CC Adi 13.61 – Lord Nityananda’s Mercy Has No Limit

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna, we welcome you on the auspicious occasion of Sri Nityananda-trayodasi, the appearance day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is Balarama in kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Balarama hoilo nitai, and papi tapi uddharilo—came to deliver all the fallen sinful souls, tara sakshi jagai madhai, and the example of this or the evidence of this are Jagai and Madhai. But I’ll begin by reading a verse and purport about the place where Nityananda prabhu appeared and His early history and then we will go on to discuss His merciful pastime.

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

So, we’ll read from Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā Chapter Thirteen, the Advent of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Chaitanya is Krishna Himself in the role of a devotee and Lord Nityananda is Balarama in a role of a devotee. So, I’ll read Text Sixty-One.

TEXT 61

rāḍhadeśe janmilā ṭhākura nityānanda

gaṅgādāsa paṇḍita, gupta murāri, mukunda

TRANSLATION

In Rāḍhadeśa, the part of Bengal where the Ganges is not visible, Nityānanda Prabhu, Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, Murāri Gupta and Mukunda took birth.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Here rāḍha-deśe refers to the village of the name Ekacakrā, in the district of Birbhum, next to Burdwan. After the Burdwan railway station there is another branch line, which is called the Loop Line of the Eastern Railway, and there is a railway station of the name Mallārapura. Eight miles east of this railway station, Ekacakrā village is still situated. Ekacakrā village extends north and south for an area of about eight miles. Other villages, namely Vīracandra-pura and Vīrabhadra-pura, are situated within the area of the village of Ekacakrā. In honor of the holy name of Vīrabhadra Gosvāmī, these places are renowned as Vīracandra-pura and Vīrabhadra-pura.

COMMENT

How many of you have been to Ekachakra?

One year His Holiness Radhanath Swami took a yatra from Mayapur to different surrounding areas and we went to Ekachakra gram but when he went on, His Holiness Sacinandana Swami and I just decided to stay behind in Ekachakra so we could have more time in that holy place and I’m glad we did.

PURPORT (continued)

Within the temple there is a Deity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa established by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The name of the Deity is Baṅkima Rāya or Bāṅkā Rāya.

On Baṅkima Rāya’s right side is a deity of Jāhnavā, and on His left side is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The priests of the temple describe that Lord Nityānanda Prabhu entered within the body of Baṅkima Rāya and that the deity of Jāhnavā-mātā was therefore later placed on the right side of Baṅkima Rāya. Afterwards, many other Deities were installed within the temple. On another throne within the temple are Deities of Muralīdhara and Rādhā-Mādhava. On another throne are Deities of Manomohana, Vṛndāvana-candra and Gaura-Nitāi. But Baṅkima Rāya is the Deity originally installed by Nityānanda Prabhu.

On the eastern side of the temple is a ghāṭa known as Kadamba-khaṇḍī on the bank of a river called the Yamunā, and it is said that the Deity of Baṅkima Rāya was floating in the water and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu picked Him up and then installed Him in the temple. Thereafter, in a place known as Bhaḍḍāpura, in the village of Vīracandra-pura, about half a mile west, in a place underneath a nima tree, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was found. For this reason, the Rādhārāṇī of Baṅkima Rāya was known as Bhaḍḍāpurera Ṭhākurāṇī, the mistress of Bhaḍḍāpura.

Now the temple and temple corridor rest on a high plinth, and on a concrete structure in front of the temple is a kīrtana hall. It is also said that on the northern side of the temple there was a Deity of Lord Śiva named Bhāṇḍīśvara and that the father of Nityānanda Prabhu, Hāḍāi Paṇḍita, used to worship that Deity. At present, however, the Bhāṇḍīśvara Deity is missing, and in his place a Jagannātha Svāmī Deity has been installed. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu did not factually construct any temples. The temple was constructed at the time of Vīrabhadra Prabhu. In the Bengali year 1298 (A.D. 1891), a brahmacārī of the name Śivānanda Svāmī repaired the temple.

A few steps from the temple is a place known as Viśrāmatalā, where it is said that Nityānanda Prabhu in His childhood used to enjoy sporting with His boyfriends by enacting the rāsa-līlā and various other pastimes of Vṛndāvana.

COMMENT

So Nitai was the natural leader of all of His friends and as their childhood play they would enact the pastimes of Krishna, very realistically.

PURPORT (continued)

Near the temple is a place named Āmalītalā (Imlitala), which is so named because of a big tamarind tree there. According to a party named the Neḍādi-sampradāya, Vīrabhadra Prabhu, with the assistance of twelve hundred Neḍās (Buddhist monks), dug a great lake of the name Śvetagaṅgā. Outside of the temple are tombs of the Gosvāmīs, and there is a small river known as the Mauḍeśvara, which is called the water of Yamunā. Within half a mile from this small river is the birthplace of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

The place where Nityānanda Prabhu appeared is called Garbhavāsa. There is an allotment of about forty-three bighās (fourteen acres) of land to continue the worship in a temple there.

COMMENT

So, it’s the system in India, common practice, that the deities in a temple would be allotted some land and then the revenue from the land from the crops well some of the crops would be used for the deity service and then that the revenue from the extra produce that was sold would be used for the deity’s worship and service.

PURPORT (continued)

It is said that near the place known as Garbhavāsa, Hāḍāi Paṇḍita conducted a primary school. The priests of this place, listed in a genealogical table, were as follows: (1) Śrī Rāghavacandra, (2) Jagadānanda dāsa, (3) Kṛṣṇadāsa, (4) Nityānanda dāsa, (5) Rāmadāsa, (6) Vrajamohana dāsa, (7) Kānāi dāsa, (8) Gauradāsa, (9) Śivānanda dāsa and (10) Haridāsa. They are also known as belonging to the Nityānanda family.

Near Garbhavāsa is a place called Bakulatalā, where Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and His boyfriends used to take part in sporting activities known as jhāla-jhapeṭā. There is a bakula tree there that is wonderful because all its branches and subbranches look like the hoods of serpents. It has been suggested that by the desire of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Anantadeva manifested Himself in that way.

COMMENT

So Anantadeva is an expansion of Nityananda prabhu or more properly speaking of Lord Balarama and he serves the Lord in many capacities such as-he serves as the couch, sitting place of the Lord. His hoods form an umbrella over the head of the Lord and so that tree in Ekachakra, which looks like the head of the serpent is said to be a manifestation of Anantasesh by the desire of Nityananda prabhu.

PURPORT (continued)

There is a bakula tree there that is wonderful because all its branches and subbranches look like the hoods of serpents. It has been suggested that by the desire of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Anantadeva manifested Himself in that way. The tree is very old. It is said that formerly it had two trunks, but later on, when the playmates of Nityānanda Prabhu felt inconvenience in jumping from the branches of one trunk to those of the other, Nityānanda Prabhu, by His mercy, merged the two trunks into one.

Another place nearby is named Hāṅṭugāḍā. It is said that Lord Nityānanda Prabhu brought all the holy places there. Therefore the people in the surrounding villages go there instead of to the Ganges to take bath. It is named Hāṅṭugāḍā because Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu used to perform the dadhi-ciḍā festival of distributing chipped rice with yogurt prasādam there and He took the prasādam kneeling down. A sanctified lake in this place is always full of water throughout the year. A great fair is held there during Goṣṭhāṣṭamī, and there is another big fair on the birthday of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (58–63) it is described that Halāyudha, Baladeva, Viśvarūpa and Saṅkarṣaṇa appeared as Nityānanda Avadhūta.

COMMENT

So, the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā is a book written by Kavi Karanpur, in which he describes the identities of the devotees in caitanya-līlā, who they were in kṛṣṇa-līlā and so he describes that Nityananda avadhūta is a combination of Halāyudha, Baladeva, Visvarupa, and Saṅkarṣaṇa. So, in a way, the most significant event that took place in Ekachakra, apart from Nityananda prabhu’s appearing there, was His leaving there. A sannyasi came to visit and of course Hadai Pandita and his wife Padmavati served him very respectfully and affectionately. And at the end of his stay, he said I would like to ask something of you. And they said, “yes of course, whatever you ask, we will give you.” So, he said, I want your son, Nitai. I am traveling to holy places alone and I have no assistant. So, I want your son, Nitai.

Now this was a devastating request which has been compared to the pastimes of Lord Ramachandra. His father had promised His co-wife Kaikeyi that because he was pleased with her for some service, she rendered to him so he had promised her some boons and she said, “well I won’t take them now, but I will take them later. “And then on the eve of Ramachandra’s coronation, Kaikeyi asked for those boons, and one was that her son, Bharata should be named the king and the other was that Ramachandra should be sent in the exile for fourteen years. So, because Dasaratha had given his word of honor, he felt obliged to keep it and so it came to pass what Kaikeyi asked it but he was so devastated, King Dasaratha that he died out of this shock and separation.

So, when Hadai Pandita told the sannyasi that he would give him whatever he asked, and he asked for Nitai. He thought,” I’m in the same position as Dasaratha. So, he consulted his wife, Padmavati explained this is the situation. She said, well, you’ve given your word, so you have to give him. So, the sannyasi took Nitai.

When the news spread in the village what had happened all the villagers came to Hadia Pandita and said “how could you have done that? Nitai is our life and soul and so they all went looking for that sannyasi and their idea was that they would give their sons not just one as many as that sannyasi wanted but he should give back Nitai. But although they looked everywhere they could not find him. And after that Ekacakra, which had been flourishing and opulent and full of beauty and life, that became desolate. But anyway that’s part of the dynamic of spiritual life-meeting and separation. There is always meeting and separation and at least superficially, the separation can be devastating. So, this is just a little background about the appearance of Lord Nityananda and His early activities with His friends. So now I’m going to read two verses that describe the Nityananda prabhu’s character.

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

All glorious to Lord Nityananda. All glories to Advaita Acharya and All glories to all the devotees of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 1

vande ‘nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ

śrī-nityānandam īśvaram

yasyecchayā tat-svarūpam

ajñenāpi nirūpyate

TRANSLATION

Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Śrī Nityānanda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity.

COMMENT

So, now I will read two verses that really summarize the essence of Lord Nityananda, these are Texts 208 and 209.

TEXT 208

preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra

uttama, adhama, kichu nā kare vicāra

TRANSLATION

Because He is intoxicated by ecstatic love and is an incarnation of mercy, He does not distinguish between the good and the bad.

TEXT 209

ye āge paḍaye, tāre karaye nistāra

TRANSLATION

He delivers all those who fall down before Him.

COMMENT

So “preme matta” means mad in ecstatic love. Srila Rupa Gosvami describes the progression of bhakti. “Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga, Ādau śraddhā” means first there is some preliminary faith or attraction. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga-then association with devotees, “tataḥ bhajana-kriyā,” then one engages in devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada says that at this stage bhajana-kriyā, one takes initiation from the spiritual master and begins the regular practice of devotional service then anartha-nivṛtti, by the practice of devotional service, “anarthas,” unwanted things, unwanted behavior (“nivṛtti”) are vanquished not completely but seventy 5 percent. Then “niṣṭhā,” one becomes fixed or steady. When there is many “anarthas” one is not steady in devotional service, one may stray from the path here and then here and now—then and there and then “niṣṭhā” and “ruci.” “Ruci” means taste and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that there are two divisions of “ruci.”

In the lower division, one has taste, only when the kirtan is performed nicely, the “kathā” is delivered well but in the more advanced stage of “ruci,” one has taste even if the kirtan or the kathā are not performed so expertly but one just has taste for Krishna and then “āsakti” which means attachment. So, those are the seven stages in “sādhana-bhakti” then comes “bhāva” that’s its own category—bhāva-bhakti and then “prema,” and then in “prema” there are even more stages of development which generally are not possible in the material world because the physical body cannot bear such extreme ecstasy but after leaving the body and taking birth in Vrindavan Goloka Vrindavan, those further developments take place culminating in the highest which is “mahā-bhāva.” So preme matta—because he is mad in ecstatic love. “Matta” in the synonyms is translated as mad and the translation gets rendered intoxicated.

“preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra”—He is an incarnation of mercy. His whole purpose to give mercy which is very fortunate for us because we desperately need His mercy and on a day like today, Nityananda-trayodasi, He is eager to bestow His mercy, then “uttamā.” “Uttamā” means good “adama” means bad. “kichu nā kare vicāra”—He makes no consideration between the good and the bad. He doesn’t distinguish between the good and the bad. So then on what basis does one get Nityananda prabhu’s mercy? That is described in the next verse;

“ye āge paḍaye tara,” whoever falls down before Him. “Karaye nistāra” He delivers them. So, what is the meaning of falling down before Him? to do that one must be humble that’s really the only requirement to get Lord Nityananda’s mercy—to fall down before Him, which means in utter humility.

There was a discussion between Hiranyakasipu and Prahlada as to how Prahlada had become a devotee. As you know Hiranyakasipu was a big demon and he considered Vishnu to be his enemy. Hiranyakasipu had a brother named Hiraṇyakṣa who was killed by Vishnu in the form of Varahadeva. Yesterday was Varaha-dvadasi and so he was already inimical toward Vishnu but when Vishnu killed his brother he became even more so, and his goal was to avenge his brother’s death by killing Vishnu. We from our perspective know that you can’t kill Vishnu but Hiranyakasipu and many demons they because they also had mystic powers so they thought that Vishnu was a living entity, but He had mystic powers by which He could do many wonderful feats but still He could be killed and Hiranyakasipu pretty much thought that he was immortal that he couldn’t be killed because he had received so many boons from Lord Brahma. So Hiranyakasipu had Prahlada educated by Sananda and Amarka these are two teachers and of course they were deputed to educate Prahlada in material success. And so, one day Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada, what is the best thing you’ve learned in school? We might ask a child, what did you learn in school? what subjects do you like?

So Prahlada said, “śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam”—devotional service to Vishnu, who was Hiranyakasipu’s enemy in his mind. So, Hiranyakasipu became furious and so he called for the boys teachers and asked them the boy’s consciousness has been spoiled, He is speaking favorably about Vishnu, who’s our enemy. You are teaching him wrongly. They said, no, we are not. We haven’t taught him devotion to Vishnu and he said, well then, you are allowing Vaishnavas to come in disguise and infiltrate the school and they said no we are not. No Vaishnavas have entered the school. Then Hiranyakasipu asked then where did he get this devotion to Vishnu? And they said we don’t know you better ask him.

So Hiranyakasipu called for Prahlada and he asked him and Prahlada replied, “matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā.” He said that one cannot become Krishna conscious by one’s own efforts by the efforts of others or by the combined efforts of oneself and others. So, it would seem logically that all possibilities are excluded, “naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ,” but one can become Krishna conscious when he receives the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee. So, he told his father that you don’t need to worry about becoming Krishna conscious because you are too puffed up. You’ll never bow down to the feet of a pure devotee. So that’s not a concern for you but that is the method and that’s the same humility that is mentioned here that Nityananda delivers all those who fall down before Him.

There was a right maybe I should say is a popular singer named Boy George, who had association with devotees. He went to Vrindavan and spent some time in Vrindavan and from his association with devotees he saw that when you come in front of the deity you bow down but he noticed in Vrindavan a lot of the pilgrims did not bow down. So, he wrote a song called-Bow Down Mister-which became a very popular song, quite catchy. But that’s it-bowing down. Bowing down is necessary and if you bow down and or as it’s mentioned here fall down before Nityananda Prabhu and He will give His mercy and that’s the reason that we offer obeisances. It’s mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that by offering obeisances to a sadhu or a sannyasi the sadhu or sannyasi will become favorably inclined to be merciful to that person. Of course, that’s if the sadhu or sannyasi is a Vaishnava and he doesn’t like to enjoy having people bow down.

So, this description in a way also fits Srila Prabhupada, I mean he was certainly steeped in love of Godhead and he was also a kṛpā avatar, an incarnation of mercy and he also didn’t distinguish between the good and the bad. He made Krishna consciousness available to everyone. He delivers all those who fall down before him, that was the only requirement that they should accept Srila Prabhupada. It didn’t matter what their background was but as long as they accepted him, he agreed to give them his mercy and train them and reform them.

There was one incident in Bombay. Tamal Krishna Goswami had a hernia, and he went to Jaslok hospital, which was considered the best hospital in Bombay at the time. It was built by a good friend and a supporter named Damodara Chennai, but Srila Prabhupada didn’t trust the medical treatment in India at the time. He wanted Tamal Krishna Goswami to have the procedure done in America, so he wanted to stop the operation. So, at the time, we had just gotten, well for a few years, we didn’t have any motor vehicles but then we got some jeeps and so Srila Prabhupada drove down to Jaslok hospital in the jeep. He tried phoning but that wasn’t successful. It was, anyway, it wasn’t that easy to make phone calls in India then. So, he got in the jeep and went drove down to Jaslok hospital, but he was too late, in the sense that the operation had already been done and they were wheeling Tamal Krishna Goswami out of the operation theater and the anesthesia was wearing off. So, when he saw Srila Prabhupada he told him that he had had a dream and in that dream Srila Prabhupada was giving a report to the previous acharyas-Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja and they were asking Srila Prabhupada how is his preaching going on the planet earth? And Srila Prabhupada replied that the people have no good qualities. They have no background of pious activities they have no spiritual knowledge or even interest but the only one thing—their only redeeming quality is, they have faith in me and whatever I tell them they accept and do. And then Tamal Krishna Goswami looked up at Srila Prabhupada for his response and Srila Prabhupada said, ”yes that is a fact.”

So yeah, it’s just like this more or less because he is intoxicated by ecstatic love and is an incarnation of mercy. He does not distinguish between the good and the bad. He delivers all those who fall down before him.

There is another incident in Bombay. One of Srila Prabhupada’s very early disciples from America had come to India and was in Calcutta and there he fell into smoking ganja (marijuana), and the Calcutta temple president didn’t know what to do. So, he phoned Bombay and Srila Prabhupada didn’t generally that, almost never would he personally take a phone call and in Bombay also he didn’t personally take the phone call. I don’t remember who did but he can, so the temple president was waiting on the line he explained the situation and one of Prabhupada’s secretaries informed him and Srila Prabhupada said that you tell him you tell that disciple,” if he doesn’t if he doesn’t stop smoking ganja, I will reject him.” and that was the message. But after the phone call, Tamal Krishna Goswami asked Srila Prabhupada,” is it true that you would reject him if he doesn’t stop smoking ganja?” and Srila Prabhupada said,” no it’s not true. I cannot reject anyone and Tamal Krishna Goswami said,” but don’t you have to draw the line somewhere?” and Srila Prabhupada replied,” the mercy of Nityananda prabhu has no limit!” So that was his mood he was very much in the mood of Nityananda prabhu.

Hare Krishna.

Are there any comments or questions?

Devotee: Is there any exact place of Nityananda’s appearance? In the yoga pit, do they have any specific place where He appeared, Guru Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, it’s there in Ekachakra.

Devotee: I read one article that his umbilical cord was buried, and they built something on the top, near the place where he used to bathe, they built a structure somewhere that place?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, that true, in Ekachakra.

Devotee: Guru Maharaja, are some ways that we can develop a better mood of humility so that we can fall at the feet of the Nityananda Prabhu?

Giriraj Swami: Well that reminds me of an amazing statement that Srila Prabhupada made, which really summarizes the whole process of spiritual advancement. He said because our goal is to approach Radha and Krishna; He said to approach Radha and Krishna, you need the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, to get the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, you have to get the mercy of Lord Nityananda and to get the mercy of Lord Nityananda, you have to approach people like Jagai and Madhai. So, we do that I mean that’s the mood—without discrimination-“Uttama Adama kuch na kare vichar,” yeah we do that when we distribute books, when we go on hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, when we have festivals and that makes us humble.

In Bombay, Srila Prabhupada had a friend, very very pious lady Dr. Indira shingle, she was a medical doctor, she never married, and she told Srila Prabhupada that I have many ideas how your disciples can get money and then they won’t have to go out in beg, like they do. And Srila Prabhupada said, “No, I want them to beg because that’s how they’ll learn humility.” Even in kṛṣṇa-līlā, Krishna sent His cow herd boyfriends to beg some charity, some food from some brahmins who were performing sacrifices and the brahmins refused. So, when the cowherd boys came back and told Krishna what had happened. He said, that is the way of begging. You can’t expect to be successful in every case. And then he said, well now, go back to their wives. They are devotees and they will give you. So, yeah we have to expect rejection and that makes us humble should make free us from our false ego and false prestige.

There is a related story that, I mean I was quite successful in approaching important people in Bombay and in enlisting them as life members and supporters but there is one shipping magnate, Mr. Kotak, who was really avoiding me I could never get through to him, at his office. Too many secretaries and too many doors. So, one day I somehow got his residential address. One day I took a chance and went to his home. And he was on the weekend. He was relaxed and I rang the doorbell, he opened the door, and it was me! probably the last person he wanted to see. But he had some culture. He invited me in but he was smug and puffed up and he said,” what can I do for you?” So, I was also probably a little—I had my false ego so I said, I’ve come to I’ve come to do something for you. He said, “oh you’ve come to do something for me! what have you come to do for me?” I said I’ve come to engage you in Krishna’s service so anyway in the end, he didn’t become a life member, but he took an ad in our senior book but it was good he did some service. So, the practice was that after my day out preaching, I would come and report to Srila Prabhupada when he was in Bombay. I told him what happened, and he said to preach you have to be humble. And yeah, he had said it on other occasions, that if you go to people and say I mean this isn’t what I told the shipper Mr Kotak but I suppose indirectly that’s what I was saying.

He said if you go to someone and say that everything belongs to Krishna and you have stolen Krishna’s property and you should return it—the sooner the better, they won’t like it. But if you come in a humble mood that yours and Srila Prabhupada used to quote this verse from Prabodhananda Sarasvati: “dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya.” So, “dante nidhaya trnakam,” that means taking the straw in my teeth. In fact, you are falling down. “dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ.” “Padayor nipatya” and flattering you a hundred times. He “sādhavaḥ”—o saintly person. “Sakalam eva vihāya dura” whatever you have learned, keep it far away. “dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam,” Just become a devotee of Lord Chaitanya. So that’s the humble mood and Srila Prabhupada did demonstrate that in his own preaching.

When we first came to Bombay, we stayed at Kailash Seiksaira’s house on Marine Drive in Bombay and one evening Kailash Seiksaira arranged a very it’s a glamorous program on the rooftop of his building, to which he invited all the wealthy and aristocratic people of Bombay that he knew. So Srila Prabhupada wanted to get them to chant and he sort of paraphrased the verse of Prabodhananda Sarasvati and he said, “I’m taking the straw in my teeth and I’m begging you, please chant.” He wanted them to actually utter the holy names Hare Krishna in his presence and he humbled himself to do it. So, yeah so when I came back from my encounter with Mr. Kotak, the shipping magnet said ” to preach you have to be humble,” And he also said that every businessman is always calculating in terms of profit and loss and he won’t give something unless he feels he is going to gain something from it so I mean, in effect he was saying, so you don’t have to tell him that you’ve come to do something for him because he’ll only give if he feels he is going to get some benefit. But if you come in a humble mood as a beggar, then people like that respond. You say everything belongs to Krishna, you are a thief. I have come to take Krishna’s property. He is not going to like it. What do you mean? I work hard for my money, it’s mine! But if you come in a humble mood of a beggar and you say, uh you have come at I’ve come as a beggar to your doorstep. We are building a temple, can you help us then, oh a beggar has come okay we’ll give them something.

Devotee: I was wondering sometimes when we preach, we have to discriminate a little bit. I mean, one time you gave the story how Srila Prabhupada was in that Gita Sammelan in Mumbai, and he refused to be with the group who invited him, to speak together. And he said, no I won’t go and sometimes when you see when we preach we decide, oh no, this is not yeah now I know I’m not going to do this preaching here because it doesn’t work. I’m going to do it somewhere else so how do we exercise that idea of humility you were saying in preaching, we have to be humble. How do we stay humble and still discriminate while preaching?

Giriraj Swami: Well, the case you mentioned about Srila Prabhupada was before he began ISKCON. He was invited to some conference about the Gītā, that was being organized by Mayavadis, and Srila Prabhupada wrote back in it in that sense that, you are not understanding the Gītā properly and you are not presenting it properly and I’m not going to come and not only that but I’m going to tell all my friends that they shouldn’t come either. So, that’s a little different, that’s not discriminating who we preach to. That’s discriminating the context of our preaching. I had a similar experience somewhat similar related. When I went to Madras and early when I got there, there was a man named Mr. Ratna Mayar, who was is that reputed to be a very religious man he had his own organization called the Ashtika Samaj and he said that he would arrange for Prabhupada’s preaching programs. He had a big hall, everything was set up. And in the end Srila Prabhupada said it’s not good to depend on others, but of course it depends, he is a Mayavadi, but he said it’s not good to depend on others to create a platform for our preaching. It’s better we create our own platform. So, in the example you cited Prabhupada didn’t want to depend on their platform, the Mayavadi platform but as far as who to preach to, yeah, I mean when Prabhupada came to America, he preached to everyone in New York and San Francisco. Krishna Chandra Prabhu, Hrishikesh Mafatlal, He says that you can’t imagine the people who Srila Prabhupada was preaching to. He suggested that everyone should see Yadubara prabhu’s video series. “Following Srila Prabhupada.” See who Srila Prabhupada was preaching to in New York and San Francisco. You can’t imagine, so in that sense, he didn’t discriminate who was good or who was bad who was high or who was low, but in India was a little different. Although initially he had us go out every day and do hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana but later he wanted to introduce life membership which is not for everyone, that’s, of course hari-nāma is for everyone and book distribution is for everyone but and that’s also in the Bhagavad-gītā, “yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ”—whatever the great men do the others will follow. So, in that sense it’s a more intelligent strategy to go for the leaders because if you get the leaders so many others will follow. He said making one college student a devotee is equal to making ten other people into devotees because one college student can make ten others into devotees. So, I mean this is the mood of the heart, to want to give to everyone but in terms of strategy you do use our intelligence but when we are out on the street, I mean there is so many stories from book distributors you can’t predict who is going to respond how.

Devotee: One very simple question, we are saying that Lord Nityananda He gives mercy He doesn’t discriminate to whom He will give the mercy but He gives mercy when one surrenders. A simple question comes why Lord Nityananda waits for one to fall down? Doesn’t He give mercy without surrender or that is required for one to show one’s desire to get His mercy surrendering?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I mean He gives His mercy. He offers His mercy but not everyone takes it and the ones who fall down before Him they, although He is offering it to everyone, but they get the maximum. There is one story that a man came to Srila Prabhupada and he asked for blessings and basically Srila Prabhupada said that I’m trying to spread this movement, it’s very difficult, I have so many headaches so if you take some of my headaches, I will give you my blessings!

All right Thank you very much.