The Appearance day Festival of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja (Part 1)
[06 Jan 1994]
[The following transcription is a translation of Nitya Lila Pravista Om Visnupada Astottara Sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s hari-katha in Hindi.]
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja is referred to as Srila Gurudeva in the following transcription]
Srila Gurudeva: First of all, I offer my prostrated obeisance to my spiritual master, Paramaradhya Nitya Lila Pravista Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. I also offer my prostrated obeisance at the lotus feet of Guru-presta, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, whose appearance day we are honoring today. I also offer my obeisance to all the assembled Sannyasis, Vaisnavas, and Vaisnavis. I offer my obeisance to everyone. Today, we are celebrating the Vyasa-puja Mahotsava. What is a mahotsava? A mahotsava is a festival where everyone is so blissful. An ordinary person feels happy by eating and drinking. But, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas celebrate the festival of hari-katha. Now it has become late. All of you have been listening to hari-katha from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon.
Today, I feel very fortunate to have heard many wonderful explanations on Guru-tattva. I also heard many instructions and pastimes of Srila Vamana Gosvami Maharaja. All of us took part in listening to the glories of Srila Vamana Gosvami Maharaja. I am also very happy to see that all the Vaisnavas of the line of Srila Prabhupada i.e. the Saraswat Gaudiya Vaisnavas have assembled here and are taking part in this festival. After Prabhupada, many scholarly, most powerful disciples like Pujyapada Nemi Maharaja, Pujyapada Bon Maharaja, Pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja, our Gurudeva—Nitya Lila Pravista Om Visnupada Astottara Sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Nitya Lila Pravista Om Visnupada Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, Pujyapada Yayavara Maharaja, Pujyapada Shrauti Maharaja, and Pujyapada Gosvami Maharaja, would assemble at hari-katha festivals. When they would assemble, we would sit in the corner of the assembly. Today, we consider ourselves very senior Vaisnavas. But if we look at these disciples of Srila Prabhupada, we will see how their transcendental qualities, Guru-nista, and divine preaching all over the world has made such a powerful impact on this world. Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja was also one such disciple. Just see the number of places he has preached in! He has preached all over the world. When I look at myself after seeing the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, I feel very sad.
pracenanaa bhajanamatulaa dunkaraacaevato me
nairyacyena jvalatihadayaa bhakti-lecalasasya
vinvadrecem agha-haratavakareyakarueya-vecem
aca-binduknitamidamupaityantare hanta caityam
[“I am too weak and too lazy to do even the smallest devotional service, so when I hear of the peerless and difficult-to-perform services performed by great devotees in ancient times, my heart burns with despair. O Lord! O killer of Aghäsura! When I hear that the waves of Your mercy splash everyone from the demigod Brahmä down to the most insignificant creature, my heart is sprinkled with a cooling drop of hope.”]
They were so qualified and where are we? But we are hopeful. All of you just heard Pujyapada Bhakti Prasad Puri Maharaja and others speak. We are hopeful that:
brahmanda tarite sakti dhare jane jane
[“Each and every one of the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can deliver the entire universe.”]
I also wanted to offer my puspanjali at the lotus feet of Srila Vamana Gosvami Maharaja. But my flowers are not worthy of being called as a puspanjali. Yet, I want to speak some words. In the evening, there will be another assembly. I especially want to speak on the character and Guru-nista of Pujyapada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja. I will try to state some glories of Vamana Maharaja’s qualities because I have been under the shelter of the lotus feet of these personalities for more than fifty five years. When I came to the Matha, Vamana Maharaja was the first person to receive me. He saw me at the station and said, “Are you Tiwariji?” Finding me at the station, he brought me to the asrama. He would give me everything I needed. Except for Guru Maharaja, Vamana Maharaja, and Pujyapada Trivikrama Maharaja, there was no one else in the Matha. Vamana Maharaja joined the Matha when he was only eight years old. His mother was a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She offered him at the lotus feet of her Gurudeva. Since then, he has been residing in the Matha. Guru Maharaja admitted Vamana Maharaja in the Thakura Bhaktivinoda institute. If Vamana Maharaja would remember one sloka, Guru Maharaja would give him a glass of lemon juice. Vamana Maharaja would remember more than ten slokas every day. He is a great Srutidhara. He would remember a sloka just by listening to it once. We try so hard to learn one sloka. Vamana Maharaja is the sabdha-kosa (an encyclopedia) of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. He knows and remembers so much! I think no one knows as much as him because I have not met with other Vaisnavas. But, I have the association of Vamana Maharaja. He remembers everything. He will recite all the slokas from the beginning to the end of Bhagavad Gita. He will not even stop for a moment. He knows all the slokas of the Srimad Bhagavatam as well. The sutras of the Vedanta Sutra correspond to the slokas of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The sutra, “Athato brahma jijnasa,” corresponds to the sloka, “Janmadyasyayato ‘nvayaditaratas ca.” I have marked one very special quality of Srila Vamana Maharaja. If we do something even a little, then we will be quick to praise ourselves in one way or another. But, up until this day, I have never seen Vamana Maharaja praise himself in a direct or in an indirect manner. This is a very special quality. We praise ourselves in one form or another. But this quality is not found in Vamana Maharaja. His Guru-nista is of this caliber. When some problems came in the Gaudiya Matha, the Matha residents started returning to their homes. Court cases were filed in the Gaudiya Matha. At that time, Vamana Maharaja would cook while chanting harinama and he would take the Prasad to Guru Maharaja and all the devotees. He would also meet the lawyer at the same time. He did not have a minute to spare. If we were there during that time, then we would have returned to our homes. When Vamana Maharaja was studying at school, his name was Santosh. When he joined the Matha, Guru Maharaja named him as, “Sajjana-sevaka.”Sajjana-Sevaka would collect banana leaves and serve prasadam to all the Vaisnavas before going to school. He would arrange asans for all the Vaisnavas. He would serve banana leaves, salt, pieces of lemon, and water to all the Vaisnavas. After the Vaisnavas had finished honoring prasada, he would sweep and clean the floor. This was his service. He would do all the services. An express train doesn’t stop at any place; similarly, Vamana Maharaja would speak hari-katha from four in the afternoon to eleven in the night. We cannot speak for more than an hour. But, Vamana Maharaja explains one tattva after another in very simple language. His command of the Bengali language is brilliant. He explains many philosophical principles in a simple manner.
Vamana Maharaja defeats the false conceptions of others in a very unique manner. He doesn’t defeat a person’s arguments in a way that is apparent. We cannot understand how he does this. He corrects a person in a very polite, humble manner. He will completely break the person’s arguments; but the person will not realize that he has been soundly corrected. He does this in a very simple and perfect way. He is a very simple and tolerant person. He embodies all the qualities of a Vaisnava. Vamana Maharaja has four brothers. Druva was the eldest son after Vamana Maharaja. Nimai Pandit was the next brother. He used to work in a bank in Delhi. Subala and Nitai were the other brothers. All of them used to come and visit Vamana Maharaja. When Vamana Maharaja left home, they faced some problems. But, Vamana Maharaja did not have any mamata towards them. He treated them like ordinary people. Many devotees become subservient to their relatives. But Vamana Maharaja was not like this.
purvaitihasa, bhulinusakala, seva-sukhape’ye mane
ami to’ tomara, tumi to’ amara, kikajaaparadhaneSrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Atma Nivedana
[Since I have become absorbed in happily serving You, I have completely forgotten all my past history. All I know is that I am Yours, and You are mine. What else is of any value?]
He is always engaged in the service of Guru Maharaja. What is Guru-tattva? I remember so much about this topic. Tomorrow, I will speak on this subject during the morning. I wish to speak on Guru-tattva. What is Vyasa-puja? The day of the full moon during the month of Asada (June-July) is called Guru Purnima. This is the appearance day of Vyasadeva where everyone offers their puspanjali at his lotus feet. This is the general observance of this day. But a devotee who is the representative of Vyasa and who preaches Krsna’s glories everywhere is called an Acarya. When an Acarya worships his Gurudeva and the Guru Parampara on the day of his appearance, then that day is called Vyasa-puja. The Guru doesn’t accept the worship of his disciples. On his appearance day, a Guru or an Acarya worships his Gurudeva, Guru-parampara, Vaisnavas, Sri Radha-Krsna, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is called Vyasa-puja. You can see this in the Vyasa-puja of Nityananda Prabhu. We can also see this in the life of Nitya Lila Pravista Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja. Not many years have passed since his disappearance. On his appearance day, Maharaja would honor all the Vaisnavas and Vrajavasis who came. He would apply tilak and garland them. He would give them clothes and worship them in all ways. He would also honor the disciples of his Godbrothers who were like his own disciples. He would garland us and honor us so much. He would worship the Guru-parampara. He would worship Radha-Krsna. If the Acaryas don’t show by their own example, then many people will think that Guru-puja means the day when the Guru is opulently worshiped by his disciples. This worship is not bona fide. Yes, the disciples should learn to worship their Gurudeva; this is imperative or else everything will be spoiled. The disciples should worship their Gurudeva. But if the Guru doesn’t worship his Gurudeva or the Guru-parampara, then how will the disciples ever learn to worship him?
Krsna has said in the Srimad Bhagavatham that “You must consider your Gurudeva to be My svarupa.”
acaryah mamvijaniyan
navamanyetakarhicit
namartya-buddhyasuyeta
sarva-deva-mayo guruSrimad Bhagavatham 11.17.27
[One should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.]
Krsna is Himself saying this. In his commentary to this verse, Srila Jiva Gosvami has said that if this verse implies to a spiritual master of the karmis, who consider him to be Bhagavat-svarupa; then what to speak of the Suddha-Vaisnavas?
saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindamSri Gurvastakam 7
[All the scriptures proclaim Sri Gurudeva is saksathari, the direct potency of Sri Hari, and is thus considered by saintly authorities to be His non-different representative. Because Sri Gurudeva is so dear to the Lord, being His confidential servitor (acintya-bhedabheda-prakasa-vigraha, the inconceivable different and non-different worshipable manifestation of the Lord), I offer prayers unto his lotus feet.]
yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasya prasadan na gatih kuto’pi
dhyayam stuvams tasya yasas tri-sandhyah
vande guroh sri caranaravindam–Sri Gurvastakam 8
[Only by the mercy of Sri Gurudeva can one receive the mercy of Krsna; without his grace the living entities cannot make any advancement nor be delivered. Meditating three times a day on the glories of Sri Gurudeva and reciting stava-stuti, I offer prayers unto his lotus feet.]
Gurudeva is asraya-vigraha. He is the servitor Personality of Godhead. The root of asraya-vigrahas are two-Baladeva Prabhu and Srimati Radhika. Both of them have expanded from Krsna. Srimati Radhika is Krsna’s hladini-sakti and Baladeva Prabhu is Krsna’s sandhini-sakti. Krsna is the predominating deity of cit-sakti. One line of devotion flows from Baladeva Prabhu and another line of devotion flows from Srimati Radhika. One who is under the guidance of Baladeva Prabhu and Srimati Radhika and who teaches other Their service is called an Acarya. Our brahmacari spoke very beautifully on this. A Guru who doesn’t teach his disciples on proper devotion is not a bona fide Guru. Our Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya has a specialty.
nikunja-yunorati-keli-siddhyai
yayalibhir yuktir apeksaniya
tatrati-daksyadati-vallabhasya
vande guroh sri caranaravindamSri Gurvastakam 6
[Sri Gurudeva is always present with the sakhis, planning the arrangements for the perfection of yugala-kisora’s amorous pastimes (rati-keli) within the kunjas of Vrndavana. Because he is so expert in making these tasteful arrangements for Their pleasure, he is very dear to Sri Radha and Krsna. I offer prayers unto the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva.]
In the other sampradayas, these pastimes of Sri Radha-Krsna are not served as much. The qualification of being a Guru largely rests on this quality.
mahaprabhoh kirtana-nrtya-gita-
vaditra-madyan-manasorasena
romanca-kampasru-taranga-bhajo
vande guroh sri caranaravindamSri Gurvastakam 7
[Sri Gurudeva is inspired by Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana and is always dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. Because he is tasting Mahaprabhu’s prema-rasa in his heart, like a madman he sometimes exhibits ecstatic symptoms—his hairs stand on end, he shivers, and waves of tears flow from his eyes. I offer prayers unto Sri Gurudeva’s lotus feet.]
All these slokas tell us the qualities of a bona fide Guru. A Guru worships Thakuraji by himself. He does the arcana-pujana. And, he is also making arrangements for:
nikunja-yunorati-keli-siddhyai
[Sri Gurudeva is always present with the sakhis, planning the arrangements for the perfection of yugala-kisora’s amorous pastimes (rati-keli) within the kunjas of Vrndavana.]
This is the quality of a Guru; this is his Gurutva. If a guru cannot give this siksa, then he cannot be called a Rupanuga Acarya. Who is a Rupanuga? We call our Guru-varga, “Rupanuga.” What is the meaning of Rupanuga? By the inspiration and mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Rupa Gosvami wrote Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-Nilamani, Lalita Madhava, Vidagdha Madhava, and many other books. One doesn’t become a Rupanuga by following Vraja-bhakti because he maybe a Raganuga as well. A devotee is following a Ragatmika associate of Krsna but this Ragatmika associate may belong to either dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, or madhurya-rasa. But what is the specialty of being a Rupanuga? What was Rupa Gosvami’s identity in Krsna-lila? As an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he is Rupa Gosvami. As the associate of Sri Radha-Krsna, he is Srimati Rupa Manjari. What is Rupa Manjari’s seva? She is a prana-sakhi of Srimati Radhika; she is Her manjari. She serves the Divine Couple while being Radha-paksiya (having a strong inclination towards the service of SrimatiRadhika). She serves the Divine Couple, but where does Rupa Manjari’s tendency to serve lie in? She is always absorbed in the service of Srimati Radhika.
Krsna will call her or Srimati Radhika may also call her at the same time. But where will Rupa Manjari go? She will reject Krsna’s advances and go straight to Srimati Radhika. This is Rupa Manjari. If Krsna loses to Srimati Radhika, then the first sakhi who will clap her hands will be Rupa Manjari. And she also teases Krsna while engaging in the service of the Divine Couple. Therefore, Raghunatha das Gosvami has glorified Rupa Manjari by speaking this sloka:
tvam rupa-manjari sakhi prathita pure’smin
pumsah parasya vadanam na hi pasyasiti
bimbadhare ksatam anagata-bhartrkaya
yat te vayadhayi kim u tac chuka-pungavenaSri Vilapa Kusumanjali 1
[O dear friend Rupa Manjari, you are famous in Vraja as a very chaste girl. You never so much as look at the face of any other man. Your husband has been away at another village for the past few days, and yet your lips are freshly cut. Can it be that some excellent parrot has bitten them, having mistaken them for a bimba fruit?]
Who is a Rupanuga? A devotee who only follows the acara-vicara of Rupa Gosvami and who following his svarupagat-seva (the inherent service), gives this seed of the desire to serve in the hearts of his disciples, is a Rupanuga Vaisnava. Our sampradaya is the Rupanuga sampradaya. Narada Gosvami came and preached dasya-rasa in this world. Later, many Acaryas and the expansions of Krsna came as well. Yet, they could not give what Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave. What they gave is not even close to what Mahaprabhu gave. And, Caitanya Mahaprabhu inspired everything in the heart of Rupa Gosvami. Where did He do this? In Prayaga and Jagannatha Puri. Mahaprabhu inspired everything within Rupa Gosvami’s heart. A Guru who has these moods and who can give them to his disciple as well is a Rupanuga Gaudiya Vaisnava Acarya. Mahaprabhu is “Namomaha-vadanyaya,” but Srila Prabhupada said that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is also Namomaha-vadanyaya. Why? Bhaktivinoda Thakura distributed what Mahaprabhu came to give on a golden plate in a new manner. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakura is maha-maha-vadanyaya. And what Srila Prabhupada do? He manifested the glories of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Also, he manifested the Guru-parampara that stems from Radha-Krsna and Mahaprabhu. Those, who manifested Srila Prabhupada to this world are very auspicious personalities. We are so inconceivably fortunate because we came near such associates of Srila Prabhupada. We are not far away from them. But, I am unfortunate to not have obtained their moods. But these Mahapurusas have these moods.
Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja is one such eternal associate of Srila Prabhupada. We are very fortunate to have the association of such Mahapurusas. If we can accept their teachings and gain entrance into the realm of devotion, then we will have realized our inconceivably great fortune. Today, I will stop here because time is over now. Offenses at the lotus feet of Vaisnavas should not be committed. All of you should be merciful to me.
Devotees: Haribol!
Srila Gurudeva: Now arati should be done.
[End of Part 1. To be continued in Part 2]
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