Excerpts from a lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja on the first day of Kartika, 04 October 2009, New Jagannatha Puri Mandir, Durban, South Africa
Krsna churns the hearts of His devotees
This is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who cannot be captured merely by our endeavour. One can never think, “Now I’ve done so much service, now I’ll surely get the mercy of Krsna...” No, it’s up to Him as He desires, as He likes, as He wishes, because His mercy His causeless, it is not dependent, it is not merely an exchange; there is no business exchange- we put one rand in the donation box and we want one million! “Oh Lord, please give us some blessings, accept our offering...” that’s a business. But Krsna is not like that’; with Krsna one doesn’t know how Krsna will reciprocate! Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sometimes He very easily gives His mercy and other times devotees are performing great, great austerities and still no success! Sometimes it is said that Krsna is not looking at what you offer, Krsna is looking at what you’re holding back. Krsna is interested that we become completely, unalloyed devotees- not just, yes very devotional, not just doing our fair share in serving- no, Krsna wants more than the fair share- Krsna wants everything! And then...still more! And then...still more! And Krsna is just in this way churning, churning the hearts of His devotees! Krsna is playing with the attachments of His devotees, with their eagerness to serve Him and by so many arrangements- sometimes by being present before them, sometimes by being absent...Krsna is somehow or other trying, trying to increase the love in the heart of His devotees. That is His eternal activity. That’s not only going on in the material world, that’s going on in the spiritual world.
When Srila Prabhupada was in his final days, Srila Prabhupada was being served by some of his senior devotees. And at one point, Srila Prabhupada said that he wanted to do a parikrama of Giriraja- of Govardhana. But of course he couldn’t do that because he physically was not fit. But then Prabhupada said...Lokanatha Maharaja came to visit Prabhupada and was speaking about the bullock preaching that they were doing and that they were going with bullock carts and devotees walking to the villages and preaching. Prabhupada said, “Oh, this is very nice.” He liked this very much and said, “yes, we should have many, many, many of such bullock carts- hundreds! Thousands! And in this way we shall conquer India.” And then Prabhupada said, “Yes, I will go on Parikrama of Govardhana on the bullock cart.” So the devotees became divided into two groups: one group was saying, “Yes, yes we must go. It is his desire.” The other group said, “No, he will die...” and it became a whole debate! And finally, one delegation of senior devotees came to Prabhupada and stood in the room and they couldn’t speak. So Prabhupada said, “So, you have come to say something?” and they couldn’t say. But finally, finally, I think Brahmananda spoke and asked Prabhupada not to go. So Prabhupada said, “Oh, you don’t want me to go?” He said, “No Prabhupada, please don’t go” Prabhupada said, “All right, all right, I will not go...” Then everyone was so relieved. And then one of the devotees said, “Prabhupada, Prabhupada you are driving us mad, mad with love!” and Prabhupada said, “That is my duty!” So that is the duty of the spiritual master because he is the transparent via media of Krsna and that is the business of Krsna- to increase the love in His devotees more and more, to drive them to a point where they go mad- mad!
Covered in ignorance
Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura says that we must hear the pastimes of Krsna as described in Srimad Bhagavatam. He says, we must drink, we must drink this transcendental taste, this rasa, this juice of Srimad Bhagavatam. He says, rasamalayam. This alayam he says, it comes from the word laya and laya is one of the eight transformations that come about in the body of a devotee when he is overwhelmed in ecstatic love for Krsna. And that is said is the final symptom, it is the symptom of fainting. Therefore Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura says, hearing Bhagavatam to the point that one faints! It’s said but if one faints then one cannot hear Bhagavatam anymore! But then, when one comes back to his senses he should hear more Bhagavatam and still he faints again. So in this way we’re seeing how Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura is describing how deep a devotee is absorbed in his love for Krsna, how much a devotee is amazed by Krsna, how much a devotee is overwhelmed by Krsna’s unlimited qualities, by his amazing pastimes, his dealings, by his appearance! Just the toes of Krsna’s lotus feet are covered with beautiful nail of mother of pearl! Mother of pear like nails! Quite amazing! Who has that! I keep mine covered! What shall I say...! Krsna! Everything- everything- related to Krsna is amazing! Ascaryavat it says, Krsna is amazing, Krsna’s energy is amazing, Krsna’s arrangements are amazing...Krsna is unlimitedly amazing, overwhelming! But the devotees covered by ignorance cannot fully appreciate.
Thus in our current state, because ignorance is still effecting our consciousness, we are chanting the name of Krsna as if it is coming from thick layers of fog. In our consciousness thick layers of fog are there and out of the fog the Name is appearing. And what kind of Names are we chanting? Simply broken names, simply broken names. So this meditation is our everything. Meditation is what makes the difference. It is what we are meditating upon in life that determines our actions. (Dramatic) Money, money, money is the honey! Then we can work in a casino...So many obsessions! So many different obsessions- wealth, sex, bodily enjoyment, bodily beauty or enjoy power. ‘I, Isvara aham- I am the controller! Me- yes! I am a self-made man!’ All right, calm down! Have a little water! It is said there are many such weaknesses in the heart, where we are in competition with Krsna and these weaknesses make the living being sudram- they make him small minded- narrow minded. They make his universe really small- ‘I and mine! Yes...!’
Restless mind
Sometimes I use the example, when we are chanting japa, and how in the cause of japa our mind is causing us disturbance- constantly distracting us- and that chanting with that materialistic mind is like chanting in a room with a television that is on. And you're walking up and down in the room, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna (look at TV) Krsna Krsna Hare Hare (look at TV) Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare (blocks face) that's Maya! Hare Krsna..." the bad scenes! So in this way our mind is like such a television and all the scenes are there- if you know what I'm talking about...! And of course, on this television there is the favourite series- a favourite series which regularly plays and what is it called? "Starring Me!" Yes! Yes this series never ends; there are many episodes starring me and all my adventures are there. So this is our condition more or less. We are now struggling with our mind, what to do...Even if we are chanting imperfectly, even if we are chanting with limitations, the holy name is Krsna and Krsna is unlimitedly pure and therefore the holy name is so pure that even although we are impurely chanting, still the effect is so great that even the unlimited mountain of sinful reactions that is stored in our heart cannot overshadow the purity of the holy name..
That is how powerful the holy name is. But we are restless, passionate...we cannot fix on Krsna. Our mind is all over the place, our senses are getting disturbed and restless and we think of other things and how long can we carry on with Krsna, although Krsna is the most important and really everything else is meaningless but still we are restless and thinking about other things to do, people to meet, things we want to do, things we need to do...this is the mind- restless mind! Because we are chained, we are chained by the three gunas, we are shackled in the material energy- shackled, bound up- and therefore we don’t know the goal of life.
Kartika- the time to break through
So this month of Kartika, it is the opportunity to break through. Yes, let us increase our meditation on Krsna, let us take shelter of Krsna, let us take shelter of Krsna’s mercy. Krsna’s given us a process. Someone said, ‘during Kartika I’m going to put tilaka in all twelve places!’ That’s good, that’s good because eleven places you don’t see! And it’s only one but it’s supposed to be in twelve, although they’re hard to reach- you know what I mean! But twelve places, and while putting, even chanting all the mantras. Even at night before taking rest- tilaka! Sometimes people come into my room as I’m putting tilaka at night and they say, ‘Maharaja, you’re putting tilaka when you’re going to bed?’ as if it’s something strange! I think it’s strange if you don’t put tilaka any time! That’s strange! How can you go to bed without tilaka? What if you die? The Yamadutas come in the middle of the night; it’s dark, they see some creature without tilaka- ‘whoa! It’s full of sins- Kali yuga. Grab him! Tie him up with ropes! Drag him over a hot road full of suffering’ and finally you come before Yamaraja only to tell you then, ‘oh sorry, it was a mistake...’ (Laughter) So I put my tilaka, you know!
My vow for Kartika
So Kartika is the time to tighten up the loose screws of all the loose ends and to bring it back to the real standard. Kartika! This is our chance- one month! Only one month- of course after that month it becomes a habit! Habits are like that; that if you do something for one month then it’s easy to keep on doing it. So in this way we can take so much advantage- simple things. I thought my main objective is meditation in this month, to increase my remembrance of Krsna and to increase my service both in quantity and quality. And I thought especially I’ll focus on quality because quantity is not so easy. Already there is so much to do in a day, already such a hectic life, how much more can I physically manage? And I don’t want Kartika to become a total stress situation where I’m just doing these very intense vows, the kind of vows that drive me to the edge and that at the end of the month- if I make it till the end- I just hate Kartika and may be even Krsna! Not that, not that. So, no, I will not make it a month full of stress. Therefore I thought, no, this year I will not do something huge, I will not take one really big vow, I thought that I have a different strategy- I’ll take many little one’s! And also Krsna gave me some idea about chanting. I thought I’m going to chant extra rounds but I’m not going to fix it that every day I must chant so many extra rounds but I’ll just fix a number for the whole month and then I can adjust you know. Like, I’ll have my busy days and I’ll chant less and on days that I have the opportunity I’ll chant more and in this way it averages out. And in this way I’ll survive and I’m still chanting extra rounds. I thought it was a good idea! Really!
And then I thought, many small things...Yes, I’ll read something; I thought every night I will read 5 minutes something about Krsna, Krsna book- 5 minutes about Krsna a night. That’s nice. It’s not a big ‘wow wow’- big Kartika vow. But it’s one of those things that you know is nice but that you just get slack in these kind of things. You know that it is a nice thing to do, but you know...it’s just one thing that you don’t do! But I said, no in this month of Kartik I will do. So many such things...I will not tell you everything that I’m going to do but I told you this much just to kind of inspire everyone of how we can do something. It’s still early enough; after this lecture you can quickly jot down a few things that you’re going to do this month. Just a few things, like that. And if we do that, if we really do it...that’s the thing, you must do it. Don’t say, ‘I will do it’ and then don’t do it- do it, do it for that month! So such a change, you’ll be surprised! You’ll surprise yourself! Really! You’ll find that your Krsna consciousness would have so much increased just from one month like this practising in the month of Kartika.
Offering the lamp- a meditation
And every night we must offer the lamp- that must be done every day! Some Kartika’s I really was in a difficult situation that I didn’t have anything, so if I didn’t have a lamp and I was just somewhere, I just offered a matchstick! But at least I offered my flame to the picture. Of course if you even can’t do that- because on a plane, for example, you can’t do that- then we can offer in the mind. For most of us that’s the easy way out! But for one month if we could just do that, just offer this lamp, we will see that it will create strength on our meditation on the Supreme Lord. As we offer the lamp, not just mechanically- one, two, three- no, no; first at the feet of the Lord, then the waist of the Lord, then the face of the Lord and then around the body of the Lord- feet, waist, face and around the body of the Lord- and then the devotees of the Lord. And if we do this every night- feet, waist, face and body and if we wave the lamp, how deep is our meditation! Yes, we start our meditation on Krsna’s lotus feet and then gradually rise up until we come to His shining face, His effulgent face! The Bhagavatam is compared to that: 1st and 2nd canto- the lotus feet of Krsna. And then gradually up to the 10th Canto, which is compared to the face of Krsna- the intimate pastimes of Krsna.
And we see how mother Yasoda, only after she gave everything, after she made a sacrifice, captured Krsna. We have to make a sacrifice for Krsna if we wish to capture Him. We cannot be here on automatic pilot; we must somehow or other capture Krsna by making a special sacrifice. Then when we have captured Krsna, we saw that one cannot keep Krsna also. Mother Yasoda captured Krsna and Krsna was not only bound by Mother Yasoda’s ropes but Krsna was bound by Mother Yasoda’s love. But when Krsna was 11 years old, then Akrura came and Akrura took Krsna away from Vrndavana. And from that day on they lived in separation and from that day on all the residents from Vrndavana, no matter what they did, they could not capture Krsna because it’s not automatic. And Krsna was driving them mad- mad in separation! Mad in their attachment to Him! So one has to earn Krsna’s favour again and again. This is an important point and therefore, again and again we are trying. But still, Krsna is such that whatever service is rendered to Him, He will never forget. So if we render this service in the month of Kartika, Krsna will not forget.
Kartika- for the busy people
So let’s not just think, ‘well, I’m too busy...’ This morning I also spoke and my lecture is partially repeating some of the things I said this morning and one story... In 1986, I was very busy because I was in charge of the construction of Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi in Mayapur. And there was no limit- no limit- in what had to be arranged for that building. One day I looked at that Samadhi and it looked just like a huge face with a big mouth and the mouth just said, ‘Aniyor! Aniyor! Aniyor! Bring me more! Bring me more!’ And I brought trucks of cement and steel and bricks and stone and marble, and I brought engineers and draughts men and drawings and technical experts and labours and I broke labour strikes to bring more work and I had to deal with endless things and I was chanting my rounds during mangal arati because I had to start working at six and in the evening I was so tired that I couldn’t chant anymore and I would just crash…and I was just so totally busy!!! And in the middle of that, one day Lokanatha Maharaja appears in 1986! At that time Lokanatha Maharaja had the padayatra. And the padayatra had a mad elephant! This elephant was heavy; it had picked up people and had thrown them about! And there was a camel that would bite people! And then there were many villagers from India, and all these villagers, (imitates) ‘ha ha ha’- many of them! And then they had so many dioramas and exhibitions and tractors and everything! And Lokanatha Maharaja came to me and said, “I want you to look after the padayatra when we come to Mayapur.” I said, “Maharaja, Maharaja, Maharaja, please Maharaja, have mercy! Maharaja, I am so busy, Maharaja, I am so busy that it’s…Maharaja, I, I have hardly time to chant my rounds! One more straw Maharaja, it will break the camel’s back…” I thought finished, you know- got rid of Lokanatha Maharaja! And then he starts and he said, “You know, in my village, they say that if you want to get something done, you go to a busy man.” He said, “because a man who is not busy, is a lazy man. So if you go to him he won’t do anything! But a busy man is by nature very active- he may be busy and he may not be able to do so much but at least he’ll do something! So if you want something done you go to a busy man!” What could I say after that! Defeated by village logic! It’s like totally practical!
So there I was and I had a camel that was biting all the time and I had to really watch out for this camel! And then I kept a safe distance from the elephant! And then all the villagers, (imitates) “ah, there is no water, pani nahi he, pani nahi he!” and “we are hungry” you know, and “we want drinks, we want maha prasadam!” God they wanted everything! And I was like the father of the padayatra! And that’s how they saw me! They wanted pocket money- they wanted everything! They wanted to pick my pockets! It was too much!
So this story is there for all of you because I know you are all busy people. And I know that since you are all very busy, you all have no time. Yes, and I would have sympathized with you….until I met Lokanatha Maharaja! And he just totally smashed my illusion and made it completely clear that yes, sorry, if you are busy, you are the right person! You’re the right person to do something extra! Something extra- may be not a big thing but at least something, because busy people are by nature active. So yes, you are the right people for Kartika! Kartika is made for you, for you busy people- too busy people! Yes- many busy people! For all of you busy people, there is this month of Kartika to become a little more busy! (Applause)Hmmm….very nice! So in this way we can all be busy in the service of Krsna and do something special. A little sacrifice- small but nice! Nice means not only sometimes- no, everyday! Nice we keep it and for a whole month- that’s nice. Even those days that’s impossible, the day that everything went wrong- ‘oh my God...’ How was your day today? ‘Oh, don’t talk about it! It was a hell of a day!’ Did you chant your Kartika slokas yet? ‘Oh no, not my Kartika slokas!’ Yes, your Kartika slokas! Did you finish your Kartika rounds? ‘Oh no, not my Kartika rounds!’ Yes, your Kartika rounds!!!
The mercy of Krsna
But somehow or other, there will be some moments in this month , of hardship, there will be some moments of struggle, there will be some moments of austerity, there will be some moments when the mind says, ‘This is not reasonable!’ When the minds says, ‘no, no, no, this goes beyond what is feasible- be reasonable! Do what is feasible! You, you have all the good reasons in this world to not fulfil this vow!’ Just at that point, become a little rude and say, ‘Shut up mind! Shut up!’ and get serious. And just somehow or other with struggle, carry on. And later again it’s easier and easier and somehow or other then, when it gets really difficult, what are we going to do? Then we come to the point where mother Yasoda came; she couldn’t tie Krsna- how difficult it was! She tried everything and she became exhausted! And she came to the point where she just couldn’t do anymore and she gave everything she had, she went to her limits and it was not enough! Then is the time to pray, then when you go to your limits and you’re trying for Krsna and it’s enough, then you pray to Krsna, ‘Oh Lord, please help me. Oh Krsna, please give me strength. Oh Krsna, I am so weak, I cannot even fulfil my vow. I am about to break it, please help me now, help me now to complete it.’ And by that mercy of Krsna, by the mercy of Krsna we will be able to complete it and by the mercy of Krsna, He will shower His blessings upon us- undoubtedly. And in this month of Kartika, we can make so much advancement. And this is what it’s for and that is why today I do three inspirational Kartik programs in three different places because I want to tell as many people as possible- do it!
I know, I know, you’re busy people- so Kartika is for you! This is the way to attract the mercy of Krsna. And in that way, Kartika is the month of a combination of endeavour and receiving the mercy of Krsna. And that mercy is very sweet and that mercy will increase our love for Krsna. And once our love for Krsna increases then gradually our interest changes and then our meditation on Krsna increases. Instead of thinking about this world and (dramatic) ‘what people are saying about me, and my boss is giving me so much trouble and it’s a whole scam; they lock you in a contract and you know, they just take over your whole life and it’s just too much and every day I have to sit in a traffic and crime is just too much and I feel cold and it’s just not warming up and the prices are going up and 2010 is coming and it’s going to be a total mess and they’re spending millions and millions on a football stadium meanwhile we are starving! What’s going on? And it’s such a mess!...oh yes, I still have a few rounds left...I totally forgot, oh dear! Oh God I forgot to chant these three rounds! Shall I chant them today, shall I chant them tomorrow? Shall I chant them today, shall I chant them tomorrow? Shall I chant them today...hmmm; maybe I should sew on another button! And then go quicker in finishing my rounds!’ No, when our love for Krsna is increasing then we naturally remember Krsna. Then we’re fulfilling the purpose of life. This is the perfection.
So let us in this way enter into this month of Kartik...
Question: When I think of meditation it seems too high for me to comprehend...
Maharaja: No, no, no; you meditate every day. As I said, people meditate on money, they meditate on a new car, they meditate on a new house or on a relationship. No, meditation is not something ethereal; I’m not talking about that. Meditation simply means, what can I do for Krsna, that Krsna is important, that Krsna becomes more important than material things. (Sings) ‘Did you see the movies? Did you read the paper?’ Just say no. Not for Kartik. May be there should be a few ‘no’ things in Kartik- no movies, no newspapers, no TV, stay off the internet and I can give you the form and all you have to do is tick on the notes, no, no, no...and then another form for the chanting: chanting- yes! Reading some Bhagavad Gita- yes! Wearing devotional clothes when we come home- yes! We wear on Sundays; I see lots of dhotis and lots of kurtas and lots of tilaka. On weekdays, are you also wearing dhotis and tilaka? Or at the end of Sunday, you step out of the dhoti, hang it on a hanger...next Sunday you just step back in! Is it? How about in Kartika, when you come home, to every night to put on devotional clothes and tilaka? Take shower when you come home, put tilaka- 12 places- and then dhoti and the whole thing! Your wife will say, ‘what happened to you? Are you well? Shall I call a doctor?’ You say, ‘No, I haven’t felt so good for a long time!’ And it’s just a matter of changing dress and see the effects. So there’s lots of things that can be done. And that’s all part of meditation because when I speak of meditation, I simply mean make Krsna the priority and take shelter of what Krsna gave us. We cannot see Krsna face to face, we cannot hear Krsna’s flute but we can see the mercy that He gave us, which comes on those rules that are part of the system of devotional service. Let’s be strict for one month- it’s only one month! So let’s be strict for one month and see what happens...Why? To please Krsna! That is meditation.
Question: When we offer lamps to Yasoda Damodar, do we have to offer to the Deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra?
Maharaja: Yes, yes, yes; They are also Krsna. So yes, we offer to Them also.
Question: What is the significance of offering lamps in the month of Kartik?
Maharaja: The lamp is simply an offering that we are making for the pleasure of Krsna. At the same time, by the light of the lamp, we are focusing on our meditation. And as I said, we meditate on the lotus feet; first around the feet and around the waist, then around the beautiful lotus face of the Lord. Take your time; don’t rush your lamp. Take your time, look at Krsna’s lotus face now and then around His entire body- worship Krsna in His totality, in all His energies. And then turn around finally, after worshipping all the Deities of Krsna, and worship His devotees, realising that one reaches Krsna through His devotees. And if in this way we meditate while offering the lamp, then we find that our bhakti becomes deeper.
Question: When will our endeavour in Kartika become an over endeavour? How do we balance just being lazy to make an effort and over endeavouring?
Maharaja: Over endeavouring means that it begins to interfere with our basic spiritual duties. We take on a fast that is so rigid that after three days, you’re already dizzy and then only 27 more to go...on the 5th day, we see double! And after one week, we have to walk on crutches but we carry on! On the 4th week, it’s the wheel chair! And in the end of Kartika, it’s going to be the funeral! This is certainly over endeavour! So, the goal of Kartika is not austerity. There is austerity involved but the goal is not austerity- the goal is to shift our meditation from thinking about material things to spending more time to thinking about Krsna. When I say meditation I say, let’s think more about Krsna and let’s do things that are favourable for thinking more about Krsna. More is not required because we just do these vows to think more about Krsna- not to starve ourselves and do other incredible austerities.
Question: Since being introduced to Krsna consciousness I have always felt unworthy of the precious gift. I try to endeavour but I fear I will never please Krsna, that I could never serve Him. How does one know that Krsna is pleased with one’s attempt and service?
Maharaja: We know that Krsna is pleased when the vaisnavas are pleased, when our spiritual master is pleased. And then we will become pleased; we will feel actually pleased in our heart. Then we know that Krsna is pleased. When our spiritual master is pleased, then Krsna is very pleased. When the vaisnavas, the senior vaisnavas are pleased, then we know that Krsna is pleased. It’s simple and it’s also not so difficult. (Dramatic) ‘Uh, how to please Krsna? Uh....let me think about it...uh, what will I do please Krsna? It’s very difficult...’ well, read the Bhagavad Gita maybe, because those are Krsna’s words! All right, and what does He say? Patram puspam phalam toyam, ‘offer Me a flower, a fruit or leaf, some water...’ He says,
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
(Bg 9.27)
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever sacrifice you make, do it as an offering to Me.” So make a few offerings to Krsna. Do something that will please Krsna as He describes it in the Bhagavad Gita. For example, Krsna is saying, kamais tais stair hrta-jnanah prapadyante ‘nya-devatah, ‘he who worships other devatas, his knowledge is stolen by material desires- by lust. So if anyone still has somewhere a hidden corner of demigod worship, maybe follow that verse from Bhagavad Gita, from the 7th Chapter, and give it up in the month of Kartika. Make a sacrifice and say...and give away that deity to some relative who is still worshipping the demigods, and just say, ‘from this day on, I will serve only Krsna!’ So there’s a lot we can do in terms of sacrifice- a lot!
So let’s take a step closer to Krsna this Kartika...