Krishna-ISKCON Namahatta in Turku

Today on the Bhadra Purnima, whoever gives away the Srimad Bhagavatam set, is receiving the boon of going back to Godhead, Goloka Vrindavana. We give them away for free. Please take it! But promise that you will read something every day! Here it is: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/

Bhadra Purnima, Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava, acceptance of Santana by Srila Prabhupada. These three sacred moments coincide on 26/09/2026, dates for Sri Mayapur Dharma

Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava, observed on the full moon day of Bhadrapada, commemorates the transcendental sannyasa ceremony of Sri Visvarupa, the elder brother of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and an incarnation of Maha-Sankarshana.

The festival is considered profoundly auspicious because it honors supreme detachment from material entanglement and coincides with Bhadra Purnima—a sacred date extolled in the Srimad-Bhagavatam for bestowing the highest spiritual destination upon those who gift the sacred text.

On this day you may gift Srimad Bhagavatam as a Vidya Dan. If that is not possible you can just read even a small passage from it. If you get an opportunity share your realizations with others.

Whatever you start on this day will have stronger impact on your life. Srila Prabhupada has taken sannyasa on this day.

Ref: HH Priti Vardhana Swami
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The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam distribution on Bhadra Pūrṇimā is a very special occasion. And on that day, if we receive the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or give it out, Lord Kṛṣṇa is especially pleased. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, that if on Bhadra Pūrṇimā day the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is donated, he will go to Goloka Vṛndāvana. So Devānanda Paṇḍita was a professional reciter of the Bhāgavatam. But he offended Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and he did not get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. But when he got the association of Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, he got the bhakti unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then Devānanda Paṇḍita asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu how should we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the very special śāstra, scripture. But we should explain Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in such a way that bhakti is prominent. No inauspiciousness can enter any home where Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is kept.

>>> Ref. His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 1 Aug 2021 in Śrī Māyāpur, India

Sri Vamana Dvadasi: the Appearance day of Lord Vamanadeva on 23/09/2026. (Fasting was done yesterday, today is feast). Today is also Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Appearance day. Dates for Sri Mayapur Dhama.

Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 8
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lord Vāmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation

This chapter describes how Lord Vāmanadeva appeared and how He went to the sacrificial arena of Mahārāja Bali, who received Him well and fulfilled His desire by offering Him benedictions.

Lord Vāmanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments. Lord Viṣṇu appeared at an auspicious moment on Śravaṇa-dvādaśī when the Abhijit star had arisen. At that time, in all the three worlds (including the higher planetary system, outer space and this earth), all the demigods, the cows, the brāhmaṇas and even the seasons were happy because of God’s appearance. Therefore this auspicious day is called Vijayā. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a sac-cid-ānanda body, appeared as the son of Kaśyapa and Aditi, both of His parents were very astonished. After His appearance, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf (Vāmana). All the great sages expressed their jubilation, and with Kaśyapa Muni before them they performed the birthday ceremony of Lord Vāmana. At the time of Lord Vāmanadeva’s sacred thread ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god, Bṛhaspati, the goddess presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His mother, Lord Brahmā, Kuvera, the seven ṛṣis and others. Lord Vāmanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the Narmadā River, at the field known as Bhṛgukaccha, where brāhmaṇas of the Bhṛgu dynasty were performing yajñas. Wearing a belt made of muñja straw, an upper garment of deerskin and a sacred thread and carrying in His hands a daṇḍa, an umbrella and a waterpot (kamaṇḍalu), Lord Vāmanadeva appeared in the sacrificial arena of Mahārāja Bali. Because of His transcendentally effulgent presence, all the priests were diminished in their prowess, and thus they all stood from their seats and offered prayers to Lord Vāmanadeva. Even Lord Śiva accepts on his head the Ganges water generated from the toe of Lord Vāmanadeva. Therefore, after washing the Lord’s feet, Bali Mahārāja immediately accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then Bali Mahārāja inquired of Lord Vāmanadeva’s welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire.

Text 1: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After Lord Brahmā had thus spoken, glorifying the Supreme Lord’s activities and prowess, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never subject to death like an ordinary living being, appeared from the womb of Aditi. His four hands were decorated with a conchshell, club, lotus and disc, He was dressed in yellow garments, and His eyes appeared like the petals of a blooming lotus.

Text 2: The body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, blackish in complexion, was free from all inebrieties. His lotus face, decorated with earrings resembling sharks, appeared very beautiful, and on His bosom was the mark of Śrīvatsa. He wore bangles on His wrists, armlets on His arms, a helmet on His head, a belt on His waist, a sacred thread across His chest, and ankle bells decorating His lotus feet.

Text 3: An uncommonly beautiful garland of flowers decorated His bosom, and because the flowers were extremely fragrant, a large group of bees, making their natural humming sounds, invaded them for honey. When the Lord appeared, wearing the Kaustubha gem on His neck, His effulgence vanquished the darkness in the home of the Prajāpati Kaśyapa.

Text 4: At that time, there was happiness in all directions, in the reservoirs of water like the rivers and oceans, and in the core of everyone’s heart. The various seasons displayed their respective qualities, and all living entities in the upper planetary system, in outer space and on the surface of the earth were jubilant. The demigods, the cows, the brāhmaṇas and the hills and mountains were all filled with joy.

Text 5: On the day of Śravaṇa-dvādaśī [the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhādra], when the moon came into the lunar mansion Śravaṇa, at the auspicious moment of Abhijit, the Lord appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord’s appearance very auspicious, all the stars and planets, from the sun to Saturn, were munificently charitable.

Text 6: O King, when the Lord appeared — on dvādaśī, the twelfth day of the moon — the sun was at the meridian, as every learned scholar knows. This dvādaśī is called Vijayā.

Text 7: Conchshells, kettledrums, drums, paṇavas and ānakas vibrated in concert. The sound of these and various other instruments was tumultuous.

Text 8: Being very pleased, the celestial dancing girls [Apsarās] danced in jubilation, the best of the Gandharvas sang songs, and the great sages, demigods, Manus, Pitās and fire-gods offered prayers to satisfy the Lord.

Texts 9-10: The Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Kimpuruṣas, Kinnaras, Cāraṇas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Suparṇas, the best of serpents, and the followers of the demigods all showered flowers on Aditi’s residence, covering the entire house, while glorifying and praising the Lord and dancing.

Text 11: When Aditi saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had appeared from her own womb, having accepted a transcendental body by His own spiritual potency, she was struck with wonder and was very happy. Upon seeing the child, Prajāpati Kaśyapa exclaimed, “Jaya! Jaya!” in great happiness and wonder.

Text 12: The Lord appeared in His original form, with ornaments and weapons in His hands. Although this ever-existing form is not visible in the material world, He nonetheless appeared in this form. Then, in the presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of Vāmana, a brāhmaṇa-dwarf, a brahmacārī, just like a theatrical actor.

Text 13: When the great sages saw the Lord as the brahmacārī-dwarf Vāmana, they were certainly very pleased. Thus they placed before them Kaśyapa Muni, the Prajāpati, and performed all the ritualistic ceremonies, such as the birthday ceremony.

Text 14: At the sacred thread ceremony of Vāmanadeva, the sun-god personally uttered the Gāyatrī mantra, Bṛhaspati offered the sacred thread, and Kaśyapa Muni offered a straw belt.

Text 15: Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the demigod of the moon, who is the king of the forest, gave Him a brahma-daṇḍa [the rod of a brahmacārī]. His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for underwear, and the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella.

Text 16: O King, Lord Brahmā offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead, the seven sages offered Him kuśa grass, and mother Sarasvatī gave Him a string of Rudrākṣa beads.

Text 17: When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother Bhagavatī, the wife of Lord Śiva and most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

Text 18: Having thus been welcomed by everyone, Lord Vāmanadeva, the best of the brahmacārīs, exhibited His Brahman effulgence. Thus He surpassed in beauty that entire assembly, which was filled with great saintly brāhmaṇas.

Text 19: After Lord Śrī Vāmanadeva set a sacrificial fire, He offered worship and performed a fire sacrifice on the sacrificial field.

Text 20: When the Lord heard that Bali Mahārāja was performing aśvamedha sacrifices under the patronage of brāhmaṇas belonging to the Bhṛgu dynasty, the Supreme Lord, who is full in every respect, proceeded there to show His mercy to Bali Mahārāja. By His weight, He pushed down the earth with every step.

Text 21: While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as Bhṛgukaccha, on the northern bank of the Narmadā River, the brahminical priests, the descendants of Bhṛgu, saw Vāmanadeva to be like the sun rising nearby.

Text 22: O King, because of Vāmanadeva’s bright effulgence, the priests, along with Bali Mahārāja and all the members of the assembly, were robbed of their splendor. Thus they began to ask one another whether the sun-god himself, Sanat-kumāra or the fire-god had personally come to see the sacrificial ceremony.

Text 23: While the priests of the Bhṛgu dynasty and their disciples talked and argued in various ways, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, holding in His hands the rod, the umbrella and a waterpot full of water, entered the arena of the aśvamedha sacrifice.

Texts 24-25: Appearing as a brāhmaṇa boy, wearing a belt of straw, a sacred thread, an upper garment of deerskin, and matted locks of hair, Lord Vāmanadeva entered the arena of sacrifice. His brilliant effulgence diminished the brilliance of all the priests and their disciples, who thus stood from their seats and welcomed the Lord properly by offering obeisances.

Text 26: Bali Mahārāja, jubilant at seeing Lord Vāmanadeva, whose beautiful limbs contributed equally to the beauty of His entire body, offered Him a seat with great satisfaction.

Text 27: Thus offering a proper reception to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always beautiful to the liberated souls, Bali Mahārāja worshiped Him by washing His lotus feet.

Text 28: Lord Śiva, the best of demigods, who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon, receives on his head with great devotion the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Viṣṇu. Being aware of religious principles, Bali Mahārāja knew this. Consequently, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord’s lotus feet.

Text 29: Bali Mahārāja then said to Lord Vāmanadeva: O brāhmaṇa, I offer You my hearty welcome and my respectful obeisances. Please let us know what we may do for You. We think of You as the personified austerity of the great brāhmaṇa-sages.

Text 30: O my Lord, because You have kindly arrived at our home, all my forefathers are satisfied, our family and entire dynasty have been sanctified, and the sacrifice we are performing is now complete because of Your presence.

Text 31: O son of a brāhmaṇa, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according to the injunction of the śāstra, and I have been freed from all the sinful reactions of my life by the water that has washed Your lotus feet. O my Lord, by the touch of Your small lotus feet the entire surface of the world has been sanctified.

Text 32: O son of a brāhmaṇa, it appears that You have come here to ask me for something. Therefore, whatever You want You may take from me. O best of those who are worshipable. You may take from me a cow, gold, a furnished house, palatable food and drink, the daughter of a brāhmaṇa for Your wife, prosperous villages, horses, elephants, chariots or whatever You desire.

Sub Radhastami to everyone 🙏🌹

Radhastami Special Class Speaker - HH Bhakti Vighna Vinasak Narsimha & HH Bhanu Swami Srimad Bhagavatam Radhastami Special Class Speaker - HH Bhakti Vigh...

Appearance Day of Śrī Tungavidyā Devī, one of the astha-sakhis. On 14/09/2026. Dates for Sri Mayapur Dhama

Tungavidyā is the fifth of the váriṣṭha gopīs. Her complexion is like kuṅkuma, and her bodily fragrance is like sandalwood mixed with camphor. She is fifteen days younger than Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, hot-tempered and expert at dissimulation, and wears white garments. Her parents are Puṣkara and Medhā-devī, and her husband is Bāliśa. One of the leaders of the gopīs, Tungavidyā is learned in the eighteen branches of knowledge, rasa-śāstra, nīti-śāstra, dancing, drama, literature, and all other arts and sciences. She is a celebrated music teacher, expert at playing the vīṇā and singing in the mārga style. She has full faith in Kṛṣṇa and is especially expert at arranging the meetings of the divine couple. Eight gopī messengers headed by Mañjumedhā-devī assist in arranging sandhi between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and Tungavidyā is their leader. These gopīs are expert dancers and musicians and are especially engaged in fetching water from the streams of Vṛndāvana. She appears in Gaura-līlā as the most revered Śrī Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and engages in glorifying Śrī Gaurāṅga.

Ekadasi fasting on Monday!

FASTING FOR ANNADA EKADASI
07/09/2026, dates for Sri Mayapur Dhama

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaja said, “Oh JanArdana, protector of allliving entities, please tell me the name of the Ekadasi that occursduring the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September).”

The Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna, then replied, “Oh King, hear meattentively. The name of this sin-removing, sacred Ekadasi is Aja. Any personwho fasts completely on this day and worships Hrishikesha, the master of thesenses, becomes free of all reactions to his sins. Even one who simplyhears about this Ekadasi is freed from his past sins. Oh King, there is nobetter day than this in all the earthly and heavenly worlds. This is truewithout a doubt.

“There once lived a famous king named Harishchandra, who was theemperor of the world and a person of great truth and integrity. His wife’sname was Chandramati, and he had a son named LohitAshva. By the force ofdestiny, however, Harishchandra lost his great kingdom and sold his wife andson. The pious king himself became a menial servant of a dog-eater, who madehim guard a crematorium. Yet even while doing such menial service, hedid not forsake his truthfulness and good character, just as soma-rasa,even when mixed with some other liquid, does not lose its ability tobestow immortality.

“The king passed many years in this condition. Then one day hesadly thought, ‘What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I be deliveredfrom this plight?’ In this way he drowned in an ocean of anxiety andsorrow.

“One day a great sage happened by, and when the king saw him hehappily thought, ‘Ah, Lord Brahma has created brahmins just to helpothers.’ Harishchandra paid his respectful obeisances to the sage, whosename was Gautama Muni. With joined palms the king stood before Gautama Muniand narrated his pitiful story. Gautama Muni was astonished to hear theking’s tale of woe. He thought, ‘How has this mighty king been reducedto collecting clothes from the dead?’ Gautama Muni became verymuch compassionate toward Harishchandra and instructed him on theprocess of fasting for purification.

“Gautama Muni said, ‘Oh king, during the dark fortnight of themonth of Bhadrapada there occurs an especially meritorious Ekadasi namedAjA (Annada),which removes all sins. Indeed, this Ekadasi is so auspicious that if you simply fast on that day and perform no other austerity,all your sins will be nullified. By your good fortune it is coming in justseven days. So I urge you to fast on this day and remain awake throughthe night. If you do so, all the reactions of your past sins will come to anend. Oh Harishchandra, I have come here because of your past pious deeds.Now, all good fortune to you in the future!’ So saying, the great sage SriGautama Muni immediately disappeared for their vision.

“King Harishchandra followed Gautama Muni’s instructions concerningfasting on the sacred day of AjA Ekadasi. Oh Maharaja Yudhisthira, becausethe king fasted on that day, the reactions to his previous sins werecompletely destroyed at once. Oh lion among kings, just see the influence ofthis Ekadasi fast! It immediately vanquishes whatever miseries one maybe suffering as a result of past karmik sinful activities.

Thus all Harishchandra’s miseries were relieved. Just by the powerof this wonderful Ekadasi, he was reunited with his wife and son, who haddied but were now revived. In the heavenly regions the devas (demigods)began beating on their celestial kettledrums and showering down flowers upon Harishchandra, his queen, and their son. By the blessings of the Ekadasi fast, he regained his kingdom without difficulty. Moreover, whenKing Harishchandra left the planet, his relatives and all his subjectstoo, went with him to the spiritual world.

“Oh Pandava, whoever fasts on Aja Ekadasi is surely freed from allhis sins and ascends to the spiritual world. And whosoever hears and studiesthe glories of this Ekadasi achieves the merit gained by performing ahorse sacrifice.”

We wish everyone an auspicious celebration of Lord Balarama Jayanti. Fasting is until noon today. Hare Krishna!

Sri Balaram Jayanti 28/08/2026
Dates for Sri Dhama Mayapur

Today marks the auspicious appearance of Lord Balaram. We honor it with a half day fast and followed by a nice vegetarian feast.

Lord Balarama is Krishna’s elder brother and His appearance day takes place on the full moon day (purnima), two weeks before Krishna Janmashtami. Krishna and Balarama were the darlings of Vrindavan/ Vraja. Together They would spend the day enjoying the company of the cowherd boys in the forests of Vraja. Their wonderful pastimes are related in the tenth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which Srila Prabhupada also translated as The Krishna Book. Lord Balarama is also considered the original spiritual master and His worship is therefore most important for Vaishnavas.

Balarāma means guru-tattva. Balarāma represents guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu, if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then we must take shelter of Balarāma. Nāyam ātmā bala-hinena labhyaḥ. This bala-hinena labhyaḥ, this Vedic injunction, means “Without the mercy of Balarāma you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification. So that Balarāma comes as Nityānanda Prabhu. Balarāma hailā nitāi. Therefore we must take shelter of Balarāma.

Lecture given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Nityānanda Prabhu’s Āvirbhāva Appearance Day
Bhuvaneśvara, February 2, 1977

Prabhupāda: So today, the appearance day of Nityānanda Prabhu… Nityānanda Prabhu is Baladeva, Baladeva-tattva.

vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta haila sei,
balarāma haila nitāi

“Who was formerly the son of Nanda Mahārāja, He has appeared as the son of Śacīdevi.” Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mother’s name was Śacīdevi. So Kṛṣṇa… Kṛṣṇa is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Balarāma is Nityānanda Prabhu. Now…

vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta haila sei,
balarāma haila nitāi

So Balarāma… In the Vedic literature it is said, nāyam ātmā bala-hinena labhyaḥ; na bahunā śrutena. So bala means strength. Sometimes some rascal philosophers, they take it that bala means bodily strength. They propagate this philosophy that “Unless you are bodily stout and strong, you cannot achieve spiritual salvation. You must be very strong and stout and eat meat and fight, and then you’ll get next spiritual birth” No. This bala, this strength, is different. This is spiritual strength.

The difficulty of the present situation is that actually we are moving on account of spiritual strength, but they have no information of the spiritual strength. They are thinking of material strength. That is expressed here, that

ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā,
asatyere satya kori māni

This is due to ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. Those who are vimūḍha, especially rascal… Mūḍha, rascals, and vi means viśeṣa, viśeṣanam, particularly. Ahankara-vimudhātmā. The same thing which is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says the same thing in a plain Bengali language. Ahaṅkāre matta haiyā, nitāi-pada… By the spell of māyā-ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]— they are thinking that “We are independent. We can do whatever we like.” This is called ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Under false pretext, false prestige, everyone is thinking that “We are independent. We can find out the solution of the problems of life by material adjustment,” so on, so on. So that is our material disease. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Bewildered, they do not understand that the real strength is spiritual strength. We see daily, see daily that a very strong man, very powerful man, very good brain, very good scientist… So where is the strength? The strength is ātmā. As soon as the ātmā, or the soul, goes out of this body, so intelligent, so strong, and so many things, that is nothing. That is the difference between dead man and the living man. A living man is very powerful, very good position, everything. As soon as he lies down, he is lying down on the floor, and if you kick him on his face, he’ll not protest. So where is that strength? The strength is gone. That is spiritual strength. On the spiritual strength, the body moves. Suppose you have got a very good car, Mercedes car or Rolls Royce car. But when there is no petrol, how the car will move? It is not possible. There is spirit, petrol spirit. Similarly, real strength is spiritual strength. That spiritual strength is Balarāma. Bala means strength. Therefore we have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarāma, guru-tattva.

Balarāma means guru-tattva. Balarāma represents guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu, if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then we must take shelter of Balarāma. Nāyam ātmā bala-hinena labhyaḥ. This bala-hinena labhyaḥ, this Vedic injunction, means “Without the mercy of Balarāma you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification. So that Balarāma comes as Nityānanda Prabhu. Balarāma hailā nitāi. Therefore we must take shelter of Balarāma. That is… This song has been sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala. If we take shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu, then we get peace. Koṭi-candra-suśītala. Just like in daytime, especially in the summer season, we become very much exasperated. But at night, in the evening, as soon as there is moonshine, we become very much satisfied. All day’s labor and fatigue is immediately moved. So nitāi-pada-kamala, the shade of Nityānanda Prabhu’s lotus feet, is koṭi-candra-suśītala, as pleasing as one crore of moonshine. One moonshine gives us so much pleasure. So if we want actually peace of mind, if we actually want to be free from this material fatiguement, then we must take the shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu is the strength, spiritual strength. And without spiritual strength you cannot approach Kṛṣṇa. Nāyam ātmā pravaca… Simply by talking nonsense… Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ. If you are a good speaker, that does not mean you’ll understand, yourself. Na medhayā: “Neither by good brain.” Because you have got very good brain you’ll understand Kṛṣṇa—no. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. If you think that you are a very good scholar, university degree-holder, then you’ll understand—no. This is not possible.

So we must have spiritual strength. That source of spiritual strength is Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa’s next manifestation, prakāśa-vigraha. Kṛṣṇa is manifesting Himself through Balarāma. So we have to take shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu.

nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala,
je chāyāy jagata jurāy

The whole world is suffering, but if you want peace, then you take the shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu.

heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi
dhṛdha kori’ dharo nitāir pāy

Our real aim of life—how to go back home back to Godhead and associate with Rādhā Kṛṣṇa. In another song the same author says,

manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā,
jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu

Unless you come to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, you cannot get real pleasure. If you want to dance and get pleasure, don’t dance independently. Dance with Kṛṣṇa. Then you’ll be happy. The dancing is there, but dancing without association of Kṛṣṇa… Just like here, in our temple, we are also eating, but we are eating the remnants of foodstuff left by Kṛṣṇa. That is real pleasure. It is not that we are stopping eating. We are not stopping eating. We are not dry philosophers. Kṛṣṇa baro doyāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay, swa-prasād-anna dilo bhāi. All over the world we are eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam, and we have got good experience. At least ten thousand men and women, they are taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam, but we have no anxiety. We have no anxiety. A family consists of a few members. They are full of anxiety how to maintain the family. And we are maintaining a family of ten thousand men. We have no anxiety. Just see practically. We have no anxiety. We require thousands and thousands of rupees for maintaining Europe, America, a costly affair. But because we are under the shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu, Balarāma, we have no anxiety. That means material life means anxiety. You cannot avoid anxiety if you lead a material life. Then you will be anxious.

That is Prahlāda Mahārāja’s instruction. He was asked by his father, “My dear son, what you have learned, the best thing from your teachers?” So he replied, “My dear father…” He never said, “My dear father”; He said, “My dear best of the asuras.” Asura-varya. Tat sādhu manye ‘sura-varya dehinām. Tat sādhu manye ‘sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5]. The whole human society is suffering, at least suffering from one disease—anxiety. Ask anybody. Take one small ant and take the big elephant; take the President of United States or take one street beggar. Ask him, “Whether you are free from anxiety?” Nobody will say, “No.” “I am full of anxiety.” That’s a fact. So why they are anxiety, in, full of anxiety? That Prahlāda Mahārāja had replied, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Because we have taken asad-vastu, that will not exist… Everything, whatever you have got… Our, this body will not exist. And this is the main platform of our existence. In the material world, so long the body is there, you exist. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that “Real solution of problems of life is to get out of this material condition. That is best thing in my opinion.” Sada samadvigna-dhiyām asad… That is Vedic injunction also. Asato mā sad gamaya: “Don’t live in this asat, in this material condition.” Sad gamaya: “Go to real existence.” That real existence means spiritual life. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. So if we actually want life, blissful life, then we must get out of this material existence. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja’s instruction. Samudvigna-dhiyām. And if you remain in the material existence, you must suffer some anxiety. There is no excuse.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja advises that hitvātma-ghātam gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanam gato yad dharim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. If you… Real problem is anxiety. And this anxiety will continue so long you are material existent. Therefore the real life is to get out of this material… Hitvātma-ghātam. Ātma-ghāṭam. Ātma-ghātam means killing the soul. This material civilization is killing the soul. That… They have no information of the soul. They do not know how to become peaceful, how to become blissful. They are trying to be peaceful, bahir-artha-māninaḥ, by external material energy. They are thinking by constructing big, big buildings, just like in Bhuvaneśvara they are doing, and having good, very big, big roads and motorcars, that is advancement of civilization. No. That is not advancement of civili… That is increasing their anxiety. There is no solution of the anxiety. There is… Formerly that… I was speaking. There was no university. The university was in the cottage-Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva was writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and all the Purāṇas in a cottage. The university was there. Who can produce such literature as Vyāsadeva has given? From any angle of vision, from literary point of view, from philosophical point of view—everything, so perfect, every literature, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and Vedānta. Veda-vyāsa, he has given. So there was no need of university. It required clear brain. That was to be done by the brahminical qualifications, śamo damo titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva… Where is that education? This education, technical education, how you can very nicely hammer, this will not solve the problem. So if we want real solution of the problems, then our duty is first of all to take the shelter of nitāi-pada-kamala. Then we’ll be happy, and we’ll get moonshine, and our all fatigueness will be subsided.

Sambandha nāhi jār, bṛthā janma gelo tār. So if you have no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu… Nityānanda means always. Nitya means always, ānanda means pleasure. This is another meaning you can draw. So therefore, if you have no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu… Se tār: “He’s simply wasting time.” Bṛthā means useless. Uselessly, he’s wasting time. Se paśu boro durācār. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has used very strong word. “Anyone who has no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu, he’s a paśu.” Sei paśu. He’s a paśu, means animal. So animal, how one animal can get happiness? That is not possible. The dog, from the childhood he’s searching after food, searching after food. And cannot get food. Unless a dog has got a master, he’s street dog and he’s always unhappy. So better to become a dog of Nityānanda Prabhu. Then we shall be happy. Instead of becoming dog of so many other people… Everyone is dog. Everyone is searching after to serve a master. But none of them are satisfied because that is false master. You take real master, Nityānanda Prabhu. You’ll be happy. Se paśu boro durācār. He does not know where is happiness. Where I shall become a dog? That…
Our Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he has sung therefore,

vaisnava ṭhākur, tomāra kukkur,
boliya janaha more

“My dear Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly accept me as your dog, as your dog. I am dog already, but I am māyā’s dog. I’m not Vaiṣṇava’s dog. So kindly accept me.” If you become a Vaiṣṇava’s dog… Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā, nistār pāiche kebā. If you do not become a dog of Vaiṣṇava and Nityānanda Prabhu… Nityānanda is guru. So if you do not become a dog of Nityānanda Prabhu, Vaiṣṇava, or guru, there is no question of happiness. Se sambandha nāhi yār, bṛthā janma gelo… se paśu boro durācār. Nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilā saṁsāra-sukhe. He who has no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu, and he does not say, “Jaya Nitāi! Jaya Gaura!” And majilo saṁsāra-sukhe, he thinks that this society, family, and… “Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man.” These materialist persons, they say like that. That is called majilo saṁsāra sukhe. In saṁsāra there cannot be any sukha, but he’s attracted by that. Majilo saṁsāra sukhe. Vidyā-kule ki koribe tār. What we’ll do with university education or born in big family or… This will not help. This is not possible. Vidyā-kule ki karibe tār. Why they’re accepting this false? Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kori māni. On account of being misled by false prestige and false egotism, asatyere satya kori māni, we are accepting this body which is asat, which will not exist. That we have taken as reality. Ahaṅkare matta hoiya, nitāi pada pasariya. But if we take shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu, then you get the enlightenment. Asatyere satya kori māni. Nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pabe, dharo nitāi-caraṇa du’khāni.

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises that… Today is Nityānanda Prabhu’s āvirbhāva appearance day. Let us at least remember today nitāi-pada-kamala. That is wanted. Nitāi caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya. The reality is nitāi-caraṇa, and anyone who is servant of Nitāi… So nitāiyer caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya. One who has become the dog of Nityānanda Prabhu, he gets his eternal life. We are eternal, but under misconception of material identification, we are under the subjugation of māyā. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg. 8.19]. Tathā dehāntara… [Bg. 2.13] It is very botheration, but they do not know. I am going from one body to another transmigration. And that is not guaranteed, what kind of body. They have no science, no knowledge about understanding tathā dehāntara, the very first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. They are so rascals, and they are proud of their education, their universities. This is going on.

Nitāi caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka…, nitāi-pada sadā koro āśā. Therefore we should always expect to be under the shelter of nitāi-pada-kamala. Narottama boro duḥkhī. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he’s ācārya. He is presenting himself… That is ācārya. Means he is not duḥkhī, but he’s presenting himself as duḥkhī. That is ācārya. Ācāryas, they are never duḥkhī. But taking the common man’s position, he says, narottama boro duḥkhī. Or, in other words, Narottama… Narottama means the best of the human being. So here in this material world one may be the best of the human being, very exalted position, but everyone is duḥkī, unhappy. Narottama boro duḥkī, nitāi more koro sukhī: “Only Nityānanda can make me happy. Otherwise not possible.” Rakho raṅga-caraṇera pāśa. So today is Nityānanda Prabhu’s appearance day. We shall always pray Nityānanda Prabhu, “Kindly keep me under your shelter so that… I am very duḥkī; I am very unhappy. Under the shelter of Your lotus feet I shall be happy.” And that is real happiness. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! (end) (this lecture followed by Bengali speech of Nityānanda Kanurgo, former chief minister of Gujarat)