20251102 Sunday Feast Address

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: So, today is a very auspicious Ekādaśī. And it is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa. So, by observing this Ekādaśī, one can get special blessing. Also, today is the first day of the Bhīṣma-pañcaka. So, we heard that more than 2,000 devotees have assembled in Māyāpur to observe the Bhīṣma-pañcaka. In Māyāpur, the Ganges is close, so we can offer tarpaṇa, argya, praṇāma, bathing in the Ganges. Here in Chennai, the Ganges doesn’t flow. But we can invoke the Ganges by chanting three times, “Gaṅgā! Gaṅgā! Gaṅgā!” While we take our bath. GAṄGĀ! Thank you for translating into Tamil! Nanḍri!! Thank you! How many of the devotees are observing the Bhīṣma-pañcaka? Nanḍri! Thank you!

Today also is the disappearance of Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī. He is the guru of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He was very renounced. He would sit by the public toilet and chant his japa! And that way, he would not be bothered by materialistic people.

In 1973, Śrīla Prabhupāda observed his own Vyāsa-pūjā in London. There Śrīla Prabhupāda said to all his gṛhastha devotees that they should be paramahaṁsas. But normally the sannyāsīs in the most elevated state are called paramahaṁsas. But here Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying, he wanted all his gṛhastha disciples and followers to be paramahaṁsas. This is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means to be conscious of Kṛṣṇa. By that means one is able to overcome all the obstacles of the material world. To advance in devotional service is a science! There are different steps, different obstacles. So, normally, it is not easy to get devotional service. By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee, one can get bhakti-yoga. Otherwise, from karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, one cannot come easily to bhakti-yoga.

So, Kṛṣṇa came as His devotee, as Lord Caitanya. He was assisted by Lord Nityānanda. Upstairs, They are on the far left altar here. Kṛṣṇa, would only give love of Godhead to those who were completely surrendered. But Lord Caitanya is more merciful! He would give love of Godhead freely, without considering who is qualified to receive it, or not! Gauurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga! Tamil? Thank you! Getting love of Kṛṣṇa is the spiritual perfection. Normally, we know the four things – dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. But Lord Caitanya taught there is a fifth perfection – Love of Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa-prema! How many of you would like to get kṛṣṇa-prema? I only see hands!! You see, it is only possible by the mercy of Lord Caitanya!

Rukmiṇī told Kṛṣṇa, “You know everything! You know what Brahmā is doing in Satyaloka, what Lord Śiva is doing in Kailāsa. You know what is going on in the ananta-koṭi brahmāṇḍa. But there is one thing You don’t know! I know, Rādhārāṇī knows, but You don’t know!” So He was amazed, what was that He doesn’t know?! So He asked, “What is that?” And Rukmiṇī told Him, “You don’t know how much Your devotees love You! And in what way Your devotees love You! Because there is no one above You!” So then, Kṛṣṇa said, “I will come in Kali-yuga as a devotee!” He said it three times! Therefore, He combined with Rādhārāṇī and assumed this golden form of Lord Gaurāṅga! Gauuurāṅga!

Lord Caitanya came only like around 500 years ago! And His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda delivered the message of Lord Caitanya all over the world! 

You are all very fortunate to get the regular association of His Holiness Bhānu Mahārāja! He is a personal disciple of Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. He gives his śikṣā freely! 

So, Lord Caitanya has inspired all His devotees to engage in bhakti-yoga. And bhakti-yoga is something that you can do without changing their situation. We try to please Kṛṣṇa. So the bhakti-yogīs taste transcendental pleasure from within. So we would like all of you to become expert bhakti-yogīs! Every activity you do, you think how can I please Kṛṣṇa with this activity?

I see that many of the gṛhasthas are having such nice children, and it is important that you bring your children up to be devotees! Now, I did not have the good fortune to be born in a devotee family! And I was a rich man but not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa! So, you are all I hope devotees of Kṛṣṇa! And someone to be born in your family is a very great blessing. Because you can bring them up in devotional service! So, this human life is a rare opportunity, where we can engage in devotional service. The animal propensities which are also available in human life – āhāra, nidrā, maithuna, bhaya. So, we take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, and we raise our children to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. But, like different departments are trying or inventing new weapons of destruction. And so they are able to kill your body. But remember, you are not this body, you are spirit soul! Ātmā! So, ātmā cannot be killed, body is killed. Ātmā is here forever in different bodies. So, we should identify with the ātmā and we want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa! You we very fortunate now, we have His Holiness Prabha Viṣṇu Prabhu, who is also a direct disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

I don’t want to keep you waiting from your kṛṣṇa-prasāda! The things we do, we try to do them in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way. In this way, after living in this material world, go back to the spiritual world. If we don’t take advantage of this human form of life, then we have to take birth again and again with material bodies. In the bumper of a car, there was a sign – born again and again and again! So, one thinks if I have money, I will be happy, if I have a good spouse I will be happy. So depending on what we deserve, whatever we desire, we get! But, if we desire Kṛṣṇa, like we see upstairs the nice Deity, diorama of Yaśodā Dāmodara, then we don’t have to take birth again and again and again! We can go back to the spiritual world – Vraja-dhāma, Mathurā-dhāma, Dvārakā-dhāma! Whatever līlā you are liking!

Thank you very much!