Disappearance Day of Acarya Kesari

Hari-katha inspired by the Guru-varga Today is the disappearance day of nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada Paramradhyatam Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. I met Srila Gurudeva for the first time at Devananda Gaudiya Math on this occasion in 1968. Many people were invited to attend the separation day. I met our Guru-varga at this viraha tithi for the first time. People from many different Gaudiya Maths were invited. I came there in 1968; I was twelve or thirteen. I saw how much love these sadhus had for their Gurudeva. They had renounced everything, but they did not renounce their Gurudeva and the Vaisnavas. In that viraha-sabha, many acaryas were present like Pujyapada Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja, Pujyapada Bhakti Bhudeva Srauti Maharaja, Pujyapada Hrisikesa Maharaja, Pujyapada Janardhana Maharaja, and many other disciples of Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura. They had heartfelt love and respect for their god-brother. Everyone had heartfelt love and deep respect for Param Gurudeva during the time of Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura; their love for Param Gurudeva was undisturbed even after Prabhupada’s disappearance. We cannot define or understand such love. This is called a relationship. Their hearts are not hard as rocks. What do they do for their guru-varga? Each acarya would offer puspanjali to Param Gurudeva and bitterly weep in separation. Some were elder and senior, but all of their hearts melted in separation from Param Gurudeva, and when they offered puspanjali, they showered everyone with the nectar of their separation-filled harikatha. They wept incessantly as they spoke. Thousands of disciples were there. The temple did not have any towers. There was only the ground floor, and the temple hall was small. There were not so many rooms. Everyone sat outside, like during Navadvipa Parikrama, or Vraja Mandala Parikrama. Everyone was there for the start of kartika-vrata. We heard how Param Gurudeva was so close to Nayana Manjari, who had appeared as Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa in this world. He was very close to Her in the spiritual world in his form as Vinoda Manjari. His service to his guru manifested in this world also. Through his immaculate service, he distributed the glories of Prabhupada, Nayana Mani Manjari to the conditioned souls. Prabhupada gave him the name, “Vinoda-bihari.” He had a brother named Pramoda-bihari who later became Bhakti Kevala Audulomi Maharaja. Prabhupada said, “Unless someone meets with Vinoda, one cannot understand bhakti, bhajana, and Bhagavan. They will never realize eternal happiness. Whoever remembers Vinoda, and makes a relationship with him can understand me. And they will never have any problem in life.” Prabhupada would look to see who respected Vinoda. Ordinary people complained against Param Gurudeva to Prabhupada. They said, “He wears a Santipura dhoti and turban, and rides on a big horse, and he spends so much money. He does not wear tilaka, and he never has his mala or does bhajana. He leaves in the morning and returns at night. He does not follow any rules and regulations of bhakti.” Prabhupada replied, “A person who follows all good etiquette but has no love only performs karma. This is external.”

People come to perform their duty, but they have no love. After they finish their duty, they return to their loved ones. Another person does not follow the rules and regulation externally, but he has love in his heart, and he has a heart to heart relation and connection with his spiritual master; this love is spotless and unbreakable.

Relationships are comprised of love. For instance, a servant in a palace works from morning to evening, while the prince does not do anything. If the servant has a little fault, he gets suspended or punished. The king’s son may break all regulations and may destroy many things in the palace, but the king has a love for his son and does not punish him; he overlooks his faults.

ananya-mamata vishnau mamata prema-sangata bhaktir ity ucyate bhishma- prahladoddhava-naradaih

Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 23.8

One-pointed mamata, or possessive affection, is the binding force of prema, and is what is known as bhakti, as described by Sri Bhisma, Prahlada, and Narada. How can this love and affection come to us? Unless we have love for Guru and Vaisnavas, whatever we do is artificial. You can perform subha karma or sukrti sometimes, but you will not attain pure love. Prabhupada said, “Vinoda is busy from morning to evening, and whatever he desires for Mahaprabhu’s service manifests in this world. Whatever he needs appears. If he needs to print books, then wealth comes. He has a love for me, and for my service. He is engaged in many services from morning to evening. He always remembers me. Then, how can I forget him? If he is always with me, how is it possible that he is devoid of good qualities? Someone who does not respect him also does not respect me, and they do not have a love for God. If they have a love for God, they will understand who the Vaisnavas are, and if they have a love for the Vaisnavas, they will understand God.” Some people sometimes complained, “Vinoda meets with ordinary people, like the police or gundas.” Once, a lawyer came to Mayapura, and after Gaura Arati, he saw Vinoda Bihari sitting on a chair. His feet were on a table, and he shook his feet while being absorbed in deep thought. His head leaned back, and his eyes were closed. Many sannyasis came and offered him pranama after Gaura Arati. They folded their hands and left. The lawyer went to Prabhupada, and said, “In Vaisnavism, if someone offers pranama, the others should also offer pranama in return. You offer your pranama to everyone, even to your followers. You offer pranama to people before they offer pranama to you. But, there was this person wearing a white cloth sitting on a chair while placing his legs on a table. He does not return respect to anyone. Is this person a Vaisnava?” Prabhupada did not respond. He told others to bring this person. When Vinoda came, Prabhupada said, “O Vinoda, do you know that Gaura Arati has passed?” “No, Prabhupada.” “Gaura Arati was observed nearby. The bells were ringing and people were singing. Didn’t you hear anything?” “No.” “Didn’t you see that after arati, many people came to you and offered you pranama?” “No, Prabhupada.” “Where were you? What were you doing?” Vinoda humbly replied, “Prabhupada, tomorrow, there are many articles to publish, and there is so much management to be taken care of, and also, there are many eternal services to look after. Therefore, I forgot everything of this world.” This is called natural samadhi, or antar-dasa. What do those who reach the eternal world do there? How do their bodies work? How do they see things? This is called sahaja samadhi, antar-dasa, and nitya-lila. In ardha-bahya-dasa, a devotee will look around or speak. And in bahya-dasa, he will behave like an ordinary person.

yanra citte krishna-prema karaye udaya tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na bujhaya

Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 23.39

For those in whose hearts prema has arisen, ordinary persons cannot understand their speech and activities.

Where are the Mahabhagavatas present? When Acarya Srinivasa Prabhu and Ramacandra Kaviraja would enter antar-dasa, their bodies would appear like lifeless statues. They wouldn’t even breathe. Where were they? They were in the eternal world, serving in Radha Kunda.

Practice chanting your mantras during the time of brahma-muhurta. By praying to and remembering the guru-varga, and by chanting harinama, you will forget your mind, senses, and body; you will realize that you are in the eternal world. You will not be here any longer. It will not be possible for you to remain in this world. You will be in the flower gardens, picking flowers. And you will bring water from wells, and milk from the cowshed. You will be continuously engaged in the service of Srimati Radharani. Then, you will have no sense of what is happening in this world. This is called sahaja samadhi.

This is very easy. You do not need to meditate, and perform so much austerity. There is no need to control your mind and senses. This spiritual power is present for everyone, but they have to learn how to take it. In brahma-muhurta, there is Hari rasa, or Brahma rasa, available for everyone. The guru-varga instruct us to serve Parabrahma.

mahaprabhoh kirtana-nritya-gita vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena romanca-kampasru-taranga-bhajo vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

The guru-varga are engaged in Mahaprabhu’s kirtana, and in Radha and Krsna’s pastimes. After this discussion between Prabhupada and Vinoda, Prabhupada sent him to continue performing his services, and then told everyone, “Vinoda is not present in this world.” People asked Param Gurudeva, “You are a sadhu. Why are you wearing nice cloth?” This was nearly a hundred years ago. He used to wear fine, silken dhotis from Santipur, and a turban, and cadar. He went to the courts and offices like this. People complained to Prabhupada, “Vinoda wastes your money.” Prabhupada said, “He is not a babaji or a vairagi. He is an eternal associate of Mahaprabhu.” The manjaris, kinkaris, and sakhis of Radharani do not wear dirty or broken cloth when they go to serve Krsna. Or would they go naked? They are not crazy. Radharani first decorates everyone. Even their nails and faces are decorated. Indeed, they are completely decorated, fragrant, and beautiful. We are not sahajiyas, who decorate their material bodies by wearing nose rings and saris. We wear cloth colored with the foot dust of Srimati Radharani, whose feet are smeared with kumkum. This saffron cloth is the anuraga that protects us from maya. Mahaprabhu said, “How can I protect myself? How can I achieve anuraga?” The lotus feet of Krsna have kumkum. Where does this come from? It comes from the head and chest of Radharani. When Krsna’s feet touch Radharani’s head and chest, Krsna’s feet become smeared with this kumkum. And then, when He walks, the grass becomes covered with this kumkum. In the early morning, the forest girls see Krsna’s footprints on the grass, mixed with the early morning mist. They take this kumkum, and smear it on their bodies. Radharani sees this from a distance and says, “Oh, how much love they have for Krsna’s foot dust.” With this, they cool their hearts and bodies. They have anuraga for Krsna. Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu adorned this aruna vasana, cloth the color of the rising sun. Radharani’s footprints are present on Giriraja Govardhana. There, Giriraja took this kumkum in his heart and kept it with him. So, we adorn ourselves with saffron cloth, or the color of this anuraga. This is the color of the kumkum from Radharani’s and Krsna’s lotus feet. Do not think that this is only a color that you use to cover your face and body. This is your protection. Not only does it protect you from Maya-devi, it protects your bhakti and anuraga. Param Gurudeva would say in his classes that only widows wear white cloth. They wear white cloth if their husband is dead or if they are divorced. Prabhupada said, “My brahmacaris are brahma-cari. This means that they are the followers of Brahma. They follow the acaran of the near and dear of Brahma.” Who are they? They are the manjaris, dasis, or kinkaris. They are not widows. They are beloveds of Krsna. When the sadhaka has this relationship, he wears saffron. He then does not wear white anymore. Anyone who is alone and independent wears whatever he chooses­—blue, red, white. Gurudeva offers you to the lotus feet of the Vraja-devis, and the sign of the Vraja-devis comes from their foot dust. This is Krsna anuraga. This saffron-colored pollen of kumkum represents the love and affection the Vraja-devis have for Krsna. Prabhupada gave all the brahmacaris and sannyasis-saffron. Some people requested Prabhupada, “Vinoda is elder and senior. You should give him sannyasa first.” Prabhupada said, “There are two kinds of sannysasa. One is avidvata sannyasa and one is vidvata sannyasa. Don’t think that sannyasa means to only hold a danda and change your cloth.” In order to protect his Gurudeva, Param Gurudeva gave his own white cloth to Prabhupada, and took the sannyasa cloth from Prabhupada. Prabhupada agreed to do this with Param Gurudeva. When they have love—a heart-to-heart relationship based on spontaneous love and affection, this can be done. Who else could have done this? This can be done by the manjaris and kinkaris. Today is his disappearance day. Today Radha Damodara-vrata, Urja-vrata, starts. Before Haridasa Thakura left, he was with Mahaprabhu and all the bhaktas were there. Similarly, when Param Gurudeva was leaving, everyone had arrived in Navadvipa for the beginning of Kartika vrata. Krsna plays His flute on Sarad Purnima. He had promised the Gopis after Katyayani vrata, “After one year, on Sarad Purnima, I will call you.” When Krsna played on His flute, no one hesitated to run to Him. Whether they were cooking, cleaning, distributing prasadam, or milking the cows, as soon as they heard the flute call of Krsna, they ran to Him. Vinoda had been present in this world for a long time, but when Prabhupada needed him for service, he called him to the eternal world. Then, Param Gurudeva disappeared in the evening. The Guru-varga then came, and arranged the viraha-mahotsava. They said, “He is now in the eternal world. Here is his memorial place.” Where will we offer respect? Where will we go to pray? Where will we cry? Anything that was used by Guru-pada-padma is spiritual, even his fingernail or cloth. He was with this body for a long time, and he has given that to you as a gift. The place where this body is present will be a holy dhama. It will be surcharged with spiritual power. Therefore, Guru-pada-padma is given samadhi. This place is called the samadhi pitha-stana. Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu did not give their bodies as a gift to the world. None of the Panca-tattva left their bodies behind. Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya also took their bodies with them. But, our guru-varga were very kind to leave their bodies behind. They could have taken them with them. Narottama dasa Thakura took his body with him. Also, the body of Gopala Guru Gosvami could not be found. But, the Gosvamis, like Rupa and Sanatana, were very kind. They left their bodies behind for us. The Guru-varga are very kind. They offer their transcendental bodies to us. The Gosvamis left 500 years ago, but you can go to their samadhis, and if you offer respect there and pray to them, then all their eternal power will come to you. There, you can collect all their power. But, if you go there and speak prajalpa, act frivolously, or waste your time, then you will become disturbed. Hari-katha spoken by Sripada Premananda Prabhu; rendition by Rasik Mohan Das