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WORLD   Purchase It At Any Price BY VRAJENDRANANDANA DASA  USA, Jul 15 (VNN) — A Report of Srila Narayana Maharaja's East Coast Tour 2002The spring season is generally known for its auspiciousness, as it brings forth the blooming of life after the dormancy of the winter season. This year the coming of spring was so much more auspicious for the North American continent, which was blessed by the footdust of the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. By his sweet hari-katha and divine association, he gave life to thousands of devotees in Hawaii, Houston, Mexico City, Badger California, San Francisco, Chicago, West Virginia, and New York, fulfilling the desire of our Srila Prabhupada and our rupanuga- guruvarga. Part I The final leg of Srila Maharaja's transcendental tour of the continent took place between June 13th and June 23rd, with visits to New Vrndavana in West Virginia and Lake Washington in New York State. Midday on June 13th, Srila Maharaja arrived at the home of Tulasi dasa Adhikari, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Undaunted by the damp weather, about forty devotees greeted Srila Maharaja and escorted him to the interior of Tulasi dasa's beautiful and spacious home, situated in the rich green hills of New Vrndavana. Several of the New Vrndavana residents joined Srila Maharaja's entourage in an ecstatic guru-puja and foot-bathing ceremony, and then Srila Maharaja requested Advaita dasa, another senior disciple, to describe Prabhupada's activities during his visits to New Vrndavana in the 1970's. Overcome with emotion, Advaita dasa was unable to speak, and responding to his mood Srila Maharaja replied, "Just as you are weeping, so when I was with Srila Swami Maharaja, that last time just before his departure, he was also weeping. He checked himself and, putting my hand in his, he requested me, 'I've collected so many disciples; please train them to be Vaisnavas.' I promised him I would. He was my best friend, my siksa-guru, and the god-brother of my Gurudeva." Srila Narayana Maharaja then told the history of the events leading to Prabhupada's taking sannyasa. Srila Maharaja explained, "I was head priest at the sannyasa ceremony. I made his danda, and I taught him how to wear his sannyasa garments. Later, when he first came to America, upon his order, I sent his large Sanskrit scriptures to New York. He sent so many letters to me, and I sent him the first karatalas, Deities, and so on. I also sent him one special kind of sweet that he liked. To fulfill the order of his Gurudeva, he preached all over the world, establishing so many temples, and translating and publishing so many authoritative books. And, if he were present now, he would be writing so many more books. But he's so merciful, and he wanted to leave the rest of that work for me." During Srila Maharaja's three-day visit to New Vrndavana, he gave evening classes on the first verse of Siksastakam. He told his audience that the eight Siksastakam verses were relished by Mahaprabhu Himself, along with Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara, in the Gambhira. These verses, which have been explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, are the essence of all Vedas and contain an ocean of deep meanings. Srila Maharaja then asked everyone present, "Why did so many people who came to Krsna consciousness and take up the chanting of harinama under Srila Swami Maharaja, later on lose faith?" Then, answering his own question, he said that there are two types of faith: laukika- sraddha or worldly faith, based on custom and tradition, and transcendental faith, which is also of two kinds. One type of transcendental faith is sastra-artha-avidharana-mayi-sraddha. This type of faith is inspired by studying the scriptures, and it is based on the understanding that, "I am a tiny servant of Krsna, and if I don't follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, I'll suffer." The other kind of transcendental faith (lobhamayi-sraddha) is acquired by hearing the sweet pastimes of Krsna from a pure rasika Vaisnava, which instills within the heart of the sadhaka a greed to serve Krsna, following in the footsteps of the devotees in Vraja. Both types of transcendental faith will diminish, however, if one doesn't continue to regularly associate with and hear harikatha from high class Vaisnavas. Transcendental sraddha is the smallest fraction of pure bhakti, the potency of Radharani, and thus it is not just a power. It is a person. Therefore, if Bhakti-devi sees that one has no honor for Vaisnavas or Vaisnava etiquette, she will disappear. Chanting must also be done in proper association, under guidance, following the authorized process, and then the seven fruits of pure chanting will come. One may chant and dance and impress others, and he may speak hari-katha very eloquently, but without sadhu-sanga and proper guidance, he will become sahajiya. A devotee asked, "What can we do so that our faith will not become weak?" Srila Narayana Maharaja replied, "Sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga, sadhu- sanga, and harinama, harinama, harinama in sadhu-sanga. But this sadhu-sanga must be with someone who can remove all doubts and give Krsna. Such a sadhu is very rare in this world." During this New Vrndavana visit, Srila Maharaja and his entourage visited the house where Srila Prabhupada used to stay in the early days. Srila Maharaja described his relationship with Prabhupada, and how Prabhupada requested that he personally place him into samadhi with his own hands. He remembered with deep emotion how Prabhupada had favored him by giving him this service, although many of his god-brothers and his own senior disciples were present at the time. Srila Maharaja and the devotees then went to the Palace of Gold, to the Palace temple room, where Srila Maharaja offered his sastang pranama, garlanded Srila Prabhupada, and performed arati to the accompaniment of an enthusiastic kirtana of about 100 devotees. At the conclusion of Maharaja's stay in New Vrndavana, he said he was satisfied and happy to visit that place, to take the foot dust of Srila Prabhupada, and to meet the local devotees who came to hear from him. Part II to follow... Related VNN Stories Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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