Vrindavan Yatra through vani of HG Shyamsundar Prabhuji

Vrindavan can't be seen unless we get divine eyes and we can't go into Vrindavan dhaam till we aren't invited by a pure devotee. Greatest pure devotee we have seen is Srila Prabhupada. He actually came out of Vrindavan to come out to all of us so he can bring all of us back to Godhead. He is the one who opened the doors of Vrindavan for all of us. He gave us the eyes, the knowledge so we can understand what is Vrindavan and be able to enter Vrindavan dhaam.

Our parikrama of Vrindavan begins with the mercy of Srila Prabhupada which gives us oppurtunity to get a glimpse of Sri Vrindavan dhaam. Vrindavan on this planet earth is non-different from the Goloka Vrindavan. We can't appreciate this fact and power and potency unless and until we receive the understanding from Srila Prabhupada. So we should begin our yatra by offering our obeisances to Prabhupada's mercy. First place we go to is Srila Prabhupada's samadhi. He is there to shower his mercy to give us strength and power to continue our devotional service at Krsna Balaram temple.

5 days in Vrindavan town. Vraj mandal is the 12 forests of Vrindavan or mathura mandal and Vrindavan is one of the 12 forests. We first take his permission and blessings before starting our parikrama. Then we take blessings of Gaura Nitai, Krsna Balaram and Radha Shyamsundar. Ramana Reti is the place where ISKCON temple is there. Radha Rani in this temple is so beautiful. Prabhupada said, Srimati Radharani this Radha looks exactly the same in Goloka Vrindavan. Shyamsundar form of Krsna never leaves Vrindavan he is always there. Srimati Radharani is the queen of Vrindavan. It is the causeless mercy of Srimati Radharani. Hence they say Radhe Radhe because only by her mercy can we begin our parikrama.

6 Gosvami temples in Vrindavan. Symbol of Vrindavan is the Madan Mohan temple. Mahaprabhu asked gosvamis to excavate all the places of Krsna.

Madan Mohan - by Srila Sanatana Gosvami - He is the Sambandha deity.We establish and understand our sambandha with Krsna. The process by which we can engage in dev service.

Abhideya - Radha Govinda temple was by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

Prayogana is the goal - Radha Gopinath

Radha Raman temple deities of Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami. This is the suvambhu deity. This is the shaligrama shila. He prayed that he can't worship the form and the next day the shaligram shila became Krsna.

Radha Damodar - Srila Rupa Gosvami's samadhi is present. Daily he would take darshan and pray for his mercy to spread the movement everywhere. All these temples are in Vrindavan dhaam.

Start the parikrama by visiting all these temples.

Keshi ghat, Yamuna, Imli taal - Krsna revealed to Radha as Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

Parikrama started by Barsana. 5500 Devotees participated. Min criteria is 16 rounds and follow principles for at least 6 months. All devotees very sincerely begging the acaryas and dhaam the mercy. Every morning in busses to all different places - pasttime place of Radha Rani. Barsana is characterised by 4 hills. Brahmaji understanding the special significance of RadhaRani wanted to take the dust of her lotus feet on his head and hence he made his 4 heads the 4 hills of Barsana. Brahma is the most powerful personality in the creation and his mood is that he wants to take the dust of all the devotees of the Radharni on my head. He wanted to become of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord.

Mahaprabhu taught this mood. Become the nth servant of the Lord. Barsana has Sriji temple. There the deities are names as Ladhali laal. One of the most beautiful places. Other 3 hills - Explained that during Krsna's pastimes, Radharani would go into maunlila (not talk) and Krsna would do different things to make her happy. Maunmandhir is where these pasttimes took place.

Sweetest Kirtan was at Maunmandir - very beautiful place.

Moor kutir is the place where Radha and Krsna danced as peacock and peahen. Vaisnava saint who was blind was so absorbed in praying to them that Once Radharani approached him so he could draw the lila and Radharani gave him the vision to see this lila with divine eyes.

2nd day - Holy place of Bahula van - Bhahula cow pasttime.
Prem sarovar - tear of separation from Radharani filled the sarovar
Chaumukha - Brahmaji surrendered to Krsna.
GarudaGovinda - Krsna to show Gauruda that he is Supreme, he went on his shoulder.

3rd day -
Javat - Jatila and Kutila : Radharani's in laws place. Amorous pasttimes took place here and this is Parakiya pasttimes took place here.
Pasttime - One day Radha escaped the inlaws home and went to meet Krsna. When they met, Jatila (sister in law) and Kutila (mother in law) found out. They ran to the forest to catch Radharani red handed. Krsna got the news from one of his gopa friends. Radharani become very nervous, but Krsna said don't worry. As soon as Jatila and Kutila came Krsna transformed himself as Saturi devi (Durga) and Radharani was worshipping. She said by praying to her I'm praying for the long life of my husband. Then she tells Krsna that you are the only true friend of the conditioned soul. Krsna is only the true friends at Javat. Many many pasttimes took place here.

4th day - Nandagaon - Krsna performed his lila from age of 4 to 11. Madanter he would call all his cows from there. Nanda bhavan is where Krsna was raised by Yashoda mata and Nandamaharaj.
Pavan sarovar also went. Radharani would also take water for Krsna's cooking. Krsna and Balaram also took bath here.

5th day - went to all temples of Vrindavan. Krsna janmabhoomi.

Govardhan hill after 5 days. Suryakunda, gulal kunda. 2nd day was Srila Prabhupada's disapperance day, Govardhan parikrama, Annakoot - While taking parikram we can visit all the places around Govardhan.

All devotees should someday visit the yatra and get a glimpse of Spiritual world. Dhaam is very special, it's spiritual world and most painful part. Purpose of Yatra is to take this spiritual strength and share it to everyone around. 

Bhagavad Gita 13.33-35 By HG Shyamsundar Prabhuji

Bg 13.33:
The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the soul situated in Brahman vision does not mix with the body, though situated in that body.

BG 13.34:O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.

BG 13.35:Those who see with eyes of knowledge the difference between the body and the knower of the body, and can also understand the process of liberation from bondage in material nature, attain to the supreme goal.

3 things present in this material world - living entity, material elements and supersoul (Krsna). The goal is to come to this particular understanding and realization that the spirit soul is separate from the body. The supersoul is present everywhere as this form and even though in the material world doesn't get covered by the material coverings.

Meaningful thing in this world is to become KC. The soul is on it's journey. We should serve all the spirit souls remember Krsna so they can make their journey successfully. So when the body dies, we don't lament or rejoice as we then understand soul is eternal, we continue. Don't get attached to the material world, don't become a servant of the material world, become a servant of Krsna. The nature of this material world is temporary. We don't give it too much attention. We don't get too enamored. There are 2 things real in the world - death and Krsna is non different from Holy Name. What has any value is the Hare Krsna mantra! So please chant without offenses and this is real - everything is temporary. Everything else is not priority than the Hare Krsna mantra. We should be very careful as everything else will become sources of pain and obstacles.

An intelligent person doesn't participate in the pleasures of this material world. These pleasures of the material world are source of suffering.

We should hence willingly give ourselves fully to Krsna. Wholeheartedly we should surrender ourselves to the Holy Name and Krsna's service. We are so fortunate that we have received this sublime knowledge We should take advantage of utilizing this knowledge and make our life successful.

We need to become sincere in our chanting so we are prepared for time of death. What is the difference between a sincere student and not sincere. A sincere student is always studying so when he sits for exam he is able to crack that. The student works hard, takes whatever help is required because he wants to be successful. He takes extra coaching and classes might sometimes start early in the morning and the student wakes up to attend the class because the student is serious. When we become serious about the most important exam of our life then we will take advantage of all these resources to utilize and move forward. We will plan and be conscious that we have very less time to get prepared for our life. We need to hence become very serious regarding our life's final exam and prepare very cautiously by chanting the Holy Name very seriously and utilizing every moment of this life so we can remember we are spirit soul and have an eternal relationship with Krsna as His servant.

Krsna gives us a million dollars in front of us everyday and we are wasting our time collecting small pennies and lose the million dollars. Hence make the Holy Name the first priority in our daily life. Hare Krsna!

Gaura Poornima Lecture

I would like to thank everyone for coming this evening. Tomorrow is the most celebrated and special event, for those of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. It is the appearance day of Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Indistinct)

yadä yadä hi dharmasya

glänir bhavati bhärata

abhyutthänam adharmasya

tadätmänaà såjämy aham

He comes in every millennium in order to re-establish the principles of religion and to protect his devotees and as well as to annihilate the miscreants. So in every age the Lord comes in a particular and unique form, just according to the needs of the society for its spiritual upliftment. We worship Lord Krsna on his appearance, on the holy occasion of Janmashtami. Krsna appeared in the Dvapara Yuga, and we are now living in the Kali Yuga, and the Yuga Avatar for the Kali Yuga, as explained in the Srimad Bhagvatam, the Mahabharata and various other great Vedic literatures; is the appearance of Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëaà

säìgopäìgästra-pärñadam

yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaù

Bhagavatam explains that those in the age of Kali Yuga, who have good intelligence, should come together and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the process of the congregational chanting of the holy name.

The purpose of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance:

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he was called the Yuga Avatar, because he has specially come for the purpose of establishing the ways and means by which even the most fallen of all the souls which includes one hundred percent of the population in this age of Kali, and how they can easily attain the perfection of Prema bhakti, love of God. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born under the most auspicious conditions of the lunar eclipse when everyone, with great intensity was chanting the holy name. To chant the holy names, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is to receive the most precious gift that is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to each and every one of us with his own beautiful, loving hands. Sir Gaurasundar, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, with his own personal loving hands, he is delivering the holy name of Krsna. And he along with Lord Nityananda Prabhu come begging each and every living being in whatever condition of life, “Please take the name of Krsna. Take the name of Krsna and find the true joy and peace of life.” Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; although he taught more instructions than anyone could write down, with his own hands he only wrote 8 verses. And these 8 verses are called Sikshastakam. It is the condensed version of all the teachings of the Vedas applicable to this Age of Kali Yuga; which explain from the very beginning the basic stage of how to purify your heart. And as these verses go on, they intensify more and more and gradually reveal the intimate heart of pure devotee and how he cries out for the Lord in great love, humility and devotion. So the Sikshastakam verses should be very carefully studied and understood under the able guidance of a bonafide devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Recognizing the true desire of the soul :

Tomorrow is the glorious day when the Lord appears; tomorrow was the day which is most celebrated and most important because it is the day when the Supreme Lord revealed to us the ultimate extent of his mercy. In the first verse of the Sikshastakam prayers the ultimate extent of his mercy is explained,

änandämbudhi-vardhanaà prati-padaà pürëämåtäsvädanaà

that whoever we are; simply take the name of Krsna and all of your desires, all of your longings, all of your hankerings in life will be fulfilled; because the true hankering in life of every living being is for Krsna. The soul is longing for Krsna; the soul is crying for Krsna. But in this world we have forgotten who we are; we have forgotten the desire of the soul. And under the illusion of Maya we are hankering, crying and longing for the temporary sources of misery of this world. But by the chanting of the holy name of God, all these misconceptions are removed. Sikshastakam explains,

ceto-darpaëa-märjanaà bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpaëaà

 çreyaù-kairava-candrikä-vitaraëaà vidyä-vadhü-jévanam

änandämbudhi-vardhanaà prati-padaà pürëämåtäsvädanaà

 sarvätma-snapanaà paraà vijayate çré-kåñëa-saìkértanam

By the process of congregational chanting the holy name, all the impurities, the illusions and the misconceptions of life are removed like the dust from the mirror of our hearts. And as we become relieved from the fever of material attachments, what takes place- is our longing for Krsna intensifies more and more and more. The natural aspiration of the soul to reunite with the supreme object of all love-Krsna grows and grows and grows.

The aspiration of a pure soul :

Tonight we read and sung a beautiful song by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, ‘kabe gaura bane’. He is praying, “When will that day be mine, when all of my material attachments are removed from my heart, and I simply long and cry out to be with Krsna; to be in those holy places of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to wear the dust of the Vaishnavas on my body and to always be remembering him with great love. When will my hard heart melt and when will the desire for Krsna consciousness be my only aspiration in life?” This is the goal of the living being. And Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explains that through the process of chanting of the holy names of God; the soul’s true desires of longing for Krsna will motivate our lives one hundred percent. And that longing in and of itself is the fulfillment of all the desires of the soul eternally. A pure soul; in whatever walk of life he may be, accepting, his aspiration is simply to please the Lord with faith and devotion. This is the result of chanting the holy name. And then all of our desires are fulfilled.

The hair cutting ceremony of the Lord at Katwa :

There is a beautiful story about one great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and how the Lord arranged within his life the ideal condition, wherein he could become purified and fulfill all of his desires. This devotee’s name was Gangadhar Bhattacharya. And Gangadhar Bhattacharya was a Brahmin by class. He was very learned, very humble and vey devoted to Lord sri Krsna. One time he was travelling to see one great sadhu in a place called Katwa in Bengal. This great sadhu, he was a disciple of Srila Madhavendrapuri whose disappearance day was yesterday. His name was Keshava Bharati Maharaj. And when he came to that place a most wonderful occasion was taking place. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who before that was of the name Nimai Pandit or Vishvambhar, was just about to accept the vows of a Sannyasi. When Gangadhar Bhattacharya arrived, they were just about to have the hair-cutting ceremony to shave the beautiful hair of Lord Vishvambhar. When the barber came, he just began to cry. He said, “How can I touch this person’s hair? He is more beautiful than cupid himself. This is impossible.” But Lord Vishvambhar demanded that, “You cut my hair.” People began to cry. The whole village, they gathered around and they were unbearably buried in a painful condition of heart, thinking, “This beautiful, beautiful child of only 24 years old, who has won everyone’s heart”; they could understand that “he must be Krsna himself, the Supreme enjoyer”. They could not bear him taking the vows of Sannyas and accepting the robes of saffron and the shaved head. So they began to condemn Keshava Bharati who was the Sannyas Guru of the Lord; “You cannot do this, you cannot allow this! This is irreligion personified. You must stop this ceremony. It cannot be.” Meanwhile Vishvambhar explained that it must be. People were threatening suicide; people were threatening to destroy the entire temple compound of Keshava Bharati, “if you allow this to take place.” They were outraged, so nothing could be done. It was at a standstill. It was not auspicious to have such a ceremony when people were so outraged and angry by it. So what happened is, the beautiful   Gaurasundar, he began to have Kirtana to chant the name of Krsna very sweetly and began to dance. In this way he inundated all of the person’s hearts with the beautiful congregational chanting of the holy name and everybody became very sweet, very peaceful and very satisfied. And in the next morning, the Kirtana went on throughout the night; Caitanya Mahaprabhu then again ordered the barber, “Cut my hair.” He tried and tried but it was very difficult. Others tried but they could not.  But finally on the order of the Lord, he began to cut the hair. And as the hair was falling to the ground, so were the bodies of all the devotees. They could not bear seeing it. They were falling unconscious, rolling in the ground, getting up, crying, and wailing in great sorrow.

Gangadhar Bhattacharya becomes Chaitanya das :

At this time Gangadhar Bhattacharya witnessed this experience. Upon seeing the hair of the beautiful Lord fall to the ground, in his great sacrifice for all conditioned souls he was taking Sannyas; he was also falling to the ground in tears, conscious and unconscious. And then he heard Keshava Bharati pronounce before everyone that, “Now you are a Sannyasi, and your name will be Sri Krsna Chaitanya.” So Gangadhar Bhattacharya just kept repeating over and over again, “Chaitanya, Sri Krsna Chaitanya, Chaitanya, Chaitanya!” he was mad. He could not control himself; he could not remain there seeing the beautiful form of the Lord as a Sannyasi, knowing that he is the Supreme enjoyer, “How could he make this sacrifice of renouncing his wife, his mother, all worldly connections; simply for us who are undeserving? Simply to reach our hard hearts who will not listen to anyone unless they are in such a robe.” He could not bear staying in Katwa. He left that place and went back to his village. But wherever he went he was simply crying, “Chaitanya, Chaitanya, Chaitanya!” Nobody could understand what has happened. Everyone in the village thought that he had gone mad. But then someone explained what had happened; so then Gangadhar Bhattacharya was then given the name by everyone in the town, Chaitanya das. And everyone, seeing his great love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they respected him and adored him. And he would only respond if someone called him by the name Chaitanya das. And day and night, with tears in his eyes he was simply calling out, “Chaitanya, Chaitanya, Chaitanya! This is what I have heard as his hair was falling to the ground- Chaitanya, Chaitanya, Chaitanya!” Chaitanya das who is most simple and renounced, he never had any material desires. His only desire was to please the Lord.

Chaitanya das desires to have a son :

But suddenly an amazing and wonderful thing took place. Within his heart grew a burning desire to have a son. He has never desired children before. He approached his wife whose name was Laxmipriya and he said, “I do not know what is happening. All of a sudden I am longing and yearning for having a son. I want this child to be a great devotee of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But why? We have never wanted children before.  We have never wanted anything of this world before. I do not understand, what are we supposed to do?” So Laxmipriya being very saintly, she explained that, “We should go to Nilachala, Jagganath Puri- where Lord Chaitanya is residing. If we go there and have the darshan of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Jagganath, I am sure, the answer to your question will be.” So they began to walk the long distance from their little village in Bengal to Jagganath Puri.

The Lord appears in Chaitanya das’ dream :

Actually halfway distance they stopped in one place to take rest; and that evening an amazing thing took place. Chaitanya das had a dream. Standing right before him was a beautiful child who looked exactly like Lord Shyamsundar. He was standing in a three-fold bending form with beautiful lotus eyes. He had a complexion like a monsoon rain cloud which was bluish. His head was adorned with a peacock feather. He had beautiful jewelry and a wonderful garland going down to his feet. And he was playing beautiful songs from his flute. As Chaitanya das was seeing this he was offering his repeated obeisances within his dream. And then Shyamsundar changed his form altogether to the beautiful form of Lord Vishvambhar, Nimai Pandit where he was standing with his beautiful golden complexion with long , long ears, with long, long arms coming down beyond his knees. His eyes like the blooming, fully blossomed lotus; his hair beautiful and blackish coming down beyond his shoulders. He had a whitish dhoti with a red border. And then that beautiful form again changed and he was standing before him with the same golden complexion, with the same lotus eyes, but this time he had a shaved head and he was wearing the saffron garb of a Sannyasi. And then he saw this beautiful form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and he expanded and next to him was the form of Krsna playing on his flute. And then he awoke and he explained all of this to his good wife and asked, “What to do? What does all this mean? And she said, “Let us progress towards Nilachala. I am sure all our questions will be answered.”

Chaitanya das meets the Lord :

So they proceeded and they came to Sri Purushottam Jagganath Puri Dham. There they went to the temple of Lord Jagganath. And in through the main gate came Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his intimate associates. And when the husband and the wife, the two brahmanas saw the beautiful form of Lord Gaurasundar, they could not stop looking at him. Their eyes could not blink. Tears were rolling from their eyes and their hearts were utterly melted by seeing his beauty and his grace. They offered their respectful obeisances. At that time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came before Chaitanya das and Laxmipriya. He welcomed him with great love and he said, “I know what is your innermost desire”. He said, “Please go before Lord Jagganath and I promise you all of your desires will be fulfilled.” And then Lord Chaitanya told his servant Govinda, “You take Chaitanya Das before Lord Jagganath”. And as he was being escorted before Jagganath, Balaram and Subhadra the deities of Jagganath Puri; Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came along. And when the brahmana and his wife, after offering obeisances he stood up; Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered he and his wife’s lives to the feet of Jagganath. And he stood there reverently in silence offering prayers. And then Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him, “Now you go home.” All of the associates were struck with wonder, “What was he praying? What was it that was his desire that the Lord promised would be fulfilled?” Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu told his associates that evening that, “He is a spotless man in heart. His only desire is to please the Lord. I have personally planted within his heart the burning desire for a son because through him one of my eternal associates will come into this world. His name will be Srinivas and he will be known as Srinivas Acharya. He said, “Srila Rupa Goswami, he will write many great books on my order to explain the divine principles of pure devotional service and how to attain it. And it is this Srinivas Acharya who is none other than my very fore arm, who will distribute these books widely amongst all the devotees of the Lord. And by his great attachment to the chanting of the holy name and devotional service he will transform the life of millions and millions into pure self-realized souls.”

Srinivas Acharya is born :

So the next day in the morning, Chaitanya das and Laxmipriya approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and they asked, “What is your order?” He said, “You go back to your home in Bengal. Do not be worried about anything. Your desire will be fulfilled. But you simply engage yourself in the chanting of the holy name that is all. And whoever you meet impart to them the great message that all persons will be delivered through this process.” So Chaitanya das was thinking “How difficult it is to leave; that the moving and the non-moving Supreme Personality of Godhead are both here together- Lord Jagganath and Lord Chaitanya. But it is his order”. So he returned to his village and he told the people what had taken place. And day and night he was simply engaging in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The people thought he was crazy. “Why don’t you work? What is this chanting? You think you are going to have children by chanting the holy names? You think you are going to be able to support your family by chanting the holy names?” This way he was very much criticized by some and glorified by others because there was a wonderful transformation that took place in his heart. Those who had sincere hearts could see that he was utterly pure and full of devotion. Within a few days his wife Laxmipriya became pregnant and very soon at an auspicious time the great Srinivas Acharya was born by the mercy of the Lord. And the moment he was born they took that baby and the husband and wife with great love and great devotion offered that baby’s body, mind, words, and soul-everything to the feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. “My dear Lord, this child is yours”.

Fulfillment of true desires through an infallible process :

In this way we see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come to fulfill everyone’s desires; everyone’s real desires. He has not come to fulfill the desires which cast us deeper and deeper into illusion; he has come to fulfill the pure desire of the soul for devotional service to Sri Hari. And what is that gift that he has given to fulfill all of our desires? It is very simple. He told Chaitanya das that, “You always chant the holy names and you take the beautiful darshan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you associate with the devotees of the Lord. It is an infallible process. It is an infallible process because it is the hundred percent unconditional guarantee of God himself that if you simply accept it with sincerity it will work.

The Lord’s sweet weapon :

So yes, tomorrow is the most glorious day. It is the day when that wonderful, most merciful Personality of Godhead appears to distribute love God freely to all.

namo mahä-vadänyäya

 kåñëa-prema-pradäya te

kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanya-

 nämne gaura-tviñe namaù

Srila Rupa Goswami explains that, “My dear Lord Krsna, you have many incarnations but this divine form of Lord Chaitanya is the most merciful of all your incarnations; because in previous ages you have come with a bow and arrow as Rama, or you have come with your sharp nails as Narsimha, or your infallible tusks as Varahadev Dev, you appeared with your Sudarshan chakra as Devakinandan, Gopal Sri Krsna. In this way you killed the asuras who are creating a menace within society. But in this age you come with only one weapon: the weapon of your beauty; the weapon of your beauty to charm the hearts of all living beings and the essence of your beauty you have revealed to the whole world for all time within your holy name. And the weapon of your holy name completely conquers all demoniac qualities by its beauty, by its luster. And as one chants the holy name, one becomes more and more charmed by the beauty of the holy name which possesses all the opulences and qualities of Krsna himself. This is your only weapon-Harinam Sankirtan.

Surrendering to Krsna’s bombs of the holy name :

Just like we see in this war that has been taking place in the Gulf- after being utterly defeated, one President has decided to surrender. He is surrendering because the weapons were too powerful for him. Right? All of the missiles, and all of the heavy artillery, and all of the aerial bombardments; these weapons of the Allied Forces were so inundating and so powerful that finally he has no alternative but to simply surrender. But the Allied Forces say, “No, no we will not accept your surrender until it is unconditional.” So they keep bombing. Krsna is like the Allied forces, he is bombing us with his holy name. But we have to surrender unconditionally. But this type of surrender is different, because the weapon of the holy name which is the artillery of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his soldiers in this world; its power is in its beauty. And one who simply exposes his life and his heart to the weapon of Lord Chaitanya as the name of Krsna; we become utterly defeated by the beauty of the name. And out of love, in the greatest ecstasy we have no other desire in our life but to surrender ourselves to that beauty. Nothing else can attract us any longer. So therefore we must surrender to that beauty. Rupa Goswami explains, “If you are too much attached to the temporary mortal things of this world, do not look upon the smiling face of Sri Krsna because after seeing that charming face, you will never be attracted to anything or anyone else again.” He is the reservoir of all beauty and he has come within his name; because you seewhen the Lord calls upon us to surrender unconditionally, he wants us to surrender not to his might, not to his strength, but surrender to his love and surrender to his mercy. This is the natural process of chanting the holy name. And this- the truth is the fulfillment of all the desires of the soul. And this can come upon all persons in all walks of life. When we surrender to Krsna; it does not mean that we give up what we are doing. It means- we give up our selfish motivations and do that same thing in love; in devotion. This is the result of chanting the holy name. Therefore Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has prayed,

gåhe thäko, vane thäko, sadä ‘hari’ bole’ òäko,

sukhe duùkhe bhulo nä’ko, vadane hari-näm koro re

gäy gorä madhur sware

gäy gorä madhur sware

                      hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare

hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare

gäy gorä madhur sware

gäy gorä madhur sware

The Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come with this message-“Whether you are a Grihastha in this world or you are a Sannyasi living in the jungles, doesn’t matter. Simply chant the holy names. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. And your consciousness will rise above all happiness and all distress and you will attain the supreme position of loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Thank you very much.

So I would like to ask Sukadeva Goswami Maharaj to speak for a few minutes on the importance of Gaura Purnima coming tomorrow and then Vrindavan Das Goswami, Vrindavan Das Maharaj to also speak in this regard. And please everyone come tomorrow night if at all possible. Tomorrow night is the actual real celebration. Tonight is only to awaken the mood of excitement for tomorrow. So we tricked you into coming tonight. Tonight is not the night. But we should be fully generating great enthusiasm and a spirit of devotion to honor the Supreme Personality of Godhead tomorrow. So all day starting at 11 in the morning we will be having bhajans kirtans. Also we will be showing two beautiful films, movies about the life and precepts of Lord Chaitanya. Very wonderful devotees films made in Bengal about 40 years back. And then we will also at 6 o’ clock, have special bhajans. At 6:30 there will be the Abhishek ceremony for their Lordships Nitai Gaurachandra. And then at 7:00 there will be Arati. After that there will be a lecture on the appearance of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And after the lecture there will be Gaura Arati, the greatly celebrated ceremony of the Arati for Lord Sri Gaurachandra. And there will be Maha kirtana at that time. And we will also have two dramas- one by the children and one by the Brahmacharis. And then we will have a wonderful feast of Krsna’s Prasad. Now for those devotees who are strictly following the principles, we fast until the moon-rise tomorrow. So please come and chant Hare Krsna and be happy. So Sukhdev Maharaj Please speak to us and Vrindavan Maharaj. Is Devamrita Prabhu here? He also could speak. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Bhakti Shastri Chapter 5 - Karma Yoga - Action in KC V1-12

3rd chapter = Karma Yoga - Krsna is primarly explaining person on the level of knowledge has no other work to perform. Here he explains we should be doing action only for Krsna. Karma yoga is work connected only for Krsna. Bhakti yoga is easier than sankhya yoga. Sankhya yoga is very difficult.

When you work in KC you can get purified. In the end He glorified knowledge and renunciation. In the end He asked Arjuna to fight. Arjuna thought renunciation means to avoid all work and hence He thought OK - I shouldn't fight. Acting in KC was actually working with akarma - which is like inaction. Action in inaction

Nishkaam karma yoga - No desire for the fruit of your activities.
V1- SP discusses the chapters. Chapter 3, 4 etc. Arjuna got confused!  In the Third Chapter, it was explained that a person who is situated on the platform of knowledge no longer has any duties to perform. And in the Fourth Chapter the Lord told Arjuna that all kinds of sacrificial work culminate in knowledge. However, at the end of the Fourth Chapter, the Lord advised Arjuna to wake up and fight, being situated in perfect knowledge. Therefore, by simultaneously stressing the importance of both work in devotion and inaction in knowledge, Kṛṣṇa has perplexed Arjuna and confused his determination. It was Krsna's plan so we could discuss further about the Transcendental knowledge. We should work in renunciation - don't be attached to the results of the work, do it all for pleasure of Krsna. One in knowledge should always work.

V2- Renunciation of work and working in devotion is good for liberation, but work in devotion (Karma Yoga) is better than someone taking sanyasa. Whenever we want something for us then there is karma. Whenever we do something for Krsna then there is no bondage. One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about his real identity. One must develop a love for devotional service to Vāsudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence. Soul is always active, the nature of the soul is to serve hence it's always active. Action in KC is truly different as it is different from the fruitive platform. It strengthens our real understandin of what Krsna's real desire is to please Krsna. If we do the activities for Krsna then we get purified. Our desire to enjoy material things gets destroyed hence this is much better than just mere renunciateion of our activities. Rupa Gosvami says - NOD- Not phalgu vairagya but yukt variragya - everything belongs to Krsna -  Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything. One should understand that, factually, nothing belongs to anyone. Then where is the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Kṛṣṇa’s property is always situated in renunciation. Working in renunciation strengthens one's knowledge.

V3 - When working in devotion then we are truly renounced. That is the meaning of sanyasi. We are using everything for the service of Krsna. He feels neither hatred nor desire for the results of his actions.Only cares about the pleasure of Krsna.

V4-5 - Both Karma yoga and sanyasa are the same. Both of them have the same conclusion. SP text 4 purport - The goal is to find the soul of existence = Visnu. Because both of them the goal is renunciation and connecting everything for Krsna's pleasure. ex - drop the rock to pick up the axe. Same way to take spiritual condition one has to drop the material conditions first. But karma yoga allows us to do both at the same time when we work for the pleasure of Krsna, automatically we aren't working for our sense pleasures. Karma yoga is the better way to achieve the goal. When we do Nishkam karma yoga - work in knowledge that we are eternal servants and are only to please Krsna in the faith that this process will cleanse our heart - automatically we are in renunciation. How do we get purified - when we renounce the fruits of our activities. Otherwise we are forced to enjoy the fruits of the activities.

V6-  Just by mere renouncing and not engaging in devotional service can't make us happy. V nice purport. Draw a table/chart and there are 12 differences between Vaisnava sanyasis vs mayavadi sanyasis so far from V1-6.

v7- Describes the consciousness of a person who works in karma yoga or in devotional service. Now Arjuna understands that he is only following the instructions of Krsna and not doing the activities.

V8/9 - Spirit soul is always aloof from the material modes of nature. We are not the bodies and only the senses are actually in contact with the material modes. Even if the bodies are engaged in various activities - eating, sleeping, etc - still the soul is not interested in all these kinds of activities. The soul wants to use the body so they can serve Krsna. The soul himself isn't eating. So please allow only activities which are really required by the body - sex not required. Eating is required to get energy, sleeping, I'm doing all this to only serve Krsna. KC person is never. seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing.  he appears to be acting with his body and senses, he is always conscious of his actual position, which is spiritual engagement. In material consciousness, the senses are engaged in sense gratification, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness the senses are engaged in the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa’s senses. Therefore, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is always free, even though he appears to be engaged in affairs of the senses. He is doing everything like I need to sleep so I can wake up early to chant and serve Krsna. I need to accept prasadam so I can get energy to serve Krsna. When we are doing everything for Krsna then we aren't getting any karma.

V10 - When in knowledge, then our duty can be done with detachment. He will see his body acting. Soul is aloof from the material body. I'm using this body to serve Krsna. I have to do it for the Lord. The work he does hence remains free from karma or sins. Such a person is like a lotus leaf. Even if you throws water on teh leaf, water just glides away from it. The water doesn't stick.

V11 - Yogis work only for the purification of their atma. To get intelligence so we can be purify the mind. We should look at our GM how they do this. Please read purport. Jivan mukta - A person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Kṛṣṇa) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities

V12 - A person in KC, is always attached to Krsna and a material person is attached to the results of our activities (even if we are initiated we should be very careful about this). We should always try to think how is my current job or work I'm doing pleasing Krsna. Everything I do, I should be able to please Krsna. Pure services, without attachment. When I cook for the Lord - it's on a transcendental level if we are always thinking hope Krsna likes this preparation, hope he accepts this preparation. Just like when we are trying to cook for our SM - we are always thinking hope he likes it, hope he takes more of it. Then you are on a transcendental level.  V12 IS THE summary of v7-11.

V13 Onwards who is doing it - Krsna or Paramatma etc.

Srila Prabhupada's Purport BG 3.37

The Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded Himself into many for His ever-increasing spiritual bliss, and the living entities are parts and parcels of this spiritual bliss. They also have partial independence, but by misuse of their independence, when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust. This material creation is created by the Lord to give facility to the conditioned souls to fulfill these lustful propensities, and when completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities, the living entities begin to inquire about their real position.

This inquiry is the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtras, wherein it is said, athāto brahma-jijñāsā: one should inquire into the Supreme. And the Supreme is defined inŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam as janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś ca, or, “The origin of everything is the Supreme Brahman.” Therefore the origin of lust is also in the Supreme. If, therefore, lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness – or, in other words, desiring everything for Kṛṣṇa – then both lust and wrath can be spiritualized. Hanumān, the great servitor of Lord Rāma, exhibited his wrath by burning the golden city of Rāvaṇa, but by doing so he became the greatest devotee of the Lord. Here also, in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord induces Arjuna to engage his wrath upon his enemies for the satisfaction of the Lord. Therefore, lust and wrath, when they are employed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, become our friends instead of our enemies.

Bhakti Shastri Chapter 4 V-19-30 by HG Radha Krsna prabhu

V19- 24: Two types of action - karma and akarma (don't produce any karma). Characteristics of someone working in transcendence. Qualities of one working in transcendence. In V19, Krsna highlights that such a person is working without any attachments and is detached from the fruits of work. He is not a person who is a controller, he is not the proprieter and only required the bare necessities. He is satisfied with whatever he gets and whatever happens during his activities, it doesn't make him stop his service. He is steady. Such a person is free from envy. He is not affected by the modes of material nature and is situated in transcendental understanding. When he works with knowledge he gets transcendental understanding. Ultimately he will go back to Godhead.

20, 21 - Describes sadhaka stage - how to statisfy and not over endeavoring for stuff.
21-22 - Perfectional stage - Very highly edvanced devotee is described. And is greedy for Krsna's service. Not interested outside of his service.
23- Sacrifices for the pleasure of the Lord. Performs different kinds of sacrifices for the Lord.
He is always connected to Krsna.
21- Sense of proprietership is all cleared when performing work in knowledge. Just need basic necessities and nothing else.
23, 24 - SP talks about from the beg hos is it to be working in KC. When in KC, the 3 modes don't affect him any more.
Yajna - whatever we do activities for the pleasure of Krsna - chanting, cooking, working - these are all activities for the sake of Krsna. When we perform activites for Krsna then we are doing act of sacrifice. Different varieties of sacrifice.
Knowing Transcendental knowledge if very important - we understand our relationship with Krsna.
24- Being in KC - everything he is in KC. Everything is absolute for the pleasure of abolute of the brahman. Samdadhi - when we attain samandhi.

v25 - Listen to recording after this...

Jagai and Madhai - Nityananda Triyodasi

http://www.radhanathswami.net/place-2/mumbai/jagai-and-madhai/

If you want to get the mercy of Radha Krsna, you need to get the mercy of Mahaprabhu. To get the mercy of Mahaprabhu we need to get the mercy of Nityananda prabhu. To get the mercy of Nityananda prabhu we need to follow and serve Srila Prabhupada's mission. And what is that which pleases Srila Prabhupada a lot - going door to door preaching and distributing his books along with developing the mood of never criticizing others "adosha darshi". Chanting the holy name, giving the holy name to others.

Bhakti Shastri Chapter 4 V14-18 By HG Radha Krishna Prabhu

V14 - Krsna is free from all fruitive activites. He is naturally transcendental. He is free from such things. Due to that, he isn't interested in varnasrama dharma. He created it so the living entities can fulfill their desires and also allows the living entities to get purified in the varnasrama dharma. It is not for Krsna but for living entities to fulfill their desires and also get purified at the same time. He just created this system. By Karma we place ourselves by different varna or asrama. Hence we can't blame Krsna for our situation. He is not interested in any material work. He is also not interested in the fruits of anything. He is atma Rama. ex - King is ruling the city. Thieves steal in the evening and we can't say Sun is responsible for the stealing. Similarly, Krsna is not responsible for our problems. Thieves steal because it's their nature.  Another ex is the rain - rain is not responsible for different types of vegetation that grows. Krsna is not partial to any living entity. He is neutral to everyone and just gives us a facility to enjoy our desires and also get purified so we can come back to Him. He is only partial to pure devotees - so try to become a pure devotee by following the rules and regulations, reading SB everyday, association of devotees, service attitude, etc. Only way for us to become transcendental is anything we do - if we are able to connect it with Krsna's pleasure. When we are working to please Krsna every sec then the laws of karma won't be able to catch up and then in time we shall be able to burn up all our sins. When Krsna is acting he is aloof from the material nature as he is transcendental. He isn't affected by material nature. He is enjoying with his own internal energy which is superior to the material nature.

v15- In ancient times they all performed their duties as a pleasure for Krsna. Same way we neeed to act in the varnasrama dharma. The cleansing process takes a while and it a gradual process. It frees one from the material contamination. Originally we think that enjoyment of the senses is the goal of life, but as soon as we come in KC we understand the real purpose is to work for Krsna, for his pleasure. We shouldn't have an escape attitude when things get difficult - no matter what, we continue to keep doing our prescribed duties to please Krsna. We should follow in the footsteps of previous disciples of Krsna, just like we need to follow our Gurudeva's instructions.

V16-
Karma - Acting according to scriptures. Karma kanda activities but on the material platform.
Vikarma- All activities not recommended in the Vedas or prohibited actions cause bad reactions. someone who is enjoying the fruits of their activities. against scriptures, one which are sinful.
Akarma- working only for KC.  Krsna karma activities. Additionally, for us, we should follow SP's instructions, GBC and leaders within our temple. Only doing spiritual activities in relationship with Krsna are called transcendental activities.

V17- Action = karma, Forbidden action = Vikarma, inaction = Akarma

V18 - Just substitute some words here
Inaction in action  - If we are KC and are acting. One who see "no karma in KC activieis" and
Action in Inaction - Karma in false renunciation is intelligent among men. (When we renounce falsely then we get some reaction)

If you want to eat something, we prepare if for Krsna and after offering we eat then we get no karma. so we get not karma in KC activities. or inaction in action. Then we can do so many activities just for the pleasure of Krsna.

Lots of people falsely renounce, but internally they are enjoying in their mind - thinking = willing = feeling! Hence we should purify this mind by doing KC activity. Reactions come only when we act on it. If we are not practicing properly we might fall down and get bad karma for themselves and only by good practice and association can we again come back. When you fall - don't give up, GET up!

For a neophyte devotee if there is fall down what do we do?

1. We need to chat our rounds very very sincerely without any offenses
2. Pray to Krsna that they help us not to fall down. Whenever we get those urges, he helps us to have a superior intelligence to avoid that offense. When we pray sincerely, Krsna himself will bless us.
3. Try not to fuel those offenses - avoid contact with such things.
4. Associate with devotees and read Krsna books so we can get attached to a higher taste 

Bhakti Shastri Chapter 4 V9-13 By HG Radha Krishna Prabhu

V9 - Here SP is discussing in the purport that one does not take birth in this material world.
Devotional service and impersonalists - two different paths. Impersonalists is very very hard and their success is only partial because they merge into the brahmajyoti of the Lord. Dev aspect is very different and we need to only understand that we are spirit soul and all activities connected to Krsna are spiritual and not material. For us also in kali-yuga SP has given us the ability to chant to Holy names and get purified. The devotees goal is to not be born in this material world but to go back to Goloka. The impersonal feature is only the sat feature. Brhmajyoti feature is only the eternal feature but someone in Goloka get all the sac-cid and ananda features and hence higher than impersonal liberation. When we take care of the Lord, the Lord also wants to take care of us. He helps us, he protects us in whatever we do. This is the Lord's mercy. When the devotee understand Krsna's pasttimes, his advent, his glories etc - he doesn't have to take birth again - he is engaged 24*7 in KC activities - Also in practices etc. This way we understands Krsna and not just book knowledge but real knowledge - realization of Krsna. When that realization takes place then he is liberated.

V10: In wanting to perform dev service we need to be free from attachment (material life), fear (people who have problems with material life, it ends up in stress, fights, distress and hence they fear such relationships in the spiritual world. For such people merging into the Brahmajyoti is the highest concept and they fear relationships so much)  and anger (Someone trying to understand Krsna become angry when they are trying to obtain the truth but get cheated by so many different yogis and hence become angry. They want some spirituality and they get cheated and frustrated and become very angry.) and also be fully absorbed in Krsna. Such people who have such good Faith, association, bhajana kriya, anartha nivritti etc... they come to prema or pure love for Krsna. This practice is very important. How? Chanting, be purified by the knowledge of Krsna - hearing and reading Krsna Katha, as we get purified we get affection for Krsna and then it turns into pure love for Krsna. Then our sadhana bhakti will turn to prema bhakti.

V11-15 : How One should apply the knowledge of transcendental subjects. How did such people come to him?

V11- Directly proportional to how much we surrender to Krsna. Pleasure we derive are eternal pleasure in the spiritual world. But here everything is temporary - both happiness and distress are temporary here in the material world. Some want to realize Krsna as a lover, as a servant, friend etc. So different people want to surrender to Krsna differently. SP explains that whatever one's desire is, one should approach Krsna to fulfill their desires. If we have material desires, Krsna will fulfill them but still he will purify us so in time we won't have those desires. Whatever desires we have, if we keep Krsna in the center then we get purified gradually.

V12- Approach Krsna in different ways. Some approach Krsna indirectly through the demigods for some fruitive activities. He becomes the yagneshwara. Krsna says people who pray to demigods are less intelligent. They feel demigods are equal to Krsna. They are actually servants of Krsna. Everything works well in tandem. Eq- car and another ex is the body. and only organ which can enjoy is the stomach. When that is pleased then everybody is pleased. Same way by pleasing Krsna everyone is satisfied and pleased. All their desires are fulfilled by Krsna. He is the Supreme person and he is giving the powers to the demigods as well. Nowadays people are so foolish that they worship anything/anyone as God. Ex- Dhruva maharaj he approached Krsna for material desire to get a kingdom bigger than his grandfathers. As soon as the Lord touched him, he understood that he doesn't want those material things and asks for forgiveness from Krsna. Same way when we desire some material thing - he doesn't give it right away as it won't be good for us but after testing us he gives us those material things so we understand that we aren't hankering for it. Hence we should go for something which is permanent. We live forever if we live for Krsna. We should become intelligent that we don't have temporary things but something which is permanent.

V13- From previous verse we know we have desires but how do we go about purifying all our desires. In this verse Krsna explains how those in the varnasrama dharma can purify ourselves. The whole varnasrama systems is to help us purify our desires and be able to connect to Krsna. The 4 categories of people are there - Intelligent, who want to control, want to work, serve others. We notice many of us are sudras or we are working for someone and some have vaisya mentality. These divisions are based onthe modes of the material nature. Brahmans have mode of goodness. Ksatryias mode of passion, Vaisyasa - mode of passion and ignorance, Sudras - mode of ignorance but have parts of other qualities as well. Krsna also says that I am spiritual and not under these rules. Everythign is sustained within him. Lord has aboslute status. Although he has created this system for the Human beings can go through these Varnasrama system to purify their animal tendencies to human tendency and yet he is the non doer and not bound to this system. We try to serve the Supreme Lord and hence through this system we try to purify ourselves. Vaisnavas are higher than brahmana because they want to purify everyone and take them back to Godhead and hence they are as good as Krsna. One who is connected to Krsna can also go back home, back to Godhead.

On keeping vows

On keeping vows

by HH Çivaräma Swami

Today it is not uncommon to hear some devotees rationalize the breaking of the strict vows they took at initiation. This rationale goes something like this: “When I was initiated I was very young and did not know the consequences of making such vows. Therefore I should not be bound for life to a promise I made in ignorance.”

Initiation

Of course devotees generally take their vows neither as infants, nor in ignorance. Devotees are initiated when they are at least young adults and after they have been educated at least a year in the principles of Kåñëa consciousness.

It may be true that one cannot foresee all the consequences of a vow or promise. But it is dishonesty and cheating to argue that such lack of foresight validates breaking a vow or promise.

Neither materialists nor spiritualists can envisage the future; hence they cannot be fully aware of the consequences of their decisions or vows. For instance: until a married couple have their first child, they cannot understand what a serious and long term commitment they embark upon by starting a family. Still the parents cannot say about their 1 year old baby, “We didn’t know how troublesome, expensive, and exhausting it would be to raise a child, therefore we changed our minds and will abandon him in the local park.”

Similarly, youths decide on a profession without knowing what such work will be like, boys and girls marry without knowing what married life is like, and so on.

Life is full of decisions and commitments based on a present assumption, without full understanding of future consequences. It is only children who either do or say something and then later change their minds because they “didn’t like” the consequences. But when children grow up they are meant to mature, and part of maturity is that one stands by one’s promises, by one’s vows.

And of all vows, the one of sexual abstinence is the one most generally broken. No doubt we may have been unaware of how difficult it is to keep this vow. But, Çréla Prabhupäda says, sticking to that vow and accepting the inconvenience the sex-drive causes is our austerity, tapasya, without which there is no meaning to Kåñëa consciousness.

[Çréla Prabhupäda’s class on ÇB 6.1.13-14]

“So brahmäcärya, tapasya begins—brahmäcärya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya… Sama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy… That is natural. Yuvatinam yatha yunor yunor yatha yuvah(?). Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that, “I have taken vow, no illicit sex.” That is knowledge. “Why? Even if I am attracted, I shall not do this.” This is tapasya. And “Because I am now attracted, now we shall enjoy”—that is not tapasya. Tapasya means even one is attracted, he should not act. That is tapasya. There may be some difficulty to control, but that should be practiced. It can be practiced. It is not very difficult. But one has to practice the determination: “Now I have taken vow before Deity because at the time of initiation, it is promised before the Deity, before the fire, and before the spiritual master, before the Vaiñëava, that ‘I’ll not have illicit sex.’ That is promised. How can I break it?” This is tapasya. “I have taken vow before the Deity, before fire, before my spiritual master, before the Vaiñëavas, ‘No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no drinking or intoxication, no gambling.’ I have promised it. If I am gentleman, how can I break my promise?” This is called jïäna. With knowledge one has to respect. That is called tapasya.”

BG Chapter 13.13 - The 5 Koshas! By HG Shyamsundar Prabhuji

What are Koshas - 5 layers that cover the consciousness of every living entity.



1.Annamayi Kosha - The living entity is only concious about food nothing else appeals to the living entity.

2.More than eating when he understands then he is in Pranamayi Kosha. There is life in this world, this is life in everything.

3.After Pranamayi Kosha he enters Jnanamayi Kosha - knowledge and then he enters

4.Vigyanamayi Kosha or practicing this Kosha which is practicing of the Jyana he has acquires.

5.And from practicing he reaches the inner most kosha or Anandamayi Kosha which is eternal bliss and love for Krsna.

Example is a child - Annamayi Kosha - he puts everything in his mouth. and then he realizes that Pranamayi Kosha - he learns wow there are

Ananda Brahma has realized the supreme personality of Godhead Krsna.

Vijyana Brahma is practicing of the knowledge he has acquired. Knowledge is there but no realization. When we put this knowledge inot practice and then he understands that I am this body noth spirit soul but that realization isn't complete - I am this spirit soul but where am I coming from - from Krsna my happiness depends on Krsna. This Vijyanami Kosha devotee then starts devotional service and reaches Anandmayi Kosha the pure bliss.

Only by the process of devotional service can you reach Pure Bliss.

0. Sakarma Yoga - Very much attached to fruits.
1. Nishkaam karma Yoga - When he graduates and he understands I need to give these fruits to Krsna
2. Jyana Yoga - Knowledge of the Supreme Yoga - Who is this higher personality = Krsna Jnana
3. Dhyana Yoga or Astanga Yoga = Actually I need to perform Dhyana or think of Supersoul
4. Bhakti Yoga = That Supersoul is Bhagavan or Krsna and then he takes to Bhakti Yoga.

At the Jnanamayi = Brahmajyoti level
At Vijnanamayi Kosha = Paramatma level
At Anandamayi Kosha = Bhagavan level

Higher step includes the lower steps. 

Bhakti Shastri Class Chapter 4 V1-

Transcendental knowledge - Surplus devotional service to Krsna. To talk about this knowledge he gives history and truths about himself. From this chapter we also understand how to get rid of the lusty desires by Transcendental knowledge.

1-10 - transcendental knowledge, history, truths about himself
11- 15 - application of that knowledge
16-24 - how Karma
25-33 - sacrifices one can perform to
34-42 - how to receive transcendental knowledge.

Memorize 1 and 2.
Please listen to the recording.

New Year Goals

By Vaishnavanghri Sevaka Das

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna……..” ringtone buzzed. Krishna Das nervously took his mobile from his pocket and looked at caller name. Govinda Das, a senior devotee is calling. There is no other option than to take the call.

“Hare Krishna Prabhu, what are you doing?” Govinda prabhu’s voice echoed in the ear. Krishna Das became restless as he is already late for a program. However, he maintained composure and replied the call.

“I am just leaving for attending goal-setting work shop by Vaishnavanghri prabhu today morning. I am already late” Krishna Das said.

“What Goal setting? Going back home, back to Godhead is our goal! Why any other new goal setting exercise?” Govinda Das gave a happy laugh on the phone.

“I can’t answer your question? But, if you want to clarify your doubt you may also attend for the workshop” Krishna Das suggested.

“Okay, I am joining you. Wait for ten minutes” Govinda Das said over phone and arrived as promised. Both jumped in a car and reached the venue just in time. Already all the devotees assembled there in a hall and started reciting invocation verses. Then with prema dhavni the initial proceedings are completed.

“Desire and goal are two different things. There is a gulf of difference between them” Vaishnavanghri started his seminar. “Desire is an activity of mind, whereas goal is an activity of intelligence. Krishna Consciousness means intelligence activity.”

Everybody is hearing with enthusiasm and deep concentration. All are taking notes seriously. Govinda Das and Krishna Das are also hearing happily. Govinda Das is very happy as the first topic itself is of his choice.

“Devotees say that going back home, Back to Godhead is their goal. But, they should analyze whether it is their desire or goal” Vaishnavanghri said very clearly.

Govinda Das just got stunned to hear that statement; Krishna Das looked at him smilingly.

“First, desire for an achievement develops in mind. But, to convert that desire into a goal one has to use his intelligence. For that purpose an action plan has to be devised. Time frame for the activity, identification and acquiring resources, review of the progress, etc. become the important points. When all these are nicely arranged, then the desire gets converted to goal. When the goal is achieved it results in great enthusiasm in the performer, who endeavors to set further higher goals. If these things are missed out, desire remains just as a desire. This is the difference between desire and goal” Vaishnavanghri said.

Govinda Das understood the point. He could realize the difference between desire and goal very clearly.

“In the corporate world every year individual goal setting activity is done religiously. This activity is done very meticulously, reviewed periodically and evaluated thoroughly to decide the yearly increments. This process is done at all levels without any discrimination. What is the reason? What is the purpose of that activity?” Vaishnavanghri raised the point.

“It is business. It’s all about money” one devotee answered.

“But, Krishna Consciousness is a more serious business. It’s all about the deliverance of soul. The struggle is going on for millions of years. Do you think goals are not required? Is progress monitoring not required?” Vaishnavanghri asked seriously.

Everybody nodded their heads in positive mode. “But, in corporate world all goals are linked to only business growth. That is they are linked only to intelligence. There won’t be any goals pertaining to mental status or body. But, these two factors influence a lot the intelligence of the employee. It means action of intelligence depends on body (health and freedom from bad habits) and mind.”

“All devotees desire only one thing. That is going back home, Back to Godhead. But, if this desire is not converted to goal it just remains only as desire or remains in words. However, this goal can’t be achieved in one day or one year! When we achieve some goals every year we move towards our ultimate goal. There is a process for achieving the same. It is called ‘inverted pyramid model.’”

Vaishnavanghri started drawing some pictures on white board with colour pens.

“This is called inverted pyramid model. Setting yearly goals and achieving them is a process that acts as a driver for transforming normal pyramid model to inverted pyramid. This transformation may take around 15 to 20 years, if one is very serious. Otherwise, as usual it takes unlimited lifetimes.”

“However, if you try to set goals only on intellectual platform, as corporate world does, it will be inadequate in Krishna Consciousness, for we have four platforms with us in total. They are body platform, mental platform, intellectual platform and soul platform. All these contribute towards the final goal achievement. Hence we have to set yearly goals for all these platforms to enable them to play their role. Then we can surely achieve our final goal.”

“In the beginning years goals setting follow a normal pyramid model. It means there will be many goals at body platform, as we are all embodied souls. Number of goals progressively reduces from mind to intelligence to soul. However, every platform shall have some goals every year. But, after a few years, say 4 or 5 years later goals for body platform almost become nil. But, the number of goals now progressively increases from mind to intelligence to soul. In this way the normal pyramid starts getting transformed to inverted pyramid model. When the devotee actually achieves this inverted pyramid model he will be completely situated on soul platform. He is very close to his long cherished desire of going back home, Back to Godhead” Vaishnavanghri continued his talk.

“But, how to set goals for these four platforms?” one devotee raised one question.

“I will narrate them right now. Please give a patient hearing” Vaishnavanghri continued. “At bodily platform we are required to get rid of a few things and acquire a few things. They become automatically our goals. Body diseases, obesity, underweight, big tummy, over eating, eating more sweets, many such things need to be discarded; Exercise to body, walking or dancing, true fasting, good health and many more practices to be acquired. However, all these points add up to 15 or 20 in anybody’s case. But, if you convert them into yearly goals, say 3 per year, and achieve them, then within five or six years all body related goals will be finished. At the most within 8 years one can get complete control over the body platform. Try for yourself and see the result!”

Everybody is nodding their heads positively. The whole atmosphere is getting surcharged with new energy.

“Goal for mind is one and only one. That is steadiness. We have only one method to achieve it. That is studying Srila Prabhupada books. It requires nearly 18 years to thoroughly study Srila Prabhupada books completely. By steadily studying those books one can tame the mind without any doubt. In fact one gets so matured by this wonderful process that mind automatically becomes very friendly. One may adopt the below given spiral model for this endeavor. Based on the model one can decide the number of books for study purpose on yearly basis.”

“Goals for intelligence could be many. If one wants to engage in ‘continuous-Krishna work’ support from intelligence is warranted. Learning mridanga, karatals, harmonium, other musical instruments for participating in sankirtan; writing essays, drawing, song/poems writing, books writing, translation, contributing to BTG magazine; learning useful techniques and acquiring skills to render service to Vaishnavas; learning hundreds of food recipes for Lord’s cooking service; learning handicrafts; memorizing Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam verses on weekly basis; learning Sanskrit language or other languages for preaching, etc. can become intelligence goals. By achieving these goals over some years gives ample opportunity for Lord’s service to devotees.”

“Service to Lord Krishna and Gurudeva becomes the goals for soul. That service may be through money or physical service or intellectual service or in any other form. Chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra without offences and service to cows also become the goal for soul. Book distribution, preaching and increasing the number of devotees come under soul’s goals. These are only a few examples. By the intelligence given by Krishna and Guru one can conceive many such goals for the soul. As stated by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita (18.56) ‘pure devotee, though engaged in all kinds of activities, under the His protection reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by his grace’. So, by goal setting and achieving the same, year after year devotees can transform their desire of going back home, Back to Godhead into an achievable goal” Vaishnavanghri continued enthusiastically.

“But, how many goals one should set per year? Because setting goals and achieving them for all the four platforms is not an easy task” one devotee asked.

“Indeed it is a nice question. In anybody’s case number of goals should not be less than 6. This is mandatory. At the same time the number should not cross 8. First, let’s get into practice of goal setting and achieving them. If you adhere to this practice a marked change will happen in 5 to 6 years’ time.”

“Okay. But, what is the procedure to be followed to start this practice?” another devotee asked.

“I made one format for this purpose. There is some space for all the four platforms in the format. Though there is space for four goals in every platform, in the beginning one may have 3 goals at body platform, 2 goals for mind platform, 1 goal each for intellectual and soul platforms. Later on one can adjust the goal number on different platform depending on the progress.”

Vaishnavanghri displayed the format to all the participants.

“Goals should be written in the given space of the format, get them endorsed by some senior Vaishnava, take his signature; one should also sign and then paste it in the temple room. Then you won’t miss them. Your goals remain in front of your eyes throughout the year. Review process should happen once in three months with the senior Vaishnava who signed the document. If you follow this process victory will be yours” Vaishnavanghri concluded his talk.

“Every year if we religiously take up this process of goal setting with all seriousness, I am sure after few years inverted pyramid model gets established. At that time we will have only soul activities. Surely, that will be liberated state” one devotee said emotionally.

“No doubt about it. All the best” Vaishnavanghri said. “Please take an hour time and write your goals for all four platforms. Later one by one you can come forward and present your goal sheet. I will do the necessary moderation” Vaishnavanghri said.

Then forms are distributed to all participants and everybody jumped into action of setting goals. By the evening the entire goal setting workshop got concluded. Now everybody became so enthusiastic to invite new-year with confidence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

H.G. Vaishnavangri Sevaka Das is an initiated disciple of H.H. Gopalkrishna Goswami Maharaja. He holds Ph.D. in Polymer science, working as technology specialist in Polymer Industry at Mumbai, India. He is actively serving BBT in translating Srila Prabhupada’s books into Telugu (South Indian language). He also contributes articles to BTG Telugu (Bhagavaddarshan) every month. He is actively engaged in preaching activity at ISKCON Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India.