Srila Gurudeva's Bangalore Preaching Tour – 2007

Om Vishnupada Astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja Srila Gurudeva visited Bangalore from December 4 till December 11, 2007.  He arrived from Calcutta to Sri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha, Bangalore at 11 pm on December 4, 2007. On reaching the matha, he took some rest and gave darsana to the devotees.  He very much appreciated the beautiful surroundings of Sri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha. He said that this matha should be like the gurukula and ashrama of Vasistha and Visvamitra munis in the past.

Many devotees took his darsana at Sri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha. One devotee girl recited the entire Rama-raksa stotra to him. He appreciated the recitation and told her there is no difference in Ramacandra and Krishna; however Sri Ramacandra abandoned Sri Sita-devi. Therefore, He may also abandon you; therefore you should worship Lord Krishna.

One devotee asked him why we should remember Sri Nrsimha-deva during danger when Sri Krishna can eradicate all the obstacles to devotional service. Srila Gurudeva told that you can remember Sri Nrsimhadeva, Sri Hanuman and others when there is any danger. However, no need to pray to Krishna to save you from calamity because He is too busy performing His sweet pastimes in Vrndavana and we do not want to disturb Him. He said Draupadi and Gopis are pure devotees, however Draupadi prayed to Krishna to protect her in Kaurava assembly and Gopis also prayed to Krishna when Sankhacuda was stealing them. Sometimes a devotee may pray to Krishna to protect him, however this happens only during the danger.

He appreciated the three gurukula children who sang the bhajans and kirtanas in a sweet voice on the microphone.

Sripada Madhava Maharaja on the morning walk showed him the ragi plant that yield mustard-like grains. Srila Gurudeva told that this plant is known as maduva in Bihar where he was born. Srila Gurudeva was very happy to hear that Sri Jaiva Dharma's translation in Kannada langauge is almost complete and requested Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja to  arrange for a team of three to four translators, who shall continuously working on the translation of his books into Kannada language. He desired that all his books be translated in Kannada language.

One devotee from Mumbai is translating Srila Gurudeva's books in Urdu langauge. He became very happy to hear this news and gave his blessings for this project.

The respectable Sannyasis Sripada BV Madhava Maharaja, Sripada BV Nemi Maharaja, Sripada BV Vaikhasa Maharaja,  Sripada BV Sajjana Maharaja, Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja,  Sripada BV Giri Maharaja, Sripada Bhakti Pracharaka Ranganatha Mahraja, Sripada Rohininandna Maharaja and Sripada BV Vishnu Daivata Maharaja attended Srila Gurudeva's darsanas and classes. The respectable sannyasis used to give classes in the morning and evening at the matha.

On Saturday 8th December, 2007, one public program was held in the Hesarghatta village in the Vyasa circle. All the devotees under the guidance of the respectable sannyasis performed Sri Hari-nama-sankirtana in the Hesarghatta village along with the Deity of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Devotees distributed Srila Gurudeva's books and performed ecstatic Sankirtana. The sankirtana party visited Sri Nrisimha-deva temple established by Durvasa Muni. This Deity is made of Salagrama Sila and is visited by Sri Ramanujacarya, Sri Vyasa-tirtha and other great devotees. The sannyasis spoke wonderfully at the public program attended by about 300 devotees. The English classes were translated in the local langauge Kannada. The local television crew came and interviewed Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja about Srila Gurudeva's mission.

On Sunday, 9th December 2007, the public program was arranged at Sri Veera Anjaneya Temple in Maha-laksmi layout. The program was attended by about 500 people. Sripada Ranga-priya Swami Maharaja of Sri Vaisnava Samapradaya appreciated the newly published Sri Jaiva Dharama (Part I) in Kannada langauge. He touched the book to his head and showed his appreciation for the activities of Gaudiya Matha. Then, in Kannada langauge, he explained that Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki, is the only worshipable Lord, His name is the only mantra, Srimad Bhagavad-gita is the only scripture that is worthy of studying and His service is the only activity need to be done.

Afterwards, Srila Gurudeva spoke wonderfully in Hindi language. He at first apologized for being unable to speak in the local language. He said that 5000 years ago, 80000 sages headed by Saunka Rsi gathered near Naimisaranya. They approached Suta Gosvami. They told Suta Gosvami. "You are the disciple of Sukadeva Gosvami. You have heard Vedic scriptures, Upanisads, Ramayana, Srimad Bhagavatam. Now Kali-yuga is beginning."

prayenalpayusah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

"O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed." (SB 1.1.9)

"The people of Kali-yuga cannot discriminate between what is good and what is bad. They are suffering from the distress of repetition of birth and death. Then, how can their souls become happy?"

Hearing this question, Suta Gosvami offered obeisances to His Gurudeva Sri Sukadeva Gosvami.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

"The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self." (SB 1.2.6)

Srila Rupa Gosvami has paraphrased this verse and written:

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavritam
anukulyena krisnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
 [CC Madhya 19.167]

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."

The purport is that one should render service to Sri Krishna with body, mind and wealth. The endeavors for service should be favorable to Sri Krishna. The word anu means that the devotional service should be continuous and uninterrupted like the stream of oil. It should be performed under the guidance of Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas. However, such bhakti is not uttama bhakti unless it is anyabhilasita-sunyam (without desire for material gain). It should be performed for the pleasure of Krishna and should not be for any material or mundane or worldly desire. It should not be covered by karma, jnana or yoga.

Bhagavan is not pleased by karma (fruitive activities). Bhakti cannot be accomplished by jnana, yoga or karma. Bhakti is obtained by the mercy of Bhakti alone.

One may say that bhakti is obtained by the mercy of Bhagavan or His devotees. If Bhagavan gives bhakti, then one will have to say that there is an absence of impartiality in Bhagavan. The same thought
applies to Uttama Bhagavatas.

Therefore, it should be understood that Madhyama bhakta alone can give devotional service (bhakti).

isvare tad adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca
prema maitri krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah

Uttama-bhagavata can come down to the level of Madhyama-bhagavata and give bhakti.

The first stage of bhakti is sraddha (faith). First, one must shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva and serve him intimately. Thus one can receive Siksa (instructions) from him. The devotional service is
of nine types.

sri-prahrada uvaca
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam

Prahlada Maharaja said: "Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.:"

Among them three are prominent:

1.Nama Sankirtana
2.Smarana
3.Sravana

First is Sravana, then Kirtana and then Samrana. But even among these three, Nama-sankirtana is the most excellent, because Sri Nama-Sankirtana is Krishna Himself. Just as Krishna is causelessly merciful and endowed with all the qualities, similarly His holy names are also causelessly merciful and endowed with all the qualities. Especially He has stored all His potencies in His sixteen names:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

By chanting these sixteen names, one can receive the relief from the cycle of repetition of birth and death. Hari-nama is especially important in Kali-yuga. This has been mentioned in Kali-santarana Upanisad. One should chant the maha-mantra loudly. There is no effort required. Like our Muslim brothers, there is no need of bowing down and getting up so many times for offering prayers. Nama-sankirtana gave give us liberation from the material existence.

Srila Sanantana Gosvami has told us about the gradation of the five devotees:

1. Jnani bhakta
2. Suddha Bhakta
3. Premi-bhakta
4. Prema-pada Bhakta
5. Prematura Bhakta

Dhruva was a devotee was sakama-bhakta (devotee with material desires). He wanted the kingdom like his father. He performed austerities for 6 months and received the ruler-ship of the entire earth for 26,000 years. Moreover, Narayana granted him the kingdom of Dhruva-loka that is situated above the planets of Sun and the seven sages.  But when he was going to Dhruva-loka, he remembered his mother. But he could not go to Vaikuntha or Goloka.

However, Prahlada was not a sakama bhakta. He told Lord Nrsimhadeva that I am not a merchat (businessman). Later on, when the Lord insisted him to ask for a boon, he told that let my father be delivered. If one uttama-bhakta takes birth in the family, then 21 generations are delivered. When madhyama-bhakta takes birth, 14 generations and when kanistha-bhakta is born, 7 generations are delivered. Bhagavan Nrsimha-deva took Prahlada in His lap, told him that "Alas! I delayed so much in delivering you" and began to weep. Prahlada used to see that Bhagavan is present in the hearts of all the devotees.

Ambarisa Maharaja is suddha bhakta. He engaged in all the activities of devotional service. Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna, Krishna's temples and Krishna's places like Mathura and Vrindavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires. Thus, he engaged his eleven senses in service of the Lord.

However, Hanuman is premi-bhakta. He is celibate from childhood. He cannot stay without service of the Lord even for a moment. Once the younger brothers of Sri Ramacandra, Laksmana, Bharata and Satrughna and His wife Sita-devi saw that Hanuman was serving Ramacandra day and night. So they told him, we will serve Ramacandra in day and night. However, Hanuman begged that he should be given some service. They told him. "You should stay outside the palace and only snap your fingers." However, Ramacandra could not stop yawning when Hanuman was snapping his fingers. He could eat or sleep. Finally, they had to give the service back to Hanuman. Once Hanuman observed Sita-devi putting some sindura in the parting of hair. When he asked her the reason behind this. She told that if a woman does this then her husband receives good fortune and long life. So he also applied the sindura to all his body so that his Lord shall have good fortune and long life. He used to carry Lord Rama on his shoulders. He assisted in building the bridge across the ocean to Sri Lanka. When Laksmana became unconscious, he brought the physician named Susena and he brought Drona mountain that possessed the life-giving Sanjivani herb from
Ganda-mandana Mountain.

Pandavas are very dear to Krishna. They are Prema-para bhaktas. Pandavas had controlled Krishna by their love. Arjuna used to sleep on the same bed with Krishna and used to embrace Him. Krishna's feet used to be near Arjuna's chest and Arjuna's feet used to be near Krishna's chest.  Satyabhama and Rukmini used to fan Krishna and Subhadra and Draupadi used to fan Arjuna. From every skin-pore for Arjuna, the sound of Sri Krishna's name was emanating. Arjuna married Subhadra. But when Arjuna saw the Visva-rupa (Universal) form of Sri Krishna, he became bewildered and asked Krishna for forgiveness for treating Him like His brother and charioteer.

Uddhava is prama-atura bhakta. He is Sri Krishna's brother, friend and minister. Krishna sent him to Vrindavana near the gopis to teach him the lesson of prema. Srimati Radhika is the principal in that college. Lalita, Visakha and other gopis are the heads of the department. Gopis asked Uddhava: Prema is of two types:

1. Selfish love
2. Selfless love

Selfish love is the love of prostitute who takes away the money from the client and then drives him away. When the tree is burnt down in the forest fire, the bird abandons the nest on that tree and makes the nest on some other tree. Student abandons the teacher after learning the knowledge from him. However, our love towards Krishna is not selfish. Uddhava could comprehend the love of gopis. Uddhava could not even receive admission in that school of love. He prayed:

asam aho carana-renu-jusam aham syam
vrindavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam
ya dustyajam sva-janam arya-patham ca hitva
bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrigyam

"Ah! Let me become one of Vrindavan's herbs and plants and be regularly sprinkled with the dust of the gopis' feet, for the gopis abandoned their families and their religious principles, both extremely difficult to give up, in order to worship Mukunda, the ultimate objective of all the Vedic literatures."                                                 (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.61)

He desired to receive only one particle of dust from Srimati Radhika's lotus feet.

Krishna told the gopis:
na paraye 'ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krityam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srinkhalah
samvriscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult
to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.

Giving up your husbands, sons and other family members, you came to meet Me in the forest.

Krishna has promised:
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly.

When Radhikaji disappeared from Rasa-lila, Krishna also left all the gopis and followed her. So our sadhana should be to perform devotional service under the guidance of the gopis.

However, today some people have given up the guru parampara and have become ritviks. The word ritvik has no connection with Paramartha (the ultimate goal of life). Ritvik priests only perform yajna for some fulfilling the material desires of the host and receive their fees.

There are four sampradayas. Sri Sampradaya acharya is Sri Ramanuja. Sri Kumara Sampradaya acharya is Sri Nimbaditya. Rudra Sampradaya acharyas are Sri Vishnu Swami and Sri Vallabhacarya. Sriman Madhvacarya is the acharya of Brahma Sampradaya. We must be connected to Krishna in Guru-paramapara.

On December 10, Srila Gurudeva visited Platinum City of Bangalore. There, at the home of Shiva-kumara Todi and Anita Todi, he gave hari-nama mantra and brahmana initiation to more than 50 devotees.

On December 11, he visited the home of Sri Sankha-bhrta Prabhu. There also he gave hari-nama mantra to many devotees. On December 11, he left in the company of Sripada BV Madhava Maharaja, Sripada Brajanatha Prabhu and other devotees for his glorious preaching tour of Malaysia.

Srila Gurudeva was very happy that the suddha bhakti is being preached in Bangalore. Many devotees assisted tremendously in making this program successful.