To all my dear friends,
Here is a wonderful lecture given by His Holiness Radhanatha Maharaja
on new year's eve in Radha Gopinatha temple, Chowpatty.
Very nectarean and powerful.
Please read to your full satisfaction, after which you may truly have
a happy new year!
(:
with love,
your humble servant,
Radha Madhava dasa
Lecture Transcript (by Premnidhi Prabhu)
I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to everyone this evening.
Certainly there are many alternatives of much variety of how to spend
new year's eve. You have all chosen to come to begin the new year by
offering your hearts in the loving service of Sri Radha Gopinath by
hearing their message and chanting their names in the association of
wonderful spiritually minded people.
The title of this evening's discussion is "NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION"
chosen by His Grace (H.G.) Gauranga Prabhu. (Chorus): Hari Bol!. And
as the puppet on the strings of his order, I will try to speak
something.
Traditionally throughout the ages amongst powerful people the New Year
coming is a time of reflection. Reflection in terms of, Questions,
what have I done during the past year? What have I achieved? What are
my strengths and weaknesses? And where am I today? And in the coming
year what do I wish to do? We know, what are my priorities that I will
hold sacred and valuable in my life?
The Bhagavatam declares, that with each rising and setting of the sun,
a person is one day closer to death, except those who take pleasure in
hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, for them every rising
and setting of the sun is one day closer to eternal life. In the 11th
chapter of Sri Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells when he reveals His
universal form to Arjuna, "Time I am, controlling everything within
material nature, devouring ultimately all living beings." Time is the
energy of God himself within material existence. Time is one of the
five subjects that is emphasized within Bhagavad Gita, time is
activating the entire material creation.
It is described when Krishna, he creates the Maha-tattva, which is the
potential material creation, which is like a cloud in the spiritual
sky, and then by his own will he creates 24 material elements, the
three modes of nature – Goodness, Passion and Ignorance and then he
glances upon it, and through his glance he activates the three modes
of nature with the power of time, and then all phenomena and all
species of life are created.
So time is so important, so sacred, it is the manifestation of God
himself, and how we utilize our time will determine the value of our
lives. When a new year comes, it is a very-very suitable time to
really contemplate and make plans, make resolutions of what are the
priorities that I am going to pursue, because a moment wasted cannot
be brought back with all the wealth in Brahma's creation. There is
nothing so precious as time.
Vishnu Purana, this text explains very-very succinctly that there is
no greater tragedy in all of creation than for a human being, who has
this rare, special human birth to waste their time in forgetfulness of
God. But unfortunately material nature is created by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in such a way, to give all the inhabitants free
will and Maya or the illusory energy is there to facilitate the
desires we may have that are contrary to the will of God.
Maya is very powerful, very-very powerful. How the material energy
distracts us moment after moment from the real treasure that every
soul is longing to achieve. Srila Prabhupada quotes that, "A miserly
person is one who attains this human life, and dies without realizing
God, dies like the animals. Human life is the junction in which we can
actually make the choice and make perfect our existence, realize the
true identity of the self and the unlimited treasure of happiness that
we are meant to experience in relation to God. But Maya Devi, the
illusory energy creates a whole system with so many various intricate
networks to distract our attention, to think that we can be happy
through temporary material enjoyment.
Govinda das prays …kamala dala jala jivana tala mala… That is the
nature of all the acquisitions that we may achieve in this world, it
is like a single drop of water and a leaf of a louts flower. It is
there for a moment and when it slips into oblivion, that is the nature
of our wealth, our body, our prestige, all our abilities, our friends
and family members. These connections and relationships are
extinguished by the power of time. But yet we put so much of our
life's energy in perusing the mirages created by Maya.
What is the nature of a mirage? It looks like water which will quench
our thirst. And we work so hard to achieve it and when we finally come
to that reservoir, all we get is a mouthful of hot, dry sand. Krishna
explains in Gita, Bhoktaram yajna tapasam… if we actually want to
achieve real peace, it's not difficult. 3 things are required to
understand and live by the principles, that Krishna is supreme
proprietor of everything that exists and everything is ultimately
meant for his enjoyment, why because we are his eternal servants and
Krishna is the ever will wishing friend of everyone. By following his
instruction, by hearing his glories, by chanting his names, by living
in harmony with his will we can achieve the ultimate perfection. If we
simply have faith in these 3 principles, we can achieve everlasting
peace.
But trying to create peace in a world where people are living
untruthful to the real nature, is impossible. Janayas moho. The basic
principle of all suffering is declared in Srimad Bhagavatam, that to
think that I am this body and those things in connection to the body
are mine, in this condition we want to Lord over the material nature.
We think that we are the controller and it becomes such a fever, that
we become mad, mad with the fever trying to enjoy, trying to control,
trying to be proprietor.
The Gita declares, Kamesa… it is this Kama, the passion to selfishly
enjoy, which is the all devouring sinful enemy, and when it's not
gratified, it transforms into wrath. In the age of Kali we see so much
passion and so much wrath, therefore Kali Yuga is not a safe place.
Padam padam… there is danger at every step. Devotees are para dukha
dukhi, the nature of a devotee is, other people's suffering is our
suffering. We see since time immemorial great sages of all traditions,
they are willing to undergo all difficulties and pains and even
sometimes death to help relieve common people form their sufferings.
And how much suffering is in this world and why and what can we do
about it?
I would like to discuss this subject briefly this evening. A great
catastrophe has come upon the world. This earthquake that took place
off the coast of Indonesia and the tidal waves that were created, has
killed according to the count now approximately 120 thousand people.
Millions and millions of people are homeless with nothing, they have
lost family members and loved ones, friends, they have no property,
they have no food, massive injuries with very little relief. It's
devastating. When a devotee hears of this, how can we not weep to feel
the sufferings of so many people?
Bhaktivedanta hospital, most of the leaders have gone near Kanyakumari
trying to do their part, helping those people and we are so very
grateful for them, it will not be an easy job for them. Let us also
try to understand from scriptural point of view why these calamities
come upon human society and cause so much sorrow and suffering.
Repeatedly in the scriptures, it describes how the Lord appears, Yada
yada hi Dharmasya … again and again to establish religion (Dharma) and
to annihilate irreligion. In the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam one
example is the earth took the form of a cow to approach Brahma and
ultimately Krishna because the earth was overburdened, overburdened
with the people who were acting improperly.
What is the nature of this burden of the earth? There are two kinds of
burden. There is the burden of the beast which is unbearable and there
is the burden of love which the is the source of great pleasure just
like a mother. When a mother holds her child on her lap, even when the
child is grown up, child is heavy, it's a burden, but the mother feels
extreme pleasure by the weight of that child. Similarly when a
businessman has lots of wealth, that wealth is heavy but he gets
happiness. When great personalities take responsibilities to help
others selflessly, that is a burden.
We were hearing about His Holiness Niranjan Swami Maharaja, he has
such a massive burden upon him, dealing with so many difficult
situations, difficult places but because it's a burden of love it's
the source of great pleasure for him and all the people that he has
relationships with.
The earth is declared to be our mother. The earth is not just a dead
sphere that is there for human society to exploit and abuse. The earth
is living. It is creating so much life, let us say she is creating so
much life and since time immemorial in all parts of the world earth is
addressed as mother, Ahama Bija … Krishna declared, I am the seed
giving father of all living beings. It is as the mother nourishes
everything from the child, similarly mother earth is giving us all our
nourishment, she is providing everything. She has provided our bodies
and she is providing everything to sustain our body, everything to
enjoy.
How do we reciprocate with gifts of mother earth? That is an all
important question to ask. The mother is meant to be respected and
protected and when mother earth is properly protected, she provides
everything for everyone. But when she is exploited, abused and
practically raped by human society, there will be reactions, massive
reactions. We are warned about it constantly ecologically, socially,
spiritually at every level it only makes sense.
Several hundred years ago, the white men from Europe came to what we
now call north America and literally stole all the land from the
native American Indians and actually most of the Indians were willing
to cooperate, they just wanted some fairness even though it was all
theirs before. But when they saw how wreckless these Europeans were in
just killing animals, deforesting the forest and just plundering...
this was 100s of years ago before technology. One of the great Indian
chiefs Seattle of whom Seattle Washington was named after. He made a
famous statement, he wrote a letter to the president of the United
States, Andrew Jackson and he said to the President of the united
states that the earth is your mother and you must respect her or she
is going to react violently against you. The earth is the bed that you
have to sleep on, if you pollute it you are going to have to sleep and
live in that mess.
And look at the world today even from a scientific ecological point of
view there has to be reactions when we abuse the earth the way we are
doing today what to speak of the Spiritual Karmic consideration we are
drilling the earth for oil we are deforesting massive-massive natural
forests of the earth which are absolutely required for every living
being's survival. Now if some of these things are done for normal
purposes then that's a burden of love that the earth accepts but when
it's based on greed when it's based on ego, when it's based on
insensitivity and disrespect for the mother there is going to be
violent reactions. We are dumping mass deadly chemicals in the waters.
Years ago in the north sea practically every fish was murdered killed
washing to the shore even where I lived as a little boy at lake
Michigan there were mountains of dead fish because they were dumping
so much pollution in the lake and were polluting the air, prolifically
polluting the air, the ozone breaking down, by putting radiation,
nuclear wastes, all sorts of poison within the earth, massive deadly
chemicals, killing the top soil of the earth.
How do you expect the earth to respond when all over the word they are
testing nuclear bombs on her surface? Massive-massive military
marching upon her, taking her plush fields to grow and harvest
intoxication that cause people to go mad and abuse their bodies and
abuse others. Endless blood of innocent animals soaking the earth,
slaughter simply to satisfy the palate of human society. Millions and
millions and millions of abortions every year, our mother earth's own
children being killed within womb, illicit sex, gambling.
From ecological point of view, if you are exploiting the oil, if you
are polluting, if you are blowing up bombs, and from karma point of
the view, you are exploiting the resources of earth with greed, ego,
there must be a reaction, there must be repeated reaction. It is to be
expected Dharma means the laws of God. If you do not follow the laws
of the state, there is going to be reaction. And when it happens on
massive level, there is massive reactions.
Srila Prabhupada describes so nicely that the laws of the state, there
is laws of nature, and according to the laws of nature, for every
action there is equal corresponding reaction. Look at the irreligion
that is taking place in the age of kali, and this is the universal
principle, every devotee who is a servant of God, through all of time
have come to teach us to follow this simple, basic laws of God
according to time, place and circumstance. Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha,
Lord Caitanya, they all came to teach the basic principles, we must
follow the laws of God. But in this age of Kali, people out of their
sentiments, and on the basis of their of egoism they can concoct all
speculative ideas and justify horribly breaking the laws of God in the
name of religion. According to my religion it is a holy thing to cut
your throat. Look at what is happening in the world today, terrorism,
hatred so many concoctions, therefore Krishna tells in Gita, Sarva
Dharman parityajya … That abandon all these varieties of religion and
just surrender to me, that is what every great saintly person has
taught.
Jesus said, "I have not come to do away with the laws, I have to
fulfill them. Just surrender to God. This world is a place where you
have to suffer. He said this world is a bridge, cross over it but
don't be attached to build a house upon it. And that is what all the
great sages have said. The devoted servants of the Lord come to this
world to give us shelter and that is the purpose of this Krishna
consciousness movement.
Prabhupada said we are not here to convert, we are here to enlighten
people, to live in harmony with the laws of God, to bathe in harmony
with the will of the earth that is sublime as everything. Vidyavanay
sampanne. This is the nature of the devotee that they are kind,
compassionate and merciful to everyone. They see every living being
with equal vision whether they are a brahmana, a sudra, a cow, an
elephant, a dog or a dog eater(chandala). He sees or she sees with
equal vision. Why? Because he sees within every heart is the spirit
soul, part of God, my brother, my sister. Trinad api sunicena… to be
humble like a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree, eager to offer all
respect to others and expect none in return. These are the qualities
of one whose heart is pure and thus we can always chant the names of
the Lord.
We have seen the devastating effect of the tidal waves. Massive
exploitation, massive abuse of the earth are always reactive and so
many people have to suffer. When will human society learn. We must
live in harmony with the will of mother earth and with the will of the
Lord if we want peace and happiness within this world.
I was just thinking that when you commit an offense to a Vaishnava, or
when you commit sinful activities, the reaction is very much similar
to the earthquake that we have seen last Sunday. I read a statement by
a very great authority on the subject of the earthquakes from
California. We are authorities because any day a massive earthquake
could come in California and according to very-very senior geologist
he told me, the longer it takes for the earthquake to come the more
devastating it will be. And it's the wealthiest state of America in
fact Hollywood is there, which you may think is the perverted
reflection of bollywood. They don't think like that, everyone has
their own opinion. So this authority was explaining that when there is
an earthquake under the ocean, miles and miles down, you can't see it
happening, and that quaking of earth creates massive tidal wave, he
reported when the tidal wave is traveling over the sea, it is
practically impossible to see it even with modern satellites you just
cannot see it. These tidal waves were moving at over 500 miles an hour
from over 1,500 miles and nobody could see that anything was
happening. You only see the tidal wave when it crashes to the shore,
then it manifests its full fury of devastation.
So similarly people carelessly, they commit sinful activities,
individually and collectively. When there is massive collective
activities, that are plundering, exploiting and destabilizing the
earth planet, there is going to be massive response. But we think we
get away with it, we don't see any reaction coming, we can go on year
after year after year after year after year, the tidal wave is coming
at its speed and you don't even know until it comes to the shore of
our life, and devastation. And that's the way Vaishnava aparadha is,
it's like the tidal waves. You commit offenses to others due to egoism
and disrespect. You hurt other people's heart due to inconsiderate
behavior for whatever reason, it's like an earthquake to your
spiritual life and the reactions are on its way, but we think nothing
is happening and we go on making offenses, go on committing sinful
acts but then ultimately that tidal wave is going to reach the shore
of the present moment and cause spiritual devastation, like the mad
elephant, and all the efforts we made to create our spiritual assets
on the shore of life are just washed away, devastated by the tidal
wave of our own reactions.
So there is a great lesson both collectively and individually that we
must be very careful to take very-very seriously. But Krishna is so
kind, yada yada hi dharmasya… in order to remove the burden of the
earth, the Lord has descended again and again and again out of his
causeless mercy, but who is taking his words seriously? The Lord
descended and spoke the Bhagavad Gita and in other parts of the world
the Lord sent his representatives to speak the truth, but how many
people take it seriously? We are just trying to build our treasures in
this temporary world and in the process committing so many offenses,
it's a big problem.
When Krishna appeared, mother earth herself came before him, very
symbolic. When Krishna entered Mathura, there was a hunchback woman
named Trivarka also known as Kubja and Trivarka was actually an
expansion of Satyabhama. Or let us explain it systematically,
Satyabhama is a goddess of fortune, the eternal consort of the Lord.
Her expansion is Prithvi which is mother earth or Bhumi. Bhumi is the
consort of Lord. Has anyone of you been to Tirupati? In Tirupati,
according to tradition before you go to see Balaji, you are supposed
to first offer your prayers and worship to Bhumi Varaha, that is the
tradition. Bhumidevi and Varaha. Varaha is Vishnu himself, the Lord
and Bhu devi is his consort, mother earth. So this Prithvi manifested
herself as Kubja. Now Kubja, she was walking down the street with
very-very fragrant, fine, expensive oils.
Kamsa was taking all of her oils for his own demoniac purposes, yes,
Kamsa was not only a powerful Asura, he very much represents the
egoistic minds sets – "I and Mine" without regard for the laws of God
or nature. So yes, Kubja was being utilized in the service of Kamsa
and because of that association she was a hunchback in a very ugly
form. But Krishna saw her, a hunchback is a great burden, yes, can you
imagine what a burden it is? You can't stand up straight, there is
weight upon you, there is big burden on you.
So mother earth as Kubja was walking like a hunchback under the order
of Kamsa taking the fine oils to him. Krishna saw her and said,"O
beautiful lady:" She wasn't beautiful, nobody else thought that she
was beautiful but Krishna saw the beauty within her, ultimately
Krishna sees the beauty within every living being. We are all
Sacidananda, we are all eternal, we are all his loving servants.
Krishna said – O beautiful woman, please give me your scented oils and
Kubja was delighted even though she had to go completely against the
order of Kamsa, all the oils that he was expecting, she offered to
Krishna and Balarama. Hari Bol! Krishna anointed and she anointed
their bodies with these oils and Krishna was so happy with her that he
put both of his feet on her two feet and then with his two index
fingers, he put them under her chin and pulled up and she became
straight, her hunchback disappeared and she became most beautiful
woman, I am not going to describe her beauty. She was absolutely
beautiful. And not only that but Krishna actually awakened conjugal
feelings of love – Madhurya Rasa within her heart and she pulled
Krishna's Dhoti and Krishna turned around, his friends were there and
he promised I will come to your home later. So Vishvanatha Chakravarti
Thakur, our beloved acaryas explain it in this way that this is
Krishna's mission to remove the burden from mother earth, to remove
her from the miseries of the weight of so many people plundering,
raping, abusing and committing sinful activities upon her.
What is our right? We divided up the earth and call it our own, with
no regard to God, but Krishna comes to remove that burden and to
remove it from any individual who takes shelter of him. Kavi Kalen
nama … in the age of kali Krishna has descended within the sound of
his Holy Name. Golokera prema dana Hari nama sankirtana. From Goloka
Vrindavan the holy name has descended, as an avatar to remove the
burden of the earth to anyone who takes shelter of Krishna in his
name. nama cintamani …that name is absolutely non-different from
Krishna in his cintamani, it will fulfill all our innermost desires.
Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is the yuga avatar came to
promote this chanting of the holy names for the purpose of bringing
actual peace and happiness in peoples' hearts and if people do not
have peace and happiness in their hearts, how will they spread it
within the world? Peace on earth begins with you, anybody could talk
about it, anyone can make demonstrations about it but if you do not
clean your heart and find real love for yourself, then what are you
really going to do substantially for this planet and for the world? He
allows us to be true instrument of Gods love in our every act and our
every word and our every thought.
That is what the world needs, compassionate beings who are by their
examples and by their efforts actually trying to live in harmony with
gods love. Is there any greater need within human society? If we are
not a part of the solution then we are a part of the problem. There is
no in between. So Krishna has so kindly descended in his name, to
attract our heart to his love to his past times to reestablish the
true principles of religion, love and devotion to the Supreme and love
and compassion to all living beings. That is religion. That is the
constitutional nature of the soul.
When love of God is directed towards others in this world it manifests
as compassion to annihilate irreligion and all the miscreants within
us. For this reason the Lord has appeared in his name. Thus Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu called to all of us Jiva Jago Jiva Jago Gaura
chander…bole Lord Caitanya is calling wake up wake up wake up
spiritually you are in a deep state of sleep on the lap of Maya wake
up. Chant the names of the Lord and be happy, be free, spread the
transcendental vibration! Mother earth feels such deep pleasure and
rejuvenation when the devotees are dancing upon her surface loudly
chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama
Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
Dina … the power of the holy name has been proven. Even Jagai and
Madhai were delivered to the highest platform of pure love. They were
murderers, rapists, thieves. They burnt peoples houses
indiscriminately. They were drunkards. Can you imagine if they had the
technologies of the 21st century? All they had were their hands and
some clubs and they were causing absolute havoc. Can you imagine if
they had bombs and guns and computers? They would be the terrorists of
all terrorists, they would be hiding in the caves of Afghanistan, no
actually they would be probably ruling the world, but the name of the
Lord is so powerful that it cleansed their hearts and it made them a
humble compassionate instrument only considering the welfare of
others.
Srila Prabhupada, our beloved Guru Maharaja, he saw the condition of
Kali Yuga. He warned us so many times that the direction the human
society is taking, creating so many artificial ways of plundering the
earth, it is going to have massive reactions. We should try to do our
parts to help the people to understand they are not going to be happy
by all these artificial attempts. Happiness does not come from
accumulation of power and wealth, happiness can only come when the
soul is united with God, and acts with love toward other living
beings, there is no other true happiness.
Srila Prabhupada, on Jaladuta arrived in New York City, which is the
capital of so much materialism, with all respect to Americans. Illicit
sex, intoxication, gambling, meat eating are just the normal way of
the life, even for practically children. Yes, and it's getting worse
and worse. He came to such a civilization alone. What did he have? He
had faith in the order of his Guru who told him to spread the message
of Lord Caitanya throughout the world in the English language. He only
had 40 Rupees and he did not know a single person and he was 70 years
old, and just a few days before he had three heart attacks. He had
faith in Guru and complete faith in the power of Krishna's name to
transform peoples' hearts and he had a box of books which explained
the real problems of life and how to solve them individually, socially
and collectively. It is by the gift of his compassion that we have
this opportunity to discuss these subjects on this occasion of new
year's eve.
It is traditional that on new year's eve people make resolutions.
Prabhupada once explained "Resolution, revolution, dissolution and no
solution." That's the nature of most new year's resolutions. But what
should we really pray for on this special day, the juncture between
2004 and 2005? Sometimes I'm behind in the times. I am not going to go
into details of proofs and evidences of this statement.
Krishna explains in Gita … My devotees are always chanting my holy
names and endeavoring in great determination. If we want to make
spiritual progress Tirthavrita, vows of determination are absolutely
essential. A few days ago was Christmas so we were quoting Lord Jesus
few times, he said either you be hot or cold but if you are lukewarm I
will spit you out. Hare Krishna. Very honest statement. We must have
determination because Maya Devi is trying to trap us at every step.
Material energy is just trying to just take away the moments of our
precious human life, moment after moment.
Without vows of determination we don't really go anywhere. Today it is
so fanciful that the people who preach so called religion they
accumulate millions of followers because they tell what they want to
hear, you don't have to change your lives, you don't have to struggle
or strive you just chant the mantra or do some breath control or give
me some money, and you will be liberated just do this one little
thing. Just do this meditation and you will be alright you don't have
to change your lifestyle. But where in any scripture in the world it
is found whether one is a Buddhist, or a Jain or a Zoroastrian or a
Hare Krishna - Sanatana Dharma, Christian and Muslim its rejected in
every scripture by every saint. Jesus said, the narrow path is the
path to the kingdom of God, the narrow path is whether strict, whether
it takes determination and it's very difficult, the wide path leads to
suffering and destruction. And Krishna tell in Gita there is no
question of yoga without controlling mind and senses.
Tani Sarven … Krishna says you must fix your consciousness upon me and
restrain the senses from doing the things that are not favorable to
advancement of spirituality. Only in Kali Yuga could people such
propaganda that I will be liberated. I can just go on doing everything
if I just do little meditation or little breath control or little
mantra or give some donation to someone and get some blessing. There
must determination Dhrida Vrata. Material existence is like a river
flowing downstream, its leading to the ocean of birth and death and
bondage. We have to swim upstream and that takes determination, that
takes effort.
Are we sincere that is the question. That is the question. Are we
actually sincere, do we really want something substantial? Or are we
just going to flow down the stream doing some meditation and think
that we might be little peaceful, but we are still flowing downstream.
So new year is a time resolution which is the time to introspectively
question what do I really want in life? And to make resolutions of
determination to help us to achieve our goal. Its very important.
When devotees take initiation they take vows because actually to take
things to take seriously vows are very- very powerful that help us. So
what type of determined resolution should we take on this day? We can
inspect in which way we are cheating or which ways are we dishonest to
humanity and to God and to Vaishnavas? In which ways am I lazy from
doing the right thing, in which ways am I habituated in doing the
wrong things? In which ways am I allowing the association of the
material energy to steal my consciousness away from me? And to take
seriously and make, may be not necessarily vows but resolutions in our
lives to be determined, to give up our bad habits, to give, to try, to
really make effort to overcome our weaknesses, to increase our
enthusiasm to do the right things. To be honest, to be truthful, to be
compassionate and kind to others, to offer all respect, to be humble.
Actually if we just make one resolution, we will attain life's
perfection. Trinad Api Sunicena… just try to be humble like blade of
grass, tolerant like the tree, to offer all respect to others and to
really sincerely make efforts from our hearts to take shelter of the
holy names. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
There are three essential principles on the path of Bhakti, to worship
the Lord in his Avatar in the age of Kali by chanting his Holy names,
by sincerely from our hearts lovingly serving the Vaishnavas, and by
being a compassionate, well wisher of all living beings. And what is
separating us from following these principles? That we should try to
resolve to overcome even little by little let us try to move in the
right direction and in the assembly of the devotees to pray at the
lotus feet of Radha Gopinatha, let me always remember you, help me to
follow that path in which I can always remember you and never forget
you. Help me to overcome my weaknesses and my laziness so that I can
be the real servant of the Vaishnavas and a compassionate instrument
within this world. That we increase the sincerity in which we hear
your glories, read Srila Prabhupada's books and chant the names of the
Lord. If we pray for these things, Krishna will hear our prayer, if we
are sincere. Ananyas Cintayanta … Krishna will give us all help.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, actually Lochan das Thakur said about
Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda : Parma Karuna Parama … ananda
kanda. That these two brothers have come to teach the Yuga Dharma
which is revealed in the Holy scriptures. And the process they give is
simply joyful, chanting, dancing, tasting Prasad, it's a wonderful
process. But to follow it properly there must be determination, accept
what is favorable and reject what is unfavorable for devotional
service. And if we just make that sincere effort. Man Mana Bhava Mad
Bhakto . Just try to think of me always, become my devotee, offer
homage unto me, worship me, Krishna promises – "You will come to me
without fail."
So on this wonderful occasion where we have come together let us
consider these resolutions because we don't know what wave of material
existence may come upon us at any moment, we shouldn't waste time,
it's a tragedy. If the waves of material existence crash upon us and
we lose our life without loving God, we've lost everything and we
don't want anyone to have to suffer that, that is a devotee. So let us
on this day sincerely pray with sincere hearts for all those who were
killed by this great catastrophe and let us pray with very sincere
hearts for the well being, physical, emotional and spiritual well
beings for all those who are suffering through catastrophe, and let us
pray for all living beings on earth whose consciousness has been
flooded by the tidal wave of illusion and are wasting their lives and
let us pray sincerely that we can actually help them as the servant of
the servant of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna in spreading the
glories of the holy name. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
New year is also a time traditionally to become intoxicated. Yes? It
is the nature of the soul to be intoxicated, so much intoxication.
Trinkard Prabhu and myself are from Chicago. During 1920s and 30s the
US government made a law called prohibition against all alcoholic
beverages. Yes. And that's when the gangsters, they knew that everyone
wanted to get intoxicated so they were bootlegging, they were making
illegal alcohol and profusely selling it. Everyone had more alcohol
than the if the government made it legal. That's why ultimately the
government made it legal, and taxed on it so that they can make money
off it. People want to be intoxicated. I was speaking to someone from
high society in Bombay and they told me at these high class
aristocratic parties, practically everybody has a glass of alcohol in
their hands and they are just walking all night with glasses of
alcohol in their hands. I have never been, I may never be – I pray!
But I am told that people want to become intoxicated. Where does the
desire come from? Because the nature of the soul is to get intoxicated
in ecstatic love which is born of receiving the mercy of Krishna – the
intoxication of love of God is eternal – it will never come down – no
hangovers! And that love of God Prabhupada is distributing all over
the world. So tonight we will take the supreme nectar of the most
powerful of all intoxicants – the holy names – Hare Krishna Hare
Krishna …and when drinking this intoxicant in the association of the
society of devotees, it becomes very ecstatic. Thank you very much.
At this time,we will like to invite HH Niranjana Swami Maharaja to
kindly speak to us.
………statement of Prabhupada that he made exactly 30 years back here in
Bombay. Are you interested to hear this? In Bombay December 31st 1974,
because I got mixed up in dates it is actually 31 years ago. No , 30
years ago…yes. Exactly 30 years ago! This is Srila Prabhupada's new
year eve message to us. Srila Prabhupada ki jai! "In Vrindavan,
everyone is overwhelmed with love of Krishna. When they cannot find
Krishna they become mad, although they do not know that Krishna is
God. This is pure love. Without any knowledge of the supreme powerful
almighty – no contamination, pure love."
HG Trnakarta Prabhu : ….They should see how Srila Prabhupada came to
save such fallen people like my ancestors.
HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaja : No you are utilizing your family's
propensity to distribute the nectar of the Holy Names.
HG Trnakarta Prabhu : Everybody's gonna hopefully make transcendental
resolutions for 2005. So, you have such a wonderful congregation at
Chowpatty – maybe one small resolution would be to bring as many
people here as possible, who have never been to Prabhupada's temple,
to the lotus feet of Srila Radhanatha Maharaja.
Like the Bhagavatam said "A turban with jewels that has not bowed down
before the Lord or hands that have not served deities in devotional
service are like dead hands. So, it is a fact that everybody is. We
are right on the verge of this Tsunami wave of Maya coming at us. So,
it's like a fire there's a great fire burning in Kali Yuga- so we have
to bring as many people as possible to the lotus feet of Srila
Prabhupada.
So, I think that will be a fantastic resolution to try to bring as
many people here as possible and also to teach people to make their
homes temples which is just as important or goes hand in hand. We were
fortunate that Srila Prabhupada came to America & gave us Krishna. We
didn't know about the demigods. So many different gods they worship
here in India, so we have to make people understand what Krishna says
in the Bhagavad Gita – Aham sarvasya prabhavo…." That he is the source
of all the spiritual and material worlds, that he is the Lord, the
creator of all & we have to surrender our lives to him.
So, this is a great opportunity for all of us to make this year a
wonderful year of preaching Krishna's glories & helping people come to
the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada. Because, actually, we are trying
to enjoy so much in this life.
My mother lives in a place called Las Vegas. Srila Radhanatha Swami
Maharaja was talking about the mirage in the desert. When you get
closer then you think you're gonna get some relief but all you get is
a mouthful of sand. So, when Maharaja was speaking about the mirage, I
was thinking about Las Vegas, because there is a one big hotel in Las
Vegas called Mirage. Anybody who knows about Las Vegas, it is the same
as the higher ups of Bombay. Everybody has a drink in their hands &
there is millions & millions & millions of people that go to Las Vegas
just for this purpose. So, it epitomizes Kali Yuga because I have been
there. My mother lives there so I have to go visit her sometimes. So I
see all the crazy things that go on there. So amazing! You take some
innocent young boy from India, & just drop him off in the middle of
Las Vegas, he will be so bewildered. All you hear are slot machines go
ding, ding, ding! People going crazy & smoking & drinking & that's
what it's all about. So, basically in Kali Yuga that's what everybody
is after. So, somehow or another, make this resolution that you have
to bring as many people as possible to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet.
That will be a great accomplishment. Hare Krishna!
HH RNS: Our beloved Kirtana singer Niranjana Swami Maharaja is going
to intoxicate us. Lord Caitanya explained. Sri Caitanya Bhagavat –
when the devotees raise their arms in Kirtana – raise your arms please
- we are actually generating the mercy of the Holy Name throughout the
universal creation. Just like – you have seen antennas? – they
generate various waves- so the arms serve like antennas & the devotion
& the love of our hearts as we are chanting the Holy Names spreads
throughout the universe like the air-waves. So, everyone please rise.
Hari bol!
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/devotional_nectar/
