Lecture excerpts from Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja's class on Nirjala Ekadasi from Lokarno, Switzerland on 20th June 2013.

Excerpts from HH Bhakti Charu Swami Guru Maharaj's class on Nirjala Ekadasi from Lokarno, Switzerland on 20th June 2013.  

·        There are 26 Ekadasis :  24 in 12 months +2 (Purusottam mas)

·         14th Ekadasi takes place in the month of Jyestha (Summer)

·         This is hot season.

·         Nirjala: Ekadasi which is meant to be fasted without even drinking water.

·         In ISKCON Prabhupada did not set such lofty standard, since he had to deal with many westerners as well.

·         Every Ekadasi is meant to be fasted without drinking water.

·         Bhima had difficulty observing Ekadasi.

·         Another name of Bhima is Vrkodara, he is very famous for his appetite.

·         When Pandavas were in disguise, hiding in Ekacakra, half of the food collected was taken by Bhima.

·         Vyasdeva gave this concession to Bhima. By fasting on Nirjala Ekadasi properly, you will get the benefit of fasting in all Ekadasis in the year.

·         Even one should acamana very carefully.

·         Caranamrta also should be taken very carefully.

·         One should not try to take advantage of these things--taking more than required.

·         Brahma muhurta to Brahma muhurta--full benefit

·         Fasting full Day-- half benefit

·         We should be very careful. Ekadasi is an arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to free us from the sinful reactions.

·         We should take full advantage of this day.

·         Nirjala means without water.

·         Ekadasi means eleventh. Eleventh day of the movement of the moon.

·         Vedic calculation is based on the movement of the moon, while western one is based on the sun.

·         A month consists of 30 days, 15 days-waxing period of the moon, and 15 days-waning period of the moon.

·         Brahma-vaivarta Purana: Along with creation also came sins (people started to behave in the wrong way)

·         All the sins personified in the form of Papa Purusa, responsible for giving miseries through sinful activities.

Causes of body parts of Papa Purusa:

·         Killing a brahmana--> Head

·         Taking intoxication--> Eyes

·         Stealing gold--> Mouth

·         Sexual intercourse with wife of the Guru--> nose

·         Krishna also created Yamraj, meant to judge the living entities according to his sinful activities.

·         Subtle body is the embodiment of the sinful activities.

·         The living entity does not want to lose the body, so yamadutas whip and drag the subtle body out of the gross body.

·         Devotees do not need to worry about that, since they have taken shelter of Krishna.

·         Yamraj asks yamadutas not to trouble them.

·         Even if devotees go to Yamaraj they are happy to greet him as a mahajan.

·         Yamaraj's clerk is Citragupta, who keeps a record of all the sinful activities.

·         So we should be very careful, our activities are getting recorded.

·         Once Krishna visited Yamaraj, who was very pleased to greet Krishna and washed His feet.

·         At that time Krishna heard the terrible cries of humans from the southern side.

·         Yamaraj told Him that the sinful living entities were getting punished.

·         Krishna went to see how the living entities were getting tortured due to their sinful activities.

·         Krishna decided, I must do something to alleviate their suffering.

·         He created a personality, a beautiful young woman--Ekadasi. She is Krishna's internal potency.

·         Krishna arranged that if anyone fasts on this day, he will be free from all his sinful reactions.

·         BG: sarva dharman parityajya

·         Similarly Ekadasi is another such arrangement of Krishna to free the living entities of all their sinful reactions.

·         Dharma-sastra:  Just observe Ekadasi and be free from all sinful reactions.

·         Because there were no sins the Papa purusa was dying.

·         So when Visnu saw this, He asked him why you are in this condition.

·         Sin: You are creator, so it is Your responsibility to maintain me. Because of Ekadasi, there are no more sins.

·         Krishna: From now on all the sins on the Ekadasi day will enter into the food-grains.

·         When the crops become ripe the plant dies and grains come.

·         eg. wheat, rice, maize, pulses, beans

·         They fall in the category of grains

·         For the sake of Papa purusa Krishna made this arrangement that all the sins will enter into grains.

·         Even if a person has not committed sins, still he gets them.

·         So that is why we so strictly observe not taking grains.

·         Devotees should be very careful not to take grains on this day.

·         Ekadasi is also known as Hari-vasara--day of Hari since it is so dear to Hari.

·         Hari: Supreme Personality of Godhead, vasara: day

·         One who observes Ekadasi immensely pleases Krishna.

·         There was a demon called Mura. He was so powerful that he defeated all the demigods and assumed the control of the universe.

·         Being completely disturbed the demigods approached Lord Siva and asked him to help them.

·         Lord Siva: You can go to the SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD--Jagannath (Lord of the Universe)

·         They went to Jagannath. He became very very angry, who dares to interfere in My arrangement.

·         Mura was extremely powerful and was also supported by millions of other asuras.

·         He counterattacked the demigods, who were unable to confront them.

·         The demons then attacked the only person standing there--Hari.

·         He released one weapon that killed many demons.

·         Mura decided to confront Him.

·         The leader themselves go forward.

·         When Lord's weapons were no longer effective, he started to fight with bare hands.

·         The Lord retreated to Badrikasram and went to a cave called Himavati (completely covered by ice)

·         Chasing Him Mura also entered the cave and found the Lord sleeping. He decided to attack and kill Him.

·         When he was about to attack, a beautiful woman appeared and stopped him.

·         A battle ensued between them. Mura's weapons were ineffective.

·         He started to fight with bare hands.

·         Vedic tradition: When enemy loses weapons, one also throws his weapons.

·         With her sharp weapon she cut the head of Mura and killed him.

·         When the Lord woke up He asked, who are you?

·         She narrated the whole story.

·         Lord: Even I could not kill Mura, you have protected Me. You ask for any boon.

·         Beautiful woman: From now on, whoever observes the austerities on this day, please free him of all sinful reactions.

·         Utpanna Ekadasi: She appeared on this day.

·         utpanna means generated

·         It is good for health also. Our system gets complete rest. We have a tendency to overeat.

·         The fire of digestion burns the undigested food and then starts burning the toxins also.

·         Our purpose should be to fast for spiritual benefit.

IYF INDORE MAYAPUR YATRA 2013 PART-1

IYF INDORE MAYAPUR YATRA 2013 HG VAISHNSV PRABHU

IYF INDORE MAYAPUR YATRA 2013 HG VAISHNSV PRABHU

My Father Is The Best by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj

"Prabhupada used to say, “These Mayavadis they are so dry. They say don’t  eat, but we say eat as much as possible, mahaprasada.” Akantha puriya karo  prasada sevana. Now tell me, who is more fortunate: those who are not eating  or those who are eating? [laughter] So all their efforts, all their activities are so painful, so miserable, source of sufferings. They are  missing out on that. They are missing out on the loving exchange. They  cannot possibly have a loving exchange. How can you love something that  doesn’t have any consciousness, that doesn’t have any shape, that doesn’t have any form? So not only He has shape, He is the source of consciousness.He is a personality. He is a person and then we get to know the qualities of  that person. Oh, He is so beautiful! He is so strong. He is so powerful. He is so wise. He is so famous and He is so rich. Isn’t it wonderful to have a  relationship with a person like that? In simple words we can say, “Won’t it be wonderful to have a father?” Don’t we want to have a father who is the  richest, who is the most richest, who is the most powerful? Won’t you be  proud to have a father like that? And yes, we have a father. We have a father. The only thing is that we forgot about Him. We forgot our  relationship with Him. When we were young didn’t we think, “Oh, my father is the best.” [laughs] And in our reality our father IS the best. He is the best father! He is the richest, He is the wisest, He is the most powerful,  He is the most caring. And when we have the shelter of such a father, then why should we worry about anything?"

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, excerpt from lecture on SB 3.9.21, 9th
February 2009, Ujjain, India

H.H.Bhakti Charu Swami gave Bhagavad-gita class @ ISKCON Brisbane on 22nd December, 2012

Excerpts from the class.

• As it is: the way Krsna spoke and the way Arjuna understood it.
• Basic Qualification: bhaktosi me sakha cheti, rahasyam hyetad uttamam
• Secret of understanding bhagavad gita: devotion to Krsna.
• Criteria of revelation: devotion to God.
• When the father is wanting the son to come back, he makes the path/door easy to open.
• A devotee prayer: Please allow me to love you, please allow me to serve you, please allow me to go back to you.
• Sun God's son is Vaivasvata Manu, this knowledge thus came to Earth planet. Lord Ramchandra's dynasty is known as Ikshwaku dynasty. King Ikshwaku is the son of Vaivasvata Manu.
• Vedic expression are Devata and Bhagavan. Westerners thought Hinduism was polytheistic, whereas God is only one, Krsna, Krsnastu Bhagavan Swayam
• Therefore Hinduism is monotheistic with Krsna as Supreme Personality of Godhead.

H.H.Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj gave Initiation lecture @ ISKCON Sydney on 29th December, 2012

Excerpts from the lecture.

• Hare Krsna Mahamantra doesn't depend on diksha.
• dékñä-puraçcaryä-vidhi apekñä nä kare, jihvä-sparçe ä-caëòäla sabäre uddhäre
  
• dékñä-käle bhakta kare ätma-samarpaëa, sei-käle kåñëa täre kare ätma-sama
• Diksha is a process of official surrender to the representative of Krsna.
• Two needs of diksha. 1. to receive the mantra, 2. an official surrender to Krsna, accepted in the line of Srila Jiva Goswami
• Holy name is Krsna, but what makes the holy name not Krsna are offences.
• What does it mean to chant without offences? To meditate or focus the mind on the sound vibration. How to meditate on that? By listening carefully. Be very careful and attentive about hearing. When there are offences it is offensive chanting, then clearing stage and then comes pure chanting. Holy name is Krsna when it is pire chanting.
• Offensive chanting is chanting the offences, not the holy name but just the syllables.: Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura
• Read Srila Prabhupada's books very carefully and regularly.
• Iskcon is Srila Prabhupada's ashram. He did not handover the ashram to anyone. He wanted the GBC to manage Iskcon. Don't ever think that Srila Prabhupada is not here. Srila Prabhupada is here through his books, his devotees, his temples and Iskcon itself.

The names of the initiated disciples are HG Prabhas Krsna das, Hg Radha Vandana devi dasi and HG Manasi Radhika devi dasi.

PS: In the context of Srila Prabhupada's succession Guru Maharaj also made a point once that Srila Prabhupada said all his followers will have his legacy. Guru Maharaj pointed out that he used the word followers not disciples. So whoever follows Srila Prabhupada will have his legacy and not just his disciples.