02/05/98 - 1577

Srila Narayana Maharaja Visits Australia

Australia (VNN) - by Madan Mohan dasa, Sridam Sakha dasa and Prema Prayojana dasa

While in Australia, Srila Maharaja stayed at the rural residence of Vraja-Vallabha prabhu and Amekhala didi, which is situated in a sub-tropical forest valley. Pulling up on the driveway, at 8pm, Sunday 11th January, exactly on schedule, he received an enthusiastic welcome from the gathered crowd of expectant disciples, followers and newcomers.

A couple of favourable articles were published in local and statewide newspapers. In regard to his disciples, Srila Maharaja told one reporter from the Daily News: "I do not think of them all so much as disciples, but rather that I am surrounded by my very dear friends'. One of the reporters felt very touched by Srila Maharaja's association, and said:

"I feel as if I've known you for a very long time." He asked the photographer to take a picture of him and Srila Maharaja together. In the picture Srila Maharaja stood with his arm around the reporter's shoulder.

The newspaper reports also helped by giving very effective publicity for the tour. Many new faces arrived to see "The Swami".

Lecturing every evening on Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami's Sri Manah-siksa, Srila Maharaja delivered yet more dynamic instructions to spur us forward in our daily bhajan, to 'chant from the heart, not just the lips, with firm faith that Krsna is fully present and hearing us at every moment'.

Srila Maharaja spoke strongly all week on the subject of guru-tattva. He explained, "The sat guru always descends from Goloka-Vrndavan." He then stated "A bona-fide guru will never prevent his disciples going to a more qualified siksa-guru - this is confirmed by Jiva Gosvami, Gopal-bhatta Gosvami and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura." He cautioned the 200-strong audience: "Do not take direction from non-liberated souls - there may be so many mistakes."

On the morning of January 17th, Srila Maharaja visited the homes of four local devotees. The first house he went to was that of Acyuta Priya. The devotees performed a foot bathing ceremony, and the guru vandana prayers were sung. Afterwards, Srila Maharaja asked a couple of the devotees there to explain the meaning of the lines: sri guru carana rati ei se uttama gati je prasade pure sarva asa. Srila Maharaja then went on to explain them himself in a more detailed way.

He explained the meaning of rati, or bhava bhakti, which is the preliminary stage to prema. It is so powerful, he told us, that it can fulfil any desire.

Any worldly desire one has, even the slightest tinge, will be fulfilled. It can also give liberation, and Vaikuntha, or Dvaraka prema. If one has the desire to reciprocate with Krsna in any of the five rasas, this can also be fulfilled. One can have prema in sakhya rasa, like Subal or Sridama, or even affection to Krsna like Yasoda. One's desire for madhurya may also easily be fulfilled, whether it is inclined more towards Krsna, or rather towards Srimati Radharani. And, if one wants to serve Her in the mood of Rupa and Rati Manjaris, that may also be bestowed. Rati is so powerful that it can grant anything. However, sraddha alone is not this powerful, nor is nistha or ruci. To progress from these stages will be a lengthy process. If you have a guru, who cannot even give you sraddha, who then falls down, then will rati come? No, it never will come. So we should try to serve a bona fide gurudeva. And if we have accepted a madhyama adhikari, no harm. He can give divya jnana, transcendental knowledge. The knowledge that this is referring to is that without serving Krsna, you will never progress, and worldly attachments will never be overcome. Such a madhyama adhikara can bestow jnana, but not realisation. However, he will be able to point you in the right direction, and then Krsna will arrange for us to get a guru like Rupa Goswami, Raghunath das Gosvami, or Narada, after which prema will quickly appear in the heart.

On the subject of Guru, he told us that a Guru must be able to gradually give us all of these things. Sraddha, followed by nistha and ruci, ruci for chanting harinama, hearing Hari katha, and worshiping Krsna. After this asakti should develop, making one feel that "if I do not chant, then I will surely die." Under the guidance of a bonafide guru, these stages should manifest, and one's Krsna consciousness should progressively develop. But if this doesn't occur, then this person is not even a guru. But if he's sincere, and has offered himself to his guru's lotus feet, to Krsna's lotus feet, then we should not disrespect him. However, we should pray sincerely to Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Nityananda, and Baladeva Prabhu for an empowered spiritual master, and quickly they will arrange. However, although the sadhaka must aspire for this, if he does not have a sincere mood to develop prema or rati, then there is no use in getting a guru. One will only pursue politics and party spirit, engaging in hypocrisy. What little sraddha one has will be destroyed. So we should try very hard to attain to these stages of nistha, ruci, asakti and rati. We should try to have rati in the lotus feet of our gurudeva. But if he is not qualified, one will never be able to achieve rati. However, I think that if you are honest and sincere, Krsna will surely arrange. Gurudeva will arrange. Baladeva is Guru -- akhanda guru tattva, or undivided Guru. He knows everything and He will surely arrange. Talking on the subject of Guru, Srila Maharaja said that siksa and diksa are non different. Sometimes siksa may even be higher. For instance, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna and Rupa Gosvami are all our siksa gurus. But will we say that they are inferior to our diksa guru? No, we will never commit such an offence. So if our siksa Guru is a very high class of Vaisnava, we should not consider him less than our diksa Guru. No bonafide Guru has ever instructed anyone to behave like this.

On Sunday morning there was a fire sacrifice attended by about a hundred devotees which was conducted by Navina Krsna prabhu for the twenty or more newly initiated disciples.

On Sunday night a much-appreciated dramatic presentation of the life of Raghunath Dasa Gosvami was presented before Srila Maharaja and the Vaisnavas. Prema Prayojana prabhu, backed by a strong supporting cast, played the central character with such dynamic presence that everyone was deeply moved. He recited the entire Manah Siksa from memory and then went on to express the deep separation moods conveyed in Vilap Kusumanjali. Radhanath prabhu was also noteworthy as a very convincing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Lord Nityananda was effectively and amusingly portrayed by Govinda Bhakata prabhu. The drama was further enhanced by the excellent musical accompaniment played by Kisori Mohan prabhu with keyboard, vocals and mrdanga.

Srila Maharaja after commented that it was the best play he had seen and he was delighted that it had covered so many of the topics which he himself had not had time to present.

During the final morning darsan at Murwillumbah Srila Maharaja encouraged all of us to 'do everything you do for the pleasure of Krsna. Consider before you do any job, anything, whether it will be pleasing to Krsna. If not - do not do'.

After many farewells, Srila Maharaja's car pulled away to a chorus of "Govinda, Damodara, Madhaveti..." and headed off towards Brisbane.

Monday night (19th Jan) saw a successful preaching programme in Brisbane's "Graceville School", which was attended by a large crowd of local Indian devotees, including some relatives of the Punja family from Fiji. Syamali and Sucitra, the young daughters of Rasa Kalika didi performed a bharat natyam dance before the sizable crowd. They had been training for months, and we were all impressed by their excellent synchronicity.

At Brisbane airport on Tuesday morning there was a final gathering of the Australian devotees and visitors. Srila Maharaja emphasised that we must all become conversant with the basics of Krsna consciousness as expressed in the Dasa-Mula Siksa of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura.

As Srila Maharaja went through into the departure lounge all the devotees surged after him, to spend the last few minutes with him before he flew to Perth. Bewildered travellers looked on as the assembled Vaisnavas began to laugh, cry, bow down, dance and sing amidst a randomly scattered array of discarded shoes around the departure gate.

Srila Maharaja's departing message: 'We should try to have rati in the lotus feet of our Srila Gurudeva. I think that if you are honest and sincere, Krsna will surely arrange'.



This report is a joint effort by Madan Mohan dasa, Sridam Sakha dasa and Prema Prayojana dasa.