Radhanath Swami: We have heard from Jananivas Prabhu, the history of Sri Sri Radha Madhava. The histories we find when the Lord appears within this world are as especially focused on the Lord’s relationships with His loving devotees. Sri Sri Radha Madhava made Himself visible to this world through the prayers and the compassion of Srila Prabhupada our beloved guru maharaja. It was by Srila Prabhupada’s desire that today millions and millions of people every year are coming to see and receive the blessings of Sri Sri Radha Madhava.
At first Srila Prabhupada had them on a little straw hut and in an isolated rice paddy in Sri Mayapur dham. At that time he asked Jananivas Prabhu to be their pujari and never leave them. But it was Srila Prabhupada’s desire. Because it was the prayer of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu that the whole world will come to Sri Mayapur to learn the Yuga dharma. How to waken unmotivated, uninterrupted prema bhakti from the heart by raising one’s arms and crying out with great humility of holy names of Krishna. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
So we are deeply ended to Jananivas Prabhu and Pankajangri Prabhu for dedicating their lives totally.
We heard from Pankajangri Prabhu so many beautiful jewels of wisdom of how Krishna is the master of all energies and He is the controller of all energies.
daivé hy eñä guëa-mayé
mama mäyä duratyayä
mäm eva ye prapadyante
mäyäm etäà taranti te”
Bhagavad-Gita 7.14
Krishna says this is divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of nature, which means material energy. It is very difficult to overcome. But one who takes shelter of Me can easily cross beyond it.
Material energy is like a vast ocean, on our own to cross this ocean is impossible. But for one who takes shelter of Krishna who is the controller of all control “sarveswara iswara”. He reduces the quantity of water in the ocean of material existence to that content within the small hoop print of a calf. So literarily anyone can cross the hoop print of a calf. Even an infinity baby, who has not learnt how to talk of walk, can crawl and cross over that hoop print. Even an ant can swim across it. Another words Krishna is telling us that anyone and everyone no qualification, disqualification just take shelter of me and I’ll make it possible. “mayädhyakñeëa prakåtiù süyate sa-caräcaram” Krishna is the controller of material existence. It is under His control. But the only way that we can cross over it and what Krishna saying, when He tells that it is no more difficult than crossing over the hoop print of a calf. We should understand, what this really means. Because when we take shelter of Krishna, Krishna reveals Himself. “änandämbudhi-vardhanaà” He reveals in Himself the supreme oppulences of beauty that are attract our hearts and give us the bliss that we are always searching for. “param drstva nivartate” because Krishna’s beauty, Krishna’s qualities Krishna’s pastimes, Krishna’s abode, association with Krishna’s devotees, Krishna’s beautiful form and especially all these things which are contend within Krishna’s name are all attractive. When we take shelter of Krishna “ye yathä mäà prapadyante täàs tathaiva bhajämy aham” accordingly Krishna reveals Himself to us.
Krishna tells that all the beautiful things in this world that are so enchanting to our mind but a tinny little sparks of his unlimited splendor. All beautiful things within the entire creation all the beautiful things, all the attractive which is within the entire creation that means within all planets of all universes put them all together and they are not even comparatively like one spark of a sun ray compare to the unlimited sun planet of Krishna their origin and their source. What is the attraction of Krishna. Some people they just cannot conceive that anyone could be so unlimitedly eternally attractive. So therefore they come to the conclusion that if the absolute is unlimited they must have no qualities. They must be impersonal. In that impersonal existence we are freed from the charms of this material existence may be temporarily because we are all looking ultimately for love. But in the Supreme Personality of Godhead imagine this. We are enchanted by things in this world people, things, experiences, possessions. Sometimes we are so infatuated that it takes away our intelligence. Imagine what’s available in the heavenly planets. Do not imagine.
Pankajangri Prabhu said that in Kali Yuga the demigods do not even come down this earth planet to go to the bath room. So can you imagine what is like there? At everything up and all the earth planet and all the heavenly planets in all the creation, is not even a spark. A single sunray compared to Krishna’s beauty. Krishna is the attractive personality. So yes, this material existence with all the temptations is like a vast ocean. But when we trying to attracted Krishna, His beautiful lotus like eyes, His moon like face, threefold bending form plays on His flute this lotus like lips, His hair decorated with peacock feather and Malati flowers, Vajayanti Mala, Dhoti bright like lightening. His toe nails are shining more brightly than millions of suns and moons. His teeth are like rose of jasmine pearls. His eye brows are like the bows of cupid. Nose is like a freshly boom sassily flowers. He has shark shaped earrings dangling very very gracefully on his beautiful ears.
When Krishna glances upon us and the love of his heart manifest through that glance to penetrate our soul and awaken our love then Krishna’s unlimited oceanic beauty and attraction makes all the pleasures of this world as insignificant as the amount of the water in the hoop print of a calf. Whoever becomes attracted to Krishna with love can easily cross beyond, effortlessly cross beyond it. In saddhana bhakti stage, when are somewhere between loving Krishna and still trying to enjoy selfish pleasures it is a struggle. “tapo divyaà putrakä yena sattvaà” But that struggle is there for a purpose, so that we can really take things seriously. The struggles if we are sincere, will help us to actually take shelter. Krishna I need you, not just as formal religious function but I need you 24 hours a day.
Pankajangri Prabhu was explaining that Krishna is making this offering. He comes to this world again and again just to invite us back into his loving pastimes to attract our minds, away from birth, old age, disease and death. He gives us so many opportunities. He gives us the opportunity of the holy name at every moment to chant and connect. He gives us the opportunity of the association of so many wonderful devotees. If we just grateful, we can see the good in them. When you are grateful in heart Krishna reveals to you the blessings that He is giving. If you are not grateful, even know the blessings are there you cannot recognize them. He reveals everything according to how we approach Him.
Sitting in this temple today before Sri Radha Rani and Gopinath, not statues but Krishna Himself and Sri Radha herself. Gaura Nita are dancing for them right in front of our eyes. This is the spiritual world. Can you imagine? They are not marbles. They are marble but the two divine brothers who are saying Krishna being the controller of material energy can manifest Himself through material energy in full. Not only can He? But He does. Jut to give us a chance to perfect our lives. How kind He is! He is so available. Anybody and any house could put a photo or a deity of Krishna. And Krishna is living right in their houses. We read about some sages, they carried Krishna around with them wherever they go and a little bag around their neck. Krishna is in the temple so that thousands of people could come to gather to learn to love each other or loving Him and inspire one another.
He is none different than the Srimad Bhagavatam. In Bhagavad-Gita, here is Krishna’s word directly with the commentaries of the great acaryas throughout time. They are sitting right in our homes. We can carry them with us, if we want. Srimad Bhagavatam is none different than Krishna. If you read Srimad Bhagavatam with an actual grateful and an attentive heart, it is none different than being right there five thousand years ago on the bank of Ganga, hearing Sukadeva Goswami speak to Maharaja Parikshita Maharaja. Because transcendental sound is not limited to time or place. It is divine. The sound vibration is eternal. It is just by matter of taking the mood of Parikshita.
I have told the story of my god sister Kuntidevi. She was dying of cancer in the last stages. Her complexion was yellow and teeth were rubbing. Her spine disintegrated. She could not seat up, could not walk but just laying in a bed. She is just propped up. She was emaciated. She could hardly eat anything. She was going to die. She was in very painful. If she tried to hold a book, her bones were so brittle that just holding up a book may break her bone. She had no strength to hold the book to read.
Now most in this room, we have so much strength. We can hold the book and read. But we have no time to read. But if you are in that situation, you will give anything to hold up a book and read. We do not appreciate what we have. So someone got her a computer. For all Srila Prabhupada’s books in the computer. So all she has do is move her little skinny fingers on some keys and she could put any pages of Srila Prabhupada’s books in front of her.
So I came in and she was reading Srimad Bhagavatam. She was smiling and she was in ecstasy. She said, “People think I am on my death bed. I am in the bank of Ganges sitting right next to Maharaja Parikshit and hearing Sukadeva Goswami. I have never been so fortunate in my life. I read these books so many times but never ever have I heard my guru maharaja Srila Prabhupada’s speaking to me so personally, so directly right to my heart with so much compassion and love. I never have experience this. I would not tray the position, I meant today for anything or anyone else in the world. She had her good health in her days. She had so many nice situations. She see other people in the world. Even devotees dancing in ecstasy in Kirtan. Krishna says, she would not change her position for anything or anyone. Because she was feeling Srila Prabhupada personal love for her and she could hear Sukadeva Goswami speaking. Within her heart she could see Krishna clear more intimately than ever before. Because she had a sincere and grateful heart. If only we can just appreciate what we have been given, Krishna will reveal Himself.
We chant the holy name. We take it for granted because we can do it anytime. But if even wants we can really appreciate the gift of the holy name and chant with that gratitude and really take shelter that one recitation of the holy name, Krishna will reveal Himself. The ocean of material existence becomes a little hoop print of a calf again. “he kåñëa karuëä-sindho”. Krishna is Karuna Sindhu, He is an ocean of kindness and ocean of compassion. He is an ocean that has no bottom and has no shores. He is an ocean that is not salty. He is an ocean that is the sweetest nectar, unlimited nectar. He is all pervading. That is Krishna’s kindness. Because Krishna is karuna sindhu even in this place of this material world where people who have rejected him, who are chronically envious of Him, who are accustomed and habituated to hurt each other. “aham bija pradah pita” every living being is the child of Krishna. How could we love Krishna and be disrespectful or cruel to anyone else. But yet birth after birth after birth As an tiger you are seeing Krishna is a little child, the deer and jumping on Him and putting your teeth through its neck and eating it live. Krishna is watching you. It is my deer, you are eating it. As a human being even our family members were fighting or hurting. Sometimes we are eating others. Krishna is so kind and an ocean of kindness. Such an ocean, it is unlimited and it is unending. No matter how many times you offend god. God is still willing to come here to give you another chance to call you back home to eternal life of unlimited bliss. That is karunasindhu. Made Himself so available in so many ways. How creative He is! Who could be more creative than a creator? So many deities are available, you can put Him right in your home and come to temple. In Srimad Bhagavatam, there He is and His words in Bhagavad-Gita. Every devotee is a murti of Krishna. In the sense that every devotee because they are dedicated to Krishna, they are revealing Krishna. In the holy names Krishna makes Himself so easily available.
As Pankajangri Prabhu was saying we have to take advantage with grateful hearts, not this time. Time is short. Even Krishha says “Time I am”. Actually every single moment in any situation is absolutely the perfect opportunity to take shelter of Krishna and be perfect. This we have to have faith in. This is the reality. Whatever the situation, it is a perfect opportunity to take shelter of Krishna. Whether things are very good and everything so good, Krishna I am so grateful to You, it’s yours. We can go back to godhead. If things are so bad, Krishna things are so just so bad and I am so helpless and I take shelter of You. I am Yours.
Bhaktivinoda Thakur prays, “Krishna if You want, You can kill me and if You want, You can protect me. You can do anything You like to me. I am Your eternal servant. I am Yours”. We just learn to take shelter of Krishna in whatever situation, whatever is happening in this world, it does not matter, when you go back to godhead. You may have done something in the past that does not right and may be a scholar are you on this world but you won’t go back to godhead. Nobody cares. As soon as you go back Krishna welcomes you and embraces and everything of this world is meaningless. The water contained in the hoop print of the calf, evaporates when you go back to godhead. There is nothing left, there is nothing to remember, nothing to regret, all there is Krishna, Sri Radharani and all the devotees chanting the holy names “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
This is the chance that we all have always at every moment. Krishna as time, he tells us how price is every moment is. But still because we do not get it, he even within the moments we have. Any moment in life is the perfect chance to become a perfect lover of Krishna. But then Krishna manifest himself as certain times to give certain benedictions at that time. Janmasthami day that’s not different than the day Krishna appears within this world. It is the murti of that occasion. Krishna is actually appearing in the mid night of Janmasthami. It is not just some anniversary of historical event. When we celebrate Chatrapati Sivaji’s birth day, it is a historical event. It is an anniversary that we remember him. That’s very nice. But Janmasthami because Krishna’s “janma karma ca me divyam evaà yo vetti tattvataù” because He is our divine events, they are eternal beyond time”. In Janamsthami, Krishna has invested within that day the full benefits of being present in the prison of Kamsa at mid night or in the gosala area of Mahabavan Gokula when Krishna appears to Yoshoda and Nanda. It is happening so beautifully.
In Radhasthami at noon time, when Sri Radha Rani appears. If you have the faith, right association, and if you really take shelter of Radharani on that day she will especially appeared to you as she did in Mukarabali or Rabal 5000 years ago to Brishavanu Maharaja and Kirtida. In Govardhana Puja special day. It is the anniversary of the day, when Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill but because it is divyam transcendental Krishna is actually wants to show you that. Factually He can appear to you or show you that Radharani or Krishna or lift Govardhan Hill on any day of the year and at any moment. But just to entice us, just to give us special impetus that day is specially like the murti of Krishna performing that lila. Then the month of Kartik where any devotional activity you perform is multiply by thousands of times. You are chanting of the holy names. You are going to a holy place and you are taking bath in a holy river and you are hearing Srimad Bhagavatam. You are rendering devotional service. It is all multiplied.
Just see how merciful! What a karunasindhu! What an ocean of mercy! Such opportunities! Trying to attract our hearts to become very serious and take advantage of this moment. Right at this very moment, that we are living now is the month of Purusottam, this month is none different than Krishna. All the qualities of Krishna are within this month that means if we just take shelter of Krishna within the time of this month, every moment is so sacred, so impregnated with spiritual and mercy and it is very rare. The rarest things Krishna makes so available and all we have to do is be sincere and open our hearts and be grateful to receive it. According to Padma Purana in Naimasharanya Saunaka Risi was asking Suta Goswami many questions. In that conversation Suta Goswami described how once Narada Muni went to Vadrika Ashram and there he met lord Narayana. He asked how could every one attend the perfection of your loving service in this world, whether they are house holders, living with their families, whether they are brahmacaries, sannyasis, living in the forest, living in an ashram, and Badrinarayana, told the story. He said, “I want to tell you about a great opportunity that everyone has in this world to follow the Purusottam Vrata. Let me tell you the glories of this month”.
Onetime Krishna came to Kamya Vana to visit the Pandavas, while they were in exile. You know the story how Duryodhana, who was such a envious person cheated the Pandava’s of their kingdom, try to insult and strip necked Draupadi their wife and eventually Drupadi and her five husbands were in exile living in forest. But Krishna loves His devotees so much and He came all that way to personally visit them and He wanted to encourage them. He told them to follow the Purusottam and to worship Him with love and devotion during this month. He explained, how this month which an extra month is. It is not really a set place in the calendar. Every month has her own qualities. Winter in different places has winter qualities, summer, monsoon, spring, but this extra month every three years is just kind of being seen to be stuck in there. It was one time considered the most inauspicious time. Just like a month without a proper place and everyone considered that this is very very inauspicious, it is very unlucky. It is considered that the entire month is highly contaminated.
Just like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, how He transformed the so called inauspiciousness of lunar eclipse into the most auspicious of all times. So the personification of this Adhika mas, this extra month went to Vaikuntha and was crying to Lord Narayana. “I am completed blasphemed, humiliated and shamed by everyone and no one likes Me. I am force to appear every now and then and nobody wants around”. He was crying please give me shelter. So Lord Vishnu said, “Let us go to Goloka Vrindavana. Krishna will give you shelter”. So they came to Goloka and Krishna was standing there with Sri Radha Rani and His flute. He saw this extra month crying and crying. Krishna said to Vishnu “Why she is crying”? Vishnu explained “She took shelter of Krishna”. She took shelter of Krishna with all our hearts and all our soul in total desperation. It is Krishna’s promise. “Whoever take shelter of Me, I’ll give them all protection”. He said, “From this day on this month you, I’ll keep you all protection. Not only that I’ll invest within you all of My potencies, all of my beauty, you will be none different than Me. I’ll accept you as My own consort and you will be none different from Me and whoever take shelter of Me during this time, when you prevail, I’ll surely give them very easily quick transfer back home back to godhead.
Thousands and thousands of times more than any other month of the year including even Kartik, I’ll bless people to fulfill their desires, if they take shelter of Me during the time when you are in. Therefore you will be known as Purusottam Mas, the month that is none differnet than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So she was so happy and ever since then all the sages and all the risis and all people who understand this great secret they increase their loving devotional service during this month. It is an opportunity. Factually the opportunity is there at every moment of everyday for all eternity within this world, if we just take it.
It is not that Gajendra was in the clutches of the crocodile he was thinking I have to wake three years through Purusottam masa, then I’ll take shelter and everything will be very powerful. Krishna is present with all His opulence in His holy names anytime we take shelter of Him. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. But because our tendency is to take things for granted Krishna gives special features and special opportunities, as Gauranga Prabhu was saying yesterday, “Like a good sales man gives certain bonus features, Krishna gives very very special opportunity just to take shelter of Him”. No moment is ordinary, if we take shelter of Krishna, if we associate with devotees but because we tend to take things ordinary, kartik is extraordinary so that you can like thousand times more advancement, just do it now. Purusottam is very very extraordinary, none different than Krishna. Do it now. It is true. All these promises are facts. Factually anytime, you cry out Krishna’s names with the sincere and prayerful heart, Krishna is there for you. But in our saddhana and our practice take the opportunity during this very very special blessed month or blessed holidays to really become accustomed to taking shelter of Krishna whole heartedly. Because every moment of this month is so sacred and none different than Krishna.
In Vrindavana, there are many temples. They consider every holy day of the year is simultaneously during every moment of Purusottam Masa. Janmasthami, Radhasthami, Gaura Purnima, Nityananda Trayodasi, Narshima Chaturdasi, Baraha Dwadashi, Vamana dwadasi, Govardhana Puja, Holy, the appearance days of all the great saints. So they anytime at any day they just celebrate. Just like you go to one temple, today there is a temple celebrating Radhasthami. There is temple celebrating Sarad Purnima. It is not the full moon, it is not the month of Sarad, but factually it is not only in Vrindavana but even here. Because all the holy days, you can worship any one of them and you get the full benefit because that day is none different than anytime you celebrated during Purusottam Mas. This is the principle of so many temples in Vrindavana. Such a holy month, where Krishna makes Himself so accessible to all of us, just to give us this opportunity.
We bathe in the holy river in this month, we chant the holy names with sincerity in this month, we read Srimad Bhagavatam or hear the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita, or Caitanya-caritamrita or other bhakti scriptures. When we associate with devotees, render service to the devotees, everything the blessings, the rewards or bhakti, that are bestowed upon us are remains but we are unable to calculate it. Krishna gives us this opportunities just show that we will really focus our consciousness and attention on the reality that even once if I just take shelter of Krishna, who is appearing in so many wonderful ways, Krishna will reveal Himself. And all the tragedies and miseries and obstacles of material nature become insignificant like that calf hoop print of water.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He came in this world to make the most difficult things to most simple. Previously we read about the sages meditating for 60 thousands of years to somehow or other understand what is Krishna. In Tretya Yuga massive Yagyas impossible to perform today. In Dwapara Yuga the type of temple worship was such scrutinizing proficiency and exactness and so much total rapid attention in everything we do at every moment. We cannot do it. But in this age of Kali Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is inviting us to Goloka Vrindavana, to be His eternal servants the gopas and the gopis in the spiritual world. And the price just be grateful, focus your mind and take shelter of serving the vaisnavas, sharing His beautiful messages with others and chanting the holy names. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
So why should we be so foolish on the basis of our petty little material attachments. Whether they be of the mind, body that will create disturbances in our relationships with other devotees, which means factually that we create a disturbance between our relationship with Krishna. Krishna wants us to our respectful and honor to all living beings and to cooperates with other devotees and to create a family that will attract the world to path of bhakti. That’s what Srila Prabhupada and Krishna expect from us. Why should our little false ego cheat us so tragically to waste our time just try to feed our own selfishness? We have been doing it for millions and millions of births and it cause only miseries. Here Krishna is in the form of Radha Gopinath through the lips of Srila Prabhupada and here we are as Jananivas Prabhu said packed in with so many devotees in the month of Purusottam. Please let us take very seriously the great benediction. Just make the priority to be the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord, be humble, cooperate, and really take shelter of Krishna. Because in that mood only can take shelter. You cannot be proud and take shelter. You have to be humble. You have to be in a service attitude to actually take shelter.
Therefore Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur says, “Simplicity is the first principle, we have to accept to make real spiritual advancement. Because otherwise, even if you following the five primary limbs of bhakti chanting the holy names, worshiping the deities, living in a holy place, worshiping Tulsi, reading Srimad Bhagavatam, associating with devotes, these are the most powerful things in all of creation. Because they are reward us love of god. But if we do not take shelter of these things our progress is minimal. In order to take shelter, we have to have a simple heart. We have to be humble. We have to really want to serve. Then naturally there will be cooperation, even in this age of kali. And Krishna will manifest to us and attract our hearts forever because He is Karuna Sindhu. He is an ocean of kindness and He has come in His holy names. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
