The Order Of The Spiritual Master

HH KKS: Whatever that order is ..it is to be carried as a jewel on the head as a great treasure and if one is taking somehow or other to the order….sometimes in a spirit of great inspiration and other times in a spirit of surrender…then one is actually experiencing the mercy of Krishna. That mercy of Krishna will leave us inspired to spiritual life….it is simple as that.

Prabhupada's Bliss - Krishna Balarama Mandir

HH KKS: I stayed here for quite some years and in those years I everyday chanted japa in Srila Prabhupada’s house…I everyday went to the aarti in the Samadhi and I could just everywhere…I felt that here in Vrndavana in this Krisha Balarama Mandir…I felt this is an amazing place …because here Krishna is more present than anywhere in the world...I felt..more than anywhere in the world..one can feel the prescence of Krishna here….I said ..but..almost even more present here in this Krsna Balarama Mandir is Srila Prabhupada…and that sort of struck me so much. And that is something that I could never forget…and even up to the day of today that is actually secretly what I am experiencing when I am coming here. In this home of Srila Prabhupada and seeing the Krishna Balarama temple…which is his temple….the temple that he was so happy ..so happy to finally complete…...that first aarti when Prabhupada offered the first aarti to Krishna and Balarama the ecstasy that Prabhupada experienced and his bliss enjoyed ...that was so great and when he turned round to the audience and waved the peacock fan the entire audience became caught up in that ecstasy and at the very end Prabhupada just…didn’t even blow the conch…but began to preach straight off the altar….!!!

Just Remember And Trust Krishna

HH KKS: Krishna knows what is the best for us. Thus a devotee who is intelligent, situated in intelligence will rely on Krishna. If one desires a wife...man desires a wife ...then Krishna will send some opportunity or not….if He doesn’t send then so be it …then what’s the point in looking ..looking everywhere…maybe this one…maybe that one …and in the meanwhile maybe this is the one..maybe ..or maybe that one and in the meanwhile we just become totally obssesed with such mundane things without remembering Krishna.
Our business is to remember Krishna and then trust that Krishna will make arrangements for us.

Gaura Nitai - Very Very Merciful!

30th Installation Anniversary Of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura Hari , Johannesburg South Africa 18/04/2009 HH KKS: When Govinda Maharaj took us back to Vrindavan I also started thinking about Vrindavan and what came to mind was that one very senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada who was very much involved in the Vrindavan project from the very beginning was Dhananjaya Prabhu. He was a householder. So one day Srila Prabhupada called him and said that you could start a business and as a business you could produce Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and then the book distributors they can take those Deities and as they meet nice people in their book distribution they can just give them a set of theses Deities and They can just be kept as souvenir dolls. Just like from different countries they collect some dolls.So he wanted us to tell people that these were Hare Krishna dolls and they can keep them in their house and we were to tell them that if everyday they would put a little water before those dolls that would bring them luck. So what an amazing vision that Srila Prabhupada had. One may say from which scripture, where is it mentioned that the Deity can be worshipped in such a way but Srila Prabhupada had such a profound vision, such a profound understanding of the mercy of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai that he saw it like that. He understood it like that and only to leave us in amazement because it takes a devotee of the caliber of Srila Prabhupada so intimate to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai who is so much in direct connection with Them that he can understand Their moods. Thus he understands that it was the desire of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Themselves who in Their very merciful mood somehow or the other were ready to reach out to those who were not following any regulative principles at all but somehow prepared to go to their houses. With this meditation I like to approach Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari. How inconceivably great Their mercy is we can not even imagine. We thought we came to Krishna consciousness because of our own interest in spiritual life but actually simply because Gaura Nitai smiled upon the world suddenly people took interest in spiritual life Suddenly because just Their presence was there in the material world the entire population of the world began to open up to the Absolute Truth thus we cannot imagine how potent the influence is and how much the influence of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari is present in our lives. We have no idea. We don’t know how much the fate of Krishna consciousness here in South Africa has been steered by Them. We don’t know what invisible strings They pulled, invisible to our eyes, how many arrangements They have made, how many people They have sent for various purposes, we have no idea! . But we can understand that They did, we can very much understand that They did and thus we can all understand that somehow or the other Krishna consciousness reach us through Them.
I first came only fourteen years ago for the first time to South Africa. Time goes fast. It is already fourteen years. At that time the Deities were in Hillbrow which was an amazing temple in so many ways but destiny had it that They had another plan. They had another plan! The plan of the Lord is only known to His devotees. Krishna reveals His plans through His devotees. Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, Their plan maybe obscure in the way that we don’t know what arrangements They will make but Their desires are not obscure. Their desires are not at all obscure. We know very well that They have a great desire to reach out to all and everyone without consideration of their qualification or their conditioning.
Somehow or the other that means that they have come for us. We should not think that Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari as the deliverer of the most fallen have come for others who are very fallen and that we are so exalted that we have come as the eternal assistants of the Lord. No one should think that we have somehow or the other received that mercy. That is our good fortune and that is why we are here. Certainly without Their presence, the presence of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari there will be not question of Krishna consciousness really having taken the proportions that it took in South Africa. What more is to unfold we don’t know, we really don’t know. Yes maybe They will move at Their own will again and again. That could be or maybe They will just stay were They are. These things are inconceivable. We are dependent on Their mercy. The occasion of Their appearance is especially blessed. It is not an ordinary festival. It is a potent time. It is a time when blessings are more present than any other time. So this is a good opportunity to pray for inspiration and strength. That is my meditation as I am here today and I pray that we may be able to do something, that we may be able to take Krishna consciousness to anyone and everyone, not just looking at those who are coming forward and already following but that we may somehow or the other find the inspiration to take Krishna consciousness to all kinds of people who are not following any standards that we may also bring Krishna consciousness to them. Because the more we try to fulfill the desires of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari, the more They will reciprocate and the more They will make miracles happen. Lord Caitanya performs many miracles in His pastimes. Very famous pastime is of course Jarikanda, the forest where He made tigers and deer’s embrace. Considering that, there are no limits, no limits in what is possible but I wish to witness some of these miracles in South Africa.
Personally I am of a very impatient nature. I can’t wait! So after fourteen years I have seen something but still my desires are not fulfilled. I wish to see something very, very extraordinary if possible in this lifetime and to see that in South Africa deer’s and tigers or opposites amongst people that were totally at odds with each other will all come together and embrace in ecstasy. It is already happening to some extent and I can’t wait for the rest of the miracles of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari to unfold. The more the devotees try to carry the message of the Lord anywhere and everywhere the more it will happen. Thus when I think of Lenasia I always see it as a preaching base. I am always thinking that this is the place where there is support. Just like the military has a base, safe place, and then we go out on missions. Partha Sarathi has told me a lot about his missions and I Think that this place is a perfect place for missions in may areas and I hope that in that way Lord Caitanya’s desires will be fulfilled. He must have a purpose why He came here.
Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai! (Applause

Nectar From Stockholm - March 2009

Download Nectar From Kadamba Kanana Mahara's Visit at Stockholm - March 2009

click on Stockholm mp3 archive (bottom right)
Kadamba Kanana Swami
march 2009 visit

NECTAR!

Attract The Mercy Of Krishna

HH KKS: We should perform our service with love but we are not able. Is it within our reach to love Krishna? Or is it granted by Krishna? It is always granted by Krishna….it is a gift from Krishna and it depends on Krishna’s mercy. The mercy of Krishna is causeless…so Krishna may give to whom ever he likes …although on can do something to attract the mercy of Krishna . because Krishna has a heart. So Krishna is full of appreciation.
It is said that when Draupadai was going through that experience of Dushasana was trying to pull her cloth .at that time she surrenedered to Krishna and she called out " Hey Govinda". And Krishna later said that whenever I remember how Draupadi just surrendered unto Me ..in My heart My appreciation for her is increasing. So Krishna deeply appreciates and feels enlivened by the service of His devotee. Thus devotional service can attract Krishna. And this is what we keep in mind.
We may not have love for Krishna .but devotional service to Krishna can attract the mercy of Krishna.

Saved From Hell!

HH KKS: A sinful person according to Bhagavatam is taken to the planet of Yamaraja …where first of all he is already punished on the way…and on that Yamaloka he is also being punished…he will be placed in some hellish condition where he has to suffer more.
It is inevitable..because if you can not hear, if we can not learn by hearing …then the only system to learn is by ..training. it is a way of training …just as animals…you train . a horse …….you train ….a little whip ..not this way..that way. Pain is away of training ….so Krishna when he sees that the living being is so rebellious and by no way can he be controlled and he is destructive and sinful..and destructive to others and himself…..Then Krishna trains that living being through suffering. And in this way it is act of Krishna’s kindness that he has created such training ..such hellish planets…where the living beings are reformed.
But this movement is to really save people from hellish planets and in so many ways the movement can change people’s destiny. Just a kirtana…if anyone hears a kirtana his destiny can be changed, a little prasadam his destiny can be changed,…a book his destiny can be very much changed. Now they are making a connection with this movement. How much can our destiny be changed…..because I can’t remember any of my previous lives and I have no idea of what I did in previous lives but I know I did enough in this life to deserve to go to hell…just for what I did in this life….so what to speak of previous lives.
Therefore we have truly been saved from these hellish planets by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, by his movement and by mercy of all the devotees who are tirelessly working to save conditioned souls. So we are very fortunate. It is a wonderful movement and it can change the whole world into Vaikuntha. Hell can be found here on this planet…you don’t have to go far, you don’t have to go to other planets you can find it here…but this movement can transform the world into Vaikuntha….so what an amazing movement we have. How great is our responsibility!

No Faith In Material Desires

HH KKS: ….We indeed have no faith in the material world . sometimes we speak about material desires and of all material desires ..especially desires for enjoying sexual activity are the strongest material desires. So these are the strongest desires for material enjoyment.
A devotee may or may not have such desires…that is there…but when a devotee is situated in knowledge: then he has no faith in these desires. Therefore we can make a declaration of no faith in sex. No faith that it will make us happy. The material energy may be there..the attraction may be there, the mind may become agitated and the senses may push…but if we believe in it ..that this will make us happy…that is maya. Then we are thoroughly in maya….if we think material things will actually give us happiness.
Thus we have no faith in the material energy..and it begins there. So even if we have material desires …but if we have no faith in our material desires then we will not invest in material desires………..

Forest Of Material Enjoyment

HH KKS: ...In the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam we find a description which is called the forest of material enjoyment …and there the attempt is made to destroy all our illusions about enjoying the material world and to thoroughly remind us how no matter what you do .it’s never going to work! Even if everything is goes well …remember in that forest….i don’t know if you remember the details…one thing in that forest was there was this constant noise …and the noise of the crickets( Maharaja makes cricket sounds)…The constant crickets which was representing the constant gossip and criticsm that is always there in this world ….always people that talk behind our back …that somehow or other telling things about us totally untrue and destroying our reputation and upsetting us and what not..to give one example.
So many other examples were given in the forest of material enjoyment…how a pilgrim who was traveling to the forest would be plundered by robbers and dacoits…and how a family man would be plundered by his family members…and working so hard and whatever is earned all disappears..all these things were being made and there is no end to the needs in the material world…...

Happiness Doesn't Exist In Material Energy

HH KKS: Lord Krishna is the only enjoyer of all sacrifices. Everything simply must be performed for the pleasure of Krishna…and if we are trying to direct our energy towards any other deity and we try to please that deity then the result will be temporary or if we are trying to simply direct our sacrafices for our own pleasure or to some person in this world…then also the results will be temporary and will lead to suffering. In this material world everything is described as …(sanskrit)…a temporary place where everything ultimately leads to misery. Some things may give us suffering immediately and others things will give us enjoyment but when we lose that temporary enjoyment then the end result will still be suffering. Thus the wise say that in relation to the material energy there is no true happinness....it doesn’t exist.

Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere..EVERYWHERE!

HH KKS: Even if we have the good fortune that we come in contact with some transcedental knowledge…then still…still our desire to become free from the material world is very weak, our desire to make spiritual advancement is very weak …thus we say spiritual life is so difficult …it is so difficult. It is not difficult ..in a way …because there are unlimited arrangements and facilities for devotional service. If one looks at it from a philosophical perspective it is not difficult because from a philosophical perspective one can perform devotional service anywhere and everywhere.
Yesterday I was reading about Gopala Guru Goswami…something about his biography and it was described that when he was only a small boy..that at that time Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu….he once saw Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who went into the forest to relieve himself. And at that time he saw that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was holding his tongue with his hand. So the boy asked why are you holding your tongue. He said: My tongue is always chanting..I can’t stop it ..it just chants all the time…but while I’m in such a contaminated state then it is better that I don’t chant and so I am holding My tongue.
But the boy said that: what if you will die, what if someone will die while being in that contaminated condition …it doesn’t make any sense..one should always chant.
And Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said: yes..correct..one should always chant and thus He said: Gopala yes you are guru………..right…so he became Gopala Guru.
So there is no condition in this material world…no condition where one can not perform devotional service…nowhere…devotional service can be performed at any time, any place any circumstances…anywhere and everywhere…….by anyone irregardless of who one is …irregardless of one’s previous sinful activities….no one is exempt….so philosophically it is not difficult to engage in devotional service because it is always possible…and especially if one has received the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and is aware of harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha…., if one is aware that this chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra is the process…….is the process for connecting with the Supreme Lord. It is the most merciful process because it reaches out without any condition.
Any other process offered in the scriptures for elevating one self always has some conditions attached to it..........But the Hare Krishna Mahamantra doesn’t have any conditions attached to it. No conditions whatsoever…(sanskrit)…no conditions..thus devotional service is unconditionally available to the living beings….that’s amazing!!!…it’s not difficult from the philosophical perspective …but it becomes difficult when one has weak desire to engage in devotional service …then it is difficult. It becomes difficult when one has strong material desires……..

Material Creation....Krishna's Causeless Mercy

HH KKS: It is important for us to understand how Krishna painstakingly becomes involved in every aspect of this material creation ..of this material universe…all the affairs. Krishna of course really has no need to do so. Is absolutely no need for Krishna to manifest the universes first of all from the pore holes of His Maha Vishnu expansion…then to enter as Garbadoksayi Vishnu to manifest this lotus flower and manifest Lord Brahma seated on this lotus flower, to have Lord Brahma act as His agent, to inspire Lord Brahma from within, to engage Lord Brahma in austerity, to instruct Lord Brahma to perform that austerity…………. all that he doesn’t have to do ..because if Krishna desires the universe is just..whusshh..manifest like that!
There is no need for a step by step manifestation of the material energy. If Krishna desires He can simply manifest the whole thing …all at once without any difficulty. But we see that Krishna is step by step manifesting the various elements from subtle to gross…out from the universe form ether is manifest and then within that ether sensual perception begins to manifest and sound is there. How then we come down to a more gross level, how then the air manifests from the Supreme Lord and that within air there is touch …so there is sound and touch …and then it comes down to fire…and like this the material elements are gradually becoming manifest until all the five sensual functions are manifest within the material elements.
So Krishna is showing how little by little everything is emanating from Him. It is simply His causeless mercy that the material creation is taking place in this way. It is simply a sign of the compassion of the Supreme Lord, it is simply a manifestation that Lord Krishna is very much interested in the conditioned soul. It is mentioned that Krishna has great interest to deliver the conditioned soul than the conditioned soul has himself to become free from this material entanglement!

Order Of The Spiritual Master....Transcendental

HH KKS: As soon as one acts on the order of the spiritual master ...wherever one is …everything is transcendental. It doesn’t matter..one can be in the middle of the world..but walk a transcendental path. One can work in a job , one can study, one can work in a bank …one can do anything in this world and when it has the blessings of the spiritual master it is transcendental! So this is the amazing feature of that connection, if one acts upon the order of the spiritual master..then there is a transcendental path..right through this material energy..suddenly it opens up right there and then!

Dying!

>HH KKS: Sukadeva Goswami was such a spiritual master that came to tell Pariksit Maharaja what the duties are of a man who is about to die….SANSKRIT… a man who is about to die…and well everybody is about to die….this is the nature of the material existence that everyone is about to die and exactly when it’s going to happen …we don’t know …but it can happen any time.
When my grandfather died my father took me to the cemetery for the first time ..it was eeery …walking there along a cemetery…so I was certainly excited. Looking around.i was five years old and I could read those days so I was reading the tombstones and I saw some tombstones of people who lived shorter than me …who were born after me and who died before me. I saw that..and I thought Wow!…this was more interesting then the grave of my grandfather where we went to put some flowers…that he had died that was to be expected…after all he was really old. He was very very old and he was overweight as well so it was not at all suprising that he died. He infact had such a big belly that he could not see his own feet. For years he never saw his own feet…..Huge!…I don’t look like that particular grandfather…I’m from the other side! But whatever might be..he left… didn’t impress so much .....to be honest…but when I had walked there and saw that people had died who were younger than me …I really thought about that for a coulple of days!
It is a fact that death is always there and Srimad Bhagavatam points out that one starts dyings from the very moment one takes birth. You can not say at the time of death ..and now it has started…where does it start ..the time of death? Does it start three days before death? One week before death? One month before death? One year before death? Ten years before death ?…When does it start the time of death ?…it’s just some biased decision to say when it starts….. But Bhagavatam points out that it starts at the time of birth!
Fortunately we are not so depressed about it because we see death as a transition and nothing more…we don’t see it as …the curtain drops..the end…right…the final performance …it is over!!….I remember the British comic Tommy Cooper who used to do all kinds of acts with a Turkish hat on …and it is said that Tommy Cooper being a comic had a heart attack on stage and he was ..flapping and dying ..on the stage and rolling around …..and the audience was just cracking up!!! …they were rolling of their seats!! and they thought it was the best act that he had ever made! ….he actually died like that ….. I guess that is what he always wanted …I guess..being a comic ,,,but that is how he died …everyone was shocked when they found out he was really dead!< Oh well…one can leave his body anytime anyplace …in the most amazing situations …in the most unexpected in the most undangerous situations…the most tame, the most safe …and one may survive the most risky ones so many times and then you die in something stupid!…Something really safe and secure and there you slip and manage to do it …drown in three centimeters of water or whatever…!
Whatever may be ….. ..a devotee is never concerned about that …a devotee is learning…practicing to get in the mood that ….whatever comes ..comes…..Not from maybe this …watch out! Extra security here! …Ward off death in so many ways!
This is not our occupation to: Get all kinds of insurances…all kinds of security to somehow or other every possible sort of inoculation ..just to make sure we are not falling prey to that terrible thing.. death ..and postpone it for long as possible…..

Nectar from Durban!

April 4- 9:
On April 4th, Maharaja flew in to Durban from Pretoria. He was basically in relax-mode, taking it easy, saving the voice and energy for the huge Ratha Yatra festival soon to take place the following weekend on the Durban beachfront. Every year before Ratha Yatra, Maharaja goes on a sort of ‘training’ program; you’ll find him in the mornings during japa, chanting around the temple moat with full force and steam, and a few devotees following behind him, struggling to keep up with his pace…yes, it was a pretty hilarious scene!

Throughout the week, an ocean of devotees from around the world

were floating in the country for Ratha Yatra- it was really waves of transcendental hype and energy bursting in the atmosphere! Devotees were either endlessly training in the plays with Bhakti Marg Swami, chopping unlimited bags of vegetables, cooking hundreds of massive pots of biriyani, having non-stop kirtanas, and so on…all in a whole-hearted endeavor for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha and His devotees. And of course Maharaja couldn’t rest for that long…he also did a few spontaneous evening programs, with sweet, melodious bhajanas and deeply inspiring classes. His mood in the lectures focused on making devotional service more and more dense. (Download all mp3 audio on Spiritual Radio 108 . Go to uploads folder and file name ends with "dbn_sa" )

“Whatever service we do, let us do it first class- really nice. That’s also making it more dense because you know, if your offering is on automatic pilot it’s not the same. So in this way, this point of sändränanda-visesätmä, is on my mind. It has been on my mind for a while and it will be there maybe for my entire stay in South Africa. So everything will be related to this point…”

Reports on Ratha Yatra coming soon…!

Download pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Yaduranidd.KKS

Maha Mantra...deep!

House Program with Maharaja- 8 April 2009, Durban, South Africa

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The Picture Of Krishna Is The Window!

HH KKS: What is the truth?........Prabhuada said there is a picture of Krishna and cowherd boys..that’s a window to the spiritual world. The picture of Krishna and the cowherd boys that is a window….....so if we look at it like that then we can appreciate that actually this world and whatever happens in it ….....how important is it really? How relevant is it really and how much can we allow it to effect our consciousness? The one thing that should really effect our consciousness is pure devotional service!

Go and hunt!

It’s said that even a lion, although he’s a king of the animals- the king of the forest- everyone is living in fear of the lion, even the elephants tip toe through the forest when the lions are roaring. Not a noise because everyone is scared of the lion. But still, it’s said that a lion has to go out and hunt; it’s not that the deers will just run into it’s mouth while he’s asleep- no, he has to go out and hunt. So in Krsna consciousness we have to hunt, but we’re not used to that. This is laziness- we want it all automatic. (Indian accent) ‘Still not coming this Krsna consciousness! I put the tilak, and still not coming…why?’
Because we have to hunt! And the thing is, that which was enough in the beginning is not enough anymore after some time. After some time you have to do more. And if you’re not satisfied, it means that you’re not doing enough! As simple as that! Of course you may say that, ‘I have no time to do more…’ then use the time you have better to put some more Krsna. There’s always space; I’m sure that Mr Gupta is still putting more pictures!

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

Lazy, less intelligent...

Let me walk up to the tape recorder and push the button just so that I will hear something, even if it’s for 5 minutes, even if it’s just 10 minutes. But just to do that, to push that button takes so much will power. This is actually our situation that we just don’t do it. So the facility is there but we are lazy, less intelligent, not so fortunate, inclined towards other things…thus many ways to try and increase. I always like to keep a book open, wherever I stay. Some book should always be open, it should lie on the table open, then the book is telling me, “Read me!” It works! And then I remember, ‘oh yes!’ and then I read a little and walk away, and later I read a little again…so it definitely works- an open book in the house!

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

Guru Is Special

HH KKS: So Maharaja Pariksit was preparing to leave this world after he had been cursed to leave his body within seven days and in the midst of that…Sukadeva Goswami, a bona fide spiritual master appeared. Maharaja Pariksit could understand that this was the mercy of the Supreme Lord on him to send him such a devotee and he could understand that this was not by chance but somehow or other by the arrangement of the Lord…His authorized representative has now come.
It is said that prior to the appearance of Sukadeva Goswami the different sages who were assembled there on the banks of the Ganges are accompanying Maharaja Pariksit who was sitting down facing the north and fasting and waiting for death to appear. At that time different sages were arguing about what Maharaja Pariksit should do but no one could agree but as soon as Sukadeva Goswami appeared everyone accepted. He was an authority. So Sukadeva Goswami was not some proclaimed spiritual master by popular vote but Sukadeva Goswami was commanding genuine respect by his outstanding spiritual qualifications.

So in this way the spiritual master must be very dedicated to the teachings of Lord Krishna…….both in practice …he must be fully conversant with the conclusion of the scripture…he must follow these….he must teach them to others, assist them in following these teachings. So the definition of the Acharya is stated in the Vayu Purana. The Caitanya Caritamrita said.. ..(Bengali)…. which means that the spiritual master is the form of Krishna. This is the proof of the scripture…. this is revealed in so many scriptures..that the spiritual master is the direct representative of Krishna. And it is said…Sanskrit…it is in this form of the spiritual master that Krishna is delivering a disciple . once one accepts the spiritual master Krishna accepts one’s service through that spiritual master ….and in this way actually one is obliged in that relationship. One can not just say simply that it does not work. One must make it work by devotional service.... because service offered to Krishna outside that relationship is not very pleasing to Krishna and doesn’t have much potency to attract Krishna.

KKS Audio- South Africa

Download latest mp3 lectures, bhajanas and kirtanas from Maharaja's current South African travels. All the nectar is available on Spiritual Radio 108 (go to uploads folder)

Krsna's will...

Krsna is not running a super computer: control R and it starts raining, control S- sunshine, control RY- Ratha Yatra! It is not Krsna who is controlling these things directly in this way. Everything goes on simply by His will and the material energy moves automatically.

(HH KKS, Dbn, SA, 2009)

More and more dense...

A devotee may have a different meditation at different points in time. For example, in the beginning, when one is not yet following all the regulative principles, one’s meditation may be- how can I come to this point? How can I get there? When one is not yet chanting 16 rounds, one’s meditation may be- how do I get there? When one is not yet initiated, one may start thinking- well, maybe one day I should be. And that is already a big step. Just to decide- okay, one day I should be- that’s the beginning. Then the next step is how do I get there. But first that determination has to be there- one day I should be. So there are different kinds of meditations at different stages in one’s spiritual life.

One meditation that is mentioned in the Nectar of Devotion is sändränanda-visesätmä, it is the meditation where one must make his devotional service more and more dense. That means more and more devotional service. The day has 24 hours- how much devotional service is there in the day? Let’s put more! Let’s put more devotional service, in between the devotional service! And then in between that devotional service and the other devotional service, you can put some more devotional service. Then let us put some devotional service on top of the devotional service! Let us just pack it with devotional service, more and more! Any service for Krsna we can do, but all service must be preceded and followed by chanting. Thus we always chant. Then let us make devotional service more meaningful, let us not just do it all mechanical but let us really do it with great quality. Whatever service we do, let us do it first class- really nice. That’s also making it more dense because you know, if your offering is on automatic pilot it’s not the same. So in this way, this point of sändränanda-visesätmä, is on my mind. It has been on my mind for a while and it will be there maybe for my entire stay in South Africa. So everything will be related to this point…

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

Hooked again...

Maya has a fishing rod and this fishing rod is coming down into to the water and there’s a line and on there, there’s a hook. And on that hook there is a delicious piece of bait and we sort of swim past and we see that hook- we’ve got hooked before, if you know what I mean– and it hurts. So this time we say, ‘oh no Maya, no, no thank you; I’m not going to bite your hook- no, no, no way! But we swim past- ‘God it looks good! It looks terribly good! Then what if I nibble a litttttle bit on the side…just a little? A little bit of the bait! In that way I’ll get the bait without the hook! Hey! That’s the trick!’ and thus everyone thinks that they can somehow or other nibble and get a little bit without getting hooked. But of course it doesn’t work. Maya sees the little floater moving and with an expert wrist movement…again hooked! So Maya is always waiting nearby to slap you down! And well, then when you’re slapped down, then you sort of come to your senses…so those who have so much difficulty with the power of Maya testing us, well, just wait a while and after you’ve been crushed a bit then maybe you’ll come back. So intelligence is the only thing that can save us. Maya is heavy…

(HH KKS, Dbn, SA, 2009)

16 and no less...

16- no less! It is there where the mercy of Srila Prabhupada is present. Even if we would chant a very good round, even if we would chant so many good rounds, still where are we on our own strength? What is the value of our attention? Even if we are attentive to Krsna, even if we focus on Krsna, how deep is that focus? Can we chant ourselves back to the spiritual world? No way! We are simply realizing that we’re trying and trying and trying and we’re at the same time hoping and hoping for the mercy of Srila Prabhupada. I’ve sometimes given this example, that, imagine it’s the end of our life and they are judging our life. They look at it and they go, ‘Oh boy! Look at this one…hmmm…not very good; he didn’t do well at all.’ Some start to say, ‘it would be better to let this one do it one more time.’ And it starts to look like that, that there is going to be one more time…and just then, one said, ‘No, no! Wait a minute! This one, this one is from the party of Prabhupada!’

‘Oh, well, very good…’
It is like that, that we ared not only going back on the strength of our own performance in spiritual life but we’re going back on the strength of Srila Prabhupada’s prayers also. But he extended the mercy of the Lord to 16 rounds and we want it for less? ‘Can’t I chant one good round? Wouldn’t that be enough?’ No! chant one good round and 15 not so good but everyday 16, and then try to chant 2 good rounds!
But we certainly depend on the mercy of the vaisnavas of Srila Prabhupada, of Lord Caitanya…

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

...i just might forget...!

Mr Gupta lived in Indore in India and he had a shop in truck parts, and so the whole day people were coming for this and that. But there was something special about his shop, and that was that everywhere there were pictures of Krsna! Never ever have you seen in one space that many pictures of Krsna! There were pictures all over the wall, there were pictures on the ceilings, pictures on the door, pictures on the door knob, pictures on the table- everything had a picture of Krsna! Whatever you could imagine, it had a picture of Krsna! Never ever have I seen again a space with so many pictures of Krsna! And everyday he was putting some more- more and more little pictures of Krsna- and he was addicted to it.

At one point it becomes an addiction; when you start to do something in relation to Krsna, at one point you cant stop! So it became an obsession; he had to put more pictures of Krsna. His watch had a picture of Krsna, his pen had a picture of Krsna- everything had a picture of Krsna. So I asked him one day, Mr Gupta why do you have so many pictures of Krsna? And he basically said, ‘Just in case, I might forget…’ That is the spirit of trying to increase our Krsna consciousness, ‘just in case I might forget…’

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

Catch the mind!

We must make arrangements to catch ourselves. The mind is sort of…well, they say nowadays, ‘spaced out!’ (dramatic) uh, what are you thinking about? ‘uhhhh I don’t know. Nothing in particular…’ is that nirvana? I don’t know what it is, but it’s not Krsna consciousness! Krsna consciousness means that we fill the mind full with impressions of Krsna. Yes, we collect many things. Like that we fill the house up with many things related to Krsna. This is one way to fill up our mind with Krsna, fill up our time with Krsna consciousness, empty out our bank account for Krsna and in this way our credit increases. Different ways to attract the favor of Krsna or do something for Krsna…

(HH KKS, DBN, SA, 2009)

The Lord as a servant...

…this is the Bhagavad-Gita, that the devotee becomes the servant of the Lord and the Lord becomes the servant of His devotee. That is unique to Bhagavad-Gita; you don’t find that anywhere else, you don’t find in any other religious scripture in the world. That is kind of an intimacy where the Supreme Lord becomes the servant of His devotee- you will not see in the Bible, you will not see in the Quran- you will not find it. The Lord becomes the servant of His devotee- that is the case- that is actually Partha-Sarathi, the chariot driver of Arjuna…the more the devotee serves Krsna, the more Krsna serves His devotee. This is actually what this Krsna consciousness is meant to be...

(HH KKS, Dbn, SA, 2009)

Gaura purnima in Mayapur

Here are some lost files from Gaura purnima.

Cannot see the slideshow? Go here
http://picasaweb.google.com/uddhava.kks/KKS_Mayapur_23Feb2009

To Be Or Not To Be?

HH KKS: Our nature is mixed, partially we are attracted to Krishna. Many parts of us are into Krishna consciousness and there are parts of us that are not into Krishna consciousness….it is the beast that still lives inside that wants to break loose..right..and it just really wants to just go for it…....That beast is also there. Sometimes I have gave a whole class on the beast ..but not tonight..another time! But any how it is obvious….that we have to purify our nature…that is there for everyone. So in the beginning of Krishna consciousness that may be very difficult and therefore rules and regulations are becoming the main focus…otherwise it is a choice of being in or out…right…in the beginning there is the choice to be a devotee or not to be? …That is the question! There is no other question that is the burning question ….am I going to make it or not? ……..but in due course of time we become kind of habituated to this sort of life , we become more settled and this is no longer the burning question on our minds. But what becomes the isuue is still we have to make advancement and we are after some time feeling : well are we really?..that becomes the question! Am I really making any advancement ? Am I really getting purified? Well the answer is Yes!

Designers of misery!

Once in a program in Johannesburg, I came out of the car and the devotees were very eager to help me out of the car and someone was very eager to close the door…and my hand was in it! It was caught in the door- four fingers! So I don’t know what was worse- the pain of the hand between the door or the pain in my mind thinking that four fingers gone- that’s it! I’ll have to go through life now missing four fingers from my hand- that’s it! So anyway at the same time I called out (dramatic), “Open, Open, Open, Open the doorrrrr…!” which they did, and as my hand came out it was perfectly alright and suddenly I realised all glories to the car designers; they’ve thought of this! What foresight! They planned it all out; they knew there would be guys like me who would put their fingers between the door and it’s all planned, there’s no problem- it’s designed for that- you can safely put your fingers between the door! Believe it or not, I even played harmonium that evening although a little slow!
(HH KKS, 5/04/09, Dbn, SA)

The Kadamba Kanana Swami Blog!!!!

Hope You all relished the mini tidal wave of Kadamba Kanana Swami's VIDS!
There are no more videos for the time being. The transcripts will start again.
The collection of VIDS from the latest UK tour can be found here:

UK TOUR 2009 HH KKS

If anyone would like to help with the KKS Blog...i.e transcribing, making music videos...any other suggestions .......Please email me (aatish) : aagajjar@live.com

KIRTANA MANIA!!! (BOUNCING OFF WALLS!) VID!

KIRTANA IN LEICESTER UK, MARCH 2009

WARM UP!


MADNESS!


LOTS OF EXCITEMENT!

ECSTATIC CONCLUSION( EXPLOSION!)


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Gaura Arati and Kirtana!! Newcastle, UK (VID!)

GAURA ARATI


KIRTANA 1


KIRTANA 2

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More Amazing Kirtana From Bhaktivedanta Manor!!! VID!

NRSHIMADEVA PRAYERS


MAHAMANTRA


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Ecstatic Kirtana!!! Bhaktivedanta Manor! Vid!

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MORE KIRTANA At Krishna Kirtana Prabhu's House!! Vid!

>



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Kirtana At Krishna Kirtana Prabhu's House! VID!

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Intiation lecture at Manor (part4 and last part-5)

part4

part5

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Initiation Lecture At Manor (part 2 + 3) VID!

part2

part3

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Durban Temple photos

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Initiation Lecture At Manor (intro and part1) VID!

Just before the lecture

part1

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The Beautiful Name (Vid!)

HH KKS - 16/03/09 HOUSE PROGRAMME
part1

part2

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Kirtana After Initiations At Bhaktivedanta Manor (VID!)

HH KKS Kirtana - March 16th 2009

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KKS Talks To University Students (part1,2,3) VID!

HH KKS at Demonfort University , Leicester UK, March 2009
part1

part2

part3

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The Great Sages ( previous transcript- now with lots of pics!)

HH KKS 12 February 2009, Melbourne, Australia
Srimad Bhagavatam, 11th Canto, chapter 6, “The Yadu dynasty retires to Prabhasa”, text no.10


syan nas tavanghrir asubhasaya-dhumaketuh
ksemaya yo munibhir ardra-hrdohyamanah
yah satvataih sama-vibhutaya atmavadbhir
vyuhe 'rcitah savanasah svar-atikramaya

Translation: Great sages, desiring the highest benefit in life, always cherish Your lotus feet within their hearts, which are melted by love for You. Similarly, Your self-controlled devotees, desiring to cross beyond the material kingdom of heaven to achieve opulence equal to Yours, worship Your lotus feet in the morning, at noon and in the evening. Thus, they meditate upon Your Lordship in Your quadruple expansion. Your lotus feet are just like a blazing fire that burns to ashes all the inauspicious desires for material sense gratification.

HH KKS: So great sages are personalities with knowledge. They are not just acting according to their own ideas but sages have absorbed, they have heard transcendental knowledge and they have implemented it in their life- they have taken shelter. The essence is that Krsna gives us so many directions in so many ways: He gives us many ways to take shelter; He appears in the form of His name, we can take shelter by reciting. We can take shelter of the meaning of the maha mantra and we can in this way understand what actually our duty is- to serve Krsna, the all-attractive Supreme Lord and that happiness will be the result. We can take shelter of the Deities…there are many shelters all along but if we don’t take shelter and then even if these shelters are there, the result will not come. So the sages are those who have adjusted their lives into the directions and desires of Krsna. Thus such sages are highly qualified, their desires have become purified.

In the beginning we may come with so many desires because the living entity by nature is pleasure seeking, and when we are forgetful of Krsna then our search for pleasure will become linked to the material energy. It’s inevitable, it must happen. If we are not full of Krsna and full of a desire to serve Krsna, then surely so many other desires will awaken in us- automatically, immediately. And the opposite is also true- if the heart becomes filled with service to Krsna, material desires disappear more and more and become insignificant, and become no longer so burning, so pressing, so difficult to overcome. They actually diminish day by day and disappear into the background until eventually they disappear altogether.

So, the sages, they desire the highest benefit in life. It is said the highest benefit in life; earlier in the Bhagavatam it is said: vasudeva-para gatih (SB 1.2.29); Vasudeva is the ultimate goal in life, there is no other goal in life. vasudeva-parah kriyah (SB 1.2.28) is also ‘benefit’. So the greatest benefit is Krsna because nothing else is so beneficial. There is nothing in this world that we can possess that can match Krsna. So why would we waste our time with the possessions of this world? Okay, while we are here we need to use some things. Some days are hot and some days are cold and you never know, so we need to adjust today- a little more clothes for us- than a few days ago. It’s amazing how things can change, how quick. And naturally we need facilities in this world to deal with the material energy but beyond that, why would we get involved with the material energy? What is the benefit? It will simply make us forget Krsna. The more one becomes involved with the material energy, the more the risk is there that one forgets Krsna.

Of course, nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktah vairagyam ucyate, if one uses the material energy in the service of Krsna then it will not cover our remembrance of Krsna, then it will help us to remember Krsna and then one can use everything in the material world. But in our own private life, why would we? For service- yes- but for ourselves- ah, ‘simple’ means free for worshipping Krsna.

“Great sages, desiring the highest benefit in life, always cherish Your lotus feet.”

Yes, it is not a matter of performing one’s religious duty-‘ I must perform these processes as my duty…’ as long as spiritual life is performed out of duty then the motivation in spiritual life is fear, srutim apare smrtim itare bharatam anye bhajantu bhava-bhitah, different people are worshipping Krsna through various ways: some are following the sruti, some are following the smrti, others are following the Mahabharata, but all of them are worshipping the Supreme Lord out of fear so it is said. Out of fear, because out of duty. That means, out of understanding, out of jnana, out of knowledge, out of understanding that this material world is a difficult place, the senses are a network of pap (sin) leading to death…but this is all based on fear. If you hear ‘the senses are a network of pap leading to death’ you think like, wooow! The senses- dangerous! The senses are poisonous snakes that bite! My God! The senses! Watch out for the senses! Snakes…pap, leading to death…what’s going on here! Thus through transcendental knowledge we are getting different warnings. We think, ‘yes, I’m afraid of my senses because my senses pull me down…’ so in this way a devotee, out of duty, is acting in spiritual life. And that is good, that is good because that’s intelligent. One who has no intelligence is just a slave of the senses.

So an intelligent person is seeing the danger of the senses and the dangers of the material energy and so on. But that knowledge itself doesn’t warm the heart; ‘okay my senses are like snakes- all right- and I have to ignore them- all right I’ll do that…but after a while it gets tough, it gets hard, it gets painful. How long, how long can I perform this austerity?’ Thus if spiritual life is only based on duty, on sense control and so on, then we are weak, then we are constitutionally weak in our spiritual life. Spiritual strength means relishing, it means actually we are relishing spiritual life, then we are strong. When we are relishing, what will maya do? But when we are not relishing and it’s all austerity then, ‘ohhh no! Please take maya away!’ then we are weak. When we are relishing prasadam, ha, then we are not attracted to material things- chocolate! No, not really. When we are relishing, the material world cannot capture us. Therefore it is said, “Great sages, desiring the highest benefit in life, always cherish Your lotus feet within their hearts…”

So they are relishing, these sages, they are having taste, they are experiencing how nice Krsna is, they are realising that Krsna is wonderful- that is necessary. We see that in the Krsna book, there is a chapter- Wonderful Krsna- and the residents of Vrndavana; they are just dwelling on all the pastimes. That chapter sort of gives a summary of the previous chapters of all the pastimes. They are remembering: Krsna lifted Govardhana Hill, they’re remembering when He was very small, only a little baby, there was this terrible witch that came but she disguised herself as a beautiful lady. That day, Nanda Maharaja and the cowherd boys were not there and there were only old men and ladies in Vrndavana. And then Putana took that form of such a beautiful lady that everyone was overwhelmed; the men- they might have been old but they were just overwhelmed! The ladies, they thought she must be a goddess! No woman in this world can look like that! And Putana in this way entered the house and very nicely went for the child, ready to give him the poison. And Krsna killed Putana- such power He had, such incredible power He had! And Krsna, then He not only killed Putana, but He also delivered Putana; He gave her the position of His mother in the spiritual world.

So in that pastime we see that only Krsna, although He’s a child, that He is limitedly powerful but we are also seeing that Krsna is very nice and He has quite a nice nature. If someone would come and try and give me poison…(dramatic) well, you know, ‘poison you’re trying to give me huh? Well, have a little yourself!’ You would be tempted to say, ‘have a drink, go for it! Taste! Now you taste it; it’s your turn now…’ that tendency is there, if someone gives you poison, to let them have a bit of a taste to have their own poison. And I’m sure everyone has the same tendency in this regard. But Krsna? No He overlooked it; He didn’t care, ‘All right, you gave Me poison, but that is your problem. I understand that you are a little bit affected by a problem- you have a tendency to give poison to little children. That’s not so good Putana. But still, you gave Me milk also. So that is all right. That’s more important- that’s much more important. You voluntarily offered Me service, so for that I’ll reward you. And the poison- oh well- for that I’ll kill you…but besides that, that’s also My mercy, only for your purification.’

Anyway, so it shows how Krsna is nice, how Krsna is very nice. So in this way, the residents of Vrndavana spent their time to enter into the pastimes of Krsna. It’s difficult for the passionate mind, to take the time to sit down and hear about Krsna: ‘He’s not gonna tell the Putana story again! Oh, no! God! Everybody knows that one! We’ve heard it a million times! Oh Putana again! Here we go…’ Yes, I know the restless mind, the passionate mind, is thinking like that, I know that, ‘(Indian accent) Yes, yes swamiji, we know all these things, we know all these stories, we know them very well! Yes, yes, yes…so nice that you are telling these old stories…’ no, they’re not old stories- you have old ears! It’s not that the stories are old, your ears are old and stuffed up, because the stories are fresh and full of little details- it’s about the detail where the juice is, and that we realise how kind Krsna is. Krsna actually gave that witch the position of a mother in the spiritual world. He purified her a little bit- yes, that He did. So it shows Krsna’s kindness and that is the most important point in the whole story- Krsna kindness.

So when we meditate on Krsna’s kindness, then it gets a little closer to home. Then little by little we can go through the stage of performing devotional service in duty to performing devotional service out of appreciation for Krsna. How nice is Krsna actually. And if we think how nice is Krsna, then little by little a real desire naturally comes then, ‘Yes I want to serve Him! He’s so nice.’ This is the trick. So it is there in appreciation for Krsna that a change of heart takes place and that we begin to relish our devotional service. So the sages went through that stage. The same thing that I’m saying is confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita, in the verse, aham sarvasya prabhavo, it is said, “I am the source of everything spiritual and material…” and in the last line it’s said budha bhava-samanvitah, “those who know that, they develop bhava. Those who know My unlimited glories, they develop a natural desire to serve Me, they develop eagerness to serve Me.”

I’m going step by step through this verse because it’s so long I cant remember it all at once actually, that’s why…Great sages- yes! Great sages are full of knowledge, desiring the highest benefit in life. They are purified by prolonged association with devotees and Krsna. “ Always desiring Your lotus feet,” yes they have heard about Krsna and they have begun to appreciate Krsna and thus they have taste now in their devotional service. They cherish the lotus feet within their hearts and thus devotional service has gone beyond duty- it has touched their hearts. These hearts are melted by love for Krsna, their appreciation…appreciation is the beginning of love, it is love. It is interesting that when we are studying the scripture that we find out that the position of the kanistha adhikari, the madhyama adhikari and the uttama adhikari. Kanistha adhikari is a neophyte devotee, he’s a materialistic devotee, he’s full of material desire and he’s not so easily surrendering. The madhyama adhikari is the intermediate devotee. He has firm faith. And the uttama adhikari, he is full of love for Krsna. But interesting enough in the Bhagavatam, a definition is given of the madhyama adhikari and it is said,

isvare tad-adhinesu
balisesu dvisatsu ca
prema-maitri-krpopeksa
yah karoti sa madhyamah
(SB 11.2.46)

It is said that a madhyama adhikari also has prema, he has prema- he also has love for Krsna. It is said “isvara”, prema is for Isvara. “tad-adhinesu” means friendship for the devotees; “prema-maitri-krpopeksa,” for the innocent there is mercy; and then for the “dvisatsu” those are the envious; “krpopeksa,” “upeksa” means ‘indifference’. So the madhyama adhikari in this way has different relationships with different personalities, but for Krsna he has prema, he has some love for Krsna. It may not be the same level of prema that is found in the uttama but there is already prema. And that is interesting because it means that the prema of the uttama adhikari is not something inconceivable, is not something alien, is not something we cannot understand right now- may be we cannot experience that same depth, that same intensity- but already, to some extent, that prema is there. Thus the prema is gradually developing- it’s a gradual process, the melting of the heart by love for Krsna.

It’s not that we serve Krsna our life out of duty and then one day…boinggggg- love of God has arrived! (dramatic)- ‘Krsna! Krsna…’ Not like that; not like a light switch is flicked on but rather a gradual, growing of love within the heart. Thus sometimes we tell ourselves, ‘No, I have no love for Krsna, I cannot love Krsna, I am not so exalted…’ ah, a little bit, come on! Don’t you love Krsna a little bit? ‘No, I have no love for Krsna!’ You do- a little bit- come on! He’s nice! He is! He’s actually very nice! He looks pretty charming there; kind of very attractive- without a doubt! And He’s also very merciful, so He’s quite lovable… ‘no, I have no love!’
But there is more love in us that we actually think; it is actually there. Remember that story of Sruta Kirti who was saying…all the devotees had assembled at the airport to greet Prabhupada- a few 100 devotees in America- and Prabhupada arrived and he came back from India. He had been in America, went to India and came back to America, so it was such a thing; the devotees had been in separation for a long time. So when Prabhupada came back they all cried tears and everything- except for Sruta Kirti! No tears, not one- nothing! Completely dry, and he was thinking, “boy, I’m so hard-hearted, I have no love at all.” And he was massaging Prabhupada and then he said to Prabhupada during the massage, “Prabhupada, all these devotees in the airport, they saw you, they cried, they had so much love for you, but me, I have no love at all!” Prabhupada didn’t say a word- nothing! But the next day when Sruta Kirti was massaging again then Prabhupada said, “This is also love, this is also love, this massaging.” He had been thinking about it and that, “this Sruta Kirti! What does he say he has no love? He has love, but he doesn’t see it! He somehow or other doesn’t see it but it is there! This is also love this massaging, this service…”

In this way it is nice if we can appreciate that we are actually getting there. It gives us a little bit of faith. If we have this mood from, “I don’t have anything- no love” then spiritual life looks impossible to attain the goal. But actually, we’re well on the way! We’re being purified! It’s happening! The transformation is taking place! The change of heart is happening! I noticed it, when I first became involved with Krsna consciousness; I was a little bit reserved because I saw that it was having very far-fetched consequences. And I thought that if you get involved with this your whole life goes upside down! And I’m not so sure if I’m really ready for that! That’s a lot! So I thought, well, okay…but it wouldn’t go away; it would always come back in my life again and again. So at one point in my life I decided, well maybe I should try- try- to stay in the temple! I’m not saying that I’m moving in and really going to do it but I’m first going to try. And I was trying and I was going through many moods. One moment I was thinking, this is really good, the next moment I was thinking, it’s too much, I’m getting out of here! I’m going to pack my bag! So I was going up and down between these moods and I wasn’t so sure if I was going to stay. So after about 2 weeks I decided to leave and I left! But then I came back to my old friends and I found that, to my own surprise, that I could only talk about Krsna! I hadn’t thought of that; I didn’t think that it had affected me so much but I was just talking about Krsna! And they didn’t mind- for 5 minutes! But after 5 minutes I was not finished, I really had to hmmm (keep my mouth closed). I knew they couldn’t take it. After 5 minutes they wanted to speak about something mundane and I totally had no interest in that and I just wanted to talk about Krsna! And I realised, God! I had become more Krsna conscious than I thought I had become! It’s amazing how powerful it was- a few weeks in the temple! So it was my first experience with this principle that actually we make more advancement than we think we do. It is like that. Well, I’m moving along the verse; I’m already 1/3rd gone.

“Similarly, Your self-controlled devotees, desiring to cross beyond the material kingdom of heaven to achieve opulence equal to Yours, worship Your lotus feet in the morning, at noon and in the evening.”

Yes, so even if we see opulence of the heavily planets- of course we don’t see that- we just see the opulence of planet Earth, and when we see it the mind goes like, ‘whoa! It looks so good! Ooooh! It looks so good!’ so therefore here in the Bhagavatam, it is said “Your self-controlled devotees, desiring to cross beyond the material kingdom of heaven…” so that’s even beyond the enjoyment and opulence that we have here. So then we can think that yes, those great devotees, they’re not even tempted, so what kind of wretch am I? I’m tempted by this earthly enjoyment, which is low class compared to this heavenly enjoyment! So these devotees are self-controlled and we know that they are self-controlled by higher taste, because they are constantly worshiping the lotus feet of the Lord in the morning, at noon and in the evening. They take shelter but we don’t!

If we do it in the morning, were doing good. So many mornings we sleep too late and then oops- no morning left! Oh well I can still worship the Lord in the afternoon and in the evening! No! Morning- morning very important! ‘Brrr! Tired, sick! Not well! Went to bed late- no...’ Yes!
‘ Nooo…’
Yes!
‘Cannot…’
Must!
‘No. Impossible...’
A fool’s dictionary! Get up!
‘Why are you so mean?’
I’m not mean, I am merciful… says the intelligence to the mind, which is arguing every morning. So in this way one must strengthen the intelligence and control the mind, and to enter into an argument with the mind, ‘No mind! If I listen to you, what would I become! I will go down, I will go down! Because now I will neglect the morning practice and when I don’t practice in the morning, I won’t do it in the afternoon as well and maybe I’ll sleep till noon. And then what? Then I’ll miss the morning and the noon and then only the evening is left!’ And then what do you do at night? (Dramatic) ‘Ta da…it’s a Saturday night and ain’t got nobody!’ then what…?

‘One stitch in time saves nine’, so a stitch in the morning, it’s like by having a good morning we are sort of getting on top of the day. But if we don’t have the morning then there is a good chance that the day will get on top of us. I have sometimes used that…that this material life is like riding on an elephant! And it’s not easy to stay on an elephant! I don’t know if you’ve ever rode an elephant but it’s tougher than horse riding, because an elephant really goes like (dramatic)! So when you sit on the elephant you slide from one side to the other and you have to really hold on. And before you knew it you are no longer on top of the elephant, but the elephant is on top of you!!! And that’s material life! So in this way we have to somehow or other be self-controlled- a stitch in time saves nine. So don’t allow ourselves just unlimited leeway; it means intelligence- that’s there. One who has higher taste doesn’t have to worry so much because one who has higher taste automatically rises in the morning. The thought of staying in the bed, in the morning? ‘Yes, have a nice sleep tomorrow morning!’ Nice sleep in the morning! But that’s when we’re having kirtana, that’s when we’re having a party!

One time I gave a lecture. It was a school program and they came to the temple for a visit and they’d ask me to give the lecture and it had turned out to be a class of only girls of 13 years old! So, okay, I gave the talk and I kept it short and then I asked for questions and the first question was, “Are you ever going to a discotheque?” and I go like, my God you know! What am I going to say to this! I thought, if is I say no, then I’m a total square and then the whole class would just decide that I’m not even worth listening to. So I was thinking, what am I going to say to this? So then, by Krsna’s grace, I got some inspiration and said, “No, no…I don’t go to the discotheque because we have a party here every day! Every day! And it’s a big party; we already start early in the morning! We sing and dance all day till night! We don’t wait till night to go to a discotheque; we have it right here! You want to try it out as well?”
“Yes, let’s do it!!!”
So we did later on. But that’s how it is. So who wants to miss the party? Sleep in the morning and chant no rounds? It feels like horrible! Nine in the morning- not one round chanted! Oh my God! It’s gonna be a hellava day! You know for sure, ‘Oh, no! Today is going to be a hellava day!’ So worshiping in the morning is essential and then noon and evening automatically follow. Once morning and noon is in, then evening will also come automatically. So the key is the morning. I’m getting there with this verse…! Half way done!

“Thus, they meditate upon Your Lordship in Your quadruple expansion.”

Shoo! These sages are very serious! Now they are meditating upon the Lord in His quadruple expansion! But we follow these sages, although generally, I must admit, I’m not so often meditating on the Lord in His quadruple expansion! Today we will follow these sages and also meditate on the Lord in His quadruple expansion and realising that the Lord expands Himself into all these forms and then begins to deal with the material energy. Because it is said in the quadruple expansion, the Lord begins to deal with the material creation and He also is supervising the functioning of this material creation in this quadruple expansion. So it’s the link that the Lord has with us here in this material world. Thus through meditating upon this quadruple expansion, we are actually relating to Krsna in the here and now. So that helps because otherwise you might think, ‘Well, God He exists but He’s very far away in His eternal abode and that’s very far away from here! And He’s absorbed in His transcendental pleasure pastimes and they are also very, very far removed from everyday life from where I am. I’m facing reality, you know, I’m facing reality right here on the ground! I have to deal with it; I have to deal with this world and the spiritual world, it sounds very nice and rosy and so on but it is so, so far removed from my life. I mean, I almost cant relate to it: desire tree and gems on the road that are touch stones and wish-fulfilling cows, and everything is conscious and so on…it sounds wonderful but it’s even more far out than the fairy tales! It sounds a little airy-fairy!’

The mind could easily come up with this kind of thinking. No, the Lord is also here- everywhere- involved in every aspects of our life! And thus every moment, every moment, we’re associating with Krsna- all the time. Yes, He’s right there wherever you go- He’s already there. That’s how it is! And when we leave the temple, it’s not like we’re leaving Krsna because wherever we go Krsna is also there- Krsna’s in the car, Krsna’s on the road, when we’re asleep Krsna’s there, when we’re awake Krsna’s there- everywhere He’s there! You can’t go anywhere because Krsna’s already there. That’s how it is! You come into the temple and you ring the bell…the other day I was reading an article about ringing the bell before you enter the temple, and it was written by some professor, and he was saying, “This is a funny practice! It’s as if God is sleeping and as if you have to wake Him up.” And of course I would have liked to write back to this professor; I wish I had his e-mail and say, it’s not God who is sleeping, it is you who are sleeping, it’s us who are sleeping! And we ring the bell so that we wake up…ding! Ding! – it’s a big one here! Wake up! You’re going before Krsna! But then when we go out of the temple we remember that Krsna’s also there- He’s everywhere! He’s there all the time.

So this is the reality that we remember- that Krsna’s everywhere. So when we’re meditating on this quadruple expansion we can see how Krsna is behind anything and everything. Then we get that part of the verse that is sort of relating to the circumstances of the day:

“Your lotus feet are just like a blazing fire that burns to ashes all the inauspicious desires for material sense gratification.”

So here the ‘forest fire’ analogy is being used in a positive sense. I know that most of Australia right now can’t hear much positive about forest fires but still there has been a lot of ‘forest-fire katha’ the last few days! Yesterday morning someone walked into my room and said, “You’re going to Victoria? Are you sure?” I go like, “Yeah, why not?” He said, “You know, there’s huge fires- 30 m high! 100km coming at you! Just the heat alone is sooo incredible! You know, just one fire fighter, he couldn’t take it anymore, he just fell on the ground, covered his face…there’s smoke everywhere…and the whole state of Victoria is covered in smoke! And when you come into Melbourne, you won’t be able to see a thing! That’s how much smoke there is! And I’m sure, you know, you’re going to see clouds of smoke as you fly!”
So I was looking and looking if there’s any smoke out there- no smoke at all- nothing! I couldn’t see a single fire! I was a little disappointed! You get all this anticipation and you think now I’m really going to see a real forest fire…nothing! But anyway, it is real for those that were in there.

And by hearing about these blazing fires, it is quite something. And the closest that I ever came to a forest fire was somewhere off in Australia and we drove through a place and well, all the trees were black! I said, okay. And then we drove further and then all the trees were black but still red hot! And it was quite smoky, and I thought like, well, if I drive any further now what’s going to happen? Should I turn around now and get out of here? I mean, still going- is it all right or what you know! And I was thinking like, well, I’m not from Australia, I don’t know about these things, and now what! May be I should ask a local…I mean, what do you do when the trees are glowing! Do you turn around or do you keep on driving! Anyway, we drove on and we survived (as you can see!) this terrible adventure. But such forest fires are also arrangements of the Supreme Lord- it is the energy of the Supreme Lord and 108 people have died. But it’s not that many.

I remember when the Tsunami hit India; India had a different mood than the rest of the world. I came to Australia with that Tsunami actually, and I flew right over the whole root. And then when we came there, over the place where the Tsunami hit India and then the pilot said, “…and on the left side of the plane you can see how the Tsunami hit India…” and then all the people, they went to the left side of the plane and the plane just went like (dramatic). Then he said, “Everyone back to your seats! Fasten your seatbelts!” and we almost landed there on the Tsunami!!! But India didn’t take it that serious, that Tsunami; they turned down the international health and 7000 people died in India. They just said, ‘we can deal with it, we can deal with this. This is Bhagavan. What to do; He gives, He takes…’

So anyway, one who has transcendental vision doesn’t become so overwhelmed by these things but accepts the will of the Supreme Lord and sees it in anyway in a perspective of eternity. Here the forest fire is used in a positive sense as the all over-powering energy of the Lord, which is so powerful that nothing can stop it, no effort can stop it. Thus the all over-powering energy of the Lord will burn up all material desires! Nothing can stop it! So this time is used to get the point across- nothing can stop it! Nothing! So don’t think, ‘oh, my material desires, it is so powerful, I mean, even bhakti is not going to purify them! I mean what can I do; my heart is as black as coal and it will stay like that and nothing is ever going to change it- it’s hopeless. I’m a hopeless case!’ No, it’s like a blazing forest fire here- nothing is going to stop it! Nothing is going to stop the effect of devotional service! That’s the message of the forest fire here, which is very important actually to us. It will work! Whether you want it or not, it says! It burns, knowingly or unknowingly- it will work! One gets purified! That is bhakti.

Okay, that’s the end of the verse; it was a very long verse and I did in steps and I still cannot summarise it but I’m going to give it one more try…
Great sages…yes, they were great because they had knowledge- they had transcendental knowledge. They knew the goal of life and not just dry knowledge; they had realised the knowledge, they’ve heard about Krsna and they appreciate the wonderful qualities and nature and thus their hearts melted. Thus these sages were self controlled and even heavenly pleasures, they couldn’t care less about them. What to speak of the pleasures of this world…these sages were always taking shelter of Krsna and that was the reason that they remained transcendental, and they worshipped the Lord in the morning (especially in the morning!) and then in the afternoon, which was more easy, and then automatically the evening followed. And then these sages, they saw the Lord everywhere, even in this world, behind everything. They understood how the Lord expands Himself and deals also with the material world and thus they took shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are like a blazing fire and it burns to ashes all material desires! Nothing can stop it, if one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. So we follow such sages; they are our inspiration. Now any questions or comments?

Question: (inaudible; in relation to losing everything due to a forest fire)

Maharaja: But it’s interesting because it can happen to us too and sometimes it does also in our life that everything is taken away. In my case, I went to the bathroom and somehow or other I got shot- it’s a long story, and won’t get into it- in the back and I never came back to my room. And then somehow or other, other people, they took everything out of the room and by the time I had regained consciousness in the hospital, the room was empty! And I was having these funny hospital uniform and then after a little while I asked, “Can I have some clothes please?” and all my clothes were gone- everything! Everything was gone. So I had to start again: I borrowed clothes, I even left the hospital without shoes! I had to start again. Anyway it went real quick- real quick. Before you knew, I had it all again- and better than before! Because, last time I knew what was wrong with all those things so this time I got the better stuff, you know! But it would be taken away again also. So after a while it comes, and it’s taken away and it comes and then it’s taken away…and so on. It breaks…I just met someone from South Africa who said like, ‘Ya, Australia- at least no crime!’ I said, ‘is it that bad in South Africa?’ he said, ‘well, the other day, they came to the temple and just before the Sunday Feast, they held up this Radha Ramana and they took the car- and his I-Pod!’ So that must have hurt him hard- the I-Pod- because that was his own! Temple car….well, he’ll probably cry more about the I-Pod than the car!

Question: So why does Krsna does that?

Maharaja: Uhmm, in this world He does it because He sees that we forget Him. So then He must take away to wake us up. He must. We forget Him because of these material things. In the spiritual world He also does it and there He does it to increase our attachment to Him, because in the spiritual world we never forget Krsna. In the spiritual world we don’t care about anything but Krsna. So in the spiritual world He takes Himself away! And when He takes Himself away, then our attachment increases. Here in the material world we have no attachment to Krsna, we forget Him and we are very happy with our material things. But then He has ways…even in South Africa He has ways, in Australia He has other ways. And in Holland, where I’m from, everybody knows- the sea is rising- it is! They have reserved 20% landmass for overflow of water because a good portion of the country is below the sea level and they’re pumping to keep it dry. But they can’t keep up with the pumping and they have to let 20% more land go for overflow. So the sea levels are rising…yes! Soon Holland will be a little island. But still, rich like anything! I’ve already thought about it- we’re going to have submarines or boats with glass bottoms and all the tourists will come see what was once Holland- we’ll charge them a fortune! So we’ll have a small island but we will be filthy rich- big tourism!

Question: (inaudible)

Maharaja: The taste comes but the taste also goes- it’s not so deep yet. So when we go through these moments that we do experience taste and the taste is not so deep yet, it means that we simultaneously still also have taste for the material world. So we’re attracted to both- to Krsna and to Maya (the material energy). And so then the taste for Krsna can just not go so deep. So we have to let go, we have to let go of these material things. We have to let go. We have to go deeper; that means we have to make more effort on the spiritual side. When we are at that stage that the taste is just slipping away again and again, we have to really make a bigger effort. And we see that with time we have to start making a bigger effort. It almost seems that we have to do more to get the same result. Before you get your taste after a little bit of endeavour in devotional service and now for the same endeavour, you don’t get the same taste anymore. Now you have to do more to get the same taste. In this way Krsna catches us; He forces us to do more to keep that taste. So that’s the only way- we have to make a bigger endeavour now. But then after some time we’ll find that the taste becomes more lasting- as we endeavour we experience that the taste becomes so lasting.

Question: (Inaudible)

Maharaja: Yes, so we have to give also. It’s ultimately about taking shelter and giving shelter. If we start to meditate so much on taste, taste, taste, taste, ‘I want taste…’ and so on, then we become selfish. So we just have to simply say, I need shelter and I need to give shelter. So whomever I meet I will try and give shelter and then whenever I’m not doing that, then I’ll try and take shelter. And then taste will come automatically. So the essence is more of taking shelter and taking shelter is everywhere. The Deities are there, the holy names are there, the books are there…so much is there. Today we’re going really slow with this verse- we’re taking shelter in the words of this verse. So shelter is everywhere. So we take shelter, give shelter…then that selfishness shouldn’t happen. But if you think so much about, ‘my taste…’ then we stand on others heads. What do you think?

Comment: (Inaudible; about Radharani)

Maharaja: Interesting! Like (devotee’s name) is a sankirtana devotee, so from a sankirtana devotee you sort of think, ‘the mood of Lord Caitanya’ but he didn’t say something about that. Sooner or later all these sankirtana devotees, they wind up with Radharani! Yes, it’s interesting; the mood of Radharani who is always engaging others in the service of Krsna, before Herself, ‘You will meet Krsna before Me…’

Shall we stop? I think so. Thanks very much. Srila Prabhupada ki, Jaya!