When I first arrived here, I remembered Mula-prakriti.*[See Endnote] She was very kind. She served her Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, so much; and in her relationship with him she also served me so much. She revealed to the entire world my relationship with Srila Swami Maharaja, and my service to him. She did this not only by speaking, but she also published two books: “My Siksa Guru and Priya Bandhu” and “Srila Prabhupada, Our Friend to All.” Now, so many people throughout the world know about our relationship. If anyone wants to know about it, they must read these books.
Mula-prakriti also translated and published a transcription of the last meeting of Srila Swami Maharaja and myself. That transcription reveals how he was weeping in affection for me, and it reveals what he ordered me to do. So I am indebted to her; I cannot repay her.
I have come here only to remind all of you throughout the world, what Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja has taught, what Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura have taught, and what Srila Rupa Gosvami and our guru-parampara have taught.
Srila Swami Maharaja preached all over the globe in only a couple of years. It is very wonderful that he traveled everywhere in that short time; not only in various countries, but on mountains and on islands in the midst of oceans – like here in Hilo. He used to write books in Honolulu. I have followed his example, and thus I am also writing there.
I came only to remind you of what he has told. For example, he taught us the following two Srimad-Bhagavatam verses:
labdhva su-durlabham idam bahu-sambhavante
manusyam artha-dam anityam apiha dhirah
turnam yateta na pated anu-mrtyu yavan
nihsreyasaya visayah khalu sarvatah syat
[“After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krsna consciousness is possible only for a human being.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.9.29)]
nr-deham adyam su-labham su-durlabham
plavam su-kalpam guru-karnadharam
mayanukulena nabhasvateritam
puman bhavabdhim na taret sa atma-ha
[“The human body, which can award all benefit in life, is automatically obtained by the laws of nature, although it is a very rare achievement. This human body can be compared to a perfectly constructed boat having the spiritual master as the captain and the instructions of the Personality of Godhead as favorable winds impelling it on its course. Considering all these advantages, a human being who does not utilize his human life to cross the ocean of material existence must be considered the killer of his own soul.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.17)]We are all very fortunate that we now have a human form; you should not think that it is very easy to obtain. Even demigods want to be humans in this world, for in this human form we can realize our transcendental nature and form. Our true religion, our constitutional dharma or function, is to serve Sri Krsna and Srimati Radhika, especially in the highest mood – the mood of the gopis.
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita
srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah
[“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis of Vrndavana. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” (Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)]In this human form you can serve Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, and you can have association of high class Vaisnavas. The world is never devoid of that kind of sadhu. Somehow or other they are always present; otherwise the world would be in a hopeless condition. There is no purpose in this world without the presence of pure devotees. Great devotees like Sri Narada and Srila Vyasadeva are traveling in many forms, but we cannot recognize them. Therefore, in this human form, before death comes – without delay, at once, not tomorrow and not today, but just now – take initiation from an elevated guru. Under his guidance, try to follow the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Then your life will thus be successful.
Enjoyment of life through sense gratification is present everywhere in this world. But don’t waste a moment; follow all the spiritual master’s instructions. Take out all your desires for sense gratification and throw them into the Pacific Ocean. From today, try to serve Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. We don’t know when death will come; within a moment the tsunami tidal waves may come.
So don’t be engaged in sense gratification. If you will be a hog, pig or donkey, you can easily have all opportunities for sense gratification. Why are you so worried for this? Rather, life is meant to be engaged in Lord Krsna’s service.
Srimad Bhagavatam states:
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.7)]If you are chanting the powerful holy name and hearing hari-katha from the lotus mouth of a Vaisnava, if you are really listening to the recitation of the glories of Krsna and chanting from the core of your heart, detachment from the world and the intoxication of lust and material desire will at once go away. Moreover, all kinds of tattva-jnana, transcendental realized knowledge of your relation with Krsna, and prema-bhakti will come.
If lust is not going and you are endeavoring to marry five or six times, or even nine times, then what is this? It is nonsense. One marriage is sufficient, and after that you should become detached through hari-katha. This instruction is not only for gentlemen, but for ladies also. They are also not free to marry one-hundred times. For the rest of your life, your time should be given to krsna-bhajana; then your life will be successful.
Srila Swami Maharaja has told all these things, not in these exact words but in other words, for this is the essence of all the Vedic literatures including Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why can you not remember this? After my previous departure from here, why did you become weak? Don’t be weak.
Try not to marry at all. I have given you in marriage to Lord Krsna Himself. Why search for a mortal, lusty husband, engaged in bogus things – a rascal. I am not saying the word rascal; Srila Swami Maharaja is saying it.
I request you all to give your energy, for the rest of your life, to Krsna Consciousness; and help others also. Try not to be engaged in sense gratification and all other bogus activities, and don’t worry for your maintenance. If Lord Krsna can maintain all birds, trees and everyone else, why will He not maintain us?
If sufferings are coming without calling for them, why will happiness not also come? Krsna will personally beg on your behalf, and he will bring you all your necessities. So why are you worried? These are very powerful words.
Also, please make a schedule for our classes, announcing who will speak in the morning and afternoon. In the evening I will come. During this week-long hari-katha festival, you will not have to cook. Cooking, offering the foodstuffs to Krsna and serving the prasadam are automatically going on, and your only responsibility will be to sit down and have prasadam. Padmanabha Maharaja, Asrama Maharaja, Srauti Maharaja and others, and also local persons – qualified devotees like Mahibharata – should speak. I am very happy to meet with so many devotees after so long. I’m happy that so many of you have come from so far – even from India.
One last thing; I want to invite you all to come to Navadvipa. This year we will perform a new parikrama in a new place. I want mrdanga players and kirtaneers like Sravana Kumar, Krsna-Caitanya and Radhanatha; kirtaneers like Puspadanta. I want at least 1,000 devotees from Western countries to come to Navadvipa. This is a new thing; we are arranging for the building of a new temple so that all devotees can be accommodated, and you will have to help with that project.
Gaura Premanande!
[Endnote: Mula-prakriti dasi is one of the senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. She was one of his first book distributors, and she taught others around the world how to distribute his books. It was she and her husband who founded the Badger (New Vraja) community in California, and who first invited Srila Narayana Maharaja to go there during his first world tour in 1996. It was she and her husband who established the temple in Hilo, Hawaii, and on Srila Narayana Maharaja's first visit there two years earlier, he said upon his arrival, "This temple was made by the tears of Mula-prakriti. She passed from this world in the holy land of Vrndavana, India in the summer of 2004, amidst the kirtana of loving devotees.]
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