Everything for Krishna (with Kirtans)

Giriraj Swami: We begin to read about Srila Prabhupada describing the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya to Hayagriva Prabhu, so Hayagriva Prabhu could put the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya in the form of drama.

So, Srila Prabhupada had just completed his instructions for the first session. Finally, Srila Prabhupada’s morning schedule permitted him to go no further. It was time for him to bathe and take lunch. The next day, they would meet again. And the next session, Hayagriva listened more carefully, and the transcendental scenes came quickly, one after another. As Prabhupada described each scene, speaking the words and thoughts of Sri Chaitanya and His associates, Prabhupada seemed to be seeing the scenes enacted before him. He especially became moved when he spoke of Lord Chaitanya and Haridasa Thakura.

“The life of Haridasa Thakura,” Prabhupada said, “Was that he was born in a Muhammadan family. Someway or other, he became a devotee, and he was chanting three hundred thousand times, ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare,’ and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made him the acharya, the authority of chanting.” Therefore, we glorify him. Nāmācārya Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jaya! Because he was made the acharya, the authority of chanting Hare Krishna.

When Lord Chaitanya took sannyasa, Haridasa Thakura decided, “My dear Lord, You are leaving Navadvipa, then what is the use of my life? Either You take me, or let me die.” So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “No, why shall you die? You come with Me.” So, He took him to Jagannatha Puri. In Jagannatha Puri, because he considered himself born in a Muhammadan family, Haridasa did not enter the temple. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him a place at Kashinath Misra’s house, where he was chanting, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was sending him prasādam. In that way, he was passing his days, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to come and see him daily.

Srila Prabhupada wanted a scene for the passing away of Haridasa Thakura. Hayagriva, “Is this the same Haridasa, the Muhammadan threw in the river?” “Yes,” Prabhupada said. Very casually, Hayagriva mused aloud, “So, he finally met his end there in the fifth scene?” Prabhupada hesitated. Here again, Hayagriva revealed his lack of transcendental knowledge. Talking as though Haridasa’s passing away was the same as an ordinary man’s meeting his end.

“Alright,” Hayagriva accrued him, “What is this particular incident?” Prabhupada, “The particular incident is significant. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a brahman, and He was a sannyasi. According to social custom, He should not even touch a Muhammadan. But this Haridasa Thakura was a Muhammadan, and yet on his death, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took the body Himself, and danced. And He put it in samadhi and distributed prasādam.

Because Haridasa was a Muhammadan, he did not enter the temple of Jagannatha Puri, because the Hindus were very strict. Haridasa was a devotee, but he thought, Why should I create some [Unintelligible 00:14:52]? So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appreciated Haridasa’s humble behavior. Although he had become a devotee, he was not forcibly going to the temple. But then, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself was daily coming and seeing him. While going to take a bath in the sea, he would first of all see Haridasa. “Haridasa, what are you doing?” Haridasa would offer his respect, and he would sit and talk for some time. Then, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would go and take His bath.

So, every day, we also chant nāmācārya Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jaya! Haridasa Thakura is very important for us, because he was born in a Muhammadan family. Sometimes people think that Krishna consciousness is only meant for Hindus or brahmans. In fact, when Srila Prabhupada was in Hyderabad, some caste brahmans complained to him, “You are spoiling the Hindu religion, because you are giving the sacred thread to non-brahmans, and giving sannyasa to foreigners.” But Srila Prabhupada knew from the teachings and precepts of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that Krishna consciousness is open for everyone, and even someone like Haridasa Thakura, who was born in a Muhammadan family, could be elevated to the position of nāmācārya by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Haridasa Thakura is also important to us because he always chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In Lord Chaitanya’s instructions to Sanatana Gosvami, and in other places, Lord Chaitanya states clearly that the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the most important of the nine processes of devotional service, and just by chanting the holy name, one can achieve all success. And in so many places, the scriptures describe the glories of the holy name. It is said in the scriptures that just by uttering the holy name once, one becomes freed from more sins than he can commit.

Now, such statements are fact, they are not exaggerations. In fact, if we think that the glories of the holy name are an exaggeration, we are committing an offense against hari-nāma, nāma-aparādha. But there is also a question of quality in chanting.

In queen Kunti’s prayers to Lord Krishna, she said that those who are on the path of material advancement, trying to improve their material position by aristocratic family, by material opulence, by personal beauty, and by high education, they cannot feelingly approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They cannot feelingly chant the holy name. But one who is akiñcana gocara, that means one who has no material possessions or no material assets, he can chant the holy name with feeling. So, such material opulences may be considered valuable from the material point of view, but they may actually be impediments on the spiritual path of Krishna consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada has told the story of Sanatana Gosvami, that one man approached Sanatana Gosvami and asked him for a touchstone which can transform iron into gold. So, Sanatana Gosvami said, “You want the touchstone? Okay. It is lying somewhere there in the garbage. You can find it and take it.” So, initially, the man was very happy, and by the influence of the touchstone, he was able to get huge quantities of gold and enjoy life. But later, he considered, If the touchstone is really so valuable, why did Sanatana Gosvami keep it in the trash? He must have something more valuable. I should go back and get the most valuable thing.

So, he went back to Sanatana Gosvami, and he explained his conclusion, that Sanatana Gosvami must have something more valuable, and he asked Sanatana Gosvami to give him the most valuable thing. So, “First,” Sanatana Gosvami said, “Throw the touchstone in the river. Then, I will give you the most valuable thing.” So, the man hesitated. Some of you may have seen the drama performed by the devotees here in Ratha-yatra. So, the man hesitated. But then, finally, he threw the touchstone in the river. Then, he was ready to receive the most valuable treasure, and Sanatana Gosvami gave it to him. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

So, although the devotees may appear to be materially poor, like the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, they had no material possessions at all practically, but they had the greatest treasure in the lotus feet of the Lord, which is realized by the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. But one should chant feeling oneself completely helpless and dependent on the mercy of the Lord. Then, one can chant with feeling, and one can actually approach Lord Krishna. But otherwise, if one thinks, I am quite well situated, I have my house, I have my family, I have my business, I have my job, then he cannot chant with such feeling, and he cannot get the same result. So, akiñcana gocara. Krishna is akiñcana gocara, which means He is easily approached by the materially impoverished.

Of course, to be materially impoverished does not necessarily mean that one has no material possessions. One may be like the Six Gosvamis and have no material possessions, or one may have material facility, which he does not consider to be his personal property, meant for his personal enjoyment, and then he sees the facility as the property of Lord Krishna, to be used for the service of Lord Krishna, then he also is akiñcana or niṣkiñcana. But as soon as we think, This is mine, anything, This is my life, this is my son, this is my house, this is my business, we cannot chant with such feeling. Even in spiritual life, someone may think, This is my temple, this is my feet, this is my place to lie down on the floor at night.

When I was serving Srila Prabhupada in Calcutta in 1971, we all brahmacharis, or anyone who was with us, even there were some householders, we all used to lie down on the floor at night and sleep on a straw mat. So, I had my particular place on the floor, and every night, I would lie down on my particular part of the floor. So, one day, one devotee commented how we should not be attached, and say, “This is my place, and every night, I have to sleep here only.” So then, I thought, Yes, he is right. I should not sleep in the same place every night. So then, every night, I used to sleep in a different part of the floor.

And I used to think to myself, because of the Gosvamis of Vrindavan, they used to sleep under a different tree every night, and Calcutta was very hot then, so I used to think, The Gosvamis used to sleep under a different tree every night, and I also sleep under a different fan every night. All together, there were about, not so big as here, but there were about five ceiling fans. Every night, I used to sleep under a different fan.

But anyway, we should not think that anything is mine. We should think that everything is Krishna’s, and everything's meant to be used in Krishna’s service, and then without any sense of false proprietorship, or false prestige that I have something, we can chant the holy name. And we can also distribute the holy name to others.

We should not think, I have nothing to give to others also, except the holy name, except Krishna consciousness, because if we think, I possess something, we will think, I can give something to others, which is not Krishna. But if we think, I have nothing except Krishna, Krishna’s service, Krishna’s name, then we won’t think we can give anything to others except Krishna’s name and Krishna’s service. Then, we can chant properly and preach properly also.

So, nāmācārya Haridasa Thakura, he also had nothing. He was niṣkiñcana, and he was only chanting the holy name of Krishna, and living by the mercy of the Lord. Of course, five hundred years ago, during the time of Haridasa Thakura, even then, the proprietors of the Jagannatha mandir in Jagannatha Puri refused to let him enter because he was not born in a Hindu family. But Lord Chaitanya, who was Lord Jagannatha Himself, disapproved of such policy, and although Haridasa Thakura could not come to see Lord Jagannatha in the temple, but every day, Lord Jagannatha, in the form of Lord Chaitanya, came to see Haridasa Thakura. In other words, Lord Chaitanya did not approve of the restriction placed on Haridasa Thakura.

But Haridasa Thakura, as a humble Vaishnava, did not create any disturbance, “I should be allowed to enter. Why are they not allowing me? I will forcefully enter.” No, he remained peaceful. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. He did not want any respect for himself, but he was ready to offer all respect to others. And thus, he was able to chant the holy name constantly.

But Srila Prabhupada protested. He wanted that the Jagannatha mandir should be opened, and when he was in Puri, he preached, he said, “We are spreading Jagannatha Ratha-yatra all over the world, and there are devotees of Jagannatha, so why they should not be allowed to enter?” He said, “Therefore, He is Jagannatha. He is not Hindunatha or Indiannatha. He is Jagannatha. He is the Lord of the universe. And they are residents of the universe. So, why can't they enter?” And Srila Prabhupada himself refused to enter the Jagannatha mandir in protest, because his disciples were not allowed, so he did not go either.

So, Haridasa Thakura is so important. He lived in Jagannatha Puri. He showed the example of constantly chanting the holy name without any false proprietorship or false prestige, and although born in a Muhammadan family, he was elevated to such an important position by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

So, every day, on the way to take bath in the sea, Lord Chaitanya used to visit Haridasa Thakura. In this way, one day, when he came, he saw Haridasa not feeling very well. “Haridasa, how is your health?” “Yes, sir, it is not very. After all, it is the body.” Then, on the third day, he saw that Haridasa was going to leave his body today. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked him, “Haridasa, what do you desire?” No one could understand. Haridasa said, “This is my last stage. If You kindly stand before me.”

Srila Prabhupada became caught in intense spiritual emotions of the scene, as if it was happening before him. He closed his eyes. He stopped talking. Then, he began again slowly, haltingly. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stood before him, and he left his body. Prabhupada cried and became silent. Hayagriva sat staring at the floor, when he glanced up, he saw that Swamiji was crying. Prabhupada quickly summed up a few last scenes, and ended his outline. “Now you write,” he told Hayagriva. “I shall make some edition or alteration.” This is the synopsis and framework, now you can proceed.” Hayagriva left the room, [Unintelligible 00:33:28], and whether he would ever write the play was doubtful, but he was thankful to have received the special discourse.

So, many times, especially before Srila Prabhupada left, he said, “I have given you the framework, now you must fill it in.” So, we all have our duty to Srila Prabhupada and to the world, because Srila Prabhupada’s mission was to help everyone in the world. So, it is our duty to understand Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, and first of all, preserve the framework, which he gave, and then when the framework is secured, we can try to fill it in.

So, I am glad to hear that you all, under His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaja’s guidance, have kept the basic framework that Srila Prabhupada gave. The basic process, as we know, is chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy. Only these four items are sufficient. So, fortunately, you have kept to the basic processes of Krishna consciousness, and as possible, you are filling in the framework by some plays, some dramas. I heard that for Janmashtami, there will be a presentation about Haridasa Thakura.

But Srila Prabhupada has given so many ideas. Of course, especially caitanya-līlā, but he has given so many ideas in so many ways. So, we should take the basic ideas that Srila Prabhupada gave, and according to our capacity, fill in the framework, develop the ideas that Srila Prabhupada gave, but the basic principle is to chant the holy names of Krishna, and that should not be neglected for anything. If we have time, if we have capacity, we can do other things, but the main thing always is to chant the holy names of Krishna with quality, it means with attention, sitting nicely, not chanting and dozing, or chanting and talking.

I am sure none of you do it, but in some places, devotees start to chant and they talk, and then they chant a little more, and then they will talk. So, whenever Srila Prabhupada’s disciples called it and instead of prajalpaḥ, he called it, prajapa. We shouldn’t do prajalpaḥ or prajapa. We should do pure japa, and not think, I am the Lord [Unintelligible 00:37:22], I am the proprietor, I am the controller. But just in a very humble mood, without any material possessions, no material conceptions, just chanting, and that will give us all we need, because that will give us Krishna. We don’t need anything else. So, Hare Krishna. Any questions or comments?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 00:37:55] Haridasa Thakura does not enter the Jagannatha temple. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is very happy. It is said in Caitanya-caritāmṛta that He says that he has observed the etiquette without creating any disturbance. How is this the proper etiquette, [Unintelligible 00:38:16]? So, can you just elaborate?

Giriraj Swami: Well, you have answered the question, that it was considered etiquette at the time that non-Hindus should not enter the temple of Jagannatha. Now, Sanatana Gosvami was born in a high class brahman family, but because of his association with Muslims, he was considered to have become contaminated, he was considered to have become Muslim by association. And therefore, he was not supposed to enter. So, he observed the etiquette all the time. He did not try to create any disturbance, and Lord Chaitanya was pleased. Same thing.

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

That’s the way to chant constantly without any disruption. Sanatana Gosvami himself has written that just as dire metal can be turned to gold by alchemical process, similarly, an ordinary person can be changed into a brahman by the process of initiation. So, certainly, Sanatana Gosvami did not approve of the idea that one who is not born Hindu, or one who is not born a brahman can never become a brahman. In fact, he said the opposite, one can become a brahman. But personally, he did not create any disturbance for himself.

And Srila Prabhupada also did not want us to create any disturbance. Haridasa Thakura and Sanatana Gosvami used to look at the pinnacle at the top of the door, and for them, it was darshan, and actually, it was darshan, because the Lord’s paraphernalia is non-different from the Lord. So, on the absolute platform, they were having darshan. So, it’s the same thing. Lord Chaitanya said one should chant the holy name of the Lord in the humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the [Unintelligible 00:40:56], taller than the tree. One should be ready to offer all respects to others, and not want any respect for himself.

But when there was an attack on Nityananda Prabhu, He became angry like fire, and He was ready to kill the offenders. So, for ourselves, we should be very meek and humble, but when the Lord is offended, or a Vaishnava is offended, we should not be meek and humble and just let the offender continue, but we should try to stop the offense.

So, similarly, Srila Prabhupada, personally, could have gone to the temple. So, he did not protest because he was allowed in the temple, he made the protest because others who should have the right to enter the temple couldn’t go. And actually, he was not just thinking of the devotees, that they should enter the temple, but he was thinking of the people who were keeping the devotees out, how offensive they are. And he wanted to remove the offense from them, for their benefit also, maybe more than for the benefit of the devotees.

Devotee: What is Lord Chaitanya’s will or desire?

Giriraj Swami: What is Lord Chaitanya’s will or desire?

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

In every town and village of every country in the world, His name should be sung or preached.

Devotee: After hearing these Haridasa Thakura’s pastimes, many of the pseudo religious people, as well as atheists, used to always argue with us, “When you say that Lord Chaitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and when you say that He does not discriminate at all between any person who is from the lower caste or the higher caste, then why is it that although He [Unintelligible 00:43:17]. He could have protested, or He could have changed the minds of those people who [Unintelligible 00:43:27].” So, how to counteract it?

Giriraj Swami: Out of His mercy, Lord Chaitanya left it to us to change. We know what Lord Chaitanya’s desire is from Lord Chaitanya’s words and from His behavior. So, He said pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma. He wanted the holy name to be preached in every town and village of the world. But personally, He preached the holy name in India only, mainly in South India, and He deputed Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal, and He deputed the Six Gosvamis to preach in Vrindavan. So, it is a fault, we can say that actually, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu secretly wanted that the holy name should stay in India, otherwise, He would have gone to London or New York and preached the holy name there.

So, Srila Prabhupada says no, that by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He has given us the opportunity to fulfill His mission in all the parts of the world. So, we know that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Krishna consciousness to be open to everyone, and He showed by His personal behavior, and the job of opening up the temple in Puri, to the devotees is left as a service, or given as a service to those who wished to fulfill it.

I mean, by the logic of such atheists, as you rightly call them, we should not preach at all Krishna consciousness. He is still present, as much as He was five hundred years ago. Then, they come to the point, “When God makes me Krishna conscious, I will become Krishna conscious.”

Sometimes we would approach gentlemen to become life members. They will say, “When God tells me to become a member, I will become a member.” We would invite them to the temples. “When God tells me to come to the temple, I will come to the temple.” “Then at least chant Hare Krishna.” “When God tells me to chant Hare Krishna, I will chant.” We say, “God is telling you in the scriptures to chant Hare Krishna. He is telling you to chant Hare Krishna. So, why are you not chanting?” “When He comes personally and tells me, then I will chant.”

So, you are right, there are atheists either in the guise of atheists, or in the guise of religionists, but they are atheists. They are trying to find faults with God. Why? To justify their own nonsense. “If God made me a vegetarian, I would be a vegetarian. He did not make me a vegetarian. So, why are you blaming me?” This is the basic premise, “If God wants me to be good, He should make me good, otherwise, I will do my own nonsense. It is not my fault. It is God’s fault.”