TOUR REPORT
With an important
message about Ekadasi
May 26-27, 2007
Houston, Texas
Srila Narayana Maharaja arrived in Houston on May 18th after a three-day
unexpected visit to Los Angeles. Soon you will be receiving transcriptions of
his class in Los Angeles, and two of his darsanas there. If you logon to
www.purebhakti.tv, you will be able to
see a video presentation of his class there.
Meeting in Los Angeles
In Houston, on May 26th, he gave a class
at the home of Taruna-krsna dasa and Bindu devi dasi, where he was residing at
that time.
At first he spoke in Hindi, and this was translated by Visnu dasa. He then spoke
in English, and told some very interesting details regarding the history of Sri
Prahlada Maharaja.
The following is an excerpt of the translation by Visnu dasa: In this Kali-yuga
(the Age of quarrel and hypocrisy), we are very unfortunate. Our life span is
very short, and our living conditions and the food that we eat are of very poor
quality compared to previous ages. Our intelligence is also of a very low level.
There is so much conflict around us in our communities and with neighbors, and
on top of this we are suffering from many kinds of diseases.
The main symptom in this Kali-yuga is that people are duplicitous and they
cheat. There are many so-called gurus who have abominable characters, who are
engaged in meat-eating and drinking, and who have even been in prison. Still,
people worship them and consider them gurus. We should be very careful of these
so-called gurus. A guru should have realization of Krsna; he should be expert in
the Vedic scriptures, and he should be able to remove all doubts of his
disciples.
The following is an excerpt of Srila Narayana Mahraja speaking in English: My
request is that you should not think that you are this body. In this body, Krsna
and your real self are present. Very soon you should select any qualified guru,
and under his guidance start at once to chant and engage in devotional
practices. Krsna is very merciful and powerful, and He can create and destroy
millions of universes in a moment. He has invested all his powers and mercy in
the chanting of the mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
There is one condition in chanting. Dont eat meat, fish or eggs. Dont drink
alcohol or smoke. Meat means ME-EAT. He whom you will eat, will eat you. Eggs
are embryos. *[See endnote 1] They are babies. Krsna has not made them for you
to eat. You should avoid all these things and chant Hare Krsna, and then
Krsna-prema (love of Godhead) will come. You will realize Krsna and your self,
you will never be old, and you will never return to this world.
On the next evening, Srila Narayana Maharaja spoke in the home of Vinode-bihari
dasa and Laksmi dasi. Part of his talk was broadcasted live on Houstons radio
show called Meditation Hour and heard by over 10,000 radio listeners.
The following is an excerpt from his discourse: God is very merciful. He has
created us humans, and He wants His sons and daughters to always be happy.
Unfortunately we have forgotten that Supreme Lord who is really a friend, and
father, and mother. That is why we are struggling in this endless chain of birth
and death, with so many pains and sufferings
.
Another excerpt is as follows: Krsna personally comes to this world, and
sometimes He sends His incarnations and associates to this world to preach His
mission. He says, I Myself go to this world and perform so many sweet
pastimes. Everyone who hears His pastimes will become liberated souls. He sends
His associates in the forms of acaryas (gurus) like Brahma, Sankara and others.
In this Age of Kali-yuga, Ramanuja Acarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami and
Nimbaditya have come. Krsna Himself has come in the form of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. He has sent His associates such as Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila
Sanatana Gosvami and others, and they have preached His mission throughout the
world.
They tell us that we are not really inhabitants of this world; we are
inhabitants of Goloka Vrndavana. We are like refugees here. If we want to be
happy here, we are quite foolish.
In this Kali-yuga, Lord Krsna has invested all His mercy, powers and qualities
in His holy names: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare
Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. If you chant this name with strong faith, very soon
you will be liberated and achieve Krsna-prema.
Since that day, May 27th, was the holy day of Ekadasi, Srila Narayana Maharaja
spoke about the importance of its observance. The entire class will be sent to
you at a later date. In the meantime, kindly be pleased with the following
excerpt:
Ekadasi day is nothing but Krsna Himself God Himself. He has personally taken
the form of Ekadasi. Once, when He was passing through the hellish planets, He
saw the people there crying bitterly. Why were they crying so bitterly? They
were in a very miserable condition. Those who are of bad character have to
embrace a pillar of red-hot iron which feels like burning fire. *[See endnote 2]
They do not die; they only suffer. They are also put into boiling oil to suffer,
but they so not die.
Krsna thought, Oh, this is a very bad thing. They are all My daughters and
sons. Today, I am becoming Ekadasi. On this day of Ekadasi, those who do not
take grains or foodstuffs prepared from grains will very soon be liberated. On
the other hand, if they do not fast from grains or those foods prepared from
grains, then all sins will enter into those grains, and all those persons good
activities will go to Mohini.*[See endnote 3]
Pure bhakti is very easily attained by following Ekadasi. In no way should one
disobey Ekadasi, whether one is male or female, widow or married. The only
concession is for a boy or girl who is less than five years old, or for a man or
woman who is more than eighty years old. If such persons are otherwise not able
to maintain their life, then they can take some grains (prasada) in a limited
amount.
So we should all observe Ekadasi, whether we are male or female, old or young.
In our Matha (temple) there was a devotee named Sripad Muni Maharaja. When he
was over 95 years old, he wanted to give up Ekadasi. Our Guru Maharaja told him,
If you are taking maha-prasada and you can walk and speak, why not follow
Ekadasi? You should not give it up. Having heard this from Guru Maharaja, Muni
Maharaja followed Ekadasi and continued for the remainder of his life.
So observing Ekadasi is a very important and easy method to achieve Krsna-prema
and attain liberation.
(Soon you will receive the transcription of entire class about Ekadasi.)
The hari-katha festival in Houston is from May 29-June 3, and will be
broadcasted live on www.purebhakti.tv.
[*Endnote 1: An egg is pre-born babys body, consisting of an ovum surrounded by
layers of membranes and an outer casing of some type, which acts to nourish and
protect the developing embryo.]
[*Endnote 2: A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy
member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamaraja
in the hell known as Taptasurmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips.
The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is
forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit
sex. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.26.20; translation by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada)]
[*Endnote 3 Stay tuned. Soon you will receive the entire class, and at that
time the explanation of Mohini will be presented.]
Transcriber and reporter: Vasanti dasi
Editorial Advisors: Sripad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanath dasa
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Photographer: Anita dasi
