Vaishnava Lifestyle(part 1) – Who are we?

ISKCON – Who are we ? What are we about ?

Topics

• Bhajan
• Skit
• Introduction
• Ask the audience
• Theme
• Class
• We are in Lord Chaitanya's leela
• What we learn from the play
• What the Lord explains as the work of devotees
• Srivas Thakur acts exactly as per BG 9.14
• The Result of Srivas Thakur's action
• Non Vaishnava Gossip monger analysis of Srivas's actions
• Sacrifice and renunciation, for preaching, is an intricate part of the Lord Caitanya's leela
• Sacrifice of  great souls among our spiritual ancestors
• Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• Sachi mata
• Mother Vishnu Priya
• Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
• Our Srila Prabhupada
• Concluding points

Bhajan: Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Daya Karo more...

Skit: The son of Srivas thakur is no more and still he does not stop the kirtan of Sriman Mahaprabhu

Introduction:

This course is for some of us who have been in KC for some years, and do chant regularly, have some knowledge of the shastras, know of service in the temple etc. It is not intended for comparatively new people, though they too are welcome.

At some point it is good to introspect Who are we ? What are we about ?

Ask the audience:

Theme: Param vijayate Sri Krishna Sankritanam

Lecture:

We are in Lord Chaitanya's leela

His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj, one day explained something with profound realisation.

He was in his room when he was not well, His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj was also present in the same room. He got up and said “It is amazing”, '”It is amazing”. When asked about what is amazing he explained, we are living the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu and His associates. ISKCON is no different than Sriman Mahaprabhu's leela. He truth revealed the truth so nicely. He was sick, he was in pain, and at the same time he was also in divine ecstasy.

We are ISKCON - the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Or International Society for Krishna Chaitanya. So how can we be any different than the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

So if we are the in the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu, how doe we behave ? We behave as the associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

As much as we imbibe the qualities of Sriman Mahaprabhu's devotees, that much we will also relish the same bliss as mentioned in the Chaitanya Charitraamrita and the Chaitanya Bhagavat.

What we learn from the play

We saw the drama of Srila Srivas Thakur. This incident is mentioned in the Chaitanya Charitraamtira in a brief way and is described in detail in the Chaitanya Bhagavat in detail by Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur.

From the drama we can see that Srila Srivas Thakur, was not wanting to disturb the sankirtan at any cost. He was informed, your son has passed away. He said alright, just make no noise. We will deal with it when it is over.

When some of his relatives still cried, he said that he would leave the house and drown in the Ganga, if their crying caused the sankirtan to stop.

Srivas Thakur may seem extraordinary to us, even unreasonable.

What the Lord explains as the work of devotees

But let us see what Sri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.14

satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate

SYNONYMS

Always chanting My glories, endeavouring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

Srivas Thakur acts exactly as per BG 9.14

So we can see the following

1. For Srivas Thakur the most important thing is “satatam kirtayanto mam”

2. Also Since Lord Chaitanya was personally present the “namasyantas ca mam. bhaktya” and “nitya-yukta upasate” was also being done at the same time.

3. And since it(the kirtan) was supposed to be Nitya or eternal, he was having no problem doing “yatantas ca drdha-vratah”.# even though his son passed away.

4. So as per the Sri Krishna he was perfect beyond human words, only the words of Sri Krishna can describe such a person.

5. He had full faith that when my dear Sriman Mahaprabhu, and His eternal associates are present and doing San Kirtan what else is needed for my departed son ?

6. As devotee father, of course he was affected by his son's death, but in no case would he let his own feelings come in the way of Sriman Mahaprabhu's sankirtan.

The Result of Srivas Thakur's action

This is Sriman Mahaprabhu's leela. Vasihnava's sacrifice in the fire of the Sankirtan Yagya at all costs and not letting any personal consideration come in the way of this.

And as we can see, there is no loss at any time. The son went back to Godhead. The family was pacified. Srivas Thakur and his family will be eternally glorified by this act.

For some of us, due to material consciousness there is only a fear of loss, before doing the Sacrifice, after it is done there is only happiness.

Please know that since our Sriman Mahaprabhu is none other than Sri Krishna in the mood of our mother Srimati Radharani, there never was and there never will be a more munificent and merciful incarnation of Godhead.

Non Vaishnava Gossip monger analysis of Srivas's actions

Person 1: You know Srivas's son died.

Person 2: Oh ! So bad. He was so young.

Person 1: You know there was a party going on at his house where they were loudly singing and dancing at the time. When his relatives told him about his son, he said the party will not stop or he will kill himself.

Person 2: These people are unbelievable. How can they be so foolish, especially his wife ?

So do not expect all people to understand you at all times.

Sacrifice and renunciation, for preaching, is an intricate part of the Lord Caitanya's leela

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 6.220

mahaprabhura bhakta-ganera vairagya pradhana
yaha dekhi' prita hana gaura-bhagavan

TRANSLATION

Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.

So the above verse comes in the CC antya leela when the supreme renunciation of Srila Raghunath das goswami is explained in detailed. Srila Das Goswami was the son of Hiranya Majumdar, one of the most wealthy person in Bengal at the time. And what was he a eating in the end, at first collecting rice that the cows had rejected, and then only some butter milk every few days, even that he considered as sense gratification. If he wanted he had the wealth of a king, but what he wanted was the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu and that was his only wealth.

What can we say about such a person ? I do not know if i am even qualified to take his name “Srila Das Goswami”, And yet he is your spiritual ancestor, he loves you due to your connection with Srila Prabhupada and you are his people.

THIS IS WHO YOU ARE ! AND THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE !

Srila Prabhupada explains the very same thing, in the purport to this verse

“Anyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behaviour of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not at all attached to any kind of material enjoyment. They have completely given up sense enjoyment to engage fully in the service of Lord Sri Krishna and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Krishna without material desires. Because their devotional service is free from material desires, it is unimpeded by material circumstances. Although ordinary men have great difficulty understanding this attitude of the devotees, it is greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu”

Sacrifice of great souls among our spiritual ancestors

All great souls have been such examples of sacrifice in our parampara.

I will name a few.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

When the incident we saw in the drama happened. Sriman Mahaprabhu was Not attached to anything material. But he was certainly very attached to the love of His devotees like Srivas Thakur and others. He was also very attached to his mother, and his own chaste wife.

How could he leave those who did not care a fig for anything other than Sriman Mahaprabhu's happiness ? They did not care if they themselves suffered but they wanted the Lord to enjoy at all costs

He left because he wanted to give mercy to all the people in kali yuga.

Here is how Srimad Bhagavatam perfectly describes this

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.34

tyaktva su-dustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim
dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam
maya-mrgam dayitayepsitam anvadhavad
vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam

SYNONYMS

tyaktva -- abandoning; su-dustyaja -- most difficult to give up; sura-ipsita -- anxiously desired by the demigods; rajya-laksmim -- the goddess of fortune and her opulence; dharmisthah -- most perfectly fixed in religiousness; arya-vacasa -- according to the words of a brahmana (who had cursed Him to be deprived of all the happiness of family life); yat -- He who; agat -- went; aranyam -- to the forest (taking to the renounced order of life); maya-mrgam -- the conditioned soul, who is always searching out illusory enjoyment; dayitaya -- out of sheer mercy; ipsitam -- His desired object; anvadhavat -- running after; vande -- I offer my homage; maha-purusa -- O Lord Mahaprabhu; te -- to Your; carana-aravindam -- lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

O Maha-purusa, I worship Your lotus feet. You gave up the association of the goddess of fortune and all her opulence, which is most difficult to renounce and is hankered after by even the great demigods. Being the most faithful follower of the path of religion, You thus left for the forest in obedience to a brahmana's curse. Out of sheer mercifulness You chased after the fallen conditioned souls, who are always in pursuit of the false enjoyment of illusion, and at the same time engaged in searching out Your own desired object, Lord Syamasundara.

PURPORT

According to the Vaisnava acaryas, this important verse of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is understood to describe Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna and also Lord Sri Ramacandra. This verse appears within the discussion by the sage Karabhajana of the yugavataras, or the different incarnations of the Personality of Godhead who deliver the conditioned souls of each age. The prayers ending with the words vande mahapurusa te caranaravindam are understood to glorify the incarnation of Lord Krsna in Kali-yuga known as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived for twenty-four years in Navadvipa as a householder and enjoyed immense popularity among both scholars and ordinary persons. His sankirtana movement was completely supported by the local government, even though it was Muslim. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the pleasure of marrying the goddess of fortune. No ordinary woman of the material world, no matter how gorgeous she may be, can in any way compare with the beautiful goddess of fortune. Everyone in the universe, including Lord Brahma, is searching after the goddess of fortune. Therefore it is stated here, surepsita.

Sachi mata

Mother sachi is none other than Mother Yashoda. Even if Nimai misbehaved very much, we know she would just love for him and just care for him. One day he broke all the pots in the house in anger, and destroyed so many items in the house, what did sachi mata do right after this, called him lovingly, cared for him, cooked for him and put him to rest. She had only love for him whatever he did.

And yet she gave him permission for sanyas. Also note she had no other shelter, and a very young Vishnu Priya to look after all her life.

What did she do when Sriman Mahaprabhu asked her after taking sanyas “My dear mother i am a madman, and in some madness i took sanyas, now my dear mother if you want i will just come back home”. What would you do ? Think ?

She said “No ! If you do this everyone will criticise you. Remain a sanyasi ”.

Again pue sacrifice due to supreme love.

Mother Vishnu Priya

We do not have words to explain fully her sacrifice. She is just 16 years old. She is loving, beautiful, chaste, and fully surrendered. She is one of the last one's to find out about the lord taking sanyas.

When she very very humbly cries at the feet of the Lord, the Lord asks her why ? She explains what she has heard. The Lord says many things to pacify her and the last thing He says, if you do not give me permission i will not go ! You know what she says ? My Lord what ever you desire please do so ! How ? No one can understand this, None of us here should even claim that this love, i understand !

Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

And he lived 96 years, every day she would chant so many rounds. One round chanted and then one grain of rice set aside. She would only cook as many rice she collected after this chanting, and only eat that.

Please understand you are Her spiritual great great grand son's and daughter's. Who will not be proud of such a mother ?

If Mother Sachi and Mother Vishnu priya would have kept the Lord to themselves would any of us be benefitted ?

Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

What a birth! The son of Thakur Bhakti Vinode, whose family is both a great Vaishnava family and also aristocratic. Born as a prayer to Lord Jagganath, A Ray of Vishnu Himself. By the age of Five knows the Gita and can give purports.

Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada, was very happy doing bhajan in Mayapur. He had no need to associate with materialists. In fact he disliked Calcutta and the material association. He was just happy doing simple bhajan .

He was disgusted with the material world and said “The material world is not a fit place for gentlemen.”

One day a disciple of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode came to him and almost forced him to come to Calcutta and preach. And Boy did he preach! Sri Simha Guru ki jaya ! Such a short span of time and 64 matha's in India, sending people to the west to preach.

Such illustrious disciples as our grandfather Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Swami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Paranjana Keshava Maharaj, and so many others, about whom volumes of devotional books could be written.

The world has not seen such devotees and i guess never again will the world see such devotees.

Why then leave Mayapur, when there are no material desires, and you can chant all day and night? Why manage institutions, deal with so many materialists ?

Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

Our Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada one day revealed “There was never a time when i was not Krishna conscious”.

So It is our Srila Prabhupada who got the order that “Go to west, preach in the English language”.

He was living such a wonderfull life in Sri Vrindavan dham, at the Sri Radha Damodhar Mandir. This Mandir has the bhajan kutir of Srila Rupa Goswami, Samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami, Samadhi of Jiva Goswami, Samadhi of Srila Krishna das kaviraj Goswami, puspa samadhi of Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada. Since we are Rupanugas, this is the hub of the universe for us.

He was so happy, like the Goswami's he was dhira adhira jana priya karau, He was doing his bhajan, writing his books, associating with advanced souls, all was well.

Then why print Back to Godhead , go to delhi, meet materialists and try to help them with KC? Why go to Mumbai ? The worst city in india in terms of degradation ? Why sit at the steps of Sumati morarji' s place for whole days and plead for a ticket ? Why agree to go to America on a steam cargo ship ? Why even after suffering so many hardships including two heart attacks on the one month, ship journey, still not be discouraged. Why live in the bowery ? It is no better than a slum, 70 year old Indian sadhu, picture this , 70 year old Indian sadhu, no proper money, no proper clothes for the cold in New York, no real friends or well wishers, people attacking Him, stealing his meagre things, still He does not give up hope, Still he wants to help people.

Why ? Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

Brothers and sisters, i am not talking about some one in ether space, this is your own grandfather, If he did not do all the things he did we would be rotting in the jungle of maya surely destined to hell. Ho can we forget this gift ?

You are meant with full love and feeling follow His order, and other order of his own disciples.

THIS IS WHO YOU ARE ! AND THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE !

There were some Sri Sampradaya Devotees , who came to an ISKCON temple and asked. Who is Srila Prabhupada, So the devotees explained who he was and what he did. When it was over, they said that is not the reason we are here, we know what he has done, No one has ever done what he has done.

So WHO IS YOUR SRILA PRABHUPADA ? For example we know Sripad Ramauja is Laxman or Balarama and Sripad Mdhadvacharya is vayu putra, So who is Srila Prabhupada.

We do not know, but we must know this much, that our grandfather Srila Prabhupada is not ordinary and no one has done what he has done.

Concluding points

Ask audience who we are and what we are about

Points about who we are in relation to who our parampara is:

1. We are living in the Leela of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

2. We are directly in the line of extraordinary stalwart devotees whose glories can not be fully fathomed.

3. We can never ever fully pay the debt to our parampara.

4. These devotees have one thing in common, sacrifice and renunciation.

5. Fear of sacrifice or renunciation is unfounded as the Lord is always in full control.

Here is where we would want to be:

1. We want to be, interested in eternal spiritual happiness derived from serving The Lord and His Devotees, at all costs.

2. We are not very much interested in material advancement if it is not connected to Sri Krishna.

3. We want to deal with matter, only, if there is a reason in the Lords service.