– What is sadhana and bhajana?
– How to manifest Krsna-prema? By associating with a pure devotee.
– Believe it or not, just like the burning fire, Harikatha is transcendental.
– The sastras say: chant the Holy Names and abandon offenses.
– The power of sabda-brahma for all living entities.
– The story of the tiger before Mahaprabhu.
– The four stages of bhajana and sadhana for the removal of anarthas.
– Gurudeva talks about what can cause a Vaishnava in the bhava stage to fall: pastimes orchestrated by the Lord himself, and the smell of Vaishnava aparadha.
– About Bharata Maharaja glorifying Guru and Vaishnavas and comparing them to abhiseka to Deities.
– Three very important things: the dust from the lotus feet, the water that washed the lotus feet, and the remnants of the pure devotee.
– The inner meaning of these three very important things: following instructions, listening to Harikatha (devotional hearing), and the mood of the pure devotee.
– It is not possible to understand transcendental things with our knowledge, only with the mercy and grace of the Guru.
– When the stage of prema (death) arrives, all anarthas (deaths) disappear, and the sadhaka (death god) never again risks falling.
– What are the symptoms that manifest in the sadhaka when prema manifests?
TRANSCRIPT
Transcbribed by AI can have mistakes.
Writing is the Evidence: The Man on the Train
In one train, there is a man, and there is a lady also going. “Hey, why did you come here?” He did not say anything.
That lady saw — he has very, very nice things. Golden watch, golden things. That lady said, “Hey, you give your golden watch, and give your golden chain, everything.”
And that time he thinks, what will I do now? Big problem. He did not speak. Just by his movement he is saying, “I cannot speak. So you have to write to me what you want.”
And that time that lady — “You give me your golden watch and your golden chain. Otherwise we will call the police, and [we will say] you also abused us.” In this way we will make — what is it called? — accusation, allegation. They wrote. Allegation.
Then he wrote, then the lady gave this. Then himself he also pulled the chain, and the train stopped, and police came. “What happened?” The lady — they looked what they had written to him. Then police caught the lady. They tried a false allegation, and tried to steal my watch. Jaya Biharilal ki jaya. You understand or not?
So, when speaking, that is not the evidence. Just in the modern [day], you say, “Why [did you] speak?” If this is the case, then “I did not speak. What is the evidence?” But when you have written, that is evidence or not? Understand these things. When you write, that is the evidence.
But this is the example. Actually this is the very example in the life history of — what is it called? I think Swami Vivekananda. When he was travelling in Chicago, then in his life history he wrote this example he is giving.
One day I also came in the train, and that train is completely empty. Only three or four ladies are there. That time the ladies tried [for] my watch, and they were thinking, “Oh, this is an Indian. And as an Indian person, he does not know proper English.” And they say, “Okay, give your watch, necklace.”
That time he was thinking what to do now. That time he completely was silent. [Sign “umm”] That means, “You write to me, and I can read.”
That time lady wrote: “okay, you give your watch and your necklace. Otherwise we will call the police, and also you…hum log ke tumne darsan karne ke prayas kiya [misbehaved]. In this way there will be an allegation. Otherwise, very quickly, give us.”
That the ladies are writing. When the ladies write this thing, then [he] pulled the chain. Then immediately police came in that compartment. “So what happened?” Then [he] showed to the police. So these ladies tried [this] to me — and then police caught the ladies.
So that means [the writing] is worth [it]. And if Swami — what is he called? Swami Maharaja… Vivekananda. He will pull the chain, and the police will come, and the ladies will say, “No, no, we did not say this thing. What is the evidence?” Understand. That means [what is written] is worth [it].
So for this, my Gurudeva, [Vamana] Gosvami Maharaja, always says: what you are writing — right? — that is the evidence. You understand? If you are not writing, then what is the evidence? One will say, “I told them.” “I didn’t tell them.” But [where is] the evidence? Nowadays you are saying also CC (Camera) or many other things. All right. So this is the evidence. This is the evidence.
Krsna uvaca, Vyasadeva, and Ganesa
Krsna, He told Srimad Bhagavad-gita. This is the evidence. Krsna spoke directly. So it is Bhagavan uvaca. Krsna uvaca. Krsna said. This is a transcendental vibration — that “I am not writing.” Later, Vyasadeva, he manifested [it] in the book.
Even Vyasadeva, he did not write this grantha. Just he gave the dictation. Dictation to Ganesa. Ganesa is writing. This is true or not. Actually all these granthas… [We say] Vyasadeva, he wrote it. Actually Vyasadeva gave the dictation, then Ganesa is writing this. So Vyasadeva, what he is speaking, that is also transcendental vibration. Sabda-brahma. Sabda-brahma.
So you will say also, “Written by Ganesa — this is sabda-brahma or not?” Maybe a question will come. I cannot say this. I will not give anything. Yes or no? I will not give the answer. You understand? Because — who composed this grantha?
And [you] say, that person is not just a human person. That person — what kind of person? He directly is saying. [Someone may say,] “No, no, I did not say this. He wrote.” You understand? But he directly [is] speaking. Speech. That is your sabda-brahma. You understand? These are the things.
Who wrote Mahaprabhu’s Words
One question. I ask one question. For example, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke. Who wrote [it]?
That time the devotees, actually that time they were not [writing] there. What Caitanya did, they recited. Later they manifested in the manuscript. Who wrote? Who first wrote the sikshastamkam? Somebody wrote from that.
Our Gosvamis. Pure devotees are there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not write. Just he recited: ceto darpana marjanam bhava maha davagni nirvapanam… Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not write.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one grantha he wrote, then he also put [it] in the water of the Ganga. Do you know? Which grantha?
Smartha Raghunandana. What is called. He wrote one grantha. Then he brought it before Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Smartha Raghunandana — like this, like that. That time he told Mahaprabhu. That time Mahaprabhu told: “Oh, if you manifest this grantha, no one would read my grantha.” Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu — “Okay. You want this name-and-fame, reputation? Okay. Now my grantha also, put it the river.”
Smartha Raghunandana — what’s the book. Just forgot the name.
Two Raghunandana. One is called Mahaprabhu’s devotee and the other is a smarta. Raghunandana. He wrote one grantha also. And Mahaprabhu wrote. Same. [The detail of the two books is unclear.]
Devotee: ……You [know] the Astavimsati-tattva. Astavimsati-tattva, he wrote?
What? Twenty-eight tattva. Twenty-eight tattva.
Okay, let me say again. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He recited the verses – Sikshastakan. Then later our Gosvamis — maybe Svarupa Damodara, the Gosvami, they also…eh.
Svarupa Damodara Gosvani’s karca and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s karca. Collected and then Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami manifested.
I think this was Svarupa Damodara, or Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Because most of the time Svarupa Damodara, he was staying with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Understand?
So Svarupa Damodara, he wrote, and on his karcha. Karcha means — what is it called? No[te]… diary.
Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami collected from Svarupa Damodara and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Most of the two parts — Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Svarupa Damodara.
Svarupa Damodara, only he is staying — directly he is staying with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, sometimes he meets with Lord Caitanya, sometimes not. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, he was staying in another place. Svarupa Damodara, he is staying in the same place. Only Svarupa Damodara is staying with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
So, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, what shloka he recited, that Svarupa Damodara, he wrote in his notebook. And he gave this to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. And then later, [it was] collected [by] Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. And he also manifested in Caitanya Caritamrta.
So this is the sabda-brahma.
Devotee:They gave to Raghunatha [dasa]. And [then] Krsnadasa Kaviraja collected.
[A short list of other granthas here is unclear.]
So this is sabda-brahma. [It] is a direct manifestation. That is the [transcendental] vibration.
Even that is Sanskrit — what is it called? — any mistake, that is also absolute truth. Understand? So, what Gurudeva is saying? Gurudeva’s speech, that is called sabda-pramana. What Gurudeva is writing, his own hand, that is also sabda-pramana. You understand?
Devotee: Then that is translated in English. Then, does it change? He wrote.
Then who changed? That is sabda-brahma, sabda-pramana. I will not give any decision.
Devotee: This is according to your own…
Pardon? You try to understand.
Who is the suddha-bhakta? Mood, Not the Grammar
First you understand. First, [your] faith. Gurudeva is suddha-bhakta. What Gurudeva is writing, what Gurudeva is speaking, that is sabda-brahma. Then who translated? Who transcribed in the books? Is he suddha-bhakta or not? That is another question.
If he is suddha-bhakta, that is called also sabda-brahma. If [he is] not suddha-bhakta, I cannot say anything. Simple way. I don’t want to commit offense to the Vaisnavas. I have no duty to give the judgment. You understand? So these are the things. These are the process also.
Generally, what Gurudeva is saying, generally people, how do they understand? Just they [hear], and they go. “Okay, Gurudeva, he is saying: he go. Is this correct English or not? [They say,] “You are not [speaking] correct English.” We are saying, “Understand?” But I will say, this is correct. Because what Gurudeva is saying, this is sabda-brahma. Understand? What Gurudeva is saying, that is sabda-brahma.
But [if] you are not suddha-bhakta, so far this is not correct. This is incorrect.
Devotee: [ unclear]
If a devotee — a young man — has written something, and a devotee compiles it, that also we should consider as sabda-brahma. This depends on you.
I have approved many things also. Approved for his request — just really, heartily. I try to understand him. Sometimes [a person] will say, “Okay, Gurudeva, you come [to] my house.” Gurudeva, he came [to] your house. Another [time], Gurudeva, without asking him, he comes [to] his house. The difference. Your request for the Gurudeva is something. You understand?
This is the process. Try to understand these things. And this is the difference. Language is not the main thing. Main thing is your mood. Bhava.
What Gurudeva is saying, [you] try to understand his mood. I listened many times. Gurudeva was saying, “Hey, don’t you give emphasis on my words. [Give] emphasis on my mood.” You can listen. Many times Gurudeva used these words.
Okay, [in] your mother language you say, “Oh, this language is not proper…” Understand? But what Gurudeva is saying — that [is] the transcendental vibration. This is the thing.
Aham vedmi — Bhagavatam is Received by Bhakti
For this, [the verse] is called — you write these words. You learn these words.
aham vedmi suko vetti
vyaso vetti na vetti va
bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam
na buddhya na ca tikaya
[As he has them repeat it. Standard reading of the verse quoted in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 24.313.]
Aham vedmi. Aham vetti. This is Sanskrit — completely, according to the Sanskrit grammar, this is wrong. Should be what? Aham vedmi. But what he is saying? Vetti. Aham vetti, suko vetti, vyaso vetti na vetti va.
Bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam, na buddhya na ca tikaya.
So my question is — why “vyaso vetti”? He knows, or no? Why this question [mark] is [there]? This question will come.
[You] have to understand this. When a suddha-bhakta [speaks], what he is saying, that is the transcendental vibration. What he is writing, that is the transcendental vibration. Understand this. So I am saying this.
And — but who gives judgement? Who is suddha-bhakta or not? Who will give judgment? Who gives the decision? This is another question. You understand or not?
The Question Mark, the tarkika, and the Rays of the Sun
So you are asking, “Oh, why this question mark?” Question marks — not many, not exist at the time of… five thousand years before. This question mark — the symbol of [the] question mark. According to you, this is a [later] manifest. [It] exists only not more than — how many years? Just…one thousand years, you are saying. I am not [going to] argue this way.
But why [is] Visvanatha Cakravarti using these things? He is saying — this is your question, or not? You are saying, “We did not find out any of these question marks in Bhagavad-gita.” You are saying this way.
There are those who are only tarkika people. Tarkika; just want to know everything according to the logic. Are these things always these things?
The sun is always [there], and [the] rays of the sun [are] always [there]. Just [by] angle of vision you cannot see. You cannot see. This is your fault. Your eyes — vision — you are blind. So you cannot see the rays of the sun. This is not the fault of the sun. You understand?
The question marks, that time, were not [in use]. Now you can say this one. [Or:] they did not use [them]. There is another thing. My view. If you say they did not use [them] — they are thinking, no necessity to use. So for this they did not use. You understand?
Why are you thinking this thing too much?
[A devotee, as Gurudeva repeats it:] If you say the mood is important, [more] than the look of the text — when you read Sanskrit, or you read Bengali, it doesn’t fit, because one is Western, simple, and the other one is Eastern.
The people, they want to understand. Modern people, they understand which [marks] exist.
[Otherwise] I don’t understand, [I] even [don’t] understand what the text is saying. So they use the question mark to help the reader to understand the text. There is a question mark. [It makes one] take the question.
You told me, “Oh, maybe Visvanatha Cakravarti — but he did not use this question mark.” So you prove. You have to collect the evidence. This is your problem. Then your problem, so you have to collect. “Visvanatha Cakravarti did not use this question mark. Why [in] this book [do] you use…?” So you collect. You show to me. You collect. This is your problem. Your problem you have to solve.
Our books are there. This book is written by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.
Where is the proof? First, faith [ in our Guruvarga],What Gurudeva is saying — this is the absolute truth. What Gurudeva is saying, that is the absolute truth.
The Elephant, the Insect, and the Hole of the Needle
Or this one katha is also there. This is also a [Hari] katha.
Once Krsna and Arjuna, both are going, one place to another place. Arjuna completely surrendered at the feet of Krsna. Then Krsna told to Arjuna: “Arjuna, I saw one elephant enter in the hole of the needle.”
Then Arjuna is saying, “Yes, that is true.”
Then, after a few minutes, Krsna says: “One small insect cannot enter the hole of the needle.”
That time, [Arjuna says that is] also true? Then Krsna told to Arjuna: “When I am saying [of] this — how much — one big elephant enter in the hole of the needle, [you said] ‘I am… that is true.’ [And now] one [insect]…” Then Arjuna [is] saying, “Prabhu, You are Bhagavan. Possible, impossible — impossible [is also] possible.”
And [you can] put them on the top… You can do this also. You can also take the one elephant and put in the hole of the needle. This is possible. You are Bhagavan. And You are Bhagavan — [what] you are thinking, that [it is] not possible, also. What is possible? This is also true.
What do you say? Bhagavan means this word:
kartum akartum anyatha-kartum
yah samarthah sa bhagavan
[traditional definition, as he recites it: “kartum akartum anyatha-kartum yah samarthah sa bhagavan iti kathyate”]
This is the truth. Which [is] Bhagavan? Kartum, akartum. Which is possible, [He makes] impossible. Impossible, [He makes] possible.
So in the same way, if you [have] faith, Guru is my Bhagavan. What Guru is saying, that is absolutely truth. Visvasa — what Guru is saying. Faith.
Acaryera mata; Blind Faith and sastriya Faith
So, for this:
acaryera yei mata, sei mata sara
[second line, as heard, unclear:] ara yata mata… charakhara
[possibly Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 12.10; the second line as heard is not a clean match to “tanra ajna langhi’ cale, sei ta’ asara”]
What my Gurudeva is saying, that is absolutely truth. Then this is the thing. Acaryera yei mata, sei mata sara. What Gurudeva is saying, this is the absolute truth. I [have] faith. This is the thing.
But sometimes [people] are saying, “Okay, that Gurudeva is false,” or not? And the [faith] — two types of faith. One is called blind faith, and another is called sastriya faith. Faith according to the sastra. This is also a question.
Blind faith may be cheated. But faith is very important. We are taking this word, faith. Two kinds of faith. One is called blind faith, and another is called sastriya faith.
The Princess, the Thief, and Bhakta-mala
Sometimes you go to Vrindavan, you can see also, there, [on] YouTube, [or] sometimes speaking also there, one very nice beautiful story. That one princess, rajkumari, and she had Thakurji many years. Then she asked — she said, “Please, who is my guru? Please tell me who is my guru. I don’t know who is my guru. I will take shelter of whom, and how will I offer everything in my life? I offer my wealth, money, everything, over to that guru. [Please] show to me.”
Then in the same time, when the princess, the young girl, she is praying [to] her Thakurji — in the same time, one thief came. The thief, he is listening. “Oh, she is praying [to] her Thakurji,” and [asking] how to meet with [a guru]. Then that thief [took] disguise, the form of guru. Understand? And [is] coming in front of that place.
Then that time the rajkumari — “Oh, now Krsna [is] very merciful. Krsna gave me this guru.” And he was [a] thief. He [took] disguise, the form of guru, and gave the mantra. Which mantra? [unclear — heard only as something like “Om Krsnaye namah…”]
That time the thief is thinking, “Oh, I have to take money from her.” That time the thief told — the [one] who disguised, that guru — “So, give money to me, and the chain, and [all].” “Okay. I give everything, all my money, to you.”
Then the thief is thinking, “Maybe this place is the king’s place. King’s place — nothing. Okay, you come in one place.” One solitary place. That princess took all her jewels, money, everything, and [they] come in the forest.
That time the thief is thinking, “This is the best place. I have to take all her money, everything.” Then the thief also… And [the false] guru, he bind her on the tree. And told, “Hey, listen. You stay here. I am coming back. And I will come back to you, and I will untie you. And you should not… You are my disciple. So you have to follow my instructions.”
And that princess said, “Okay, you are my guru. So I [have] faith [in] you.” Because sastra says: who can untie our apa-bandhana? Untie [us] from our material bondage? Only guru. Understand?
So the princess, she was bound completely there. Then the thief, he took all the money and ran away. [He is] not coming back, one or two hours. Then the princess [waited]. Then her king, he is thinking, “Where is my daughter? Where is the princess?” All they are searching, searching. Then people, they find out the princess. She is now binded with the rope.
“Who? Where is…? My gurudevs — he will find me. Guru told me, you will come, and he will untie me.” So the king’s people [say], “No. That is not guru. That is a cheating person.” “And you don’t know — I have faith. My guru, guru, he will come. Guru told me.”
You read this Bhakta-mala grantha. Most of [them in] Vrindavan, if you go — panditas are speaking this katha also. [The name, as heard:] Vairagyavati . You read. You find out [on] the internet. Go to the katha. The katha about the story of Vairagyavati. This is [a] very prominent katha there also.
And if you go to Vrindavan — our Gaudiya [speakers were] not speaking [this], but most of the people there, and [the] Bhagavata-pathak in Vrindavan, they are speaking these kathas. Understand? Her name isVairagyavati. So, a nice beautiful katha is there.
Then — “No, no, my Gurudeva told me, he will come.” And [they say,] “What will we do now? She is very stubborn.” “No. My guru, they have told me. He will come back.” Guru-mukha-padma-vakya. [as heard: “guru-mukhoa…”] And they [say], “No, no. He was not your guru. He took all your ornaments, all your money, and [he] ran away.” But she said, “No, no. My Gurudeva told me. He will come back.”
Even Narada came. But she said, “No, I will not.” Even Narada. Even Krsna told. “But you know, he was not your guru.” Very nice. Much of this katha is there.
But — yadi Brahma vadet. Even if Brahma [says], even [if] Brahma, the [one born of] Bhagavan — I do not believe. My guru is [the one who] said [it].
That time Krsna told to Narada, “Find out who is [the] guru.” Then one day they find out that guru. And that time… With [her] faith, that time Krsna told: “Actually, I manifest in the form of [a] thief.” Krsna manifests in the one form of thief, and [in] disguise, the form of guru also. Because Krsna told: “Hey, princess, when you asked Me so many times, I also manifest — [to see] how much your faith is.” That is it.
But in our Gaudiya sampradaya will not accept. You understand? Because you have to accept everything which is evidence from sastra. Sastra-pramana. Guru-pramana. Then three things: sastra-pramana, guru-pramana, and sadhu-pramana. These are three things.
But this katha is the one — you go to Vrindavan, they are saying this. You can see this Bhakta-mala katha also, this here. Most of the panditas in Vrindavan, they also speak this Bhakta-mala grantha. Many kathas are there also.
But very difficult to reconcile in our Gaudiya philosophy. You understand? But [this is] what they are saying also. So you can see — just you click [the] internet, Vairagyavati katha, then a big lecture will come. And also many, as you already heard, [in] Vrindavan they are speaking also these. Some kathas, they are also there. Understand. This is also.
Lord Jagannatha and the Jackfruit
Many kathas — Jagannatha Puri katha also there. And Lord Jagannatha told to one devotee — what is his name? One day I told. And he was staying in Jagannatha Puri. And only in Jagannatha [Puri], the Lord Jagannatha told to him: “Okay, I want to eat jackfruit.” And he told, “Okay, come with me.”
Then Lord Jagannatha and that devotee — just I forget thenname. Then He told, “Okay, you can climb, and also pick the jackfruit.” Lord Jagannatha [is] down on the ground, and he is also picking it up. And He told, “This is night time. Don’t speak. Because then the [temple guard] will wake up and catch us.”
Then Lord Jagannatha is down. And [someone] loudly says, “Oh, no, not this jackfruit — not this one.” The devotee is on the tree. In the meantime the guard wakes up. In midnight — “Who is making this noise?” Then coming in this way. And then Lord Jagannatha ran away. And now that devotee is here, on the tree. And that time he also put that down — the jackfruit.
So now the guard caught this devotee and the jackfruit, [and brought him] in front of the king. Then the king became very angry. “Hey, I know you are a pure devotee. What — day time you are chanting holy names, and during the night time you are stealing the jackfruit?”
That time — “You don’t know. [It is] your Thakur, Jagannatha. He told me. He brought [me].” “How [long] will you be here? How do you know?” That [they] will ask the guard. The guard told, “Just I listened [to] the sound. Two persons are speaking. I did not see that second one. Because when we speak, [we are] not alone. One is okay. This is your [case].”
So that time the king [was] very angry with that devotee. [Gurudeva:] Just [I] forget the name of the devotee. Very nice. In Jagannatha Puri, very prominent. What is the name of the devotee? [He tries a name, unclear — heard as “Raghu Dasa” — then:] Okay, just you forget the name.
That time the king also gave [a strict] judgment. Put him in jail.
And that time Lord Jagannatha had come in his dream and told him: “King, actually this devotee has no fault. I want to eat jackfruit.” That time the king — “You want jackfruit? [You] did not tell to me?” “Okay. Now the whole of my jackfruit forest — kathal-ki bagica, all my jackfruit forest, and I write your name. So, how much you want, you take. No need [to steal].”
[This] katha [is in] Jagannatha Puri, there. You understand? So, jaya jaya Sri Radhe.
Many kathas [are] also [like this]. Just you cannot reconcile [them] with your own knowledge, or brain. [A short phrase here is unclear — something like jnana cannot reach it.] Understand?
Between 1:30 and 6:30 — Only sabda, and prarthana
Now we are just meeting. Now, one-thirty. Then again, what time? Six-thirty. Six o’clock. [Until then] I cannot listen.
Devotee: So when we are [not] really, [when] we are both… That means [when] we are [not] in direct association — are we going to get that? How, like this? How? [There] is only the sabda-brahma. Sabda-brahma is there.
So we pray to Gurudeva. Then Gurudeva’s krpa [and] mercy will manifest in your heart. You pray to Gurudeva.
Nothing — you [have] another sadhana? Only your one sadhana: pray. Prarthana. Pray to these ones. Pray to guru. [The] first word:
gurudeva,
krpa-bindu diya, koro’ ei dase,
trnapeksa ati hina
[Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Saranagati — the opening of “Gurudeva,” as he reaches for it. Heard compressed: “krpa-bindu diya, koro ei dase, trnapeksa ati hina.”]
This is prarthana, no? So, guru’s mercy will come.
This is dependent on your faith? What you are thinking — this is dependent on you, not dependent on me. This is the thing.
This is sabda-brahma, sabda-pramana. Who gives judgment?
[The last twenty seconds are an exchange with a devotee. The words did not come clear. The recording ends there.]
Hari Krsna.
