SRILA BV NARAYANA MAHARAJA'S VISIT TO MALAYASIA 
		          2-11 December 1998
           		         (by Sridam Sakha dasa)

	Srila Gurudeva arrived in Malaysia from Singapore on 
2nd December at about 8:00 a.m. at the Kuala Lumpur airport. From 
there he was taken to the house where he would be staying, that of 
Bala Singam prabhu and Jagjeet didi, a young Indian couple with whom 
he had stayed at the beginning of the year. The majority of the 
touring party had traveled overnight on a sleeper train, and we 
arrived at 6:30 am. A large unoccupied house had kindly been 
provided as accommodation for us by our hosts, to which we all 
traveled by taxi. That day Srila Gurudeva was tired from traveling, 
so there was no class given.

	Early the next morning, Bala Singam prabhu took Srila 
Gurudeva and a couple of other devotees to a beautiful ornamental 
Chinese park for his morning walk. The park consists of a large lake 
with a path all around it, which Srila Gurudeva and his party walked 
around twice. Most of the path is smooth, but one section of it is 
set with smooth cobble stones, for the benefit of those who wish to 
massage the soles of their feet, as per the Chinese science of 
reflexology. As Srila Gurudeva and party approached this section of 
the path, in a serious way Srila Gurudeva took off his shoes and 
slowly and meditatively walked the full length, after which he 
replaced his shoes again, carried for him all the while by Brajanath 
prabhu. The devotees were all fascinated to see that as they walked 
on the path which runs close to the edge of the lake that a large 
school of fish were following them all the way around.

	Having circumambulated the lake twice, Srila Gurudeva and 
the devotees took another path towards a pavilion, in which Srila 
Gurudeva sat down on a bench, while the devotees sat on the floor. 
Srila Gurudeva then asked why it was necessary to have a guru. Prema 
Prayojana prabhu answered that Sri Guru gives sambandha-jnana to his 
disciple. Without a guru one may chant harinama for many life times, 
but by this alone his anarthas will not go away unless he chants 
according to his particular relationship with Krsna. Srila Gurudeva 
then asked whether a diksa guru was absolutely necessary. In the 
following discussion he asked the question that if diksa is 
necessary, then who was the diksa guru of Haridasa Thakura? Brajanath 
prabhu remarked that it was not known. Srila Gurudeva then pointed 
out that we also do not know who were the diksa gurus of Raya 
Ramananda, Svarupa Damodara, Srila Rupa Gosvami or Srila Sanatana 
Gosvami. They were all in bhagavat-parampara. But if an ordinary 
person does not receive diksa, but only harinama, then it will take 
many, many life times for him to get sambandha-jnana. Therefore the 
conclusion is that one must accept diksa from a bonafide guru.

	Later on that morning, Srila Gurudeva came out from his room 
and talked for some time in Hindi to one Indian lady, while a small 
group of devotees gathered. Then he called on Prema Prayojana prabhu 
to translate what he had just said for the benefit of everyone else. 
Before he started to translate, Prema Prayojana prabhu first joined 
his hands together in prayerful attitude and began reciting the 
prayer: "om ajnana timirandhasya, jnananjana salakaya..." However, 
he had got no further than this when Srila Gurudeva suddenly 
interrupted saying:

	"Ah-ray no! I am here now! If I am ordering you then to who 
are you doing?" When Prema Prayojana prabhu began to apologetically 
explain that his prayer was intended as a direct offering to Srila 
Gurudeva, then Srila Gurudeva replied laughingly, saying: "But your 
mood is that you are doing to another," pointing his finger out of 
the window. He then folded his hands and closed his eyes in 
imitation of Prema Prayojana prabhu. After our laughter had 
subsided, Prema Prayojana prabhu began to translate without further 
ado.

	Unless one receives sambandha-jnana from a guru one's mind 
will be restless. One will do a fabulous puja of Krsna on one day, 
but on the next day he will do it to Ganesh instead, and on the day 
after to someone else. When a girl marries, then she fixes her mind 
completely on her husband. She knows that any other relationship is 
illegal. She will cook for him, care for him. So at the time of 
diksa, the same thing. A relationship with Krsna becomes established, 
and one's mind is fixed on Him alone. A father will spend so much 
money on his daughter, he will even sell his home and possessions to 
help her if necessary. Yet if he sees another girl even more 
beautiful and qualified than his own daughter, he will not give her 
even a penny. Why? Because there is no sambandha, or relationship 
between them. Without guru one will not become free from one's 
anarthas, so diksa is most essential. In ISKCON they call diksa 
"brahmana initiation," but brahmana initiation is so much lower. 
Brahmana initiation is not vaisnava diksa.

	If a dog is moving here and there, barking, and he has no 
master then any one can beat him, or he may be shot by a government 
person. But if he has been given a collar then no-one can attack 
him, or if he is with his master, then his master will give him 
protection. So if you have taken diksa, one-pointed to Krsna, and if 
your guru is bonafide and doing bhajana, then Krsna is bound to 
accept you, otherwise not. When we wear the kanthi-mala (neck beads) 
which guru has given us, then that is like a collar, showing that 
we have become Krsna's dog. The Yamadutas will fear to come and take 
us at the time of death, because Yamaraja has ordered them to keep 
far away from any Vaisnava who is wearing kanthi-mala.

	That evening, Srila Gurudeva spoke about how the 
Srimad-Bhagavatam was manifested in this world. Pariksit Maharaja 
was once in the forest, and he became very thirsty. Since he was 
close to the asrama of Samika Rsi, he decided to go there to ask for 
water. However, at this time, the sage was absorbed in meditation, 
and unconscious of the external world. Therefore, when the king 
requested him for water, the sage did not hear him. Pariksit 
Maharaja thought "Sadhus should be humble and merciful, but I am 
king, and he is ignoring me."

	Pariksit Maharaja is so exalted. He had played in Krsna's 
lap, he was so learned, and could not be touched by maya. But 
because yogamaya wanted Srimad-Bhagavatam to be spoken, she arranged 
for him to become angry like this. By Krsna's will it happened.

	Pariksit Maharaja thought: "I want to teach him a good 
lesson, but I cannot beat or abuse him, he is a brahmana." Then, 
seeing a dead snake which was lying nearby, he picked it up and 
wrapped it three times around the neck of the sage like a garland. 
He then left the asrama of Samika Rsi, and, on the way back he 
wondered whether the sage had really been ignoring him. If not, he 
thought, then I've made an aparadha against him, and, by his curse 
I may be destroyed. As he drew nearer to his kingdom on his way 
back, two students approached him, offered their pranams and then 
told him what had happened after he had left the asrama of 
Samika Rsi. The rsi's five year old son had been playing outside 
with his friends, naked, but when he saw his father with the snake 
garland he became furious. Taking water from the Ganga he sprinkled 
it, saying that whoever had done this would die from a snake bite in 
seven days. But when he had made this terrible curse, he became 
filled with remorse, and then ran weeping into his father's lap. 
Being brought back to external consciousness, Samika Rsi could 
immediately understand all that had passed. He could understand past 
present and future.

	Also anyone who does bhajana can know this - you can also 
know. All acaryas are qualified with knowledge just like Krsna, and 
whatever they say will come to pass.

	Then he rebuked his son. "You are very ignorant, and 
Pariksit Maharaja is so learned and advanced. If he dies then the 
whole world will be thrown into chaos and ruined. Brahmanas should 
be very tolerant and forgiving, brahmacaris especially, so why did 
you become angry?" But, seeing by his transcendental vision how 
Srimad Bhagavatam would now be spoken as a result, he became silent. 
Calling two of his students he ordered them to go and tell 
Pariksit Maharaja everything.

After Pariksit Maharaja had heard from them he rejoiced, thinking: 
"Now I have a reason to leave behind all material responsibilities 
and go to practice bhakti-yoga in a nirjana (secluded) place. This 
opportunity has come, it must be Krsna himself, so now I must go 
and hear very sweet and wonderful krsna-lila." Leaving behind his 
royal dress, his crown and bow and arrows, and wearing only a 
dhoti he left for the bank of the Ganga. In the meantime, all the 
great rsis, maharsis, yogis, tapasvis and vaisnavas also came there. 
Narada, Vyasa, Parasara, Parasurama, Atri, Bhrgu, Vasistha, 
Visvamitra, Angira, Gautama, Pippalada, Maitreya and so many 
others. At that time there was no computer system, microphone, 
internet, or anything else so how did they know? That is very 
difficult to understand. Kasyapa Muni came from the Caspian sea, 
Mangala Rsi came from Mongolia, so many, about 80,000 in a moment, 
we cannot imagine. Pariksit Maharaja asked them for their advice. 
One sage told him that he should give charity to brahmanas, another 
said that the best thing to do would be to perform austerities while 
another told him to worship the Ganges. All of them were talking 
amongst themselves, but when Sukadeva Gosvami came there, they all 
offered their respects to him. Pariksit Maharaja welcomed him, and 
then gave him an elevated seat. Not like this (Srila Gurudeva then 
indicated the grand vyasasana he had been given) but some simple 
seat situated on higher ground. Nowadays this (touching his seat) 
is called vyasasana, but really vyasasana means the seat of one in 
whom all qualities of Vyasa can be found, who can explain all 
tattvas. A person of bad character, who is attached to wine, women and
wealth, who is ignorant of tattvas, wearing big tilaka and 
kanthi-mala, with very brilliant saffron cloth can sit on a golden 
throne, but this is not vyasasana. This is an offence to Vyasa. 
Vyasasana means the quality of Vaisnavas, realized souls, who 
express Krsna's glories everywhere. I did not want this (indicating 
vyasasana). We see that one who takes the post of guru goes down in 
two days, with his head down and feet up, and no one can save him. 
But a real guru will never fall down.

	So the first question Pariksit Maharaja asked to Sukadeva 
was what he should hear and chant, and what he should remember. So 
if a person is going to die, with no time left then he should chant 
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama 
Rama Rama Hare Hare. But if there is not even time for this then the 
name of Krsna will do. But there may also be some difficulty, 
Krsna's name is also a little crooked, like Him, so if you cannot 
say it then even Rama or Radhe will do. Radha is more superior. 
Yamadutas will not come for a person who chants the name of Krsna at 
the time of death. It is said:

                   te deva-siddha-parigita-pavitra-gatha
                  ye sadhavah samadrso bhagavat-prapannah
                    tan nopasidata harer gadayabhiguptan
                 naisam vayam na ca vayah prabhavama dande

	[My dear servants, please do not approach such devotees, for 
they have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Supreme 
Personality of Godhead. They are equal to everyone, and their 
narrations are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of 
Siddhaloka. Please do not even go near them. They are always 
protected by the club of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and 
therefore Lord Brahma and I and even the time factor are not 
competent to chastise them. (SB 6.3.34)]

	But it is better if you can hear the beautiful pastimes of 
Krsna, there will be more effect. You will be able to go to Goloka. 
By chanting even one name of Krsna you will get a better chance in 
your next life, Krsna will arrange for a bonafide guru and 
sadhu-sanga. You will be able to progress through all the stages, 
first sraddha, sadhu-sanga, bhajana kriya, anartha nivrtti up to 
nistha, ruci, asakti, bhava and then prema. Like Ajamila, he chanted 
the name of Narayana and he got sadhu-sanga.

	The next day Srila Gurudeva was invited to a lunch program 
at the house of a young Indian lady called Ranjana. During his class 
he told the story of how Rukmini was married to Krsna. Simply by 
hearing about the qualities of Krsna from Narada Muni, she 
completely gave her heart to the Lord. However, she did not disclose 
this to anyone, and by the time she reached the age of 16 her 
demonic brother Rukmi had decided that she should marry his friend
Sisupala. Rukmini was in great anxiety about this. She had already 
made her marriage, by giving her heart - this is real marriage. If 
parents force a girl to marry a boy against her will, then it is not 
real marriage. But if the girl is attracted to the qualities of a 
boy, then it is real marriage. Sita's marriage to Ramacandra, and 
Draupadi's to Arjuna are examples of this. And also Sanyukta to 
Prthviraja. Her father wanted her to marry another, but she jumped 
on the horse of Prthviraja and together they fled. So Rukmini was 
thinking, if I cannot marry Krsna, I will lose my life. The next day 
the marriage was to take place. So she wrote a letter to Krsna and
gave it to a brahmana boy to deliver. In her letter she told Krsna 
that if he would not come to save her, then only her body would 
remain, its spirit would be gone. She had given her heart to a lion, 
and could not give it to a jackal. Unable to sleep, she bathed 
herself all night in her own tears. 

	When an Indian lady has given heart once she cannot do it 
again. Just like the daughter of Sukracarya, Devayani. She was 
rescued from a well by King Yayati, and simply because she had put 
her hand in his as he pulled her out, she considered that she must 
now marry him. 

	Just before it was time for the wedding between Rukminidevi 
and Sisupala, Krsna suddenly appeared riding on His chariot, like a 
thunderbolt from the sky, and Rukmini immediately jumped on. She 
then took the reins of the chariot herself, being so expert in all 
ksatriya skills. She could have fended off all the soldiers herself, 
but Krsna did it while she was driving.

	So without krsna-bhakti we cannot be strong. We will be 
bound to change, divorce. So Indian ladies should have marriage, and 
together with husband they should worship Krsna.

	There was a brahmana, a realized soul. His name was 
Yajnavalkya, he was the guru of Janaka Maharaja. After his age had 
crossed 50 or 60, he wanted to go and meditate on Krsna in the 
forest. He had two wives, so he spoke at first to the senior one, 
Katyayani. He told her that he had given her so many children, lakhs 
of cows, so much wealth, buildings, gardens, everything that a 
person could want, and that now he wanted to leave home for the 
forest. She replied that he could go, saying that she was satisfied. 
Then Yajnavalkya went to his second wife, Maitreyi, and repeated the 
same request to her as well. 

	If any person wishes to leave family life like this for 
sannyasa, then he must get permission from his wife. This is 
necessary. But if a person is free from attachment, then he can 
leave, no need to take permission.

	So Maitreyi replied to him that: "I know that you've given 
me so much, but why are you leaving all this behind? By all these 
things can a person be truly happy in this world or not? If it has 
made you happy, then why are you giving it up? Will I be happy?" 
When Yajnavalkya heard this he became so pleased. He embraced 
Maitreyi, saying "O, you are really my wife, you are the other half 
of my body. None of these material things can make you happy. To 
find true happiness one has to realize that one is the eternal 
servant of Krsna. If one meditates on this in one's life, then, when 
one becomes mature, at the time of leaving one's body, the soul will 
become successful. By being attached to the lotus feet of Krsna, and 
receiving His mercy, you can become detached from the world, you 
will become happy, and you will not have to take birth again."

end

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