730317TO.MAY

[Srila Prabhupada first asked Sridhara Maharaja to give a talk during the inauguration of the ISKCON Candrodaya Mandira in Mayapur 1973, on Gaura-purnima].

Sridhara Maharaja: [indistinct], conceived the innermost [indistinct], this is wonderful, [indistinct], I am rather [indistinct], this is not a chance confident eh? Not a matter of the minute ...this sort of [indistinct] is being conferred on me... [indistinct] permanent settlement [indistinct] conceived in this world [indistinct]

[break] ...we are very eager to get some happiness, that even a point is very much dear to us-even a speck of happiness of the Infinite. Our Professor Sanyal, he told when he was a boy in…, he was a man of Faridpur, and there the Ganges water is very dear. So from his childhood he was habituated to see Ganges water by drop. Drop, a drop of Ganges water, it touched someone on the head, he is seeing like this. The conception of Ganges water, it appeared in that way.

But his father was serving in Chandpur, on the verge of Ganges. Once, following his father, he came this side, and passing through the Ganges water. Then he told him, "What is this?" His father told, "It is Ganges-River Ganges." "So much water! The boat is passing through Ganges water? And in an ordinary place, the Ganges water, it can never be found, can hardly be found in our country. And so much Ganges water is there that the boat is passing through." So, so much happiness.

Prabhupada: Anandambudhi...

Sridhara Maharaja: Anandambudhi-vardhanam [Cc Antya 20.12]. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. All blissfulness, all love, all divinity are so much found there, and there is everything required. All ganam natyam, toyam amrtam, all drink is for pleasure.

Prabhupada: Katha ganam natyam ...

Sridhara Maharaja: Katha ganam-all the words are sweet because they're subject matter is sweetness personified, Krsna. Katha ganam. [indistinct] ganam, natyam. And the very environment-the trees, cows, plants, everything-all fulfill our purpose.

"Oh, you are krsna-bhakta? Everything for you is there." "Everything for you," offering them. "Everything. We are all your friends. You can take anything you like. We are ready for your satisfaction."

Opulence-opulence being offered from all sides. That is the immediate representation throughout, for this idea, this idea where the fallen souls are [indistinct]. That has been extended through the scriptures and the sadhu. The [indistinct]-the sadhus are agents coming down from that land to here to recruit us, to take us to that.

You are so purely representing that which you like happiness. You want happiness. "Are you seeking happiness, ecstasy? Oh, come with me. The opulence is there, khani-the mine is there-you come." How much as you can fit, you can take. How much you can contain. Your, your…

Prabhupada: Bhaktivinoda Thakura's song-"I have brought that good news..." I forget that song.

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes-sri-vaikuntha-puri ache nihsreyasa vana...

Prabhupada: Kalyana-kalpataru.

Sridhara Maharaja: Kalyana-kalpataru. Nihsreyasa

[Bengali] "What is that?"

Govinda Maharaja: Taniya anite vrksa e

Sridhara Maharaja:

[Bengali]

"First comes the mercy of the guru, then [indistinct]." Kalyana-kalpataru. "Many such trees and creepers are there, and only one-by-one like to come down here for Your purpose." Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings.

Hare Krsna! Hare Krsna! The name is the highest medium, Mahaprabhu recommends. And it is open to all. Open to all! No question of eligibility in taking the name. From whatever corner you may come, only a sincere will is necessary: "Yes, I want!" A sincere will. "Yes, I want this."

Prabhupada: Serious [indistinct] necessary.

Sridhara Maharaja: No other qualification is necessary, only a sincere will. Only, "Yes, I want this!" Everything is there. And yes, "Come forward. I shall give you." But the will must be sincere. Sraddha. Sraddha, faith.

Prabhupada: The first is faith.

Sridhara Maharaja: Then sincere.

He is not far away. Only the egoism is the wall between the two. And the ignorance of karma and jnana removed, and we are with the Lord. We are with the Lord! Tad dure tad vantike .

Prabhupada: Far away.

Sridhara Maharaja: Far for them, and near for the others-for the sraddhaluh. So near that we cannot conceive of that nearness. Even for that, myself is not so near to myself. He is so near to us, but we cannot conceive that.

I cannot see me as much as He can see me. I cannot love me as much as He loves me. And He means love. He means love. I cannot love Him so much. I cannot uncover that relationship with the Lord.

But with the divine name, the Divine Master can become crucial to the divine act of finding our destination. What is the [indistinct] only [indistinct] have sanctioned, freedom of the material sensation is there, of this material body.

Prabhupada: When the light is off, then the current is off.

Sridhara Maharaja: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. So, our Swami Maharaja has done a miracle! [laughingly] He has done a miracle!

Prabhupada: [laughter] [indistinct]

Sridhara Maharaja: What Bhaktivinoda conceived and Prabhupada tried to, according to his conception, to translate into action in his last days. Anyhow, we find that through Swami Maharaja these revelations have been fulfilled. We are happy. We are glad. We are proud of Swami Maharaja, with love to all.

Our Guru Maharaja told that when one person comes to take diksa and to stay in the Matha, then we may say that after wandering a long time in a foreign land he is again coming back to his home, homeward. Home means homeward, back to God, back to home, back to Godhead. Back to Godhead means back to home, sweet, sweet home. Our home and life is there, and nowhere else.

So we may be quite free there; no apprehension of any misgivings or misunderstanding. With such boldness and clear faith we can go on, onward and onward. What are we leaving on the back-that is all mortal things, transient. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.

[indistinct]

Prabhupada: Jaya om visnupada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhakti-raksaka Sridhara Maharaja ki jaya!

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupada: So we are thinking we are very much fortunate to hear His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Bhakti-raksaka Sridhara Maharaja. He is, by age and experience, in both ways he is senior to me. I am also I was fortunate to have his association since a very long time, perhaps since 1930 or something like that. At that time, he did not accept sannyasa ...he just left home, vanaprastha. In his white dress he went to Allahabad.

[aside to Sridhara Maharaja:] Maharaja, I think you remember this incident, when you went to Allahabad?

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes, I do.

Prabhupada: Yes. Thank you. [chuckles] Yes. At that time...

Sridhara Maharaja: ...we took prasadam on the roof.

[laughter]

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Thank you. So on that auspicious occasion we are connected. Before that, in 1920, er, '22, when I was manager in Dr. Bose's Laboratory, young man, and I was Nationalist, Congress Party. I was a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi and C. R. Dasa. At that time...

Sridhara Maharaja: When I was [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Yes.

Sridhara Maharaja: That was the beginning of our...

Prabhupada: No, I was in connection with Congress 1917, yes, '17, when Annie Besant became the Congress president. Then I became serious in 1920, and I gave up my education. So one of my friends-that friend is also now... Perhaps you know, Maharaja, that Naren Mullik?

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes, he was my intimate friend. So in their house old Tirtha Maharaja went to beg some alms-they are very rich man. So he informed me that "One nice sannyasi came to our house, and he has invited… In Ultadanga there is the Gaudiya Matha. So he has invited me. I wish to go there. Why don't you come? Let us go together." He was my very intimate friend. So at that time I was a little pessimistic: "Why should I go? I know all the sadhus there; I am not going."

So he forced me: "Oh, why not? Let us go." "All right, let us go." So I went to see His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in 1922 in the Ultadanga building. At that time Prabhupada was sitting on the roof-there was a small house and room-and we were welcomed, because this Naren Mullik was very rich man, and he had contributed some money.

So we went to see Prabhupada and to offer our obeisances. So immediately he said that "You are all educated young men. Why don't you preach Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message throughout the whole world?"

So I replied [to] him "Sir, we are dependent nation. Who will hear our message? We can talk all these things after we get independence." Because I was politically-minded at that time. Yes. So he refuted my argument. Certainly I was defeated. And I took his words very seriously; I appreciated. Then we were offered some prasadam, we came down, and my friend Naren Mullik asked me, "How did you like this sadhu?" And, "Yes, here is a sadhu in whose hands Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message is there, and it will be done. I think he was very nice." That was my appreciation.

Then 1923 I resigned my post as manager in Bose's Laboratory, and I accepted the agency for whole U.P., beginning from Mughalsarai up to Delhi, and I made my head office in Allahabad. So I was always thinking, "Oh, yes. I met a very nice sadhu." From the very beginning that was my impression, that "I have met a real sadhu."

So actually the words lava matra sadhu saṅge sarva siddhi haya [Cc Madhya 22.54] was actually, I perceived that in a moment. I was impressed so much with Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura that it was…, it continued. Then in 1928, when there was Kumbha-mela... Maharaja, when did you join Gaudiya Matha?

Sridhara Maharaja: '27…

Prabhupada: '27. That means...

Sridhara Maharaja: I was twenty when I met Prabhupada in August 1926. That was my first meeting, and I joined the mission in May 1927.

Prabhupada: Hmm. In 1928 there was a Kumbha-mela, I think. And during that Kumbha-mela, Tirtha Maharaja with a party came to my shop, Prayag Pharmacy, all of a sudden, and I thought, "Oh, these are the people I saw, Gaudiya Matha. Yes. Come on." [laughter] So I was so glad.

So Tirtha Maharaja asked me that "We are come new here. We are going to establish a temple in Allahabad. We have heard your name, so we have come to you. Please help us." "Yes, I will help you."

So in this way I contributed, my attending physician contributed, and some other friends. In this way we became friends, and Tirtha Maharaja, old Tirtha Maharaja, had first meeting in my house at Allahabad, with I think, the Sarvesvara brahmacari and Dhira Krsna brahmacari...

Sridhara Maharaja: Yayavara Maharaja and Yacaka Maharaja.

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. So my father was Vaisnava, but when I invited these Gaudiya Matha sadhus, my father thought that I have invited some sadhus of the Ramakrishna Mission. [laughter] So he was not very interested. When Tirtha Maharaja is speaking, I call my-my father was that time invalid-I called him that "Please come down. There is a meeting of the Gaudiya Matha sadhus." So he could not resist my request. He came down, but he did not think that some devotees have come. He thought, "These Ramakrishna Mission rascals have come." [laughter]

So he was not very happy. But I told; he was sitting. He… So the meeting, he just criticized. Then when he heard the speech of our old Tirtha Maharaja, our old Godbrother, he understood: "Oh, they are Vaisnavas." Then immediately after the meeting, he fell down on his feet: "I misunderstood you, sir, that you are the Ramakrishna Mission sadhu. I am so glad to meet you."

So that is the beginning of my intimate relationship with Gaudiya Matha. And they are coming, and whenever somebody would come, I would invite them to lecture in my house. In that way, Sridhara Maharaja, at that time Ramendra-sundara Bhattacarya, he was also invited at my house, and before... No, I think I invited Bharati Maharaja, and you were with Bharati Maharaja.

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. So in this way my connection became developed with Gaudiya Matha. Then gradually the process began, harisye tad-dhanam sanaih [SB 10.88.8]. [chuckles]

I wanted to become very big businessman, and there was good opportunity. I was very nicely associated with the chemical industry of India, Dr. Bose's laboratory, Bengal Chemical, V. K. Farr, and all of them, they liked my business organization. Then I started big laboratory in Lucknow. So that was golden days. But gradually everything becomes dead, and at last my Allahabad business was lost. It was not lost on account of some, my debts; I had to hand it over to Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose because I was his agent.

So I had some debts, so I tell the, "All right, you take this business." In this way, that Prayag Pharmacy was lost. So I was not going to…, I was sitting at home. But this Yayavara Maharaja, at that time Sarvesva brahmacari and Atulananda brahmacari, they used to come to take their subscription, and they were requesting that "Why don't you come to our matha? Why don't you come to our matha? You are now free." So I used to visit their temple. That was not far away from my house.

Sridhara Maharaja: In Mahratta.

Prabhupada: Mahratta. Yes. Then the intimate relationship with Gaudiya Matha grew. In this way, I think in 1933, yes, the Sir Malcolm Hailey came to lay down the foundation stone of Allahabad Matha. Maharaja, I think you remember. Yes.

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes, we were coming from Vrndavana parikrama.

Prabhupada: Yes, parikrama. And the parikrama, that is also another incident that... I, I was not initiated at that time, but I had very good admiration for these Gaudiya Matha people, and before, before 1933 I met Sridhara Maharaja and other devotees, old Tirtha Maharaja.

So they were very kind to me. So the parikrama, I thought, "What are these people doing on this parikrama? Let me go." So I met them in Kosi. Perhaps Maharaja, you may remember, and all people were going to see some Sesasayi.

Sridhara Maharaja: Including Nemi Maharaja.

Prabhupada: Yes. So at that time Vinode Bhai, later on Kesava Maharaja, he informed that "Prabhupada is going to Mathura tomorrow morning, and he will speak hari-katha this evening. Anyone who wants to remain may remain, or otherwise they may prepare to go to see Sesasayi." So at that time, I think, only ten or twelve men remained. Out of them, Sridhara Maharaja was one of them, and I thought it wise: "What shall I see, this Sesasayi? Let me hear. Prabhupada will speak; let me hear." So Prabhupada marked that "This boy..."

Sridhara Maharaja: It was better to listen to him than to see the eye-experience.

Prabhupada: He, because he's a Vaikuntha person who could understand that "This boy is eager to hear." So he very much appreciated.

So when we came back to Allahabad, so Ganesa Babu, he introduced me, that "Here is a nice devotee." So Prabhupada immediately replied, "Yes, I have marked him. He does not go away. He hears." These very words he said: "Yes, I will accept him as disciple." Then I was initiated.

In this way our relationship with Gaudiya Matha developed, and gradually, as it developed, the other side diminished. [laughter] Then-there are long history; it will take time-but I had the opportunity of associating with His Holiness. For several years I had the opportunity. Krsna and Prabhupada liked it to prepare me. Sridhara Maharaja lived as a...

Sridhara Maharaja: ...as a sannyasi.

Prabhupada: [laughs] ...in my house, some may say, for few years, so naturally we had very intimate talks, and he was my good adviser. I took his advice, his instruction, very seriously, because from the very beginning I know he's a pure Vaisnava and devotee, and I wanted to associate with him, and try to help him also in so many ways. He also tried to help me. So our relationship is very intimate.

After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Matha, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja head. And I wanted to mix... At that time Gosvami Maharaja, one of my friend's house at Sealdah... Sridhara Maharaja, you may remember those things. I wanted to organize in so many ways, but somehow or other...

Sridhara Maharaja: I had one house in Station Road...

Prabhupada: Yes

Sridhara Maharaja: ...belonging to Naren Mullik.

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes.

Sridhara Maharaja: It was a very small place.

Prabhupada: He wanted to rent us only for ninety rupees. I told him, "You just give me the concession." He, at that time, he was getting 125, but because I am his friend, "All right, I'll give you, ninety rupees."

So that could not happen somehow or other. So I was trying from the very beginning after the disappearance of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

Sridhara Maharaja: At that time you published Back to Godhead.

Prabhupada: Yes, in 1944.

Sridhara Maharaja: 1944.

Prabhupada: I think that you were at that time at my house.

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes.

Prabhupada: So somehow or other, this intention for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu increased, and other side decreased. Viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. But I was not disinclined, but Krsna forced me, that "You must give up." [chuckles]

And these thing is known better to Sridhara Maharaja, how it decreased, decreased, decreased, then almost it become nil. And then I left home in 1950. Whatever was there, "All right, you do whatever you like." In 1954, four years, I remained as vanaprastha-why four years, from 1950 to 1959.

Sridhara Maharaja: In the meantime, there was Bombay. Bombay life.

Prabhupada: Bombay life, yes. Bombay life-that was during my householder life. I opened an office in Bombay for my business and... But the Gaudiya Matha was established by us. I am one of them. Sridhara Maharaja also. And we made two parties for begging, collecting alms.

Sridhara Maharaja, myself and Gosvami Maharaja. At that time he was Atula, Atulacandra Gosvami. So I took them to some of my friends, chemist friends, doctors friends. So I collected about five hundred rupees through this. Sridhara Maharaja would speak, I introduced, and Gosvami…, at that time Gosvami Maharaja would canvass. [laughter] In this way three combined together, in one day or two days we... At that time five hundred rupees was [laughing] big amount.

Sridhara Maharaja: A big sum.

Prabhupada: Big sum, yes. So Gosvami Maharaja very much appreciated, and he began to speak highly about me, that "Abhay Babu is so expert, he has got so many friends, he has collected so much... So why does he... He should not be… The Matha in-charge." In this way. "Why should he not live with us? Why he's living separately?" In this way.

So Prabhupada, Maharaja, Sridhara [laughing] may remember it, he said, "It is better to live separately from you people, and he will do the necessity in due course of time." So I could not understand what Srila Prabhupada meant by that. So his inclination, blessings, were always upon me, although unfit. But he was so kind.

Sridhara Maharaja: [indistinct] was collecting sufficient funds to come back [indistinct].

Prabhupada: Yes, he was afraid.

Sridhara Maharaja: He asked you.

Prabhupada: Prabhupada gave me some money, that he is afraid, "You keep this money. When they need, you can..." So, by guru-vaisnava, and whatever position I have got, it is by guru's mercy and the Vaisnavas' blessings; otherwise I am insignificant.

[voice trembles]

So I wish that Sridhara Maharaja may bestow his blessings as he was doing always, and my Guru Maharaja may help me. I can give some service, so long I live. That's all.

Sridhara Maharaja: Remember... some dissertation of Bhagavatam at Radha-Damodara on Jiva Gosvamis [appearance] day.

Prabhupada: Yes, Jiva Gosvami.

Sridhara Maharaja: That gave you that last impression for possibility for foreign pracara.

Prabhupada: Yes. I thought that Guru Maharaja wanted, and these Gaudiya Math people did not do anything, so let me try in this old age. The inspiration came, and I went. By his grace it has become little successful, that's all. I have no credit.

It is all the blessings of guru and Vaisnava. That's all. I have no credit. I do not know how things are happening, because I am not at all bona fide position. But it is truly chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara peyeche keba [Prarthana].

Sridhara Maharaja: Are you going [indistinct] kindly talk with your [indistinct].

Prabhupada: Yes. Hare Krsna.

Sridhara Maharaja: That will be [indistinct] carried to us, the land of gold and Golden Avatara. [laughs]

Prabhupada: I am always speak to this, my American disciples, that "You are so much, I mean to say, taken care of by God. This is... Your position is very good. Now you take to Krsna consciousness, and you become a perfect nation." That I preach always. "By the grace of Krsna, you have got everything. All material opulence.

Now make it plus Krsna. Then it will be very nice." Laksmi-Narayana. So these boys are trying, very sincerely and seriously, and I hope, even I do not live many more years, they will carry out this order.

Sridhara Maharaja: The flow coming down from Him. We are in that current, so we are also counted within that current.

Prabhupada: And our Gauranga Maharaja...

Sridhara Maharaja: Prabhupada said, Bhaktivinoda-dhara kakhana-o ruddha haibe na.

Prabhupada: That he was [indistinct]. This is not possible. This is not possible.

Sridhara Maharaja: [indistinct] we are also counted within that...

Prabhupada: Yes.

Sridhara Maharaja: …camp. At other [indistinct]

[38:05]

Prabhupada: Other times being washed away: keno mayar bose, jaccho bhese [Gitavali, Radha-Krsna Bol], and we are being washed, washed away, by Bhaktivinoda-dhara. [laughter]

Sridhara Maharaja: [indistinct] participate.

Prabhupada: Yes, that's all. Everything is there. Everything is there.

[38:41] [break]

Sridhara Maharaja: This… this asrama is being opened today. What is position? In Srimad-Bhagavatam we find:

Vana-vasa-that plain living, with minimum materials for our... To help our life, that is vana-vasa, a simple life, plain living-high thinking. Simple life... but there also we are master of that, that little thing, that sattviko vaso. Most conducive to our religious life, no grandeur, opinion, material enjoyment etc. That is sattvica-vasa-vana-vasa.

Rajasa-vasa is a... Is a life fired... We are engaged in various activities in the upliftment of the society and the world and its civilisation. That is rajasa, where the maximum energy is spent to improve the paraphernalia where we live to make us comfortable.

Tamasa-vasa, due to sadanam, without caring for any social life, only... only sense pleasure... maximum and minimum giving to others in society or any paraphernalia, reckless life, a life in the clubhouse or a hotel or something like that is an irresponsible life, tamasa. Due to sadanam, man-niketam tu nirgunam and if we live our life in the house of the Lord we may be... we may dive ourselves in any amount of grandeur or anything of the type but still it is nirgunah because we are not master there. We are servant, we are servant, the vana-vasa to simple with minimum material surround our self to live but still there we are master, we command but here we are mere servant everything to be solved whatever we shall see there all around.

Even a tree, even a creeper even a dust, that is to be solved and not to enjoy, nor to renunciate. That is a form of life, a life of worship, a life of devotion, eh. Not only to the Deity's of the Lord but including all His paraphernalia and to see that they are also serving the Supreme Entity. With this idea to be a serving factor, in all serving environment... the Supreme Lord, man-niketam tu nirgunam, so we have come, to live here a life a nirgunah life, guna-tita, guna-tita, that really [coughing in the background]

Crossing all sorts of reality with this material. Directivity with this material world whatever of conception it may be. And to learn that, isavasyam idam sarvam. The fundamental truth given in the Upanisad, Isopanisad, that: isavasyam idam sarvam, that everything there is the presence of the Supreme Entity and also the Supreme Lord with this conception we are to live in such a training house. I was told that in Back to Godhead one gentlemen he wrote that so-called universities and the colleges and the schools are slaughter houses, hmm? I'm very much pleased with this idea.

Yes they are nothing but slaughter houses and this sort of institution what our Guru Maharaja has inaugurated in this world to uplift us and all jivas, towards the Supreme... Supreme worship, the loving service of the Supreme Entity. We are like oasis in a desert. Hm? All these are oasis's in the desert, they are life-giving and not slaughtering institutions like so many educational institutions that we find... sa vidya tan-matir yaya [SB 4.29.49] However this sort of training comes, that go towards center, towards reality, towards beauty, towards harmony, towards solution of life, towards… towards nectar giving life, these institutions...

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

Sridhara Maharaja: …are only helpful and this is necessary. One Madana-Mohana Malaviya became a leader, a famous leader in the past history, that is recent history of India. He came to visit our Guru Maharaja and after listening to his words he told that every village should have one center of your divine grace. But our Guru Maharaja answered it in turn, that I want to make everybody a temple of the Lord. Every... Every human being, every human body I want to make a temple there in. Not only places, so that was his idea, prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama , so with this idea he started his mission, Gaudiya Matha, Gaudiya Mission.

And we see that Swami Maharaja by his grace he is able to spread, to take it all around India and throughout the world, the world continents. We are very happy to see new faces, around us eh, for the preaching purpose and spreading the news of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada and Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Mahaprabhu, the mission of Sri Krsna and his love.

There are elevationists, there are renunciationists but we are servitors ye 'ham yusam abi manaso surayat sadano[?], true to the heaven and the hearth [indistinct]... true to the kindred point of heaven and hearth, cloister and the hearth…

Prabhupada: Cloister and hearth [indistinct].

Sridhara Maharaja: Now [indistinct] eh? But hearth has been made the cloister, the gopi bhajana is to make hearth the cloister, not that the cloister have a separate place. The hearth will be cloister and Krsna conception of Godhead is only can make possible the hearth to be the cloister. The wholesale will be converted, every nook and corner nothing should be left out, no faculty should be left out for any other purpose but to devote all respects to the Supreme Entity.

To be faithful to the extreme... nothing should be left, this is only possible in Sri Krsna conception of Godhead, akhila-rasamrta-murtih [Cc Madhya 8.142], all sorts of ecstasy, happiness. Anything of the type, can be possible in His divine form when we find Sri Krsna as the Supreme Lord and no where else.

One gentleman, a western gentlemen he told, "there are many conceptions of religion in different parts of the world", but we do not find any conception of religion where twenty-four hours can be devoted in the service of the Supreme Lord. Not only Sunday, not only thrice in the day, not only five times in the day but every hour and second should be devoted in the service of the Supreme Entity and nothing will be left behind.

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

Sridhara Maharaja: This sort of service is only possible in, kirtaniyah sada harih and in the service, asta-kaliya-lila of Sri Krsna Candra himself in madhurya-rasam. Sri Caitanyadeva came down to this world to, to preach that, to give that nectarine life, to our means, one and all, nimatra sari gari ka[?], take the name of the Lord and you will find yourself in His heaven one day, one night.

It is easiest, not money is necessary, not physical energy in great quantities is necessary no other helping things only, only try to take the name sincerely. In the right channel it should be acquired otherwise there will be some tampering energy. Hmm? Trade in the name of religion is also going on, here and there and we should save ourselves from those difficulties and by following a bona-fide path that we can get our achievement.

So in the day of the advent of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Sri Krsna consciousness, then Sri Krsna Caitanya, consciousness is Caitanya and Krsna consciousness, Krsna Caitanya. Krsna who came here to arousing us the our consciousness, or Krsna mean serving Krsna in all round, all aspects, all respects. This is, this laudable effort is being done in great quantity by our charming Maharaja. So we are very happy to... getting the chance of attending this function... and just a few words to reserve for Swami Maharaja.

Devotees: Hari Bol!

Prabhupada: You can speak.

[53:10]

Prabhupada: [indistinct] Tamal Krsna Goswami.

Tamal Krsna: So Sripad Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada and all the assembled devotees of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya. Today marks a very grand day for us, because it is now the birth anniversary of Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared nearly 500 years ago just in this Sridama Mayapur, and His appearance was prayed for by Sri Advaita Acarya.

Because the world had become in such a state where people were forgetting the actual path of how to approach God. The path of pure bhakti was being lost and Advaita Acarya prayed that somehow some merciful incarnation could come who could save the world and restore the path of bhakti once again.

In answer to his prayers Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on this planet and His appearance was called the most merciful of all. There is one prayer,

My dear Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, You are the most merciful of all incarnations of Godhead. Even You are more kind than Lord Krsna Himself because You are delivering what no other incarnation has ever delivered before: pure Krsna prema, pure love for Krsna.

Krsna spoke in Bhagavad-gita to the point that one should surrender everything unto Him sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg 18.66]. Surrender everything unto Krsna. But in the course of time this process of surrender how to surrender to Krsna that was lost. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance is especially meant to teach us how to surrender to Krsna.

And Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Radha-Krsna, Krsna trying to understand the love that Radharani feels for Him. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself in the form of a devotee and He is teaching us how to love Krsna. So actually this Gaudiya Vaisnava-sampradaya is following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, of the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, down to the many great Acaryas and most recently Jagannatha Dasa Babaji, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Srila Gaurakisora Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, and Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Sripad Sridhara Maharaja.

This line of Gaudiya Vaisnavas is giving us the highest teachings of all. Lord Caitanya is teaching pure unalloyed devotion without any tinge of material contamination. That love which was exhibited by the gopis 5000 years ago is once again being given by Lord Caitanya. And the process He has given is very simple, Caitanya Mahaprabhu after all came as a practical preacher and He demonstrated personally the method by which one could attain the highest form of the love of God. That simple method specifically meant for Kali-yuga is by chanting the Lord's name:

There is one wonderful mantra which Lord Caitanya used to recite:

Because, in other yugas it might have been possible to perform various opulent sacrifices. It might have been possible to perform the mystic yoga processes. It might have been possible to perform very opulent big temple worship, but in Kali-yuga we are not so fortunate as in past yugas. The lifespan is very short, the intelligence is very meager, the memory is almost nil. So what is that process which can still pick us up to the highest understanding of love of God. That is exhibited by Caitanya Mahaprabhu simply in the process of chanting the holy name-Hare Krsna.

So this Hare Krsna mantra is non-different from Krsna Himself. Krsna is absolute and similarly His name, His form, His pastimes, His paraphernalia everything is on the same transcendental platform. So when one chants the name Krsna he is immediately brought into contact with Krsna.

The name Krsna and Krsna are non-different and we see the practical proof of the efficacy of chanting this holy name although all of us who are gathered here, who have come from foreign countries. We were not born in the family of brahmanas, we were not even born in the families of Vaisnavas. Still although we were born in the lowest class of people. Practically candalas still by chanting this name of Krsna we have been elevated to the platform of Vaisnavas. This is said,

One can be born in a family of a vipra or a learned brahmana. One can be born in a family, one can be born in a lower class family, or sudra. One may be of the renounced order of life if he does not know the science of Krsna he cannot be considered guru. But one who has mastered the science of Krsna he is considered guru.

So we can only give so much thanks to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and to all the most merciful acaryas and especially to our most beloved spiritual master, because they have all given us this chance to know the highest truth of all Lord Sri Krsna. So on this day when we are all gathered together it marks the opening ceremony of our first temple here in Mayapur.

Our only purpose we the disciples of Srila Prabhupada is to fulfill his desire and as he is expressing his desire is only to fulfill the mission of his guru maharaja Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati wished that there should be a spiritual city Sridhama Mayapur where all the world could see an ideal spiritual community existing. Practically now we the disciples of Swami Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada wish to make this a fact. This first building which will serve as a residential building and as school and classroom we hope to be just one of a very big spiritual city which can be constructed.

In this way, by the grace of Bhaktivinoda Thakura who wished that Europeans and Americans and westerners from all over the world could take part in chanting along with the people of India. We wish to make the fact that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most merciful incarnation of Godhead revealed to the whole world. So, I would like to pay on behalf of all my godbrothers our sincere and humble thanks to Sripad Sridhara Maharaja for gracing us today.

We are so much grateful that you have come to visit our guru maharaja and to help us to open this temple which we hope will be pleasing to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Hare Krsna.

Devotees: Haribol!

[indistinct]

[62:46]

Sridhara Maharaja: [indistinct Bengali]. Bhaktivinoda Thakura sara sastranam. Bhaktivinoda Thakura's deep in the affectionate heart conceived that why not see Caitanyadeva's prema-dharma. He is capturing the world it is so self-evident it is the only constructing, ...constructive religion to the furthest extreme and why not this is appreciated? This God must be appreciated, He has not only told that east-west, far west, all riddled with common venour of Sri Caitanyadeva, but also He very strongly told that in future no other religion will exist than the religion of Sri Caitanyadeva. Namo saṅkirtan, this also He has made, for days.

And for Prabhupada's his higher heart was trying utmost to spread this idea of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and this grace of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Every nook and corner of the world... why not men? This would accept such a natural. And so healthy... And so simple religion. It is… It cannot be denied, that we are so many particles, we are conditioned beings, why not we sik [seek] some absolute center for our, eh help?

Saranagati, this is self-evident, danya atma-nivedanam, when there is danya, when there is real sincere feeling of worship. The next thing cannot but come to take shelter under some greater, greater power. And that relation must be of love and affection. Love… and the beauty of love is controlling the central thing, not power. Power cannot control. Cannot be the controller in the extreme center but love should be in a sincere heart, this must be reflected.

So the affectionate and deep thinking heart of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Prabhupada. Desire and that desire means Mahaprabhu's desire and Krsna's desire and that is being lauded in Swami Maharaja and so many, and so many of efficient men have joined, present boys have joined, both ladies and gentlemen have joined this mission to work out... to see our success. This is great and we credit...

Devotees: Hare Krishna [applause]

[67:27]

Prabhupada: …only sixteen years, and His mother's age was about seventy years. He was the youngest son of His family. Still, for the deliverance of the fallen souls of the world, He took sannyasa.

So this sannyasa order is accepted according to the predecessors…

[aside: Who is talking?]

In Vaisnava-sampradaya there are tridandi-sannyasa. The Mayavadi, Saṅkara-sampradaya, they are ekadandi. Our Vaisnava-sampradaya, tridandi-sannyasa, is mentioned in the Bhagavatam. Many great preachers and authorities, they took sannyasa, tridandi-sannyasa. Tridandi means kaya, mana and vakya: body, mind and words. In this rod there are four rods. Three: kaya, mana and vakya; and one, the person. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire was that Indians should take up the responsibility for preaching the cult of Krsna consciousness all over the world.

As I was explaining last night,

The Indians, they are meant for giving something to the world. But unfortunately they have become beggars, simply asking something from the world. We have got such a great culture, Vedic culture, that we can give tremendous benefit to the whole world. But we have given up. There are so many jagad-gurus, but perhaps they have not seen even what is jagad. But still they are passing on as jagad guru, but their limited action is within the well-three yards, that is all.

Kupa-manduka. Kupa-manduka does not know what is Atlantic Ocean. Frog. If frog living within the well, if he is informed, "There is Atlantic Ocean, sir, which is called jagat."This is not jagat. You have become jagad-guru within the well. You become jagad-guru. Go to the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean; preach the Vedic culture-then you claim to become jagad-guru. Otherwise don't falsely claim within the limit of your well. Kupa-manduka-nyaya.

So we have to select persons who can preach the Vedic culture all over the world, and this Krsna consciousness movement means properly training. Now this boy, Mahamsa Swami, is known from today as Mahamsa Swami. He was brahmacari. He is coming from Parsee community of Bombay.

Similarly, we are selecting from all communities and training them how to become preacher of the Vedic culture. We require hundreds and thousands of preachers. Although we have got centers all over the world, but that is not sufficient. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted in every village and every town all over of the world:

He wanted that prthivite, on the surface of the globe, as many towns and cities and villages are there, everywhere this Krsna consciousness movement must be spread.

So we have got a tremendous task. And the responsibility is more or less on the Indians, as I have already explained, bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara . Manusya-janma, those who are actually human being born in this holy land of Bharata-varsa, they should learn this Vedic culture thoroughly and preach all over the world, so that they may be benefited. Para-upakara.

For want of this Vedic culture the whole world is in darkness. Tamo mukundam aṅghri nisevayaiva. Tamo means "darkness." So instead of competing them in other fields-how one can drink wine and one can eat fish and flesh-we are making competition in that way. There is no question of competing in this line. Just give them knowledge, so that they may be saved. This human form of life is not meant for becoming animals.

So my request again, that those who are actually proud of becoming an Indian, they should come join, and preach this cult all over the world. Thank you very much.

Audience: Hare Krsna. [end]