Notes from Sri Navadwip Dham parikrama (pilgrimage) 2013

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
"O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance."

Notes from NAVADWIP DHAM parikrama 2013

These are notes from various harikatha in the evening and at places of parikrama (pilgrimage holy places). The speakers are various followers of Srila Gurudeva - Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja.


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Sripad Ashram Maharaja:

Ekadasi = upavasa, to come closer
It was created so that we can come closer to Krsna. Krsna appears as vigraha (deity) but His name is most merciful.

The Name fulfills our desire to serve Gaura Hari. If we chant a fixed number of rounds, and do bhajans describing the glories of this dham, it will inspire us to pray.

Today we went to Krodhamaya Parama Tal. The pastimes of Sri Gaura, Radha and Krsna are always going on here. But us conditioned souls can't see it, due to maya (illusion). Pray to Krodhamaya to get the moods to enter into these pastimes. We have no shelter except vaisnavas and dham. She can help us see these pastimes.

Maya does not like to cloud us and hides behind Krsna.

We can cleanse the heart by chanting.

Sadhu sanga helps us to chant - specifically while doing vaisnava seva. It scrubs the heart. Krsna is not so attracted to milk and bananas, fancy deity worship, big renunciation, grhastha philanthropy but pleased by GURU SEVA. In math or in the house - house, Krsna's family, Krsna's things, all Krsna's. Then powerful chanting and the heart is scrubbed. Nityananda as guru scrubs. But we must also do effort. Chant a fixed number of rounds. If you fall behind, catch up the next day or do ASAP. Gurudeva is our example in this.

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Sripad Srauti Maharaja:

If we do not think, "Who am I doing this for?" Then it is not bhakti.

We must tripe our endeavors. Krsna is not easy to get darsana of. We can't just chant and not endeavor.

We must look in our heart and see how many desires are there. Cut out desires that aren't Krsna. One who wants to be wealthy will calculate and try every day, dream about it, etc. His mind will be saturated with the desire to make money. One who wants knowledge will focus there. Etcetera. So our desire should be focused - how to come closer to the Lord. If not focused, so difficult. If desire for Krsna's darsana is one desire of many, then it will take many lifetimes for us to get his darsana.

Our love for Krsna goes to Radhika. As neophyte there is no need to focus on inclination.

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Sripad Premananda Prabhu:

Gurudeva has said, "Without bhakta seva, nothing happens."

Gaura is giving all. It does not seem like it, but He is. He gives bhakta seva. He teaches us how to be greedy for this.

Question by a devotee: How can all I do be for Krsna's pleasure?

Answer:

Krsna is saying, 'By love, leaves, water - anything you have, give Me and I will be pleased.' Offer tulasi and Ganga water, and He will always be happy.

Go to programs, dham, honor mahaprasad, vaisnavas seva, etc., this pleases Him. Gurudeva and Swami Maharaja are the example, pleasing Krsna and Mahaprabhu by preaching all around the world.

Offer all seriously, with LOVE. Not fake. Have faith in guru and vaisnavas, deity, dham, carnamrta, etc. We think all rubbish? Then, even going parikrama, useless. Foolish. If mood, heart, prayer good, and you feel you are fallen - then God accepts this and is pleased.

God is pleased even by small things, like water. For example, Draupadi with the mystical pot. {story of Durvasa Muni visiting the Pandavas after their meal and Draupadi and the Pandavas had nothing to feed him and his followers} Draupadi cried to Krsna. Krsna was at lunch in Dwarka, and very hungry, but He left and came running. "Draupadi, I am so hungry! Please give me a lot." Draupadi - "Prabhu, this is no joke. You know everything already." She gave Krsna a bit of rice with tulasi and water. Krsna accepted it. The pot was fixed.

Do not worry. No problems. Anything you give with love, God accepts. Gurudeva is doing all. Try to offer all you get to him first. A sevak's duty is to offer all to guru and vaisnavas.

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More soon! =)