Second period of Devotional Practice (2nd Yama Sadhana)

Everything depends upon practice. Without practice you cannot get desired beneficial fruit.

Morning Worship:-sādhu saṅge anartha nivṛtti

In the second period we have to think about how we can get progress. Association of Sadhus is
essential, bonafide Sadhu who has got one-pointed devotion to Supreme Lord and taking shelter
of bonafide guru, as per his direction to perform devotional practice specially Harinam. By
Harinam you can remove all evil desires. In Satya yuga method was meditation, in Treta yuga
oblation, Dvapara yuga worship of deities, and in Kali yuga all powers have been given to the
Name. Still, due to lack of faith if I have got no liking for chanting of the Holy Name then it should
be understood that it is my greatest misfortune. Demigods and the people of Satya yuga desire to
take birth in this blessed Kaliyuga (dhanya kaliyuga) because one can attain’s one’s
auspiciousness very easily. We have got such an opportunity and if we are not giving attention to
it then it is our greatest misfortune.

nāma grahaner kālākāla-vicāra nāhi

It has been made so easy in this Kali yuga. Even those who were living in Satya yuga, Treata
yuga and Dvapara yuga (desire) they want to be born in Kali yuga for this reason, only by doing
Harinam you can get everything. But still we have got no desire, inclination to do this. That is our
greatest misfortune.

Second verse of Sri Sikshastaka:

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis

tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśi tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ
(2rd Verse of Sri Shikshastaka)

O Supreme Lord! Certainly, Your Holy Name can bestow all kinds of eternal welfare to the
conditioned souls. So You have manifested in this world with Your Principal transcendental
Names like Krishna, Govinda, Gopinath, Madanmohan, etc. You have manifested Yourself in
numerous Names and have invested all powers in Your Names. And no rules and regulations
have been imposed on chanting and remembering the Names, at any time, in any circumstance,
at any age, one can chant the Names. How much more easy can it be made? In the present
times family responsibilities have increased so much that a devotee wrote in his letter most of my
time is spent in taking care of family responsibilities, so when and where can I find time for
devotional practices, may be I should seek some alternative path. No other path is that easy,
natural, because even without mala (chanting beads) in hand, one can chant Lord’s Names while
going about doing his work, in any place. In other paths there are many rules and regulations to
be followed, like meditations, fire sacrifices, deity worship, where is the cause for worry? In
whatever situation, in whatever condition, even while lying down one can chant Lord’s Names.
How much more easy can it be made. O Lord, You are so merciful to the conditioned souls by
thus making it easy for them to chant Holy Names but due to my tenfold offences it is my greatest
misfortune that I have not developed any attachment for the Holy Name.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is expressing His greatest disappointment that inspite of these

(relaxations) the conditioned souls of this Kaliyuga are not interested to do Harinam, what can I
do for that.

aneka-lokera vāñchā — aneka-prakāra

kṛpāte karila aneka-nāmera pracāra
khāite śuīte yathā tathā nāma laya,
deśa-kāla-niyama nāhi sarvasiddhi haya,
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.17-18)

It has not been exaggerated here, by just chanting of the Holy Names one can get all
attainments, but we have no faith.

Our Gurudeva went to Bathura in Kundagram. A rich man had hosted the program and Gurudev
was allotted one house, (Bhakti Vicar) Yayavar Maharaj another, for accompanying sannyasis
another, separately like this. Guru Maharaj after taking bath was performing Sandhya and
chanting Holy Names on his beads. Yayavar Maharaj called the host ‘Harinath Babu..’ and he
came and offered pranams. Your Guruji has come, you have not done anything. What should I
do? I have to tell you this too? You have to tie banana plants at either side of the gate and
decorate with mango leaves. He said Oh I forgot, and asked his men to bring the banana plants
from his garden and mango leaves and got them fixed, and also got an earthen pot. Yayavar
Maharaj asked, have you marked Swastika on the pot? Host asks now, what is that? Then
Maharaj called Oh Brahmachari help him, get some vermilion and ghee, and draw Swastik.
Again he ran. You have to give mango twigs (amra-pallav) on the pitcher. You do not know
anything, Maharaj asked. He placed mango twigs on the pitcher. Now you have to place a
coconut on the pitcher and over that a new upper-cloth (anga-vastra). Also the entrance of
Guruji’s room was decorated with leaves like wise. Get some cow-dung, some incense sticks
and everything is brought. Seeing all this Gurudeva said (to Yayavar Maharaj), we come to
devotees homes and we should not trouble them, your continuous instructions have almost
stopped his breath. Yayavar Maharaj replied, ‘Only now he has realised that sadhus have arrived
at his home, your sitting quietly and doing Harinam did not make him realize at all that Sadhus
have arrived. Is it not so? What will happen just by chanting Harinam, we have done it so many
times. Now, is it ok?’

sarvaśakti nāme dila kariyā vibhāga,

āmāra durdaiva nāme nāhi anurāga
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.19)

Sikshastaka Song 2:

tuńhu doyā-sāgara tārayite prāṇī

nām aneka tuwā śikhāoli āni’

sakala śakati dei nāme tohārā

grahane rākholi nāhi kāla-vicārā

śrī-nāma-cintāmaṇi tohāri samānā

viśve bilāoli karunā-nidānā

tuwā doyā aichana parama udārā

atiśoy manda nātha! bhāga hāmārā

nāhi janamalo nāme anurāga mor

bhakativinoda-citta duḥkhe vibhor

Bhakti Vinod Thakur gave great emphasis on Nama Kirtan by giving evidence from Hari Bhakti
Vilas.

ekānta bhaktera mātra kīrtan-smaraṇa,

anya parve ruchi nāhi haya pravartana,

A pure devotee who has got one-pointed devotion to Lord has got liking only to perform devotion
of chanting and remembering Sri Krishna. He has no taste for any other form of devotion.

bhāvera sahita haya śrīkṛṣṇa-sevana,

svārasikī-bhāva krame haya uddīpana,
ekānta bhakatera kriyā mudrā rāgodita,
tathāpi sei saba nāhi vidhi vipirīta,

When one has taste for chanting of the Holy Names, then he will have enthusiasm for service and
vice versa. It is not that one has taste for chanting of the Holy Names and no enthusiasm for
seva or has great enthusiasm for seva but no taste in chanting the Holy Names. I heard one
instance which probably happened in Baghbazaar Gaudiya Math. There one sevak who was
busy in cooking called another devotee who was chanting Holy Names on the upper floor to help
him in grinding masala. He replied, I am chanting. He did not notice that his Guruji is standing
there just behind him. Guruji heard him and said, ‘Eh, keep your mala aside and go, go and
assist. He felt afraid and went. ‘sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah’. Chanting
the Holy Names but no taste in seva or performing seva but no taste in Holy Name, there is
relation between the two. Otherwise it is mere ‘karma’ only a material activity. When we do seva
with doership ego and with some material desires of the world, then it constitutes ‘karma’ and not
‘bhakti’ devotional service. In bhakti the more one serves he will be all the more inclined to serve.
Even when the physical strength is gone, still they serve. Both will go on simultaneously,
chanting of the Holy Names and service.

Two sevaks of Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj submit to him their desire to study Srimad
Bhagavatam and chant Harinama. Babaji Maharaj says yes, that will be, but as of now you may
go and work in the vegetable garden. Now, what is this? We worked in our house and came, and
now here Gurudev is asking us to work in the garden. Anyways they went to work in the garden,
but they were aggrieved. They had great regard for Bhakti Vinod Thakur and submitted their
problem to him. We came here to perform bhajan and now engaged in the garden we get very
little time for study of scriptures. Bhakti Vinod Thakur smiled and said, ‘Your Jagannath Das
Babaji Maharaj is personal associate of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. He has indicated
Mahaprabhu’s birth place at Mayapur. He is not an ordinary human being. Out of compassion he
has given you the order to work in the vegetable garden so as to make you fit to do Harinam.
The senses have to become service inclined. His garden is not an ordinary worldly garden, it is
Lord’s garden. While working in the garden you can also chant Harinam simultaneously. How
fortunate you are that your Gurudeva has given you direct service of the Lord. He is Lord
Krishna’s personal associate. By your chanting of the Holy Names, Lord’s service is not possible.
But when you follow his orders, then Lord is served and you benefit. So whatever he orders you
do.‘ We do not realize this.

sarva tyāga karile o chārā sukaṭhina,

pratiṣṭhāśātyāge yatna payibe praviṇa,
prabhate gabhīra rātre madhyāhne sandhyāye,
anartha chāriyā lao nāmera āśraya,

Giving up all ulterior motives, always chant Harinam. Except the desire of love for Lord, all other
desires are anartha. By contact with material non-eternal things one will face difficulties.

ei rūpe kīrtana smaraṇa jei kare,

kṛṣṇa-kṛpā haya śigrha, anāyāse tare
śraddhā kari’ sādhu sange kṛṣṇa-nāma laye,
anartha sakala jāye niṣṭhā upajaye,
As per instruction of Guru Vaishnav if we do all these devotional practice, then we can get
gradual progress to nishta and our mind will be concentrated on the Object of worship, get the
fixation of mind to the Object of worship.

prātaḥakāle nityalīlā karibe cintana,

cintite cintite bhāvera haibe sadhana

Morning pastimes of Radha-Krishna

rādhāṁ snāta-vibhūṣitāṁ vrajapayāhūtāṁ sakhībhiḥ prage

tad-gehe vihitānna-pāka-racanāṁ kṛṣṇāvaśeṣanām
kṛṣṇaṁ buddham avāpta-ḍhenu-sadanaṁ nirvyūḍha-go-dohanaṁ
susnātaṁ kṛta-bhojanaṁ saha-caraistaṁ cātha tāṁ cāśrye
(Govinda-lila-amritam)

Simultaneously one has to perform kirtan along with the remembrance of the morning pastimes of
Radha-krishna. When we practice this regularly we will attain the eligibility to meditate on the
pastimes. Though chanting and remembrance (kirtan and smaran) both have been given, it is
only by chanting we will get the eligibility for remembrance. When this procedure is followed then
remembrance will come when the mind will be purified.

Yashoda Devi calls for Radharani and Radharani after taking bath and dressing Herself in
beautiful garments and ornaments that are pleasing to Krishna, comes to Yashoda mayya’s
house along with Her friends (sakhis). It is seen in this material world which is the perverted
reflection of the Spiritual world, to attract the attention of a man by her beautiful form a woman
dresses beautifully. We see such things in the Newspapers. These are all causes for material
entanglement and spiritual fall down. Here it is shown that the purpose is to please the Lord and
so whatever you do is beautiful. Early morning they come to Nanda Bhavan and engage
themselves fully i.e all their senses and sense objects in cooking with great love and Krishna likes
to eat the preparations made by Radharani. Moreover She has the blessings of Durvasa Rsi also
that the food prepared by her enhances long life. Yashoda mayya has heard about this and
though she can cook herself, but in her intense love for her child she calls Radharani to come.
And after Krishna takes prasad, the remnants Radharani and the sakhis honor. One who honors
prasad, his love for the Lord enhances. We take shelter of such Radharani.

And Krishna, to give pleasure to Nanda baba and Yashoda mayya, wakes up in the morning. Till
He wakes up all are worried and after lot of efforts He wakes up. On His waking up Nanda Baba
and Yashoda mayya are happy. Then He goes to milk the cows along with His friends (sakhas).
Even after waking up by His sakhas efforts, sometimes Krishna goes back to sleep again. Oh,
What sleep Lord has!! Even we get up on time in the morning. And when Dhama Sakhas came
Lord woke up. So, we think, He is like us. But His waking up pastimes is to give service to
Yashoda mayya, Paurnamasi who all want to serve Him. This is a sweet pastime of the Lord.
Then He goes with His cow-herd friends to milk the cows. Then they take bath together and sit
down to have breakfast and Yashoda mayya serves all. And then in the pre-noon pastimes
Krishna goes with His cow-herd friends and cows and calves to the forest for grazing cows. At
that time all the Vrajvasis feel their hearts are broken. We did not get the opportunity to hear
about the pastime. Today we will hear.

rādhā snāta vibhūṣita, śriyaśodā-samāhūta,

sakhī-saṅge tad-gr̥ he gamana
tathā pāka-viracana, śrī-kr̥ ṣṇāvaśana
madhye madhye duṅhāra milana

kr̥ ṣṇa nidrā porihori', goṣthe go-dohana kori',

snānāśana sahacara-saṅge
ei līlā cintā koro, nāma-preme goro-goro,
prāte bhakta-jana saṅge raṅge

ei līlā cinto āra koro saṅkīrtana

acire pāibe tumi bhāva-uddīpana

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