Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
A HAPPY FATHERS DAY
San Francisco, California: June 17, 2007
Srila Narayana Maharaja arrived in San Francisco on June 11th. He is staying at
the Marriott Residence Inn, which is about a forty-five minute drive from the
place of his Bhakti-yoga Festival at the Asian Cultural Center.
Every morning, Srila Maharaja goes for a walk from 5:30 to 6:30 am. When he
returns, he sits down for about 15 minutes for a short darsana with the devotees
before taking breakfast. On June 17th, Fathers Day, when he returned from his
walk, about 15 of his lady disciples were waiting for him with flowers and gifts
in honor of the special holiday.
On the phone with his spiritual daughter Bimala dasi from
Houston, who called to wish him a happy Fatherss Day.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Is today Fathers Day for females only, or also for
males?
[Devotees:] For males also.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja :] Then why are the males not giving me any gifts?
I have more affection for my daughters. None of the men told me it was Fathers
Day.
[Sripad Damodara Maharaja:] Srila Gurudeva, you said on the morning walk that
even though the father has so much affection for his son, he may not show it
directly. He may not take the son on his lap. We know you love your sons best;
therefore you are not showing it.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] I have more affection for my daughters.
(Srila Narayana Maharaja and all his spiritual sons and daughters laughing in
the midst of this loving familial exchange.)
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] My blessings to all of you today is that pure bhakti
will come in your heart. The greed to serve, raganuga-bhakti, will come. You
should attain your highest goal. What is your highest goal?
[Caru-candrika dasi:] Manjari-bhava.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Radha-dasyam. In the West, after the sons marriage,
the fathers and sons separate from each other. The sons do no service at all for
their fathers. In India, however, even when their mothers and fathers are very
old, the children serve. Nowadays, a wind has come from the Western countries
to India, and old persons are suffering. They are not allowed to live with their
families. Still in villages, though, they are taken care of by their children. I
want you all to follow varna-asrama-dharma. This is an example of
varna-asrama-dharma.
[Gokula dasa:] If we are in family life, we should take care of our mother and
father? *
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes, and have good relations with your brothers. Lord
Rama wanted to give His kingdom to Bharata and Bharata wanted to give the
kingdom to Rama. They were quarreling about this point. Nowadays, it is the
opposite; we quarrel for our own ownership. We should be like Rama and Bharata.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has told us to be like trees. A tree gives its leaves,
fruits, branches, flowers, juice, fruits, shade, and wood to others. We should
try to not live for ourselves, but for others. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami
Maharaja left everything in his old age and traveled the entire world to benefit
others. I also only travel to help and bring the highest benefit to all, and to
follow our guru-parampara.
[Mahaprabhu dasa from Australia tells Srila Gurudeva that his 13 year-old
daughter, Tulasi dasi was there to see him]
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] She came to hear hari-katha?
[Mahaprabhu dasa:] Yes. She took initiation from you a few years ago, and now
wants second initiation from you.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja (to Tulasi dasi):] How many rounds do you chant?
[Tulsi dasi:] I am building up.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] How many rounds are you chanting?
[Tulsi dasi:] Two rounds.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Very good. But no diksa now.
When you will realize the glories of the holy name that the holy name can save
you from the pain of endless birth and death, then you will chant more. Money
and worldly things cannot make you happy. These holy names will give you
Krsna-prema. You will be able to serve Radha and Krsna forever. When you will
realize this, then you will chant more. When I come to Australia, you can
receive the diksa-mantras.
Hearing a Fathers Day letter.
[*Endnote Srila Maharajas words inspired further questions two hours later:
[Question:] In this mornings darsana you said we should follow
varna-asrama-dharma. You said we should serve our mother and father and
brothers.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Not only on Fathers Day, but every day.
[Question:] What if we have a material mother, father, and brother?
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:]Those who are grhastha (householders) should do so,
and those who are renounced, who have given up the world, should serve their
holy master.
[Question:] A householder should serve even their material mother and father?
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Yes, they should serve their mother, father and
brothers whether or not their parents are devotees or non-devotees. Otherwise
they will have to go to hell. Everyone who is not a pure devotee has debts to
others in this world. When my father used to come to Mathura, I would take his
foot-dust on my head.
[Sripad Madhava Maharaja:] His father was a devotee.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] Even though I am a sannyasi and he was a grhastha, I
did so. He was my first guru. He taught me Mahabharata, Ramayana and other
scriptures.]
[They serve their parents to inspire them to become devotees. The parents
receive good impressions by remembering how their devotee children always gave
respect to them, and brought them prasadam and good news about the best thing
for their eternal welfare. ed.]
Editorial Advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja, Sripad Brajanath
dasa, Sri Prema-prayojana dasa
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Transcriber: Vasanti dasi
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