The Juhu Story

Giriraj Swami: So, what would you like me to say? What would you like me to discuss? Where is our organizer?

Organizer: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Maharaja, you can speak on the Juhu story and also some inspiring words for devotional service for the devotees, how we can progress in devotional life; a general message about the Juhu story also to inspire the devotees to read this wonderful story about Juhu Temple.

Giriraj Swami: Okay, that is nice. Well, as far as inspiring the devotees to read this wonderful story, I would begin with reading His Holiness Radhanath Swami’s foreword to the book.

READING from I’ll Build You a Temple

I’ll Build You a Temple transports us into one of the great events of our time. It is a story of surrender on the path of pure love—an incomparable story that many have tried to relate but which no one will ever be able to tell like His Holiness Giriraj Swami. He was there, intimately involved, from the beginning to the end.

Giriraj Swami gives us personal witness into the life of Srila Prabhupada at a time when Prabhupada faced insurmountable odds against him at every step. The story reveals Prabhupada’s unwavering faith, indomitable courage, and profound humility. As we turn the pages, absorbed, we find that these virtues expand from Prabhupada’s unconditional love and all-encompassing compassion.

In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada writes, “One’s greatness has to be estimated by one’s ability to tolerate provoking situations.” In this extraordinary book we discover how Prabhupada personified this quality.

In 1971 devotees were eager to have a temple in prosperous downtown Bombay. Instead, Srila Prabhupada chose a site on an undeveloped property infested with rats, infectious mosquitoes, and hostile opponents in a swampy fishing village miles away from the city and foresaw that it would soon be a place of pilgrimage. He welcomed the Deities of Radha-Rasabihari into a small shack and promised to build Them a wonderful home.

As the story unfolds, powerful, corrupt politicians conspired with the local mafia to cheat, exploit, and evict Prabhupada and the devotees. Intimidated by threats, violence, and disease, almost everyone lost hope and was ready to give up—except Srila Prabhupada. He inspired the handful of inexperienced young Western devotees to follow him as he personally led the charge.

There are two types of Bhāgavatas: the book Bhāgavata (sacred scripture) and the person bhāgavata (one who embodies the scripture). This book opens a door to understanding the goal of life and how to achieve it. It shows us how a great soul interacts with the world of dualities, with all of its struggles, while remaining fixed in remembering Krishna (God). Herein, Prabhupada teaches us how to see every situation as a blessed opportunity to serve with compassion and devotion.

I’ll Build You a Temple is a contemporary narration that shares the emotions, excitement, and message of sacred texts such as the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Bhagavad-gītā, whose conclusive teachings are revealed through the lives of great souls, such as Srila Prabhupada, who battle and ultimately vanquish powerful enemies against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Appreciating the sincere dedication of young Giriraj dasa, Srila Prabhupada entrusted him with the leadership of this most complex and difficult project, and to carry things on whenever Prabhupada was away from Bombay. Giriraj—and all the devotees who sacrificed so much in the course of their service—deserve to be honored with gratitude and affection.

Srila Prabhupada said that his project in Bombay was his heart. We are sincerely grateful to His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja for dedicating years of research, writing, and praying to authentically reveal Srila Prabhupada’s heart to the world, as only he can do.

—Radhanath Swami

COMMENT

And in a similar vein, Gopal Krishna Gosvami Maharaja also wrote his reflections, which I will read now.

READING (continued)

Srila Prabhupada introduced Krishna consciousness in the West in an unprecedented, inconceivably extensive manner and then, in 1970, with several of his chosen disciples—including young Giriraj dasa—began his activities in India. Right from Giriraj’s early days in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Srila Prabhupada engaged him in many important services, and in 1972 he appointed him president of ISKCON Bombay.

Ever since I have known Giriraj Swami, he has manifested an intensity of determination that is very rare. He is a devotee who displays enthusiasm at an exceptional level. With very few facilities, he helped Srila Prabhupada in several key projects, sacrificing his own personal comforts and priorities for Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure. He became renowned for his tireless efforts, for the austerities he accepted, for his loyalty and dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, and for his ability to raise funds and cultivate important members of society, especially in Bombay.

Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, Bombay, was, as Srila Prabhupada often observed, his “dearmost project.” When we started the excavation work on the land for the temple area, as we were digging, we found a plaque that a scholar dated at five hundred years old, and on that plaque was an inscription in Marathi, establishing that there had been a Hanuman temple at the location, almost exactly where the Sita-Rama altar is located today. Srila Prabhupada was extremely happy about the discovery.

I had the good fortune of working closely with Giriraj Swami in Bombay for many years, beginning March 1975, when he and I used to go to Sachivalaya, the administrative headquarters of the state government of Maharashtra, in South Bombay, to meet with different government ministers and officers.

In the words of Giriraj Swami, “By the strength of Prabhupada’s desire, an overgrown plot of land in what had been a remote fishing village became a place of pilgrimage and devotional service. And in the process—a long one—he engaged so many of us—his disciples and so many others—in devotional service.”

On December 22, 1971, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Yamuna devi, “Here in Bombay we have got good prospects to purchase a very large land in Juhu for very cheap price, just in the middle of a rich neighborhood. We shall build our camp there and begin constructing a temple immediately, and later on we shall develop a large hotel and school. There is also a chance of getting a nice bungalow in Bombay city also. So in general we shall make our headquarters in Bombay, and also build up Vrindavan and Mayapur.” It is truly extraordinary that Srila Prabhupada could visualize it all.

During a lecture in Bombay on February 25, 1974, Srila Prabhupada said, “A devotee sees: ‘Oh, this land is so nice. Why not construct a nice temple for Krishna?’ This is Krishna conscious vision. ‘Oh, there are so many skyscrapers. Why not construct a nice skyscraper temple for Krishna?’” He could see a temple when others could see only an uncleared jungle.

Srila Prabhupada would say, “Vrindavan is my home, Bombay is my office, and Mayapur is where I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” He described Bombay as the gateway to India; he started his spiritual movement from Bombay, and it was from Bombay that he initiated the vision and directions for the management of his international endeavors as well as set up the Indian yatra.

I wasn’t in India during the early days of Hare Krishna Land; I started serving as GBC in March 1975. When I arrived, the first thing Prabhupada told me was that he wanted the Bombay temple built in six months. This was an impossible target, but wherever he was, whether in Hawaii or Los Angeles or London or Manila, Srila Prabhupada meditated deeply on Hare Krishna Land in Juhu to ensure that there would be a world-class temple for the worship of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari, a temple which would bring great repute to ISKCON’s name.

He promised Their Lordships, “My dear Sir, please remain here, and I shall build You a beautiful temple.” Even though his disciples were against moving to Juhu, he persisted and was victorious. And in the end, by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, the project was completed. Over time, ISKCON Juhu became known as Heaven on Earth, and the temple will always remain the symbol of Srila Prabhupada’s struggle and triumph— in many respects a true Prabhupada institution.

Reflections

Srila Prabhupada spent more time in Bombay—554 days—than in any other city in the world. And that indicates the significance of the Juhu project—and of this book. In I’ll Build You a Temple Giriraj Maharaja has translated his long years of commendable involvement in the leadership of ISKCON Juhu as well as his intense desire to serve Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to him to write into a riveting, thoughtful, and inspiring book.

I welcome you all to take a dip in the nectarean pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu, which glorify Their pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari ki jaya!

—Gopal Krishna Goswami
Governing Body Commissioner, ISKCON Trustee, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

COMMENT

And I will read my Preface to the book:

READING (continued)

Srila Prabhupada’s struggle to build a temple and establish Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, on the outskirts of Bombay, was perhaps the greatest effort of his preaching movement. In fact, from the time he returned to India in August 1970, he spent 554 days in Bombay, more than any other place in the world. It took six years—from 1972, when he took possession of the land, to 1978, when the temple opened—and after the conveyance was signed, he declared, “It was a good fight. Someone should write a book about it.”

I served in Juhu as temple president and later as Governing Body Commissioner between 1972 and 1999, raising funds and overseeing every aspect of the project—the only devotee to be closely involved throughout that period—and Srila Prabhupada had already told me, in 1971, “You should write. This is your first business,” and repeated this instruction over the years. So despite my limitations and disqualifications but with the encouragement and assistance of many well-wishers, I took up writing about him and Juhu.

It was an illuminating experience. I became absorbed in Prabhupada’s divine qualities, activities, and words, and I came to understand him and the history of the project—even events to which I had been party—in new, deeper ways. I felt like I was mining a limitless reservoir of precious gems. And I came to appreciate him—and his servants—and those who have supported me in my efforts to write—even more than I had before.

In his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.13.50, Prabhupada explains, “The word svakārthānām refers to great desires. As mentioned in this verse, the glance of Lord Viṣṇu creates the desires of the devotees. A pure devotee, however, has no desires. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī comments that because the desires of devotees whose attention is fixed on Kṛṣṇa have already been fulfilled, the Lord’s sidelong glances create variegated desires in relation to Kṛṣṇa and devotional service.” Thus, in “a place where there was no temple. . . a devotee desired, ‘Let there be a temple and sevā, devotional service.’ Therefore, what was once an empty corner has now become a place of pilgrimage. Such are the desires of a devotee.”

I’ll Build You a Temple

By the strength of Prabhupada’s desire, an overgrown plot of land in what had been a remote fishing village became a place of pilgrimage and devotional service. And in the process—a long one—he engaged so many of us—his disciples and so many others—in devotional service.

Throughout, in spite of so much opposition and so many obstacles, Prabhupada remained perfect in Krishna consciousness—an ideal sadhu: “tolerant, merciful, and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.” (SB 3.25.21) And after his departure, by his mercy, we were left with great challenges of work and responsibility, both for our own spiritual benefit and for the benefit of all those who would associate with the temple.

It was our greatest good fortune to be able to associate with Srila Prabhupada, and through this book, I want to share with you that good fortune and give you his association.

‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’—sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee [sadhu], one can attain all success.” (Cc. Madhya 22.54)

Writing this book describing Prabhupada’s monumental efforts has been a humbling endeavor but one with great rewards. In Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, after enumerating some of his superiors, writes, “It is by the mercy of all these Vaiṣṇavas and gurus that I attempt to write about the pastimes and qualities of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Whether I know it or know not, it is for self-purification that I write this book.” (Cc. Ādi 9.5)

Prabhupada explains, “This is the sum and substance of transcendental writing” and directs that “one should write transcendental literature to purify oneself,” since “by writing about the pastimes of the Lord, one associates with the Lord directly.” I have tried to follow Srila Prabhupada’s and his—our—predecessor acharyas’ instructions and examples.

The benefits of reading about such an empowered pure devotee are incalculable. I think of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s statement (Vidagdhamādhava 1.6, Cc Antya 1.139):

abhivyaktā mattaḥ prakṛti-laghu-rūpād api budhā

vidhātrī siddhārthān hari-guṇa-mayī vaḥ kṛtir iyam

pulindenāpy agniḥ kim u samidham unmathya janitor

hiraṇya-śreṇīnām apaharati nāntaḥ-kaluṣatām

“O learned devotees, I am by nature ignorant and low, yet even though it is from me that [this book] has come, it is filled with descriptions of the transcendental attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, will not such a literature bring about the attainment of the highest goal of life? Although its wood may be ignited by a low-class man, fire can nevertheless purify gold. Similarly, although I am very low by nature, this book may help cleanse the dirt from within the hearts of the golden devotees.”

e vacana mora nahe, sarva-śāstre kaya
bhaktākhyāna śunile kṛṣṇete bhakti haya

“This is not my statement; this is the verdict of all the scriptures. Simply by hearing topics about the devotees, one develops devotion for Kṛṣṇa.” (CB Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.104)

COMMENT

So, this gives some idea of the history of the writing of the book, “I’ll Build You a Temple—The Juhu Story, and my experience in writing it. And I understand that ISKCON Chandigarh has received a case of the book, and therefore, they thought to have me speak about it, which has been my pleasure. Also, as I was requested to give some general advice about devotional service, I would like to quote. . . Well, the statement comes in Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, and then it is also summarized in Srila Krishnadasa Gosvami’s Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. That there are five most potent items in devotional service: sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa, mathurā-vāsa, and mūrtira śraddhāya sevana. That sādhu-saṅga means associating with devotees, bhāgavata-śravaṇa means hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Let me look up the exact verse.

So, this is the summary of those five most potent items that Rupa Gosvami mentions in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, as enunciated here in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta—sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa, mathurā-vāsa, and mūrtira śraddhāya sevana, “One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, reside in Mathura, and worship the deity with faith and veneration.” 

sakala-sādhana-śreṣṭha ei pañca aṅga
kṛṣṇa-prema janmāya ei pāṅcera alpa saṅga

TRANSLATION

“These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kṛṣṇa.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura points out that there are thirty-five items up to the point of observing special vows in the month of Kārttika. To these thirty-five items, another four are added — namely marking tilaka on different parts of the body, writing the names of the Lord all over the body, accepting the Deity’s garland and accepting caraṇāmṛta. These four items are understood to be included by Kavirāja Gosvāmī within arcana, worship of the Deity. Although these items are not mentioned here, they are to be added to the previous thirty-five items. Thus the total number becomes thirty-nine. To these thirty-nine should be added five others: association with devotees, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly, residing in Mathurā, the birthplace of Kṛṣṇa, and worshiping the Deity with great respect and veneration. The thirty-nine items plus these five come to a total of forty-four. If we add the previous twenty items to these forty-four, the total number becomes sixty-four. The five items mentioned above repeat previously mentioned items. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states:

aṅgānāṁ pañcakasyāsya pūrva-vilikhitasya ca
nikhila-śraiṣṭhya-bodhāya punar apy atra śaṁsanam

“The glorification of these five items [association with devotees, chanting the holy name and so on] is to make known the complete superiority of these five practices of devotional service.”

The sixty-four items of devotional service include all the activities of the body, mind and senses. Thus the sixty-four items engage one in devotional service in all respects.

COMMENT

And then the Caitanya-caritāmṛta quotes three verses from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu that describe these five potent items. So first,

CC. Madhya 22.130

śraddhā viśeṣataḥ prītiḥ
śrī-mūrter aṅghri-sevane

TRANSLATION

“ ‘With love and full faith one should worship the lotus feet of the Deity.

TEXT 131

śrīmad-bhāgavatārthānām
āsvādo rasikaiḥ saha
sajātīyāśaye snigdhe
sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare

TRANSLATION

“ ‘One should taste the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the association of pure devotees, and one should associate with the devotees who are more advanced than oneself and who are endowed with a similar type of affection for the Lord.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The words sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare are very important. One should not associate with professional Bhāgavatam reciters. A professional Bhāgavatam reciter is one who is not in the disciplic succession or one who has no taste for bhakti-yoga. Simply on the strength of grammatical knowledge and word jugglery, professional reciters maintain their bodies and their desires for sense gratification by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One should also avoid those who are averse to Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees, those who are Māyāvādīs, those who offend the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, those who simply dress as Vaiṣṇavas or so-called gosvāmīs, and those who make a business by selling Vedic mantras and reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to maintain their families. One should not try to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from such materialistic people. According to the Vedic injunctions, yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can be recited only by one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, the spiritual master. One should try to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the spiritual master. The Vedic injunction states, bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā. One has to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam through the process of devotional service and by hearing the recitation of a pure devotee. These are the injunctions of the Vedic literature — śruti and smṛti. Those who are not in the disciplic succession and who are not pure devotees cannot understand the real mysterious objective of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā.

COMMENT

So, in this purport, Srila Prabhupada partially quotes a very important verse. In fact, there was an exchange between Srila Prabhupada and his disciple, Guru Kripa dasa, and in that exchange, Srila Prabhupada asked Guru Kripa, “What is the most important verse in the Vedic scriptures?” And Guru Kripa replied,

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

“One should chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names of Hare Krishna. There is no other way, no other way, no other way for success in Kali-yuga.”

Which is a good verse, but Srila Prabhupada said, “No.” And then, he quoted,

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23).

So yes, unflinching faith in the Lord and similar faith in the spiritual master, these are the secrets to success in spiritual life.

So, my dear devotees, thank you for joining. It has been a pleasure to speak about Srila Prabhupada and the Juhu story and the process of devotional service. And now, I hope we have time. I am sure we have time. We will take questions and comments from the devotees here. So if you want to ask any question or share any reflections, you can raise your hand, your physical hand, or your virtual hand. I see that Chetan Khurana has already raised his hand, so we will call on him.

Devotee: There are so many Upanishads and Puranas, but why we write Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, why not others?

Giriraj Swami: Well, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are the most important scriptures. The Bhagavad-gītā is the literal record of God’s spoken words. And so, we express our appreciation for the Bhagavad-gītā by saying Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, and same thing with Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Of course, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the name of the scripture. It is also known as the Bhāgavata-Purana. But it is also rightly call Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which Srila Prabhupada has rendered into English as the beautiful story, Śrīmad, a beautiful story of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees. So, I think it is justified to say Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hare Krishna.

So, I will go in the order that I saw the hands. Siddhi Lalasa dasi.

Devotee: Hare Krishna guru Maharaja. I have a comment. I just heard a discourse by Radhanath Maharaja. He is describing this Juhu book as Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa. When I read the book, Many Moons, I thought, this is a Purana, because it is giving instructions to the devotees in the world through the lives of devotees. And this is what the Puranas are about, giving examples of instructions. So, this is one more book that many of us may like to read and study and discuss. This is an advertisement for the devotees to also read that book. It is really constructive.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Well, Purana means history. And Srila Prabhupada, when he instructed that we should write the book, he said, it is history. It is worth writing. So, in that sense also, it is a Purana, a history. Radha Bhava Gaura dasa.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. It is always a great pleasure to have your darshan Maharaja and such a blissful class. I know it is just a trailer you gave actually. And I hope Chandigarh devotees call you again for a longer session. This was very short, and there are so many wonderful līlās actually that we have read in the book. But hearing from you would have been great. So, we would also like to invite you to the Middle East again for a session and hear from you very long. So, my humble obeisances from all of us in Shyama-desh, and we pray that Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva keeps you happy, healthy, and protected. Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Well, thank you. Thank you. Yes, I’d be happy to accept your invitation. And thank you for your prayers. Thank you. ISKCON-Chandigarh Temple Hall has its hand raised.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I want to ask that, what were the rules that you described [unintelligible 00:55:50] daily?

Giriraj Swami: Please, sorry, can you repeat that?

Devotee: Yes, please describe briefly those rules. [Unintelligible 00:56:40]

Giriraj Swami: Well, that is the list given in The Nectar of Devotion. I can read it. Let me just get the book. This is The Nectar of Devotion, which Srila Prabhupada called the complete science of bhakti-yoga. And I will find the list of those items. This is Chapter Six of The Nectar of Devotion, how to discharge devotional service.

Srila Rupa Gosvami mentions the basic principles as follows:

1. Accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master.

2. Becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning from him how to discharge devotional service.

3. Obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion.

4. Following in the footsteps of great acharyas.

5. Inquiring from the spiritual master, how to advance in Krishna consciousness.

6. Being prepared to give up anything material for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This means that when we are engaged in the devotional service of Krishna, we must be prepared to give up something which we may not like to give up and also accept something that we may not want to accept.

7. Residing in the sacred place of pilgrimage like Dvaraka or Vrindavan.

8. Accepting only what is necessary, we are dealing with the material world only as far as necessary.

9. Observing the fasting days.

10. Worshiping sacred trees like the Banyan Tree.

So, these ten items are preliminary necessities for beginning the discharge of devotional service in regulative principles. In the beginning, a neophyte devotee observes the above-mentioned ten principles, surely, he will quickly make good advancement in Krishna consciousness. The next set of instructions is listed as follows:

1. Once you have originally given up the company of non-devotees,

2. One should not instruct a person who is not desirous of accepting devotional service.

3. One should not be very enthusiastic about constructing costly temples or monasteries.

4. One should not try to read too many books, nor should one develop the idea of earning his livelihood by lecturing on or professionally reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā.

5. One should not be neglectful in ordinary dealings.

6. One should not be under the spell of lamentation in loss or jubilation in gain.

7. One should not disrespect the demigods.

8. One should not give unnecessary trouble to any living entity.

9. One should carefully avoid the various offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord or in worshiping the deity in the temple.

10. One should be very intolerant toward the blasphemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna or His devotees.

Without following the above-mentioned ten principles, one cannot properly elevate himself to the platform of sādhana-bhakti, or devotional service in practice. Altogether, Srila Rupa Gosvami mentions twenty items, and all of them are very important. Out of the twenty, the first three, namely accepting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, taking initiation from him, and serving him with respect and reverence, are the most important. The next important items are as follows:

1. One should decorate the body with tilak, which is the sign of the Vaishnavas. The idea is that as soon as a person sees these marks on the body of a Vaishnava, he will immediately remember Krishna. Lord Chaitanya said that a Vaishnava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Krishna. Therefore, it is essential that a Vaishnava mark his body with tilak to remind others of Krishna.

2. In marking such tilak, sometimes one may write “Hare Krishna” on the body.

3. One should accept flowers and garlands that have been offered to the deity and the spiritual master and put them on one’s body.

4. One should learn to dance before the deity.

5. One should learn to bow down immediately upon seeing the deity or the spiritual master.

6. As soon as one visits a temple of Lord Krishna, one must stand up.

7. When the deity is being taken for a stroll in the street, a devotee should immediately follow the procession.

In this connection, it may be noted that in India, especially in Vishnu temples, the system is that apart from the big deity who is permanently situated in the main area of the temple, there is a set of smaller deities which are taken in procession in the evening. In some temples, it is customary to hold a big procession in the evening with the band playing and a nice big umbrella over the deities who sit on decorated thrones on the cart or palanquin, which is carried by devotees. The deities come out onto the street and travel in the neighborhood while the people of the neighborhood come out to offer prasāda. The residents of the neighborhood all follow the procession, so it is a very nice scene. And the deity is coming out, the servitors of the temple put forward the daily accounts before them—so much was the collection, so much was the expenditure. The whole idea is that the deity is considered to be the proprietor of the whole establishment, and all the priests and other people taking care of the temple are considered to be the servants of the deity. The system is very, very old and is still followed. So therefore, it is mentioned that when the deity is on a stroll, the people should follow behind it.

8. The devotee must visit a Vishnu temple at least once or twice every day, morning and evening. In Vrindavan, the system is followed very strictly. All the devotees in town go every morning and evening to visit different temples. Therefore, during these times, there are considerable crowds all over the city. There are about five thousand temples in Vrindavan City. Of course, it is not possible to visit all the temples, but there are at least one dozen very big and important temples which were started by the Gosvamis and which should be visited.

9. One should circumambulate the temple building at least three times. In every temple, there is an arrangement to go around the temple at least three times. Some devotees go around more than three times, ten times, fifteen times, according to their vows. The Gosvamis used to circumambulate Govardhana Hill. One should also circumambulate the whole Vrindavan area.

10. One must worship the deity and the temple according to the regulatied principles, offering ārati and prasāda, decorating the deity, etc. These must be observed regularly.

So, there are sixty-four items. I don’t think we need to read the whole list. It was a good question, but I think just look in The Nectar of Devotion, and you will see the whole list. And again, out of the sixty-four items, those five are the most potent, and even by a slight association with any of the five, one can awaken one’s dormant love for Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. thank you very much for most inspiring word Maharaja. So, the question is that everybody knows in ISKCON that you have deep faith and love for Prabhupada. Could you please share any particular pastime, interaction, or instruction that you received from Prabhupada that inspired you to develop this faith and love? So we can also develop the same faith in Prabhupada, Prabhupada’s books.

Giriraj Swami: Well, that is a long story. I was looking for a guru, but all the gurus that I met were disappointing. One after the other, one after the other, one after the other. “This is not my perfect master, this is not my perfect place, this is not my perfect master.” When I met Srila Prabhupada, I understood, “This is my guru.” And I asked him that, “There are so many swamis and yogis, and each one is recommending a different process of realization, and each says that he is the best. So how do I know which is actually the best?” And Srila Prabhupada’s reply was so intelligent. He said, “What is your goal?” Because I was saying, “What is the best means?” But first, we have to determine what is the goal, and then we choose the best means to attain the goal. And he said, “Do you want to become God, or do you want to serve God?” And at the time, unfortunately, I had the idea to become God. But fortunately, Srila Prabhupada, out of his causeless mercy, he convinced me that I cannot become God, and that I will be more properly situated if I tried to serve God. And that was the beginning.

Every day, I would go to the temple. And the pattern was that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Srila Prabhupada would speak at the temple in the evening. And then Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, he would have a program outside, usually at one of the universities. And then Sunday was the temple’s Sunday Love Feast. So one incident was very striking from that early period. Srila Prabhupada had a program at the Harvard University Divinity School, and he gave a beautiful talk. And in the end, he asked for questions. And a number of hands were raised. And one student, and they are bright, Harvard University, they are bright. So one student said, “You talk about chanting Hare Krishna, that all problems can be solved by chanting Hare Krishna. But we see in the history of Russia, there were people who were chanting the name of Jesus, but no real change took place until there was a revolution,” Srila Prabhupada replied, “So the people in Russia now, after the revolution, are they happy?” And the student said, “No, they are not.” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Then what was the use of such a revolution?” Then another student said, “You say that we should repeat the Hare Krishna mantra, but couldn’t you get the same effect by repeating anything like one two three, one two three, one two three?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Of course, that is not possible. But if you want, you can try counting, and when you get tired of counting, you can try chanting.” So, one after the other, he answered the students’ questions and challenges so brilliantly. Someone asked, “Have you seen God?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “If I tell you falsely that I have seen God, will you believe me?” The student said, “No.” Srila Prabhupada said, “Then what is the use of such a question?” So, one after the other, he disposed of all these bright students’ questions.

After the talk, I was loitering amongst the students, listening to their appreciations of Srila Prabhupada. Suddenly, there is background information that, at the time I started to come Boston temple, the devotees won’t own any motor vehicles. And I had a red rambler station wagon, that my father had given me as the high school graduation present. So I would drive Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. So I was loitering in the hall at Harvard Divinity School, listening to the students after Srila Prabhupada’s brilliant performance. Suddenly Jadhurani came rushing up to me and affectionately imitating Srila Prabhupada’s voice, she said, “So where is the driver?” I thought, Oh my God, I totally forgot. I have to drive Srila Prabhupada back to the temple. So I rushed to the car and I let Srila Prabhupada and the devotees into the car. As I was driving back to the temple, I got a sinking feeling that I didn’t quite know the way back. During the daylight, I could find our way to the Harvard Divinity School, but in the dark, I couldn’t quite figure out the way back. So I started asking the devotees how to get back. Then Srila Prabhupada, who was sitting next to me in the front seat, said, “Is not the driver supposed to know the way?” I thought, I didn’t know I was the driver, and I have duties and responsibility. I thought I was just being a good guy. But yes, that is true, the driver should know the way. Anyway, eventually, we made it back. I opened the door to the car and helped Srila Prabhupada out. I said, “Srila Prabhupada, I am sorry that I got us lost on the way back.” He smiled at me so broadly. There was so much affection and compassion. He said, “That is all right.”

Now, I had just seen him demolishing the brilliant student at Harvard, he could totally demolish me, but he didn’t. He was very kind and compassionate, saying, “That is all right.” That made me understand that although he was so brilliant, at the same time, he was also very kind and compassionate and understanding. There were so many incidents along the way that endeared Srila Prabhupada to me, but this was one early incident that impressed me; how kind and compassion Srila Prabhupada was.

Devotee: Yes Maharaja. Some of the devotees here who wants to wants to ask a question. The question is, you have been so staunchly dedicated to your mission for more than half a century. What do you want to give to the youths who are going to join you full-time in the temple so that they can develop the same missionary spirit as you?”

Giriraj Swami: I would say, read Srila Prabhupada’s books. That is very important. And chant good rounds, attentive rounds. Because actually, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya, dormant love for Krishna is already there in the heart. It doesn’t have to come from some other source. By associating with good devotees and chanting and hearing, that dormant love is awakened. It is natural. It is our constitutional position, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’—eternal servants of Krishna. And being eternal servants of Krishna really means servant of the servant, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. So, yes, I think that would be my advice. Study Srila Prabhupada’s books, chant good rounds, and to preach, distribute books, to share your good fortune with others. Srila Prabhupada was very happy when devotees distributed his books. He wrote to me, “Go on increasing books, that goes on increasing my pleasure.” So if we distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books, we will increase his pleasure. And that means we will also become happy and make advancement. Then, keep good association, one of five most important items, sādhu-saṅga. Avoid intimate association with non-devotees. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, “Of course, in the workplace or the place of education, we have to interact with non-devotees, we may have to interact with non-devotees, and we should be polite with them. But we should not take any spiritual advice from them. We can be polite, that is all, but not take their advice on spiritual matters.

Devotee: Some of devotees wants to ask this question that even in ordinary situations, we generally tend to forget the spiritual master’s instructions. But we see that you are following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions throughout all the hardships that you have gone through for more than half a century. How can we always remember the spiritual master’s instructions, even during provocative situations? So what practical steps can we take so that we can always remember his instructions even in hardships?

Giriraj Swami: We should not conceive of ourselves as separate from the spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada quoted Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā verse, vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, that one should take the order of the spiritual master as one’s life and soul. So if we do that, where is the question of forgetting the order of the spiritual master? That is an offense, one of the ten offenses against the holy name. The third offense, guror avajñā, to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. We should always feel ourselves to be dependent on the mercy of the spiritual master and not to have any separate interest. There is a very nice verse and purport in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta about Śaraṇāgati, the process of surrender. There are six divisions of surrender: Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyaṁ vivarjanam, to accept whatever is favorable, to reject whatever is unfavorable; goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā, to feel that Krishna is one’s only maintainer. So yes, we should definitely be familiar with that description of the process of surrender and allow our lives to be guided by those directions.

Devotee: Yes, we have another question. The question is, you have written such a wonderful book, a very inspiring book on the pastime of Juhu temple construction. Devotees want to know; could you please share any one particular very inspiring incident from this entire episode that is most dear to you?

Giriraj Swami: I could read a little. It is a very, very interesting story. So it is a long story, but basically, the owner of the land, Mrs. Nair, her husband was the main figure. But then he also died, and so she, she was left. And she or he, anyway, will say she had entered into an agreement with a party named Chhaganlal to sell the same land to him. So, for us to get the land, we had to deal with Chhaganlal’s claim on the land. Chhaganlal was the name of the company, and the person who was with the company was, Mr. Mehta. I will give little background. So, Prabhupada was staying in the Juhu Scheme and Juhu was the part of development scheme in Mr. Seti’s unfinished house. It was spacious and well-built but not completely finished. The marble wasn’t polished, and the temporary lighting was dim. And Mr. Seti and his family had not yet moved in, Prabhupada could receive visitors there. And it is a direction, I arranged a meeting with Mr. Shantilal Mehta, the shrewd, seasoned businessman, who with his son, ran S Chhaganlal and Brothers, which also had a claim on the Juhu land.

READING from I’ll Build You a Temple

An elderly Jain, the older Mr. Mehta came dressed in a traditional white Indian suit, vest, and cap. Prabhupada remained seated on his asana. Almost immediately after entering, as if to catch Prabhupada off guard, Mr. Mehta said, “I understand you are in negotiations with Mrs. Nair. So, who will take the land—you or me?”

Prabhupada sat up straight, looked him in the eye, and said, “I will.”

“Well, what about my claim?” Mehta objected. “My claim is for six lakhs”—a hugely inflated figure.

“My claim is for twelve lakhs,” Prabhupada countered. If Mehta wanted the land, he would have to pay Prabhupada twelve lakhs to withdraw.

Mr. Mehta could see that he was up against a smart, tough fighter, not just some simple elderly sadhu. His eyes opened wider and his whole demeanor seemed to change, to become humbler and more respectful.

Prabhupada began preaching to him: “We will use the land for a good cause. We will make a temple.”

Mr. Mehta agreed to a meeting with Prabhupada and Mrs. Nair to negotiate how much she would have to pay him to get him to withdraw his claim. According to the sales agreement, Prabhupada could hold back the majority of his payments until Chhaganlal withdrew its claim in the High Court.

Satisfied with the arrangement, Mr. Mehta offered his respects to Prabhupada and left the room. As I escorted him down the stairs to his car, he kept shaking his head and saying, “Your guru maharaja is pukka. He is a real guru maharaja. He is pukka.”

One morning, Prabhupada was sitting in his room on the second floor, absorbed in discussion with friends and disciples about the struggle for the land. Suddenly, a muscular, sinewy laborer appeared at the door, paused, and, with all eyes on him, entered the room without introduction. The man’s complexion was dark, and he wore only a small, faded cloth around his waist. I was apprehensive. He walked toward Prabhupada, placed a bunch of flowers on his desk, bowed down, looked at him, and walked out.

Prabhupada was so moved by the man’s simple act of devotion that for several moments he could not speak. He just looked down and closed his eyes. Finally, with a choked voice, he said, “Such a simple man. Yet somehow he understood that a saintly person is here, and he gathered some flowers to offer. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati/ tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ: ‘If one offers Me a leaf or flower with love and devotion, I will accept it.’ Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and even His heart is touched by such devotion, what to speak of an insignificant living entity like me—how much more I will feel overwhelmed.”

Prabhupada arranged another meeting with Chhaganlal, which was again held in his room at Mr. Sethi’s. He sat behind his desk and was joined by Mrs. Nair with her advocate, and the senior Mr. Mehta with his son.

Right away, Mrs. Nair verbally attacked Chhaganlal, and Shantilal Mehta counterattacked. They fought bitterly, giving vent to years of hatred. Mrs. Nair despised Shantilal Mehta so much that she was ready to let things drag on for years rather than give in to him. And he felt the same way. He didn’t care if his Rs. 50,000 was tied up with her; he wasn’t going to surrender.

Prabhupada let them fight for a while and then said, “Now let’s forget. What’s done is done. Let us forget about it.” He pacified them, and they started talking civilly, but the animosity soon erupted again and they resumed fighting. Prabhupada again had to pacify them and appeal to them to quiet down, and eventually, when their fighting passions came down to a smolder, he said, “Now let us discuss.”

Just then, Mr. Ganatra, the former mayor, walked in and started glorifying Srila Prabhupada, offering obeisances and prayers. He was a well-known and popular figure, and Mr. Mehta knew him. “Swamiji,” Mr. Ganatra said, “I came for your darshan. I had no idea I would be walking into this.”

“Maybe you can help me,” Prabhupada suggested, and he explained the situation.

“Don’t worry,” Mr. Ganatra assured him.” I will take care of it.” And he took Mr. Mehta and his son into another room.

While Ganatra was speaking with Chhaganlal in the other room, Prabhupada spoke with Mrs. Nair. “How much are you willing to pay?” he asked.

“Well, we have to pay the 50,000 he gave us, plus we will give him another 25,000. That is all. You have to pay the rest. If he has an extra claim, you have to pay.”

“Why should we pay?” Prabhupada questioned. “I am already paying you for the land. This is your problem with Chhaganlal.”

When Mr. Ganatra entered the room, everyone wanted to know how much the Mehtas were demanding.

“He wants four lakhs,” Mr. Ganatra said.

“Four lakhs? Oh, no, that is impossible,” Mrs. Nair retorted. “We can’t pay that.”

“How much are you willing to pay?” Ganatra asked.

“We can pay 75,000.”

“He is asking four lakhs, and you want to pay 75,000? No, no. You have to do better than that. We have to settle this.”

Prabhupada appealed to Mrs. Nair to offer more, and she said, “All right, one lakh.” Then Mr. Ganatra returned to the Mehtas.

Meanwhile, Prabhupada was encouraging Mrs. Nair to pay more if necessary. The rest of us couldn’t wait to hear what Mr. Ganatra would say when he returned. Finally he came back in and told us, “I have persuaded him to come down to three lakhs twenty-five thousand, but that is it. I don’t think he is going to come down any lower. You will have to come up with a lot more than one lakh.”

I thought, Oh no, there is such a gulf, but Prabhupada appealed to Mrs. Nair to offer more.

“All right,” she said, “one lakh twenty-five thousand, but that is all.” She was starting to get upset.

Mr. Ganatra went back to Chhaganlal. The situation was tense. I was feeling anxious—I didn’t know what Chhaganlal would demand next. It seemed that the negotiations could break down at any moment.

When Mr. Ganatra returned, he said that Chhaganlal would settle for two lakhs seventy-five thousand—either that or nothing. “Otherwise, he says he will go to court and either he will get six lakhs or he’ll get the land. So, he wants two lakhs seventy-five thousand and that is it. Now what are you going to do?”

It was intense. Everyone was sweating and squirming. And Mr. Ganatra was coaxing, coaxing, coaxing. Srila Prabhupada conferred with Mrs. Nair. Finally she said, “All right, I will pay one lakh forty thousand, and that is it.” And Prabhupada told Ganatra to offer two lakhs twenty-five thousand, hinting that he would cover the difference.

“I don’t know what he will say,” Ganatra told us, and he went back to Chhaganlal. Some minutes later, he returned with a big smile on his face. “They have agreed.”

The two Mehtas, father and son, followed Ganatra into the room. Everyone was relieved and elated; so much had hinged on this issue. Then I realized that Mr. Ganatra must have been exaggerating their claim and determination with Mrs. Nair, and exaggerating Mrs. Nair’s unwillingness when he met Chhaganlal. It seemed like there was a huge gulf, but that was to get them to come down, because our offer was so low, and to get Mrs. Nair to come up, because their demand was so high—and eventually we had met in the middle. Chhaganlal came down from Rs. 400,000 to Rs. 225,000, Mrs. Nair came up from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 140,000, and Prabhupada agreed to pay Chhaganlal the difference of Rs. 85,000.

Anyway, we were all relieved and elated—and amazed by Prabhupada’s expertise and kindness. It was only out of both Shantilal Mehta’s and Mrs. Nair’s deep respect and admiration for him that they were able to even come and sit together in the same room and talk.

With everyone still gathered, Prabhupada spoke about his mission and the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, and he asked me to lead the singing of the Nṛsiṁha prayers. In the end, everyone was happy.

It was decided that there would be another meeting, that we—and Mrs. Nair—would pay Chhaganlal their money and that they would withdraw the suit. And neither side would tell the solicitors.

As a result of the negotiations, Mehta agreed to withdraw his suit from the High Court for a payment of Rs. 140,000 white from Mrs. Nair and Rs. 85,000 black from us. But the transaction was tricky, because if we paid Mehta first, he could keep the money and not withdraw the case, and if he withdrew the suit first, we could just keep the money, especially because nothing could be done legally to enforce a black transaction.

All the principal parties other than Mrs. Nair met in the office of our solicitor, Mr. Bhesania, at Mulla & Mulla. The basic plan was discussed, but there was a major hitch: who would hold the black money. As Tamal Krishna later described, “It was a gentleman’s agreement, but there weren’t any gentlemen anymore, so nobody trusted anyone else.”

With the whole plan threatened, the atmosphere in the office was tense. No one was ready to trust anyone else with the money. Then Prabhupada meekly, almost sheepishly, offered, “I can hold it.” And everyone immediately concurred, because they knew they could trust him.

The senior Mr. Mehta stayed with Prabhupada in the solicitor’s chamber, and the others went to the court to withdraw the claim. Then, when Mr. Mehta’s son and the others returned, he got his money.

Prabhupada later summarized the settlement: “Chhaganlal advanced fifty-one thousand, and when there was question of settlement, he came. He wanted that ‘If you give me three lakhs, then I will compromise.’ So that Mr. Ganatra, mayor—I induced him, ‘Just make settlement.’ Then Chhaganlal came down—two lakhs twenty-five thousand. Then I asked Mrs. Nair, ‘Now you will pay this. . .’ ‘Where I have got. . . If he takes all money, then what shall I get?’ Then I had to settle with her how much she would pay. She came from one lakh to one lakh forty thousand. So what is the balance? Eighty-five. So I said, ‘Yes, I will pay it. Settle up. The balance I will pay, eighty-five thousand.’. . . That Chhaganlal, I paid him extra eighty-five thousand. That is also black. No more white. The black money was paid in this way, that the money was counted and it was put in a handbag, and it was locked by him. The key was with him, and the bag was with me. As soon as court accepted the agreement, then I handed over, ‘Take this bag.’”

COMMENT

So that is one of my favorite stories. So many favorite stories are one of my favorite stories, how expertly Srila Prabhupada dealt with Mrs. Nair and Chhaganlal and how engage Ganatra, how he Chhaganlal withdrew his claim, and got the Juhu land. So, shall we try Ritika Jindal?

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja ji, please accept my humble obeisances. You were telling about unflinching faith. So how can we develop that unflinching faith because at times, there are situations where faith starts fading away. So how can we develop that unflinching faith that you were talking about?

Giriraj Swami: Well again, by hearing, by reading, by studying Srila Prabhupada’s books, and by chanting, good chanting and attentive chanting, that will cleanse the heart; ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. Doubts come in the mind, but we have to control the lower self of the higher self. And so by chanting attentively and studying Srila Prabhupada’s books, your heart will be cleansed. And you should not waver. Another thing is that if you follow the instructions and you get a good result, which you will, then that should increase your faith in the instructions. And so you follow them more and you will get another good result. And that increases your faith further. So yes, you have to persevere. Yes.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Daṇḍavat praṇāma guruji. Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I don’t have any questions. I just want to thank you. I am so delighted to hear the journey about the temple, the Juhu temple, that how a barren land got transformed into a pilgrim and then there are so many takeaways from today’s session. So the few ones I would like to mention here is when you are inclined and dedicated towards the goal, impossible goals like starting the temple within six months. So when you have so much dedicated enough, definitely you can achieve that. And in spite of the difficulties across the life, we should keep progressing on our spiritual path. And thank you so much for re-emphasizing the ways how to discharge our devotional services. And somebody just asked a question that, how do you stabilize your faith? So I would say, really listening more and more to guru Maharaja and reading Prabhupada’s books is something which could really help all of us in developing the faith and achieving something which sounds impossible otherwise. So I am really delighted. It was really a delightful lecture. So I would really like, thank you so much for today’s lecture. Thank you so much.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Hare Krishna. Very encouraging. Thank you. I also found the material to be fresh, although I wrote the book. But reading those sections, it was like new. It was very encouraging and enlivening. So yes, I also relished reading that section again.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Thank you, Maharaja, for this wonderful session. Our devotees here in Chandigarh those who are in the temple hall or on line, more than around one hundred devotees are there. And also those who are connected online, they are very much, I hope, and they are very much delighted and inspired by the story and the instructions that were given. I would like to announce that this book, I’ll Build Your Temple—The Juhu Story is available in our temple shop. Also devotees who like to receive online also, they can just click this link for booking a copy, I’ll give you a temple regulatory by click on this link and you can go to your book through this also. And also you can purchase directly from our bookstore in the temple. Whichever you may like, you can do so. The both the options are there; the devotees can purchase.

This is a very wonderful book Maharaja has written very nicely with his experience and very wonderful book. So I thank Maharaja again for giving his valuable time and encouraging us. And we will look forward for Maharaja’s association again. Thank you, Maharaja. And I will also request Nanda Maharaja Prabhu who was listening to us here, if he can speak and express his views and thank Maharaja for this wonderful session.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. This is your second interaction with Chandigarh devotees. You came to Chandigarh in 1981. And with your blessings, we have a hall filled with devotees. And in personal life also, I was blessed by you and developed some taste for Krishna consciousness. So this has been a very good interaction, very good session, Maharaja. I request you to make it more frequent. Chandigarh should be on your regular list. Kindly give some time for us. You remember your visit of Chandigarh in 1981?

Giriraj Swami: Oh yes, of course.

Devotee: Give us some time now on internet. And if you sometimes can visit, that will be very nice. Thank you so much. Thanks a lot for this time given to Chandigarh devotees. Thank you very much.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. So if we are going to end now, then we should conclude with Vaishnava praṇāma.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca 

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ