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Newcomers who do not have faith yet, will pose a question - “What is the use of performing ‘nagar-sankirtana’ (loud congregational chanting of the holy names outdoors)? It is sheerly useless! Why put so much effort in this? Hardly anyone listens anyway, so what effect it is going to have?!”
Please ask this to Sriman Mahaprabhu, to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, to our Goswamis- why have you performed this activity? If you are not able to understand, then don’t ask this question. Since they [our previous acaryas] have performed this, we will also do so. This is called following (in the footsteps).
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The word ‘gayatri’ implies guru-gayatri mantra, kama-gayatri mantra etc. These all are termed as gayatri mantras. In these gayatri mantras, What is 'vidmahe'? 'vidmahe' means sambandha-jnana.
I know you. What do I know?
Who am I? I am your servant. I am the servant of Krsna. This knowledge of one's eternal relation (sambandha jnana) gets manifested from the gayatri mantra. 'krsnanandaya' - You give pleasure to Krsna and Krsnā.
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How many people perform acamana before chanting the diksa mantras? I estimate that there may only be a handful practicing this as per the injunctions. One also needs to understand - What is the purpose of doing acamana? ‘acamana’ leads to ‘bhuta-suddhi’. How is this? ‘Om visnave namah.’ What does that mean? ‘Oh Lord Visnu! Since You are omnipresent and since You are seeing me, taking you as witness, I offer my obeisances i.e. whatever material pride I have, like I consider this body to be myself, etc... Renouncing all such misidentifications, I am surrendering myself unto You. Try doing acamana like this.
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“I accept my Guru but I do not follow him, his instructions” - what is this? Like nonsense! Nothing.
Not only by words, you should try to follow from the core of your heart. Each instruction what he has given is all important. Only [thinking] ‘I am disciple’ it will not do.
Only coming and going and hearing will not do. What we are hearing, we should try to follow.
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If you have no taste in chanting the holy names, again and again, you should do. Don’t be distressed. Don’t be hopeless. Again and again, you will do, this is the medicine and diet also, harinama. And then what is the essence of all the instructions?
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Manah Siksa and the section about 'Anartha-nivrtti' from Madhurya Kadambini - understand these very thoroughly. After this, when lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and envy will go away then one will not commit offences to the holy name, Vaisnavas, while doing seva, etc. Only then can one enter the pastimes of Mahaprabhu. And after entering the pastimes of Mahaprabhu, then entry into the pastimes of Krsna will be possible.
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This is the specialty of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, which is not there in any other sampradayas. The feeling of bosom relationship of this world [laukika sat-bandhu]. Like, Krsna is my beloved. Krsna is my friend. Krsna is my son. This worldly mood will exist. However it is not worldly. It is transcendental. Krsna is also transcendental. The devotee is also transcendental. But towards Krsna, one will possess a mood like an intimate relationship of this world. Otherwise vraja-prema cannot become realised.
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Advaita Acarya is Sadashiva like Vishnu. So He is non-different from Visnu, so He is Advaita. And he is the preacher of the holynames and giving prema; so he is Acarya. His father’s name was Kuvera. He was doing austerities for Sadashiva. After a long time, Shiva became happy and told that I will come as your son. So Sadashiva came as his son [Advaita Acarya].
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Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari, they always serve Srimati Radhika. They are solely inclined towards Radhika. Without Radhika, they cannot live. If Krsna is defeated by Srimati Radhika, they are overjoyed and clapping. And if Krsna defeats Srimati Radhika then some problems come. They do like this [hang their head down]. So, these manjaris are always with Radhika, at all times.
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So, this is our paramapara. Then they will sprinkle their mercy [with this blessing-] “Oh! [May you have] Raganuga bhakti, in the guidance of Rupa Gosvami." You should serve Radha-Krsna conjugal but bending towards Radhika. This is very, very secret. I have brought you all for this. Svamiji [AC Bhaktivedānta Swami] wanted to give but there was no time to give. He wanted. So, in their [disciplic] line, I am telling so many things about Raganuga. No one else is speaking. All are silent. But I am not silent. Oh! I should go to hell, no harm, but they should all have Raganuga bhakti. [applause] But you will have to surrender.
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So, whatever you gave to me, it is not to me. I am giving it to my Gurudeva’s lotus feet. So abhimana (pride) should not come, false ego, that I am now Guru. I want to save [myself] from all this false ego. I want to be guru sevaka. What I have, I have only by guru seva.
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Caitanya Mahaprabhu, what has He done for going to Vraja? Only chanting of 3 lakh harinama, it cannot give a person entrance into Vrndavana, Vraja. There must be gopi-anugtya. Following of gopis, following the activities and bhava [moods] of gopis is gopi-anugtya.
