Tuesday, 28th February, 2012.
HH Jayapataka Swami Guru Maharaj (GM) has been having a starched out
schedule since the ILS.
Yesterday he came back from Parikrama and kept meeting the devotees from
various yatras until the late night.
GM left the temple at 8.30 Am but as we reached the Srila Prabhupada’s
bhajan kutir, we were informed on the state wide strike in West Bengal and
one of our van’s carrying prasdam for the parikrama devotees was stopped by
the protestors. Hence, a police escort was arranged after 30 minutes of
waiting.
GM headed of straight to the International group who were to be meet at
Panca Veni, but as we reached there we found out that they hadn’t reached
yet, so off GM went to the Hindi group who had camped at Pratapnagar.
The Hindi party have a long journey today they would cross Ganga and goto
Shankarpur . This group was being led by H.H Radha Raman Maharaj and H.H
Rama Govinda Maharaj.
As the devotees were packed and ready to leave, GM spoke from the car. GM
spoke about different places such as Mahatpur where the Pandavas lived some
time during their exile. Here they killed many demons so devotees could
live in peace.
Here Maharaj Yudhistir had a dream that in Kali Yuga that his friend
Krishna and Balaram would come again and Ekachakra was Balaram’s birthplace
and they came to Navadwip to see Krishna’s birthplace. Here they were
staying on a tila and had a kunda called as Drupadi kunda.
Maharaj Yudhistir in another dream saw that Krishna in Kailyuga became
Gauranga Mahaprabhu and he along with his brothers (Pandavas) appeared with
Gauranga.
From there we came back to Panca Veni where the International devotees
where waiting for GM. Several senior devotees were present here such as H.H
Bhakti Caitanya Swami, H.H Sacinandana Swami, H.H. Loknath Swami, H.H. Maha
Vishnu Swami.
GM spoke on the importance of Panca Veni that if one takes bath here he is
goes back to the spiritual world at the end of his life and the previous
place that the international group had been to- Ucha Hata. GM said in Ucha
Hata the Devas would come and dance with their hands raised. Ucha means
rised and Hata refers to hands. Hence, the name.
In Kuladwipa one gets freed from his offense. Here one gets forgiven from
all his offense and he forgives all those who may have offended him knowing
or unknowingly.
The nine islands represent the nine forms of devotional service. We should
always remember how beautiful are Panca Tattva and Radha Madhava. Panca
Tattva are so merciful they don’t consider who is qualified and who is not,
they give mercy to everyone.
After GM ‘s class, H.H Sacinandan Maharaj came to meet GM. A very
heartfelt exchange took place. Maharaj glorified GM as a personal source of
inspiration to him and to the world wide society of devotees. He
repeatedly said that GM’s will power and enthusiasm is too strong and is
deeply moved by it and travelling to all the 4 groups despite the physical
conditions touched him a lot.
GM thanked Maharaj for organizing the Harinam Yajna (Kirtan Mela) and said
that he was watching it all the time on the TV in his room and GM also
participated 2 times a day in the Kirtans. GM said the TOVP temple hall
would prove too small for the Kirtan Mela and we should have a Harinam
stadium for such events.
After this sweet exchange GM left for the Russian party who were stationed
at Champahati. Senior devotees such as H.H.Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj, H.H.
Kavicandra Maharaj, H.H. Bhakti Dhira Damodar Maharaj and H.H. Bhakti
Ananta Krishna Maharaj.
GM here spoke on the past time of how Srila Gaura Gadai came here in the
form of their deities by the request of Dvija Vani Nath, brother of Srila
Gadhadar Prabhu and GM said we should preserve our Bhakti as a jewel and
not let the rouges and thieves steal it. After GM’s lecture, a drama by the
Russian was performed.
From here we left for Surabhi Kunj to meet the Bengali Party. On GM arrival
a fired up kirtan was on. H.H Kavichandra Maharaj and H.G Jagajivan prabhu
took part and danced in it.
H.H Kavichandra Maharaj spoke first and praised GM as a example of
preaching and how Srila Prabhupada had said that he would preach all over
Indian and make many disciples.
After that, GM here spoke on how the world headquarters of Namahatta was
established by Lord Nityananda here and this is also the residence of
Surabhi cows.
GM described how Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur worked very hard to establish
the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, he asked local Muslim villagers about a
place on the other side of Ganga that a light was coming from there. They
replied it was a useless place where nothing except Tulasi grew. When Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakur took Srila Jagannath Das Babaji there, though he was
more than 100 years old and had to keep his eye open using a match stick
started dancing in ecstasy when he reached that spot.
GM narrated a past time how one devotee once said to Srila Prabhupada that
he felt compassion on the fallen souls sometimes, Srila Prabhupada asked
him why only sometimes and why not all the time? So, Srila Prabhupada is
concerned about the welfare of all the conditions all the time. GM was in
ecstasy as began explaining the song purport of Srila Locan Das Thakur’s
song.
After the lecture we headed back to the Mayapur temple and reached around 4
PM.
End of JPS Navadwip Mandal Parikrama diary day 3.
==============================
HH Jayapataka Swami Guru Maharaj started today at 8.30 Am from our temple in
Mayapur and first
went to Sri Chand Kazi samadhi to speak at the Hindi party.
GM narrated the past time of how Chand Kazi had stopped the Sankirtan party
and later in the night, Lord Narasimha apperared in his dream and warned
him never to do so again and scratched Chand Kazi with his nails. Though it
was a dream when he woke up it was still there.
We should make our determination to serve the Lord under all the conditions
stronger. Human life is short.
After this past time, GM informed the devotees that he had received a
letter from H.H Sivarama Maharaj informing him that the Hungarian
parliament has accepted ISKCON as a bonafide religious organization among
the only 32 in country.
But we still have the court case in Russia where the State prosecutors are
trying to ban the Bhagavad Gita As It Is terming it as extremist literature
and today was also the hearing of our land in Kurukshetra in Harayana High
Court. So, GM said in this holy place of Navadwip dham we should pray to
Lord Caitanya for favourable out come so that Srila Prabhupada’s desire
for a temple where Bhagavad Gita was spoken comes true and also pray that
the verdict in Russian Bhagavad Gita courtcase comes in our favorl. GM had
all the devotees chant the below prayer, followed by chanting Panca Tattva
Mantra and Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.
“My dear Lord Caitanya, we are surrendered souls to you. His Divine Grace
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wanted to develop the place
where Bhagavad Gita was spoken. And the matter has been tied up by the high
court, if it is your desire please allow this to favorably end this case
for fulfilling Srila Prabhupada desire and to preach Bhagavad Gita.”
GM said the Hindi party is fortunate to have H.H Radha Raman Maharaj to
lead them.
From there, GM headed to Pratap Nagar to meet the Russian Party and reached
there at 11 Am. The Russian devotees had just finished honoring prasadam.
Gm here spoke on how in our devotional service to Lord we should approach
Krishna as a servant, friend, parent or lover. Gopis are lovers in
Vrindavan and the queens in Dwarka are serving as wife. Some devotees are
in the mood of a friend or parent.
GM there spoke about Mahatpur. It is named after the Pandavas, who for a
while during their exile stayed here. The further glories of Mahatpur is
that anyone who see’s the Mahatpur gets Bhakti.Even those who tell about
Mahatpur they get freed from sins.
Even Madhavacharya had come to Mahatpur and had a vision of Lord Caitanya,
where in Lord Caitanya instructed him to bring people back to Bhakti from
the folds of Mayavada. Lord Caitanya also told him in future he would take
initiation in his sampradaya and instructed Madhavacarya to always remember
him and spread the message on how deity form of the Lord is very important.
Ramajunaja too had come here and saw Lord Narayana along with his consorts
Sridevi and Bhu devi. But we have not yet found where is the place of that
Viakuntha vision and need little more research to locate this site.
From here GM reached the samadhi and bhajan kutir of Srila Jagannath Das
Babaji at 1 pm to meet the Bengali devotees. The temple hall was fully
packed and kirtan was in full swing. GM first took darshan of Srila
Jagannath Das Babaji and Deities he worshipped. GM then spoke in the temple
hall about different past time of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji and his
extreme humility.
From there GM headed to Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s house which was
almost one and half hour drive to speak at the international party. H.H.
Maha Vishnu Maharaj was leading the kirtan and devotees who were dancing
raised dust from the ground, which later GM commented as being extreme good
fortune to dance here as the dust here is from Nitai and Gauranga’s lotus
feet.
GM said here in Vidyanagar, Saraswati resides and Vidyanagar is place to
get knowledge of Krishna and memorize sloka. He also said the trees here
are from the time of Lord Caitanya and are said to have no comparison in
the creation.
Its difficult to get Krishna bhakti but Lord Caitanya is giving it very
easily. Krishna stole butter and gave to monkeys, Nitai and Gaura they
plundered the treasure house of Prema and distributed it to all.
Then GM narrated the past time of how when Lord Caitanya when came back to
Navadwip as a sanyasai, he had stayed at the house of Vidya Vacaspati,
brother of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. He wanted to meet his mother but
the news of Gauranga’s return had created a chaos in Navadwip and all the
residents were taking any means to reach here to meet the Lord Chaitanya.
That day the Ganga became black in color (due to the color of hair) as all
one could see was devotees swimming to cross the river.
GM informed the devotees here about the Hungarian legislation and thanked
H.H Gopal Krishna Maharaj for his tireless effort to resolve this case at
all levels. GM then prayed for Kurukshetra and Bhagavad Gita case in Russia.
From here GM went to a disciple’s house where he had his lunch along with
other Sanyasis and Godbrothers. From here, we headed back to Mayapur and
reached the temple at 8.30 Pm
End of JPS Navadwip Mandal Parikrama diary for day four.
Yudhistir Govinda Das