Part 1 -Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - April 16-19, 2007
Tour Report
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
April 16-19, 2007
Srila Narayana Maharaja arrived in Kuala Lumpur (from Penang) on the morning of April 16th. Many local devotees, and also devotees from Bali and the Philippines were there to greet him.
On April 17th he held a long darsana in his apartment, and the transcription of that darsana will be sent to you soon. Devotees from Singapore, Bali, Philippines and Malaysia were present, and they asked many good questions.
Speaking with Ananta Krsna dasa from Bali
That evening, Srila Maharaja arrived at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Matha around 5:30pm.
Greeting the Deities upon arrival at the temple
About 200 devotees and guests were present to hear his lecture. After offering his obeisances to his diksa and siksa gurus and his guru-parampara, Srila Narayana Maharaja began by saying:
I am very happy that so many devotees, not only from here but also from Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines have come.
The purpose of our preaching is to tell what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed to Srila Rupa Gosvami. We should know the purpose the aim and object of our bhajana-sadhana, and then practice. If you do not know the goal of your lives, where will you go? First we should decide our aim and object of our life, and then we should know the process by which we can attain it.
Srila Narayana Maharaja then very elaborately explained the verse of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura (and this explanation will be sent to you soon):
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita
srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah
["Bhagavan Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna and His transcendental abode Sri Vrndavana-dhama are my worshipable objects. The most excellent method of worshipping Krsna is that adopted by the gopis, the young wives of Vraja. Srimad-Bhagavatam is evidence of this. It is the flawless and most authoritative scripture, and Krsna-prema is the fifth and highest achievement of human life, beyond mundane religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and impersonal liberation. This is the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have supreme regard for this conclusion. We have no inclination or respect for any other, cheating opinions."]
Giving class in the temple-room
Initiations were held on the morning of April 18th. About 20 aspiring devotees received initiation.
That evening, Srila Maharaja discussed in brief the five gradations of devotion and devotees, and explained in detail the pastimes and teachings of Sri Prahlada Maharaja. He requested his audience to carefully read the history of Sri Prahlada at least 108 times (Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 7)
Leaving the temple
Srila Narayana Maharaja left for Hawaii on April 19th, where he will spend the next month on a writing retreat.
The next Hari-katha festival is in Houston, Texas, from May 29-July 4. Details for this festival can be found on www.purebhakti.com.
