After Radhika and myself got initiated from Maharaj in London, and returned to Singapore, there was a temple president in Singapore who would not accept our initiations as bonafide.
So I was just thinking that I must actually see the number of days of Vyasa Puja I could attend, so that I will realize the urgency and give to Maharaj pretty much everything. Of course I have given a post-dated verbal cheque to Devaki Prabhu, but Maharaj will tell, "Man, who wants your post-dated cheque? I
Just like we need Radharani's mercy to enter into Vrindavan, similarly we need Maharaj's mercy to enter Sri Sri Radha Neelmadhav dham. When we realize the scarcity of a commodity, we will realize its value and utilize every bit of it very carefully."
Last year Maharaj's Vyasa Puja was on 25th December 2015 and it also happened to be on a Friday with a long week end. I was quite excited as soon as I came to know of it and started telling whoever I spoke with, to attend Vyasa puja without fail.
"Irrespective of whether I am alive or not, I wish that Prahlad School would develop into a nice Sanskrit university in future." And it will happen. Because Maharaj's words will never go false. It is just taking some time. So with time, by Maharaj's grace everything will get manifested.
So Maharaj made us understand that after coming to devotional service, we cannot keep pulling others' legs or keep complaining about others. Once I had misunderstanding with one devotee. So I went to Maharaj because Maharaj had always advised that there should not be any short-circuit in our relationship with devotees as short-circuit would lead to damage.
Once in Dwaraka, a Hindi poet came to meet Maharaj and he shared a poem which he had composed. Though the poem sounded did not have any touch of spirituality in it, we were amazed by the way Maharaj gave an entire different dimension for that poem and taught us so many practical lessons of Bhagavatam even in that so called materialistic poem.
So in the same way, I had so many opportunities to meet with Maharaj and have Maharaj's good association in various places. At every place Maharaj, I feel that I have disregarded you.
And for us the above verse refers to this transcendental place of Sri Sri Radha Neel Madhav dham wherein we have the transcendental samadhi of our Guru Maharaj. This is the place where Gurudev has performed so many pastimes and is still performing them.
"Srila Gurudeva has voluntarily accepted this great and thankless responsibility of taking us back home back to Godhead, following the footsteps of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedantaswami Srila Prabhupada.
I really wish that day come soon when we are able to complete the temple construction. I remember Maharaj saying, "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is the husband of goddess of fortune. If He wants, He can complete the temple anytime. For Him why should I become a beggar? Why should I ask for money?"
The last line in the above verse is worth meditating. In this verse the word 'pratijnaa' means promise. At the time of initiation we all have promised Maharaj. What is that promise?
In 2013, I was suffering from severe fever and breathing problems. As a result I was hospitalised for 20 to 25 days. And out of that four days I was in ICU. Maharaj always used to talk about the meaning of "ICU". "ICU" means Yamaraj is saying "I See You". I understood the actual meaning of that when I was in ICU.
But by Maharaj's mercy I am able to engage in Krishna's seva whenever I have time. Now since there are lot of pressure in other school these days, i am not able to attend mangala arati daily. But when I read Maharaj calendar, Maharaj is instructing us to do our prescribed duties very well.
So Maharaj did not care about whether a person is a good donor or not. Whether a person is rich or poor, literate or illiterate - all such material designations were not important for Maharaj. Maharaj always insisted on internal and external cleanliness - and whenever there was a lack of it, he chastised openly and by his purity, he could make everyone understand the truth that "Cleanliness is Godliness".
Worry destroys our wisdom. It destroys our charm, health and speech. It is full of ill-fortune. It burns us just like the funeral pyre. So never worry about anything.
So everyone assembled were happy and accepted Sri Vallabha's answer and hence accepted his victory. Srila Prabhupada explains the meaning of this sloka in the Introduction of Bhagavad Gita as follows.
This is in continuation of the previous topic titled, "Ugrakarmana" wherein we were meditating on the ill-effects of demoniac propensity. Now we shall see further.
Our real problem in life is entanglement in the cycle of repeated birth and death . But when we have demoniac propensity, we forget the real problem and get carried away by other petty things in life.
Many wealthy people suffer due to insomnia as their mind is always engaged in thoughts how to procure the money and protect it. They need to protect the wealth not only from thieves and robbers, but also from their own friends and family, who always have an eye on how to loot the wealth.
Nowadays with all the technology advancements we have so many inventions like mobile and internet which are causing more horrible destruction to humanity.
When Sri Govinda Prabhuji, one of disciple of Srila Prabhupada wrote to His Divine Grace about this competitive spirit, His Divine Grace very nicely clarifies as how should be our mood while we engage in this service. In his letter dated 25 December 1972, Srila Prabhupada mentions that it is good to have competitive spirit as that gives life.
Here we see that though the Supreme Lord is full in Himself, He nevertheless wants to have unlimited love for His pure devotees and in general all living entities. Again we see in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.64 the Lord tells Durvasa muni
Lord Indra was quiet upset by this act of Agni because Indra's close friend Takshaka was living in the forest and Indra became concerned about his friend's safety. So Indra summoned powerful rain clouds and foiled Agni's fire.
And Kartik month is glorious because this pastime happened in this month and those who offer ghee lamps and worship this form of the Lord can advance in the path of developing pure love for the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada answers in the purport, "We must conclude that this took place simply on the platform of pure transcendental love. This was the only cause.. Krishna cannot be measured or calculated by Vedic knowledge (vedeshu durlabham).