SB 10.3.27
martyo måtyu-vyäla-bhétaù paläyan
lokän sarvän nirbhayaà nädhyagacchat
tvat pädäbjaà präpya yadåcchayädya
susthaù çete måtyur asmäd apaiti
SYNONYMS
martyaù—the living entities who are sure to die; måtyu-vyäla-bhétaù—afraid of the serpent of death; paläyan—running (as soon as a serpent is seen, everyone runs away, fearing immediate death); lokän—to the different planets; sarvän—all; nirbhayam—fearlessness; na adhyagacchat—do not obtain; tvat-päda-abjam—of Your lotus feet; präpya—obtaining the shelter; yadåcchayä—by chance, by the mercy of Your Lordship and Your representative, the spiritual master (guru-kåpä, kåñëa-kåpä); adya—presently; su-sthaù—being undisturbed and mentally composed; çete—are sleeping; måtyuù—death; asmät—from those persons; apaiti—flees.
TRANSLATION
No one in this material world has become free from the four principles birth, death, old age and disease, even by fleeing to various planets. But now that You have appeared, My Lord, death is fleeing in fear of You, and the living entities, having obtained shelter at Your lotus feet by Your mercy, are sleeping in full mental peace.
PURPORT
There are different categories of living entities, but everyone is afraid of death. The highest aim of the karmés is to be promoted to the higher, heavenly planets, where the duration of life is very long. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (8.17), sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaëo viduù: one day of Brahmä equals 1,000 yugas, and each yuga consists of 4,300,000 years. Similarly, Brahmä has a night of 1,000 times 4,300,000 years. In this way, we may calculate Brahmä’s month and year, but even Brahmä, who lives for millions and millions of years (dvi-parärdha-käla), also must die. According to Vedic çästra, the inhabitants of the higher planetary systems live for 10,000 years, and just as Brahmä’s day is calculated to equal 4,300,000,000 of our years, one day in the higher planetary systems equals six of our months. Karmés, therefore, try for promotion to the higher planetary systems, but this cannot free them from death. In this material world, everyone from Brahmä to the insignificant ant must die. Therefore this world is called martya-loka. As Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (8.16), äbrahma-bhuvanäl lokäù punar ävartino’rjuna: as long as one is within this material world, either on Brahmaloka or on any other loka within this universe, one must undergo the käla-cakra of one life after another (bhütvä bhütvä praléyate) [Bg. 8.19]. But if one returns to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (yad gatvä na nivartante [Bg. 15.6]), one need not reenter the limits of time. Therefore, devotees who have taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord can sleep very peacefully with this assurance from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (4.9), tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti: after giving up the present body, a devotee who has understood Kåñëa as He is need not return to this material world.
The constitutional position for the living entity is eternity (na hanyate hanyamäne çarére, nityaù çäçvato ‘yam [Bg. 2.20]). Every living entity is eternal. But because of having fallen into this material world, one wanders within the universe, continually changing from one body to another. Caitanya Mahäprabhu says:
brahmäëòa bhramite kona bhägyavän jéva
guru-kåñëa-prasäde päya bhakti-latä-béja
(Cc. Madhya 19.151)
Everyone is wandering up and down within this universe, but one who is sufficiently fortunate comes in contact with Kåñëa consciousness, by the mercy of the spiritual master, and takes to the path of devotional service. Then one is assured of eternal life, with no fear of death. When Kåñëa appears, everyone is freed from fear of death, yet Devaké felt, “We are still afraid of Kaàsa, although You have appeared as our son.” She was more or less bewildered as to why this should be so, and she appealed to the Lord to free her and Vasudeva from this fear.
In this connection, it may be noted that the moon is one of the heavenly planets. From the Vedic literature we understand that one who goes to the moon receives a life with a duration of ten thousand years in which to enjoy the fruits of pious activities. If our so-called scientists are going to the moon, why should they come back here? We must conclude without a doubt that they have never gone to the moon. To go to the moon, one must have the qualification of pious activities. Then one may go there and live. If one has gone to the moon, why should he return to this planet, where life is of a very short duration?
Lecture begins:
It’s very interesting that Govinda Prabhu specifically chose this verse, where when we remember Krsna we are free of the fear of death, the day after he and the brahmacaris closed the temple in fear of the swine flu.
Today by the causeless mercy of H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedatna Swami Srila Prabhupada, we are gathered together to celebrate Krsna’s appearance within this world, Janamastami.
We are reading from Srimad Bhagvatam the prayers of Deveki to Lord Krsna in the prison cell in Mathura, as Krsna has appeared before her.
Krsna especially descends to this material world, for the purpose of attracting our hearts to back to our original natural essence which is to be eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. And what is that bliss? The highest perfection of bliss is to be attracted to the unlimited opulence of Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In every religion it is stated that God is great, Srimad Bhagvatam explains quite thoroughly, how God is great. Srila Prabhupada begins his Krsna Book, by explaining according to Parasara Muni the father of Vyasdev, “Who is Supreme Personality of Godhead?”
Aswaryasa samagrasya viryasya yasasa sriyah…
The Supreme Lord has 6 opulences in full. And this is how we evaluate who is God. Those opulence are wealth, knowledge, strength, fame, beauty and renunciation. If anyone within this material world has a single one of these opulences to a slight degree more than others, it is very attractive. Some people are attracted to fame or beauty or knowledge or strength or renunciation. We read about such people, we see such people. But in this world, whoever may have these opulence it is always limited and temporary. But that person who has all of this opulence to an unlimited degree, forever, that is God. The cause of all causes, whatever opulence we have is only because we are a part of the supreme origin of all opulence. Krsna is all-attractive and anything we see in anything or anyone that is attractive it is only because of its connection to Krsna. Like a little spark from the Sun. The spark of the sun may seem very brilliant because it’s a part. But Krsna is the origin and the complete whole of everything. Srila Prabhupada explains people are very fond of hearing about attractive people, reading books about attractive people, seeing movies about attractive people but they can never be satisfied because whether we have attraction or whether we are attracted in this world it never fulfils the need of the soul because the soul by nature is eternal and therefore its looking for an attraction that’s eternal and because the soul is of a spiritual nature it is looking for an attraction that is unlimited and the reason why Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made it very simple – nitya siddha Krsna prema… because inherently our nature is to love God and that love it to become completely attracted by Krsna. Krsna means the all attractive and the dynamics of that love is when we love Krsna’s all attractive qualities, Krsna becomes attracted to the love that we possess. And in this way there is an interconnected relationship between the soul and God. Krsna being the all attractive one, he conquers the heart of anyone who just reposes their propensity for pleasure in Him but then in reciprocation, Krsna is conquered by the love of that devotee. Pariksit Maharaj, he was cursed to die in seven days. He left everything of his kingdom and went to the bank of the Ganges and there by the grace of all the great sages, he was given the darshan of Sukadev Goswami. Although Sukadev Goswami was hardly 16 yrs old and they were scholars, rsis and self realized souls who were timeless gathered there; people who were traversing the earth since the time of Rama and way before, they were all there – self realized, enlightened beings but they all selected Sukadev Goswami to be the speaker to represent all of them. Why? Because he had such deep realization, he was madly in love with Krsna. Pariksit Maharaj began by asking the fundamental questions that are so vital for every human being’s life within this world. What is the supreme occupation for all humanity? what is the essence of all religions and all scriptures? and what is the duty of a person who is about to die? Srila Prabhupada explains in this purport that death is imminent, there are different ways of explaining the universe but a common way that is described in the Vedas is that there are 3 planetary systems – the upper planets are Svargaloka, places of heavenly pleasures.
The lower places are the Patalalokas or the hellish planets where there is great suffering and the middle planets are called Martyaloka, basically means place of death because in the middle planetary system it is the best possibility for self realization and in order for self realization to be there we must be conscious of the reality of death. Yes? Actually in the higher planets you can live, Prabhupada is explaining average lifespan is 10,000 years in the Svargaloka area. Just think of that 10,000 years, that’s practically double the span of time that modern historians even give to human history, I mean besides the scriptures what history do we have of humanity before 5000 years ago? Very scanty, maybe some archeological findings of a few little things in pyramids in Egypt or something like that, by the empiric historians. So 10,000 years is over double what we know of human history as far as historians go, the mundane perspective and that’s just average life for anyone. And when you go up to the higher plants above Svargaloka, it’s much more. Brahmaloka, its not that Brahma lives there alone, it’s a whole civilization, massive population and Brahma lives 311 trillion years.
But from Krsna’s point of view, abrahma bhuvanalloka punaravruttinorjuna, mamupetyatu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate, 311 trillion years is really not different from 20 years. From the perspective of eternity, it all flashes by, its all so temporary, and when death comes which is inevitable, its not going to really feel like, its not much different. Prabhupad is explaining between Brahma and an ant, it’s not much different. An ant lives, I don’t believe we can do a study how long an ant lives – may be a couple of weeks by our calculation. Because, through all the same stages of life that we do. So, in the upper planets, the life is very very long. In the lower planets, the life is really long. Because, according to your sinful activities, you may have to be in a body, and go through the reactions of your deeds for long long time. But in middle planets, life is not very long. And why is it like that, because, If we are aware of the inevitability and the vulnerability that we have, it gives us more impetus to fulfill the real purpose of the middle planetary system, To seek god, to strive for self realization. May be a couple of weeks by our calculation.
Sukadev Goswami explains – one moment is better than the whole life, one moment of full consciousness. We sometimes refer to the oldest tree in the world in the lower… region… which is 9200 years old. Now, that’s a long life. What has that tree accomplished? Internally what has it done for the world? Something!! Many of the greatest people in the world didnt life for long. But they attained realizations, direct experience of the eternal reality within themselves. And they shared them with the world. That is the greatest thing. So, Parikshit Maharaj had seven days to live. He could have counteracted the curse. But he willingly did not. He took it as a blessing, as an opportunity to fully absorb himself in the most important consideration of human life, to remember Krsna, through krsna-katha, through hearing about Krsna.
Parikshit maharaj asked questions which were for the welfare of all humanity. And Sukadev Goswami was so happy, he congratulated Parikshit maharaj for asking such good questions, because, The answers to these questions are for the ultimate benefit of everyone. Therefore they are all auspicious. And he spoke, the first 9 cantos of Bhagavatam. And then when the 10th canto was beginning, Parikshit maharaj asked questions that really stimulated Sukdev Goswami to speak the ultimate conclusions of the Bhagavatam. He asked about Krsna. And Krsna makes his pastimes so interesting, that we want to know. Parikshit maharaj asked why was this child, Balaram transferred from the womb of Devaki to the womb of Rohini. That’s quite extraordinary because we hear these things so much and because we are not so alert we just become dull. We say “Yes, Yes”, so what I already know that. But actually its extraordinary, a child being transferred from one ladies womb to another ladies womb. It wasn’t done through medical surgery because one woman was barren and other was…why? How was this done and why? And then another question why after all this hard ship that Vasudev and Devaki endured why when Krishna was born finally on that very same night was he brought to Gokul to live in the house of Nanda and Yashoda to be brought up somewhere else. And when Krsna was in Gokul, I want to know what did he do, what were his activities and what pastimes did he perform please tell me these. And why did he move from Vrindavan back to Mathura and then to Dwaraka, he was asking so many questions. And why Krishna, why would he want to kill his own uncle Kamsa. Pariksit maharaj was the son of Abhimanu and Uttara, he was the grandson of Arjuna and therefore he had a very very special connection to Krishna through his relatives. After all Prabhupada explains in the battle of Kurukshetra Arjuna was small compared to some of those other warriors in the kuru dynasty like Bhishma and Drona. He compared the battle field of Kurukshetra to a vast ocean and the warriors of the Kurus to be like Timangila fish. Prabhupada says Timangila fish are so powerful that they can swallow up a whale. Just like you or me eat a piece of Sandesh. Timingila fish eat whales, I guess they are very sweet. How is it possible that Arjuna…Its only possible because of Krishna, because he took shelter of Krishna and Pariksit maharaj himself after the battle was finished Ashwatthama sent that Brahmastra into the womb of uttara to kill Pariksit Maharaj and uttara took shelter of Krishna at that time to save her child, and Krishna in reciprocation appeared with in the womb and saved Pariksit’s life. And Pariksit saw that with his own little eyes as a little embryo that vision. So he had great faith in Krishna he was so eager to hear about Krishna. In the beginning of the 10th canto of SB Pariksit Maharaj reveals his enthusiasm to hear Krishna katha, previously when he was out in the jungles he got thirsty and because of that thirst he got covered over and disrespected Samik Rsi because Samik Rsi was in samadhi and did not give him water in his hermitage. And he had just not drunken water for just a few hours. Now it has been days, many days. Pariksit Maharaj did not take a drop of water or a morsel of food and did not even sleep. Today’s Janmashtami, some of you who are able to do so will do nirjal fast. No food no water till midnight. Now its only 10′0 clock in the morning, but some of you may be feeling really thirsty.
Just thinking about another 14 hours, yes 14 more hours, so just thinking about how much more time you may be feeling thirst. But Parikshit maharaj tells to Sukadev Goswami even though so many days am not feeling the slightest inconvenience. Why because of the nectarine Ganges of Krishna-katha is flowing from your mouth, completely satisfying and fulfilling all my desires
Param drishtvani vartate… When one develops higher taste of hearing about Krishna, it really satisfies all our desires. And in order to attain the higher taste we must have an eagerness and enthusiasm to want to hear according to our eagerness Krishna-katha enters deep into our heart and satisfies our soul Ye yatamam. Krishna tells as you approach Me I reciprocate and reveal Myself accordingly
According to our enthusiasm according to our lobha, our transcendental greed, to want to hear. To want to chant, to want to server, Krishna manifests himself, factually when we read Srimad Bagavatham we are hearing the exact same thing that Parikshit maharaj heard.
Now when somebody sits and just recites Srimad Bhagavatham, you may start getting uneasy, you might start getting hungry and thirst after couple of days, you might start loosing your attention, it’s the same vibration. Parikshit Maharaj had the adhikar, the qualification. Of that eagerness of that sense of urgency therefore Krishna katha was so sweet for him. Sukadev Goswami thanking Parikshit maharaj for his enthusiasm he explains
3 types of people benefit from Krishna katha..
- The person that is inquiring about Krishna
- Person speaking that is about Krishna and
- Everyone else that happened to hear it
So Parikshit maharaj was the qualified inquirer because from his heart of heart he deeply felt the urgency the need and the greed to hear about Krishna. He was inquiring with all submissiveness to his guru dev and therefore he is the perfect inquirer. Sukadev Goswami was the perfect speaker, because he had heard in parampara in disciplic succession from his father and he was repeating those words with realization and compassion. And the 3rd category is all of us, the people hearing, there were so many great sages in the bank of the Ganges listening, and actually we are non different than them, we are hearing the same message. According to our eagerness according to our urgency we will get the same benefit as Parikshit maharaj.
That should be understood, but because Parikshit maharaj understood, that he was about to die, he really focused and therefore in this beautiful purport of Srila Prabhupad, Prabhupad is explaining, that we all should be aware of that inevitability. In fact Prabhupad warned us not to make us simply fearful and pessimistic but to make us enthusiastic. Prabhupad didn’t want us to be simply be afraid; he wanted us to be sincere.
he told us that Parikshit maharaj knew he had 7 days, and by the time of 6th canto he knew he had couple more days to live, but there is not a single person in this entire planet earth that knows for sure, that they even have one day, or even one hour, there is simply is no guarantee, and that is nothing you can do, to make that for certain. What is for certain is that, padam padam vipadam na tesam, that there is danger in every step, whether we are billionaires or millionaires. Or whether we are upper class or middle class or upper middle class or lower middle class, or whether we are in poverty or whether we are Phd’s or uneducated. Or whether we are politicians or farmers, or men or women, whatever race. Whatever arrangements we can possibly make, still life is beyond our control. We just don’t know. So to be aware of that is not to cause us to be paranoid and fearful, it’s to make us serious and in one sense it makes us happy. To know about the inevitable dangers of the material world, it impels us to take shelter of Krsna seriously. And in taking shelter of Krsna seriously, there is real fulfillment, there is real happiness, there is real hope, there is real life. It is wonderful. Parikshit Maharaj was in ecstasy. Because, he was filled with the all-attractive remembrance of the Lord. Sukhadev Goswami, he explained how, at one time there was great trouble on this earth, because powerful asuras, arrogant, greedy, violent beings, were conquering all directions, and exploiting and terrorizing the common people. It was so bad that mother earth took the form of a cow and went to Lord Brahma. Because mother earth is the mother of everyone on the earth and she saw how people were suffering so much. It’s the history of this world that people, who are violent, arrogant and greedy, manipulate and terrorize the common people. She went to Lord Brahma. Even the demigods, even they were being terrorized. Even they dint know what to do. So Lord Brahma took them to Svetadvipa, and there is an ocean of milk. Brahma and the devatas offered prayers, specifically Purusasukta, which invites the Lord to come to this world. But there was no response. So Lord Brahma sat in his own meditation on the Lord. And through Brahma’s heart Ksirodakasayi Visnu spoke and told him the message that He was coming to this world. He wanted the devatas with their wives to take birth in the Yadu dynasty to assist Him, in His divine mission.
How and when the Lord appears in the World?
It is very interesting, how when the Lord appears in the World, it is generally in very urgent circumstances where His devotees are really crying out for help. We don’t see very often that the Lord just comes on a nice sunny day when everything is nice. The moment He appears, He may make it like that. But what leads to His appearance is usually during very difficult times. Let us just look at the principal Avatars.
Matsya avatar: The matsya avatar it wasn’t just that the king Satyavrata was just… nice day. There was inundation such a massive rainstorm that the entire world was flooded and except for the living beings that were on Satyavrata’s boat, everything was finished and there was no land for him there was just this boat floating around in this massive unlimited ocean of devastation and then Matsya appears as the divine Lord in the form of a fish, golden fish and He spoke the Vedas, otherwise they would have been lost.
Kurma Avatar: Really a condition of great emergency and Varahadeva or lets the next is Kurma the devatas and the asuras were churning the ocean and the entire the mountain starting sinking, sinking, sinking, sinking – was really a critical situation because the devatas had lost practically everything, they made a truce with the asuras for the purpose of this churning and if the churning was not going to happen then the devatas would have nothing, they would be forlorn and forsaken so the Lord appeared as Kurma Rupa at a time when everyone was screaming and praying and crying out for help – serious emergency.
Lord Varahdeva: Then the earth was in the bottom of the Garbodaka ocean and Hiranyaksha was terrorizing the universe and Varahdeva came in that situation when everything was hopeless. He lifted the earth with his tusks and delivered Hiranyaksha.
Lord Narsingadev: And Narsingadev, He didn’t come when it was just good times. He came when Hiranyakashipu was terrorizing the entire universe and was about to kill the most exalted of all devotees, Prahlad. He appeared from the pillar.
Lord Vamana: And then Aditi when she saw that her children lost everything, they were hiding in exile, she was so distressed that she prayed to the lord and did great tapasya and Vamandev appeared.
Lord Parasurama: Parasuram, demoniac kings were trampling and killing everything and destroying everything and ruining all culture and Parasurama came to put things right at a time of great emergency.
Lord Ramachandra: And Ramchandra .. Ravana was terrorizing the universe, the demigods were praying for help, Dashratha wanted a son so bad but he had no sons after year after year after year, none of his wives would get pregnant and he considered his entire kingdom to be like a dreary void and he performed tapasya and yajnas and in that situation Rama appears and Sita there was great drought in Mithila, was an emergency, Janaka Maharaj along with the brahmanas were ploughing the fields to do a yajna and she came out from the earth.
Kalki: And as far as Kalki, He is to come and its not very good times when He appears, its times of utter desperation.
Lord Buddha when the whole…. poor animals were being slaughtered everywhere, the vedas were beings exploited and manipulated for arrogant people’s own purposes.
So it’s very interesting the lord usually comes in the most difficult times and here we find Krsna is not an exception. Why? In each of these pastimes we find the devotees are really crying out urgently from their hearts for the lord’s shelter and the lord appears and actually the lord is in all of our hearts and when we are eager to hear about Him like Parikshit, when we really call out His name taking shelter like Prahalad, then Krsna appears within our hearts. Krsna Consciousness is not about suffering, Krsna Consciousness is about real happiness but that real happiness can only be when we make that serious connection with Krsna through taking shelter of Krsna.
Goswami Sukadev tells about the marriage of Devaki and Vasudev. Vasudev, the son of Surasena was to take Devaki to his home, his residence. And according to the custom, because the bride is leaving her father and mother’s home, usually, her friends go with her and her brother takes her to give her some company and pacify her heart. So, Kamsa out of affection took the reins of the chariot in his hand, to bring Devaki home, to Vasudev’s house. It’s night time. And as they were driving the chariot, a tumultuous voice spoke from the sky. “Kamsa, you are a fool. You are taking nice care to drive your sister home. You do not know that the eighth child of your sister is going to be the cause of your death”. Then the voice became quiet. Kamsa was so much agitated. He feared that he grabbed Devaki’s hair with one hand and drove his sword. He was about to kill her. Vasudev was very much in alert to save his newly wedded wife. He pleaded with Kamsa, “Why are you so afraid of death? Death is inevitable. Why should you afraid of something that’s going to happen, no matter what? Why should we commit such unscrupulous sinful activities during that period? Everyone knows that when you are born, the notice of death is given. And whoever you are, you can not avoid it. When you are 25 years old, what does that mean, you are 25 years closer to death. But the soul is eternal. It’s an illusion to think that you are this body. But why should one commit sinful activities simply on the basis of this dream. According to your mentality, at the time of death, and according to the actions you perform, you have to go to go to another body. Just like a traveler, one foot steps in front of another, the back foot has to leave the ground in order to take the next step. Or like a plant worm going from one leaf or twig to the next. Similarly the soul is going from one body to another body to another body. Birth, old age, disease and death are inevitable. So, why should we fear the inevitable? Just like the moon, when the moon shines on the water, the waves of the water appear that the moon is moving. Actually the moon is not moving, the moon is stationary in the sky. It’s the reflection that is moving. So, similarly the soul is forever. But when the soul identifies with this reflection, of existence within this world due to the uncontrolled mind, and senses, then we become agitated, we become disturbed.
So, he was giving very nice basic philosophy to Kamsa, that for the body, death is certain, there is n o reason to be afraid. And for the soul there is no death, there is no birth. We are eternal, there is no fear. So, why do you want to commit these abominable activities to your own sister? Fear is only due to envy, envy of god, envy of other living beings. But Kamsa could not hear. Because he was so attached to his senses, because he was such a selfish person, even the best philosophy given by self realized souls can only be digested when we have some humility and when we have some sense of need to hear it. In that situation, Vasudev was thinking that I somehow or other have to save my wife. Because, if she dies now, there is no question of other children being born. But if I save her, then I could think about how to save the children later on. So, he promised Kamsa. You have no fear of Devaki. that voice said that her eighth son will kill you. I will give you every son that is born. You have my word, my promise. Kamsa understood that Vasudev’s word was for certain, he was a man of integrity. He released him.
Vasudev and Devaki had a son, little baby Kirtiman, and Vasudev true to his word actually went to Kamsa’s place and gave the baby. And kamsa was amazed! Such honesty just for the sake of his word, just for the sake of the truth, he is willing to sacrifice his first born and only son. Now most of us are willing to wait the truth for insignificant reasons…Yes? Just to get ahead in line we will tell something. For little things we tell a lie. But this was the integrity of Vasudev. His word of honour was more valuable than his only son. Incredible! Even Kamsa was really impressed. He congratulated Vasudev “such honesty you have such a great person you are. But actually it’s the 8th child I am concerned with. So you can take your child back. Vasudev started returning home with the little baby, but he understood that Kamsa could change his mind at any moment. Because a person who is too much attached to his own selfish interests, can’t be trusted. At that time Narada the great sage, one of the acaryas of our sampradaya visited kamsa.
Narada muni was getting worried that Kamsa was becoming too nice. If Kamsa becomes too nice, than it’s going to prolong Krishna’s apperance in this material world. And Narada understood that everything becomes auspicious when it’s connected to Krishna. Narada understood things much much deeper that we do. So he told Kamsa, “I was travelling around and I heard a meeting of the Demigods. And Vishnu is your enemy. He told your bitter enemies, the demigods, all to take birth in yadu dynasty and the Bhoja and the Andaka dynasties. And they are all taking birth for the purpose of destroying you. And this child, Vishnu could be born at any time from Vasudev and Devaki. Don’t take any chances. Because in your previous birth you were kalanemi and vishnu killed you and now he is coming back to kill you again.” And after giving him this information Narada muni chanting Jai Sri Radha Raman and left.
Kamsa was so much incited by Narada muni that all the demigods are taking birth all over the place. And Vishnu could be born at any time. So out of fear and agitation, first thing he did is his own father, Ugrasena king of Bhoja dynasty, he’d put him in prison and took the throne. Then Surasena, Vasudev’s father, conquered him and took his kingdom. The Yadus, the bhojas and the Andakas, he became king of all these provinces. And put Vasudev and Devaki in chains in his prison. Then to fortify his powers he made allies with other auras from all different directions. In the Garga Samhita it’s explained how he made allies. He would go to his places. If they didn’t become his allies he would fight with them until they were on the verge of death and then they would vow to be his allies. He was very powerful. Each one of Kamsa’s arms had the power of 10,000 elephants. And in Dwapariyuga the elephants were much bigger and powerful than in Kaliyuga. Can you imagine such power? But yet, however powerful, he was living in fear. So, in this way he became the king, and all good people were terrorized.
And every year Vasudev and Devaki would have a child. And as soon as the child was born Kamsa would take it and slaughter it, right in the presence of the child’s mother and father. Personally, he beat the little infant against the rock until there was just the bloody mess, dead.
Now, the obvious question – Why did Vasudev and Devaki keep having children? It is not that they could not control their senses. And they were unwanted children, they were completely self realized soul why would anyone after the experience… and they did it every year that mean soon after one child was born they would start the process of another one, and traumatic can you imagine if you had a baby and you saw your own brother right in front of your eyes, beat it to death against a rock. That would be trauma for the rest of your life, most people would have to go to psychiatrist and psychologist and all kind those thing just to live after seeing such a thing. What do they do? They went in to the process of having another child right after, and as that they could hide it they were in Kamsas prison and there was 24 hour guard just watching for the next child to be born.
Six consecutive children! The reason. Because they understood, it was their service to Krishna. Krishna was going to be their eighth child, so whatever they had to go through to facilitate Krishna coming as their eighth child. They were willing to do so, such surrender, it’s inconceivable and unbelievable the devotion of Vasudev and Devaki, under such circumstances. We have a hard time, giving up eating onions for Krishna’s service. We have hard time, waking up early for Krishna’s service or we have a hard time chanting our rounds for Krishna’s service, we think “oh how could I do this but Vasudev and Devaki, what they were willing to do for Krishna’s service.
Srila prabhupad was in that spirit, he was willing to get on that Jaladuta. Friday august 13th. Yes! that was yesterday, yesterday is the anniversary day when Prabhupad boarded the Jaladuta. It started Jaladuta is just now in the Eternal leela of Prabhupad it’s just leaving Calcutta as we are sitting here. And a few days later, heart attacks separation from Vrindavan all for the sake of Krishna’s enjoyment, such great personalities. What Jesus underwent for the sake of Krishna’s mission, Moses. Living in be wilderness for a whole generation for God’s mission.
Haridas takur what he went through, getting beat through 22 market places being harassed all just to be faithful to gods mission. Srivas takur, how he was condemned and Blasphemed and threatened in so many ways and he endowed it all for God’s mission. Just to help Krishna to deliver others.
So the six children where killed. And then Vasudev and Devaki had another. It is explained that, Balaram himself appeared in the womb of Devaki, the first expansion of Krishna in the spiritual world. Just to prepare for Krishna’s arrival, now the acharyas tell us
Who these six children represented. that historically, marichi, great demigods sage. He had six children,and at one time sri chaitanya mahaprabu is telling the story also in Caitanya Bhagavad that at one time they laughed at brahma In a sinnical way, because he was chasing his own daughter to enjoy her. They could not understand why is doing this.
But because Brahma is such an exalted Vaishnava it was considered to be an aparadha and because of that aparadha, they had to take birth as Demons. So in one of those births they were the sons of Kalanemi, grandsons of Hiranyakashipu. And they went to perform tapasya to get supernatural powers. When Hiranyakashipu found out, he said, “You are doing tapasya without asking me?” He was outraged. Now Hiranyakashipu had already conquered all directions. But this material ego, it can never be satisfied. Although he had conquered the demigods, he couldn’t, tolerate his own grand-children doing something without his permission. He was so agitated because of that. That he cursed them that, in your next birth you are going to die at the hands of your own father Kalanemi, who will become Kamsa”. Actually they wanted to die soon and they wanted to go back to their Rsi position. So actually Narada Muni was doing what those spirits souls really wanted. He was fulfilling their desire, and he is trikalajna, he understood past, present and future. He understood whats going to happen.
A little later in the story we read Deveki in Dwaraka asks Krsna for the benediction, “Bring my sons back. Because you brought the sons of Sandipani Muni, can you also bring my sons back too”. This was her motherly nature. And Krsna went and brought the sons back, the six children who were killed by Kamsa. And even though it was so many years later, Deveki, had such motherly affection for these 6 children, that she developed motherly milk and fed each of them. And because she had given her milk to Krsna, just before Krsna went to Gokul, she fed Him, so her milk was mahaprasad. And after these children drank the mahaprasad of Krsna, they became pure devotees, they became delivered. They attained the ultimate perfection of life. So the wisdom of great sages has to be understood with faith.
Narada Muni cursed Nalakuvera and Manigriva to be trees for a 100 celestial years. That’s a long time. 6 months of our time is a day for the demigods and so what’s a 100 celestial years. That’s how long they stood as trees. So omne may think why Narada Muni got so angry. Great personalities are not supposed to get angry. They are supposed to bless and are not supposed to cuse. So Narada blessed in the form a curse. A 100 celestials to get to see Krsna’s pastimes and to get Krsna’s personal darshan to attain the ultimate perfection of life. It was wonderful. So similarly when Narada talked to Kamsa, he knew that he was going to kill Deveki’s sons. But he understood that by doing so these children are going to get pure devotional service. They are going to attain the ultimate perfection of life. So it is good for everyone. And most of all Krsna is going to appear to attract all people for all time to come, by performing his Vrindavan Lila. Viswanath Cakravarthi Thakur tells the symbolic message of this Lila, the 6 sons of Deveki represent the 6 anarthas, lust, envy, anger, greed, arrogance and illusion. And Deveki represents Bhakti, Kamsa represents fear of material existence. When we have a healthy fear of material existence, we take shelter of Krsna and we are very careful of what we do in life. And by taking shelter of Krsna in that serious urgent state, we kill the lust, envy, anger, greed, arrogance and illusion from our heart.
Ceto darpana marjanam bhava maha davagni nirvapanam…
These anarthaas are like dust in the mirror of the mind. But ehen we feel the sense of real urgency due to the conditions of material existence, then we chant the holy names, not just as a ritual, not just as a regulation, we chant the holy names, because we need the shelter of the holy names.
Draupadi, she chanted Krsna’s names so many times. But when she was stripped, then Krsna manifested Himself. Because, she chanted from her heart. Gajendra, when he chanted the holy names of the Lord it was with the sense of the greatest urgency. He was surrendering himself to the Lord. These are the model roles in which we should learn how to chant the holy names. These are the model roles in which we should learn how to be eager to learn about Krsna. We need shelter, so when a devotee sees the nature of material existence, that devotee chants the holy names, hears about Krsna and prays to Krsna, so sincerely in such a mood of seeking shelter that the 6 anarthas are removed, they are destroyed. And then, the original guru Balaramji arranges everything for Krsna’s appearance. And Krsna manifests himself within the heart.
When Balaram was in the womb of Deveki, Krsna called for His yoga maya potency, parasya saktir vivideva suyate, Krsna has unlimited potencies. Yogamaya is His spiritual power. The whole of Vrindavan is under the jurisdiction of Yogamaya. He told Yogamaya transfer Ananta, Balaramji who was now in the womb of Devaki to His original mother, Rohini who was now under the care of Nanda Maharaj in Gokul and because you make that transfer, His name will become Sankarsan and then you take birth as the daughter of Yasoda and I will take birth in the womb of Devaki. The Hari Vamsa tells the story that Rohini was made pregnant by Vasudev and then she was sent, she was sent to Gokul to be under the care of Nanda Maharaj. Vasudev had many wives. So in her pregnancy, one night, at midnight, Rohini had a dream that she had a miscarriage, very startling and she woke up soon after and discovered that it was true! She did have a miscarriage. Then Yogamaya spoke to Rohini and explained how I have taken the child of Devaki and transferred Him now into your womb. In the spiritual world of Goloka, Rohini is the eternal mother of Balarama so by the arrangement of Yogamaya, he was bringing Balaramji to His original mother and then Krsna entered into the womb of Devaki. And when He did, Devaki became so effulgent and so beautiful. Kamsa saw this and understood the child who is to kill me has now come into Devaki, he was absolutely certain this was the child, Visnu has come and he increased the guards around Devaki to make sure that as soon as that child was born it would be killed.
Srila Prabhupada explains quoting from the Srimad Bhagavatam that the birth was completely transcendental – first Krsna appeared within the mind and heart of Vasudev and then there was no physical interaction from the heart of Vasudeva the child was transferred into the heart of Devaki. And even the demigods from all directions were coming to offer prayers to Krsna in the womb of Devaki, in the prison cell of Kamsa. Imagine, that prison cell became the spiritual world. Spiritual world is not subjected to material considerations, wherever Krsna is, that is Vaikunta, that is Goloka. Tatra tistami …yatra gayante mad bhakta, Krnsa tells Narada Muni wherever my devotees are chanting My Holy Names, I am there. Wherever there is Krsna, there is all auspiciousness. How Krsna wants to make his point so clear – the demigods are leaving the most beautiful, magnificent heavenly planets to come on pilgrimage to a prison, yes? Indra’s svarga loka, Brahma – Brahma loka, Siva – Sivaloka — these are the most magnificent places. And they are leaving those places to come on pilgrimage to a prison dungeon, to do puja and prayer there. Why? Because, Krsna was there. Therefore, that prison house of that jail cell of Kamsa was the holiest of all holy places on the planet in the universe, because of Krsna’s presence. Krsna makes every thing auspicious. And it was on this day, Soma, the eighth day of the waning moon, he appeared as a full moon on this day just to celebrate Krsna’s arrival.
Every thing became completely auspicious; and Krsna in His transcendental way, just proves to the world that He is the Absolute truth, Supreme Personality of Godhead without doubt. From inside the heart of Devaki, He manifested outside in the darkness of the prison cell emanating great light in His form of Lord Visnu. He was born with a beautifulk blue complexion, lotus like eyes, long long black hair. Most babies are born naked. He had golden lower cloth, golden chadar, beautiful crown, Kaustubha jewel on His chest; He was holding the conch shell, and the disc and the lotus flower and the club. Vasudev seeing this form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead before him offered prayers, acknowledging that He was the God of all gods. He is the creator, maintainer and annihilator of all the universes, He was the cause of all causes, and He appears within this world by His own sweet will just to rescue and deliver the conditioned souls. paritranaya sadhunam vinasayaca duskrutam – to annihilate the miscreants, to protect the devotees and to establish the principles of religion.
Vasudev in his heart of hearts, he had nothing, he was in jail, but he was so happy. That in his mind, he was giving millions of cows in charity to the brahmanas. At that time, Devaki offered her prayers. After acknowledging His supremacy, she presented her own motherly affection. She knew He was God. But still, she was His mother. And she had already gone through six of her children slaughtered and the other child that appeared, she had a miscarriage. She loved Krsna, She had pure love for Him. If Kamsa knows that You are Visnu, he will certainly cause harm to You. So, please make Yourself invisible. Hide Yourself from Kamsa. Take the form of an ordinary little child, so that You ciould be hidden. So, on the prayer of Devaki, Krsna fulfilled her desire. Lord Visnu spoke, and He said to Vasudev, “Bring me across the Yamuna to Gokul and put me on the bed of Yasoda. And in exchange, bring back her daughter.” And then He told Devaki and Vasudev about their true identities that, “Long ago Vasudev you are Sutapa, and Devaki was Prsni. And you performed tapasya for 12000 years, eating only the leaves that fell from trees. You did all that tapasya for the purpose of having Me as your son. And I appeared. I gave the benediction…You received the benediction that I would be born to you three times. I appeared to you on that birth as Prsnigarbha. And then in the next birth, two of you were Aditi and Kasyapa. And I came as Upendra. And now I appeared to you as Krsna. And you will not have to take birth in this material world again and you will go back to godhead.”
Then Krishna became a beautiful little baby. Devaki nursed him. Suddenly by the mystical arrangement of the Lord all the guards, guarding the prison cell fell into deep sleep. The doors opened and all the gates opened and suddenly Vasudev felt the chains that were keeping him bound, they just opened up and they just released him. In his arms he took the little baby Gopal. Torrential rains began to fall. But Anantasesa appeared just behind Vasudev to form an umbrella so that not a single drop of water would cause inconvenience to little Gopal. When he arrived at the Yamuna, Yamuna was flooding, terrible waves and whirlpools. How possibly can he bring the child across? But the scriptures tell that just like the ocean gave way to Ramachandra to get to Srilanka, similarly Yamuna devi made a very peaceful path way for Vasudev to cross. Now the acaryas quote from the padma purana and the other great scriptures, and their own revelations, Jiva Goswami explains in great detail in gopal champu, how Krishna simultaneously appeared as the son of Devaki and Yashoda. Yashoda mai actually had twins. The original Krishna was born to Yashoda. And the little baby that Vasudev had was a Vishnu expansion of Krishna and He merged into the body of Yadhoda’s Krishna. So after crossing over, he came to Yadhods’a bed, she was sleeping, because by the Yoga maya potency she didn’t even know what she gave birth to, she just gave birth and fell asleep.And the original Krishna, who never leaves Vrindavan was in Yashoda’s side and Vasudev took Yogamaya back to Mathura. When he came back into the prison cell all the prison doors closed, the shackles locked around his body. And little Yogamaya cried, woke up everybody. Immediately the guards ran to Kamsa, the child is born. This was at midnight, a little after midnight. Krishna was born at midnight, this is little later. Kamsa didn’t waste any time He immediately charged down to that prison cell and Devaki was holding her little baby. She pleaded with Kamsa, “Please the child that is meant to harm you is supposed to be a son. You have no fear of this girl. You’ve already killed six of my children, you are my brother. There is no danger from a girl, just allow me to be a mother; just allow me to keep this one child. I beg you”. Kamsa, so cold and cruel, so much thinking about his own self interest, without anything or anyone else, he forcibly took that little baby girl from Devaki. Now just see the difference between Vasudev-Devaki and Kamsa. They are willing to endure any kind of crisis or difficulty for the sake of Krishna, for the sake of all the conditioned souls of this world. But Kamsa he is willing to commit the worst atrocities because of himself. Kamsa so much personified this selfish mentality of making Me the centre of the world.
Some sociologist, they call this “Me generation”, because people are so much concerned with their own selfish interest. Real culture is when people become selfless, a spirit of service, what’s good for others is what’s good for me, and people who are willing to make sacrifices endowed difficulty for the welfare of others. They are real human beings of integrity, Love is selfless, and Lust is selfish. It is this selfishness that’s polluting the world; it’s this selfishness that’s the cause of all problems. It’s what induces people to illicit sex, to intoxication and to so many other calamities of Bad karmas. It’s the cause of greed, economic difficulties within the world, its all due to this selfishness, this greed, Kamsa was that manifestation. He did not care whether his sister suffered miserably. If it served his interest, a saintly person is paraduka duki, another’s suffering is my suffering and another’s happiness is my happiness.
Devaki was frantically pleading weeping let me just keep this daughter. Kamsa angry as fire forcibly grabbed that little baby from Devaki and with his powerful hand was about to dash the little infant girl against the rock. He lifted her up above with all his strength of 10000 elephants to smash her, but he was dealing with yoga maya, by her power she slipped out of Kamsa’s hand and went into the sky and Manifested her form of Durga riding on lion with so many weapons holding in her hands and she told kamsa, why are you so cruel to your own brother and sister, The child that is meant to kill you has already been born in somewhere else, and then she disappeared.
Kamsa was quiet sobered up by that situation, Sometimes when things really go out of your control, makes you sober, so he fell at Devaki and Vasudev’s lotus feet and begged forgiveness.. “I am sorry” but he was such a rascal first he says he is sorry. He is saying Please don’t blame me, it’s your own karma, I was just the instrument. Sometimes abusive people think like that, but he was in his way repentant then Vasudev and Devaki are so kind from their heart of heart. They forgave him; they felt sorry for him what saintly people. And he was so grateful to be forgiven and he let them go, and then some of Kamsa’s ministers and others they came together and they influenced him that. Actually you heard what Narada muni said the child is somewhere else it is already born
We should kill all the children. So, even if a person who is repentant and starting to become Krishna consciousness. Due to bad association everything is spoiled… in that bad association all of Kamsa’s envious propensities came to the surface again and he put Devaki and Vasudev back into prison after he begged their forgiveness and they forgave him put them back into prison. And then he sent his soldiers and various asuras, to kill every child in his entire kingdom and beyond who was born at that time.
Hare Krishna, he became more cruel than ever, meanwhile, yashoda mayi wakes up with Gopal in her arms. And one brahmani. She runs and gives the news to Nanda Maharaj who was just then milking the cows. He came running to that place, and their had first darshan of his bellowed eternal son Gopal and then the next morning Nandotsav. Wonderful celebration where they performed the Auspicious abhishekam, for the pleasure and good fortune of their child and from that time devotees over the past 5000 years to celebrate Janamshtami we celebrate in the same way it was celebrated Krishna’s.
Original appearance within in this world. Dancing, and chanting and abishekam of course in Gokul, There wasn’t any swine flues, preventing the brijwasi to come to participate. Every one came they didn’t care, in this way Krishna makes himself present within this world. It is only once in a day of Brahma Krishna appears in his original transcendental form. 4 billion 320 millions years is the Day of Brahma, the same is his night, so it’s only after over 8 billion years… that Krishna personally appears in his original transcendental form some tell from the perspective of universal, 5000 years ago is very recent. When Krsna appeared in His original transcendental form, all of the Visnu avatars entered into His body. The Lila avatars, the yuga avatars, the manvantara avatras, guna avatars, they all entered into Krsna’s body. Krsna svayam bhagavan.
And that is why we have this confidence on the basis of Guru, sadhu and sastra. That when we worship Krsna, we worship all the demigods, all the different avatars, all the different expansions of the absolute truth, they are all accepting our worship in Krsna, because Krsna is the sum-total. But Krsna especially comes in His original transcendental form to display His pastimes in Vrindavan. For every yuga there is a yuga avatar, all of these avatars merged into Krsna’s body. And it was in Vrindavan that Krsna revealed to this world, His own abode which is in the spiritual sky. Vrindavan in this world is non-different than the Vrindavan in the Spiritual World. And along with Krsna comes Srimati Radharani, Balaram, Nanda, Yasoda, Sridama, Sudama, Subala, the eight sakhis, the manjaris, the surabhiu cows, these are the eternal associates of Krsna in the spiritual world. They all come with Him. Once in a day of Brahma, once in over 8 billion years, to demonstrate Vrindavan pastimes. And Krsna only displayed His Vrindavan pastimes for about 10 ½ years. How precious?
But when He displays His Vrindavan pastimes, He empowers Sukhadev Goswami to speak them in Srimad Bhagvatam, He inspires Vyasdev to compile them, He empowers the great acaryas to elaborate them due to the transcendental vision that He gives them. And in this way He makes His Vrindavan pastimes manifest through sound-vibrations, forever, just to attract our hearts to the highest, sweetest, most intimate loving reciprocation with the Lord. And when the demons come Krsna’s Visnu aspect kills the demons in Vrindavan. But the original Krsna is simply enjoying playing with the Gopas and the gopis, forever. Because in Goloka Vrindavan there are no demons, it is that Lord of Goloka who descends. And when the demons come, the Visnu aspect within the Lord of Goloka at that time, actually performs the functions of killing of the demons. Krsna is Rasavihari, the supreme enjoyer. Nothing else but enjoying the intimate love of His devotees. And he reveals those pastimes within this world, out of His supreme love for every living being. We understand that the ultimate form of mercy is that Krsna reveals Vrindavan and His pastimes of Vrindavan in this world, to invite us back Home, Back to Godhead.
And by hearing these divine pastimes, following in the footsteps of Parikshit Maharaj, we can gradually enter into Krsna’s divine pastimems of Vrindavan. This is the gift that Srila Prabhupada has given us. When Srila Prabhupada was sitting in Radha Damodar temple, in Vrindavan writing Srimad Bhagvatam, translating the original texts and the essence of the commentaries of all the texts and commentaries of the acaryas into English. And when he took those boxes of books with him on the Jaladutta, this was his spirit. Krsna manifested His Vrindavan Lila to attract the whole world for all time to come, to His abode and Srila Prabhupada had that faith and he wanted to make that available for everyone.
Sanskrit language and maybe to a small extent in Hindi and in some Indian languages. But Prabhupada wanted the whole world to go to Vrindavan, Prabhupada was living in Vrindavan, he’s an eternal resident. Prabhupada once said that he was in Goloka and Krsna told him to go the material world and preach and Prabhupada wants to come to the material world. Krsna said no you just write some books, I’ll be happy. So Prabhupada descended into this material world just to write these books and travel around the world 12 times spreading the culture of Vrindavana. The rarest of all benedictions. And we can understand why Prabhupada was so determined. Prabhupada was asked, challenged “We have our own religions in our countries, why have you come?” Prabhupada said, “I have not come to convert you, I have come to enlighten, I have come to teach you what you have forgotten, how to love God”, that’s the universal principle of all religions – to love God. But understand in Prabhupada’s heart of hearts he was not just teaching people the essence of all religions of how to love God but he was giving, he was opening the doors to Vrindavan Dham to people all over the world. Something that literally no one else has ever done in our modern history, no one else has ever done. It was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu & Nityanand Prabhu’s prophecy that it would be done, it was BhaktiVinod Thakur’s dream, it was Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s order and Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that order, he planted the seed of Vrindavan throughout the whole world and so many peoples’ hearts and we are so fortunate that we have the opportunity to assist him, to be a part of it, whatever may happen in life, whatever difficulties, what tragedies, what shortcomings, compared to the blessing of being able to, in whatever way, participate in this most magnanimous historical mission of Prabhupada’s, everything else is not really very relevant. How fortunate are we? When Stoka Krsna was dying of cancer right here in this temple, he was only about what 31 years old? 34 years old, he looked like 31 though. He was only 34 years old, he just got married a couple years before, just had a baby, beautiful little girl he was looking at her and seeing and he is about to die. Can’t walk, paralyzed, pained, emaciated, he was so happy, smiling and he said he was just astonished by his good fortune. Why? Most people would say why am I dying when I just had a little baby, why am I dying when I am only 34 years old? Whose going to take care of these things in my absence? He is saying “Why am I so fortunate that in my life I got to read Prabhupada’s books? Why am I so fortunate that in my life I got to chant the Holy Name with these wonderful devotees, why am I so fortunate that I got to assist in Prabhupada’s mission?”. Can you imagine, today is Janmatstmi, once in every 8 billion years Krsna manifests His Vrindavan Lila in Brahma’s creation within this universe. And in that same time, once every 8 billion plus years, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda come in the same Kaliyuga after the DvaparaYuga of Krsna’s appearance and they manifest Vrindavan Lila in Navdvipa in the most magnanimous form because Krsna comes to spread the love of Vrindavan to the world. He manifests it, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda show the way to spread it. Krsna didn’t spread it, He manifested it; its Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, Krsna and Balaram who through the Nama Sankirtan movement showed the way to spread it all over the world, to preach it. And Srila Prabhupada, he came to do it, to fulfill. First time in this entire day of Brahma, that someone traveled allover the world to successfully Vrindavan culture, Vrindavan rasa, to fulfill the purpose of Janmastami. Krsna appeared on this day especially to attract the conditioned souls’ hearts back to to His loving service. As far as killing Kamsa and all those guys… (laugh), Krsna doesn’t have to come in His original form to do that. Any Visnu form, any expansion could kill all the demons. And they come all the time. Krsna’s special mission is to reveal Vrindavan – the love of the Gopas and the Gopis and His love to the Gopas and the Gopis – so rare, so special, that’s Janmastami – to attract the hearts of the world back to that – to the love of Vraja.
And Srila Prabhupad with the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, with the order of Bhaktivinod and Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, travelled the world. He had the Srimad Bhagavatam translated in every major language on earth, he had the Hare Krsna mantra, Golekera prema dhana hari nama sankirtana, this mantra is descending from Goloka Vrindavan, chanting on every continent on earth, how rare, how special, and we get the chance to assist in this mission – if we simply give our heart to doing this – to assist in Srila Prabhupad’s mission, we are certain to go back to Goloka Vrindavan. Sthoka Krsna Prabhu had that appreciation. “Doesn’t matter, that I am suffering from cancer. Doesn’t matter i am going to die in a day or two. I got to be a part of it. Death is going to happen anyway. But how many people are going to be a part of it.” He was so grateful, so blissful.
What do we have to complain about? Why not see the infinite blessing and benediction that we have received and not be so concerned with the inevitable problems of the material existence that are going to be upon everybody in various degrees. This is in a mode of eternal blessing. If we just put our heart into it, it is our perfection… guaranteed. And Srila Prabhupad, by Krsna’s arrangement, he takes birth in this world the day after Janmastami, quite symbolic, that the day after Janmastami, the day when Yasoda and Nanda are celebrating Krsna’s appearance in this world. Actually, Janmastami midnight is when Krsna appeared, but there is not much of a celebration. Taking Him across the river Yamuna, the wind and the rains, but the real celebration came next morning. Nanda and Yasoda had a child. The child has been born in Vrindavan. Krsna Vrindavan. It’s not the celebration of a child who was born in Mathura. It’s Vrindavan. Nanda and Yasoda are united with Krsna. It’s the manifest of the first of the Vrindavan lilas in a sense, its the Abhishekam in the birth ceremony of Krsna. Prabhupad was born on that day. Why? He came from Goloka to spread that Vrindavan culture to the whole world. So, let us on this day of Janmashtami, express from our heart of hearts our gratitude and sincerely try to be grateful for the unlimited infinite good fortune that we have. If I only live one more minute no one could be happier than me. This is the way we should be praying, let me have this mentality, if I only live for another second, Krishna give me the realization no one could be more happier than me. Because I got to chant the holy names with Prabhupada’s devotees and assist in this mission of spreading Vrindavan to the world… actually helping to fulfil Krishna’s reason for coming to this world on Janmashtami. Thank you very much.
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai.
Sri Sri Radha Gopinath ki Jai.
