The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Maui, Hawaii, on May 23, 1999 (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology Volume 43)

 

(An Indian devotee leads a Hindi bhajana)

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: He’s praying, “O Kṛṣṇa, O Rādhā, be merciful to me. I want to be in Vṛndāvana, in the lanes of Dāna-galī, Māna-galī, Sevā-kuñja-galī. And also, I will always chant ‘Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe.’ I always want to be wholly mad and absorbed in chanting and singing ‘Rādhe Rādhe.’ I want to be in Śyāma-galī, Kuñja-galī, Māna-galī, Dāna-galī, Rādhā-kuṇḍa or Śyāma-kuṇḍa, and chant and sing ‘Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe.’ Then I will see that Rādhā is there and showering Her mercy on me. And while chanting ‘Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe,’ I want to give up my life.” This is a very good kīrtana.

(Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja recites maṅgalācaraṇa)

Time is short. We were here for six days. Many valuable instructions have been given. Try to follow all these things. Don’t be weak. But if you are not pure of mind, body, and heart, like Pūtanā, then you will be weak and give up everything. When Kṛṣṇa descended to this world, He took birth in kaṁsa-kārāgāra (the jail of Kaṁsa) through the womb of Devakī, and simultaneously in Nanda-bhavana, through the womb of Yaśodā. In the jail, there were no sākṣīs (witnesses). But in Vraja, all the Vrajavāsīs were witnesses. The umbilical cord between Yaśodā and Kṛṣṇa was cut. Yaśodā-maiyā took a bath, and Kṛṣṇa was given a bath. Then, lakhs (thousands) of cows were donated by Nanda Bābā. But nothing was done in the jail.

Kṛṣṇa did not take birth naturally in the jail. He appeared there in a very opulent four-handed form, with curly hair, ornamented with gold and jewels in His crown, as a sixteen-year-old. And in Nandagaon, He took birth naturally as a baby, weeping, “Wah-wah, kya-kyah.” Additionally, a baby girl was born ten minutes later; that was Yogamāyā. Kṛṣṇa can take birth in lakhs and lakhs of places at the same time, no harm. He became lakhs and lakhs in the council of the gopīs when they were dancing and singing. With each gopī, He became one Kṛṣṇa.

Nothing is impossible for Kṛṣṇa. There are lakhs and lakhs of universes, and in each universe, there is a Vṛndāvana. He may take birth everywhere, no harm, second after second after second after second. So don’t have any doubts. But Kṛṣṇa was complete in the womb of Yaśodā. Only a part of Kṛṣṇa was present in the jail of Kaṁsa. That part was also complete, but the Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana was most complete (pūrṇatama). Don’t doubt this.

So first, Kṛṣṇa destroys all impure things. The embodiment of impurity was Pūtanā, Pūta-nā. The meaning in Sanskrit is ‘that which is not pure.’ Not pure, pūta-nā. ‘Pūta’ means ‘pure.’ Pūta-nā also means she has no child. ‘Putra’ means son. She has no son, and she was always impure, eating the flesh and blood of babies. She would eat the boys, just as someone would eat poultry, adding some salt and pepper. She was also accustomed to taking wine, drugs, smoking cigarettes, and so many bad things.

All the bad qualities were within her. So she was Pūtanā. So if Kṛṣṇa wants to give His mercy to anyone, He first destroys everything bad in that person. Similarly, when a guru gives initiation to anyone, he instructs that person, “You should promise to give up all these bad things.” Otherwise, if you go to Kṛṣṇa like this, He will destroy you. So, one has to give up all these bad things first. That is why Kṛṣṇa killed the demon Pūtanā. You should try to give up your hypocrisy, duplicity, lying and cheating of others. This is the main thing.

Śakaṭāsura was like this. He was well-versed in all the śāstras, including the Vedas, Upaniṣads, and Vedānta, as well as in everything else. But by his logic, new, new, new logic, he wanted to cover Kṛṣṇa. He thought, “Kṛṣṇa is a baby and we can kill him.” But Kṛṣṇa is so powerful and has so much opulence. If someone engages in duplicity or politics, Kṛṣṇa will not excuse him. Never, never. So, give up all duplicity and politics. Don’t control any devotee. Try to help, but do not control anyone. Always speak the truth.

In reality, one cannot speak the truth so much. What is the truth? Ātmā and Kṛṣṇa are the truth. So you cannot practically speak the truth. Now we are in this world, enveloped by these gross and subtle bodies, and we think this is true, but it is not. But anyhow, you should not tell lies. Don’t cheat others. Being very simple-hearted, try to chant and remember. Don’t cheat anyone through politics, ever. Give up all these things. Be very simple.

Once all the queens of Dvārakā were assembled in Kurukṣetra, and Draupadī was present. They were all questioning Draupadī. “My dear sakhī, we are 16,108 in number. We are so beautiful, the most beautiful in the world, possessing many qualities. But all of us together cannot control one Kṛṣṇa. But you are so qualified that even though you have five husbands, and they are very powerful, they are the biggest warriors in the whole world, yet you control them. How do you control them?

If you tell them ‘Sit down,’ they will sit down. Even Bhīma, Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. And when you tell them ‘You should march,’ they will at once march.‘You should come to take prasādam,’ and they will come. How do you do this? It is a miracle. We cannot control Kṛṣṇa even though there are so many of us. But you control all your husbands. How? Do you know any mantras? Do you use magic or something to control your husbands?”

Draupadī said, “I don’t use any mantra, magic or anything. I use nothing. I always try to make them happy. I wake before them early in the morning. They wake up at four in the morning, so I wake up at three in the morning and complete all their requirements. I arrange for them to take a bath, change their clothes, and sit in a designated area where they will meditate and perform sandhyā. Then, after that, what will they donate to others. All these things. I arrange everything. I give the salary to all soldiers, commanders, and everyone else. I make a list of all these things. Then I go to sleep after my husbands are asleep, massaging them, doing everything.”

So we should try to be like that. Without this, you cannot serve your Gurudeva, you cannot serve Kṛṣṇa, you cannot serve devotees. So, try to give up all these things: duplicity and hypocrisy. What is the meaning of hypocrisy? Internally, there is one thing, but externally, there is something else. So Kṛṣṇa killed that hypocrisy through Tṛṇāvarta. Tṛṇāvarta wanted to cover Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Himself God, but Tṛṇāvarta wanted to cover and kill Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa killed him. You should know all these things.

What is Śakaṭāsura? Having all kinds of intelligence and knowledge of Vedic scriptures and everything, yet not following anything and knowing everything but not following Kṛṣṇa. In India, a bullock cart is used to collect waste, such as garbage, and transport it to designated locations. There are trucks specifically designed for this purpose in the United States. They collect the waste and dispose of it at an appropriate location. So Śakaṭāsura is like that, knowing so much logic and so much śāstra, but not actually following.

The essence of all the epics is to serve Kṛṣṇa, to chant Kṛṣṇa’s name, to be a very high-class devotee. And if anyone has so much knowledge, so many tricks, politics, then they can very easily take your wealth. They can also ruin your character. They know so many tricks. But they cannot help you in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are like Śakaṭāsura. But if a devotee surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa easily kills and destroys all these bad things that are in his heart. He can be bound and controlled only through love and affection.

You know how dāmodara-līlā was done. Yaśodā Mā wanted to bind Him with a worldly rope. She tried from early morning until midday, but she could not bind Him. But when Kṛṣṇa saw, “My mother is sweating and she is upset, like weeping, and her face is yellowish and sad,” praying to Nārāyaṇa, “O Nārāyaṇa! Oh, it will be a very great shame if I cannot bind my own child, who came from my womb. Be merciful to me.” When she prayed like this and surrendered, Kṛṣṇa saw this and at once He was bound only by the rope.

So what are these two things? You cannot realise Kṛṣṇa yourself. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa. It is very hard, very hard, because we have so many nonsense things in us. Our hearts are not pure. We are not surrendered souls. So if you are practising truly and are surrendered, then Kṛṣṇa will see, and His mercy will come. Then He will be bound through love and affection. Kauśalyā could not bind Rāma; no one could bind Nṛsiṁhadeva. Hiraṇyakaśipu could bind Him. No one could bind Him. Prahlāda Mahārāja could not bind Him. No one could bind Him. No one could bind Rāma.

So only through love and affection can the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa be bound, if it is true love, if one is surrendered. So try to surrender. Your practice of bhakti-yoga will never bind Kṛṣṇa. Understand what I’m saying? You are chanting so much, lakhs and lakhs of holy names, but it is not sure that you will have His mercy, and that Kṛṣṇa will be realised. If you are not surrendered, you cannot bind Kṛṣṇa. First, surrender to your Gurudeva. If he’s qualified, then surrender to him. Then you should chant and remember:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau
bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā
tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23-24)

[“(Prahlāda Mahārāja said:) ‘Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, 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. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.’ ”]

What is the meaning of ‘puṁsārpitā’? ‘Puṁsa — arpitā’. First offer yourself at the lotus feet of your Gurudeva. And then, if you will hear from him, it is śravaṇam, and after, if you are perfect in śravaṇa, then you can do kīrtana; otherwise, you can never do kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa will not listen. He will never listen. So try to be like that. Then you can do other things. Then it will be bhakti. If day and night you are chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa,’ reading books, and if you are worshipping, it is of no use if you have not surrendered.

If you are not under the guidance of your Gurudeva or a high-class devotee, everything you do is like zero. But if you are surrendered to your Gurudeva, then he will help you surrender unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Then, even if you chant very little, there is no harm. Now you have some relation with Kṛṣṇa, ‘Kṛṣṇa is my beloved. Kṛṣṇa, I am Yours and You are mine.’ Even if you chant very little, there is no harm. Only two rounds or not even that, no harm. The gopīs don’t have mālās (chanting beads). Yet they control Kṛṣṇa because their efforts were always directed at pleasing Kṛṣṇa.

They constantly chant and remember. They were brooming their houses. Why? They thought, “Kṛṣṇa will play here.” And chanting what? Remembering:

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

With tears in their eyes, hearts melting, and in each house, they were wholly absorbed. If they were putting their sons to sleep, they weren’t saying, “O boy, sleep, sleep.” They would only say:

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

Who says you should not chant when you are cooking? While cooking, washing the clothes, and doing everything, chant:

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

You can broom, you can do anything. When cutting vegetables, worshipping:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

“This is very long. How can I chant this long mantra?” Then you should chant:

Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

Be like the gopīs, then Kṛṣṇa will be controlled. He will always ride on the chariot of your mind.

yā dohane ’vahanane mathanopalepa
preṅkheṅkhanārbha-ruditokṣaṇa-mārjanādau
gāyanti cainam anurakta-dhiyo ’śru-kaṇṭhyo
dhanyā vraja-striya urukrama-citta-yānāḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.44.15)

[“The ladies of Vraja are the most fortunate of women because, with their minds fully attached to Kṛṣṇa and their throats always choked up with tears, they constantly sing about Him while milking the cows, winnowing grain, churning butter, gathering cow dung for fuel, riding on swings, taking care of their crying babies, sprinkling the ground with water, cleaning their houses, and so on. By their exalted Kṛṣṇa consciousness they automatically acquire all desirable things.”]

Kṛṣṇa is always riding, and He likes to ride on the chariot of the gopīs’ minds, always, always. And the gopīs are always riding on the chariot of Kṛṣṇa’s mind. Kṛṣṇa is constantly thinking of them, thinking of them all the time. He’s always chanting:

Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe
Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Jaya Jaya Jaya Śrī Rādhe

Kṛṣṇa is doing this, not any devotee. Kṛṣṇa is constantly thinking, “Where is Rādhā? Where is Rādhā? What is She doing?” Then Kṛṣṇa will be bound. This is the essence of dāmodara-līlā. He also killed Pralambāsura in Vṛndāvana. Who was Pralamba? He was very duplicitous. He was a friend of Kaṁsa, advising him on how to kill Kṛṣṇa. So he took the form of a sakhā and came to the council of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa saw him and said, “O my friend, after a long time, I am seeing you. I will not give you up again. You should always be with Me.” Then they divided themselves into two groups, one headed by Baladeva Prabhu and the other headed by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa kept Pralamba on His team, saying, “My friend, he will be with Me.”

He then told Śrīdāmā and others to join Balarāma’s team, and thus they began playing. Then what happened? Pralamba wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa, but he was afraid of Him, “He is very powerful. First, I should kill Baladeva.” Pralamba took Baladeva on his shoulder, and he ran away. Kṛṣṇa looked toward Baladeva and spoke with His eyes (not words), “Be careful. This is not a friend; he is a demon. But I don’t want him to go far away from Me. He should always be with Me like a friend.”

So Baladeva Prabhu made him His friend. How? He quickly cracked his head, and he was vomiting blood, and he died. Kṛṣṇa purified his heart and made him His friend. So we should try to realise all these things. You know how Baladeva killed Dhenukāsura in Tālavana? Don’t be Dhenukāsura, and don’t be a friend of Dhenukāsura if you want Kṛṣṇa.

(A devotee describes the pastime of the killing of Dhenukāsura as described in the tenth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and explains the deeper meanings of how a guru removes the ignorance from the heart)

Why are donkeys ignorant? Donkeys think, “All she-donkeys are my wives,” and they try to follow them. But what do all the female donkeys do? With their hind legs, they kick their heads. But even still, the donkey follows them. He’s not following Kṛṣṇa. Even if they are kicking with their hind legs at his head, they are running after them, ‘hee-haw, hee-haw.’ So these are donkeys.

People can put many good things on his back and take him to a hilly place, but he cannot eat anything. They will take sugar, ghee, rice, and many other delicious things, but he cannot taste anything; he will only eat grass. He cannot take any of these things. In this world, those who pursue all these things like this and carry so much burden on their heads and shoulders are like donkeys. Those who are not chanting, remembering, and serving Kṛṣṇa are like donkeys.

So, if you take shelter of Gurudeva, then Gurudeva, Baladeva Prabhu, will bestow transcendental power and kill the demon. You are not powerful enough to kill that demon. In this way, Kṛṣṇa killed all the demons. He even killed Kaṁsa, Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika and Kuvalayāpīḍa. He controlled Kāliya-nāga, Aghāsura and Bakāsura. Do you know brahma-vimohana-līlā? Brahmā saw that Kṛṣṇa had killed Aghāsura. Kṛṣṇa entered his stomach through his mouth, and He became so hot. Kṛṣṇa burned his throat, and he died. His soul emerged and merged into the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Brahmā was in the sky, and he saw, “Kṛṣṇa is performing so many pastimes. He’s the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I want to see some more sweet pastimes.” In the meantime, Kṛṣṇa thought, “I should fulfil the desire of Brahmā. I will also have to fulfil the desires of all the cows in Vraja-maṇḍala. I will have to fulfil the desires of all the mothers in Vraja-maṇḍala. All the mothers desired, “Kṛṣṇa should be my son.” All the cows desired, “Kṛṣṇa should be my calf.” All the young girls desired, “Kṛṣṇa should be my husband.” All the boys wanted to play with Kṛṣṇa. At that time, Kṛṣṇa called Yogamāyā, and Yogamāyā went into the mind of Brahmā.

She was controlling the intelligence of Brahmā, and thus he thought, “I should steal away the calves and cowherd boys of Kṛṣṇa, and then I will see what Kṛṣṇa does.” He was not testing Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā was not testing Kṛṣṇa, never. Don’t think like this. He wanted only to see the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Yogamāyā managed everything, including the stealing and all other things. So Brahmā stole away all the calves and cowherd boys, and in a moment Kṛṣṇa became lakhs and lakhs (thousands and thousands) of cowherd boys and calves. 

He took their form, along with their nature, as well as their flutes, sticks, and everything else. He had their voices, nature, and everything. He became like them, and Kṛṣṇa displayed this for an entire year. Kṛṣṇa gave those who wanted to marry Him a perfect opportunity. During that year, Kṛṣṇa was all the gopas (cowherd boys), so Gargācārya declared, “All the gopas should marry their girls this year. Then, the girls will be fortunate. Their husbands will not die; the girls will control them, and they will be very fortunate.”

So that year, all the girls were married to Kṛṣṇa. All the gopas (cowherd boys) were Kṛṣṇa. So, all the girls were now married to Kṛṣṇa. But in that year, Śrīmatī Rādhikā was not married. Yogamāyā said, “This year, Śrīmatī Rādhikā should not be married.” So She was not married. But She was married to Abhimanyu. Who was Abhimanyu? He was a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. So, She was with Abhimanyu, but there was no link or connection to Abhimanyu, and She would always serve and meet Kṛṣṇa. So by a trick, Kṛṣṇa fulfilled the desires of all the Vrajavāsīs. He became every elderly gopī’s son. The elderly gopīs used to love Kṛṣṇa more than their own sons.

Baladeva Prabhu was not aware of these facts. In the last two or three days of the year, he noticed many cows were grazing on Govardhana Hill. Kṛṣṇa was with the cowherd boys and calves in Madhuvana, very near to Govardhana. All the cows left their new calves and ran towards the older ones who were with Kṛṣṇa. All the very able cowherd men wanted to stop the cows. But the cows continued galloping towards Kṛṣṇa. The cowherd men tried to check the cows with their sticks, but they were unable to do so.

They thought, “Today, we will teach Kṛṣṇa and the boys a lesson. Why did Kṛṣṇa play on His flute?” They became so angry. They could not keep the cows from going there. They were running and pursuing their cows in a state of great anger. They wanted to chastise and slap their sons. But when the cows reached their older calves, they started licking them in a lovely way as if they would take them into their hearts. And all the cows were weeping, “Hum ba, hum ba, hum ba.” Then, when all the gopas came to their sons, they saw Kṛṣṇa and their sons there; they forgot their anger and everything. They wept, and they were kissing and taking their sons on their laps.

Baladeva Prabhu saw this and wondered, “Why is this happening? The cows ran after their old calves and forgot their new ones. This is against nature. The cow will naturally love the newborn calf, not the older one. But yet they are doing so.” He also saw that all the mothers in Vraja, who at first loved Kṛṣṇa more than their sons, now had equal love and affection for both their children and Kṛṣṇa. They lovingly took their children and kissed them.

Baladeva was thinking, “Why? What is the cause?” Do you know? Because now Kṛṣṇa and their sons were the same Kṛṣṇa. So Baladeva was wondering, “How is this possible?” He came to Kṛṣṇa and asked, “I cannot understand whose māyā is here. Is this the illusion of a ghost, demigod, or someone?” Then He saw in a trance, “They are all Kṛṣṇa.” He then smiled and said, “O Bhaiyā Kṛṣṇa Kanhaiyā, You are not satisfied with only the milk of Your mother, the breast of Your mother. That is why You have made all the mothers of Vraja Your mother. Even then, You are not satisfied, so You have become all the calves of the cows. But even then, You are not satisfied. Now I see that all the girls of Vṛndāvana are married to You. Why did you do so?”

Then Kṛṣṇa smiled. Why did he do so? He can fulfil all the hearts’ desires of the devotees. This Brahmā pastime is both sweet and significant. It shows how Kṛṣṇa maintains, supports, and loves all the devotees. If anyone desires, “I want to serve Kṛṣṇa like my son,” then He can fulfil that. Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā desired this, and thus He became their son. Devakī and Vasudeva also desired, “He should be our son,” but they didn’t request of Kṛṣṇa, “We want to love You like a son.” That is why Kṛṣṇa became their son, but they could not love Him so much. Devakī could not give her breast to Kṛṣṇa. Vasudeva could not love Him. When they saw Kṛṣṇa, they would fold their hands and say, “You are Godhead.”

But Nanda and Yaśodā never did this. Nanda Bābā used to tell Kṛṣṇa, “Bring my shoes,” and, dancing, Kṛṣṇa would bring his shoes on His head. The love of Nanda and Yaśodā was lakhs and lakhs of times superior to that of Devakī and Vasudeva. They never had a chance to love Kṛṣṇa. So if you desire, “Kṛṣṇa should be our son,” then He will be your son. If you want to serve Kṛṣṇa like a friend, He will make you His friend. If you want to serve Kṛṣṇa like the gopīs, then you should take shelter of a very high-class devotee. He will initiate you into the gopāla-mantra and the kāma-gāyatrī mantra. Through this, you can attain this high class of love: “Kṛṣṇa is my beloved.” This is the process.

Once Kaṁsa ordered Akrūra, “Go and bring Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva here by any trick. They are in Vraja; we cannot kill Them there. I want to kill Them. When you bring Him to my council, then Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and all of us together will kill Kṛṣṇa.” They kept the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa at the gate, and many demons were stationed there, intending to kill Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa killed them all very easily. When He was in the arena, Muṣṭika and Cāṇūra dragged Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva, saying, “You must wrestle with us.”

Kṛṣṇa very humbly said, “We are very ignorant children, very young. You are like mountains, so big and so powerful. No one can wrestle with you. If you bring anyone equal to Us in age, then We can wrestle with them.”

“But they said. “You have killed Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Pūtanā and all. You are not an ordinary child. Come on.” They dragged Him there, and Kṛṣṇa became very happy, and they wrestled. They were dragging Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa was dragging them, with the head like this, like this. They wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. [For some time] Kṛṣṇa was not killing them, but He was happy. Today He tasted vīra-rasa (heroism). But what happened? They intended to kill Kṛṣṇa.

In the meantime, the wives of Yādavas saw Kṛṣṇa. He was very attractive. Twelve kinds of people saw Kṛṣṇa in twelve different ways. All who were there, fathers and mothers, saw Him as a very ignorant boy. Kaṁsa saw Him as death.

mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān
gopānāṁ sva-jano ’satāṁ kṣiti-bhujāṁ śāstā sva-pitroḥ śiśuḥ
mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāṁ tattvaṁ paraṁ yogināṁ
vṛṣṇīnāṁ para-devateti vidito raṅgaṁ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.43.17)

[“The various groups of people in the arena regarded Kṛṣṇa in different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw Kṛṣṇa as a lightning bolt, the men of Mathurā as the best of males, the women as Cupid in person, the cowherd men as their relative, the impious rulers as a chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of the Bhojas as death, the unintelligent as the Supreme Lord’s universal form, the yogīs as the Absolute Truth and the Vṛṣṇis as their supreme worshipable Deity.”

Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika saw, “He is like a vajra (lightning bolt).” All the ladies thought, “He is like Kāmadeva (Cupid). Very beautiful, attractive.” Nanda Bābā and all the gopas saw, “He is my son.” The cowherd boys saw, “He is my friend.” All the Yādavas – Akrūra, Uddhava, Ugrasena, and all others saw, “He is our master, superior, worshipable.” So He became the object of the twelve rasas there. The Yadurāṇīs (young wives of the Yādavas) said, “We should leave this council. Here, there is so much sinful activity. Those who approve of Kaṁsa’s actions are all like demons. We should give up this place.”

And then they said, “Certainly Vraja is the highest place in the entire brahmāṇḍa (universe), because the gopīs are there. Vraja is superior and so glorious because the gopīs are there. What are the gopīs doing? Always serving Kṛṣṇa and seeing Kṛṣṇa, so beautiful and marvellous. Not everyone can see Kṛṣṇa in that way. Kṛṣṇa is present now, and we are seeing Him. But here, He is fighting. He’s angry here and surrounded by so many enemies. Here He is like a tiger in a cage. But in Vṛndāvana, He is roaming freely and jumping here and there.”

“Kṛṣṇa is like that in Vraja, and the gopīs are tasting all His beauty there — the sweetness of His flute, rūpa (form), everything, four kinds of sweetness. We are unlucky. Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary boy. He’s the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He’s more beautiful than Nārāyaṇa, Dvārakādhīśa, Rāma and all others. These gopīs taste that topmost beauty.” And what do they do? I explained earlier that we should try to follow this. They glorify the gopīs:

yā dohane ’vahanane mathanopalepa
preṅkheṅkhanārbha-ruditokṣaṇa-mārjanādau
gāyanti cainam anurakta-dhiyo ’śru-kaṇṭhyo
dhanyā vraja-striya urukrama-citta-yānāḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.44.15)

[“The ladies of Vraja are the most fortunate of women because, with their minds fully attached to Kṛṣṇa and their throats always choked up with tears, they constantly sing about Him while milking the cows, winnowing grain, churning butter, gathering cow dung for fuel, riding on swings, taking care of their crying babies, sprinkling the ground with water, cleaning their houses, and so on. By their exalted Kṛṣṇa consciousness they automatically acquire all desirable things.”]

“All the gopīs are so glorious. When they do anything, they remember Kṛṣṇa.” What are they doing?

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

In each of the gopīs’ houses, they may have a very beautiful parrot. In the morning, they would teach their parrot, “O parrot, do like this.” 

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

Very early in the morning, at about four in the morning, what are the gopīs doing? Churning yoghurt. In what way? They are singing, wholly absorbed:

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

In the meantime, their sons wake up, crying, “Mother, mother, mother.” At once, they run and put them to sleep. How?

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

Some gopīs saw there was no water in their home, so they went to the well. How? Keeping one vessel, then a second, a third, a fourth. Here, one, two, three, four. Then, in their hands, they were carrying so much and singing:

Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti
Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti

There was one new gopī who had been married and had arrived in Vraja that very day. Her mother-in-law told her, “Don’t go. Kṛṣṇa is coming with His cowherd boys and so many cows. Don’t see Him. Otherwise, a snake will come and bite you, and you will be poisoned. You will never come to your senses again.”

That gopī said, “But your daughter is going. Everyone in Vraja is going. You are so wicked. You should remain here. I am going. If you kick me out of your house, I will immediately go to my father’s house. I will go. You cannot check me. Check your daughter, and you should remain here. I’m going.” She saw Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was so tricky. He took the tail of a calf, and that calf jumped and came very near to the gopī. Kṛṣṇa took his flute, quickly touched her, and took her heart, then went cowherding.

She was just standing there, standing, and standing. Her mother-in-law came and said, “You are standing. I told you that snake would bite you. Why are you standing? Come on. You should churn yoghurt. Bring yoghurt from the room.” She brought a vessel full of mustard seeds and churned it. Her mind was somewhere else. Kṛṣṇa had taken her mind and heart. Only her body was present. Then again, her mother-in-law came. “What are you doing? You have become so poisoned that it has gone to your brain. You should fetch water.”

So, she went to fetch water, taking many pots with her. One, two, three, and also here, one, two, three. She also brought a rope and a bucket to pull the water-filled bucket back to the top. To bring the gopī to her senses, her mother-in-law also gave her son to care for. She went to the well and put the pots and the child down. She tied the rope around the child’s neck, thinking it was a bucket. When she was lowering him into the well, all the gopīs there thought, “Oh, some ghost has taken possession of her. The son of Nanda Mahārāja has taken her mind and everything.”

So, all in Vraja are like this. Can you be like this? If you can be like this, then Kṛṣṇa’s mercy will come. Always try to chant,

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Don’t think, “No one is attracted to me, I should attract someone.” You should try to attract Kṛṣṇa. He will come and hear. Try to please Him. Do not please yourself, nor anyone else. Don’t please anyone else. What can they give? Will they give anything? No, but if you are weeping for Kṛṣṇa in a very pathetic tone…

(Devotees chant the mahā-mantra)

My request to all the devotees is to have so much faith in Kṛṣṇa’s name and also in your Gurudeva. Try to honour high-class devotees; don’t criticise anyone. Suppose someone has all kinds of anarthas; still, you should not criticise him; otherwise, all his bad qualities will come to you. Always be very careful. Always respect all the devotees according to their qualifications. Always try to honour devotees, especially those who are superior. Don’t criticise anyone. Especially try to honour the disciples of Svāmījī, if they are qualified and following their Gurudeva. But if they have rejected their Gurudeva, don’t associate with them. But don’t criticise them. Try to help them so that they may rejoin.

Be very humble. I want you to organise nagara-saṅkīrtana and distribute books. Give your energy to Kṛṣṇa and Gurudeva. This, along with everything I discussed in my classes for six days, is the process. Don’t imitate anyone. Try to be like devotees. Your hair should be like that of a devotee. Your dress should be like that of a devotee. One should always wear neckbeads and chant and follow all the principles, which Svāmījī has written about in his books. His writings are not from his own mind. How did he write everything? He established his writings based on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedas, and Upaniṣads.

It is intended for pure devotees, so you should strive to follow all these guidelines correctly. Don’t follow Dhenukāsura, that donkey. Don’t follow Cāṇūra, Kaṁsa, Aghāsura, Pūtanā, Bakāsura. You should follow Nanda Bābā, Yaśodā-maiyā, all the beloved gopīs, gopas, His friends and all others, and be happy. Kṛṣṇa is non-different from Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You should consider him your Gurudeva.

na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pracura-paricaryām iha tanu
śacī-sūnuṁ nandīśvara-pati-sutatve guru-varaṁ
mukunda-preṣṭhatve smara param ajasraṁ nanu manaḥ

Manaḥ-śikṣā (2)

[“O my dear mind, please do not perform either the routine religious activities resulting in piety (dharma) or the irreligious activities resulting in sin (adharma) as mentioned in the Śrutis or Vedas. Rather, you should render profuse loving service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Yugala here in Vraja, for the Śrutis have ascertained Them to be the highest principle of supreme worship and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Always meditate on Śacīnandana Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is richly endowed with the complexion and sentiments of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, as non-different from Śrī Nanda-nandana. And always remember the spiritual master as most dear to Śrī Mukunda.”]

Always remember Him as a Guru. What did Caitanya Mahaprabhu instruct? “Always chant and remember Kṛṣṇa.” You should follow Him as a Guru. You should not think that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa and all the gopīs are serving Him like the gopīs. Don’t think this. He’s a Guru, very ideal.

And then you should think that we are all in the Gaura family. Who is? Those who accept Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, and chant and remember Kṛṣṇa are all part of ISKCON. They are all ISKCON. They are the real ISKCON. ISKCON is not new. Only the bottle may be new, but the nectar is the same nectar coming from Kṛṣṇa, from the Vedas, Upaniṣads and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is the same thing. The bottle may be new and coloured, but it is not anything new. So, Brahmā, Nārada, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī were ISKCON. We are all ISKCON. All our Gurus are in ISKCON. You should follow all of them. Then you are following your Gurudeva.

This was the mission of Svāmījī. This is the mission of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura. This is the mission of Rūpa, Sanātana and Raghunātha, and this is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Don’t be weak. Don’t think that I have left this place, or Svāmījī has left this place. He’s always everywhere, in all atoms. He can come from Goloka Vṛndāvana to help you. Don’t have any doubts. Kṛṣṇa is always everywhere. So, don’t be weak. When I come next year, I will see that everyone is so energetic, inspired, and behaves like good devotees. Then I will be happy. And I may convey this message to Svāmījī, “All are very okay. You should not worry about them.” Gaura-premānande!

Devotees: Haribol!

Source(s): Purebhakti.com, Serve Love – Bhakta Bandhav (Bhakta Bandhav Anthology transcribed and edited by the Bhakta Bandhav Team)

Image(s) made possible by Pixabay.com, Krishnapath.org.in, Keystone Press / Alamy Stock Photo and / or Bhaktiart.net

Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)