Report | Introduction | Daily Events | Inaugural Function | Day 1 - Day 4 Events | Day 5 - Rukmini Kalyanam | Day 6 - Jaanavaasam | Day 7 - Avabhruta Snana/Radha Kalyanam
Sri Swamigal's Discourses: Inaugural Address | Lilaa Stalas | Valedictory Address

Sri Raghunath Ashram, Vrindavan, U.P., India
24th March, 2001 - Saturday
5.30 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.

Sri Swamigal,

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

" ‘Bharata Desa’ __ Why this name for our country? The popular belief is that the country got its name from its ruler, Bharata. However, the fact is, ‘Bharata’ means ‘Brahma nishta’ (Jnãnis). This country has seen an unbroken lineage of Jnãnis till date. (‘avichinnamãna jnãnigal paramparai’)

THE VEDAS

The big difference between our Sanatana dharma and other religions is the Vedas. The greatest pride and honour of our religion is the Vedas! Our religion has no name! Ours is Sanatana dharma. ‘Videshi’ research scholars desired to give a name for this ancient religion and pasted the name ‘Hindu’ on to our religion. The most ancient and being the only religion there never was the need for a name until much later when others religions began sprouting up. Name is required only to differentiate one from another. Hence, as other religions came up ‘foreign research scholars’ began referring to this most ancient religion as the ‘Hindu’.

Any civilization grows on the riverside, as it is dependant on agriculture. Outside our country was the popular ancient Nile valley civilization. As the ‘videshi’ scholars found our civilization along the banks of river Indus (Indus Valley Civilisation) they named it as Sindu, which gradually got modified into ‘Hindu’. Even in the south, in Tamizh Nadu, the civilization has grown along the banks of Cauvery, Tamraparani, Vaigai, etc., which are called ‘jiva nadi’ (life giving rivers).

Our religion was not ‘founded’ but has existed since time immemorial. It just cannot be limited to any time. Nor does our religion speak of any religious Text, for, there is only the Vedas!

‘Tene Brahma hrudãya ãdikavaye muhyanti yat surayah’

The Vedas rose from the ‘hrudaya’ (heart) of Lord Brahma at the instance of Bhagavãn. There is no destruction (‘azhivu’) for the Vedas but only concealment (‘maraivu’). The Vedas is ‘apourusha’. Since our religion has the Vedas for its foundation (‘ãdhãra’) it is known as ‘Vaideeha madham’. People are classified into ‘Vaideehas’ (the religious) and ‘Loukiikãs’ (the worldly). We hold the notion that those who wear tuft on their heads, wear dhoti with ‘kacham’ and follow scriptural injunctions are the ‘Vaideehas’. But, it is not so. All those who believe that the Vedas is the Truth (‘pramãnam) are ‘Vaideehas’. The Vedas have existed ever and were not authored by anyone. Our religion based on the Vedas, thus, has no particular time of birth. It ever has been.

DHARMA

The Vedas speak of two kinds of Dharmas - Vaideeha Dharma and Bhagavata Dharma.

Even in this ‘dushta’ (wicked) Kali Yuga Maha Periyava has very tenaciously followed the path of Vaideeha Dharma. But, a layman has hesitated to approach him for this very reason. Feeling guilty of leading a non-dharmic (‘anãchara’) life he felt ashamed and embarrassed to go anywhere near the great Mahãn who led such a pure life. In Kali, ‘Mandãha sumandamatayo mandabhãghya hyupadrutãh’ --- It is impossible for a layman to lead a totally dharmic life in this Kali Yuga. 100% adherence to ‘anushtãnas’ in this Kali Yuga is next to impossible. It amounts to only foolery and absolute vanity if anyone did claim to be so. However, this is not man’s fault (‘dosha’) but that of the Age (‘kãla’). Through ‘Vaideeha Dharma’ only, say, some ten or twenty people can get liberated. Then of what use is such a dharma?

Bhagavata Dharma, however, opens the door for all. One can say that he is unable to perform yoga or dhyãna or vichhãra. But none can say that he is unable to do bhakti. None can say that he is unable to utter the Name of the Lord - ‘Rama’ or ‘Krishna’ for, even as he says this, --“I cannot say Rama or Krishna”, -- the Name has been uttered!

‘Alam vrataih, alam teertaih, alam yogaih, alam makhaih,
Alam jnãna katha lãpaih, bhaktirekaiva muktida” - Srimad Bhagavatam
-- enough of fasts, pilgrimages, practice of yoga, performace of Yagãs and Vedanta talks! ‘BHAKTI’ (DEVOTION) ONLY BHAKTI WILL BESTOW ‘MUKTI’.

Swami Bodendra, in ‘Bhagavan Nãma Rasodayam’ conducted an enquiry (‘vichhara’). Does the Name of the Lord come on to the tongue of a man because of his good merits (‘punya’) or does one earn good merits because of repeated uttering of the Name of the Lord? He finally declared that it was because of good merits that one gets to even utter the Name of the Lord!

THE GURU

What does Guru mean?

Let’s say there are some ten monkeys on top of a tree. One of them throws down the cap held in its hand. Immediately all the other monkeys throw down the caps in their hands! Accepting someone as a Guru because of a few following him is akin to the monkeys’ actions described above. Innumerable fake religions (‘pãshãnda madham’) have sprouted up. Just because some ten or twenty or say a thousand people follow a person, the status of a Guru cannot be bestowed on him. Who then is a Guru? A Guru is one who bestows ‘Jnãna’ (knowledge), annihilating our ‘ajnãna’ (ignorance). If the Guru himself is in doubt how can he lead the others? Only ‘Brahma Nishtas’ (one who is ever/in Brahman) can show us Bhagavãn. But, how is one to recognize the true Guru? Our mind/intellect (‘buddhi’) is limited. With this limited mind we cannot comprehend the limitless. It is only through the grace of Bhagavãn that we are blessed with a Guru. If we have deep devotion and tapas as Dhruva we will surely be blessed with a Guru. Dhruva did not seek a Guru but went out in search of Bhagavãn. The moment Dhruva went out in search of Bhagavãn, Narada embraced him. Likewise, if we possess deep yearning/longing for Bhagavãn then truly, without any doubt, the Guru will take us into His fold.

Who/what is intelligence?

Shukacharya called Parikshit ‘intelligent’ not while the latter was a King ruling a Kingdom but only when he came to him to listen to Bhagavãn’s story. Whom does the Mahãtmãs call ‘intelligent’? One who desires to listen and enjoy Bhagavãn’s story/Lilãs. Whom does the Mahãtmãs call ‘intelligent’? One who desires to come to Vrindavan. One who desires to read Srimad Bhagavatam. And not one who seeks worldly status, ishwarya, power, etc. Seeking such mundane worldly benefits is just a silly affair! The Guru should teach one Nãma Sankeertana, Bhagavan Nãma. Only such a company is beneficial.

In this world all yearn for ‘Shanti’ (peace). Everyone in this world is restless. Why? For ‘shanti’! Everyone is restlessly in search of ‘Shanti’. One may possess a long line of attendants, possess massive wealth but enjoys no ‘shanti’. One is unable to sleep without the help of sleeping pills; Whereas the poor man on the platform falls asleep even as his head hits the ground. Trying to amass wealth for maintaining a status, man has lost his peace of mind. The poor man on the platform, too, knows no ‘shanti’ and envies the rich man plying about in his car. The wealthy envies the poor and the poor envies the rich! This is a wonder, indeed! None enjoys peace of mind, from the rich to the poor. In Srimad Bhãgavatam, in the tenth canto Sri Krishna tells his ‘poverty personified’ friend Kuchela - “A rich man knows no peace of mind and so does a poor man. But both of us enjoy ‘shanti’. You who personify poverty and I, ‘Dwarakãdeesha’ (King of Dwaraka) and ‘Lakshmipati’ (Lord of Goddess of Wealth) enjoy immense peace. Do you know the reason behind this, my friend?” -

“Guroh anugrahenaiva puman purnah prasantaiye”

----- Both of us enjoy the blessings of our Guru Sandeepani! The wealthy and the poor - none enjoys ‘shanti’. ‘Shanti’ is enjoyed/experienced only through the ‘kataksha’ (Grace) of the Guru.

AVATÃRA STALA

The fruit (‘palan’) of an act varies according to time (‘kãla’), place (‘desa’) and person (‘vyakti’). To commemorate Maha periyava Jayanti we performed the Saptãha Shatakratu in Guruvayoor. And this year, now, in ‘Vraja Bhoomi’. 'Jayati Tedhikam Janmana Vraja’ - (Gopika Geetam) The soil which is not only ‘Bhagavãn’s avatãra bhoomi’ but also ‘Bhagavata avatãra bhoomi’. This soil is the birthplace of not only Bhagavãn but also of Srimad Bhãgavatam. Everyone thinks that it is only Shukatãl where Sage Shuka narrated the Bhagavatam to Prikshit that is the birthplace of Srimad Bhagavatam. It is not so. When Srimad Bhagavatam was lost to the world (‘luptam’), Bhoopadeva peformed tapas. Innumerable fake religions sprouted up and the worried Bhoopadeva went to Tirumãlirunjcholai and sought atonement. Bhagavãn told him, “In this Kali Yuga Srimad Bhãgavatam is the only way out.Proceed to Vrindavan and pray to Shukadeva.” Accordingly, Bhoopadeva came to Vrindavan and performed tapas directed towards Sage Shuka. His intense tapas bore fruit as Shuka appeared before him and rendered Srimad Bhãgavatam. So, it is on this very soil of Vrindavan that Shuka narrated Srimad Bhãgavatam to Bhoopadeva. The narration of Srimad Bhãgavatam by Shuka to Parikshit is ‘purana kãla’ (epic age) whereas that rendered to Bhoopadeva by Shuka is ‘charitra kãla’ (historical).

This ‘Vraja Bhoomi’ was once a dense forest. Nandababa’s palace was located in Nandgaon, about 14 kms. from Vrindãvan. Sri Krishna and his playmates brought the cattle to graze here in Vrindãvan and returned home with the cattle, at dusk. It is on this Vrindãvan soil that Bhagavãn played innumerable Lilas! On the very same soil we are performing Bhagavata pãrãyana, Krishna ‘smaranam’ and Nãma Sankirtana. ----- ‘Tava Kathãmritham Krishna Tapta Jeevanam…..” - (Gopika Geetam)

“Santatam tavanãma keertanena
Sadhusamaagama sevanena
Satkathãsãra shravanena
Sarasam gachchathu jeevanam sukhena”

If we have all assembled here today it is not because of anyone’s smartness. But is the mere grace of the Guru! We should all be blessed with more such Saptãhas!

I thank each one of the Bhagavatãs who have been kind enough to consider our invitation to participate in this Saptãha Shatakrathu. "

"GOPIKÃ JEEVANASMARANAM
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!"

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

Report | Introduction | Daily Events | Inaugural Function | Day 1 - Day 4 Events | Day 5 - Rukmini Kalyanam | Day 6 - Jaanavaasam | Day 7 - Avabhruta Snana/Radha Kalyanam
Sri Swamigal's Discourses: Inaugural Address | Lilaa Stalas | Valedictory Address

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