I get the opportunity to speak Harikatha in between. I was to come here before but Lord's desire was different. But wherever we are, if we remember the Supreme Lord then we get the highest auspiciousness. I went to Vrindavan but thinking of Delhi. Where am I? Am I in Vrindavan or in Delhi? Now, I have been to France. There, have I got any remembrance of the transcendental realm Vrindavan? Or have I got the remembrance of the Holy place where Sadhus are delivering Harikatha? We should give our special attention; this (India) is the place of Sadhus, where Bhagavat Dharma, Bhakti Dharma was preached by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Where did the discussion about Bhagavat Dharma take place for the first time? It took place in Badrikashram. There was only one listener and one speaker at that time. There was no other sound. Which place did they decide for the first meeting? Badrinarayan. Veda Vyasa Muni was speaking Bhagavat Katha and Sukadeva Goswami was listening. Both were completely absorbed in it. No other noise.

I told this in Kolkata also; when I go to Kolkata there is so much surrounding noise of vehicles. It is better not to have such sounds while speaking and listening to Harikatha. You should listen to Harikatha very attentively. Our body will perish one day, where will it go? Should I see people’s behaviour and speak Harikatha, no, no. For how many days will people show their behaviour? We may leave our body at any time. So whatever ideal conducts our sages have shown us, we must meditate on that. Then where did the second session of Bhagavatam discourse take place? It was at Sukartal at the banks of Ganges. There, thousands and thousands of devotees, saints, Muni, sages and kings, all were present. You could hear a pin drop . Parashuram from Dasavatar was also there.

When Sukadeva Goswami came, everyone got up and greeted him, then all were hearing him. Before, many of them advised Parikshit Maharaj to follow the path of Karma, many suggested to follow the path of Gyan (knowledge) and others something else but Sukadeva Goswami told him, “Maharaj Parikshit, I was perfectly situated in knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-gyan) since birth. But now because of the grace of my Guru and father, my heart has gone to Krishna. I heard and sang Krishna’s name, beauty, qualities, pastimes, and greatness with great attention.” Here, he is speaking about the Absolute. So, see, there, they are in lakh numbers. Even if a pin falls its noise can be heard. If we people do just show off, we will not gain anything. Concentration is necessary. When we do Bhajan, chanting we must do it with a lot of concentration. Hearing also should be with concentration. To concentrate our mind on the object of worship, that is our purpose. When that does not happen then what is the gain? That is why they have shown here.

Third sitting was at Naimisharanya. There also, not one or two thousand, but sixty thousands Shaunkadi Rishis were present. All were hearing. Suta Goswami was speaking. Could you give me one example where Bhagavatam was being spoken amidst clamor? There is no example. Here the deity Sri Radha Shyamsundar was installed by Vaishnavas. Wherever deities are installed by a Vaishnava, that place is non-different from Navadwip Dham, Purushottam Dhama, Vrindavan Dhama. This is not a part of Delhi. We go to Vrindavan Dhama. Vrindavan Dhama has descended from above, it does not belong to India. With this material body, we cannot go to Vrindavan Dhama. Bhagavan is transcendental. His Dhama is also transcendental. His associates are also transcendental. Not material. With this material body you cannot enter into the transcendental realm, never. But we say, we went to Vrindavan Dhama. Vrindavan Dhama has incarnated. It is transcendental land, not material. When we take shelter of Bhagavan and His devotees then Vrindavan Dhama will be manifested in our hearts.

I am in Math now. Why did I wish to come here from the hospital? If we are in hospital can we come to the temple? This (Math) is Dhama, where we hear from devotees, sing the glories and serve Bhagavan, Navada-bhakti, Panchvidha-bhakti, Nama-sankirtan, 64 types of bhakti. Math is Dhama. Whoever stays in Dhama, they serve their worshipable Lordships. I will speak about Vrindavandas Thakur in a little while. We should remember the definition of Bhakti. sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ .. We have to be completely free from all kinds of material designations (upādhi). Even a tint of it should not remain.

It is written in Narad Pancaratra and mentioned in Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu. This body is also one kind of material designation. If we think we are this body, then we cannot get Bhakti. By thinking that we are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudra, and Brahmacari, Sanyasi etc, we will not get Bhakti. When we do worship (arcana), we recite the verse—gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ —I am not Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudra or Brahmacari, Grihasth, Vanprastha, Sanyasi but I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Lord Sri Krishna. Just by speaking from mouth nothing will happen. Like this by being completely free (vinirmuktaṁ) we should think, I am of Krishna, Krishna’s Dhama and Krishna’s Bhakta. Tat-paratvena niramalam—we should become pure. There are three modes of material nature (triguṇa). From Rajogun, mode of passion, material nature is born. By Satvaguna, mode of goodness, it is protected and maintained, and from Tamoguna, mode of ignorance, destruction takes place. These three modes of material nature cause material bondage. If we stay in these triguṇa, then Haribhajan will not be possible. This subtle body and gross body, are all under the three modes of material nature.

This all—the five elements, mind, intelligence and ego—belong to the external potency of the Supreme Lord, But according to Gita, the soul (ātmā) is a part of internal potency. Bhagavan is the master of material nature. Bhagavan is also the master of our gross body, subtle body and soul. Those that belong to the master will be engaged in the service of that master. If they are engaged somewhere else, then it is dishonesty. That is not Bhakti. All kinds of egos of this world must be removed from our hearts. It is very difficult. Who am I? He, who stays forever, is Hari—hari oṁ tat sat. He is ‘tat sat'—beyond our material senses. The material organs are perishable. The body is also perishable. This body is perishable and all the senses belong to the body are also perishable. How can we comprehend the imperishable thing by our perishable material senses? All the senses will be destroyed when our body is destroyed. We must see with transcendental eyes. With a transcendental body only, we can serve transcendental Bhagavan. I am of Him. With this sort of ego, we can serve the master of senses and that is Bhakti. How will this happen? Now, I am sleeping and all others are also asleep. Then who will wake up whom? Even one person who is awake can awaken innumerable millions of people. But if everyone is asleep then who will wake up whom? The material body, material things, different countries, different religions, because of the ‘me and mine’ mindset, we all fight among ourselves.

Today is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s disappearance day. Vrindavan Das Thakur has got special mercy from Nityananda Prabhu, he has got Mantra from Him. Nityananda Prabhu is Baladeva. Narottam Das Thakur writes, vrajendranandana jei, śacī-suta hailo sei, balarāma hoilo nitāi—Lord Krishna, who is the son of the King of Vraja, became the son of Sachi (Lord Chaitanya), and Balaram became Nitai. Who is Vrajendranandan? He is Nandnandan Sri Krishna. Balaram becomes Nitai. Krishna’s spiritual potency is Sri Radha. Who is the combined manifestation of Radha-Krishna? Outside is Radha’s effulgence, golden color. And inside He is Krishna Himself—Who is He? He is Gauranga. Sri Radha-Krishna is our object of worship. And to give us the Bhakti of Radha-Krishna, in Dvaparyuga, 28th Caturyuga in Vaivasata Manvantar, He came. What is the age of one Manu? There are 432,000 years in one Kaliyuga. Double this time is Dvaparyuga, thrice is Tretayuga, and four times is Satyayuga. Satya, Treta, Dvapar, Kaliyuga—one Caturyuga—43,200,000 years. Like this when seventy-one Caturyuga comes to an end, and then the life of one Manu comes to an end. Now, Vaivasata Manvantar is going on, the seventh Manvantar. The 28th Caturyuga is going on. At the end of Dvaparyuga, Kaliyuga started. In Dvaparyuga, Krishna came with His own associates and then He left. He did not give the love to anyone, but Krishna wished to know, “What is that sweetness in Me that when Radharani sees Me, She gets so attracted towards Me?” He thought, “Let Me take Radharani’s Bhava (mood).” Then, taking Radharani's mood He came as Gauranga, to taste Vipralambha-rasa (separation mellow). He came to distribute Vraja-prem, Unnatojwala Rasa to everyone. He is Audaryamaya Vigrah (most munificent form).

He instructed everyone, commanded them and then left this world. His associates, Rupa-Sanatan Goswami, Swarup Damodar, Ray Ramanand, Srivas, Narottam Thakur, also left. After that, everyone forgot the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sampraday is there but a lot of apa-sampradāya (false sects) also came out. Scriptures were there, Bhagavat was there, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Chaitanya Caritamrit, Chaitanya Bhagavat was there, Goswami’s Grantha (scriptures) were also there, everything was there. There were learned scholars also but they did not understand its hidden truth/meaning, everyone preached their own philosophy. Apa-sampradāya has its own opinion. Whatever Mahaprabhu preached was forgotten. Then He had to send His associates from Goloka-Vrindavan, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, and after him, taking his shelter, our Paramgurudev, Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur, Nayanamani Manjari, descended. They came and refuted the thoughts of all false sects and preached the pure doctrine of Mahaprabhu’s real teachings. Bhaktivinoda Thakur had accepted (Grihastha Ashram) household life. He saw what a household person does and according to that, instructed them. He wrote more than one hundred books and his son took the life of an ascetic (Sanyas Ashram) and he preached over the whole world. Bhaktivinoda Thakur has already said that this Parampara will never be interrupted. This was his expectation but still darkness can come. This we will not understand by our mind and ego. Padma Puran says, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ—the Mantra which is not taken from bona-fide sampradāya will not be fruitful. If people lose faith in the leaders of sampradāya, then it will be finished. The worldly people cannot give that knowledge, they do not know, therefore cannot speak. It is the Parampara, and knowledge descends through this preceptorial channel.

Now, today is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s disappearance day and Vaishakh Krishna Dwadashi is his appearance day, so afterwards it will come. He has come in Vaishakh Month and disappeared in Vaishakh month. Whom did he accept as his parents? He was born to Vaikunthanath Vipra. All of you do Navadwip Dhama Parikrama, have you seen Modadruma Dvipa? We say Mamgachi. There is Gaur Nityananda. That is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s place. Narayani Devi, she is Srivas Pandit’s brother’s daughter. What do you say? Bhatiji/niece. She is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s mother. Which brother’s daughter she is, is not given. When Mahaprabhu showed His divine form, Mahaprakash-lila, though she was only a child of four years, ecstatic moods manifested in her. She is Kilambika in Vraja-lila. She ate the remnants of Krishna. It is not an ordinary thing to eat remnants of Krishna. By eating the remnants of Krishna, we get Prema. Now in Gaura pastimes, she ate the remnants of Mahaprabhu.

Narayani Devi was married to Vaikunthanath Vipra in Kumarhatta. Vrindavan Das Thakur was born in Mamgachi, some people say it was Denur. He stayed longer in Denur. But he stayed in Mamgachi also. Malini also used to go and stay in Mamgachi.

Nityananda Prabhu is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s Guru. Vrindavan Das Thakur is the initiated disciple of Nityananda Prabhu. Srivas Pandit’s wife Malini Devi is Ambika, the wet nurse of Krishna in Vraja pastimes. All are associates in Krishna's pastimes. Sri Ram Pandit who is Parvat Muni, Srinidhi Pandit, Sri Nalin Pandit and Sripati Pandit are four brothers .

By accepting Narayani Devi as his mother, Vrindavan Das Thakur was born in Mamgachi, his father was Vaikunthanath Vipra. At that place his worshippable Gaura Nityananda deity resides. We go and pay our obeisances there. Vrindavan Das Thakur wrote Chaitanya Bhagavat. Actually, Chaitanya Bhagavat was not the name before, it was Chaitanya Mangal, of which, if we take shelter by hearing, brings great auspiciousness to us. After that Lochan Das Thakur also wrote a Granth with the name ‘Chaitanya Mangal’. How can two Granths be of the same name? Vrindavan Das Thakur is Vedavyas, he is the non-different manifestation from Vedavyas. It is written in Gaura-ganodesa-dipika. Vedavyas has described Krishna’s pastimes, in the same manner, Vrindavan Das Thakur has described Gaura pastimes. He has described it in a very sweet manner. Nityananda Prabhu is an ocean of mercy.

Who is Nityananda Prabhu? He is Balaram. Without Balaram’s mercy we cannot get the service of Krishna. There is no difference between Krishna and Balaram. Vrindavan Das Thakur has written in the beginning of Chaitanya Bhagavat,

ājānu-lambita-bhujau kanakāvadātau
saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau kamalāyatākṣau
viśvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma-pālau
vande jagat priya-karau karuṇāvatārau

He has told about Gaura-Nityananda from the start itself.

Baladeva appeared first. By the order of Krishna, His Yoga Maya—spiritual energy, brought Him from Mathura to Rohini’s womb. The pregnancy was terminated when He was brought from there. But in reality, at the order of Krishna, He was transferred by Yoga Maya. That is why He is called Rohininandan. Actually, he was to be born to Devaki. From there He was attracted towards the womb of Rohini. People misunderstood that a miscarriage had occurred. It was not miscarriage as He was transferred. After this, Krishna appeared on Janmastami .

In Lord Ramchandra’s pastimes, Baladeva is Laxman, younger brother. Laxman undertook all the orders of Lord Ram, so He could not serve Ram to his own satisfaction. He had to take on the orders half-heartedly of his elder brother. He thought if He would be an elder brother then He could serve Him more contentedly. So, in Krishna pastimes He became Balaram, elder brother. He is non-different from Krishna in (tattva) qualities. Krishna being Bhagavan and Balaram also being Bhagavan, we see that one Bhagavan serves another original Bhagavan. Maha Vishnu, Sankarshan, Karanodakasayi Maha-Vishnu, Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, Sesha, all of these have manifested from Maha Sankarshan. They serve in these five forms. The original Sankarshan—Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna, Aniruddha are there in Dwarka. But there is opulence i.e. in Svakiya-bhava.

In Vraja, there are cowherds, Gopa and Gopis (cowherd men and women) and here (in Gaura-lila) He came as a Brahmin, Dvija (second initiated). Among Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Brahmin is superior. He came in a Brahmin family in Navadvip Dhama. Here He has manifested Audarya lila (magnanimous pastimes) and pastime in Vipralambha-rasa (union through separation). Here there are no pastimes with Gopas and Gopis. It is only there in Krishna-lila.

When Vrindavan Das Thakur saw that when we have no faith in Nityananda Prabhu, then no one can be saved. Mahaprabhu ordered Nityananda Prabhu and Haridas Thakur suno nityananda suno haridas, sarvatra mor agya karah prakash. Prati ghare ghare karo ei bhiksha bolo krishna, bhajo krishna, karo krishna siksha . Then Nityananda Prabhu and Namacharya Haridas Thakur went to every door, begging. What are they begging for? Not for money. bolo krishna, bhajo krishna, karo krishna siksha . They went to everyone.

There were two drunkards, very fearsome, everyone was afraid of them. They were topmost Brahmins. Madhavananda Bandopadhyay and Jagdanand Bandopadhaya. They used to drink a lot and move here and there, all were scared of them. Nityananda thought if we do not rescue them then what is the use of our incarnation? So, He took Haridas Thakur with him and went to them and told, “prabhur āgaye bhāi mangi ei bhikṣā balo krishna, bhajo kṛṣṇa, karo kṛṣṇa śikṣā.”

“What are you saying? Beat them!” they told. When he came to beat Nityananda Prabhu, He ran away as He was thin and could run fast. But Haridas Thakur was in his advanced age. He somehow could run and save himself. He said, “I will not go with this mad man. He is trying to convert one drunkard to a devotee. I could have died. I will not go with Him.”

Nityananda Prabhu told, “I will not slay any demon. I will not kill anyone. The Supreme Lord will not kill anybody in this pastime, but will remove all kinds of evil tendencies and all kinds of sins etc., rescue them from committing sins. I will go by Myself.” Again, He went to them and begged, “balo krishna, bhajo kṛṣṇa, karo kṛṣṇa śikṣā.”

Jagai became furious and tried to beat Nityanand Prabhu. But Madhai was trying to stop him. “We should not beat or do any harm to Him”, but Jagai hit Nityananda Prabhu with a stone. Blood started coming out. Nityananda was still asking him to say Krishna at least once. He asked him, “What do you think? If you will beat Me I would not give you Krishna-prem? I will definitely give it to you.”

This news went to Mahaprabhu. He immediately called for His Sudarshan Chakra. In foreign land they say it is a myth. Whatever they do not understand they say it is mythology. What will they understand? When we say the disc of God, they think “He has got the disc?” Mahaprabhu called the disc. Sudarshan Chakra comes to kill. Nityananda Prabhu fell at Mahaprabhu’s feet and said, “This incarnation is not for killing. You forgot this. I pray to Your lotus feet, please do not kill them.” Then Mahaprabhu stopped the disc. He took it back. Madhai came to Jagai and made him understand, “See, whom we attacked has Himself saved us. Now, had the Chakra come it would have killed us in a little time. We will not repeat this mistake again.” They were rescued by Nityananda Prabhu.

While singing the glories of Nityananda Prabhu, Vrindavan Das Thakur became completely surcharged. Then he thought,” I did not write anything about Nityananda Prabhu in my writings? If I will not write about Nityananda Prabhu, those who are engaged in unwanted talk and blaspheming others, how will they be rescued? He is Baladev. Without Baladev’s mercy we cannot get Krishna. Without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, we will not get anything. nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala je chāyāy jagata jurāy, heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi, dṛḍha kori' dharo nitāir pāy. se sambandha nāhi jā'r, vṛthā janma gelo tā'r, sei paśu boro durācār, nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilo saḿsāra-sukhe, vidyā-kule ki karibe tā'r

What is the use of such knowledge or wisdom? So, when we have Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy, only then will we get eternal happiness, otherwise not. Vrindavan Das Thakur thought, “I have no faith in Nityananda Prabhu.” Then he started writing His glories. He got completely engrossed in it and kept on writing about Nityananda Prabhu. When he saw that people have enviousness in the heart, so much so that they could not think about the glories of Nityananda Prabhu, out of great compassion for Jivas he wrote, eta parihāre-o je pāpi nindā kare, tabe lāthi māro tār śirera upare .

Vrindavan Das Thakur writes, “After saying so much of the glories of Nityananda Prabhu, who has a lot of compassion, so much compassion, yet they are not taking heed of Nityananda, how will they be rescued? He was so concerned. After telling so much also, if they do not follow, I will punish them by kicking them on their head. ”

We may think what kind Vaishnava is he? He is ready to kick? In this connection, the remarks of our Paramgurudev, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, are worth saying. He wrote, “Nityananda Prabhu’s initiated disciple, Vrindavan Das Thakur has so much intense desire in his heart that all enslaved Jivas get rescued. For that he is ready to kick the heads of those envious and hellish persons. He will rescue them by hitting them with his feet, by giving them the dust of his lotus feet willingly, by force.”

It is explained like this. If people cause offense at the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, then who will take them across? Their rescue will be impossible. Once Guru Maharaj was in Tejpur. There he went to a householder’s place to give his Harikatha. One Bangla professor came there. After the lecture was over he said that he had read Bangla Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavat. He knew everything. He says,”Swamiji, according to me, Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami ‘s writing is okay, but Vrindavan Das Prabhu’ s thinking is not okay because while singing the glories of Nityananda Prabhu, he repeatedly says that if someone does not have faith in Nityananda Prabhu, he will kick them with his feet. How can a Vaishnava say like this? I have so much astonishment in my heart.”

But Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has written, jagāi mādhāi haite muṣi se pāpiṣṭha, purīṣera kīṭa haite muṣi se laghiṣṭha, mora nāma śune yei tāra puṇya kṣaya, mora nāma laya yei tāra pāpa haya, emana nirghṛṇa more kebā kṛpā kare, eka nityānanda binu jagat bhitare, preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra, uttama, adhama, kichu nā kare vicāra, ye āge paḍaye, tāre karaye nistāra, ataeva nistārilā mo-hena durācāra. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami says, “He has rescued such an unrighteous person like me. Where was I? I was in Jhamatpur. I used to perform Sankirtan there. We had a temple also. Poojari was Gunarnava Mishra.”

[Gurudev:] Nityananda Prabhu’s associate (Minaketan Ramdas) was invited there to take part in Sankirtan. He participated and did very nice Kirtan as he is an associate of Nityananda Prabhu. He did Kirtan with a lot of love. For a long time he continued doing Kirtan by holding a flute in his hand. Sometimes he used to hit someone with the flute. Sometimes he used to slap someone in an ecstatic mood. Seeing this, all were happy but Gunarnava Mishra saw this from far, he had faith in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and not in Nityananda Prabhu. Minaketan Rama Das was able to understand that Gunarnava Mishra had no faith in Nityananda Prabhu. Then that Nityananda associate said, “Romharshana suta, he did not stand up (to offer respect) on seeing Baladeva, so Baladeva punished him. Baladeva is the master of all Purushavatar. All living entities have got a relationship with Him. He could see all the bad and good qualities of the Jivas. He is affectionate and He controls them also. Krishna does not do it, Baladeva does it. He killed Romharshana and made Suta Goswami (Son of Romharshan suta) sit on the Vyasasana.”

[Gurudev:] Gunarnav Mishra was satisfied by hearing this from Ramdas, but Krishna Das’s younger brother said, “No! This is not good.” So Krishnadas Kaviraj chastised his younger brother and said that if we make any kind of offense towards Nityananda Prabhu then everything will be destroyed. He made him understand and thus he took the side of Minaketan Ramdas. Nityananda Prabhu became very much satisfied by seeing that Krishna Das took the side of His devotee. Krishna Das said that he did not do any service to him. But Nityananda Prabhu, being happy, asked him to come to Vrindavan in his dream. He chastised his younger brother and just took a little side of His devotee who was being offended by his brother, Nityananda Prabhu became so much happy that He brought him to Vrindavan and sitting there in Vrindavan he wrote Chaitanya Charitamrit.

So, here we should understand Vrindavan Das Thakur wished that all the living entities get eternal welfare. But if one offends the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu then it will be very difficult. That is why he warned us in that manner. Without the association of a pure devotee, we will not understand all this. Our Param Gurudev has explained this.

Like this, Vrindavan Das Thakur is so kind that he did not forget even the offender of Nityananda Prabhu, whose rescue is not at all possible, to whom he has given his mercy forcibly in the form of dust of his lotus feet. It so happens that we do not understand what is the most auspicious thing for us. We cannot understand. Even when we come to know about it then we also think, 'Oh! This is not correct, it is like this.'

Once what happened, Krishna was in Dwarka. Actually, Krishna resides in Vrindavan all time, but externally He shows that He is in Mathura or He is in Dwarka . Now Radharani, Gopi, all Sakha (friends), Nanda Maharaj, Yashoda, they are all crying. They have left eating and drinking also. “Gopal is not here, Gopal is not here”, they all were crying and became very thin. Now Krishna will come from there on His chariot to Kurukshetra on account of a solar eclipse. All queens will go there. All Brahmins will go. Vasudeva, Devaki will go. There will be a fire sacrifice. Along with the king, his army, horses and elephants, all will also go. So finally, everyone reached there. All were invited except Vrajavasis. Seeing this Narada Goswami became very sad. He could not stop himself. So, he went to visit Krishna and asked, ”You are organising such a big function, all are invited from all over the world, but those Gopa, Gopi (cowherd men and women), they are poor, it is okay but the affection and love they have for You, no one has. Have they offended You by any way? They have loved You. Why did You not invite them?”

Then Krishna smiled, “Does a father invite the son or a son invite his father? How will I invite them? I can invite outsiders; how can I invite them? Father and son can speak, give news to each other but not invite. By giving news to them, and if they come, all sacrifice will be spoiled.”

Sacrifice will be spoiled? Krishna is saying so, it is possible, but how? Krishna has not told anything. Now what happened was, as Kurukshetra is near Vraja, the news that Krishna has come there reached the Vrajavasis. They have not seen Krishna for so many days. They all became very excited and impatient. They all were on the verge of dying. All wished to go. But they thought, “There will be many queens, kings. Now Krishna is the king of Dwarka. Will He listen to us or not, I don't know. All went to Nanda Maharaj and Mother Yashoda and told, “There is nothing wrong if father and mother go. If you go He will come to offer obeisance to you. So, we will also get His Darshan.

They replied. “No, until now He has not come, so He will not come. We are poor, so He will not come.”

They requested again, “If you go there He will come, but for us, He will not come, it is not possible. Please grace us by going there.”

“You all are requesting, so we will go, but if we will not be favored by His Darshan then we will leave our body.” So they went there. When they all arrived, they saw in all four directions that there were gates and security. They approach them and say, “Our Son is there.”

[Gatekeeper,] “Who is your Son?”

“The king.”

“King!! Who are you?”

“His father.”

“What? Father? Could a father of a king be like you? His father is sitting there inside.”

When they did not listen to Nand Maharaj, Mother Yashoda said, “He is our child.”

“No. Who are you?”

“His mother.”

“His mother is already there.”

The Vrajavasis then started crying. The gatekeepers said, “Of what help will it be if you cry like this? This is our duty. We are here to prevent entry of those who are not invited. Many kings, Brahmanas are present here. A big sacrifice will be performed. You cannot enter. If you want to enter then you need the invitation card.” They tried different gates but it was of no use. The gatekeepers did not let them enter from any of the four gates. They said, “We have come from far.” Still the guards did not let them in. Now Mother Yashoda says, “I told you all before that this child has forgotten us, and He will never come back to us.” Saying this she started crying out loud, “Gopal! Gopal!” She started crying out so loudly that all were coming to know of this. That time the sacrifice was going on. Suddenly Krishna threw His attire and became small Gopal . He started shouting, “Mother! Mother!” and He went there, where Mother Yashoda was, He sat on her lap and started crying. Everyone who came for the sacrifice started asking each other, “What happened? Where has the king gone?”

People say—all these narrations to be myth or magic. This is not a myth. This is the reality. It is not mythology. You all have lost your senses. Love has so much strength in it, it can bring Bhagavan towards Him. We do not have so much affection, but Mother Yashoda has, and from not seeing Him for so many days. So, she shouted from deep inside her heart, “Gopal! Gopal!” Shouting and shouting, she then fainted.

Bhagavan could not stop Himself. He left everything and came to her. Bhagavan is crying and Mother Yashoda is also crying, “Gopal, Gopal.” Then, milk started flowing from her breast as she had not fed Him for many days. She has only her little child Gopal with her. Nand Maharaj was crying, uttering “Gopal.” His friends (Sakha) too were crying, “Bhai (brother) Kanhaiya.” All were crying, Sakhi (Gopis), all, and among them, Radharani was crying the loudest. Everything was disturbed. Krishna had already told before that if they would come, all the sacrifices would be spoiled. That happened. Is it not? All were crying. Those who were present in the sacrifice place inside, they all came out. “What happened to Maharaj? Maharaj, You should come inside and not stay here.”

Then all Gopis started shouting, He Gopinath! He Gopinath! Vrindavan chalo (Come to Vrindavan)! He Gopinath! With this sentiment they wanted to take Krishna to Vrindavan from Kurukshetra, just like Mahaprabhu took Jagannath from the temple to Gundica.

Bhakti is just like nectar. Once tasted, the devotee yearns more for Bhagavan. Krishna says to the Vrajavasis, “It is My great fortune that you all have such deep affection for Me.” They have so much love. They are always ready to do anything to make the Supreme Lord satisfied. When Narad Goswami asked for the foot dust of a devotee, no one was ready to give this to him. Mahishis (Queens of Dwaraka) also did not give. They said, “How can our foot dust be given?” Then Narad Goswami searched everywhere but could not find anyone. Krishna’s headache was increasing and so Narad was getting worried more and more. “Go to Vrindavan, you will get it there,” Krishna told. On reaching Vrindavan, all stood up and were asking about the welfare of Krishna. “How is Krishna?” Seeing him worried, all feared. “Krishna’s headache is increasing.” Gopis asked how He could be relieved. Narad said, “By offering the foot dust of a devotee.”

Gopis, “You are a devotee. You could have given your foot dust.”

Narad, “No, by putting the foot dust on His forehead, one will have to suffer in hell.”

Gopis, “There were many wives of Krishna. Rukmini is there, Satyabhama is there.”

Narad said, “I went to all, but nobody was ready to give. They all said—What are you speaking? Being His wives, how could we give the foot dust to our husband?” Gopis said, “Oh! You have wasted so much time, take our foot dust. For the satisfaction of the Lord for a moment, we are ready to suffer in hell forever.”

See how their Bhakti is, we cannot understand.

Today is Vrindavan Das Thakur’s appearance day. On this day, we pray for the mercy of Vrindavan Das Thakur. Vrindavan Das Thakur has written Chaitanya Bhagavat. He has written some of the things in brief. He has written childhood pastimes very elaborately. He has also written Narendra Sarovar pastime of Puri. He could not write the later life of Mahaprabhu in detail. So, if we do not know the greatness of Nityananda Prabhu, it will not bring auspiciousness to us. There is a hidden meaning in it.

So about the Nilachal pastimes, Vrindavan Das Thakur has given some hints. He has not written them in detail. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami took Vrindavan Das Thakur’s scripture Chaitanya Bhagavat as a reference to write about the Nilachal pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He writes, “I offer my respectful obeisance to Vrindavan Das Thakur who is non-different from Veda Vyas who has written Srimad Bhagavatam. His writing is so beautiful and so attractive to the heart. I offer my obeisance, pray for his mercy. What he has written in brief I will try to describe in detail. I do not have any eligibility to write but I will try to compile Mahaprabhu’s final pastimes in.” By reading both the scriptures we will come to know everything.

Today on Vrindavan Das Thakur’s disappearance day, we offer obeisance to his lotus feet and ask for his mercy. I offer my prostrated obeisance to his lotus feet on his disappearance day. From where Bhagavan is seeing us, he is also seeing. When we will be graced by him, then we will have faith at the feet of Nityananda Prabhu. By having faith, and falling at Nityananda Prabhu’s feet, we will be saved, we will get everything. This faith can be given by Vrindavan Das Thakur and Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami. So, we must pray to their lotus feet. If we do so then all our problems will be solved. My Guruji and Param Guruji also belong to the same parampara. I remember my Guruji and pay my prostrated obeisance to his lotus feet. All the varied desires which are present in my heart are an obstruction in my devotion. Until I do not understand that I am of Bhagavan, I am of Krishna, then I cannot say to Krishna ami to tomar tumi to amar ki kaje apar dhane —I am of Yours and You are mine. What is the need for any other wealth?” This is written by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, I am of Krishna and Krishna is mine, what else do we want. By serving Guru, Bhagavan, Vrindavan Das Thakur and his worshipable Lord Gaur-Nityananda, our life will be successful. What will happen in the next moment we do not know. Wherever Maya is, misery follows, until that time we will be in the circle of birth, disease, old age and death. Maya, Bhagavan, are eternal. Actually, all are eternal. No one dies, and no one takes birth. They see we should be surrendered to Guru. When we surrender then all difficulties will go away.

vâñchâ-kalpatarubhyas' ca kripâ-sindhubhya eva ca,
patitânâm pâvanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namah