Transcription made by: Sai Nidhi Mataji and Shrusthi Nidhi Mataji
Gour Govinda Swami:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
ānanda-līlā-maya-vigrahāya hemābha-divyac-chavi-sundarāya tasmai mahā-prema-rasa-pradāya caitanya-candrāya namo namas te caitanya-candrāya namo namas te caitanya-candrāya namo namas te caitanya-candrāya.
There are variations of these three modes: Mode of goodness, mode of passion, mode of ignorance. According to these variations, so many variegatedness are there, we find. So many geographical variations, atmospheric variations, climatic variations, isn't it? Variegatedness of mood, variegatedness of forms, variegatedness of nature, variegatedness of activities. So many variegatedness according to these variations of three modes of material nature. Practical. Mm.
So, conditioned soul who has identified himself with this body, thinks himself in so many ways. "I am man, I am woman. I am Black, I am white. I am Brahmin, I am Kshatriya, I am Vaishya or Shudra. I am rich or poor. I am husband or wife. I am poor or wealthy. I am learned or ignorant." So many I's. Similarly, so many mine, mineness. My body, my wife, my son, my daughter, my friend, my family, my country, my nation, my followers, my property. Uh, like this, so many ways. These are all variegatedness.
Similarly, we also find varied nature, varied forms, varied activities, varied climatic conditions. At the same time, here we see winter so much cold. But the places we visited now, there is summer and rainy season. Rain and summer, no winter at all. We use AC rooms. We turn on the AC machine and AC room we use. (laughs) Here we wrap ourselves in the blankets. Singapore is such a place, it's like a heavenly planet really. Heavenly planet. So much material opulence is there. In... So many nice fruits are available, very sweet fruits, sweet fruits. Mangoes, I think mangoes are available all the year there.
In one tree were just... close to the temple, there was one tree, one mango tree there is. I find there is flower, small, little mangoes, some bigger mangoes, some ripened mangoes also, in one tree. Such wonderful. (laughs) Such wonderful. I have not seen. (laughs) Here we see the mango comes once a year. First there is flower, then small mangoes, then gradual big mangoes, then ripe mangoes, then finished. But all varieties of mangoes are available in one tree. (laughs) Such wonderful. (laughs)
And what this, uh, Chaitanya Candra said about the Santosa, that underwater world, so wonderful, how they have made it. They have utilized Krsna’s energy for their own enjoyment for their own enjoyment. Really, it is worth seeing how they have made with the tuning, with the tuning the water dances, this tuning. So, I was thinking of if we can do it for Krishna's enjoyment, Krishna Balaram's enjoyment here in (laughs) Bhubaneswar, how nice it will be. Uh, our Krishna Balaram will be so happy, Gaur Nitai will be so happy. I was thinking of that thing. These people are utilizing Krsna’s energy for their own enjoyment. And they are collecting so much money. If we can do it, we also collect money. (laughs) Krsna, for Krsna’s service, uh, like nice opulent arrangements for Krsna Balaram. If Krsna Balaram wills, Mahaprabhu wills, it's not impossible. It's not impossible. Mm-hmm.
Well, then, um... Mm. So many varieties of aquatic animals. One can see it. So many nice color, color variety- variance- variegated, I say. Variegated. Many, many varieties of fish. So many colored fishes. Colored fishes. Like decorated, you see? Some has- somebody has decorated as if. Painted them, like painted. So much. We cannot imagine, you see? Jalaja nava lakshani. Nine lakhs. Nine lakhs of types of aquatic animals have we seen it there. They have arranged such things. So wonderful. (laughs) Ah. So wonderful. I was amazed. Mm-hmm. How material nature, mm-hmm, in this material nature, so many things are there and are Krsna's. It's all Krsna's arrangement, Krishna's creation.
This, uh, material variegatedness, similarly there are spiritual variegatedness, because the material world is upside down reflection of the real world, perverted reflection of the real world. So, such variegatedness are there in spiritual world, but these impersonalistic, Mayavadis, they cannot conceive of it. They cannot. They can't accept that there are spiritual variegatedness. They think everything one and same. so 'ham tat tvam asi. "I am that Brahma and you are that Brahma."
But, pashyann api na pashyati. Though they see it, they cannot understand it. They cannot understand because they are not devotees, they are not surrendered unto Krsna. They get offenders into the lotus feet of Krsna māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī thinking themselves Supreme Lord. How can they understand Krsna and his creation also? They cannot understand. Though they see, paśyann api na paśyati. Though they see, they cannot see. Many, many people are going, at least the people see all these things. Nobody thinks that, "Oh, such wonderful arrangement. Who has done so? Is it manmade? Man has done? So many varieties of aquatic animals painted, like painted? Fish? How many are thinking of this thing? Right? If such wonderful varieties are there, then who is the creator? How wonderful is He? (laughs) How wonderful is He? Is wonderful Krsna? (laughs)
paśyann api na pashyati. If they see, they cannot see, because they are covered up with the ignorance. They cannot understand Krsna, the Supreme Lord, and its creation also, wonderful creation also. This is practical. So, this is our Krsna consciousness. Every place, every moment, every time, every condition, we should think of Krsna. We should think of Krsna and how Krsna is there. How manifest He has manifested Himself there. That should be understood. One who is not a devotee, one who has not accepted a bona fide guru, Vaishnav guru, one who is not properly taught this philosophy of Krsna consciousness, he cannot understand it. He cannot understand it.
How Krsna is there, that Krsna has manifested Himself. In Bhagavad Gita, Krsna says, yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati BG [6.30] Isn't it? yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra, sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati, sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati, sa ca me na praṇaśyati. One who sees me everywhere, and sees everything in me. He is not lost to me. I am not lost to him. This is what... This is practical. So, I realized that thing, really. How wonderful is Krsna, how wonderful is his creation, and how He has manifested here.
How is that? jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa. Jiva means bhakta, devotee. Though, in material world there are so many variegatedness, especially human beings, chatur lakshyani manavah. Whole lots of varieties of human beings are there, according to their levels of consciousness. Still, still, they are devotees. Constitutional position is devotee of the jiva. Constitutional position of the Jiva is a devotee. So, only one thing that covering is there, that covering should be lifted. Then pure consciousness is there. It's Krsna consciousness.
One who is a real Vaishnava, Sadhu, Guru, this is his only business, to remove that covering just. Revive their Krsna consciousness. Then they are Krsna's servants, and they will engage in Krsna's service. The whole land, whole place will be transformed, changed into Vrindavan or Vaikuntha. That's a fact. That's a fact.
Though such ban is there, in Bali, hm, a lot afraid. Still, many devotees are there. Yes. (laughs) A lot afraid, you see? A lot afraid. Nobody, uh, can do loud sankirtan. No. (laughs) Gaura Mandala Bhumi wrote me letter. "Maharaj, that's very good that you're going there. But he gave me, this is there, this is there, this is there, so many persecutions there. Police person arrest. You be careful. Mm-hmm. "Don't do any public program. Don't criticize government. (laughs) Don't do loud kirtan. Let many people. Don't allow many people at a time to come to you and see you. Hmm.
He gave me some names, Prahlad Das, Sadashiv Das, something. These are leaders, and you meet them, and they will arrange. They will bring small group of persons to you." Jadunandan Das, in October, he wrote, Jadunandan Das met me in October, mm, and said, "Some 250 devotees are there awaiting, uh, us taking initiation from you." So, Gaura Mandala Bhumi was afraid. From his letter I could understand. "Maharaj, don't allow so many people to come to you at a time. (laughs) There will be (laughs) great problem. Police may come and arrest you. (laughs) Tell Prahlad Das, So you make arrangements, small group of people, 10, 20 people will come at a time. Like this, he gave me some, some conditions, some do’s, some don't do’s. (laughs)
Like this. (laughs) I was thinking about, what is this? We have no other desire, no ulterior motive. I'm not going there to fulfill some of my material desires or gain something. I'm going to preach Krsna consciousness with the message of Krsna, message of Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu has said that thing. pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma, Mahaprabhu is Patita-Pavan. Mahaprabhu is Supreme Personality Godhead, is all-powerful.
So, I am going to preach Mahaprabhu's message, Mahaprabhu's sankirtan movement spread, and just give encouragement to the devotees of Mahaprabhu. How they should cooperate together and cooperatively do sankirtan, and serve Mahaprabhu. Let whole Bali be purified, atmosphere be purified. If Mahaprabhu would desire, then what is this ban? Within a moment it will be lifted. And the example is there before us, USSR. Such strict ban was there, but now there is no ban. The ISKCON movement is spreading very rapidly there, in USSR. Statistics like... recent statistics came out, some 10,000 serious persons are very eager to take part in Mahaprabhu's movement there in the USSR.
So, Bali is a small island, and people are very simple, very simple. Really, natural Vaishnav. Simplicity is Vaishnavism, natural Vaishnav. Very simple-hearted. Yes. That's... I am very much pleased to see them, so simple-hearted persons, such devotees are there. They do nice Kirtan. Yes. We do only that they're doing house Kirtan because we cannot open a center or temple. There's a ban in there. House Kirtan they are doing.
But this group, some 250, those who for years together have been waiting, waiting for me. Now, this year I initiated 30. Last... This 30 I initiated now out of 250. Twenty-eight names came up. And then Prahlad Das was to recommend, mm... So, Prahlad Das was hesitating if some danger will be there or something. They had this, there were two groups. They had some disagreements, quarrel among themselves, quarreling. So, I told them, "You are the devotees of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. To Mahaprabhu has crushed Kali, Kali the dog, Kali Kuku. But why are you allowing Kali to enter into you? Become Mahaprabhu's devotee. Crush Kali! Devot Kali! Why are you allowing Kali, uh, enter into your quarreling in yourself? If you really, you really become Mahaprabhu's servant, Mahaprabhu's dear devotee, if you unite together and do Mahaprabhu's sankirtan, so what government will do? Within a moment, the ban will be lifted. You create this whole valley as Mahaprabhu's dear land like Vrindavan. So happy. Kali will never get a place to stay here.
But you people are allowing Kali. What is this? And why are you afraid? Why are you afraid? Mahaprabhu is all-powerful. Is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent. Is that anything which is impossible for Mahaprabhu? If you're really eager to serve Mahaprabhu and take part in his sankirtan movement, how nice it is." So, they took one day, they assembled together, they discussed among themselves, then they came to me. Then they said, yes, what you say, we accept it. We accept it now, uh, really. So, we forget now everything. Now we will cooperate and do everything." Then there was cooperation, and he gave recommendation. And we performed this diksha ceremony and members of that group came to this festival, and this members of this group also went to...And there, they arranged one program in their house, Baladev Das, one leading member of that group. Many people, many devotees went there. I went there…………………
Temple. Some 80 kilometers away from Jakarta, they have taken some land, a hilly area, land, and there is a farm community, and there is this center. It is 80 kilometers away from Jakarta city. There are deities, Gaur-Nitai deities are there. Jagannath? Jagannatha Puri. Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra deities are there. Yes, these deities are there. Nice deities. Radha Govinda deities are there. Radha Govinda temple in that farm. Nice deities. Hilly area because banished in the city. They have opened there, they want all should go to Jakarta. These people cannot go to Jakarta you see. These are poor people. Jakarta is farther place. Bali and Jakarta are far apart. And there is one bus service and that bus takes 24 hours. 24 hours bus journey to reach, if someone will go to Jakarta, it will take 24 hours. How do you expect that these people will go there.
It’s not really, better you form a council for Bali some of the leading persons of your group and their group, combine together form this under the guidance of your GBC. Gaur Mandal Bhumi Kavichandra Swami tell them that I, this is my suggestion, I have given such suggestion, tell them and combinedly spread this Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan movement and I think ban will be lifted. They become very happy and they all agreed. Anyhow, to preach Krsna Consciousness, to speak Krsna katha to such hungry ears they really ecstatic reciprocation. Everywhere I find much happiness speaking Krsna katha and some hungry ears are there really. Malaysia also, Malaysia nice devotees are there. Malaysia temple is there, many devotees are there. Every day they come, nice congregation.
Better to go out and preach that is Mahaprabhu’s principle. For 6 years, out of his sannyas period 24 years, first 6 years Mahaprabhu was travelling and preaching South India, North India. So, this travelling and preaching really pleases Mahaprabhu otherwise we get real pleasure. Chalte hue sadhu, bahate hue pani, there is a saying. The water that flows constantly doesn’t accumulate any filth. The sadhu that moves never stays in one place stationary. He is parivrajaka. Moving sadhu is a real sadhu, then never develop any attachment to one place as my place, like this, nothing mine.
So, this is my practical experience and it is beneficial for me for my own spiritual advancement. This is my prayer to Guru and Gauranga if they can use me as an instrument in their hands that is the only thing required, nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin, otherwise we cannot do anything jiva ka korite paile kumito korile, asbanda……. Bhakti Vinod Thakur Mahajan says jiva nishakti, what potency jiva has minute, jiva is minute. What potency jiva has, no potency at all. Bhakti Vinod Thakur says Oh Lord Unless you do, what jiva can do. Man proposes God disposes. And that’s the fact.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
BG[3.27]
Bhagavad Gita says, a bewildered soul says I do, but really, he is not doer. prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. In conditional state, material nature works. In liberated state spiritual shakti, superior potency, internal potency that works. Shakti works but bewildered soul says I am doer, actually he is not the doer. Our position is that if we can become a fit instrument in the hands of the Supreme Lord then our life is successful. Isn’t it? Our life is successful. Therefore, Gita says, Sadhu says, Shastra says, Mahajan’s says this is the only prayer my prayer with Guru and Gauranga.
And request you one and all please pray for me yogyata-vichare-kichhu-nahi-pai- tomara-karuna-sara, I have no qualification, only His mercy is required. Mercy of Guru and Gauranga because I am their servant, I want to serve them intently with pleasure and happiness, I don’t know how can I serve them and how can I give them pleasure and happiness I don’t know. Unless they utilize me, unless they accept me as an instrument in their hands what can I do. I cannot do anything. I have no qualification, I have no strength and no potency at all. Unless Guru and Gauranga inculcate their merciful strength on to me what shall I do.
And that, and it is also said that water comes from the reservoir and is supplied through the pipes, pipes. And pipe says, "I give the water." Then great offense. It's great offense. I'm just a pipe. If I'll be connected, really connected with that reservoir, then my life will be successful. This is the only thing required. Nothing else. Therefore, I pray, you one and all, please pray for me to Mahaprabhu. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.
Devotee: Jaya Srila Gurudev ki! Jaya! Jaya Srila Govinda Svami Guru Mahariji. Jaya! Jaya Srila Prabhupad ki! Jaya! Jaya! (...).
Gour Govinda Swami: He's so powerful and so effective. Even offensive name gives some result. There is a dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. Namabhas, then mukti. Pure name, then Krishna, Prema, Krishna, Bas. Therefore, there's no loss. No loss. (laughs).
Devotee: There's no loss.
Gour Govinda Swami: No loss. Anyhow, getting something. (laughs).
Devotee: Everybody's getting something.
Gour Govinda Swami: Definitely. If it is offensive chanting, his material desires are fulfilled.
Devotee: Mm-hmm.
Gour Govinda Swami: Getting some money. (laughs). Economic development is there. Dharma-artha-kāma up to that he gets. Yes. But topmost thing, Prema and Krishna, that will never be available unless your chanting is pure. (laughs).
Devotee: Sri Gurudev ki jai! Prabhupada ki jai!