4/2015

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math

For Sincere Seekers Of The Truth

All Glories to Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāňga!

The message of the Gauďīya Maţha is, “Let ’s go back home, back to Godhead.” The Gauďīya Maţha was inaugurated in order to preach about pure devotional

service and to present Mahāprabhu ’s teachings to the world. Mahāprabhu ’s invaluable instructions and teachings are the object of the Gauďīya Maţha ’s preaching. And the devotees at the Gauďīya Maţha preach Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by personally following its teachings. They are preachers who practice what they preach.

Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

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Editorial byŚrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

There was no need at all for us to form a mission, but people were walking in

the wrong way and we wanted to deliver them. Serving the Supreme Lord is our mission. Even if we were offered the position of world emperor for millions of lifetimes, it would be easy to reject the proposal. Such things are just like stool and urine. Our insignificant endeavor is to deliver human-kind from its wrong direction and to establish all living entities as servants at the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurasundara. Whether one is Brahmā, Śiva, Vāyu, or Varuņa, whether one is a great religious preacher or religious leader, if he deviates even an inch from Śrī Caitanyadeva ’s teachings, he will find himself in trouble.

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Śrī Caitanyadeva ’s servants worship the supreme Absolute Truth. Śrī Caitanyadeva ’s servants are neither attracted to nor afraid of those who preach this world ’s religious principles because they have found immense beauty at Śrī Gaurāňga ’s lotus feet. For the devotees of Gaura, the poisonous tooth of the snake-like sense objects is broken. No amount of this world ’s deceit can cheat those who have heard Śrī Gaurasundara ’s teachings.

Neither the yoga system propounded by Patañjali, which teaches one artificial self-control, nor association with woman such as Menakā and Urvaśī, can attract the Lord ’s devotees. Even the Vaişņava ’s shoe-carriers are liberated from the clutches of those who pessimistically think that to become free from distress is a great achievement. The Lord ’s devotees do not think that being deprived of the necessities of life is great. They do not need to practice renunciation of the external world, and so stuff their ears with cotton like the cloth weavers. They are not interested in their own happiness. They know that the attempt to enjoy material life will lead them to hell. They consider themselves ailing animals. No one can take shelter of Śrī Gaurasundara ’s lotus feet with their worldly acquisitions. They must become servants of His lotus feet.

Another type of cheating: I will sit in a solitary place and chant the Names of Gaura-Nitāi. This is simply selfish. The senses are our enemies. These senses have filled the path of devotional service, our eternal occupational duty and the

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path preached by Śrī Caitanyadeva, with thorns. Therefore people mistakenly identify pseudo devotional service, such as karma, jñāna, and yoga for bhakti.

But I will serve the transcendental Personality of Godhead. I will not become a sweeper by directly or in- directly serving my doglike senses. I will not become

“Those who do not constantly glorify Gaura’s Holy Names and do not sing about His pastimes,

cannot act as ācāryas. Those who are attached to the insignificant objects of this world can act as teachers only

of the mundane school but never as spiritual masters.”Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

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a washerman by serving my ass. I will not become an engineer of bricks and stone. Those who possess these mentalities can please Mahāprabhu only by taking shelter of devotional service. Śrī Gaurasundara is not a mundane object like a wall. By His mercy only can we be liberated from the aversion to the Lord we have developed since time immemorial. There is no alternative to submitting ourselves before His mercy. If others come forward to make a show of bestowing mercy, we will consider them cheaters. Those who do not constantly glorify Gaura ’s Holy Names and do not sing about His pastimes, cannot act as ācāryas. Those who are attached to the insignificant objects of this world can act as teachers only of the mundane school but never as spiritual masters. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmŗta Madhya-līla 8.128 states:

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene nayayei kŗşņa-tattva-vettā, sei ’guru ’ haya

“It does not matter whether a person is a vipra [learned scholar in Vedic wisdom] or is born in a lower family, or is in the renounced order of life —if he is master in the science of Kŗşņa he is the perfect and bona fide spiritual master.”

Such a great soul can deliver me by hitting me in the core of my heart and by cutting the knots there. He will bestow his non-duplicitous mercy and he will not flatter me.

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Śaraņāgati – SurrenderŚrīla Bhaktivinod Ţhākur

Ātma-nivedana – Self Surrender (Tenth Prayer)

with

Śrī Laghu-candrika-bhāsya Gentle Moonlight CommentaryŚrīla Bhakti Raksak Śrīdhar Dev-Gosvāmī Mahārāj

nivedana kari prabhu! tomāra caraņepatita adhama āmi jāne tribhuvane [1]

O Lord! I submit myself at Your feet. It is known throughout the three worlds that I am fallen and lowly.

āmā-sama pāpī nāhi jagat-bhitaremama-sama aparādhī nāhika sańsāre [2]

There is no sinner within this world so sinful as I. There is no offender within this material world so offensive as I.

sei saba pāpa āra aparādha āmiparihāre pāi lajjā, saba jāna tumi [3]

I feel ashamed to beg for forgiveness for all my sins and offenses. You know all of this.

tumi vinā kā ’ra āmi la-iba śaraņa?tumi sarveśvareśvara, vrajendra-nandana [4]

Yet of whom shall I take shelter other than You? You are the Lord of all Lords, Vrajendra Nandan.

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jagata tomāra nātha! tumi sarva-mayatomā prati aparādha tumi kara kşaya [5]

The world is Yours, O Lord! You are present everywhere, and You destroy all offenses committed against You.

tumi ta ’ skhalita-pada janera āśrayatumi vinā āra kibā āchhe dayā-maya [6]

You alone are the shelter of those who have fallen. What else is there besides You, O merciful Lord?

sei-rūpa tava aparādhī jana yatatomāra śaraņāgata ha-ibe satata [7]

In this way, everyone who has been offensive towards You will eventually come to Your shelter.

bhakati-vinoda ebe la-iyā śaraņatuyā pade kare āja ātma-samarpaņa [8]

Now taking shelter, Bhakti Vinod today fully offers himself at Your feet.

Commentary by Śrīla BR Śrīdhar Mahārāj(3) parihāre pāi lajjā: “I feel ashamed to beg for

forgiveness.” This sentiment is described in the Padma-purāņa (and was expressed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhu and Śrīla Sanātan Gosvāmī Prabhu when they surrendered unto Śrīman Mahāprabhu):

mat-tulyo nāsti pāpātmā nāparādhī cha kaśchanaparihāre ’pi lajjā me kiń bruve puruşottama

“There is no sinner so sinful as I. There is no offender so

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offensive as I. O Supreme Lord, I am ashamed to pray for forgiveness for all of my sins and offenses (and all the more ashamed of my attempts to abandon them). What more can I say than this?”

(5) jagata tomāra nātha ... tumi kara kşaya: “The world is Yours, O Lord! ... You destroy all offences committed against You.”

tasmin tuşţe jagat tuşţań prīņite prīņitań jagat“By satisfying the Supreme Lord, the whole world

becomes satisfied. By pleasing the Supreme Lord, the whole world becomes pleased.”

(6) tumi ta ’ skhalita-pada ... dayā-maya: “O merciful Lord, You are the sole shelter of those who have fallen.” This conception is expressed in the Skanda-purāņa:

bhūmau skhalita-pādānāń bhūmir evāvalambanamtvayi jātāparādhānāń tvam eva śaraņań prabho

“O Lord! As the ground is the only support for those who have fallen upon it, so You are the only refuge for those who have offended You.”

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Amŗta VānīŚrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

Why were the maţhas established?The maţhas were not established to favor ordinary

people but to help pure devotees advance in spiritual life. We serve Lord Gaurāňga simply by performing Śrī-kŗşņa-saňkīrtana. The Bhāgavatam verse, yajnaiģ saňkīrtana prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaģ, supports this idea. The example set by Śrī Kŗşņa ’s Gaura pastimes is the only auspicious way to perfection for the jīvas. The maţhas have not been established to please bhogīs or tyāgīs (enjoyers or renunciates). They have been established to preach pure devotional service. We receive blessings as we serve Hari by establishing maţhas. Our intention is not to collect one or two rupees to benefit the maţha. We should not be eager to take help from unscrupulous people. Rather, if we can benefit anyone by speaking the bold truth, then the maţha ’s purpose is served. People will often play tricks on us. We should consider such tricks the Lord ’s test. It is difficult to cross beyond insurmountable māyā unless we are greatly fortunate. Māyāvādīs and bhogīs are both conditioned souls. By the mercy of Kŗşņa ’s devotees, persons who surrender to Hari can discriminate between good and bad, right and wrong. Know for certain that being drawn by the enjoying spirit, many people cannot realize the Absolute Truth.

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“The maţhas have not been established to please bhogīs or tyāgīs (enjoyers or renunciates). They have been

established to preach pure devotional service.”Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

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Is it our business to build a maţha and live there?It is more intelligent to create a living maţha rather than

to build a maţha for comfortable living. Creating a living maţha means to attract faithful persons to surrender at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. The highest welfare activity is to attract living entities to serve the spiritual master ’s lotus

“Devotees who are fully dedicated to their spiritual master are the living source, and we are to hear from such living sources so that we too can become dedicated devotees.

People devoid and bereft of service to the spiritual master are dead even as they breathe.”

Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur

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feet by describing to them the spiritual master ’s glories and service. For this we spend gallons of blood. Such preaching will please both guru and Kŗşņa. Therefore to dedicate body, mind, and speech to such philanthropic activities is the perfection of life.

A maţha surcharged with talk of Kŗşņa ’s glories and service is non-different from Vaikuņţha. Thus living in a maţha is just like living in a dhāma. Hari-kathā must be prominent in the maţha. There is no use in building a maţha simply to facilitate eating and sleeping. Maţhas should be built only to spread hari-kathā. This will benefit ourselves and others.

Devotees who are fully dedicated to their spiritual master are the living source, and we are to hear from such living sources so that we too can become dedicated devotees. People devoid and bereft of service to the spiritual master are dead even as they breathe. Do not associate with such non-devotees if you do not want to harm your spiritual progress.

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Opening of the New TempleŚrīla Bhakti Rakşak Śrīdhar Dev-Gosvāmī Mahārāj

(A Lecture given by Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhar Mahārāj at the opening ceremony of the new temple in 1973)

This āśram is being opened today. What is its position? In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam we find:

vanań tu sāttviko vāsogrāmo rājasa ucyate

tāmasań dyūta-sadanańman-niketań tu nirguņam

“Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I (the Supreme Lord) reside is transcendental.”

(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.25.25)

Vana-vāsa means plain living with the minimum of material things to help our life, that is vana-vāsa. It is a simple life, plain living and high thinking, but there also we are masters of that little thing, that sattvika-vāsa. It is most conducive to our religious life. There is no grandeur of any material enjoyment, etc. That is sattvika-vāsa or vana-vāsa.

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Rājasa-vāsa is a life where one is engaged in various activities in the uplifting of society, the world and civilization. That is rājasa, where a maximum amount of energy is spent to improve the paraphernalia where we live to make us comfortable.

Tāmasa-vāsa dyūta-sadanam is a life without caring for any social life, only for the maximum amount of sense pleasure and minimum amount of giving to others, to society or any paraphernalia. It is a reckless life, a life in the clubhouse or hotel – something like that. It is irresponsible life – tāmasa-vāsa dyūta-sadanam.

Man-niketam tu nirguņam – if we spend our life in the house of the Lord, we may live in any amount of grandeur, or anything of the type – but still it is nirguņam, because we are not masters there, we are servants.

In the vana-vāsa, we lead so simple a life with a minimum of material things with which we surround ourselves to live, but still there, we are masters to command others. Here we are all servants – everything is to be served. Whatever we shall see, all around, even a tree, even a creeper or even a particle of dust is to be served and is not to be enjoyed or renounced. That is the form of life, a life of worship, a life of devotion. It is not only to please the Lord but also all of His paraphernalia and to see that they are also serving the Supreme Entity. With this idea – to be a serving factor in the all-serving environment of the Lord – this is man-niketań tu nirguņam.

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So, we have come here to a nirguņa life, crossing all sorts of relativities of this material world, whatever conception it may be, and to learn that īśāvāsyań idam sarvań, the fundamental truth given in the Īśopanişad, that īśāvāsyam idań sarvań – everything here is the presence of the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Lord. With this conception we are to live in such a training house.

“The gopī-bhajana is to make the heart the cloister. Not that the cloister has a separate place. The heart

is the cloister and this is only possible with the Kŗşņa conception of Godhead.”

Śrīla Bhakti Rakşak Śrīdhar Dev-Gosvāmī Mahārāj

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I was told that in Back to Godhead one gentleman wrote that the so-called universities, colleges, and schools are slaughterhouses. I am very much pleased with this idea. Yes. They are nothing but slaughterhouses, and this sort of institution, that our Guru Mahārāj (Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur) has inaugurated in this world is to uplift us and all jīvas toward the worship and loving service of the Supreme Entity. Each is like an oasis in the desert. They are life-giving and not flattering institutions, like so many educational institutions that we find.

Sa vijña mammate jaya – where this sort of training comes, that goes towards the center, towards reality, towards beauty, towards harmony, towards a solution of life, towards nectar giving life – these institutions are only helpful and this is necessary.

Once Madana-mohāna Malaviya, a famous leader in the recent history of India, came to visit our Guru Mahārāj and after listening to his words he told, “Every village should have one center of your Divine Grace.” But our Guru Mahārāj answered in return that, “I want to make everybody a temple of the Lord, every human being, every human body I want to make a temple therein, not only villages.” So, that was his idea.

pŗthivīte āche yata nagarādī-grāmasarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

With this idea he started his mission, Gauďīya Maţh,

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Gauďīya Mission. And we are seeing that Svāmī Mahārāj (Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāj) by his grace, he is able to spread it around India and throughout the world and different continents. We are very happy to see new faces around us for the preaching purpose and spreading the news of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupād, Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ţhākur and Śrīman Mahāprabhu, and the vision of Śrī Kŗşņa and His beloved.

There are elevationists, there are renunciates, but we are servitors. Gehań juşam api mansy udiyāt sadā naģ – true to the kindred point of the heaven and the heart. Cloister and the heart, the knowledge of these – but the heart has been made the cloister. The gopī-bhajana is to make the heart the cloister. Not that the cloister has a separate place. The heart is the cloister and this is only possible with the Kŗşņa conception of Godhead. All will be converted wholesale, every nook and corner. Nothing should be left out. No vacancy should be left out for any other purpose but to devote all respects to the Supreme Entity, to be faithful to the extreme. Nothing should be left. This is only possible in the Kŗşņa conception of Godhead (akhila rasāmŗta mūrti). All sorts of ecstasy, happiness, and everything of the type can be possible in its divine form when we find Śrī Kŗşņa as the Supreme Lord and nowhere else.

One western gentleman told that there are many conceptions of religion in different parts of the world, but we do not find any conception of religion where twenty-four

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“For religion, money is not necessary, physical energy in great quantity is not necessary, nor are other helping things necessary. Only try to take the Name sincerely.”

Śrīla Bhakti Rakşak Śrīdhar Dev-Gosvāmī Mahārāj

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hours can be devoted in the service of the Supreme Lord. Not only engaged on Sunday, not only twice in the day, not only thrice in the day, but every hour and second should be devoted in the service of the Supreme Entity and then nothing will be left behind. This sort of service is only possible in kīrtanīya sadā hariģ and in the aşţa-kālīya-līlā of Śrī Kŗşņacandra Himself in the mādhurya-rasa.

Śrī Caitanyadeva came down to this world to preach that, to give that nectarine life to one and all. Nŗmātrasy-ādhikāritā – take the Name of the Lord and you will find yourself in His harem one day. “For religion, money is not necessary, physical energy in great quantity is not necessary, nor are other helping things necessary. Only try to take the Name sincerely. It should be acquired through the right channel, otherwise there will be some disturbance tampering with it. Trade in the name of religion is also going on here and there, and we should save ourselves from those difficulties by following a bona-fide path.

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Maţha VāsīResident of the Monastery

Maţha is a Sanskrit and Bengali word referring to monastery, temple, cloister, hermitage, school or college. The following essay speaking about the

qualifications, activities and attitude of the residents of the Maţha is translated from a Bengali article that first appeared in an issue Naďīyā Prakāśa, the daily devotional newspaper started by Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ţhākur. As was common practice for the journals started by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupād, no name was given for the author of this article. Nor did the book we found it published in give a date of publication. However, it is clear that it was written some time after the disappearance of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupād.

Maţhanti vasanti chātrā yasmin iti maţhaģ – the term “maţha” implies a place where students reside under the subordination of an ācārya. A general house is for sense enjoyment, but a maţha is an institution for the service of The Supreme Lord Hari. A general house is a place where the mood of enjoyment is very prominent, where everyone is busy trying to establish their superiority, and where the residents are full of anxiety how to become lords of others. In contrast to that is a maţha a place of non-duplicitous topics of service to the

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Lord where the principal of subordination is fully present and everyone is trying to be good.

For the service of the Supreme object of devotion Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupād the follower of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, has established maţhas or missions under the subordination of the personifications of devotion, the Gauďīya vaişņava followers of Śrī Kŗşņa Caitanyadeva, the inaugurator of the sankīrtana movement. In the sense that a word referring to a container also designates that which is known to be contained, since the word maţha indicates the abode of the Lord, and since the Lord is always surrounded by his devotees, maţha therefore also refers to the pure devotees, the personifications of the Lord ’s shelter, that reside there. Thus maţha is a place where the Lord ’s deity form is surrounded by many pure-hearted devotees who are always engaged in discharging loving service under the guidance and instruction of their spiritual master. It is a regular, permanent, assembly or mission of devotees where everyone is engaged wholeheartedly in the congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Lord Hari. Following the instructions of their spiritual master, the resident devotees engage twenty-four hours a day in preaching the Holy Name, and thus maintain perfect transcendental harmony, enjoying themselves along with others in loving devotional service to the deity of the Lord. Even in ancient times, Vişņu temples were called maţhas. Subservience is the very life of the maţha. The principle of ānugatya – subservience, fidelity, or obedience

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– is the backbone of devotional service and is another name for bhakti. The residents of the maţha render non-duplicitous devotional service to the spiritual master twenty-four hours a day. Unless one ’s ānugatya is genuine, one cannot be addressed as a maţha-vāsī, a resident of the maţha. The word “maţha-vāsī” can also be taken to mean “ante-vāsī” one dwelling in the guru ’s āsrāma or “śikśārthī” one who is desirous of learning, or “śiśyā”, a student or disciple. The maţha-vāsī strives to understand the desire of his guru by rendering menial service unto his lotus feet. To fulfill the guru ’s desire is the only duty of a maţha-vāsī.

One who is artificial or duplicitous in the service of the ācārya is not eligible to live in the maţha. Such artificial be-havior leaves the religion of brahmacarya, sannyāsa, vanā-praştha, and gŗhastha unprotected. The extent that one is actually a maţha-vāsī can be determined by one ’s pure love and devotion to the lotus feet of the ācārya of the maţha.

In spite of unbearable troubles, severe calamities, and immense humiliation, a real maţha-vāsī will never give up the service of his guru. He never feels discouraged to see the reluctance of the common masses of people of this universe to accept non-duplicitous devotional service. Rather, he remains steady in his own sādhana. Considering himself lower than the straw in the street and being more tolerant than a tree, in order to satisfy the transcendental senses of the absolute truth such a devotee always engages in the kīrtana of Hari under the guidance of the āśraya-vigraha.

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Āśraya-vigraha: The technical term āśraya-vigraha, when used in Gauďīya Vaişņava literature, refers to a dear devotee of the Lord. This is because the quality of bhakti, love of God, has taken up residence (āśraya) in the body (vigraha) of such a dear devotee.

He knows that life after life the dust of his guru ’s lotus feet is his eternal position and his everything. He is not attached to anyone in this material world. “So much danger may come. Everyone in this world may selfishly declare their independence. Still I will not give up my vow of serving Śrī Guru and Gauranga.” That kind of sincerity and determi-nation will always be present in the heart of a real maţha-vāsī.

A maţha-vāsī should always consider himself as fully under the maintenance and protection of his guru. Considering himself lower than the straw in the street, his attitude is, “I am the property of my spiritual master.” He is always hankering for mercy and is more tolerant than a tree. He is forgiving. He has neither enemies nor friends in this material world. He sees everyone equally. He considers any kind of danger and distress to be the mercy of the Lord, and he remains undisturbed. Considering himself a wretched beggar, he is always praying for mercy. He is always free from desires for false prestige and position. Knowing that guru and Kŗşņa reside in every living entity, he respects everyone accordingly. Carrying on his head the order of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, he chants the Holy Name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the

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straw in the street, being more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In this state of mind, he chants the Holy Name of the Lord constantly.

Maţha-vāsīs never speak gossip or frivolous talks unrelated to Kŗşņa. They always practice yukta-vairāgya, engaging everything in the service of the Lord. They are loyal servants and are decorated with humility. They never consider themselves the lord of anyone, but rather see everyone as guru. They always recognize the sincere service attitude of those vaişņavas who are rendering non-duplicitous service at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru as the hlādinī-kŗpa-vŗtti, the mercy of the Lord ’s internal potency. As such, the maţha-vāsī offers sincere respects to them while he himself, decorated with a mood of non-duplicitous humble servitorship, always remains eager to follow the ideal constant service attitude exhibited by his spiritual master. He never criticizes or talks about others. Since his heart is always strongly searching for the absolute truth, the faultfinding nature does not touch him. Concentrating his mind upon the Lord, he is always chanting the Holy Name of Kŗşņa. He is determined to give up materialistic association and is always associating with and hankering for more association of devotees. He remains in anticipation of the mercy of the Lord.

Based on his internal realization, he has strong faith that there is no recourse other than getting the mercy of sādhu-guru. A beggar of mercy, he is always engaged in loving service

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with his body, mind and speech. He always offers respect to others with folded hands. The consideration, āmāra samān hīna nāhi e sańsāre — “no one in this world is more fallen than myself,” naturally arises in his heart. He never forgets the lotus feet of the Lord even for a fraction of moment. In happiness or distress, good fortune or danger, in all situations, he is always absorbed in devotional service. He considers everyone his guru. He never acts for himself. He is always engaged in the service of guru and Kŗşņa. Śrī Guru and Gauraňga are the objects of his love, and he considers them his own. He is affectionate and clever, kŗşņa kŗpā karibena dŗďha kari jane — “He has full faith that Kŗşņa will shower his mercy.” He is always connected with His worshipable deity.

Describing Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Gosvāmī, Śivananda Sena said (Caitanya-caritāmŗta Antya-līlā 6.253):

rātri-dina kare teňho nāma-saňkīrtana kşaņa-mātra nāhi chāďe prabhura caraņa

“He chants the hare kŗşņa mahā-mantra all day and night. He never gives up the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu even for a moment.”

There is a difference between the maţha-vāsī and the nişkiñcana nirjana-vāsī—those who have no material posses-sions and stay in a solitary place, or the vŗkşatala-vāsī—those living under the shade of a tree. The maţha-vāsī follows certain rules and regulations under the guidance of a bona-fide ācārya and thereby obtains the most auspicious thing. The nişkiñcana nirjana-vāsī does not act under anyone ’s guidance.

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Śrī Caitanya BhāgavataĀdi-khaņďa, 2nd Chapter (195-234)

by Vyāsa Avatār Śrīla Vŗndāvan Dās Ţhākur

The Lord, who is the shelter of all universes, remained in the womb of Śacīdevī until the Phālgunī Pūrņimā gradually approached. All the auspicious symptoms present throughout unlimited universes appeared together on that full moon night. Thus the Lord simultaneously appeared along with the congregational chanting of the Holy Names, which He inaugurated on the pretext of a lunar eclipseCommentary by Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī:

The tradition of chanting the Names of Hari for fruitive results during solar and lunar eclipses has been current since time immemorial. Although such chanting of the Holy Names yields insignificant fruits, Śrī Caitanyadeva coincidentally appeared while everyone was thus engaged.

Who has the power to understand the activities of the Lord? By His desire Rāhu covered the moon. Millions of people went to take bath in the Ganges while chanting, “Hari bol! Hari bol!” The whole of Nadia was filled with the sound vibration of the name of Hari. Indeed, the sound vibration filled the entire universe and beyond. Hearing this wonderful vibration, all the devotees remarked, “Let there be a perpetual eclipse!”

All the devotees said, “From the great happiness that we

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are feeling today it can be understood that Kŗşņa must have appeared.” As the devotees all went to take bath in the Ganges, the vibration of the Name of Hari was continually heard from all directions. Whether one was young, old, woman, pious, or impious — everyone was engaged in chanting the Name of Hari while observing the eclipse. All one could hear was “Hari bol! Hari bol!” Thus the Name of Lord Hari was heard throughout the entire universe. The demigods showered flowers on all directions, and they played kettledrums as they chanted, “Jaya! Jaya!” At that very moment the life of all living entities, Śrī Śacīnandana, made His appearance.

When the moon was covered by Rāhu, when the ocean of the Holy Names was manifest, when Kali was subdued, and when the flag of victory was raised — at that time the Supreme Lord appeared and the fourteen worlds filled with the sound of “Jaya! Jaya!”Commentary by Śrīla Prabhupād Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī:

When the sun and moon are at opposite extremes in their orbits, their shadows form Rāhu and Ketu. When the sun and moon are six rāśis, or signs, from each other, or when they are at 180 degrees, the residents of this planet see the shadow of earth fall on the moon. This shadow is called Rāhu. When the sun is covered by the shadow of the moon it is said to be eclipsed by Ketu or Rāhu. Also at the time of the lunar eclipse the earth’s shadow is called Rāhu.

The happiness of the people of Nadia daily increased and

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their lamentation was vanquished as they saw the moonlike Lord Gaurāňga. Kettledrums were sounded, hundreds of conchshells were blown, and flutes and horns were played. In this way Vŗndāvana dāsa Ţhākura sings the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The Lord ’s beautiful bodily features cannot be perceived, for they outshine the rays of the sun. His broad eyes, which are upturned at the ends, have no comparison. Due to the appearance of Śrī Gaurāňga in this world, the sound vibration of Hari ’s Name spread throughout the universe up to Brahmaloka. The Lord ’s broad chest is smeared with bright sandalwood pulp and decorated with a flower garland. The Lord ’s sweet face is as soothing as the full moon, and His long arms stretch to His knees. All the living entities of the world are blessed to see Śrī Caitanya. Some dance, some chant, and some loudly exclaim, “Jaya! Jaya!” Kali, however, feels sad and laments.

Śrī Caitanya is the crown on the head of the four Vedas, but sinful and foolish people cannot understand this. Śrī Vŗndāvana dāsa Ţhākura sings the glories of Śrī Caitanyacandra and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. As Śrī Gauracandra appeared, the ten directions become filled with bliss. The Lord ’s beauty defeats that of millions of Cupids. He laughs upon hearing His Holy Names chanted. The Lord ’s face and eyes are most sweet, and His body is decorated with the signs of a king. His lotus feet are marked with a flag and a thunderbolt. All His limbs attract the

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minds of all people.By His advent all danger is vanquished and all prosperity

is manifested. Accepting Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu as my life and soul, I, Vŗndāvana dāsa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet. Hearing that Lord Caitanya has incarnated, all the demigods become overjoyed. They are overwhelmed with ecstasy on seeing the Lord ’s face, which destroys all misery.

Ananta, Brahmā, Śiva and other demigods accept the form of human beings and chant, “Hari! Hari!” on the pretext of the eclipse. No one, however, can recognize them. The people of Nadia run in the ten directions while loudly chanting, “Hari! Hari!” The demigods and human beings mix together, and the whole of Navadvīpa is filled with ecstasy. All the demigods come to the courtyard of Śacīdevī and offer their obeisances. Due to the darkness of the eclipse, no one can recognize them. Such are the mysterious pastimes of Śrī Caitanya! Some demigods offer prayers, someone holds an umbrella, another waves a cāmara, some happily shower flowers, others dance, and some play musical instruments.

Lord Gaurahari descended along with His devotees, but the atheists did not understand a thing. Accepting Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu as my life and soul, I, Vŗndāvana dāsa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet.

The demigods play kettledrums and ďiņďima drums, chant the auspicious sound of “Jaya!” and sing in sweet melodies. The demigods think, “Today we will see the Lord, who is unknown through the Vedas. Therefore let us not waste time.”

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In this way the residents of Amarāvatī are in ecstasy and an auspicious commotion arises as they decorate themselves to go see the Lord. “Due to our great fortune we will see Śrī Caitanya in Navadvīpa.”

In this joyous condition they come to Navadvīpa and hear the sound vibration of Hari ’s Names from all sides. There they taste Gaura ’s ecstatic emotions and become overwhelmed as they sing His glories. Śrī Gauracandra appears along with His energies, but the atheists could not understand a thing. Accepting Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu as my life and soul, I, Vŗndāvana dāsa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet.

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Śrīmad BhāgavatamSārārtha-Darśini-tikā

Commentary byŚrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.48arcādişu yadā yatra śraddhā māń tatra cārcayet

sarva-bhūteşv ātmani ca sarvātmāham avasthitaģWhenever one develops faith in Me—in My form as the

deity or in other forms—one should worship Me in that form. I certainly exist both within all created beings and also separately in my original form, since I am the Supreme Soul.

Uddhava gītā

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Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: “Though worship of the deity form has mainly been described here, faith is the cause of My appearing. Without faith, realization of My presence will not take place in that form though I am directly present. Virāţ aviduşām: those who are ignorant see me as matter.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.43.17)

mallānām aśanir nŗņāń nara-varaģ strīņāń smaro mūrtimāngopānāń sva-jano ’satāń kşiti-bhujāń śāstā sva-pitroģ śiśuģmŗtyur bhoja-pater virāď aviduşāń tattvań parań yogināń

vŗşņīnāń para-devateti vidito raňgań gataģ sāgrajaģ“The various groups of people in the arena regarded Kŗşņa

in different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw Kŗşņa as a lightning bolt, the men of Maţhurā as the best of males, the women as Cupid in person, the cowherd men as their relative, the impious rulers as a chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of the Bhojas as death, the unintelligent as the Supreme Lord ’s universal form, the yogīs as the Absolute Truth and the Vŗşņis as their supreme worshipable Deity.”

Thus this verse shows that faith is necessary. To show the principle places of his appearance, he mentioned the deity and other forms in this chapter. “But if one has great faith, I can be seen in all things. I was easily visible in the pillar of Hiraņyakaśipu.”

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Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.49evań kriyā-yoga-pathaiģ pumān vaidika-tāntrikaiģ

arcann ubhayataģ siddhiń matto vindaty abhīpsitāmBy worshiping Me through the various methods

prescribed in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this life and the next.

Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: Ubhayataģ means “in this life and the next.”

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.50mad-arcāń sampratişţhāpya mandirań kārayed dŗďham

puşpodyānāni ramyāņi pūjā-yātrotsavāśritānOne should engage religious, wealthy men who take it

as their duty to support daily worship, special occasions and festivals, in building temples and attractive flower gardens for the Lord.

Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: If possible these can be done. One should persuade religious persons with money, who think it is their duty to support daily worship, occasions like Jamnāstamī and festivals like the spring celebration, to build temples and gardens.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.51pūjādīnāń pravāhārthań mahā-parvasv athānv-aham

kşetrāpaņa-pura-grāmān dattvā mat-sārşţitām iyāt

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One who offers the deity gifts of land, markets, cities and villages so that the regular daily worship and special festivals of the deity may go on continually will achieve wealth equal to Mine.

Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: Even a wealthy man can become successful by using wealth for the Lord. He will obtain wealth equal to Mine.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.52pratişţhayā sārvabhaumań sadmanā bhuvana-trayampūjādinā brahma-lokań tribhir mat-sāmyatām iyāt

By installing the deity of the Lord one becomes king of the entire earth, by building a temple for the Lord one becomes ruler of the three worlds, by worshiping and serving the deity one goes to the planet of Lord Brahmā, and by performing all three of these activities one achieves a transcendental form like Mine.

Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: The result of doing one or all of the items is described. By installing a deity, by building a temple and supporting the worship one attains a form like the Lord ’s (mat-sāmyatām).

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.27.53mām eva nairapekşyeņa bhakti-yogena vindati

bhakti-yogań sa labhata evań yaģ pūjayeta mām

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But one who simply engages in devotional service with no motives at all attains prema, and by prema attains Me.

Śrīla Viśvanāth Cakravartī Ţhākur: He who worships My deity form without other desires such as jñāna and karma, or he who engages others in worship (pūjayeta) by making them give wealth, land and shops, attains prema (bhakti-yogam), and by prema (bhakti-yogena), he attains Me.

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From Sādhaka’s NotebookFree of Desire

Śrīla Bhakti Sādhak Muni Mahārāj

In our present state we cannot imagine how wonderful it is to be free from desires – to

move freely in this world and have nothing that will cause any harm to us.

As soon as you see some sensual object you want it for yourself to enjoy. Woman, for example, is a perfect form of māyā. But everything in this material universe is meant for Kŗşņa ’s pleasure. You have to learn to offer everything you perceive by the senses to Kŗşņa. As soon as it appears, immediately give it to Kŗşņa. If you want even the smallest fraction of something for your own pleasure it can create terrible problems for you. It is very, very dangerous. Always offer 100

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percent to Kŗşņa and nothing less! Yes, it ’s very hard. But if from the beginning you learn to

accept this pain of not enjoying, and without hesitation offer it immediately to Kŗşņa, then He will respond in the same way to you. So take this risk, and you will experience that response from Kŗşņa. Offer to Kŗşņa that which is in your consideration, meant for you. Especially if you offer what is very attractive to you, Kŗşņa will appreciate it very much. Thus it will go in a parallel way. As much as you renounce your pleasure for Kŗşņa’s pleasure, that much help will come to you from His side. Step by step. When you become completely free from attachment to this mundane world, then you will be in the spiritual realm. Of course renunciation must be proper, yukta-vairagya. Neither enjoy nor reject. Rather, offer everything to Kŗşņa. “Everything is for Him, nothing is for me.” That is the proper attitude toward everyone and everything. That is the only way to the spiritual realm.

Conscious throughout all timeŚrīla Bhakti Sādhak Muni Mahārāj

You should be neither attached to, nor reject, thoughts of your mind. Rather, be detached or indifferent. Let thoughts enter into your mind, and tolerate them. As

soon as you pay attention to the mind, you will be captured, and thus degraded onto the level of local interests. Don ’t try to fight against the mind – he is always stronger. Concentrate

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“Offer to Kŗşņa that which is in your consideration, meant for you. Especially if you offer what is very

attractive to you, Kŗşņa will appreciate it very much.”Śrīla Bhakti Sādhak Muni Mahārāj

on your chanting of mantra, and tolerate it. Chanting the Hare Kŗşņa Mahā-Mantra is a universal aim.

In the three worlds (gross, mental and intellectual) nothing real exists, except the Holy Name of the Supreme Lord. When

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you are chanting Hare Kŗşņa solely for Kŗşņa ’s pleasure, you become one with the universal flow. We must join that flow. We must be united in that, purposeful of our aim. That aim is to chant His Holy Name and render service to Him.

For this, you must be conscious of your activities (physical and mental), twenty-four hours a day. Check your mind. If you are checking your mind, he will become afraid and shameful. You must be conscious of your mental activities. I know that it is very, very hard. Only extraordinary persons are able to do this.

Anyhow, we must go through that stage and tolerate the desperate state of our mind. If we pass through this stage then the Lord will show us another level of existence, a subtle platform. But first, become conscious throughout all time, then later you will become Kŗşņa conscious. Study the first sloka of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī ’s Śrī Upadeśāmŗta:

vāco vegań manasaģ krodha-vegańjihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etān vegān yo vişaheta dhīraģsarvām apīmāń pŗthivīń sa śişyāt

“A wise and self-composed person who can subdue the impetus to speak, the agitation of the mind, the onset of anger, the vehemence of the tongue, the urge of the belly and the agitation of the genitals can instruct the entire world. In other words, all persons may become disciples of such a self-controlled person.”

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“There in the tree worlds (gross, mental and intellectual) doesn ’t exist anything real

except the Holy Name of the Supreme Lord.”Śrīla Bhakti Sādhak Muni Mahārāj

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Neither enjoy nor reject.

Rather, offer everything to Kŗşņa.

“Everything is for Him,

nothing is for me.”

That is the proper attitude toward

everyone and everything.That is the

only way to the spiritual realm.

Śrīla Bhakti Sādhak Muni Mahārāj

Permanent Temple ProgramSunday Festival

17.00 Bhajan • 18.00 Lecture • 19.00 Sandhya Ārati•19.15 Tulasī Parikramā • 19.30 Prasādam

• 20.25 Śāyan Ārati

Morning Program (daily)4.30 Mangala Ārati • 4.45 Tulasī Parikramā

• 5.00 Bhajan follows Japa • 7.45 Śrīňgara Ārati, follows Bhajan • 8.25 Bhagavad-gītā-paţha, follows lecture from Śrī Caitanya Caritāmŗta • 9.15 Guru-Pūja, follows Bhoga Ārati

• 9.30 Prasādam

Evening Program (daily except Sunday)19.00 Sandhya Ārati • 19.15 Tulasī Parikramā, follows Bhajan • 19.55 Lecture • 20.30 Śāyan Ārati, follows

Prasādam

Bhajan – spiritual prayers • Ārati – temple ceremony • Prasādam – spiritual vegetarian food

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission

Mühlenweg 1-6 • 2514 Traiskirchen Tel. +43/680 330 37 34 • www.radha-govinda.org

Ācārya Nitya-līlā-pravişţa Om Vişņupād 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Vaibhav Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāj

Hare Kŗşņa Hare Kŗşņa Kŗşņa Kŗşņa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare