21 MARCH 2021 [NRISINGHA PALLI | EVENING | PART 5]

Mahaprabhu's Teachings
"Are your minds sitting here right now, or are they sitting at home or in some other, bad place? If you cannot control and conquer your senses, then how is it that you have become Vaishnavs? Who of us is a Vaishnav here? We all have come here to become servants of Vaishnavs, not Vaishnavs. You must remember this."

• SRI GURU AND HIS GRACE •

Descent of the Revealed Truth
'We are slaves of the truth. We are beggars for the pure current of truth that is constantly flowing: the fresh current. We are not charmed by any formality. I will bow down my head wherever I find the river of nectar coming down to me. When one is conscious that the Absolute Truth is descending to him from the highest domain, he will think, “I must surrender myself here.”'

Sri Sri Prema-Dhama Deva Stotram (Part Four, chanted on Tuesdays)
'Overcome with strong bouts of divine love surging through Him and becoming unconscious of the world around Him, He dances madly and chants kirtan; the tears streaming incessantly from His eyes flood His body, the colour of molten gold and tall as the mount Sumeru, His clothes, the colour of the newly risen sun, and the earth in all fourteen directions around Him; He glows as He chants, ‘Krishna! Krishna!’, shouts jumbled up words and relishes various postures and behaviours (roaring with laughter, etc.) under the influence of divine love – I am singing in praise of this beautiful Lord Sri Gauranga-sundar, a worshippable Deity of divine love.'

In honour of Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj:

His Divine Grace Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

"When Kunja Babu [later, Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj] came to meet Srila Prabhupad, Srila Prabhupad could recognise that this young man would be able to help him a great deal. Our Guru Maharaj's nature was like that of a philosopher—he did not like to mix with the public, but Kunja Babu filled that side as he could mix with public and bring persons to Srila Prabhupad, enabling thus Srila Prabhupad to speak about the sastra. Srila Prabhupad wanted to speak about Mahaprabhu, but his temperament was such that he did not like to become involved with inviting people and taking responsibility for looking after them or their accommodation, feeding, etc. So, when Kunja Babu joined, he took up that responsibility. Srila Prabhupad got educated society ready to hear his speech about Mahaprabhu, and his style of speaking was a little philosophical, so he preferred educated society as his listeners. Kunja Babu did that service—he took the trouble of inviting, accommodating, and feeding the public. All these troublesome burdens were taken on by Kunja Babu.

"Gaudiya Mission had gradually grown from this combination—the material help of Kunja Babu and the spiritual work of Srila Prabhupad. They were the father and the mother of the mission, the cofounders of Gaudiya Math. The practical, material side of the service was done by Kunja Babu. Srila Prabhupad once said in Benares (I heard it directly from his mouth), 'I only want a good audience, and Kunja Babu has done that service to me the best. Amongst all my disciples, Kunja Babu has served me the best by bringing to me a good audience. I only want a good audience, nothing else, in this world, and in that direction, Kunja Babu has helped me greatly.'

"In the end, Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's order was to form a governing body of ten or twelve, and Kunja Babu had to manage as long as he lived. 'Kunja Babu's intelligence excells that of all,' this was told about him. We took it as Kunja Babu was the manager during Prabhupad's lifetime, but he was actually managing the whole institution, so he should be respected even though he was a grihastha and we were sannyasis. Later, many complaints were heard against him, but Srila Prabhupad had told us that Kunja Babu had to manage as long as he lived and that he should be respected. Srila Prabhupad did not select anyone as his follower acharya, that is why there was eventually a difference of opinion amongst us. There were also many ambitious sannyasis who were eager to go on as acharyas themselves. There were generally two parties, one accepting Vasudev Prabhu as the acharya, and the other one accepting Kunja Babu..."

His Divine Grace Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj:

"Sri Bimala Prasad got initiation from Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj and later, when he took sannyas, he became known as Bhagavan Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. At some point, he promised that he would complete chanting one hundred crores Holy Names and after that start preaching Mahaprabhu's proper conception, but as he was chanting the Holy Name, one day Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Giridhari came in front of him and Srimati Radharani said, 'You must preach pure conception of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, the combined form of Radha-Krishna.' Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, 'I am alone, how will I preach?' After that so many great scholars (dig-pals) came to help him—our Param Gurudev Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Vichar Jajavar Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kumud Shanta Maharaj and many others. This is how Prabhupad started preaching the proper conception in this world.

"In Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswat Thakur's time, the secretary of Chaitanya Math was a grihastha, his name is Kunja Bihari Prabhu (affectionately known as Kunja Babu), later he became Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj. Kunja Babu could not always stay at the temple, but he always served Chaitanya Math from his householder life. Moreover, when he would come to visit Chaitanya Math, to see Prabhupad, at that time almost all sannyasis would give him their full obeisance."

21 MARCH 2021 [NRISINGHA PALLI | EVENING | PART 4]

Exclusive Current
"All the associates who participate in Krishna’s pastimes in Dvapar-yuga come to this world together with Mahaprabhu in this Kali-yuga. Mahaprabhu Himself searched, ‘Where are My own?’ Mahaprabhu rescued Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami and took them to Vrindavan to preach about the Lord, but they preached about Mahaprabhu."

• SRI GURU AND HIS GRACE •

Initiation Into Transcendental Science
'Revealed truth coming uncontaminated through a particular process is parampara. We must connect with a reliable succession. Only then can we get the genuine thing. The authorized association is necessary, guru-parampara is necessary. So, before we read anyone’s book, we shall try to find out who is his guru, and from where the substance is coming down. Is it only a facade, or is there any real substance within? If we can understand that he has a relationship with a genuine sadhu, then we can give some attention to him.'

Sri Sri Prema-Dhama Deva Stotram (Part Three, chanted on Mondays)
'He ardently preached that service performed in various divine relationships (from dasya-, sakhya-, vatsalya- to madhura-rasa) and the (paramount) service beauty of Sri Radha’s servitors in the highest paramour madhura-rasa, as well as any transcendental hankering of the self-realised souls in Sri Vraja Dham, can indisputably be realised in Sri Vrajendra-nandan only – I am singing in praise of this beautiful Lord Sri Gauranga-sundar, a worshippable Deity of divine love.'

21 MARCH 2021 [NRISINGHA PALLI | EVENING | PART 3]

Cries of a Fallen Child
"You can recognise a Vaishnav by his quality: the higher a Vaishnav is, the more humility they have. Vaishnavs are always humble, they always stay in the background. We say or write, ‘I am your fallen servant,’but these things should not be just written – your behaviour must be like that, too."

• SRI GURU AND HIS GRACE •

Surrender to Sri Guru
'We must accept any way and any alliance that will help us gain entrance into that realm. We shall try to have even the slightest connection with that perfect goal of our innate aspiration. We are helpless; we are hopeless in the midst of disappointment. We are in extreme danger. We rely on our free will, our capacity of selection for our own good, but it is too minute and helpless to guide us. What danger we are in! All around us are witnesses to this danger. How important is a real guru who can guide us to our real welfare.'

Sri Sri Prema-Dhama Deva Stotram (Part Two, chanted on Sundays)
'Very tall, beautiful and infused with divine love, His holy form increases gods’ joy; the lustre of His body, which puts millions of golden lotuses to shame, is worshipped by the Moon; and His intrinsic form is a holy abode of divine pastimes manifest as eternal ever-increasing transcendental ecstatic transformations that spring up as He revels dancing in Sri Krishna-sankirtan – I am singing in praise of this beautiful Lord Sri Gauranga-sundar, a worshippable Deity of divine love.'

21 MARCH 2021 [NRISINGHA PALLI | EVENING | PART 2]

Clear Vision
"One does not become a disciple just by getting the mantra or taking initiation. Proper disciples always live and serve following the guidance of their guru. ‘Leave all religions and surrender to Me. I will look after you, there is no sin in that!’ This is what Gita teaches, but how many people actually follow this?"

• SRI GURU AND HIS GRACE •

Introduction
'A gentle touch of Sri Guru’s merciful hand can wipe away the incessant tears from all weeping eyes. A patriot or philanthropist makes the problem only worse in his frantic and futile attempt to alleviate the deep-rooted pain of a suffering soul, as an ignorant doctor does in eagerly handling an unfortunate patient. Oh the day when this poor soul realizes the causeless grace of Sri Gurudeva.'

Sri Sri Prema-Dhama Deva Stotram (Part One, chanted on Saturdays)
'Demigods, perfected souls, liberated souls, yogis and Lord’s devotees always sing His praise; He relieves the world from the blazing forest fire of three-fold miseries (caused by the desire for enjoyment, liberation and perfections) brought about by inauspicious actions (performed in aversion to the Supreme Lord); an ocean of generosity, He bestows His own Name from the nectarean storehouse of Lord Sri Krishna’s Names – I am singing in praise of this beautiful Lord Sri Gauranga-sundar, a worshippable Deity of divine love.'

In honour of Namacharya Srila Haridas Thakur:

Namacharya Srila Haridas Thakur (1)
"Today is a very auspicious day—a grand festival in honour of Srila Haridas Thakur's disappearance day. How great his glory is! Haridas Thakur was Mahaprabhu's companion in the preaching of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.5 Mb, 10 min | 12 September 2019)

Namacharya Srila Haridas Thakur (2)
"When prasadam came from Jagannath temple, Govinda would serve it to Mahaprabhu, and every evening, when Mahaprabhu went to bed and Svarup Damodar, Ray Ramananda returned to their own places, Govinda would take that prasadam for Srila Haridas Thakur. That was the routine every day. One day, however..."
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 14 min | 12 September 2019)

Srila Haridas Thakur's Niryan
"Everybody must remember the three wishes of Srila Haridas Thakur. 'I want to keep Your lotus feet in my heart, to see Your lotus face with my eyes, and with my my mouth, I want to chant Your name. This is my only hope and prayer...'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 6 min | 3 October 2015)

Withdrawal of Srila Haridas Thakur
"On this day Mahaprabhu gave a great festival for Haridas Thakur; on this day Haridas Thakur left this world. Actually, Haridas Thakur is always with us—he did not leave this world, only his body left..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 9 min | 11 September 2011)

Disappearance of Srila Haridas Thakur (24 September 2009)
The sad and loving Pastime of the Lord and His devotee, Namacharya Haridas Thakur: "Prabhu, do not give me Maya. I know you love me so much, that is why I do not want to hear from You any further. Please give me some mercy—I want to go before You. Please, Prabhu, fulfil my desire."

• SRI SRI PREMA-DHAMA DEVA STOTRAM •

Sri Sri Prema-Dhama Deva Stotram (Part Seven, chanted on Fridays)
'He is a holy embodiment of the beautiful reality which is beyond the reach of one’s eyes and ears, which paralyses the very necessity of intelligence and which leaves even firmly fixed consciousness dumbstruck when divine love surges up – even Brahma, Sambhu (Siva), as well as their revealed scriptures, Vedas and tantras cannot conceive of such reality, so they merely keep searching after Him – I am singing in praise of this beautiful Lord Sri Gauranga-sundar, a worshippable Deity of divine love.'