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<\/a><\/p>\nThere are so many\u00a0brahmanas<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0karma-kandis<\/i>\u00a0(mundane religionists) who will offensively consider that the Vaisnavas are inferior because they have not received the sacred thread; those\u00a0brahmanas<\/i>, etc. must be saved. Also, a person who has taken the Name may think that the\u00a0brahmanas\u00a0<\/i>are superior and the chanter of the Name holds a lesser position.<\/p>\n
His\u00a0abhimana<\/i>\u00a0or ego must also be helped to go higher: \u201cYes, I am said to be more than a\u00a0brahmana<\/i>, so I shall have to become very careful about my movements, my eating and other practices.\u201d This will help him to know that he must not go below the standard of an ordinary purificatory section. At the same time, society will also be warned to deal properly with these persons who are taking the Name of Hari, by conceiving that they are exclusively given to the chanting to the Name of Hari and are therefore superior to a\u00a0brahmana<\/i>. This system was introduced by our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada. He conferred the sacred thread extensively.<\/p>\n
That is to give the position of a\u00a0brahmana<\/i>, outwardly.\u00a0\u00a0In calculation from the inner side, a Vaisnava is above a\u00a0brahmana<\/i>. But from the outer side also he created this particular society in which a Vaisnava who is exclusively given to Krsna Consciousness must be recognized as not less, but more than a\u00a0brahmana<\/i>. He reformed the society to establish the position of the Vaisnava, thus also encouraging him: \u201cYou must not go down; you are taking the Name of Hari, exclusively give to Krsna Consciousness, and you must maintain your position in the external way so that even the\u00a0brahmanas<\/i>or the Vedic school will feel some reverence for the position you hold. You must by cautions in your dealings and practices so that people will think, \u2018Don\u2019t underestimate the devotees exclusively dedicated to Krsna Consciousness.\u2019\u201d In this way, he reformed society.<\/p>\n
Although Mahaprabhu had not introduced this, our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, adjusted the society to bring Mahaprabhu\u2019s teachings to the world in a broad way.<\/p>\n
Previously, Rupa, Sanatana and their followers did not care to\u00a0accept\u00a0the sacred thread of the\u00a0brahmana<\/i>. Also, in the\u00a0sannyasa<\/i>\u00a0system ofvarnasrama<\/i>,\u00a0Sankara\u00a0and others give up the sacred thread to the fire when they take\u00a0sannyasa<\/i>, showing that they have no necessity of a sacred thread; they\u2019re above that, above\u00a0brahmana<\/i>. Yet their creed is \u2018we are one with\u00a0Brahman<\/i>.\u2019 Here is the infinite difference. The higher a Vaisnava is, the more he will say \u201cI am the salve of Krsna.\u201d The\u00a0Mayavadis<\/i>\u00a0identify themselves with the highest Entity, but they have fallen prey to the complete misconception of the revealed scriptures of\u00a0Veda<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The preaching mission of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, the\u00a0Gauriya\u00a0Matha, has declared totalitarian war against\u00a0maya<\/i>, illusion, and even all other existing conceptions of religion. And our authority is\u00a0Srimad Bhagavatam<\/i>, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Divine love is the supreme most goal of every soul. Beauty and love is the\u00a0summum\u00a0bonum, the highest attainment; that is the ultimate controlling principle, and not power. Beauty and love are found at their highest position with Krsna in Vrndavana. The ultimate conception of the Absolute Truth is that of reality the beautiful and divine love. The difference between lust and live should be clearly realized. The acme of dedication is demonstrated in the love of the inhabitants of Vraja.<\/p>\n
Preaching (sankirtana<\/i>), and not counting beads (japa<\/i>), is the real service of Krsna. But because we have taken a vow, and it is ordered by Mahaprabhu and our\u00a0gurudeva<\/i>, we must chant the holy name while counting beads; it is our duty. Our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0told us, \u201cThe\u00a0japa<\/i>\u00a0beads must not fast.\u201d So, if we engage ourselves in preaching work, as opposed to sitting and chanting, there should be no doubt that we are really obeying the order of Mahaprabhu. Although he has advised us to chant one hundred thousand names, or sixty-four rounds daily, that\u00a0is\u00a0a provincial saying, What is really all-important is the spirit of service. We are not told that the\u00a0gopis<\/i>\u00a0always count the Name on\u00a0Tulasi<\/i>\u00a0beads, yet they possess the highest position in the service of Krsna in Vrndavana.<\/p>\n
Like Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0wanted to attack\u00a0maya\u00a0<\/i>and like a great general, he declared totalitarian war on illusion and even all other existing conceptions of religion. \u201cWhy is there the misunderstanding and misconception?\u201d He thought, \u201cEverything belongs of Krsna:\u00a0isavasyam\u00a0idam sarvam<\/i>. It is plain and simple and sweet. How can we think, \u2018This is for me, that\u00a0is\u00a0for Him?\u2019 Why should we let this misconception stand here at all?\u00a0Attack it-crush the whole thing!\u201d<\/p>\n
He told us, \u201cKirtana<\/i>\u00a0means to preach against misconception. As soldiers, you must go door to door and preach Krsna consciousness- Krsna\u2019s interest- the Krsna conception. IF they understand that everything is for Krsna, they will be saved. This truth is plain and simple. Why should they not understand this? Try to capture them, to release them from the world of misconception and misunderstanding where they are now suffering form reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n
In this way, we are not afraid of anything. A Vaisnava who lived solitary life once asked our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, \u201cWhy do you stay at\u00a0Calcutta? That is the place of Satan, where fighting for selfish interest is so acute. Leave that- come to the holy\u00a0dhama<\/i>.\u201d But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura especially chose that place, saying, \u201cI prefer to represent Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu\u2019s creed in an extremely contaminated place.\u201d For this reason, he wanted to send men to the West. \u201cThe East is captured by the glamour of Western civilization,\u201d he said, \u201cso the Western civilization must first be crushed. The, its glamour will vanish and the whole world will come to join the campaign of divine love of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.\u201d This was the same spirit with which Nityananda Prabhu canvassed the fallen souls of this world, in His attempt to take them to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.<\/p>\n
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura once instructed a disciple at the time of initiation into the Hare Krsna mantra that Krsna should be allowed to land in our hearts, just as an army is landed by the navy. An army is carried by a ship, and when they have landed, the fight begins, and they capture the country. Just as Julius Caesar said, \u201cVeni\u00a0vidi\u00a0vici<\/i>, I came, I saw, I conquered.\u201d So we have to allow Krsna to land in our hearts, then the fight will begin.<\/p>\n
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura emphasized that\u00a0kirtana<\/i>\u00a0means not only loudly singing the holy name, but preaching. Jiva Goswami has given a definition of\u00a0sankirtana, bahubhir\u00a0militva\u00a0yat\u00a0kirtanam\u00a0tad eva\u00a0sankirtanam<\/i>: \u201cWhen many join together in\u00a0kirtan<\/i>\u00a0that is\u00a0sankirtana<\/i>.\u201d Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came and introduced\u00a0sankirtana<\/i>. In this age of Kali combined effort will bear fruit. (sango\u00a0sakti kalau yuge<\/i>). This is the difference between the preaching mission of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, and the so-called private\u00a0bhajana<\/i>\u00a0of the\u00a0sahjiyas<\/i>, or\u00a0imitationists.<\/p>\n
Once, one of our\u00a0godbrothers\u00a0was the subject of our\u00a0Guru Maharaja\u2019s<\/i>\u00a0stern remark. He was a man of good character, but his tendency was generally towards\u00a0nama<\/i>\u00a0bhajana<\/i>. He did not like to do any other service, but was only inclined to chant the name of Krsna on his beads. I was in charge of the\u00a0Delhi\u00a0temple at the time, and was intimate with him, so I wrote to Prabhupada: \u201cIf you permit, I would like to engage my\u00a0Godbrother\u00a0in some preaching work here in the\u00a0Delhi\u00a0temple.\u201d The letter that Prabhupada wrote is still here. He wrote me in his letter, \u201cIf you can bring him there and make him help you in the work of preaching, then you will be a real friend to him. I don\u2019t recognize that sitting in the jungle of\u00a0Balihati\u00a0only chanting, counting beads, is\u00a0krsnanusilanam<\/i>, the proper cultivation of Krsna consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0laid the highest stress on developing a serving attitude. Otherwise it is all bogus-imitation. And people will say, \u201cOh, there is no Krsna there. These men are hypocrites. They are only dancing and making noise, they are not surcharged with a serving spirit.\u201d Only through service can we directly come in contact with Krsna. The real point is to practice how to attain the spirit of service,\u00a0vaisnava\u00a0seva<\/i>. The Vaisnava is doing service and we must imbibe from him the methods of attaining this serving attitude.<\/p>\n
Sevonmukhe<\/i>, serving attitude was foremost. Our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0did not allow us to read much, even the lower types of scriptures dealing with general\u00a0sadhana<\/i>\u00a0or practices, not to speak of higher books. Rather, we were expected to actually follow those practices by hearing form the proper source and practicing accordingly whatever was instructed form there.\u00a0Serve-learn to give yourself properly.\u00a0There are different methods of service:sravana<\/i>, hearing;\u00a0kirtana<\/i>, chanting;\u00a0smarana<\/i>, remembering;\u00a0vandana<\/i>, praying, etc. Srila Rupa Goswami has mentioned that there are sixty-four kinds of devotional practices one thousand types of devotional practices. But practices are not very important; the very life of the practice is all- important, for this is self-dedication. This we should be very particular to learn. Dedication is work under a Vaisnava.<\/p>\n
One day, during the latter days of his\u00a0presenve\u00a0in the world, Prabhupada said to a\u00a0sannyasi<\/i>\u00a0who had led a full twenty years of life in the mission, \u201cYou did not see me- you could not see who I am. Like a\u00a0zamindar\u00a0you have kept some householder servitors under\u00a0you ,\u00a0and form then you periodically give a donation to me. You have become like a broker, but you should be wholesale mine- my agent. But you are not doing that. You are dependent on those householders whole maintaining some connection with me. This is not necessary. You are not a member of this world. You aremine\u00a0alone. Whatever I say, you should do. You should not sell yourself to anything or any proposal of this world. You are to be my servant wholesale.\u201d This necessary attitude is rarely to be found. We should surrender to whatever flows from the higher plane and thereby substantiate its reality.<\/p>\n
There was once a\u00a0babaji<\/i>\u00a0who was though by many to be a great devotee. Whenever he took the name, he shed incessant tears. Liquid also oozed from his nose, and he was seen to be in some abnormal meditating position. On either side of him his attendants would be constantly cleansing his tears and face with napkins, as he madly chanted the name. Atheists considered him a religious fanatic, while common people who had some simple faith in God, though he was in the higher stages of devotion. But our\u00a0Guru\u00a0\u00a0Maharaja<\/i>, rejected him and his antics as devoid of proper conception.<\/p>\n
atha\u00a0nihsattvah-nisarga-picchila-svante,<\/i><\/p>\n
tad\u00a0abhyasa-pare \u2018pi ca<\/i><\/p>\n
sattvabhasam\u00a0vinapi\u00a0syuh,<\/i><\/p>\n
kvapy\u00a0asru-pulakadayah<\/i><\/p>\n
(Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.\u00a0Daksina, 3.89)<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever shedding tears, hairs standing on end, etc. are seen in persons whose hearts are soft externally and hard internally, and who are\u00a0habituated to crying, rapture, etc. even though they do not possess a semblance of divine emotion-such an imitative sentiment should be known as totally unsubstantial and lifeless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such persons are representing the\u00a0Sahajiya<\/i>\u00a0school. Our\u00a0Guru<\/i>\u00a0Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0wrote several poems, one of which is\u00a0prakrta-rasa\u00a0Satadusani<\/i>, \u2018one hundred defects in the\u00a0Sahajiya<\/i>\u00a0conception.\u2019 The defects are innumerable, but our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0put forward a hundred points of the defects in their process of \u2018advancement\u2019. Mainly they are very easy\u00a0purchasers. They are not prepared to pay the real price. But the death blow to them is this:<\/p>\n
upajiya\u00a0bade lata \u2018brahmanda\u2019\u00a0hbedi\u2019 yaya<\/i><\/p>\n
\u2018viraja\u2019, \u2018brahmaloka\u2019, \u2018bhedi\u2019, \u2018paravyoma\u2019 paya<\/i><\/p>\n
tabe\u00a0yaya tad\u00a0upari\u00a0\u2018goloka-vrndavana\u2019<\/i><\/p>\n
\u2018krsna-carana\u2019-kalpavrksa\u00a0kara\u00a0arhana<\/i><\/p>\n
(C.c. Madhya 19.153,4)<\/i><\/p>\n
One must first cross the different gross and subtle layers of the\u00a0brahmanda<\/i>\u00a0(mundane universe); then\u00a0Viraja, the extremity if the jurisdiction of maya or misconception; then the Brahman conception, the halo of the real, transcendental world; then, Vaikuntha, which is paravyoma, a planet of consciousness.<\/p>\n
There are some who are of the opinion that\u00a0smarana\u00a0<\/i>(rememberance) is exclusively connected with consciousness, or more concerned with the subtle part of our existence; so that should be the most effective form of\u00a0sadhana<\/i>, or means to the end. But our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, and Srila Jiva Goswami, and also Kaviraja Goswami Prabhu, laid stress on\u00a0kirtana<\/i>– especially for the beginners. Guru Maharaja says in his song Vaisnava ke? (Who is a\u00a0Viasnava?):<\/p>\n
kirtana\u00a0prabhave,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0smarana haibe,<\/i><\/p>\n
se\u00a0kale bhajana\u00a0nirjana\u00a0sambhava<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cInternal remembrance can occur by the power of kirtana, and only then is solitary service possible.\u201d\u00a0Nirjana-bhajana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0smarana<\/i>, exclusive solitary devotion, unconscious of the environment is not at all possible for beginners.<\/p>\n
Promotion is inevitable of we always try to adhere to the liver duty, Eagerness for promotion is the enemy. That is for\u00a0pratistha<\/i>\u00a0(renown), and that will undermine everything. Srila Prabhupada said that imitation arises form the attraction for\u00a0pratistha<\/i>\u00a0or desire to hold the superior position and acquire a name for\u00a0oneself. That is the great enemy. Don\u2019t fall prey to that\u00a0pratistha,\u00a0<\/i>eagerness to hold the higher position. Rather,\u00a0dainyam<\/i>– humility is the healthy sign of a devotee.<\/p>\n
When our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0addressed his disciples as\u00a0vipada\u00a0uddharana\u00a0bandhu-gana,\u00a0<\/i>\u201cMy dear friends who have come to deliver me form danger\u201d, we should, of course, recognize such a statement from both the relative and absolute standpoints. Students are necessary part of a professor-when a professor has students, he feels the practical utility of his life has been successful. This, from the relative point of view, disciples can help theacarya<\/i>. But form the absolute standpoint, Krsna\u2019s will is everything, and the\u00a0nitya-siddha,<\/i>\u00a0or eternally perfect great souls who inwardly know the Lord\u2019s intentions cannot be disturbed by any danger in any respect, but outwardly such an appearance may be manifest in their dealings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Vaisnava is all in all, and I am nothing.\u201d Such a feeling grows infinitely in the Vaisnava. \u201cI am nothing, but he is everything- he is a Vaisnava; Guru and Vaisnava really hold\u00a0krsna-bhakti<\/i>. They are the\u00a0stockists. But I am empty handed; I have nothing.\u201d This is the nature of the association of the finite with the infinite. As much as we shall have a real approach toward the infinite, we cannot but consider ourselves to be the meanest of the mean. The standard of Vaisnava qualification (vaisnavata)<\/i>\u00a0is measured in this way. And this is not lip-deep, but the sincere dealing of the innermost heart. When Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami says,\u00a0purisera kita haite muni sei laghistha-\u00a0\u00a0\u201c<\/i>I am lower than a worm in stool\u201d this is not mere imitation, it is heartfelt.\u00a0Acarya abhimana<\/i>, the assertion of the guru over his disciple, is a different posture. That is assertion, but only for the service of the Vaisnava; the sincerity is maintained therein. The guru\u2019s assertion is not selfish assertion. His assertion is only for the sake of saving the public and upholding the prestige of the Vaisnava. So that is proper adjustment with reality, in twofold senses: to establish the real position of a Vaisnava, and at the same time to save the ordinary persons form the danger and the reaction of false attempt or false thought. So that kind of assertion is not egoistic. Rather, we should know that as sacrifice in the dynamic sense.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0Visva- vaisnava-raja-sabha<\/i>, our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0tactfully manages in this way: he asked one of his disciples to speak something in praise and appreciation of another disciple. And he especially asked this of disciples who were a little antagonistic to one another. He asked them, \u201cSpeak something in praise of your \u2018friend.\u2019\u201d Why?\u00a0To try to mark the bright side, the svarupa, and to try to ignore the apparent side.\u00a0He instructed, \u201cYou try to speak something in praise of your friend, your apparent opponent.\u201d The guru\u2019s order was given, and so the disciple had to speak something in praise. Necessity is the mother of invention; he had to dive deep into the bright side of the other person and try to bring that side out. Thereby, the Vaisnava atmosphere of giving and taking was aroused and the apparent,\u00a0mayika<\/i>\u00a0side was gradually ignored, disregarded and dissipated. Something similar happens in\u00a0kirtan<\/i>\u00a0as well. Why is\u00a0kirtan<\/i>\u00a0so powerful? Because when we are requested to speak something, we cannot but utilize our best attention to speak. We have to assert our best ability in the attempt to gather the proper information to speak something about the Supreme Lord. So, also, in the case of the Vaisnava, as in the case of the Lord, we must approach the\u00a0svarupa<\/i>, the inner side, the inner aspect, the bright side- and ignore the apparent side; and thereby we will thrive. There, the real mutual relationship will be aroused. Once a year in the holy\u00a0dhama<\/i>\u00a0of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it was the practice of our Guru Maharaja to preside in a meeting under the banner of\u00a0Visva-Vaisnava-raja-sabha<\/i>\u00a0(Universal Assembly of Vaisnava Kings), and there his method was such: \u201cTry to praise the Vaisnava.\u201d<\/p>\n
When we are conscious of the real substance of Krsna consciousness, the actual wealth we are receiving form out spiritual master, then our spiritual life cannot be\u00a0sahajiyaism<\/i>,\u00a0imitationism. We must be aware enough to detect our guru\u2019s advice when we find it in another. One who is awake will see, \u201cHere is my guru\u2019s advice, I find it here in this man. Somehow or other, it has come here. How, I don\u2019t know, but I see my guru\u2019s characteristics, his dealings, and behavior in this person.\u201d When we are able to recognize a thing for its intrinsic value, then, wherever we find it, we cannot neglect it.<\/p>\n
There is an example of this in an instance regarding\u00a0Aurobindo\u00a0Ghosh, of\u00a0Pondicherry. He was the first leader of the Anarchist Party in\u00a0Indiaand practically the founder of the revolutionary movement in\u00a0Bengal. In 1928, a case against him was proceeding in Calcutta High Court. A famous attorney, Mr. Norton, was in charge of the prosecution.\u00a0Aurobindo\u00a0had absconded, and when the case was going on, he was not to be found anywhere. Norton was concerned. How to find him?\u00a0Aurobindo\u2019s\u00a0English was very good English. He had been educated in\u00a0England\u00a0from childhood, and could speak English even better than many Englishmen. Mr. Norton began to search through different papers and magazines for\u00a0Aurobindo\u2019s\u00a0writing. Finally, he found\u00a0Aurobindo\u2019s\u00a0style of writing in the Amrita Bazaar\u00a0Patrika, a Bengali newspaper. \u201cHere is Mr.\u00a0Ghosh!\u201d he said. The editor of the\u00a0Amrita Bazaar\u00a0Patrika<\/i>\u00a0was summoned to court to find out whether\u00a0Aurobindo\u00a0Ghosh\u00a0had written the article. Mr. Norton examined him: \u201cThis is your paper. You must know who has written this article. You are the editor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know this man,\u00a0Aurobindo\u00a0Ghosh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I know him. I consider him to be one of the greatest men in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the editor of this newspaper do you know who wrote this article?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHas Mr.\u00a0Ghosh\u00a0written this article?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Norton asked him, \u201cDo you know the punishment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Six months imprisonment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are ready for that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am ready for that.\u201d Holding up the newspaper article, Mr. Norton said, \u201chere\u00a0is Mr.\u00a0Ghosh! I rest my case.\u201d<\/p>\n
He saw\u00a0Aurobindo\u00a0in his writing. So we must see, \u201cHere is my\u00a0gurudeva<\/i>!\u201d Our spiritual master would\u00a0a;so\u00a0sometimes say of his disciples who had departed, \u201cBhaktivinoda Thakura came to me, but I could not recognize him.\u201d Those whose divine vision is awakened are always seeing signs of divinity everywhere.<\/p>\n
At the same time, if my own relatives do not give recognition to my guru or to the service of Mahaprabhu, I must eliminate them. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada has explained the\u00a0siksa guru parampara<\/i>\u00a0in this way. Wherever we find the extraordinary flow of\u00a0krsna prema<\/i>– we must bow down. That line may appear in a zigzag way, but still, it is the line of my\u00a0gurudeva. We want substance, not form.<\/p>\n
Once an Indian political leader,\u00a0Syamasundara\u00a0Cakravarti, asked Prabhupada, \u201cWhy has the Lord granted freedom to the jiva?\u201d Prabhupada told him, \u201cYou are fighting for freedom. Don\u2019t you know the value of freedom? Devoid of freedom, the soul is only matter.\u201d Freedom offers us the alternative to do right or wrong. Once, Gandhi told the British authorities, \u201cWe want freedom.\u201d They replied, \u201cYou are not fit to have self- government. When you are fit, we shall give it to you.\u201d But finally, he told them, \u201cWe want the freedom to do wrong.\u201d So, freedom does not guarantee only acting in the right way; freedom has its value independent of right and wrong.<\/p>\n
Free will is only absolute with the Absolute Truth. Because we are finite, our free will is infinitesimal. The possibility of committing a mistake is there. Our first choice was to dominate, and so, gradually we have entered the world of domination. As a result of this first action, everything else has developed. So, in different ranks, the species have been divided, from the demigods down to the trees and stones. And watery bodies, anything that we find here has evolved in that way. The activating principle in any form of embryological development is the soul. From the soul everything evolves.<\/p>\n
Once I asked Prabhupada, \u201cWhy is there a difference between Sanatana and Rupa in their conception of the final part of\u00a0krsna-lila<\/i>? Sanatana closed his summary of Krsna\u2019s pastimes in his\u00a0krsna-lila stava<\/i>\u00a0in\u00a0Mathura, and Rupa took it another step towards Dvaraka in his\u00a0Lalita-madhava<\/i>. He wrote two plays dealing with\u00a0krsna-lila<\/i>: one about Dvaraka and one about Vrndavana;\u00a0Vidagdha-madhava<\/i>\u00a0takes place in Vrndavana;\u00a0Lalita-madhava<\/i>takes place in Dvaraka. But Sanatana Goswami liked to complete Krsna\u2019s pastimes in\u00a0Mathura.<\/p>\n
According to Sanatana Goswami, after a long separation between Krsna and His family and friends, like a wheel the pastime rotates fromMathura\u00a0again to Vrndavana. After Krsna has gone to\u00a0Mathura, the residents of Vrndavana, overwhelmed by separation, begin to think, \u201cKrsna has been gone for such a long time. Nanda and\u00a0Yasoda\u00a0have lost their child!\u201d The separation intensifies and develops further until they begin to think, \u201cOh, Nanda and\u00a0Yasoda\u00a0have no child!\u201d Then they think, \u201cThey must have a child,\u201d and begin to pray for the appearance of Krsna. Then Krsna appears as the son of Nanda and\u00a0Yasoda. The cycle is complete and everyone is happy thinking, \u201cOh yes,\u00a0Yasoda\u00a0has got a child.\u201d In this way Krsna\u2019s pastimes again begin developing in Vrndavana and move to\u00a0Mathura\u00a0where He kills\u00a0Kamsa.<\/p>\n
In his\u00a0Krsna-lila stava<\/i>, his summary of\u00a0krsna-lila<\/i>, Sanatana Goswami did not take Krsna into Dvaraka from Mathura Mandala. But Rupa Goswami, in his play\u00a0Lalita-madhava<\/i>, showed the parallels between krsna-lila in Vrndavana and krsna-lila in Dvaraka. And\u00a0so,in\u00a0his\u00a0Lalita-madhava<\/i>, Rupa Goswami draws a parallel between\u00a0Lalita\u00a0as\u00a0Jambavati\u00a0in Dvaraka, Radharani as\u00a0Satyabhama, and\u00a0Candravali\u00a0as\u00a0Rukmini. They have their respective positions in both planes of\u00a0lila<\/i>. In this way, he shows their transformation between Vrndavana and Dvaraka.<\/p>\n
I asked Prabhupada why this difference between Rupa and Sanatana. He simply said, \u201cIt is\u00a0adhoksaja<\/i>, beyond our understanding. So\u00a0krsna-lila<\/i>is \u201cun-understandable\u201d (acintya<\/i>). Everything is not bound to come within our fist. The Supreme Lord has \u201cALL RIGHTS RESERVED\u201d. This must be understood if we at all want to be in connection with that plane of reality.<\/p>\n
Once,\u00a0Radharani,\u00a0left the\u00a0rasa-lila<\/i>\u00a0when She saw that all the\u00a0gopis<\/i>\u00a0were being dealt with almost equally by Krsna. Equal treatment towards one and all did not satisfy\u00a0Her. She began to sing and dance in the most extraordinary way to\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0Krishna\u2019s undivided attention. Radharani showed\u00a0Hersuperior skills in various ways, and then disappeared. And even though Krsna was apparently completely absorbed in\u00a0rasa-lila<\/i>, He suddenly realized that\u00a0Radharanai\u00a0was gone. So He left everyone to search for Radharani He finally found\u00a0Her, and after walking together for sometime, Radharani told Him, \u201cI can\u2019t move, I can\u2019t walk anymore. If\u00a0You\u00a0want to go any farther, You will have to carry Me\u201d Then, Krsna disappeared.<\/p>\n
A disciple of\u00a0Prabhupada\u2019s\u00a0once asked him why\u00a0did\u00a0Krishna\u00a0disappear. And our\u00a0Guru\u00a0Maharaj<\/i>\u00a0became very disturbed. Because in this\u00a0lila<\/i>, Krsna is apparently showing disregard for Radharani. Our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, by his very nature, could not even tolerate such a question. He had so much partiality toward Radharani that he could not tolerate hearing anything against\u00a0Her. In a rather excited mood he answered, \u201cDo you find any devotion here? What\u00a0bhakti<\/i>\u00a0do you find here that you have asked me such a question?\u201d The question was rejected. He could not tolerate even an inquiry regarding that pastime.<\/p>\n
When this news came to me, I tried to find what Bhaktivinode\u00a0Thakur\u00a0had written in his own words about this verse of\u00a0Srimad-Bhagavatam<\/i>in his collection,\u00a0Bhagavatarka-Marici-Mala<\/i>\u00a0Bhaktivinode\u00a0Thakur\u00a0harmonizes the difficulties of the verse. He explains that Krsna was thinking, \u201cI want to see\u00a0Her\u00a0mood of separation.\u201d Only to appreciate the depth of the separation\u00a0She\u00a0felt from Him did Krsna disappear. Then of course Krsna returned after some time.<\/p>\n
But our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0could not even tolerate the idea. \u201cWhere is devotion to be found here?\u201d But Bhaktivinode\u00a0Thakur\u00a0interpreted this pastime to mean that Krsna was driven to see what kind of happiness in separation Radharani would experience. He took this as example of how the Absolute becomes subservient to His devotee. And so we find that the negative, Srimati Radharani, is so powerful that the positive, Krsna, becomes powerless near\u00a0Her. It is as if the positive loses its separate existence. This is the victory of devotion.<\/p>\n
Devotion is represented as the negative, attracting and drawing the positive.<\/p>\n
There is the juice in a fruit and the one who extracts the juice from the fruit.\u00a0\u00a0The highest<\/p>\n
Devotion is found where the extraction is in its most intensified condition.\u00a0\u00a0The victory of the devotees is when the Absolute admits defeat to His servitors.\u00a0\u00a0This reveals the real presence of devotion, dedication,\u00a0and\u00a0\u00a0surrender.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0Vidyasagar\u00a0wrote in a book\u00a0\u2018 isvara-nirakara-caitanya-svarupa\u2019\u00a0<\/i>(God is<\/p>\n
Without form-a mass of consciousness \u2019).\u00a0Even though a young boy, Prabhupada challenged him, \u201cWhat have you written here? You say\u00a0isvara<\/i>, Lord, and then you say<\/p>\n
nirakara<\/i>, form-less!\u00a0\u00a0The Creator, the Master-formless!\u00a0\u00a0He has form,\u00a0akara<\/i>, but it is\u00a0cidakara<\/i>, composed of consciousness.\u00a0\u00a0But you say He is only a mass of consciousness, without form.\u00a0\u00a0And He is the creator? Where have you found this?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0In this way he challenged\u00a0Vidyasagar.<\/i>\u00a0\u00a0But he was very young ,\u00a0and\u00a0Vidyasagar\u00a0may not have cared for<\/p>\n
the\u00a0challenge.\u00a0\u00a0Nonetheless, he did his duty.\u00a0\u00a0That was his temperament.\u00a0\u00a0He would always challenge.\u00a0\u00a0He had to challenge whatever was against the line of\u00a0Mahaprabhu,\u00a0otherwise he could not have the satisfaction of having done his duty.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0Rabindranath\u00a0Tagore\u00a0wrote articles in some book under a pen-name, and Prabhupada wrote back protesting against those writings, also under a pen-name. No compromise-protest.<\/p>\n
When Srila Bhaktivinode\u00a0Thakur\u00a0began the service of the\u00a0dhama<\/i>\u00a0and Mahaprabhu, he had to do many things to attract the public to accept his discovery of the dhama as authentic. At that time, the place was uninhabited. Gradually a building was constructed, and the worship of the deity of Mahaprabhu began.<\/p>\n
The temple came later. Generally the brahmana cooks he required would not stay there very long because it was an isolated place and there were violent elements nearby. To ensure that the service continued, he had to undergo many undesirable things. Sometimes he had to prepare\u00a0ganjika<\/i>(marijuana) by his own hand, for the cook! Otherwise, the cook would have left. At times, when \u2018respectable\u2019 persons came he had to make arrangements for tobacco. There were many other trails.<\/p>\n
Our\u00a0Guru Maharaja<\/i>, Prabhupada, also did similar things, to the extreme. When John Anderson, the Governor of Bengal, was invited toMayapur, it was arranged with a\u00a0Calcutta\u00a0restaurant to supply appropriate food for him, including meat. The hotelier catered the Governor and his entourage, but the Governor was so charmed by Prabhupada that he took only\u00a0prasadam. When Prabhupada suggested some similar approach in foreign preaching also, I modestly protested that if meat was served even near the Math, it would bring criticism to the mission. He said, \u201cNo, no! I decided all these things thousands of births ago. We have to do anything and everything for the service of Mahaprabhu.\u201d\u00a0Vaikuntha –\u00a0vrtti<\/i>– no\u00a0kuntha<\/i>, no limitation.That was his answer.\u00a0\u2018 I\u00a0am prepared to do anything for the service of Mahaprabhu and the propagation of His Mission. The Grace of Mahaprabhu should be distributed throughout the length and breath of the whole world. And to that end, anything should be done. No stone unturned. Physical connection is no connection. We care about our internal\u00a0purity,that\u00a0is all.\u2019 And to save so many souls from impure habits and diet, Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja also took the risk of external contamination by filthy things. He went to the West, the anti-atmosphere, to save all of you. If a house is on fire, we must risk getting burned, if we really want to save the inhabitants.<\/p>\n
Prabhupada\u2019s\u00a0thinking was revolutionary. He once told his disciples, \u201cOnly bogus, hollow people and men of shallow thinking like Vrndavana.\u201d I was very perplexed to hear this. I had been told all along that Vrndavana is the highest place of spiritual perfection. I had heard that one who has not mastered his senses cannot enter Vrndavana.\u00a0\u00a0Only liberated souls can enter and have the opportunity of discussing\u00a0krsna<\/i>–lila<\/i>.\u00a0\u00a0Vrndavana is for liberated souls.\u00a0\u00a0Thos who are not liberated from the demands of their senses may live in\u00a0Navadwipa.\u00a0\u00a0But the liberated souls may live in Vrndavana.\u00a0Now Prabhupada was saying that shallow thinkers appreciate Vrndavana; but a man of real\u00a0bhajana<\/i>, real divine aspiration, will aspire to live inKuruksetra.<\/p>\n
Hearing this, I felt as if I had fallen from the top of a tree.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat is this?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0I thought.\u00a0\u00a0I am a very acute listener, so I was very keen to catch the meaning of his words.\u00a0\u00a0The next thought he gave us was that Bhaktivinoda Thakura, after visiting many different places of pilgrimage, remarked, \u201cI would like to spend the last days of my life in\u00a0Kuruksetra.\u00a0\u00a0I shall construct a cottage near Rama-hrad\u00a0and pass the rest of my life there.\u00a0\u00a0Kuruksetra\u00a0is the\u00a0real<\/i>\u00a0place of\u00a0bhajana<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
But still we must ask why? And this is the crucial point.\u00a0\u00a0Service is more valuable according to the intensity of it necessity. Shrewd businessmen make a fortune during a war.\u00a0\u00a0In the same way, when Radharani\u2019s necessity reaches\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0zenith, service to her becomes immensely valuable.\u00a0\u00a0According to\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0necessity, service is valued.\u00a0\u00a0And in\u00a0Kuruksetra, Radharani has the greatest necessity, because although\u00a0Krishna\u00a0is so close, their\u00a0vrndavana<\/i>–lila<\/i>\u00a0is impossible.\u00a0\u00a0In a football game, if the ball is just inches from the goal and you don\u2019t score, it is a great loss.\u00a0\u00a0In the same way, after a long separation,Krishna\u00a0is in\u00a0Kuruksetra, so the hankering for union felt by his devotees must come to its greatest point.\u00a0\u00a0But because he is in the role of a king, they cannot meet intimately.\u00a0\u00a0The circumstances do not allow the\u00a0vrndavana<\/i>–lila<\/i>\u00a0to take place.\u00a0\u00a0So at that time, Srimati Radharani needs the highest service from her group, the\u00a0sakhis<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that in that situation, a drop of service will draw the greatest amount of\u00a0prema<\/i>, divine love.\u00a0\u00a0In the pastimes of Radha-Govinda, there are two aspects:\u00a0sambhoga<\/i>, divine union, and\u00a0vipralambha<\/i>, divine separation.\u00a0\u00a0When Radha and\u00a0Krishna\u00a0are very near to each other, but can\u2019t meet intimately, service at that time can draw the greatest gain for servitors.\u00a0\u00a0Therefore, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, \u201cI shall construct a hut on the banks of Rama-hrad\u00a0in\u00a0Kuruksetra\u00a0and contemplate rendering service to the Divine couple.\u00a0\u00a0If I can achieve that standard where the prospect of service is so high, then there is no possibility of returning to this mundane plane ever again. \u201c<\/p>\n
During the Vraja Mandala Parikrama one devotee noticed the local people making\u00a0dandavats<\/i>\u00a0around Radha Kunda.\u00a0\u00a0He said, \u201cPrabhupada, see how they have devotion to Radharani.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Our\u00a0Guru<\/i>\u00a0Maharaja<\/i>\u00a0responded, \u201cThere is a big difference between them and us.\u00a0\u00a0They worship Radharani because\u00a0She\u00a0is dear to\u00a0Krishna.\u00a0\u00a0We worship\u00a0Krishna\u00a0only because He is dear to Radharani.\u201d<\/p>\n
So our Guru Maharaja was not vomiting what he head from others, but giving something fresh.\u00a0\u00a0We should never think that we have understoodKrishna\u00a0consciousness, otherwise we shall be deceived.\u00a0\u00a0Rather we should place our tiny faith in the infinite, with all our sincerity, and prepare ourselves for the waves of Infinite realization that may come to us by the grace of Sri Guru and Gauranga.<\/p>\n
Gaur\u00a0Haribol!<\/b><\/p>\n