730317 - Conversation Temple Inauguration - Mayapur

Conversations by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730317TO-MAYAPUR - March 17, 1973 - 73:08 Minutes

(Srila Prabhupada first asked Śrīdhara Mahārāja to give a talk during the inauguration of the ISKCON Candrodaya Mandira in Māyāpur 1973, on Gaura-pūrṇimā).

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . (indistinct) . . . conceived the inner most . . . (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) . . . this is a 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 he is coming this side, and passing through the Ganges water. Then he told him, "What is this?" His father told, "This 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.

Prabhupāda: Ānandāmbudhi . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ (CC Antya 20.12). Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ. All blissfulness, all love, all divinity are so much found there, and there is everything required. All dancing—gānaṁ, nāṭyaṁ—and all amṛtam, all drink is for pleasure.

Prabhupāda: Kathā gānaṁ nāṭyaṁ (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.56) . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Kathā gānaṁ—all the words are sweet because they're subject matter is sweetness personified, Kṛṣṇa. Kathā gānaṁ pleasing everybody . . . (indistinct) . . . gānaṁ, nāṭyaṁ. And the very environment—the trees, cows, plants, everything—all fulfill our purpose.

"Oh, you are kṛṣṇa-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 fallen area, area idea, this idea where we the fallen souls are living. . . (indistinct) . . . That has been extended through the scriptures and the sādhu. The intimation . . . (indistinct) . . . sādhus are agents coming down from that land to here to recruit us, to take us to that.

You are thus 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 . . .

Prabhupāda: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song —"I have brought that good news . . ." I forget that song.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes—śrī-vaikuṇṭha-purīāche nihsreya āśā gaṇa . . .

Prabhupāda: Kalyāṇa-kalpataru.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Kalyāṇa-kalpataru. Nihsreya āśā . . . Ki ache? (What is that?)

Govinda Maharaja: Taniya anite brksa e . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Kalpa brksha aganan. Tar ekta brksha ami ekhane karilam, kalpataru ene dilam. (Uncountable desire trees. From there I brought a tree here. Brought a desire tree.)

taniya anite brksa e karkasa mana

nasilo ihara sobha, suno, sadhu-jan

(Śrī Śrī Kalyāṇa-kalpataru)

Tarpore ki? Guru prasadete take abar . . . iye kore . . . sanskar kore tomader kache dicchi. (What after that? After purifying by Guru prasada, I am giving it to you.)

(indistinct) . . ."Kalyāṇa-kalpataru. "Many such trees and creepers are there, and only one-by-one like to come down here for Your purpose." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings.

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

Prabhupāda: Serious . . . (indistinct) . . . necessary.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: 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. Śraddhā. Śraddhā, faith.

Prabhupāda: Receptive, the first is faith.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Then he is here, sincere.

ahaṅkāra-yutanam hi

madhye parvata-rāśayaḥ

ahaṅkāra- nivṛttanam

keśavo nāhi duragah

(Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa)

He is not far away. Only the egoism is the wall between the two. And the egoism ignorance of karma and jñāna removed, and we are with the Lord. We are with the Lord! Tad dūre tad vantike (ISO 5).

Prabhupāda: Far away.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Far for them, and near for the others—for the śraddhā-loka. 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 His men love me 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.

Prabhupāda: When the light is off, the current is off.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So, our Swami Mahārāja has done a miracle! (laughingly) He has done a miracle!

Prabhupāda: (laughter) . . . (indistinct)

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

Our Guru Mahārāja told that when one person comes to take dīkṣā and to stay in the Maṭha, then he said 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 is there and life and life is there, and nowhere else.

So we may be quite free there; no apprehension of any misgivings or misunderstand misconduct. 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 Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa . . . (indistinct)

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

(Śrī Vaiṣṇava Praṇāma)

Prabhupāda: Jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti-rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja ki jaya!

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: So we are thinking we are very much fortunate to hear His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya Bhakti-rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja. 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 sannyāsa . . . he just left home, vānaprastha. In his white dress he went to Allahabad.

(aside) Mahārāja, I think you remember this incident, when you went to Allahabad?

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes, I do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Thank you. (chuckles) Yes. At that time . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . we took prasādam on the roof.

(laughter)

Prabhupāda: 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. Dāsa. At that time . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: When I was . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: That was the beginning of our . . .

Prabhupāda: 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, Mahārāja, that Naren Mullik?

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he was my intimate friend. So in their house old Tīrtha Mahārāja went to beg some alms—they are very rich men. So he informed me that, "One nice sannyāsī came to our house, and he has invited . . . in Ultadanga there is the Gauḍīya Maṭha. 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 sādhus 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 Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in 1922 in the Ultadanga building. At that time Prabhupāda 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 Prabhupāda and to offer our obeisances. So immediately he said that, "You are all educated young men. Why don't you preach Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message throughout the whole world?"

So I replied to him that, "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 prasādam, we came down, and my friend Naren Mullik asked me, "How did you like this sādhu?" And, "Yes, here is a sādhu in whose hands Caitanya Mahāprabhu'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 sādhu." From the very beginning that was my impression that, "I have met a real sādhu."

So actually the words lava mātra sādhu saṅge sarva siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54) was actually, I perceived that in a moment. I was impressed so much with Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that it was . . . it continued. Then in 1928, when there was Kumbha-melā . . . Mahārāja, when did you join Gauḍīya Maṭha?

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: '27 . . .

Prabhupāda: '27. That means . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: I was twenty when I met Prabhupāda in August 1926. That was my first meeting, and I joined the mission in May 1927.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. In 1928 there was a Kumbha-melā, I think. And during that Kumbha-melā, Tīrtha Mahārāja with a party came to my shop, Prayāg Pharmacy, all of a sudden, and I thought, "Oh, these are the people I saw, Gauḍīya Maṭha. Yes." (laughter) So I was so glad.

So Tīrtha Mahārāja 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 Tīrtha Mahārāja, old Tīrtha Mahārāja, had first meeting in my house at Allahabad, with I think, the Sarvesva brahmacārī and Dhīra Kṛṣṇa brahmacārī . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yāyāvara Mahārāja and . . . (indistinct) . . . Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. So my father was Vaiṣṇava, but when I invited these Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus, my father thought that I have invited some sādhus of the Ramakrishna Mission. (laughter) So he was not very interested. When Tīrtha Mahārāja is speaking, I call my—my father was at that time invalid—I called him that "Please come down. There is a meeting of the Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus." 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 Tīrtha Mahārāja, our old Godbrother, he understood: "Oh, they are Vaiṣṇavas." Then immediately after the meeting, he fell down on his feet: "I misunderstood you, sir, that you are the Ramakrishna Mission sādhu. I am so glad to meet you."

So that is the beginning of my intimate relationship with Gauḍīya Maṭha. And they are coming, and whenever somebody would come, I would invite them to lecture in my house. In that way, Śrīdhara Mahārāja, at that time Ravendra-sundara Bhaṭṭācārya, he was also invited at my house, and before . . . no, I think I invited Bhāratī Mahārāja, and you were with Bhāratī Mahārāja.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So in this way my connection became developed with Gauḍīya Maṭha. Then gradually the process began, hariṣye tad-dhanaṁśanaiḥ (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 Prayāg Pharmacy was lost. So I was not going to . . . I was sitting at home. But this Yāyāvara Mahārāja, at that time Sarvesva brahmacārī and Atulānanda brahmacārī, they used to come to take their subscription, and they were requesting that "Why don't you come to our maṭha? Why don't you come to our maṭha? You are now free." So I used to visit their temple. That was not far away from my house.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: In Mahratta.

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

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes, we were coming from Vṛndāvana parikramā.

Prabhupāda: Yes, parikramā. And the parikramā, that is also another incident that . . . I, I was not initiated at that time, but I had very good admiration for these Gauḍīya Maṭha people, and before, before 1933 I met Śrīdhara Mahārāja and other devotees, old Tīrtha Mahārāja.

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

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Including Nemi Maharaja.

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

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: It was better to listen to him than to see the eye-experience.

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

So when we came back to Allahabad, so Ganeśa Babu, he introduced me, that "Here is a nice devotee." So Prabhupāda 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 Gauḍīya Maṭha 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. Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda liked it to prepare me. Śrīdhara Mahārāja lived as a . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . as a sannyāsī.

Prabhupāda: (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 Vaiṣṇava 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 Gauḍīya Maṭha, I wanted to organize another organization, making Śrīdhara Mahārāja head. And I wanted to mix . . . at that time Gosvāmī Mahārāja, one of my friend's house at Sealdah . . . Śrīdhara Mahārāja, you may remember those things. I wanted to organize in so many ways, but somehow or other . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: I had one house in Station Road . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . belonging to Naren Mullik.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: It was a very small place.

Prabhupāda: 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 Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: At that time you published Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Yes, in 1944.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: 1944.

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

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So somehow or other, this intention for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu increased, and other side decreased. Viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). But I was not disinclined, but Kṛṣṇa forced me, that "You must give up." (chuckles)

And these thing is known better to Śrīdhara Mahārāja, 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 vānaprastha—why four years, from 1950 to 1959.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: In the meantime, there was Bombay. Bombay life.

Prabhupāda: Bombay life, yes. Bombay life—that was during my householder life. I opened an office in Bombay for my business and . . . but the Gauḍīya Maṭha was established by us. I am one of them. Śrīdhara Mahārāja also. And we made two parties for begging, collecting alms.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja, myself and Gosvāmī Mahārāja. At that time he was Atula, Atulācandra Gosvāmī. So I took them to some of my friends, chemist friends, doctors friends. So I collected about five hundred rupees through this. Śrīdhara Mahārāja would speak, I introduced, and Gosvāmī . . . at that time Gosvāmī Mahārāja 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.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: A big sum.

Prabhupāda: Big sum, yes. So Gosvāmī Mahārāja 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 Maṭha in-charge." In this way. "Why should he not live with us? Why he's living separately?" In this way.

So Prabhupāda, Mahārāja, Śrīdhara (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 Śrīla Prabhupāda meant by that. So his inclination, blessings, were always upon me, although I was unfit. But he was so kind.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . (indistinct) . . . was collecting sufficient funds to come back . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes, he was afraid.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: He asked you.

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

(voice trembles)

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

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Remember . . . some dissertation of Bhāgavatam at Rādhā-Dāmodara on Jīva Gosvāmīs (appearance) day.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Jīva Gosvāmī.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: That gave you that last impression for possibility for foreign pracāra.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I thought that Guru Mahārāja wanted, and these Gauḍīya 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 Vaiṣṇava. 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 chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā (Prema-bhakti-candrikā).

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Are you going . . . (indistinct) . . . kindly talk with your . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: That will be . . . (indistinct) . . . carried to us, the land of gold and Golden Avatāra. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you become a perfect nation." That I preach always. "By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, you have got everything. All material opulence.

Now make it plus Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be very nice." Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. 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.

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

Prabhupāda: And our Gauranga Mahārāja . . .

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Prabhupāda said, Bhaktivinoda dhara kakhana ruddha hoibe na. (The tradition of Bhaktivinoda will never be stopped.)

Prabhupāda: Ta ki hote pare! (Is this possible?) This is not possible. This is not possible.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) . . . we are also counted within that . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . camp. At other . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Other times being washed away: keno māyār bośe, jāccho bhese (Gītāvalī, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Bol), and we are being washed, washed away, by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. (laughter)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) . . . participate.

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

(break)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: This . . . this āśrama is being opened today. What is it's position? In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we find:

vanaṁ tu sāttviko vāso

grāmo vāsas tu rājasa

tāmasaṁ dyūta-sadanaṁ

man-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam

(SB 11.25.25)

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

Rajasa-vāsa 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-vāsa, 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-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam 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 nirguṇaḥ because we are not master there. We are servant, we are servant, the vana-vāsa 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-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam, so we have come, to live here a life a nirguṇaḥ life, guṇa-tīta, guṇa-tīta, 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, īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ. (Iso mantra 1) The fundamental truth given in the Upaniṣad, Īśopaniṣad, that: īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ, that in 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 but what our Guru Mahārāja has inaugurated in this world to uplift us and all jīvas, towards the Supreme . . . Supreme worship, the loving service of the Supreme Entity. We are like oasis in a desert. Hm? All these are oasises in the desert, they are life-giving and not slaughtering institutions like so many educational institutions that we find . . . sā vidyā tan-matir yayā (SB 4.29.49)

However this sort of training comes, that go towards centre, towards reality, towards beauty, towards harmony, towards solution of life, towards . . . towards nectar giving life, these institutions . . .

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: . . . are only helpful and this is necessary. One Madana-Mohana Mahavir became a leader a famous leader in the past history, that is recent history of India. He came to visit our Guru Mahārāja and after listening to his words he told that every village should have one centre of your divine grace. But our Guru Mahārāja answered in return 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, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) so with this idea he started his mission, Gauḍīya Maṭha, Gauḍīya Mission.

And we see that Swami Mahārāja by his grace he is able to spread, to take it all around India and throughout the world, in different the world continents. We are very happy to see new faces, around us eh, for the preaching purpose and spreading the news of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla Mahāprabhu, the mission of Śrī Kṛṣṇa 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 . . .

Prabhupāda: Cloister and hearth . . . (indistinct)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Now . . . (indistinct) . . . eh? But hearth has been made the cloister, the gopī bhajana is to make hearth the cloister, not that the cloister have a separate place. The hearth will be cloister and Kṛṣṇa 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 Śrī Kṛṣṇa conception of Godhead, akhila-rasāmṛta-mūrtiḥ (Cc Madhya 8.142), all sorts of ecstasy, happiness. Anything of the type, can be possible in His divine form when we find Śrī Kṛṣṇa 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.

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: This sort of service is only possible in, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31) and in the service, aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Candra himself in madhurya-rasāṁ. Śrī 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 Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, consciousness is Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa who came here to arousing us the real our consciousness, of or Kṛṣṇa mean serving Kṛṣṇa in all round, all aspects, all respects. This is, this laudable effort is being done in great quantity by our charming Mahārāja. So we are very happy to . . . getting the chance of attending this function . . . and just a few words to reserve for Swami Mahārāja.

Devotees: Hari Bol!

Prabhupāda: You can speak.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . Tamāl Kṛṣṇa Goswami.

Tamāl Kṛṣṇa: So Śrīpad Śridhara Mahārāja and Śrīla Prabhupāda and all the assembled devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya. Today marks a very grand day for us, because it is now the birth anniversary of Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared nearly 500 years ago just in this Śrīdāmā Māyāpur, and His appearance was prayed for by Śrī Advaita Ācārya.

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 Ācārya 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 Mahāprabhu appeared on this planet and His appearance was called the most merciful of all. There is one prayer:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

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

Kṛṣṇa spoke in Bhagavad-gītā to the point that one should surrender everything unto Him sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Surrender everything unto Kṛṣṇa. But in the course of time this process of surrendering surrender how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa that was lost. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's appearance is especially meant to teach us how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

And Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa trying to understand the love that Rādhārāṇī feels for Him. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself in the form of a devotee and He is teaching us how to love Kṛṣṇa. So actually this Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya is following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, of the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, down to the many great ācāryas and most recently Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākur, Śrīla Gaurakiśora Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, and Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and Śrīpād Śrīdhara Mahārāja.

This line of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas 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 gopīs 5000 years ago is once again being given by Lord Caitanya. And the process He has given is very simple, Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

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

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

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 Mahāprabhu simply in the process of chanting the holy name—Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is non-different from Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa he is immediately brought into contact with Kṛṣṇa.

The name Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa 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 Brahmins, we were not even born in the families of Vaiṣṇavas. Still although we were born in the lowest class of people. Practically caṇḍālas still by chanting this name of Kṛṣṇa we have been elevated to the platform of Vaiṣṇavas. This is said:

kibā śūdra kibā vipra nyāsī kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya

(CC Madhya 8.128)

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

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

Our only purpose we the disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda is to fulfill his desire and as he is expressing his desire is only to fulfill the mission of his guru mahārāja Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī wished that there should be a spiritual city Śrīdhāma Māyāpur where all the world could see an ideal spiritual community existing. Practically now we the disciples of Swami Bhaktivedanta Prabhupāda 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 Ṭhākura 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 Mahāprabhu 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 Śrīpād Śrīdhara Mahārāja for gracing us today.

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

Devotees: Haribol! . . . (indistinct)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct Bengali). Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura śara śāstrāṇām. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura 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 Śrī Caitanyadeva, but also He very strongly told that in future no other religion will exist than the religion of Śrī Caitanyadeva. Namo saṅkīrtan, this also He has made, for days.

And for Prabhupāda's his higher heart was trying utmost to spread this idea of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and this grace of Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. 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 seek some absolute centre for our, eh help?

Śaraṇāgati, this is self-evident, danya ātma-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 centre but love should be in a sincere heart, this must be reflected.

So the affectionate and deep thinking heart of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Prabhupāda. Desire and that desire means Mahāprabhu's desire and Kṛṣṇa's desire and that is being lauded in Swami Mahārāja 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)

Prabhupāda: . . . 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 sannyāsa.

So this sannyāsa order is accepted according to the predecessors . . .

(aside) Who is talking?

In Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya there are tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa. The Māyāvādī, Śaṅkara-sampradāya, they are ekadaṇḍi. Our Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya, tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa, is mentioned in the Bhāgavatam. Many great preachers and authorities, they took sannyāsa, tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa. Tridaṇḍi means kāya, mana and vākya: body, mind and words. In this rod there are four rods. Three: kāya, mana and vākya; and one, the person.

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire was that Indians should take up the responsibility for preaching the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. As I was explaining last night:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

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.

Kūpa-maṇḍūka. Kūpa-maṇḍūka 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. Kūpa-maṇḍūka-nyāya.

So we have to select persons who can preach the Vedic culture all over the world, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means properly training. Now this boy, Mahāṁsa Swami, is known from today as Mahāṁsa Swami. He was brahmacāri. 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 Mahāprabhu wanted in every village and every town all over of the world:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

(Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya 4.126)

He wanted that pṛthivīte, on the surface of the globe, as many towns and cities and villages are there, everywhere this Kṛṣṇa 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, bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Manuṣya-janma, those who are actually human being born in this holy land of Bhārata-varṣa, they should learn this Vedic culture thoroughly and preach all over the world, so that they may be benefited. Para-upakāra.

For want of this Vedic culture the whole world is in darkness. Tamo mukundam aṅghri niṣevayaiva. Tamo means this "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 Kṛṣṇa. (end)