GKBD13

GURUDEV
KRIPA BINDU DIYA

April 2023
Published By The
Jayapatākā Swāmi Śis.ya Samūha For The Devotees
And
Well-Wishers Of
Śrī Śrīmad Jayapatākā Swāmi Gurudevā
For Private Circulation Only
GKBD13.indd 1 3/19/2023 5:15:14 PM

CONTENTS
Note from Publishers 3
One drop of nectar 5

In this lecture Śrīla Gurudevā gives some easy ways to transform lives and attain transcendental
bliss.
Śrīla Prabhupāda Smaraṇam16

Śrīla Gurudevā shares some of the memorable moments in his association with Śrīla Prabhupāda
Are we always Mahāprabhu conscious? 20

H.G. Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu narrates about his good fortune of getting Śrīla Gurudevā’s
association as soon as he came into ISKCON and some of his experiences in the service of Śrīla
Gurudevā.
Your questions answered 28

Śrīla Gurudevā answers questions on getting the determination to distribute books, overcoming
mayā’s influence, avoiding Vaiṣṇavaaparādha, finding real happiness, tolerating criticism, balancing
preaching with hearing and chanting
Nectarian showers 33
Excerpts of various spiritual topics taken from the lectures of Śrīla Gurudevā
Gaura kathā 39
In this narration of Śrī Caitanyalila, Śrīla Gurudevā gives us a glimpse of the society in Navadvīpa
before the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Godruma kalpaṭavī46
A serialized extract from Śrī Godruma Kalpaṭavī, written by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākuraand
translated by Śrīla Gurudevā
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Note from Publishers
Dear Spiritual God Brothers, God Sisters, Spiritual Cousins, and Well-wishers,
Greetings from the Team at ‘Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya’ (GKBD) for your continued support in helping
us offer our small service to Śrīla Gurudevā.
The past year, since our last magazine, has again been a turbulent one with the persisting war in Ukraine,
the pandemic wave still active in certain countries, recessionary conditions resulting in job-losses,
innocent citizens (including children) being killed, earthquakes, cyclones…the list goes on!! However,
the average citizen foolishly draws comfort on the premise that this year has been better than the previous
years when most of the planet was ina ‘lock-down’ due to the pandemic wave.
This material world is characterized by threefold miseries that pertain to the mind or the body, natural
disturbances, and miseries caused by other living entities. Whatever our position in this material world,
there is always some kind of misery being inflicted upon us. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that
it is not possible to avoid misery in this material world, because this world is meant for misery – termed
as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.
An intelligent person understands that although he does not want misery, miseries are being inflicted
upon him by force. No one wants misery, but a person should be intelligent enough to question, “Why
are these miseries being forced upon me?” and “What should I do to stop these repeated miseries?”
Almost five thousand years ago, similar questions were posed by Arjuna to Lord Kṛṣṇa on the battlefield
of Kurukṣetra and the Lord clarified these queries through the Bhagavad-gītā. Further, the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam also provides various examples of devotees who faced miseries and challenges in life and
how they reacted to these situations. Thanks to our Founder Ācārya His Divine Grace AC Bhakti vedanta
Swāmi Śrīla Prabhupada, we now have these important books and other scriptures, accessible to us in
English and many other world languages.
As per Śrīla Prabhupada’s instructions, each of us are morally bound to read and distribute these books
and preach the message of the Lord to new souls across geographies. Only then can people get answers
to the important questions they have in their mind and take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
In this respect, our dear Guru Mahārāja continues to be our role model through his relentless efforts
in preaching and distribution of Śrīla Prabhupada’s books. These have been achieved by engaging with
people across all ages, nationalities, classes within society and cultures through his various channels,
social media groups, in-person visits, the JPS application and Zoom sessions. All of these have provided
us with various avenues to stay connected regularly with our dear Guru Mahārāja and be inspired by his
focused pursuit to fulfil the instructions of his spiritual master – Śrīla Prabhupada.
Further, to inspire each of us, Guru Mahārāja has set very high standards by meticulously studying Śrīla
Prabhupada’s books including the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. While Guru Mahārāja had already received his
Bhakti-śāstrī degree from Śrīla Prabhupada in the 1970s, he was recently conferred with the Bhakti
Vaibhava degree. He is already in the process of completing the Bhakti Vedanta degree course. Guru
Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 3
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Mahārāja has thus urged his disciples also to pursue śāstrīc studies seriously, to understand and imbibe
the essence of the śāstrās and Śrīla Prabhupada’s teachings.
We are pleased to present the 13thedition of the ‘Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya‘at the lotus feet of our dear
Guru Mahārāja for being our beacon of light to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness in these turbulent times.
The cover story for this edition is titled - ‘One drop of NECTAR!’ – it is an extract from His Holiness
Jayapatākā Swāmi’s lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.23 delivered in Chicago on Feb 10, 1980. In
this lecture, Guru Mahārāja explains, with examples and analogies, how a devotee’s suffering is truly
transcendental bliss which is a feeling of separation from Kṛṣṇa. He reiterates how we must be guided by
sticking very rigidly to guru, sādhu and śāstra, great devotees and the scriptural instructions.
As part of the Senior disciple’s realization,titled ‘Are we always Mahaprābhu conscious?’, HG Caitanya
Avatārī Prabhunarrates about his good fortune of getting Śrīla Gurudevā’s association as soon as he came
into ISKCON and some of his experiences in the service of Śrīla Gurudevā.
The ‘Śrīla Prabhupāda Smaraṇam’ includes Guru Mahārāja’s recollections about his interactions,
pastimes, and experiences with his spiritual master – Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Our other sections - Nectarian showers, Gaura Kathā and Your Questions Answered include key
messages and devotees’ questions answered by Śrīla Gurudevā.
As always, we have included the next part from ‘Godruma Kalpaṭavī’ by Śrīla Bhaktivinode Ṭhākura
which has been translated by Śrīla Gurudevā.
We remain indebted for all your feedbacks received at gurudev.kbd@gmail.com .
Our sincere thanks to every devotee for their continued support in helping us spread the message of Śrīla
Gurudevā through this magazine.
Yours in the service of Śrīla Gurudevā

The Publishers
Jayapatākā Swāmi Śiṣya Samūha
4 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya
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One drop of nectar
In this lecture Śrīla Gurudevā gives some easy ways to
transform lives and attain transcendental bliss.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.23 Lecture by H.H. Jayapatākā Swāmi Guru

yadvāmba te bhūri-bharāvatāra- Mahārāja
kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri The greatest suffering for a devotee
antarhitasya smaratī visṛṣṭā
karmāṇi nirvāṇa-vilambitāni The personality of religion is asking Mother Earth
whether she is lamenting due to separation from
Translation the Lord. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked
O mother earth, the Supreme Personality of Rāmānanda Rāya what the greatest suffering
Godhead, Hari, incarnated Himself as Lord that anyone can experience in this world is,
Śrī Kṛṣṇa just to unload your heavy burden. Rāmānanda Rāya said that the separation from a
All His activities here are transcendental, and
they cement the path of liberation. You are now
bereft of His presence. You are probably now
thinking of those activities and feeling sorry in
their absence.
Purport
The activities of the Lord include liberation,
but they are more relishable than the pleasure
derived from nirvāṇa, or liberation. According
to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī
Ṭhākura, the word used here is nirvāṇa-
vilambitāni, “that which minimizes the value of
liberation.” To attain nirvāṇa, liberation, one has
to undergo a severe type of tapasya, austerity,
but the Lord is so merciful that He incarnates
to diminish the burden of the earth. Simply by
remembering such activities, one can defy the
pleasure derived from nirvāṇa and reach the
transcendental abode of the Lord to associate
with Him, eternally engaged in His blissful
loving service.
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pure devotee is the greatest suffering. That is the her. You can imagine the extensive suffering she
most intense separation. Mother Earth, Prithvi is felt when Lord Kṛṣṇa left.
actually a great devotee, and she was very fortunate
to always have Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet on her body. The situation of the devotees of Lord Caitanya
Other devotees were sometimes separated from Mahāprabhu, after He left this world, cannot be
Kṛṣṇa and sometimes they were united with Kṛṣṇa. described. Knowing the intense separation one
But during the whole duration of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, feels when the Lord leaves, Haridās Ṭhākura
Mother Earth was having His lotus feet touching requested Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that He
permit him to leave first. Therefore on his request,
the wonderful pastime of the disappearance of
Haridās Ṭhākura, bathing him in the ocean and
During the whole duration his samādhi were celebrated. Subsequently, kīrtans
of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, Mother and feasts were also held. Haridās Ṭhākura could
Earth was having His lotus feet understand that it would be a very difficult time to
be present after the Lord had left.
touching her. You can imagine the
extensive suffering she felt when When Śrinivāsa Ācārya visited the devotees in
Lord Kṛṣṇa left. Jagannātha Purī, he was amazed to see that they
were still living. For instance, Gadādhara Prabhu
was in deep separation of the Lord. He could
hardly sleep or eat. Everytime he thought of Lord
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there was hardly anything
he could do except cry. When Śrinivāsa went to
see Viṣṇupriyā, the consort of Lord Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, who from the age of 16 had to
tolerate His separation and continue to stay on
this earth even after He left. He saw that she had
become so thin. Her body had become covered
with dust. She was not taking care of her clothes.
Her hair had become untidy. For her, there was
no difference between day and night. She was
simply chanting the names of Lord Caitanya
Mahāprabhu. She was simply engaged in offering
Him worship. Yet to see her (for those who were
greatly fortunate enough) she was so effulgent that
one could understand that she was completely
transcendentally situated. This is a very difficult
thing for someone who is on the gross material
platform to understand. But these great souls’
position in the intense worship of Lord Caitanya
Mahāprabhu or Lord Kṛṣṇa is transcendental.
They are not bound by the ordinary rules and
regulations. This is a very exceptional situation.
At this point they are no longer able to preach.
They are simply engaged in the worship of
the Lord.
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The personality of religion is asking Mother Earth
whether the symptoms that she is experiencing are Today the conception of
due to the separation from the Lord. He had asked
whether it was because of the irreligious activities
happiness, contaminated by
of the people that she was lamenting. Now he is the modes of passion and
asking whether it is because Kṛṣṇa has left. ignorance, may give them a
spurt of happiness. But then it
It is natural that when the spiritual master or
when the Supreme Personality of Godhead throws them into anxiety, fear,
leave, the disciples or the devotees will cry. It is lamentation and misery.
natural that they will feel separation because
there is a relationship of love. There is an intense anxiety, fear, lamentation and misery. So that kind
relationship, so it is very natural that these things of happiness is not considered very significant).
will happen. The personality of religion is very But if one takes the maximum happiness that
expert and astute in understanding the different one can have on this planet in one’s life as one,
facets of religion. So he is enquiring if these are then we can begin to understand the relative
the symptoms that she is experiencing. Soon she happiness in this universe, and there is a scale as
reveals her mind. one goes from here to the Gandharvaloka. Then
his happiness increases and he becomes ten times
By remembering the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa one can happier. Each time one goes up, his happiness
transcend the pleasure of impersonal liberation increases a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand
and one hundred thousand times more. Finally
Viswanatha Chakravarthi Ṭhākura, who is when one gets up to Indraloka, there is hundreds
specially blessed by Mother Sarasvatī, the of thousand times more happiness than what
goddess of learning, has instructed us in nirvāṇa one experiences here. When one comes up to
vialmbitāni. It means that which puts nirvāṇa or Brahmaloka, there is thousands and thousands
liberation to shame and transcends it. People are of times more happiness. And then when one
trying very hard to get out of the cycle of birth comes to the happiness of nirvạṇa or liberation,
and death, to achieve salvation, and some of them that is like an ocean compared to the happiness on
succeed. But Viśvanātha Cakravartī says that Brahmaloka which is not even a drop. That is how
success is insignificant compared to someone who great the transcendental happiness of liberation is.
gets pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, since simply
by remembering the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, which are
so powerful and wonderful, one can transcend the
pleasure of impersonal liberation.
There is an example that if you take all the

happiness that a human being can have, and give
that a numeral one, taking a standard of maximum
happiness on this earth. (Of course, different people
may have different idea as to what is maximum
happiness. But as per vedic intelligence, maximum
happiness a person can have is the happiness of
someone situated in the mode of goodness. Today
the conception of happiness, contaminated by the
modes of passion and ignorance, may give them a
spurt of happiness. But then it throws them into
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And then if you compare this with the happiness miserable. He does not think it is thoroughly
experienced by the pure devotee appreciating the miserable but feels that is not so much greater. Just
pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, it is just like the quantity of water like the ant that is living for two or three days. But
in the impression of a calf ’s hoof compared to the in those two or three days, he is living a hundred
whole ocean, the transcendental bliss of Kṛṣṇa’s years of his life. The mosquito is living may be
pastimes. People on this earth are struggling for for a day or so, but it is living a hundred years of
an insignificant quantity of happiness, but with his life, and in that time, (Prabhupāda explained)
the same effort, with even a fraction of sincerity, it is having its complete life – birth, growth,
one can easily transcend all one’s expectations, reproduction, dwindling, dying – everything.
unlimited number of times, by rendering pure Similarly if one goes to higher planetary systems,
devotional service. the life span may be hundreds and hundreds of
years and the happiness may be more, but they do
not appreciate it to that extent, because everything
If you compare this with the is relatively adjusted. But transcendental happiness
happiness experienced by the does not have any limit. One transcends all these
material relativities and enters into the absolute
pure devotee appreciating the platform.
pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, it is just
like the quantity of water in One may be desiring heavenly planets or another
the impression of a calf ’s hoof birth or any kind of situation, and even if he
attains that, he will never be satisfied. People are
compared to the whole ocean, the thinking, “If only I could be born in America, I
transcendental bliss of Kṛṣṇa’s will be happy.” This is because of propaganda. But
pastimes. in America we see that they are unhappy inspite
of having so many things. They are completely
frustrated because they are still not satisfied.
Everyone is being cheated. In South India many Those who do not have everything, their desires
people know that there is much higher happiness. are frustrated and those who have everything
I met a devotee-of-sorts, and he told me, “I am not their desires are also frustrated. Prabhupāda told
interested in the happiness of this world, I know the story about the Lucknow laddu. There was
that the women in this world are all smelly and a sweet shop in Lucknow where they serve very
bad. I want to go to the heavenly planets and enjoy wonderful sweet balls, and they advertise, “This
the apsaras.” I thought “You are crazy.” In South sweet ball is so wonderful that anyone who has not
India, people are completely into Karma-kāṇḍa. tasted it can understand that his life is wasted.”If
They know this world is terrible. So he said, “But you have not tasted this laddu, you can take it for
if I could be born in America, that will be alright, granted that you have not really lived, therefore
because there it is like heavenly planets.” People your life is useless-ninety percent wasted. But if
have funny ideas. Well, you people are here in you take this sweet, as soon as you have one, it
America, born in the ‘heavenly planet’, as in the is so good that you want another one and you
mind of many Indians, and you can understand cannot rest till you get another one. Then you feel
that although comparatively this is supposed to be very frustrated by not having it. Śrīla Prabhupāda
heavenly, but this is still hellish. explained, that in either case, whether you have
not tasted it and your life is wasted, or once you
Of course, a heavenly planet is something much have tasted it your life is still wasted, because you
different. But it is like that in the material world. are still not satisfied. You cannot live without
It does not matter what standard one is living in, getting it again and again. If one does not take it,
when it is material, he thinks that is comparatively he does not spend any money, does not waste any
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time, does not go to the store, he may be feeling As soon as we desire Kṛṣṇa’s service, we are
some anxiety that he has not tried it, he has not under the protection of the divine nature of
tasted it. But the person who has tasted it is still Subhadrā devi. So we can choose who we want to
in anxiety – he had to pay his money and he is be controlled by, because we must be controlled
still frustrated. It is better not to waste any money. either by material desires or by spiritual desires.
Material enjoyment is like that. We may have so Lord Caitanya is saying.
many conceptions as to what happiness is, but
when we get that, it is not what we wanted. “jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole
kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole”
How long do you want to be kicked and kicked
again? “How long will you remain sleeping on the lap
In this way, as soon as we desire material things, of the witch māyā?” How long do you want to
we are controlled by the illusory energy. As stated be kicked and kicked again? Why do we cling
in Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) to the feet of māyā, when she is only kicking us?
We should simply take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, āmi binā
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni bandhu āra ke āche tomāra. “Who is your true
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ friend except for me?” This is Lord Caitanya’s
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā statement. He has come here, he has given us
kartāham iti manyate some aushadi, the great medicine, hari-nāma. By
chanting hari-nāma, one instantly tastes a drop of
the nectar of transcendental life. If we continue
to chant, one day we will experience the ocean
of transcendental happiness. Even that one drop
is worth more, that all the material happiness in
the world put together – far, far more, because
everything in the material world is so relative, so
mixed with misery and it never satisfies. But even
one drop of appreciation of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental
qualities fully satisfies the self. Therefore the
first prayer of Śikṣāṣṭakam tells us that simply by
chanting and hearing, the ocean of transcendental
happiness of transcendental knowledge is realized.
By chanting hari-nāma, one

instantly tastes a drop of the
nectar of transcendental life. If
we continue to chant, one day
we will experience the ocean of
transcendental happiness.
We should see whom we want to serve, because

servant we are – jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera
‘nitya-dāsa’. We are the eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa.
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Everyone we meet is a servant of Kṛṣṇa alone, but
some people recognize that, and some people have The devotees are the most
forgetten it. Some people are in ignorance. We go
out to distribute books, to discuss with people in
compassionate of all people,
order to remind them that they are the servants because the gift that they are
of Kṛṣṇa, that they are now serving māyā and that giving has no comparison
service is killing them. By serving māyā, one must anywhere in this universe.
die and one must be born again. By serving Kṛṣṇa,
one never needs to be born again. Serving Kṛṣṇa
gives life, while serving māyā means death.
has already changed. Narada muni said that
The devotees are the most compassionate of all simply by taking the maha-prasādam of the
people, because the gift that they are giving has bhaktivedantas, his ability to understand spiritual
no comparison anywhere in this universe. People life, his attachment for spiritual life and his taste
are sleeping in illusion. When a devotee wakes for chanting the holy name – everything became
up a person, he begins his spiritual life. It means manifest. Prabhupāda describes that it works like
that everything is about to change – everything a favourable (in a good sense) slow poison. We
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take up chanting, we take prasādam, gradually this Just by having the transcendental literature, people
transforms our material desires and puts us on the benefit so much. They cannot even imagine. The
transcendental platform. We become attached to karma-kāṇḍa section of the Bhāgavata māhātmya
Lord Kṛṣṇa. gives so many instructions. Without even reading,
just by seeing Bhāgavatam one can experience all
Transcendental time-bombs the different wonderful reactions. If one reads
When a king stole the books from Śrinivāsa the Bhāgavatam, even if he understands just the
Ācārya, Śrinivāsa was feeling such separation, smallest portion, he reaches all perfection. One
that he fell down and began smashing his head. thing leads to the next.
You can imagine – he was given all the books by
the residents of Vṛndāvana, “Take these books
and distribute them.” And on the way they Just by seeing Bhāgavatam one
were stolen! The Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu, Sad sandharbas, Vidagdha- can experience all the different
mādhava, Lalita-mādhava – all the books the wonderful reactions. If one
Gosvāmīs had spent years and years writing reads the Bhāgavatam, even if
Mahāprabhu’s pastimes – they were all stolen!
he understands just the smallest
Narattom Ṭhākura and Shyāmānanda Paṇḍita
who were with him did not want to show their portion, he reaches all perfection.
face again to anyone. They thought, “We should
just jump into the agnikuṇḍa, or the ocean and
finish ourselves. How can we see those Vaiṣṇavas These transcendental literatures are very
again? They entrusted us with these books and important. People who have read the books
now everything is lost! Finished!” But somehow come to us, to engage in service, if we can engage
or other Śrinivāsa Ācārya got the message that them in chanting, we can engage them in further
if he saw the King in Vishnupur, he may be service. We know that because of association with
able to find these books. So he comforted the literatures, their devotional life has begun, and we
others and asked them to return to preaching, can further encourage them. It is possible that in
promising he would soon inform them. He was this very life, they can completely get over all their
confident that only Kṛṣṇa could have done such a material attachments.
thing and that they must find these books again.
Finally, reaching the palace of the King, Śrinivāsa When the devotees go on saṅkīrtan and meet
Ācārya got an opportunity to give a class on the a favourable person, they get him to sign his
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. By hearing it, the King was name and become a ‘Friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa,’ or
convinced about the exact position of Śrinivāsa ‘Des Amigos des Kṛṣṇa’ (Spanish for Friends of
and he surrendered to his lotus feet. Lord Kṛṣṇa) and they cultivate these people. Ādi
Keśava Maharājā told me that his zone in the
The scriptures describe that by simply having those northeast, over a period of two or three years,
books in his palace and by seeing them, his whole they have cultivated some of these people and
life was transformed, he was purified. No sooner by forming them into groups turned them into
did he see those books, (they were powerful) than full-fledged temple congregation or preaching
his heart became pure and immediately he felt, centers.
“I have committed a great offense. These books
belong to some great Vaiṣṇava and I have taken When we meet them again on saṅkīrtan or when
them.” He had actually arranged to have these they come by to the temple, they can be further
books stolen by a special team of armed robbers. cultivated. These transcendental literatures are
But as soon as he saw the books, his heart melted. like transcendental time-bombs that are working
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constantly. When people come by again, a little ‘Oh, the moon has got a pockmarked face’
purified, we step up the purification: “Now There may be set backs, there may be difficulties.
you should chant, now you should offer your We have to avoid all offenses against Vaiṣṇavas.
food, now you should worship.” The mail-order Kṛṣṇa can tolerate some offense. He can forgive
department in Los Angeles gets so many letters someone for offending Him, but He cannot
from people stating: “ I have read your books, forgive someone who offends a Vaiṣṇava. Durvāsā
It is wonderful.” Many people are worshipping Muni offended Mahārāja Ambarīṣa and he went
Deities in their home, may be right here in all the way to Viṣṇu, but Viṣṇu said, “No I am
Chicago. Just by getting the books the lives of so sorry. I cannot help you. You have to go back to
many people are changed. Hundreds of people My devotee and request for his forgiveness. If
attend the Ratha-yātrā with bead bags, whom no my devotee forgives you, then your slate is clear.
one ever saw before, did not know who they were, But I cannot forgive you. You have offended My
did not know where they came from. Where devotee.” And again Durvāsā Muni had to go all
did they get the beads? People buy the beads, the way back, fall down at Mahārāja Ambarīṣa’s
and they chant, and automatically a person feet. He said, “Even the most fallen dog-eaters,
becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī says, the untouchables, are chanting the name Hari.
Yena tena prakāreṇa – that by any means one How their Lives are transformed – what to speak
must get attached to Kṛṣṇa. Then, when one is of someone who is constantly worshipping.” He
attracted, they must accept more and more rules was realizing what the potency of someone who
and regulations to avoid all the offenses and to is rendering devotional service is. Mahārāja
quickly wind up all the impediments of pure Ambarīṣa appeared to be a King. He was doing
devotional service. his worship every day. He was washing the temple
floor. He did not look like a great powerful ruler.
Durvāsā Muni came in there with his power
and said, “Strike him!” and sent his demon after
Hundreds of people attend the Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. The demon was destroyed
Ratha-yātrā with bead bags, by Sudarśana cakra. Because devotees do not put
on airs and do not even know their own powers,
whom no one ever saw before, they are protected by divine energy. Therefore
did not know who they were, did Prabhupāda said that we should be very careful
not know where they came from. not to offend other Vaiṣṇavas – Whether a small,
Where did they get the beads? big or medium Vaiṣṇava. It is very hard to see,
relatively, where a Vaiṣṇava is situated. Someone
who is serving the spiritual master, who is serving
Kṛṣṇa, is a Vaiṣṇava. To offend a Vaiṣṇava is very
Śrinivāsa Ācārya was, of course, a great liberated bad. It should be completely avoided. A great soul
soul, and you can imagine the joy when he sees good qualities even where it seems that there
regained those transcendental literatures. He is a maximum of bad qualities.
not only regained those literatures, but he also
initiated the King into the Vaiṣṇava cult. His wife,
the queen, begged for and got initiation. She also
begged if she could go and see Narottama Ṭhākura Rūpa Gosvāmī says, Yena
because she had heard so much about him. The tena prakāreṇa – that by any
king personally helped to publish those books by means one must get attached to
hand and distribute them. Everything happened
simply by trying to carry out the instructions of
Kṛṣṇa.
the higher authorities.
GKBD13.indd 12 3/19/2023 5:15:24 PM

if one blasphemes the spiritual master, loses faith
in the spiritual master, is he finished. That soul is
Even if the disciple makes highly unfortunate.
countless mistakes, if that desire
to render service is still there, We should avoid all kinds of offenses against
Vaiṣṇavas. It is very painful for Kṛṣṇa, very painful
he adjusts. But when there is no to the Vaiṣṇavas and very harmful to our spiritual
desire to serve, only then, the life. If somebody wants to find faults, he can always
relationship can be cut. find faults. They find fault in the moon, “Oh, the
moon has got a pockmarked face.” They find faults
in Kṛṣṇa. If somebody wants to find good qualities
I remember in Māyāpur, Śrīla Prabhupāda in devotee, you will find many good qualities.
commented that the spiritual master’s duty is to Even if there is a bad quality, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy they
find faults in the disciples and rectify them, but will be destroyed.
he never rejects a disciple who wants to serve. The
spiritual master always sees the service rendered by We can change the course of the world
the disciples. Even if the disciple makes countless
mistakes, if that desire to render service is still This is a very difficult time because our spiritual
there, he adjusts. But when there is no desire to master and Founder Acharya His Divine Grace
serve, only then, the relationship can be cut. Only A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swāmī Prabhupāda has
GKBD13.indd 13 3/19/2023 5:15:25 PM

transferred his visible pastimes to some other the course of the world. All it takes is just one slight
place. But his pastimes are still going on and his glimpse, to see where they are heading, how they
movement is still spreading. We all have to work are aimlessly going, and immediately everything
co-operatively together so that his desires are is changed. It is just like a person is running down
actually achieved. He said, “Only half my work to the street and you say,
is finished. You must finish the other half.” But in
twelve years’ time, the quantity of achievement is “Listen, where are you going?”
inconceivable. If only we could even just maintain “I am going to catch the bus,” he says.
the standard and the level of intensity that he “The bus is on the other way!”
had achieved, which we have not been able to do.
Three years ago, book distribution in America was “Oh!” he completely turns around. It does not
much greater than it is now (Of course, in other take a whole band – it just takes the idea, “I am
areas it is expanding). But this can only happen going wrong way”, and he turns around and starts
if everyone co-operates, if everyone surrenders, running the other way. All we have to do is to
taking Lord Caitanya’s idea as the prime idea and give the people the glimpse, “Hey, where are you
casting aside Māyā’s idea. This choice is always going? It is not the right way. This is the right way.”
before us: Māyā’s idea and Kṛṣṇa’s idea. If we are And they go back to Godhead. It does not take
too much in association with materialistic people, a lot, it just takes a little bit, if you can catch the
we will chose Māyā’s idea. We will neglect the point. Even if you put a little doubt in the mind,
order of our spiritual master. Māyā sometimes “Hey, I don’t think you are going the right way,”
dresses up the idea to appear Kṛṣṇa conscious. But and when they think about it, they will say, “Well,
it goes against the order of the spiritual master, so then, which is the right way?”
it is not the proper thing. We have to stick very
rigidly to guru, sādhu and sastra – the spiritual In Bangladesh, a man went to a restaurant – the
master, the great devotees and instructions in the best restaurant in town, with very tasty meat. One
scriptures and our lives should be guided by them. day he ordered for soup, and in his soup he found a
We have to keep the link strong with the divine finger – a woman’s finger! After vomiting he put it
transcendental Lord by the surrendering process. in his handkerchief and showed it to the police. The
police surrounded the place, raided it and dug the
People in the world are suffering so much, they backyard. There were hundreds of corpses, bones
have no idea what they are working for or where and skulls. This was a famous shop for first quality
they are heading. We wonder how we can change meat but to reduce their costs, they had been
kidnapping people from the street, because they
have ten to fifteen kilos of meat on them. It costs
a dollar a kilo, so they could save ten dollars from
We have to stick very rigidly a body. Hundreds of bodies make a few hundred
to guru, sādhu and sastra – dollars. That is the value of the human life for them.
the spiritual master, the great It does not take much time for a person to realize
devotees and instructions in the that in this material world when he is enjoying, he
scriptures and our lives should is eating himself. He is actually eating himself. He
be guided by them. We have to is tasting his own blood. If he can just understand
that, immediately he will stop eating in that place.
keep the link strong with the He is not a cannibal. First of all you just have to
divine transcendental Lord by the catch their ears. They have to listen to what we are
surrendering process. saying. If they hear just a little, everything changes.
Just a little prasādam, a little association of
GKBD13.indd 14 3/19/2023 5:15:25 PM

the transcendental literature and everything
changes. They get moved from the course that Just a little prasādam, a little
they are on and gradually or quickly, they come
around, depending on their good fortune.
association of the transcendental
literature and everything
Mother Earth is a great devotee and she is changes.
completely absorbed in transcendental anxiety,
so the personality of religion is asking her, “Why
are you suffering?” Now he has come to the point. it means that he is feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa.
“Are you suffering because of separation from the He has no material suffering. In future verses we
Lord Kṛṣṇa?” will find out more.
A devotee’s suffering is not suffering. It is Thank you very much, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
transcendental bliss. When a devotee is suffering,

GKBD13.indd 15 3/19/2023 5:15:25 PM

Śrīla Prabhupāda Smaranam
Śrīla Gurudevā shares some of the memorable moments
in his association with Śrīla Prabhupāda mūkaṁ karoti
vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim relationship with the local inhabitants is not so

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande cordial. If we continue the philanthropic work to
paramānanda-mādhavam give them enlightenment and food without any
Śrī Caitanya īśvaram discrimination, it will be appreciated by all.
Śrīla Prabhupāda ’s letter to H.H. Jayapatākā Unquote

Swāmi Mahārāja from Honolulu on 17th May We had hundreds of children in the gurukula,
1972. Following is the second paragraph of the some were the children of devotees from foreign
letter. countries, like Prem Vikas and some were children
of locals like Naresh dās. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that
Quote we should increase the strength to 500 children.
“Child is the father of man” so if you can train
these children in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness by kind Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we did not have much
instruction, and feeding them, it will be a great association or interaction with the local people,
service to Lord Caitanya. For the last 50 years, the so we tried to change that. I took a local person
Gaudiya Mutt people have been there but their as an assistant; his name was Chaku Sheikh.
GKBD13.indd 16 3/19/2023 5:15:26 PM

contact with the local people. Although they were
demonstrating some material things, the fact that
the ācārya was watching pleased them very much.
Later the Hindus – the Ghosh’s - also wanted to
show their stick-fighting skills.
Once we also joined them to play a game called

Kabaddi. All Indians know about Kabaddi. It is
accepted as one of the games in the Asian Games.
In this way, our devotees were trying to mix with
the local people, and this had never been done
before. In this game of Kabaddi one of the players
repeatedly calls out ‘Kabaddi.’ I felt that instead of
‘Kabaddi’ we should chant some names of God.
Although he was a Muslim, he was very respectful For most of the names of God we need too much
and helpful. When we went to buy some cows, air, Allah Allah, Kṛṣṇa Krishhhhhna. I thought for
I would offer a price for the cow and the owner a long time which name of God could be given,
would try to bargain with me. Usually, the cow and came up with a name ‘Gopati’, the protector
owners were Hindus. So Chaku Sheikh would say, of the cows. Gopati, Gopati, Gopati, it didn’t take
“Come on, this is for the temple. We want some much air, just like Kabaddi. We also tried using
cows for the temple, you should give them for a ‘Gopati’ in a game in Tirupati, and it worked.
good price.” Because it was a Muslim speaking Now we say don’t play Kabaddi, we play ‘Gopati.’
for the temple, the Hindu cow owner would feel
embarrassed. That is how we got cows for cheap Once on the day of Govardhana-pūjā, Śrīla
prices. Similarly, he got the land for our gosala at Prabhupāda heard some dogs barking. He went
500 rupees a bigha. He was very helpful. When over to the balcony, and there he saw the kids
he passed away, the Muslims buried him in the fighting with the dogs with sticks, to eat the
Kabristan. I wanted to put a headstone, but they remnants of the food on the leaf plates that were
refused and would not let me do anything special. disposed of after the feast. With one hand they
He was very respectful, and he would offer his were fighting the dogs and eating with the other
respects to Śrīla Prabhupāda . hand. Śrīla Prabhupāda literally started crying,
Once we arranged for the residents of a local

Muslim village to demonstrate stick fight. At that
time Śrīla Prabhupāda was staying on the second
floor. They were demonstrating it in the form of
a drama. They acted as dacoits, with drums and
stick fighting. They demonstrated in great detail
how to hit a part of the stick, how to fight back,
and how one person could hold back 5 to 6 people
by properly swinging the stick. Then there was
another person with a mouth full of kerosene, he
would then spit it and make fire. The stick fighting
and other acts that they were doing were offered to
Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda also watched
it. It had nothing to do with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness,
just that Śrīla Prabhupāda was establishing
GKBD13.indd 17 3/19/2023 5:15:28 PM

saying how hungry they must be, to fight with the One night some dogs were barking, I remember
dogs for food. If this is a real temple of Kṛṣṇa, we Rasaparayana Prabhu driving them out. Śrīla
should see that nobody goes hungry within 10 Prabhupāda did not like the barking of dogs
miles around this temple. Since then, we have been at night, it disturbed his rest. When the Lotus
offering free prasādam under the ‘Food for life’ building was being constructed, we started living
program, two days a week. Śrīla Prabhupāda was there while the building was being constructed.
very much affected by this incident. He did not We had different shifts for devotees to guard the
want people to suffer unnecessarily. A vaiṣṇava is building at night. In the roof there was no hand
sad to see other people sad – ‘para-duḥkha-duḥkhī’ railing. The devotees were so tired that sometimes
they would walk up and almost fall off the roof.
One day Śrīla Prabhupāda told the cook that he On one night a devotee, Satadhanya was guarding
wanted hot milk, and the cook asked, “How hot the second floor, and he was sure that there
do you want it?” He said, “As hot as possible.” The was someone there. He looked around with his
cook returned with hot milk, so hot that it was flashlight, but he could not see anyone. Yet he was
steaming. Śrīla Prabhupāda tried to hold the glass sure someone was there. Then he flashed the light
and burnt his hand - it was too hot. The cook said, under the stairway and found that it was Śrīla
“Śrīla Prabhupāda you said as hot as possible,” to Prabhupāda ! Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I was just
which he replied, “Yes, but not impossible!” checking on you.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda would have a massage every The last civil work that we got done in the Lotus
morning. I remember that Hari Sauri Prabhu building was the sanitary. Till then there was a can
was giving him a massage for the longest time, at the end of the commode, And I remember that
for several years he was serving Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhavananda and I would wake up in the morning
. He was an expert at giving massage to Śrīla to see who would get the can, he usually beat me.
Prabhupāda . Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda took
him with him wherever he went. One day Prabhupāda called me, “Jayapatākā!
Jayapatākā!” I came running, and he was inside the
GKBD13.indd 18 3/19/2023 5:15:29 PM

bathroom. He was holding the door and inside the it is also called as ‘Pocha Bhādra.’ In this month
crack of the door was a snake, a sniper, a poisonous there are a lot of insects, the sun dries out the
snake, she was trying to bite Śrīla Prabhupāda. She soil and the insects fly away from the fields.
was trying to strike and missed him by 10 to 20 After Dāmodara is the month of Agrahayana,
cm. He said, “Please do something.” I was put in that month is bit drier. I remember that Śrīla
a difficult situation, so I asked Prabhupāda, please Prabhupāda came during one of these months.
pull back your hand. As soon as he pulled back Usually, he would also come during the month of
his hand, I crushed the snake, and I opened the Gaura-pūrṇimā.
door and pulled Śrīla Prabhupāda out. The snake
became deformed and could not move properly. When the long building was under construction,
Then some workers came and took away the snake. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the building should
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “This snake will have a have an entrance from the top into each room,
mate and the mate will find out who killed it and and a stairway down, and every room should have
will come and find you.” We saw another snake in a basement. I suggested that it was more useful to
the pipe and tried to catch it, but we were not able have a basement. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, ‘Prove
to do that. We spent the whole day looking for it.” In those days we did not have computers, I
the other snake. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Maybe had a circular slide rule, but it was not as fast as a
somebody has intentionally put the snake there computer. I had to show that I could save money.
because a sniper is a highly poisonous snake.” Śrīla Prabhupāda said emphatically, “If you break
How did this sniper get up to his bathroom? Like my building, I will break your head.” Unless I
this many things happened. could show that I could save money, he would
break my head. While the work was going on I
In the fall Śrīla Prabhupāda would stay for a had to calculate. How much did each door cost,
month or 3 weeks in Māyāpur. Sometimes he used each stairway? If we make an entrance on the side,
to stay before the Dāmodara month, sometimes how many bricks will it take? How many bricks do
after, maybe one time he stayed during Dāmodara we need to buy? When I finished the calculation, I
month, I do not remember. Usually, he went to could show that we save Rs. 5,000. When I showed
Vṛndāvana during the Dāmodara month. The it to Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said, “OK, now you can
month before Dāmodara is the month of Bhādra, change.”

GKBD13.indd 19 3/19/2023 5:15:29 PM

Are we always Mahāprabhu conscious?
H.G. Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu narrates about his good fortune
of getting Śrīla Gurudevā’s association as soon as he came into
ISKCON and some of his experiences in the service of Śrīla
Gurudevā.
Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavat Mahārāja: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Mahārāja - Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu is engaged
We offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus in a variety of different services for ISKCON
feet of our beloved spiritual master His Holiness at present. He is the vice-chairman of Guru
Jayapatākā Swāmi Guru Mahārāja. We also offer Mahārāja’s secretarial team. He is an active
our respectful obeisances to all the God-brothers member of the Global Bhakti vṛksha Research and
and God-sisters on this zoom link. Development team. He is one of the main members
of the China mission team of Guru Mahārāja.
vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca He is also the Vice-chairman of the South India
kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca Divisional Council. He is also an active member
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo of the GBC Organization. He is connected with
vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ the Bhakti vṛksha preaching in different places
like China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore,
In the scriptures it is stated that without the mercy etc. He is the President of the ISKCON New
of the spiritual master we cannot get the mercy Rajapur Jagannātha Dhāma, Bangalore. He is also
of the Supreme Lord. In order to become
more attracted to the divine qualities
of our beloved spiritual master and to
become surrendered at lotus feet of the
spiritual master we have this arrangement
of glorifying the spiritual master every
week through this JSSS program.
We have with us today His Grace Caitanya

Avatārī Prabhu from Bangalore. He is a
very sincere disciple of Guru Mahārāja and
a very senior manager of ISKCON society.
He became connected with ISKCON in the
year 1992 and in the year 1995 he accepted
initiation and shelter from Guru Mahārāja.
In 1997 he got second initiation. When are
you going to take third initiation, Prabhu?
Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu - I am ready

Mahārāja, I don’t know who is going to
recommend.
GKBD13.indd 20 3/19/2023 5:15:30 PM

an ISKCON Global Duty Officer and advisory care. Preaching is not like trying to achieve some
member of the Temple Council Board. In this way sales target or marketing target to get something,
he is engaged in multifarious managerial positions some monetary benefit or name, fame, and
and devotional services in ISKCON. Because he is position, which are generally the aspirations in
engaged in so many different types of services, he the material world. Without compassion, love and
has a number of interactions with Guru Mahārāja care, it is not preaching.
and many pastimes to share. He is a recipient of
Guru Mahārāja’s special mercy and we request I would like to share some pastimes about how
him to kindly share some of the pastimes and Guru Mahārāja demonstrated this. To give a
teachings of Guru Mahārāja with us. On behalf of little background as to how this preaching spirit
the Māyāpur JSSS team, we will first honor Prabhu and compassion first touched my heart, I would
with the Guru Mahārāja Mahā prasādaṁ garland. like to share about how my journey in Kṛṣṇa
Consciousness started. The very first day I came to
Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu - Śrīla Gurudevā Ki Jai! Kṛṣṇa Consciousness I had the fortune of meeting
Gurudevā. It was like going from darkness to
It is my great fortune to present myself in front of all light. It started in a place where religious freedom
the glorious vaiṣṇavas. I will share some pastimes is curtailed.
and also a few realizations. I have been requested
to speak a little bit about the preaching spirit. I had landed in this country that morning and the
When I think about preaching and the preaching whole country was closed for the weekend. I was
spirit, only two personalities come to my mind. taken to the place where I was supposed to stay,
One is of course ISKCON Founder Ācārya Śrīla and I just dropped my baggage and went to another
Prabhupāda and the next personality is our own place where some celebration was happening. A
dear Śrīla Gurudevā. Preaching spirit is not only Kṛṣṇa consciousness program was going on there
about preaching and sharing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I did not have any clue as to what was going
but it comprises activities that include love and on there. I had taken a night flight and landed
GKBD13.indd 21 3/19/2023 5:15:35 PM

at around 8 am in the morning and reached this to 3.30 pm. I was chanting on a sofa and slept on
place around 10.30 am. Till the previous day, my the sofa. As I woke up in the evening at around
lifestyle was completely different. I used to drink 5.30 p.m., there was a huge sound. The devotee
at least 25-30 cups of tea every day. The person who gave me the beads came back and asked
who brought me to the program made me stay in me how I was feeling. I told him that I chanted
a room. I asked him if he could get me some coffee continuously and then fell asleep.
or tea as my head was heavy.
He said, “Quickly wash your face and get ready,
He said, “Oh, in this place you won’t get any tea we have an evening program.”
or coffee.”
I went to the restroom and got ready. When I
After half an hour, another person came. I opened the door, just opposite this door there was
befriended him. As I was desperately looking for another door and there came Guru Mahārāja! He
coffee or tea, I asked him, “Can I get a cup of tea was so effulgent, and a towering personality! He
or coffee?” was coming out to go to the program. For about
15-20 seconds, there was eye contact between us,
He asked me “Why do you want tea or coffee?” then Guru Mahārāja started walking. Realizing
that I was someone new, he came back and asked
I said, “I have a terrible headache.” He went away me my name and where I came from. I was just
and returned in a few minutes with a mālā of taken aback, being an Indian I could understand
beads. that he was someone who was spiritually elevated,
yet he came back and asked about my welfare. I
He said, “I don’t have tea or coffee but if you was so touched because nobody had spoken to me
just chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, your since morning. That was my first introduction to
headache will go.” Guru Mahārāja.
I was desperate to get rid of the headache, so I The first day I met him, there was an evening
started chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. I program. I had prasādaṁ and the next day I had
chanted and chanted continuously from 11.30 am to go to work but I could not go because my boss
GKBD13.indd 22 3/19/2023 5:15:42 PM

had not joined my new office. The next day I was In those days, when I had just joined ISKCON,
again taken to the same place as the person who there were no traveling secretaries for Guru
was driving me was already a practicing devotee. Mahārāja, he used to travel alone. It was my good
He took me to the place where Guru Mahārāja fortune to be his local secretary there. One day he
was staying, and I continued to stay with Guru wanted to go for a morning walk, so I took Guru
Mahārāja the next day. Mahārāja to a nearby beach, which was frequented
by many westerners. We started walking at
In this way right from the first day it was kind around 6.30 am. When Guru Mahārāja walks,
of a special empowerment and after 15 days, nobody can match his speed. Even though I was
my boss joined. Whatever I learnt about Kṛṣṇa young, when Guru Mahārāja took one step I had
Consciousness in those 15 days, I shared with him, to take three steps to keep pace with him. Since
and it worked, he also started chanting and coming Guru Mahārāja was in a non-Hindu country,
for the programs. I just could not comprehend the when he was walking he was in non-sannyāsī
kind of mercy that Guru Mahārāja was showering clothes, he was wearing pant and shirt. Many
upon me at that time. westerners were exchanging pleasantries with
Guru Mahārāja. This place is always monitored
When Guru Mahārāja came back to the place by the police. As we were expatriates, we had to
after three to four months, I introduced my boss deal carefully with them when they ask anything.
to him and shared with him how he had also Many people were walking along the beach. The
taken up the process and was very happy. My life police were on horse-back. We walked for about
was completely transformed in those three to four two kilometers, and were returning. Suddenly
months. Whatever I was doing earlier I stopped we realized that two horse-mounted police were
doing and I started practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness behind us. Guru Mahārāja was walking as if
every day. Whenever Guru Mahārāja travelled to nothing was happening, and I could see that
various countries, he would transit through that the police were following us. I was thinking that
country and we got the opportunity to serve him. like any other westerner, Guru Mahārāja is also
GKBD13.indd 23 3/19/2023 5:15:48 PM

walking, so we should have no problem. One of about him, and I was so impressed with him. I
the policemen intercepted us and asked me for also heard the statement from Śrīla Prabhupāda
my ID card. My heart was pumping hard because that His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja is
religious preaching is not allowed in this country. an associate of Lord Caitanya.
I explained to him where I was working. Next
he asked me who was the person with me. Then I was new to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practicing for
the other policeman also came. I was trying to less than a year. So even though I theoretically
explain that he was my friend from the USA and understood, I had not yet realized so many things
he had come to stay with me. The next question in my heart.
was shocking. The other police asked me, “Is he a
bible-man? (Is he a sādhu?)” I didn’t know how to Then Guru Mahārāja came on his next visit.
react. I was thinking that nobody could make out, This time he must have changed three or four
but an ordinary policeman could understand how time zones and was travelling non-stop. He was
spiritually powerful Guru Mahārāja is. Nobody supposed to land at around 10 pm but he missed
can make out when Guru Mahārāja is dressed a flight and landed only at around 1 am. We were
in shirt and pant, at least those who are seeing waiting at the airport and received him. By the
him for the first time. Maybe someone who has time we reached the place where Guru Mahārāja
seen Guru Mahārāja would know but this person was to stay it was almost 2.30 am. There were many
was seeing Guru Mahārāja for the first time, but devotees who were enthusiastically waiting for
he understood that Guru Mahārāja was a great Guru Mahārāja and he gave time to all of them.
personality. For me this gives a great conviction He was in a transcendental mood. He patiently
in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process, that exalted heard about everyone’s welfare, how they were
devotees like ācāryas come to the level of ordinary doing and about their problems, continuously
people to uplift the fallen conditioned souls. for two hours. Then in a very humble mood he
By then I had been reading a lot about Guru said, “I had my last meal around 24 hours back.”
Mahārāja from many magazines, I was hearing We were shocked. Immediately we organized
about him and constantly seeking information some prasādaṁ for him. It was after 4 am. Guru
GKBD13.indd 24 3/19/2023 5:15:48 PM

Mahārāja was already tired, he travelled across of dollars nobody would travel like this. Guru
so many time zones, and he had not eaten. Then Mahārāja was going to every country, caring for
he said, “Please keep the prasādaṁ, I will quickly them, giving them Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. I was so
check my emails.” Those days we didn’t have the touched by this.
internet, so we used to have the win com, we had
to dial in through a telephone line. By the time we Like this many incidents touched my heart and I
got the prasādaṁ ready, he wanted to download also wanted to help Guru Mahārāja somewhere.
his mails and he realized that there was a very That is when around 1995, Guru Mahārāja offered
urgent email. Suddenly I observed that Guru this wonderful program called Bhakti vṛksha.
Mahārāja was very tense, he was anxious and Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad gītā, “Whenever
started calling someone. I was waiting for him to and wherever there is a decline in religion, I
honor prasādaṁ - 4 am became 4.30 am, then 5.30 Myself appear.” Guru Mahārāja came up with
am, but Guru Mahārāja went on and on. By then this wonderful preaching program. By taking
the devotees who had gone to take rest came back part in this program, over the last twenty-five
for mangala ārati. I did not have any guts to stop to twenty-six years, hundreds and thousands of
Guru Mahārāja and ask him to take rest or take devotees have taken to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness
prasādaṁ because he was so intensely speaking to process.
someone. After speaking to that person for almost
two hours or two and a half hours he ended the Many people are interested in participating in
call, and went directly to bed and lay down. I was the Bhakti vṛksha program, they are divided into
concerned, worried how somebody could work small groups and given love and care. After seeing
like this. I continued waiting for him to wake up. the impact of this program, even those who did
Then around 7 am he woke up, because he did not believe in preaching started preaching. This
not want to sleep beyond that. Then I asked Guru mood of Guru Mahārāja, this spirit of preaching
Mahārāja, “You did not eat anything, did not rest is very infectious. Anybody who comes in contact
properly, what happened?” Guru Mahārāja said in with him will also take to preaching so easily.
a very grave voice, “If I had made that call even
two minutes later, I would not have saved a soul, By 1995 -96 I was facilitating a number of
saved a devotee.” Somebody sent an email to Guru Bhakti vṛksha programs, and a lot of people were
Mahārāja the previous day, saying that today at becoming devotees. Along with this, my ego was
this time, I am going to commit suicide. Just five slowly popping up. That is when it really occurred
minutes before, Guru Mahārāja called that person to me very deeply that I was nowhere, how I am
and convinced him not to kill himself. He was in doing this?
the USA, in a different time zone. Guru Mahārāja
spoke for more than two hours and stopped him I was just thinking how this mercy, this spirit of
from killing himself. Then immediately he called preaching, how this love and care has changed
many other devotees and asked them to go and and transformed hundreds and thousands of lives.
check what was happening to that person. I was Guru Mahārāja has mentioned many times, this
so overwhelmed seeing how someone can be is all Mahāprabhu’s mercy and Mahāprabhu is a
so loving and caring. If he had not made that mercy incarnation. And that is when I realized
two and a half hour preaching call to save that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s wonderful prayer ‘mo
person, we would have lost that person forever. sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra’. Somehow by his
There were many such instances, and I was slowly preaching spirit, Guru Mahārāja helps everyone
convinced about the importance of preaching. I to purify their lives in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I
was so overwhelmed - he was travelling country was reflecting deeply on this matter that who is
to country. Even if someone was given millions Mahāprabhu distributing His mercy to, who is
GKBD13.indd 25 3/19/2023 5:15:49 PM

eligible for Mahāprabhu’s mercy? Every time I feel
that I am doing something, I am only following
Guru Mahārāja’s instructions. It occurred to me
that I am the most fallen person and that is why
Mahāprabhu chose to give mercy. As devotees we
know that Guru Mahārāja always asks how many
of you want Mahāprabhu’s mercy? Then everyone
raises their hands. If Mahāprabhu’s mercy were
not there, we would not have come in contact with
this wonderful personality and taken up to Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Many devotees do not like to think
that I am the most fallen but then Lord says that
the most fallen get the mercy first. This is like the
two sides of a coin. One side is that we are the most
fallen and hence we got mercy. But the other side is
that because I am the most fallen, I am already the
recipient of Mahāprabhu’s mercy. How fortunate I
must be! Then we read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message
that His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi is an associate
of Lord Caitanya - all this was constantly playing
in my mind all the time. And I was considering
how do I repay this loan?
We are indebted to Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu,

Śrīla Prabhupāda and Guru Mahārāja, for they
are tirelessly giving mercy to all of us. Then the
whole mood changes, to preach in a mood of
helping ourselves. Of course we are helping others
but in this process of helping others, we are also
purifying ourselves and advancing in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness.
I was reflecting that we missed Lord Caitanya by

500 years, and we missed Śrīla Prabhupāda by just
50 years. But both these personalities - the heart of
Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the mercy of Śrīla
Prabhupāda - combine in the form of Gurudevā. I
was so overwhelmed by this thought and felt that
somehow, we need to repay this debt. This is the
driving force in all these years for me to continue
preaching and giving Kṛṣṇa consciousness to
people all over the world.
We should also be grateful. All of us know what

kind of situation Guru Mahārāja is currently
going through. Yet, he never stops preaching. If
we have fever or cold for a week, we do not preach
GKBD13.indd 26 3/19/2023 5:15:52 PM

for a month. But look at Guru Mahārāja, every Mahārāja was walking with his stick or daṇḍa and
day he gives a class, he never misses a class. That suddenly Guru Mahārāja pointed his stick and
is what we see outside through the internet, but said see there is a shell, holy shell. So Mahā-Viṣṇu
he never misses any of the responsibilities that Mahārāja was so excited, said, “Oh Mahārāja,
he committed to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Every day he holy shells.” Then Guru Mahārāja continued his
ensures that all the management responsibilities, walk, he would walk two steps, put his stick there
all the instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda has and would find holy shells there. When he would
given him, are being done. By doing all this, he put the stick, he would find a holy shell, Mahā-
is making our lives so easy. But we have our own Viṣṇu Mahārāja would pick it up in his hand.
challenges, and our own hurdles, we are stuck My hands were full because I was carrying some
with living our lives selfishly. If we can reflect on water and some other things for Guru Mahārāja
this: how fortunate we are, then we can feel the and also for Mahā-Viṣṇu Swami. I was not able to
sense of urgency to preach. He is a living example pick up the holy shell. So we went almost three
that when we preach we live a selfless life, caring kilometers on the beach collecting holy shells.
for others and keeping Kṛṣṇa in the center. By So Mahārāja’s hands were full of holy shells. He
pleasing Guru Mahārāja and taking his mission had some polythene cover or something and
we can practice selflessness and get over this he put everything in that. Then as we started
selfish nature. And if we do that, we will certainly walking back, Mahā-Viṣṇu Mahārāja said,
become very dear to Guru and Gaurāṅga. “Mahārāja, instead of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious
we have become holy shell conscious today.” Guru
Let me share one more pastime. Mahārāja said, “Mahārāja, you did not count
that? I thought we picked up 108 holy shells and
It became customary that whenever Guru you were going to offer this to Lord Caitanya. We
Mahārāja visited our city, we would go for a are not holy shell conscious, we are Mahāprabhu
morning walk to the same beach. This was conscious.” Mahā-Viṣṇu Mahārāja was stunned.
several years later, we were walking on the same When we picked up the shells, we did not count
beach, the only difference was that along with but then Guru Mahārāja had counted 108 shells. I
Guru Mahārāja and me there was Mahā-Viṣṇu was shocked when Guru Mahārāja said that!
Gosvāmī Mahārāja. As usual, Guru Mahārāja
was walking very fast and Mahā-Viṣṇu Mahārāja Hare Kṛṣṇa.
and I were literally catching up with him. Guru

GKBD13.indd 27 3/19/2023 5:15:53 PM

Your questions answered
Śrīla Gurudevā answers questions on getting the
determination to distribute books, overcoming māyā’s
influence, avoiding Vais.n.ava aparadha, finding real
happiness, tolerating criticism, balancing preaching with
hearing and chanting
The following are excerpts from the question and answer sessions after lectures by Guru Mahārāja
at various locations
Question: If one does not have the enthusiasm to go out to distribute, is it just lack of hearing? By
going out, does one become enthusiastic?
Answer: It is lack of understanding. Why was Uttarā enthusiastic to protect her child? She knew that
it was her responsibility. She saw the connection between her and the child. The child was given to her
by her husband. It was her ward, she was responsible.
Some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance one becomes selfish. Selfishness
means not focusing on real self-interest, but taking an interest simply in the body and mind, due to some
misplaced sentiments. Therefore, he will not actually see the connection.
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The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver - he has given them. They are our wards.
Otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could
commit suicide and leave our body. Why live in this world without our spiritual master? Or why be
somewhere else without him? We can just go wherever he is. We have this responsibility and we should
see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us. If we have that compassion, if we see that connection,
then how can we not be enthusiastic to go out and preach to our full capacity? It is because we do not
see that connection.
If you want liberation, mystic power, or sense gratification in the heavenly planets, then why work so
hard? We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we
leave this body, then we are guaranteed to go to the heavenly planets or Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation.
Somehow or other if we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead. It indicates that instead of taking up
the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just waiting for some liberation from the present
miserable condition. Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.
That is why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service. If we simply
desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy
cannot come? It must come.
It is only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā that
we become disturbed in our mind. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva ‘sānta - because a devotee of Kṛṣṇa
does not have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that
was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.
But the others, the mukti-bhukti-siddhi-kāmī – who desire liberation, sense gratification or mystic
power–are all unhappy, they are all disturbed in their mind. For a disturbed person, it is very difficult to
preach. Perhaps for a short time, one can do it. The solution is to purify our consciousness, to become
situated in the mood of pure devotion. That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal.
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on September 12th, 1981, in
Miami, USA)
Question: Can there be māyā in the temple/dhāma?
Answer: Yes. in the holy dhāma, Māyā covers the dhāma with a thin kārpanaya, with a thin coating. The
non-devotees who live in the dhāma but have not accepted their relationship with Lord Caitanya, are
not living actually in the dhāma. So why not in the temple? If one is in the temple but his mind is always
outside the temple or if one has not accepted the spiritual master and Caitanya Mahāprabhu in his heart,
then that person will be covered by Māyā. But this is very rare. Therefore one should not be proud; one
has to be humble always.
Just because someone is living in the temple does not mean that one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. One is Kṛṣṇa
conscious if one is living in the temple physically, mentally and spiritually. That is possible by being
humble, by respecting other Vaiṣṇavas and not wanting respect for oneself, by being more humble than
a straw on the street and more tolerant than the tree.
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If a brāhmaṇa’s underwear is missing he thinks, “Oh, all the Vaiṣṇavas are dogs!” Or something similar.
He may even have misplaced it. But then immediately he will criticize. And even if someone took, all
right, so what? Get another one, get a box, lock it up, do something to keep it safe. One of the servants
may have a bad habit.
There is a story about one such devotee. Once there were many saints and devotees visiting a temple.
Every day when they wake up they would find all their baggage mixed-up. They wondered how this was
happenning? Then one of the devotees said, “I was a night housebreaker before I became a devotee, a
robber. So, it is my habit to steal something in the night. If I don’t steal something I can’t sleep. So, I take
your things and move them from here to there very secretly without waking you up and by doing this
I hope I will be able to get rid of my habit.” Sometimes someone may even have a bad habit, but still we
shouldn’t condemn them if they are trying to serve Kṛṣṇa. That means we have to be tolerant.
Of course, one should not give that as an excuse, “I had a bad habit before, so let me continue with it in
the temple.” One may have some bad habit, but it should be avoided. If we see that someone has a bad
habit, we should try to help that person. If we are not in a position to help the person, then at least we
should not become agitated or disgusted with devotees or devotional service.
We should be disgusted with māyā. Māyā is so strong in this material world that even after coming to
the temple, there might still be some trace of bad habits. Therefore, one has to be determined to get rid
of māyā’s influence, to become pure. Even while living in the temple, one has to bring the mind and the
consciousness to the temple, then one gets the full benefit. One has to accept the relationship, “I am a
servant of guru and Gaurāṅga.” With that understanding if one lives in the temple, or in the dhāma, he
gets the full effect.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on June 14th, 1981, in
Montreal,Canada)
Question: Currently I am more inclined to material life. While being surrounded by many devotees
and Vaiṣṇavas, due to my material desires and false ego, I may commit offences to Vaiṣṇavas. This
would cause hindrance in spiritual progress. How to avoid Vaiṣṇava aparādha so that I do not
trouble Lord Kṛṣṇa?
Answer: This sounds like a proposal of māyā. You are already inclined a little bit to material life, but you
are associating with devotees. So māyā is telling you, “Oh better not associate too much with devotees.
You may commit an aparādha. Just stay with me and I will make you happy.”
We have the disease of material desires. One of the cures for material desires is to have devotee
association. If we have devotee association then we are more likely to become a little attracted to Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Material life is sin or bad karma, but it is not an offence. If you take initiation and break
the vows, then it is the third offence of disobeying the guru’s order. But if you are not initiated and you
are inclined to the material life, there is nothing wrong with that, it is kind of natural. Everybody in the
material world is inclined to material life. But we want to try to change that, we want to be inclined to
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is why when we associate with devotees, when we take prasāda, when we hear
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, gradually we can get a better perspective of things. On our own it
GKBD13.indd 30 3/19/2023 5:15:54 PM

is very difficult to come out of material attachment. In order to balance that we need good association. If
you associate with materialists, then you are more likely to get deeper and deeper into material existence.
So you need to be respectful towards the Vaiṣṇavas. In India, there are many people praying to sādhus to
give blessings, because they want some material thing, but they are respectful. If you are just respectful
towards the devotees you will avoid offences.
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on 2007, in Melbourne,
Australia.)
Question: What is real happiness?
Answer: Everybody wants to be happy. But it seems so elusive for many of us. In the Vedas, it is said
that there are different types of happiness. There is sensual happiness. There is happiness when you are
young, that is the time to try to enjoy sensual happiness. The problem is that the senses not only give us
happiness, but they also give us suffering. We use all our lifetimes going after the sensual happiness and
we miss out on the higher spiritual happiness.
There should be a balance between sensual and spiritual happiness. Ultimately the spiritual happiness is
pure and does not have any suffering with it. In sensual happiness, if you eat too much you get a stomach
ache. It causes suffering. If you are feeling thirsty, you drink something that quenches your thirst, and you
think I am happy. Sensual happiness is just a cessation of suffering. Spiritual happiness is the happiness
that the soul experiences. When the soul experiences happiness then the mind and the physical level,
all are happy, everything is happy from that, from the innermost part of you to the external part. So you
have happiness on the physical level, mental level and finally on the spiritual level. Say somebody has
cooked your favourite meal, your favourite pizza and just as you are about to eat, you come to know, your
mother has passed away, then your mind is feeling bad, you lose your taste and you feel that the whole
world is empty. So that is why we are trying to bring people up to a higher level of happiness. Kṛṣṇa says
in the Bhagavad-gītā, to develop a higher taste of happiness based on spiritual bliss, spiritual existence,
and that is fully satisfying to the self, fully satisfying to the mind and body as well.
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja during Woodstock Festival,
2002, Poland)
Question: In the lecture this morning, You mentioned that one should tolerate tiredness, criticism,
mental stress etc. as a labour of love for guru and Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes we are unable to tolerate
unreasonable criticism, and we do retaliate with good intention. Does this happen due to our lack
of faith in guru and Kṛṣṇa? Does this speak of one’s love for guru and Kṛṣṇa?
Answer: Of course, it depends on who is making the criticism. We see some people can make it, but
cannot take it. When there is criticism, sometimes the devotee becomes very depressed and allows
that depression to impede his devotional service. The point is, we should not lose our enthusiasm for
devotional service. There are so many things that may happen. Sometimes our near and dear ones may
criticize us. We must not think, “Oh, what is the use, they are not pleased with me.” We are not serving
for other purposes, but to please guru and Kṛṣṇa – that is the point. There are three kinds of criticism:
constructive, unreasonable or unconstructive, and a mixture of both. When constructive criticism is
presented in a harsh way, then that hits our false ego. But actually that criticism is valid and it was for
our benefit, but it may be presented in a way that is not so palatable. If someone is pointing out that
GKBD13.indd 31 3/19/2023 5:15:54 PM

something we are doing is not pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa, and if it is a valid observation, then naturally
we should take that into consideration and adjust accordingly. However, if someone makes a criticism
and we are not able to appreciate it as being valid, still, according to Lord Caitanya, we should be humbler
than the straw in the street and more tolerant than the tree, and not retaliate by arguments. Especially if
it is amongst Vaiṣṇavas, we should avoid arguing. Retaliating to different kinds of criticisms just results
in arguments. And this creates bad feelings, which can be an impediment to our devotional service.
We know the four regulative principles very well. Once Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote down nine regulative
principles. Five more. No arguing, no gossiping, no frivolous sports, eating only Kṛṣṇa prasādam and no
rumor mongering, these are detrimental, and we should avoid it.
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on March 26th, 1991, in
Sridhāma Māyāpur, India.)
Question: Guru Mahārāja , you emphasized preaching in our Kṛṣṇa conscious life. Often I hear
from Mahārājas that hearing and chanting is the topmost devotional service. So how can this be
balanced in our Kṛṣṇa conscious life?
Answer: Of course, we chant minimum 16 rounds of japa. We also hear our regular Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
class and in the evening Bhagavad-gītā class. So hearing and chanting is a daily practice for those who
live in the temple or those who visit the temple. In the NämaHaööas, they also listen to classes regularly.
Also, now we have mp3 players and recorders. So it is easy to listen to kirtans or classes while you are
in a traffic jam, while cooking, or doing your activities. You do not have to be in any specific place to
listen to a lecture. Listen to your Guru Mahārāja, listen to Śrīla Prabhupāda, listen to someone and in
this way use your time. Sometimes we hear devotees say, “Well, I do not have time,” “I am very busy
cooking,” “I am busy with my baby,”… busy here and there. Some mothers say, “I am busy with my son.”
Srila Prabhupad said that while cooking, you can listen to a lecture. We can also somehow use our time
in hearing and chanting.
We also want to give some time for preaching., Advaita Gosāi, he was a gṛhastha, he would have classes
regularly at his house - reading the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And after every class, he
distributed prasāda. If you are a householder, use your house as Kṛṣṇa’s house, for preaching, do not
dwell in a house like some rat waiting for the snake of time to eat you up. That is where the Bhakti vṛksha
is useful. Even if someone has a small flat, they can host 10 -15 people, which is the maximum size of a
Bhakti vṛksha group.
I heard a lecture about Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Some people say that he is a bhajanānandī,
but that is not true. He was not literate, so he did not feel very qualified to preach. But he wanted to
see the whole world Kṛṣṇa conscious. He had only two disciples, one of them was His Divine Grace
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, who was a great preacher and established preaching
centres all over India. We should also want to somehow see that everybody takes up Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
However, if you do not hear and chant, then you are sure to see these activities as material.
(Question and answer session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on April 01st, 2011, in Śrī
Vṛndāvana Dhāma, India.)

GKBD13.indd 32 3/19/2023 5:15:54 PM

Nectarian showers
Excerpts of various spiritual topics taken from the lectures
of Śrīla Gurudevā
When the Lord is in Goloka as Kṛṣṇa, He

does not present Himself as Bhagavān.
Are we polytheistic? He is with Nanda, Yaśodā, and all the
cowherd boys, dealing in an informal
way, just like the judge at home. In this
There is only one God, who appears in different form, He provides a very good opportunity for
forms. In His form as Viṣṇu, He shows less of His the devotees to get close to Him. When He is in
qualities than in His form as Kṛṣṇa. The Viṣṇu His formal position, you cannot get too close,
form is for the material world. He is in a functional and you have to keep a respectful distance. In
role, as the Supersoul coordinating everything in the courtroom, nobody can go up to the judge
the material world. He is serving our needs as and start shaking hands with him. But in private
Supersoul or Paramātmā. But God has a higher you can do so many things, that is the difference.
role than serving our needs. That is why in the privacy of His own spiritual
abode, Kṛṣṇa manifests more qualities. When
In Vaikuṇṭha He is in His Nārāyaṇa form, which
He is informal, He manifests more confidential
is similar to the Viṣṇu form. But in this form as
qualities and pastimes. For example, He plays His
Nārāyaṇa He does not deal with anything material.
flute. Nārāyaṇa does not play on the flute. Kṛṣṇa
He does that only when He enters the material
is surrounded by special devotees like the gopīs,
world as Paramātmā.
whom Nārāyaṇa does not have. Kṛṣṇa has a very
Śrīla Prabhupāda explained that in the Nārāyaṇa attractive form that even Nārāyaṇa is attracted
form, He is just like a judge in the courtroom. to. The young cowherd boys and everything in
He is very formal, majestic, supreme, and all- Goloka Vṛndāvana is very attractive to Nārāyaṇa,
powerful. Therefore, in all dealings with Him in although They are the same person.
Vaikuṇṭha there is a lot of awe and reverence. But
in His Kṛṣṇa form, He is like the high court judge When Kṛṣṇa takes different forms, each form has
at home. got a certain individuality and perspective. But at
the same time, He is all the same. It is inconceivable.
What is your occupation? (pointing to a guest) We are only one person, but we have different
personalities; sometimes we are angry, sometimes
Guest: I am a teacher. we are determined, sometimes we may be peaceful,
and sometimes we are doubtful. Within our own
Guru Mahārāja: Alright.When you are teaching personality, we have all these different qualities.
in the classroom, you are more formal than when But the Lord has a separate form for each of His
you are at home where the atmosphere is relaxed. qualities. In His angry form, He is Nṛsiṁhadeva.
GKBD13.indd 33 3/19/2023 5:15:55 PM

In His beautiful form, He is Mohinī-mūrti. To show
His chivalry as a great king and leader, He came as
Rāmacandra. For each of His moods, He takes on a
different form and develops a lila around it. But it is
all the same person in different forms.
We are not polytheistic. We do not believe in many

Gods but in one God who takes many forms.
(Taken from Śrī Guru mukha Padma vākya –April

1995 – Showers of Nectar)

Different kinds of
Devotional Service
who is performing devotional service in the mode

of ignorance, then his company should be avoided.
It is described that someone who is very envious,
proud, angry, and who is separatist, who sees that
his interest is separate from Kṛṣṇa’s interest, that
person is in the mode of ignorance. Since he is a
devotee, one should offer him respect in the heart
but one should not intimately associate with him.
Even if he lives separately, still he criticizes from
a distance. Here Kapila Muni says that such a
person’s association should be avoided. When we
happen to meet him we may show him respect. But
we do not associate with such a person because his
mode of devotional service is of the lowest level.
Then there is the other stage, when someone goes

to the church or to the temple and he prays, “O
Lord, please give me this, please give me that.” He
There is devotional service in the mode of wants so many material objects in exchange for
ignorance, passion and goodness and then there is his devotion to Kṛṣṇa or God. He is considered to
pure devotional service. If you are with someone be in the mode of passion.
GKBD13.indd 34 3/19/2023 5:15:58 PM

The next higher stage of devotional service in the Generally speaking, when we preach to
mode of goodness is when someone worships and materialistic people we have to impress upon
tries to get liberation in exchange for devotional them the need for getting out of this material
service. He wants to be freed from the cycle of world. Although this may appear to be against the
birth and death. Of the three, devotion in the mode principles of pure devotional service, sometimes
of goodness is the highest. But then comes pure it is essential to understand that we are not part
devotion. A pure devotee does not want anything of this material world, and at least come up to
in exchange from Kṛṣṇa. He simply wants to the level of devotional service in the mode of
serve Kṛṣṇa. He has no demands. Whether Kṛṣṇa goodness. Once one is in the mode of goodness
wants him to serve in the material world or in the in his devotional service, then it is much easier for
spiritual sky, he has no attachment either way. him to rise to the level of pure devotion.
His attachment is to simply serve Kṛṣṇa. He does
not care for any of the liberations, separate from (Śrī Guru Mukha Padma mukya – April 1992 –
service to Kṛṣṇa. Showers of Nectar)

therefore his actions are not pure. Therefore, his

Three modes and their choice is not pure.
influence. So the more one sees things with a clear vision,

the more his actual freedom of choice expands.
For someone who is in the mode of ignorance,
In this material world, prakṛti or nature is doing his vision is very narrow. He is angry, violent,
everything by her three modes. But when we envious and he is separatist. Yet he is the
act, we think, “I am making a broad choice, I am proudest of all, He thinks, “I have got the
free. I am free to do what I want.” But actually, highest freedom.” Actually, his freedom is the
the alternatives are limited by our own material least.
conditioning. First of all, we do not even think
of all alternatives. It is not possible to think The next type of person respects others but
of every alternative. What comes to our mind considers that “You do your thing and I do my
depends on how we have lived in our previous thing. You may enjoy, I shall enjoy. But if your
lives and what association we are in? enjoyment obstructs my enjoyment, then I will
smash you. But it is better that we cooperate
For example, when a person is brought up in and both enjoy the maximum.” In the mode
a slum area, amongst thieves and rogues, his of passion, everything is performed on the
choice will be either to rob a bank or to go out basis of my enjoyment, my material fame, my
and beat up someone. This is the choice. He will prestige, my power, my wealth, and so on. And
not even think of not doing something violent sometimes this expands, one says, “Alright,
because this is the way he has been brought up. not only my enjoyment, but my whole family,
Although he says, “I am free to do whatever I my whole community, or my whole nation
want,” the choices that come to his mind in the should enjoy.” Then the reasoning goes, “For
first place are very limited. Then, he is drawn by my nation, I will do anything, but if another
so many desires, and these desires pull him in nation obstructs, I will smash that nation.”
certain ways. Because his desires are not pure, Now we have the eastern nations, the western
GKBD13.indd 35 3/19/2023 5:15:59 PM

nations, democratic, capitalistic, communistic, he wants to get out from this material world, in the
third world, this and that. Then we have groups form of liberation. As one goes from ignorance
who say, “Let our self-interest be among these to passion to goodness, his vision becomes more
nations and other nations are our competitors, and more clear. Actually, in the mode of goodness,
they are our enemies.” This is all in the mode his vision is quite clear. He sees that this material
of passion. Then some people say, “I am for the world is a temporary place of misery and he sees
whole of humanity.” This is also in the mode of that the spiritual world is a place of happiness.
passion. Why? Because he will kill the animals, But he is still not attached to Kṛṣṇa directly. His
the poor cow, goat, and sheep to eat their meat, attachment to the spiritual world is the negation
even when it is not necessary. He will destroy of the miseries of this material world. It is like a
nature’s balance to eat their meat, even when it is rocket leaving the earth propelled by hot gases. The
not necessary. He will destroy nature’s balance for devotee is not leaving this material world due to
the benefit of human interest. So this is all in the propulsion. Like a magnet his attraction to Kṛṣṇa
mode of passion. is pulling him to Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference.
Another level is the mode of goodness. He wants (Guru Mukha Padma vākya – April 1992 –
that all creatures should be happy, but ultimately Showers of Nectar)

GKBD13.indd 36 3/19/2023 5:16:01 PM

The Coca-Cola mystery
It is a sign of intelligence to realize, “Whatever

I try to figure out with my own brain, it will
always be limited because my thought process is
based on limited conception. So it is better for
me to learn directly from Kṛṣṇa, what the actual
truth is.”
The Coca-Cola company which is making Coca-

Cola has a special formula. People around the
world have been trying, day after day, to find
out how they make Coca-Cola. But nobody can
duplicate it, although it is a very simple thing, just
some soda. Yet nobody can get that exact formula.
In India, they asked the Coca-Cola company to
leave, and they tried to make a copy, but nobody
could duplicate the taste. The formula is a secret.
In spite of having so many laboratories, nobody
can duplicate Coca-Cola. Yet they say, “We will
figure out what is God.” This is their foolishness.
How has Kṛṣṇa made this whole creation? They
say, “I will figure it out by myself.” If they cannot
figure out how to create Coca-Cola, how are
they going to figure out how to create a whole
universe? This is the stupidity of proud people in
the material world.
(Guru Mukha Padma vākya – April 1992 –

Showers of Nectar)

GKBD13.indd 37 3/19/2023 5:16:03 PM

Maintaining
the purity of the
movement
We have to always be on guard about people

trying to introduce some different philosophy
and trying to directly or indirectly challenge
things that Śrīla Prabhupāda has given us. The
only solution, which I mentioned during the
class, is to know Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and
what his instructions are. We must have a very
strong lobby worldwide and be conscious not to
do anything which changes something that Śrīla
Prabhupāda has basically demonstrated to us, and change anything that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave,
and not to do anything which will create a new (not that GBC is trying to do, but I am saying just
standard. We have to be very outspoken about as a precautionary measure) but to be a represen-
this because otherwise once we start changing tative of Śrīla Prabhupāda and simply preserve
them, one thing will lead to the next. And down whatever he has given us and develop those areas
the road, a few generations later, or maybe even in which Śrīla Prabhupāda said we should develop.
our own lifetime, we may find a totally different The devotees and the leaders have to be conscious
kind of environment than what Śrīla Prabhupā- of this.
da had created. The only solution for this is very
active preaching. The GBC also has to realize very (Excerpts from a lecture delivered by Śrīla Guru
clearly that it is a duty not to be Śrīla Prabhupāda Mahārāja on May 24th, 1987 at New Talavan,
USA)

GKBD13.indd 38 3/19/2023 5:16:05 PM

Gaura kathā
In this narration of Śrī Caitanyalila, Śrīla Gurudevā gives
us a glimpse of the society in Navadvīpa before the advent
of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
The following is a lecture on Caitanya to prepare for His pastimes. He appeared as

Mahāprabhu’s lila by Guru Mahārāja (date Nityānanda in the family of a pure Brāhmaṇa,
unknown) in which he gives a glimpse of the Hāḍāi Paṇḍit and his good wife Padmāvatī devi,
society in Navadvīpa before the advent of in the land of Radhadesha, Bengal. When Lord
Mahāprabhu Nityānanda appeared, there was a rain of flowers
from the heavens as the earth was blessed by Lord
Once in a day of Brahmā Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Balarāma’s return. In this way, everything was
Personality of Godhead, descends from the prepared for the Lord to descend in the sacred
spiritual world and visits the material universe. town of Navadvīpa, as predicted.
The Vedic literatures predict that after Lord
Kṛṣṇa’s appearance five thousand years ago, He The incomparable town of Navadvīpa is situated
will come again in the present modern age of on the banks of the sacred Ganges River.
Kali, disguised as a devotee, accompanied by His Navadvīpa as the centre of culture, learning
eternal associates and expansions. During the 15th and religion, was a legend in its own time.
century (A.D) the eternal associates of Caitanya Hundreds and thousands of people would bathe
Mahāprabhu descended from the spiritual world simultaneously in the sacred Ganges River
taking birth in the city of Navadvīpa in Bengal, every day in Navadvīpa town. Old and young
India. Many other pure devotees also appeared alike would gather in the worship of the Ganges
in other parts of India. Some appeared in East River. Navadvīpa was filled with great scholars.
Bengal in Saptagram, and some appeared in
that region of West Bengal where the Ganges
does not flow, known as Radhadesha. Others
appeared in Odisha. Most of Lord Caitanya’s
associates appeared in Navadvīpa and many
appeared in East Bengal in a village known
as Śrīhaṭṭa; these include Śrī Śrīvāsa paṇḍit,
Śrī Rāma paṇḍit, Śrī Candraśekhara and Śrī
Murāri Gupta. Śrī Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi,
chief amongst all the vaiṣṇavas, and Śrī
Vāsudeva Datta appeared in Chattogram,
East Bengal. Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākur also
appeared in Bengal.
Lord Balarāma, the original expansion of

Lord Kṛṣṇa, came down before the Lord
GKBD13.indd 39 3/19/2023 5:16:06 PM

Those who had little learning would challenge ritualistic ceremonies, to make a public show.
an older professor to test his scholarship. People They installed dolls of different demigods and
came to Navadvīpa from all over India. Although goddesses and threw them into the river after the
Navadvīpa was such a centre of learning, it was a ceremonies were over. Instead of worshipping the
matter of great sorrow for the pure devotees of the eternal Supreme Lord, even the so-called pious
Lord that the people in general simply aimed to people were preoccupied with worship of the
enjoy their material happiness. Despite so many impermanent demigods.
religious displays, the general mass of people was
devoid of pure devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Respectable, priestly families of brāhmaṇas
Rāma. In the previous ages it was predicted that studied only those sections of the Vedās which
in the modern age of Kali people would become instructed how to enjoy peaceful, happy material
devoid of devotion and would be absorbed in life and did not put into practice the conclusion of
materialistic activities. The first symptoms of this the Vedās - how to save oneself from repetition of
prediction were already visible. birth and death in the material world. If someone
were able to perform austerities or be renounced,
The people of Navadvīpa engaged in several types he became immensely proud and would not even
of mundane religious activities, the worship of chant the holy name of the Lord.
various demigods and chanting the psalms. The
demigoddesses Mangal Chandi and Visahari were The authorised process of self-realization for the
worshipped as well. People became immensely age of Kali is chanting the holy names of the Lord.
proud of their worship of different demigods and However, the people in general would not chant
goddesses. They were devoid of pure devotion for the names of the Lord. There was a conception that
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and simply chanting the names of the Supreme Personality
worshipped His subordinate demigods for getting of Godhead (by an impure person) would be
material facilities and benedictions. The general offensive and would destroy the power of the holy
population only thought of spending money on name. Therefore, only when persons were bathing
in the sacred Ganges river and thus feeling
themselves purified of all sinful reactions, could
one hear them chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although there
were many scholars of the Bhagavad-gītā and the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, no one could explain them
according to the process of devotional service
of bhakti yoga. The only exceptions were a few
devotees of Kṛṣṇa, most of who had descended
for receiving the Supreme Personality of Godhead
who was about to descend. These pure devotees
of Lord Kṛṣṇa would chant the ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra.’ They would perform devotional service,
like bathing in the Ganges, cleaning the temple,
serving the Deities of the Lord, taking caranāmṛta,
chanting the ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra’ and
discussing the transcendental pastimes of Lord
Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees. Although
the devotees wanted and tried to share these
principles with the other paṇḍits and residents
of Navadvīpa, far from being receptive, there
GKBD13.indd 40 3/19/2023 5:16:07 PM

was open opposition against these activities. The
materialistic paṇḍits propagated that chanting the
names of Viṣṇu was forbidden, except when one
was taking a bath in the river Ganges. They said
that normally a person is impure and therefore
cannot chant the holy name of the Lord. However,
due to the purity of the Ganges, when one is
bathing in the Ganges one can chant Govinda,
Puṇḍarīka, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa etc, not otherwise. After
they completed their bath in the Ganges, no one
would ever chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. When
the devotees of Kṛṣṇa chanted japa and kīrtana,
glorifying the holy names of the Lord, there
would be open criticism and obstruction from
materialistic brāhmaṇas and paṇḍits.
The pure devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa would regularly

study the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
which describe the glories of practicing pure
devotional service to the Lord. The Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam establishes that devotion to the
Lord without desire for material benefit, mystic
power and liberation is the highest perfection
of life. Although the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam were known and studied by the
materialistic brāhmaṇas, they did not explain
devotional service as the purpose of life. Instead,
they taught the people that the only purpose of
devotional activities or other religious activities
was to enhance one’s material sense gratification.
The goal of life, then was to have a good birth,

material opulence, material learning, be materially Kṛṣṇa. The devotees tried to preach to these misled,
beautiful and to have good children. According to misdirected brāhmaṇas. But in response to their
their conception there was no other purpose in life. mercy, they were attacked more vigorously by the
For some rare souls, liberation into the impersonal immensely proud brāhmaṇas of Navadvīpa town.
Brahmajyoti was considered as the desirable result Proud of their superficial learning of Sanskrit and
of spiritual practices. Pure devotional service the Vedās, the materialistic brāhmaṇas were not
was hidden from the brāhmaṇas, what to speak at all receptive to hearing the message of pure
of the other members of society. Seeing this devotional service. The pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa
materialistic situation of the people of Navadvīpa- who are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī were sad to see the
dhāma caused the pure devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa others suffering due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. The
great sadness. They could see how the people of pure devotees could see how conditioned souls
the world, although engaged superficially in so were being completely bewildered by the illusory
many religious and cultural activities, had turned energy, māyā and therefore had accepted sense
their face away from the devotional service to the gratification as the goal of life. They were deprived
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān Śrī of the real nectar of pure devotional service to
GKBD13.indd 41 3/19/2023 5:16:08 PM

Kṛṣṇa. These conditioned Brāhmaṇas could not he would always explain the śāstras according
understand the glories of pure devotional service. to pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. He would
With this degradation of the brahminical culture, explain that pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa is the essence.
Kali-yuga had begun and was laying the foundation Advaita Gosāi practiced devotional service in
for future advancement of animalistic lifestyles his home, offering tulasī manjari flowers along
based on atheistic materialism and impersonalism. with Ganges water to Lord Kṛṣṇa with great
Instead of chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and enthusiasm and devotion every day. The Vaiṣṇavas
dancing in the sankīrtana of congregational experienced immense pleasure in the association
chanting, one could hear in Navadvīpa, the songs of Advaita Gosāi. He was respected by everyone
of people dancing in glorification of different for his learning and seniority as a brāhmaṇa and
demigods. Chanting, dancing, and playing drums he was the source of unlimited happiness for
were common in Navadvīpa; but they would be the pure Vaiṣṇavas. The misdirected brāhmaṇas
worshipping different demigoddesses like Vasuli were not happy to see Advaita Gosāi engaged in
or the Yakṣas. Even wine and meat were offered to devotional service, but they would not oppose
these demons and demigoddesses. him openly.
All the vaiṣṇavas gathered at the house of Śrī Advaita Gosāi moved to Navadvīpa from Shāntipur
Advaita Gosāi and listened to Kṛṣṇa katha, the to promote devotional service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
transcendental topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa for a few Some of the other devotees of Navadvīpa who
hours every day. They were sad to see the plight gathered to take the association of Advaita prabhu
of the conditioned souls led by the materialistic were Śrīvāsa paṇḍit and his three brothers, Śrī
brāhmaṇas of Navadvīpa. Advaita prabhu was Rāma, Śrī Pati and Śrī Nidhi, Śrī Candraśekhara,
respected by everyone for his transcendental Jagadish paṇḍit, Gopināth paṇḍit, Śrīmān Paṇḍit,
knowledge on devotion and renunciation. He Murāri Gupta, Śrī Garuḍa paṇḍit and Gangādhara
was the topmost spiritual master at the time, and paṇḍit. They attended the classes on Śrīmad-
GKBD13.indd 42 3/19/2023 5:16:08 PM

When Advaita Ācārya heard these baseless and
foolish threats against the pure devotee, Śrīvāsaa
paṇḍit, he became angry. Blazing like fire, he
stood up and declared to all the assembled
Vaiṣṇavas, “Listen to me Śrīvāsaa, Gaṅgādāsa,
Śuklāmbara. I am going to bring Kṛṣṇa before the
vision of everyone in this world. Kṛṣṇa himself
will descend to this world and will personally
deliver all the conditioned souls. He will take all
of you with him and teach the conditioned souls
about Kṛṣṇa-bhakti - real devotional service to
Kṛṣṇa.” Advaita Gosāi continued to speak, “If
I am not able to do that, then from this body, I
will manifest my four handed form and with my
Sudarśana cakra cut all these atheists into little
pieces.” Advaita Ācārya is a partial incarnation
of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is the incarnation of Mahā-
Viṣṇu avatāra, who is responsible for creation of
unlimited material universes. Even Lord Mahā
-Viṣṇu found it exceedingly difficult to preach to
the materialistic, conditioned souls of the Kali-
yuga. Therefore, he decided that unless Lord
Bhāgavatam given by Advaita Gosāi every day and Kṛṣṇa came to distribute His own devotional
associated with the pure devotees. service, there was no other hope. If Kṛṣṇa would
not come and it was left to Advaita Ācārya, he
Śrīvāsa Ṭhākur and his three brothers would saw no other recourse but to annihilate the entire
gather every evening in the garden of Śrīvāsaa population and start all over again. At the end of
and chant loudly the Harināma mahā-mantra Kali-yuga, Viṣṇu descends as Kalki avatāra and
in kīrtana. When the atheistic people heard this, annihilates all human beings and conditioned
they opposed the chanting of the holy names souls who are absorbed in the animalistic and
of Kṛṣṇa by Śrīvāsaa. They discussed amongst atheistic activities.
themselves, “What is this man doing? This
Brāhmaṇa will cause the destruction of the entire The name ‘Advaita’ means non different. Advaita
village. Because of his loud chanting of the names Ācārya declared, “If I can bring the Lord of the
of Kṛṣṇa, the Mohammedan emperor will come spiritual world here into this material world to
here and destroy Nadia.” Another person said, distribute his causeless mercy amongst the fallen
“Let us drive this Brāhmaṇa and his family out of souls, then my position and good name of being
this village, break his house and throw everything a vaiṣṇava Ācārya or spiritual master shall be
into the Ganges. He is taking away all the good fulfilled. I shall establish that the spiritual master is
fortune of this village by his offensive chanting of a pure representative of the Supreme Personality of
the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. We must stop him before Godhead and is non-different from Him. This will
everything is destroyed by him.” In this way, the give me unlimited spiritual happiness. Therefore,
atheistic people were threatening Śrīvāsa Ṭhākur I am going to bring Vaikuṇṭhanāthā, the Lord of
with serious action simply because he was loudly the spiritual world here to this material world
chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. to be visible to everyone. He will dance, He will
GKBD13.indd 43 3/19/2023 5:16:09 PM

chant the holy names and He will deliver all the
condition souls. This is my firm determination.
I must do this. After saying this, Advaita Gosāi
made a vow and began to worship Lord Kṛṣṇa’s
lotus feet with great determination, with pure
devotion and single-minded consciousness. He
requested Lord Kṛṣṇa to come to this material
world to spread pure devotional service. Advaita
Gosāi knew from the Vedās that by offering Kṛṣṇa
tulasī flowers (known as tulasī manjaris) and
leaves, along with Ganges water, He would be
pleased. It has been stated in the Vedic literatures
that He is purchased by this devotional offering of
His devotee. Therefore, Advaita Gosāi decided to
make these offerings to the Lord and worshipped
his śālagrāma-śilā deity.
Nityānanda Rāma. He appeared from the womb
He began offering tulasī manjari flowers and of the great devotee Padmāvatī devi dasi, as the son
Ganges water to the śālagrāma-śilā every day. He of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit, a pure leader of all the brāhmaṇas
would repeatedly cry out loudly, making offerings in that area. Lord Nityānanda prabhu appeared in
to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, pleading Him to the village named Ekachakra in the part of Bengal
come from the spiritual world to this material known as Radhadhesha where the Ganges does
world. Advaita Gosāi fasted, and tears poured not flow. Wherever the Ganges flows is considered
out from his eyes in love and separation from the to be purified. Therefore, the region where the
Lord. Lord Advaita’s loud crying was so powerful Ganges River is not flowing, is considered to be
that the sound vibration penetrated the universe spiritually less important. Lord Nityānanda, the
and reached the spiritual world. It is the opinion incarnation of Lord Balarāma, appeared in the
of all the ācāryas that due to the request of Advaita land where the Ganges did not flow, to deliver and
Gosāi, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa agreed to descend to the uplift the people of that place, out of His causeless
material world, in the form of His own devotee to mercy for the conditioned souls. Lord Balarāma
spread pure devotion to Himself. is the source of spiritual strength. The appearance
of Lord Balarāma is explained in the “Kṛṣṇa” book
Around the same time, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was as follows:
worshipping Lord Kṛṣṇa at Kuliyāgrām, a village
near to Shāntipur, in Bengal. He was also praying "In the Upaniṣads it is stated, ‘nāyam ātmā bala-
to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to descend to this material world hīnena labhyaḥ.’ The purport is that one cannot
and spread His own devotional service amongst attain the supreme platform of self-realization
the misdirected conditioned souls of the Kali- without being sufficiently favoured by Lord
yuga. Balarāma. ‘Bala’ does not mean physical strength.
No one can attain spiritual perfection by physical
After Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality strength. One must have the spiritual strength,
of Godhead, agreed to descend to the material which is infused by Balarāma, or Saṅkarṣaṇa.
world, He sent His own immediate expansion, Ananta or Śeṣa is the source of the power which
Lord Balarāma, the origin of Anantadevā, to take sustains all the planets in their various positions.
birth in the material world. On the thirteenth Materially this sustaining power is known as the
day of the waxing moon during the month of law of gravitation, but it is a display of the potency
Māgha (February), Lord Balarāma appeared as Śrī of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Balarāma, or Saṅkarṣaṇa, is the
GKBD13.indd 44 3/19/2023 5:16:09 PM

source of spiritual power, or the original spiritual very jubilant that the universe was blessed by
master. Therefore, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, the presence of the Personality of Godhead.
who is also the incarnation of Balarāma, is the The celestial beings began to dance and play
original spiritual master. The spiritual master is music. Singing the glories of Lord Nityānanda,
the representative of Balarāma, the form of the the heavens resounded with beautiful vibrations
Supreme Personality of Godhead who supplies which caused wonder amongst the people of the
spiritual strength. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it earth. From the heavens, they threw flowers over
is confirmed that the spiritual master is the the birthplace of Lord Nityānanda. It was like a
manifestation of the mercy of Kṛṣṇa." rain of flower petals on the earth.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Lord Nityānanda is glorified for His transcendental
Balarāma, appeared in Ekachakra in Radhadesha qualities. He is an ocean of mercy, and He gives
and all the people became extremely fortunate. pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa very easily. He is
Everything appeared very auspicious, and no the incarnation of Lord Balarāma, who appeared
hardship or suffering was visible in that place before Kṛṣṇa in the Dvāpara-yuga to assist the
after the appearance of Lord Balarāma. At the Lord as His elder brother during His pastimes.
time when Lord Nityānanda was taking birth, Lord Nityānanda appeared prior to the appearance
unseen to the human beings, demigods arrived of Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to assist Lord
from higher planetary systems and watched the Caitanya in His transcendental pastimes during
birth of the Personality of Godhead. They became the age of Kali.

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Godruma Kalpaṭavī
A serialized extract from Śrī Godruma Kalpaṭavī, written
by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākuraand translated by Śrīla
Gurudevā
Mitigating Doubts
Many people have written to the Godruma The post of barber, washerman, and tailor
Kalpaṭavī regarding the description of certain are most elevated. Except for highly qualified
workers in the second part, namely the persons, no one can accept these three positions.
prämäëika, the dhopa, and the darjé. What is The worker who can bring a lusty, ill-behaved,
the exact nature of their duties? and dirty person with unkempt hair to the
position of a clear and pure Vaiñëava is known
as the barber of the Näma Haööa.
PURPORT
In the Second Desire Tree of Godruma Kalpaṭavī, them to became nice Vaiñëavas. The barber is
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura mentions at least someone who possesses much compassion,
twenty different employees, one of whom is who can touch the heart of persons who are
the barber. Normally the occupation of barber, not in good spiritual standing and elevate
washerman, or tailor in society is quite humble— them to the pure Vaiñëava platform. It is a very
especially the barber, who must shave men and important job, requiring much patience and
cut their hair. One is considered unclean after kindness.
shaving. But here Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says
that in the Näma Haööa the service of barber is A person who can raise someone who, having
among the most elevated. In the Näma Haööa, gone astray, has become contaminated and
or in a spiritual society, the barber takes whose fallen character can be compared to
someone who is lusty, illbehaved, dirty, and clothes stained with filth and stool—one who
unkempt and elevates him to the position of a can clean and reinstate such a person—is called
pure Vaiñëava. He takes new bhaktas and cleans a Näma Haööa washerman.
GKBD13.indd 46 3/19/2023 5:16:10 PM

PURPORT
Each time we wear clothes, they become dirty. material dirt and cleanses them. Therefore the
Although we put on clean clothing each day, position of washerman is very important.
at the end of the day they are dirty. And some
people get their clothes very dirty—for example, Karma, jnana, yoga, and various kinds of Vedic
if they go into a muddy place. Similarly, when ritualistic activities are compared to separate
devotees fall down from the spiritual standard, pieces of cloth. An expert tailor can join these
their consciousness becomes contaminated, like together with the thread of pure devotional
cloth sullied by dirt. It is difficult to purify the truth, which establishes activities based upon
consciousness, but that is the washerman’s job. perfect and pure devotional principles. This is
He takes fallen devotees whose consciousness the activity of the tailor of the Näma Haööa.
has been contaminated by different kinds of
PURPORT
The idea is that there are many different Vedic rituals to devotional service. He is called darjé,
rituals that are religious but not pure devotional “one who ties,” one who joins everything
service unless they are dovetailed into bhakti. together with the thread of perfect and pure
The tailor knows how to connect the different devotional principles.
Good Judgement
All those born in the family of the Lord and shall be known as the Näma Haööa’s paëya-
engaged in selfless preaching of the holy name véthikä-pati.
PURPORT
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura comments about For instance, when we went to Çäntipura we meet
the generations of families of recognized äcäryas the devotee in charge of the temple there. He was
of his times, almost 120 years ago. He refers a fourteenth-generation direct descendant from
to different devotional families to give them the family line of Advaita Äcärya. Generally it is
recognition and thereby bring them onto the said that family traditions are maintained down
path of pure devotional service. He gave them through fourteen generations but thereafter
the name paëya-véthikä-pati, master of the bazar. often fall apart.
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In our Kåñëa consciousness movement, we Kolkata to be safer, she was caught in the rapid
respect people who have come from exalted currents of the Gaìgä. So at that time we lost
families, but we really recognize them if they her and one of her daughters.
perform devotional service purely. There might
be many exalted families, but if they are not We encourage the members of Çréla Prabhupäda’s
Kåñëa conscious, if they are not practicing former family to keep chanting Hare Kåñëa
devotional service purely, then their being part and practicing Kåñëa consciousness. And what
of an exalted family is not of much importance to speak of members of other holy families.
to us. Of course, since such persons come from a Evidently Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was giving
great family tradition, it is good when they take such persons a special role in the Näma Haööa so
up devotional service—just like we want our that they would feel more attracted to join the
children, grandchildren, and all descendants of Kåñëa consciousness movement.
devotees to also be Kåñëa conscious— what to
speak of the descendants of an äcärya. Any ten or more employees of the Näma Haööa
who together come to Godruma-kñetra to
I had the great fortune to have known establish themselves deeply in the activities of
the granddaughter of Çréla Prabhupäda. spreading the Näma Haööa shall then become Çré
Unfortunately, during the flood in Mäyäpur in Näma Haööa’s païcayat, as representatives of the
2006, while on her way to her family home in main merchant.
PURPORT
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura established a

païcayat to represent the main merchant,
Çré Nityänanda Prabhu. In India, a païcayat
is a kind of local religious government. It is
noteworthy that Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura planned
to establish this kind of committee throughout
the Näma Haööa.
Later, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura

instructed his disciples also to form a governing
body to manage his Gauòéya Maöha mission.
Initially they did so, but soon some followers
thought, “This is not dynamic.” They felt that
they should function as they had done under Çréla
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté—one dynamic äcärya
should manage everything. So they dismantled
the governing body and elected a sole äcärya.
Soon thereafter, that äcärya fell down. He had
been a sannyäsé, but he married and eventually
left the misson. Consequently, the Gauòéya
Maöha had no governing body to hold all of the
many branches together. Now each Gauòéya
Maöha center is managed independently.
GKBD13.indd 48 3/19/2023 5:16:12 PM

Çréla Prabhupäda said that for ISKCON he wanted [Here Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura mentions the
to follow Çréla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvaté’s names of three more storekeepers, four more
instruction to manage by a governing body. So brokers, and twenty-seven more traveling
he established the Governing Body Commission salesmen.]
(GBC) to be the ultimate authority for deciding
policies and directions and for setting spiritual (Signed)
standards in his worldwide society. Today we
still have a GBC, comprised of many members, The most meek and poor Çré Kedärnätha
who together discuss and decide on the best Bhaktivinoda Surabhé Kuïja, Godrumadvépa,
approach or precaution to take at any given Swarüpagaïj, Nadia
time. We can see the wisdom in that, rather than
to depend on just one person.
PURPORT
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura appointed more

devotees to the Näma Haööa— six storekeepers,
four brokers, and fifty-three traveling
salesman—all of whose names were mentioned.
This was another instance of using the currently
available media to spread and unite the Näma
Haööa organization. It is likely that then, in
the 1800s, they did not even have telephone,
only telegraph. But there was a postal system,
so Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura used the Godruma
Kalpaṭavī to spread the preaching news. Through
it, he continually appointed and authorized new
brokers, salesmen, and employees of the Näma
Haööa. So everyone would receive a copy of
Godruma Kalpaṭavī and thereby know who all
the employees were.
Now in Mäyäpur we have a very nice magazine

to distribute to people. The Bhaktivedanta
Book Trust (BBT) named it Bhagavad-darçana.
It includes devotional realizations and nice
pictures, and is sent by post. But a problem
is that the magazines often do not reach their
destination. It has been said that some postmen
like the magazine so much that they keep it for
themselves.
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was a prolific writer and

publisher. We have found four or five issues of
this Godruma Kalpaṭavī, but maybe more can
GKBD13.indd 49 3/19/2023 5:16:14 PM

be found in the future. Perhaps we can also find how they were taking care of their heritage by
some other quotations, archives, or literature maintaining their archives. It is time for us in
that he published. There is the Viñëupriyä ISKCON also to do something like that—now.
Patrikä, a periodical that seems to be dedicated
to preaching, and also Çré Bhaktivinoda Väëé We came across an unpublished book called
Vaibhava, a book about Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura. Kåñëa Bhajanämåta, by Narahari Sarkar, one of
We have not found copies of the Viñëupriyä Lord Caitanya’s associates. Therein Narahari
Patrikä from the 1800s. Sarkar gives good information about what to do
when there are problems with one’s guru. He
In Melkote (South India), which is a couple of also explains jéva-tattva and different topics that
hours south of Bangalore, there is a temple with a are sometimes difficult for devotees to deal with.
Yoga-Nåsimha Deity and a Näräyaëa Deity. That Guru-tattva and jéva-tattva are very esoteric
place is considered to be Vaikuëöha on earth. topics, so sometimes it is not exactly clear what
There is also an institute of the Çré sampradäya, should be done under various circumstances.
with dozens of people working in the archives Therefore this Kåñëa Bhajanämåta became very
department. They have a large air-conditioned valuable for us.
room filled with palm-leaf manuscripts that have
been treated with a petroleum-based preserving There are many important books out there, but
oil. Another room is filled with MacIntosh and I do not know if there are any attempts to save
various other computers. They would transcribe them. In addition to our Bhaktivedanta Archives,
everything from the manuscripts into the in the future we should also have another state-
computers and then store the manuscripts in a of-the-art archives for our Gauòéya sampradäya
refrigerated room. It was quite impressive to see literature, so that they may be well preserved.
Fifth Desire Tree
Report of the Preaching Activities
The root of Çré Näma Haööa is established at main market to different places to see how the
Çré Navadvépa-dhäma, at Çré Surabhé Kuïja, work of the Näma Haööa is progressing. What
Çré Godruma-kñetra, and its branches and the inspectors have seen up till now is herewith
subbranches are spread throughout India. From revealed.
time to time, the employees travel from the
PURPORT
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura displayed bhakti just different branches spread out. To see how the
as Nityänanda Prabhu had done. He established various branches are doing, it necessary to have
the Näma Haööa headquarters at Surabhé Kuïja, some kind of inspectors.
in Godruma, in Navadvépadhäma, wherefrom
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There should be an inspector who sees how the Mandir, the traveling salesman Çréyuta
various branches of Bhakti-våkña or Näma Haööa Kåñëakiçora Goswami gathered an assembly
are doing, who encourages them and helps them of devoted brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas. After a
to solve problems. brief discussion on bhakti and varëäçrama,
the traveling salesman Çréyuta Kälidäs Saha,
What follows is a first-hand report from 118 together with other devotees, sang in a sweet
years ago. voice Lord Caitanya’s Çikñäñöaka (published in
the fourth guöi of the Bhaktisiddhänta Mälä).
On Sunday, 21 Bhadra, 406 Caitanyäbda, the The Näma Haööa employees who were present
sweeper, the market reporter, and two other experienced extreme satisfaction to see the
employees of the Näma Haööa visited the Çré assembled brähmaëas’ wonderful devotion for
Näma Haööa in Rampurnagar, in Hooghly Çré Caitanya.
District. There, at what is now a Mahäprabhu
PURPORT
The month of Bhadra of the Bengali calendar is town of Ghatal, Midnapur District. With
during rainy season, in August or September. saìkértana, the local devotees escorted the
That is when Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura visited Näma Haööa employees to the Hari-sabhä. More
the Rampurnagar Näma Haööa, in Hooghly, a than a thousand devotees of the Näma Haööa
district of West Bengal, along with a few other assembled and engaged in massive saìkértana.
devotees. There the position of pure bhakti At sunrise the next day, along with all the
was established, and daiva-varëäçrama also devotees of Ramjivanpura, they performed
was to be developed. They sang Çikñäñöakam, blissful kértana and inspected the activities of
performed some kértana, and held a program. the Näma Haööa in the prapannäçrama of Çréyuta
Everyone was very cooperative, merry, and Kuïja-bihäri Paina. More than a thousand
enthusiastic. Previously, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura devotees assembled, loudly chanting the name
had published a Bengali translation of Lord of Hari. The Näma Haööa commander for that
Caitanya’s Sanskrit Çikñäñöakam in another area, Çréyuta Umacharana Vidyäratna, warmly
publication, the Bhaktisiddhänta Mälä, which is welcomed the sweeper, Bhaktivinoda; his
a collection of spiritual instructions. assistant, Bhakti-båìga; the devotee Sétänätha;
and the assembled Näma Haööa employees. The
On Monday, 5 Aswin, Caitanyäbda 406, the sweeper, Bhaktivinoda, gave a lecture on the
sweeper of the Näma Haööa, his assistant, glories of the holy name.
and the flag bearer arrived after dark in the
PURPORT
Midnapur, a district of Bengal, is near the Orissa The above-mentioned program took place more
border. The city of Ghatal still exists there. than 108 years ago. When the inspector and
GKBD13.indd 51 3/19/2023 5:16:15 PM

senior devotees arrived, they were greeted by was promoting that it is better to be a gåhastha
a saìkértana procession. That night there was and practice Kåñëa consciousness to whatever
ecstatic kértana, and at sunrise the next morning extent one can. Later on, Bhaktisiddhänta
they did more harinäma. Everyone was chanting Sarasvaté Öhäkura cultivated sannyäsés and
the holy name. The senäpati, commander, of brahmacärés in his monasteries of the Gauòéya
the area welcomed Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura and Maöha. And then, Çréla Prabhupäda’s strategy
his assistant. It was a very auspicious program. was to combine both gåhasthas and renounced
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura gave a lecture on the devotees to preach cooperatively—gåhe thäko,
glories of the holy name. In those days there vane thäko. Whether one is a gåhastha or in the
were no tape recorders or mp3 recorders, renounced order, everyone should chant Hare
so unfortunately we are not able to hear the Kåñëa. Thus all members of ISKCON chant
wonderful lecture that Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura together. In Mäyäpur, devotees may perform
gave about the holy name. any service. But only gåhasthas are allowed to do
business for personal profit. Brahmacärés may
In those days there were so many problems with make money for the temple only, not for their
sannyäsés and others in the renounced order. own profit. Çréla Prabhupäda made a synthesis
They were not following the basic rules for of the previous äcäryas’ preaching strategies,
renunciants. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura without deviating from their mood.

GKBD13.indd 52 3/19/2023 5:16:15 PM

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GURUDEV

KRIPA BINDU DIYA

For Private Circulation Only

GKBD13.indd 1 3/19/2023 5:15:14 PM

One drop of nectar 5

Śrīla Prabhupāda Smaraṇam16

Are we always Mahāprabhu conscious? 20

Your questions answered 28

GKBD13.indd 2 3/19/2023 5:15:15 PM

Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 3

GKBD13.indd 3 3/19/2023 5:15:16 PM

We remain indebted for all your feedbacks received at gurudev.kbd@gmail.com .

Yours in the service of Śrīla Gurudevā

4 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.23 Lecture by H.H. Jayapatākā Swāmi Guru

Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 5

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6 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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There is an example that if you take all the

Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 7

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8 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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By chanting hari-nāma, one

We should see whom we want to serve, because

Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 9

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10 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 11

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12 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 13

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14 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 15

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paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim relationship with the local inhabitants is not so

Śrīla Prabhupāda ’s letter to H.H. Jayapatākā Unquote

16 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Once we also joined them to play a game called

Once we arranged for the residents of a local

Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 17

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18 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 19

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We have with us today His Grace Caitanya

Caitanya Avatārī Prabhu - I am ready

20 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 21

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22 Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya

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Gurudev Kripa Bindu Diya 23

One drop of nectar 5

Śrīla Prabhupāda Smaraṇam16

Are we always Mahāprabhu conscious? 20

Your questions answered 28