Sri Jagannatha Mishra’s Festival

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. So, we welcome you to the continuation of the celebration of the advent of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He appeared at the time of the moon rise of the Phalgun-purnima, which we now celebrate as Gaura-purnima. And the following day is observed as Jagannatha Misra’s Festival. Jagannatha Misra was the devotee who played the part of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s father, and he was a prominent brahman in the community, and when the news spread that his wife, Saci-mata, had given birth to a child, so many friends and neighbors came to join him in celebration. But some, few, could understand that Jagannatha Misra and Saci-mata’s son was not an ordinary child, but it was actually Krishna Himself. And therefore, many demigods came to offer respects to the baby, but they came in disguise, as members of the brahman community.

But before we begin reading about Jagannatha Misra’s Festival, we will sing one song in appreciation of the great mercy that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to bestow upon all living entities. This song is written by Locana dasa Thakura. Srila Prabhupada said he was almost a contemporary of Lord Chaitanya, and according to one version, he was about twelve or fourteen years old when Lord Chaitanya wound up His manifest pastimes on the earth. So, we will sing this nice song. Sri Sri Gaura Nityanander Daya (The Mercy of Sri Gaura and Nityananda).

parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana
nitāi gauracandra
saba avatāra-sāra śiromaṇi
kevala ānanda-kanda

bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi
sudṛḍha biśwāsa kori
viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā,
mukhe bolo hari hari

dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi,
emona doyāla dātā
paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare,
śuni’ jāṅra guṇa-gāthā

saṁsāre majiyā, rohili poriyā,
se pade nahilo āśa
āpana karama, bhuñjāye śamana,
kahoye locana-dāsa

Sri Sri Gaura Nityanander Daya by Locana dasa Thakura.

TRANSLATION

[Lord Nitāi and Lord Gauracandra are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that They introduced a process of chanting and dancing that is simply joyful.]

[My dear brothers, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda with firm conviction and faith. If one wants to be Kṛṣṇa conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. Become absorbed in worshiping Lord Caitanya and Nityananda and simply chant “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” without any material motive.]

[My dear brothers, just try to examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityānanda. Their merciful qualities are so great that upon hearing them even birds and beasts cry and stones melt.]

[But I, Locana Dāsa, regret that I am entrapped by sense gratification. I have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, and therefore Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement.]

COMMENT

Hare Krishna. Now, Srila Prabhupada gives a very beautiful purport to this song, but for the sake of time, I will not read it or discuss it now. But, if you get a chance, you should read it.

Once, His Holiness Niranjana Swami and I, together, gave a class just on this song. It is so deep and full of meaning. But I will just read one part of the purport, which struck both of us.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi. Locana dasa Thakura says, “My dear brothers, you just try and examine that within these three worlds there is nobody like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityānanda.’’ Because "Their merciful qualities are so great that even birds and beasts cry , what to speak of human beings?’’

Srila Prabhupada continues

Actually, when Lord Caitanya passed through the forest of Jhārigrāma, the tigers, the elephants, the snake, the deer, and all other animals joined Him in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so nice that a nyone can join. Even the a nimals can join, what to speak of human being? Of course, it is not possible for ordinary man to enthuse animals to chant, but if Caitanya Mahāprabhu could inspire animals to chant. Atleast , we can encourage human being to adopt this path of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. And it is so nice that even the most stonehearted men will be melted. . Pāṣāṇa means stone, it is so nice that even stone will melt. 

COMMENT

Now, the reason this particular statement struck us so much is that although Srila Prabhupada said, “No ordinary man can induce animals to chant,” but when Srila Prabhupada came to America, he did induce something comparable to wild animals to chant and dance.

In Srila Prabhupada’s diary and some of his early letters, he, more or less, acknowledges the fact that the people he was dealing with were quite similar to animals.

So, what Srila Prabhupada did is extraordinary. Practically, only Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could do it, but Srila Prabhupada, on behalf of Gaura-Nitai, also did it. So, now we will read about the advent of Lord Chaitanya from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chapter Thirteen, “The Advent of Lord Chaitanya Mahāprabhu.”

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

So, the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, gives a description of the ancestors of Jagannatha Misra and Saci-mata, when the Lord appears in the particular family. It is not an ordinary family, but it is a very exalted family, who had the opportunity to participate directly in the Lord’s pastimes.

So, before the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Jagannatha Misra and Saci devi had another son named Visvarupa. But, from the perspective of the family, unfortunately, Visvarupa took sannyasa and left home. Of course, Jagannatha Misra and Saci-mata were completely transcendental, but still, they had that attachment, transcendental attachment for Visvarupa, and they wanted him to stay with them, but he took sannyasa and left home.

When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was manifesting His Maha Prakash, by exhibiting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and fulfilling the desires of all of His devotees, He refused to give His mercy to His mother, Saci-mata, and everyone was astonished that He is giving mercy to everyone except His own mother. And then, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu declared, “She is an offender, and therefore, I will not give her mercy.” So, what offense has Saci-mata committed?

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as omniscient Lord, knew that within her heart, Saci-mata harbored some bad feelings towards Advaita Acharya, because Advaita Acharya would recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Visvarupa would hear his discourses, and Saci-mata thought that Advaita Acharya was responsible for influencing her son, Visvarupa, to leave home and take sannyasa. And because of that offense, in a way you could say subtle offense, it was not expressed in words, but it was kept within her mind. Because of that subtle offense, Lord Chaitanya refused to give her mercy until she rectified her mind and approached Advaita Acharya.

So, in a way, you could say that Jagannatha Misra and Saci-mata were without a son. Just like Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda, they were quite old, they had no issues, they were quite old, and then, finally, Mother Yasoda gave birth. So, the intensity of affection of the parents was increased, because they had to wait for so long to have a child, and they were not sure if they would be able to have one. Similarly, Jagannatha Misra and Saci-mata were also bereft, and then, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. And just before His appearance,

TEXT 83

Śacīmātā told her husband, “I see wonderfully brilliant human beings appearing in outer space, as if offering prayers.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Jagannātha Miśra was honored by everyone on the earth and was supplied with all necessities. Similarly, mother Śacī saw many demigods in outer space offering prayers to her because of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s presence in her womb.

COMMENT

But the same phenomenon took place when Krishna was in the womb of Devaki. The demigods came and offered prayers to Krishna within the womb. So, there are many similarities between gaura-līlā and kṛṣṇa-līlā, but the context is a little different because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, and most of His associates, took birth in brahmin families, whereas in Vraja, Gokula Krishna appeared in a cowherd community, vaishya community, and most of His associates were vaishyas. And later, they were accustomed.

After Gaura Hari appeared, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, an astrologer came to do His horoscope, and he told Jagannatha Misra, “In His past life, your son performed the pious activity of protecting cows, and because of His highest activity of caring for cows, in this life, He has taken birth as a brahman.” [laughter] So, Saci-mata showed her husband what she would see, wonderfully brilliant human beings in outer space offering prayers.

TEXT 84

Jagannātha Miśra then replied, “In a dream I saw the effulgent abode of the Lord enter my heart.

TEXT 85

“From my heart it entered your heart. I therefore understand that a great personality will soon take birth.”

COMMENT

So, this phenomenon also runs parallel to the appearance of Krishna. He first entered the spotlessly pure mind of Vasudeva, which was śuddha-sattva, that means completely transcendental, pure goodness, beyond even material goodness, and from the mind of Vasudeva, Krishna was transferred to the mind of Devaki. And then, Devaki appeared to become pregnant, but it was nothing like the material process, by which an ordinary person is born, but it was actually the Lord’s mercy that He appeared in the mind of Vasudeva, which was completely transcendental, and then transferred by him into the mind of Devaki. Jagannatha Misra had a similar perception.

TEXT 86

After this conversation, both husband and wife were very jubilant, and together they rendered service to the household śālagrāma-śilā.

TEXT 87

In this way the pregnancy approached its thirteenth month, but still there was no sign of the delivery of the child. Thus Jagannātha Miśra became greatly apprehensive.

COMMENT

Generally, a child stays in the womb for nine months, maybe ten months, but after thirteen months, there was no sign of the delivery of the child, and Jagannatha Misra became very apprehensive, very worried.

TEXT 88

Nīlāmbara Cakravartī [the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] then did an astrological calculation and said that in that very month, taking advantage of an auspicious moment, the child would take birth.

TEXT 89

Thus in the year 1407 of the Śaka Era [A.D. 1486], in the month of Phālguna [February-March], in the evening of the full-moon day, the desired auspicious moment arrived.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, in his  commentary, has presented the horoscope of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

COMMENT

The Lord chooses a time, which is very auspicious according to astrological calculation to appear.

But that is not always the case with pure devotees. Of course, a pure devotee who descends from the spiritual world could take birth in a similar way, in an exalted family, with all favorable circumstances, but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that if that were the case, then ordinary people would think, He took birth in an exalted family, he had all the favorable conditions, and therefore, he could become Krishna conscious, but I’m born in an ordinary family, I never had any special cultivation of Krishna consciousness, so what hope is there for me?

So, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta says that devotees take birth in all kinds of families, to show that anyone can be Krishna conscious, in any birth, like Haridasa Thakura or Lord Brahma. He took birth in a Muslim family, to show that anyone can become Krishna conscious, from any background . And Haridasa Thakura was tortured, but he tolerated that and he continued in his service to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the holy name.

So, as you know, at the time of Lord Chaitanya’s appearance, there was a full lunar eclipse. And the tradition in vedic culture is that during an eclipse, one should go to take bath in some sacred body of water. The eclipse is actually considered inauspicious, and so, to protect oneself from the inauspiciousness, one takes bath in a holy body of water and chants the holy name. And thus, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, there was profuse chanting of the holy name, even by Muslims.

TEXT 91

When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?

COMMENT

Do you understand what he is saying?

TEXT 92

Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.

TEXT 93

All people thus chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder.

TEXT 94

When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.

COMMENT

So, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission was to propagate the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. And He arranged to appear at the time of the lunar eclipse, when people were chanting the holy name. And even in His childhood, He would induce people to chant the holy name. Even before He could speak, He could cry. Every baby knows how to cry, and the parents and elder relatives naturally want to pacify the baby, find out what’s wrong, what they can do so that the baby will stop crying.

But when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu cried as a baby, nothing could stop His crying except for one thing, the chanting of the holy name. So, eventually, all the family members and friends understood the trick, that when Baby Nimai is crying, the way to pacify Him and make Him stop is to chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is at the time of the advent.

TEXT 94

When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.

TEXT 95

The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the holy name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words.

COMMENT

So, the Muslim also joined in the chanting, by jokingly imitating, to make fun. There was one incident, it’s a bit of a digression, but it illustrates the value of chanting the holy name, even if in jest, to make fun. I have told this story once or twice, but I’ll tell it again.

In 1971, I was in Madras, the first small group of devotees from this time who went to Madras, and after some time, I started to hear a song being broadcast on the radio.

Actually, there was no television in India, and it was much better, really. When we first came to Juhu, there was no television and I would go door to door, and generally, people would be very happy to welcome me and hear what I had to say about Krishna consciousness. And then, television came. It was a disaster. But it was a gradual process.

It was new, so when I came, because of the culture, they would turn off the television and they’d still welcome me, but after a while, the addiction increased and they would still invite me in, but they would keep the television going. And again, out of culture, they would want to turn it off, but their children wouldn’t let them. So then, they would take me into one of the back rooms, “Alright, just speak.” And then, after some more time, even the elders got addicted.

Anyway. So, coming back to Madras, there was no television, but there was a radio. And it probably, kind of, changed, but in those days, people would play their radios very loudly. It happened even when Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu sometimes. Someone, somewhere would be playing their radio very loudly, and Srila Prabhupada said, “They want to advertise that they have a radio.” [laughter] “They want all the neighbors to know they have a radio.” [laughter]

So, the radio was broadcasting this song, “Dam maro dama, Hare Krishna Hare Rama.” [laughter] And I was hearing it all the time, it was a very popular song. So, once, I was at some friend’s house, he invited us for lunch, and I asked him, “What is this song?" And I don’t know if he didn’t really know what the song was or whether he just didn’t like it, but he said, “The meaning is, with every breath that I take, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama.” So, that sounded. . . “Wow, that’s so beautiful, with every breath that I take, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama." [laughter] Anyway, later, I found out the truth, that with every puff , every smoke that I have. [laughter] So, anyway, that created quite a sensation, and the film itself tried to portray. . . Yeah, anyway.

So, from Madras, I went to Calcutta, and before coming to India, in America, there was a popular musical called Hair, that had the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in it. And so, devotees would go to theaters where the musical was playing, and they would distribute kirtan, distribute books, and people were receptive. So, I had the idea when this movie Hare Rama, Hare Krishna came to Calcutta. This played in quite a prestigious theater, so I had the idea, “Okay, we’ll go and we’ll do the hari-nāma in front of the theater and distribute books.” And people were very friendly and favorable going into the movie house, and that’s where we would catch them, standing in line to go in.

So, after the last batch went in, “Let me see what this is.” So, I snuck into the theater and it was amazing, this huge screen, very amplified stereophonic sound. And as I recall, the first image was of the ocean, the waves of the ocean coming i nto the beach. And with his very resonant voice, the narrator says that for centuries, India’s Vedic culture was kept within the shores of India, but then, one man, and then it switched to an image of Srila Prabhupada, one man crossed the ocean and brought this culture to the Western world. And it actually had a map, it was very dramatic, and then it showed an arrow, the route that Srila Prabhupada took by ship, from India to America. And then it showed the [Unintelligible 00:49:36], and that was also amazing. This huge screen, “Wow, this is fantastic!” And then it switched to a scene of devotees doing kirtan in a home.

Actually, it was right here in the Juhu scheme. I believe it was Manoj Kumar. There are a number of movie producers and directors and actors nearby. And it was arranged because. . . it’s very hard to know, but they seemed to be very friendly and interested, and many of them became life members. But at this one house program, they filmed our kirtans, Madhudvisa Prabhu led the kirtan, and then they used that in the Hare Rama, Hare Krishna movie.

And then, it all switched, and it showed hippie boys and girls chanting Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, smoking hashish. Then I walked out.

I could see what their strategy was, they were trying to project the idea that Srila Prabhupada took this to the West and the people who accepted it were just hippies having presets and drugs and chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Rama. So, it was a big blow, in a way. But Srila Prabhupada also did say, “In the long run, the song will help us. Because eventually, people will forget the ‘Dam maro dam,’ and they’ll just remember the ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Rama.’” [laughter] Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

And it so happened, from Calcutta we came to Juhu, and whenever we would go out, all the little street urchins, the children, would come up and really mock us, “Dam maro dam, dam maro dam.” Whenever we stopped at an intersection, they’d all come up, “Dam maro dam.” Even when we were walking on the sidewalk in the downtown, it was really quite hellish. But time passed, after maybe six months.

In the beginning, it was mainly done by [Unintelligible 00:52:56]. Then it, sort of, became equal, “Dam maro dam, Hare Krishna Hare Rama.” And then, after another six or eight months, the “Dam maro dam” dropped out completely, rather than heard only, “Hare Krishna Hare Rama.” So, like Srila Prabhupada predicted, it came to pass. So, the Muslims mocking, when they do, “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,” it’s actually good for them, they get spiritual benefit. And so, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, even the Muslims and non-Hindus, they were all chanting along with Hindus.

TEXT 96

While all the ladies vibrated the holy name of Hari on earth, in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on, for the demigods were very curious.

TEXT 97

In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss.

TEXT 98

Thus by His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord.

COMMENT

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

TEXT 99

At that time Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, in His own house at Śāntipura, was dancing in a pleasing mood. Taking Haridāsa Ṭhākura with Him, He danced and loudly chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa. But why they were dancing, no one could understand.

TEXT 100

Seeing the lunar eclipse and laughing, Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura immediately went to the bank of the Ganges and bathed in the river in great jubilation. Taking advantage of the occasion of the lunar eclipse, Advaita Ācārya, by His mental strength, distributed various types of charity to the brāhmaṇas.

COMMENT

So, this is how people in the Vedic culture celebrate. They give in charity. We read in the Kṛṣṇa book, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, how for Krishna’s birth ceremony, Nanda Maharaja gave in charity. There is a saying, “It’s better to give than to receive,” but although people in the West say it, I don’t know if they actually believe it. Because when they have a birthday, they want to get presents. It’s a different culture. Instead of giving in charity. . . Of course, it could be there in some cases, but generally, the idea is to get presents. But here, the devotee is celebrated by giving in charity, and actually, spiritually, it is better to give without any expectation of return.

TEXT 103

In this way all the devotees, wherever they were situated, in every city and every country, danced, performed saṅkīrtana and gave charity by mental strength on the plea of the lunar eclipse, their minds overwhelmed with joy.

TEXT 105

Dressing themselves as the wives of brāhmaṇas, all the celestial ladies, including the wives of Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, King Indra and Vasiṣṭha Ṛṣi, along with Rambhā, a dancing girl of heaven, all came there with varieties of gifts.

TEXT 106

In outer space all the demigods, including the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka, Siddhaloka and Cāraṇaloka, offered their prayers and danced to the accompaniment of music, songs and the beating of drums. Similarly, in Navadvīpa city all the professional dancers, musicians and blessers gathered together, dancing in great jubilation.

COMMENT

So, it’s a long description, and we’ll just wind up now because we have our time limits, but it’s very interesting to note. So many people came bearing gifts to the home of Jagannatha Misra. And do you know what Jagannatha Misra did with all those gifts? He gave them away in charity. See? It’s better to give than receive.

TEXT 109

Whatever riches Jagannātha Miśra collected in the form of gifts and presentations, and whatever he had in his house.

COMMENT

He didn’t just distribute the gifts that he received; he distributed whatever else he had in the house.

TEXT 109

He distributed among the brāhmaṇas, professional singers, dancers, bhāṭas and the poor. He honored them all by giving them riches in charity.

COMMENT

But, of course, the greatest treasure is. . . What’s the greatest treasure? Yes, the Holy name 

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

There is one story, and this will be the conclusion, that a devotee of Lord Shiva did some austerities, and Lord Shiva gave him the boon. He wanted the boon; he wanted the most valuable thing. Now, materialistic people think that the most valuable thing is money, gold . So, Lord Shiva told him, “If you go to Vrindavan, to Sanatana Gosvami, he has the most valuable thing.” And in his conception, the most valuable thing was a touchstone because it could turn anything into gold.

So, he approached Sanatana Gosvami. He said, “I heard you have the most valuable thing, the touchtone.” “Oh yeah, the touchstone. I think it’s out in the back where the trash is kept.” So, he went out, he found the touchstone, and it was working. It was producing gold as he desired, but he was a little intelligent and he thought, “If Sanatana Gosvami keeping this in the back with the trash? He must not consider it very valuable. He must have something more valuable.”

So, he approached Sanatana Gosvami and explained the logic, and Sanatana Gosvami said, “Oh, you want that? The most valuable. Alright, I can give it to you, but first, you have to throw the touchstone in the Yamuna River.” So, now, this created a crisis. [laughter] He was in a dilemma. And there is a maxim, “Don’t give up the sure for the unsure.” [laughter] But still, he thought about it, he concluded, “No, he has to have something more valuable. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep this out on the back with the trash.” So, he took a leap of faith, he went to Yamuna, and threw the touchstone in the river. And then, Sanatana Gosvami was prepared to give him the most valuable thing.

So, this illustrates what Locana dasa Thakura is saying, that the process that Lord Chaitanya gave of chanting and dancing is very easy and joyful. Kevala ānanda-kāṇḍa. And just by chanting and dancing, one can achieve all perfection, the highest perfection of love of God, but there is one condition, and the condition is that one should give up all motive of sense gratification. So, when that devotee of Shiva gave up his prized possession and threw it in the river, then he could receive the holy name.

So, we have been given the opportunity to receive the holy name, but if we maintain material attachments in our hearts, we will not be able to accept the gift fully. To really accept the gift, we have to purge our heart or remove our material attachments and motives, then there will be room for the holy name. Otherwise, if our heart is crowded with all sorts of material attention and ambitions, there won’t be much room for the holy name. So, this is what our acharyas are telling us.

Of course, by chanting attentively, by making the effort to chant, it does cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. But we have to want the heart to be cleansed. You have to be chanting with the desire for the holy name to enter and clean the dirty things. Otherwise, if you chant to get something material, it will take longer. I mean, it still helps, but it will take longer.

I don’t know if it’s true, but I have heard that at the time of exams, the students in India chant more. [laughter] And certainly, when there are other calamities, we chant. And that’s okay, that’s okay. But the perfection will come when we chant, like Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, jīvane-maraṇe, “In life or death, in happiness or distress, you go on chanting the holy names.”

Devotees: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Giriraj Swami: So, are there any comments or questions? Yes, Kalpavita Prabhu?

Devotee: Giriraj Maharaja. We paid the debt that we owe you by being one of the early preachers, followers of Srila Prabhupada. I want to tell little story about Srila Prabhupada, who is like our sanatan, who gave use the holy name. It’s a birthday story you may have heard it, but I think not too many devotees have heard it. This is a story told by Govinda dasi, who was Srila Prabhupada’s cook and her husband was Srila Prabhupada’s servant.

Srila Prabhupada was staying in America in the early days from the movement. On Prabhupada’s birthday, there weren’t elaborate vyasa-puja ceremony, because the movement was just getting started. So, to observe Srila Prabhupada's birthday, Govinda dasi said that she thought it will be a good idea to bake Srila Prabhupada cake because in the West, not probably Indian Hindus bake cake. So, she baked a cake for Prabhupada. In America the cake was decorated with little birthday candles. Often, the number of candles equals number of age of person. Ofcourse, Prabhupada was aged, so she couldn’t put so many candles, but she put some. After Prabhupaa ate lunch, she lit the candles. She brought the cake from kitchen area, the place where Prabhupada was eating. Prabhupada saw the cake come in with candles, and said, “What’s this?” She said, “Srila Prabhupada, this is how people we observe birthdays in America.” She said “If you make a wish and you blow out the candles, your wish will come true.” Srila Prabhupada said, “My only wish is for Krishna and Krishna’s devotional service,” and then he blew out the candles. And Govinda dasi said “Prabhupada you blew out all the candles” and Prabhupada said “yes, I did.” . [laughter]

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful. So, I think we’ll end now, and we’ll continue the eternal festival of Krishna consciousness. Hare Krishna. [applause]