Vandana - Part 1

Date: 2015-07-31 Author: Kalacakra Krsna das

Dear Prabhujis and Matajis, Hare . Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

Today is the most auspicious day of Sri Guru Purnima, celebrated all over the world with different moods. For us, Srila Prabhupada gave us the real meaning of Guru Purnima in his beautiful explanation of the Vaishnava Bhajan 'Sri Guru Carana Padma' written by Srila Narottam Das Thakur. Today is also the day our foremost Acarya Sripad Sanatana Goswami took . On the day of his disappearance, almost 500 years ago, all the vrajavasis in Vrindavan, Govardhan and surrounding villages shaved their head as a mark of respect as one would do when their own family member left his body. That is the greatness of Srila Sanatana Goswami.

Srila Prabhupada's Explanation of Guru Vandana:

So Sanatana Goswami is guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is authorizing him to become guru. This is parampara system. Nobody can become guru all of a sudden. Self-made guru, that is not guru. Here, Sanatana Goswami is presented as the disciple, ideal disciple. He is asking, ‘ke āmi’, ‘kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya', process how to approach guru, how to ask him question. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg. 4.34]. Paripraśna means question. That is also required. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is authorizing him. Therefore He says, kṛṣṇa-śakti dhara tumi [Cc. Madhya 20.105]. Here Krishna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is authorizing Sanatana Goswami. Unless he has got the power to receive the instruction, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not going to waste His time. He has the power. He is empowered. Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that to preach Krishna consciousness all over the world. So He is empowering Sanatana Goswami to take this task and spread Krishna consciousness. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. You'll find in the Caitanya Caritamrta the verse, Kṛṣṇa śakti vinā nahe nāma pracaraṇa. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach the holy name of the Lord. So without getting the power of attorney... Just like even one is qualified lawyer, he must get the power of attorney from his client, and then he can speak. That is the law. Similarly, without being endowed with the power of attorney from Krishna, it is not possible to preach.

So our business is... Because we are preparing ourselves to preach Krishna consciousness, we must be qualified to get the power of attorney. Sometimes we speak that "I'll preach." What you will preach? First of all get the power of attorney; then preach. Preaching is not so easy that anyone and anyone can preach without qualification. Kṛṣṇa śakti vinā nahe nāma pracaraṇa. So to get that power of attorney one has to qualify himself, not that the power of attorney is hanging in the tree and you can take it. No. So how this power of attorney can be achieved? That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. You are singing daily guru vandana. Now, today is guru-purnima. Especially we should understand what is the power of attorney. Anyone can recite this verse, sri-guru-carana?

Devotee: śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma, bando muñi sāvadhāna mate.

Prabhupada: So this is the beginning, that if you want to be devotee, then you must approach the spiritual master who has got the power. śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma, bando muñi sāvadhāna mate. Savadhana means very carefully, not whimsically. Then?

Devotee: Jāhāra prasāde bhāi

Prabhupada: Jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi, kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te. So why one should go to spiritual master? Because Jāhāra prasāde bhāi: "My dear brother, if you get the benediction from the spiritual master..." Jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi,. What is that benediction? The benediction is not that "Cure my disease." They do not know, generally. Therefore they are cheated. The other day in Washington, one lady came with backache. So she came for curing the leg trouble. That is going on. "So why should you approach a spiritual master for this? There is so many doctors, hospital. You go there." "No. Here you show me your miracles." And people are also cheating like that — some miracles and he becomes God. This is going on. But the miracle of spiritual master is yanhara prasade bhai, ei bhava toriya yai. This is miracle: no more material existence. Then e bhava toriyā jāi. So real thing is one can cross over the ocean of nescience. That is real gain. That is the real favor of spiritual master, not that cure your leg and again walk here and again become, break your leg, and again come. Not like that. E bhava toriyā jāi. (contd...)

While we sing this prayer everyday, there is a possibility of singing it without understanding or relishing its meaning. Srila Prabhupada, the truly empowered acarya in the disciplic succession of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has given us such a deep meaning that we really are able to relish every word of it.

To summarize the salient points so far:

1. Firstly, we have to be authorized (get the power of attorney) by our Guru to preach. 2. The way to get the power of attorney is to humbly (praṇipātena) and carefully (sāvadhāna) approach a bona fide Guru and become a devotee. 3. When we approach the spiritual master with such a mood, he will take us out of this material existence and place us at the lotus feet of Krishna. That is his real miracle.

Let us continue to hear from Srila Prabhupada on the transcendental meaning of Guru Vandana in the next few days Krishna willing.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Kalacakra Krsna das. Guru Vandana - Part 2

Date: 2015-08-01 Author: Kalacakra Krsna das

Dear Prabhujis and Matajis, Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

We shall continue with the beautiful explanation of Srila Prabhupada on the Guru Vandana composed by Srila Narottama Das Thakur.

Prabhupada: Kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te. That is spiritual master, one who can give you Krsna. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, Kṛṣṇa dīte pāra, dhāi tava pāche pāche - Bhaktivinoda Thakura. "I am seeking after Krsna, Vaishnava Thakura, my spiritual master. So Krsna is your property." Krsna is not independent. He is the property of the devotee. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, Kṛṣṇa dīte pāra, dhāi tava pāche pāche: "I am just following you, sir. Because Krsna is your property, if you like, you can deliver: 'Take it immediately.'"...

[Srila Prabhupada quotes the beautiful verse composed by Prabhodananda Sarasvati glorifying the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to impress upon the point that just by the merciful glance Lord Caitanya, Sanatana Goswami was empowered to become a jagad guru and spread His mission all over the world]. yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ. It is possible simply by the merciful glance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If He simply glances over anybody, then the whole thing happens. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving, empowering Sanatana Goswami. So we should follow. Narottama dasa Thakura says, ei chai gosai yar, taro mui das: "I am servant of that person who has followed the six Goswamis."

ei chai gosāi yār, tāro mui dās tān sabāra pada-reṇu, mora pañca-grās

Narottama dasa says, "The dust of their lotus feet is my subsistence." So today Sanatana Goswami's Disappearance. Disappearance and appearance the same. His disappearance here, appearance somewhere. Just like sunset somewhere is immediately, sunset and sunrise, simultaneously. So for a Vaishnava, because he is under the order of Krsna, he appears somewhere and disappears somewhere because he is order-carrier. He says, "Now go there. Preach Krsna consciousness. Go there." So appearance here, disappearance there. Therefore the same thing. Then what is the next line?

Devotee: Guru-mukha-padma-vākya.

Prabhupada: Cittete koribo aikya. Now this is the determination. We must approach the real guru, empowered guru, with power of attorney. Then if we take his word... Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā. Don't try to manufacture ideas. Then if you take up his word seriously, then your life is successful. Guru- mukha-padma, cittete, ār nā koriho mane. Don't spoil yourself by manufacturing ideas. Take word from him. You carry it out. Don't bother whether you'll be spiritually advanced or not, but take the word of the spiritual master and carry it. Then everything is guaranteed. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā. Then?

Devotee: Śrī-guru-carane rati...

Prabhupada: Śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati. You want advancement in spiritual consciousness, but it is possible only - Śrī-guru-carane rati. If you keep your faith only on the lotus feet of your guru, then you'll make advancement. There is no doubt about it. Then? Devotee: Je prasāde pūre sarva āśā.

Prabhupada: Je prasāde pūre... We have got so many desires, but if we have got strong faith at the lotus feet of guru, everything will be fulfilled automatically. Je prasāde pūre sarva āśā. (contd...)

Salient points from today:

1. Krishna is not independent, He is the property of the spiritual master. So the spiritual master can give Krishna to the surrendered soul. 2. Just by the merciful glance of Lord Caitanya/Lord Krishna, one can be empowered to become a spiritual master/pure devotee. 3. We should take the words emanating from the lotus mouth of the spiritual master as our heart and soul and execute it with full determination. 4. We should not manufacture any ideas, just take the words of the spiritual master and carry it out, then success is guaranteed.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev, Kalacakra Krsna das. Guru Vandana - Part 3

Date: 2015-08-02 Author: Kalacakra Krsna das

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

We shall continue with the beautiful explanation of Srila Prabhupada on the Guru Vandana composed by Srila Narottama Das Thakur.

Prabhupada: Cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, Guru's business is cakṣu-dān. We are kept in the darkness of this material existence, and guru's business is to open it, bring him to light. That is guru, not to keep him again in the darkness. Cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei. Prabhu means master. Then?

Devotee: Divya jñān hṛde prokāśito.

Prabhupada: Divya jñān hṛde prokāśito. What is that divya jñān? Divya jñān is that we are all servant of Krishna, and our only business is to serve Krishna. Divya jñān. This is divya jñān. It is not difficult at all. We have become servant of so many things - servant of society, servant of community, servant of country, servant of wife, servant of children, servant of dog and so many. "Now let me become servant of Krishna." This is divya jñān. Diksha. Diksha means from this divya-jnana. That is di. And ksha means kshapayati, expands. Then?

Devotee: Prema-bhakti yaha hoite.

Prabhupada: Prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte. Vede gāy jāhāra carito. You should understand this. So by the mercy of guru, by the favor of guru, we get prema-bhakti. There are vidhi-bhakti. In the beginning we have to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the shastra, the instruction of guru, śāstra- vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim avāpnoti [Bg. 16.23]. Krishna says, "This śāstra- vidhim, the vidhi-mārga, if one gives up the śāstra-vidhim and manufactures his own way," na siddhim avāpnoti, "he does not get success," na sukhaṁ, "neither happiness," na parāṁ gatim, "and what to speak of going back to Godhead?" Forget all this. shastra-vidhi. So this is minimized. So when we are practiced to vidhi-mārga, then we gradually get love of Godhead. That is ultimate. Prema pumārtho mahān.

Just like in India formerly very small, minor-aged boy and girl are married, especially the girl, ten, twelve years, married. So how she can love her husband? She does not know. But there is vidhi-mārga. Vidhi-mārga, the elderly people will tell her,"Now, just give your husband this refreshment." So she gives. In this way, gradually, when she's grown-up, she does not require any instruction; she knows how to serve her husband. That is prema. That is the bhakti. But the beginning must be regulative principle. Prema, vidhi prema. Prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte. Prema-bhakti, avidya... Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Krishna prema. Two things cannot go. Viraktir anyatra syat. If you actually advance in Krishna consciousness, then naturally you'll be averse to this material enjoyment. Viraktir... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra [SB 11.2.42]. Just like if you are eating, naturally you are satisfying your appetite. So Krishna-bhakti means we are satisfying automatically all our desires. That is Krishna-bhakti. The more we advance in Krishna-bhakti, you'll have no more material desires.

Salient points from today:

1. Guru's business is to give the vision to our blind eyes (cakṣu-dān) and because of this he has become our master life after life (janme janme prabhu sei). 2. In the heart of the disciple (hrde) the Guru enlightens (prokāśito) with the divya-jñān that we are all servants of Krishna and our only duty is to serve Him. 3. If we concoct our own way of doing devotional service without consulting with the scriptures and spiritual master, then we will neither achieve success nor get happiness. 4. Guru teaches us initially vidhi bhakti, through rules and regulations from the shastras and then gradually develops us to love Krishna (prema bhakti) by which the ignorance (avidya) ie., material desires for sense enjoyment will be destroyed (vināśa jāte).

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Kalacakra Krsna das. Guru Vandana - Part 4

Date: 2015-08-03 Author: Kalacakra Krsna das

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

This is the conclusion of the beautiful explanation of Srila Prabhupada on the Guru Vandana composed by Srila Narottama Das Thakur.

Prabhupada: Śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu.

Devotee: Lokanāth lokera jīvana.

Prabhupada: Lokanāth lokera jīvana. Narottama dasa Thakura's guru's name was Lokanatha Goswami. You have seen, those who have gone to Vrndavana. There is Lokanatha Goswami's tomb. So, then?

Devotee: Hā hā prabhu koro doyā...

Prabhupada: Hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā. So we should seek the shelter of the lotus feet of guru. Then everything... And vede gaya yanhara carita. It is not that it is sentiment that one has to become very strong devotee of guru. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says vede gāy jāhāra carito. Not that I am talking something nonsense. It is because... Shruti-pramāṇam. Whatever we talk, it must be supported by Vedic injunction. Then it is right. Just like we sometimes challenge these big, big scientists and others, and what is our strength? I am not a scientist, but how I can challenge? The Veda gaya. We have got evidence from the Vedas.Just like so many people are thinking that the moon planet is first. We are challenging, "No, moon planet is second." What is the strength? The strength is Vedic knowledge. We cannot accept it. So vede gāy jāhāra carito. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can challenge so many scientists. Yes. If it is not in accordance to the Vedic knowledge, then we do not accept. If it is not to the Krishna's instruction, we reject immediately. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. As soon as we see that one man is not Krishna conscious, then we immediately group him in four classes: duṣkṛtina, mūḍhā, narādhamā, māyayāpahṛta jñāna. Finished, that's all. He may say, "No, I am learned, and you are nothing. You have no degrees of university. I have got degrees." "Yes, that is all right, but your degrees and knowledge have been taken away by maya. You remain in darkness. You remain in the darkness." That's all.

So Sanatana Goswami is teaching us... Kṛṣṇa-śakti dhara tumi, jāna -bhāva [Cc. Madhya 20.105]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is affirming that "You are authorized by Krishna. Therefore you have come for My help. My mission is to preach Krishna consciousness..." So He is Krishna Himself, but He posing as a devotee. Therefore He is saying that "By the grace of Krishna, you are empowered, so you have come to Me to help Me. You are asking me. That is very good on your part because," jāni, "You know everything." Dārḍhya lāgi’ puche, — sādhura svabhāva. A sadhu, a saintly person, although he knows everything, still he remains very humble and tries to confirm from the higher authorities, "I think this is right. Is it not right?" He knows it is all right, but still, he waits for the higher authority to confirm it. So this is the relationship between Sanatana Goswami and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Study all of them very nicely and be advanced in Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much. (end).

Salient points from today:

1. The spiritual master is an ocean of mercy and friend of the poor and fallen. So he is extremely merciful to all living entities. 2. We are not taking shelter of the guru out of sentiment, but based on the Vedic conclusions. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character (vede gāy jāhāra carito). 3. A sadhu, although he knows everything, still he remains very humble and confirms his conclusions/understanding with the higher authorities. 4. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also exhibits extreme humility. Though He is Krishna Himself, and was the one who actually empowered Sanatana Goswami, still He tells him that Krishna has sent him to help in His mission.

Such mahatmas like Sanatana Goswami, who exhibit extra-ordinary humility and have an intense desire to preach the glories of Lord Krishna are empowered to become the spiritual master of the whole world. In the recent past, Srila Prabhupada is the best example in front of us. Let us follow in his footsteps and serve his mission with sincerity and determination.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Kalacakra Krsna das.