– Why do we observe Ekadasi Tithi? Because pap, sins, remain the five types of grains on Ekadasi. – For spiritual things we have to follow instructions of sastra, who are like our mother and father whom we have faith in. – Discussion of the four Vaisnava Sampradayas: Sri, Rudra, Brahma and Sanaka. – We belong to Vishnu and we are all His eternal servants: jivera āsvarupaā haya (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 20:108). – Spiritual life will start when we have faith in the sastra, sastra vakya-vishvasa, like Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagvatam. – How Ekadasi Tithi manifested. Story of the Maura demon who worshipped Lord Sivaji. – Katha of the mercy of Lord Sivaji. – Evidence of sastras states Srimati Radhika is purna-shakti and Krishna is shaktiman and there is no difference between Them. – Other names for Ekadasi Tithi. – Bhoga we can and cannot take on Ekadasi. – How we reach the goal of chanting one lakh, sixty four rounds a day. – If we do not chant sixty four rounds a day, the Lord will not accept our offering, unless we have faith, sradha. – Try to chant sixty four rounds: impossible possible. Sastra says we have to do this, step by step. – On Ekadasi Tithi we are to chant more and more Holy Names. – How to properly observe Ekadasi Tithi. – Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu observed Nirjala Ekadasi Tithi in the house of Srivas Thakura all day and through the night. – On Ekadasi, we are to observe maun, silence, meaning: only speak Harikatha, no mundane talk which is like an unchaste lady. – We are to engage our eleven senses in the service of the Lord like Ambarish Maharaja. – Glorify the Lord: sing His pastimes. Namami nanda-nandanam (pg 289); Munindra-vrnda-vandite (pg 285) and Krishna deva! Bhavantam vande (pg 343). – Every day attend mangala-arati, your mind will not be disturbed and we slowly become attached to Radha-Krishna. Mangala means auspiciousness, ar=deep, rati=attachment.
Brazil, Lectures in English, Translated into Portuguese, Brazil 2024
