forget that your body is young or old, forget your diseases and your ailments ,forget you are tired. You may say how to forget? The way we forget these things is to remember our duty in life- to surrender. How do we surrender in Kirtan? To simply be enthusiastic to inspire all the other devotees to be enthusiastic to chant the holy names-
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
You did not say that very enthusiastically-
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare .
The sacrifice of chanting the holy names of the lord
Srimad Bhagavatam says-“yajnaih sankirtana prayair” – that the sankirtana is a yagna. Yagna means the “sacrifice”. Sankirtana is not called visaye- something meant for your sense gratification. Sankirtana –congregational chanting of the holy name is a sacrifice. What does that mean? It is to make your life sacred .It means a ‘tapasya’ and what is that tapsya? That whatever, whatever my mind and body says-“I do not care, I will raise my arms and with all my voice and with all my energy, I will dance and I will sing out the holy names” –
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
The more difficult it is, the more progress you make while chanting and dancing .And we find that when we actually become completely absorbed in the holy name with the help of other devotees and after sometime in the kirtan we transcend all of the dualities of material existence and the sweetest form of intimacy is created among us.
Practices for deveopling intense devotion , in the association of devotees
We actually learnt to be joyful with one another for the pleasure of Krishna and during the classes, the discussions about Krishna consciousness sometimes we will be having classes from srimad bhagvatam, sometimes questions and answers with various devotees, senior devotees. Our attention, our intensity to hear is so contagious that will inspire others to be enthusiastic to hear. If we are allowing our mind to wander, if we are allowing ourselves to fall asleep, then what we are doing is the greatest disservice to all others . Because of you are sleeping, you are influencing everyone else to become sleepy and if you are allowing your mind to wander, you are creating a vibration inducing everybody else’s mind to wander. So your service to other Vaishnavas is to quietly, intentionally try to hear every word, it is being spoken. And when we are interacting with one another, whether it is during Prasad, whether it is while walking or performing our ordinary activities, we should not speak a single word that is not conducive to everyone’s spiritual advancement . On this very night untill the end of this yatra, we should not speak a single word of criticism toward anyone or anything. We should kick out all gossip, we should cook out every subject other than devotional service. The glorification of the lord and whatever is necessary to discuss to serve the devotees and we should all be endeavouring to put ourselves last and every other devotee first. we should not expect anything from anyone except the opportunity to serve them. This should be our aspiration and if we simply live by these ideals; what an incredible spiritual progress we can all make together.
Blessed opportunity with all of our might to absorb our hearts and minds in Krishna
When we first had our puna yatra, we all comfortably fit in that little room just there. Not only did we comfortably fit sitting, discussing Krishna consciousness but we were having kirtan and everyone was dancing and moving about. By Krishna’s great mercy, by Srila Prabhupada’s kind blessings, we have now grown to be many but we do not simply want to grown quantitatively. We should see that not every year other more devotees enthusiastically coming to attend this yatra. We should actually feel that the quality of our own spiritual consciousness is growing every year and that the quality of our relationship with one another in Krishna Conciousness is becoming deeper, purer and more selfless in Krishna and Guru’s service.
We have just a few days when we look forward all year through these few days, let us not see it in terms of three and half days ,let us see it in terms of each second. Let us capture every second of this blessed opportunity with all of our might to absorb our hearts and minds in Krishna, in serving the Vaishnavas, in associating with the Vaishnavas, in remembering the lord in chanting his holy name –
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
You can say it-
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
unless our hearts are grateful we cannot even recognize the mercy of Krishna, or recognize the mercy of the Vaisnavas
And if we be so grateful, unless our heart is grateful, we cannot receive the mercy of Krishna, and we cannot receive the mercy of the Vaishnavas. In fact, unless our hearts are grateful we cannot even recognize the mercy of Krishna, or recognize the mercy of the Vaisnavas. So let us be very aware that this is not just something that we can come to attend, it is only by to causeless mercy of Guru and Gauranga that we can all be here together. Krishna reveals himself as we approach him, we should be searching for an opportunity for purification at every second and in this way we can attract the mercy of Lord Krishna which is actually our only hope. By our humility and by our honest sincere endeavour we can attract the mercy of the Gurudev, attract the mercy of Vaisnavas and attract the mercy of Krishna and that is why we have come here. So let us offer our obeisances now to the assembled
Vaisnavas- Vancha kalpatru vyas cha kripa sindhu eva cha patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnaveyo namoh namah.
