Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Bhagavatam 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974

 

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

na kascin mriyate tavad
yavad asta ihantakah
etad-artham hi bhagavan
ahutah paramarsibhih
aho nr-loke piyeta
hari-lilamrtam vacah

"As long as Yamaraja, who causes everyone's death, is present here, no one shall meet with death. The great sages have invited the controller of death, Yamaraja, who is the representative of the Lord. Living beings who are under his grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord."

Prabhupada: So Yamaraja, Yamaraja is the representative of the Lord. Just like the police chief. The... What is called, the police chief? The superintendent or what? Commissioner. Commissioner of police. He is representative of government. So the police department is fearful department for the criminals, not for the law-abiding persons. Similarly, Yamaraja, who is the superintendent of death... Death is certainly cruel. At any moment death can stop all our activities. Nobody can protest. That is not possible. So... And nobody wants death also. That is also fact. But nobody can stop death also. The so-called scientific advancement, they cannot stop death. You can talk all kinds of nonsense of advancement of life, but after all, you have to die. Big, big scientists, professors, they talk so many things, but when death came, it could not save him by his scientific process. Because death is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Who can check? Therefore the Lord's name is Ajita, Ajita. Ajita means one who is never conquered by any other means. Sva-rat, self-independent. These are the words used. Sva-rat. Sva-rat means fully independent. Nobody can make him dependent. That is Krsna. That is God. Every one is dependent, but Krsna is not dependent. Therefore He is called sva-rat.

So Maharaja, the Yamaraja... Yamaraja is representative. There are twelve recognized representative of God. We have many times cited this verse. Svayambhu, Brahma. Lord Brahma is representative. And Narada, great sage Narada, he is representative. Sambhu, Lord Siva, he is representative. Kapila, Kapiladeva, he is also representative. Kumara, the four Kumaras, Sanaka, Sanat-kumara. And Manu, Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. Manu received the transcendental knowledge from his father, Vivasvan, the sun-god. So... And Prahlada. Prahlada Maharaja is also representative of God. Prahlada, Janaka. King Janaka, father of Sitadevi or father-in-law of Lord Ramacandra. He is also representative. Grhastha. This Janaka-raja is grhastha, householder, and Narada is brahmacari. Lord Brahma is also grhastha. Lord Siva is also grhastha; Kumara, brahmacari; Kapila, brahmacari. So there are many. Yamaraja is also grhastha. Sukadeva Gosvami is brahmacari. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacari or householder or a sannyasi. He must try to become confidential servant of the Lord. Then he becomes the representative, representative of God, Krsna.

So Yamaraja is a great devotee Vaisnava. We should not be afraid of Yamaraja. Those who are devotees, they are... Yamaraja says that "I offer them respect, my obeisances." He advised his messengers that "Don't go to my devotees. They are to be offered respect by me. You go to persons who are reluctant to chant Hare Krsna mantra. You go there and bring them here for judgment." The Christian also believe, "the day of judgment." The judgment is given by Yamaraja. But who goes to his court for judgment? The criminals, those who are not devotees, those who are not Krsna conscious, they go to the court of Yamaraja.

So in other words, it is the duty of the Yamaraja to see that everyone is becoming Krsna conscious. That is his duty, just as the police department's duty is to see that everyone is law-abiding, acting according to the law of the state. Police is not anyone's enemy. He is enemy to the criminals, not to the law-abiding citizens. I have seen it, personal experience. In one of my friend's house there was burglary. The police inquiry was there. So we were going in another's house, the policemen and we also. So we saw in distant place a few men were fleeing. They were going away, hastily running away. So I inquired the police, "Why these people are running away?" So he answered, "You do not know Babaji, that they are criminals. Because we are passing, they are thinking, ‘Now the police is coming to arrest us,' although there is no purpose. How one can arrest? But they are..." What is called, this? Culprit mind is always suspicious. Because they are culprit, criminals, as soon as they saw, "The policeman is coming," they began to go away, run away.

So Yamaraja is not to be afraid by the devotees. This is the purpose. And it is the Yamaraja's duty to see that these rascals who have forgotten Krsna, or God, and come here to enjoy material sense gratification, they must be punished. Because material sense gratification is always sinful. We may create so many artificial laws, "This is good, and this is bad." Just like in your country, drinking is good. And in some other country, drinking is bad. In your country, meat-eating is no offense. But in the Vedic civilization, meat-eating is one of the foremost sinful activities. So here the so-called "good" and "bad," they are all mental creation. Otherwise, everything is bad, nothing good. Here, only goodness is to become Krsna conscious. Otherwise, everything is bad. So-called ethics, morality and law, good and bad, they are all rascaldom. It has no meaning. Because they are punishable. They can avoid the punishment of the law of the state. Just like in the government in every state, there is some punishment if one kills another living entity. Another man, not living entity. There is punishment. The law punishes. If you kill someone, if you commit murder, then you will be punished. This is punishable. But because it is man-made law, therefore it is defective. A man is a living entity, and a cow is also a living entity. Why this discrimination, that if a man is murdered or killed, that murderer must be punished? But that law is not permissible in God's law. In God's law, either you kill a man or you kill an ant, you are punishable. You are punishable. You cannot avoid this. Because in the eyes of God, the Brahma, Lord Brahma, and a small ant, they are all sons of God.

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
 [Bg. 14.4]

Krsna says like this, "I am their father." To whom? Sarva-yonisu: "In all species of life, beginning from Brahma down to the ant." So if you kill your brother, say, who is not important, will your father approve, "Oh, you have done nice. You are very nice son. You are earning millions of dollars, and this man is useless, this, this boy. So you have killed. It is very nice"? No, father will never tolerate. To the father, the useless son and the earning son, both are equal in affection.

So therefore it is the duty of the elderly son, those who are advanced, not to kill the insufficient son, but to give them education of Krsna consciousness. This is the duty. It is not that "Because this living entity is useless, then kill him." So you can kill, but you will be implicated. Therefore Yamaraja is there. Yamaraja's business is to see how much sinful this living entity is, and he is offered a similar body. Karmana daiva-netrena. You will be judged after your death, every one of us. Of course, if he takes Krsna consciousness seriously, then the path is automatic. Automatically you go back to home, back to Godhead. There is no question of judgment. Judgment is for the criminals, the rascals who are not Krsna conscious. But if you become Krsna conscious, even if you cannot finish the job in this life, even if you fall, still, you will be given another chance of human body, to begin where you ended, to begin from the point where you fell down. That is...

Therefore svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If you have taken to Krsna consciousness, try to execute it very seriously, means to follow the rules and regulation and chant Hare Krsna. That's all. Five things. No illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating... We don't prohibit sex, but illicit sex is most sinful. Most sinful. Unfortunately, they are so rascals, one sex to another, another sex to another, another sex... That is maya's illusion, influence. But if you stick to Krsna... Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. If you catch up Krsna's lotus feet very tightly, then you will not fall down. But if you make a show of so-called brahmacari, so-called grhastha, or so-called sannyasi, then you will fall down. We are experiencing that. Then you must fall down. Krsna will not tolerate a defaulter, a pseudo devotee. Maya is very strong. Immediately capture him: "Come on. Why you are here? Why you are in this society? Get out." That is Yamaraja's duty. But if you remain in Krsna consciousness, Yamaraja will not touch you. Your death is stopped from the point where you begin Krsna consciousness. Your death is stopped. Nobody is prepared to die. That is a fact. You may say, I may say, "No, I am not afraid of death." That is another rascaldom. Everyone is afraid of death, and nobody wants to die. That is a fact. But if you are serious about that thing, that "I shall stop my process of death, dying process," then it is Krsna consciousness.

Therefore it is advised, aho nr-loke piyeta hari-lilamrtam vacah. "O the human society, you have got this body. Just go on drinking the nectarine of krsna-katha." It is advised here. Aho nr-loke. Especially it has been advised in the nr-loke, the human society. It is not addressed to the dog-loke or cat-loke. They cannot. They have no capacity. Therefore it has been: nr-loke. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke. Another verse in the Fifth Canto: nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. These are the Bhagavata. There is no comparison. There is no literature throughout the universe like Srimad-Bhagavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of the human society. Every word, each and every word. Therefore we stress so much in the book distribution. Somehow or other, if the book goes in one hand, he will be benefited. At least he will see, "Oh, they have taken so much price. Let me see what is there." If he reads one sloka, his life will be successful. If one sloka, one word. This is such nice things. Therefore we are stressing so much, "Please distribute book, distribute book, distribute book." A greater mrdanga. We are chanting, playing our mrdanga. It is heard within this room or little more. But this mrdanga will go home to home, country to country, community to community, this mrdanga.

So it is advised that nr-loke. Nr-loke means the human form of body, in the human society. We don't discard that "This is American society" or "This is European society," "This is Indian society..." No, all human being. All human being. It doesn't matter what he is. All human being. What to speak of civilized men, even uncivilized, anarya. They are also described in the Bhagavatam. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. These names are there. Kirata. Kirata means the black, the Africans. They are called kirata. Kirata-huna andhra. Huna, the nation or the community on the North Pole, above Russian, German, they are called huna. There are so many we do not know. Khasadayah, the Mongolians. Khasadayah means who does not grow sufficiently mustaches and beard, this Mongolian group. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. Yavana, the mlecchas, yavanas, means those who are Muhammadans and others. So they are also included. Nr-loke. Because it is nr-loka. Every human being. Superficially, externally, there may be, this nation is better than that nation. That is fact. The Aryans and non-Aryans. There are divisions: civilized, noncivilized; educated, noneducated; cultured, noncultured; black, white; this and that. There are... Externally these divisions... But that distinction is of the body.

But spirit soul is not this body. He is spirit. That quality is one. There is no such distinction, "This is better," "This is lower," "This is black," "This is white," "This is civilized." In the spirit soul platform, everyone is one, one. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Samah. Samata. Samata means equality. Where? Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When one is self-realized, aham brahmasmi... "I am not this body. I am not Christian, I am not Hindu, I am not black, I am not white, I am not fat, I am not thin. I am Brahman." Brahmasmi. That is called Brahman. "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. My only business is to serve God, because I am part and parcel of God." Just like I have given several times: the part and parcel of my body is this finger. What is the duty? To serve the whole body. I ask the finger, "Come here immediately. Do this." "Yes." Natural. If I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. That's all. I have no other duty.

So that is brahma-bhutah. It is very simple thing. Not that by becoming brahma-bhutah, one gets four legs and one dozen hands. No. The hand is there, the leg is there, the mouth is there, everything is there. When it is purified, that "These hands, legs, are meant for serving Krsna," that is called brahma-bhutah. That is brahma-bhutah. Not that brahma-bhutah means I become nirakara, no form. The Mayavadi philosophers, they think like that, something different. Because this is not Brahman. This is asat. Brahma satyam jagan mithya. "This world is false. Therefore Brahman realization means that something opposite must be there. In the maya, everything is variety. So Brahman must be without variety." This is also material conception, because he is thinking like that. But my thinking, if I am in maya, so whatever I am thinking, that is also maya. But these rascals they do not understand that. They do not understand that. I am thinking that "Brahman must be opposite of this variety. Therefore Brahman must be impersonal." But what is their conclusion? The conclusion... He is thinking. He is thinking like that. But real Brahman, Parabrahman, Krsna, is not impersonal. He does not say that "I am impersonal." But these rascals say that "God is impersonal." So this kind of thinking by the person who is in maya, that is also maya. Therefore they are called Mayavadi. Mayavadi means all their philosophy is also maya. It has no meaning. Therefore they are Mayavadi. They are handling something in the maya. Therefore they are called Mayavadi.

So here it is said that nr-loke. Nr-loke, in this human form of body... Here advising, aho nr-loke piyeta hari-lilamrtam vacah. This is advised. Those who are born in the human society, they should join this Krsna consciousness movement where simply hari-lilamrtam vacah, there is no other business. What is our business here? Constantly, twenty-four hours, we are engaged in hari-lilamrtam vacah. That's all. And so long you are engaged in hari-lilamrtam vacah, there is no question of death. There is no question of death. Then if you say, "We are seeing that devotees are dying," "Yes, but death has been stopped. "Then still, why he is dying?" "He is not dying. He is going back to home, back to Godhead." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Tyaktva deham. He has given up this body, but he is not going to accept anymore a body like this. Then? Mam eva: "He is coming to Me." What is that mam eva? Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. If you go somehow or other to Krsna, you will never come back.

So mrtyu, death, is stopped as soon as you take Krsna consciousness very seriously, immediately, from that moment, as soon as you are initiated. You promise before the spiritual master, "Yes, I am initiated, I shall act like this," and if you follow, then your death is stopped from that point. No more death. No more death. Simply an official business, just like you sleep and again you awake, similarly, a devotee's death is like that. It is like sleeping, and next moment in the spiritual kingdom, immediately. Immediately. When he will rise, he will see that "I am with Krsna."

Devotees: Jaya! Prabhupada!

Prabhupada: This is the fact. So don't fall down. Don't be childish, that "Yes, I have promised before spiritual master, before Krsna, before fire. All right, that's all right. Let me break." No, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't lose this opportunity. You are now on the point of deathlessness, but if you again commit... Bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi. There is chance. If your execution of devotional service is not going perfectly, so there is chance of falldown.

So devotional service so nice, that even if you fall down, there is not very great loss. Great loss means you get human body, not an animal body. That is stated in the Bhag... Yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrastah. One who has fallen down from the bhakti-yoga, where does he go? Sucinam srimatam gehe: in the house of very rich man and in the house of nice, Vaisnava brahmana. This is the opportunity. This is first-class opportunity. If you take your birth in the house of Vaisnava brahmana, just like these children are taking birth, father and mother Vaisnava... They are very fortunate. They are not ordinary children. Otherwise they would not have gotten this chance of chanting and dancing before Deity and Vaisnava. They are not ordinary children. The parent must take care, very good care, that they may not fall down. They have got the chance. Now train them to complete this Krsna consciousness. That is the duty of father and mother. "Now this child has come under my care." If both the father and mother think like that... Not contraceptive. Oh, rascaldom. "Oh, here is a child who has taken shelter of me as mother, who has taken shelter of me as father. Oh, it is my duty to train him in such a way that no more birth, no more death." Therefore Bhagavata says, pita na sa syat...na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum: "One should not become mother, one should not become father, if he cannot release his children from the clutches of death." And how one can be saved from the clutches of death? This is the process, hari-lilamrtam vacah. If he is trained up... Therefore we have got this school from the Dallas. From the beginning, hari-lilamrtam vacah. They are being trained up in hari-lilamrtam vacah.

So once one becomes situated in hari-lilamrtam vacah, that means he has stopped his process of death. So this dying again of this body... Of course, this body is material. It must make a show that this material body... But he is a spiritual body. He is going back to home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it. Therefore Yamaraja's duty... Yamaraja is Vaisnava. He wants to see that you do not die again. He wants to see that you continue your deathlessness. Now you are engaged in krsna-kathamrtam vacah. So that is the point of... Just like a diseased man. A diseased man, as soon as goes to the physician and he gives the right medicine, and he takes it, that means his diseaselessness condition has already begun. It will take little time. So in the meantime, in that treatment time, diseaselessness condition, if you make another infection, that is your fault. Otherwise, deathlessness begins from the day of initiation. Adau gurvasrayam. As soon as you take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, your point of deathlessness begins immediately. Immediately. And if you continue the advice and instruction of the spiritual master, or the sastra, then you become deathless. No more death. And Yamaraja wants to see that actually you are continuing your deathlessness process. This is... Krsna consciousness is so nice. Therefore it is advised.

Now if somebody argues that "Here is... A devotee is also dying." A devotee is also dying. How can I say that it is deathlessness? No, he does not know. Devotee is not dying. There is very good example. Just like a cat. He catches the rat and he catches his cub also. But these two kinds of catching is different. When the cat catches a rat, that rat means his, "Chi chi chi," means dying, actually dying. And the cab (cub), he is feeling very comfortable: "Meow, meow, meow." Because the same cat, catching, process is the same, but the feeling is different. So a devotee seemingly dying, he is not dying. He is going back to Krsna. He is very pleased, "Now my labor is finished. I am going to Krsna." That is his feeling. And others, they are crying, "Oh, this is my estate. This is my family. This is my, this is my, this is my... I am leaving. I do not want to leave it. What will happen to that?" He is crying. That is death. And this is not death.

So it appears like death, but it is actually not death. Just like the electric fan, if you make the switch off, it has stopped running, but if you say, "Still running," that is not running. That is a show of running. Actually, the running is stopped. Similarly, as soon as you surrender to God, through His representative, your death is stopped unless you make it nullified by accepting anything which is against the bhakti principle. Otherwise your deathlessness is guaranteed. That is stated here. Na kascin mriyate tavad yavad asta ihantakah. If you simply know that "Yamaraja is there; he is supervising that I may not fall down," then you will not die. You will not die. It is not impractical. It is practical. Try to perceive the truth that since you have begun Krsna consciousness, to become Krsna conscious, your death has been stopped. But don't fall down and again capture death. That is the instruction.

Thank you very much. (end)

LAST DAY OF KARTIK

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja- Govardhana, India

[Dear Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja gave this end of Kartik lecture in Govardhana, India on November 5, 2006. Here is also a link to a video of another years lecture on the last day of Kartik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1gNgtOAM0]

By the causeless mercy of my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, my Gurupada-padma (siksa-gurus) and Gandharvika-Giridhari Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda-bihari, our Vraja-Mandala parikrama is very successful in all respects.

 

In this very month Sri Krsna was bound by the rope of the vatsalya-rasa (relationship in parental affection) of His mother Mother Yasoda. Actually, He was not bound by a rope, but by vatsalya-rasa. The Supreme Lord Krsna had never been bound before, and I think He will not be bound again. He can only be bound by Mother Yasoda. He has accepted this fact: "I am bound by vatsalya-rasa," and it is for this reason that this month is called Damodara.

Also, the gopis tied the veil of Srimati Radhika to Sri Krsna's yellow chadar in Ganthuli, and Krsna therefore became known as “Radha-Damodara”. This pastime took place in this month.

Especially, the crown jewel of all pastimes, the supreme pastime, rasa-lila, took place in this month. All of Krsna’s unlimited pastimes, such as His boat pastimes at Manasi-Ganga *[See endnote 1] and the stealing of His flute, are building up to this rasa-lila.

In this month, Akrura went to Nandagaon and told Krsna and His family members about Kamsa’s torturing Vasudeva and Devaki. Hearing this, Krsna and Balarama became like fire. Extremely angry, They told Nanda Baba that They must go to Mathura. They went to Mathura, and there they killed Canura and Mustika, and all of Kamsa’s brothers and other associates.

Sri Krsna held Giriraja Govardhana on His pinky finger for 7 days, without Giriraja Govardhana shaking at all. At that time all the Vrajavasis, especially the purva-raga gopis,* [See endnote 2] came very near, and those gopis held up Giriraja Govardhana by their eyesight. Aksaya navami *[See Endnote 3] also comes in this month.

Therefore, this month is very, very auspicious.

I invite you all to come next year, along with more of your friends. I know that our boarding arrangements could not make you happy, compared to the happiness you get by the way you live in your houses – palaces – in your countries. There is not so much facility here. Although we tried, it was not sufficient for you. You are like kings with many palaces.

We can only give hari-katha. The topics we have discussed in this month are very important – what we discussed here in the temple and at the holy places we visited. The places we visited are very powerful – such as Rasa-sthali, Vamsi-vata, Bhandira-vat and many other pastime places.

Try to keep all this hari-katha in your “heart-pocket” and be very strong. I think this hari-katha inspired you all, and I am inviting you all to come next year as well.

All 64 limbs (practices) of bhakti are performed in this month very easily. Also, I have full confidence in the boon of Narada Muni, given in the form of a request to Sri Krsna: "Please give krsna-prema to anyone who hears all Your sweet pastimes and goes to the places of those sweet pastimes." I think that Sri Krsna will fulfill Narada's desire, so please try to come each year.

Also, Navadvipa parikrama is coming, and I am inviting you all to come to Navadvipa. [Please see www.purebhakti.com for details]

If you have experienced any distress during this parikrama, try to forget it – for Krsna –and excuse me if I have spoken any unpleasant words.

[*Endnote 1:  Sri Krsna would play the part of a boatman and perform boating-pastimes (nauka-vilasa) and other lilas while ferrying the gopis across Bhagavati Manasi Ganga. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given a very touching description of this nauka-vilasa-lila in his prayer Sri Govardhanastakam (text 7): yatraiva gangam anu navi radhamarohya madhye tu nimagna-naukahkrisno hi radhanugalo babhau sa, govardhano me disatam abhistam”

"In the middle of Manasi Ganga, Srimati Radhika was sitting in Krsna’s boat. Krsna dressed like the boatman, tried to sink the boat, and the terrified Radhika caught Sri Krsna in Her embrace. May that Sri Govardhana fulfill all my desires.”]

[*Endnote 2: In this Bhauma-vrndavana, all gopis – including Srimati Radhika – experience purva raga, i.e. they feel they have never met with Krsna before in an intimate way, although they had so much strong desire to do so.]

[*Endnote 3: This particular day in Kartika month signifies that any undertaking on this day will be imperishable. Aksaya-trtiya is in January-February, and has a similar meaning.] -From Harikatha Newsletter

Bhagavatam 2.3.17 (SP1)

TEXT 17

āyur harati vai puṁsām

udyann astaṁ ca yann asau

tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta
uttama-śloka-vārtayā

SYNONYMS

āyuḥ—duration of life; harati—decreases; vai—certainly; puṁsām—of the people; udyan—rising; astam—setting; ca—also; yan—moving; asau—the sun; tasya—of one who glorifies the Lord; ṛte—except; yat—by whom; kṣaṇaḥ—time; nītaḥ—utilized; uttama-śloka—the all-good Personality of Godhead; vārtayā—in the topics of.

TRANSLATION

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jīva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: "Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears." As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī prepares one's complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.

The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]). There is a guarantee of money's being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion. Similarly, a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee's old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

GOVARDHANA ANNAKUTA MAHOTSAVA

 

Devotees putting their plates on Govardhana to be offered by Srila Gurudeva
 

[Dear Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. This year, Govardhana Annakuta is on October 24th (in India). Below are two glorifications of this celebration, which Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja gave in Badger, California, in 2002 and 2003. To watch a video of Srila Gurudeva's Annakut in 1997, in India, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwf3E5U8Jw8]

First of all, I offer millions of humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of my paramaradyadeva, Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and the same millions of obeisances unto the feet of my siksa-guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja.

Today we observed the maha-mahotsava (great festival) of Giriraja Govardhana. Who is Govardhana?

pramada-madana-lilah kandare kandare te
racayati nava-yunor dvandvam asminn amandam
iti kila kalanartham lagnakas tad-dvayor me
nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana! tvam

"O Govardhana! Please grant me a dwelling near your side so that I can easily witness and serve the youthful lovers Sri Radha-Krsna as They perform newer and newer secret, amorous lilas within your many caves, and where They become completely maddened from drinking prema. You are present there, and you make everything possible." (Sri Govardhana-Vasa-Prarthana-Dasakam, verse 2)

So many secret and sweet pastimes of Radha and Krsna and the gopas and gopis take place in the caves and groves of Giriraja Govardhana. It can be understood, therefore, that Govardhana is not male. Radha and Krsna would not be able to play so many grove-lilas and kunja-lilas in front of a male. That would be absurd. Giriraja has actually come from the heart of Srimati Radhika. It is not that Krsna became Giriraja Govardhana. Krsna is the predominating Deity of Giriraja, but it has been written in Tapani Upanisad and Bhavisya Purana that Giriraja Govardhana has manifested from the heart of Radhika.

There were three mantras especially uttered by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura when he offered puspanjali at the lotus feet of Giriraja Govardhana. Although they are taken from songs, they are now accepted as the mantras used in the worship of Govardhana. The first is from Stava-mala by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

Govardhana tvam kuru manoratam purnam

Srila Rupa Gosvami prayed, "O Giriraja Govardhana, I have so many very confidential desires that cannot be revealed to any person besides you. I want to serve Radha-Krsna Conjugal in your groves, in many ways, as the personal maidservant of Srimati Radhika. I have this hope; so please bestow your mercy upon me."

The second mantra is: nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana! tvam

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prayed, "O Giriraja Govardhana, you give so many facilities to Krsna and His cowherd boys. You supply grasses, very beautiful and sweet water, the shade of kadamba and other trees, you fulfill the desires of the cowherd boys, and you give beautiful ornaments of flowers to Krsna and Radhika, and to all their associates.

This mantra is taken from a verse from Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's Sri Govardhan-Vasa-Prarthana-Dasakam:

sthala-jala-tala-saspari bhuruhac-chayaya ca
prati-padam anukalam hanta samvardhayan gah
tri-jagati nija-gotram sarthakam khyapayan me
nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana! tvam

["O Govardhana! Please grant me residence near your side. You are worshipping Sri Radha-Krsna with your nice spacious fields, ponds, streams and waterfalls, forests, fresh grass, and shade-trees, and you are nourishing Sri Krsna's beloved cows whose numbers are thus increasing at every moment. Your very name 'Govardhana' (gah means cows, and vardhayati means to nourish and increase) is successful and renowned throughout the three worlds. If I can reside near you, I will also be able to receive the darsana of my istadeva Sri Krsna, who comes to you when He brings His cows out to graze." (Sri Govardhana-Vasa-Prarthana-Dasakam, verse 6)]

In this way, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prays, "O Giriraja Govardhana, please keep me at your lotus feet." Giriraja Govardhana has kindly given an opportunity to me, and also to you all. For more than fifty years I desired to somehow live at Govardhana. Now he has given me a place, and you are all invited to come there during the month of Kartika.

The third mantra, govardhano me disatam abhistam, is taken from the verse:

yatraiva krsno vrsabhanu-putrya
danam grhitum kalaham vitene
sruteh sprha yatra mahaty atah sri-
govardhano me disatam abhistam

["Demanding a road tax, Krsna quarreled for several hours at Dan Ghati with the daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja. Rasika-bhaktas visiting Govardhana are eager to listen to that sweet prema quarrel. May that Govardhana fulfill my desire that I can also hear that verbal battle." (Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 3)]

Always pray: "O Giriraja, I have so much hope, and I have come to you with this hope. Srimati Radharani and Krsna were quarrelling in so many ways, in so many lilas. I want to be there, and I want to hear all those sweet quarrels. I pray to you to give me a very good place at your lotus feet so that, continually weeping and my heart melting, I can always remember Radha and Krsna’s pastimes. I don't want to remember any worldly matters at all."

Your festival, Giriraja Govardhana Annukuta, was extremely beautiful. I hope it will be observed each and every year in this way. Whether I come or not, you must do it.

Gaura Premanande

[Badger, California: May 18, 2003]

Today, Annakuta Mahotsava, is a very auspicious day. This day is observed in India during the month of Kartika. Many of Krsna's other sweet pastimes were also performed in the month of Kartika. In this month, under the guidance of Nanda Baba, the Vrajavasis observed Govardhana puja. They did this, having given up the puja of Indradeva, and that resulted in Krsna lifting Govardhana Hill on His little finger. Yasoda-devi bound Krsna in this very month, which is how the song Sri Damodarastakam originated. Kartika is also the month in which Krsna and the gopis performed Saradiya Rasa (Autumn rasa-lila).

After Krsna lifted Giri Govardhana, Indra understood that his torrential rain would have no effect, and thus he began to repent his actions. He thought that Krsna would punish him, and that the only way to save himself would be to take shelter of Surabhi cow. Surabhi would be able to please Krsna. She would pray to Krsna on his behalf, "Please, excuse him." No one else would be able to achieve this. Krsna considers Himself the servant of the cows and always supports them. It would therefore be easy for Surabhi to please Him. If Surabhi would not go, Krsna would not be pacified and would therefore punish him. Indra thus took shelter of Surabhi, walking behind her, and they both approached Krsna. Krsna said, "O Mother, you have come!" Surabhi said, "Yes. I have brought my son with me. I request that You please excuse him." Surabhi then began to supply large quantities of milk, and Indra, the demigods, and the great sages present began to abhisheka (bathe) Krsna, just as we did here today. Krsna then became very happy and said, "In the future I don't want to have to tolerate your nonsense activities. For your own good you should go to Navadvipa, and there, in the company of Surabhi, perform austerities. In that way you will be excused." Indra thus understood that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Up until the time of that abhiseka, Krsna was known as Yasoda-nandana and Nanda-nandana Krsna. Now, He would also be known as Govinda. Go indicates gopa, gopi, go (cow), govatsa (calf) and Veda. Krsna gives pleasure to all these gos and He also protects them; therefore His name is Govinda. Govinda and Govardhana are in the same line: He has the same duty, the same function, as Giriraja Govardhana (vardana means to nourish).

Now our Govardhana-puja is completed. Giriraja is Krsna Himself; and moreover, He has come from the heart of Radhika. He can fulfill our every desire very easily, and he can even give krsna-prema. He very rarely does so, but he can.

We should also remember that the Annakuta Mohotsava was also performed by Srila Madhavendra Puripada, as we saw in the drama play. Madhavavendra Puri went to Vrajabumi,Vrndavana, and there he stayed on the banks of Govinda-kunda at Govardhana. One day, after taking his bath, he sat beneath a tree on the banks of Govinda-Kunda. Krsna came there in the form of a cowherd boy and said to him, "Oh, why you sitting here, starving. No one starves here. My mother has sent some milk. Please drink it."

Madhavendra Puri thought, "Throughout my entire life I have never been attracted by any human, and especially to any lady, but now I am attracted to this boy. Who is He?" He took the milk and he began to weep, his heart melting. Then he cried, "Oh! That cowherd boy was actually Krsna, and now He has left me." And he wept bitterly.

In the last part of the night Madhavavendra Puri had a dream. In that dream he saw that same boy, that very Gopala, come to him and said, "I have been here, waiting in this bush for you for a very long time; and now you have come. I’m feeling very hungry and very hot. Please make a temple for Me, and perform My abhiseka ceremony and Annakuta festival (festival in which there is cooked rice that is stacked like a small mountain) so that I shall feel satisfied." When Madhavavendra Puri awoke, he fixed his mind on executing the order of the Lord. After his morning bath he gathered some of the villagers and together they went to the kunja where Gopala was waiting and that kunja is still there today, nearby Govardhana. After clearing away the thick bushes, they very easily dug Him out and took Him to the top of Govardhana Hill. They erected a throne from stones there – one piece for the seat and one to support Him from behind. Then they began to worship Him.

Annakuta was performed for several months. Many wealthy persons from Mathura heard that Gopala had arrived and they became very happy. They brought all types of paraphernalia, such as gold, cloth, scents and bhoga. Cooking was performed for Thakurji daily, and for many months lakhs and lakhs of people honored the maha-prasadam of Gopala at that place.

After 2 years Gopala again came in a dream to Madhavavendra Puri and said, "I’m satisfied by taking all of your offerings, but My body is still hot. Can you bring malaya-candana sandalwood from Jagannath Puri?" Thus, Madhavavendra Puri once again set off to fulfill the desires of the Lord.

We are very lucky to be in the line of Madhavavendra Puri. Every year, in the month of Kartika, we observe the Annakuta Mohotsava (festival) of Giriraja Govardhana, and hundreds of devotees attend. There we worship Giriraja Govardhana Himself, not one piece (as Govardhana-sila). Actually, although a piece of Govardhana and Govardhana Hill Himself are one, still, Govardhana Hill in Vrndavana has a special glory.

In Vrndavana we worship Govardhana with many pounds, not only a little, of milk, ghee, and yogurt, with many types of preparations – even more than here in Badger. Many of you have been to our Kartika-vrata and have personally seen this festival. We are fortunate to take part. We will continue to perform this festival every year; and we will do so until our life in this world is over. We cannot obtain pure bhakti without the mercy of Govardhana.

Many sweet pastimes take place at Govardhana. For example, Srimati Radhika, Lalita and Visakha and the other gopis are on their way to the fire sacrifice of Bhaguri Rsi. During their journey there is a discussion with Krsna. Krsna wants to check them and make them pay a toll tax, the gopis defeat Him, and He has to apologize. There is so much history there, and it is all coming in our mind and hearts.

Wherever you are, you can worship Giriraja by mind and pray:

krsna-prasadena samasta-saila-
samrajyam apnoti ca vairino pi
sakrasya yah prapa balim sa saksad
govardhano me disatam abhistam

"May Govardhana Hill fulfill my deepest desire – to get darsana of Sri Radha and Krsna’s lilas. By Sri Krsna’s mercy Govardhana became the emperor of all mountains, and received the offerings meant for Indra despite Indra’s enmity."
(Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 1)

yatraiva krsno vrsabhanu-putrya
danam grhitum kalaham vitene
sruteh sprha yatra mahaty atah sri
govardhano me disatam abhistam

"Demanding a road tax, Krsna quarreled for several hours at Dan Ghati with the daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja. Rasika-bhaktas visiting Govardhana are eager to listen to that sweet prema quarrel. May that Govardhana fulfill my desire that I also can hear that verbal battle." (Sri Govardhanastakam, verse 3)

These prayers will do as much for you as worshipping Govardhana Himself, because there are many moods contained within them. Try to pray in this way. This is bhajana.

Gaura premanande.          -From Hari Katha Newsletter

DIPAVALI

  

The Light of Pure Devotion

[Dear Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisences. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. This year, 2014, Dipavali is on October 23rd (in India).  We know that you will relish Srila Gurudeva's ever-fresh, short but sweet explanation of Dipavali, given on Dipavali of 1996, in Varsana:]

Devotee: Why do we celebrate Dipavali, and in what mood is it celebrated by Vrajavasis?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Dipavali means a time of happiness. When Lord Rama defeated Ravaëa and reached Ayodhya, a big Dipavali festival was performed there. Sri Vamanadeva wanted to cheat Bali Maharaja. He did not cheat him; rather He gave His mercy, although it seemed that He was cheating. When Bali Maharaja was offered a benediction from the Lord, he requested, “Always remain in my home.” In this way the Lord Himself was “cheated.” Lord Vamanadeva was very glad, and He agreed to stay there forever. Due to great happiness, Bali Maharaja then asked all his associates to hold a Dipavali festival, and that was the first Dipavali. When Krsna defeated Duryodhana and returned to Dvaraka, a Dipavali was also celebrated there.

Lord Krsna Himself, along with Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba and all the other Vrajavasis, came here to Manasa-ganga, and celebrated this festival with their own hands. In other words they themselves offered dipa (a lighted ghee wick) and rendered many other services.

Dipavali also means light. If there is no bhajana of Krsna there is darkness, and in Krsna Consciousness there is light. We celebrate this function in order to give up darkness and to bring the light of bhakti, pure devotion. This is the same celebration. Real happiness comes from playing karatalas and mrdangas. If one hears this, and if maya hears, maya will go away at once. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought the saìkirtana movement to this world to drive out maya. Sri Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu celebrate this Dipavali Themselves, and we should try to follow Them.     -From Hari Katha Newsletter

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura: Chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura

How many persons have attained liberation without serving a pure Vaishnava? None.                                                                                  

The Wealth Of The Soul

Unlock the eternal treasure of love and bliss from your immortal soul by connecting with Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead and reservior of pleasure by chanting: 

The Spiritual Beatle

"Really want to see you Lord But it takes so long my Lord"
My Sweet Lord

GEORGE HARRISON was a longtime friend of the Hare Krsna movement, often calling himself a "plainclothes devotee." Already interested in Eastern philosophy and music, he heard the 1966 recording Srila Prabhupada made with disciples. George would later recall in a November 1980 interview the impression that album, Krishna Consciousness, made on the Beatles:

"I remember singing it [the Hare Krsna mantra] just for days, John and I, with ukulele banjos, sailing through the Greek islands Hare Krsna. Like six hours we sang, because you couldn't stop once you got going. You just couldn't stop. It was like as soon as you stop, it was like the lights went out."

George was inspired to help the devotees of Krsna even before meeting Srila Prabhupada in 1969. He produced and recorded the Radha Krishna Temple album, featuring the London devotees. One of the songs from that album, "Hare Krishna Mantra," went to the top of the charts in several European countries. For many people, including many future devotees, this recording was their first contact with the names of Lord Krsna. On Srila Prabhupada's request, another song, "Govindam," is played in all ISKCON temples around the world for daily morning audience with the deities.

George included the chanting of Hare Krsna in his famous song "My Sweet Lord" and introduced the holy name to millions. He met Srila Prabhupada on numerous occasions and visited ISKCON temples around the world. He is also recognized for donating Bhaktivedanta Manor outside London to the Krsna consciousness movement for use as a temple and ashram. And he helped publish Srila Prabhupada's books and wrote introductory words for Prabhupada's book Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Many devotees are reflecting on George Harrison's contributions to Srila Prabhupada and his movement and remembering with appreciation his efforts to introduce Krsna's names around the world. For many of us, it was George who sparked our interest in Krsna consciousness, and we owe him our thanks.

Visit www.krishna.com for more on George Harrison, including expressions of gratitude by devotees.

George on Chanting Hare Krsna

Excerpt from an interview conducted by Mukunda Goswami in 1982.

Mukunda: As a practitioner of japa-yoga, what realizations have you experienced from chanting?

George: Prabhupada, acarya [spiritual master] of the Hare Krsna movement, told me once that we should just keep chanting all the time, or as much as possible. Once you do that, you realize the benefit. The response that comes from chanting is in the form of bliss, or spiritual happiness, which is a much higher taste than any happiness found here in the material world. That's why I say that the more you do it, the more you don't want to stop, because it feels so nice and peaceful.

Mukunda: What is it about the mantra that brings about this feeling of peace and happiness?

George Harison at Bhaktivedanta Manor early 1970

George: The word Hare is the word that calls upon the energy that's around the Lord. If you say the mantra enough, you build up an identification with God. God's all happiness, all bliss, and by chanting His names we connect with Him. So it's really a process of actually having a realization of God, which all becomes clear with the expanded state of consciousness that develops when you chant. Like I said in the Krsna book some years ago, "If there's a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krsna consciousness and meditation are methods where you can actually obtain God perception."

Mukunda: Is it an instantaneous process, or gradual?

George: You don't get it in five minutes. It's something that takes time, but it works because it's a direct process of attaining God and will help us to have pure consciousness and good perception that is above the normal, everyday state of consciousness.

Mukunda: How do you feel after chanting for a long time?

George: In the life I lead, I find that I sometimes have opportunities when I can really get going at it, and the more I do it, I find the harder it is to stop, and I don't want to lose the feeling it gives me.

For example, once I chanted the Hare Krsna mantra all the way from France to Portugal, nonstop. I drove for about twenty-three hours and chanted all the way.   -from krishna.com

 

MONTH OF KARTIKA PASTIMES

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Although Krsna is Bhagavan (The Supreme Personality of Godhead), although He is atmarama (taking pleasure within) and aptakama (fully satisfied), in this month He became inspired by the beauty of the Vrndavana forest. There, in the middle of the night, He left his home and took shelter of Yogamaya:

drstva kumudvantam akhanda-mandalam

ramananabham nava-kunkumarunam

vanam ca tat-komala-gobhi ranjitam

jagau kalam vama-drsam manoharam

["Lord Krsna saw the unbroken disk of the full moon glowing with the red effulgence of newly applied vermilion, as if it were the face of the goddess of fortune. He also saw the kumuda lotuses opening in response to the moon's presence and the forest gently illumined by its rays. Thus the Lord began to play sweetly on His flute, attracting the minds of the beautiful-eyed gopis."(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.29.3)]

He began to play on His flute, and the flute sound entered the hearts of the Vraja gopis. They became mugdha, completely bewildered, and forgetting everything else, they ran into the forest to meet with Him.     (From a lecture by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja)

Gita 8.28 (SP2)

 Lord Sri Krishna speaking Bhagavad-gita to his eternal associate Arjuna

A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. Simply by performing devotional service, he attains all these, and at the end he reaches the supreme eternal abode.

Gita 8.28 (SNM)

A bhakti-yogi surpasses all the pious results of
studying the Vedas and of performing yajna, tapasya
dana, karma and so on. Acquiring the knowledge
which I have spoken to you, he attains the supreme,
transcendental abode.

Garuda Purana, Quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 3.47 (SP) + Excerpt From Lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Dec. 1, 1968

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

                 om apavitrah pavitro vā
                 sarvāvasthāṁ gato api vā
                 yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
                 sa bahya abhyantaraṁ śuciḥ
                 śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu                                                                                                                                                                  "Unpurified or purified, or even having passed through all situations, one who remembers the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead is cleansed within and without."

                                                                                                                Apavitrah pavitro va. Apavitrah means contaminated, and pavitra means liberated. So we have two conditions. Either... Just like either we are healthy or we are diseased. There is no third condition. Crude example. Similarly, the living entities, they have two conditions. One condition is liberation, another condition is contaminated. Therefore living entity is called marginal, in between contamination and liberation. Either a living entity can be contaminated or liberated. There is no third condition. Therefore this mantra says, apavitrah pavitro va. Either contaminated or liberated, it doesn't matter. Om namo apavitrah pavitro, sarvavastham. Sarva means all; avastham means condition. In any condition. Sarvavastham gato 'pi va. In whatever condition you may be. Because two conditions there are. For the living entities... The living entity is in the marginal position. Either he can be in material nature or in the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature means liberation, and material nature means contamination. So in this mantra it is said, either of the condition, never mind. Either you are in material condition or spiritual condition. Sarvavastham gato 'pi va. Va means either; yah, anyone; smaret, smaret means remembers; pundarikaksam, pundarikaksam means whose eyes are just like lotus petal. That means Krsna or Visnu. Yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahya... Bahya means externally. Externally, this body. Abhyantaram. Abhyantaram means internally. Internally I am spirit. Just like internally, within this dress, I am internally. Externally I am this dress. Similarly, yah smaret pundarikaksam. Either he is in the bodily concept of life or he is in the spiritual concept of life, either he is contaminated or he is liberated -- in any condition, one who remembers Krsna or Visnu, bahyabhyantaram, he immediately becomes purified internally and externally. This is the substance of this mantra.

And at the last we are chanting sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. Because it may not be misunderstood that in this verse it is said that yah smaret pundarikaksam, "anyone who remembers the lotus-eyed." So somebody may think, "My such and such lover is lotus-eyed," or in that way, lotus-eyed. There may be so many lotus-eyed. Therefore at last it is specifically said, sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. "Lotus-eyed" means Visnu, not anybody else. Sri visnu sri visnu. This is the basic principle of devotional life. In Narada Pancaratra it is recommended... We are explaining these things in Nectar of Devotion. The basic principle of purification is smartavyah satato visnuh: always one has to remember Visnu or Krsna. Krsna and Visnu the same. When you speak Krsna, it includes Visnu. So smartavyah satato visnu vismartavyah na jatucit. We shall not forget Visnu even for a moment. This is the basic principle of devotional life. Some way or other, we have to remember always Krsna. Then whatever condition we may be, we are pure. Sa bahyabhyantaram sucih.  This chanting helps us always remembering Krsna. As soon as we chant Hare Krsna, hear, immediately we remember. So, so long I remember, I am sucih, I am pure, no material contamination. Therefore if I continue my life in that pure stage, then I am eligible for going back to Godhead. Because nobody can enter in the kingdom of God without being completely pure. Completely pure means anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11], no material desire. Here in the material world, we manufacture so many plans to be happy, material desires. Somebody's thinking, "I shall be happy in this way." Somebody's thinking... There is no question of happiness here. The place is contaminated. In a contaminated... Just like in an infected place you cannot be happy. The medical officer will ask you to leave that place, that "This quarter has been infected by the disease. Better you leave, you go somewhere else." That is the treatment. Infected place must be left immediately. So similarly, this world, this material world of three modes of different qualities, you have to keep yourself always antiseptic, pure, by remembering Krsna. That is the process. As soon as you forget Krsna, immediately the infection, maya, immediately affects you. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga-vancha kare.

What is that maya? Maya means to plan how to become materially happy. This is maya. All the people of the world, they are simply making plan how they will be happy within this material world. That's all. This is maya. The history of the whole world studied, it is experience that the Roman Empire planned, the British Empire planned, the... So many empires, they flourish sometimes. All fail. The Britishers, they were, two hundred years ago, they were planning to rule over this vast land of America. George Washington declared independence; their plan failed. Similarly, in India they were planning to exploit. Now Gandhi's movement made it fail. So this is bigger plan. Similarly smaller plan also. There are many... Individually, we make so many plans that "I shall be happy in this way, in that way, in that way." So this plan-making business is maya, because that will never be successful. Trace out the history of the whole world. Nobody has become happy. Hitler made a plan, so great a plan. You see? He was frustrated. So the sane man, intelligent man... Therefore Bhagavad-gita says that a person who is actually intelligent, wise... How a man becomes wise? After being baffled or frustrated many, many times, he can understand this is not the process. And the Vedanta-sutra also places the first, athato brahma jijnasa. When one is frustrated in all plan-making business, for him, the Vedanta-sutra gives him the opportunity, "Now your all plans have failed. Come here." Athato brahma jijnasa: "Now try to understand what is Brahman." This is the first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra. Just try to understand Brahman. So in this way... This initiation also. Initiation means the first beginning, how to become purified. This is initiation. Because this devotional service means the process of purification. Now every one of you, individually you can understand how you are becoming purified from your past life. That is practical. Yes. How you are becoming purified. So this initiation means the beginning of purificatory process. And the purificatory process, what is that? This mantra, yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantaram sucih. Anyone who always remembers, or whenever he remembers, if not always, as soon as he remembers, pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantaram sucih, he becomes immediately purified internally and externally.

Who Is Krishna?

Archa-vigraha (Deity) of Lord Sri Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it is confirmed by all the great acharyas (spiritual masters) like Shankaracharya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarka Swami, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and many other authorities of Vedic knowledge in India. Lord Shri Krishna also establishes Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Bhagavad-gita, and He is accepted as such in the Brahma-samhita and all the Puranas, and especially in the Bhagavata Purana also known as the Shrimad-Bhagavatam. In Bhagavad gita (7.14) it is said, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: the living entities are all entangled in the three modes of material nature.  The external energy of the Lord is very strong, but the Lord, as the master of the three modes of material nature, is ever liberated from the action and reaction of those modes. He, therefore, is uncontaminated, as stated in the Isopanishad. The contamination of the material world does not affect the Supreme Godhead.

Real supremacy belongs to Krishna. Krishnas tu bhagavan svayam (SB 1.3.28) is the statement of Shrimad-Bhagavatam: "Krishna is the only Supreme Lord." Worship of Krishna alone, therefore, includes worship of all the parts and parcels, just as watering the root of a tree also waters all the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers.  The Lord is eternally liberated. Whenever He appears, even within this material world, He is never entangled by the three modes of material nature. He is known, therefore, as try-adhisa, the master of the three modes of material nature.  As Lord Krishna says, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: "This material nature is working under My direction."  Material nature is not independent. She is acting under the directions of the Supreme Lord

The Vrindavana-lila of Krishna is the perfect presentation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  We see how big demigods like Brahma, Indra are completely bewildered. They are sometimes mistaken, thinking that "How this cowherd boy can become the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" Just like some of us think that way.  Although he's engaged in pleasing the inhabitants of  Vraja, but when there is need, He can lift up the Govardhana—at the age of seven years. Or He can kill the demoness  Putana at the age of three months.  So although Krishna is playing just like a cowherd boy, His supremacy as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never absent there. That is God. God is not created by meditation. God is God. God is never manufactured. We should know this.

According to Vaishnava philosophy, Narayana cannot be equal to any one of us. What to speak of us, Narayana cannot be equally estimated even with great demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. The Vaishnava Purana says, yas tu narayaana devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih, samatvenaiva vikseta sa pasandi bhavad dhruvam: (Cc. Madhya 18.116) "Anyone who calculates Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, equal with such demigods, what to speak of ordinary human beings, even big, big demigods like Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, immediately becomes a pasandi, atheist."

The materialists, who are after opulence and material prosperity, may take lessons from the Ramayana that the policy of exploiting the nature of the Lord without acknowledging the supremacy of the Supreme Lord is the policy of Ravana. Ravana was very advanced materially, so much so that he turned his kingdom,Lanka, into pure gold, or full material wealth. But because he did not recognize the supremacy of Lord Ramachandra and defied Him by stealing His wife, Sita, Ravana was killed, and all his opulence and power were destroyed.

How can one truly understand the greatness of the Supreme Lord, we don’t have to look further than the Bhagavad gita, where Lord Krishna says that "That very ancient science of relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee." A devotee is one who accepts the supremacy of the Supreme Lord, and he is convinced about his eternal relationship with God.  (- From ISKCON Bangalore Website)