Visvarupa-mahotsava

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

We welcome to today’s auspicious celebration of Visvarupa-mahotsava. Visvarupa was the name of the older brother of Lord Chaitanya. He was actually an incarnation of Balarama or Saṅkarṣaṇa and he left home and took sannyasa and the day on which he accepted the renounced order of life is called Visvarupa-mahotsava. Visvarupa-mahotsava is also the day on which Srila Prabhupada accepted the renounced order of life about fifty-five years ago in Mathura. His sannyasa guru was a godbrother of his, a fellow disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura named Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktiprajñāna Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada was in Seattle, Washington when he received the news that Kesava Maharaja had passed away and he took the opportunity to speak to his few new disciples about the history of his acceptance of sannyasa. And because today is the anniversary of his acceptance of sannyasa, I thought I would read from the transcript of his brief talk.

Srila Prabhupada says, “One has to accept the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life, when I was with my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming that my spiritual master was calling me, and I was following him. When my dream was over, I was little horrified. ‘Oh, Guru Maharaja wants me to become a sannyasi. How can I accept sannyasa?’ At that time, I was feeling not very satisfaction that I have to give up my family and become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I was thinking, ‘No, I cannot take sannyasa.’ But again I saw the same dream. So in this way I was fortunate. My guru maharaja. . .”

And at this point when Srila Prabhupada was speaking, he began to cry and then he continued with a choked voice, “. . . My guru maharaja pulled me out from this material life. I have not lost anything. He was so kind upon me. I have gained. I left three children, I have got now three hundred children. So I am not the loser. This is material conception. We think that we shall be loser by accepting Krishna. Nobody is loser. I say from my practical experience. I was thinking, ‘How can I accept this renounced order of life? I cannot accept so much trouble.’ But I retired from my family life. I was sitting alone in Vrindavan, writing books. So this, my godbrother. . .,” Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Maharaja, “. . . he insisted me, ‘Bhaktivedanta Prabhu. . .’ This title was given in my family life. It was offered to me by the Vaishnava society. So he insisted me. Not he insisted me. Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him that, ‘You accept,’ because without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher. He wanted me to become a preacher, my guru maharaja. So he forced me through this godbrother, ‘You accept.’ So unwillingly I accepted. And then I remembered that he wanted me to go to the Western country. So I am feeling now very much obliged to my, this godbrother, that he carried out the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyasa order.

“So this godbrother, His Holiness Kesava Maharaja, is no more. He has entered Krishna’s abode. So I wish to pass a resolution of bereavement and send it. And I have composed one verse also in this connection in Sanskrit. 

“Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. This Krishna consciousness is vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā means to become detestful to this material world. That is called vairāgya-vidyā. And that is possible simply by this bhakti-yoga. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam apāyayan mām. So this. . . Just like medicine. The child is afraid of taking medicine. That also I have experienced. In my childhood, when I became ill, I was very stubborn. I won’t accept any medicine. So my mother used to force medicine within my mouth with a spoon. I was so obstinate. So, similarly, I did not want to accept this sannyasa order, but this godbrother forced me, ‘You must.’ Apāyayan mām, he forcefully made me to drink this medicine. Anabhīpsu andhām. Why I was unwilling? Anabhīpsu means ‘unwilling.’ Andhām means ‘one who is blind,’ who cannot see his future. The spiritual life is the brightest future, but the materialists cannot see it. You see? But the Vaishnavas, the spiritual master, they forcefully, ‘You drink this medicine.’ You see. Apāyayan mām anabhīpsu andham sri-kesava-bhakti-prajnana-nama. So this, my godbrother, his name is Kesava, Bhaktiprajnana Kesava. Kṛpāmbudhi. So he did this favor upon me because he was an ocean of mercy. So we offer our obeisances to Vaishnava, kṛpāmbudhi. vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. The Vaishnavas, the representatives of the Lord, they are so kind. They bring the ocean of mercy for distributing to the suffering humanity. 

“Kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye. So I am offering my respectful obeisances unto this His Holiness, because he forcefully made me adopt this sannyasa order. So I am offering my respectful obeisances along with my disciples. On the first day of my sannyasa, I never thought, but I remembered that I will have to speak in English. So I remember on that sannyasa day, when there was a reception, so I, first of all, spoke in English. So it is all the arrangement of Krishna, higher authority. We are writing like this,. . .” 

And then Srila Prabhupada read the resolution that he composed, “ ‘Resolved that we the undersigned members and devotees of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Incorporated, in a condolence meeting under the presidency of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, today the 21st of October, 1968, at our Seattle branch, express our profound bereavement on hearing the passing of His Divine Grace Om Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktiprajñāna Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, the sannyasa guru, preceptor of our spiritual master, and on October 6th, 1968, at his headquarter residence in Navadvipa, West Bengal. We offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Srimad B. P. Kesava Gosvami Maharaja with the following verse composed on this occasion by our spiritual master.’ ”

Then Srila Prabhupada says, “This verse I have already explained to you. So I wish that you all sign this and I will send it tomorrow by air mail. Have you got pencil?” 

And one of the devotees says, “Yes.” Then you hear the sound of Srila Prabhupada signing the resolution.

So there are many important instructions in Srila Prabhupada’s few words. The first is that materialists see things differently. They think that by giving to Krishna they will lose. But devotees understand that by giving to Krishna one does not lose but he gains. But even then, devotees can have material attachments, they can to some extent be blind to their future wellbeing and so they may hold onto their material position not knowing the beautiful future that awaits them if they give up their material attachment and surrender fully to Krishna. 

In Srila Prabhupada’s case, he saw that his guru maharaja was forcing him to take sannyasa— bhikṣu. He was unwilling but his guru maharaja forced him. And how did he force him? He forced him through the agency of Prabhupada’s godbrother, through the agency of one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s other disciples.

So we should learn from this example that Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, our spiritual master can speak to us in many ways. They can speak to us even through a godbrother or godsister. If we are sincere enough we will accept their good advice, their good instruction, or as Srila Prabhupada said, their force, force of administering medicine. And that is the Vaishnava’s mercy that although we are unwilling to accept the medicine, we are blinded to the wonderful future that awaits us if we give up our material position and surrender fully to Krishna, to the desire of the guru, but the Vaishnavas force out of their mercy. And Srila Prabhupada was so moved by his guru maharaja’s mercy upon him and through the help he received from his godbrother in executing the will of his guru maharaja that he broke down and cried when he spoke, thinking of their mercy and kindness.

So this is an extremely important day for us. If Srila Prabhupada had stayed in Vrindavan—of course that would have been glorious—what would have happened to us? Even many friends of Indian origin tell me that if they hadn’t come to America they probably never would have become Krishna conscious because in India there is so much confusion about who is God—total confusion—and then again the social factors of so-called friends and family are very strong. Some devotee friends have told me that they have returned to India after becoming Krishna conscious to visit their relatives and the relatives, they want them to drink and eat whatever and when their family member who’s come from America refuses, they say, “What is the matter with you? You went to America. We thought that you would be more advanced in these activities and now you are completely shrinking away from them. What went wrong? What happened to you?” Sometimes it helps to be pulled out of one’s circle of family and friends because they may be blind materialists; they may not be able to see the future how one can benefit by surrendering to Krishna and apparently giving up things but actually giving up things to get something better.

So we are indebted of course to Srila Prabhupada and to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura for pushing Srila Prabhupada to accept sannyasa which was you could say the stepping stone to his coming to America and preaching. We discussed on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s appearance day what a deep desire that was for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. And also we are indebted to Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktiprajñāna Kesava Gosvami Maharaja for acting as an instrument in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s desire. And, as Srila Prabhupada said, “It is all arranged by Krishna; it is all arranged by higher authorities.” So many things happen. In another talk that Srila Prabhupada gave on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, I believe, he said, “Who knew that I would come in your country, who knew that you American boys and girls would come to me? Who knew? This is all the arrangement of Krishna.” So now, by Krishna’s grace and the Vaishnava’s grace, we are here and we are able to chant the holy names and purify our hearts, cry out for mercy and work to realizing the purpose for which Srila Prabhupada came which is to give us this blessings, the gift of Krishna consciousness, love for Krishna. Hare Krishna.

I have consulted the assembly of Vaishnavas and they have concluded that we should proceed with kirtan. Krishna consciousness is very easy: they say what to do and we just do it. It is all good. Hare Krishna. Now they are saying before kirtan if any of you have any questions or want to make any comments, we can churn more from the ocean of nectar. It is all nectar but by that association and discussion we get more.

Sarvabhauma dasa: You talked about. . . [unclear]

Giriraj Swami: You are saying that there could be different reasons for accepting sannyasa or different degrees of qualification for accepting sannyasa.

Srila Prabhupada always said that his qualification in general was that he had faith in the instructions of his guru maharaja. And the other qualification he mentions is that one should be detestful of material life. And this is a very important qualification. Queen Kunti mentions it in her prayers that Krishna is akiñcana-gocaram, He is the property of those who are materially impoverished. They have no other shelter besides Krishna. Krishna is always watching us and we should also watch ourselves, where do we go for shelter. 

As Bhurijana Prabhu commented once, if someone is in difficulty, what is their first reaction? Their first reaction is usually to look for their wallet, look for their credit card, because in their mind that is their shelter, because when you have money, you have power. So people look for that shelter. We cannot take shelter of both maya and Krishna. It is one or the other. So we have to watch where do we look for shelter. Especially if there is difficulty, where do we look for shelter? When we give up the false shelters of the material world then we can take real shelter of Krishna and then Krishna will reciprocate. If He sees that we are making other arrangements to take care of ourselves, He’ll think, “Well, he is making his own arrangements, why should I take care of him.” But if someone really gives up the false shelters of the material world and takes exclusive shelter of Krishna, then Krishna will think, “I have to take care of him or her. He or she has no other shelter.”

So that is the qualification and this being detestful of material life—in a higher sense nothing is material—but being detestful of the idea of trying to enjoy material things, we should feel disgusted with that. Like Yamunacarya, he had been a king and he enjoyed kingly opulence, and then he became a devotee. He became a devotee means by consciousness not like you put on a dhoti and tilaka and you are a devotee. He wrote a very beautiful verse in which he says that, “Since I have been relishing ever new transcendental bliss in the service of Krishna, whenever I think of sex life, my previous enjoyment, my lips curl in disgust, and I spit at the thought.” 

That is a product of developing Krishna consciousness. The two go together—you make an effort to give up the false shelters of material world and take shelter of Krishna and then when you do take shelter of Krishna you realize the beauty of Krishna and the ecstasy of devotional service and then the other is disgusting. Like sometimes you go to a place, of course meat is like the worst, but even cooking with onions and garlic, you feel disgusted, “Yuck!” because of developing a different taste, a higher taste, the mode of goodness, and then from the mode of goodness one can more easily reach the transcendental platform.

That is a very good question. Srila Prabhupada wrote one letter to a disciple who was going to take sannyasa and he said, “If you go to a rich person’s house and you think, ‘Oh, I could be enjoying like that,’ then that is not proper mentality for sannyasa.” “I could have a nice place,” or, “I could have a beautiful wife, charming children.” That is not the consciousness recommended for sannyasa.

[?] Swami: Hare Krishna. Thank you, Maharaja. There is another aspect to the principle of renunciation and sannyasa that Srila Prabhupada also manifested at different times. When three householder couples went to London and succeeded in popularizing Krishna consciousness in a way more profound than the sannyasis that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura previously had sent to London, he made the profound statement, “They are better than any sannyasis. They are doing more than any sannyasi could do.” 

So the principle is that if we receive the mercy of Krishna and the pure devotee of Krishna then we can basically do anything in terms of receiving empowerment to help others and to become detached from this material world.

In the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna explains what is the qualification for receiving that mercy. He says, rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu viṣayān indriyaiś caran ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati. We all know that word prasādam, it is our favorite part of all the programs. The attendance at that part of the program is generally greater than the attendance of any other part of the program, because we tend to think of prasādam as being a nice plate of succulent, delicious Krishna. But prasādam actually means “mercy” and the mercy of Krishna is delivered to us in various vessels, various tastes, various ways. So in this verse rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu means “to give up.” This is the basic principle of renunciation, to give up. But give up what? Rāga: attachment, attachment to the body, attachment to the things, attachment to the. . ., as [?] Maharaja told eloquently, said to the dependents, material facilities for our happiness and strength and shelter, but he also says, rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu. Dvesa means “aversion.” A person who is fully Krishna conscious whether he be a sannyasi or a grihastha or a brahmachari or a small child or an old man or anyone is not averse to anything. Aversion is the other side of attachment.

So how do we know if we are on that platform and Krishna explains: raga-dvesa-vimuktais tu, viṣayān indriyaiś caran. We are no longer interested in sense gratification. How do we know if we are not interested? vaśyair vidheya. Vidheya means we are willing to follow regulative principles to purify ourselves and Prabhupada interestingly enough translates that phrase as “the regulative principles of freedom.” Who was it that said, “The truth will set you free.” We tend to think that, “If I regulate something I have to give up something, I have to do something. Then that means I am less free.” But when we accept the regulative principles of devotional service seriously we become free. Prasādam adhigacchati. We get the full mercy of Krishna by this process no matter what station in life we are. 

So the truth is it is more difficult from the gṛhastha-āśrama to do this but it is not true that it is mechanical or formulaic. We just heard about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura the other night who raised ten children while he was writing a hundred books on devotional service and delivering, reawakening Lord Chaitanya’s movement and therefore he is called the seventh Gosvami from the position of the gṛhastha-āśrama. So all the grihasthas in the crowd should take heart and hope that if you do that, if you learn the art of learning to use everything that you have in Krishna’s service and seeing everything that you have as belonging to Krishna and that you are a caretaker of those things then if it is done genuinely—not just by lip service but in reality—then you become as good as a sannyasi. You are a sannyasi by Krishna’s definition. Hare Krishna.

And that is what it takes to spread Krishna consciousness. That is what it takes to spread Krishna consciousness. That is what we have to do, all of us together to spread Krishna consciousness, to give love for God to a population that is so confused, every one of us. That was Lord Chaitanya’s instruction to every living being in the universe to accept this Krishna consciousness and to do distribute it to others. That is real renunciation. Hare Krishna.