The Vyasa Puja Lecture

Houston, Texas: January 28, 2006

I offer my heart-touching millions upon millions of prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of my diska-guru, om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and the same at the lotus feet of my siksa-guru, om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. My heart-touching dandavat pranama to Sri Guru, paramguru, paratpara-guru, paramesthi-guru, param-paramesthi-guru, and to the entire guru-parampara coming from Brahma.

Especially, my millions upon millions of humble obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Gadhadhara Prabhu, Srivasadi gaura bhakta-vrnda. Especially, to Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari, who is Sri Krsna Himself, and who accepted the intrinsic mood of Radhika.

I am very sorry that, due to my health, I could not come to Hilo this year. But my mind and heart are always with you. I pray that Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari and His associates – Sri Svarupa Damodara and Srila Raya Ramananda, and the Six Gosvamis: Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Sri Gopal Bhatta Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, will sprinkle their mercy upon you all.

Whatever I have instructed you, I have received from the instructions of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. They are very near to us, and by their mercy they can give us strength in tattva-siddhanta and good character. By their mercy you will be able to strongly accept what is favorable to bhakti and strongly reject what is not favorable.

The puja mantra of Srila Vyasadeva is:

narayanam namaskrtya
naram caiva narottamam
devim sarasvatim vyasam
tato jayam udirayet

["Before reciting this Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayana Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.4)]

artho 'yam brahma-sutranam
bharatartha-vinirnayah
gayatri-bhasya-rupo 'sau
vedartha-paribrmhitah
purananam sama-rupah
saksad-bhagavatoditah
dvadasa-skandha-yukto 'yam
sata-viccheda-samyutah
grantho 'stadasa-sahasrah
srimad-bhagavatabhidhah

["The meaning of the Vedanta-sutra is present in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The full purport of the Mahabharata is also there. The commentary of the Brahma-gayatri is also there and fully expanded with all Vedic knowledge. Srimad Bhagavatam is the supreme Purana, and it was compiled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyasadeva. There are twelve cantos, 335 chapters and eighteen thousand verses."
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25.143-144)]

I request my entire guru-parampara, up to Brahma, to sprinkle their mercy upon you. By their mercy you will realize that the object of our life and sadhana-bhajana is radha-dasyam (service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika). Knowing this, you should begin from:

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah

["In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16)]

I could not come to Hilo. I really wanted to come, but I could not. Next year, if I will be feeling ok, the Hilo program will again be held and I will definitely join.

I will reach Honolulu on Wednesday. If any of you want to meet me, you can meet me on Thursday.

Gaura premanande.

Srila Narayana
Maharaja Page