108 Transcendental Jewels

108 Transcendental Jewels spoken by

OṂ VIṢṆUPĀDA PARAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

108 Transcendental Jewels spoken by

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

108 TRANSCENDENTAL JEWELS The information in this booklet is a compilation of quotes taken from lectures and darçanas delivered by Çré Çrémad Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja on different occasions.

Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

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108 Transcendental Jewels spoken by

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja Compiled by Nimäi Paëòita däsa

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Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Guru Tattva................................................................................................................1 Who Can Lead You to the Lotus Feet of Kåñëa?........................................................2 The Principle - Not the Body.....................................................................................4 Mäyä-Däsa and Mäyä-Däsé.........................................................................................4 My Revered Spiritual Master......................................................................................5 Samañöi-guru and Vyañöi-guru....................................................................................5 Guru Darçana ............................................................................................................5 One Who Has Developed Premä................................................................................6 Without that Love - Prema - No One Can Approach Kåñëa......................................6 Sädhu-Saìga...............................................................................................................9 Two Very Important Ways to Serve Guru.................................................................10 Aparä-vicära and Tattva-vicära.................................................................................10 The Two Reasons the Sädhu Comes to this World..................................................11 Bhägavata-tattva.......................................................................................................11 Käpaöya - Crookedness.............................................................................................13 The Three Types of Käpaöya.....................................................................................13 The Three Types of Sukåti........................................................................................14 Sambandha - Abhidheya - Prayojana.......................................................................14 The Three Puruñottamas..........................................................................................15 Rädhä and Kåñëa......................................................................................................15 Prema-Tattva............................................................................................................16 Mahäbhäva Is the Eighth and Final Place................................................................16 The Five Rasas..........................................................................................................17 The Peacock Feather................................................................................................17 Jéva-tattva.................................................................................................................19 Seven Famous Çaktyäveça-Avatäras..........................................................................20 Gaura Tattva.............................................................................................................21 Näma Tattva ............................................................................................................23 Äcärya-lélä................................................................................................................25 The Dharma of the Soul Is to Surrender unto Kåñëa...............................................26 Kåñëa Gave Vraja-prema as Gaura ...........................................................................27 The Results of Observing Nåsiàha-Caturdaçé-Vrata ...............................................27 No Compromise........................................................................................................29 The Absolute Need of Äcärya-avatära Kértana..........................................................29

Impartiality .................................................................................................30 Rädhäräëé’s Parrot .......................................................................................31 Çré-suka Is Rädhäräëé’s Parrot......................................................................31 Rädhä Tattva ................................................................................................32 My Guru is Rädhäräëé .................................................................................33 Kåñëa’s Family Visits Våñabhänu’s Palace ....................................................35 Eye-to-Eye Union.........................................................................................36 There Are Two Opposites ............................................................................36 The Three Topics in Rädhä-Prema ..............................................................37 Kåñëa Belongs to Rädhäräëé.........................................................................37 The Meaning of ‘Hare Kåñëa’........................................................................38 Rädhä-Padämbhoja Reëu.............................................................................38 Nityänanda Tattva........................................................................................40 Nitäi Guëa-maëi .........................................................................................40 Beg for Lord Nityänanda’s Mercy.................................................................42 The Last Limit of Mercy...............................................................................42 Lord Nityänanda Never Gets Angry.............................................................43 Lord Nityänanda Indiscriminately Gives Kåñëa-prema ..............................43 Nityänanda and Bäìkä Räya.........................................................................43 The Big Snake from Dvapära-yuga...............................................................44 The Päëòavas in Ekacakrä...........................................................................45 The Demon Bakäsura...................................................................................45 Bhéma Kills the Demon................................................................................46 Arjuna’s Snake Arrow...................................................................................47 Nityänanda Prabhu Has Only One Earring..................................................48 Bäìkä Räya Disappeared..............................................................................49 Nityänanda Carved the Mürti of Baìkim Deva............................................50 He Does not Sell Mantra – He Gives You Shelter and He Gives You Kåñëa................................51 The Flow of the Sampradäya........................................................................51 You Cannot See a Sädhu .............................................................................52 Protector of the Sampradäya & Protector of the Siddhänta.........................53 Caitanya Only Comes Once in a Millennium..............................................54 Mahäprabhu Was Always Chanting j

The Names of Kåñëa and Shedding Tears ....................54 Cultivation and then Attraction...................................................................55

The Transcendental Jewels Guru Tattva 1. 1a. The spiritual master is bhägavata-kåpä-mürti, he is the embodiment of mercy of Bhagavän.

1b. The bona fide spiritual master must be mürti-män kåñëaprasäda - the incarnation of Kåñëa’s mercy.

1c. The bona fide spiritual master must be kåñëa-kåpä-çré mürti - the embodiment of Kåñëa’s mercy.

2. The bona fide spiritual master must be svarüpa-çaktipuñöa-parikära - empowered by the internal energy.

3. The bona fide spiritual master is mukunda-preñtha - or

very dear to Lord Mukunda, the Supreme Lord who gives liberation from the pangs of material bondage.

4. The bona fide spiritual master is gaura-priya-jana - he is very dear to Çré Gauräìga Mahäprabhu.

5. The bona fide spiritual master is Nityänanda Prakash, a direct manifestation of Lord Nityänanda, who is guru1

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tattva-naipuëya - the last limit of guru-tattva, and kåpänaipuëya – the last limit of mercy.

6. 6a.The bona fide spiritual master is rädhä-priyä-däsé - an intimate maidservant of Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

6b.The bona fide spiritual master is rädhä-priyä-sakhi - an intimate girlfriend of Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

7. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami also said: The bona fide spiritual master must be a premi-bhakta, a premika-bhakta.

One must have prema to give prema, you cannot give what you do not have.

8. In a darçana, 24.11.1989, in Bhubaneswar he said, “...guru must have prema...”

Who Can Lead You to the Lotus Feet of Kåñëa?

9. In a lecture on Çrémad-Bhägavatam 9.4.18-20, at the famous Kåñëa Balaräma Mandir, Bhubaneswar, India on August 18, 1993. He said:

“...One should understand this guru-tattva perfectly well, and one who does so, only he can say, ‘Unless I take shelter of such a guru I cannot become free from all delusions, material fears and lamentations.’ açoka-abhoya, amåta-ädhära, tomära caraëa-dvaya

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tähäte ekhona, viçräma labhiyä chäòinu bhavera bhoya (Çaraëägati, by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura)

Who can show you the lotus feet of Kåñëa? Who can lead you to the lotus feet of Kåñëa? Who can give you the clue how to see or approach the lotus feet of Kåñëa? That is guru, a premi-guru, premika-bhakta, a dear devotee who has established a loving relationship with Kåñëa. He is day and night, twenty-four hours engaged in the loving service of Kåñëa...”

10. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said guru-tattva is the holiest of holy institutions in our Gauòéya Vaiñëava line!

11. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami was once told that some gurus are saying to their disciples that because it is Kali-yuga, one does not need to be so strict. His answer to that was, “...Yes! Therefore I say Kali-yuga guru and Kali-yuga disciple...”

12. Another time he was told that some are saying that when

the gurus fall down it is lélä. His immediate response was, “...Yes! A stool eating lélä...”

13. Then on another occasion He had said, “...why are you [the

so called spiritual master] trying to deliver others, when you cannot deliver yourself? [physician heal thyself]...”

14. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami often said that there are two types of guru, one sent by mäyä (illusion) and one sent by Kåñëa (the Supreme Lord). It is just a matter of what type of guru you want.

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The Principle - Not the Body 15. In a darçana Çréla Gour Govinda Swami has stated:

Devotee 2: Sometimes Çréla Prabhupäda somewhere, I cannot remember exactly but he mentions, the spiritual master sometimes has to come back to the material world to fetch his disciple. Does it mean the spiritual master in principle or the … spiritual master? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Spiritual master in that form will not come. In other form he will come.

Devotee 3: The same spiritual master though? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, yes. But not that form, some other form. If you have the eye you can recognise him... (Bhubaneswar 24.11.1989)

Mäyä-Däsa and Mäyä-Däsé 16. The living entity is mäyä-däsa (male in illusion) and mäyädäsé (female in illusion).

17. Mäyä-däsa (male in illusion) and mäyä-däsé (female in illusion), want to become Kåñëa däsa and Kåñëa däsé, or the servants of Kåñëa.

18. However to do this they will first have to become gurudäsa and guru-däsé. They will need to approach a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to him!

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My Revered Spiritual Master 19. When he spoke the name of his own spiritual master, he

would say, “...my revered spiritual master His Divine Grace Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda...” When he was glorified by devotees chanting “Çréla Gurudeva ki-jaya”, he would immediately respond with, “...Çréla Prabhupäda Mahäräja-ji ki-jaya...” (This can be heard on many of the recordings of his lectures).

Samañöi-guru and Vyañöi-guru 20. Samañöi-guru: Çré Nityänanda Prabhu is the sum total of all gurus (samañöi-guru).

21. Vyañöi-guru: All individual gurus (vyañöi) are representations of Çré Nityänanda Prabhu.

Guru Darçana 22. He made the point in many, many lectures that real gurudarçana is when one sees the svarüpa of guru, not just the external body!

23. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said: “...I always feel the presence

of my spiritual master. I never feel myself separated, so I feel secure. Every day I am able to remember him when I stay here in the hut, because my Guru Mahäräja stayed here. I feel his presence. We keep this thatched house 5

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as it is. Some re-modelling may be done, but it must be thatched because he stayed here...” (darçana in Bhubaneswar 24.11.1989)

One who has developed Prema 24. Devotee: We cannot rubber-stamp someone as spiritual

master? Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Rubber-stamping will not help. This is the mercy of the spiritual master who is in good standing, fixed in the spiritual path, and who has developed prema. One who has developed prema for Kåñëa he will not fall down in any circumstance. Why will he be attracted towards mäyä? Mäyä is so beautiful? So this is most important: It is a question of prema. (From a darçana in Bhubaneswar 24.11.1989)

Without That Love - Prema No One Can Approach Kåñëa 25. “...This question is here: Who can approach Kåñëa? The

goal of life is to approach Kåñëa and to get Kåñëa. It is not so easy to approach Kåñëa and to get Him. Who can approach Kåñëa and who can get Kåñëa and what is needed for it?

That is pure love, kåñëa-prema. Without that love, no one can approach Kåñëa, no one can get Him. When one gets that prema, Kåñëa becomes submitted to him. So in order to give that prema, Kåñëa came in the form of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu. He is known as prema-puruñottama...” (From a lecture on Gaura-pürëimä, 26.03.1994) 6

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namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanya-nämne gaura-tviñe näma

“...Çréla Rüpa Goswämé offers this praëäma mantra for Gaura. Mahä-vadänyäya, He is the most munificent incarnation. Why? Kåñëa-prema-pradäya te, He gives kåñëa-prema. No one gives kåñëa-prema. Even Kåñëa in His svarüpa, when He comes, He never gives it. He keeps it hidden, very, very secretly. But when He comes in the form of Gauräìga, all the chests are opened and it is distributed freely.

“The premé-bhaktas, those who have received that pure prema, have bound up Kåñëa in their heart with that rope of love, and they see Kåñëa everywhere...”

“...They see the all-beautiful form of Çyämasundara within and without, in their heart as well as outside, bhakta ämä preme bändhiyäche hådaya-bhitare yähäì netra paòe tähäì dekhaye ämäre (Cc. Madhya 25.127)

These are Kåñëa’s own words. “That premé-bhakta has bound Me up in his heart with the rope of love. Wherever he looks he sees Me, yähäì netra paòe tähäì dekhaye ämäre. This is, premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti yaà çyämasundaram acintya-guëa-svarüpaà govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

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The eyes of such a premé-bhakta are anointed with the ointment of love. Wherever he looks he sees the allbeautiful form of Çyämasundara. In Gétä [6.30] Kåñëa has said: yo mäà paçyati sarvatra sarvaà ca mayi paçyati tasyähaà na praëaçyämi sa ca me na praëaçyati

“One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, he is not out of My sight, I am not out of his sight.”

This is complete Kåñëa consciousness, this is prema.

One who does not have prema, how can he see Kåñëa everywhere? So that Kåñëa came as Gaura to give that prema. You get that prema and bind Me! Get Me! See Me everywhere! Develop complete Kåñëa consciousness.

That is Kåñëa’s desire! Yes! That is Kåñëa’s desire. This is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The founder Äcärya named the society as ‘Krishna Consciousness’. Why? This purport is here. Why has he named it this and not any other consciousness? He might have given ‘God Consciousness’, ‘Lord Consciousness’, or any other consciousness. Why did he particularly give this name ‘Krishna Consciousness’? What is the purport behind it? Try to understand it: Without that love [prema] you cannot develop complete Kåñëa consciousness. You cannot see Kåñëa everywhere. You cannot see Kåñëa within and without...” (From a lecture on Gaura-pürëimä, 26.03.1994)

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Sädhu-Saìga 26. The need for the association of a living sädhu, is most

important. He quoted this verse and said many, many times if there is a sädhu available go there, run there: kåñëa-bhakti-janma-müla haya ‘sädhu-saìga’ kåñëa-prema janme, teìho punaù mukhya aìga

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kåñëa is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Kåñëa awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Cc. Madhya 22.83)

27. He also made the point of what a bona fide sädhu is:

“...A bona fide sadhu must not be under the influence of the six enemies: käma - lust, krodha - anger, lobha - greed, moha - illusion, mada - pride, and mätsarya – envy. He must not be under the sway of the three modes of material nature (sattva - goodness, rajas - passion and tamas ignorance). He must be beyond the influence of the four defects: bhrama (the tendency to commit mistakes), pramäda (the tendency to be illusioned), vipralipsä (the tendency to cheat) and karaëäpäöava (imperfect senses).

He must be beyond the four anarthas: tattva-brahma – illusion regarding spiritual knowledge; hådaya-daurbalya – weakness of heart; aparädha – offences, and asat-tåñëa – material desires. He must have progressed past niñöhä (steadiness in self-realisation), ruci (strong taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Çré 9

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Kåñëa) and äsakti (this taste leads one further forward to attachment for Kåñëa consciousness) and achieved the platform of bhäva, or better still, prema...”

Two Very Important Ways to Serve Guru In the words of Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, there are two types of seva: prasaìga-rüpa and pari-äcärya-rüpa.

28. Prasaìga-rüpa-sevä – hearing from guru directly. Guru speaks and directly you hear. That means you are with guru and hearing.

29. Pari-äcärya-rüpa-sevä – taking care of guru’s body and guru’s requirements. That is a better type.

Aparä-vicära and Tattva-vicära Çréla Gour Govinda Swami regularly spoke on these two points.

30. Aparä-vicära: the apparent consideration. The superficial meaning, or what people who have no proper guidance think, of a text. They tend to adjust the siddhänta according to their wrong understanding and their attachments.

31. Tattva-vicära: the absolute consideration. What a text

actually means and which is revealed by a tattva-darsi.

One quotes only from çästra.

In the words of Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, “...aparä-vicära should be rejected, and tattva-vicära must be accepted...”

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He also said, “...most want this aparä-vicära not tattvavicära.

The Two Reasons a Sädhu Comes To this Material World 32. The first reason is that because he can see from that nitya-

dhäma the suffering of the fallen souls, his heart bleeds with compassion. He comes here to this material world of his own volition.

33. The second reason is that he comes on the order of Kåñëa.

Bhägavata-tattva When Çréla Gour Govinda Swami spoke on Bhägavata-tattva, he quoted these three verses:

34.

dui sthäne bhägavata näma çuni mätra grantha-bhägavata, ära kåñëa-kåpä-pätra

“The name bhägavata applies to two things: the book Bhägavata, and the agent of Kåñëa’s mercy, the devotee bhägavata.” (Çré Caitanya Bhägavata, Antya-khaëòa 3.532) eka bhägavata baòa—bhägavata-çästra ära bhägavata—bhakta bhakti-rasa-pätra dui bhägavata dvärä diyä bhakti-rasa täìhära hådaye täìra preme haya vaça 11

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“One of the bhägavatas is the great scripture ÇrémadBhägavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the mellows of loving devotion.”

“Through the actions of these two bhägavatas the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental loving service into the heart of a living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of the devotee’s love.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lilä 1.99-100)

35. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami mentioned many times that

there are two bhägavatas, the book bhägavata and the person bhägavata. Both are needed. However the most important is the association of a living sädhu, the person bhägavata.

36. He would also say: “...The day that goes by without kåñëakathä, is a very bad day...”

37. He explained how the Vaiñëava must be saralatä hi vaiñëavatä, he must have childlike simplicity [no crookedness].

38. He said, “The last contribution by Çréla Vyäsadeva was the Päramahaàsa-saàhitä, the Çrémad-Bhägavatam.”

39. “...Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the most ripened, sweetest,

nectarean juicy fruit of the Vedic tree. We invite devotees who have developed taste for it, to relish this nectarean juice coming out from Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Muhur aho rasikä, again and again we are inviting: “Please come, please come!” Those who have not developed taste, how can they come? Only a few persons have come. Why are the 12

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others not coming? Because they have not developed taste for this nectarean juice....” (From a lecture in Houston, 21.10.1991)

Käpaöya - Crookedness 40. He spoke on käpaöya - crookedness:

He said: “...If you are free from käpaöya, crookedness, then you can tread the path of prema. Otherwise, if there is käpaöya, crookedness, in your heart you cannot tread the path of prema...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 27.11.1991)

The Three Types of Käpaöya 41. Bala-kapaöé: one has strength but he does not dance in the kértana.1

42. Däna-kapaöé: he has wealth but he will not use a single cent in the service of the saìkértana movement of the Lord.1

43. Prema-kapaöé: he feigns prema simply to attract followers.1 44. He also said käpaöya is the paramour of pratiñöha.

In other words if one wants to become an important man by material calculations (pratiñöha), even in spiritual life, then he must also be crooked (käpaöya).

1. From a lecture delivered by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami on 10 March 1995, in Bhubaneswar, India.

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The Three Types of Sukåti There are three types of sukåti:

45. Karma-unmukhé-sukåti - piety developed by works.

46. Jïäna-unmukhé-sukåti - piety developed by knowledge.

47. Bhakty-unmukhé-sukåti - piety developed by a very slight

amount of bhakti. This one is the best, as this will lead you to sädhu-saìga.

Sambandha - Abhidheya - Prayojana 48. Bhakti consists of three transcendental truths: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana:

“...In the Vedas there are three truths - vede tré-tattva kaya. They are sambandha-tattva, abhidheya-tattva, and prayojana-tattva. The sambandha is Kåñëa, the abhidheya is kåñëa-bhakti, and prayojana is prema. Sambandha means relationship. There is only one relationship, which is the relationship with Kåñëa. There is no other relationship.”

49. “Kåñëa is bent in three places, tri-bhaìga-lalita, indicating these three tattvas: sambandha-tattva, abhidheya-tattva, and prayojana-tattva. His first bend, bhaìga, is at the feet.

The second bend is in the lips (mouth) - the left-hand side is bent towards Rädhäräëé. And the third bend is in the heart. First are the feet, which represents sambandhatattva, relationship. The presiding deity of sambandhatattva is Madana-mohan, Rädhä-Madana-mohan. The 14

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second bend is in the lips (mouth), which is abhidheyatattva, bhakti. The presiding deity of abhidheya-tattva is Rädhä-Govinda. And the third bend is in the heart, that is prayojana-tattva, prema. The presiding deity of prayojanatattva is Rädhä-Gopénätha. The Vedas give these three invaluable assets - tina mahä-dhana. A fortunate jéva who obtains these invaluable assets becomes rich with kåñëaprema and he will be really happy. Otherwise he cannot achieve happiness...” (From a lecture given in Atlanta, 20.6.1994)

The Three Puruñottamas 50. Lord Räma is known as maryäda-puruñottama, a strict follower of Vedic Dharma. He accepts only one wife.

51. Lord Kåñëa is known as lélä-puruñottama, he has wonderful pastimes with His devotees.

52. Lord Caitanya is known as prema-puruñottama, the giver of prema, the father of prema.

Rädhä and Kåñëa 53. Kåñëa is rasika-çekhara the Lord of all loving mellows.

54. Kåñëa is çåìgära-rasa-räja the Lord of the mellow of conjugal love.

55. Çrématé Rädhäräëé is madhanakhya-mahäbhäva-mayi, the topmost attainment of mahäbhäva.

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Prema-tattva

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami spoke on prema-tattva and the following three related topics incessantly.

56. Préti-äçraya – the abode of love.

The abode of love is exemplified by the all gopés, topmost of which is Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

57. Préti-viñaya – the object of love.

The object of love is Çré Kåñëa, the fountainhead of all beauty and pleasure.

58. Préti-dharma – Mahäprabhu’s mood and process.

This is love and affection for one and all.

Préti-dharma is the mood and process of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and one cannot develop this préti-dharma unless one has love and affection for the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa. This mood can only be understood and taught by a premi-bhakta, one who has prema.

Mahäbhäva Is the Eighth and Final Place 59. The development of transcendental love: “...When prema becomes more condensed it develops into sneha. When sneha is condensed it becomes mäna. When mäna becomes condensed it becomes praëaya. Praëaya in a more condensed form becomes räga. When räga becomes more condensed it develops into anuräga. When anuräga is more condensed it becomes bhäva, and when 16

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bhäva becomes still more condensed then it ultimately becomes mahäbhäva. This mahäbhäva is the eighth and final place of the development of transcendental love...”

(Tåëäd Api Sunécena, Chapter 9 )

The Five Rasas 60. There are five rasas (mellows), Mahäprabhu has discarded çänta-rasa.

“...There are five chief mellows — çänta, däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, mädhurya, Mahäprabhu discouraged çänta. In Mahäprabhu’s line there is no çänta. Mahäprabhu said cari bhäva bhakti. He told, däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, mädhurya.

That is däsya-rati, sakhya-rati, vätsalya-rati, mädhuryarati. In these four mellows he will give prema-bhakti.

That is Kåñëa’s chief thought. The chief purpose is premabhakti-dhana. Here, the whole process is explained, premabhakti, prema-näma, in four mellows - däsya, sakhya, vätsalya, mädhurya. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu descended here for this purpose. He is therefore known as premapuruñottama...” (From a lecture Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. 16.7.1995)

The Peacock Feather 61. One should not disturb the mood of Gaura!

“...There is a class of devotees called Gauräìga-nägaré, who stage plays of Kåñëa’s pastimes using a vigraha, or 17

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form, of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. This is a mistake that is technically called rasäbhäsa. While Caitanya Mahäprabhu is trying to enjoy as a devotee, one should not disturb Him by addressing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead...” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä, 7.10, purport Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda)

“...A similar example is Lord Caitanya. He appeared as devotee, and not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Although He is Krishna Himself. So we should accept the Lord’s mood in particular appearances and we should worship Him in that mood. Sometimes Lord Caitanya, because He is Krishna Himself, somebody worships Him in the same manner as Krishna. But Krishna was in the role of enjoyer and Lord Caitanya is in the role of being enjoyed. So the party known as Gauranga Nagari, they are considered to be deviated from pure devotional service, on account of Lord Caitanya given the same facility of Krishna, which He did not like. Our service mood should be compatible to the attitude of the Lord. Not that we should overlap the attitude of Krishna to Lord Caitanya, or Lord Caitanya to Krishna, or Krishna to Ramacandra, or Ramacandra to Krishna...” (From of a letter by Çréla AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, dated June 16, 1968)

Therefore Çréla Gour Govinda Swami has said on numerous occasions, “...Do not disturb the mood of Gaura. He has come as the äçraya (please see point 56.) and you are trying to make him the viñaya (please see point 57.) by placing a peacock feather on his head...” Do not disturb the mood of Gaura.

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Jéva-tattva 62. “...The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual

world, or Vaikuëöha planet, for it is the eternal abode...” 2 (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.16.26, purport by Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda)

63. “...The conclusion is that the origin of all life is the bodily

effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.30.5 purport by Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda)

Thus Çréla Gour Govinda Swami would always say this is Çréla Prabhupäda’s conclusion and this is also my conclusion.

2 “...Otherwise it is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuëöha...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.1.35 purport, by Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda) “...Therefore, the devotees never fall down, but the materialists, i.e., the fruitive workers and the speculative philosophers, do fall down, being forced by their respective modes of nature...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.6.31 purport) “...This ordinary living being is of two kinds—nitya-baddha or nitya-mukta. One is eternally conditioned and the other eternally liberated. The eternally liberated living beings are in the Vaikuëöha jagat, the spiritual world, and they never fall into the material world...” (ÇrémadBhägavatam 5.11.12 purport) “...From Vedic scriptures it is understood that sometimes even Brahmä and Indra fall down, but a devotee in the transcendental abode of the Lord never falls...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.15.48 purport) “...The nitya-siddha devotees never fall down to the region of the material atmosphere, even though they sometimes come onto the material plane to execute the mission of the Lord...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.3.26 purport) “...There are Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual world, and the devotees there are all liberated.

These devotees are akñara, which means they don’t fall down into the material world...”

Teachings of Lord Kapila verse six, (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.6 purport) “...Those who are ever liberated never come in contact with mäyä, the external energy. ...” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä, 22.14-15 purport)

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Seven Famous Çaktyäveça-avatäras 64. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said that a çaktyäveça-avatära is an empowered jéva that performs the work of the Supreme Lord. Seven of which are very famous:

Number one is Vaikuëöhasta Çeña, Çeña in Vaikuëöha.

He is seväna çaktyäveça-avatära, He is the incarnation of service attitude.

Number two is Ananta in Pätäla. He is uddharaëa çakti avatara who has carried this world on His head.

Number three is Lord Brahmä. Brahmä is a guëa-avatära, and also çaktyäveça-avatära. Brahmä is, såñöi çakti-avatära; he is the incarnation of creative energy.

Number four is Catuñanaù, the four Kumäras. They are jïäna-çakti-avatäras, incarnations of the energy of knowledge.

Number five is Närada. He is bhakti-çakti-avatära. Närada is an incarnation of bhakti-çakti, the energy of devotional service.

Number six is Påthu Mahäräja. Påthu is praja pälanaçakti-avatära. Praja pälana-çakti is the energy of the maintenance of the citizens. The way this incarnation, Påthu Mahäräja, maintained his citizens is ideal.

Number seven is Paraçuräma. He is duñöa-damana-çaktiavatära. He subdued the duñöas, the wicked and the rascals, badmash.

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Gaura Tattva There are three external reasons and three internal reasons for the appearance of Gaura.

65. The three external reasons are:

1. He is the Kali-yuga avatära.

2. He begins the saìkértana movement.

3. The calling of Advaita Äcärya.

66. The three internal reasons of Mahäprabhu’s appearance are:

This verse was hidden in the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädilélä, however Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, brought it to everyone’s attention and made a point of explaining this verse very concisely. çré-rädhäyäù praëaya-mahimä kédåço vänayaiväsvädyo yenädbhuta-madhurimä kédåço vä madéyaù saukhyaà cäsyä mad-anubhavataù kédåçaà veti lobhät tad-bhäväòhyaù samajani çacé-garbha-sindhau harénduù

“Desiring to understand the glory of Rädhäräëé’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realises the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Çrématé Çacé-devé, as the moon appeared from the ocean.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä, 1.6)

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1. Desiring to understand the glory of Rädhäräëé’s love.

2. The wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love.

3. The happiness She feels when She realises the sweetness of His love.

Thus the viñaya (please see point 57) comes to experience the äçraya (please see point 56).

67. “...Kåñëa never looks at the outward appearance. He looks

into the heart. Vaiñëavas mean those who are followers of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, those who are like gopés. They are enjoyed by Kåñëa. The guru or spiritual master who comes here, who comes in the line of disciplic succession of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu or Kåñëa, is a gopé, a companion of Çrématé Rädhäräëé...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 31.03.1989)

68. The Çré Caitanya-caritämåta is the post-graduate study.

“My beloved Guru Mahäräja Çréla Prabhupäda says, the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta is the post-graduate study. Those students who are desiring to be admitted into this class, should study it and if they can understand it they are qualified, otherwise not. So which class do you qualify to be admitted to? Primary class, isn’t it? You have not come through the primary class, so it is very difficult. It is very, very subtle siddhänta...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar April, 1989)

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Näma Tattva 69. “...If you do not associate with a sädhu who chants the pure name, who is on the highest stage of prema-bhakti, you cannot chant the pure name. If you are associating with asädhus, [an asädhu is a non-devotee—not a sädhu], then your chanting is similar to pronouncing the alphabet...” (Çuddha-Näma-Bhajana)

70. The mahä-mantra (or täraka-brahma-nämas) for the different yugas.

In the other yugas there are different täraka-brahma-näma.

In the Satya-yuga the täraka-brahma-näma is: näräyaëa-para vedä näräyaëa-paräkñaräù näräyaëa-parä muktir näräyaëa-parä gatiù

In the Tretä-yuga the täraka-brahma-näma is: räma näräyaëänanta mukunda madhusüdana kåñëa keçava kaàsäre hare vaikuëöha vämana

In the Dväpara-yuga the täraka-brahma-näma is: hare muräre madhu-kaiöabhäre gopäla govinda mukunda saure yajïeça näräyaëa kåñëa viñëo viräçrayaà mäà jagadéça rakña 23

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In the Kali-yuga the mantra for deliverance is:

hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare (Çuddha-Näma-Bhajana, Introduction) In this lecture Çréla Gour Govinda Swami made the point that we should know the mahä-mantra for all yugas!3

71. There are three stages of chanting.

71a. The first stage is näma-aparädha – the offensive stage of chanting.

71b. The second stage is näma-abhäsa – this is a glimmer of the holy name (not yet the pure name). [Çréla Gour Govinda Swami has said that when you go on hari-näma that is näma-abhäsa, because you are focused, there is no näma-aparädha.]

71c. The third stage is çuddha-näma, chanting the pure name, which is very rare. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami would say that the best is to sit with a pure sädhu (mahäbhägavata) and hear the chanting from him, and he will correct your bad, inattentive chanting. (From the book by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Çuddha-Näma-Bhajana)

3. Editors note: Again, to present the full scope of this lecture is beyond the limits of this small publication.

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Äcärya-lélä 72. The mission of Çréla Gour Govinda Swami was to enhance,

grace and compliment the mission of his own Guru Mahäräja, ISKCON’s Founder Äcärya His Divine Grace Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, on three platforms.

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said:

72a. There are three things that are very important to me.

One is that I want to preach to the preachers. It causes me so much pain to see the devotees falling down and going away.

72b. The second thing is that I want to show how everything is in Çréla Prabhupäda’s books. Those persons who are saying that Çréla Prabhupäda only gave ABC, it causes me so much pain in my heart. I want to make them silent.

72c. The third thing is that I want to show how everything is in ISKCON and that devotees do not have to go elsewhere for higher teachings...”

(From a lecture in New York City, July 1994)

Thus Çréla Gour Govinda Swami spent much of his time travelling throughout the world to present the prematattva of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in many ISKCON

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centres, and to strengthen this branch4 of the sampradäya.

This was all done according to the above three principles.

The Dharma of the Soul Is to Surrender unto Kåñëa 73. “...You are not this body; you are the soul. The dharma

of the soul, ätmä-dharma, is to surrender unto Kåñëa, to become kåñëa-däsa. But are you adopting ätmä-dharma?

You are adopting deha-dharma or mana-dharma, not ätmädharma. To become kåñëa-däsa means to adopt ätmädharma, the dharma of the soul. How will it be possible unless you are situated on the platform of the soul? You are on the bodily platform, deha-dharma!

4. Text:

...Is there anyone here on the platform of the soul? No one! All are in the bodily conception of life! So you are adopting deha-dharma and mana-dharma, dharma of the body and mind. What is the dharma of the body? Sense vande çré-kåñëa-caitanyapremämara-taroù priyän çäkhä-rüpän bhakta-gaëän kåñëa-prema-phala-pradän

Translation:

“I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Kåñëa.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lilä 10.7) From the Purport:

“...Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree.

ISKCON is one of these branches, and it should therefore be respected by all sincere devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu...”

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gratification. What is the dharma of the mind? Saìkalpa - vikalpa, accepting and rejecting, speculation. You are doing this dharma, not ätmä-dharma. You have not become kåñëa-däsa...” (From a lecture at the Manor, UK, 16.7.1995)

Kåñëa gave Vraja-prema as Gaura 74. Devotee: Sometimes it is stated that when Caitanya Mahäprabhu left Navadvépa and was performing saìkértana, he was an aàça and not svayaà bhagavän. But in this verse it is said he was giving prema-näma.

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: No! Gaura is svayaà bhagavän.

In other Kali-yugas an aàça5 comes. But He cannot give vraja-prema. Mahäprabhu is svayaà bhagavän,6 not Kåñëa’s aàça. He says, ämä vinä anye näre vraja-prema dite (Cc. Ädi 3.26) “Without Me no one can give vraja-prema, only I can give it.” So what Kåñëa gave as Gaura is vraja-prema.

(From a lecture at the Manor, UK, 16.7.1995)

The Results of Observing Nåsiàha-Caturdaçé-Vrata 75. “...In the Nåsiàha Puräëa it is mentioned that Prahläda

Mahäräja asked Nåsiàhadeva how he could develop bhakti towards Him. In answer Nåsiàhadeva said: ‘In ancient days, in Avanté, there was a brähmaëa named

5. aàça—plenary portion; 6. svayam-bhagavän—is the original Personality of Godhead.

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Vasu Sharma, a paëòita. He knew Veda very well. He had a devoted and chaste wife named Sushila who was endowed with all good qualities. She was celebrated for her devotion towards her husband. Vasu Sharma and Sushila gave birth to five sons. Four sons were naturally well behaved, learned, and obedient to their father, but the youngest son named Vasudeva, was an exception.’

Nåsiàhadeva pointed to Prahläda, ‘Your name was Vasudeva. You had a bad character and were addicted to associating with prostitutes. One day you quarrelled and fought with a prostitute. That day and night both of you fasted because of this quarrelling and fighting. Fortunately, the day that you both fasted was My appearance day.

Therefore both of you received the auspicious result of fasting on My appearance day. You were born as the son of Hiraëyakaçipu, My dear devotee Prahläda, and that prostitute took birth as a heavenly prostitute, an apsara, an angel in a heavenly planet, and she obtained so much material enjoyment there. After that she became My devotee, and now, you are a very dear devotee of Mine also, though born in a demoniac family. Observing My vrata, Brahmä is endowed with creative potency. Brahmä observes this vrata, Nåsiàha-Caturdaçé-Vrata, and Çiva also observes this vrata. Observing this vrata, on My appearance day, Çivajé obtained such strength and potency that he was able to kill the demon Tripuräsura. Those who observe My vrata on My appearance day, whatever desire they have, if they present it to Me, I immediately grant it to them.’...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 14.05.1995)

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No Compromise 76. “...Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, a great äcärya in our line,

has said that if you want to develop pure bhakti, then you should not even slightly compromise with abhakti, nondevotion. Our revered spiritual master Çréla Prabhupäda also said there should be no compromise. Where is the question of compromise? Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura emphatically said, “It is better to have an empty cowshed than to have a dusta-goru, a wicked cow.” That means that in this bhaktivinoda-dhärä, in this flow coming from Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, there is no question of impurity, no question of checking the flow. Crookedness and enviousness are not allowed...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 10.03.1995)

The Absolute Need of Äcärya-avatära Kértana 77. “...Krsna is viñaya-vigraha, the object of love, and guru-

vaiñëava is äçraya-vigraha, the abode of love. The only activity of such guru-vaiñëavas is hari-kértana. They have no other activity. Unless the äçraya-vigraha-avatära äcäryaçré-gurudeva does kértana, how can you understand the tattva of the viñaya-vigraha? How can you understand the tattva of the näma, rüpa, guëa, lélä, parikara of viñayavigraha? We cannot understand unless the äcärya-gurudeva does kértana. No one can understand the grantha-avatära, the çästra-avatära, the incarnation of all çästras, ÇrémadBhägavatam. It is the väëé incarnation of Lord Kåñëa. No one can understand the bhägavata-tattva, the purport of 29

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this çästra-avatära, unless the äcärya-gurudeva, who is äçraya-vigraha, does kértana. Çré-näma and çré-mantra have appeared in this material world as çabda-avatära, but unless äcärya-avatära does kértana in the ears of the çiñya, disciple, it will not be effective at all. You will find that the mantra and the holy name are written there in çästra, grantha. One may say, “Yes, the mantra is written here, so I will chant it.” However, unless the mahanta-guru, äçraya-vigrahaäcärya does kértana in the ears of the çiñya, it will never be effective at all. It is absolutely necessary. Çré-näma and çrémantra, and grantha-bhägavata are all viñaya-vigraha, but without the kértana of the äçraya-vigraha they will never manifest. Try to understand this. Mahäprabhu will help you. Nityänanda Prabhu will help you...”

(From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 10.03.1995)

Impartiality 78. “...A Vaiñëava is nirapekña, impartial. He is not partial. If

you are a thief, he says, “You are a thief!” Yes! He will call a thief a thief. He speaks straight. He says things impartially, not with partiality. He speaks on the basis of çästra, guru, and the previous äcäryas. If you find there is some partiality, that means he is not following the previous äcäryas and çästra and he takes some partial consideration, then he is lacking Vaiñëavism. He is not a true Vaiñëava. So you should not follow his instructions.

You may go to any Mahäräja. We will listen, but whenever you find that they are not impartial, then we cannot follow such thing.

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...It is very, very subtle. Guru’s instruction is there. We must know what guru has said ...” (darçana 1985 France.)

Rädhäräëé’s Parrot 79. “...When Rädhä and Kåñëa manifested Their léläs here five

thousand years ago, Rädhäräëé had a parrot that used to sit on Her left hand palm, and Rädhäräëé would feed him pomegranate seeds. Rädhäräëé was always singing kåñëakathä, glorifying Kåñëa, and the parrot was listening. When Rädhä and Kåñëa wound up Their lélä and went back to Their eternal abode Goloka Våndävana, They ordered him, “Parrot, you stay here and speak Bhägavata!” So the parrot stayed here. The parrot’s life and soul was hearing bhägavatakatha, kåñëa-kathä. After Rädhä and Kåñëa had left the parrot felt restless, “Where is my life? Where is my kåñëa-kathä?

Where is bhägavata-kathä? How can I survive without it?”

Then an aerial voice was heard, “Çivajé is speaking Bhägavata in Kailäsa-parvata, his abode.” Bhubaneçvara, Ekämra-kñetra is also Çivajé’s abode. In the past there was a mango tree here that was so straight and tall it spread far and wide covering this whole area. Therefore that place is known as Ekämra-kñetra.

Ekämra-kñetra: eka means ‘one’ and ämra means ‘mango’. Çivajé was speaking Bhägavata in that place...” (Excerpt from The Glories of Bhubaneçvara and Bindu-sarovara)

Çré-suka Is Rädhäräëé’s Parrot 80. “...The parrot was hearing and he was uttering, “Hmm, hmm, hmm.” After a while Çivajé saw that Pärvaté was 31

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sleeping so who was saying, “Hmm, hmm, hmm? Someone else is here.” Then he saw the parrot sitting in the tree.

“I drove everyone away. Who is this parrot listening to Çrémad-Bhägavatam?” Çivajé stood up with his trident in his hand and angrily tried to drive the parrot out. The parrot flew away and Çivajé was chasing after him. The parrot flew to Badarikäçrama. Near Badarikäçrama is Çamyäpräsäçrama, Vyäsadeva’s äçrama. At that time Vyäsadeva was speaking Çrémad-Bhägavatam to his wife.

Vyäsadeva’s wife was hearing with her mouth open, “Aaahaaah-aah.” The parrot flew straight into her open mouth and into her womb, and that is where he stayed. Later he came out as Çukadeva Goswämé. Therefore Çré-suka is Rädhäräëé’s parrot. Otherwise who can speak Bhägavata? Çuka-mukhäd amåta-drava-saàyutam...”7 (From a lecture on 21.7.95 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Rädhä Tattva In his transcendental purport to Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.23, Çréla Prabhupäda has stated:

“...In Våndävana all the pure devotees pray for the mercy of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, the pleasure potency of Lord Kåñëa. Çrématé Rädhäräëé is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Rädhäräëé is available very readily to the sincere devotees,

7. çuka—Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé, the original speaker of Çrémad-Bhägavatam; mukhät—from the lips of; amåta—nectar; drava—semisolid and soft and therefore easily swallowable; saàyutam—perfect in all respects.

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and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Kåñëa, the Lord at once accepts the devotee’s admittance into His association...”

Çréla Prabhupäda also said:

“...So this is our philosophy, to please Kåñëa through Rädhäräëé, and just today is the auspicious day of Rädhäräëé’s appearance. So we should offer puñpäïjali and pray to Rädhäräëé that ‘Rädhäräëé, kindly be merciful and tell about me to Your Kåñëa. To Your Kåñëa. Kåñëa is Yours.’ Kåñëa, Rädhä-Kåñëa. Kåñëa is not independent.

Kåñëa is Rädhäräëé’s property. So you have to approach Kåñëa through Rädhäräëé. That is, today is the auspicious day. Worship Rädhäräëé very nicely and be happy...” (Çréla Prabhupäda Rädhäñöamé Lecture, London, September 5, 1973)

My Guru is Rädhäräëé

81. “...In this line, in our guru-paramparä Kåñëa is at the top, however Kåñëa says,

rädhikära prema—guru, ämi—çiñya naöa sadä ämä nänä nåtye näcäya udbhaöa (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 4.124)

Kåñëa says, “My guru is Rädhäräëé. In loving affairs My guru is Rädhäräëé. She always makes Me dance according to Her tune.” So who is at the topmost platform of guru?

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That is Rädhäräëé. Although in our guru-paramparä Kåñëa has the topmost position, He says, “Rädhäräëé is My guru in loving affairs and She makes Me dance according to Her tune. I will dance, I will dance. Ämi-çiñya naöa, I am Her disciple and nata, dancer.” The guru makes the disciple dance, “Go there, come here, up, down, up, down.” The guru can make the disciple dance that is why Kåñëa says, “Rädhäräëé is My guru in loving affairs and She always makes Me dance according to her tune. I am dancing according Her tune. My guru is Rädhäräëé”.

Thus, in the guru-paramparä the topmost position is Rädhäräëé. This is guru-tattva. Those who get vraja-seväadhikära, the right to serve Kåñëa in Vrajabhumi, are the servants of Rädhäräëé. Those who have received that opportunity serve Rädhäränätha. And Gaurasundara is rädhä-bhäva-dyuti-suvalitaà [who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Çrématé Rädhäräëé]. gaura aìga nahe mora—rädhäìga-sparçana gopendra-suta vinä teìho nä sparçe anya-jana (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 8.287)

This is His own statement. “This is not the body of Gaura, this is the body of Rädhä.” Gaura says this. “Only Vrajendra-suta, the son of Nanda Mahäräja can touch this body. No one else can touch this body.” Rädhä-bhäva is predominating in Gaura. In our guru-paramparä where Gaura comes, Rädhä comes. That guru-paramparä in which Gaura comes is Rädhä’s paramparä.

So those who are gauränugas, followers of Gaura, they are rädhänugas, because rädhä-bhäva is predominating in 34

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Gaura, this is gauòéya-guru-dhara...” (Excerpt from the book “The Last Limit of Bhakti” by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja) To date three wonderful lectures by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami on Rädhä-Tattva have been published in booklet form:

1. Rädhäñöamé – The Appearance of Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

2. Rädhä-prema Makes Kåñëa Mad.

3. Rädhäräëé’s Beauty.

Below are several excerpts from these lectures.

82. (1) Rädhäñöamé – The Appearance of Çrématé Rädhäräëé

Kåñëa’s Family Visits Våñabhänu’s Palace

“... Seeing that Rädhä had not opened Her eyes, Kértidä felt distressed.

Pärvaté inquired, ‘Please tell me how Rädhäräëé’s vision returned.’ Çivajé said, ‘I will tell you a wonderful story, hearing which everyone will feel transcendental happiness.’

King Våñabhänu performed a grand festival on the auspicious occasion of Rädhä’s birth. He invited all the cowherd men and women, with a special invitation to Nanda Mahäräja and Yaçodaräné. Nanda Mahäräja and Yaçodaräné came to King Våñabhänu’s palace seated on a bullock cart. Mahäräja Våñabhänu went outside to welcome Nanda Mahäräja, and Kértidä went outside to welcome Yaçoda-mätä. Våñabhänu and Nanda embraced, and Kértidä and Yaçoda embraced each other in the inner 35

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quarters. A lively festival was in progress with the music of drums, kettle-drums, bugles, violins, véëä. In the inner quarters Rädhä was sleeping in a cradle. Antaryämé-hari, He who dwells within, understood it. No one noticed when baby Kåñëa went to Rädhäräëé as She slept in the cradle. Seeing the face of His dear consort, Kåñëa was smiling, laughing in His mind. Then He put His lotus palm on Rädhäräëé’s eyes. As soon as Rädhäräëé felt the touch of Kåñëa’s lotus palm immediately She opened Her eyes and saw Kåñëa’s face.

Eye-to-Eye Union

There was eye-to-eye union. Rädha and Kåñëa were both very, very blissful. At that time Kértidä went to her daughter’s cradle and saw that Rädhä had opened Her eyes. Kértidä was overjoyed and placed her daughter on her lap. She said, “Oh, Kåñëa has given eyes to Rädhä, therefore this baby Rädhä will be very dear to Kåñëa.”

Hearing this mother Yaçoda was very happy...” (From a lecture on 02.9.95 in Gadäi-Giri, India)

83. (2) Rädhä-prema Makes Kåñëa Mad.

There Are Two Opposites

“...We have to discuss what that love of Rädhä is and how Rädhä’s love, radha-prema, is very great, greater than Kåñëa.

Kåñëa has said in Bhagavad-gétä, “Mattaù parataraà nänyat kiïcid asti, there is no one superior to Me.” He is Supreme, 36

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but here, Kåñëa is not Supreme. So you will find that there are two opposites: on the one hand He is Supreme, and on the other hand He is not Supreme. He is requesting the lotus feet of Rädhäräëé, dehi pada pallavam udaram. These are the two opposites. This is very wonderful...”

The Three Topics in Rädhä-Prema

“...You will find three topics in rädhä-prema. First is, rädhäprema makes Kåñëa mad. Rädhä-prema is so powerful that it makes Kåñëa, who is almighty and all-powerful, mad.

Krsna is all-powerful, almighty and omnipotent, yet He becomes mad for rädhä-prema. So rädhä-prema is greater than Him. Number two is that the pleasure and happiness derived from relishing the mellow of that love, rädhä-prema, is unknown to Kåñëa. It is unknown to Him who is allknowing. Therefore rädhä-prema is greater.

The third and last point is that there is a combination of two opposites in rädhä-prema. One after another we will discuss these three topics...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar on 19.03.1992)

84. (3) Rädhäräëé’s Beauty.

Kåñëa Belongs to Rädhäräëé

“...We should pray for the mercy of Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

Our aim is to get Kåñëa, but how can we get Him? Unless we get Her mercy we cannot get Kåñëa. Rädhära kåñëa, govinda sarvasva – Kåñëa belongs to Rädhäräëé. If 37

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Rädhäräëé is merciful upon us, then we can get Kåñëa, otherwise it is not possible. Therefore we take shelter at Her lotus feet...”

The Meaning of ‘Hare Kåñëa’

“...When we chant hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare, hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare, we first pray to Rädhäräëé, “O Hare”. Hare means ‘O Rädhäräëé’.

The word ‘hare’ is used to address Harä, Kåñëa’s internal potency, Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Then we chant ‘kåñëa’, “O Kåñëa”. First we chant, “O Rädhäräëé”, because by obtaining Her mercy we can go to Kåñëa. Otherwise you cannot approach Him. That is why we chant first ‘hare’ and then ‘kåñëa’. This is the meaning of ‘hare kåñëa’.

Thus we have to take shelter at the lotus feet of Çrématé Rädhäräëé...”

Rädhä-Padämbhoja Reëu

The Dust at the Lotus Feet of Çrématé Rädhäräëé

“...The Gosvämés have written many verses about Çrématé Rädhäräëé, because they are very dear to Her. And because they are Her dear devotees, they have obtained Kåñëa. I will chant just a few of the verses written by them: anärädhya rädhä-padämbhoja-reëum anäçritya våndäöavéà tat padäìkäm asambhäñya-tad bhäva-gambhéra-cittän kutaù çyäma-sindho rasasyävagähaù 38

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“If you have not worshipped the dust of the lotus feet of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, or the land of Vraja that is marked with Her lotus feet, or have not served the lotus feet of Her devotees, who have become profound by meditating upon Her; how can you become attracted to that blackish ocean of nectar known as Çyäma, Kåñëa?” (Sva-saìkalpaprakäça-stotra, Verse 1) rädhä-padämbhoja-reëu nähi ärädhile täìhära padäìkä-puta-vraja nä bhajile nä sevile rädhikä-gambhéra-bhäva-bhakta çyäma-sindhu-rase kise habe anurakta8

“...Rädhä-padämbhoja-reëu, reëu means ‘dust’. Ambhoja means ‘lotus’ and pada means ‘feet’. You should know all these words. If you do not worship the dust at the lotus feet of Rädhäräëé, then you cannot get Kåñëa. Täìhära padäìkä-puta-vraja nä bhajile. How have the dust and the land of Våndävana become purified? They have become purified because Rädhäräëé is always walking on it. Çrématé Rädhäräëé’s mere walking has purified the whole earth.

Nä sevile rädhikä-gambhéra-bhäva-bhakta çyäma-sindhu-rase kise habe anurakta? If you do not serve Rädhäräëé’s mood, which means Kåñëa who assumed that mood of Rädhäräëé and became Gauräìga, then how can you get Kåñëa? Çyäma sindhu rase kisekhäbe anurakta, that çyäma-rasa is like an ocean. If you do not worship Gauräìga and serve Gauräìga, then you cannot be interested in that ocean...”

(From a lecture on 27.04.1989)

8. Çré Bhajana-rahasya text 10, poetic rendition by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura of the previous Sanskrit verse by Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé.

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Nityänanda Tattva 85. As quoted on page five of this publication: Çré Nityänanda

Prabhu is the sum total of all gurus (samañöi), and all individual gurus (vyañöi) are representations of Çré Nityänanda Prabhu. The bona fide spiritual master is Nityänanda Prakash, a direct manifestation of Lord Nityänanda. All this information and a myriad more has been explained in the thousands of lectures spoken by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami. Nityänanda Trayodaçé was the most ecstatic day at the Çré Çré Kåñëa Balaräma Mandir Bhubaneswar. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami’s mood was always effervescing over with pure bhakti, but on this day he would become more ecstatic than ever. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami would sing this bhajan in glorification of Lord Nityänanda.

It is said that Nityänanda Prabhu is more merciful, more magnanimous, more munificent than Gauräìga Mahäprabhu. Therefore he would sing the song Nitäi Guëa-maëi.

Nitäi Guëa-maëi

Nityänanda, the Jewel of Virtues by Çréla Locana däsa Öhäkura Translation by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

Text One nitäi guëa-maëi ämär nitäi guëa-maëi äniyä premera banyä bhäsäilo avané 40

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Çréla Locana däsa Öhäkura says, “Nitäi came to Gauòadeça with a flood of kåñëa-prema, love of Godhead. He made the whole world inundated with that flood of prema.”

Text Two premer banyä loiyä nitäi äilä gauòa-deçe òubilo bhakata-gaëa déna-héna bhäse He came with that flood and inundated the whole land. Dubilo bhakata-gaëa déna héna bhäse, the bhaktas, devotees, all blissfully drowned in that premer vanyä, but the déna héna, the fallen souls, remain floating!

Text Three déna héna patita pämara nähi bäche brahmära durlabha prema sabäkäre jäce Nityänanda Prabhu offers this pure love of Godhead, indiscriminately. It is pure love of Kåñëa that is rarely obtained.

He distributes this prema with two hands! Two hands! He never discriminates whether one is patita or pämara, most degraded, qualified or not qualified. Brahmär durlabha prema, it is very difficult even on the part of Brahmä to get this prema, but Nitäi gives it indiscriminately.

Text Four äbaddha karuëä-sindhu käöiyä muhän ghare ghare bule prema-amiyära bäna That prema is sindhu, like an ocean; karuëä-sindhu, an ocean of mercy. That ocean of love is an unlimited ocean. It is said that Nitäi broke down the strong embankment of that ocean of love. He completely devastated that dam. Then a flood came, it rushed in! It was a heavy rush that flooded into every home, and inundated the whole world.

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Text Five locana bole mora nitäi jebä nä bhajilo jäniyä çuniyä sei ätma-ghäté hoilo Çréla Locana däsa Öhäkura says, “He who does not take shelter of Nitäi, who does not do the bhajana of Nityänanda Prabhu, and does not beg for the mercy of Nitäi, is an unfortunate fellow. He willingly commits suicide, ätma-ghäté hoilo.

Beg for Lord Nityänanda’s Mercy 86. “...Nityänanda Prabhu is so wonderfully merciful that we

sing the song – Doyäkoro more nitäi - Please be Merciful to Me, Lord Nityänanda! – by Çréla Känu Räma Däsa Öhäkura, and beg for Lord Nityänanda’s mercy. Learn this song. It is a very nice song, doyä koro more nitäi, doyä koro more...”

(From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, on 17.02.1992 )

The Last Limit of Mercy 87. “...We observe the holy appearance day of Patita-Pävana,

Çré Çré Prema-Dätä Nitäi, Nityänanda Öhäkura whose mercy is limitless. There is no limit to it. If there is any limit to mercy, Nitäi’s mercy is the last limit, doyär abadhi.

Nitäi ämär doyar abadhi. Abadhi means limit. Nitäi is the last limit of mercy. There is no limit to it...” (From a lecture on 17.02.1992, Bhubaneswar)

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Lord Nityänanda Never Gets Angry 88. “...This song is written by Çréla Locana Däsa Öhäkura:

Akrodha paramänanda nityänanda räya, Nityänanda Räya never gets angry - akrodha. Jägai and Mädhäi beat Him and threw the wine pot that struck His head. Profuse bleeding was there, still He did not get angry rather He embraced them. You see, this is the mood of Nityänanda Räya...”

(From a lecture on 17.02.1992, Bhubaneswar)

Lord Nityänanda Indiscriminately Gives Kåñëa-prema 89. “...Patéta pämara nähi bäche, He never discriminates

between patitas and pämaras. Indiscriminately He offers kåñëa-prema, which is very rare and even on the part of Lord Brahmä it is very difficult to get. Uttama adhama kichu nä bächila, He never discriminates whether someone is uttama or adhama; He indiscriminately gives kåñëaprema...” (From a lecture on 17.02.1992, Bhubaneswar)

Nityänanda and Bäìkä Räya What follows is the full Çré Nityänanda Öhäkura Lecture by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami on 17 February 1992, Bhubaneswar, India.

90. Nityänanda Prabhu’s father’s name was Çré Häòäi Ojhä,

and His mother’s name was Padmävaté. After Nityänanda 43

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Prabhu, Padmävaté gave birth to another son, whom they called Bäìkä Räya. The two brothers, Nityänanda and Bäìkä Räya, took birth in the village of Ekacakrä. Close to that village flows the Yamunä-nadé River. In Their boyhood days, Nityänanda and Bäìkä Räya played with Their friends on the bank of the river and performed various léläs there, kåñëa-lélä and räma-lélä.

Bäìkä means curved in three places, tri-bhaìgé. So Baìkä refers to Kåñëa, Räya to Rädhäräëé and when both are combined They are Bäìkä Räya, Gauräìga. Kåñëa and Rädhä combined is Gauräìga. That is the meaning of Bäìkä Räya.

The Big Snake from Dvapära-yuga 91. The two brothers went to the village called Mayureçvara,

which was the village of Their maternal grand-father. Close to the village was a jungle. Once, when these two brothers were about to enter that jungle, two villagers stopped Them, “Do not enter into that jungle. There is a very large poisonous snake that devours everyone who goes there. No one returns.

Please do not go.” Nityänanda Prabhu did not listen to them and They both entered that jungle.

That large poisonous snake was staying under a tamäla tree, and as soon as these two brothers entered the jungle it came out, raising his hood and hissing. Nityänanda Prabhu was not afraid at all, rather He raised His hand and said, “O wicked fellow! Duñöä, stay there! Stay there!

Do not come forward!” The snake stopped. Nityänanda Prabhu is Nägaräja, the king of all snakes, Anantadev 44

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Näga, so when He told the snake to stop, he stopped. He continued and asked the snake, “Why are you killing and devouring innocent people?” Then the snake related his history from Dvapära-yuga.

The Päëòavas in Ekacakrä 92. The big snake said, “In Dvapära-yuga, after staying in

the house of lac, the Païca Päëòavas were wandering in disguise as brahmäëas, begging alms from village to village. They met Vyäsadeva in this Ekacakrä village and Vyäsadeva told them to stay in the house of one brahmäëa named Vedaçrava. Although, that brahmäëa was very poor and would go out everyday to beg for alms, he spared half of his house for the Päëòavas to live with their mother Kunté. Everyday four of the five brothers would go out begging for alms, and one brother would remain with Kuntédevé. In this way they would take turns.

The Demon Bakäsura 93. One day, when it was the turn of Bhémasena to stay back,

Kuntédevé heard that the brähmaëé of the house was crying.

She went to see her and asked, “Why are you crying?” The brähmaëé said, “There is one demon who lives very close by, only four, or five miles away. His name is Bakäsura.

That demon used to come every day to this village and indiscriminately kill many animals and human beings. So once all the villagers assembled, had a meeting, and made a decision. They requested the demon not to come every day, “We will send every day one human being, one cart load of 45

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anna, rice and cake, piöhä, and two buffaloes for you to eat.

Then there is no need for you to come here and disturb us.”

The demon became very happy, “Yes, very good! Why shall I come if you send food every day?’ So they would take turns; today is your turn, the next day his turn, and the day after it was the turn of someone else. In this way, every householder had a turn. It was a very big village, as some villages were clustered together and each householder’s turn would come once in every thirty-three years, two months, and twenty days. The village was that big, with so many people.

Bhéma Kills the Demon 94. So that day it was the turn of the brahmäëa Vedaçrava. The day

before a drummer, while beating his drum, had proclaimed, “Tomorrow it will be Vedaçrava’s turn.” There were only four persons in the poor brahmäëa’s family: Vedaçrava the brahmäëa, his wife Umadevé, a ten year old son Vidyädhära, and their eight year old daughter, Bhänumati.

They arranged two buffaloes, one cart with a load of anna, rice, and piöhä, cake. Then the question arose, “Who will go to bring the food to Bakäsura?” Vedaçrava said: “I will go.”

Then his son, the ten year old boy, said, “No, no, father, you should not go, I will go.” When the son said that, the brahmäëé started crying. So when Kuntédevé ran there and asked why she was crying, the brahmäëé told her all this.

Then Kuntédevé said, “Don’t cry. I have five sons. I will spare one. You have only one son.” Kuntédevé, knowing 46

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the strength of Bhéma, said, “I will send Bhéma. Bhéma will kill the demon and then all the villagers will be saved.”

Kuntédevé said, “Dear Bhéma, go to that demon Bakäsura.

This brahman family is so kind to us by giving us shelter in times of distress. We should help them. They have only one son and that son has to go as food for Bakäsura. They are crying now, so you should go.”

Bhéma became very happy, “Yes, I will go!” So Bhéma left with that cartload of anna, rice and cake. While eating the anna and cake he was shouting, “Hey, demon Bakäsura where are you? Come out! Come out!” The demon came out and saw that someone was eating his food. He became angry and uprooted a big tree and threw it at Bhéma.

Bhéma did the same; he also uprooted a big tree and threw it at the demon. There was a fierce battle between them.

At the end Bhéma killed that demon, ate everything, and returned with an empty cart.

Arjuna’s Snake Arrow 95. In the meantime, Arjuna returned and saw that his brother

Bhéma was not there. So he asked Mother Kunté, “Where is Bhéma?” Mother Kunté told him everything, and how Bhéma had gone to Bakäsura. Arjuna thought, “Oh, brother Bhéma has gone alone, he must be fighting with that demon; he must be facing some trouble. So Arjuna said to Mother Kunté, “Mother, I am going to help Bhéma.

Please stay here in the brahmäëa’s house.”

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He took his Gäëòéva bow and arrows and left. While he was on his way he thought, “It will take time to get there and my brother Bhéma must be facing great trouble.”

Thinking like this he decided to shoot his näga-päça-astra, his snake arrow. While shooting that snake arrow he said, “Oh näga.” Näga means cobra. “You go and bind up that demon.”

While he continued on his way, he met Bhéma who was coming back. Bhéma told him that the demon was already killed. Arjuna said, “Oh, but I have sent a näga, cobra. He must be wandering there now, and devouring everyone he meets. So I am going to settle him.”

Thus Arjuna went there, saw that the cobra was moving about, and said, “Alright you cobra, stay underneath this tamäla tree here. You should not move anywhere else and do not harm anyone.” Then that cobra said, “How can I survive? What shall I eat?” Arjuna said, “Whoever will come to this tamäla tree, devour him, but do not go away from this tree. Do not devour anyone elsewhere.”

“So from that day on, I am here. Whoever comes here I am devouring.” That cobra related this story to Nityänanda Prabhu.

Nityänanda Prabhu Has Only One Earring 96. Nityänanda Prabhu then said to the cobra, “Alright, stay

here inside this hole. Do not come out and do not devour anyone.” He was devouring innocent human beings.

The cobra said, “How can I survive? What shall I eat?”

Nityänanda Prabhu said, “People will come and worship 48

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you and offer food to you, bhoga, and you can eat that.

Do not devour any human beings, animals, or any other creature. Stay inside this hole, and do not come out of the hole.”

While saying this Nityänanda Prabhu took one of His golden earrings out of His ear, and put it on the mouth of the hole. From that day Nityänanda Prabhu, or Balaräma, or Baladeva wears only one kuëòala, earring, eka kuëòala, not two. That kuëòala has gradually turned into a big block of stone, and a very nice temple is built over it. It is a holy place now, known as kuëòali-talä, or kuëòali damana and many people are going there to offer worship and bhoga to that cobra, näga.

These are some of the childhood pastimes of Nityänanda Prabhu and there are so many more.

Bäìkä Räya Disappeared 97. There is also one pastime of Bäìkä Räya, of which I will

give you a summary. Once, Bäìkä Räya was overseeing the cultivation of some land. It was a large property of about five or ten hectares of cultivated land, with many weeds.

Some labourers were engaged in pulling out the weeds.

Around midday Bäìkä Räya said to them, “You must be hungry now, go home, eat, take some rest and then come back to finish the work.” After all the labourers had left for their houses, Bäìkä Räya Himself uprooted all the weeds of the whole five hectares within one hour, something that these 50 waged labourers could not have done.

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When the labourers saw these wonderful activities of Bäìkä Räya, they went to Bäìkä Räya’s father and said, “Paëòita Ojhä, your younger son Bäìkä Räya told us to go back home, and take food and then He Himself pulled out all the weeds within one hour; it is so wonderful. All the weeds are still there in several big mounds. Upon hearing this, all the villagers went to see this wonderful activity.

His father and mother Padmavaté also went, but they could not see Him anywhere; Bäìkä Räya had disappeared.

Nityänanda Carved the Mürti of Baìkim Deva 98. When His mother and the villagers started crying, they

heard an aerial voice, “You cannot see me any longer, but this coming Ekädaçé, you will find Me floating on the Yamunä River in the form of a log of wood. Pick that log up and worship Me.” So that is what happened; on that Ekädaçé day at that place, which is now known as Kadamba-khaëòi, some villagers saw a log of wood floating on the Yamunä River. Nityänanda Prabhu Himself lifted that log of wood up and carved a mürti of Baìkabihäré, Kåñëa. Nityänanda Prabhu named the mürti Baìkim Deva, and He installed that mürti. Now there is a temple for that vigraha and on every Nityänanda trayodaçé day, the Appearance Day of Nityänanda Prabhu, a big fair is held in front of that temple. It is said that when Nityänanda Prabhu disappeared, He entered into that vigraha.

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He Does not Sell Mantra – He Gives you Shelter and he Gives you Kåñëa 99. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said of his own guru, Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, the he was not a guru to sell mantras, he was not mantra-datta-guru.

100. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda was kåñëa-datta-guru, he was the guru who gives you Kåñëa.

101. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda was äçrayä-datta-guru, he was the guru who gives you shelter.

The Flow of the Sampradäya 102. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami made the point that the three most famous verses for the sampradäya are: sampradäya vihénä ye manträs te niñphalä matäù ataù kalau bhaviñyanti catväraù sampradäyinaù çré-brahma-rudra-sanakä vaiñëaväù kñiti-pävanäù catväras te kalau bhävyä hy utkale puruñottamät

“Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra he might have received is 51

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without any effect. For this reason four Vaiñëava disciplic successions, inaugurated by Lakñmé-devé, Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva, and Sanat-kumära, will appear in the holy place of Jagannätha Puré in Orissa and purify the entire earth during the age of Kali.” (Padma Puräëa: Quoted by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa in Prameya-ratnävalé, verse 5) rämëujaà çréù své-cakre madhväcåyaà caturmukhaù çré-viñëu-sväminaà rudro nimbädityaà catuùsanaù

“Lakñmé-devé chose Rämänujäcärya to represent her disciplic succession. In the same way Lord Brahmä chose Madhväcärya, Lord Çiva chose Viñëu Svämé, and the four Kumäras chose Nimbärka.” (Padma Puräëa: Quoted by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa in Prameya-ratnävalé, verse 6)

103. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami quoted these verses constantly

and when he came to this line: hy utkale puruñottamät, he would say that the four sampradäyas have all come out of Puruñottama Dhäma, Çré Jagannätha Puré. Then he would say when the head of the Mäyävädés, Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, was defeated by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in Çré Jagannätha Puré, this was the coming together of the four philosophies of the four sampradäyas.

You Cannot See a Sädhu 104. “People think they can recognise a sädhu, see a sädhu, but actually you cannot see a sädhu without that sädhu 52

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revealing himself. He is the seer and we are to be seen. Just like the Deity. We do not go to ‘see’ the Deities, but we present ourselves before Them and pray for Their merciful glance upon us. We should do the same with a sädhu, pray for his merciful glance upon us. However, we give all importance to our seeing: ‘seeing is believing’. When we ride in a train, we see the trees running backwards, but they are not. So, do not think that you can recognise a guru by your own power. Cry for mercy. Pray that he casts his merciful glance (kåpä-dåñöi) upon you. Those who have not cried for such mercy have not received it, whereas those who have cried for it received it. Therefore I have opened a crying school in Bhubaneshwar.”

Protector of the Sampradäya and the Siddhänta 105.

105a. He also stressed the point regularly, that the

sampradäya must be maintained or protected. Thus one of the responsibilities of the Äcärya is to protect the sampradäya (sampradäya-rakñaëa).

105b. He also said many times, that one of the other responsibilities of the Äcärya is to protect the siddhänta (siddhänta-rakñaëa).

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Caitanya Only appears Once in a Millennium 106. “...One of the plenary portions of Caitanya comes in other

Kali-yugas and thus initiates the yuga-dharma. But He can never give this vraja-prema, this love of Kåñëa. This aàça comes in other Kali-yugas, or aàça of Kåñëa comes in other Dväpara-yugas. Kåñëa only appears once in a millennium, in Dväpara-yuga. Similarly Caitanya only appears once in a millennium and His aàças comes in other Kali-yugas.

They just initiate this hari-näma-saìkértana but can never give this prema. Only Kåñëa Himself can give when He comes as Caitanya Mahäprabhu...” (From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, 31.03.1989)

Mahäprabhu Was Always Chanting the Names of Kåñëa and Shedding Tears 107. Gauräìga is Kåñëa Himself always chanting His own

name. Narottama däsa Öhäkura sings ‘gauräìga’ balite ha’be pulaka çaréra – If you chant the name of Gauräìga your whole body will be ecstatic, because He is always crying for Lord Hari. ‘Hari hari’ balite nayane ba’be nira He is Hari Himself, but although He is Hari, while chanting the name of Hari - His own name - He sheds tears. Kåñëa is a theoretical speaker, but Gauräìga Mahäprabhu is a practical teacher. Kåñëa came in the form of Gauräìga to teach us how to surrender to Kåñëa, how to develop bhakti for Him and how to cry for Him. You have to cry 54

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for Kåñëa, otherwise you cannot achieve Him. Those who have cried for Kåñëa, they have attained Him. That is the price you have to pay. Sva-näma-kértyä – Mahäprabhu is always chanting His own name, shedding tears. In Çré Caitanya-bhägavata, Çréla Våndävana däsa Öhäkura has explained bhakti: bhakti-yoga, bhakti-yoga, bhakti-yoga-dhana ‘bhakti’ ei-kåñëa-näma-smaraëa-krandana “Prema-bhakti is an invaluable asset. Bhakti means crying while chanting the name of Kåñëa and thinking of Him.” (Madhya-khaëòa 15.24)

He who chants kåñëa-näma and cries before His Deity form purchases Him. In the Ädi Puräëa it is said: “O Arjuna, I become literally purchased by those who sing My names, dance and weep in My presence and before My Deity. I, Janärdana, who cannot be purchased by anyone, become purchased by them.” (Ädi Puräëa 2.31)

Thus Mahäprabhu was always chanting the names of Kåñëa and shedding tears, thereby teaching us practically.

Cultivation and then Attraction 108. What is the significance of the Kåñëa-Balaräma temple?

Balaräma carries a plow, which represents karñaëa, cultivation and Kåñëa carries a flute, which represents äkarñaëa, attraction. In order to become genuinely attracted by Kåñëa, one must first cultivate the field of 55

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one’s heart. Balaräma is akhanda-guru-tattva, or samastiguru, the original principle of guru. One must allow the plow-like instructions of one’s guru to cultivate the barren field of one’s hard heart to make it a proper place to plant the seed of the bhakti-lata – the creeper of love of God. That stage is vaidhi-bhakti. After due cultivation of the heart, one eventually comes to the platform of spontaneous devotional service, or rägänuga-bhakti. So plow and flute, cultivation then attraction. This is the meaning of the Kåñëa-Balaräma Temple.

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108 Transcendental Jewels spoken by

OṂ VIṢṆUPĀDA PARAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja

This booklet is a collection of 108 Jewels spoken

by His Divine Grace Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja, on essential topics ranging from Guru-tattva to understanding how to enter into the process and eventually attain the goal of Pure Bhakti; Jīva, Gaura and Nāma Tattvas; how to beg for Lord Nityānanda’s limitless mercy; and how the bona fide ācārya is the protector of both the sampradāya and the siddhānta.

The information in this publication is only a small fraction of the topics spoken by Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja. A full presentation is beyond the scope of this publication. To present everything Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja spoke would take many, many volumes.

TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S