What is the best way to concentrate upon the Golden Lord Gaura???

[krsna]

Smaranam of Mahaprabhu

 

Concentrate upon the lord as discribed

in the Urddhvamnaya-samhita:

 

Absorbed in prema, the Golden Lord Gaura stands holding one hand in the benediction pose and the other in the pose for awarding fearlessness, while he incessantly chants the holy names.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Purport to Gaurangera Duti .

--

Los Angeles, January 6, 1969

CD13 01-Gaurangera Duti ..mp3

CD13 02-Purport.mp3

 

Prabhupada: Gaurangera duti ., yara dhana sampada, sei jane bhakati-rasa-sara. This is another song composed by Narottama das Thakura, and he says that <font color="blue"> “One who has accepted the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, in other words, one who has the only asset of possession, the two feet of Lord Caitanya, such person is supposed to know what is the essence of devotional service.” </font color>Sei jane bhakati-rasa-sara. What is the purport of devotional service, or what is the humor of devotional service, can be understood by a person who has accepted Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet as everything. The idea is that actually Lord Caitanya, He is Krishna Himself, and He is teaching devotional sevvice to the living entities personally. Directly. Therefore the modes of devotional service, as taught by Lord Caitanya, is the most perfect. There cannot be any doubt. The expert, or the master, is teaching the servant how to work. If a... If somebody is master of some engineering work and he is personally teaching some assistant, that teaching, instruction, is most perfect. Similarly, Lord Krishna Himself, in the role of a devotee, is teaching devotional service. Therefore the path chalked out by Lord Krishna is the most feasible way for perfection to devotional service. Sei jane bhakati rasa sara. Sara means essence.

 

And then he says, gaurangera madhuri-lila, yara karne pravesila. Now he comes to the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. He says that “Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are also as much transcendental as Lord Krishna’s.” As in the Bhagavad-gita it is said that anyone who can simply understand the transcendental appearance, disappearance, activities, work of Krishna, he immediately becomes eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. Simply by understanding the pastimes and the work, transcendental activities of Krishna. Similarly, one who enters into the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, he immediately becomes freed from all contamination of the heart. Gaurangera madhuri-lila, yara karne pravesila. Karne pravesila means simply one has to receive the message of Lord Caitanya. Karne means in the ear. To give the message a submissive aural reception. Then immediately one’s heart becomes freed from all material contamination.

 

Then he says: yei gaurangera nama laya, tara haya premodaya. Now, the devotees are concerned how to develop love of Godhead. Narottama dasa Thakura recommends that anyone who simply chants sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda...’’ Gauranga means with all this paraphernalia. As soon as we speak of gauranga, we should mean the five: Lord Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. All together. So yei gaurangera nama laya, anyone who chants, immediately he will develop love of Godhead. Yei gaurangera nama laya, tara haya premodaya, tare mui jaya bole hari. Narottama dasa Thakura says “I offer him all congratulation.’’ Because it is certain that he has developed love of Godhead. Then he says, gauranga-gunete jhure, nitya-lila tare sphure. Anyone, if he cries by simply by hearing the transcendental qualities of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he at once understands what is the loving affairs between Radha and Krishna.

 

Nitya-lila means the pastimes, or the loving exchange, affairs between Radha and Krishna, that is eternal. That is not temporary. We should not think that Radha-Krishna pastimes, loving affairs, is just like the business of a, of a young boy or girl, as we see in this material world. Such loving affairs is not at all loving affairs. They are lusty affairs, and they are not eternal. Therefore they break. Today I am in love with somebody and next day it breaks. But Radha-Krishna lila is not like that. It is eternal. Therefore that is transcendental and this is temporary. So simply one who is absorbed in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, he can immediately understand what is the actual position of the loving affairs of Radha-Krishna. Nitya-lila tare sphure. Sei yaya radha-madhava, sei yaya vrajendra-suta pasa. And simply by doing that, he becomes eligible to enter into the abode of Krishna. Vrajendra-suta. Vrajendra-suta means the son of Nanda Maharaja in Vrindavana. He’s sure to go to associate with Krishna in his next birth.

 

Gaurangera sange-gane, nitya-siddha boli mane. Anyone who has understood that the associates of Lord Caitanya, they are not ordinary conditioned souls... They are liberated souls. Nitya-siddha bole mani. There are three kinds of devotees. One is called sadhana-siddha. Sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles of devotional service, if one becomes perfect, he’s called sadhana-siddha. Another devotee is called kripa-siddha. Kripa-siddha means even if he has not followed strictly all the regulative principle, still, by the mercy of acarya or a devotee, or by Krishna, he is elevated to the perfectional stage. That is specially. And another devotee is called nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha means they were never contaminated. The sadhana-siddha and kripa-siddha was contaminated by material touch, and by following regulative principles or by the mercy or grace of some devotee and acarya they’re elevated to the perfectional state. But nitya-siddha means they were never contaminated. They’re ever liberated. So all the associates of Lord Caitanya, just like Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa, Gadadhara, Nityananda, they are Vishnu-tattva. They are all liberated. Not only they, the Gosvamis... There are many others. So they are ever-liberated. So one who can understand that the associates of Lord Caitanya are ever-liberated... Nitya-siddha bale mani, sei yaya vrajendra suta-pasa. Immediately he becomes eligible to enter into the abode of Krishna.

 

And then he says, gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jani cintamani. A... The gaura-mandala means the place in West Bengal wherein Lord Caitanya had His pastimes. In Navadvipa, during Lord Caitanya’s birth anniversary, the devotees go and circumambulate different places of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. It takes nine days. So that portion of Bengal is called gauda-mandala. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, “One who understands that there is no difference between this part of the country with Vrindavana,” tara haya vraja-bhumi vasa, “it is as good as one lives in Vrindavana.” Then he says, gaura-prema rasarnarve. Lord Caitanya’s activities is just like an ocean of loving affairs of Krishna. Therefore one who takes a dip into this ocean, gaura-prema-rasarnave, sei taranga yeba dube. Just like we take a dip and bath, and we play, sport, in the waves of the ocean or sea. Similarly, one who takes pleasure, taking a dip and sporting with the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya’s distribution of love of God, such a person becomes immediately a confidential devotee of Lord Krishna. Sei radha-madhava-antaranga. Antaranga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dasa Thakura says, grihe va vanete thake. “Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya’s movement,” because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord...

 

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, “Such devotee, it doesn’t matter whether he’s in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder.” Griha. Griha means householder. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement does not say that one has to become a renounced order, sannyasi. Just like Mayavadi sannyasis, impersonalists, Sankaracarya, they first, they put the first condition that “You take up the renounced order of life first, and then talk of spiritual advancement.” So in Sankara sampradaya nobody is accepted as bona fide impersonalist unless he has accepted the renounced order of life. But here, in Caitanya’s movement, there is no such restriction. Advaita Prabhu, He was a householder. Nityananda, He was householder. Gadadhara, He was also householder. And Srivasa, he was also householder. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu also married twice. So it doesn’t matter. Narottama dasa Thakura says that to become in renounced order of life, or to remain in householder life, that does not matter. If he is actually taking part in the movements of Caitanya’s sankirtana activities and actually understanding what it is, he is taking sport in the waves of such devotional ocean, then such person is always liberated. And Narottama dasa Thakura is aspiring his association ever increasingly. That is the sum and substance of this song. (end)

 

[krsna]

The Treasure of Bhakti

 

by

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

 

Obeisance to the most Magnanimous, the Giver of the Love of Krsna, the Own Self of Krsna, the Lord bearing the Name Krsna-Caitanya and possessed of the Form of golden hue!

 

I submit myself to Sri Krsna-Caitanya, that merciful Person of wonderful deeds Who by the nectar of the treasure of His Own Love intoxicated the world, delirious with ignorance, by freeing it from the malady of nescience.

 

Lord Sri Caitanya said:

 

Listen, Rupa, to the charactersitics of the rasa (matured mellowness) of Bhakti. I shall speak in a condensed form, for rasa is not susceptible of elaborate description since rasa can only be understood through insight and deep realisation. The ocean of the mellow of Bhakti is profound and devoid of bounding shores. I shall speak one particle of the same (Bhakti), in order to make you taste it.

 

In this world the number of jivas (souls) is infinite. They form the content of this world by their wanderings birth after birth through 8,400,000 different kinds of physical bodies (human bodies, animals, trees, etc.)

 

The specific nature of the jiva is infinitessimal in magnitude like the hundredth part of the tip of a hair. The jivas are divided into two distinct groups, viz., (1) stationary and (2) moving.

 

The moving jivas are again divided into those who live on the land, in water and in the air.

 

Mankind is a very small part of the total number of jivas that live on the land. Among men are also to be found the Mlechchas (Europeans), Pulindas, Baudhas (Oriental people), Aboriginies, etc. Among those who practice the religion of the Veda (Hindus), one half profess to follow the Veda but in fact only follow with their lips. They commit many sins forbidden by the Veda and do not really care for that religion. Then again, among those who really act in accordance with that religion, most persons are addicted to fruitive activities. They do work (karma) to produce fruit that they can enjoy. It is hardly possible to find even a single seeker of knowledge (jnanin) among 100,000 people working to make good karma. Further, there is hardly even one person who is truly Mukta (liberated) amongst 100,000 people seeking liberation.

 

It is hardly possible to find a single Bhakta (devotee) of Krsna among 100,000 liberated persons. The Bhakta of Krsna is free from all selfish hankerings and is, therefore, of a really peaceful and equipoised disposition (shanta), while those who desire to do work (karma) to create enjoyment, or who desire liberation or mystic powers through yoga, are all discontented (ashanta).

 

It is rarely that any fortunate jiva, in the course of his wanderings in this mundane world, may obtain a chance to come to know Bhakti. That is, it is rare for someone to obtain the seed of the creeper of Bhakti, which is only found by the favour of Guru and Krsna.

 

Bhakti grows like a creeper growing from a tiny seed. By becoming a gardener the jiva sows the seed and splashes the seed with nourishing water, in the form of hearing the Name of Krsna and chanting the Name. The creeper of Bhakti springs to shoot and grows, piercing through this mundane sphere. The growing creeper goes through the stream of Viraja (unmanifest formless state outside this universe), then goes through the illuminated plane of Brahma (white light of Spiritual bliss), until at last the creeper finally attains for herself a home in the soil of the infinite sphere called Paravyoma. The creeper contiues to grow in that Paravyoma atmosphere and reaches the limits of the higher sphere of Goloka-Vrndavana where she climbs and clings to the Purpose-Tree at the Feet of Krsna.

 

Prema (Divine Love), the fruit of the creeper of Bhakti, grows on the creeper only when she attains to the Feet of Krsna. All this time the gardener continues to splash the creeper with the water of hearing and chanting the Holy Name of Krsna.

 

At this stage there is a also a second function towards the creeper, besides watering it. As the creeper begins to grow after being watered for some time, hostile animals make their appearance and tear the leaves, or the tender leaves begin to dry up because of excessive heat, etc. In these circumstances offence against the Vaisnavas (real devotees) is the entity corresponding to the vicious animals. It is such offence against the Vaisnavas that causes all those various sorts of damage, or in other words it is the negligence of the gardener who has failed to erect fences or to devise other protective methods to protect the creeper, and who has not given special care so that there may be no possibility for the creeper to be trampled by the mad elephant of offence to the Vaisnavas. Offence against the Vaisnavas is identical with offence against the Holy Name - it is one of the ten categories of offences against the Holy Name.

 

There is yet another possible disturbance at this stage. As the creeper of Bhakti begins to grow, if there is luxuriant growth of the secondary branches then such growth also does mischief. The secondary branches are desire for enjoyment, longing for liberation, addiction to forbidden conduct, over-attention to small points of conscience, cruelty or slaughter of living things, desire of pecuniary gain and a desire for one's own worldly honour or fame. If special care is not practiced these secondary branches are apt to grow vigorously to the detriment of the principal stem of the creeper, with the result that the main stem is stunted and cannot grow. Therefore, it is the duty of the gardener to prune these secondary branches from the moment of their appearance, while one is busy with the primary task of hearing and chanting. If this is done the principal stem, continuing to grow, attains to Vrndavana the land of Krsna.

 

The fruit of Prema then ripens and drops on the ground. The gardener now tastes its mellow flavour. By the help of the creeper the gardener is also enabled to reach the Purpose-Tree. The gardener can now serve in Vrndavana at the foot of the Purpose-Tree and savor the taste of the luscious juice of the fruit of Love. This Prema is the supreme desideratum, the final fruit of all activity of the soul. The four-fold objects of human endeavor namely dharma (virtue), artha (worldly possession), kama (objects of worldly desire) and moksa (liberation) are as insignificant as a straw lying by the wayside in comparison with Krsna-Prema.

 

The realisation of coveted powers and excellences (siddhis), or of the equable state of overflowing oneness with the bliss of Brahma-realisation (on attainment of complete withdrawal of the mind from all external efforts, as a result of practicing pious activities enjoined in the scriptures), can dazzle the imagination of a man by their glaring features. But these dazzling realisations are only dazzling until the man has savoured the smallest portion of the fragrance of the medicine of Love. Pure Love can subdue even the Lord Himself, and He is the subduer of Madhu, the great demon who is at the core of the pattern of consciousness (yantra) we perceive as the mental state of "intoxication". A person must be free from mundane intoxications which lead him to try to enjoy as a master of siddhis (siddhi-yoga) or the bliss of oneness with unmanifest Brahma (liberation) before Love can appear on the pathways of the heart.

 

Bhakti is declared to be service of the Lord of the senses (God) by means of one's senses. It is free from all physical and mental elements. It is absolutely free from all mundane dirt by reason of its being entirely directed to God -- (Narada Pancaratra)

 

Lord Sri Caitanya contined:

As soon as the tidings of My Excellences enter the listener's ear his mind exhibits a constant inseparability from Me which is comparable to the state of a body of pure water of the Ganges on its entry into the ocean. This is the only sure characteristic of devotion which is free from all mundane tendencies. The devoted soul is inseparable from Me.

 

The devotees never accept the gifts of residence in Vaikuntha (the unlimited realm), or the opulence and honour of a form resembling My Majestic Self, or proximity to My Presence, or complete merging in Me. All of these prospective attainments I offer to them, but they do not accept these attainments. They have no desire to have these attainments, and this is so because there is nothing covetable by them save and except My Transcendental Service.

 

This is Devotion that is Pure and Perfect. It is by means of such Devotion that the individual soul attains to unalloyed Love for Me, thereby transcending the limiting potency that is covering over the jiva (soul) with layers of mundane desires and feelings.

 

If the mind harbours the least desire either for mundane enjoyment, or for liberation from the desire for enjoyment, Love for Godhead is not aroused even by the most diligent pursuit of service according to the practices enjoined in the scriptures.

 

So long as the ugly spectre of desire for mundane enjoyment or mundane emancipation continues to haunt the chambers of the heart, how can the bliss of devotion arise therein?

 

This form of Bhakti is fit to be cultured. Being duly cultured it gives rise to Rati (the natural tendency of the soul towards Krsna, or the basic principal of Love). Condensed Rati is Prema. By the process of gradual augmentation Prema becomes Sneha, Mana, Pranaya, Anuraga, Bhava and Mahabhava. A good analogy is furnished by the series of processes in the refining of raw juice of sugarcane. First there is juice, then molasses, raw sugar, residual sugar, refined sugar, white sugar and icing sugar. These are varieties of the basic principle (Sthayibhava) in the operations of the mellow liquid (Rasa) of the Service of Krsna. If the basic principle is conjoined with higher principles known as Vaibhava, Anubhava, Satvika and Vyabhachari then the operations of the liquid mellow of the service of Krsna exhibits the most exquisite nectarean taste. Just as the treatment of curd with sugar, ghee, pepper and camphor produces a most tasty composition.

 

There are five varieties of Rasa corresponding to the different types of devotees. The five varieties of Rasa are Shanta (feeling of peacefulness), Dasya (feeling that "I am a servitor of Krsna"), Sakhya (feeling that "I am a friend of Krsna"), Vatsalya (feeling that "Krsna is a child and I am Krsna's parental guardian") and Madhura (mood that "Krsna is my beloved"). There are also seven secondary types of Rasa known as Hasya (humourous mood), Adbhuta (astonishment), Veera (chivalrous mood), Karuna (compassionate mood), Raudra (angry mood), Bhayanaka (mood of awe and dread) and Vibhasta (ghastliness). The five principal kinds of Rasa are permanent and constantly permeate the mind of the devotee, whereas the seven secondary moods are not constantly present within the mind of the devotee.

 

Shanta-rasa is exemplified by the conduct of the nine yogis called the Yogendras, and also in the case of the yogi Sanaka and his young brothers. Dasya-rasa, the mood of a servitor of Krsna, is seen everywhere in the case of numberless devotees of Krsna. Among the Sakhya-rasa group are the young cowherd boys who are associates of Krsna such as Sridama, as well as Krsna's cousins Bhima, Arjuna, etc. The devotees in the mood of Vatsalya-rasa includes the parents and all the older relatives of Krsna. In Madhura-rasa the principal Bhaktas (devotees) are the Milk-Maids in Vraja and also the Royal Consorts and Laksmis whose great number baffles all calculation.

 

Then again Krsna-Rati is twofold, viz., (1) adulterated with the perception of His Majesty and (2) unalloyed. In the two royal cities of Mathura and Dvaraka and in the Vaikuntha worlds the mood of Divine Majesty predominates. In Gokula-Rati, love for Krsna is in a mood devoid of the consciousness of His Divine Majesty. Love exhibits shyness if the sense of Majesty becomes prominent. It is the distinctive characteristic of unalloyed Gokula-Rati that the Goddess of Devotion directing service in that realm does not pay any mind to the Majesty of Godhead, even if Majesty is manifested to Her. In Shanta-Rasa and Dasya-Rasa the realisation of Divine Majesty on rare occasions serves as a helpful excitant. In Sakhya-rasa and Madhura-Rasa it always acts as a deterrent. Krsna acted in a formal role when he met his parents Vasudeva and Devaki and he bowed down and greeted their feet. The realisation of Divine Majesty filled the minds of both His parents with astonishment (one of the secondary Rasas - Adbhuta). Arjuna was terrified on beholding the Cosmic Form of Krsna. He craved His forgiveness for his arrogance in behaving as His chum. Rukmini was overwhelmed with fear when Krsna told her jokingly that He would leave her.

 

But the Source of Unalloyed Love knows nothing of Divine Majesty. If She meets with any exhibition of Majesty, She simply ignores all relationship on Her part with such Entity.

 

In Shanta-Rasa there is found exclusive attachment to Krsna due to the realisation of one's spiritual nature. Krsna Himself says, "Equinamity (Sama) results from the inclination of constant attachment to Me". The specific effect of Shanta-Rasa is noticeable in this, that the Shanta-devotee discards every other longing except for Krsna. Hence no one can have real equanimity of disposition except the devotee of Krsna. The devotee of Krsna regards paradise and liberation as hell. The two characteristics of the Shanta-devotee are constant attachment to Krsna and renunciation of all other longing. These two characteristics permeate all the devotees of Krsna just as sound permeates and penetrates all mundane elements.

 

It is the nature of the Shanta-devotee to be devoid of any personal tie of love with Krsna. In the heart of the peaceful Shanta-devotee, the realisation of Krsna as the Supremely Great Being (Para-Brahma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramatman) is strong. In Shanta-Rasa there is only the realisation of the spiritual nature of one's relationship with Krsna; whereas in Dasya-Rasa there is the greater realisation of the Nature of Krsna as the Master possessing Full Divine Majesty. In Dasya (service of the Master) mood there is exuberance of the realisation of God as the Possessor of controlling power and great dignity. The servitor by his humble ministration gives constant pleasure to Krsna.

 

In Dasya (servitor mood) there are the two characteristics of Shanta with the further addition of the specific activity of servitude. Therefore, Dasya possesses this two-fold quality. In Sakhya (friendship) there are the qualities of both Santa and Dasya, but whereas in the Dasya mood the servitude is full of the sense of inferiority and high respect for Krsna, in Sakhya (friendship) it is characterised by full confidence. The chums of Krsna climb to His shoulders, make Him climb theirs, engage in the sport of wrestling with Him, serve Krsna and make Krsna serve them in His turn. Sakhya is marked by the predominance of confidential relations devoid of the sense of respect and of one's inferiority to Him. Hence Sakhya-Rasa possesses the three-fold quality. There is a greater measure of the personal sentiment, a sense of regarding Krsna as one's own. It is this last trait that makes Godhead submit to Sakhya-Rasa, as for instance when Krsna agreed to drive the chariot of His cousin Arjuna when Arjuna was fighting on the battlefield at Kurukshetra.

 

In Vatsalya-Rasa (Parental mood of Devotion) there are the qualities of Shanta and the ministration of Dasya. There are also the qualities of Sakhya consisting of the absence of restraint, and of awe and respect, as well as an absence of fear of punishment and scolding — which is due to the sentiment of kinship. Additionally, there are the activities bearing the designation of "tending" (palana). There is the sentiment of regarding oneself as the guardian of Krsna, Who is regarded as the Ward. By this fourfold characteristic Vatsalya-Rasa is as delicious as nectar. Krsna Himself is immersed in that nectarean bliss in the company of His devotee. Those jnanins (meditators) such as Suka, Sanaka and Sanatan who are aware of the Nature of Krsna as Divinity possessed of controlling Power, declare that Krsna also possesses the quality of subservience to His devotee.

 

In Madhura-Rasa there is constant attachment to Krsna, extreme servitude, the absence of diffidence of the chum, the increased sentiment for Krsna that is felt when one is tending one's Child, and finally serving Krsna by means of one's own body as Consort. Hence Madhura-Rasa exhibits five distinct qualities. An analogy is supplied by the case of the five mundane elements (space, air, fire, water, earth). The quality of each element commencing with space (akasha) is carried to the next in the series and added to its own distinctive quality till the last of the elements, viz., the earth, is generated and seen to be possessing the distinctive qualities of the preceding four elements in addition to its own specific qualities. In the same manner, all the Bhavas combine in Madhura. For this reason, Madhura-Rasa has greater tastefulness which makes it so exquisitely delicious.

 

The Lord said to Sri Rupa Goswami that He had given him the mere outline of Bhakti-Rasa. Sri Caitanya advised Sri Rupa Goswami to ponder this and to amplify and expand upon it in his writings. It is by the practice of constant meditation that Krsna manifests Himself to the heart. By the Grace of Krsna even an ignorant person is enabled to realise the nature of the Ocean of Rasa.

 

 

[krsna]

 

 

The following is a extract from a lecture given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on

Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 1.2 , given in Mayapur, India on March 26, 1975

 

 

 

So Nityananda means prakasa, svayam-prakasa, Balarama. Balarama is, I mean to say, presenting Krsna. Therefore Balarama is guru-tattva. Guru is representative of Balarama, of Nityananda, Guru Nityananda, because He is exhibiting Krsna. He is presenting Krsna, prakasa. Just like when there is sunshine you can see everything very correctly. That is called prakasa.

 

In the darkness everything is covered. At night we cannot see, but during daytime, when there is prakasa, illumination, then we can see everything. So Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama. Balarama is prakasa-tattva. He's manifesting Krsna. Balarama hoila nitai. So vande sri...

 

Sri Krsna Caitanya is the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead, and next, Nityananda, or, yes, Nityananda, is exhibiting Him. When Nityananda was preaching in Bengal, He first of all delivered the Jagai and Madhai. That was His first business. He showed how to serve Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Sri Krsna Caitanya means Krsna Himself. Sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. Radha-Krsna combined together is Sri Krsna Caitanya. And Nityananda is exhibiting Krsna Caitanyadeva.

 

So how one can exhibit Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that is... By His personal example Nityananda Prabhu has given us lesson. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sending His devotees to preach and Nityananda Prabhu was doing that, He used to go with Haridasa Thakura to preach on the street, home to home. So when they saw there was a big crowd on the street, so Nityananda Prabhu inquired from the people, "Why there is so many people assembled?" He was informed that "There are two gundas, rogues. They are creating some trouble." The gundas, their business is to create trouble, that's all. Every one of us we know, especially at the present moment in Bengal. Yes. This is due to lack of preaching of Krsna consciousness.

 

Nityananda Prabhu is not given the chance. Nityananda Prabhu is very eager to preach, but He's not given chance. Actually, those who are proud of becoming descendants of Nityananda Prabhu... In Bengal there is a family, they say that they are descendants from Nityananda Prabhu. So apart from controversy, even accepting that they are descendants from Nityananda Prabhu, their business is also to act like Nityananda Prabhu.

 

So that business, what is that business? That is described by Narottama dasa Thakura, mahajana, papi tapi yata chilo, hari-name uddharilo, ta'ra saksi jagai-madhai. This is the business of Nityananda Prabhu along with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta hoilo sei, balarama hoilo nitai.

 

So here Krsna Caitanya and Nityananda, Their identification is Lord Krsna and Balarama. Now, in the Krsna incarnation, these two brothers were engaged as cowherd boys and friends of the gopis, sons of mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja. That is actual life in Vrndavana. Krsna and Balarama, They are village cowherds boy. That is the early age history of Krsna-Balarama. And Their another business, when They went to Mathura They killed Kamsa and the wrestlers, and then again, when They went to Dvaraka, They had to fight with so many demons. But Their childhood life, up to sixteenth year, They were in Vrndavana, happy life, simply love. That is paritranaya sadhunam [bg. 4.8]. Sadhus, devotees, they are always anxious to see Krsna, Balarama and Their associates. They are always very much aggrieved on account of separation. To give them rejuvenation of life, Krsna-Balarama play Their childhood days in Vrndavana. And out of Vrndavana, beginning from Mathura up to Dvaraka and other places, the business was vinasaya ca duskrtam: killing. So They have got two businesses, one for pacifying the devotees, and the other is to kill the demons. Of course, Krsna and Balarama, They are Absolute Truth. There is no difference between killing and loving. They... Absolute. Those who were killed, you know, they were also delivered from this material bondage.

 

Now these same two brothers have again descended as Sri Krsna Caitanya-Nityananda. Sahoditau: simultaneously They have appeared. Not that one is appeared, another is not there. No. Both of Them, sahoditau. And They are compared with the sun and moon. The business of sun and moon is to dissipate darkness. The sun rises during daytime, and the moon rises at night. But this sun and moon, wonderful sun and moon, citrau, They have appeared together. But the business is the same, tamo-nudau. Business is to dissipate darkness, because we are in darkness. We, anyone who is in this material world, he's in darkness. Darkness means ignorant, no knowledge. They are mostly animals. "Why they are animals, so civilized men, so well-dressed and university education degrees? Why they are in darkness?" Yes, they are in darkness. "What is the proof?" The proof is that they are not Krsna conscious. This is the proof. That is their darkness. Ask anybody, item by item, that... Ask, what do they know about Krsna. Everyone is ignorant, dark. So that is the proof. How this is proof? Now, Krsna says. We do not say; Krsna says. How does He say? Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta-jnana [bg. 7.15]. Apahrta-jnana means that although they have got university degrees, although they are called civilized, advanced in material civilization, but mayayapahrta-jnana. Their degrees, because they do not know Krsna thoroughly and therefore do not surrender to Krsna, which Krsna is canvassing personally, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja... [bg. 18.66]. He's personally canvassing. Because these rascals and fools, they are in darkness -- they do not know what is the goal of life -- Krsna is so kind that He is canvassing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. This is the philosophy. So still, they are not doing so. Why? Naradhamah. Because the lowest of the mankind, naradhama. How they have become naradhama? Now, duskrtina, always committing sinful life. What is sinful life? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. Because they are addicted to these things they are duskrtina and naradhama, lowest of the mankind. And whatever knowledge they are acquiring by so-called education, that is false knowledge. Mayayapahrta-jnana. This is the position.

 

So Sri Krsna Caitanya and Nityananda, They came, descended again, being merciful, same Krsna. Vrajendra-nandana yei, Saci-suta hoilo sei. Same Krsna. In a different way they canvassed the same principle. (aside:) You can sit down there. You are sleeping. Don't sleep. Don't show that sleeping. Go there. So this is the darkness. And Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to drive away this darkness -- same Krsna, the same Krsna. There is no difference between Krsna's preaching and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching. There is no difference. The difference is that Krsna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is demanding that "You rascal, you surrender unto Me. You are suffering so much. You are rascal. I am your father. I want to see you happy; therefore I have come. Surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo [bg. 18.66]. "You are suffering on account of your duskrti, all sinful activities. Whatever you are doing, all sinful activities." Except Krsna consciousness activities, whatever you do, that is sinful activity. But they have been summarized into four principles. The whole sinful activities of the world, they have been summarized in four lines: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. This is the summary. But otherwise, of these activities there are many, many branches. But if you cut the root of sinful activities -- this illicit sex and gambling and meat-eating -- then generally, automatically other sinful activities will go. Therefore we who are propagating Krsna consciousness movement, we are just requesting that you give up this sinful life. Otherwise you will be implicated again.

 

What is that implication? Implication is that your sinful life will get you next body which is also sinful. And again you suffer. Suffering there is. As soon as you get material body, there is suffering. It may be a king's body or it may be a cobbler's body, it doesn't matter, the suffering is there. But because these people are mayayapahrta-jnana, they are accepting suffering as pleasure. This is called maya. He's suffering, but he is thinking it is a good pleasure. Just like the pig. He's eating stool, and he's thinking he's enjoying life. This is called ignorant. He does not know that he's suffering. Maya has given his body to suffer, but even in the pig's body, he's thinking that is enjoying life. This is called maya. Mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam [bg. 7.13]. This is called illusion. Illusion. Everyone in this material world, they are suffering in different grades. Just like in the prison house there are different grades of prisoner: first class, second class, third class. But if the first-class prisoner thinks they are enjoying life, that is ignorance. He should know that he's in the prison house. In the prison house where is there enjoyment? It is all suffering. Maybe first-class suffering, (laughter) but it is suffering. So they are all in the darkness, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu appeared to dissipate, tamo-nudau, to dissipate this darkness of the whole human society. That is Their kindness. They are...

 

So Nityananda Prabhu, being prakasa, He is manifesting Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He's canvassing the same thing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is canvassing to accept Krsna consciousness, and to accept Krsna consciousness through the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Their other assistants is easier, easier. Therefore we see practically, we have taught our disciples to chant first of all the Panca-tattva, sri-krsna-caitanya (devotees chant) prabhu-nityananda, sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Thank you. So through the mercy of this Panca-tattva, easily you can approach Krsna, easily. Otherwise how it is possible? These Europeans, Americans, they did not know what was Krsna. Four or five years ago they were unknown. How they have become so devotee of Krsna that ten thousand miles, crossing over the sea, they have come here at Mayapur, unless they have got developed love for this? Their coming is not so easy from neighboring villages, but it costs. They have spent lakhs of dollars -- one dollar equal to eight rupees -- and they have come here. Why? Through the mercy of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (end)

 

 

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

 

 

[krsna]

"Krishna Caitanya is Krsna. That was observed by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. He composed one hundred verses praising the glories of Lord Caitanya, but because Caitanya Mahaprabhu was playing the part of a devotee, He thrown away the slokas, because "This is not for Me." That was Caitanya Mahaprabhu's humbleness.

 

But the devotees know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. Sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. Radha-Krsna combination of Sri Caitanya... Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu means Radha and Krsna combined……….God is one. Eka-brahma dvitiya nasti. There cannot be many Gods. So when God, Krsna, wants to enjoy His pleasure potency, that is Radharani. So He manifests Himself, manifests His energy... His energy and He, there is no difference. Sakti-saktimator abhedah. The sastra says sakti and the saktimat--means one who possesses the sakti (sakti means power, potency)--they are equal. There is no difference.

 

Just like the sun. Sun is the powerful, and the sunshine is the power. So there is heat in the sun and there is heat also in the sunshine. There is light in the sun and there is light in the sunshine also. Therefore qualitatively they are one so far heat and light is concerned. But the temperature of the sun and the temperature of the sunshine may be different. May be not. Actually there is difference.

 

This is the basic principle of all philosophies. Acintya-bhedabheda. Acintya means inconceivable, bheda means different, and abheda means nondifferent. The whole situation... The one is there, God, but He has expanded Himself in different way. Eko bahu syam."

 

(750325CC.MAY Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.1 Mayapur, March 25, 1975 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

 

[krsna]

From Caitanya Bhagavat Adi Kanda:

 

Calling out loud, one day, Misra Purandara said;

Darling Visvambhara, do thou go and fetch my book.

 

Hearing his father's words, the child ran into the room,

And lo! soft sounding anklets on his feet were heard.

 

Misra exclaimed; whence the sound of tinkling anklets?

The brahmana and the brahmini surveyed the four directions.

 

There are no anklets adorning the feet of our son;

From where comes the sweet melodious sound of anklets?

 

How astonishing! the couple, in deep revery muse,

Speechless and unable to express their wonder.

 

The lord playfully hurried back with the book,

and lo, within the room more wonders were seen;

all throughout the house they saw exquisit foot prints

bearing the distinctive marks of the ensign, thunder bolt,

the elephant goad, the flag stalf and more.

 

Both were transported with rapturous joy

at the sight of those wondrous foot prints;

their bodies were thrilled with horripilation,

their eyes o'erflowed with streams of tears.

 

Observing the lotus-foot prints, the fortunate couple

made prostration, and exclaimed together;

We are delivered, there are no more births to be!

 

Misra said; Harken, O mother of Visvarupa,

do thou make pudding of sweet rice and ghee;

lord Damodara abides in the house consealed

in the form of the holy stone. I shall, presently,

perform the ceremonial bath in his honour

with pancagavya, the five products of the cow.

 

I have deduced that it is he that roams the house;

and hence, the sound of anklets we have heard.

Thus the couple experienced intence delight,

accomplished the worship of the Salagram stone,

and the lord smiled and laughed in his mind.