Even Improper Chanting of the Holy Name Yields Beneficial Results

Venue: Germany, Bhagvat saptha (Ajamil Katha series – Third session) So by regularly reciting this Bhagvatam and all that is inauspicious will be destroyed to nil and devotional service unto Supreme Personality of Godhead would be established as irreversible fact. “Bhagavaty uttama-shloke bhaktir bhavati” (SB 1.2.18) this is the benefit. By reciting Bhagvatam regularly, once a year also could be regularly. People say I am very regular, you know, going to the temple very regular every Janmashtami (laughter) very regular. So regular can be once in a year, once in each lifetime also. So Prabhupada translated that into action as every day. Hence he gave us his daily schedule that includes Bhagvatam, recitation of Bhagvatam; that’s his understanding. Atleast that much and then more on personal basis varies, private studies. If one does this then the outcome is ‘bhaktir bhavati’, ‘bhava’ means becomes, bhakti becomes yours, you attain bhakti. And thus bhakti unto who? “Bhagavaty uttama- shloke” – two adjectives have been used, of course to describe the Lord. He is described as ‘uttama-shloke’, ‘uttam’ is the best or uttam meaning transcendental, ‘tam’, you know ‘tam’? Satva rajas tam, ‘ut’ means above, above the ignorance, transcendental to ignorance, that’s the best, right? So uttam- shloke so you choose the best poetry, transcendental poetry to glorify that personality. So it is known as ‘uttama-shloke’ and He is ‘bhagavaty’ meaning unto Bhagwan, unto the Supreme personality of Godhead that is bhagavaty. So, your bhakti develops in bhagavaty, Bhagwan, and what sort of bhakti ‘naishthiki’ – nistha, then no more changing, no more U-turns though reverses. In other words, one comes from the stage of shradha to the stage or platform of nishtha by studying Bhagvatam. So with the knowledge of the scriptures, which is essential, Rupa Goswami describes bhakti of various kinds and he describes initial bhakti is komal bhakti, ‘komal’- very tender. So with that kind of tender bhakti faith, some sort of faith, we come but we can’t survive like that. We want some steadiness in our life, no ups and downs or if some other school of thought or anti-Krishna Consciousness person talks to you and you are just in komal bhakti he will just crush your bhakti, trample it, walk it all over and you are finished and you are converted and become mouse again. If we do not wish to be mouse again you will be able to defend what you are doing, you are convinced, this is, I know what I am doing, people say that. When we should know what we are doing is right thing. Of course so many foolish, everyone says so I know what I am doing but doing the right things which Krishna expects us to do, pure devotee, learned devotees expect us to do, we do that thing, that is right thing. So, the ‘nishtha’ is the matured stage of faith. When shradha matures, matures, matures, matures and then shradha becomes nishtha. So what do you do in mean time is study of Bhagvatam, study of Bhagvad Gita. Because what you do with shradha, you come to , ado shradhha sadhu sang, and what do do? kriya they engage you in bhajan kriya and the very basic bhajan kriya is this “nityam bhagavata-sevaya shravanam kirtanam” this is bhajan kriya then one becomes free from all the undesirable unwanted stuff and that is called ‘anarthas’, one becomes free from anarthas then in business fixed up, steady, convinced and ready to move only forward. So it is essential for us to become steady on our path, study of shastras, topmost shatra is of course Bhagvatam. You only could add one more shastra, that is Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, we can’t say above Bhagvatam, it is in same category. Of course Prabhupada does say graduation course and post graduation course. So it is essential that we study shastras so that we don’t remain just sentimental devotee philosophy and religion. Religious we become as soon as we come to temple, they could make you religious on the very first day, they will shave you up, put tilak, give you new clothes and bead bag and you are religious. You have some sentiments, some attraction but not enough. So philosophy is required. The books are the basic foundation. So, yet this is another opportunity for us to study scripture in few days like a intense marathon catch-up with something that we did not do regularly for different reasons. So, we’ll continue this 6th canto, chapter one, text no. 20 through text no. 39. Twenty verses we have selected and this is the history, story, now begins the story; very scary. This will bring us to the point of messengers of Yamadutas coming on the scene followed by messengers of Vishnudutas and Vishnudutas stopping those Yamadutas, stop…….. and they ask why? So up to there. ‘Atra’ means in this connection, what we have been studying this morning is introduction; oh! prayaschit is not the best ok, not karma kanda, not jyana kanda ok what about other regulative principles? Then bhakti of Bhagwan and also the service to Vaishnavas. So that topic preface to saying ‘atra’. “atra codaharantimam itihasam puratanam dutanam vishnu-yamayoh samvadas tam nibodha me” (SB 6.1.20) This is Sukadeva Gosvami speaking to King Parikshit and of course he is not the only one there but this katha is for King Parikshit and others are being benefited. Not only those who are attending that katha are being benefited who else is being benefited by that katha? And what about you? Ya, we are being benefited right here. That Katha was recited there and then recorded in the form of Bhagvatam or it was already there in the form of Bhagvatam and then based on that Katha was presented by Sukadeva Gosvami and for all the generation after generation benefited and this is just the beginning overseas outside India. So Sukadeva Gosvami says so in this connection to give ‘udaharanti’ there is an example. This is example of what you know all that was mentioned earlier this morning about that. So there’s example of this. ‘imam itihasam puratanam’ there’s a history ‘puratam’- very old history. “Dutanam vishnu-yamayoh samvadas” there was a dialogue between the Vishnudutas, the messengers of Vishnu and messengers of Yamaraj. And that ‘samvada’ – dialogue, ‘nibodha me’ – please listen to this samvada this dialogue from me and I am going to share that dialogue with you. So Prabhupada is making comment here the Puranas, or old histories, are sometimes neglected by unintelligent men who consider their descriptions mythological, this all the time happens in India. Mythological means imaginary, that never happened such a popular thing so called intellectuals. Of course the westerners came Dutch, English men came some 700 years ago and they realized Oh! These people, unless we make them weak their faith weak in their religion, we cannot conquer them, we cannot rule over them. So this was their propaganda. Oh! Your scriptures are just imaginary, it’s just mythology. And because it was said, bombarded hundreds of times over again and again then gradually many Indians now they also do the imitation of the westerns and their bosses were English men and they were saying. Oh! Scriptures are this, your scriptures, is very difficult language; although Sanskrit is very easy, easier than English or German or very scientific language. Hence it is easy also, natural for the soul. So propaganda also to begin with language is very difficult. Shastras are just full of mythology and Indians started yes yes…like a Nandi and that still goes on. Although India was liberated 50 years ago so many so called intellectuals are still slave, remain slaves of the propaganda made by the britishers or the westerners. So this is very popular thing Prabhupada is attacking this, this is a mythology. Then of course our Mahatma Gandhi also, he had no faith in Mahabharat war, he also thought Mahabharat war was just imagination. He writes in his book ‘My experiments with truth’ and Prabhupada says you don’t make experiments with a truth, you accept the truth. Not that you make experiments with the truth. Mahatma Gandhi made some experiments with the truth and he is writing “if some could prove to me (Mahatma Gandhi) that this Mahabharat war actually took place” he said at that moment I’ll resign myself from the membership of this Hindu religion because he was trying to prove his non-violence theory, Bhagvad Gita, what do you learn from Bhagvad Gita? Non-violence. So if you talk of the battle and bloodshed, how could you prove its non-violence he thought. So, this is deeply engrained in the Indian, especially psychic, it is mythology. Also the Puranam , meaning of Puran is old, the scriptures are old. But by definition, you should take note of this, Puranas are defined as Puranam api navam although they are oldest, they are ever new, ever fresh. That is the definition of the Puranas. Actually the description of Puranas or the old history of the universe are factual, although not chronological. Puranas record the chief incidents that have occurred over many millions of years, not only on this planet but also on other planets within the universe. Therefore all learned and realized Vedic scholars speak with references to the incidents in the Puranas. So, this kind of before you get people to study Puranas, you have to get into this and explain to them, no no, this is all factual because they have heard from the wrong source and hence the trouble. And then Prabhupada quotes that very famous “shruti-smriti- puranadi- pancaratra-vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate”. If you perform devotional service bhakti ignoring shruti- smriti-puran then what you will end up doing is just cause lot of disturbance in the community of devotees and that we see all the time as soon as you don’t do things as per sadhu, shastras acharya “shruti-smriti-puranadi- pancaratra-vidhim vina” then simply and unnecessary disturbance in the society. And then of course in Puranas, the topmost puran that is established in the beginning of Bhagvatam, topmost puran is Bhagvat Puran and the topmost vaishnav is “vaishnavanam yatha shambhuh” (SB 12.13.16) shambhuh is topmost of all the vaishnavs, nimna-ganam yatha ganga, ganga is the best of all rivers, nimna-ga means river, nimna is down, ga means going, flowing downwards, who flows downwards? Rivers. So, “nimna- ganam yatha ganga devanam acyuto yatha” like of all the Gods, acyut is topmost, puranam edam tatha this puran that puranc”puran purananam idam tatha” this Puran, Bhagvat Puran is topmost. This is the glory of Bhagvatam. This is at the end of Bhagvatam, this statement we find. So, Puranas are the history and mythology. So, it begins now “kanyakubje dvijah kashcid dasi-patir ajamilah namna nashta-sadacaro dasyah samsarga-dushitah” (SB 6.1.21) Kanyakubje is a place, Kannauj near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is a town, Prabhupada also used to go there to do his salesmanship, for selling his medicines, ayurvedic products. So near there’s a place called kannauj, presently known as kannauj, in there “kanyakubje dvijah kashcid” – some brahmin used to reside there who is introduced here, what an introduction of a Brahmin? “dasi-patir ajamilah”, his name was Ajamil and he was dasi-patir, he was a prostitute’s husband, he was a husband of a dasi, low class woman, prostitute so that was his name. “nashta-sadacaro” nashtah – destroy, he lost all the good qualities, how did this happen? ‘Sadacar’ - acar also means pickles, but here it is not that, acar means how you behave, how you deal in your day to day life, that’s called acar. So, there are two kinds of acar, sadacar and duracar. ‘Sad’ means good, ‘du’ means bad. So he was sadacari, ‘sat’ also means eternal, not temporary, truthful. So he lost all his good qualities, how did this happen? “dasyah samsarga- dushitah” – because he came in close contact with this dasi, prostitute, samsarga means close contact; one could only imagine close contact with prostitute and this resulted in nashta-sadacaro, he lost all the good qualities. Now, we said this morning that history repeats, something like this could repeat or not? Is it possible to come in contact with prostitute? And loose all the good qualities? Of course if you are there to preach, who was it? Namacharya Haridas Thakur also came in contact with some sort of a prostitute but who converted who there? Depends who is powerful. But lot of times person going to prostitute even doesn’t try to give her Prasad or give her some good sense, invitation to . So in the presence of Haridas Thakur, Namacharya Haridas Thakur again in the presence of the Holy Name, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”. Who got converted? Prostitute, she surrendered unto, full dandavat unto Haridas Thakur. She even shaved her head and put on nice sari and charity show, all that possessions she had she distributed everything. Took mala from Haridas Thakur sat next to and she was chanting day and night. She also was following footsteps of Haridas Thakur and she became a great Vaishnavi. So those examples are also there. From high potential to low potential, electricity flows or maya flows, so prostitute is quite high potential. So it has big potency, big maya, so anyone with a small maya going to prostitute, we get all the mercy of the prostitute, she will bless and she will lift you to her level, if you are at lower level, in potency, in maya she is at higher level. So this is what happened, “dasyah samsarga-dushitah”. The purport, the fault of illicit connection with women is that it makes one lose all brahminical qualities. Parikshit Maharaj’s original question was how to be free from falling down into the hell or into the hands of Yamadutas. In reply, Sukadeva Gosvami sighting this old historical example to convince Parikshit Maharaj, the potency of bhakti- which begins simply with chanting of Lord’s name. Srila Prabhupada is ahead of the narration here. That’s Sukadeva Gosvami making that point that chanting will save fallen human society. Next verse, “bandy-akshaih kaitavaish cauryair garhitam vrittim asthitah bibhrat kutumbam ashucir yatayam asa dehinah” (SB 6.1.22) Word for word: So, now one more time, the history of lifestyle of Ajamil will be described. There’s a description now and Sukadeva Gosvami is introducing the whole story history but when the Yamadutas speak, when it is their turn, they will also speak some more on the life, philosophy, activities of this Ajamil. So, he was now married, how did he end up marrying will be described later on, the next time there’s a description of his life. But now it is shorter version summarized. So, yes he is married, he got married to this prostitute and now he was maintaining the family, family has to be maintained. So, how was he doing? “bandy-akshaih” – he used to arrest people and then tie them up and take whatever was in their pocket or their belongings, he would go away with it. Kaitavai, he would cheat, all sorts of cheating, he was engaged in ‘cauryair’ – chor chor chor thief stealing “garhitam vrittim asthitah” all condemned activities he was indulging in making money, ‘yen ken prakarena’, somehow he was making money and the goal was bibhrat kutumba, maintenance of the family, he was maintaining the family, big family, 10 children he had and maintaining prostitute is not…..so many demands. So he was working very hard and just to maintain the family and in Bhagvatam when Sukadeva Gosvami describes the symptoms of this age of Kali, if the husband could just maintain the family, he would be considered hero in India it is like, he is taking care of his family, so what’s the big deal. People just express satisfaction, you know, he’s maintaining his family, taking care of his family you know. Its right out of Bhagvatam, households would be considered heros, big accomplishment, maintaining family. So, how and all that is another thing. So, he was just maintaining his family. He gave trouble to others by arresting them, cheating them, gambling or directly plundering them, this was the way he earned his livelihood and maintained his wife and children, Hari Bol. And illicit sex is not possible with a chaste or aristocratic woman, but only with unchaste sudras, Prabhupada is making that point, and another very important in the continuation of that, the more society allows prostitution and illicit sex, the more impetus it gives to cheaters, thieves, plunderers, drunkards and gamblers. Therefore we first advise all the disciples in our Krishna Consciousness Movement to avoid illicit sex, which is the beginning of all abominable life and which is followed by meat-eating, gambling and intoxication, one after another. So, whole society revolves around this illicit connection, illicit sex. If illicit sex is allowed to increase in a society, however, the entire society will be condemned, for it will be full of rogues, thieves, cheaters and so forth. So, this is what we see all over, but no-one understands what the difficulties are. In a country they would just like to explore newer and more possibilities of enjoying illicit sex that would result in more thieves and plunderers and terrorists also, they are coming, terrorists are here. America lost peace of mind long time ago out of this terrorism. So, more you go against or want to compete with Krishna, Krishna has 16,108 wives, this is all envy of Krishna but His activities, the topmost activities of madhurya lila. In this world, conditioned soul imitates that activity, and wants to exploit takes the position of Purusha-enjoyer and wants to imitate Krishna but what is at the top becomes the bottom in this material existence. “evam nivasatas tasya lalayanasya tat-sutan kalo atyagan mahan rajann ashtashityayushah samah” (SB 6.1.23) So, again moving on, ‘evam’ – like this, in this way, few things are mentioned but rest we’ll have to imagine, make a picture complete. Rest of the lifestyle activities, deals, few have been mentioned. ‘evam nivasatas’ – like this he was living leading life, taking care of ‘tat-sutan’ – her children, doesn’t say his children, her children so she was into it more. “lalayanasya tat-sutan” and by taking care, maintaining family, plundering was going on everyday stealing all this is going on and coming back and on the way back doing shopping for wife and children and they are welcome welcome. So he is making money like a donkey and wife is making her list of shopping at home and expertly getting all the money into her hand and spending. So what was going on was ‘kalo atyagan mahan’ – time was passing by; time was against him, time was coming and going but not being used properly. “Ayur harati vai pumsam” (SB 2.3.17) the lifetime is snatched, stolen of the human being, “udyann astam ca yann asau” with the rising and setting of the sun, yet another day is stolen, snatched away. But only that person doesn’t lose the time or his time is not snatched away, golden opportunity is not missing, who is that person? ‘Uttama-shloka-vartaya’ the person who is busy with varta, the descriptions of the topics of ‘uttama-shloka’, supreme Lord, those are getting together and doing ‘varta’ – discussions or may be studying on their own, remembering the past times of the Lord, that person is not losing the time. He is on time, he is with time, he is with the Lord. Lord is time. Those who do not make the best use of time, they are left behind, they lag behind and there’s all the loss. One devotee was explaining, when I was a bhakta, I remember this example from that time, he was Achyutananda , he said, it is like…Ok, take off in a airplane at noon time and then let your plane fly westwardly direction with a speed of say 1000 miles per hour approximately, what would be the experience? Experience would be sun would be just above the head, above that aircraft because earth is also making circles around its axis and its circumference is some 25,000 miles around. So your plane is going approximately 1000 miles per hour so if you take off at mid-day wherever you go, sun would be just above there, so what? Then the remaining example or the explanation is that if we are always chanting Hare Krishna then Krishna who is like a sun, chanting Hare Krishna or studying Bhagvatam or honoring Prasadam or taking Darshanam of beautiful Radha Madanmohan, engaged in devotional service of the Lord then sun will be always shining upon you, sun, Lord will act as a sun and you will never ever be in darkness like that person flying in the aircraft, he will be always in the light side, never the other side, dark side. So he wants to explain if we are always with Krishna, Krishna’s different forms, past time form or beautiful deity form or lila form or a dham form, the name form, “kali-kale nama-rupe krishna- avatara” (CC Adi 17.22) then always on the brighter side with Krishna. But this fellow, Ajamil he was losing all the time. So, now he was, he became 88 years old, and “tasya pravayasah putra dasha tesham tu yo avamah balo narayano namna pitrosh ca dayito bhrisham” (SB 6.1.24) ‘Pravayasah’, Prabhupada translates that who was very old, so he was 88 years old and he gave birth to his 10th child, he’s going strong, at the age of 88, the production is on. He’s factory, his home is a factory to produce, children production is putra dasha 10 tesam tu yo avamah and the youngest one, the 10th one namna he was named Narayan. Luckily, his 10th son as Narayan. “Pitrosh ca dayito bhrisham” and he was very very dear to both, father and mother. The word pravayasah indicates Ajamil’s sinfulness because although he was 88 years old he had very young child; according to Vedic culture, one should leave as soon as he has reached 50 years age one should not live at home and go on producing children (Maharaj laughs…..).One should not stay home and go on producing children. It is also said one should be ready to die away from family and you will be more depending on the Lord under those circumstances, think more of the Lord otherwise family members will show their face to you, do you remember me? They come in and do you remember me? Some old friend comes, neighbor comes, how are you? So all these forms, better not to have these forms sticking in front of your face. Trying to revive the affection and loving bonds. It’s time to cut all the strings and all the tags attached, extra strings “asha-pasha-shatair baddhah” (Bg 16.12) Krishna says. We are bound by shatair – 100’s of bonds of affection and desires. So when we are surrounded by so many family members and if they are not Krishna Conscious, of course they are Krishna Conscious, fine, they will help you to remember Krishna, they give you Radha Krishna photo or place photo of Radha Krishna on the wall so that you could see. So, let’s talk of at the age of 50, you leave home. So, then later on you leave your body. “sa baddha-hridayas tasminn arbhake kala-bhashini nirikshamanas tal-lilam mumude jaratho bhrisham” (SB 6.1.25) “sa baddha-hridayas tasminn arbhake” ‘Arbhake’ means little child, his name was Narayan and he is attached ‘baddha- hridayas’ – he is very much attached to his son and his ‘kala- bhashini’ – broken language, he has just now started speaking and daddy daddy, Pabhupad, Pabhupad, children say Pabhupad, our devotees try to train children, so children say Pabhupad Pabhupad. So, parents like my son is saying the name of Prabhupad, it’s nice. So, what your children say is broken but it is so pleasing nectar and you them, kiss their cheeks, their hair, you feel like eating them, you like them so much, you wish you would put them inside the heart and making part of you, ‘atmavat saravabhuteshu’. So, ‘kala-bhashini’ this happens all over and the same thing was going on when Krishna was little child, Yashoda and Rohini, they were in ecstasy. ‘Nirikshamanas tal-lilam’ and all activities of a little baby were like a lila, that child’s lila, father and mother sitting, talking, glorifying the child’s activities, every move that child makes is talked about, watched. ‘Mumude jaratho bhrisham’ – this old man was enjoying all this. He always took care of the child and enjoyed child’s activities. Since the old man was very attached to the child he enjoyed the child’s activities and because child’s name was Narayan, the old man always chanted the Holy Name of Narayan. Although he was referring to the small child and not to original Narayan, the name Narayan is so powerful that even by chanting his son’s name, he was becoming purified, that’s nice. “Tasmat kenapy upayena manah krishne niveshayet” (SB 7.1.32) somehow get attracted to Krishna. So, it is custom in Hindu society for parents to give their children names like Krishna das, Govind das, Narayan das. But now that is changing. People are, parents are giving all sorts of meaningless names in India also, I don’t know about the west, how many names are spiritual names or some meaning is there. In India, the children are named pinku, it has no meaning, other one is tinku, rinku, chinku (everyone laughs) it has no meaning. I was in Mexico, long time ago, 15 years ago and we were checking in our luggage and the lady working at the checking counter when she saw we are in Hare Krishna’s dress in saffron, she walked to us and said Oh! Are you Hare Krishna devotees, we said yes yes. So she was, I think she was not even the member of the congregation, so she said Oh! wow, my husband had bought one of your books (must be Krishna book) and she said now we have named our daughter Devaki, her daughter’s name is Devaki. See she had little or no connection with Hare Krishna movement but by reading Krishna book, they like this name and my daughter’s name is Devaki. So that’s a good fortune. George Harrison, I heard when George Harrison departed few years ago, someone had proposed to Prabhupada, Prabhupada why don’t you give him a name? George should be given a name. Prabhupada said, he already has a spiritual name, he is Hari’s son, Harrison, he’s Hari’s son already (Maharaj and everybody laughs). So, spiritual names, you don’t have to go, without going out of your way, you end up chanting the names. Most of the names in India, lot of names are still spiritual names and my father’s name was Bhagwan, that is still in my passport my father’s name is Bhagwan and I am son of Bhagwan (everyone laughs) and he gave me name Raghunath, that was my so called karmi name, Raghunath and Prabhupada changed that to Lokanath. So, it is custom in Hindu society for parents to give their children names like Krishna das, Govind das, Narayan das and also when they are initiated. So, now we have thousands and thousands of devotees with spiritual names and we get to address each other and what to speak of the newly born babies, they all have spiritual names, great pride all the parents give their children, spiritual names, janavi or so many nice names. Brajmandal , our devotee here, he has a son, he just came from brajmandal parikrama and then he had a son, so he decided to give his son name Brajmandal Parikrama Das, Varanashram Das is sitting near that pillar, he’s the president of our public farm. He has come with his daughter Janavi and son Brajmandal Parikrama Das. “sa evam vartamano ajno mrityu-kala upasthite matim cakara tanaye bale narayanahvaye” (SB 6.1.27) So, time has come evam – like this, you know he was kind of wasting his life and ajno – fool, he is fool, he is losing his valuable human birth but the time had come “mrityu-kala upasthite” – the death arrived and I am here knocking at the door. matim cakara tanaye bale narayanahvaye – and because “mrityu-kala upasthite” – he is kind of seeing the Yamadutas messengers Yamaraja approaching him and at that moment he even further concentrated his mind on tanaye – unto his son Narayan and addressed him when the time of death arrived for the foolish Ajamila, he began thinking exclusively of his son Narayan, Prabhupada writes therefore, although the contaminated Ajamila was calling for his son, by concentrating his mind on the holy name of Narayana he remembered the Narayana he had very faithfully worshiped in his youth. Just see, he had been worshipping, that will come up as mentioned at 2 places in his history. So, he mentioned and that must be the reason. At least he ended up naming his son Narayan because he used to worship Narayan and as now he is chanting the name addressing his son Narayan Narayan, Narayan that he used to worship has been remembered by him. In this regards Srila Sridhar Swami writes commentary, according to the Bhaktisiddhanta it is to be analyzed that because Ajamil constantly chanted his son’s name Narayan, he was elevated to the platform of bhakti. Although he did not know it that Ajamila was not realizing that he was becoming bhakta but yes, was, Sridhar Swami states. He had been chanting Narayan Narayan Narayan and he was elevating himself although he was not aware of it, Ajamila wasn’t aware. This is understanding of Sridhar Swami he is no. 1 when it comes to commentaries, Sridhar Swami, he’s the Swami, they all bow down before him all other Swamis, all other Acharyas they respect Sridhar Swami so much and his commentary which is one of the oldest commentaries also, he was first, one of the first ones to write the commentary. Ok, now the description of what he was seeing. Earlier verse said “mrityu-kala upasthite”, so now here they are “sa pasha- hastams trin drishtva purushan ati-darunan” (SB 6.1.28). He saw three persons “Hasta” – hands had ropes – pasha. They had ropes in hands and they were 3 of them and ‘ati-darunan’ – they looked very fearful, creating fear, fearful features they had, “vakra-tundan urdhva-romna”, tunda – mouth, “urdhva- romna” – there hair were standing on their hands. “Atmanam netum agatan” – and he was convinced Oh! there they are, they are here to take me away, netum agatan. “Dure kridanakasaktam putram narayanahvayam” (SB 6.1.29). So near by there Narayan was playing and as he was attached to his son, he addressed his son, how? ‘Plavitena’ – tearful eyes, svarenoccair – loudly Narayan, Narayan loud, ‘ajuhavakulendriyah’ – helpless as he was, he addressed his son ajuhava and Sukadeva Gosvami was leaving home, Vyas Dev was also following him, this is ‘ajuhava’, ‘putreti tana mana taya’, putra putra putra, like that he was addressing, ‘putreti tana mana taya ajuhava’. He addressed his son, only trees responded; son did not respond, only trees responded meaning he said putra and the trees said putra, echo was there. And then the trees also started preaching to Srila Vyas Dev, addressing to Srila Vyas Dev, come on, even we are not attached to our off springs or creation, people just come and take the fruits away, we don’t run after them, look you are running after your son, this is the part of commentary. Acharyas say, (this verse is there in the beginning of Bhagvatam), Sukadeva Gosvami, as soon as he took birth, he started going to forest “yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta- krityam” (SB 1.2.2) no purificatory process, nothing he has undergone, no samskaras, he took birth and started running to the forest and he was running after. “Putreti tan-mayataya taravo abhinedus tam sarva-bhuta-hridayam munim anato asmi” (SB 1.2.2) Sukadeva Gosvami said unto such muni, that even all the entities they understood the feelings of Sukadeva Gosvami, even trees understood the feelings or in the hearts of trees he’s residing, he understands, “tam sarva-bhuta-hridayam munim anato asmi” – I offer my most humble obeisance’s unto such says Sukadeva Gosvami says Srila Suta Gosvami, Suta Gosvami is now offering his pranam to his spiritual master. So, there’s also son, father and son and father is running after Sukadeva Gosvami and trying to call ajuhava. A person, who performs sinful activities, performs them with his body, mind and words. Therefore three order carriers from Yamaraj came to take Ajamila to Yamaraja’s abode. Why three? The three of them had come, three Yamadutas because explanation is given here because everyone comments sinful activities, we have gone through this verse, this morning. “ukta-panibhih” (S.B. 6.1.7) ‘ukta’ means words ‘pani’ – hands and mana, ‘mana-ukta- panibhih’ – by mind you commit sin, by words you commit sin, by physical action you commit sin, three ways you commit sin. Hence, there were three messengers. And how many messenger of Vishnu? How come four? Because he chanted name Narayan, Narayan has four letters he said ‘NA’, one messenger came, ‘RA’ another one came, ‘YA’ third one came, ‘NA’; Narayana. This is also acharyas they say 4. And how many will come to us when….how many will come? (Someone replies 2) because we chant Hare Krishna (16) only 16? 32 it took 2 minutes (laughter). “nishamya mriyamanasya mukhato hari-kirtanam bhartur nama maharaja parshadah sahasapatan” (SB 6.1.30) ‘Nishamy’ means hearing, “mriyamanasya mukhato hari-kirtanam”, hari was heard coming from the mouth of ‘mriyamanasya’ – one who is about to die, who is that? Ajamila who is about to die but he chanted hari kirtan. Bhartur nama – Vishnudutas said Hye!, someone is chanting name of our bharta means swami means Narayan, our boss someone is chanting the name of our Lord, hye! Don’t you hear? ya I hear and when they heard that someone is chanting helplessly name of their Lord, Narayan or Vishnu, parshadah meaning the associates, representatives of Vishnu, sahasapatan – suddenly they also appeared. So, three of them were already there very scary personalities and to that spot Vishnudutas arrived. While chanting the name Narayan, Ajamil was actually thinking of his son. That chanting was sufficient to cleanse him of all sinful activities. As soon as Vishnudutas heard their master’s name being chanted they immediately came. In this regard, Srila Vijayadhvaja Tirtha remarks: “Ajamila chanted the name of Narayana because of his excessive attachment to his son. Nevertheless, because of his past good fortune in having rendered devotional service to Narayana, he apparently chanted the holy name in full devotional service and without offenses”. Acharyas are giving all the credit to Ajamil for glorifying the Holy Name or the potency of the Holy Name. He is upheld by their statements. “vikarshato antar hridayad dasi-patim ajamilam yama-preshyan vishnuduta varayam asur ojasa” (SB 6.1.31) ‘Vikarsato antar’ – by the time the Vishnudutas arrived on the spot, the Yamadutas had already throne the ropes and they started snatching, dragging Ajamila out of his body. From where Antar hridayad – from the heart region. Not from the feet they were dragging him, not hand, not shoulder, not back, they are expert they know where the soul is sitting. So they were snatching dragging him out where he was in the heart region, he was that ‘dasi-patim ajamilam’ – that fool, the husband of prostitute, of course he should be snatched by the Yamadutas who else. ‘Yama-preshyan vishnuduta varayam asur ojasa’ – but then there come Vishnudutas and they forbade, stop stop stop what’s going on here? They stop this snatching thing. If they had not arrived, if they had come in another 30 seconds, they would be out of there, soul out of the body. So, they caught, Vishnudutas caught Yamadutas in the middle of their act while they were snatching. A Vaishnava, one who has surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, is always protected by Lord Vishnu’s order carriers. ojasa – powerful voice, commending voice, they were demanding that they stop ojasa. By speaking with resounding voices, the Vishnudutas threatened to punish the Yamadutas if they continued trying to snatch Ajamila’s soul from his heart. It’s amazing, they want to punish, we will punish you. They have Vishnudutas have such power. Prabhupada, says Vishnudutas and Vaishnavas could even punish the Yamadutas or even Yamaraja, they are that powerful. Materialistic scientists do not know where to find the soul within the body with their material instruments, but this verse clearly explains that the soul is within the core of the heart (hrdaya); it is from the heart that the Yamadutas were extracting the soul of Ajamila. It is very clear; Prabhupada is taking the advantage of this and out the place where the soul is sitting. During the transmigration, another piece of information, during transmigration from one body to next, soul is taken away by the order carriers of Yamaraja, that’s one thing okay then put into a particular type of hellish life (naraka), in order to become accustomed to the condition in which he will live in his next body. Do you get that? So now transfer from body to another body but in between what happens? He’s trained, he’s made accustomed to live in the new body and that training is done in a naraka for a while and then put into the body. “ucur nishedhitas tams te vaivasvata-purahsarah ke yuyam pratisheddharo dharma-rajasya shasanam” (SB 6.1.32) ‘Ucur nishedhitas tam’ – when order carriers of Yamaraja, vaivasvata-purahsarah – Yamaraja is described here as a vaivasvata, he is a son of sun God, Yamaraj. So when they forbade, Vishnudutas had forbidden then then Yamadutas said, ke yuyam – who are you? ‘Pratisheddharo dharma-rajasya shasanam’ – who are you to forbid us? Or act against the shasan, the rule of Yamaraja? We are Yamaraja’s people and we are abiding by the laws, the rules, so why are you stopping us? Why are you opposing us? Purport – When forbidden to touch Ajamila, the order carriers of Yamaraja were surprised because they had never been hindered in the execution of their duty by anyone in the three worlds. This is a first kind of experience this had never happened that they were in middle of getting something, someone out of the body and someone coming and stopping them, first time. Why are you stopping? And they ask few more questions. “kasya va kuta ayatah kasmad asya nishedhatha kim deva upadeva ya yuyam kim siddha-sattamah” (SB 6.1.33) ‘Kasya va’ – who do you belong to? We are Yamaraja’s representatives, but are you representatives of someone? ‘Va kuta ayatah’ – where have you come from? “kasmad asya nishedhatha” – and what for are you forbidding, opposing our activity? Our duty? ‘Upadeva ya yuyam kim siddha-sattamah’ – are you some Demigods? upadevah – some sub-demigods? “yuyam kim siddha-sattamah” – or are you some kind of pure devotees? Perfect beings? I mean who are you? You please identify, show your ID, ok, where’s your ID? Otherwise we will not take you seriously, show your ID’s. So they have asked questions ‘Kasya va’ – who do you belong to? where have you come from? Prabhupada writes, they knew that a siddha-sattama is above the demigods and sub-demigods and, indeed, above all the living entities within this material world. The Yamadutas therefore inquired why the Vishnudutas were present where a sinful man was going to die. They were not able to understand. You look someone special, may be you are devata upadeva, ‘siddha-sattamah’ but this is a husband of a prostitute very sinful person and why are you here? It is very obvious that we should be just bringing him to Yamalok, there’s nothing else should happen to this person. So what brings you here sirs? Prabhupada writes Ajamila was not yet died Ajamila was simply in an unconscious state when the argument was in progress between the Yamadutas and the Viahnudutas. The conclusion of the argument was to be a decision regarding who would claim the soul of Ajamila. So soul was still there and now we heard the full description how the Yamadutas looked like? And here is the description of how Vishnudutas looked like. “Sarve padma-palashakshah” (SB 6.1.34) all the four personalities had their eyes big, lotus like eyes they had, “pita-kausheya-vasasah” – and they had golden yellow garments, ‘kiritinah’ – crowns, ‘kundalino’ – earrings, ‘lasat-pushkara-malinah’ – they had of fresh lotuses around their necks, “sarve ca nutna-vayasah” – and they are all young, all of them are very young looking, “sarve caru-caturbhujah” – they all, four of them had four hands each and they were caru, Bhakti caru means nice, beautiful, beautiful hands they had, four hands each of those Vishnudutas and they were carrying “dhanur-nishangasi-gada- -cakrambuja-shriyah” . And their hands were decorated with the bow then arrows even they had the “asi” – sword, gada – the club, shankha- conchshell, cakra – disc; ambuja – lotus flower. These are different symbols and weapons they were holding and “disho vitimiralokah kurvantah svena tejasa” (SB 6.1.35) and they were so effulgent, so brilliant that on all directions timira – the darkness all finished, vanquished, dissipated, all the darkness. Anyways this is also mentioned their beauty, their personality and their clothing, their ornaments and weapons, this is also described by Yamadutas are saying, Oh! you have all this, look at your eyes, look at all this weapons but then it just doesn’t make sense you are beautiful people and powerful, “kim artham dharma-palasya kinkaran no nishedhatha” – we are kinkara, we are the servants of dharma-pal, dharma- raj and you are opposing us, this doesn’t make sense, I mean you seem to be nice people, very polite also, why should you be stopping us? Before even being introduced to a foreigner, one becomes acquainted with him through his dress, bodily features and behavior and thus understand his position, therefore Yamadutas saw the Vishnudutas for the first time, they were surprised, they said you have beautiful features, by your beautiful features, you appear to be exalted gentlemen and you have such celestial power and you have dissipated the darkness of this material world by your effulgence, why then should you be able to stop us from executing our duty? This is beyond their understanding. Now Sukadeva Gosvami comments and then Vishnudutas will take over, they will talk. Now, so far only Yamadutas had been talking. “sri-suka uvaca ity ukte yamadutais te vasudevokta-karinah tan pratycuh prahasyedam megha-nirhradaya gira” (SB 6.1.37) “ity ukte yamadutais te” so, Vishnudutas had been hearing, Yamadutas speak so far. Now, Vishnudutas are described as vasudevokta-karinah means they always ukta means said, whatever Vasudeva says karinah – they are ready to do it, yes sir, they are yes men of Vasudeva or Vishnu. Now there are words kinkara- meaning? What could I do? kinkaran – nice servant, obedient servant , kinkar what could I do? Anyways, lady? What would be the lady called? Kinkari. Lady is kinkari, gentlemen is kinkara. Gopis are kinkaris and Gopas are kinkaras. They are ever ready, whatever Krishna says, they are ‘yes’ and they are ‘I have finished with that, what more could I do?’, “do this”, ‘done, more’ ok finish more so like that. Always more eager, anxious kinkar. So the Vishnudutas, tan pratyucuh, they are addressing Yamadutas, and how they are doing? ‘Prahasye’, there’s a smile on their face. With a smile on their face and ‘megha- nirhradaya gira’ – their voice is deep, like a rumbling of a cloud. So not only they are looking or they are dressed like Lord, yellow garments and all, four hands and different symbols but their voice is also elsewhere, like Krishna, how Krishna speaks, “megha-gambhiraya vaca” (SB 1.17.4) like a deep rumbling sound, a deep voice. Lord has different deep things, three different deep things, His naval is deep, His intelligence is deep and His voice is deep, three things and there are 32 symptoms of a great personality. This is in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu and three things are deep and one of them is voice, voice is deep, Lord’s voice is very deep. And different things are short, like that it goes on. His neck is short, His thighs are short , His genitals are short. Different things are broad, His chest is broad, His forehead is broad, He has big hips like ladies. But He’s like a lion; His waist is thin like a lion. Different things are fine, His hair are fine, His skin is fine, different different things are fine. Seven parts of his body are reddish or pinkish, His eyes, palms, soles, lips, naval. And different parts of His body are Lotus-like, hands. Lotus because, color is like lotus, smells like a lotus, you smell Krishna’s hand and it smells like a lotus. Krishna’s feet are pinkish like a lotus, soft like a lotus, eyes, so like that different parts. So when you put this list together, its 32 different things, deep, short, fine, broad, lotus-like, pinkish. So one of them is voice. Couple of things not found, they are only found in the Lord, one is “srivatsa” (SB 5.7.7) on His chest, it’s a golden line on His chest, Lakshmi is residing there, on the chest and ‘kaustubha’ – when the churning of the ocean was done by the demigods, 14 different jewels emerged, one of them was Kaustubha mani and this was given to Vishnu. Until that time there was a difficulty in knowing who is who, they all dressed like Vishnu, Who is Vishnu? Who is Vishnuduta? But then once Lord had His Kaustubha mani, then it became very obvious, only one person has that Kaustubha mani, no one else has it. So, others are holding this cakra gada and all that but no one has Kaustubha only Lord has it. From that time onwards it became easy to recognize who amongst this is Lord. Oh! Just find out who is wearing Kaustubha jewel, mani. (Question asked from audience about Demigods, Maharaj answers) they are living entities living with wives when there is rasa dance in vrindavan demigods they are coming from universe. One can imagine there is whole society there of people and personalities and families. They all have 4 handed form and opulence like the Lord. It’s not that there are only men are there (laughter), so there are both male female complete. So called male female because only purusha is Lord everyone is prakruti . So lord expands and there are different incarnations of the Lord and Radha rani expands and laxmis and gopis come from radha rani then queens of Dwaraka they are expansions of alhadini sakti. So Krishna is expanding radha is expanding, the living entities are “mamiva vanso jiva loke jiva bhuta sanatan” that’s another category all together. Yamadutas were surprised to see that Vishnudutas although polite, were hindering the rule of Yamraja, simply Vishnudutas were also surprised that Yamadutas although claiming the servants of Yamaraj, the supreme judge of religious principles, were unaware of the principles of religious actions. Thus the Vishnudutas smile thinking what is this nonsense they are speaking, if they are actually servants of Yamraja, they should know that Ajamil is not a suitable candidate for them to carry off, they were actually servants. We could stop here Pastimes of Krishna and Balaram

Dated: 16-8-13

Venue: Class at gurukul Honey pot Festival, Vrindavan

Hari hari hari….. Hari Hari….Hari bol….you don’t say hari bol?? Hari nahi (Maharaj laughs) hari bol….

“Krishna jinka naam hai Gokul jinka dham hai” you know this song? (Maharaj asking the gurukul boys) yes…..(boys replied) you know ok, all of you can sing after me also if you are hearing it for the first time.

“krsna jinaka nama hai, gokula jinaka dhama hai aise sri bhagavana ko (mere) barambara pranama ha yasoda jinaki maiya hai, nanda ji bapaiya hai aise sri gopala ko (mere) barambara pranama ha” bapaiya- baap, father, who is Krishna’s mother? What is name of krishna’s mother? Yasoda and father? Nanda Maharaj, Nanda maharaj –Yasoda maiya ki…………jai.

“radha jinaki chaya hai, adbhuta jinaki mayahai aise sri ghana shyam ko (mere) barambara pranama ha luta luta dadhi makhana khayo, gvala-bala sanga

“luta luta dadhi makhana khayo” what does Krishna do? He is stealing butter going door to door for doing what? To steal butter, one of krishna’s name because he steals butter what is he known? Makhanchor……………..Makhanchor ki………..Jai.

“gvala-bala sanga” – all day He is herding cow, how many cows? 9 lakhs, He is herding all day, is He getting any salary? You understand salary. So if Krishna stole little butter and ate but He is herding cows all day and in return He is eating little butter, is that ok? I think He deserves more than a little butter but He is just happy with little butter. luta luta dadhi makhana khayo, gvala-bala sanga aise sri lila- dhama ko (mere) barambara pranama ha” krsna – balaram jai krsna balarama……………..jai, they are both Bhagavan, Krishna is Bhagavan and Balaram is He also Bhagavan? Yes and Krishna likes butter yes, what about Balaram what does He like? Honey drupada sutaki laja bacayo, graha se gaja ko aise sri krpa dhama ko (mere) barambara pranama ha kuru pandava me yuddha macayo, arjuna ko upadesa sunayo aise sri bhagavana ko (mere) barambara pranama ha

Dau ji ka Bhaiya…..Who is Dauji ? Balarama….and who is Dau’s Bhaiya? Krishna Kanhaiya.

Dau ji ka Bhaiya…………. Krishna Kanhaiya.

Dau ji ka Bhaiya…………. Krishna Kanhaiya.

Krishna Kanhaiya………. Dau ji ka Bhaiya

Krishna Kanhaiya………. Dau ji ka Bhaiya (kirtan)

Where did Krishna take His birth? Birth place of Krishna? you know? Where did Krishna take birth? In Delhi? In Agra?? In Mathura, Mathura Dham ki…………Jai and what about Balarama? Birth place of Balarama ? Gokul……..Sure? Where was Balarama born? Gokul, Gokul Dham ki…………..Jai.

Krishna Balarama Jai Krishna Balarama (Kirtan)

Who is elder brother? Krishna or Balarama? Who is elder-older? Balarama. So he was born first, He took birth first before Krishna. On what day? Which was the day? Monday? What is the name of that day? Purnima, that purnima is known as Balarama Purnima and then Krishna’s birth is on ashtami and known as Krishna Janamashtami, Very good. So purnima is not very far few days, few days to go. When is ekadashi?Tomorrow is Ekadashi, Ekadashi then Dwadashi thenTrayodashi, Chaturdashi and Purnima. So five days to go and then from that day purnima eight more days and then Sri Krishna Janamashtami Mahotsava ki ………jai.

So today you are celebrating Balaram’s, I mean at least you are remembering Him. You are remembering that He loves honey. So you’ll have another day butter, today you’ve honey pot then you’ll have butter pot, yes, 20 butter pots. Today many pots Oh!Cow dung pot! Cow Urine? Also yes Hare Krishna (kirtan)

Release your hands, very good, sit properly like , how does yogis sit? Krishna has given us kartaal taali swar and taal Singing and then this is taal you don’t have to bring your own kartal that’s nice if you have but there is no problem if you don’t have because Krishna has given us our own taali. Hare Krishna (kirtan continues)

“Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya” meaning we offer our obeisance’s onto Vaasudev.

Why is Lord called Vaasudev? You know? Why is He called Vaasudev? Anyone of you know? Boys? I think you are boys also or teacher’s big boys, 11th 12th like that ok little boy (Someone answers) He is son of Vasudev, good very good. You heard? These Lords, two Lords, how many? Two Lords are sons of Vasudev hence called Vaasudev. Father’s name is Vasudev and children’s name is Vaasudev The difference is there you have to take a note of this we do not say Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya, Om Namo Bhagvate Bhagvaan, Vasudev is not Bhagvan. Who is Bhagvan? Vaasudev Vaasudev is bhagvan, Vasudev is father of Bhagvan. He must be a very important person a big personality he’s the father of Bhagvaan and not one Bhagvan two bhagvans. So those two Vaasudevs, so not only Krishna is Vaasudev. What about Balarama? Is He also Vaasudev? Yes? No? Yes because they are both sons of Vasudev so they’re both Vaasudevs.

So Krishna appeared in Mathura, Balarama first appeared in Gokul and Krishna appeared in Mathura. Balarama first appeared i n Gokul and Krishna appeared in Mathura and they were in Gokul for long time three years and four months Krishna and Balarama were together in Gokul

“Krishna jinka nama hai gokul jinka dhama hai” we could also say Balarama jinka nama hai gokul jinka dhama hai”. So finally they are residing in Gokul both of them and then they left Gokul, not only Krishna but all the residents of Gokul they left Gokul and then they came to Vrindavan and they were in Vrindavan for another three years and four months not far from here. Anyways let’s not get into it.

Krishna Balarama ki …….Jai.

So when they were small children, Krishna and Balarama, they both wanted to be the cowherd boys. But the cows are big Krishna and Balarama were small boys and the cows were big cows. So Nandababa proposed…no..no..no.. you should take care of the small cows. Small cows are called calves, so Krishna and Balarama, they became Vastapal you know Gopal right Gopal “go” is cow, protector of the cow, caretaker of the cow. Who is Gopal? But before they became Gopal they were known as Vastapal, what is vasta? Calf you know vastasur? One demon called Vastasur because one demon he took the form of a calf, the demon took a form of a calf and he mixed himself with the cows and Krishna and Balarama “Dau look that one” is he here he is not a regular calf he is a demon. They’re all looking behind then Krishna what did He do, He gently walked upto that vastasur and caught hold of his hind leg and whirled him and he landed on the top of the tree there. The demigods arrived Jai ho…Jai ho…Krishna Balarama ki…jai, Shri Krishna Balarama ki …Jai.

So Krishna and Balarama were vastapal and then when they grew up in age and size then they were promoted the promotion you understand the promotion then they were promoted and then they became Gopal. So Krishna and Balarama they use to come to this region where we are sitting which is known as Raman Reti, Krishna and Balarama use to come herding their cows first herding calves, first calves and then cows. So that is why when Srila Prabhupada thought of building temples and installing deities he installs in the middle, in the middle who did he installs? Krishna and Balarama because those are the pastimes of Krishna Balarama all around here. Where you are sitting sometimes Krishna used to sit, where you are sitting right now Krishna and Balarama has sat there this dust here is touched by Krishna’s lotus feet take some dust that dust there, no dust only grass there touch the dust which is touched by Krishna Balaram’s lotus feet just little bit.

So when we touch this dust, who are we touching? We’re touching Krishna; we’re touching Krishna’s feet that has touched this dust. You are sitting on the nice straw mat that is why you are not able to touch the dust, devotees roll in the dust of Vrindavan they roll in the dust of Vrindavan because that dust is very sacred dust called Raman Reti. What is Reti? Sand ya so this Reti, this sand particles are Raman where RadhaRaman or Balarama has done the raman they have wandered they have played different pastimes over here, so it is known as Raman Reti.

Shri Krishna Balarama ki………………………….jai.

So after spending many years many more years in Vrindavan where did Krishna go? From Vrindavan where did He go? He went to Mathura, what did He do in Mathura? He killed Kamsa, who killed Kamsa? (Someone answers-Krishna) Krishna. And what did Balarama do? Did He killed someone else also? Other demons especially the brothers of Kamsa, kamsa had some 7 or 8 brothers, Pralambasura was already killed before they went to Mathura.

Then after killing Kamsa what did they do next? What did they do next? Who did they meet? Mother and father, names of mother and father? Vasudev and Devki not Vaasudev, Vasudev and Devki, then what happened?

Where did they go next? Dwarka well before Dwarka where did they go? They went to Ujjain to visit ISKCON temple. What was Ujjain known as that time? Avantipur yes, Avantipur you know where Ujjain is? Yes in Tamil Nadu? Madhya Pradesh, Where is Madhya Pradesh? (Maharaj laughs) geography they study right, so in Madhya Pradesh which is down south. Krishna and Balarama they went to Ujjain, Avantipur why did they go there? For studies Hari Bol. And who was their teacher Sandipani muni, Sandipani Muni Ki ……………..jai.

And Krishna and Balarama were taking lessons there any other friend also Sudama where was he from? From Sudamapuri, Sudamapur which is in Gujrat, Porbandar Bandar which Bandar, Porbandar. Bandar means port here not monkey and there are many other friends. How many students are there in this school? 200! Baap re baap, it’s a big number of student’s sounds good, that also was international school Sandipani Muni’s International School students had come from far and wide and there Krishna bramhachari and Balarama bramhachari they stayed in the . You have seen their photographs? There is one famous photograph in ISKCON in which Sandipani Muni is teaching Krishna and Balarama, two students. Could we call them Krishnadas bramhachari Balaramdas bramhachari? Is that right to say? They became bramhacharis but they were Krishnadas and Balarama das bramhachari? no………not possible. We are das but they were the Bhagvan the Lords.

But they were also to set example before the whole world “yad yad achrati shretas” they also went to school and they are staying in the ashram, your ashram is right here? “bramhachari gurukule Vasandantoh gururhitam” bramhcharis, what do little bramhacharis do? Gurukule they go to gurukul they reside in Gurukul, gururhitam and they serve dasavat servants like a very menial servant, very humble servants. Krishna and Balarama were serving, first of all they were very good students. He (sandipani muni) used to teach him some lessons during the day and by the evening time He use to pass the exam in the subject matter. In the evening He used to get a certificate, next day another faculty another art, science by end of that day pass the exam. You take long time right? You take one year but Krishna was taking just one day that’s the difference He’s Krishna.

Krishna and Balarama were very good students, so you also have to be very good, good students studying, doing your homework and also well behaved, very gentle. And then all the students’ bramhacharis they use to go to bed early, early to bed early to rise and then what happen that person becomes healthy, wealthy and wise. you like to be healthy wealthy wise? Then what you have to do you have go to bed early and get up early. So Krishna and Balarama but off course you know do you know? May be you don’t know! Krishna had difficult time in all the students lights turned off and they are in the bed and (Gurumaharaj making snoring sound) sleeping and snoring Balarama also. But one student and that use to be Krishna hard time to sleep and Balarama use to get up sometimes in middle of the sleep and use to find Krishna, Hey! Why you did not sleep go to sleep go to sleep soon time for mangala arati go to sleep. So then Krishna use to say, Oh you know I use to all night long I used to go into the forest “Radha Madhava kunja bihari gopijana vallabha girivara dhari jamuna teera vanachari”. Now every morning not every morning every night I’ve been going with the gopis and dancing with the gopis, so that was my daily routine, so although I’ve come here that’s why I have hard time sleeping at night.

Krishna Balarama ki……………..jai

So anyway Krishna has this difficulty but you don’t have you should not have difficulty. Then Krishna and Balarama and all the friends they use to go out “Bhikshamdehi” meaning what? bhikshamdehi meaning what? Dehi meaning, give what do you give, give some bhiksha give some alms, give some alms. So they use to go door to door doing Madhukuri, all hundreds of students going into Avantipur Ujjain knocking at the door bhikshamdehi bhikshamdehi. The bramhacharis are expected to go door to door begging is not the real reason give association to those grihasthas “Jare dakho tare kaho Krishna upadesh” give some upadesh to those house holders preaching is main purpose and then excuses is alms, madhukari.

So who do you think was most successful alms collector? Krishna and Balarama there used to be big loads of alms on their head, on their shoulder, on their hands. Because when they would go to some door onto the householder, the householder would see the beauty of Krishna and Balarama and they use to say Hey bring this bring that head of the family, some nice beautiful bramhacharis are here bring them some potatoes bring this bring that sabji bring and they were interested in having Krishna and Balarama right in front of their doors for long long time. They use to think if we stopped giving alms they would go next door and then we would lose darshan of Krishna and Balarama so how keep them longer in front of their door keep giving..keep giving..keep giving…hey bring this…bring that.

And other friends going other doors other gallies other lanes practically they would come empty pockets empty hands empty bags little something and Krishna Balarama bringing loads of alms. Then all the friends had good idea, they thought why should we go separately let us go with Krishna and Balarama go right behind them and we could assist them carrying extra luggage of all the gifts all the alms given by the householders so that is what they started doing and then all around Ujjain Avantipur big procession Krishna and Balarama in the front and all others behind.

Krishna Balram ki….Jai So like that you are in gurukul and Krishna and Balarama were also in gurukul remember Krishna Balaram’s days in gurukul, pastimes and learn.

Then there was time for dakshina gurudakshina when the students completes their education what do they do? give some dakshina well before that many pastime Krishna was asked to bring some firewood from the forest and who was accompanying Him that day? Sudama, Sudama and Krishna went as they went into the forest and collecting firewood soon there was the thunder and storm and rain and flooded and dark and night and they could not return to the ashram. Because when there was little wind and little rain they could have ran back to the ashram but they didn’t do so because they thought we’ve collected only little firewood we need more. So they were doing their duty collecting more firewood and as a result they were caught in the big lightening and storm and they couldn’t return.

And next day Krishna…….Sudama…….who was calling out? Who was looking for Krishna and Sudama? Ya, Sandipani Muni was like a father teacher is like a father, so he had come carrying his lantern he was looking for Krishna and Sudama. He found them still busy collecting firewood, that was he was very very teacher was very pleased with the service attitude of his students Krishna and Sudama and blessed them. Krishna whatever you speak in the future would be just but the truth, the Vedas the knowledge will just come out of your mouth, out of your lotus mouth this is like a of Sandipani Muni. So then towards the end I am ending also. Time for dakshina so all the students were giving some dakshina…Sawa rupiya….some lakshami, some gifts Sandipani Muni’s wife thought this Krishna and Balarama are very extraordinary students we should ask for some very special dakshina. And now what they ask for? Sandipani Muni and his wife this couple they had lost their son lost died so they had requested Krishna and Balaramay ou please bring our son back return him to us that would be an appropriate dakshina from you. And then Krishna and Balarama went to Prabha’s Kshetra near Gujrat and they jumped they jumped into the ocean there and they approached the died skeleton body of Shankhasur and looked into the belly of this demon. They had heard that this demon has eaten up the son of their gurumaharaj. But inside the belly the son wasn’t there so they took that body the dead body of that demon, it was in the form of the shankha- conch shell and that became Shankha of Lord known as “Panchajanya” now you know where they found this, when and where you know a little bit and then they went to abode of Yamaraj.

They thought we couldn’t find the son here he could be possibly there Yamaraj has brought him to his own abode. So when Krishna and Balarama appeared at the entrance of Yampuri they blew conch shells the blowing of conch shells was heard by all the residents of Yamraj. Who resides there all the sinful, to be punished souls all the characters. So as Krishna and Balarama entered and blew the conch shell which was heard by all those present there immediately all of them present there they had four handed forms and the crown and the earrings also they had the pitambars clothes.

They all started going back to home back to Godhead everyone was liberated by Krishna’s and Balaram’s presence in the hell. That abode of Yamraj just by being there then blowing the conch shell everyone all went back to home and then yamaraj understood the mission of why did Krishna and Balarama being there. Here’s son, whose son he is son of Sandipani Muni so they took the son of Sandipani Muni with them and went and they returned back to, where did they come back to? ashram but which ashram where was it? Sandipani Muni’s ashram on the banks of Shipra river in Avantipur and here is our dakshina please accept and having their son right here being offered by Krishna take him take him.

So this couple gurumaharaj and Kulapati Sandipani Muni and his wife they were highly pleased and they further blessed Krishna and Balarama and then Krishna Krishna Balarama ki …………jai. And then they came back to where did they come back to? Mathura they had gone from Mathura to Ujjain and they came back and then they stayed in Mathura for another 18 years would and then they battle with Jarasanda for 18 times…17 times…18th time they did not show any interest and they were running away to Dwarka ahe……Ranchod…Ranchod….Ranchod….meaning coward just see running away from the battle who was saying? Jarasanda was saying like that but when He arrived in Gujrat in Dwarka He was they all welcomed Krishna and Balarama, Ranchod rai ki…..Jai…..Ranchodrai ki….Jai Ranchodrai ki…jai.

So who were Ranchodrai? Krishna….Krishna only? Krishna and Balarama were welcomed by Dwarka.

So we’ll stop there, so I think some next item some next item, Balaram’s favourite item Balaram’s favourite dish, what is Balaram’s favourite dish? The honey that honey pot be there and let’s see what happens next.

(Kirtan) “Hare krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”