00:12:35 – Jagannatha Ashtakam.
00:23:45 – Jagannatha is Krishna. Shrila Shukadeva Gosvamipad calls Krishna Tridhishvara.
00:27:01 – Krishna possesses inconceivable energy (Achintya-shakti). This means that you cannot understand the Lord with your logic alone; only by Krishna’s mercy can He be understood. Even if you hear 1000 lectures and read 1000 books, you will not understand until the Lord bestows His mercy. There is only one process—effort. Then kripa (grace) will come.
00:32:24 – Unshakable faith. Guru-bhakti (devotion to the guru), guru-nishtha (steadfastness to the guru).
00:35:20 – Story of the disciple Giri and his teacher Shankaracharya: by the mercy of Gurudeva, the disciple Giri—mocked by even such elevated students as Padmapada and Hastamal—was able to answer a question they could not and spontaneously spoke Sanskrit verses. This is guru-nishtha and guru-kripa (mercy of the guru).
00:53:20 – Bhakti is independent of karma and jnana, and it manifests spontaneously. Rupa Gosvamipad realized the heart of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This will happen when you fully surrender to Gurudeva.
00:56:58 – In Chaitanya-charitamrita, indestructible faith is described. Shrila Jiva Gosvamipad explains: “If I practice devotional service to the Lord, my life will be successful.” Learn this verse.
01:01:00 – Recite and memorize this verse in Bengali and Sanskrit. It is the definition of shraddha (faith).
01:03:00 – The mercy of Mahaprabhu, the surrender of Rupa Gosvamipad, the realization of Mahaprabhu’s heart. Brahma-sutra says: only through surrender can one realize the Lord. Bhagavat-kripa and guru-kripa are interrelated. Bhagavat-tattva (truth of the Lord) is very confidential.
Krishna is Tridhishvara: He simultaneously manifests in three dhams—Dvaraka, Mathura, and Vrindavan (the most complete dham).
01:08:00 – In each dham, Krishna performs various sweet lilas (pastimes) with His family—in Mathura and Dvaraka. Each dham has its own form of the Lord and His associates.
01:09:00 – Krishna fulfills all the requests of the gopis. “Krishna, dance,” the gopis say, offering a little buttermilk.
01:12:00 – Krishna is completely under Radhika’s control. Radha tells Krishna, “Apply red alta (dye) to My feet.” Krishna contemplates the 21 signs on Radha’s lotus feet. Radha says, “Krishna, You’re a cowherd—you know nothing about art!”
01:17:00 – Shrila Gosvamipad beautifully describes how Krishna places a dot on Radha’s lotus feet, and Her foot lands right on Krishna’s forehead. Krishna thinks, “Now my life is truly successful.” Such are the lilas (divine pastimes).
01:19:00 – Krishna in Vrindavan is a different Krishna—it is not the same as elsewhere. The mantra He Krishna karuna-sindhu dina-bandhu… refers to the highest Krishna—Gopikanta Krishna. There are 96 types of Krishna. Srimad Bhagavatam states that Krishna manifests in the form His devotees relate to.
01:25:00 – Vihara-agni—the melted, transformed form of Krishna, the form of Lord Jagannatha.
01:28:00 – Krishna resides in Dvaraka. The queens ask why Krishna constantly cries out the names of the gopis. This is likened to a mother’s deep love for her son.
01:32:00 – Krishna in Mathura says to Uddhava: “Where is Yamuna? Where are the gopis?”
01:35:00 – Example of a disciple who does not hear what Gurudeva is saying because his ears are filled with material desires. A true disciple listens and acts.
01:38:00 – Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, in a verse, glorifies Radha-kunda and the sound of the flute. The flute is very powerful. Radhika didn’t want to hear its sound because she was in a mood of mana (jealous loving anger).
01:43:00 – The form of Lord Jagannatha: maha-bhava-prakash (manifestation of supreme divine love). Shrila Gour Govinda Maharaja explains: Jagannatha is Krishna crying for the Vrajavasis.
01:47:00 – The process of bhakti is very exalted. Bhakti-lata-bija (the seed of devotion) is given by Gurudeva. This includes acknowledgment of the disciple’s lack of qualification.
01:50:00 – Story: Yamaraja came for a woman, but she said she wasn’t ready because she still had a lot of household duties.
01:53:00 – Hear scriptural evidence with full faith. If you chant the holy names and mantras, Yamaraja will not come for you.
01:56:00 – According to the level of faith, there are three categories of devotees.
01:59:00 – After shraddha comes association with sadhus. Six types of bhajana. Vishnu Purana says one must follow varnashrama-dharma.
02:14:00 – There are four types of unwanted anarthas (impurities) in the heart.
02:15:00 – Jai Jagannatha!
02:18:00 – Question: The uttama stage begins with ruchi (spiritual taste).
02:22:00 – Example with a leaf: Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur compares the rough and smooth sides of a leaf to vaidhi-bhakti and rupanuga-bhakti.
02:25:00 – Impressions: everything depends on past impressions (samskaras).
02:29:00 – Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur said: follow gradually and keep repeating and listening to katha (spiritual discourse), so impressions remain in the heart.
02:33:00 – Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said: Jagannatha is the son of Nanda and Yashoda. This is a manifestation of two moods of Mahaprabhu. Go to Gambhira.
Hari-katha, Lectures in English, Hari-katha 2024
