The Most Blessed Event — April 28, 2007
Çré Vyäsa_Püjä
The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master, His Holiness
Om Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Añöottara-çata Çré Srémad
Nava Yogendra Goswami ji Maharaj
Srila Prabhupada Ashram,
Udhampur (J & K) India

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Contents
Introduction, vii
The Meaning of Vyasa-Puja, ix
Srila Prabhupada Speech, xi
A Real Disciple, xxi
Srila Gurudev_The Embodiment of Lord Caitanya's Mercy, xxiii
Vyasa_Puja Homages from Temple Presidents and Managers
Bhadradas 3, Kunti Devi Dasi 3, Sarvabhaum Bhattacharyadas 5, Indranujdas 5.
lat; O;kl nkl 7] 'kkafrfiz; nkl 9-
Vyasa_Puja Homages from Devotees
Subal Das 13, Naveen Krishna Das 16, Makhan Chor Das 17, Radha Madan Mohan Das 20, Radhika Devi Dasi 20, Ram Krishna Das 21, Ramai Das 22, Sachi Suta Das (Dr. Vashishtha) 22, Nandakishore Das 23, Kishorie Radha Dasi 24, Balabhadra Das 25, Manu Das 26, Yamuna Devi Dasi 30, Satya Das 31, Jai Jagdish Das 33, Krishna Prem Das 35, Achyut Ray Das 36, Vaishno Devi Dasi 37, Rishi Isvar Das, Lalita Devi Dasi & Usha 37, Vedya Devi Dasi 38, Atreya Rishi Das and Anasuya Devi Dasi 38, Shaligram Das 39, Laxman Das 41, Trimurti Das 41, Padmanabh Das 42, Sachinandandas Das 43, Nachiketa Das 43, Sadhna Devi Dasi 44, Ranti Dev Das 44, Tulasi Devi Dasi 45, Rishi Kumar Das 46, Vishaka Devi Dasi 46, Karunanidhi Das 47, Krishna Das 49, Sudarshan Das 50, Jai Jagdish Das 52.
cynso nkl 53] Hkkjrh nsoh nklh 54] jkt y{eh nsoh nklh 55] yfyrk nsoh nklh 56] y{eh nsoh nklh 56] Ñ".k eksgu nkl 57] Ñ".k xksiky nkl 58] lfg".kq nkl 60] HkfDrfodkl nkl 62] d`".k eqjkjh f=kikBh 63] fuR;kuUn nkl 63] lkèkq lsok nkl 64] jkes'oj nkl 65] ds'ko d'ehjh nkl 67] gfj HkDr nkl 68] v}Sr vuqt nkl 69] lUurh nsoh nklh 70] tqxy fd'kksj nkl 71] nhukukFk nkl 72] lefiz;k nsoh nklh 73] jke fdadj nkl 74] xkSajkx nkl 75] ljLorh nsoh nklh 76] lukru xksLokeh nkl] bUnw ys[kk nsoh nklh 77] o`Unkou nkl 77] lqfe=kk nsoh nklh 79] lR;orh nsoh nklh 79] jkfèkdk nsoh nklh 81] bUnzk.kh nsoh nklh 82] ikouh xaxk nsoh nklh 83] lkdqHkjh nsoh 84] y{eh nsoh nklh 85] HkfDr nsoh nklh 86] lR;orh nsoh nklh 87] ';kek fiz;k nsoh nklh 88] fotsrk nkl 89] lR;orh nsoh nklh 90] jkxuh nsoh nklh 91] 'kfp nsoh nklh 91] eèkqfiz; nkl 92] t; xksiky nkl 92] fxfjèkkjh nkl 93] jke thou nkl 94] vP;qr pSrU; nkl 95] gfjvkse nkl ,oa lR;orh nsoh nklh 96] jsorh nsoh nklh 97] nkeksnj nkl 97] vkfn y{eh nsoh nklh 98] lR; l:i nkl 99] jke I;kjh nsoh nklh 100] :ik nsoh nklh 100] jRuekyk nsoh nklh 101] lkSHkkX;orh nsoh nklh 101] m¼o nkl 102] jke ewfrZ nkl 103] rqylh nsoh nklh 105] iq.Mjhd fo|kfufèk nkl 105] dUgS;k nkl 106] 'kkdqEHkjh nsoh nklh 108] vkfn 'kfDr nsoh nklh 109] dey ykspu nkl 110] xkSj ukjk;.k nkl 111] Ñ".kyky nkl 113] jkeLo:i nkl 114] lR;:i nkl 115] cyjke nkl 116] ';ke lqUnjh nklh 117] osxorh nsoh nklh 118] oSdq.B je.k nkl 118] psruk nsoh nklh 119] t; nqxkZ nsoh nklh 119] jkekuqt nkl 120-
Vyasa-Puja Homage from Srila Prabhupada Gurukul
vfer 125] yfyr tks'kh 125] jksfgr tk/o 126] f'koe 126] foXus'k 'ksVh 127-

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Vyasa _Puja Homage from Aspiring Disciples and Wellwishers
Vir K. Nanda 131, Bhakta Richard 131, John R.J. Scott 132, The Shingdia Family 132, Neeta Patel 133, Harleen Kaur 133, Amitab Khajuria 134, Chimpu Das 135, Pratima Singla 135, Dev Raj Singal 136, Kuldeep Sharma (Deepu) 136, Dusyant Ashutosh Sharma 137, Vinayak Dogra 138, Pooja Gupta 140, Dr. Rakesh Raina 140, Deepak Madan (Guggi) 141, Satish Pandita 142, Anam Arora 143, Arjun Singh 144.
c`ts'k tks'kh ^c`toklh* 145] pUnzdkar foè;kFkhZ 146] Mk- jktkjke ;kno 147] jkds'k egktu 149] 'kSyh tkèko 151] dapu nsoh 152] euksgj ryokj 153] nhid HkV~V 154] fou; 'kekZ 154] jkgqy uonhi ckyh 155] T;ksfr 'kekZ 156] dkS'kY;k ik.Ms 157] v#.k vuqt 157] fnfyi jktnku 158] caVh HkV~V 159] yfyrk ekrk 159] nhid iafMrk 160] ohjsUnz dqekj 'kekZ 160] lquhy 161] lfjrk 'kekZ 161] vfuy dqekj 'kekZ 162] lkSjHk dqyJs"B 163] iadt Hkkxor oatkjh 163] peuyky 166] Jherh lqjfHk oekZ ,oa Jh iou oekZ 166] xqjfoUnj flag ukjax 168] ohjsUæ oÙkk 169] lfpu 'kekZ ,oa eksfudk 'kekZ 170] vfUrek ckyh 171] fu'kk ckyh 171] fot; dqekj 172] lqfurk HkVV~ 172] 'kkuw nsoh 173] latho 174] ';ke nkl feJh okyk 175] v#.k feJh okyk 176] lanhi 'kekZ 176] jfo 177] iYyoh eYgks=kk 178] fcuksn >k 179] d`".k dqekj 180] eqds'k dqekj 181] f'ko ckyk xqIrk 181] larks"k dqekjh 182] ekul pØorhZ 183] lhek 'kekZ 184] 'kqHkkaxh oS| 185] lkfgy xqIrk 186] lqfe=kk nsoh 187] iz.ko xqIrk 187] jfo dqekj nkl 188] egUr HkksykukFk 189] jktsUnz dqekj 189] lat; dqekj R;kxh 190] fl¼kFkZ nkl 191-
Sri Gurv-astaka, by Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, 193

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Introduction
Let the planetary systems align themselves for all the constellations to become auspicious. May the blessing stars begin to adorn the sky, as good fortune pervade the earth, especially in the hearts and minds of the people. Everywhere, in all the ten directions, an atmosphere of divine peace and prosperity shall prevail.
Nature may reveal the peak of her splendor : melodies emanating from the flowing of pious rivers, clear lakes supporting swans and lotus flowers , and exotic birds singing with the sweetest voices. Throughout the land, feel the pleasant breeze gently blowing, laden with fragrances of spring. At the seashore mild waves resound, and in the clear blue sky perfect white clouds occasionally thunder harmoniously. Meanwhile on the heavenly planets, the denizens inaugurating their annual celebration- sing, dance, and shower flowers down upon the earth.
When everything in the universe becomes adjusted like this, then we may fittingly begin our attempt to glorify the advent of Srila Gurudev, H.H. Navayogendra Swamiji Maharaj the confidentional ambassador of Lord Caitanya.
* * *
Invoking all reverence and humility, in this book we welcome you to the enchanting world of divine experiences, spiritual emotions, unbelievable miracules of those people who have been blessed with the wonderful association of HH. Navayogendra Swamiji Maharaj as a Guru under the divine arrangement of Lord Krishna. Full delineation of the glories of Srila Gurudev is beyond our capacity . We do indeed have the word "impossible" in our dictionary. Yet once a year our sacred duty and privilage is to attempt the impossible :to offer suitable praise to our most revered Srila Gurudev.
Certainly we are aware that our sincere efforts to honor the qualities and achievements of Srila Gurudev verge upon the inconceivable.Amazingly, by his grace we are actually convinced that the inconceivable, acintya, is not impersonal. The scriptures reveal that the most unfathomable secret of existence is how the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally reciprocates with his dearest devotees.
The Supreme Lord, who is greater than the greatest, becomes submissoive to even a very insignificant devotee because of his devotional service. It is the beautiful and exalted nature of devotional service that the infinte Lord becomes submissive to the infinitesimal living entity because of it. In reciprocal devotional activities with the Lord, the devotee actually enjoys the transcendental mellow of devotional service. [Caitanya-caritamrta Adi. 7.145]
All of us have individually as well as collectively tried several times to study , analize the glories of the divine personality Gurudev. Still the glorification of Srila Gurudev leaves a lingering question mark, both blissfully inspiring and soberly

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profound. When we reflect upon Srila Gurudev , what exactly is the immensity we are dealing with ?
First, we see him in his youth as a humble servant of Srila Prabhupada strictly following his orders but only longing for his personal association and sacrificing everything for it.
Second, we watch him begin his struggle at Udhampur with practically no support, to design a place where only pure devotional service may be practiced and Srila Prabhupada teachings are fully imbibed.
Third, we witness this most extraordinary person expanding his ideas to other places (Katra, Jammu, Haridwar, Lucknow, Amritsar, Haldwani, Palwal, Himachal) without any compromises in the level of purity of thoughts, words and deeds in a span of 10 years.
Fourth, we observe him establishing a collosal , gigantic and exquisite temple at Sri Udhampur Dham and inviting Sri Sri Gaur Radha Krishnaji, Sri Sri Narsimhadev Prahlad Maharaj, Sri Sri Sita , Ram ,Laxman Hanumanji to accept pure devotional service and shower their mercy on the fallen souls of KaliYuga.
Fifth, we experience him introducing,organizing,gathering, motivating Lakhs of people to join Sri Jagannath Rathyatra in amritsar and haldwani for the first time.
Sixth, we witness him venture first in Iskcon to get established in the Sadhu samaj of India and hold a big camp in the kumbh mela single handedly.
Yet, for him the next milestone in Srila Prabhupada seva being the establishment of Krishnaconscious government in India.!!! Our minds are still numb at the thought.
"Our ultimate aim is to take part in politics; Krishna took part in politics, we have to follow _ but if people do not become krishna conscious it won't be possible. Actually if we can take up the government, our movement will be very easily spread and beneficial to the people. We can make happy, peaceful men, God conscious --this is our aim. the main thing is to distribute books more and more." [Srila Prabhupada's Letter, October 1976]
Sometimes it seems that all our efforts are required just to keep a temple afloat, or to fill one sankirtan van, or to conduct a pandal progam, or to distribute some books. Influencing a government, what to speak of transforming the world, seems at most a very distant hazy dream. Srila Gurudev's Vyas puja is the best day for remembering the person Srila Prabhupada is choosing to accomplish the mission impossible. It is also the best day for seeing within the pages of this book the potential Srila Gurudev created for fulfillling Srila Prabhupada's impossible yet possible plans.
!!!!! All Glories to Our Beloved Srila Gurudev !!!!!

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The Meaning of Vyasa-Puja
Time - our greatest enemy. It's not its fault. Time merely carries out its God-given function of moving the world to simulate the pastimes of the spiritual realm.
The fault is ours. Having decided to inhabit and enjoy the mundane sphere, we have put ourselves in its hands. Now we are tormented by the way time separates us from rosy remembrance, present attachments and future ambitions. Time shrouds our origins in mystery. It diminishes our mental enjoyment of past experiences. It is the fog that makes the future unknowable. And all the while it is manipulating the chemistry of our bodies, aging us bit by bit forward in capacity and senility.
So we are lost in this world, with next to no understanding of what is going on around us and no ability to connect with our future and the attempts and aborts of similarly conditioned soul to lead us to salvation are simply the blind leading the blind into the ditch.
No wonder we conclude that a little sense gratification is the all in all.
But the Lord is not neglectful of his parts and parcels. He makes factful arrangements - sometimes so astoundingly wonderful that they cannot be ignored, but more often so subtle that they are perceptible only to those with a thoughtful mind and open heart. He enjoys providing the living entities full access to all transcendental knowledge and encouraging them to take up the practice of devotional service. And he enjoys it all the more by allowing His servants the opportunity to be the instruments.
Thus, by Krishna's kind arrangement we can understand our origin, current status, and destiny from the testimony of a liberated soul - one who is free from the control of time. To initiate the process, Lord Krishna personally enlightened Brahmaji, His first created being within this universe. It is not Brahma's fabulous longevity that makes him transcendental to the conditioning of time, it is submissive hearing of transcendental sound vibration - Vibration that fully contains the revelation of the Lord's name, form, qualities, pastimes, and abode.
Brahma chose to pass on and expand this vibration to his own son Nanda Muni, who in turn revealed it to the empowered sage Srila Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva kindly considered ways in which this potent vibration could be preserved and indeed, make more accessible for future generations about to be struck by the degenerative effects of the Age of Kali. He therefore compiled a vast array of literature presenting all fields of knowledge in such a way that an inquisitive and faithful soul may progress in spiritual life. On Narada Muni's insistence, he then produced Srimad Bhagavatam. which, being the most potent explanation of transcendence, is adequate in itself to quickly transport the living entities through the hell of Kali Yuga to the paradise of Goloka.

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But conditioned souls should not be confused. Srimad Bhagavatam is not merely words on paper. It is the expansion of the original sound vibration from Lord Krishna- now sweeter and more easy to assimilate than ever before, It is the wonder of Vyasadeva's contribution to humanity that this vibration is so perfectly available within this scripture. And also in the persons Bhagavatam - those liberated souls who have thoroughly digested it, whose lives exemplify it, and whose words express it for other's consumption.
Time is thus conquered. Through the millennia there is no diminution of the vibration of Srimad - Bhagavatam. It is perfectly preserved by the parampara process we hear the metaphor of the children passing the mangoes carefully from one branch down to the next so that the unblemished fruit reaches the eager consumer on the ground. But like any metaphor based on a material situation, it does not adequately do justice to the parampara. Imagine the same circumstance, but every time the fruit changes hands during its descent, it is growing and becoming sweeter, juicier and more delectable. That is the effect of the realizations and preaching of the representatives of Vyasadeva within the parampara.
In our calculation of the duration of time, over five thousand years have passed since the compilation of the Bhagavatam, but we are not at any disadvantage. Srimad Bhagavatam has become all the more easy to relish especially following the appearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada. It is hard to conceive that anyone could be as merciful and expert in revealing Krishna consciousness. And how pleased Srila Vyasadava must be to see his Bhagavatam being so widely disseminated in this iron age! How he must applaud Srila Prabhupada's unique ability to present the message for the benefit of a fallen population!
We therefore celebrate the appearance of the Spiritual master as Vyasa Puja- literally the worship of Vyasadeva. Our aim is to constantly glorify the spiritual master in his true context - as the empowered representative of Vyasadeva.
Disciples have profound awareness of the meaning of Vyasa puja. The day fills us with intense soul searching as we desperately plumb the depths of our hearts to express our Sraddhanjali. What can be said that adequately glorifies such a personality as Gurudev. How do we verbalize our debt, gratitude or commitment? We can only pray for his mercy.!!
Jai Gurudev!

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Srila Prabhupada Speech
The following speech was given by Abhay Charan Das (His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda) before the members of the Çré Gauòéya Maöha in Bombay, in February 1936, on the occasion of the appearance anniversary of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura.
säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästrair
uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù
kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya
vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam
"In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master."
Gentlemen, on behalf of the members of the Bombay branch of the Gauòéya Maöha, let me welcome you all because you have so kindly joined us tonight in our congregational offerings of homage to the lotus feet of the world teacher, Äcäryadeva, who is the founder of this Gauòéya Mission and the president—äcärya of Çré Çré Viçva-vaiñëava Räja-sabhä—I mean my eternal divine master, Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Çré Çrémad Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Mahäräja.
Sixty-two years ago, on this auspicious day, the Äcäryadeva made his appearance by the call of Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda at Çré-kñetra, Jagannätha-dhäma, at Puré.
Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the Äcäryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva, or äcäryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from yours or anyone else's. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me, and all others.
The guru, or äcäryadeva, as we learn from the bona fide scriptures, delivers the message of the absolute world, the transcendental abode of the Absolute Truth. We have heard so many times: mahä-jano yena gataù sa panthäù ("Traverse the trail which your previous äcärya has passed"), but we have hardly tried to understand the real purport of this çloka. If we scrutinizingly study this proposition, we can understand that the mahä-jana is one and the royal road to the transcendental world is also one. In the Muëòaka Upaniñad [1.2.12] it is said:
tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigaccet
samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham
"In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth."

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Thus it has been enjoined herewith that in order to receive that transcendental knowledge, one must approach the guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no difference of opinion, the guru also cannot be two. The Äcäryadeva to whom we have assembled tonight to offer our humble homage is not the guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary, he is the Jagad-guru, the guru of all of us; the only difference is that some obey him wholeheartedly, while others do not obey him directly.
In the Bhägavatam [SB 11.17.27] it is said:
äcäryaà mäà vijänéyän nävamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyäsüyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruù
"One should understand the spiritual master to be as good as I am," said the Blessed Lord. "Nobody should be jealous of the spiritual master or think of him as an ordinary man, because the spiritual master is the sum total of all the demigods." That is, the äcärya has been identified with God Himself. He has nothing to do with the affairs of this mundane world. He does not descend here to meddle with the affairs of temporary necessities but to deliver the fallen, conditioned souls—the souls, or entities, who have come here to the material world with a motive of enjoyment by the mind and five organs of sense perception. He appears before us to reveal the light of the Vedas and to bestow upon us the blessings of full-fledged freedom, after which we should hanker at every step of our life's journey.
The transcendental knowledge of the Vedas was first uttered by God to Brahmä, the creator of this particular universe. From Brahmä the knowledge descended to Närada, from Närada to Vyäsadeva, and from Vyäsadeva to Madhva, and in this process of disciplic succession the transcendental knowledge was transmitted by one disciple to another till it reached Lord Gauräìga, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, who posed as the disciple and successor of Çré Éçvara Puré. The present Äcäryadeva is the tenth disciplic representative from Çré Rüpa Gosvämé, the original representative of Lord Caitanya who preached this transcendental tradition in its fullness. The knowledge that we receive from our Gurudeva is not different from that imparted by God Himself and the succession of the äcäryas in the preceptorial line of Brahmä. We adore this auspicious day as Çré Vyäsa-püjä-tithi because the äcärya is the living representative of Vyäsadeva, the divine compiler of the Vedas, Puräëas, Bhagavad-gétä, Mahäbhärata, and Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
One who interprets the divine sound, or çabda-brahma, by his imperfect sense perception cannot be a real spiritual guru, because in the absence of proper disciplinary training under the bona fide äcärya, the interpreter is sure to differ from Vyäsadeva (as the Mäyävädés do). Çréla Vyäsadeva is the prime authority of Vedic revelation, and therefore such an irrelevant interpreter cannot be accepted as the guru, or äcärya, howsoever equipped he may be with all the acquirements of material knowledge. As it is said in the Padma Puräëa, sampradäya-vihénä ye manträs te niñphalä matäù: "Unless you are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra that you might have received is without any effect."

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On the other hand, one who has received the transcendental knowledge by aural reception from the bona fide preceptor in the disciplic chain, and who has sincere regard for the real äcärya, must needs be enlightened with the revealed knowledge of the Vedas. But this knowledge is permanently sealed to the cognitive approach of the empiricists. As it is said in Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad [6.23]:
yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau
tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù prakäçante mahätmanaù
"Only unto those great souls who simultaneously have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."
Gentlemen, our knowledge is so poor, our senses are so imperfect, and our sources are so limited that it is not possible for us to have even the slightest knowledge of the absolute region without surrendering ourselves at the louts feet of Çré Vyäsadeva or his bona fide representative. Every moment we are being deceived by the knowledge of our direct perception. It is all the creation or concoction of the mind, which is always deceiving, changing, and flickering. We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of observation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Çré Gurudeva or Çré Vyäsadeva. Therefore, gentlemen, we should surrender ourselves today at the feet of the representative of Çré Vyäsadeva for the elimination of all our differences bred by our unsubmissive attitude. It is accordingly said in Çré Gétä [Bg. 4.34]:
tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä
upadekçyanti te jïänaà jïäninas tattva-darçinaù
"Just approach the wise and bona fide spiritual master. Surrender unto him first and try to understand him by inquiries and service. Such a wise spiritual master will enlighten you with transcendental knowledge, for he has already known the Absolute Truth."
To receive the transcendental knowledge we must completely surrender ourselves to the real äcärya in a spirit of ardent inquiry and service. Actual performance of service to the Absolute under the guidance of the äcärya is the only vehicle by which we can assimilate the transcendental knowledge. Today's meeting for offering our humble services and homage to the feet of the Äcäryadeva will enable us to be favored with the capacity of assimilating the transcendental knowledge so kindly transmitted by him to all persons without distinction.
Gentlemen, we are all more or less proud of our past Indian civilization, but we actually do not know the real nature of that civilization. We cannot be proud of our past material civilization, which is now a thousand times greater than in days gone by. It is said that we are passing through the age of darkness, the Kali-yuga. What is this darkness? The darkness cannot be due to backwardness in material knowledge,

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because we now have more of it than formerly. If not we ourselves, our neighbors at any rate have plenty of it. Therefore, we must conclude that the darkness of the present age is not due to a lack of material advancement, but that we have lost the clue to our spiritual advancement, which is the prime necessity of human life and the criterion of the highest type of human civilization. Throwing bombs from airplanes is no advancement of civilization from the primitive, uncivilized practice of dropping big stones on the heads of enemies from the tops of hills. Improvement in the art of killing our neighbors by means of machine guns and poisonous gases is certainly no advancement from primitive barbarism, which prided itself on its art of killing by bows and arrows. Nor does the development of a sense of pampered selfishness prove anything more than intellectual animalism. True human civilization is very different from all these states, and therefore in the Kaöha Upaniñad [1.3.14] there is the emphatic call:
uttiñöhata jägrata präpya varän nibodhata
kñurasya dhärä niçitä duratyayä
durgaà pathas tat kavayo vadanti
"Please wake up and try to understand the boon which you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor's edge. That is the opinion of learned, transcendental scholars."
Thus, while others were yet in the womb of historical oblivion, the sages of India had developed a different kind of civilization, which enabled them to know themselves. They had discovered that we are not at all material entities, but that we are all spiritual, permanent, and indestructible servants of the Absolute. But because we have, against our better judgment, chosen to completely identify ourselves with this present material existence, our sufferings have multiplied according to the inexorable law of birth and death, with its consequent diseases and anxieties. These sufferings cannot be really mitigated by any provision of material happiness, because matter and spirit are completely different elements. It is just as if you took an aquatic animal out of water and put it on the land, supplying all manner of happiness possible on land. The deadly sufferings of the animal are not capable of being relieved at all until it is taken out of its foreign environment. Spirit and matter are completely contradictory things. All of us are spiritual entities. We cannot have perfect happiness, which is our birthright, however much we may meddle with the affairs of the mundane things. Perfect happiness can by ours only when we are restored to our natural state of spiritual existence. This is the distinctive message of our ancient Indian civilization, this is the message of the Gétä, this is the message of the Vedas and the Puräëas, and this is the message of all the real äcäryas, including our present Äcäryadeva, in the line of Lord Caitanya.
Gentlemen, although it is imperfectly that we have been enabled, by his grace, to understand the sublime messages of our Äcäryadeva, Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Çré Çrémad Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Mahäräja, we must admit that we have realized definitely that the divine message from his holy lips is

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the congenial thing for suffering humanity. All of us should hear him patiently. If we listen to the transcendental sound without unnecessary opposition, he will surely have mercy upon us. The äcärya's message is to take us back to our original home, back to God. Let me repeat, therefore, that we should hear him patiently, follow him in the measure of our conviction, and bow down at his lotus feet for releasing us from our present causeless unwillingness for serving the Absolute and all souls.
From the Gétä we learn that even after the destruction of the body, the ätmä, or the soul, is not destroyed; he is always the same, always new and fresh. Fire cannot burn him, water cannot dissolve him, the air cannot dry him up, and the sword cannot kill him. He is everlasting and eternal, and this is also confirmed in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam [SB 10.84.13]:
yasyätma-buddhiù kuëape tri-dhätuke
sva-dhiù kalaträdiñu bhauma ijya-dhéù
yat-tértha-buddhiù salile na karhicij
janeñv abhijïeñu sa eva go-kharaù
"Anyone who accepts this bodily bag of three elements [bile, mucus, and air] as his self, who has an affinity for an intimate relationship with his wife and children, who considers his land as worshipable, who takes bath in the waters of the holy places of pilgrimage but never takes advantage of those persons who are in actual knowledge—he is no better than an ass or a cow."
Unfortunately, in these days we have all been turned foolish by neglecting our real comfort and identifying the material cage with ourselves. We have concentrated all our energies for the meaningless upkeep of the material cage for its own sake, completely neglecting the captive soul within. The cage is meant for the undoing of the bird; the bird is not meant for the welfare of the cage. Let us, therefore, deeply ponder this. All our activities are now turned toward the upkeep of the cage, and the most we do is try to give some food to the mind by art and literature. But we do not know that this mind is also material in a more subtle form. This is stated in the Gétä [Bg. 7.4]:
bhümir äpo `nalo väyuù khaà mano buddhir eva ca
ahaìkära itéyaà me bhinnä prakåtir añöadhä
"Earth, water, fire, air, sky, intelligence, mind, and ego are all My separated energies."
We have scarcely tried to give any food to the soul, which is distinct from the body and mind; therefore we are all committing suicide in the proper sense of the term. The message of the Äcäryadeva is to give us a warning to halt such wrong activities. Let us therefore bow down at his lotus feet for the unalloyed mercy and kindness he has bestowed upon us.
Gentlemen, do not for a moment think that my Gurudeva wants to put a complete brake on the modern civilization—an impossible feat. But let us learn from him the art of making the best use of a bad bargain, and let us understand the importance of this human life, which is fit for the highest development of true consciousness. The

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best use of this rare human life should not be neglected. As it is said in Çrémad-Bhägavatam [SB 11.9.29]:
labdhvä sudurlabham idaà bahu-sambhavänte
mänuñyam arthadam anityam apéha dhéraù
türëaà yateta na pated anumåtyu yävan
niùçreyasäya viñayaù khalu sarvataù syät
"Human life is obtained after many, many births, and though it is temporary, it offers the highest benefits. Thus a sober and intelligent man should immediately try to fulfill his mission and attain the highest profit in life before another death occurs. He should avoid sense gratification, which is available in all circumstances."
Let us not misuse this human life in the vain pursuit of material enjoyment, or, in other words, for the sake of only eating, sleeping, fearing, and sensuous activities. The Äcäryadeva's message is conveyed by the words of Çré Rüpa Gosvämé:
anäsaktasya viñayän yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe yuktaà vairägyam ucyate
präpaïcikatayä buddhyä hari-sambandhi-vastunaù
mumukñubhiù parityägo vairägyaà phalgu kathyate
"One is said to be situated in the fully renounced order of life if he lives in accordance with Kåñëa consciousness. He should be without attachment for sense gratification and should accept only what is necessary for the upkeep of the body. On the other hand, one who renounces things which could be used in the service of Kåñëa, under the pretext that such things are material, does not practice complete renunciation."
The purport of these çlokas can only be realized by fully developing the rational portion of our life, not the animal portion. Sitting at the feet of the Äcäryadeva, let us try to understand from this transcendental source of knowledge what we are, what is this universe, what is God, and what is our relationship with Him. The message of Lord Caitanya is the message for the living entities and the message of the living world. Lord Caitanya did not bother Himself for the upliftment of this dead world, which is suitably named Martyaloka, the world where everything is destined to die. He appeared before us four hundred fifty years ago to tell us something of the transcendental universe, where everything is permanent and everything is for the service of the Absolute. But recently Lord Caitanya has been misrepresented by some unscrupulous persons, and the highest philosophy of the Lord has been misinterpreted to be the cult of the lowest type of society. We are glad to announce tonight that our Äcäryadeva, with his unusual kindness, saved us from this horrible type of degradation, and therefore we bow down at his lotus feet with all humility.
Gentlemen, it has been a mania of the cultured (or uncultured) society of the present day to accredit the Personality of Godhead with merely impersonal features and to stultify Him by claiming that He has no senses, no form, no activity, no head, no legs, and no enjoyment. This has also been the pleasure of the modern scholars

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due to their sheer lack of proper guidance and true introspection in the spiritual realm. All these empiricists think alike: all the enjoyable things should be monopolized by the human society, or by a particular class only, and the impersonal God should be a mere order supplier for their whimsical feats. We are happy that we have been relieved of this horrible type of malady by the mercy of His Divine Grace Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Mahäräja. He is our eye-opener, our eternal father, our eternal preceptor, and our eternal guide. Let us therefore bow down at his lotus feet on this auspicious day.
Gentlemen, although we are like ignorant children in the knowledge of the Transcendence, still His Divine Grace, my Gurudeva, has kindled a small fire within us to dissipate the invincible darkness of empirical knowledge. We are now so much on the safe side that no amount of philosophical argument by the empiric schools of thought can deviate us an inch from the position of our eternal dependence on the lotus feet of His Divine Grace. Furthermore, we are prepared to challenge the most erudite scholars of the Mäyäväda school and prove that the personality of Godhead and His transcendental sports in Goloka alone constitute the sublime information of the Vedas. There are explicit indications of this in the Chändogya Upaniñad [8.13.1]: çyämäc chavalaà prapadye çavaläc chyämaà prapadye. "For receiving the mercy of Kåñëa, I surrender unto His energy [Rädhä], and for receiving the mercy of His energy, I surrender unto Kåñëa." Also, in the Åg Veda [1.2.22.20]: tad viñëoù paramaà padaà sadä paçyanti sürayo divéva cakñur ätataà . . . viñëor yat paramaà padam. "The lotus feet of Lord Viñëu are the supreme objective of all the demigods. These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky."
The plain truth so vividly explained in the Gétä, which is the central lesson of the Vedas, is not understood or even suspected by the most powerful scholars of the empiric schools. Herein lies the secret of Çré Vyäsa-püjä. When we meditate on the transcendental pastimes of the Absolute Godhead, we are proud to feel that we are His eternal servitors, and we become jubilant and dance with joy. All glory to my divine master, for it is he who has out of his unceasing flow of mercy stirred up within us such a movement of eternal existence. Let us bow down at his louts feet.
Gentlemen, had he not appeared before us to deliver us from the thralldom of this gross worldly delusion, surely we should have remained for lives and ages in the darkness of helpless captivity. Had he not appeared before us, we would not have been able to understand the eternal truth of the sublime teaching of Lord Caitanya. Had he not appeared before us, we could not have been able to know the significance of the first çloka of Brahma-saàhitä:
éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù
anädir ädir govindaù sarva-käraëa-käraëam [Bs. 5.1]
"Kåñëa, who is know as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all, He has no other origin, and He is the prime cause of all causes."

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Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.
ABHAY CHARAN DAS
For Members, Çré Gauòéya Maöha, Bombay

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A Real Disciple
"We have to render service to a guru and surrender ourselves. It is not that one should accept just any person as a guru. The guru must be the representative of Krishna; then one can surrender oneself. Surrender means that one will accept whatever the guru says. It is not that one thinks, I do not care for my guru's order. Still I am a disciple. That is not actually accepting a guru, ofcourse it has become a fashion to accept a guru in this way, but this will not help anyone.
There should be no instance in which the disciple or the son says This is not correct. I cannot carry it out. When he says that, he is fallen. The order of the spiritual master is the life and soul of the disciples.
This acceptance of the words of the spiritual master is called srauta-vakya, which indicates that the disciple must carry out the spiritual master's instructions without deviation. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur remarks in this connection that a disciple must accept the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul.
The disciple must stick to whatever the spiritual master orders. Simply by following on that line, one sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead instead of being eager to see the Lord in some bush in Vrindavan while at the same time engaging in sense gratification. If one instead sticks to the principle of following the words of the spiritual master, he will see the Supreme Lord without difficulty."

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Srila Gurudev: An Embodiment of Lord Caitanya's Mercy
His Holiness Navayogendra Swamiji Maharaj is one of the foremost disciples of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was born on 12th May 1946 on the very auspicious day of Rukmani Dwadashi in the holy town of Udhampur (J&K). He hails from a royal family of Raj Purohits (family Brahmin priests of the king of Kashmir). His father Pandit Harichandra ji and Smt. Durga Devi were both ardent devotees of the Lord Krishna.
Maharaj Ji is a naishtik brahmachari (celibate since birth). It is a common saying "Morning shows the day". Since his childhood His Holiness exhibited divine qualities of a saint and observed four regulative principles naturally. At the tender age of 9 years His Holiness after seeing a movie "Dhruva Maharaj" left his home and proceeded towards the jungles just to get darshan of the Lord Krishna in person. But after spending a day in a temple, on the advice of some sadhus he came back to his home. Again at the age of 17, he left his home and stayed for some time in the holy dham of Vrindavan in the association of many sadhus . Maharaj ji had to come back to Udhampur because his parents had located him in Sri Vrindaban Dham. His desire for Krishna Bhakti grew day by day along with his disinterest in the material life. After completing his graduation he could not keep himself any longer in a materal association and he left Udhampur.
He came to Delhi where one day in a marketplace he was quite impressed to see some foreign devotees distributing Krishna books. He followed them and reached the Hare Krishna temple at Palam. Next day by the divine arrangement of Krishna he left for Vrindaban and finally reached in the divine association of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
It was in the year 1974 when His Holiness got initiation from His Divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedana Swami Prabhupada, the founder acharya of great Iskcon and formally became his disciple. Seeing the dedication, sincerity, renounciation and pure devotion in him, Srila Prabhupada awarded him the renounced (Sannyas diksha) at the young age of 28.
After Sannyasa, Maharaj travelled and preached mostly in many African countries. For seven years he lived a hectic and austere life even refraining from sugar, salt and grains in his food. He twice got the wonderful opportunity to serve Srila Prabhupada as a personal servant.
Carrying out the orders of Srila Parabhupada with extreme vigour Maharaj is still preaching strongly all over the world till date. Maharaj Ji is expert in explaining Vedic Philosophy to the masses in Hindi, English, Urdu, Dogri, Punjabi, Gujrati, and few African languages too!. He preaches the teachings of Lord Chaitanya through

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simple discourses and melodies bhajans in the same way as the great vaishnavas like Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Srila Narrotama Das Thakur, Srila Lochana das Thakur did, which is easily understood and followed by common masses. His spiritual discourses and vibrant sankirtan enlivens the crowd to such an extent that they just can't stop themselves from dancing and singing. Maharaj Ji never believes in narrow communalism. Besides Srimad Bhagvad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam he also gives references from Sri Guru Granth Saheb, Holy Bible, Holy Koran etc. in his spiritual discourses. Maharaj ji believes in strong discipline. He gives utmost importance to cleanliness, purity, truthfulness and punctuality. This is evident from his extraordinary personal activities. He takes his meals only once in 24 hours. He gets up at 1:30 in the night for chanting. He has never been seen wearing any warm clothes and shoes apart from the usual three clothes and wooden slippers of a sannyasi even in chilly winters. He is very particular about the spiritual progress of each and every soul especially his disciples and personally sees to it the they are following strictly the four regulative principles (no tea- coffee- intoxication, no meat- onion - garlic eating, no illict -sex, no gambling, no mental speculation) and strongly advocates for getting up early in mangal arti.
For the sake of preaching, Maharaj Ji is always on the move, travelling most of the time. He has been visiting and preaching Krishna consciousness several times in most of the countries across the globe. He has preached about Srimad Bhagvad Gita to many leaders and presidents of various countries. He has also played an important role in temple construction (Chandigarh, Udhampur, Mombasa) setting up gurukuls, organizing rathyatras and inspiring thousands and thousands of people across the globe to surrender to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.
ALL GLORIES TO HIS HOLINESS
NAVAYOGENDRA SWAMIJI MAHARAJ