20260106 Addressing Visiting Bengali Devotees

Jayapatākā Swami: I hope that all of you will do service in this Navadvīpa dhāma. Māyāpur is the birthplace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that His exact birthplace is about a kilometre away from here and ISKCON is Kṛṣṇa’s karma-sthāna. In the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9), Kṛṣṇa says: janma karma ca me divyam. So that is birthplace and this is karma-sthāna. The TOVP is here and you can go and see the temple. They are trying to complete it in two years. And here there is a dhāma which is non-different from Jagannātha Purī Dhāma. There you can take darśana of Lord Jagannātha. Afterwards His Holiness Bhakti Prema Swami will speak. Now that you have come to Māyāpur dhāma, Navadvīpa dhāma, I welcome all of you I spoke very shortly. Mahārāja will speak after my class.

Bhakti Prema Swami: Guru Mahārāja has instructed me to speak something. Guru Mahārāja was explaining a very interesting subject – Kṛṣṇa’s pastime - friends of Kṛṣṇa – different types of friends – some are equal, some senior and some junior. We may read alone but when we hear from a realized soul, that realization is different! Because we may speak from our knowledge part, but a pure devotee will speak from their heart, from their realization. And by hearing our heart will change. They don’t speak like on an intellectual level, whatever they speak, they realize and then speak. That is why we should hear from realized souls. We are so fortunate, such a big subject matter, Guru Mahārāja is mercifully discussing this topic. We feel difficulty in reading these types of books like Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and all of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. It is very difficult to understand because we are in the bodily conception. Here Guru Mahārāja mentioned that those who are in the mode of passion, they try to enjoy separately from Kṛṣṇa! So that is why as we, in the mode of passion or bodily conception, that is why we don’t have love for Kṛṣṇa. As we don’t have love for Kṛṣṇa, how we will understand His loving relationship with His friends? So before understanding His loving relationships with His friends, we should develop love for Kṛṣṇa, otherwise if we are envious of Kṛṣṇa, we will see everything in that respect. So that is why first thing we should free is from the bodily consciousness. So we are fortunate here, Guru Mahārāja is a manifestation free from the bodily consciousness, he does not think he is the body, he doesn’t care about his bodily condition. So the thing is coming from his mouth is his realization! That is why it is very, very important to hear from them! Here Guru Mahārāja is every day giving class and the fortunate souls are taking advantage! I humbly request, especially those staying in Māyāpur, at least for fifteen minutes or half an hour, whatever Guru Mahārāja is giving time, at least they should have darsana of Guru Mahārāja! We heard so many times in our scriptures – darśane pavitra kara ei tomāra guṇa – why? This type of pure devotee, they have conquered all the enemies – lust, greed anger – they got kicked long ago from them. So that is why if we go nearer to this type of devotee, then lust, anger, greed will run away from us – jahāra nikaṭe gale pāpa dūre jāy. So if we just go near them! So, just by approaching towards him all the sinful activities will run away! We have that type of devotee in front of us! We are struggling with our senses, unable to control our senses. But here are nice tips. If we see them and go closer and hear from them, sinful activities automatically run away, we don’t have to separately endeavor! Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura mentions that if that type of sinful desire comes in our heart, just simply shout with the name of the Vaiṣṇavas. By just hearing the name of the Vaiṣṇavas, lust, greed and anger will run away! If we just chant his name, we get benefit but if we see them, if we hear from them, what benefit will we get?! The whole world is dying and crying to have one moment’s darśana of Guru Mahārāja! Māyāpur devotees, months together they get this type of opportunity, so they are most fortunate. So again, I humbly request that don’t miss this golden opportunity, at least to see Guru Mahārāja every day. 15 minutes or half hour, Guru Mahārāja only speaks so much. So hearing half hour, recharging our battery! In Bengali there is a proverb that if we don’t have teeth, that time we can understand the importance of teeth. So those who are not in Māyāpur they can understand the value of darśana of Guru Mahārāja, the association of Guru Mahārāja! But now in Māyāpur we are not understanding that! Also, the subject matter Guru Mahārāja is discussing is very important. Alone reading is very difficult to understand. Thank you very much!