This is the first time we have got the opportunity to come to Boston. We have not come here before. Everything is regulated by Supreme Lord. Whatever He desires it will be fulfilled. You may have innumerable desires but if Supreme Lord does not fulfill those desires you cannot get it. It is the fortune of devotees, especially Sanjaydas Prabhu, to be an instrumental to organize the program here. We have also got benefited by coming here. Whatever is done by Supreme Lord is all good. It is for the eternal benefit of all, not one sided business. You will be benefited, we will also be benefited. Today is very auspicious day (the appearance day of Lord Baladeva); we have never been outside India on this day before. This is the first time. It is Krishna’s desire. I was on tour with different countries of Europe and England. From there, I returned to Puri to participate in Jagannath Deva Rathayatra festival. We have a big Math there at the holy birth site of Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Goswami Thakur, the founder of Chaitanya Math and Gaudiya Math organizations. The original founder is Bhaktivinoda Thakur and by his direction, Srila Param Gurudeva spread this message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to all corners of the globe. Our Gurudeva used to go to Vrindavan to observe the advent of Lord Baladeva and to take part in the Jhulan Utsava (the swinging ceremony of Radha-Govinda). We also used to go there almost every year. This time I came to know that we have program to go outside during this time. I do not make any program. It is Lord’s desire. The in-charge of Vrindavan Math insisted me to go there during swinging ceremony, repeated and forcibly. What can I do? Everything is determined by the Supreme Lord. I ask for forgiveness to him. I pray to him if I have committed any offence, he may forgive me.

The pastimes of Baladeva are eternal. All pastimes of Baladeva or Krishna’s numerous descended forms, I should not use the word ‘incarnation’, there are some words for which you do not find appropriate words to express them. As per the dictionary, ‘incarnation’ word is also applicable for human beings, enslaved jivas. I have seen that in their usage. But all the forms of Krishna are transcendental and spiritual. They have Absolute-Existence, Absolute-Knowledge and Absolute-Bliss, the purna-sacidananda-vigrah. They descend here. There are infinite brahmandas and an infinite transcendental realm (Vaikuntha). Everything of Supreme Lord is infinite because He is infinite. There are infinite living beings. We cannot comprehend. If we can comprehend then Supreme Lord will lose His absolute infinite position. Nobody can comprehend Him. As per our degree of submission, as per degree of our taking shelter to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, the glories of Him descend to that degree. But that is not the last. Nobody can say, I have fully realized. If someone says like that then it is ignorance. Brahma in his prayer to Krishna has said:

jānanta eva jānantu
kiṁ bahūktyā na me prabho
manaso vapuṣo vāco
vaibhavaṁ tava go-caraḥ
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.38)

He prays, “If anybody says I have realized or known everything about Krishna, I do not want to say anything to him, I could not understand Krishna. Even I could not recognize His personal associates—the cowherd boys. I committed a great offence by stealing the calves and the cowherd boys. I did that when they were about to eat to examine whether Krishna is Supreme Lord or not. I have committed a great offence. Not to speak of others, even I could not recognize Krishna and His personal associates—the cowherd boys. If anybody says he can know Him, let him know .”

Nobody can know the infinite. If Supreme Lord is known by any kind of efforts then He will lose His infinite position. Realization about Him always remains incomplete. So pure devotees (suddha bhakta) are always humble, they have no vanity as they know that whatever they have realized is nothing. Ananta Deva (The Lord Shesh) is uttering the name of Krishna from infinite time, until now, but He cannot finish relishing the taste. The transcendental sweetness of Krishna’s name is always fresh, it cannot become stale.

As we have heard from our Guruvarga, Baladeva’s pastimes are eternal, in consideration of two senses. There are infinite brahmandas. Now Baladeva has appeared in this brahmanda, this world. After His appearance, He will perform His childhood pastimes and after that He will perform pastimes of Prauganda, which is the time between childhood and adolescence, after Prauganda there will be pastimes of adolescence and so on. Once a pastime will finish here, immediately, that will start in another brahmanda. So, all His pastimes are eternal. In this sense, Baladeva’s advent is eternal.

In another sense, He is appearing in the sanctifying heart of a pure devotee. We do not know whom will He bless. Nobody can do anything without His knowledge. We think ourselves, I am a great devotee. But fruits are regulated by Him. They are not in our hand.

One example I want to narrate which I have heard from Gurudeva and other Guruvarga. I had no opportunity to see Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur. I joined the institution in 1947 just after my academic career. I was of the age 24 that time. So I had no opportunity to see our Paramgurdeva. He had been to our place, Assam. That time I was very young. He set his holy footprints in our place. He used to speak harikatha all the time. His servitor’s name was Sajjananada Maharaj. He was a brahmachari not a sanyasi but everyone used to address him as Maharaj. He was serving Saraswati Thakur with great devoutness and earnestness. So everybody used to give him respect. One person, in a worldly sense, very qualified (double M. A.), took sanyas from our Paramgurdeva. But he did not know the devotional conclusive thoughts. He had the desire to know pure devotional conclusive thoughts. That time there were so many stalwart disciples of Saraswati Thakur who used to deliver speeches on devotion, Bon Goswami Maharaj, Goswami Maharaj, Sridhardeva Goswami Maharaj, Keshava Goswami Maharaj. They are all senior God brothers of our Gurudeva.

The person who took sanyas approached our Paramgurudeva saying, “I have joined the institution but I have got no actual knowledge of pure devotion of Mahaprabhu’s school of thought. You have so many duties to perform. So you are always busy but you have many stalwart disciples. If I approach them they also might say that they are busy and do not have time but if you order one of them then they will spent some time for me to teach me Bhagavat-dharma, pure devotion.”

Then our Paramgurudeva asked him, “Do you seriously want to know the principles of pure devotion conclusions?”

“Yes.”

“Is it true?”

“Yes.”

“Then you go to Ramadas.”

He used to work in the garden and was tending the cows. Outside persons thought he is the servant of the institution. They did not know much about him. But our Paramgurudeva sent the sanyasi to Ramadas. Sitting in his own small room, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami could understand that this person is a sincere soul and performing bhajan sincerely from the core of the heart without any ulterior desires in the mind. Supreme Lord and His absolute counterpart Gurudeva are omniscient. Nobody should do anything against their desire. They know everything. They may not say. If they start saying then those persons, the new entrants, neophytes, they will be puzzled thinking, “Oh, Gurumaharaj knows all our defects. What to do?” For that reason, even though knowing everything fully well, they do not say anything. They know everything and they can say (They have that capability).

The educated person who had taken sannyas was told by Saraswati Thakur, “Go to that person. He is working in the garden.” Hearing so, he was astounded and thought, “I have never seen Gurudeva speaking intimately with him (Ramadas). So many stalwart figures are there and my most revered Gurudeva did not mention their name. He is serving in a garden. I have never seen him speaking. What will he teach me?” By Gurudeva’s order he was forced to go, compelled to go, otherwise he may commit offence to the lotus feet of Gurudeva. Unwillingly he went there and made obeisance to that person.

Ramadas told, “Why are you paying obeisance? I am an ordinary person. You should not do this.”

“No. I approached you to know Bhagavat Dharma and Bhakti Dharma. I prayed to Gurudeva to direct me to any of his eminent and competent disciples. If he directs then they will give some attention to me. Then he confirmed my sincerity and directed me to come to you. I never have seen you speak before.”

“Then why have you come to me? I am an illiterate person. I cannot give any evidence from the scriptures. You see, I am only serving the cows and serving in the garden. You have committed a mistake. Only a competent person can explain the Bhakti Siddhant.”

So he returned. After some days he again went to Gurudeva and requested, “Kindly please direct me to some prominent sannyasi to teach me.”

“I directed you to go to Ramadas. You did not go there?”

“I did go. He is saying he does not know anything.

Then our Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur got dissatisfied and told him, “He knows everything. You go there and ask him.” Because Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur knew the mind of the sanyasi. He wanted to deliver a speech in the meeting and get name and fame from conditioned souls of the world. That is not the purpose of shuddha-bhakti. Shuddha-bhakti’s target is to satisfy Krishna. If you want shuddha-bhakti, no other desire or intention should be there.

Ramadas was sincere. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami engaged him in the service of cows and garden. He advised, “Go there. You hear from him. Then you will know what is shuddha-bhakti.”

Again he went. This is a fact. It is not a story. Then he went there and paid obeisances and told, “Gurudeva will be satisfied. Kindly please tell me what is shuddha-bhakti.”

Then Ramadas said, “I do not know any sanskrit verses but what is this garden? It is not a garden of a worldly person for worldly interest this garden belongs to Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari. Whatever you are growing, the vegetables and all, it will be offered to Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari. That Prasad will be accepted by the Vaishnavas. And cows are very dear to Krishna. So I have been asked to do this service as the milk will be offered to Radha Krishna and that Prasad will be given to Gurudeva and Vaishnavas. You see, I cannot say any evidence from scripture.”

This body is from external potency of Supreme Lord. He is the Lord, owner of all kinds of opulence. This body is the outcome of His external potency. Your potency works for you. My potency works for me. The potency of Supreme Lord should work for Supreme Lord. You are a part of the potency. You are the servant of the servants of the servants of Supreme Lord. This body belongs to Supreme Lord. You are not the owner of this body. Where from have you got this body? According to Gita,

bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ
mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 7.4)

You have got this body from the aparā potency, material energy. You have not got hold over your body. You cannot enjoy this. This body is to be dedicated for the service of Supreme Lord. It belongs to Him not you. It is a product of His potency. And your subtle body also came out of aparā (external) potency, according to Gita. He is the owner of aparā potency. He is the owner of all living beings. Gross body and subtle body do not belong to you. In Gita He also says,

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 7.5)

The real self is the outcome of the spiritual energy, parā, superior potency of Krishna. As it is His energy, it is to be dominated and enjoyed by Him. You are not the enjoyer or master. Your gross body, subtle body and you yourself, the real self, everything belongs to Krishna. So you have to engage your sense organs, your mind, words everything for the service of Krishna. In this kaliyuga you should utter the name, Mahamantra. Ramadas was doing it always.

He was working in the gardens, growing vegetables etc. and along with that he was always uttering Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare. Very sincerely, he was doing the service of the cows. As cows are very dear to Krishna, for Krishna‘s service he is tending the cows. His target is good. Outside person cannot understand but Krishna understands who is sincere and who is not sincere and He will give the fruit, not these worldly people. He is regulating the fruits,

karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr
mā te saṅgo ’stv akarmaṇi
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.47)

You can do action but you have no hold over the fruits. Why you are worried whether I shall get proper judgment or not. Why do you worry? Will human beings give you the fruit? Fruits are controlled by Supreme Lord. What is the use of being worried? You try to do your own duty with the target of satisfying Krishna and His personal associates, nothing else. You should not lose the mark. If you lose the mark everything will be spoiled. Target should be correct. We are of Krishna, we are from Krishna. We are by Krishna. We should remain for Krishna. Fruit will be given by Supreme Lord. We should see our own defects. Don’t try to see defects of others. If you always speak about the defects of others then by those evils thought you pollute your mind. What benefit will you get? You see your defects and try to see qualities in others. Someone may be a bad person but he also has some good qualities. Everyone has both—good and bad qualities. As, a swan has the capacity to take out milk from the mixture of milk and water, Vaishnavas are Paramahamsa. 'Hamsa' means swan and Vaishnavas are 'Parama-hamsa', they see good qualities in others. They do not see bad qualities. Only they have got the compassion for conditioned souls of the world. Out of affection, for his eternal welfare, they say, "You should do this, you should not do this." Such compassion is rarely to be found. Only sincere souls can get the contact of such Vaishanavas. Out of affection, Gurudeva governs and regulates the disciples. We have to have the eligibility to be regulated otherwise he also neglects those persons who have got vanity, who have no submission. I have seen this. Our Vaikhanas Maharaj, sanyas Guru of our Gurudeva and Puri Goswami Maharaj and others, was very learned. He was from Orissa. He was speaking in Mayapur in Oriya. Some persons were asking questions and he was answering. But when he saw these persons are not serious in worshipping Krishna, they are now asking questions to substantiate their own mental speculation, they have no desire to accept the truth then he stopped replying. He was only smiling. Whatever they asked he stopped speaking. There should be sincerity. Insincere, hypocrites cannot get eternal welfare. God is a person. He is complete. Nobody can bribe him. You can bribe worldly people, judges (magistrates) and have the judgment accordingly, but the person who is giving bribe, that person is also within Krishna. Nothing is outside Krishna. They are dust particles, how can they give bribe to Krishna? He is the complete being. Nobody can bribe Him and change His judgment. He knows everything. He is omniscient, He is seeing everything. He is regulating the fruits. Why should you think? You should try to do bhajan.

If you can get the grace of Baladeva, all these ulterior motives will be removed. Baladeva appeared as the son of Rohini Devi. And by Krishna’s direction, Yogamaya (internal spiritual energy) attracted the womb of Devaki and kept that womb in another wife of Vasudeva, Rohini Devi in Gokula-mahavan. Baladeva Prabhu is actually not Devaki-nandan, He is Rohini-nandan. He is also known as Sankarshan (Garbha Sankarshanata Sankarshan). The Garbha (womb) was attracted by Yogamaya and pulled from there and put in the womb of Rohini Devi. He is very powerful—Balasyata Balbhadra. He is the presiding deity of existence. He is the preserver of the existence and expansion of the existence—sandhini shakti-mat vigrah. He is very powerful, strongest, there is no equal to Him. All the things of service of Krishna in the spiritual realm, everything is spiritual, nothing is material. There, the flute can speak and can take initiative. The singhasan—the throne, can speak, His clothes can speak. They are not matter, they are spiritual. When spirit is there, only ānanda (bliss) is there. A small boy is loved by his parents for as long as sat-chit-ānand, ātma is there in his body. As soon as consciousness leaves his body, he is dead. You can chemically preserve his body for a long time and then take it to his parents, will the parents be happy? No. They will say take it away. I don’t want see. So the beloved child is not there. The living entity that was giving us happiness is absent. Even consciousness exists in a parrot, in a cat etc., being enveloped by gross and subtle body, yet that existence of blissful thing gives happiness. But when consciousness leaves the body, dead body cannot be a cause of happiness. It is devoid of happiness and it causes suffering when seen. Take it away, burn it or bury it. The real person is gone. A particle of consciousness, as long as it exists, life persists. As soon as the particle of consciousness leaves, a dead body remains which creates fear. The cause of these infinite particles of conscious units is Supreme Lord. You are seeing so many particles of the rays of the Sun. Where from are they coming? They are coming from the Sun. And Sun is sustaining and maintaining them. Like that, you are seeing infinite beings, in your room. You see so many ants, worms, also so many persons. So many trees they have got life. These conscious particles, where from they are coming? Nothing cannot be the cause of something. Devoid of consciousness cannot produce consciousness.

yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante
yena jātāni jīvanti
yat prayanty abhisaṁviśanti
tad brahma tad vijijñāsasva
(Taittiriya Upanishad 3.1)

From Krishna all the jīvas are coming, they are maintained by Krishna, they are in Krishna, they are by Krishna, and they will go to Krishna. Krishna is Absolute Substance, Absolute Bliss, Infinite Bliss. Our requirement is Krishna. And Krishna’s personal associates are also spiritual. They are in transcendental spiritual realm, there, nothing is matter. No past and future, only present. Everything is eternal. Ātma cannot be destroyed. All the real selves have the realization of their relation with Supreme Lord. He is the only enjoyer or master. There is no other enjoyer or master. He is the only Purush,

ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ
bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 9.24)

Krishna says, “I am the only master.” And there is no other Purush. Purush is He Himself and others are dominated and enjoyed by Him. We are the parts of His potency. We are not enjoyer or master. In that transcendental realm, there cannot be any quarrel or fight. Why? Center of interest is one. All the servitor’s attention is to satisfy Krishna. There is no other interest. They are serving in different love relations. No other target is there. When the center of interest is one there cannot be any clash. If there are different centers of interest there will be clashing. It is inevitable. If you draw one circle with one center and another with another center then the circumference will cross. But if there is one center, then the circles can be bigger or smaller, there will be no crossing. Some may serve more, some may serve less but their target is the same. There in Vaikuntha Dham, in Goloka Vrindavan there cannot be any clashing. But here in this world, forgetting Krishna, our real relation with Krishna, we have come to this world. We have got this misconception of self and we have become liliput (tiny) Krishna. Everybody wants to enjoy life. Here, females are also posing themselves as Purush, and male is also doing so. Because of their forgetfulness of relation with Supreme Lord Sri Krishna they have become averse to Him so illusory energy has enveloped them and they want to enjoy this world, they have become liliput Krishna. Everybody is trying to enjoy others. So everywhere in the family, in the society, in the country, there is clashing. There are different centers of interest. But there in Goloka Vrindavan there can be no possibility. He is the only master. He is the only Purush. We are not Purush, we are Prakriti.

Krishna has taken the form of Baladeva to give this knowledge, as Guru. He has got affection for all the conditioned souls of the world. Krishna does not govern, regulate or punish, but Baladeva punishes.

Baladeva killed Pralambasura. He also killed Dhenukasura. What does that tell? When Krishna became a bit grown up, Krishna-Gopastami was performed. The childhood is up to five years, from five to fifteen years, it is Paugaund. At the age of ten years, Nanda Maharaj engaged Him in tending the cows. Previously, they were tending the calves. Krishna and all the sakhas, playmates, used to gather at one place and go to Bhandirvan, one forest, for tending the cows.

The sakhas (friends), you find in this world are not real. This world is the perverted reflection of that world. When we do not want to worship Krishna as master and want to enjoy this world, then Krishna sends us to this prison house to get non-eternal master and servants. There will be separation grief. We do not want to serve Krishna as our friend, so He says go there, there are non-eternal friendship relations. More the attachment, there will be more grief in separation. You do not want to worship Krishna as son then go to the non-eternal world to get non-eternal son. When between son and father, there is separation there will be extreme grief. As much attachment we shall have with non-eternal relations so much grief we have to suffer. If you do not worship Him as husband, you go there to get a non-eternal husband, all relations are with Krishna. When we do not want to serve Him then we are sent to this perverted reflection of Vaikuntha. Highest is the gopi-prem. In this world, we think we are this body and for bodily enjoyments, we are being attached by false love which is the most lustful, heinous. But there it is the highest. There the lowest is shanta-rasa. Shanta-rasa is when they become indifferent to Krishna, they are serving with indifference. But here, neutrality is the highest because all the relations are non-eternal and those who are neutral they are called very wise persons, highest persons. But there neutrality is the lowest. So it is perverted reflection. A tree is reflected in the water just the reverse. If you see yourself in the mirror, right will be reflected as left and left will be reflected as right. It is just the reverse. Like that. All relations are with Lord Sri Krishna. Baladeva did this lila (tending cows) with His eternal friends, confidantes, bosom friends there. And with joy and excitement, dancing and singing and playing so many games, they have forgotten everything. Small children forget everything when they play. That time even if their mother calls them to take food, they say, “No, we want to play more.” Children have this sort of habit. And they are so much absorbed in playing and dancing, cows were moving independently. Nobody was watching them. In one game, some of the devotees were on Krishna’s side, Krishna is the leader and others will be on the Baladeva’s side where Baladeva is the leader. The game is that if any party defeats the other party, that defeated devotees should carry the winner devotees on their shoulder. Just when the game started, Krishna was defeated. By whom? Krishna was defeated by Sudam. And Vrishabh was defeated by Bhadrasen, both belonged to Balaram’s party. Balaram’s group won. Krishna had to carry Sudam on His shoulders. This is the evidence of Vraja-prem. There is no majestic aspect. When Sudam ascended on the shoulder of Krishna then his feet was touching Krishna. Is it Bhakti? What is this Bhakti? Krishna is playing with gladness, carrying him on shoulders. This is Vraja-prem, sweetness. Bhadrasen is carrying Vrishabh. And Baladeva is carried by Pralambasura. Pralambasura was a demon but he entered in the game in the form of a gopa to cause nuisance. All the other gopas could not understand. Krishna understood that he is a hypocrite. He thought, “Alright, I shall take you to My side to kill you.” Others could not understand. And he carried Balaram on his shoulders. He carried and he fled from there with Balaram. All got disturbed. He was continuously running and took Balaram very far. Balaram thought that this is some demon. Balaram became so heavy that the demon could not move, and he manifested his huge form. Seeing that Baladeva thought he is not a gopa. He told, “Alright, My appearance is to kill demons.” He punched him in the head. It got split and he started vomiting blood and died. All the demigods were very happy to see killing of the demon in Bhandirvan. Which demon was that? Bhaktivinoda Thakur has explained that demon is within us. That demon means stri-lampatya—desire for illicit sex connection and labh-puja-pratistha asha—desire for money, fame and respect. Understood? Desire for illicit sex connection, it is the greatest obstacle in this path. It is Pralambasura, and he must be killed. If (material) desire is there, there cannot be any Bhakti. We are holding discourses, kirtan, thinking about some money. We should speak harikatha, we will do hari kirtan but one thousand dollars should be given. Target is Dollar. That is not Bhakti. Why are you asking this? Do not you have any belief in Krishna? Think. Very deeply. If I go to anybody’s house here, he may be a good person or a bad person and I remain in his house, doing all service and demanding nothing, take absolute shelter, how long he shall remain silent? He may be a rogue person. Even a rogue person will not be able to bear this. He will think that this person is doing all this services and without feeding him how can I eat? (He may not feed him for a few days but) After a few days he won’t be able to do so. A human being will be unable to do this. (He will think) ‘I am wearing the garment and I shall not give the garment to him, how? I should give him.’ (Such feeling will come) Automatically, a human being cannot remain silent. Supreme Lord is the sustainer of infinite Brahmands, for His service I have to demand something from somebody? Why? What for? If you have got the belief, will He not sustain and maintain? You think about it. Why shall I demand? For professional chanters, professional speakers, they are not actually serving Krishna. Their target is something else. Automatically everything will come. A son of a king, he does not know, he forgets his father, he is moving on the road begging. Someone asked, “Why you are begging? You are the son of the King.” He is taken to the King. When he gets his father, is there any difficulty now? Everything comes automatically now. We are the sons of Supreme Lord; He is the sustainer and maintainer. If you take shelter to Him, everything will come automatically. Krishna says in Gita, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham — “I fulfill all his needs and preserve whatever he has.” You don't have to ask for anything. Shuddha-bhakta does not take anything. Supreme Lord wants to give. You want ownership? Sankarshan was saying to Vritrasura,

“Do you want the planet Dhruva ?”

“No.”

“Take ownership of Brahmanda?”

“No.”

“Why? Whatever you want I can give. Become the owner of this world?”

“No.”

“What do you want? Ownership of Netherworld?”

“No.”

“Eighteen yogika attainments?”

“No.”

“Salvation?”

“No.”

Samañjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe — "I want only causeless, one pointed devotion unto Your Lotus feet and nothing else. All these are the cause of bondage. These are not for Your satisfaction. I do not want." If he gets Krishna then everything is within Him. So Shuddha-bhaktas are very clever. They do not accept all this. But if I am given all these things, I will not say all these things. There are many rich persons in America. If they say, “Why are you taking so much botheration in this Math? I shall give you 100 million dollars. Make your own Math and remain there in comfort and do bhajan.” We think, “Oh! My coming to Gaudiya Math is successful. I am jumping. I shall go. If someone gives this I shall be dancing.” Shuddha-bhakta do not want this. They always want the service of Supreme Lord. They do not have love for material gain. If that is the target then everything will be lost. Non-eternal gain in this world, profit, non-eternal benefits in this world and higher worlds, within this Brahmanda, it is Labha—material benefits, that is not service to Krishna. Desire for getting worship from others, someone will worship me, they will respect me, Labha-pooja. I demand reverence from others. I demand others should worship me, I am the object of worship, Pratishtha, name and fame, if you are running after these, then you cannot get Krishna. This is Pralambhasura. Who will rescue us from this Pralambhasura? Baladeva. Take shelter to Him. Baladeva will kill this Pralambhasura, but actually we are afraid of taking the grace, “Oh we want to keep them—name and fame.” Whatever you had got, you have renounced, and again you are running after it? What for you are here? You have taken shelter to Gurudeva. If you do not serve Krishna, you will be indebted to your parent and others that you cannot pay back. What for? Parents have brought you up and taught you. If you do not serve Krishna you will be indebted. Then, you shall be hurled down to this world. You would have committed a sin but if you serve Krishna then you can pay back the debts. For that purpose you have come (to Math). You should have remained in the house, what for have you come (to Matha)? That demon is within us. Baladeva killed the outside demon but what about the inside demon? Bhaktivinoda Thakur said, “Desire for illicit sex connection, desire for debauchery”—Lampatya, material gains—Labha as Pralambhasur. Is this the criteria to understand whether the preaching is good or not? So much money should come, so many building should be constructed, so many things for name and fame, that is not the target. Target should be satisfaction of Krishna. When I shall die, everything will remain here. Nothing will go with us. Ambarish Maharaj, outside he was the autocrat of the whole world but he had no attachment. He had the knowledge that whatever I have got in my life, I will be deprived from this. One rich man was there in Howrah, Surekha. And our Sitaramji Mahendru, ultimately, he became the General Manager of Punjab National bank. We got acquainted with him when he was manager in Ludhiyana, Punjab. He had intimate connection with Surekha. He sent me to Surekha. He said, “You go, you will get money from Surekha.” I went to him and he gave some donation to us. Next time when I went, he said he had become a pauper, poor man. He had nothing. He was a millionaire and in his this life he became a pauper. Ambarish Maharaj saw the worldly property like a dream. In a dream you become anything. You become Prime Minister, you become President. When you wake up you realize, you were lying on the bed in a room. But at the time of seeing the dream you think it to be true. Like that we are seeing here. We are laughing, we are crying, and everything is a dream, nothing. And this property is like lump of matter, it has got no value, whole worldly property. Even if you get this sort of enjoying spirit, you will go to hell and you will be enveloped in this nescience.

It is said, in Srimad Bhagavatam,

ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ sapta-dvīpavatīṁ mahīm
avyayāṁ ca śriyaṁ labdhvā vibhavaṁ cātulaṁ bhuvi
mene ’tidurlabhaṁ puṁsāṁ sarvaṁ tat svapna-saṁstutam
vidvān vibhava-nirvāṇaṁ tamo viśati yat pumān
(Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.15-16)

It is there in Ambarish Maharaj’s biography. Ambarish Maharaj’s biography is written in Srimad Bhagavatam in 9th canto by Vedavyas Muni.

This Pralambhasura should be killed. Who will rescue us? Balaram. There's one more demon—Dhenukasura. It means Gardabhasura. That demon’s appearance is like that of an ass, have you seen an ass? Donkey? That ass had formidable power. He was a demon who came in the form of an ass. He had a big body. And he got his own team who were also in the form of ass. They thought they were the owners of all these palm trees and its fruits. All the sakhas were with Krishna and Balaram. They got the scent of Palm fruits and said Kanhaiya, “We want to eat these sweet fruits. But that demon did not allow anyone to enter. They are enjoying the whole forest. Nobody should enjoy it. Whoever enters they would kill him.” Krishna said, “It’s ok I will go there.” Then Baladeva said, “No You stay, I will go first.” Yashoda Mata and Nanda Maharaj had said to Balaram, “You are elder brother; You should take care of Krishna. Krishna is young. His intelligence is less. Krishna is small, He has no knowledge, no sense.” Balaram is to look after Him. This is Vraja-prem (love of Vraja-dham). Krishna is Supreme Lord. But they see Him like this. Baladeva went into the forest of Palm trees and shook the trees so hard that so many fruits fell on the ground. On hearing the sound of the fruits falling, Gardhabasura got enraged, “Who has come here? Who is destroying this?” Out of wrath and indignation he kicked on the chest of Balaram. Balaram tolerated that. After doing that, he saw that Balaram was not killed. He thought, “When I kick, everybody is dead. Again I will strike.” When he tried to kick Baladeva again, Baladeva got hold of his two feet and revolved him forcibly and by that, the demon was killed. When he was killed, Baladeva threw him on the trees. When he hit the trees, one tree after the other, all trees fell down. Other kith and kin asses also came. Baladeva threw them and they also got killed. Now, if you go to Talavan, you will not find palm trees, but they have grown something else now. But everything was finished. Dhenukasura was killed. Who is Dhenukasura? What is the significance of Dhenukasura? Ass. Who is an ass? An ass has got no intelligence. Those who use the ass for carrying the load, sometimes the owner of these asses think that I do not want to burden them so much, let me give them less weight. Usually they go ten times but then with less weight they will have to go fifteen times. But if you put less weight on them they will not move. It will only move if full weight is put on them. They do not understand their own interest. Asses are those who have got no knowledge of their own self. Ignorance and previous impressions of the world, they cannot give up. They are ready to take the burden of the whole family but they are not ready to worship Krishna. The whole burden they are carrying like an ass. You should think about it. You are a human being. Who are you? Where have you come from? What relation you have got with Supreme Lord? You should not be so ignorant like an ass. You should enquire about this human birth. So this sort of ignorance of our own self and our relation with Supreme Lord, that ignorance and nescience is the ass. That ass should be killed. How will it be killed? Baladeva, Gurudeva can rescue us. Baladeva has appeared in this world as Nityananda. Nityananda and Baladeva are same. Baladeva can do everything. He has got three principle potencies—Sri, Bhu and Lila. Sri is Revati, Bhu is Varuni and Lila means His pastimes.

Balaram married to the daughter of Kukudmi. Manu’s son is Sajjati, Sajjati’s son is Aanarta, Aanarta’s son is Revat and Revat’s son is Kukudmi, who is one with Suryadas Sarkhela, the father of Jahnava Devi. Kukudmi approached Brahma, “Where I shall offer my daughter?” Brahma directed that She is the internal potency of Baladeva, so you give your daughter to Baladeva. And Baladeva was married with His potency, Revati. And when married, then Revati was taller than Balaram. It looked awkward. Balaram had the weapon, plow, which He put on the shoulder of Revati and He forced it down, Revati became shorter than Balaram. Baladeva can do everything. Nothing is impossible for Him. He can make His wife shorter with His plow. For that reason we require grace of Baladeva, He also regulates.

Duryodhan had vanity. At that time, what happened? It is explained in Mahabharata also. One of the queens of Krishna, Jambavati, her son’s name is Samba and he was very powerful. Duryodhan's daughter’s name was Lakshamana and at that time there used to be Swayamvara. This mean that a bride will select the groom from so many suitors who come and then will give garland. That was the system. But if someone is powerful he can abduct the bribe. That system was also there. Samba went to the Swayamwara where Lakshamana will select somebody as her husband. He abducted Lakshamana in his chariot. All the Kurus got disturbed, and started fighting with him. The rule of fighting was that only a single person will fight with one person. When they were fighting, all were defeated by Sambha. All were praising Sambha’s valor in the single fight. But then they surrounded him and defeated him in an unlawful fight. And he was taken to custody with Lakshamana. This was reported to Krishna. Krishna said, “So many warriors fought with one person. It is an unlawful fight. I am going with My own army.” He was the King. Baladeva got affection for His disciple Duryodhan, He taught him how to fight with the club. If Krishna goes He might kill Duryodhan. So Balaram said I will go. Baladeva and some brahmins entered Hastinapur. And Dhritarashtra was informed that Baladeva had come. Duryodhan came with happiness to receive his Gurudeva. He performed His Pooja. Baladeva said, “I have come here with the order of Ugrasen. You have illegally fought and arrested Samba and Lakshamana. You give them back to Me. It is the order of Ugrasen.” Duryodhan felt very dejected and insulted that Ugrasen and Yadavas have so much vanity. By our connection with Kunti Devi, they have some power given by us and they are ordering us? Being the shoes of the feet, they want to rise upon the head? Baladeva said, “Oh! You have so much vanity? Is Krishna like a shoe?” (He dicided,) “I shall teach them a lesson. I cannot tolerate this. I shall drown the whole of Hastinapur.” With His plow, He thrust Hastinapur and it drowned. Then Yuddhisthir, Duryodhan and all others also cried, “O Baladeva! Trahi! Trahi! Rescue us! You are the Lord of all Lords, we have committed an offense out of ignorance!” They were shouting. They took absolute shelter to Baladeva and then He forgave them.

nūnaṁ nānā-madonnaddhāḥ
śāntiṁ necchanty asādhavaḥ
teṣāṁ hi praśamo daṇḍaḥ
paśūnāṁ laguḍo yathā
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.68.31)

You cannot control beasts by sweet words; you can control them by whipping. Baladeva decided, “I am to going to whip them. They are speaking like this for the object of My worship. He is Supreme Lord. They are uttering bad words about Him.” Baladeva also regulates us, governs us. He is our only shelter. He can regulate us from all the evils things and He can give us Shuddh-bhakti and everything on this holy day. He can grace devotees in this world by appearing in their heart. When there are some things of the world, worldly desires, Krishna will not appear there. If I invite you into my house and you have come, outside welcome sign is there but the door is shut, and inside the house all the furniture and irons etc. are packed up then what will you do? You will think there is no place for me to stay and you will leave. When Krishna will come to enter into your heart, but in your heart you have all these persons of the world, all the desires of the world are packed up, He will think that He has got no place to stay and He will go back. You have to do Gundicha-marjana like in Puri-dham, you have to clear all other desires, and then Krishna will come in a sanctified heart. To some devotees, Krishna is gracing today. You do not know whom He will grace.