Singapore, February 13, 2001, am & pm
Today is the birthday of jagad-guru Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura. Prior to him no one went to distant western countries. No one ever crossed the ocean, nor did anyone want to. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, however, ordered Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, "Not only in Bengal; not only in India. I want that we should preach Krishna consciousness like Narada - crossing all the oceans and making the whole world as one." He predicted that so many western devotees - white, and Indian devotees - black, will very soon meet and dance together. Together they will perform kirtana here and there, and they will preach the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu throughout the whole world: harinama sankirtana. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. He said that very soon 500 western devotees will come. Along with them, we Indians will dance and sing and preach everywhere. Now it is going on.
But who did it? Srila Prabhupada. He wished for it, and he ordered Srila Swami Maharaja to do it. Before this he ordered his three disciples, Sripad Bhaktihrdaya Van Maharaja, Bhaktisaranga Gosvami Maharaja, and Bhaktipradipa Tirtha Maharaja, to go to England. They went there and met with lord Jetland, who was perhaps at that time the minister of Indian affairs, and told him about this mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They also met with so many other highly cultured and highly ranked persons. By doing only this, however, bhakti was not preached widely.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wished that it should be preached everywhere. He told Srila Swami Maharaja, "You should be ready to preach." My Guru Maharaja then gave him sannyasa and told him, "Now you can go and preach everywhere." After that Srila Swami Maharaja came to the western countries to fulfill the order of his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura. In a 'new style', the style of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he performed nagara-sankirtana - chanting Hare Krishna, and also Sri Krishna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasadi Gaura-bhakta-vrnda. He met with hippies and made them be happy.
He began by preaching to the lower class, and thus very soon, in a couple of years, he made so many disciples - mostly teenage girls and boys. If necessary, he was prepared to tell them, "If you like meat, I will arrange a boarding house and I will supply everything. But you should once chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare." He also called those who had come from India to make money, those who were studying advanced engineering, medicine, and so on, and thus he preached everywhere very quickly.
I think that his Gurudeva Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura must be very happy and pleased. By his efforts the mission of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami was fulfilled and preached everywhere. Unfortunately however, after his disappearance the western devotees became very weak because there was no strong personality to save them, to protect them, and to associate with them. Many became weak and gave up everything. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura never wanted this.
We should be very strong and preach everywhere. Don't fall down. Try to first become Krishna conscious householders, and then become renounced like Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. It is not that we should go from the renounced order to household life. We should always remember this.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura took birth in Jagannatha Puri, and it was fortold about him, "Utkale purusottama. A high class of devotee will appear in a very exalted devotee family in Orissa, in Puri." And it so happened. When Prabhupada was born, there were some signs on his body of yajna-pavitra, sacred thread, tilaka, and other things. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also said about him, "A mahapurusa has come, and he will preach throughout the world."
He was very bold. He never compromised with sahajijas, sakhibhekhis, mayavadis, or anyone. Even when he was alone - with the whole world one side and he on the other, he would never compromise with anyone. Our Guru Maharaja was also like this, and I also never want to compromise with anyone who is not in pure bhakti. Our disciplic line is like that. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana prabhu, Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Rupa Gosvami, and all others in our line never compromised. Anyone who can follow them will have bhakti.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has said that to chant Krishna's name, the maha-mantra, is non-different from taking darsana of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You need not worry about when darsana will come. Try to take darsana of Radha and Krishna, Mahaprabhu, and Nityananda prabhu in Their names. The holy name is more powerful and merciful than Krishna himself. Then why worry? We worry because we have no faith. Otherwise we can see everything.
When he was a boy of 16 years, Srila Sarasvati Thakura was a master of astrology. He was the best astrologer in all of Bengal and all of India. At that time the governor of Bengal and all Bengal astrologers and high class of cultured learned persons gave him the title 'Siddhanta Sarasvati.' This title was only for astrology, however, not for bhakti, because those persons did not know anything about bhakti. Some time later he became Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He was as that time one of the greatest philosophers in the world - in the four classes of Vaisnava thought and also that of the Mayavadis. The Mayavadis never came to discuss anything to him because they used to fear him so much. He published all the Vedic bhakti literature, and also the literature of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. If he was not there at that time, all the one hundred books of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would have been lost.
Asutosa Mukarjee, governor of Bengal during the British period, kept a seat - only for him - in Calcutta University, which was the only university in all of Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. However, Srila Sarasvati Thakura did not accept that seat. He told them, "I have not come to this world to count
the stars in the sky and the sand on the beach. I have come to help worldly persons who have forgotten Krishna. I will help them." He also told them, "If a person helps anyone to become a devotee, he is superior all those who make so many collages, schools, charitable hospitals, and so on. If you are preaching and helping even one person to be a pure devotee, this is the high class of mercy to the jivas."
Today is also the disappearance day of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja, who was a very bold and pure devotee. I know that he was so bold. He met with me and he liked all my books. That is why he told his devotees, "You can associate with Narayana Maharaja if you want bhakti." That is why almost all his disciples came to me and I am helping them. I must help them.
He was very brave and very bold. I heard him say on one of his cassette tapes that even if a guru or any other devotee is chanting on a big, big five-kilo mala, it will not do. If he is duplicitous, hypocritical, and political, and if he is criticizing Vaisnavas, then he is not even a Vaisnava, what to speak of a guru. He has boldly said everywhere that you should not follow all these so-called gurus and Vaisnavas. You should be in the association of a high class of Vaisnavas and gurus who are bhagavatas, who exemplify the qualifications of guru as given in Srimad Bhagavatam. In order to give this understanding he used to tell the truth, following our guru-parampara line.
For this reason almost all became against him. They warned him not to go here and there, to England or France or Australia - they banned him. They wanted to ban his tongue, but he was not such a cowardly person that he could be controlled by anyone. Also, what I have written, and what Srila Jiva Gosvami and others have written, he accepted: the jiva never came from Goloka Vrindavana - never. This idea is absurd. Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja made a booklet, with so many references from the books of Srila Swami Maharaja and other acaryas, proving that it is absurd to think that any jiva can fall down from that realm and forget Krishna. Those who think so are all wrong, and he used to tell this very boldly everywhere. They wanted to ban him from speaking about Radha, the gopis, vraja-prema and the sweet pastimes of Krishna in Vraja, but he was not controlled. He wrote down so many pastimes of Krishna, and he used to cite examples from Rasa-pancadyaya, Brahmara-gita, and other important scriptural references.
He did this because he was a Vaisnava from birth, and he practiced the principles of bhakti from his boyhood. He was totally in my line, or I may be in his line. Not only this - he was in the rupanuga Vaisnava line. I also very boldly relate hari-katha, the pastimes of Krishna. Otherwise, if we do not do this, hari-katha may leave the entire world, and the world will then be like zero. Vaidhi-bhakti cannot control Krishna. We should know what is raganuga-bhakti, and what is the love and affection had by the Vrajabasis for Krishna.
In the Caitanya Caritamrta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has written: "If I do not tell the confidential pastimes and truths about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then no one will understand them." He also wrote, "I am not writing for those who have no taste in these topics. And they will also not read this. On the other hand, those who have taste are like cookoo birds. They will come, and they will read, and they will taste all these things."
In this way, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja has explained so many truths. He has especially said that we should always associate with a high class of Vaisnavas who are not criticizing any other Vaisnavas, who are not committing offences to any Vaisnavas, and who are not engaged in politics and duplicity. We should try to follow all these things, and then we can have Krishna.
Gaura premanande, Hari Hari bol.
We will glorify Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura tonight, at the home of Taruni. Now we will offer puspanjali.
Evening
This is the appearance day of jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura, and therefore we should discuss his glories.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale,
śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti-nāmine.
In this pranama mantra it is stated: bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given birth to the murtiman-vigraha of bhakti-siddhanta, the personification of the doctrines of bhakti. In Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura there is all the knowledge that Krishna gave to Brahma, Brahma gave to Narada, Narada gave to Vyasa, and thus, by disciplic succession, came through the Rupanuga Vaisnavas down to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. All the siddhantas, philosophical truths, of the Vedas, Upanisads, and all other scriptures, were embodied in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura. If any person came to argue philosophy with him, that person was at once defeated, and he was bound to accept all his teachings.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. There are two Sarasvatis. The power of Bramha is Sarasvati, but that Sarasvati is not the real Sarasvati of Goloka Vrindavan. This Siddhanta Sarasvati, however, is the real embodiment of para-vidya, transcendental knowledge. Therefore, because of this transcendental knowledge, his name was Srila Bhakisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. Why Prabhupada? He was Prabhupada in the real sense because he preached throughout the world the glorification of his Prabhu. Who is his Prabhu? Radha-Krishna Conjugal, or Gauracandra, Gaura-Gadadhara, and Gaura-Nityananda. He preached Their glories everywhere, and therefore he is really Srila Prabhupada.
Nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale: He was very near and dear to Krishna - very near and dear - in that male form. But who is he really? In the second sloka of his pranama mantra it is stated: sri varsabhanavi-devi-dayitaya. He is really the eternal maidservant of Srimati Radhika. He is so very dear to Radhika, in his form as Nayana-manjari. As Mahaprabhu's associate he is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, and as the associate of Radha-Krishna Conjugal he is Nayana-manjari. What is the meaning of the name Nayana-manjari? As one's eyes are very priya, dear, to one, Nayana-manjari, who is the personification of the eyes of Srimati Radhika, is so near and dear to Her. She is always serving Srimati Radhika. Thus, he has two forms. One form is as Caitanya Mahaprabhu's associate, not only in this world but also in Goloka Vrindavana, in Svetadhipa. And, in Vrindavana also, as Nayana-manjari, she serves Srimati Radhika.You have seen in Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's Vilapa-kusamanjali how the manjaris serve Radha-Krishna Conjugal. Nayana-manjari serves Them in those same ways.
Srila Sarasvati Thakura is kṛpābdhaye, an endless ocean of mercy. He was the first acarya in the four sampradayas to desire that all the people in the world, all those who have forgotten Krishna, should realize all the truths of bhakti, and they should be helped to become pure devotees. If Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura had not sent his disciples here and there, none of you, in any country, would have met pure devotees. Now, by the mercy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, though Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and my Gurudeva, krsna-kirtana is everywhere in the world. Everyone knows Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha and Krishna only by their mercy. Srila Prabhupada had the wish, and then he sent his arms here and there. Who are his arms? His disciples his devotees. At first he sent Srila Van Maharaja and others, and next he sent Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. They are therefore like arms, and they are preaching everywhere.
We are very fortunate to come in their line, but we should try to be very strong. Sometimes, if you are not in good association, you become weak. It may be that when I return to India, you will become weak. Don't be weak. Always realize that our whole guru-parampara, Radha-Krishna, Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Guru are always with you, and they will help you. Don't give up chanting and remembering Krishna.
Kṛpābdhaye. He is not called an ocean of mercy only because he gave us harinama. He gave so much more. He brought Goloka Vrindavana. He brought the love and affection of the gopis to this world. If he has not brought all these things, we would never have heard of them. He is therefore an ocean of mercy.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura taught that there are five kinds of knowledge: pratyeksa, paroksa, aparoksa, adhoksaja, and aprakrta. The knowledge of everything we see and realize by our direct experience is called pratyeksa. But this is false. Then, paroksa. We don't see Svarga, but we believe in it. There is also a history of Svaraga. We will have to accept Svarga, although we don't see it. We hear that if a man is a thief, a dacoit, a debauch, and so on, he will have to go to naraka, hell. On the other hand, if he is pious, he will go to Svarga and there he will be very happy. This knowledge is called paroksa. Then, aparoksa. This is the knowledge taught by Sankarcarya. One day we will have to die, and we will have to give up everything in this world. Our beauty will go, our body will go, whatever we are collecting will go, and everything else will go. We cannot take anything, neither our pennies nor our pens, from this world. So why are we collecting all these bogus things? Why? An intelligent person thinks about this and becomes detached, but a bogus, foolish person remains attached to sense gratification. He desires only to make his body very beautiful and strong. Nowadays there is a competition for Miss India, Miss America, Miss World, and also Miss Universe. After one year, will Miss India again be selected as Miss India or Miss World? Rather, all will neglect her.
Even devotees, although engaged in chanting and remembering, are also engaged in sense gratification, and they cannot give up lust. This is Maya. Therefore, Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura sent his qualified devotees everywhere- to make those weak devotees strong. "You should remember Krishna." It is for this reason that he has sent his arms. I am also coming. Why? He ordered me. His disciple, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, ordered me. My Swamiji ordered me. So you should not be weak - never and never.
Then, adhoksaja. What is adhoksaja? Adhoksaja is Vaikuntha, that place where there is no kala, time. There is only the eternal present. There is no birth and death, and no suffering and sorrow. Nothing bad is there. In that abode there is so much opulence, and everyone there prays to Narayana. There is something higher than this, however, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has taught that this most superior truth is called aprakrta. Aprakrta is that realm where Vraja-lila is performed. Krishna is sometimes like a baby there. There He is controlled by His father and mother, He is controlled by his beloved gopis, and He is controlled by his friends. No one can ever imagine such very, very sweet pastimes. We should try to know this aprakrta. We should try to serve this apraka Krishna who is with so many gopis, with His father and mother, with His sakhas, and with all His cows and very sweet cowherding pastimes. This is the aim and object of our life - service to this Krishna. This is aprakrta-jnana.
Kṛṣṇa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ: In this world we have a relationship with our father and mother and our immediate family. We think, "She is my mother, he is my father, and he is my brother." But we are not satisfied with that. We want to be a husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend. But still we are not satisfied.
From where have these relationships come? They come from Goloka Vrindavana. There is actually only one relationship - with Krishna. He is not a father there. He is like a friend, like a baby, or like a beloved. In the constitutional form of our soul there is a relationship with Krishna. We have now forgotten this due to Maya, but we have a relationship. All the relationships of these bodies are false and temporary. They remain only for some days, but the relationship in our constitutional form is eternal. We want love. We want something. We first loved our mother, then our father, then our brothers, then other relatives, and then our neighbors. But we were never satisfied. Then we collected wives or husbands, and when we were not satisfied, we got divorced and changed the old ones for new ones. But still we were not satisfied. You cannot be satisfied. No one can ever be satisfied. When you meet with Krishna and serve Him, then you will be satisfied. This is a transcendental relationship, and this relationship is given by Guru. Prabhupada gave this, and this relationship will be forever. It was for this end that he gave the mantra klim krsnaya govindaya.
Mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhakti-da: He explained all these truths. He actually came only to give this madhuryojjvala-prema, this gopi-prema, which Srila Rupa Gosvami has written about in his books, and which Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this world only to give-this relationship. "Krishna is our beloved" He came to only to give this and nothing else. Srila Prabhupada has written in his articles: "I came only to give this, but my whole time was spent in cutting jungles." Srila Swami Maharaja also did this in Western countries. He came to this world to give love and affection for Krishna, but to whom could he give it? He was preaching to unqualified people, and therefore he wanted to make a platform for this love, by cutting the jungles of atheist and mayavada misconceptons. He thus fertilized the field by ploughing and cutting jungles, and most of his time went in this. He could not preach as he wanted, but he stored so many deep truths about gopi-prema in his books.
Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also did this. In Radha kunda, in his last days, he said that if anyone is only cutting jungles, cutting the arguments of mayavadis and so on, and not accepting the mood of the gopis as taught by Rupa Gosvami, not doing aradhana, worship, of Radha-Krishna Conjugal, not following the line of Rupa Gosvami, then even their chanting will not be sufficient to help them. After some time they will become weak and give up all devotional practices. Then they will become nirvisesavadis and mayavadis, as so many are now becoming.
Śrī-rūpānuga-bhakti-da: Srila Prabhupada descended to this world, and all our disciplic acaryas also came, only for preaching this rupanuga Vaisnavism. But they had no time. From the beginning, therefore, I was very alert to avoid cutting jungles-because our guru vargya had already cut them down. I considered that I must do something affirmative. I therefore accepted this and I preached it from the beginning. Now, however, coming to the Western countries, I began to think, "To whom shall I tell?" Now I also have to cut down some jungles. When I am in Vrindavana or Navadvipa, however, I mainly speak about the high class of sweet pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha and Krishna.
So Srila Prabhupada was like an ocean of madhuryojjvala-prema. He wanted to distribute it, and he distributed it. If he did not, then from where have we collected these things? Namaskara to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. All glories to all his associates. All glories to Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. All glories to all of you devotees.
Gaura premanande! Hari haribol!
