The Effect of Nama Jap: Liberation from Sin, the End of Prarabdh, and the Attainment of Happiness! // 24/03/2026

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — To hear the full discourse, watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

Vrindavaneswari tvai padarvindm prema makrand raso purnam hadya pitam madhupte smarta mugram nirvai param shital mashyam param shital maya pyari ab soi gayi jyon jyon jagavat tyun tyun nahi jagat prem ras pan kari bhoi gayi shyama prem ras pan kari bhoi gayi pyari ab soi gayi jagat ho to jagaun pyari tatim param sachu ras hi rasik ras boi gayi ladli ras hi rasik ras boi gayi pyari ab soi gayi shri haridas ki Swami shyama uth ke gare lagai naval prit so gayi karunami uth ke gare lagai naval prit sono gayi pyari ab so gayi upasak aradhya dev ki sharanagati par dridh vishwas rakhen.

O Vrindavanesvari, your lotus feet are filled with the nectar of love. O Shyama, you have drunk deep the rasa of love and are lost in it. The beloved is now asleep in divine love. If she awakens, I will awaken her. The intimate rasa has been planted in the heart of the beloved. The beloved is asleep in divine love. The Lord of Radha, Shyama, rises and embraces in a new love. The compassionate one rises and embraces in new love. The beloved is now asleep. Let the sadhak keep firm faith in the surrender to the beloved deity.

This path is one of faith and conviction. The heart that remains engaged with faults like lust becomes tainted. In a tainted heart, faith and conviction in the Lord do not remain steadfast. If satsang is received, then faith and conviction awaken, grow, and if contemplated with attention, they remain established. But if one merely listens to satsang without giving it attention, without contemplating it, without bringing it into practice, then faith will arise and then fade away. For ten, twenty days, a month or two months one will walk the path of satsang, then one will fall. This is certain, because the influence of bad association has been there for many lifetimes. So faith arises from satsang, and when bad association comes, that faith dissolves.

Without faith and conviction, one cannot walk the path to the Lord. No experience comes. It is this faith and conviction that bring experience. Without faith and conviction, the siddh, the perfected ones who realize the Lord in their own hearts, cannot bring that realization to you. This faith and conviction is a great treasure. It manifests in a pure heart. Once it manifests, it purifies the heart completely. And through this conviction alone does one attain the Lord. Without faith there is no bhakti; without grace does Ram give rest? Without the grace of Krishna does the soul find repose? May this conviction of ours increase with every moment. The work of maya is to destroy conviction. So many days have passed—you have been chanting the divine name, worshipping, but has anything been accomplished? No, nothing has been accomplished, and now misfortune has come and troubles have arrived.

Conviction is lost. Yet a beautiful thing has happened—the tainted thoughts in your heart have come out and been destroyed. But because you did not see them leaving, you have taken it to mean that since you started chanting the name, great pollution has entered within. The troubles and sorrows that come to one who chants the name are there to burn away the great debt of karma in a small measure. The sadhak who chants the name does not receive wealth as the fruit of bhajan. The fruit of bhajan is direct attainment of the Lord. Through the intention formed in doing bhajan, everything is attained.

Bhajan remains completely protected. Through the effort we have made and suffering we have endured for it, all pleasures and accomplishments of this world and the next begin to return at his feet. And the name remains protected. It subdues the Lord and manifests him in the heart. Therefore, to the surrendered sadhak, the prayer is: do not lose your faith. Whatever circumstances may come, whatever the mind's state may be, if you keep your conviction firm, this will bring you to the attainment of the Lord. This will fulfill all your desires. Wait. Wait for time.

If misfortune has come, it is the law for experiencing the fruit of sinful actions. Bear it patiently while chanting the divine name. Ahead there is much light. Much auspiciousness. Much happiness. Have faith in this. Maya creates such tendencies within, produces such external events that the sadhak becomes discouraged, troubled. What can you do? There is only one remedy. Go back into the world. The sadhak thinks the world is the source of happiness. As long as this understanding remains, there is a chance we will fall. Blessed is that sadhak who has made a firm decision.

Whether happiness comes or not, whether comfort comes or not, whether progress comes or not—the purpose of my life is now to walk the path of truth and to continuously chant the divine name. Blessed I have become. Such a one becomes the supreme sadhu, the greatest devotee who pleases the Lord of all auspiciousness. Such is the resolve born of firmly established practice. Have faith. Without this firm practice, you cannot move forward. If your heart thinks there is some path through which you will never have fever, never have a cold, never have any illness, never face disrespect or insult, never face misfortune—then reflect. When the Lord incarnates here and performs his leela, even in his life such things were seen.

Great misfortunes, great obstacles, great demons opposed him in a struggle-filled life. You are experiencing the fruit of your actions. The Lord subdues all actions and frees the soul. He destroys all sins and makes the soul sinless. What actions belong to the Lord? What action did the Lord commit that such misfortunes, such sorrow, such circumstances came? You understand bhajan to be only a small thing. In the past, Devaki and Vasudeva performed bhajan in such a way that who could be such a bhajananandi that the Lord of all the universes, the Father of all, came as their son?

What bhajan did Nand and Yashoda perform? What bhajan did Maharaja Dasharatha and Kausalya perform? Consider this—they too are greatly blessed devotees in whose home the Lord crawls on his knees. We are such bhakts that at the slightest obstacle we abandon the Lord. In such bhakti there is no success. In any undertaking, only one who is resolute in purpose attains success in that work. Even if the work goes wrong a hundred times, we must not lose heart. One day we will surely accomplish that work successfully. The one with such a nature, the stubborn one, attains success.

That which we are unable to do, we will do. The practice of bhajan, the practice of sense control, the practice of mind control—let us see how long the mind defeats us. How long desire and worldly pleasures keep us enslaved. One day, through the power of the naam, we will make them our servants. Certainly. But you must have firm resolve. Even after failing a thousand times, we must not give up. Then the Lord illuminates the path of God-realisation in that heart. When the Lord sees our effort, our endeavour, our striving, our yearning—that divine path through which we attain direct vision of God.

Therefore, never be disheartened, never be sorrowful. Never admit defeat on this path. Even in defeat, our victory will be assured. For the Lord is with us. Have faith—this maya is very powerful. Only Hari conquers it. Otherwise no austere sage, no spiritual practitioner, no perfected being can overcome maya. Maameva prapadyante—those who take refuge in Me cross over maya. This is surrender, the exclusive devotion of the beloved to the Beloved. Sripada Prabodhananda says: I could never desire to meditate on Lakshmi's consort, Narayana with His four arms, the Lord full of supreme majesty and glory. Rather, my life is in Radha's kunj in the lovely Vrindavan. My life is in the kunj of Shri Radha in Vrindavan. My life is in Vrindavan.

This is the surrender of love. Whoever remains thus exclusively devoted to their chosen deity in worship—this is the exclusivity of that two-armed Krishna, the flute player, the enchanter, the slender, three-curved form, the supreme person who appeared to distribute love in Vrindavan. Or the exclusivity of those who eternally sport, eternally wander in the kunj of Vrindavan. This is their exclusivity. I do not even accept any meditation practice in which the Lord appears in His form of glory and majesty. Love's affection—keep this principle in mind. For these great souls, such knowledge came long ago.

This is the affection of love. This should dwell in the heart of a devotee. Nothing else appeals. Nothing. When the guru has established love, nothing else is pleasing. The eyes have become accustomed. The gaze has settled. Their eyes have become so absorbed in the lotus face of Shri Radhavallabh that they have become devoted servants of the slender beloved, that sweet darling whose eyes have become enslaved—nothing else pleases them. See the maturity of Sripada. He says: I do not even wish to see the vision of Lakshmi's consort, the Lord full of great opulence and glory, in my meditation.

Blessed indeed. And the further meaning will not be understood. Without Vrindavan's lovers and the Lord's taste, without the rasika—the knower of rasa—the further teaching cannot be grasped. It is most extraordinary. Just as I know the path that the great souls like Sri Sukhadeva and Narada follow, I know it. I am capable of it. But I do not wish for such devotion mixed with knowledge of Brahman. It is a most wondrous state. Whether you call it good or bad, good or bad—I thought it thus. You consider where your own state stands. Then he says: My life is in the kunj of Shri Radha in the lovely Vrindavan. In Shri Vrindavan, in Radha's kunj lies my life.

Sripada says: My life is in Radha's kunj in the lovely Vrindavan. My supreme wealth is Vrindavan, which contains Radha's kunj, which contains many kunjs, where the beloved lovers sport—this Vrindavan where Radha and Krishna play in the kunjs, this is my life. Sripada obtained the company of Mahaprabhu Harivansh Chandra Ji. To Prabodhananda Ji came many secrets. In them, there is no place for any worldly behaviour or mechanical patterns. Without the grace of the crown jewel of rasika saints, such rasa does not come. The Mahaprabhu speaks of the verses—a slight change of words with deep meaning:
Alam visaya vaya narak koti vibhaya vrittha katha mam kaivalya padeshbhajan mada yadi sukhadya kim tat.
Stop talking of worldly matters. This is more fearful than millions of hells. It is despicable and repulsive. And liberation, moksha, the state of isolation—I do not want that either. I want the service of my Beloved. Let the waves dissolve into the ocean. I do not want that. I wish to remain ever in their service.

And these great souls like Sri Sukhadeva, Lord Shiva, and others—though I bow to them with folded hands and touch my forehead to them, I do not want even them.
Mam Radhika pada-seva-raso 'pi me.
My state is submerged in the rasa of serving the feet of my Radha.
We are drowning in the service rasa of Gora's lotus feet. We do not want these—dharma, artha, kama, moksha—do not speak of these useless things before us. And those great ones engaged in the worship of the Lord—I bow to them with folded hands, I touch my forehead to them in salutation.

My state is in Vrindavan, where the sweetness of the young Kishori and the young Kishore reveals the divine rasa. Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu dwells within the boundary of Vrindavan. The young Kishori and the young Kishore – their service and care is my entire life. In this alone my mind finds everything. This is a matter of supreme love.

The kunja of Radha in Vrindavan is my life. In the kunja where Radha dwells, the beloved divine couple sports eternally. The Vedas cannot touch what I am speaking of – this supreme love – because they describe it only as "neti neti" (not this, not this). This is not all. Go deeper, go deeper. Only those who serve the dust of Vrindavan can understand this.

Yat sīmānam apasparśen nigamo dūrāt param lakśyate – Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu says: the Vedas remain distant and cannot touch even the boundary of this. What the Vedas do not know, what no tender principle can grasp – there is no such thing that escapes their knowledge. Therefore people say the scriptures have described everything. But there are two divisions to the scriptures. One describes the Godhood and majesty of the Lord – that is public knowledge. Anyone can read it, anyone can understand it. In the nine-fold devotion spoken of in the Vedas, the flow of the divine river – the worship of Lalita Sakhi – the Lord's majesty is supreme, the destruction occurs.

In the Vaishnava dharma, where the supreme Lord Shri Hari is worshipped, the nine-fold devotion described in the Vedas is the flow of the divine Ganga. You can take a dip in it, but the eternal divine play of Vrindavan, the love divine – its description, its principle, its attainment –

Vedāh sanastah kevalam avichin anurāgam labhate – Here the Veda's principle is this: the rasik saints and great souls who possess knowledge of Vedanta also have knowledge. But those who have Vedantic knowledge do not possess the knowledge of the state of the rasik great souls. This is what must be understood. In the Gita, the Lord says: I can be fully known only through undivided devotion, not through any other means. This supreme devotion reaches its culmination in Shri Dham Vrindavan.

Yat sīmānam apasparśen nigamo dūrāt param lakśyate – Even the Vedas do not touch its boundary. Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu is saying that which the scripture describes as "neti neti,"

Tāko te adhara sudhār ras chākhyo – the nectar of the lips savors it.

Jah birānch umāpati nāe tāp te ban phul binā'e – Brahma and Shiva pray to touch the feet of our Beloved, yet they ask flowers from the Lord. That love which the Vedas describe as "neti neti" – it seeks the nectar of your lips. The nectar of Lalita's lips is the life-giving elixir of the Beloved. As Shri Hit Harivansh says, "The Shyamsundar is my life-giving essence." How can one know this love mystery without the company of rasik saints? The scriptures are of two kinds: one describes the majesty and glory of the Lord – the formless and form, Vedanta and all. The other speaks of pure love, radiant love, supreme love. This description has been given by the rasik great souls, the rasa-realized devotees. Therefore, the Vedas speak through the voice of the rasik saints. If you wish to understand the principle of love, the words of the rasik saints are authoritative. The majesty of the Lord, the formless and form – the Vedas are proof of that. But the sweetness, the supreme bliss festival –

Kinchit garhda daya dev paramānandotsav kāvdhi yan mādhury kano ved shiv svāy bhavām tad vrindāvan nām dhām rasdam vandām rādhā pate – That which the Vedas do not even know – the divine play of which the Vedas are unaware – there are two things of which the Vedas are unaware, which are described as "neti neti."

Of that divine play of which the Vedas know nothing – they merely gesture toward it, that the Supreme Self is the form of rasa. By attaining it one becomes immersed in supreme bliss. Shri Pad is saying: the mystery of the supreme bliss reaches its zenith through the service of this Vrindavan. That which is the supreme rasa – even one particle of it – not everyone will understand. Even the great souls, the yogic masters and sages with their gurus, find it rare. Shiva and the Sanaka speak in such words. We have not been able to receive the affection of Shri Ji's feet. The Lord Shiva entered the Maha Rasa by becoming a gopi for one night.

But of Lalita, if you ever find mention of Her service and adornment, tell us. Lord Shiva was applying mehendi to Shri Lalita's feet, arranging Her hair, preparing Her braids – but there is no entry into such service. This is difficult to reach, says Narada. How compassionate is Lalita! The sacred dust of Vrindavan's holy Yamuna shore fell upon Her feet. When the Beloved saw that Lalita's feet had become dusty from the Yamuna shore, He brought water from the Yamuna in His palms and was about to wash Her feet, when Lalita stopped Him. The Beloved said: "The dust from the shore has fallen on your feet – let it not prick you." She replied: "My dear, those who take shelter at my feet – I do not turn them away. Let this dust remain. Those who take shelter at my feet – I do not turn them away." How great and powerful is this Brahm! The Vedas sing "neti neti" of Her. How immeasurable is the Divine! That the Lord Shankara, Brahma and others bow and offer obeisance to the form of the Lord – such is the majesty of our Mistress! How could the Vedas know this, or outsiders know it? They cannot know. Only Shri Sukadeva describes it in hints:

Anārādhit bhagavān hari, īshvara īshvarānam bhagavān śrī krishna – "The Lord Sri Krishna, whom even the Lords of lords worship – She is that beloved sakhi who has been taken by the Lord." Not that it is said the young Radha is worshipped by the Lord Sri Krishna, whom the Lords of lords worship – instead it is hinted: Anārādhit bhagavān harishvara – those great souls who yearn for what we have received! Shri Pad is saying they yearn. Great souls yearn for the service of our Lalita. But once Narada came in the form of carrying his vina into the kunja.

Such a description is nowhere to be found in Vani Ji. Why? Because neither gods, nor Brahma, nor demons, nor Hari's bhakts—not even they have access there. When it is said that these great ones don't have entry, then how can we possibly have entry? No. These are like hardened pots. No form can be remade for them. But our people are completely like soft clay. By breaking it, anything can be made. Our people don't have knowledge of Brahman, and they don't have realization of that ultimate truth either. However much Sri Sukhdeva Ji describes it—when the beloved describes the beloved's braids being braided, then Sukhdeva Ji's description at that time pierces the hearts of the lovers. This is the God whom Lord Shankara constantly worships, and this God governs them.

The words that follow pierce the heart. When Dhruv Das Ji describes this, when Hari Ram Vyas Ji describes this, when Hari Vyas Devachary Ji describes this, when Swami Hari Das Ji describes this, then the heart becomes uplifted. Why? Sukhdeva Ji, in his vision, knew the glory of this—who is this? Then don't Swami Ji, don't Hit's vision, know this? They do know. But there is no entry into that glory.

They know:
jai Harivansh karat apno jas pragat akhil brahmandan, akhil brahmanddhipti hai
Glory to Harivansh who manifests his own glory throughout all universes; he is the Lord of all universes

Harivansh Mahaprabhu says this. Swami Ji Maharaj says:
tu jas koti brahmand viraje, shri Radhe brahmand pati
Your glory, O Radha, pervades countless universes; You are the Lord of universes

Now, does everyone know this? The bhakts, the lovers, the rasiks—don't they know who the beloved is? No, they know very well. But in the love of the beloved, the beloved's glory becomes forgotten, and then there is only tenderness. And these great souls can never forget the glory.

The perfected souls, the mature souls, and those perfected in love—where the entry of majesty cannot happen at all. Even a particle of that supreme love-rasa, that sweetness—which Shiva, the Vedas, self-manifest Brahma and the Sanaka and others, these who did not arise from any mother and father—even the Shrimad Radha, the name, meditation, or realization of which Narad and Shiva themselves became.. That's why I proudly say here: Oh my Queen has given me such fortune that I can proudly proclaim—our mother, Shyama..wait, have you still not understood who Shyama is?

With one utterance of the syllable Kleem, the entire hearts of all the gopis of Braj were stolen. The seed of love, the essence of that ocean of love—the beloved Ladli and the dear Dark One who sway in devotion.
tad Vrindavan dham, naam rasdam vandam Radha-pate
That Vrindavan realm, ocean of rasa, I bow to—Radha's beloved

I worship that very Vrindavan whose particles the great souls long for. Radha's companion, the beloved, has given me that rasa as a gift. These things are kept secret. But why am I saying this? I am saying it for the sake of our faith. The fruit has been given. One could write it that way. But I have said—the rasa has been given as a gift.

A gift is given to a beggar. We are not entitled here. That our spiritual practice bore fruit—the great sweetness and love-rasa of Radha and Krishna's lotus feet. Then what could be greater than this? This is established. It takes 8,88,000 years of absorption in samadhi in which we are born and die hundreds of times—then our entire lifetime will not equal even one of their absorptions. We have nothing. We have been dragged along by grace. Now we have only their mercy, grace and compassion that can save us. Such a giver is this—Radha and Krishna have given themselves to us.

Extremely generous, exceedingly beautiful in form, celestial and delicate—these delicate divine couple, the rulers, are the great givers. They incarnate their grace to give their gifts. Who is the incarnation of Radha and Krishna's grace? The acharya, the form of grace. That is why it is said:
mahima teri kaha kahun, shri Harivansh dayal, tere dwara batat hai sahaj ladli lal
How can I describe your glory, O merciful Harivansh; through you flows forth the natural Beloved and the Dear One

See the word "sahaj"—natural, spontaneous. Just stay in line. You don't need to worry about what faults are running in you, how much your bhajan is progressing, what level of practitioner you are. Here there is no counting of these things. Here the counting is: stay in the line—don't waver here and there.

Lines are formed on all sides. They will call you. Much time has passed. Standing here, something was gained. (The inner voice) says: "No, you're still standing." (Other lines) say: "Come into our line, see what is being distributed. Take pleasure!" But don't make that mistake. This surrender, this receiving of the beloved—just stay in this line. So:
mahima teri kaha kahun, shri Harivansh dayal, tere dwara batat hai sahaj ladli lal

Through this very line have become great rasa-perfected saints. You too are going through this very line. And the line has this power—you don't have to walk. You are pushed forward by the force. When there's a strong, powerful line and you completely settle into it, then a crowd comes from behind and pushes you forward. Like when you go for the darshan of Ladli Ji in Barsana—you see how by the crush of the crowd you suddenly reach right in front. For the darshan of Ladli Ji—just place yourself in the line.

We don't have the capacity to stand in this line ourselves. If we were asked "What do you want?" and put in that line, our asking would be very petty. "Give me this much money, give me this much house, give me a bride, give me this, give me that." If we were asked from the depths of our heart—"Tell us openly, what do you want?"—then what they would say would make us lose consciousness. We would be asked: "Give your life, your entire self, everything for the Lord." We won't do it. But for lust, you would be ready in a minute. To give your life—understand this firmly—in one minute we would be ready to give such precious lives.

How? You know that if the consequences of this came about, you could receive life imprisonment or death. But without understanding that, you plunge forward. So if we are asked about the heart's truth—the world is dear, not the Lord. But I don't know; through the grace of Radha, by being pushed and jostled, I ended up in line. Then it was understood—what does this line distribute? He said: Priya and Pritam are distributed in this. I didn't want Priya and Pritam, nor did I know of this line; I don't know how, being pushed in the crowd, I ended up in such a line where Priya and Pritam are being distributed. What is your glory! Yes, the Acharya is seated and keeps distributing the attachment of Shyama and Shyam, the attachment of Shyama and Shyam—he keeps distributing. He said: Radha's husband has given me the gift of rasa. Now I need nothing else.

When will there be such a time—in Vrindavan's groves, roaming, roaming—that I wander through Nikunj, meditating on the leela, contemplating the sweetness of form, remembering the divine couple in the name. When will there be such a time? In Vrindavan's groves, roaming, roaming—may the image of Shri Shyama Ji and beloved Krishna fill my eyes, and singing their songs, may I sway through the streets of Vrindavan. Here, walking itself is circumambulation and worship. Remember—take this as a sure thing, believe me.

If you are in complete surrender, you don't need to do worship separately. The entire worship is happening for you. Your walking is circumambulation. Your sleep is considered samadhi. Whether you are in the Divine Abode or under the Lord's shelter, wherever you are—I am speaking of complete surrender. Everything you say will be singing God's glory, and each breath of yours will be considered worship. Your eating, your receiving food—even this will be considered offering to the deity, a complete sacrifice. Your sleep, samadhi—each step, each moment—now you don't have to do worship; it becomes natural through surrender. When will such a time come? We are roaming, roaming—our feet are moving, but I don't know why the pair Gaur and Shyam fill our heart, our mind, and we hum. Is there nectar in these verses? You'll know later. For now, poison is spread on the tongue—the poison of sense pleasures, these many kinds of worldly objects. Therefore, the verses' taste is not coming. Otherwise you would drown—you would drown in bliss.

See, sakhi—Radha's beloved's play. See, see, sakhi, sakhi—see how beautiful is the form of Priya and Pritam! See how they play in the forest. See, sakhi—Radha's beloved's play.

These two charming youthful forms sport in the groves, their necks and arms entwined.

These two new youthful forms—treasures of beauty, like the wish-fulfilling vine beneath the dark tamaal tree.

Their lips and breasts meet in kisses; the body trembles with bliss, the maiden filled with the taste of love's nectar. Behold this today—behold how the beautiful Braj maiden plays with Mohan.

The young couple sways in the dance of love, their form like the tamaal tree, its tendrils entwined with the golden creeper.

See, sakhi—in the new Nikunj, the bees hum, the sounds echo, the multitude of love sings; the peacocks and cuckoos make their own melodies; the heart becomes joyful; everywhere in between there is the color of amorous play; thus moment by moment, Harivansh drinks in the sight with eyes so thirsty.

These verses were sung for only two minutes, yet when their beauty is absorbed, how many hours the heart will remain soft and tender.

In such great rasa of love—when will there be such a time that I wander in Vrindavan, humming these verses, meditating on the leela, drinking the sweetness of form? I will remain in remembrance of my most dear beloved—the new maiden, the new youth of Shri Ji. In forgetting all else, I will forget everything—only my Priya and Pritam will remain. If the name runs in our mouth, if the name flows, this state is not rare. The name has infinite glory. "The name destroys sin. What doubt is there? The Lord will grant salvation." You brothers, no matter how many sins you have committed, come now. Come to the shelter of the name. Don't worry at all. Many brothers come and ask the question: We have committed many sins. Can our sins be destroyed? Will they be destroyed? Yes, "The name destroys sin. What doubt is there? Glory to the name, the wish-fulfilling tree of the sages! The supreme syllable for the liberation of all! You, O great one, are the giver of all blessings, the destroyer of all karma!" The Lord whose name takes refuge will not allow any sin to punish that person.

Remember, a question will arise. Then why do the great souls suffer? Not new sins, not current sins—not sins. This is praarabdh, from which the body was created. The accumulated sins from past lives—that ash—will dissolve ahead. That ash, dissolved in the present—great discernment is needed. To listen to satsang, if you don't listen, a question will arise: "The name destroys all sins." You're saying this, so then why do the great ones experience the fruits of sin? The fruit is not present. It's not past.

Even if it happens in the future, it's not that. This is the fruit of praarabdh—the accumulated karma from many births, taken from the storehouse, by which this body was created. Now we are doing worship. The creation happened before—in 25 years this will happen, in 30 years this will happen, in 45 years this will happen. He to whom I grant my shelter—who? The name. The Lord is saying—the name. This is directly the form of truth, consciousness, and bliss. The great sages sing my glory. I am the delighter of the hearts of the devoted. I take avatar in the form of letters. Note this—this is the Lord's avatar for us in our mouth, on our mind's canvas, in our heart—is this Radha? This is the Lord's letter-avatar. I take the form of letters. Whoever comes to my shelter, I make victorious.

Whoever remembers the name—all obstacles are removed, no obstacle comes, no harm comes, fear of the age of Kali is removed, all suffering is destroyed.

Those who chant Hari's name are victorious. This is truth, this is full of glory, this is timeless. The Sikh brother says: "Whoever speaks is blessed. Truth, Eternal Truth!" Will make you blessed with all prosperity, complete glory will be obtained.

Truth is the glorious one. Time is the destroyer. Whoever speaks it becomes blessed. Victory comes to the one it is spoken of. Catch each word and the heart will fill with bliss. I take the form of letters. Radha Radha Radha — what appears on your mental screen, Radha Radha — the Beloved has taken the form of letters and incarnated personally in your heart.

The divine name says, my excellence surpasses even the one named. The named one liberated only one Ahalya. Through the touch of feet, she was freed. When the name touched, millions of Ahilyas reached the supreme state.

Who knows? When God takes incarnation, he slays great demons. When the name takes incarnation, countless sinners — people no one even knew — all attained the divine state. The excellence of the name surpasses the named one. This excellence exists only so that the divine name takes it upon itself for our welfare.

What can we even say of one who chants the name with respect? One who remembers with respect — like a puddle made by a cow's hoof filled with water, how long does it take to cross? Thus the ocean of existence is crossed by one who chants the name with respect.

But here they say: even if chanted without respect, even in mockery — see, brother, what happens from chanting the name. Very high things are written: it destroys, root and all, every terrible mass of sins up to the subtle and physical bodies, and reveals the tendency toward the divine form.

The destruction of the name, the linga, the body — this means there will be no next birth. This is the subtle body; the play is finished. The name, the tendency of the name — this is a very good opportunity, because satsang comes to you every day.

Hold it. Hold it. If you hold it, you will be blessed. Understand this. Even a semblance of the name destroys all your sins. Suppose you wanted to say the full name Ram but only pronounced "Ra" and couldn't say "m" — if the body drops, you will attain the divine. Suppose you wanted to say the full name Radha but only pronounced "Ra" and couldn't do "dha" — if the body drops, you will attain the divine.

Whoever's tongue is uttering Radha Radha Radha, Radha Ram Krishna Hari — the name that is spoken does not merely burn sins to ash.

It burns the tendency toward sin and reveals pure bhakti. This sinful tendency — worldly desire, the mind always doubting — this goes to very high states. It remains like a spark all the way to direct realization of the divine. Pay attention: when the direct realization of the divine comes, then the matter is finished. Mam darshan phal param anupa, jeev paav nij sahaj svarupa. Such small sadhana is crushed. The spark remains. If dry grass and fuel meet with a favorable wind, it becomes a flame. If the name is moving on your tongue, then the name shines like the sun inside you.

No storm or tempest can extinguish it. This is not fire. This is the radiance of the sun. Who in this world is skilled enough to speak the complete glory of the name? Kaha kaha lagi naam badhai, Ram na sak naam gun gai. Even God cannot fully describe the glory of his own name — what then of others? Even Lord Shesha with his thousand tongues, describing the glory endlessly, has still not completed the description. No one yet has been able to fully describe the glory of the name. Such is the power of the naam that no one has yet fully described its true glory.

The name possesses the power to grant wisdom to those devoid of discernment. If one who worships the name desires that one should not have to experience the fruits of past karma, the name has the power to destroy that karma — but then an obstacle will come to attaining the divine. An obstacle will come to attaining the divine. Pay attention here. If it seems to some that diseases that come to bhakti-absorbed saints can be removed by bhajan if bhajan has strength, then look — the scriptures say: atha kantik bhavo nopasitam naam bhog vinash prabdh vinay bhoga vinashti — without experiencing, past karma will be destroyed. So why don't saints destroy their own past karma? Because it will create an obstacle to attaining the divine. The body is not eternal.

Say there is cancer, kidney failure, this and that. These are for a time. When the time is complete, do those with healthy kidneys not die? Do those without cancer not die? Even the very healthy go singing and dancing. The song is playing, ahead in the chariot, Radhavallabh, Shri Harivansh went. Time is one thing. The bhakt knows this. So the bhakt does not use the power of bhajan to destroy past karma. Pay attention, otherwise the scriptures command: bhog vinash prabdhm vinay bhogad vinashti — without experiencing, past karma will be destroyed. Until now we have heard that previous accumulated karma, sinful past deeds, present sins — all of these — aham tam sarv pap mokshya mascha prabdh bhogna padta hai — past karma must be experienced.

So now they say: if the name is chanted with steadfast faith — atha kantik ekantik bhav — the name, besides the name, we have no other strength, no other means. Atha kantik bhav no pasitam naam — one who worships the name with this tendency, bhog vinash prabdhm bin bhoga vinash tya — without experiencing, past karma will be destroyed. As Shridhar Baba told us a story of a saint of Radha Kund: he would daily bathe in Radha Kund. If someone spat, if anything happened, he would clean it with the water of Radha Kund, saying, "Our beloved and Beloved play here," and he sustained himself with alms.

He used to do naam jap continuously. One day, while he was sitting after serving Radha Kund, a dark, foul-smelling man came to him. He said, "Baba, accept me." He asked, "Accept what?" The man replied, "I am the disease of leprosy that has been rotting for 12 years, and I want to come upon your body. But there is so much bhajan that I cannot come without your permission. I am your prarabdh. Your prarabdh of 12 years of rotting leprosy." He said, "Brother, we don't have that much time to suffer it. This won't be asked from us. But since such great bhajan practitioners and gurus are involved, we don't have time. The next day again, the baba had to accept it. We will make you experience 12 years of rotting leprosy in 6 years."

No, no, we don't have time. Day after day it kept coming. One day it came and said, "Baba, please accept me. Prarabdh—or destroy it through bhajan." He said, "We won't give bhajan. If we don't give bhajan, then the man said, "Baba, accept it." He replied, "Will you be willing to accept suffering for 24 hours?" The man said, "I will give you 12 years of suffering in 24 hours. You will experience it." So he said, "Our word is final. Give me all the suffering of 12 years in 24 hours. I accept it."

He said, "There will be no medicine, no one to give water, no one at the door. You will lock it from inside." He said, "Absolutely, like a letter." This baba told his disciples, "I am locking the door at this very moment. See the time. For 24 hours, no one will enter my room. No one will disturb me. I myself will come out." The acceptance was complete. His entire body was covered with pus. Severe pain kept increasing—"Ha Krishna, ha Krishna." And after 24 hours passed, it was complete. When he came out, his form was radiant. He underwent prarabdh, not given bhajan. Here it is said that if through the strength of bhajan you want to see—if someone has given clothes, if someone has given food, if someone has built a hut—then they take that person's prarabdh and experience it. How will the father then take away his own prarabdh? Think about it. Great beings have such power. Why don't they then take away their prarabdh? Because they have pure knowledge that this body can be destroyed. We can experience it; others cannot. But any sadhak who wishes can destroy prarabdh.

But that sadhak is the one who does bhajan to destroy desire, not to provide comfort to the body. But in our scriptures, there is a principle: Atha kantik bhave nopasitam nam bhog vinash, prarabdh vinay bhogad vinashati tya. Once, brother, Maharaj Ji was in Haridwar, in Rishikesh, in very bad condition. He couldn't get up or speak. He was in great suffering. Just then, Shri Sitaram Omkaranath Ji Maharaj came. He was a greatly accomplished great being. He said he wanted to have a conversation with brother Ji for a few minutes. It was said that at this time it's not possible because he is very weak and in great pain.

He said, "Please inform him." So brother Ji was told, "Shri Sitaram Omkaranath Ji Maharaj has come to see you." He got up and sat as if he was resting comfortably. Where did they go? They went and sat on a platform by the Ganges. The two great beings had hours of discourse on bhagavat. Then they came back and he came and lay down on the bed just as before. But tell me, is prarabdh ruling over him? No. This is the only mistake that worldly people make. If the result of bhajan is that there is no suffering, why does the mahatma have suffering? No, absolutely no suffering.

Absolutely no suffering. You don't know. You see the external form in suffering and think it is suffering. If you had that discrimination inside, that power—or if a machine were built and placed in his chest—you would see. Such supreme bliss does not exist anywhere in the world as exists for the one who does bhagavat bhajan. Prarabdh is destroyed only through suffering. This is what the scriptures say. But naam has such power. Prarabdh can be destroyed without experiencing it. Not really—even great ascetics, wise ones, and bhakts have accepted and experienced prarabdh.

Prarabdh will be destroyed without being karma. You saw in a dream four men came beating you with sticks—beating, beating—they beat you very much. You woke up. One more blow would have been taken. Prarabdh was experienced and destroyed. Some prarabdh suffering the Lord makes happen, and thousands of prarabdh suffering He cuts short. Thousands of prarabdh suffering He cuts short in dreams. Believe it, the Lord is a great player of divine play. Those of His people whose prarabdh is written in large amounts, He cuts short in dreams. Some He gives to experience, and even that beating is such—the prarabdh of the Lord's bhakts.

Like a child who has caused some damage to a neighbor and picked a fight. Now the neighbor is coming to beat him, and his mother is very clever. She runs. She says, "Stop, stop. Didn't I tell you, you wicked child, you won't listen." He gets so angry and raises his hand high, and as the hand comes toward his back, it becomes soft. It hits gently. Then others come—"Oh sister, let him be. You said so, and we would have obeyed. Not him—his skin would have been torn." Such is the suffering of prarabdh that the Lord gives—are you understanding? The mother raises her hand very high, but he is her darling, so she hits very gently. If a neighbor were to beat him, the hand wouldn't go up that high, but it would strike very hard. So prarabdh, like a neighbor, beats everyone. But when bhakts are beaten, it's like a mother's beating. Yes, just as a potter hits the pot from below with one hand and from above with another, so too the Lord—the truth of bliss—is speaking. With one hand of bliss placed below, the Lord makes His beloved experience prarabdh from above.

Those great beings who realize Brahm Vidya have their accumulated karma burnt to ashes. Kriyaman karma is destroyed. But prarabdh has to be experienced. However, that very prarabdh cannot even touch one who is devoted to naam. There is Vedic evidence for this. "Sarvey pap mabhya.." The Vedas say that one whose all sins have been burnt to ashes through tapasya, sadhana and Vedanta, becomes free from the sins of past and present. But they must experience prarabdh. However, if one is a naam japak, then they will not even have to experience prarabdh.

If they don't want to, why would they want to? Look, you don't use a Brahmastra to kill a mosquito. Move forward. Your own heart will tell you. Come, let us accept prarabdh. But the sadhana will not give us even one naam. We will bear it. That is wonderful. Look, when money becomes important, one says to the person one owes money to: "Give me work for two days, don't take money, we will work with our body." Money, agreed. Just so, the devotee says: "We will bear it with our body, we will not give you the sadhana, agreed." So come, with sorrow and longing they cry out: "Radha, Radha, Radha! We are filled, what loss is there to us? As soon as the body falls away, Priya Priyaji will be with us."

Whether the body falls away tomorrow or after ten years, Priyaji will be with us. What we are doing here, we will do there. Here you are sitting in human form and there is discourse about God. There, before Priyaji, we will sing, dance, play and leap, singing the glory of Priyaji. What loss is there to us alongside our Mistress? "Bhakt Vichitra Ananda Pradatum Bahurup Ya Bhava Dati Karunadam." This is a powerful thing indeed. Through this naam, devotees receive wondrous bliss. This naam takes on countless forms.

This very naam becomes the devotee's food. It becomes the devotee's clothing. It becomes the devotee's protector. It becomes the devotee's dealings. The naam becomes the devotee's everything. The naam is everything in all forms. Just as God appears in all forms, so too the naam appears in all forms. For the naam japak, the naam becomes that very protector. It becomes that loving mother. It becomes the clothing. It becomes the food. It becomes the life. It becomes the glory, fame, conduct, wealth, and all attainments. "Bhakt Vichitra Ananda Pradatum Bahurup Bhava Dati Karunadam." The naam, merciful beyond measure, does not let sorrow touch anyone.

Like a mother who has a beloved child holds it to her breast—just so, this naam takes on all forms for the naam japak. The naam takes on all forms to give the devotees wondrous joy. The name manifests in countless forms. This is the special glory of the naam, the glory of God's special service, honour, compassion, and boundless majesty. The glory is beyond comprehension. When a great being speaks, even if a crore, a billion people say "Jai," it has no importance. But if one who has attained God says "Jai," then it has value. How great is the glory of this naam of God! What is the form of the naam? Words cannot express it. Its glory is beyond reason. Whoever has love for the naam—day and night, doubly, fourfold—in a way that cannot be described, they experience ever-increasing supreme bliss.

"Ag Daman Yashoda Nandan, Nand Suno Kamal Nayan, Gop Gopi Chand, Vrindavan Pran Karuna Krishna." Through the naam, devotion grows. For whoever takes shelter in the name of God—as we speak of the glory of the naam—such sweetness comes that according to their nature of devotion, they cry with the heart's longing. There is a crying of sorrow, and there is a crying—a crying of separation and a crying of joy that cannot contain itself.

Then one cries out loudly: "Nirakhat Nitya Bihar Pulakit Tan Romavli, Anand Nayan Sudhaar." This grace when the cry reaches Harivansh: "Kamal Nayan! Ha Kamal Nayan! Ha Gopi Vallabh! Ha Radha Vallabh! Ha Yashoda Nandan!" According to the nature of one's devotion, the cry from the heart rises thus. "Agman Karane Vale Vrindavan Chand, Pran Karuna Krishna." Where there is the naam, not even for a moment do we leave it. "Ati Karunatva Tet Mast Amev Sansya Menti, Ati Karunamay." Supremely compassionate, supremely merciful is the naam, God. Those who have taken shelter in the naam are more blessed even than God.

"Vachyam Vachak Mrituyu Deti Bhav Naam Svarupa Purn Parmeeva Hant Karunam Tatra Jaanihe." The hearing is decreasing, there is no knowing when it will end. Neither the listener nor the speaker can be certain. Therefore, listen and be heard—this is the fulfilment of life. The naam is supremely compassionate, most glorified. Hold fast to this. It is manifest in the form of the word and the meaning. "Radha Radha Radha, Krishna Krishna." But this supreme, all-pervading form of sat-chit-ananda is even greater than the Lord.

"Shri Krishna Govind," the name of God—this name is more powerful than God Himself. The name of Shri Krishna is mightier than Shri Krishna Himself. It is more merciful. And Lal Ji says: "Kishori, more than anything, Kishori is dear to me. Kishori's name is dearer." When a being utters this name, even though they have committed countless offences—such grave offences that they could only be destroyed through their experience alone—through charity, merit, pilgrimage, no other way—still, "Bo Jibhya Men Jo Hi Krishna Naam, Radha Naam Utcharit Huya To Bhasmi Bhoot Mahaparak Aparadh Ho Gaye." The moment Krishna's name or Radha's name is uttered from the tongue, the greatest sins are burnt to ashes, and the naam immerses them forever in the ocean of bliss.

The naam is very glorious; now we are speaking about its glories. Listen carefully. It is said that if you are chanting the naam and you commit an offense against the naam, then you will receive punishment. Nama aparadh will not allow the fruits of the naam to awaken within you. This is described in the scriptures. Every scholar supports this and describes it: if you are chanting the naam and there is nama aparadh, then you will not receive the fruits of the naam. This is a very significant matter. If you listen very carefully, you will become fearless—fearless in chanting the naam, not fearless in committing offenses.

Someone asks: Your words have some weight, but give us proof—what are you saying? Listen in Hindi: there are thirty-two service offenses, which you've likely heard of, and ten nama aparadhs, beginning with blasphemy of the saint.

He says: if these thirty-two service offenses occur and these ten nama aparadhs occur, then the light of service will not manifest, and the light of the naam will not manifest. This is fully described in the scriptures. Great acharyas and mahapurushas describe this matter. But this too is scripture; it is within scripture. The great mahabhagavat Srila Rupa Goswami, who was established in Vrindavan along with Srila Sanatana Goswami—and whose disciple was the wondrous Srila Jiva Goswami, the very embodiment of Vedantic scriptures—he speaks of the offenses.

If any of the thirty-two service offenses have occurred or any of the ten nama aparadhs have occurred, and you chant the naam with regularity, then this very chanting of the naam will destroy all of them.

This matter is not something merely stated—the Vedas, scriptures, and Puranas have established this principle in their sutras. If you do this, you will not receive the fruits of the naam. But one thing has been very strongly emphasized: regarding the thirty-two service offenses, and the great mahabhagavat Srila Rupa Goswami speaks of them. If these have come to be, then chant the naam with humility and daintiness, and there is no need for any separate atonement.

The naam itself will burn them to ashes and move you forward. All these offenses will be destroyed through the naam. Why? Because the name of the merciful Lord is greater than all nama aparadh. No offense can cause harm to the one who chants the naam. This does not mean that the naam chanter should keep committing offense after offense. If a slip occurs, a mistake happens, then for purification from nama aparadh and the thirty-two service offenses, what should we do?

He says: just chant the naam. This is a command here. Just chant the naam. If you chant the naam, then salutations to this great and glorious naam that burns the thirty-two service offenses and the ten nama aparadhs to ashes and moves you forward.

If nama aparadh occurs, then chanting the naam itself destroys that nama aparadh. With faith and humility and sincere feeling, call out the naam. Therefore, everyone pray in such a way that the naam becomes established in our heart.

This is what Narada Muni speaks of—the sweetness of Krishna's name fills his being. That name of the Lord keeps immersing in rasa upon rasa, keeps filling nerve and fiber with rasa upon rasa. May such a naam become rooted in my heart.

O Lord, take my appetite for enjoyment, make me your sincere servant. I will chant your name—Radha, Radha, Radha, Radha. I will chant your name, destroyer of fear forever. May I serve you always with body and mind. May all lust and attachment be destroyed. May all delusion, possessiveness, and illusion depart. May there remain no pride, no arrogance. May natural, pure humility and modesty arise. May the eyes of love open, dispelling all darkness. May I see your divine play everywhere, always bringing joy. May I see you, the enchanter, in all things forever. May I work for the happiness and welfare of all. May I become your beloved play-ground. Then you play as you will, the divine player. May no authority remain separate from me. You are the play; the play unfolds within me, my enchanting Lord of Vrindavan. My heart's possessiveness, intoxication, and pride—may all be reduced to dust.

O Lord, may your name flow continuously. From today may I experience that my ego is surrendered at your feet. Now whatever happens will be your divine play in my heart. From today no complaint, no grievance. Wherever you take me, however you guide me, we will chant "Jai Shri Radhe"—your name alone. Just bring this intoxication. Why do you hold worry? You hear the philosophy, yet you still hold worry. When we have offered our home to the naam—someone's home might have lizards, might have cobwebs, might have scorpions and snakes—you know, Lord. We have offered to your naam; we sit on the soil of Vrindavan. The path to God comes through surrender. The responsibility of surrender lies with the Lord, so why take on the burden of responsibility? Give it to the Lord's naam. You chant the naam and look towards him.

Look, Lord—this house is yours, this heart is yours, this life is yours. If there is lust in it, remove it; it is not within my power. If there is love in it, it is what you have placed; it is not a matter of my pride. This is a life of intoxication; divine intoxication will come. You will become intoxicated with the Lord. True poverty of spirit will come. Even while being a householder, one transcends worldly worry like a fakir. That one is called a fakir—no concern remains. Why? Because we have surrendered ourselves to the Lord. Always chant the naam. In every situation, keep looking towards the Lord. This filth cannot overcome me, because I have given this heart to the Lord, and thus you will attain the Lord.

O, we tell you truthfully: without you, nothing of ours will come to be.

The final outcome comes from His grace. What must we do about the final outcome? We must repeatedly remember that we have given everything in the Lord's name. Whatever may have been missed through error, give that too. Only when everything becomes bhagavat—when we have truly made everything His—then the Lord's divine leela, the Lord's divine form, manifests. Whatever you hold as your own will become an obstacle to attaining the Lord. Understand this inwardly. No spiritual practice grants the attainment of the Lord. You will find this amusing. But we are telling you from our own experience. The attainment of the Lord happens when there is no possessiveness left—it can happen right now.

In the body, in the subtle body, in nature—have no sense of possession toward anything. Then the attainment of the Lord will happen right now. This possessiveness that we carry as a burden while we practice—that is a very long journey. We are speaking from experience. If you can grasp this, grasp it. With the scissors of discrimination gained through satsang, cut away all possessiveness and place it at the Lord's feet. Just as you are, wherever you are, whatever you are—that itself becomes the attainment of the Lord. But the attachment is so strong in your body and to bodily relations and pleasures that you cannot cut through it. This is why, wherever you are, just as you are, surrender yourself to the Lord's hands—He will take care of you.

Let this one decision emerge. "Body, mind, life, nature—all equally belong to my Giridhara Gopal, none to any other." Questions of countless births will be resolved. Just understand: "Body, mind, life, nature—whatever I have, all equally belong to my Giridhara Gopal, none to any other." All this and its outcome belong to my Giridhara Gopal, none to any other. None to any other. Not mind, not body, not life, not nature, not anything of my own. Let the direct vision of the Lord happen right now. But who wants this? Rare is the one who is a worthy recipient of the guru's grace and wants God's attainment. Otherwise, they want a bank balance.

They want influence. They want salutations and respect. They want unrestrained enjoyment. Who wants the Lord? Give this life for the Lord. Then see—you will be fulfilled. You will be absorbed in supreme bliss. This is the path of supreme bliss. Therefore, the naam, the naam—we will not let go of this. Our tongue, our mind—let whatever else may or may not happen—we will speak "Radha, Radha." When our beloved sees, may she see her beloved. We will say "Radha, Radha." Whether the Yamuna takes us that way or Chhatri Kara takes us that way, whichever way—whether to the left or to the right, whether east or west—we will say "Radha, Radha." Now you see which way you turn us.

From today, the reins of our life—just as Arjun gave the reins of his chariot to Shri Krishna—so we give the reins of our life to Priya. O Priya, O compassionate one. Sitting firmly in Vrindavan we say—our people are all gathered here. Collective prayer—that is how it works. Not through individual prayer does the Lord's incarnation come. When all the devatas, Brahma Ji, Shankara Ji, all together—they are all here. No one is missing. Understand it here: Shiva is here. Jivas are here. Shyama is here. Shyam is here. Those who love them are here, and their opponents too.

All are here. Only then is the gathering complete. A garden is considered complete only when it cannot be said that this is missing from it. No—the neem tree is there, the rose is there. All kinds of fragrant flowers bloom in his garden. Sitting on the soil of Vrindavan we pray: may the reins of our life be in Ladli's hands. Even if it is false. Now you have called us to your home. In your home, we are saying, please take care of us. Now the honor is not ours—it is yours. What honor do we have? Why? We are already lost.

What is it? The honor is yours. You are so great and we are in your refuge. Our trust is not in remaining or not remaining. In the refuge. We cannot even say we will remain. Goswami Ji is saying: "O Hari, you are my mind's beloved." They speak the truth. Making words is a different matter. The fulfillment of sharanagati—surrender—is within their power alone, not ours. Our people are very dishonest. We say to Shri Ji, "Besides you, we have no one. We have given you our life"—and we have said this to many. But it did not truly happen to them.

One day they will say this, the next day they will say it to someone else. This is very dishonest, a strange mind. This is why, on the soil of Vrindavan, making witness, we say it so that Vrindavan will remind Shri Ji: "This is your person—she said it, we heard it." Who is the witness? Vrindavan. The boatman—when he says, "If you want your feet washed, then I will put you in the boat. If you don't want your feet washed, I will keep you sitting for nine months—because I have some doubt about the power of your feet. If they are touched, even a good bride becomes something else. I have one bride, so I have to row the boat for her.

If the boat becomes a bride, my trade will be lost." Maharaj played quite a jest: "If the boatman became a bride, what would happen to our trade?" The Lord said there is not much time, so bring the boat. He was very clever—neither in the middle nor at the shore, just a few hands forward. Lakshman Ji—the Lord kept giving orders and he kept saying, "Not without washing your feet." Looking toward Rama Ji, the boatman says to Lakshman Ji, "Threats will not work. Your orders, Rama, I will not follow without washing your feet." When Lakshman could not get him to listen, the boatman says firmly, "You can even shoot an arrow at me—by oath I will not take you across without washing the feet." Now to die for me—that will be a great festival, a great celebration, an auspicious day. Lakshman Ji asked, "When is anyone's death a celebration, brother?" The boatman said, "Am I afraid? Not at all. Where am I dying? On the pure banks of the Ganges, with Raghunath before my eyes. This is my only offense—that I have been washing the feet of Raghunath." Someone will ask, "For what offense was he killed?" He will say, "For washing the feet of Raghunath." Where did he die? He will say, "On the sacred shore of the Ganges." Who killed him?

Lakshman, Raghunath's beloved brother, spoke: "You can kill me if you must. But we will not be taken across unless we hold your feet." Just so, Shri Dham Vrindavan is the king of all sacred places and pilgrimage sites. Sitting there as the entire assembly's witness, Radha says: "I take refuge in you. Now keep watch—fulfill this promise." If you speak truly with conviction, the saints have said: falsehoods spoken truthfully become truth. If we have spoken lies with full faith, then what great fortune it brings! We speak only what is yours, O Beloved. The world may judge it false, but this is the influence of the dust of the saints and the grace of the assembly of saints—that such words emerge from our lips: "I take refuge in you, O Beloved. O Lord, I am yours." If we cannot even speak this with our tongue, then we will at least surrender.

Your words may be left behind, your heart's words may be left behind, your mind's words may be left behind—but we will do all this. We will all attain Bhagavat. Rest assured: settle this within yourself. If we attain Bhagavat, then Bhagavat will come to us. Bhagavat will surely come. Yatha prappate bhajam—whoever this has settled into, there is no difference now. One person was told by someone that he would die. "Your signs show this. People throughout the village said so." The young man's mind settled on this: "I will die, I will die, I will surely die." His food stopped, his color turned pale. Just as Pujya Swami Sri Raghavanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj—perhaps you know of him—would visit his birthplace. He tells this story: "When I heard of it, I was witnessing a remarkable event. This Swami was a great soul, very wealthy and from a noble family, yet he had renounced the world. His way of living was such that he kept just one red cloth—and even that wrapped in a handkerchief, stored carefully. Everything about him reflected discipline. When the son heard, he went and told him.

The Swami said: 'Yes, the time of death has passed—the time that was meant for you to die.' Now you will not die. Someone had said you would die, and this settled in your mind. The Swami went and said: 'Yes, that time was not one where he is speaking falsehood, because he has become convinced of it. I tell you: yes, that time has passed. Now you will not die. The time for your death is over. From that very day, he became well. Great medicines had not been able to heal him. Do you understand? It is all a matter of words, words, words. We will all attain Bhagavat. Settle this firmly within: become what you think; think and you will become that way.

It is the magic of consciousness. How can we low ones attain Bhagavat? When the philosopher's stone touches iron, iron becomes gold. Talay van basat sang paraas ke, aay kanak saman. When we sit in the company of the Philosopher's Stone, we become gold.
Priyaj ki kripa se kya durlabh hai?
Through the grace of the Beloved, what is unreachable? From today we are certain of this: will I attain Bhagavat or not? Hold fast to the Name. Remain under Bhagavat's refuge. Our Lord is greatly compassionate. Our Beloved is full of mercy. If the gamble does not work this time, it will be very difficult. You have come so very close. The entire river is crossed.

Do not jump in panic or haste—you will slip from here. Stay in the boat. It is going straight to shore and has already arrived at the shore of Nikunj. You do not see it, but you see yourself. The fact that you had to call upon your Beloved to be here, listening from a quarter-past-four—believe this with certainty. If this satsang were at four, would you have come? But you came at a quarter-past-four, which means your Beloved was drawing you here many hours before, preparing you. This is the only reason. Otherwise, it would not happen. Yaja visha parinam amrutopam. What seems like poison in the beginning will become nectar in the end. They said: even in half a moment, even in a moment with the company of a holy one, there is merit. And you are sitting for hours. If you do not attain Bhagavat after this, then it is all pretense.

You believe: you will surely attain Bhagavat. Hold the Name as much as you can, and when the Name slips, hold the refuge. Hold the refuge. Our Mother Shyama is the queen; we are the Beloved's children. Thought is becoming this: "In every way, the Beloved will now surely come to me." Settle this in your mind. See the miracle. Take this as your guru mantra. We will surely attain Bhagavat. Come to the Dham, sit in the Dham, hear this: "I am very low and sinful."—No! The Beloved is very compassionate, the savior of the fallen.

They will forgive. They will pardon me. They will accept me. Make this cut within: when your mind discourages you, saying "How can one like you attain Bhagavat?"—at that moment say: "You are the cause of this thought. You are pressing me down. I will attain Bhagavat. If you persist, you will attain hell!" Learn to frighten it. It is trying to frighten you. If we do not learn these strategies, it will drive us to depression. This is very dangerous. What is dangerous? Now we did not receive that enjoyment, we cannot get that thing. We become distressed. Learn to command it. Learn to bring it under your control. It is nothing. Just as wolves frighten children, it frightens like that. If you become wise, it will be completely subdued and cower. Because you are a fragment of God. Endowed with nature and your own power, it keeps trying. Nature and your own power. One fragment of nature, one fragment of the Divine—both together, composed of matter and consciousness, form our bondage. This is our only way: through this very means we attain bondage and liberation. We are the Divine's liberated fragments.

Because of accepting this, they became bound. So take it, honor the mind with Krishna's lotus feet that I have given you. Now you take care of yourself. This that I have created won't succeed through millions of kalpas. All your exhausted efforts through various methods—however powerful and undefeatable the struggle—are futile, as Tulsidas says. It only comes to pass when the Lord inspires it. Victory to Shri Radha Vallabh Lal!

This text is taken from auto-generated captions of the video — there may be errors in the words. Be sure to listen to the video for the authentic words.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)