Janmashtami Celebration

Giriraj Swami: On the subject of śravaṇam and that. . . of Krishna consciousness is to hear, śravaṇam. Well, in 1971, Srila Prabhupada sent Tamal Krishna Goswami and me from Bombay to put on the first Calcutta pandal. And so, we erected a huge pandal at Chowringhee Maidan to accommodate 20,000 people, some days 30,000 people came. But Calcutta was very much in the mood of communism, there were Naxalites, and the press were in the mood of communism.

So, before the pandal program began, some press people came and challenged Srila Prabhupada, “You are spending so much money on this big arrangement. What is the purpose of it?” The idea was, “You could spend the money for poor people or something, and why are you spending so much money on a big arrangement?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “The purpose of this big arrangement is to give people a chance to hear. And in fact, this big arrangement has come about from hearing. Some young men and women heard the message of Krishna, and now from their hearing, this whole arrangement came about. And the purpose of the arrangement is to give people a chance to hear.” That’s all.

Well, just one thought about bhavauṣadhi, just a personal association. At one stage, I became very sick in India, and Prabhupada wrote me a letter saying, “Your body is very important, it is dedicated to Krishna, so you must take care of it. And the best remedy is to follow the doctor’s prescription, along with chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, because chanting Hare Krishna is bhavauṣadhi, the cure for all material diseases.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore trying to train qualified preachers to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā throughout the entire world, so that people in general in all parts of the world may take advantage of this movement and thus be relieved of the threefold miseries of material existence.

COMMENT

So, we are being trained here first by hearing, and then after hearing properly, one should repeat, śravaṇam kīrtanam. Srila Prabhupada would say that one who hears nicely, he will be able to speak nicely.

So, we are actually all being trained here to be able to recite the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the world for our benefit, certainly, and for the benefit of people who hear us. And again, from a very early stage, you don’t have to be very advanced in age or knowledge, but if one repeats the message without any personal motive or duplicity, one can affect one’s audience.

Sometimes Srila Prabhupada gave the example of a young girl named Sarasvati, who at the time was maybe four years old. She was the daughter of Srila Prabhupada’s secretary, Shyamsundar, and Malati. Of course, there were other contexts, but when people would come to our apartment in Bombay, Sarasvati would approach them and say, “Do you know who Krishna is?” And then she would say, “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” And Srila Prabhupada would be pleased with her preaching.

So, anyone can do it from any age, it really just requires hearing and repeating what one has heard. And Srila Prabhupada encouraged us to speak according to our realization, and even if our realization is simply that if you chant Hare Krishna, you feel better, you get relief from stress, or even if you take prasāda, you feel blissful. Whatever your realization is, that will touch the heart of the audience. So, it’s such a simple process, just hear and repeat what you’ve heard. And it has great effects, and when people hear you and then they repeat what they have heard, it goes on and on and on and on, without any limit. So, we just have to do it.

Srila Prabhupada commented on a cartoon in a magazine, and in the cartoon, an old lady and old man were sitting together, and the lady was saying, “Chant, chant, chant,” and her husband was replying, “Can’t, can’t, can’t.” So, with the same effort that he refused, “Can’t, can’t, can’t,” he could’ve chanted. So, this is just our misfortune, that it’s so easy but we don’t do it, or maybe it’s envy, it’s so easy but we don’t do it. But if we do it, the results are miraculous, there are beneficial effects on ourselves and also on those who hear us.

And Srila Prabhupada said that preaching is the best way to become Krishna conscious, because when you preach, people will ask questions, and then to answer their questions, you have to think of Krishna. That is the best way to become Krishna conscious. So, just chant, chant, chant, and that follows if we hear, hear, hear. And that’s why we are all here, to hear.

Host: Let’s take the opportunity to move up a little bit, fill in some of the gaps, if you don’t mind, because more people are likely to come, and we want to make sure that they feel accommodated. Besides, it changes the dynamic when you move closer. The hearing becomes more accessible and potent.

Giriraj Swami: During that period in Calcutta, Srila Prabhupada was really keeping us very busy. In fact, after the success of the first Calcutta pandal, he said we should have a pandal like that every two weeks. It took the whole temple two months to put together that one, and at the end of the one, everyone was exhausted. So, we were working very hard with pleasure, hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā is so pleased. And one can imagine how much pleasure there is in service, we were serving with pleasure.

But I didn’t have time to read and it was weighing on my heart that I wasn’t reading, and I was feeling guilty or uneasy. And I came into Srila Prabhupada’s room in the temple, and apparently, out of nowhere, Srila Prabhupada quoted this verse, naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Oh, here you get everyone to say the verses.

TEXT 18

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī

COMMENT

And Srila Prabhupada said that by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or by serving the pure devotee, in other words, by hearing the book Bhagavad or serving the person Bhagavad, one gets the same result. And then he said even if you never read the book Bhagavad, just by serving the person Bhagavad, all the truths of the book Bhagavad will be revealed to you.

So, this came to mind, reading how Srila Prabhupada says in the purport that hearing is so pleasurable, one could imagine how much pleasure there is in rendering service. And rendering service to a pure devotee has the same effect as hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But we should do both. In extraordinary circumstances, we might not have time to read, but otherwise, we should do both, the two are complementary.

When I was quite a new devotee, I heard somewhere along the line that if you are just eager to become Krishna conscious, that’s all you need. Then later on, I came across this verse, tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ. So, in my innocence, in those days, I said to Srila Prabhupada, “I heard that if we are just eager to become Krishna conscious, that’s as good as becoming Krishna conscious. So, if that is the case, do we need to read books?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “If you are eager to become Krishna conscious, why should you not be eager to read the books?”

And that service creates eagerness. I’m referring to verses I’m sure you know from the First Canto, Second Chapter, series of verses, syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ, that by serving a pure devotee, one develops taste, vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ, and then by that taste, one will naturally want to hear kṛṣṇa-kathā, Bhagavad-gītā, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Host: I want to comment about [Unintelligible 02:42:57]. In this verse, Śukadeva Gosvami mentions that those who are animal killers are killers of their own souls, they are committing suicide, won’t be interested in kṛṣṇa-kathā. 

. . .

Giriraj Swami: The basis of his question is, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ, that when your mind is too attached to sense gratification, the resolute determination doesn’t take place. And so, how can we chant attentively? Because if we chant inattentively, according to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the other offenses flourish, and if we chant attentively, then the other offenses will be eradicated.

Well, the first answer is that as Srila Prabhupada said, practice makes perfect even in spiritual life. So, even if your mind has the tendency to wander, with your intelligence, bring the mind back to the sound of the holy name.

In fact, if chanting required one to be free from material attachments in the beginning, then hardly anyone would be able to make any progress, because pretty much everyone begins with material attachments. But the fact is that if you chant, then you will hear, and especially, if you make the effort, and then that hearing, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, that will cleanse the heart of material misunderstandings and attachments.

And Rupa Gosvami also says in the Upadeśāmṛta that one may chant in the beginning without taste, because being influenced by avidya, or ignorance, one identifies with the body, and therefore, the chanting isn’t sweet. You know that example of sugar candy? But if one very carefully and regularly, anudina, every day, chants as a medicine, we’ve been talking about medicine, so that chanting is a medicine, and by that careful chanting, daily, that disease of ignorance, avidya, will be destroyed at the root, and then one will relish the sweetness of the holy name and qualities and pastimes of Krishna.

Another thing, although often such a question is asked in relation to japa, but Srila Jiva Gosvami says that kirtan especially has the ability to touch people’s hearts and evoke spiritual sentiments. And so, it may be easier to absorb your mind in kirtan, and then purifying your heart through kirtan will also help you. . . your japa.

Another fact is that quite often, if someone is in distress, they chant with more feeling. And there is a saying in America that there are no atheists in the foxholes. Foxholes mean a position in an army, you are in the foxhole, and people are firing on all sides. There are no atheists in the foxhole because they are in a very precarious position, and in that dangerous situation, they naturally cry out to God. And so, this, again, brings us humility. If we feel how vulnerable we are and how dependent we are on the Lord, then we can chant with attention and with feeling.

Once, a devotee made the point that if you think you are alright, of course, Queen Kunti makes the same point in her prayers, that if you think you are alright, if there is a sense of complacency, then you won’t be able to call on the name of the Lord with feeling. So, this devotee made the point that if we think we are alright materially or spiritually, then we won’t chant with sincere feeling.

So, we have to realize that we are not alright, that in fact thinking that we are all right itself proves that we are not alright. So, if you think you are alright, for sure, you are in trouble. And then when you realize you are in a very precarious and helpless position, you can really call out with feeling.

Another recommendation, and I didn’t say it when Vaisesika Prabhu asked everyone to move forward because it would have been a little out of place, but he said when you move forward, the kathā has greater effect, and what I was thinking was that what’s really happening is you are moving closer to Vaisesika Prabhu, and so his bhakti shakti, his energy of devotion, is more immediate, and that’s why you get that added benefit when you sit closer.

But Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other. . . recommend to chant with people who have taste, and by chanting in their association, it will be easier for you to fix your mind on the sound of Krishna’s holy name and actually call out to Krishna. And many of us have experienced this. Just a simple example.

Ṛtadhvaja Swami and I would be chanting japa, but then when we would chant, for example, he would stay with me in Santa Barbara. So, when we would chant together, we would both feel that our chanting improved by chanting together. And then sometimes, a third godbrother would be there. Once, it was Giridhari Swami. So then, when he would join us, then we’d feel a further boost in our chanting. And then another time, Jayadvaita.

So, that’s another secret, to chant in the association of devotees who have taste, and in as close proximity as possible. And it actually has very good effects. Chanting in front of the Deities, Radha-Kalachandji, such beautiful Deities, Naimiṣaraṇya dasa in Dallas, and in front of Tulasi-devi. And so, there is every hope. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: I have a verse from the Padma Purāṇa that addresses this question directly on the nose, and I think we have to look it up.

Giriraj Swami: We have moved in this discussion from śravaṇam, hearing, to smaraṇam. And as our esteemed speaker righty said, first comes śravaṇam and kīrtanam, and then naturally, smaraṇam will follow.

There is a very important verse in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, but it is also quoted in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that one should always remember Krishna and never forget Him. And in the purport to that verse, Srila Prabhupada makes two points that are very complimentary. He says that in order to always remember Krishna, one must chant at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra per day. And he says that of all of the spiritual master’s instructions, the instruction to chant a minimum of sixteen rounds per day is most essential.

But then he also says that in the Krishna consciousness movement, there are various activities such as enrolling life members, distributing books, and in those activities also, one remembers Krishna. So, they are not ordinary activities. Well, especially as Kesava Bharati dasa Goswami Maharaja was speaking about people who are married and have responsibilities, have to work in the material world.

Our godbrother, Ambarish dasa, Alfred Ford, who’s the great-grandson of Henry Ford, came to Bombay with Srila Prabhupada. He was dressed as a brahmachari and rendering menial service. But before leaving Bombay, he met Srila Prabhupada to discuss his future life, and at that time, almost all of the devotees were fully engaged in devotional service. I mean, even the married couples were also fully engaged, they were living practically like brahmacharis. But in the case of Ambarish dasa, Srila Prabhupada wanted him to work, because he wanted people to see that someone could be a Hare Krishna devotee and at the same time, have responsible duties in the material world.

So, Ambarish Prabhu first asked Srila Prabhupada, “Do I have to work in the Ford company?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “No, you can do any work, it doesn’t have to be in the Ford Motor company.” And then Ambarish asked, “Well, if I’m working, what will be my association?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “While you are working, if you are thinking, I’m doing this for Krishna, that will be your association.” And it was just like Kesava Bharati Maharaja quoted, that whatever we do, we should think that we are appointed to do this work by Krishna, and that is remembering Krishna, actually.

Now, there is another question: what does it mean to remember Krishna? I mean, the primary definition of Krishna is given in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, because the definition of pure devotional service is ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ, a continuous cultivation in relation to Krishna. So, what does Krishna mean? So, Srila Rupa Gosvami explains, our acharyas explain, that Krishna includes Krishna, the original Personality of Godhead, His expansions, like Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport, it includes His name, His forms, His qualities, His pastimes, and His pure devotees.

So, always remembering Krishna includes all of those, includes His service. So, if we can always think of Krishna as someone in one of those five relationships with Krishna would always think of Him, that is wonderful. But we shouldn’t think, If I can’t think of Krishna in that form, we are lost, because Krishna includes these various other manifestations of Krishna, and thinking of them also counts as thinking of Krishna.

Once, Tamal Krishna Goswami asked a very interesting question of Srila Prabhupada. Again, this was in the earlier days in India, although practically all the days in India were extremely busy with Srila Prabhupada. He asked Srila Prabhupada, “I’m so busily engaged in your service, what if by chance, death comes and I’m just thinking of serving you and I’m not thinking of Krishna? I mean, what would happen to me?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Lord Chaitanya will forcibly enter your mind and make you think of Him.”

So, this is the descending process; we engage fully in devotional service in the consciousness of Krishna, in consciousness that we are working for Krishna or Krishna’s devotees, and we depend on their mercy. As Vaisesika Prabhu said so beautifully, it’s really up to us to make the effort, but it’s Krishna’s mercy that completes the process.

And we have that example in dāmodara-līlā. When Mother Yasoda was trying to bind Krishna, her rope was always two inches too short or two fingers too short, but eventually, when Krishna saw her intense labor, He took compassion on her and allowed her to bind Him. And so, the Sanskrit mentions pariśrama, which means hard labor, and kṛṣṇa-kṛpā, which means Krishna’s mercy. So, our acharyas explain that Krishna can be bound by the combination of our hard labor, pariśrama, and Krishna’s mercy, kṛṣṇa-kṛpā.

And so, what is within our control is our efforts, our hard labor, and we should do those, and then at the same time, pray for Krishna’s mercy. If we just work hard and think everything depends on us, that’s wrong, but if we also do nothing and just pray for Krishna to be merciful, that’s also not complete. We need the combination of our efforts and Krishna’s mercy to bind Krishna in our consciousness, and that will. . . remembering Krishna at the time of death.

And as we’ve heard many times, and sometimes there are shocking examples, death can come at any moment. So, if we have that consciousness, then it’s very easy to fix the mind on Krishna, because if we think, This could be the last moment, and it could be, then naturally, we will think of Krishna.

Actually, a wonderful devotee from Mauritius named Madhava who leads kirtan. Anyway. Once, another devotee, Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami, asked him, “You can sit for hours just singing the same tune with complete, wrapped attention. What do you think while you are singing that allows you to chant. . .?” And Madhava Prabhu replied, “I’m thinking that each mantra that I’m chanting is the last one I will ever chant.”

And so, if we chant in that mood or do any service in that mood, then actually, we will remember Krishna. And one mantra will be the last, one service will be the last. And so, always serving in that mood, we’ll think of Krishna and remember Krishna.

But I also read in a book called Hitopadeśa that for liberation, it’s good to think that you could die at any moment, but for economic development, it’s good to think you’ll never die. So, we have a sort of paradoxical situation in ISKCON in the sense that we could die at any moment and we should be conscious of that, but we also have our family business, and so in that sense, it resembles economic development. Of course, it’s not for economic development in the sense, but it is for creating something like a business, but a transcendental business.

And so, for that, it’s not helpful to think, I could die the next moment. It’s helpful to think, Although I could die at any moment, while I’m in this body, I want to do what I can for the mission, for people. And so, the two should be balanced.

And Srila Prabhupada actually showed that balance, because he was very conscious. As it is, he was quite elderly, and he had heart attacks on the way to America. So, he was quite conscious that he could leave at any moment. But at the same time, he did whatever he could for the movement. And he even commented once in Bombay that he had done whatever he could. It’s like he had walked through fire to spread this movement.

So, when we think of Srila Prabhupada’s example, what he did for us, ultimately, crossing the ocean at such an advanced age, enduring heart attacks on the way, living in so many ways for us, but he was always thinking of Krishna, thinking of his Guru Maharaja, the order of his Guru Maharaja.

And so, we are. . . in that line, in that family, and we are blessed with that lineage, we are blessed with that opportunity, and we are also blessed with the responsibility to follow in their footsteps. And fortunately, we have each other to support us, that really makes a huge difference. We had the verse, then we had Prabhupada’s purport, then Kesava Bharati Maharaja’s purport on Prabhupada’s purport, then Giriraj Swami’s purport on Kesava Bharati Maharaja’s purport on Prabhupada’s purport, and all of you will have your purports to add, and it’s unlimited, and it’s blissful, and it’s remembering Krishna. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: One of the phrases that struck me in reading the purport was bhakti added, it was in the purport,

TEXT 14

ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
tasyāhaṁ su-labhaḥ pārtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

Devotee: In the purport, Prabhupada uses the word bhakti added, and the context is that there are many other yoga systems that one can practice.