First of all, I offer my humble, respectful daṇḍavat-praṇāma at the lotus feet of my spiritual master, Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Aṣṭottara-śata Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and my śikṣā- and sannyāsa-guru, Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Aṣṭottara-śata Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Similarly, I offer my humble, respectful daṇḍavat-praṇāma at the lotus feet of Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Aṣṭottara-śata Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Gaura Govinda Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and to all senior devotees, all Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavīs, and all of my respected guests present. [01:13]
You have all spoken so nicely and offered your puṣpāñjali at the lotus feet of Śrīla Gurudeva. You have remembered many things about him and spoken from the inner core of your hearts. [01:48]
Guru-pāda-padma is very merciful. I have been with him since 1982—for about thirty years—and he has been so very merciful to us. We were always associated with Gurudeva, very close to him, and he had so much love and affection for us. I am also remembering many things about him. When Gurudeva traveled to Western countries, he took us with him to many different places. I went to some countries but not to all, because I spent most of my time in Brazil. [03:11]
But Gurudeva is very merciful. When I was in India with him, Gurudeva gave me his love and affection. In the beginning, he did not give dīkṣā-mantra initiation to anyone, according to the rules of the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja established the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti with four persons: himself, Śrīla Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Kuśala Narasiṁha Mahārāja, and Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, whose name at that time was Abhaya Caraṇāravinda De. He made a rule in the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti that there would be only one ācārya. I am briefly explaining the history of the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. [04:41]
So, after the departure of Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja was the ācārya of the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti. At that time, Śrīla Gurudeva, Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, would give harināma to some, but not the complete dīkṣā; he only gave harināma. [05:17]
When I first met Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, my heart was completely intoxicated and stolen by him. I had never seen him before, but I had heard about him from my mother, as she used to come for Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā. And you may especially know of my uncle, Śrīla Madhusūdana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, whose brahmacārī name was Kṛṣṇa Kṛpā Brahmacārī. He was the temple commander of Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha; Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja gave him this service. [06:18]
But when I first came and met Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, there was so much love and affection. He gave me a japa-mālā—actually, this japa-mālā was given by Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. There are so many histories, so many remembrances. The first time I heard hari-kathā from his lotus lips, he spoke directly about the highest moods of the vraja-gopīs. I remember that on the first day, I listened to hari-kathā about how the gopīs met with Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra—the Kurukṣetra-prasaṅga-kathā. Śrīmatī Rādhikā especially expressed her heart. [07:34]
Gurudeva explained a verse expressing the topmost viraha-kathā: *Hāsy-acyuta nalina-nava-padāravindaṁ…*¹ Now I am realizing what kind of kathā this is. Sometimes people ask, “Why are you speaking such high-level kathā to those who are completely new?” But who is to judge who is new? They may have performed bhajana and sādhana for many lifetimes and are just now coming. On the other hand, a person may have taken shelter of the lotus feet of a guru for fifty years but still knows nothing of tattva-siddhānta. So, who is higher? [08:45]
A person may have just arrived, but he may have performed bhajana and sādhana for many lives. His saṁskāra has come with him, yet in this life, you are thinking, “Oh, he is new.” People sometimes cannot understand this philosophy. Everything depends on saṁskāra—spiritual impressions from the past. What bhajana and sādhana did one perform? Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu explained two kinds of saṁskāra: prāktanī-saṁskāra and ādhunikī-saṁskāra. Prāktanī refers to the impressions from activities in past lives that are imprinted on your heart. Ādhunikī refers to the impressions you gain in this life from listening to and associating with sādhus. Gurudeva also explained this, saying, “Don’t judge for yourself who is senior or who is junior.” They may have performed bhajana and sādhana for many, many lifetimes and are now coming, but you think they are new. [10:27]
Coming back to the subject, when I heard this kathā of how the gopīs met with Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse, Sūrya-grahaṇa, it was so sweet. I remember this kathā. Gurudeva explained the verse by Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda: *priyaḥ so ’yaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ kurukṣetre militas…*² He expressed the charm of his heart. How beautiful this kathā is! This is what hari-kathā means. If you have past impressions, it is very easy to absorb and accept. If you have no past impressions, it is not easy. This is the simple way. For those who have performed bhajana and sādhana for many, many lives, that impression is in their hearts, making it very easy to accept. For example, a small boy can very easily play mṛdaṅga, while another person may have been playing for twenty years and still cannot play properly—tei, reka-ṭek, ṭek ṭa, tei tei ta. Everything depends on their saṁskāra, their impression. [12:04]
Gurudeva explained this kathā, and it was so beautiful that tears were rolling down. What is this kathā? I also met Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Gosvāmī Mahārāja for the first time when I came to Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. I used to go to their temple often to listen to hari-kathā. I remember him giving hari-kathā on this śloka from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam / ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā.³ Such beautiful kathā. [12:58]
I am explaining this to show Gurudeva’s love and affection. He brought me from Navadvīpa-dhāma to Vraja-dhāma, to Mathurā-purī, and I was staying with him, always receiving his love and affection. This affection comes in two ways. As I said yesterday, it also includes chastisement. If a guru only glorifies his disciples, this is a cheating propensity. Vañcito’smi, vañcito’smi—”I have been cheated, I have been cheated!” Love means two things: affection and chastisement. Did Mother Yaśodā not chastise her son Kṛṣṇa? Sāmrāṇī Dīdī made a very nice, beautiful picture of Kṛṣṇa breaking the butter pot and stealing butter. In another picture, Kṛṣṇa is running and Mother Yaśodā has a stick and is running after him. Love also means this. [14:52]
I am saying this because Gurudeva’s mercy, his kṛpā, is there. Nārada Ṛṣi gave a curse to Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva. Is this mercy or not? Neophyte devotees may not understand how this is mercy. “Oh, he gave a curse, and they became trees.” But after billions of lifetimes performing bhajana and sādhana, one may not attain Goloka Vṛndāvana. Yet, by the causeless mercy of Nārada Ṛṣi, Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva attained Goloka Vṛndāvana. In their transcendental forms, they served Kṛṣṇa as Madhukaṇṭha and Sthūladhanu. This is merciful kṛpā. I am saying this to remember how kind Gurudeva’s mercy is. [16:02]
And Gurudeva’s hari-kathā is unique and unparalleled. I cannot commit any offense at the lotus feet of other ācāryas or Vaiṣṇavas, but it is the absolute truth. Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s hari-kathā is unique and unparalleled. That is the truth. All Vaiṣṇavas say this. Even a sannyāsī disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, whose name was Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Bhakti Jīvana Janārdana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, used to come to our Mathurā Maṭha and stay with us for one or two months. Most of the time, he glorified Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. I heard this directly from his mouth because he was staying with us. He said, “Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja is not an ordinary person. He is a very near and dear associate of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, a rādhā-nitya-jana.” He used this term, rādhā-nitya-jana—an eternal associate of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. [17:48]
What can I say about Gurudeva? Let me remind the senior devotees here of something that happened, I think, during the Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā in 2009. Gurudeva was staying in his room at Gopinātha Bhavana. At around 11:00 a.m., the pujārī of Sevā-kuñja, a Vrajavāsī brāhmaṇa, brought some prasāda from Sevā-kuñja—laḍḍu and other things offered to Ṭhākurajī. He asked Mādhava Mahārāja, “I want to meet with Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.” Mādhava Mahārāja told him, “No, Gurudeva is resting now.” According to Gurudeva’s schedule, he had to rest after taking prasāda and would not speak to anyone. [19:15]
So, Mādhava Mahārāja did not allow him in. While the pujārī was outside, Gurudeva told Mādhava Mahārāja, “You can give him some money.” Vrajavāsīs often come wanting dakṣiṇā, a donation. But the pujārī said, “No, today I will not take any money. I want to give some prasāda.” Mādhava Mahārāja replied, “Give it to me, and I will offer it when Gurudeva wakes up.” “No, no,” the pujārī insisted, “I will give it with my own hand.” “If you want, you can come back at 4:00 p.m.,” Mādhava Mahārāja said. So the pujārī of Sevā-kuñja took the prasāda and left. [20:15]
At 4:00 p.m., he came back. Gurudeva opened the door to his room at Gopinātha Bhavana, and the pujārī offered the prasāda. Gurudeva said, “Okay, take some money,” because the Vṛndāvana paṇḍās come for that. But the paṇḍā told him, “No, today I will not take any money from you. This prasāda… actually, Śrīmatī Rādhikā directly ordered me to give this prasāda to Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja, who is living here in Gopinātha Bhavana. He is My very near and dear sakhī.” This was a direct order. Nowadays, if you go to Sevā-kuñja, the pujārī there also glorifies Gurudeva by telling this kathā. I am not the only one saying this; everybody knows these things. [21:29]
When I heard this, Gurudeva’s heart melted, and tears rolled down his cheeks. I was sitting very close to him and saw it. Gurudeva took that prasāda and distributed it to everyone. I am saying this because it is the absolute truth. Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja is a very near and dear sakhī of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, who is known as Ramaṇa Mañjarī. In this connection, Gurudeva manifested a beautiful temple in Delhi called Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇabihārī Gauḍīya Maṭha, and he gave the Deities the name Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇabihārījī. [22:28]
This is 100% confirmed: Gurudeva is a very near and dear sakhī of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. For those who have no faith in this, all their bhajana, sādhana, dīkṣā-mantra, and chanting of the holy name are useless. Look at this. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gave his own identification. What is it? “I am Kamala Mañjarī.” He described his cloth, his service, everything. Before Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, no ācārya in our Gauḍīya lineage gave his own identification. But Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura clearly explained it in his kīrtana: “My name is Kamala Mañjarī, my cloth is this, my service is that.” This refers to the eleven moods (ekādaśa-bhāva) and the five stages (pañca-daśā). [23:47]
But nowadays, some so-called disciples of Gurudeva are saying, “I have no faith in Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.” What can I say? I have no words to speak about him. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is the seventh Gosvāmī, Saptama Gosvāmī, and now someone is saying they have no faith in him, that he made a mistake. What kind of animals are these? Even an animal would not speak such words. What kind of offenders, what kind of aparādha, is this? After death, I think they will not even get a place in hell, Naraka. Maybe they will go to Mahā-mahā-ati-naraka. When I heard this, my heart completely melted. What kind of person takes dīkṣā-mantra from Gurudeva and now says, “I have no faith in Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; he has a fault”? Is he higher than Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura? What kinds of people are there nowadays? What kinds of asuras are coming? [25:39]
Why am I saying this? All of our guru-vargas are eternal associates of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, rādhā-nitya-jana. First, one must try to understand that all our guru-vargas are eternal associates of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, rādhā-nitya-jana. What bhajana and sādhana will you do otherwise? Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda explained when we receive guru’s mercy, guru-kṛpā. It is when we understand, “My Gurudeva is an eternal associate of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, a rādhā-nitya-jana.” Then, automatically, guru’s mercy, guru-kṛpā, will manifest in your heart. If you have any doubt, saṁśayātmā vinaśyati—a doubtful soul is destroyed. You will lose and destroy everything. First, understand this. For this reason, every day we sing the song Guru-paramparā. Do you remember it? [27:00]
kṛṣṇa haite catur-mukha, hana kṛṣṇa-sevonmukha, brahmā haite nārade mati… paramparā jāno bhalo-mate.⁴ The Bengali words here say, guru-paramparā jāno bhalo-mate—”Very carefully understand the disciplic succession, the guru-paramparā.” This guru-paramparā is very important. If you have no faith in the guru-paramparā, what is your bhajana and sādhana? What is the meaning of receiving the dīkṣā-mantra? It is useless. First, understand the guru-paramparā. [28:29]
Śrīla Gurudeva is the nearest, dear sakhī of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, rādhā-nitya-jana. Why do I say this? Because Bhakti Jīvana Janārdana Gosvāmī Mahārāja again and again quoted, “Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja is Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s nitya-jana, her sakhī.” Otherwise, who could glorify Śrīmatī Rādhikā? [29:07]
I remember one time during Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā, many paṇḍitas assembled at Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. Ācāryas from different maṭhas also came and glorified Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I think they were celebrating the 500th anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s appearance, the fifth centenary. Many paṇḍitas spoke very nicely in Sanskrit. They wanted to speak Sanskrit, whether the public understood or not was not their concern. They spoke with sweet, eloquent words, using beautiful rhetorical ornaments (alaṅkāra-śabda), and everyone was charmed. [31:02]
The last speaker was Śrīla Gurudeva Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. He spoke and glorified Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I remember Gurudeva recited a verse by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī-pāda, *veṇuḥ karān nipatitaḥ…*⁵ and three or four other ślokas. Veṇuḥ karān nipatitaḥ… [31:34]
Then Gurudeva explained one śloka by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ ⁶
Gurudeva explained this śloka very nicely and quoted many ślokas from Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi, such as: Yo brahma-sukha-sāgarān aśubha-lakṣyato lakṣitaḥ… taṁ rādhikā-caraṇa-reṇum anusmarāmi.⁷ As Gurudeva spoke, all the paṇḍitas were astonished. With every second that he spoke, they clapped in surprise. I remember this well. [32:40]
When Gurudeva’s lecture finished, the chairman glorified him, saying, “Many speakers spoke very nicely, but what Śrīla Gurudeva [Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja] spoke was unique and unparalleled.” He declared this. At that time, Gurudeva very humbly said, “I have no qualifications. I was not admitted to any Sanskrit school or college; I don’t have any Sanskrit degree.” Many paṇḍitas there had many degrees. If you went to Mathurā at that time, you would see paṇḍitas with long lists of degrees on paper: “This university, this Sanskrit college, this, this, this…” [33:51]
But Gurudeva said, “I have no such qualification. My only qualification is that I have faith in my Gurudeva, Nitya-līlā Praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and I serve him niṣkapaṭa—without any duplicity.” Guru-kṛpā hi kevalam. Gurudeva was very humble, and by this, he proved that bhakti does not depend on any external qualifications. The only qualification bhakti requires is described in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī.⁸ One who has simple faith is qualified to practice devotional service to the Lord. [34:43]
So, what is this śraddhā? The definition is given: śraddhā-śabde—viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya.⁹ Śraddhā means viśvāsa, firm and unflinching faith (ātyantikī viśvāsa) in the lotus feet of guru-pāda-padma. If you have this ātyantikī-śraddhā, this unflinching faith in the lotus feet of the guru, you will attain your perfect, ultimate goal. This is the process. Bhakti does not depend on any other qualification. It needs only one: guru-pāda-padme dṛḍha-viśvāsa. Locana dāsa Ṭhākura said, guru-mukha-padma-vākya, citte kariyā aikya, āra nā kariha mane āśā.¹⁰ Make the words from your guru’s lotus mouth one with your heart, and do not desire anything else. Have firm faith that what Gurudeva says is the absolute truth. You don’t need anything else; bhakti depends on this. [36:20]
Gurudeva very humbly told that assembly, “I have no qualifications. Many paṇḍitas here have many degrees—M.A., Ph.D., and so on. I have no qualification. But I have one: I have unflinching faith in the instructions of my guru.” Guru-pāda-padme yāṅra rahe niṣṭhā-bhakti, saṁsāra tarite sei dhare mahā-śakti.¹¹ If you have unflinching faith in the instructions of the guru, you will attain your highest perfectional goal. This is the only process. [37:12]
nāyaṁ ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhayā na bahunā śrutena
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām ¹²
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi
dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam ¹³
How will we receive this guru-kṛpā? The question arises.
raho-gaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-‘bhiṣekam ¹⁴
If you completely and absolutely surrender to the lotus feet of a bona fide, genuine guru, then everything will automatically manifest in your heart. This is the process. But how to surrender completely? In Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa also explained, śraddhāvāḹ labhate jñānam.¹⁵ We just celebrated Gītā Jayantī a few days ago. In Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, it is very clearly explained: śraddhāvāḹ labhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ. Everywhere this word, śraddhā, is used. Bhakti depends only on śraddhā, which means unflinching faith—ātyantikī-śraddhā. Otherwise, you will not get anything, even if you have received the dīkṣā-mantra from a guru. What will happen if you have no faith? [39:41]
I am saying these things because Gurudeva himself taught them. He served his guru, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Yesterday, I told you there are two kinds of guru-sevā: vapu-sevā and vāṇī-sevā. Vapu-sevā means physical service to the guru—cooking for him, washing his cloth, massaging his feet. And vāṇī-sevā means to listen to his harikathā and spread that harikathā all over the world. This is also called bṛhat-mṛdaṅga-sevā. Both services are important, but it is explained that vāṇī-sevā is higher than vapu-sevā. [40:48]
That’s why I am explaining what Gurudeva himself told. Once, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja asked Śrīla Gurudeva, Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, “Oh, now you are preaching all over the world, and all the Western devotees are eager to listen to harikathā from you and are completely surrendered at your lotus feet. Why?” Gurudeva replied, “I have no qualification. I just follow the instructions of my guru.” [41:34]
In that conversation, Śrīla Gurudeva told the story of one of Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s personal servants, whose name was Anaṅgamohana Brahmacārī. He became very sick with tuberculosis (T.B.), was vomiting blood, and was about to die. He was admitted to a special hospital in Madras. At that time, who would stay with him? Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja told Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, “You have to go and take care of him.” Without any hesitation, Śrīla Gurudeva went to Madras and stayed with him and served him. [42:47]
But after a few days, Anaṅgamohana Brahmacārī left his body. Gurudeva said that as he was about to depart, he was crying out to Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, whom he called “Pitājī.” He cried, “Pitājī, I am going! I am going!” At that time, Śrīla Gurudeva prayed, “Prabhu, please also give your mercy to me.” [43:35]
When Anaṅgamohana Brahmacārī left his body, Gurudeva sent a message by telegraph—there were no phones then—to his Gurudeva. When Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja read the message, he cried and cried like a small baby. After one or two days, when Śrīla Gurudeva returned from Madras, he paid his obeisances at his Gurudeva’s lotus feet and said, “Gurudeva, you sent me to protect your very precious jewel, but I could not protect him.” At that moment, Śrīla Param-gurudeva, Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, embraced Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja and was crying and crying. Gurudeva said, “At that time, I received the mercy of my guru.” Guru-kṛpā. Śrīla Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja then said, “Yes, I believe you. You followed the instruction of Śrīla Gurudeva.” [45:03]
Without the mercy of the guru, how is it possible to preach all over the world? Guru-kṛpā hi kevalam. And Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu himself told, āmāra ājñāya… without my mercy, no one can preach nāma-saṅkīrtana. In this regard, Śrīla Gurudeva, Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, also glorified Nitya-līlā Praviṣṭa Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja. He used this phrase: “Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja is the direct manifestation of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s nāma-saṅkīrtana-avatāra.” [45:58]
Many ācāryas, many qualified preachers who were very dear disciples of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda—all learned scholars—also came to the Western countries to preach. But when Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja came to the West, look at what happened. In every town, every house, even small babies, when they see a picture of him, they will say, “He is Prabhupāda, Prabhupāda.” Is this true or not? Why? Because this is the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the mercy of his guru, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda. Now the whole world is dancing and chanting the holy names. This is actually the mercy of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja. And he got this mercy from his guru, who got it from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the process; everything is coming in our guru-paramparā. [47:34]
Why am I saying these things? Bhakti does not depend on anything other than how much you surrender to the lotus feet of the guru. Yesterday, Sanātana Prabhu also explained about surrender. He spoke about how Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains seven spheres that cause pain, and the very last one is related to one who takes initiation from a guru who has not manifested śaraṇāgati, full surrender to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and who is not following in the footsteps of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana. This is a very important point: how we can completely surrender to the lotus feet of guru and Kṛṣṇa. This is our process. [49:26]
In this regard, Uddhava glorified the gopīs, praying: vande nanda-vraja-strīṇāṁ pāda-reṇum abhīkṣṇaśaḥ yāsāṁ hari-kathodgītaṁ punāti bhuvana-trayam.¹⁶ If you have no taste to listen to the kathā of the vraja-gopīs, then what is the meaning of your life? Nothing. Uddhava prayed that even if one takes birth in a high-class brāhmaṇa family, or even attains the position of Brahmā, it is meaningless without the dust of the gopīs’ feet. [50:23]
āsām aho caraṇa-reṇu-juṣām ahaṁ syāṁ
vṛndāvane kim api gulma-latauṣadhīnām
yā dustyajaṁ sva-janam ārya-pathaṁ ca hitvā
bhejur mukunda-padavīṁ śrutibhir vimṛgyām ¹⁷
He glorified the vraja-gopīs.
etāḥ paraṁ tanu-bhṛto bhuvi gopa-vadhvo
govinda eva nikhilātmani rūḍha-bhāvāḥ
vāñchanti yad bhava-bhiyo munayo vayaṁ ca
kiṁ brahma-janmabhir ananta-kathā-rasasya ¹⁸
If you have no taste for ananta-kathā-rasasya, the nectar of limitless topics, what is the value of a birth as a brāhmaṇa? Here, ananta-kathā means rāsa-līlā-kathā. If you have no taste for rāsa-līlā-kathā, what is the meaning of listening to all other Kṛṣṇa-kathā? It is useless. And what is this ananta-līlā? Namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam.¹⁹ Here, ananta-līlā refers to rāsa-līlā. Sanātana Gosvāmīpāda explained this in Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta. If you have no taste for Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā-kathā, what is the meaning? [53:55]
Uddhava says, “Not only I, but all the great sages and even Lord Brahmā (bhava-bhiyo munayo vayaṁ ca) are hankering to receive even one small particle from the mud of the vraja-gopīs’ lotus feet.” What is the mood of the vraja-gopīs? It is parakīya-bhāva. Rāsa-līlā means the kathā of this vraja-parakīya-bhāva. Without this supreme mood, rāsa cannot manifest. Kṛṣṇa did not perform the rāsa dance in Dvārakā-purī. Why? There were many queens there, 16,108 of them, but they did not have this type of mood, this parakīya-bhāva. Sarva-rasa-sāra parakīyā bhāvete bhajete pracāra. This supreme mood of parakīya-bhāva is only manifest in Vraja-maṇḍala, in the hearts of the vraja-gopīs. Vraja vinā nāhi anyatra pracāra. This mood does not manifest in Vaikuṇṭha, Ayodhyā, Dvārakā, or Mathurā. It is only in Vṛndāvana. [56:49]
So, if you have no taste for vraja-līlā-kathā—and within vraja-līlā there is dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and mādhurya—but specifically no taste for the highest, supreme mood of rāsa-līlā-kathā, then what is the meaning of your life? I am saying these things because this is our topmost mood. [57:20]
ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam
ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalaṁ premā pum-artho mahān
śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idaṁ tatrādarāḥ na paraḥ ²⁰
This is the opinion of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He came to distribute the highest prema. Which prema did he distribute? Vaikuṇṭha-prema had already been distributed by other incarnations and ācāryas. Prema for Ayodhyā, Dvārakā, and Mathurā was also known. Even in Vṛndāvana, dāsya-, sakhya-, and vātsalya-prema had been distributed. So what remained? The prema of the vraja-gopīs. [58:20]
For this reason, Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda very clearly explained that Śacīnandana, Gaura Hari, appeared in the age of Kali to distribute this highest prema, this unnatojjvala-rasa, which had never been given before. He did not discriminate who was qualified or who was unqualified. Yāre dekhe, tāre kahe ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa. He gave it to everyone. “Take it, everybody!” Even if some people did not want to receive this mercy, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu would chase behind them, catch their choṭī (hair-knot), and give it to them by force. He is therefore called the most magnificent and magnanimous: [59:58]
namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ ²¹
He gives this prema to everyone. In the same way, see how merciful all our guru-vargas are: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja—all of our guru-vargas. They are giving this type of prema to everybody. We should have no doubt in our guru-paramparā. They are giving it. Try to understand this philosophy. [61:11]
Out of his great mercy, a guru will come for the conditioned souls who have no sukṛti. Guru-pāda-padma is so merciful that he cuts their choṭī. In this regard, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja explained in one of his lectures, “I don’t know the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. I don’t know the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. I don’t even know the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu or our previous ācāryas. I only know the mercy of my Gurudeva.” Guru-kṛpā hi kevalam. [62:19]
Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja explained it in this way: “I know the mercy of my Gurudeva and how merciful he is.” He also said, “My Gurudeva is uttama-uttama-mahā-bhāgavata.” That one statement finished everything. And what is the symptom of an uttama-mahā-bhāgavata? He does not see any gross material things. [63:01]
sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti
sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti ²²
He sees the moving and non-moving entities, but he does not see their forms. Rather, wherever his eyes fall, he gets a vision of his own worshipable Deity. Vṛndāvanera śaila dekhi’ bhrama haya giri-govardhana / yāhāṅ nadī dekhe, tāhāṅ māne ‘kālindī’ yamunā.²³ Wherever he sees a mountain, he thinks, “Oh, this is Girirāja Govardhana.” Wherever he sees a river, he thinks, “This is the Yamunā.” This is the symptom of a mahā-prema, one who is floating in the ocean of divine love. He does not see gross things. In an article, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja glorified his Gurudeva, saying, “My heart is full of lust, anger, and all kinds of sewage, like a drainage ditch, but my Gurudeva thinks it is the beautiful Yamunā river.” In this way, he very humbly glorified his Gurudeva as an uttama-uttama-mahā-bhāgavata. “I have no qualification,” he said, “But my Gurudeva cut my choṭī and gave me shelter at his lotus feet.” [64:33]
This is why he said, “I don’t know the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhikā.” Everyone says, “I want the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, I want the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, rādhā-kṛpā-kaṭākṣa, kṛṣṇa-kṛpā-kaṭākṣa.” Everyone wants the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, gaura-kṛpā, and the mercy of the previous ācāryas. But Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja said, “I only know my Gurudeva, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, who cut my choṭī and gave me shelter at his lotus feet.” Sometimes, worldly people cannot understand a Vaiṣṇava’s humbleness, but this is a teaching for us. [65:31]
What is our qualification? Reading some Sanskrit ślokas and thinking, “Oh, I know more than Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura”? Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is the seventh Gosvāmī! He is Kamala Mañjarī! And you, what mañjarī are you? Pakoḍā-mañjarī? Rasagullā-mañjarī? Not even rasagullā-mañjarī—pāikhānā-mañjarī! And you are saying Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has a fault? What kind of rubbish, nonsense words are you using? Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is Kamala Mañjarī. Who brought Nayana-maṇi Mañjarī? Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda. Who brought Vinoda Mañjarī? Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Who brought Ramaṇa Mañjarī? [Our Śrīla Gurudeva]. And you are saying Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has a fault, so you won’t read his Jaiva-dharma? What kind of people are these? What is the meaning of taking dīkṣā from a guru? [66:55]
I am saying this because these words are very painful. This person who said this took dīkṣā from Gurudeva and traveled with him for many years, and now he is saying, “I have no faith.” I will boldly tell you all: he rejected Gurudeva and took dīkṣā from another guru. When Gurudeva was performing his sickness līlā in Govardhana, this person came and tried to meet him. One or two months before this, Gurudeva had asked him, “I heard you rejected me and received the dīkṣā-mantra from another guru.” Gurudeva very humbly asked him, “What offense did I commit at your lotus feet? Tell me.” Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja asked him, “You took dīkṣā from me, then you rejected me and took dīkṣā from another guru. What was my offense to you?” [68:21]
We were sitting right in front of Gurudeva when he asked this. The man gave no answer and left. Gurudeva then went into his room. A few months later, when Gurudeva was in his sickness līlā, this man thought, “Maybe I will go and ask for forgiveness.” He tried to enter Gurudeva’s room, but no one would allow him to. I am a witness; I remember. He came and pleaded, “Please, somehow I want to meet with Gurudeva. Now I realize I committed an offense at his lotus feet.” But no one allowed him to enter. [69:29]
Śrīla Gurudeva, Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, had asked him directly, “What was my offense to your lotus feet?” I remember the Bengali words he spoke, which in Hindi are, “Maine tumhāre caraṇa meṁ kauna sā aparādha kiyā?” ²⁴ When Gurudeva said this, our hearts all melted and tears began to fall. Gurudeva then turned his face away from that person, left, and entered his own room. For many hours, that person was just sitting there. What is this? What kind of benefit will you get from such behavior? What kind of offenders are these in this world? [70:45]
I know the reason he left Gurudeva. He wanted some position—lābha, pūjā, pratiṣṭhā (profit, adoration, and distinction)—but he did not get it. For this reason, he left Gurudeva and went to another guru. This is what I know. Why is Śrīla Gurudeva Ramaṇa Mañjarī? Why are Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura their svarūpas? Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is Vinoda Mañjarī, and our Śrīla Gurudeva. Yet these types of people also exist in this material world. [71:47]
So never commit any offense at the lotus feet of any guru or Vaiṣṇava. You can do your bhajana and sādhana, there is no problem, but never criticize any sādhu, guru, or Vaiṣṇava. Chant the holy names and always glorify them. Otherwise, if you criticize others, all their bad qualities will be reflected in your heart. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives evidence for this. If you criticize others, all their bad qualifications will be reflected in your own heart, and you will fall down. There is no need for nindā (criticism). Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to ignore criticism and just chant, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa” bali’ bhaja. Chant the holy names: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. [72:51]
Jay Śrīla Gurudeva kī! Jay!
Jay Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja kī! Jay!
Jay Guru Paramparā kī! Jay!
Jay Jay Śrī Rādhe!
Haribol! Haribol!
Śrīla Gurudeva Bhaktivedānta Vana Mahārāja kī! Jay!
Haribol!
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare! [73:53]
Footnotes (Cited Verses)
- [07:45] The speaker quotes a line, likely from memory, which is not a standard, identifiable verse but captures the mood of separation (viraha-kathā). The words are reminiscent of descriptions of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty and the pain of separation felt by the gopīs.
- [10:50] priyaḥ so ’yaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ sahacari kurukṣetra-militas tathāhaṁ sā rādhā tad idam ubhayoḥ saṅgama-sukham tathāpy antaḥ-khelan-madhura-muralī-pañcama-juṣe mano me kālindī-pulina-vipināya spṛhayati (Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Padyāvalī, 382) – “My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Kṛṣṇa on this field of Kurukṣetra. I am the same Rādhārāṇī, and He is the same Kṛṣṇa. We are enjoying our meeting. Nonetheless, I wish to go to the bank of the Yamunā beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vṛndāvana.”
- [12:46] anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam / ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 1.1.11) – “The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind, and speech, and expressed by various spiritual sentiments (bhāvas), which is not covered by knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation or speculative philosophy (jñāna) and fruitive activity (karma), and which is completely free from all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Kṛṣṇa, is called pure devotional service, uttamā-bhakti.”
- [27:01] From the song Guru-paramparā by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, which describes the disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa.
- [31:21] veṇuḥ karān nipatitaḥ skhalitaṁ śikhaṇḍaṁ bhraṣṭaṁ ca pīta-vasanaṁ vraja-rāja-sūnoḥ yasyāḥ kaṭākṣa-śara-ghāta-vimūrcchitasya tāṁ rādhikāṁ paricarāmi kadā rasena (Caitanya-candrāmṛta, 130) – “When will I lovingly serve Śrīmatī Rādhikā, by the piercing arrow of whose sidelong glance the son of the King of Vraja falls unconscious, His flute falling from His hands, His peacock feather slipping from His crown, and His yellow garment becoming dishevelled?”
- [31:33] anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam… (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi 1.4, originally from Vidagdha-mādhava 1.2) – “He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.”
- [32:19] The speaker is quoting from memory, possibly from Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī’s Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi, a composition glorifying the dust of Rādhikā’s lotus feet as superior to the ocean of brahma-sukha (the bliss of impersonal liberation).
- [34:15] ‘śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī’ (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.64) – “A person who has śraddhā is qualified for bhakti.”
- [34:55] ‘śraddhā’-śabde—viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.62) – “Śraddhā is the confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities.”
- [35:54] guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, āra nā koriho mane āśā (Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, from Prārthanā) – “Make the words from your guru’s lotus mouth one with your heart, and do not desire anything else.”
- [36:49] A Bengali pāyār verse stating: “One who has firm devotion and faith in the lotus feet of the guru possesses the great power to cross over the ocean of material existence.”
- [37:17] nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena… (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23 & Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3) – “The Supreme Soul cannot be attained by eloquent speeches, by great intelligence, nor by much learning. He is attained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”
- [37:33] yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo… (Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Śrī Gurvāṣṭakam 8) – “By the mercy of the spiritual master, one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.”
- [37:51] raho-gaṇaitat tapasā na yāti… (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.12.12) – “My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth.”
- [38:31] śraddhāvāḹ labhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ (Bhagavad-gītā 4.39) – “A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge.”
- [49:36] vande nanda-vraja-strīṇāṁ pāda-reṇum abhīkṣṇaśaḥ yāsāṁ hari-kathodgītaṁ punāti bhuvana-trayam (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.63) – “I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the women of Nanda Mahārāja’s cowherd village. When they chant the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the nectar of their words purifies all the worlds.”
- [50:24] āsām aho caraṇa-reṇu-juṣām ahaṁ syāṁ vṛndāvane kim api gulma-latauṣadhīnām… (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.61) – “The gopīs of Vṛndāvana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to renounce, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vṛndāvana, because the gopīs trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet.”
- [52:25] etāḥ paraṁ tanu-bhṛto bhuvi gopa-vadhvo… (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.58) – “Among all persons on earth, these cowherd women are the most supremely fortunate. Forgetting their own bodies, they have given themselves completely to the Supreme Soul, Govinda, with a depth of emotion that is yearned for by sages who fear material existence, and by us as well. What is the use of a birth as a brāhmaṇa for one who has no taste for the nectar of these endless topics of Kṛṣṇa?”
- [53:37] namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam (Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta 2.7.151) – “Obeisances to You, Śrī Rādhikā, and to Your beloved Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, who performs limitless pastimes. Obeisances to You.”
- [57:20] Attributed to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is the only object of worship, and His abode, Vṛndāvana, is equally worshipable. The most pleasing form of worship is that which was performed by the young wives of Vraja. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the flawless scripture, and the ultimate goal of human life is pure love of God. This is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We have the highest regard for this conclusion and none other.”
- [59:58] namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te… (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.53) – “O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”
- [63:02] sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti… (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 8.273) – “A mahā-bhāgavata sees the moving and non-moving entities, but he does not see their outward forms. Rather, everywhere he looks, he sees the form of his worshipable Deity.”
- [63:15] Bengali verse describing the vision of a mahā-bhāgavata: “Seeing a hill in Vṛndāvana, he is bewildered and thinks it is Govardhana Hill. Wherever he sees a river, he considers it to be the Kālindī, Yamunā.”
- [69:47] “Maine tumhāre caraṇa meṁ kauna sā aparādha kiyā?” – Hindi for, “What offense have I committed at your feet?”