Spiritual life is full of humor and happiness
I thank you very much for being with us this evening. Srila Vrindavan das Thakur writes that there are two particular dates in the year which are extremely powerful. For by observing these two dates we have the maximum opportunity of removing all of obstacles of the lust, envy, anger, pride, greed and illusion and awakening Prema Bhakti, pure love. These days are Gaur Purnima and Nityananda Triyodasi. We heard from His Holiness Devamrita Swami Maharaj about the loving relationship in the spiritual world. Krishna is the source of everything, janmädy asya yato. Whatever, exist within material existence in its purest most perfect state exist in the spiritual world. In this world humor is very attractive, so many of the cinemas are of the comedy types cinemas, yes. People in the west, I don’t know in India so much they will pay so much money to just to see some comedian type jokes. Because somehow other laughing makes you temporary forget the miseries of material existences. Even sometimes I walk in this Hanging Garden and they have this clubs where they just laugh, have you seen it’s all over the world, it’s a worldwide movement. I think it’s called laugh therapy it’s actually been proven medically the laughing helps cure diseases especially mental stuff. Do you remember when we were in our Jaipur Yatra? We couldn’t with the sound system it was hard to hear because there was one of the laughing clubs in the same garden; they were just laughing about twenty people, so hard. They thing Hare Krishna’s are strange, so humor is something is very, very special. We see that spiritual life is not dry, it’s not simply very grave and stoic. It’s full of so much humor, so much laughter, so much divine stoicism.
Just like our God brother Shyamasundar Prabhu when he speaks about Srila Prabhupada, he loves to talk about how he would laugh and he would make every one laugh. While they were laughing, they were learning how to love Krishna, surrendered their lives to Krishna. Even amongst devotees who give classes usually the class people stay awake best just when they laugh. His Holiness Devamrita Swami Maharaj has mastered this technique. So Lord Nityananda, Advaita Prabhu, Lord Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not only are them laughing but they are making the whole world laughing. Can you imagine some comedian tells a joke today but after some years people get tired of it, they want to make something else new material, unless you constantly of new material you are just something of the past, as they say you are just washed up nothing any more, you have constantly you have to have new material. Devamrita Maharaj almost forty years he is been reading this single pastimes, still when he tells it he is so much surcharged with humor that thousand people are still laughing. Five hundred years later, it’s not new material these are joys were told five hundred years ago, and even now you are laughing. Because they are ever fresh, they are ever new, because they are exchanges of love. So the impersonal concept where beyond the miseries of material existences is simply to be, just exist in the impersonal infinity, Nirvana Moksha. That is one type of liberation but on the path of Bhakti, especially Gaur Bhakti beyond this material existence, beyond Moksha and Nirvana is eternal laughter, eternal happiness, eternal humor, where we could all be a part. What an amazing pastimes, Lord Nityananda throwing his rice bouncing off the floor and hitting Advaita Äcärya and sticking to him. Advaita Äcärya dancing likes a mad man in ecstasy to be rice of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Prasad means mercy for us that rice, that Prasad embodies the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and somehow other it is our hope to somehow other to be touched by that mercy.
One who gets the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu he also gets the mercy of Radha and Krishna
Who is Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is the original supreme personality of servitor Godhead. Srila Prabhupada quotes, Narottam Das Thakur,
Vrajendra-nandana jei, çacé-suta hoilo sei,
Balaräma hoilo nitäi
That son of Nanda Maharaj has come as the son of Saci and Balaram has come as Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Balaram is non-different than Krishna, with all six opulence’s. The only difference between Balaram and Krishna is their complexion. Balaram the all powerful, all opulent Lord is appearing in the role of the servant of the Lord, the original servitor of Godhead. How did he serve, in every way? He expands himself to the Lord shoes, to Lord’s clothes, the Lord’s bed, the Lord’s seat, the Lord’s Dham his abode. He also for the purpose of material existences he expands himself as Mahavishnu, Garbhodakçayé Viñëu, Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu or he creates, he maintains this entire material existences. What is the purpose of material existences? The essential purpose is for those who have misused their free will, that freewill which facilitates the highest most pleasing love, eternal love. When it is misused this material world is actually designed to sober us and somehow other brings us after many, many births and deaths, possibly through eight hundred thousand species to the point of understanding on the eternal soul. I have to raise above all these selfish, egoistic aspirations and learn how to find pleasure in my constitutional nature which jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya—kåñëera ‘nitya-däsa’, I am an eternal servant of the Lord. Instead of looking outside, outside and outside against birth after birth after birth to find that love that is within us and offer that to Krishna. So Nityananda Prabhu, not only does he expand himself to be whole spiritual world and expand himself to be the entire material existences but he also becomes the guru, he is guru Tattva. He comes to teach us how to serve the Lord with pure devotion, through his instructions, through his example. All the spiritual masters, the genuine spiritual master are representation, manifestations of Nityananda Prabhu mercy. It’s actually the powers of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Balaram that is manifesting through the heart of the guru to lift us up. Now in the spiritual world, Goloka Srimati Radharani is considered to be the ultimate guru. But Narottam Das has prayed heno nitäi bine bhäi, rädhä-kåñëa päite näi, that no one can approach Srimati Radharani without first receiving the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Only when Shri Radharani sees that a person has received the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, in their hearts by accepting it. That person is brought to her by Nityananda Prabhu, and then only will she accept.
Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo
Yasyäprasädän Na gatiù kuto ‘pi
That is the Tattva of what these means by Vishvanath Cakravarti Thakur, by the mercy of guru one gets Krishna. How is that, because by the mercy of guru one receives the mercy of Nityananda, be the mercy of Nityananda one is given acceptance of Shri Radharani and then one is accepted by Krishna. This Tattva of Lord Nityananda is most extraordinary, of all Avataar’s Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is
Parama koruëa, pahü dui Jana,
Nitäi gauracandra,
When we take shelter of the instruction of spiritual master we gain spiritual strength to overcome all obstacles
They are most kind, most merciful. His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaj was explaining the quality of Nityananda Prabhu’s forgiveness and we are reading about it in this beautiful prayer of Locan das Thakur, Nityananda Prabhu is never angry. He is very kind, very forgiving under all circumstances. If it wasn’t for his forgiveness and his kindness no one in this material would have a chance. According to the Siddhanta of Gaudia Vaishnava’s, in the Christian world Lord Jesus when he was willing to suffer for the sins of other and accept all kinds persecution and abuse for the sake of giving others love of God, this is Nityananda Tattva. This is a personification, manifestation of Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy. When he was being crucified, my Lord forgives them they know not what they do. Its sound familiar, here we find that original Lord Balaram coming with his full-fledge powers, spiritual powers as Lord Nityananda. Balaram is one who enjoys feats of spiritual strength. When we take shelter of the instruction of spiritual master we gain spiritual strength to overcome all obstacles. But as soon as we think that spiritual strength is ours we become disconnected either today or tomorrow it’s just a matter of time. It is not our strength,
Daivé hy eñä guëa-mayé
Mama Mäyä duratyayä,
Three modes of nature is very difficult to overcome but one who take shelter of me Krishna says, can easily cross beyond it. How do we take shelter of Krishna? When we take shelter of Krishna through guru, then Balaram gives us that spiritual strength. But we always have to be very humble and understand that the strength is not ours. Our hope is in the higher power of the grave Nityananda Prabhu.
Pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu as Laxmanji and Balaramji
In Krishna’s, no lets go back to Rama’s Lila Laxman would get very angry sometimes, he was about to destroy Sugriva. So Hanuman convince Sugriva you better surrender to Laxman, surrender to Rama. He would not tolerate anyone not paying proper respects to Lord Ramchandra. When Bharata came to Chitrakut, Laxman was about to destroy him and the entire dynasty of Ayodhya but Rama said no, no he is my friend, Laxman said all right, all right. That same Laxman is Balaramji in Krishna’s Lila and when the Kuru’s offended Krishna, please note usually when they offend Krishna he doesn’t like that. When they offended Krishna, he took his plough and just hit on the ground, now you go take a plough do that and see what happen. But the entire city of Hastinapur separated from the earth and he dragged it with all of his citizens with Bishma, Duryodhana, Dhritarastra and everybody was there with the entire army. What could they do against Balaram? He was about to throw the entire Hastinapur in Ganges, he was so angry and they surrendered. Dvivida Gorilla he made him very angry, yes. He actually hit, he actually hit so many times he was throwing, and he was hitting Balaram with stones, with trees and with fist. Balaram just punched him that was the end of thrived Gorilla. Romaharshana Suta he was misleading people in name of being a spiritual leader because he was arrogant, and Balaram could not tolerate arrogance in a spiritual leader. Because, spiritual leader should humble like a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree ready to offer all respect and not expect for one self. Romaharñaëa was speaking; he was just speaking Siddhanta Philosophy very nicely to all those sages, whatever he was saying was very correct. But he didn’t honor a senior person he picked a piece of and that was the end.
Madhai made Nityananda Prabhu bleed; Nityananda Prabhu made Madhai filled with love of God
That same personality has appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. We are reading in this son today, how he is dealing with fallen, envious, materialistic people, so kind, so absolutely forgiving. Jagai and Mädhäi, now Pralambasura, Dvivida they never made Balaram bleed but Madhai first he ran after him try to kill him and another day he smashed Nityananda Prabhu on the head with the pot made him bleed. Blood flowing down to his face on to his clothes, Nityananda Prabhu could have slaughter that person on the spot. But what did he do, with folded palms and tears in his eyes he begged Madhai I don’t mind what you have done, I am just feeling so much pain to see your fallen condition just take the name of Krishna. Just take the name of Krishna and you will purchase me, I will be yours. Madhai could not appreciate; he became even angrier and picked up the pot to hit him again. Now Jagai equally sinful to Madhai but can you imagine seeing the compassion, the forgiveness, the love of Lord Nityananda in that circumstances Jagai heart melted. He was completely transformed just seeing the forgiveness of Nityananda Prabhu and he stopped Madhai don’t hit him, can you see this person is such saintly person he is an embodiment of humility, compassion forgiveness, but Madhai was still about to kill him. Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared with his Chakra, we see in this beautiful painting, it’s over there. Lord Nityananda prayed my Lord if you are going to kill these men we might have to kill everyone, because in Kali Yuga more or less everyone is like this. Lord Nityananda prayed, all my whole life I travelled to holy places and I performed devotional service. Everything I have ever done that has pleased Krishna let all the credits of my entire life and my previous lives of devotional service let them all be given to Madhai, to neutralize his sins and give him love of God. Now how many of you would be willing to honestly say that to someone who hates you and who is in the process trying to murder you. We get angry with someone because they insult us or they spread lying rumors against us. Sometimes we pray let them die or let them get Alzimers diseased, or something like that or leprosy or cholera. But they should suffer for they are doing, isn’t that a typical reaction. We may not do anything about it but we may think like that. But Nityananda Prabhu for those persons who hate him, who are trying to kill him, trying to destroy him, he is all begging for Lord that I will give up all my spiritual credits if you just forgive them and gives them devotion service.
The story which reveals the purpose of the misery of material existence
In Navadwip, after Lord Caitanya told Nityananda Prabhu to leave puri and go to Bengal? There is a beautiful story of that Brahman who became a thief, not only a thief a king of dacoits. He was a murdered a rapist, killer in any way, he would anything for some money. He saw Nityananda Prabhu’s beautiful jewelry, now he is an Avaduta. At this time he was wearing magnificent gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, pearls, necklaces, bracelets and ankle bells, earrings and they were so costly that when the thieve saw them, they decided will kill him and take everything. They made three attempts to murder Nityananda Prabhu and take all of his jewels. But Nityananda Prabhu he could offended them any moment, at any time. But he arranged material nature in so many miraculous ways just to frustrate all of their efforts. Ultimately he put them in such a situation of suffering where they became blind in the middle of night where they were attacking and some fell into sewage ditches, horrible smell and there was scorpions stinging them, mosquito’s biting them. Others fell into ditches of thorns, where those thorns were ripping their flesh apart. Meanwhile, there was a hailstorm with gigantic ice balls crashing into their skin and there was freezing cold. Actually this story reveals the purpose of the misery of material existence, just learn this one story and when you suffer you will become perfect. In that situation that person just realizes Lord Nityananda is the Supreme personality of Godhead and he surrendered in his heart and everything passed. Next day he came before Lord Nityananda and fell at his lotus feet and prayed save me, save me and admitted his sins, and admitted al that he is done to so many other people but what he intended to do to him. Then after confessing all this things he said now my desire is that I will go to Ganges and I will give up my life, because I have done so many horrible deeds to so many people and I have committed such a horrible desires to kill you, I can’t live any longer I will commit suicide. Lord Nityananda Prabhu he smiled, he said no don’t do that just give up your sins. Same thing he told Jagai and Madhai, whatever you have done doesn’t matter just give up your sins and chant the holy names of the Lord. He told the same thing to this thief’s sin no more, chant the holy names of the Lord, and stay in the association of devotees and share what you have received with others. You are the king of dacoits, there are so many thousands and thousands of dacoits they respect you, use your reputation for the welfare of others, this is Bhakti.
Bhakti means to convince other to love God according to our influence
Prabhupada told George Harrison you are Beatle playing rock-n-roll, you have good reputation use it and teach them about how to love God, and he did it and people learnt how to love God. He said to Mahatma Gandhi, he wrote him that letter you have so much influence use your influence give Bhagavad-Gita message, enough with all those politics stuff. He wrote to Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister of that time, he went to meet the pope. Whatever your position is, he told big business, big, big industrialist. Fine what you are doing; just use your influence to help people to love God. This dovetailing power, Nityananda showed even to extent of murders and dacoits. You can’t do those things anymore but you have influence amongst that class of people start a dacoits Sankirtaan Party, he did this person became a pure devotee. He became humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, he was offering all respect to others, and he was Ahimsa completely non-violent. There was a party called Dacoits Sankirtaan party, he went around and thousands and thousands dacoits he reformed them, where they all became humble, gentle honest, law biting citizens. Because they all tasted the sweet nectar of the holy names and they travelled town to town doing Naam-Sankirtaan.
Bhakti is about engaging people according to their nature in Krishna’s service
That is Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy; he is teaching us the virtue of forgiveness. For those who have offended us even it is very difficult emotionally, if we can somehow other really tap into the spiritual energy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu we could be instrument of his love, instruments of is forgiveness. We have so many little paddy reasons to fight to disagree, it has to be this way in one sense because we have different natures. It is said all men are created equal, if that was true there would be nothing to be fight about. Spiritual we are all created equal, but on this material platform we all have our own conditionings, we all have our own views, we all have our own natures and they are deep. Sometimes our conditioning are facts that go back many, many life times, they are lines and stones. Like our Gopinath Chandra Prabhu you thing that his laugh is just something that has come about this life time, if he was in those laughing clubs, he would be the world, world champion I think. But we have our natures, some people are humorous, some people they just the way they react to situations at different. But how do we had a community; the human ego is we expect everyone to be like me, yes. This is the way I deal with, this is the way he should deal with it and this is the way she should deal with it, this is the way they should deal with it. Otherwise, chopped them, cut them, and smashed them, reforming them. But Bhakti is about engaging people according to their nature in Krishna’s service. But how do have a community of people who work together when everybody has different natures and then are going to have different ways of thinking, different ways of reacting to situation, different inclinations. Our Siddhanta is accommodating as long as the bases essential principles are accepted we can always be united. Nityananda Prabhu he really taught and this is his movement, this is Gaur Nitai’s movement. Her had dacoits Sankirtaan parties and they may not do things the same way but they had the same basic principles, the same Siddhanta as the deeply learned Goswami’s.
Gadädara Paëòita took initiation from Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi
Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi and Gadädara Paëòita we spoke about that recently, they were very different. Gadädara Paëòita was such a simple, Gentle, humble, totally austere Brahmachari. Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi is dress in the most luxurious silks, with luxuries turbans, wearing magnificent ornaments, according to some he was smoking a Hukka, pipe, looking in the mirror at himself and smiling to see how beautiful he was. He was putting all kinds of perfume on him; his was like meticulously like elegant, how it was combed and how it was perfumed. He had people standing around him fanning with chammars. Gadädara is just a simple Brahmachari and wondering why Mukunda Datta took me to see him, I don’t understand. But, then when he understood by seeing how he reacted to beautiful Shloka from Srimad Bhagvatam, that this person loves Krishna. He might be totally different from me in certain ways but he loves Krishna, I want to be his disciple and Gadädara Pandit took initiation from him.
We need to understand, what is Nityananda Prabhu’s Tattva?
If we want to actually we have proper relationships with each other we have to focus on the essence and we have to be forgiving. We can’t compromise the Siddhanta but we have to accommodate different levels of people consciousness, different natures. If we focus on the essence we can raise above all these superficialities and actually help each other to rise to the platform of love of God. Because in the age of Kali, there are so many reasons to fight, there are so many reasons to disagree and there are so many justifications that I am right and you are wrong. But what’s right it pleases Krishna, what’s wrong it doesn’t. Prabhupada said you can show your love for by how you co-operate, how we raise people up even when they are having difficulty, rather than just pushing them down. This is the art of Bhakti and this is Nityananda Prabhu’s Tattva, this is what Srila Prabhupada did. Kinds of false we find in each and we ready to just lash out, imagine the faults that Prabhupada found I the people in San Francisco and New York. How did he deal with them, he raise them up and up and up and up and up and up and up and even while they were in this movement they were s many problems but he was just raising people up, sometimes he had come down to protect others but then he tried to do it in such a way to give those people a chance to grow.
Nityananda Prabhu is not angry except with Advaita Äcärya but that was love anger. He was angrier with Advaita Äcärya for not giving him enough food; even though he gave him mountains of food, then he was with Jagai and Madhai. He was angrier with Advaita Äcärya for giving him enough food; then he was with those dacoits. His thought was if these Jagai and Madhai become devotees then Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu glories will be known throughout all the fourteen worlds. He was looking; searching for the most fallen that is our Parampara. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur lived Calcutta he said I want to be in Calcutta because that’s where the most fallen people are. Srila Prabhupada, Calcutta wasn’t fallen for him. He boarded the Jaladutta in Calcutta and went all the way across the Arabian Sea, across Europe, across Africa all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to New York; you don’t get much more fallen than that not in this planet. How he had, people were trying to kill him but he just kept giving forgiveness and giving Krishna Naam inspired by the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Nityananda Prabhu is the connection between the Jiva and God, this Tattva may appear in different form but it is this Tattva of which Nityananda Prabhu is the origin that is the connection.
To get Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy one needed mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu
In the age of Kali Shri Krishna Caitanya Radha Krishna nahi Anya, Radha Krishna appeared in the one form of Lord Caitanya, and how to reach him? We were reading about Jagai and Madhai and these Dacoits and so many other people in Adisaptagram. There were these merchants who were condemned to be totally materialistic by Brahmana class and the kñatriya class and the vaiçya, these Adisaptagram gold merchants were so materialistic that they were labeled and accepted by all outcastes. No Brahmanical person or religious person would go near them; they were totally absorbed in the passion and the lust and greed for money. Nobody bothered with, the Pandit’s Navadwip. But Nityananda Prabhu and his associates with Uddhäraëa Datta, Nityananda Prabhu came right there, what did he do? He started performing Naam-Sankirtaan; he showed so much love to those suvarëa-vaëiks. They couldn’t believe they were rejected, they were engrossed in material life in so much, so deep and Nityananda Prabhu just dove right in their lives. He went to every merchant’s house individually and did Naam-Sankirtan with them. Nobody else cared but he gave his heart, he loved them so much. He gave them so much love and kindness that all of them became pure Bhaktas. Vrindavan Das Thakur said in a hundred years I cannot describe the nature of the Sankirtaan in the streets of Adisaptagram. But even the most exalted persons, Raghunath das Goswami is Prayogana guru, he tried to reach Lord Caitanya Radha Krishna through so many ways, he try to escape home dozens of time he kept getting dragged back, he couldn’t get to Lord Caitanya’s service, until he went to Panihati on the bank of Ganga. There when he took shelter of l Nityananda and Lord Nityananda engaged him in the service of the Vaishnava’s, all obstacles were cleared and he achieved the intimate loving service of Lord Caitanya and became our Prayogana guru, the guru who represent the highest platform of the gopis love for Krishna. Rupa, Sanatan Goswami along with Shri Vallabha, Anupam and little Jiva was there too. They first approached Haridas Thakur the Namacharya and Nityananda Prabhu and it was Nityananda Prabhu that brought them in to meet Lord Caitanya and they surrendered there. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami, I believe Devamrita Swami Maharaj this morning. It was because Kaviraj Goswami defended Lord Nityananda was so kind he appeared in his dream and sent him to Vrindavan, by Nityananda Prabhu mercy he received the shelter of the feet of Rupa and Raghunath Das Goswami and was given the power to write Lord Caitanya’s biography. Vrindavan Das Thakur he was the last disciple of Lord Nityananda, it was Nityananda Prabhu that trained him and instructed him and empowered him to write Shri Caitanya Bhagvad and the list goes on and on and on and on. Whatever the world knows about Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is only by the grace of Nityananda Prabhu, no one has achieved of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu among the fallen souls without the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Today is a very special day to understand what Lord Nityananda Prabhu represent in our lives, causeless mercy that our only hope. Here the Lord is with straw between his teeth, with folded hands on his knees, crying and begging people who abuse him, to just accept the name of Krishna. If you do, I am your eternal servant, I am your property, and I am yours.
Praying to Lord Nityananda Prabhu we can get excess in to divine loving service of Krishna
Now all those ornaments of Nityananda Prabhu, Lord Caitanya explains they represent the personifications of the nine process of devotional service, they should not be misunderstood. One of Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s expansion his Ananta, Lord Caitanya said Lord Shiva people don’t understand him either, just like Lord Nityananda Prabhu wears his ornaments they don’t understand they represent the nine processes of devotional service. Lord Shiva wears around his neck a snake, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that snake is Anantaçeña, its Lord Nityananda. Lord Shiva’s ultimate ornament is keeping Lord Nityananda Prabhu above his head, always being ornamented by the mercy the grace of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. So this should be our ultimate goal to always Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy in our heart of hearts. His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada he has made Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda known throughout the world. Because we have not seen anywhere, anyone who has thoroughly manifested Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy and his potency of forgiving even the most fallen, raising them to the platform of purifying their hearts by chanting of the holy name, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. It’s very befitting that Lord Nityananda’s appearing day is just before Gaur Purnima. If we really celebrate this day by praying for the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu then on Gaur Purnima Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will give us excess into his divine loving service. So let us on this day to be grateful to Srila Prabhupada for his great kindness, grateful for the Vaishnava’s mercy and forgiveness which is our only qualification. Let us pray that we can be sincere instrument of those qualities in the service of others throughout lives and forever. Is there Aarti now, so we will have Aarti? So His Holiness Devamrita Swami Maharaj would you like to lead the Aarti. He is asking if we desire to him to lead the Aarti, Haribol; we have to be more convincing than that, Haribol.
Shri Nityananda Prabhu ki Jai!
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!
Nitäi Gaur Premanande!
