20250927 Address to Śrī Jagannātha Mandir

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: How long do I have? So, Lord Caitanya had given His mercy, and I explained how Rukmiṇī devī told Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā that, “You know everything. You know what Brahmā is doing in Satyaloka. You know what Lord Śiva is doing in Kailāsa. You know what is going on in the ananta-koṭi brahmāṇaḍa. But there is one thing You don’t know!” Kṛṣṇa was surprised! No one had told Him, He did not know something! So He asked, “What is that?” And after many enquiries, Rukmiṇī told Him that, “You don’t know how much Your devotees love You! I know, Rādhārāṇī knows, but You don’t know! And in what way the devotees love You, You don’t know.” So then Kṛṣṇa said, “I will come as a devotee in Kali-yuga.” He said it three times, He was emphatic. So He came as Lord Caitanya! Gauuuurāṅga! And His purpose was externally to give out love of Kṛṣṇa. And internally, He wanted to realize His love for His devotees! So, to do that, He became a devotee. And this is a very rare avatāra! Kṛṣṇa comes once in a day of Brahmā, once in a one thousand catur-yugas. And Kṛṣṇa had the storehouse of love for Kṛṣṇa. But it was locked! Very rarely would He give out! But when Lord Caitanya came, He broke the lock! He looted the storehouse, and He gave out the love to everyone – whoever wanted it! He did not analyze, who was qualified or not, He just gave it!

Few days ago, I saw the Mahāvatāra Nṛsiṁhadeva movie! How many here have seen it? Ha! Ha! It is in Tamil, I think! The thing I liked most was Prahlāda was saying, “I was born in a demoniac family and I am not qualified to see the Lord. But still, I want to!” So then the Lord, He appeared to Prahlāda. I like that very much! I mean, I thought, Prahlāda says he is unqualified – I am more unqualified! So there is some hope! This devotional service is very rare. Most people worship to get some kind of fruit! Some material benefit. But actually, those things are temporary. The thing which Lord Caitanya is giving is eternal!

One time, Lord Śiva with his dundubi drum. He was dancing and chanting, “Gauuurāṅga! Gauurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga!”

Meanwhile, Umā, Pārvatī devī was touring the universe. There were bhūmi-kampas, tsunamis, Lord Śiva was dancing so intensely that the whole universe was shaking! So Umā devī went back to Kailāsa and saw her husband dancing and chanting, “Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! How do you say that in Tamil? Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!” So then Umā, she did not know what to do! She is the mother of the universe and it was not time for mahā-pralaya. So she called out, “Svāmī! Svāmī! Husband! Husband!” Then, Lord Śiva, he said, “You interrupted my ecstasy!” “I am sorry but the universe was dismantling and earthquakes and natural disasters were happening.” Then she asked, “What name were you chanting? Gaurāṅga!” I was chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa’s avatāra who gives out kṛṣṇa-prema freely!” “Where can I see Him?” “Well, they say, He eternally resides in Navadvīpa!” So then, she went to Navadvīpa dhāma.

And she started to chant, “Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!” So then Lord Caitanya appeared to Umā devī. And He said, “You called Me?” “Yes! They say that You are giving out love of Kṛṣṇa freely? And I don’t even get association with Your devotees! They call me the witch Māyā! I am very unfortunate!” And she took the dust of Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet and put it on her head, where the ladies on the part of their head where they put kuṅkuma. So this island is known as Sīmantadvīpa after the name of this parting hair which is the resting place of Lakṣmī. So, Lord Caitanya said that, “You are My potency. And Rādhārāṇī is also My potency. So, in one sense, you are not different from Rādhārāṇī! And here you will realize your non-difference from Rādhārāṇī.”

So, Navadvīpa has nine islands, each island is connected to one of the nine processes of bhakti-yoga. So, the first island, śravaṇam is Sīmantadvīpa. So, Navadvīpa has many pastimes of Lord Śiva and Pārvatī. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a verse that says, vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: – that Lord Śiva is the greatest devotee. So we should never disrespect any of the devas. Because they are all Vaiṣṇavas! But most people worship them for some material benefit. And we want everyone to worship Kṛṣṇa, for some spiritual, eternal benefit. So, we hope that in Malaysia, we can expand the preaching unlimitedly! By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, it cleanses our heart from all material dust. And we hope that all the devotees will one day achieve kṛṣṇa-prema!

So each of the steps of bhakti is a step towards kṛṣṇa-prema! So, there are eight steps up to bhāva. And there are eight levels after that of prema. So people in the material world, they take intoxication because material world is causing great stress! But the devotees chant Hare Kṛṣṇa! And one day I was sitting in the airport in Calcutta. One of the Mother Theresa nuns came to me and said, “Can I ask you a question?” So I said, “Alright! What is that?” She said, “Do you have a chicken in that bag (japa bag)?” Ha! Ha! I said, “No, I have my beads! So I mean, we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and we get spiritual bliss! Not chicken in the bag!”

So, we first listen to classes, then we associate with devotees, we start to practice devotional service – bhajana-kriyā. At this stage we take initiation. And see, we are chanting, and rain came! And then the next stage is anartha-nivṛtti. We get rid of all the bad habits. Then we get niṣṭhā, very fixed, very steady. Then we get a taste, a sweet taste, yummmm! And then we get attached to that taste – āsakti! Then we get bhāva or rati. And this is ecstatic devotional service. It is the stage before prema. It says that King Bharata, he had bhāva. After which, this planet is named. But he was distracted by a deer baby. And I guess you all know the story! So, in bhāva you still have to watch out – 99% pure! 1% possibility of fall. So this is a great science! And we want all of you to experience the transcendental bliss! Gauurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga! Nityānanda! Nityānanda!

Śrīla Prabhupāda, he came here to Malaysia. He planted the seed and so many devotees are there now! But we want all of you to be always thinking about Kṛṣṇa! How I want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa! I want to serve you Kṛṣṇa! This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness! So it is not that you take initiation, and everything is done! You can fly and you have to fly your own plane! And you can ask questions and get tips! But how high you go, depends on your own flight! Senior devotees here, you can take their advice. And how high you can fly, do it! Haribol! Gauuurāṅga! Nityānanda! Jaya Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā!

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