Hare Krishna dear visitors,
After 2 weeks of downtime we have launched the new revamped library108.com.
A few weeks ago we have send everybody an email to inform you about the changes.
We also asked if anybody of you wanted to have a user account on the site.
So now we are live and you can register yourself.
With this new website you can also send news and articles quite easily.
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Thank you for your patience. We hope it was worth the wait.
Also please excuse us for any problems this month. We will update frequently.
ys
Uddhava das
Visakha dd
15 June 2008
13 June 2008
In case you missed it!
Here is a download page with classes from the Leicester Temple.
http://iskconleicester.org/menuaudio/Temple%20Audio.html
http://iskconleicester.org/menuaudio/Temple%20Audio.html
Giving ourselves in charity...
(Part 2 of a lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja, 13/03/07, Nectar of Instruction, text 4)
Giving charity to the devotees is also important. That is always just give and share with the devotees because by doing that we can somehow or other overcome our deep rooted material attachment. We just give; we must learn to give than rather than to take, just like Jayananda. Jayananda was Prabhupada’s dear disciple who had done so many wonderful things. And Jayananda, he joined in San Francisco and somehow or other Jayananada was ten yrs older than everybody else and Jayananda was having a profession- he was driving a taxi and he was making good money. So Jayananada would buy the devotees whatever they needed, he would buy them clothes and give it to them as a gift- whatever they would need Jayananda would be there and give. For himself he would not buy anything; he would not spend money on himself, he would buy clothes from the Salvation Army- pair of pants for one dollar and something like that, because he didn’t want to spend money on himself. There’s a story that they told him to go and, “you have to buy some descent clothes! You can not just buy these one dollar pants any longer!” so they sent him to a shop and he put on these pants and he saw like the price and thought “God, how can I spend so much money on myself? I can’t do it!” So he just put over his old pants over the new pants and tried to walk out of the shop and he got caught and anyway the whole thing came to court, quite fast in America! A few weeks later he was in court and in the court he explained the whole story and he explained to the judge how he was a monk and how he has given his whole life and how they forced him and he just couldn’t tolerate to spend so much money… and the way he explained it was so sincere and so feelingly that the shop detective who had arrested him was there as a witness that he said “my honour, I will pay for these pants!” and in that way he didn’t get convicted and somehow or other Jayananada was such a devotee who gave himself completely. Giving in charity means really giving- we must give ourselves in charity. Giving things in charity, the fruits of our labour in charity is one thing but still greater gift is to give ourselves in charity, to dedicate our life to the well being of others and not be so concerned, what, “what’s going to become of me? What will I achieve? I have my plans, I want to do so many things, if I become servant of everyone else then there will be no time left for me to do my things…!” sometimes we have to do my things, little something we have to do, that is true. But the principle is giving in charity. The highest and greatest thing is to give ourselves...
Giving charity to the devotees is also important. That is always just give and share with the devotees because by doing that we can somehow or other overcome our deep rooted material attachment. We just give; we must learn to give than rather than to take, just like Jayananda. Jayananda was Prabhupada’s dear disciple who had done so many wonderful things. And Jayananda, he joined in San Francisco and somehow or other Jayananada was ten yrs older than everybody else and Jayananda was having a profession- he was driving a taxi and he was making good money. So Jayananada would buy the devotees whatever they needed, he would buy them clothes and give it to them as a gift- whatever they would need Jayananda would be there and give. For himself he would not buy anything; he would not spend money on himself, he would buy clothes from the Salvation Army- pair of pants for one dollar and something like that, because he didn’t want to spend money on himself. There’s a story that they told him to go and, “you have to buy some descent clothes! You can not just buy these one dollar pants any longer!” so they sent him to a shop and he put on these pants and he saw like the price and thought “God, how can I spend so much money on myself? I can’t do it!” So he just put over his old pants over the new pants and tried to walk out of the shop and he got caught and anyway the whole thing came to court, quite fast in America! A few weeks later he was in court and in the court he explained the whole story and he explained to the judge how he was a monk and how he has given his whole life and how they forced him and he just couldn’t tolerate to spend so much money… and the way he explained it was so sincere and so feelingly that the shop detective who had arrested him was there as a witness that he said “my honour, I will pay for these pants!” and in that way he didn’t get convicted and somehow or other Jayananada was such a devotee who gave himself completely. Giving in charity means really giving- we must give ourselves in charity. Giving things in charity, the fruits of our labour in charity is one thing but still greater gift is to give ourselves in charity, to dedicate our life to the well being of others and not be so concerned, what, “what’s going to become of me? What will I achieve? I have my plans, I want to do so many things, if I become servant of everyone else then there will be no time left for me to do my things…!” sometimes we have to do my things, little something we have to do, that is true. But the principle is giving in charity. The highest and greatest thing is to give ourselves...
10 June 2008
Taking real shelter of the vaisnavas...
(Parts of a lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja, 13/03/07, Nectar of Instruction, text 4)
So it’s not that a devotee is alone with Krishna, but rather the devotee becomes very close and intimate with the vaisnavas, much more so than generally is the case in the material relationships that exists in this world where everyone has his privacy, where everyone has his fence, where everyone has his privacy circles, his limits, his borders and ‘sorry I don’t know you, so you can not talk to me’ kind of mood. Book distributors they ignore that; they step right through these privacy lines. The people are shocked, “This can’t be happening! This is not possible!” it shocks them. Among the vaisnavas we see that relationships are meant to be a different nature; they are meant to be close and intimate but may not be so in our present spiritual movement because we are not prema bhaktas. But if we could be, if we would be devotees on the level of prema, then really such open positive non-envious exchange could be there.Now in our present state we are associating in the material world and we are all at different levels of advancement. Srila Prabhupada sometimes said that our movement ISKCON is like a hospital and actually all are patients, some are in a better condition than the others and they are helping the others, but somehow or other it is a hospital full of patients where patients help patients, because devotees at different levels of advancement may help. Of course nitya siddha devotees are of a different nature or sadhana siddha. Those who are siddha bhakta devotees, who are fully at the platform of perfection, alright they may not be considered as patients but otherwise patients are helping patients and therefore we can not expect our relationships to be completely fully developed. So we should not be disappointed when the relationships amongst vaisnavas are not one of like real complete love and trust. When we see in our movement not yet that full love and trust is realised, then we should not think it is just because we have socially failed. Rather it is that simply the spiritual world has not fully manifested amongst us.
Srila Prabhupada says “guyam…”- experienced devotees explain and an inexperienced devotee learns from him. Guyam means what is hidden… that will be shared once intimate hidden feelings, experiences are being shared, because a vaisnava has to rise above the platform of duplicity. Duplicity is something required in the material world but from the spiritual plane duplicity is a real problem. It is actually one of the activities that can really block our spiritual advancement and it’s important that a vaisnava is not only truthful in what he says and that he doesn’t speak any lies but that he’s just truthful about what he is experiencing, because then one can actually take shelter of the vaisnavas. If we are on the platform of pretending, always playing a part for everyone, then we are very alone then because we never share our real self with anybody else. So we have to come to the point where we just share wherever we are, whatever we are going through with other vaisnavas because then we get the shelter of the vaisnavas.
So this (guyam…) is very important because without taking shelter of the vaisnavas, it is not possible.
Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja Maharaja is saying…he said, “my path is very difficult, my feet are slipping again and again, therefore with the stick of the mercy of the vaisnava for my support I can carry on this path.” So, interesting that he is saying my feet are slipping again and again, and who can say that he has a perfect track record? This is very rare- never a slip? Never a moment of weakness? Never? That’s very rare! Some may slip again and again. Then ok, there are what may be no gross slips that one is not slipping with the four regulative principles but then we slip in so many other ways: we make so many mistakes on the path, more subtle mistakes there again, we come under the influence of the lower nature. So all these things are taking us away from the path of pure devotion, pure devotional service. So by taking shelter of the vaisnavas, we automatically get our true position in the association of the vaisnavas. If we are trying to act that we are quite advanced and we are not then we are not getting the proper mercy that we require; we are just cutting ourselves off. So this taking shelter is an essential element…
So this (guyam…) is very important because without taking shelter of the vaisnavas, it is not possible.
Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja Maharaja is saying…he said, “my path is very difficult, my feet are slipping again and again, therefore with the stick of the mercy of the vaisnava for my support I can carry on this path.” So, interesting that he is saying my feet are slipping again and again, and who can say that he has a perfect track record? This is very rare- never a slip? Never a moment of weakness? Never? That’s very rare! Some may slip again and again. Then ok, there are what may be no gross slips that one is not slipping with the four regulative principles but then we slip in so many other ways: we make so many mistakes on the path, more subtle mistakes there again, we come under the influence of the lower nature. So all these things are taking us away from the path of pure devotion, pure devotional service. So by taking shelter of the vaisnavas, we automatically get our true position in the association of the vaisnavas. If we are trying to act that we are quite advanced and we are not then we are not getting the proper mercy that we require; we are just cutting ourselves off. So this taking shelter is an essential element…
Krsna's entourage...
*(Referring to the concluding words of Srila Prabhupada in Caitanya Caritamrta)
At one point Srila Prabhupada is speaking how not only the Lord is within the heart but also the spiritual master is within the heart. We think, “The spiritual master is within the heart? Well, as the super-soul, isn’t it? Because we’ve heard the spiritual master is the external manifestation of the super soul…” No, Srila Prabhupada writes in the concluding words to the Cc: the spiritual master is directly within the heart because Krsna is within the heart and Krsna is never alone; Krsna is always with all His associates. So Krsna, when He’s in our hearts, He’s there with all His associates and even with our spiritual master. So they’re all there present in our heart…(KKS, Dbn, SA- 2008)
02 June 2008
Vyasa Puja 2008 nectar
Vyasa Puja lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja- 16 May, Nrsimhaksetra
So most of you here are my disciples, there are also some guests who have come. And with all my disciples, with all of you, I have a personal relationship so therefore I thank you all very much for all that you do in Krsna consciousness, for coming here. Yes I put this celebration in the middle of the Nrsimha festival because I want to serve the Deity you see. Somehow or other I think this Deity is very special so I thought, ‘how can I use this useless birthday?’ so I thought, ‘well, if I can connect it to this Nrsimha festival at least it has some purpose, some benefit is there.’ So that’s why I did it now. So thank you all for coming. This temple needs the support so that it can continue and I think it should continue because Lord Nrsimhadeva is undoubtedly very special and He takes away all the obstacles from our heart, sarava vigna vinasana, He takes away the obstacles on the path of devotional service. So service to Him is important.
I’m trying to extend myself, to not look for my own comfort- sometimes against good reason- to support and inspire others in Krsna consciousness and especially all of you. I for my side think that these relationships that we have are very important and I don’t see…like someone said that you’re having a relationship with me as a special person and I have a relationship with many others who are just more common to me- no, all these relationships are special to me. So basically I think that all of you are nice people- of course, you know, with some I have a special relationship! Like with Mayapur Chandradoya! But I think all of you are nice people and I think you are my friends. I don’t see it so much like…all right I happen to be acting in the position as the spiritual master but I very much consider you all my friends. Okay, sometimes we even speak of a family relationship. My point is this, is that my relationship with my disciples is not just a formality- I like all of you!
My situation is that when I came to Vrndavana in 1978 I got a lot of mercy, already before I got a lot of mercy, but then in Vrndavana it really solidified and I became a devotee. And the mood in that Vrndavana temple was so focused on Srila Prabhupada- everything was just centered on him. There was Prabhupada’s samadhi- at that time it was a small, little shed; and there was Prabhupada’s house, where we would chant japa in the winter; there was the bell of the temple and it was Prabhupada’s bell and the security had to ring that on the hour and on the half hour and Prabhupada wanted it to be on time. And it became my service to make it on time- and that was 24 hours around the clock! And they would always sleep of course, these guards, and miss the bell! And then few minutes later I would have to be there to just ring-that-bell! So in this way, somehow or other, I developed a very strong connection with Srila Prabhupada and so many senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada came and reinforced that. So, somehow or other, it wasn’t just a sentiment but I also learnt a lot about what was important to Srila Prabhupada and I tried to do my best to accept responsibility. I’ve always been like that; even at home I use to take responsibility, even as a kid.
So these things of taking responsibility for Srila Prabhupada’s mission, I think is an important factor for my life. So that might be one reason for being where I am now because otherwise of course, there is the extraordinary broad-mindedness of my spiritual master. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as namo mahavadanya- the most magnanimous incarnation- so my spiritual master, Sripada Jayadvaita Swami Maharaja, has that vadanya mood, that magnanimous mood. So in that spirit he said, “We need more people to take care of devotees. So you become a spiritual master…” Actually that same day, the GBC body had asked me to become the GBC body of France- they asked many times, because I speak French! Holala! So anyway, so I was on my way to him and I said to my spiritual master, “the GBC body wants me to be GBC for France.” He said, “Ag, forget that!” He said, “There’s something else I want you to do.” And then he explained that he wanted me to take disciples and become a spiritual master. And I said to him, “They want me to be the GBC for France, they don’t want me to be a spiritual master.” And it seemed just an impossible idea but somehow or other, he knew how to maneuver and how to arrange it in a very expert way. He said, “First you can be my rtvik representative!” I said, “Ah…oh…really?” I was thinking, ‘what are people going to say?’ but he was firm about it and he said, “No, we’ll just do it.” So in his last days, Srila Prabhupada started rtvik initiations for the period of the end of his life. Of course some people say that it was to go on after Prabhupada’s departure but that is wrong. Anyway, Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter on the 9th of July telling that, “From this day on some disciples can now give initiation on my behalf as rtvik.” And my spiritual master did the same- he wrote a letter on the 9th of July! And it was like a tennis game between him and the GBC and I was the ball! Anyway they came, the GBC, and they said, “Jayadvaita Swami, you can’t do this!” he said, “Why not?” they said, “It’s against the law!” he said, “Which law? Which law do you want me to follow- the written law or the unwritten law? Where is it written that I cant do this?” so they looked and looked but they couldn’t find anything! So then they let us do it for a while. So I initiated a few disciples on behalf of my spiritual master who were placed under my care.
And then a few months later the GBC body changed everything and they suddenly changed the rule, so they said, Okay even if one’s spiritual master is also still present, with the permission of the spiritual master one can also initiate. There are many examples of that in our sampradaya: Srinivasa Acaraya was initiating in the presence of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was initiating in the presence of his spiritual master... So it is a precedent in our tradition. Anyway I see it as the generosity of my spiritual master, not my qualification. But because of the blessing of my spiritual master I did receive the qualification, it was that blessing that made me qualified. So that is why I am here as a bona fide spiritual master in the Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya.
Anyway, so I am traveling around the world looking for people that are interested in Krsna consciousness and I meet so many nice people who are interested. So our relationship has two parts to it: one aspect is that I’m acting as the representative of Krsna, I’m acting as the via medium of Krsna’s mercy. The service of the disciple is offered back up from the spiritual master to Krsna and the mercy of Krsna is coming down through disciplic succession. So in that way there is our formal relationship. So part of this Vyasa Puja is a formal duty for our purification. Disciples are renewing their commitment and the spiritual master is also being reminded of his commitment. And in this way all are being purified in such a Vyasa Puja celebration. And the other part of it is our personal relationship- our friendship, our trust that we will invest in this relationship. And from both sides we are investing in this relationship. Of course the only purpose of the relationship is to go back to Godhead this lifetime! That is what we will try for. So in this way we use our friendship to attain the most valuable goal in life. So therefore it’s actually very nice to have such relationships. I also really appreciate to have such relationships with people and people I like, who really make commitments, somehow or other to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and of the process that he taught. And I’m sure if we just somehow or other remain faithful to this whole arrangement to the best of our ability, then everything will be successful, then surely we will go back to Godhead.
Once in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada was giving this lecture and during the lecture he was especially stressing the need for surrender and pure devotional service and a 100%. And again and again the whole lecture was based on this theme- cent per cent surrender and then there will be success. So at the end of the lecture all the devotees were a little, “Ah…” looked a little depressed! So Prabhupada was sitting on a high vyasasana, which had steps coming down. So as he came down the vyasasana, he came down one step and he said, “90% will do.” He came down another step, he said, “even 80%.” And he came down one more step, he said, “even 70!” and he stepped down on the ground, threw his chadar over his shoulder and walked away! So surely, surely we may not be always perfect but don’t become discouraged, carry on. Somehow or other carry on and let us just carry on and go forward. I’m always ready to help; it doesn’t really matter what happened, we can just carry on and go forward again. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said these vows of initiation are so powerful, even if we cannot always follow them perfectly still they will be successful- of course that doesn’t mean that you’re not supposed to follow them perfectly okay! Some people, you cant give them an inch! So we must try to do it perfectly. But even if somehow or other it doesn’t work, don’t worry, we’ll carry on and there will be success.
So we’ve come here together for that; we’ve come here together so that we stay together and so that we then go forward, back to the spiritual world together. And whoever gets there first has to get the rest! That’s our deal okay! In the pastimes of Dhruva Maharaja it is described that at one point that death bowed down to him, Dhruva stepped on the head of death into this puspaviman, which means “flower airplane.” And it is said that then Dhruva’s plane was going up in the air and then Dhruva was thinking about how his mother had actually given him instructions and that it was by her mercy that he was now going back to Godhead. So he was thinking, “Well, what about my mother?” and then he saw another plane and his mother was in there. So his mother was also going back. So Srila Prabhupada wrote a very famous purport there and in that purport he writes, he said, “Yes, and the same way I hope that one of my disciples will become a pure devotee of Krsna and take me back to Godhead!” So therefore I’m saying, whoever gets there first, he has to get all the others! One for all and all for one! I think in this spirit we are having this spiritual relationship and let us just take advantage of it.
I have some advantages; for one, I’m getting older now- 55 today, so looking back at a life behind me. I have some pictures and some of these pictures show myself 30 years ago in Vrndavana- I look like a kid! I didn’t think I was a kid, I thought I was very experienced! Now 30 years later, I’m a little more experienced! Therefore I hope that with the commitment to Srila Prabhupada and with the experience in spiritual life and material life and with the friendship that exists between us, that I can be of support to you in your spiritual life so that we can go back to Godhead.
Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki, Jaya!
So most of you here are my disciples, there are also some guests who have come. And with all my disciples, with all of you, I have a personal relationship so therefore I thank you all very much for all that you do in Krsna consciousness, for coming here. Yes I put this celebration in the middle of the Nrsimha festival because I want to serve the Deity you see. Somehow or other I think this Deity is very special so I thought, ‘how can I use this useless birthday?’ so I thought, ‘well, if I can connect it to this Nrsimha festival at least it has some purpose, some benefit is there.’ So that’s why I did it now. So thank you all for coming. This temple needs the support so that it can continue and I think it should continue because Lord Nrsimhadeva is undoubtedly very special and He takes away all the obstacles from our heart, sarava vigna vinasana, He takes away the obstacles on the path of devotional service. So service to Him is important.I’m trying to extend myself, to not look for my own comfort- sometimes against good reason- to support and inspire others in Krsna consciousness and especially all of you. I for my side think that these relationships that we have are very important and I don’t see…like someone said that you’re having a relationship with me as a special person and I have a relationship with many others who are just more common to me- no, all these relationships are special to me. So basically I think that all of you are nice people- of course, you know, with some I have a special relationship! Like with Mayapur Chandradoya! But I think all of you are nice people and I think you are my friends. I don’t see it so much like…all right I happen to be acting in the position as the spiritual master but I very much consider you all my friends. Okay, sometimes we even speak of a family relationship. My point is this, is that my relationship with my disciples is not just a formality- I like all of you!
My situation is that when I came to Vrndavana in 1978 I got a lot of mercy, already before I got a lot of mercy, but then in Vrndavana it really solidified and I became a devotee. And the mood in that Vrndavana temple was so focused on Srila Prabhupada- everything was just centered on him. There was Prabhupada’s samadhi- at that time it was a small, little shed; and there was Prabhupada’s house, where we would chant japa in the winter; there was the bell of the temple and it was Prabhupada’s bell and the security had to ring that on the hour and on the half hour and Prabhupada wanted it to be on time. And it became my service to make it on time- and that was 24 hours around the clock! And they would always sleep of course, these guards, and miss the bell! And then few minutes later I would have to be there to just ring-that-bell! So in this way, somehow or other, I developed a very strong connection with Srila Prabhupada and so many senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada came and reinforced that. So, somehow or other, it wasn’t just a sentiment but I also learnt a lot about what was important to Srila Prabhupada and I tried to do my best to accept responsibility. I’ve always been like that; even at home I use to take responsibility, even as a kid.
So these things of taking responsibility for Srila Prabhupada’s mission, I think is an important factor for my life. So that might be one reason for being where I am now because otherwise of course, there is the extraordinary broad-mindedness of my spiritual master. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as namo mahavadanya- the most magnanimous incarnation- so my spiritual master, Sripada Jayadvaita Swami Maharaja, has that vadanya mood, that magnanimous mood. So in that spirit he said, “We need more people to take care of devotees. So you become a spiritual master…” Actually that same day, the GBC body had asked me to become the GBC body of France- they asked many times, because I speak French! Holala! So anyway, so I was on my way to him and I said to my spiritual master, “the GBC body wants me to be GBC for France.” He said, “Ag, forget that!” He said, “There’s something else I want you to do.” And then he explained that he wanted me to take disciples and become a spiritual master. And I said to him, “They want me to be the GBC for France, they don’t want me to be a spiritual master.” And it seemed just an impossible idea but somehow or other, he knew how to maneuver and how to arrange it in a very expert way. He said, “First you can be my rtvik representative!” I said, “Ah…oh…really?” I was thinking, ‘what are people going to say?’ but he was firm about it and he said, “No, we’ll just do it.” So in his last days, Srila Prabhupada started rtvik initiations for the period of the end of his life. Of course some people say that it was to go on after Prabhupada’s departure but that is wrong. Anyway, Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter on the 9th of July telling that, “From this day on some disciples can now give initiation on my behalf as rtvik.” And my spiritual master did the same- he wrote a letter on the 9th of July! And it was like a tennis game between him and the GBC and I was the ball! Anyway they came, the GBC, and they said, “Jayadvaita Swami, you can’t do this!” he said, “Why not?” they said, “It’s against the law!” he said, “Which law? Which law do you want me to follow- the written law or the unwritten law? Where is it written that I cant do this?” so they looked and looked but they couldn’t find anything! So then they let us do it for a while. So I initiated a few disciples on behalf of my spiritual master who were placed under my care.
And then a few months later the GBC body changed everything and they suddenly changed the rule, so they said, Okay even if one’s spiritual master is also still present, with the permission of the spiritual master one can also initiate. There are many examples of that in our sampradaya: Srinivasa Acaraya was initiating in the presence of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was initiating in the presence of his spiritual master... So it is a precedent in our tradition. Anyway I see it as the generosity of my spiritual master, not my qualification. But because of the blessing of my spiritual master I did receive the qualification, it was that blessing that made me qualified. So that is why I am here as a bona fide spiritual master in the Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya.
Anyway, so I am traveling around the world looking for people that are interested in Krsna consciousness and I meet so many nice people who are interested. So our relationship has two parts to it: one aspect is that I’m acting as the representative of Krsna, I’m acting as the via medium of Krsna’s mercy. The service of the disciple is offered back up from the spiritual master to Krsna and the mercy of Krsna is coming down through disciplic succession. So in that way there is our formal relationship. So part of this Vyasa Puja is a formal duty for our purification. Disciples are renewing their commitment and the spiritual master is also being reminded of his commitment. And in this way all are being purified in such a Vyasa Puja celebration. And the other part of it is our personal relationship- our friendship, our trust that we will invest in this relationship. And from both sides we are investing in this relationship. Of course the only purpose of the relationship is to go back to Godhead this lifetime! That is what we will try for. So in this way we use our friendship to attain the most valuable goal in life. So therefore it’s actually very nice to have such relationships. I also really appreciate to have such relationships with people and people I like, who really make commitments, somehow or other to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and of the process that he taught. And I’m sure if we just somehow or other remain faithful to this whole arrangement to the best of our ability, then everything will be successful, then surely we will go back to Godhead.
Once in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada was giving this lecture and during the lecture he was especially stressing the need for surrender and pure devotional service and a 100%. And again and again the whole lecture was based on this theme- cent per cent surrender and then there will be success. So at the end of the lecture all the devotees were a little, “Ah…” looked a little depressed! So Prabhupada was sitting on a high vyasasana, which had steps coming down. So as he came down the vyasasana, he came down one step and he said, “90% will do.” He came down another step, he said, “even 80%.” And he came down one more step, he said, “even 70!” and he stepped down on the ground, threw his chadar over his shoulder and walked away! So surely, surely we may not be always perfect but don’t become discouraged, carry on. Somehow or other carry on and let us just carry on and go forward. I’m always ready to help; it doesn’t really matter what happened, we can just carry on and go forward again. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said these vows of initiation are so powerful, even if we cannot always follow them perfectly still they will be successful- of course that doesn’t mean that you’re not supposed to follow them perfectly okay! Some people, you cant give them an inch! So we must try to do it perfectly. But even if somehow or other it doesn’t work, don’t worry, we’ll carry on and there will be success.
So we’ve come here together for that; we’ve come here together so that we stay together and so that we then go forward, back to the spiritual world together. And whoever gets there first has to get the rest! That’s our deal okay! In the pastimes of Dhruva Maharaja it is described that at one point that death bowed down to him, Dhruva stepped on the head of death into this puspaviman, which means “flower airplane.” And it is said that then Dhruva’s plane was going up in the air and then Dhruva was thinking about how his mother had actually given him instructions and that it was by her mercy that he was now going back to Godhead. So he was thinking, “Well, what about my mother?” and then he saw another plane and his mother was in there. So his mother was also going back. So Srila Prabhupada wrote a very famous purport there and in that purport he writes, he said, “Yes, and the same way I hope that one of my disciples will become a pure devotee of Krsna and take me back to Godhead!” So therefore I’m saying, whoever gets there first, he has to get all the others! One for all and all for one! I think in this spirit we are having this spiritual relationship and let us just take advantage of it.
I have some advantages; for one, I’m getting older now- 55 today, so looking back at a life behind me. I have some pictures and some of these pictures show myself 30 years ago in Vrndavana- I look like a kid! I didn’t think I was a kid, I thought I was very experienced! Now 30 years later, I’m a little more experienced! Therefore I hope that with the commitment to Srila Prabhupada and with the experience in spiritual life and material life and with the friendship that exists between us, that I can be of support to you in your spiritual life so that we can go back to Godhead.
Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki, Jaya!
01 June 2008
HH Jayadvaita Swami in Leicester
Here you can see a nice slideshow with pictures from Gaura Purnima 2008.
I know it is a bit old, but nevertheless.
Go to the slideshow
I know it is a bit old, but nevertheless.
Go to the slideshow
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