Means to Purify the Inner Self / The Divine Union of Shri Radharani and Shri Krishna // 22/10/26

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

Full Discourse

Vrindavaneswari tav padarvindm prema makrand raso purnam haditam madhupte smarta mugam nirvai param shital mayam param shital mayam param sacchidanand ghan Premanand swaroop navni nikunj mahmmahim param pavan shri Vrindavan dham shri Vrindavan dham ke ladlele pranaaradhy pranapriy shri yugal sarkar shyama Shyam ji samasth sahachari vrind khag mrig pashu panchhi tarulta yamuna ras rani raj rani samasth brajvasi parikar ke charnon mein kotisha naman kotisha pranam namaskaar

O Queen of Vrindavan, your lotus feet are brimming with the nectar of love… O beloved of Shri Vrindavan Dham, the cherished and beloved Shri Yugal Sarkar, Shyama-Shyam Ji, all the assembled sakhis, the deer, animals, birds, creepers, the Yamuna, Ras Rani, Raj Rani, and the whole Braj family — at your feet, countless salutations, countless pranams, namaskar.

Worshippers should speak very carefully, to protect their worship. When the power of speech is lost, one loses taste for bhajan. If a wrong word slips out, or if one slanders a sant, even the bhajan-disposition built over many lives gets covered. So keep your speech under very careful watch.

Pujyapad Shri Udiya Baba Ji says:

raj katha aru jag katha bhog katha tu tyag ye tino tyage bina pave nahi anurag

Give up talk of kings, talk of the world, and talk of pleasures. Without giving up these three, love for the Lord is not attained.

bhakt katha aru hari katha sant katha tu jaan in tino ke gyan se pave pad nirvaan.

Know the talk of devotees, the talk of Hari, and the talk of saints. Through knowledge of these three, one attains the state of nirvana.

Sadhaks should not listen to political talk at all, and not to newspapers or news of any kind. You are not a state official who has to run government affairs. Having renounced the whole creation, you have to fix your mind on the one Sachchidananda Bhagwan. So what is this news? What is happening in India? What is happening abroad? If you are concerned with these, you are a prapanchi, not a sadhak. Who is becoming what? Who is spoiling what? Where is what happening? These should not be known to you. A sadhak's disposition should be such that he does not know what day of the week it is today, which tithi it is, which day, which nakshatra, or which date. Truly, here we come to know that it is Ekadashi only when parikrama happens. If we think about these external matters, there will be no bhajan. Talk of kings should not be discussed at all.

Among sadhaks, you are not going to pursue anyone's worldly positions. You are renouncers of worldly positions, and you are entitled to the supreme position. The supreme position, the highest position in these three worlds, is the Parameshthi position, the position of Brahma, where even Brahma sits and bows; that is Haridasatva. That is the supreme position. You are not a beggar. You are not poor. You are not destitute. You are very great, and there is no one greater than you. That is why, because the greatest is greatest, humility arises. A branch laden with fruit bends down. The devotee is humble (dainya). So we need no other position. If you are enticed by some position, then you are not even entitled to the supreme position.

When the mind gets attached to worship, then one who has no longing for even the supreme position is not drawn to enjoyments. One who has made the supreme goal his aim does not even want the position of Brahma. All of these are small: not the position of Devraj Indra, not the sovereign position, not the pleasures of the worlds, not the siddhis. Therefore talk of kings should have no place in your life. Knowing who is what should not matter; only your own Lord should matter.

na parmeshtha na mahendra dum sarwabham na rasadhipatyam na yog siddhi apunbhav wa

Neither the position of Brahma, nor the lordship of Indra, nor sovereignty over all, nor rule over the realms of rasa, nor the perfections of yoga, nor liberation…

Talk of the world, of the village, the lanes, family, relatives and kin, is all bhoga-katha, talk of many kinds of worldly enjoyment. "What will be cooked to eat today?" is not a fit subject for discussion. The subjects should be the Lord, and talk of the Lord among ourselves. These three must be given up, without which love is not attained. If you want to immerse yourself in devotion to the Lord, you must give up raj-katha, jag-katha, grameen-katha and bhoga-katha. And if you want to immerse yourself in the Lord, read and listen to bhakt-katha, the lives of devotees. You will find great dispassion and great strength there. Even more strength is found in the bhakt-katha than in the Lord's own katha, because in the Lord's katha we see his majesty (aishwarya), while in the bhakt-katha we see his humility (dainyata). He washes the soiled loincloth of his devotee. For his devotee he goes to massage a king's feet, taking the form of Sen Nai the barber. Such forms the Lord takes out of humility! As Trilochan's servant, he takes the form of the indweller. Then one feels: my Lord, so great, and yet so merciful! For his devotees he does such small tasks. He has attendants who could create the universe in a moment, yet he does not order such attendants. The Lord himself goes and serves. When we see his devotees in the stories of devotee-character, our heart becomes full of attachment to the Lord.

Sant-katha, the stories of renounced and dispassionate mahatmas, creates immense love at the feet of the Lord in our heart. And the Lord's katha purifies the heart and illuminates the truth of the Divine. From knowledge of these three, one attains the state of nirvana. Whoever applies his mind to bhakt-katha, sant-katha and Bhagavant-katha attains the nirvana position, the moksha position, and love.

Baba is writing:

rukha sukha khae ke thanda pani pi dekh parai chupri mat lalchave jeev

Eat dry and simple food and drink cool water. Seeing another's buttered bread, do not let the soul be tempted.

rukha sukha jatha labh santosh sada ka so kachu na chaho

Be content with whatever simple food comes your way. Always be satisfied, and do not desire anything more.

Understand this one thing: when sadhana for the Lord is being done, look at the sadhak. But when it has matured, you cannot recognise it. If you want to see vairagya, look at a sadhak walking the path to attaining the Lord. If you want to see anurag, look at a siddha mahapurush. But if you do not have the eye of anurag, you will not be able to see it. Vibhishan ji comes into the Lord's refuge.

When surrender is firm, Bhagwan says: accept a kingdom lasting one kalpa for my happiness. You will have my unbroken devotion and my grace. You will see my nearness, and you will accept the kingdom for a kalpa.

Bhagwan gave a boon to Prahlad Ji. Prahlad Ji said, "I want nothing." Bhagwan said, "For my happiness, for the sake of obeying my command, accept this kingdom. Maharaj Bali, when you have offered everything and go as a surrendered soul, I will stay with you as your doorkeeper. Accept the kingdom of Rasatal." When Dhruv Ji attained Bhagwan, He said, "Accept the kingdom."

Because when a maha bhagwat rules, when a maha bhagwat teaches, his influence is for the welfare of the world. So when Bhagwan's devotee reaches maturity, He places him in worldly affairs. Not to earn wealth, not for fame or glory. What glory will come to Him through you people? The greatest glory is to say, "I am Hari's servant." Bhagwan's. When someone names some petty official and says, "I belong to him," how much pride arises inside him. Pride should go. The thought, with swagger: "I am a servant. Raghupati is my Lord."

Abhiman jaae jan bhore, main sevak Raghupati pati more.
Let no false pride arise; I am the servant of the Lord of Raghu.

"The Lord of the entire universe, the Supreme, I am His servant." When the bhakt has Bhagwan, what splendour is lacking? If you want to see dispassion, look at a sadhak who walks the path of Bhagwan with diligence. When he reaches maturity, whether you keep him in palaces or give him a hut to live in, he is content.

Yatha laabh santosh sada, kaahu so kachhu na chaaho.
Whatever comes by providence, be always content; never ask anything from anyone.

Whatever the circumstances are, I will be happy in them. Keep me in a palace or give me a hut to live in. Sometimes ghee in abundance, sometimes a fistful of gram, sometimes nothing at all. Your vision creates the creation accordingly.

Brahm drishti to Brahm mein, Ram drishti to Ram mein, Shyam drishti to Shyam mein, dusht drishti to dusht mein, paap drishti to paap mein, kaam drishti to kaam mein. Srishti kaisi? Jaisi tumhari drishti.
If your vision is of Brahm, you see Brahm; if of Ram, you see Ram; if of Shyam, you see Shyam; if of the wicked, you see wickedness; if of sin, you see sin; if of lust, you see lust. How is creation? As your vision is.

So, O soul, do not covet another's thatched hut. Each living being has a different fate, and Bhagwan is the Creator of that fate. Wherever He places us, we should stay content.

Chhini chadhe chhin utre so to prem na ho. Aghat prem panjar base, prem kahaave soye.
Love that rises in a moment and falls in a moment is not love. Real love is unbroken, dwelling in the cage of the heart, and that alone is called love.

Some people shed tears for a little while, and then they go back to the same worldly entanglements, the same worldly attachments of many kinds. That is not love. Love that drops in a moment and grows in a moment is not love. Aghat prem, unbroken love, keeps growing always, like the crescent of the moon. But in this there is no full moon, so in love the full moon never comes. The heart that is always thirsty for love keeps yearning, so nothing is left in it. It is the completeness of completeness.

But the experience of that completeness does not come. Therefore love keeps growing. Every moment it increases.

Prati kshan vardhmanam.
Ever-increasing, every moment.

There is one rule of love: that it allows no rule to remain. Once you are drowned, you are drowned. Who can rescue you? But if someone knowingly gives up all rules, then love cannot awaken within him.

Ek nem yah prem ko, nem sab chhoot ja pe, jo chhaade jaan ke, tahaan prem kachhu na.
This is the one rule of love: when all rules are abandoned, whoever leaves them knowingly, there is no love there.

So the mind should always be in remembrance of the Lord, the body in service, and the speech in much silence. Speak only when the heart's knots open, when such knowledge arises. Otherwise stay silent, and the sadhak attains Bhagwan.

Maharaj Ji, without the mind being purified, one does not experience Paramatma. So what is the sadhana for purifying the mind, and when should one understand that the mind has become pure? Pujya Baba answered: for the purification of the mind, the sadhak should keep two things in mind. First, use viveka everywhere, not intellect. Intellect is entangling everyone. Where is viveka found? It is not found in the market. It is found in satsang.

Bin satsang viveka na hoi. Aur Ram kripa bin sulabh na soi.
Without satsang, discrimination does not arise; and without the grace of Ram, such satsang is not easily obtained.

The satsang that produces viveka is obtained only by the grace of Bhagwan.

He said: the first is viveka, and the second is naam jap. These are the two means. Viveka will cut through when worldly attachment, craving and desire for enjoyment come to you. And naam will hold you firm and will not let you slip. These two things must be very strong in the life of a sadhak. If you have gathered gold and then feel dispassion, you throw it all into the Yamuna, and it is finished. If you fear fame, run off to a secluded place. Then there is no fame at all. But if you have indulged in sensual enjoyment with a woman, that impression will destroy you, whichever cave you run off to.

In life, a sadhu must protect himself from one thing: he must never cast a dirty glance at other people's mothers and sisters. He must not perform any action that destroys brahmacharya. Then let him stay content like a king. Eat whatever prasad comes with joy, think of Bhagwan, and serve with the body whatever service comes. Hearing the glory of Vrindavan:

Vrindavan prabhav sun apno hi gun det. Jaise balak malin ko maat god bhar le.
Hearing of Vrindavan's power, it gives its own qualities. As a mother takes a dirty child into her lap, so she purifies him.

Just as a mother accepts even a soiled child in her lap and makes him pure, so Vrindavan, by its power, purifies a person and grants the attainment of Priyaal. Bhagwan named the greatest enemy in the Gita: this lust is the enemy even of the great jnanis.

Kill it, Arjun, kill this. Killing desire is the goal. Don't worry, attainment of Bhagwat is absolutely near. I say this after deep study and contemplation. Only our sprawl is stuck: "this is mine, this is mine, this is mine, this is mine, let me enjoy this, let me see this, let me smell this." It is hard to erase this. Erase it, and in that very moment there is attainment of Bhagwat, because the Lord is seated in your heart. He is not far away. To have darshan, you have to go within. Here, the first thing that happens for the sadhak is Bhagwat sakshatkar in the heart region, and then it begins to happen everywhere.

There are two means for purifying the chitta. The first is viveka. Viveka is that which decides what is sat and what is asat. What is sat? Only the Beloved and the Lover, the Lord. What is asat? Everything else. Brahm satyam jagan mithya, the saying that Brahman alone is real and the world is an illusion. Speaking from my own experience, as Uma was told:

Uma kahun main anubhav apna sat hari bhajan jagat sab sapna

Uma, I speak from my own experience: only the bhajan of Hari is real, and the whole world is a dream.

The sadhak should be completely alert. I am saying just one thing, be alert. Anywhere, in any way, do not indulge in sight contact, or in the sensual play of the body, whether of the opposite body or a body that is agreeable to you. Just endure that, and the rest of the matter will be taken care of.

Victory is victory. Everything is victory, because:

prasade sarv dukh naam haras upajte

By the Lord's grace, the loss of all sorrows arises.

If you are living in Vrindavan Dham, then living here is the greatest bhajan. Second, if you are living under the shelter of the gurujans, then it is all seva, seva. There is not a moment to spare. If you won't attain Bhagwat, who will? Just one thing. You yourself have left the world, you have renounced the world's pleasures. Now, to be tempted toward them, to look at them, or to give them even the slightest encouragement, is to ruin yourself. Strive for viveka and for naam jap at all times: Radhavallabh Shri Harivansh, Radhavallabh Shri Harivansh, madhur madhur Radha Radha Radha.

When there is discernment between the false and the true, the sadhak begins to feel detachment from the world. His bhajan grows strong, and where bhajan is strong, he constantly begins to see Lord Vasudev within his chitta.

The adhishthata devata of the chitta is Bhagwan Shri Krishna Vasudev. This is how you recognise that the chitta has become pure. Nobody feels like your own, and nobody feels like a stranger. Everyone seems to be in the form of Bhagwat. The distinction between own and other dissolves. When the chitta is pure, the desire to enjoy any object no longer remains in it. When the chitta is pure, its affection is only for the Paramatma and the mahatma. It is not found anywhere in the world at all. This is the sign of chitta purification. The means of chitta purification are viveka and constant naam jap. The sign of chitta purification is the absence of raag and dvesh: nobody is your own, nobody is a stranger, there is no desire to enjoy any object, and attachment is only to the Paramatma or the mahatma.

What are raag and dvesh? Maharaj, whatever person, whatever object, whatever place a man becomes so attached to that he cannot live without it, that attachment is called raag. Attachment to mother, to father, to wife, to son, to wealth, to a house, to the body: there is plenty of it. Understand that you have raag. Whatever keeps coming back to your memory, whatever keeps pulling at your heart, whatever else enters your path of dhyan apart from the Lord, all of it is just the play of raag. Dvesh is rooted in raag. From whatever you have raag, dvesh arises from the same thing. Without raag there would be no dvesh at all. When someone starts going against us, dvesh arises. An unfavourable object, an unfavourable thing, an unfavourable person: we develop dvesh toward them.

This raag and dvesh is the chain of birth and death for the jiva, and its root cause is deh-abhiman, ego.

Maharaj, how should a sadhak spend his time?

Pujya Baba says that the same teaching will not be given to everyone. Those who stay near the Guru should devote all their time to the Guru's seva and live a life full of remembrance of Bhagwat. Those who have not received the Guru's company should devote more time to bhajan. If the Gurudev commands seva, that itself is the greatest bhajan. If he says to sit and do bhajan, then you should devote more time to bhajan.

If the Gurudev gives you seva, then seva itself is bhajan. Householders should do their household work considering it Guru seva and Bhagwat seva. If Guruji accepts something, good. If not, then everything belongs to the Guru, and this attitude should be cultivated. The virakt upasak should accept submission to the Guru. By submission to the Guru, all sins, dvesh, faults and raag are destroyed on their own. Everyone must remember to keep that Bhagwati, who is our supremely compassionate form of smriti, pervading our minds. May the radiant Nikunj Devi, Shri Swamini, the greatly glorious Maharani Ladli, that Bhagwati of smriti, bless us with such grace that she settles in our memory and never goes away from it, whether we are engaged in seva or sitting in solitude.

Maharaj, God is not visible to us, so how can we love him, and how can we take refuge in him? God does not see you.

It is a matter of great wonder. All of this is nothing but God. Pujya Baba now says that their vision is filled with Brahm. Well, even if God is not visible, the name of God, the glory of God, and the devotees of God are visible. Heed them. Do naam jap. Sing the leela and the gunas of God. Walk as you are instructed, according to the principle, and God will begin to appear. When there is peace and bliss in your heart, and no ill will toward anyone, know that God is about to manifest. Bliss in the heart is the form of God. Peace is the Lord's saakaar form, the ocean of bliss, the treasure of happiness. Those who have not seen God but take refuge in God and do naam jap..

God is very pleased with such people. He is surely watching, isn't He? Maharaj Ji, you keep talking about bhajan, but during bhajan one falls asleep. So what should one do? The mala slips away during bhajan.

Sit like this. Keep thinking worldly thoughts and you won't fall asleep. Keep watching a three-hour film and you won't fall asleep. I don't know what kind of influence of tamas this is.

Baba says that when you start feeling sleepy while doing naam jap, you should start doing kirtan loudly. This should be done in solitude. Where there is a community living together, it should not be done. Otherwise, suppose you start at 12:00 at night with cymbals, then the sadhak who keeps a routine will be disturbed. If the sadhak in the next room is meditating, it becomes an offence on your part.

If you are doing kirtan with cymbals and it disturbs someone's meditation, it becomes an offence. So whatever sadhana you do, do it in such a way that other sadhaks are not disturbed. The sound should not go beyond your room. The second remedy is to do japa standing up. This is a very good method. Fight this enemy in the form of sleep. This practice of doing bhajan standing up is needed because in a Gayatri anushthan, and for a naishthik brahmachari in the new stage, sleep troubles one even more.

So when I was in a hut, I had put a rope across it like this, and I would hold on to it like this. Sometimes I stood on one leg, sometimes on the left, then I lifted the right foot. While chanting the mantra with full concentration, it felt very good, for five or six hours, because one purashcharan of Gayatri is 24 lakh japas.

A devotee should make sure that under no circumstances does sleep come during bhajan time. One has to fight a lot. One has to struggle hard with sleep. One gets very angry. For example, you are chanting very carefully, and then suddenly, you don't know when, the count has slipped. The mala has come off. When you see the mala has slipped, you get very angry: now the whole mala is gone, and you have to start again from one.

Suppose you have reached the 99th bead. If that gets lost, it will not count in the anushthan. Then start again from that very point. Not that you can pick it up from anywhere and begin like that.

It is not like this: when an anushthan is performed, if it breaks at a certain count, showing it on a counter will not do. The counter has come into use only recently. With a counter, whatever you do, you just let it go. We heard this from Gurudev Bhagwan. This has been in use only for a short while. It was never seen before. It is a new invention. Otherwise, there was the small mala, the sumerani, and the big mala; these two were used for japa. Now this counter has come by the grace of Bhagwan and Kalyug Maharaj, so that if one doesn't have a mala, one can use this instead. People also feel embarrassed to wear a full mala. They say, "He is putting on a show of being a devotee." Wearing this one like a ring is better. Good. Very good. Very, very good. Somehow, remembrance of God and naam jap of God is happening. But this one has the convenience that you can let go at 50. A mala does not allow you to let go.

If an anushthan is going on, you cannot speak, and you cannot let go. Suppose you have reached 107 and you let go. It will not be counted. Then start again from one. Now, for example, if you are chanting the guru mantra mala, you should not speak in between while chanting it. In an anushthan of, say, 11 malas that has been given, one should not speak. If you do speak, then that round is cancelled from the point where you spoke, and you start again from there. Or there is a prescribed method: set that mala aside in this way, keep it in a clean place, do achaman, pray to God, speak only if it is absolutely necessary, then bow down, and then resume from the bead just below where you had stopped. It is not that you stand there talking and then go on turning the beads. What difference does that make? What difference does it make to the mind, what change comes about? Benefit is obtained only through our Vedic principle and method.

Maharaj Ji, one has to fight the sleep. Doing bhajan is a very lofty thing. So we should stand up, walk about. While doing naam jap, while doing mantra jap, sleep should not come at that time. Practice is a very great power. One who has practised can hit the exact target with eyes closed. If you have not practised, nothing will happen.

abhyaas yog yukt chetsa nagamina

With a mind disciplined through the practice of yoga, not wandering elsewhere.

Today too, it is the same routine that the elders taught from childhood, such a routine.

Maharaj Ji, when we do bhajan, the mind wants to do bad deeds. Very beautiful question, very beautiful answer from the Mahapurush. And the mind goes towards bad deeds. Brother, do not be attached to those bad thoughts, nor averse to them. It is something that gets over very quickly. Stay exactly like this, in the attitude of a witness. A dirty thought comes: Radha, Radha, Radha. A good thought comes: Radha, Radha, Radha. With neither attachment nor aversion, they keep disappearing one after another. Why has this bad thought come? You have grasped it. You have caught hold of it and given it a place. Even a little, if that thought builds up desires for enjoyments, then while you are drowning in Radha Radha, they will create a new impression of enjoyment in your heart. Neither bad nor good: stay completely calm, in the attitude of a witness, and let the naam jap go on. They will be erased. And keep a feeling of revulsion towards bad things. See them as faults, and do not accept these condemnable things.

Baba, what should be the dheya of all sadhaks? Dhyan, dhyata, dheya. The one who is meditating does the dhyan, but what should the dheya be? The dheya of everyone should be the attainment of God. The dheya of everyone should be the attainment of God.

What is the fruit of one's bhajan? Attaining God. May we find Priya Pritam. May we find the Lord. May we be freed from the cycle of this worldly existence. It has been enough in this false game of the world. So the attainment of this supreme bliss, the attainment of God, the realisation of God, should be everyone's dheya.

In few words, what is the means to attain this? One who, with his body, selflessly serves others and serves all living beings. One who serves the vigraha of God and the devotees of God, and does a great deal of naam jap, and commits no sinful conduct, attains God.

This is what we keep saying: pranayam. Bhakt seva, Bhagavant seva, samaj seva, naam jap, and giving up sinful conduct: this is the certain attainment of Bhagavat. Let us go on.

Chandrasana Sakhi asked Kishori Ji: "O Priyaji, O Radhe, bestower of supreme good fortune and great merit, how is Shri Krishna attained?" She asked Priyaji. Priyaji replied that it is capable of bringing about the attainment of Shri Krishna very quickly. The remedy Priyaji described is Shri Tulsi Maharani, Shri Vrinda Sakhi. She is the presiding deity of Vrindavan, and she oversees the entire arrangement of Vrindavan.

She arranges the eternal dalliance (nitya keli) of Pyari Ji and Pyare Ji, and without her grace no one can enter Vrindavan. She is our Pyari Ji's beloved sakhi, Vrinda Sakhi, Shri Tulsi Maharani.

Chandrasana said:

param saubhagyadam Radhe maha punyam varapradam shrikrishna praptyartham tulsi sevnam matam

O Radhe, bestower of supreme fortune, giver of great merit and of boons: for the attainment of Shri Krishna, serving Tulsi is the accepted way.

In my view, if Tulsi Ji is served, if Tulsi Ji is touched, if Tulsi Ji's name is sung in kirtan, if one bows to Tulsi Ji, and if a Tulsi plant is planted, then:

Water is offered to Tulsi Ji. If Bhagavat seva is done every day with Tulsi leaves, Shri Krishna becomes pleased very quickly. Whoever does Tulsi bhakti every day, by tending the Tulsi plant, watering Tulsi Ji, applying tilak to Tulsi Ji, garlanding Tulsi Ji, circumambulating Tulsi Ji, and bowing to Tulsi Ji, receives such great merit that for crores and thousands of yugas that person stays ever close to Bhagavan Shri Krishna. As long as the Tulsi plant that a person has planted is adorned with its branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers and beautiful leaves, that person's merit is never destroyed, even while residing in Shri Hari's abode for thousands of kalpas.

Whether it is one day for 1,000 kalpas or two days for 2,000 kalpas, that person will reside in Bhagavat dham by the strength of this great merit. Consider this firmly: when Shiv Ji himself planted Tulsi and grew a whole forest of Tulsi, offering fresh manjari and Tulsi leaves every day at the Lord's feet, somewhere Tulsi Ji's grace came about. Vrindavan, Vrinda, Vrindapatri Devi belongs to Vrindavan. Without her grace, O Chandrānana, one should first pluck leaves and flowers with respect, after prayer. O Vrinda Devi, O Tulsi Ji, we wish to serve by taking some manjari and some leaves for the worship of Bhagavan Shri Hari or for the worship of Priyaji. Please give them to us, and then we will pluck them. Do not tear them off roughly. Tulsi Ji is pleased by great respect and great love.

Whoever worships Shri Hari with Tulsi leaves, no sin can touch them. Any sin committed in the past will not be punished for the one who worships Tulsi Ji every day.

Do not pour so much water that it overflows and Tulsi Ji disappears. Suppose the plant is in a pot: if you pour a big copper lota full of water every day, within two or four days Tulsi Ji will vanish. It needs great discretion. They say there is great merit in it, but if you pour such a big lota every day, within two or four days she will turn yellow and disappear. Only the right amount of water is needed. Take a small copper vessel and pour it in like this every day. There is no difference in that. Then lift the pot and place it in the sunlight.

What does seva mean? Whoever serves Tulsi Ji by offering her water and contemplating Hari, no sin can ever touch them. The merit of donating 100 times gold or 400 times silver is equal to one Tulsi leaf. Pluck one leaf from the Tulsi you planted yourself and offer it at Hari's feet.

Gold 100 times and silver cannot be equal to this. See how important it is: pluck Tulsi leaves every day, but do not pluck on Dwadashi. On Dwadashi, it is a very great offence. Dwadashi means do not even touch the Tulsi tree. Bowing and offering namaskar from a distance, not even one leaf should break. We have heard from great souls that on Dwadashi, plucking manjari and leaves is not right. Absolutely not right. It brings the fruit of brahmahatya. If, with great care, someone plucks Tulsi on Dwadashi, that person incurs sin. In a home that has a Tulsi garden, with many plants,

there is no need to go on pilgrimage anywhere. The home with Tulsi plants is itself a tirth. Yamraj will never come to that home to take anyone who is dying. Plant Tulsi, brother, plant Tulsi in your home. Why would you let Yamraj come? Tulsi in every home. How beautiful it was before. Homes used to have courtyards, and in the courtyard there was a very large Tulsi Ji, and in it two or four Narmadeshwar and Shaligram stones. Every member of the household offered water, bowed, and paid respects. How many pure practices we had: when the kitchen cooked, the first portion was for the cow, then for some birds, then for any sant, mahatma, or bhikshu. Such pure conduct we have seen. When the kitchen was cooking, the smoke would not clear, and they have now made all of it impure.

A demonic intellect is creeping in. Tulsi Ji, we think even a balcony is available. In a nice balcony, put an iron stand that can be raised and lowered, and install Tulsi Ji on it. In whose home Tulsi Ji is seated, Yamraj never goes. Whoever serves Tulsi Ji, Tulsi Ji fulfills all their desires. Planting Tulsi, nurturing Tulsi, watering Tulsi, having darshan of Tulsi, touching Tulsi: whatever sins a person commits through mind, speech and body, Tulsi Maharani forgives them all.

It burns away everything. The sacred tirthas such as Pushkar, and holy rivers such as the Ganga, give the fruit of bathing and immersing in them. That same fruit is obtained just by Tulsi Ji being present in the home. How wonderful it is: whoever offers a fresh manjari of Tulsi Ji at the Lord's feet and bows, however many offences they have committed, will never see Yampuri and will never go before Yamraj. The person who applies sandalwood paste rubbed from Tulsi wood has all their sanchit karma burnt to ashes, and their kriyaman, the karma of the present, can never bind them.

Where there is the shade of Tulsi in the house, the ancestors (pitars) receive welfare on their own. The benefit that comes from performing shraddh is obtained there. Planting Tulsi at home, the shade of a large Tulsi tree brings satisfaction to the ancestors. It is also said that to experience the supreme, majestic form of Shri Hari, the four-armed one who holds the Sharang bow, one should partake of the great glory of Tulsi Ji. Then one will come to know the glory of Lord Shri Hari.

Woman or man, male or eunuch, any living being, moving or still:

sarv bhav bhaj kapt taj moh param pri

Worship with every feeling, give up deceit; you become most dear.

The body is only a uniform, our costume. We are all one, of the nature of the soul; nothing is separate. The body is made only of the five elements, so everyone's body is of the five elements. The only mark there is that of woman or man. For that reason, worship of God is not forbidden. Whether a woman or a man, whoever wears beads made of Tulsi wood, like a small kanthi or a large mala,

Shri Krishna comes under their control. This is the glory of Tulsi Ji. You attain the supreme good fortune of Shri Krishna. What other attainment do we need? O daughter of the cowherd (Gop Nandini), by serving Tulsi Ji, Shri Krishna comes under control, for one who chants the name with a Tulsi mala. The counter-argument is only taught as scriptural recall. We do not prohibit it. If we did, many people's bhajan would stop. But we do tell you this much glory: the naam japa done with a Tulsi mala brings spiritual attainment very quickly. Gurudev Bhagwan was saying that the friction of the fingers on the beads generates spiritual energy in the mala. Whether with a Tulsi mala or a plastic one, brother, do it. We do not say it is prohibited, as if it will stop. Even if you say Radha Radha, we do not want you to stop. We are saying, do it however you can, but the mala has a very great effect. Tulsi is supremely pure and dear to Lord Shri Hari. When we use her wood with such names, a special energy and spiritual power awakens within us.

If you can manage it, get a small sumirani (rosary) and keep it in your pocket, and do your japa with it. If not, brother, do naam japa with whatever you have.

bhav ko bhav nalso naam japat mangal daso

Let feeling be in every feeling; chanting the Name brings all auspiciousness.

Whatever anushthan is performed while sitting near the beautiful Tulsi plants is very beneficial. Any recitation of Shrimad Bhagwat or Gopal Sahasranam, performed with Tulsi Ji placed nearby, is beneficial. One should call an acharya and perform Tulsi puja. Various kinds of anushthan bring all auspiciousness. Earlier, we have seen the daily work of Mataji at 4:00, plastering in front of the door.

In the old homes, at 4 o'clock, people came to the threshold, plastered it, made a chowk design there, and lit lamps. What purity there was, and what auspiciousness! When someone was invited, everyone's feet were washed. A beautiful mat was laid out, and sitting on it, people ate from leaf plates. How much purity there was, that was our ancient purity. Even the top-knot (choti) was a mark of purity. If one went outside, pajama and kurta were very pure attire. There was pure conduct and pure food and drink. If you went into any home, there was not one where a deity image was not installed, and not one where Tulsi Ji was absent. There were always one or two cows, and that was purity. Now it has become very strange. These Indian cows, the white ones and the reddish ones with horns: look at their milk. Wash it and keep it, and you will find a golden lustre. This is our Bharti tradition, havishyann. With it, the abhishek and puja of the devatas, of Bhagwan, of everyone, is done. The pure cow, our Bharti, is as if it came out from Bhagwan himself. The Lord himself served them, and this is the very name of our Govind Bhagwan.

Govind, the Indra of cows. Bhagwan would set out from morning and graze the cows until evening. Indeed, Kishori Ji worshipped Shri Tulsi Ji, and the Lord had promised the gopis that on the next full moon there would be Raas. Raas cannot happen without Raseshwari. Whether it is written or not written, any scholar or speaker should explain this. People say the name Radha is not written in the Bhagwat. The Bhagwat is Radha itself. Tell me of any raas, anywhere, at any time, in any way, without the beloved Ladli Ji, Kishori, the very form of dense bliss and love. A raas without Maharani Ji, without Raseshwari, simply cannot happen.

Whether written or not written. Why was it not written? Because Shri Sukhdev Ji did not reveal it, since where the name Radha is spoken, one falls into samadhi, and here seven days remain before Takshak bites. Hariram Vyas Ji says that is why Shri Sukh did not reveal Maharani Ji's name:

janisar ko sar param dhan Radha naam adhar

Radha's name is the essence, the supreme wealth, the very support of those who would give their lives for it.

Usually, earlier, we discussed in Sanket Van that priyal trees are found at Prem Sarovar, at Nandgaon and at Barsana. Today Lalu created a new leela, the Gop Devi Leela. For the sake of the raas with Shri Lalu Maharaj's Priyaji, he thought: once, taking on a deceiving form, he enters a bull.

Let's see whether Ladli recognises him, and how much love Ladli shows. Whatever form Maharaj takes, everything about him is beautiful. He is an ocean of beauty. When he wears the nose ring, the kohl, and the veil of the blue garment, Maharaj, the heart is shattered. He is so beautiful. Gori Kishori is a chakori bird for him when he wears the blue garment. And when Maharaj comes to Radha Pyari Ji with lipstick applied, sometimes, look, it feels like I am devoted to you, my friend. Whatever form you take, you strike straight at the heart. The Lord took the form of a Gop Devi.

The tinkling of anklets at the lotus feet of the gopangana, and a girdle at the waist with small bells attached.

adbhutam gopika rupam chal jhankar puram kinkni ghantika shabd manguleek bhushitam
Wondrous is the form of the gopika, resounding with the jingling of anklets and the tinkling of girdle bells, adorned with auspicious sounds.

Rings of divine design on the fingers. A girdle at the waist that rings ruzun ruzun. Anklets at the lotus feet, and a necklace of pearls and gems on the chest. Jewelled bracelets on the wrists, with glass bangles in between. Armlets, a necklace of pearls, a flower ornament on the head, and a braid of hair. A pearl nose ring and besar on the nose, and curly locks of dark hair. He took a form that would enchant anyone who saw him, Shyam Sundar. He set out towards Vrishabhanu Bhavan. Vrishabhanu Bhavan is surrounded by moats and ramparts and adorned with four gates. At every gate, elephants the colour of kohl are swaying.

The royal palace has great charm. In that pavilion courtyard, bodyguards on swift horses, moving as fast as the wind, run all around to protect the palace. Inside Vrishabhanu Bhavan, very beautiful, strong, dharma-bearing bulls are roaming. Many cowherd boys are holding flutes and Vedas and looking after them. What is Vrishabhanu Ji's bhavan? It seems Vishwakarma put all his art and skill into it. And for Maharani Ji, inside the bhavan itself there is a garden, a waterfall and a lake, all set with jewelled pillars that shine like crores of suns and spread light everywhere.

The courtyard is paved with gems. Many charming sakhis, playing veena, taal, mridang and other instruments and holding flower sticks, stand at the door, and music is playing. In that antahpur, the beauty of a divine, vast grove radiates. Inside are pomegranate, kund, mandar, lemon and other tall trees swaying, and ketaki, malati and madhavi creepers embracing the trees. Within Radha's nikunj palace, the air is intoxicated with the fragrance of kalpavriksha flowers. A cool, gentle, fragrant breeze blows.

Somewhere the breeze keeps scattering the pollen of thousand-petalled lotuses. Peacocks on the nikunj peaks sometimes dance and sometimes call out. Here are cuckoos, there are cranes, and there are shuk (parrots) and sarikas (mynas), thousands upon thousands of them, in many places. Wherever Ladli passes, she may sit down. In Megh Mandir, hundreds of fountains are spraying. Crores of strong attendants wearing earrings as bright as the newborn sun, and garments of varied colours, surround the palace. Shri Ladli bows.. And all the adorned sakhis attend on Shri Swamini Ji. Fine saffron-coloured cloth has been arranged as a curtain.

Flowers from water and flowers from fruit are scattered in many places, with sprigs of leaves strewn about. The pollen of flowers reaches up to the knees as Maharani Ji walks into the palace. Fountains of malati nectar play, fragrant with the sweet pollen of the malati. In such courtyards, the gentle, tender sahacharis, with the radiance of crores of moons, slowly inspect and oversee the service of Shri Vrishabhanu Nandini, Shri Kishori Ji. There are thousands of such beauties. Just as the stars grow dim when the moon rises, when Ladli Ji arrives everyone's lustre fades.

dekho mai sundarata ki sima brajno tarun kadamb nagri nirakh karat adhagrima
Look, mother, the limit of beauty: the young Braj Kadamba-grove maidens, gazing at her, are overcome.

mahan gaurav ladli ju ka

The sakhis ran forward to welcome Shri Kishori Ji. They held Ladli Ji carefully, took her lotus hand, and seated her on the throne along a path of flowers. Then came the service due to Ladli Ji. One held a chamar, one a fan, one a vijan, and one a paan-beeda. Now this gop sundari, drawing her veil and feeling shy, so that no one would stop her, reached Vrishabhanu Bhavan.

Who are you?

I am a gop sundari.

Gop Devi, what is your purpose?

I want to meet your Maharani.

I have a complaint to make.

What complaint is it?

If it is a complaint, go to Baba and make it. What has happened to us, I cannot tell to Baba. I can tell that matter only to Ladli Ji, and only she can decide it for us.

Yes, is it a serious matter?

It is a serious matter, which is why Maharani Ji said: a gop sundari has come, calling herself ours, and she wants you to settle her case. Bring her with respect.

The flower carpets stayed where they were, and the gop sundari kept her veil drawn low, because in front of Ladli Ji her restless eyes would give her away, so she covered herself this much.

With honour and respect, a seat was arranged beside her. "Come, you are our guest, you are welcome. Sit down, have something to eat and drink." "My heart is burning." "Eat or drink what? What has happened? What is burning your heart? Just hear our matter first and give your judgement, that's all." "Good. Sundari, you are welcome."

Welcome to you, friend. By good fortune you have come as my guest. Welcome, welcome.

Sundari, you are welcome. It feels to me that you have come by my good fortune, because when I look at the parts of your body that are uncovered, I feel a special joy.

Because of you, the joy of my Beloved and the memory of my Beloved are coming to me through seeing you.

tat samanam divya rupam drishyate nahi bhutle yat vase sun dhanyavat sundari tumhara swagat hai.
Welcome, blessed and beautiful one. No divine form like yours is seen on this earth. Listen, where is your dwelling?

There cannot be a divine form on the earth equal to yours. Fair-browed one, where do you live? Blessed is the city where you dwell.

Priya Ji, why is this? Because the dark one is wearing a ring. Through the gem on the dark one's thumb, Priya is remembering her Lal Ji. She is remembering her Beloved. She is remembering her Lord.

Tell me in detail the reason for your coming. Whatever work is fit for me, I will surely do it. Your gait and bearing look very beautiful. Priya saw you coming, and your gait and bearing look very beautiful. O daughter of Vrishabhanu, auspicious one, how can I tell you? Perhaps you will not be able to bear it.

"No, do tell me, what is the matter?" I asked. "Which is your town?" So listen: I live in Gokul, near Nandgaon, in Nand Bhavan, to the north. I am called Gop Devi. I have heard your glory from the mouth of Lalita Ji, that you dispense justice rightly and are very compassionate. The beauty of your form, the beauty of your qualities, and your restless eyes. My main purpose is your darshan, and secondly I have a complaint to make; I need justice. Lotus-eyed one, where the fragrance of lovely clove creepers is spreading, in Gunja Nikunj, where lotus flowers are blooming with the sweet hum of bees, today I saw inside this Radha Nivas.

I have seen such a sight for the first time in my life. My eyes are delighted. No one is like this, not even Devraj Indra. Then Gop Devi, having this conversation with Ladli Ji, said: My eyes have become fulfilled and cooled, but my heart is burning. Have you heard of the dark Shyamsundar in Nandgaon? Shri Ji became alert. "He troubles us every day, every single day. I don't want to, I don't even want to see him or speak to him, but every day he looks at us, speaks to us, and harasses us. Now you tell me, a girl from a good family cannot tell such a thing to Baba, can she?"

Shri Ji said, "No, no, it is not like that. It is not as you are saying. I am not distressed. And Lalu Maharaj, you see, began to show sorrow. Look, Gop Devi, do not be upset. I do not see any hurt in you. Kalyani, tell me your matter again. I feel you may have been hurt elsewhere, not by Nandnandan. Tell me the cause of your sorrow. Understand one thing truly: if anyone other than Shri Krishna and Shri Krishna's devotees has made you unhappy, I can punish them."

"But by Shri Krishna, look: if you are telling a made-up story, then take whatever you want, elephants, horses, chariots, gold, jewels, take it all. Tell the truth. With a sincere heart, just as I have regarded you as my friend, behave in friendship and tell me. Look, Shri Ji said: do not practise deceit in our friendship. Whoever practises deceit in friendship is cursed."

Gop Devi said, "Radhe, in the valleys of Barsanagiri there is a lovely lane called Sakali Gali. I will tell you the open truth. Until now I was speaking in secret.

I was going to sell curd. At that moment Nand's son came. He is a young lad, and you know he is handsome too. He is the one who thinks he is handsome. Shri Ji, he does things like this, and you know he is handsome too. He stopped me, and, with my veil drawn, as if in playful leela, oh, I was so embarrassed. He had a flute in his hand and a cane. That lustful connoisseur of romance cast off all shame. He took hold of my hand and began twisting it hard, saying, 'Beautiful one, I am the toll collector of this lane.' I said, 'Oh, you curd-thief! I will not give you anything at all.'"

No sooner had I said this than he forcibly took the curd pot from my head and smashed it. It was an old pot from the old days, and he drank the curd. Then, what more shall I tell you: he pulled my shawl off over me. Now, overcome with shame, I said nothing. I have come to tell you what is in my heart, to tell you how he is. Tell me, he is only a cowherd, Nand's son, isn't he? Shri Ji was utterly startled. "For the Beloved there is no other especially wealthy person like this. He is neither well-mannered nor handsome, yet he thinks himself very handsome. Can one ever love such a man, Kishori Ji?"

"Please give some cooperation." Said to Seth Ji: please cooperate a little. This will not be right.

When she spoke such words, Ladli Ju was greatly astonished and said, "Sakhi, for whose attainment Brahma, Shiva and other great deities perform many kinds of austerity through supreme yogic methods, whose lotus-feet's nectar the great ones such as Dattatreya, Sukhdev, Kapil, Asuri and Angira are eager to drink:

tam Krishna mad pursham paripurn devam leela avatar mata mar haram jana naam
The primal Purusha Krishna, the complete God, the leela-avatar, remover of the burden of the earth, the one to be worshipped by all.

You, such an unborn, complete, supreme God, leela-avatar, remover of all people's sorrow, remover of the earth's burden, the sole worshipped deity of the saintly, how could you condemn Shri Krishna in front of us?"

Shri Ji said, "How did you condemn Shri Krishna? You say they are cowherds. Why, those whose dust of the feet Brahma Ji worships are cowherds! They honoured the cows and they tended the cows. Do you know how great the goraj, the dust raised by the cows, is? The moment it touches anyone, that person becomes supremely pure, the one on whose forehead the goraj is applied. Whoever chants the excellent names of the cows attains the one who roams Goloka. Day and night, beholding the beautiful faces of the cows and serving them, this is the form of attaining the Lord. In my understanding, your intellect is not right."

You wanted to belittle him by calling him a cowherd. You say that Krishna is dark, that Shyamsundar is black. But Lord Neelkanth Shankar ji, the one with matted locks who holds the deadly poison, wears ashes, a skull and serpents, and is worshipped by Sanak, Sanandan and Sanatan, runs behind the beauty of Shyamsundar, who is radiant with dark splendour and skilled in every art, after seeing it. Who in the heavenly realms, among the siddhas, great sages, yakshas, gandharvas, maruts, humans and kinnaras, would not be enchanted by our Shri Krishna? How could you say that his supreme splendour, beauty and sweetness are lacking?

You say he is poor. Ah, all wealth belongs to him. You still do not know my Shri Krishna. You say he is nothing special. Vatsasur, Agasur, the serpent Kaliya, Bakasur, the Yamalarjun trees, Trinavarta, Shakatasur and Putana: he bestowed the highest state on these, who had terribly demonic natures. Is he "nothing special" to that Murari? You have spoken words that bring disgrace. He in whose every pore countless crores of universes dwell, and you say he is nothing special, not a wealthy one. You call the Purushottam someone not worth loving? Ah, devotees spurn great wealth and worship the feet of Shri Krishna.

You do not know the mystery of devotion. It is his grace that he loves his devotees and follows behind them. Shri Krishna is not only gentle and kind; he is the crest-jewel of all the virtuous communities of all the worlds. He walks behind his devotee. He purifies every pore of his being and purifies the worlds. He is the Supreme Soul. How could you say such a thing?

The gopi-devi said: "Shri Radhe. I do not want to know sorrow. Otherwise, your intelligence even mocks Brihaspati. You are so skilled. Your speech, your art and your command of words. Shri Radhe. It seems to us that you have love for Shri Krishna, is it so? Because you respond so quickly, you have so much faith in Shri Krishna, and you have love for Shri Krishna."

Shri Ji said: "I do love Shri Krishna, and I have faith in Shri Krishna. Could you call him? Would Shri Krishna appear? Yes, this very moment. Yathagti yada har paresh kim kar chedagmo nahi bhave dhan malin swam sarv dhanam cha bhavnam cha dadamityam. Oho, you want to test me! Listen, friend: at my calling, my Shri Krishna will appear before you. If he does not come, remembering me, then I will offer up this life, all this wealth, everything." How much love she had for Shri Ji. She was saying, "chedagmo na bhavet dhan malin to swayam sarvam dhanam bhavnam dadamitabhyam. I will become your servant and offer everything, if Shri Krishna comes at my calling." ath Radha samay nava shri nand nandnam upwisne dadhya dhyan lochna. At that moment Shri Ji closed her eyes and became absorbed in the meditation of Lord Shri Krishna.

Contemplating Shri Krishna in her mind, she became immersed in his meditation and motionless. Look, he was sitting right in front of her, in the form of the gopi-devi! Now the matter grew. Shri Ji became deeply absorbed, and tears began to flow from her eyes. He removed the disguise, cast off the whole devi-form, and sat down. In a grave voice he said: "Priyaji, Ladli, Shri Radha, Shri Ji, open your eyes and see. Where would the peacock-crowned one take any time? Chandravadne pran priy manu sheele priy Radha. Look, I have come before you. Open your eyes and see."

Shri Ji opened her eyes and saw him. She said: "Yes, Beloved, I see you before me. I had faith that you would come the moment I contemplated you. Where has she gone? That gopi-devi, where did she go? She was criticising so much. Where did she go?"

The Lord said: "The one you contemplated, I was actually at Vanshivat. But, friend, at least don't lie to me now. I was at Vanshivat. Right away, because of your meditation, I saw one who had just left. Who was she? Some celestial woman, some illusory woman, and it seemed to me she was not one of good thoughts. When she came in the form of a gopi-devi, she spoke for Shyamsundar, and when she came for Shyamsundar, she left in the form of a gopi-devi."

So we tell you: one should not put faith in the words of such wandering, gossiping women.

Shri Kishori became absorbed in supreme bliss and met Lal Ji heart to heart. She said to her sakhis: "The gopi-devi who went out, the one standing there holding a flower-staff, did you see her come in? Did you see her go out?" They had not seen her go out. So she asked Shri Krishna, "Did you see?" He said, "Yes, I saw her leaving." She said, "My sakhis did not see her. Who was that gopi-devi?" He said, "Forgive me. I was the one who came disguised as the gopi-devi." Then he held Shri Ji to his heart and said to her: "After this comes the Raas Leela."

He said to Shri Ji: "O Rashweshwari, without your presence we have given the gopis a promise that we would include you in the Raas festival on the night of Sharad Purnima. There is no Raas without your presence. O dear one, by your grace, on this night of Sharad Purnima, please come and bestow the full joy of the Raas upon the gopis." With Lord Shri Krishna, our Maharani and countless Braj maidens, this wondrous, love-filled Raas is the ultimate state of love. It is a shower of rasa, a shower of bliss. The divine couple is in exceeding joy. Love plays here without hesitation, and the intoxication of bliss is here. All these impurities are removed from the hearts of sadhaks during their sadhana. Then, on attaining the bhava-body, such as sakha-bhava, vatsalya-bhava, dasya-bhava, gopi-bhava or sahachari-bhava, one becomes chidanand, full of consciousness and bliss.

There, no impurities exist at all. The very idea of impurity is absent. This Raasotsav is the form of supreme love. By the Lord's grace, what follows in the discussion is about the Raas itself. We are very fortunate to be sitting on the land of Vrindavan, in the Raas-bhoomi, and to be able to discuss and hear about the Raas. Listen with great feeling. The fruit of this discussion of Priya Ji and Pyare Ji is that the ailments of the heart are removed forever, and we are immersed in rasa, in the mood of taking on the form of the Lord. The rest of the discussion: Shri Radhavallabh Lal ki Jai.

This text has been taken from the video's auto-generated subtitles. There may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic words.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)