These 12 Marks Identify True Mahapurushas / The Separation of the Gopis and Shri Krishna and Balram's Departure for Mathura

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj. To listen to the whole thing, watch the video above.

Full Discourse

Vrindavaneswari tav padarvindm prema makrand raso purnam hridpitam madhupte smarta mugam nirvai param shital mashryam param shital mayam param sachchid chidanand ghan Premanand swaroop nav nivit nikunj mahmmahim param pavan shri Vrindavan dham

O Vrindavaneshwari, at Your lotus feet is the full sweetness of the nectar of love. Remembering the Lord of the heart, Madhupati, the supremely cool refuge, the form of sat-chit-ananda and love-bliss, in the ever-new nikunj, the supremely glorious and supremely pure Shri Vrindavan Dham.

Shri Vrindavan Dham's beloved Yugal Sarkar, the life-worshipped, the dear life of my life, Shri Shyama-Shyam, and all the group of sakhis, the deer, animals, birds, trees and creepers, Shri Yamuna, Ras Rani, Raj Rani, and all the Brajvasis: at all your feet, countless salutations, countless obeisances, namaskar. [sound of clearing throat] Shyama Shyam, Shyama Shyam, Shyama Shyam.

If you wish to immerse yourself in the eternal sat-chit-ananda bliss, or wish to plunge your mind into supreme joy, then continuously remember the Lord's name with love. Whichever name you find dear: all names are ours, and they all belong to the Beloved. All names have equal power. If the name given by the guru is chanted, the benefit comes very beautifully and very quickly. Even if any other name is chanted, it grants auspiciousness.

The name is never in vain. In your greatest calamity, where no one is there to help, the name will be your helper. If you have the wealth of the name, you cannot be unhappy anywhere in the three worlds. If you have the wealth of the name, a solution will be found for every problem, even in this world. Without the name, even if you have everything, there is only problem upon problem. If we accept that the name is our life, our breath, our everything, then our name japa will never be given up. Name japa is given up when something seems greater than name japa: a person, a place, a position or prestige. Consider it truly. None of these is a real thing.

But this is the illusion of the Lord's maya, that we seek happiness in the unreal, dreamlike house of sorrow. [nasal sound] It is a womb of suffering from which only suffering arises, yet our intellect has settled that there is happiness there. Let this illusion be destroyed. That is why sadhana is done. That is why we take refuge at the feet of the elders and worship, so that our vasana is destroyed. When vasana is destroyed, upasana matures. When vasana matures, upasana becomes absorbed in the Lord and will no longer remain as a separate practice. Where there is vasana, there is no upasana. Where there is upasana, there is no vasana. Vasana and upasana cannot run together.

prem gali ati sa mein donon samae

In the lane of love, which is very narrow, two cannot fit.

Shri Prabodhanand Ji Maharaj is saying:

kathmah Vrindavan bhumi manda vasat vrindak gan vandya i pulinda ap muni vrinda chitam mah vrinda hari ras vrinda

Vrindavan is the land worshipped by the multitudes of gods and sages, and it fills the heart with the rasa of Hari.

Whatever dull-fortuned or fallen you may have become, if you accept residence in Vrindavan, the capital of Shri Priya-Pritam, which is more beautiful than Vaikuntha and worshipped even by the gods, it will fill you with Hari-ras. This Vrindavan will bestow the complete bhagavat-ras. Vrindavan rests on this trust. Sadhana has no guarantee of its own, and a single offence can destroy all of your sadhana.

Bhakt-ninda and bhakt-aparadh, which we often cannot even recognise, can diminish all of our bhajan with a single offence. Shri Dhruvdas Ji Maharaj has written that one should always stay in fear of offending devotees.

bhaktan ke aparadh se darpat raho

Stay in fear of offending devotees.

These offences become like a line drawn on a thunderbolt, meaning they cannot be wiped out by wishing. It is a very terrible offence. What is the assurance of sadhana? The assurance is of the Sadhya, the assurance of Priya-Pritam. That is why it is said: O foolish one, O fallen one, do not be restless. Come to Shri Dham Vrindavan. Take the dust of Shri Dham Vrindavan. Take refuge in Shri Dham Vrindavan. This is the Vrindavan Dham worshipped by great gods and sages. It makes the happiness of Vaikuntha seem small and bestows the supreme prem-ras.

It immerses you in Hari-ras. Therefore, serve Shri Vrindavan Dham, seated on the sacred banks of the Yamuna.

Vrindavan bhatra vatitra yad hare rati madhur charitram param vichitram param pavitram tadap na vrindavnap manya pragat mavanyam viv dhanya

Vrindavan, where the sweet and wondrous pastimes of Hari's love unfold, supremely wondrous and supremely pure, is honoured and blessed in this world.

Here the supremely pure, love-filled particles of Shri Hari lie scattered. There is no particle of dust in Vrindavan that has not been touched by the feet of Priya-Pritam, and there is no dust that has not been soaked in tears. From the gopis onward, the pure mahatmas and devotees of the Lord only worship the dust of the feet of Vrindavan. We do not even have the capacity to walk in their footsteps. Those who spent their days and nights in the separation and the union with the Lord, wetting their cheeks with the blissful and burning tears: to those Vrindavan residents, we offer only our obeisance. We cannot follow them. We have no ability to yearn for Priya-Pritam as they did. Yet if Priya-Pritam shows grace, this state can come in a single moment.

So it is said that this Vrindavan is supremely pure. Yadi hare rati madhur charitram param vichitram param pavitram. This is supremely pure, and here the wondrous leela of Hari, Priya-Pritam, goes on continuously. This Vrindavan, revealed on this earth: whoever takes Vrindavan as the wealth of their life, Priya-Pritam's prem-ras illuminates their heart. Those who do not know or do not accept Vrindavan are very unfortunate and arrogant.

param hari rasen sam sampralobham pad mame lok dharmam a ras lam na deh Vrindavan tanush kimo masav moham

Without attaining the supreme Hari-ras, the mind is drawn to worldly dharma, and the body does not find Vrindavan.

What is the greatness of attachment? Where the attainment of the Bhagavan happens merely by residing there, such a Vrindavan is not served, and its refuge is not taken.

Think it over carefully. You have no capacity of your own. Attaining Bhagwan is a certain thing. I say it with my hand raised: it is possible only by the grace of Bhagwan, that His naam jap happens, that His chintan happens, and that we feel intimacy with Him. Think it over carefully and see. In this world, the company you find will be what destroys your dharma. Let your dharma be made. Let you do bhajan. Company in which you drown in love for Bhagwan comes only, only, only by the grace of Bhagwan.

When the merciful Raghav melts with compassion, then the company of sadhus is attained.

Alas, it is a great calamity. We are wasting our lives on worthless pursuits.

[clears throat] What is Hari Ras, what is Bhagwadanand? We get trapped in false attachment and do not even try to attain it. Money is gained, a good marriage is arranged, a house and property are obtained, and it is as if we have reached the supreme state. And when we die, nothing goes with us. People drown so deeply in attachment to their own that the goal of our life, Hari Ras, love of Bhagwan, unbroken remembrance of Bhagwan, never even stays in our minds. Therefore:

The divine couple of Vrindavan, the youthful pair seated on the earth, whose feet are to be served in Vrindavan's soil.

Shri Priyaji, whose luster is like molten gold, and Shri Lalji Maharaj, whose luster is like sapphire, are both immersed in the rasa of love.

Yes, desire the attainment of service at the feet of such a Yugal Kishor, who is seated on earth in Vrindavan. Have this longing: when will our life be such that we weep for Priya-Pritam, that we writhe remembering Priya-Pritam's leelas and qualities, that our hearts become restless for Shyama-Shyam? Blessed is the life of one who lives in Vrindavan like this, with tears flowing from the eyes, naam smaran and leela smaran from the heart, and unbroken residence in the soil of Vrindavan. It is a very beautiful life.

The throat is choked with emotion. Tears are flowing. This is a priceless thing. It is not easily found. It is granted to a rare one who is wholly dependent on Bhagwan.

With a choked voice and moist eyes, absorbed in the rasa of the divine couple, wandering through the Vrinda forest, body lost in love.

In the love of Priya-Pritam there is no awareness of the body. The one whose tears flow, calling out with a choked throat, wanders the lanes of Vrindavan. Blessed is his life. In human life, attaining the rasa of love is the hardest thing. Kalyan and moksha are also placed at a difficult level, but this is not as hard as that.

Love is the hardest. Because only when love is withdrawn from everywhere and placed solely on Priya-Pritam's name, form, leela and dham is it called love. Otherwise it is called by names like moha, asakti and raag. When moha, asakti and raag turn toward the feet of the Lord, that very thing becomes pure love. Therefore, make the effort, taking refuge in Bhagwan's grace, that our hearts begin to yearn for the prem-ras of Shri Priya-Pritam. Let that become our demand, just as now our demands are enjoyment, money, the world, position and prestige. Let the demand arise from within:

O Lord, now grant such grace that, abandoning everything, I do bhajan day and night.

O Lord, now grant such grace that all worldly talk falls away and there is only Your bhajan, day and night. This can happen only by Your grace. You bestow grace and give us effort and strength, so that we do not take our effort as our own, but as the effort of Your grace, and remain continuously absorbed in Your bhajan.

If this comes from the heart, that I want to do bhajan, then Pujya Baba Pandit Daya Prasad Ji Maharaj says: Bhagwan may hear other things late, but He hears very quickly the prayer, "O Lord, I sincerely wish that everything be given up now, and only Your bhajan remain." If Bhagwan gives time for bhajan, then He has nothing more to grant. Maya does not give time for bhajan. Hours are wasted in worldly affairs, but sitting in bhajan and spending one hour is the hardest thing.

If time for bhajan is given, if even a little interest in bhajan is given, then Bhagwan, by causeless grace, has given everything. These things born of maya, these objects and positions, are not lasting, yet everyone's attention is fixed on them. Pujyapad Shri Udiya Baba Ji Maharaj says that the words of the great souls destroy doubts and strengthen the path to attaining God.

Whoever wants to walk the path of Bhagwan, wishing to purify the inner self and attain divine love, must make this his nature. Whoever is angry with you, do not be angry with them. Whoever does not speak to you, speak to them first. They harbor enmity, Radheshyam. If they do not speak, never mind. Your heart will become great. Whoever starts arguing and quarreling with you, become silent. Let no one be insulted or belittled by you. Keep these things in mind: whoever is angry with you, do not be angry in return. Whoever keeps enmity and does not speak, speak to them from your side. Shri Hari Radheshyam, speak from your side. Whoever starts debating, become silent. Losing is the victory of bhakti. In debate, one should lose. We are not worthy enough to give them an answer. Not debate. Where an afflicted, qualified seeker finds the gūḍh tattva (secret truth) and the sadhu conceals it, then his victory is assured.

Victory is granted by the Lord. To lose to yourself is the real victory. Trying to win an argument only strengthens dehabhimaan, bodily pride. Poojya Shri Roop Goswami was an incomparable mahapurush in all three worlds. Not even in the three worlds was there another like him. Anyone who is immersed in the rasa of love for Vrindavan's Priya-Pritam is unmatched.

Then his fame spread, and a scholar came. He said, "Let us have a shastrarth." Roop Goswami replied, "Brother, what would we do in a shastrarth?" The scholar said, "Then write down your defeat and sign it." So Roop Goswami signed the defeat, and the scholar left, beating a big drum and cymbals.

Jeev Goswami was returning from bathing in the Yamuna. People told him, "Poojya Shri Gurudev, your Roop Goswami has defeated a scholar and is coming back." He laughed. Jeev Goswami was the embodiment of learning, the living form of scholarship, a walking embodiment of all the scriptures. He went near and said, "Brother, why are you celebrating so much?"

The scholar said, "I am his humble servant. Just talk with me for two minutes." He had defeated him. The one who had come to argue, to hold a shastrarth, was the Digvijay pandit, and in two minutes he was defeated. [Sound of coughing.] "Learned devotee, what do you think? Our Guru Ji wrote down the defeat, so it means you have won."

Now this news reached Poojya Shri Roop Goswami. People thought he would be pleased. So when Jeev Goswami went near him, Roop Goswami said, "That poor man was going away so happy. Why did you obstruct his happiness?"

"Our purpose is to make everyone happy. When he signed my defeat, he became happy. So our service was done, and you cut that service. Why did you defeat him? Go, I renounce you."

When the Guru renounces someone, what is left of that person's life? Worldly, base, ignorant souls do not understand this. But Jeev Goswami Ji was truly the embodied form of the scriptures. Any question, from anywhere, had its answer with him. When he reflected that his Guru had renounced him, he thought, "What is the use of living?" He went into the forest and lay alone in seclusion. To sustain his life, he begged for flour, mixed it with water, and drank it. His belly swelled, and he developed jalodar, dropsy.

Sanatan Goswami was out begging for alms. Someone said, "Mai, give quickly." Then they said, "You are better than that baba who mixes flour in water, drinks it, and just lies around." So Sanatan Goswami learned there was a saint in Braj whom he did not know. He went near and saw Jeev Goswami in this condition. His Guru had renounced him, even though he was the nephew, the son of Anupam Goswami. Roop, Anupam, and Sanatan are all brothers, yet Jeev had such firm faith in his Guru that, once the Guru renounced him, he saw no point in living.

So Sanatan Goswami said, "Come with us." They went to Roop Goswami Ji and said, "If you consider him an offender, then think again. Are you not committing an offense yourself? There is the command of compassion for living beings, jeeve daya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said so. Is he not a living being? Look at his condition." Then Roop Goswami embraced him.

Gurus do not feed your ego by saying, "Well done, son, you defeated him." Winning the Lord's grace is not the same as winning a scriptural debate. Winning debates is all a matter of strengthening the ego.

In Jagannath Puri lived Poojya Shri Madhavdas Baba. A Digvijay scholar reached Kashi and told the scholars there, "You must hold a shastrarth with me." The scholars of Kashi had heard that he had Saraswati's blessing. [Sound of clearing throat.] "Saraswati sits on his tongue. It is very hard to defeat him. At that time, Madhavdas Baba was famous across the world." So they said, "Go to Jagannath Puri. Win there first. Kashi is the final victory. Come to Kashi only when no one in the world can debate you. For now, go to Jagannath Puri, where the siddha Madhavdas Baba lives. Defeat him, and then all of us scholars will accept that the scholars of Kashi have been defeated." So he went to Madhavdas Baba there.

Madhavdas Baba, wearing only a loincloth, was on the seashore, absorbed in remembering Jagannath Ji. The scholar went and said, "We want to hold a shastrarth." Baba said, "I don't know anything. Will you hold a shastrarth?" The scholar said, "Write down your own defeat." Baba signed immediately.

The scholar went back to Kashi and showed the paper: "Look, here is the paper with his signature." But the paper there was written backwards: "This Digvijay pandit is defeated; Madhavdas Baba is victorious, signed." Everyone said, "Do you see this?" He kept looking and adjusting his spectacles. In his copy it said "defeated": Madhavdas Baba defeated, signed. Here it was reversed.

They said, "Look, the paper says exactly this." Then he said, "This time I will do something that all of Jagannath Puri will know about." He went. When he got there, the paper read: "Madhavdas Baba is defeated; the Digvijay has attained victory." In Kashi it had appeared reversed. There, the siddha Madhavdas Baba said, "Brother, I had already written that I lost."

They said, "No. Hold a shastrarth. Otherwise, now there is one condition: we will blacken your face, seat you on a donkey, garland you with a necklace of sandals, and parade you through Jagannath Puri." He became very angry that the paper had been written backwards.

"Then everyone will know that he was defeated, won't they?" Baba said, "Brother, do it that way."

"What difference does it make to a saint? Whether you garland him with flowers or with a garland of shoes, what difference does it make to one who is immersed in love for the Lord and beyond bodily identification?"

Baba said, "Brother, I have one task. I contemplate Jagannath Ji. Give me a few moments now. I'll go to the seashore, bathe, meditate, and come back. Then you can comfortably garland me with shoes, seat me on a donkey, and parade me through Puri, however your heart wishes."

As he sat with his companions, Jagannath Ji Maharaj himself, who gives wisdom to the whole world, appeared in the form of a student, wearing a yellow dhoti and carrying a pothi under his arm. "Oh, why is there such a crowd at our Gurudev's place?"

People told me, "Brother, this is Digvijay Pandit, and he is going to be paraded through all of Jagannath Puri on a donkey for having defeated Madhavdas Baba." Oh innocent one, you are such a great scholar that you will defeat our Guru Ji? Come and talk to us. Now, God Himself defeated him in a moment. They said, "Look, the one you spoke of as our Guru Ji, you were going to blacken his face, put a garland of shoes around his neck and seat him on a donkey. Now you sit there." Then many devotees of Jagannath Puri gathered. They did it: blackened his face, put a garland of shoes on him and seated him on a donkey.

And Jai Madhavdas Baba ki, Jai Madhavdas Baba ki, Madhavdas Baba ji came from the front, having bathed in the sea, and said, "Pandit ji, you were in such a hurry that you yourself threw the shoes, and everyone says, 'We did not wear them.' Your disciple defeated us." He said, "Which disciple of mine?" Then he looked back, and in the crowd people were raising both hands and saying, "Jai Madhavdas Baba ki." "Jagannath ji Himself is victorious." A devotee of God should not engage in argument and debate. Look, these are the words of great souls: whoever gets angry with you, do not get angry with him. Whoever speaks to you out of malice, you should speak from your side.

Radheshyam, Shri Hari, this formula has been handed down for life. Whoever is hostile to us, we bow from our side, we speak from our side, we serve him from our side. This is our bhagavatik path. When there is argument and debate, let the other win, fall silent, and never insult or belittle anyone through yourself. One who walks this way, his bhajan grows. It grows and is digested. Having been digested, he becomes siddh. A sadhak should never, if he has a female body, enjoy a male body, or if he has a male body, a female body, or any opposite bodies, with sexual feeling.

And, thinking that there is happiness in wealth, never accept it. It is used. Happiness lies in God. And do not keep company with atheists. By keeping company with atheists, one's faith gets changed. One's feeling definitely gets changed, definitely gets changed. That is why we forbid it: if you contemplate the opposite bodies, rajoguna and tamoguna will increase, at once, and they will weaken your bhajan. And if you contemplate wealth, pride and hypocrisy will grow in your heart.

And if you contemplate an atheist, there will be obstruction in your sadhana, and bhav will be destroyed. So a bhakt should try to avoid these three: contemplating the opposite body with sexual feeling, contemplating wealth, and keeping company with irreligious men. "Kumati mati upajay karat bhajan mein bhang, tajo re man hari vimukhan ko sang." The man who follows these 12 rules is called a mahapurush. Baba is explaining the 12 rules now. First: in no circumstance should we tell a lie; we should speak the truth. This must be in our life. Truthful conduct is very difficult, brother.

But even truthful speech sometimes becomes binding and becomes the cause of attaining hell. For example, when some killers were pursuing certain animals, the animals went and hid, and a truthful man was sitting there. They asked him where the animal was, and when he told them, they killed it, and he attained hell. For the protection of someone's life, the truth is simply to save that life; tell a complete lie, that is the truth. When the episode in the Mahabharata was going on, there was a case where someone's daughter's wedding was taking place. If by your words her wedding breaks, you will be considered guilty.

If someone asks you, "How is the girl?" — "She is a very virtuous, gentle, good soul." Brother, we describe her good qualities. God will arrange all auspiciousness for her. Whether someone's wedding is taking place or there is an occasion of someone's death: if harm comes to anyone from your speaking the truth, that truth is not your truth. Speak words that are beneficial, gentle, gentle, beneficial and profitable. Not even among the most truthful, "we will speak the truth," and if you speak bitterly, it is not good. Say, "What we have seen, we will say." So what have you seen? Have you seen the truth?

Truth is Shri Bhagavan. The unreal is the world. You want to speak the truth on seeing the unreal? It is not the truth. The truth must be understood. Second: dam. Do you know what dam means? Restraining the senses. Here dam means restraining the senses that go towards objects, and not allowing them to enjoy objects. Restraining the senses is called dam, and conquering the senses is called dam. And second, sam: keeping the mind constantly in the Lord is sam. The Lord is sam, and the unequal is the world; "Jeet visham sansar kirti jag vistare" — to conquer this world, one must constantly keep the mind engaged in Bhagavan, and the mind being absorbed in Vasudev Bhagavan is called sam. And tap: to bear the hardship that comes from following the rules and observances, such as, now, this pain of staying awake, of the passions like lust and anger that arise — burning them away is all tapasya. Every second will be accounted for, brother. Whatever hardship you bear for Shri Ji, immense happiness will come. And whoever turns away from Bhagavan and acts arbitrarily, every second will be accounted for. It is not that no one is watching. Whether you are doing good deeds, you don't know whether you will get the fruit; whether you are doing bhajan, you don't know whether you will get the fruit; whether you are crying in solitude, you don't know whether you will get the fruit; or whether you are practising irreligious conduct, you don't know whether you will get the fruit. Yes, it is certain that some people get this illusion — for example, at present some people are doing very good deeds.

Presently they are suffering the consequences of their past karma. So they wonder: will the fruit of my good deeds not come to me? It will come, but in its own time. Those who do wrong deeds are often seen to be very happy, because their merit is still running. Only when that merit is exhausted will they receive the fruit of their bad deeds. So one must be very careful.

Tapa (austerity) means bearing whatever hardship is needed to protect one's dharma and one's vows. That is called tapasya. Shauch (purity) means purity of the body and purity of the inner self. Purity of the body means that after using the toilet and so on, one cleans oneself with earth and water, bathes, and washes one's clothes. A sadhak should remain very pure. His body is pure, his clothes are pure, his conduct is pure, his vision is pure, his mind is pure. Then he attains the supremely pure Bhagwan.

Bhagwan is not found through pretence and concealment. The fruit of impurity is that the mind does not stay on Bhagwan. The purer you remain, see for yourself, the more your chitta is absorbed in Prabhu. Impurity increases thought of the world and its pleasures. Purity leads to Bhagwan and to walking in restraint according to the scriptures. Purity has great power. It is very necessary to remain pure. When the body is pure, the clothes are pure and the conduct is pure, the chitta quickly becomes attached to the supremely pure Bhagwan. [sound made through the nose] Santosh (contentment) means: be content with whatever arrangement Bhagwan has made for you according to your prarabdh.

Goswami Tulsidas ji is saying:

kah rahe kam kah ya raho shri Raghunath kripalu kripa te sadhu swabhav gango yatha labh santosh sada kahu so kachu na chaho

Whatever my Prabhu has given me, whether he keeps me in palaces or gives me a hut to live in, I should be content with that. I should hold santosh. Whatever I receive, I should be content, and never desire anything from anyone.

We should hold santosh. As it is said:

bin santosh na kam na sahi aur achat kam sukh sapne na

Without contentment, desire is not destroyed; and while desire remains, there is no happiness, not even in dreams.

Without santosh, desires are not destroyed. Without the destruction of desires, love, the element of bliss, and true knowledge are not attained. For a person of desire, even in dreams, the thing called happiness is not attained.

The seventh is lajja (modesty). It means feeling completely abashed at doing unrighteous action. If something is a sin, the heart immediately becomes agitated and frightened, thinking: no, we cannot do this. Becoming completely withdrawn like this is called bhagwatik lajja (divine modesty). One feels great shame at asat aacharan (improper conduct), asat bhashan (improper speech) and asat kriya (improper action): no, no, we cannot do this. Sinful people are shameless, while those who walk in satsang are full of modesty.

The eighth is kshama (forgiveness). However much anyone wrongs you, forgive them.

apne karm jae apkari Uma kshma shraap te bhari

Even one who harms you through his own deeds: Uma, forgiveness is weightier than any curse.

If you forgive, your satmarg will grow, and he will receive punishment. If you have given punishment, your satmarg will falter, and he will receive no punishment. And if you become silent and forgive, correction begins right there. Bhagwan will correct him; he will correct himself.

Uma kshma saap te bhari

Uma, forgiveness is weightier than a curse. The upasak must hold forgiveness. The strong one is the one who holds forgiveness. But holding forgiveness is very difficult. Talking about it is one thing; explaining the subject of forgiveness is another. Forgiveness should be like this: if a mistake happens from you, how do you forgive yourself? No penance, no punishment, no blame, just quietly. In the same way, if someone abuses you, insults you or criticises you, it should not matter to you.

Alright. Stay joyful and cheerful. May Bhagwan keep you healthy, and keep your intellect healthy. This is the longing of bhakti. Arjav (simplicity): simple behaviour and simple feelings, what is in the mind is in the speech, and what is in the speech is in the body, with no concealment at all. Artifice and pride are not found in a bhakta, and they are not found in mahapurush.

So:

saral swabhav na man kutilai

Simple in nature, with no crookedness in the mind.

sant saral chit jagat hit jaan

Saints have simple hearts and know the welfare of the world.

bal vinay sun kar kripa kripa Ram charan

Hearing the child's prayer, show your grace: may there be love for Ram's feet.

What is the nature of saints? Simple nature, no crookedness of mind, exactly as they appear. Generally people have two faces: one in society and one in solitude. The face in solitude is very dirty, so we should keep our solitary life pure.

Simplicity does not mean speaking sweetly with the tongue. It does not mean artificial sweetness. It is natural simplicity: what is in the heart is in the speech, and what is in the speech is in the conduct. If there is something else in the heart and something else in the speech, that is not simplicity. Even if your tongue is harsh, the heart may be pure, and this is found among the Brajvasis. Their speech may have a blunt word, and it may seem that they are scornful, but their hearts are very clear. We have seen the Brajvasis, who are the very own people of Bhagwan.

So saints, who are the very own people of Bhagwan, have simple hearts and know the welfare of the world. Their nature and their affection are like this. Those who accomplish the work are mahapurush in whose heart is arjav. Arjav is a scriptural word. Its meaning is simplicity: a heart free of deceit, conduct free of deceit, and speech free of deceit.

The tenth is gyan (knowledge). Gyan means discerning sat from asat. What is sat? Bhagwan, the scriptures, the words of saints and the teachings of saints. What is asat?

jitna gochar jahan laghu man jai so sab maya jano bhai

Whatever the mind can reach, all of that is maya, brother.

Therefore knowledge should remain with us: while we carry on our dealings in the asat world, we do so not to attain asat, but to attain sat. Dealings in the asat world continue, but the aim is to attain sat, to attain Bhagwan, while contemplating Bhagwan. This is called gyan.

Our goal is attainment of Bhagavat. But our body is asat, and the world is asat. We have to carry out our dealings within the asat itself, and we should conduct them the way someone who pays ₹000 to be a king for two hours for a short while behaves. In a play, a man who becomes a queen shows great love on stage, but behind the stage it means nothing, because he knows: "In the drama you became king, and in the drama we became queen. You are not my king, and I am not your queen." In the same way, we have to perform this drama in our dealings with husband, son, and family. In true knowledge there is no husband and no son. Everyone is a form of Bhagavan, and in everyone the one Atma-tattva, Bhagavan, is seated.

The eleventh is daya. It sounds like a very sweet word, and daya should be present in everyone's life, but with caution. "Without daya, a sadhu is a butcher," and "if you show daya, calamity comes." These are the words of Udiya Baba.

What daya will prevent calamity, and what daya will bring calamity? The daya that makes you forget Bhagavan will entangle you. Reverse the word daya and read it as "yad," remembrance. The daya that absorbs you in the remembrance of Bhagavan will never entangle you. Out of compassion for a deer, Bharat Ji picked it up from the stream, and he became so absorbed in it that he forgot the remembrance of Bhagavan, and he had to be reborn as a deer. Daya entangled him. "Without daya, a sadhu is a butcher, and if you show daya, calamity comes."

So the only daya that is真 accomplished is the one that keeps us established in the remembrance of Bhagavan. Daya that turns us away from the remembrance of Bhagavan will entangle us. Dhyan, meaning contemplation of the name of Bhagavan, his form, and his leelas and katha, comes under dhyan. Those in whom these 12 qualities exist are not merely men; they are mahapurush, whether in a female or male body.

The first is satya achran, truthful conduct, and satya bhashan, truthful speech. The second is dam, which means control over the senses. The third is sam, which means staying constantly absorbed in the Ishta with a calm mind. The fourth is tap, which means bearing the hardships that come with keeping one's rules and dharma. The fifth is soch, purity of both outer and inner self. The sixth is santosh: being content with whatever happens by Bhagavat's vidhan, according to one's prarabdh. The seventh is lajja: a deep reluctance to commit adharm. We simply cannot do adharmachaaran. The eighth is kshama. Even someone who abuses us, insults us, or gives us all kinds of pain, we wish well and forgive. We do not think, in mind or body, of punishing him. The ninth is saral svabhav, a simple nature, with no deceit or cunning toward anyone. The tenth is gyan: making every action and every dealing bhagavatik, keeping Bhagavan as the aim, and remembering that all of this is perishable. And the eleventh is daya, giving happiness to others as far as one is able, but while remaining devoted to Bhagavat-smaran. Continuous dhyan on the name, form, leela, and katha of Bhagavan is the way to attain the lotus feet of Bhagavan. The one who has these 12 qualities is called mahapurush.

Let us proceed with Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapuran. Karunamay Bhagavan Shri Krishna and Balram Ji, this Ananta Sheshavatar Balram Ji of infinite glory, and Bhagavan Shri Hari Shri Krishna Chandra, who is seated in Braj: Kansa has sent Akrur Ji to bring them. Yesterday you heard how exalted Akrur Ji's state was. His whole day passed in contemplation of Bhagavan. He arrived in the evening, and the darshan has come just as he imagined it. He had imagined, "When I reach there, Shri Krishna and Balram will be in the cowshed. As soon as they see me, I will fall at their feet."

So as soon as he went, he had the first darshan. The earlier part, which was very auspicious, we discussed yesterday. Seeing the footprints of Bhagavan, he became restless, and he returned immersed in the very feeling of Bhagavan.

dadash krishnam ramm cha braje go dohnam gatau pit neelam dharo sardam he kshano kishor shyamal shwet shri niket bahad bhujau sukh sundar var bal dwad Vikram

He saw Krishna and Balram in Braj, at the place where the cows were milked, wearing yellow and blue garments, lotus-eyed, youthful, dark and fair, the abode of beauty, long-armed, supremely handsome, the best pair of boys, heroic in their prowess.

When Akrur Ji arrived in Braj, Bhagavan Shri Krishna and Balram, the two brothers, were seated at the place where the cows are washed. Akrur Ji saw Bhagavan Shyamsundar Shri Krishna wearing yellow silk, and fair-complexioned Balram Ji wearing blue garments. Their eyes were like lotuses in autumn, in full bloom. They had just entered their youth.

The two of them, fair and dark, were mines of complete beauty. Their arms reached down to their knees, and their long arms were beautiful. Their faces were lovely, and their gait was supremely charming, like the gait of an elephant calf. On Bhagavan's holy feet were the marks of a flag, a thunderbolt, a goad, and a lotus.

dhvaj vajra kum bhoj [gana gane ki aawaz] chinit rangabhjam shobho mahatma naam vanasmate kshano

Marked with a flag, a thunderbolt, a goad, and a lotus, the great ones who walked there made the earth beautiful.

When Bhagavan walked, the earth was adorned by those marks. The footprints of Bhagavan were imprinted in the earth. Great was the beauty of the earth. His soft smile and gentle glances seemed like a shower of compassion. They were the very embodiment of generosity, and every one of their actions and pastimes was full of generosity and sweet artistry. Garlands of forest flowers and jeweled necklaces sparkled around their necks. They had just bathed and put on pure clothes, and sacred anga-raag and sandalwood paste had been applied to their bodies.

Parikshit, Akrur Ji saw that the primal cause of the world, the supreme lord of the universe, had incarnated with all his parts as Balram and Shri Krishna for the protection of the world. With the radiance of his body, he was dispelling the darkness of all the directions.

They looked as beautiful as an emerald set in gold. Bhagavan's yellow garment was like gold, and the lustre of his body was like emerald. Balram Ji looked like clouds shining on a silver mountain, with his blue garment like the clouds and his body like the silver mountain.

As soon as Akrur Ji saw Bhagavan Shri Krishna and Balram, he became restless with the surge of love. He jumped down from the chariot and ran. He had imagined that whomever he saw, he would fall prostrate at their feet. Just as he had imagined, Bhagavan granted him that very good fortune.

They ran and fell prostrate at the feet of the Lord, and clasped the feet of Lord Krishna and Balram. The joy of seeing the Lord was so great that Akrur ji was bathing the Lord's feet with the tears from his eyes. His whole body was thrilled. He no longer had the courage to speak, and his throat was choked with emotion. He lay at the Lord's feet for a long time. Shelter-loving Lord Krishna understood the feeling in his heart. Just as Akrur had wished, the Lord lifted him with great delight, using his hands marked with the discus, and drew him close in a tight embrace from the heart.

Then Akrur stood humbly before the supremely wise Shri Balram ji, and Balram embraced him too. Shri Krishna took one of his hands and Balram took the other, and they led him home. Just as Akrur had felt in his heart, yatha mam prapaddyate tas tath bhajam
In whatever way people surrender to Me, in that same way do I reward them.

When they reached home there was a grand welcome for Akrur ji. After asking after his well-being, they seated him on the best seat, washed his feet according to custom, and worshipped him with madhuparka and other offerings. Then the Lord gave his honoured guest Akrur ji cows, and pressed his feet to relieve his fatigue. Look, the Lord gave Akrur ji cows, pressed his feet and relieved his tiredness, and had him served a pure and delicious meal with great reverence.

When he had finished eating, Lord Balram, the supreme knower of dharma, lovingly had him served betel, cardamom and such things, and put a fragrant garland around his neck. When Akrur ji's hospitality was complete, Nand Rai ji came to him and asked: "Akrur ji, how do you people pass your days while the merciless Kansa is alive? In his presence your condition is like that of sheep raised by a butcher. That sinful Indriyaram killed the tiny children of his weeping sister, and yet you people live with him. Are you happy?"

We cannot even ask that, or imagine that you are happy. Who could remain happy with such a sinful Kansa?

Nand Baba was speaking this way to Akrur ji. Akrur had been given great honour, but he was absorbed in contemplation of the Lord and was languid, so he gave no reply at that time. Lord Krishna and Balram sat down beside Akrur ji on a large couch. The Lord was fulfilling every wish Akrur had made along the way. If Shri Krishna, the abode of Lakshmi, is pleased, what thing in the three worlds is unattainable?

The Lord fulfils every wish of his dear devotees. If devotees do not ask, the Lord does not give worldly things to his devotee.

Devaki's son Lord Krishna, at evening time, had Akrur ji fed again, and then, sitting beside him, began to talk. "Uncle, your heart is very pure. Did you have any trouble on the journey? Welcome, welcome. I wish you well. Asking whether our close family members and relatives in Mathura are well and healthy is pointless, for as long as this uncle Kansa is alive, how can any Yadu be well? This is a terrible stain and affliction on our dynasty, and a matter of deep sorrow. Because of me, my innocent mother and father have been made to suffer, and again imprisoned. Devaki and Vasudev ji have been subjected to torment. What more can I say? Because of me, other children of theirs were killed. For a long time I had wished that some means would arise by which I could reach Mathura. What great good fortune: today my wish has been fulfilled. Gentle-natured uncle, now please tell us the purpose of your auspicious arrival. What is your intention in coming?"

When Shri Krishna asked Akrur ji this, Akrur told them that Kansa had sworn deadly enmity against all the Yadus. Kansa had already tried to kill Vasudev ji, but he remains safe, in prison. Akrur told them everything: Kansa's message, and the full purpose for which Kansa had sent Akrur himself as an emissary.

He said that Narad ji had gone and told Kansa that the eighth son is Krishna himself, and that he lives in Nand Baba's Braj. Narad ji had given the full information. Hearing Akrur's words, Lord Krishna and Balram, subduers of their enemies, began to laugh. "So we have been summoned! He is thinking they will have us killed there," they said, and laughed. Then they said to Nand Baba, "Look, what does Akrur ji command? Listen to his words: we and the people of Braj must go to Mathura. There is a bow sacrifice there, and a wrestling arena. We have to go. Such is Kansa's order."

Baba became very frightened. "He has already sent so many demons here. What will happen when we go there?" The Lord said, "Get ready." Baba then instructed all the cowherds: gather milk, ghee and butter as offerings for Kansa, and get the carts ready. Tomorrow morning we will all set out for Mathura and there pay tribute to King Kansa. I have heard that a great festival is being held there, and people from all over the land are gathering to see it. We too will see it.

Nand Baba spread the word throughout Braj through the village constable. When the gopis heard that our beloved Manmohan Shyam Sundar and fair Gaur Sundar Balram were to be taken to Mathura, and that Akrur ji would take Shri Krishna away from us, great anguish and agitation arose in their hearts. They said, "Who gave him the name Akrur, which means 'not cruel'? This is cruel work. To take Shri Krishna, the supreme beloved of us lovers, far from us is cruel work. And his name is Akrur. Who gave a name meaning 'not cruel' to a man who is so cruel?"

The news that Krishna was going to Mathura spread like wind. All the gopis, who loved him, became restless. They used to go out with the cows and wait for him all day, and seeing him gave them peace. Now he was going to Mathura. On hearing that Shri Krishna was leaving, many of them fainted. See how much love they have for the Lord. They became unconscious. On hearing that the Lord was going to Mathura, the gopis were overwhelmed with great anguish. Some went into samadhi, absorbed in meditation on the Lord, and lost all awareness of their bodies and the world. Many gopis began to remember Shri Krishna's love, his gentle smile, and his sweet voice, full of wondrous words that touch the heart.

On hearing that he was going to Mathura, the gopis were in great distress, as if they knew that once he left, he would not come back. In their minds they contemplated Shri Krishna's swaying gait, his loving smile, his sidelong glance, the smile that removes all sorrows, and his generous leelas. Fearful of separation, they trembled. Their hearts and their lives were wholly dedicated to the Lord, and tears flowed from their eyes. Flocks of gopis gathered together and began to talk. The gopis said: "O Vidhata, you do arrange everything, but there is not a trace of compassion in your heart.

First you join the beings of the world to one another with harmony and love, and then their desires are not fulfilled, and you pull them apart. I do not like this play of yours at all. O Vidhata, you play like a child. First you bring together: these sons, these wives, these brothers, this family. Then you tear them apart. 'He died, he died, he died,' or 'he went far away, he went abroad.' What kind of play is this of yours? What a sorrowful thing, O Vidhata. First you showed us the lotus face of Shyamsundar, who gives out love, and now you are plucking it from our eyes.

Oh, how beautiful he is! His black, curling hair falls on his cheeks. His cheeks are smooth and glossy like emerald, his nose is lovely like a parrot's beak, and on his lips is the beautiful line of a gentle smile, which drives away all sorrows in an instant. O Vidhata, once you showed us that supremely beautiful lotus face, and now you are scooping it out of our eyes. Truly, this one act of yours is very unjust. We know that Akrur is not to blame. This is plainly your cruelty. In truth, you yourself have come here in the name of Akrur, and you are snatching away the eyes you gave us, like a fool.

Through these eyes we used to gaze at the whole beauty of your creation in every limb of Shyamsundar. O Vidhata, you should not do this. You should not send Shyamsundar away from us. Ah, Nand's son has also acquired the habit of forming new attachments. Just look, where has his love gone? His affection was ready to leave for Mathura in a single moment. We became his servants, giving up our home, our door, our kin, our husbands, our sons, everything. For his sake, our hearts are grieving today. Yet he is so that he is preparing to go to Mathura.

Tonight, at dawn, it will certainly be an auspicious morning for the people of Mathura and for its women. Their long-held desires will surely be fulfilled. When our Brajraj Shyamsundar distributes the intoxicating nectar of his lotus face, with its sidelong glances and gentle smile, and enters the city of Mathura, all the people of Mathura will become blessed after drinking it. Although our Shyamsundar is patient and remains under the command of Nand Baba and the other elders, still, the lovers of Mathura and its young women, seeing his words, which are sweet as honey, and his form, will be robbed of themselves and surrender to him. Who is there whose mind would not be stolen by his bashful smile and his playful manner? We feel that once he goes to Mathura, why would he ever come back to us, the cowherd women? Shyamsundar, you are our life. We consider the people of Mathura fortunate, because they will drink in our Shyamsundar with their eyes full. Today there is a great festival in Mathura. Those who see this Natnagar, the ocean of virtues, Rama Raman, Devaki's son Shyamsundar, will be delighted. Look, sakhi, how cruel this Akrur is. Just think for a moment: those who see the Lord day and night are watching the Lord leave right in front of them.

What a state they are in. Our people are only listening to the story and talking. Just look at their hearts. Think for a moment how much restlessness there must be in trying to match one's heart with theirs. What condition must the hearts of the gopis be in, and what must Maiya be going through? But this is only the outward leela. In the inner leela, the Lord has never taken a single step outside the dham.

Vrindavan paritaj padmam na gachati
He does not take a single step away from Vrindavan.

Sakhi, this Akrur is so cruel. He is heartless. We feel that because he will not understand our pain and our sorrow, he wants to take our beloved Shyamsundar, the darling of Nand, far away from our eyes and out of sight.

Ah, he is not even offering us a word of comfort or consolation to give us patience. Truly, who gave such an utterly cruel man the name Akrur? Sakhi, why do you speak of Akrur, of all people? Is Krishna any less heartless? Look, look, he is getting ready to leave. He did not even say a word, not even once looking at us. Oh, look, those intoxicated cowherds are preparing the carts and hurrying. Oh, do the cowherd folk not know that if Shri Krishna goes, he will not come back? Why don't our elders, who are so old, explain this to him?

Sakhi, now let us do whatever comes to mind. What else can we do? Fate has turned against us. Let's do this: we will all go ourselves, and we will explain to our life, our beloved, our lord Shyamsundar Shri Krishna, and we will stop him. What can the elders of the clan do? What can our kin do? When our very life is leaving us, how will we stay alive? He hasn't even gone yet, and our state of mind is already like this. It feels as if our misfortune has come out in the open.

Sakhi, his loving gaze, his charming smile, his sweet, sweet words, the playful glances he gave us, the loving embraces he gave us, and those rasleela nights, which were so long, that he spent with us. How will we live without him? Blessed is the life of one who lives without the Lord. How could anyone live without the Lord? Blessed is their life.

That is why great sages and seers worship the dust of the feet of the gopis.

vande nand brajastri naam pad renu maksha sa
I constantly bow down to the dust of the feet of the women of Nanda's Braj.

Salutations, pranam, to the dust of the feet of the Braj devis. Sakhi, I tell you truly, we cannot live without them. An immeasurable river of the pain of separation has come. We will not be able to cross it now. We will drown in the pain of separation. And this is not a matter of one day. It is a matter of every day.

We had the assurance that when he came back at evening from grazing the cows, we would stay alive. Now how will we see his curly locks, the garland of flowers around his neck, his face adorned with the dust of the cows' hooves, playing the flute with a soft smile and sidelong glances? Seeing him calmed our separation pain all day. How will we live now?

Parikshit, the gopis were saying this with their words, but every single feeling of their hearts was embracing Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna had not left yet. When they heard of his departure, they became extremely distressed at the prospect of separation, and, casting off shame, they cried out.

evam bhava virhasam brajastra Krishna visakta mansa visaj lajja suram Govind Damodar madhweti
Thus, in the anguish of separation, the women of Braj, their minds wholly attached to Krishna, cast off their shame and cried out: "O Govinda! O Damodara! O Madhava!"

"O Govinda, O Damodara, O Madhava, I cannot live without you." Calling out like this, all the gopis wept in one voice, weeping sweetly.

vijjam suram Govind Damodar madhweti
Weeping loudly: "O Govinda, O Damodara, O Madhava, we cannot live without you."

The whole night passed. Sunrise came while they were still weeping. Akrur Ji, having finished his morning prayers and daily rites, mounted the chariot.

Nand Baba and the other cowherds also loaded many pots filled with milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and many other offerings onto the carts, and set off.

The gopis, dyed in the colour of devotion, went to their life-beloved Shri Krishna. Seeing him, their pain of separation was somewhat soothed. They kept looking at Shyamsundar. Some spoke, and some said things. Yaduvansh Shiromani Bhagavan Shri Krishna saw that a great fire of separation was burning in the gopis' hearts and that they were tormented, so he said only this: "I will come. Just, I will come."

As long as the dust raised by the chariot's flag and wheels could be seen, the gopis stood there motionless, like figures in a painting. But their hearts had gone along with their worshipful Manmohan, Pranavallabh Shri Krishna.

Only one word kept them alive: "I will come." This is the word he had said: "I will come." The gopis thought that perhaps, after going a short distance, he would return.

But when they saw that he did not return, they all lost hope. Just think what their state would be when the very Lord, whose divine form's sweetness they had drunk in with their eyes again and again, had gone away. Only a loving heart knows this. It cannot be understood in any other way what separation is. The worldly love of this world is based on enjoyment and desire. It is not based on worship.

When devotion arises, the state of the devotee is:

bichhudat ek pran hari le
Separated, one's life is taken away.

Day and night, meditating on the beloved Shyamsundar, with cheeks drenched in tears, such was the whole Braj mandal: mothers, all the gopis, the calves, the cowherd friends. Those who went with him were different, but here, across all of Braj, only one word kept everyone alive: "I will come." He had not said "I will not come."

Parikshit, meanwhile, Lord Shri Krishna and Balram, with Akrur, reached the sacred banks of Yamuna Ji, who destroys sin, is supremely pure, and dispels delusion, riding horses that move as swiftly as the wind.

There, Bhagavan Shri Krishna and Balram Ji washed their faces and drank the dark-coloured water of Yamuna Ji, which is the same colour as the Lord's divine limbs. After this, Balram Ji and Bhagavan Shri Krishna went and sat on the chariot standing near the thicket.

When Akrur Ji had seated both brothers and was bringing them along, a great doubt arose in his mind: "I am doing a terrible wrong. Shyamsundar, Gaursundar, these Krishna and Balram, am I to go and hand them over into the hands of the sinful Kansa? Let no misfortune befall. How ready I have become to do such an inauspicious deed!"

While he was thinking this, the Lord instructed him: "Uncle, this is Anant Tirth, the Brahma-hrad. Bathe in it." He went, performed achaman, offered pranam to Yamuna Ji, and dipped into that pool. At that very moment, under the water, Akrur Ji saw Shri Krishna and Balram, both brothers, seated together.

A doubt arose in his mind: "I brought Krishna and Balram out and seated them in the chariot. How can they be visible here when I dive under the water? Perhaps they are not on the chariot. They must have got down and come into the water."

So he came out and saw Shri Krishna and Balram on the chariot. Then he dipped again, and again he saw Shri Krishna and Balram in the water. He wondered, "Am I seeing an illusion? Are Shri Krishna and Balram in the water and also seated in the chariot?"

Then he dove in again, and instead of Balram he saw the infinite, many-hooded Lord Shesh. Great siddhas, charans, gandharvas, munis and rishis, and the lokapals were all bowing their heads, with folded hands, offering praise. Shesh has a thousand heads. On each hood are divine jewels. His body is bright like a lotus stalk, clad in a blue garment. In his lap lay Lord Shri Krishna, dark like a monsoon cloud, wearing a silk yellow garment, calm in mood. His eyes were reddish like the petals of a lotus, his face very beautiful, and a smile was manifest. The glance stole the heart. His forehead was very beautiful, his nose shapely, his ears lovely, his cheeks rosy red, and the radiance of his lips was unique. He saw Lord Krishna Chandra reclining on the bed of Lord Shesh. On his chest is the mark of Lakshmi, and his neck, with its conch-like curves, is shapely.

His navel is deep, and his belly, marked with three folds, shines like a peepal leaf. Akrur saw the Lord's limbs: a crown studded with jewels, bangles, armlets, a girdle, a necklace, anklets, earrings, a beautiful sacred thread, and a divine form adorned with all of this. In one hand is a lotus, and in the other three are a conch, a discus and a mace. On his neck are the Kaustubha gem and the vanamala garland. Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya and Vijaya, all the Lord's attendants, are present there. The sages Sanakadi (Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatan and Sanat Kumar), Brahma, Mahadev, the deities, Sarveshvar, Marichi and the other nine Prajapatis, Prahlad, Narad, the great devotees and the eight Vasus are all offering praise.

Akrur saw this, the great glory of the Lord. Along with it he saw Shri, Pushti, Saraswati, Kanti, Kirti and Tushti. All these are the Lord's divine powers, and Maya, Hladini and Sandhini, all these powers, were present there in embodied form. Akrur began to tremble. The Lord showed him his form, as if to say, "Look, Kansa can kill me." He showed him his splendour, and now Akrur became full of supreme devotion and overflowing with love. His whole heart thrilled with waves of bliss, and the surge of love made tears flow from his eyes. Akrur gathered his courage.

It was not mere empty sentiment. He went near and bowed at the Lord's feet, placing his head down. With folded hands, slowly, in a voice choked with emotion, Akrur praises the Lord. Very beautiful is the praise Akrur offered. So we will hear it further, so that we can listen attentively to the Lord's glory. Do not take it in haste; that happened at that time too.

But we want to say this: however you can, get connected to the Lord. Get connected out of greed for wealth. Get connected out of the desire to end suffering. Get connected with the feeling of wanting to know God. Get connected with the feeling of wanting to attain God. However you can, get connected to the Lord. His nature and influence are such that from that very day your supreme welfare begins. But supreme welfare does not happen according to your wishes, so keep this in mind. You think, "If this work happens, then supreme welfare will come. If this matter happens, supreme welfare will come." But you have limited knowledge. The Lord sees far ahead, that if this is done, harm will come to you, so the Lord will not fulfill it. He is the abode of auspiciousness, and He will do what is auspicious for you. Therefore, with firm faith, take refuge in and rely on the Lord alone, chant the naam abundantly, and conduct yourself well as much as you can. Become a person of good character. Then, by the Lord's grace, this birth will become meaningful.

Otherwise, every single day life is wasting away, our breaths are going, and we are drawing closer to death. Once this life of ours is snatched away, no sadhana will be possible for us again. Among the 84 lakh (8.4 million) species of life, there is none with the capacity to perform bhajan of our beloved Lord, worship Him, or call out to Him. Such is the tamasic disposition that remains: just eating, drinking, living, enjoying, dying, fear, sleep, food and mating. Only these stay in the mind.

Therefore, however one can, in whatever way, with whatever bad or good feeling, grab hold of the naam. The naam will bring welfare.

That is why it is said that bhajan is very difficult. Maya weaves so many conspiracies to steal our attention, and we cannot even tell that there is a conspiracy. The mind turns away from contemplating the Lord and begins to contemplate Maya. If the mind does not stay engaged, then at least say Ram, Krishna, Hari with your tongue. Say "Hari sharanam, Hari sharanam, Radha Radha Radha, Hare Nama," the supreme welfare, with your tongue. Speak with the tongue, yaj jibhyagre na ki manasagre (on the tip of the tongue, not on the tip of the mind). If the naam resides at the tip of the tongue, the work is done.

This Kaliyug is the abode of impurity; O mind, consider this well.
kalikaal malaytan man kar dekh vichar
Shri Raghunath's naam is the only support; there is no other support at all.
shri Raghunath naam bin nahi nana adhar

Brother, if you do not have the naam, everything will turn to dust. There is one naam. If you have taken up that one naam, then He will make the full arrangement for your deliverance.

The naam has immense, boundless power. Let us not abandon such a naam; chant it continuously. The rest of the discussion will come next. Shri Radha.

This text is taken from the auto-generated subtitles of the video, so there may be errors in the words. For authentic teaching, be sure to listen to the video.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)