Can salvation be attained by taking the name just once? / The charming questions of Balakrishna // 07/10/2026

The satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — to hear the full discourse, watch the video above.

Full Discourse

O Goddess of Vrindavan, at your lotus feet, filled with the nectar of love, complete and.. O Lord of sweetness, remembering.. Quench, supremely cool.. Mass of supreme consciousness, bliss, embodiment of blissful love, in the glorious nikunj, supremely pure Sri Vrindavan Dham..

Let us benefit from that. The senses and mind—these are our enemies. Yet these are also our friends. Those senses and mind that engage in contemplation of worldly pleasures, finding faults in others, criticism, praise, worldly talk, worldly service, enjoyment of worldly matters—these are our enemies. These are our adversaries. They turn us away from God and destroy our precious life span. Our breaths are numbered. Going after worldly pleasures means throwing a very precious thing into the gutter uselessly. So what becomes our enemy is [that which wastes] our precious breaths in worldly pleasures, contemplation of pleasures, worldly talk, village gossip, mundane tales, mundane conversation, worldly conversation. And those senses and mind that are engaged in the Lord—listening to discourse about the Lord, speaking about the Lord, practicing naam jap, chanting naam kirtan—and maintaining a sense of humility within oneself, not finding faults in others, not listening to or engaging in criticism of others—these are our friend senses, our friend mind. These will unite us with God.

Some worshippers do practice sadhana, but they do it with ego. "I do parikrama every day. I, I, I"—that relish won't come. They see themselves as superior and find faults in others. This will take many births. And the worshipper who, by guru's grace, has humility—[thinking] "I cannot even identify my own faults. How can I find faults in others, how can I even listen [to criticism of others]? I am myself lowly and base. When the Acharya is saying 'I am the basest of the base,' when great Mahabhagavats are calling themselves base, then we are certainly base"—if we consider ourselves virtuous, great, a devotee of bhajan, master of senses, we are choosing the path of downfall. Sadhana done with ego is incapable of bringing attainment of God.

But one who finds faults in others can never be dear to God. This is how the court [of God] has always been—the meek are always honored. This meekness, this humility is very dear to God. God is averse to arrogance and pride. The being who does sadhana becomes filled with ego. This is why the experience of divine bliss doesn't happen. This is why the worshipper should quickly practice worship of guru's feet and destroy this ego. Dissolved ego—[leads to] experience of divine bliss. Manifest ego—[turns one] away from divine bliss. And one turned away from divine bliss faces worldly enjoyment—then it will engage them in worldly pleasures.

Our worship has four pillars in whose mansion the Beloved and Beloved One dwell. The first is naam. Naam should become supreme in our lives. Don't listen to everyone's discourse. We are not saying listen only to ours. But you should not listen to those who have not experienced divine bliss, who have not experienced Brahmanand. Someone—a clip appeared on my mobile yesterday. They are saying, we are speaking on this subject because this is our life—that salvation will come just from saying "Ram Ram." O brother, how many of you have never spoken the name of Ram? Has your salvation been attained? Are you having the experience? These are words filled with deceit.

Among the offenses against naam, there is also this one: the disrespect of naam. A field is sown today. So, O brother, have you put in wheat? How many maunds have you reaped so far? This answer is with you. Today you just plowed a field and put in one maund of wheat and go tomorrow morning and reap 40 maunds? No, wait six months and serve it and care for it. Then you will reap 40 maunds from one maund. Similarly, today you say "Ram, Hari, Krishna, divine name—have faith, have faith." This is an infallible fruit. When a small impure action, a sinful deed, which has no reality [in itself], it gives punishment after many births.

Bhishma is saying "I can see [the consequences] for 100 births." [Bhishma] says, look further—a snake was picked up on the tip of an arrow and placed on a thorn tree and it suffered for many days and then died. Then for six months under arrows, the sin from 100 births past is giving punishment to Bhishma, the celibate mahabhagavat. The sinful deed has not been destroyed. What is unreal—then if [one speaks] the true name of Ram, it will be destroyed. What of those who spend their lives in hypocrisy and deceit? Those who disrespect the divine name? They do speak the name of Ram as death might speak it. But they have no affection for Ram, no faith. Yet through the hands of a great Mahabhagavat like Hanuman, the highest state was attained.

You disregard Ram naam. The glory of God's name - the influence of Kali Yuga is spreading in the world in this way. Only and solely the name is greater than even God and Vyasdev Ji.

In Sat Yuga there was meditation, in Treta Yuga there was sacrifice, in Dwapara Yuga there was worship, in Kali Yuga only the name is the support. By remembering, remembering, the person crosses the ocean. Taking the name, the ocean of samsara becomes dry - consider this well.

Good-souled ones, just by changing the feelings of the mind, nobody becomes a saint. Whoever disregards God's name, disregards the divine abode, disregards the form, disregards the leela - he is a hidden hypocrite, arrogant, and false. He is not a saint practicing naam jap. To this day, show us proof if anyone has achieved perfection without God's name. Anyone - whether wise, or a bhakt, or a yogi - there is no one more accomplished than Sanaka and the other celestial sages. Perfect yogis - through yoga they kept time under their control every moment - still they keep chanting "Hari Sharannam, Hari Sharannam, Hari Sharannam." Lord Shankara explained to Sati Ji that the Sat-Chit-Ananda God is Ram. Do not think of him as a prince. She did not understand. He said, go and test this. If your mind is full of doubt, then go and test. Then what did she do? Thus speaking, she began to chant God's name. Lord Shiva practices naam jap.

Who in this world has climbed to the heights of spirituality without practicing naam jap? How is disbelief arising - saying that brother, you all have said Ram Ram. Your welfare is done. You are liberated. Will there be an effect on society? Yes. On the day of accounting with Yama Raja, one Ram naam will outweigh everything. A farmer farms for six months. Each deed follows for many births. A case filed now - a ten-year trial, then execution and punishment. With God's name there is immediate bliss. But first your sins are destroyed.

Practice naam jap to this extent. If even once you said "Hari," said "Ram," said "Krishna," said "Radha," it will outweigh Yama Raja's accounting. Many times you have heard the story of this. How the glory of God's name - how deceit is spreading. How deceit is spreading, that the scriptures are full. Everywhere naam is praised - "Ram could not match the glory of the name." "Remember the son of the wind, the pure name - He keeps it under His control." One should not listen to anyone where the name, form, leela, and abode are being disregarded - he is not walking the path of sadhutva, he has become corrupt. Rather, where great wise ones like Sukhdev Ji - God's leela and the glory of naam - this is exactly what is written in the Bhagavata: "Naam sankirtan yah sarva paap pranashan" - written everywhere. "The voice relates the qualities, the ears listen to the teachings." Your voice is performing kirtan of God's name, singing the glory of God. The ears are listening to the teachings - great auspiciousness is happening. These today, without worshipping at the guru's feet, without practicing bhajan, those who give discourses - whether in the garb of a sant or not - they spoil all this, the internal meanings of the dharma scriptures. One should only guard the listening faculty carefully.

In a single second faith is finished because such faith does not exist. It is Kali Yuga. If there is no faith in God's name, if there is no faith in God, then in what will faith remain? The name of God alone is supreme. Through it alone everyone's welfare has happened. Many great ones have achieved perfection in God's name. Son, say Ram Ram. At the feet of Swami Shri Ramanand Ji, Kabir Das Ji said Ram Ram, seized Guru dev - Ram Ram, Ram Ram, and thus they achieved perfection. Such miracles, such glory - they became the very form of God manifest. Kabir Das Ji - the jiva who became absorbed in God's name.

Look at yourself - let not another's example explain to you. Another's example - perhaps you do not understand it. Look at your own life yourself. Whoever started practicing naam jap - has not life transformed? Hundred percent fallen tendency - if we have gained even two-four percent improvement, that itself is a great thing. Because from infinite births where we were engaged in falling, today we have begun to rise. And the proof - we are speaking from the land of Vrindavan itself - one time someone took the name. The condition is: Hit soe ati deen, taako sang na chhaan hi, Prabhu apno kar leen. One name crosses the three worlds - whoever does not take it wastes their birth. One single utterance of the name is enough. What are you thinking? How will one utterance be enough? Just as some bhajan in the past must have happened - bhajan gave good fortune, gave birth in the line of Brahma Rishi, gave renunciation from the world from childhood. When it is time to play, one does not have knowledge of anything - what is dharma, what is truth, what is God, which direction should one go? How did that bhajan bring one here until today? Who is chanting God's name? From childhood until today, perhaps there is not a single scripture that has not been seen through guru's grace. Perhaps there is not a single sant of this sampradaya left whose feet have not been bowed to. Every accomplished one - one accomplished in knowledge, the renouncers, the ascetics, all lovers of God. But wherever they found perfection, at the state of accomplishment - there naam, there remembrance of God. One thread - whether it be prana jap, whether it be Ram jap, whether it be Krishna jap, whether it be Radha jap, whether it be Hari jap - that is contemplation of God. We do not practice like this. We do not thunder the name of God in this way.

Our scriptures—our great masters achieved perfection through this. Who are you to criticize the naam? It should flow through every pore of your body. The divine name should awaken in every cell. Read the stories of the saints of Maharashtra. They placed their feet, and that very ground would speak: "Vitthal, Vitthal, Vitthal." They fashioned a walking stick and placed it on their ear—it would speak: "Vitthal, Vitthal, Vitthal." When the body fell away, they searched for the bones. Which one was it? They said, "Take his bone, place it on your ear and listen—the naam will still be resonating." After the body fell away, the naam was flowing from the bones of Chokha Mela Ji: "Vitthal, Vitthal, Vitthal." What will you know? Entangled in worldly attachments and pleasures, what will you know of the glory of bhagwan's naam? In bhagwan's great naam there is such power—even more power than bhagwan himself possesses. Bhagwan takes avatars and liberates a select few, but the naam has already liberated countless souls and will continue to do so. Nothing is greater than the naam in the three worlds. In our Priyalal, naam jap is performed.

Is he any kind of sadhak? O Priya Lal, Lal. When they do "Lal, Lal," with the tongue speaking Harivansh, "Radha, Radha." Jap harivansh radha radha rat, japat hari divs tav naam pratipod, vimol mans tav dhyan te nimish nahin. They speak the naam of Harivansh—"Radha, Radha, Radha"—and meditate on Radha's form. And Ladli Shyam: Shyam shyamiti shyam shyameti, shyameti sundar vareti. "O Shyam Sundar, O Beautiful One, bhagwan's naam is Shyameti Sundar Vareti, Manohar, Kandarp Koti Lalit, Sunare, Sut Manti, Mohra, Kulakshi." Saradhik kada bha prasanna, Shri Ladli. Those who meditate on Shyam, Shyam—so they jap, and the Lal who says "Radha, Radha, Radha"—and those who say "Ram, Ram." Look at the Ashok Vatika: Naam pahu divs nish, dhyan tumhar kapaat, har samay ram ji ka dhyan kar rahe, aur jap rahe, "Ram, Ram, Ram." They meditate on Ram ji constantly and jap "Ram, Ram, Ram," and Ram ji sends word through Hanuman ji: Tattva prem kar mam ar tora janat priya ek manu mora, so man sada rahat to pa jaan priti ras itne hi mahi. "My love, my knowledge—my one mind is yours. That mind forever dwells with you. In this nectar of love alone is my condition—it has drowned so completely in your love that I no longer possess my own mind; it belongs to you."

O Siajuu, that mind is with you. Just understand this much through this hint. What is the condition? "O Khag, O Mrig, Madhukar Shreni, have you seen Sita's doe-like eyes?" Sita ji ka dhyan, Sita ji ka naam. They meditate on Sita, on "Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram."—Ram ji's meditation. Here, "Radha, Radha, Radha, Radha"—Radha ji's meditation. There, "Shyam, Shyam, Shyam, Shyam"—when they are japping their ishta's naam, the reciprocal naam—the sadhak doesn't know what knowledge has come to pass. This is why our prayer is to listen to satsang with utmost care. Otherwise the impact of listening will harm you. You maintained shraddha for a hundred days. Where did it go in one moment?

Listening to satsang—it's all a matter of rupees, all a money-making game. The game is finished. Shraddha vanished in an instant. This is why it is said: Jao ke sang kumati mati upjay karate bhajan mein bhang, tajo re man hari vimukhan ko sang. "Go with those of negative intellect, and confusion will arise in your bhajan. Abandon, O mind, the company of those opposed to harivansh." To make the vritti into the form of bhagwan—only the naam has this power. We have spoken about this with many great accomplished sages. We have sat at the feet of great masters, at the feet of wise masters. Yes, someone is japping—someone's bhagwan. These are the various names of bhagwan. The ear should be protected very carefully. One is speaking against bhagwan's naam. Now what will they attain in life? By whose naam's strength—who is this? There was a very poor family, and only Ram ji was their wealth. But they served the saints greatly. Whoever has love for Thakur ji will have love for the saints, and whoever has love for the saints will surely love Thakur ji.

When saints would come to their home, they would earn through labor. They would borrow a little from some merchant to feed the saints, then work to repay the debt. One day a very large group arrived—hundreds of saints. They were worried about how to feed hundreds of saints. The poor man could borrow a kilo or two, but when it came to a ton, one greedy man stepped forward and said, "Dig our well. We are all saints—we will take care of everyone's food. We promise—husband and wife together—we will dig the well."

Please do not let our saints go without. They mixed ghee and flour and made preparations to feed the saints. The saints stayed the night. There was much kirtan of naam, recitation of stories, discussion of bhagavat, and then they left. Starting from early morning, they began their work. Do you know what their labor was like? They took the basket—"Ram." The wife was digging with the spade—"Ram." Like this, the wife kept lifting the basket and throwing the earth out. As it got deeper, with rope and bucket they kept drawing out the sand, saying, "O Ram, Ram, Ram." Like this they worked the spade. Now in some places the water was very deep—in some places it would come at fifteen hands' depth, in some places twenty hands, in some places thirty hands. The depth of water varies from place to place.

When they reached twenty hands down, they found sandy soil. In such a place, they used wood and planks to hold back the sides and then continued down. Now that poor man and that greedy man—he made no such arrangements. When they went deeper with great care, they dug ahead, but beyond thirty hands' depth, it collapsed entirely. Only on Ram ji they depended—the well collapsed. From below where there was sand, fifty maunds of earth fell from above. Now at that time it was not the age of JCB machines.

Many people became worried. The merchant said to their wife, "We will give you money. Rest, eat, drink. If death was to come, it has come." Now that is the glory of the naam, Ram ji—it is written. I am not giving examples anymore. Take up the Bhaktamala and look only at the story of Ram ji. The Bhaktamala's composer is Nabha Ji Maharaj, a sage accomplished in all three times, who wrote this by his guru's command. If you doubt his words, what could be a greater atheist than that? What cannot happen by the guru's grace? Tell me—by grace, it is not possible. His guru blessed him: "Whichever great master you contemplate on, their story will come and be told." Now from above, the earth was filled in and the well was sealed. Samadhi was established.

That selfish man was given some rupees and some food items. The wife was sad, but treating it as God's leela, a month passed. A king's procession passed from there. There were some trees there. After stopping for a while, they heard a voice. Ram Ram, their friend, there's a voice, someone is in distress, search for the voice. The soldiers searched immediately and the voice came from the ground, Maharaj. The voice is coming from underground here, listen carefully, Ram Ram. They asked people there, who said: yes, about a month ago you were digging there, only Ram—and it gave way. The soldiers were immediately set to dig. Now the king gave orders and everything was arranged right away. It took some time digging, and when they reached there, it had become like a cave. A cave had formed, and inside, someone was sitting comfortably. There was some weight on the back, so there was a slight deformity, a slight hump. And in front was a cool stream of water and beautiful food—consciousness-bliss food. No bodily needs, no concerns, Ram Ram—completely healthy. When he was taken out after a month, the king fell at his feet asking how he survived. Everything was a wonder. He said: I know nothing—just Ram Ram Ram, just the glory of the name. The glory of the name—Prahlad Ji, Meera Ji were given poison, and what all. The glory of one name—and the truth is, Lord Shankara drank the poison saying that, and kept it. It stopped in the throat. Try to stop one drop—the whole halahala poison—by the glory of the name. These are not stories. Okay, the world may understand them as stories. But I am speaking from the heart. The entire life is in this, is in this. It is in this, so I speak of experience in this. We are not giving mere lectures. We speak from the experience of the heart.

And those who don't have faith in the naam—if you don't understand yourselves, come sit with me for a while and talk. Talk, we will see you from our vision. If you can't understand what the naam is, tell us. Vision is different. Don't think chanting the naam is play. Don't think the naam repeater is mere play. There are so many sentiments in God's name. With such feelings, corruption, the whole world will become like that—because you get what you seek. When there's no faith in the naam, no faith in the dhaam, no faith in the form, no faith in the leela, then what remains? Paramhans Sri Sukhdev Ji himself sings of the leela. Great saints meditate on God's name. Therefore, the sadhak should be very cautious. Maya will send such people whose words, on hearing, will diminish our faith and devotion. Therefore, we should not keep the company of such people.

Sri Vrindavan name, description, mind—this complete rasa—look at what experience they are having. Sri Pada Prabhudanand said: Vrindavan naam is full of complete rasa. Ocean of rasa, the Vrindavan Vrindavan Vrindavan Vrindavan. Behold, Sri Vrindavan name, description, mind—the source of complete rasa. Harivansh Mahaprabhu says: Radha naam is the nectar of rasa.. The servant says: whoever offers the naam to Harivansh—body, mind, life—I sacrifice for that. Goswami Ji says: Tulsi, from whose mouth falsehood never comes, of Ram—I have not the worth of the dust of his feet. I cannot understand—how can I understand? God's tremendous maya dust covers the intellect. Sri Vrindavan name, description, mind—the source of complete rasa—sweetness to taste—supreme seeking—Radhika Krishna.

A man of gross sense pleasures—who kept drinking alcohol and eating meat—heard the satsang, came and said: it has been two years now, I have given up all of this. Now my mind doesn't engage in worldly matters. It feels like I should sit in solitude and meditate on the naam. Brother, Maharaj Pujya Sri Jaydayal Govind writes to him: Our condition is no longer such that we can manage administration. Please give us orders. We want to sit in solitude by the Ganges and immerse ourselves in the naam. Pujya Radha Baba—a great sage, ascetic, radiant saint—who doesn't want to hear anything except "I am Brahman," doesn't want to know anything. That great soul, Pujya Jaydayal Govind, said: Meet Hanuman Prasad Poddar Ji once in the Gita Vatika. He said: I have no need to meet anyone. Very orthodox nature—by chance, things were forgotten. After some time, there was a celebration of Sri Gita Press in Gorakhpur. When he came to the Gita celebration, he remembered. He said: Let me have darshan once more. He had to change his life, didn't he? When Baba arrived, Baba didn't look at anyone like that. As Giri was holding things, he sat on the stairs. Brother, and his faith wasn't like that. Jai Dayal Ji had said: See who it is, what it is. Brother, dhoti, kurta, glasses—simple. Baba didn't lift his eyes to look, touched the feet—O Hanuman Prasad Poddar, he is touching your feet. In the form of a renunciate, Baba also touched the feet. Brahman, Brijendra Nandan. He opened his eyes and looked at the brother, then Baba said: This must be the effect of association.

Now I cannot stay here. There is kirtan happening here. Let me stay somewhere far away. For now we will stay here with arrangements for distant residence. The brother asked: Where will you go? Far away, there's a contagious disease. It has overcome you. Great grace—how many such givers have been seen? Who give with pride. This one touched the feet and gave. A giver who touches feet—touches feet and gives. And this giver touched feet and gave—truly this is the power of the naam, Brother—such a high state of a great soul. But where did the sadhana begin? Those who read their life story well—when imprisonment came, he began the naam then. From the naam, from the naam—Pujya Radha Baba felt that the atmosphere here is devotion-oriented. The kirtan of the naam is going on. Now within him, that naam began to move. It cut a lot. Cut a lot. Cutting repeatedly, his own thoughts don't come. That naam, that facing him. Brijendra Nandan, graceful, three-curved—He lost. Baba lost. The naam won, Maharaj. And within, the naam began to move. After this, Baba said: Now we will go to Vrindavan, not stay here. Because Brijendra Nandan with his sideways glance pierced with love. Whether Paramhans Sukhdev Ji or Radha Baba or Madhusudhan Saraswati—they who brought down the great ones. Made even the great ones their servants.

Shri Radha Baba said that we will go to Vrindavan. Bhai Ji said we will not let you go. He said, "You won't buy us tickets—we will just walk there." Then Bhai Ji said that when we do let you go, he replied, "We will leave in the morning; you cannot stop us. What we have decided is final." Smiling, Bhai Ji said, "Go ahead and show us." He thought he would somehow manage to stop him.

That night, Lord Shri Krishna appeared and asked, "Why do you want to go to Vrindavan?" He answered, "For myself—for You." Krishna said, "At this time I myself dwell in the heart of Bhai Ji Hanuman Prasad Poddar. His body itself is Vrindavan. I am doing what needs to be done within him."

When he woke up in the morning, he said, "We will not go away from here for the rest of our lives." He was asked why. He answered, "Just as we take a vow to dwell in Vrindavan for life, we take a vow to remain with your body for life. Wherever your body is, there I am." Then he engaged in the chanting of the dual names—Radha Krishna, Radha Krishna, Radha Krishna—and then simply Radha, Radha, Radha, Radha, Radha. That is why his name became Radha Baba.

This is why great accomplished saints have attained through the glory of the divine name that state which is extremely rare.

The name of Shri Vrindavan is an ocean of complete rasa. May this always resound in my ears. Victory to Vrindavan, victory to Vrindavan, victory to Vrindavan. And may I constantly taste this with my tongue. What fruit does one receive who does this? He said, one attains Shri Radha Krishna. Look at this scripture—and who is this? This is a great saint who has bestowed the knowledge of Brahman to thousands: Shripad Prabodhananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj. Those who criticize the name, who completely disregard the glory of God's name—they are not sadhu at all. No great saint has ever spoken against the glory of the name. To us it seems the greatest misfortune is upon those who listen to such things—their devotion will be destroyed. And then where will their salvation be, where will salvation come to them? They will enter the realm of divine play; they will engage in Brahm contemplation. What is Brahm contemplation? It is the absence of contemplation. Like deep sleep, like susupta—there is no contemplation. Thus the Brahm-realized saint—no contemplation, no thinking—because the object of contemplation is the mind and intellect, not the true nature. The saint negates the intellect. When contemplation ceases, no mental modifications arise. That is why the word is "shant"—peaceful. What is in the wise one? The rasa of peace. How did one who did not wash the guru's feet, who did not wash the feet of Brahm-realized saints and anoint their water upon the forehead, how will such a one understand the scriptures?

One who hears the glory of Vrindavan, who chants Vrindavan's name, who hears Vrindavan's name—he attains Shri Radha Krishna. And the special thing is this: if one has not served the feet of those who dwell in Vrindavan, if one has not had their company, then one cannot develop love for Vrindavan's name or Vrindavan Dham. One must serve the feet of some Vrindavan dweller. Through such affection, if that one shows grace, then love for Vrindavan Dham and Vrindavan's name will awaken. And whoever has attained this, it must have come to them in the same way—through the grace of some Vrindavan dweller. That is when they developed their affection and their love for the name. Without a great saint devoted to God, none of this comes about. The path, the attainment, the prosperity, all goodness comes through the influence of satsang.

In the Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapurana, when the Lord, Saccidananda, manifested His great auspicious divine play, it was seen that great disturbances were occurring in Gokul. So the residents of Braj held a council. The elders of Braj seated Sambandha Baba in the middle and sought his counsel. On the sixth day, Putana came, calamities befell them, yet still the young Prince escaped. Tanavarta carried the Lord up into the sky, yet still He escaped. Many such obstacles arose. They felt they should move to another place.

Then Upananda Ji said, "That is absolutely right. Everything can be endured for the sake of the young Prince. For His protection, we should leave Gokul. Because it seems the demons have discovered Him, we should move to another place." They asked Upananda Ji, "Where should we go?" He replied, "There is a forest called Vrindavan. In it are many small and large groves and sub-groves, many forests. It is verdant and lush. There are sacred mountains, grass, green creepers, and vegetation—all of this will be very beneficial for our animals. For the gopas, gopis, and cows, it is not merely convenient; it is supremely sacred and worthy of service. If this counsel pleases you all, let us depart for Vrindavan today itself. Let there be no delay."

All the residents of Braj had such love. None of them cared for their houses or palaces. All of Gokul had celebrated divine festivals. Nanda Baba's divine residence, all the divine dwellings of the Braj residents—they abandoned them all. For the sake of the young Prince, they left everything. Carts were yoked. Ahead went millions of cowherd servants with the cows, all moving forward in their groups and bands, and behind them rolled the carts. When all the gopas heard Upananda's words, they said in one voice, "Very good, very good." Everyone held the same opinion. All gathered together their herds of cows. On the carts they loaded provisions sufficient for two or four days of food. Everyone was immediately ready for the journey to Vrindavan. The cowherd boys arranged the elderly, children, and gopi-friends with supplies on the carts behind them. Millions of soldiers carefully carried bows, arrows, swords, and shields. The cows and calves were placed in front. Behind them, they marched blowing conches and trumpets loudly. The brahmin residents of Braj also walked ahead chanting Vedic mantras.

What love they had for the Lord! They abandoned all their homes and comforts and set out for Vrindavan.

Who among the Brajvasis could love the Lord as they do? The gopis, wearing fresh new garments, adorned with all ornaments and precious jewels of gold, ride in chariots, completely immersed in the love of Bhagavan Shri Krishna. They go along singing of His leelas. Yashoda Rani and Rohini Ji too, dressed and adorned, seat their dear son Shri Krishna and Balram on a chariot, and listening to the words of both children, they never tire of listening and wish to hear more. Bhagavan Shri Krishna asks, "Mother, where are we going? Mother, where are we going?" Yashoda Mata replies, "Son, there is a forest called Vrindavan. My dear Lala, Vrindavan is a forest. We are going to that forest land." Shri Krishna, amazed, asks, "Mother, when will we return home?" To his question, Yashoda Mata says, "Now we shall not return home. Now we shall dwell in Vrindavan." Shri Krishna's joy increases.

For some time he walks with Balram Ji, and as the cart moves, he sees trees, shrines and other things along the path. Then clinging to his mother's neck, he asks, "Mother, where is Vrindavan? Mother, please tell me, where is Vrindavan?" Yashoda Mata gestures to Rohini Ji to tell him. She says, "Son, across the Yamuna, across the Yamuna Ji's bank, my dear Lala, Vrindavan is on the other side." Then Shri Krishna asks Rohini Mata, "Mother, what happiness and riches are there in Vrindavan that we are leaving our home to go there?" Rohini Mata replies, "Son, there are many beautiful places to play, many lovely playgrounds."

Hearing this answer, Shri Krishna dances with joy. We must go to Vrindavan! Had there been no cart to slow him down, he would have run ahead. When the chariot begins to travel through the dense forest, the sweet dialogue between mother and child is worth hearing. Bhagavan Shri Krishna, pretending not to know, asks question after question like an innocent child, and Mother laughs and laughs while answering. When he sees a peepal tree, he asks, "What kind of tree is this, Mother?" Mother says, "Peepal—this is a peepal tree." When he sees the fig tree laden with many figs, he asks, "What tree is this that bears so many fruits?" Mother says, "Gular—this is a gular tree. Gular fruits hang on the tree always; that's a gular fruit." When he sees a tree with great tangled branches, he asks, "What kind of tree has such large matted locks?" She replies, "Vata—this is a banyan tree." In this way, as they travel through the forest with such wonderful questions, this sweet dialogue between mother and son is heard by the gopis, and they seem to drown in nectar. It is amazing that to each gopi in her own chariot, Shri Krishna's chariot appears close by. Millions sit in millions of chariots, yet to each it is as if Shri Priyalal is seated in the nikunj. There are countless sahacharis. So to each sahachari, the Beloved is present. It is not that those behind are troubled, thinking, "Now my turn will never come for darshan." All the sakhis have seva, and all the sakhis see directly the Beloved. Nothing stands between them. Just so, on one chariot are Krishna and Balram, yet that chariot moves near all. All hear everything Prabhu says, all are absorbed in joy. As they move ahead, when they see a brilliantly colored bird, the soft-voiced cuckoo asks, "Mother, who is this colorful bird, Lala?" She replies, "This is a peacock." "Mother, then who is this one who coos so sweetly and melodiously?" She says, "This is a cuckoo. It is a bird called kokil, able to speak with a voice like humans." "Who is this that drinks the nectar of flowers?" She replies, "This is called a bee, a bhramara." Thus Krishna and Balram talk, asking Mother about all they see. Soon they arrive at the sacred banks of Shri Yamuna Ji. Mother feeds Shyamsundar with refreshments. But how simple can it be to sit quietly and eat? Sometimes he eats, sometimes he runs off toward a tree, toward some animal or bird. Mother then catches him and brings him back.

With many dishes, a variety of food cooked with great care, Shyam, Haldhar, the two brothers and all the gopa friends sit together. Why do they run off? All the friends are called. Then they all sit together and Bhagavan takes His meal. Encampments are arranged in circles, and in the middle are beautiful, spacious cloth tents where everyone can rest. The camps are arranged in rows along the bank of Kalindi Yamuna, as if mountains were placed in succession along the Yamuna's bank. For all are young gopa boys. Wild animals must not come near. Thousands of soldiers, numbering in the millions, stand before the camps with bows and arrows, swords and shields. The banks of the Yamuna with the red-faced Lal, Shail Shiva, by the grace of the family's protector, with the golden mountain, Kailash, Gauri and the guru—so many mighty and beautiful tents are pitched that it appears as if Mount Kailash itself has descended. The camps are set up. All around are soldiers, and the mighty gopa warriors sit in heroic pose, carefully guarding everything. It appears as if military might itself stands embodied. No one can come from the sky, no attack can come from the earth.

Sitting in warrior posture with divine bows and arrows, everyone is on alert. Arrangements for crossing the Yamuna have been made beforehand with boats. Baba had made preparations in advance. Now at night everyone is resting there. They rested for four watches. All around, cloth tents with fire canopies are arranged beautifully - cushions and pillows like whipped milk foam - all royal arrangements as if it were a cloth city. Baba's people from Braj and the cows in the covered wagons of the camp, and soldiers too are arranged to surround them with chariots, with millions upon millions of cows. Now only as much milk as is needed is drawn. All the calves drink because making yogurt and churning - these can only be done to a small extent on the journey.

The strong and mighty young gopas and all the elder gopa men milk carefully only as much as is needed for the whole community. Brijendra Upanand Abhinand Sanand Nandan - these are special ones. They are the main leaders of the Braj Mandal. They are engaged in overseeing everything. Is anyone having any difficulties? Does anyone need anything? Now thousands of boats have been assembled at the Yamuna. Nanda Baba gave the order, so arrangements were already in place. Shri Yashoda Maia in the early morning fed Shri Balaram Ji, Shri Krishna Chandra Ji, and all the small cowherd boys who are the Lord's companions - gave them milk pudding and sweets. Taking them in her arms, they all get into the boats.

Brijeshwari Shri Rohini Ji carrying Shri Krishna Chandra in her arms and Yashoda Maia carrying Balaram in her arms, they cross the Yamuna in beautiful boats while having darshan. Upon crossing, the Lord Shri Krishna Chandra immediately starts playing. Mother cautions him - wait, this is a journey, don't wander here and there. There are wild animals here. She holds him in her arms. Sitting in the cow-boat, they cross while singing auspicious songs. Then all the elderly gopas and the young cowherd boys - the cows know how to swim, and even the small calves know how to swim. All the cows are taken across. Now slowly moving towards Vrindavan.

Upon arriving in Vrindavan, first the wealth of cows is moving ahead - the cows are going ahead. Look - our Lord himself served the cows. If today you don't keep enthusiasm for cow service and only think about milk, then our cows face great hardship. Great hardship. Cows that don't give milk are simply abandoned. Calves and bulls are left. At night, people who harm them roam around. They load them onto vehicles and take them to bad places. Those cows eat plastic, find things scattered about, and then those corruptions enter their bodies and they die.

It seems to us - we saw in villages that the first roti was made for the cow. In every house. If each person gives even one rupee per month for cow service, our cows won't face hardship. Wherever there is a gaushala, send them there, or establish a gaushala where four people can serve the cows. But now people only keep cows if they're giving fifty liters - if it drops to twenty liters, that's enough for them, and they don't even think about cow grace - that if you serve the cows as the Lord did, what wealth could possibly remain? Truly, give one person cow's milk and another buffalo's milk - definitely - the buffalo drinker will be fat. The cow drinker won't be found fat, but they'll have vigor. The cow drinker will have brilliance. The buffalo drinker won't have brilliance. Even if they gain fat, even if they become plump, they won't have vigor. Look - keep both milks and see - in cow's milk you'll find a golden luster. In pure desi cow's milk you'll find a golden luster. The Lord served cows - first in Vrindavan, ahead ahead, the cows are going ahead, the gopa people surrounding them making tumultuous sounds, encouraging the cows to move forward.

The cows licking and watching their calves are moving ahead with great joy. Countless calves. All trusting by the Yamuna. The calves whose horns haven't yet emerged, small ones, large beautiful ones - moving with such playfulness - their bodies are small but their vigor is great, their leaping is very much. There is great joy when you embrace a cow like that, but be careful - don't embrace one that will kick. Some cows are very gentle - if you treat such a cow with affection, you get the joy of being a bhagavati. But be careful - in the excitement of experiencing a bhagavati's joy, don't embrace a cow that kicks - it will hit you with its tail. When the calves run, the Lord sitting in the wagon - it doesn't please him. He also wanted to play with them. Because you know all are divine forms. In the Lord's time, what were the cows? The Vedas, the verses of the Vedas themselves had taken the form of cows.

Cows ahead, calves in the middle, and the newborn calves - they cannot swim yet, so the strong mighty gopas carry them on their shoulders and cross them sitting in boats. Shri Krishna Chandra and Balaram on their great cart, in the presence of Brijeshwari and Rohini, are watching the cowherd wealth. Looking at the Yamuna. Looking with such loving eyes as if seeing it for the first time. The joy knows no bounds. Moving their lotus hands, now looking at Rohini Maia, now at Yashoda Maia - Maia, look at that calf! Maia, look at that Yamuna! Look, Maia! - Like this, sometimes suddenly they break away from Mother and run off.

The mothers are watchful behind them. Running, they catch hold of them. Gradually, the herd of cattle all moved across the Kalindi in a continuous procession. The beautiful maidens of Braj, singing the glory of Shri Krishna, were moving. Ram Shyam - when Mother becomes just a little alert, they jump from the cart. First they run towards the friends, and sometimes Mother, caring for the cow, runs after them, catches them and brings them back. When Subal, Shri Dama, the sakha, calls out in a loud voice, the Lord also calls out. Bringing great joy and auspiciousness to one another, they are coming towards Shri Dham Vrindavan.

What can be said of Vrindavan? Wherever you look, there is beauty upon beauty, because Satchidanand is manifest. In the Lord's time, they say it was only 26, 27 years ago. The roads were only the one at the Vidyapeeth and this one. Here there was the entire circumambulation in dust, and not a single building. Where you are sitting was only forest, nothing but forest. Dense forest. Forward, flower gardeners were planting, there are pipal trees - all these flowers from here straight to Kesi Ghat - not a single building, just one or two tube wells like navels, a couple of tubes, just forest. Looking at the colony in front of Kalindi - oh such beautiful tamal trees, such beautiful trees! Here the groves of trees were spread. The tamal trees in front were so beautiful that you could enter beneath them, sit down and sleep comfortably even in the intense afternoon heat.

Such coolness, just like kunje formed, enter and sit, and do naam jap. This is from 26 years ago. 500 years earlier, when the Acharya came, there were only four or five great Mahatmas established here - nothing else, nothing else. It was quiet. Over there in Rajpur village there were some few houses, because those who took maadhukarī from Vrindavan went to Mathura. This means the facilities here were not like that. And when the Mahaprabhu came, there were also orchards. Then in the Lord's time in dvapara, at that time the sacred Chidanand land itself manifested. They saw such beautiful trees.

Such beautiful trees - the meaning of kunje, seeing it would make one want to do bhajan. Overnight, cutting everything down, cutting down the buildings. Shri Krishna Chandra and Balram are sitting in their carriages, sometimes looking to the left and sometimes to the right. Somewhere they see peacocks, somewhere they see good pigeons and such, somewhere they see beautiful deer - the Lord is very joyful. Shri Krishna, Balram - "Shrimat Bhagavat Vrindavanm sampravish sarvakaal sukhaav" - it is not said "sarvakaal" only in that time, but also now as well. Look closely - outside Vrindavan, the fruit of past karma will show its effect, but inside Vrindavan it cannot manifest. "Kal kalesh na vyapetha, ye tor Vishva te nyari, nagari dasī janam jita balihari balihari" - and

The bhajan that happens in Vrindavan cannot happen anywhere in the three worlds. Then again, if you go with selfish bhajan, no - you should not think of worldly affairs. Vrindavan holds you. Your first bhajan is you, and your second bhajan is the land that keeps inspiring your mind for bhajan - no matter how much offense you commit, it is so merciful. And just the matter of bhajan in the land, and in Vrindavan selfish bhajan becomes turned around - how can we describe the glory of Vrindavan? "Vrindavanm sampra sarvakaal sukhaavam, tatra chakra brajvasm sakat chandravana Vrindavan" - Vrindavan is a very beautiful forest.

This bestows happiness at all times. It gives only happiness. Entry into Vrindavan means entering an ocean of happiness. "Nij dharm apno kahat tahan nity Vrindavan rahat bahut prem sagar jahan" - We are telling you a very established fact. Grasp it if you can grasp it. Stop coming and going and the coming and going will stop. Do it. If you have the courage, stop coming and going. The coming and going will stop. Understand if you can understand. If you have the courage, stop coming and going. The body and mind - this ends, completely ends. Completely ended. Not from your bhajan but from residence in Vrindavan, from the grace of the Vrindavan Dham.

Now everyone wants to stop coming and going somewhat, and whoever stops coming and going - it stops. Now what do you understand? A liberated person is one who dwells in Vrindavan. Results will come in the end. Very good results will come. You need not worry. Do not think in your mind that we will go somewhere isolated and then are not such a great yogi for your mind. This is the influence of this place. You listen to katha daily, you listen to satsang daily, you do seva, so dispassion is blazing. Maya is inspiring you - come to solitude, solitude - wherever you go, where will it lead you? Then see for yourself.

This is the Dham - "Vrindavanm Goverdhana yam Yamuna pulinach vikshasittam prem Ram Madhav" - in the Lord there is increasing love. An amazing thing - what did Vrindavan do? Vrindavan, Goverdhana, Yamuna - by seeing these, supreme love arose in the hearts of Shri Krishna and Balram. You see - "Vrindavanm Goverdhana Yamuna pulin ach vikshasī uttam prem Ram Madhav" - love is manifested in the Lord. So we are just jivas - what of us? Vrindavan, Goverdhana, Yamuna pulin - what fortune is this! You are sitting at the Yamuna pulin. You are sitting at the Yamuna pulin. Time and again the Yamuna flows. Due to the effects of time it has shifted somewhat to the other side. Yet this is the eternal current of Yamuna Ji. Look at Kalindi - steps are built there, and following them look forward - ahead you will see all the steps. From here Yamuna Ji flowed. The Lord Shri Krishna, Balram..

Then a secret miracle happened. Vishwakarma Ji - when tired, all the gopa came and lay down in their carriages. Semi-circular arrangements were made. "Tatra chakru brajvasm sakat ardhachandra vat" - semi-circular - having created semi-circular carriages all in the middle, just as on the other bank of Yamuna, Vishwakarma Ji, by the command of the Lord, in divine Vrindavan made divine constructions. Because Vrindavan is the palace of Lata Pata Baba, Nand, Upnand - everyone's arrangements were made just as they were in Gokul, so the Lord made arrangements in Vrindavan. Pujya Radha Baba writes in his vani that at night, Vishwakarma created an entire city such that just as there were dwellings for all in Gokul, so by the command of the Lord, Vishwakarma arranged dwellings.

Vrindavan is always verdant. There is never autumn in Vrindavan because spring is always present. Govardhan Giriraj Ji is so beautiful—if you could just touch him—that the benefit gained from bathing at millions of pilgrimage sites is not equal to the benefit that naturally comes from the darshan and touch of Giriraj Ji. Hey, our people have won the game, friend! Where are you sitting? At the home of the Lord. Some are at the doorstep, some are in the world. You are sitting at the home of the Lord. How much—just this—they have forgotten the glory. If you do bhajan without thinking of the world, then bhajan happens on its own.

For one dedicated to bhajan, what is bhajan? Wherever the dedication is, that is where the contemplation flows. And who do we have? Yes, brother—ours. That's why we don't grasp the point—that bhajan is not happening. We haven't understood even to this day that bhajan is not happening. How is this? I mean—we don't understand—when you don't have anyone, then what is your contemplation? Like, I have Girdhar Gopal, no one else. So if there's an aunt, or an uncle, then their contemplation, if there's a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law, their contemplation is on them. In worldly relations, who is yours? Who is yours? Whose contemplation will you do?

So for those who have the Lord, make the divine mood yours. And for one who is detached—we say: you have no one, so whose contemplation is there? For a seeker walking the path of bhagavat, what else can there be but this contemplation? Besides Priyalal, there is no one at all. So whose contemplation will you do? Our contemplation—our contemplation—when someone says our bhajan is not happening, it seems to us: what does it mean? Tell us—what happens to you? What is in your mind? Is it arranging your daughter's marriage? For that we've already married off our son.

What does the boy have? What are you to think about? Brother, a householder has hundreds of problems to be caught up in. What is your problem? Medicine, clothes, food—no householder loves his own son as much as Sri Ji loves you. So consider: what then should your contemplation be? Then it's clear we are dishonest, abandoning the contemplation of our own Beloved and taking up some other worry. It seems to us: we, friend, whose contemplation should we do? Whose contemplation should we do?

What is contemplation? Brother, this—ask yourself. Who is yours? Then contemplation—here—turned to self-interest for our own bhajan—gone, turned—and the land's dwelling—still more bhajan happens—more bhajan which—this same worship—Vrindavan remains—so why do you ask truthfully—

karavat badle na to vipin ghan kunj rati ke bhuj mele
If you don't turn, then in the forest of clouds, in the garden, in the arms of love's union

bas sunte raho chalo brajan tarun kadam mukut mani shyama bani aankh mude pare chal rahe
Just keep listening—come, in Braj with tender feet, the crown jewel, the dark beloved, eyes closed, lying still, moving

kyon ab aur chalega kya kahe vani Harivansh ki
—why will it go further now? What does the vani of Harivansh say?

kahe Harivansh hai na koi jagah nahi sochne ki kisko soche na karja dena hai na karja lena hai na kheti bona hai na kheti katwani na ladka na bachchha ab tumhare aur chintan kya rah gaya
Harivansh says: there is nowhere to think, no one to think of, no debt to give, no debt to take, no field to sow, no field to harvest, no son, no child now. What contemplation is left for you?

hamen batao na tumhen khane ki chinta hai na kamane ki chinta hai na tumhen kya pareshani to chintan kiska koi chintan nahi to ham kah rahe chinta kaise kaise nahi hota bhagwat chintan kyon nahi hota hamara to dhanda hai wahi hamara to nasha hai wahi hamara jeevan wahi hai kaise aur itni badi power shakti Vrindavan se milti hai bhajan ki ki aap bahar jakar dekho kitna vikshep hai aur yahan dekho har vikshep ko rad kar bhajan ki taraf vritti ko pravahit kar dena ye Vrindavan dham ki kripa hai. Sachchi kahte hain Vrindavan dham mein itni power shakti hai ki hamare vikshepon ko rad karke hamare andar bhajan ki vritti badha deti hai. Isliye yah labh na chuke. Agar is bar chuk gaye to aisa avsar nahi aayega. Bar-bar to banat nahi ya sanjog anup manush tan vrinda vipin ras bahut badhiya jor ka ekdam matlab pura ka pura jor laga diya hai prabhu ne ki tumhara kalyan ho jae.

Tell us—you don't have the worry of eating, you don't have the worry of earning. What difficulty do you have? So contemplation—whose contemplation is there? No contemplation—then we are saying—how does how does it not happen? Why does contemplation of the divine not happen? Our business is it—our business is it itself, our addiction is it itself, our life is it itself—how much and such great power and strength comes from Vrindavan in bhajan that you go outside and see how much distraction there is, and here see how every distraction is removed and the tendency toward bhajan is made to flow—this is the grace of Vrindavan Dham. Truly we say: in Vrindavan Dham there is such power and strength that it removes our distractions and increases the tendency toward bhajan within us. So don't miss this benefit. If you miss it this time, such an opportunity will not come again. Rarely is it created—or such rare conjunction—a human body—Vrindavan forest—the taste—very excellent—full force—absolutely the complete force has been applied by the Lord that your welfare may be accomplished.

manushya sharir Vrindavan dham rasikon ka sang Priya pritam ki upasna matlab ab gire to bahut unchai par chadh gaye ho hath pair sab tut jaenge chalne layak nahi rahoge paramarth se ab bhrasht hue to bilkul shanti se baith ke socho hamara chintan karne yogya kya hai hamara chintan kyon nahi hota kis vishay ka chintan hota hai ham yahi sochte hain ki chintan ka vishay kya ho sakta hai khanpan to praarabdh ke adhin hai wo apne aap aa jaega suvidhae tumhare charan mein lauteng jab aap sa��chidanand prabhu ke chintan mein lage ho

A human body, Vrindavan Dham, the company of rasia devotees, the worship of the Beloved Lover—I mean, now if you fall, you will have climbed to such a height that your hands and feet will all break, you won't be fit to walk. If you are corrupted from spiritual life, then sit in complete peace and think: what is there worthy of our contemplation? Why is our bhajan not happening? What subject of contemplation is there? We think this: what can be the subject of contemplation? Food and sustenance are subject to karma—they will come on their own. Comforts will return to your feet when you are absorbed in the contemplation of Sat-Chit-Anand, the Lord.

an mange age avego jo pal lage pal ko hari bhaj hari bhaj chhan na man nar tan ko mati banchh re mati bachhe til til dhan ko an mange age avego jo pal lage pal ko hari bhaj hari bhaj
Without asking, all will come; whenever it attaches at that moment, serve Hari, serve Hari—reject not, deny not the human body, desire this intellect, O intellect, desire bit by bit all wealth; without asking, all will come; whenever it attaches at that moment, serve Hari, serve Hari

kahe haridas beech jo ave ta dhan hai aapan ko ae hari bhaj hari bhaj
Says Haridasji: whatever comes in between is wealth unto itself, O serve Hari, serve Hari

is sharir ka param labh hari bhaj mat chinta kar dhan ki mat chinta kar jaise palak jhapakti hai apne aap aise apne aap tere age dhan aayega Swami ji maharaj an mange age avego jo pal lage pal ko

The supreme benefit of this body is to serve Hari. Don't worry about wealth, don't worry about money. Just as the eyelid blinks on its own, so too will wealth come before you on its own, Swami Ji Maharaj. Without asking, all will come; whenever it attaches, at that moment—

chintan apne se prashn karo ki chintan kiska ho raha hai kyon ho raha hai matlab hai kya vishay ham yahi nahi samjh pate ki aap chintan bina koi rah nahi sakta ye pakki baat chintan hota hai. Lekin chintan kiska hota hai? Yah khas baat hai. To aapka kahe kaun jiska chintan hota hai? Yah baat ham abhi tak nahi samjh paye hain. Shayad age samjh jae ki sadhak jo usne bhajan ke liye vairagya liya hai. Jisne sare sambandh chhod diye hain. Jo keval bhagwan ka aashray liye hue hain aur wo bhagwat seva mein bhagwat dham mein gurujanon ke sanidhy mein rah raha uska wo kah raha bhajan nahi ho raha. Matlab ho kya raha hai phir matlab kabhi hamko koi soch kar batana ki kya hota hai kyonki abhi tak ham is prashn ka uttar nahi jaan paye ki hota kya hai uske hriday mein to Vrindavan ye bhajan ki bhumi hai jo divya bhajan ka prabhav prakt karti hai ae apne log aae hain isiliye raat din kamai karo bhajan ki aur usko de do sansaar ko bhajan apne liye nahi kiya jaata yah bhi baat samjh lo bhajan apne liye sadhu nahi karta ke liye karta hai.

Ask yourself about contemplation: whose contemplation is happening? Why is it happening? What is the subject? We don't understand this: that one cannot remain without contemplation. This is a certain fact—contemplation happens. But whose contemplation is it? This is the key point. So, what is yours, who is it whose contemplation happens? We still haven't understood this. Perhaps later we will understand. The spiritual seeker who has taken renunciation for bhajan, who has abandoned all relationships, who has taken only the Lord's shelter and is living in the service of God, in the divine realm, in the company of the gurus—he is saying his bhajan is not happening. I mean, what is happening then? I mean, someone think and tell us: what is happening? Because until now we haven't been able to answer this question: what is happening? In his heart, then—Vrindavan is this land of bhajan that manifests the effect of divine bhajan. O our people, you have come! That's why work day and night for the earning of bhajan and give it to the world. Bhajan is not done for oneself—understand this too: bhajan is not done for oneself; it is done for Krishna.

May all be well, may all be happy, may all saints be free from illness. As long as bhajan is for oneself, bhajan will not happen—pay attention. And when bhajan is for everyone, why does such fervor arise? Now see, this is a very subtle matter. Why should we give our bhajan to them? Then we will also receive the fruit of their giving—understand this in return. Just as we have given our entire bhajan to the world for universal welfare, then now this has its fruit. Do you know what the fruit is? The Lord will come directly to us. We give the fruit of every bhajan to the heart. We give it to this world form. By singing praises, by singing praises, one crosses over—this is the teaching.

All bhajan endowed with devotion, the entire bhajan is for them, for the welfare of all. When bhajan is given for the welfare of all and it returns to us, then it goes directly to the Lord—directly to the Lord. Doubt will not arise at all; doubt will not arise. Jealousy will arise—friend, we have done bhajan all day, so why should we give someone the fruit of our bhajan? Yes, this—this is what prevents bhajan from happening. This is the teaching: he whose sole refuge is the Lord, from whom the mind never wavers—Hanuman, I am the servant and You are the Master of all moving and non-moving beings—this is the mystery of Raghupath. However, by the speed of Raghupath's grace, whoever knows this—even in dreams there is no delusion.

Vrindavan is the land of bhajan, the land of wondrous bliss, the land where all suffering is destroyed. Entering Vrindavan, all sorrows are destroyed. Vrindavan, Govardhana, the Yamuna with beautiful banks—Krishna and Balarama, with the entire circle of Braj, had everything arranged beforehand by Vishvakarma. Govardhana, the Ghat, where is the Yamuna? There is one ghat—you know the Nila Ghat? On the banks of the Ganga, they stayed for quite some time. On the banks of the Ganga—there we received the great fortune of studying the Garg Samhita. When the Garg Samhita was studied, then Giriraj Maharaj's glory..

It is a very detached place—meaning, there is no place for fruit, flowers, or sweets. On the banks of the Ganga, life is in great hardship; if the belly gets filled, that itself is a big matter. Three times bathing in the Ganga, in solitude—someone comes, someone doesn't, coming and going depends on what fortune brings. They call out "Radhe Shyam"—ask the old one, "Did you take the melon? If not, who else would ask?" Now there was such complete absorption. Once there was a longing: if only once I could have the darshan of Giriraj, if only once in life it happened—may God grant this. See, He gave the blessing. Now if you wish, let us go to Giriraj for darshan immediately. As it was completed yesterday, come, now for the parikrama of Vrindavan! Do you know how much good fortune this is? We longed for it—once to see Govardhana. When the glory was read in the Garg Samhita, it was felt: Giriraj, where are You sitting? What bhajan is lacking? Listen, You stay there; when the door is not closed on you—when the dog doesn't leave the door—then a righteous person cannot eat bread easily. First it troubles him. Give one to him, so a righteous person becomes like this. Oh, when one stands at the door of God, will He not arrange your welfare, your well-being, your food, your clothing? He will certainly arrange it. But then [someone] said, "Then you went five days hungry." Listen, there is one thing: when God prepares someone for the world, He tightens them specially. Pay attention. An engine has many bolts and nuts, everything is arranged. Sit in the carriage—100, 150 [kilometers]—you will reach. Something like that God has tightened it for this reason, for this reason He brought [us] from Kashi this way. We would not have succeeded otherwise. There are such questions that if we had not come from Kashi, if we had not moved away from Vishvanath, we could not have answered them. Such scholarly, Ph.D.-educated—recently an old, very learned man was asking such questions: "What is the characteristic of ego? What is this?" Listen, brother, it is written—is everything not recorded? So we just sit and say to the Lord, "Listen to this question, listen to this, and give the answer." By His grace, He gives the answer.

So if He had not brought [us] from Kashi, that wisdom would not have come into the mind. God tightened it for this reason: so you people would not have to be tightened so much. Because the engine is tightened, sit in the carriage and cross over. Now if you don't sit in the carriage—some are also like this, needing air, there is a pole outside. No, no, it doesn't work from outside the carriage. Now they don't know that from the carriage—like this, they need air outside, so there's a pole there. Outside the carriage—meaning, in the carriage there is an arrangement, a fan is fitted, air is coming through the window. Standing at the gate—outside. Child, yes, just sit quietly, sit peacefully, sit and you will reach, there will be bliss.

Now in the distance, Braj, the young Krishna of Gokul, Dwarka's four months, many pastimes, all the trials, Govardhana mountain, the Yamuna, the beautiful banks—seeing all this, Krishna and Balarama's hearts became filled with great affection for Vrindavan.

Now [He] speaks with lisping speech. In this childish way, He repeatedly asks the mothers questions. The mothers answer, and are bringing great bliss to all the residents of Braj. Today in Vrindavan, the father and the entire circle are resting. With this, the discourse concludes. Glory to Shri Radhavallabh Lal!

This text is taken from the automatic captions of a video—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for authentic words.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)