Today is Harivasar Tithi; a day that is dear to the Lord. If one performs worship on this day, the Lord is increasingly satisfied. The performance of Bhajan on this day yields results a hundred times more than those obtained by performing Bhajan on other days. Beyond that, if this Tithi is observed in any dhāma (the places where the Lord enacts His pastimes), or the places where devotees reside, it will give a million times more benefit. So, wise persons always visit the Maṭha or temple on this day, even if they are unable to visit on other days.

Today is Kamika Ekādaśī. Maharaj Yudhishthir asked Krishna about the glories of this Ekādaśī in reply to which the Lord said, “I will not speak My own words.”

If He desired, he could have spoken the glories in His own words, but He did not, as the line of pure devotion encourages hearing and singing the message as heard through a preceptorial channel (śrauta-vāṇī). So, by His example, the Lord is teaching us the importance of śrauta-vāṇī. The objective of singing glories through śrauta-vāṇī is to please the Supreme Lord. Krishna said, “I will narrate instructions given by Brahma to Narada in this regard.” One who speaks hari-kathā should only sing the glories exactly as heard from the preceptorial channel.

Narada Muni asked Brahma, “What is the name of the Ekādaśī which comes in the dark-moon fortnight of the month of Sravan (July-August)? What benefit shall one obtain by observing this Tithi? How shall one observe this Ekādaśī?”

Though already knowing the answers, he asked the questions so they could be answered by a bonafide devotee. In this way, he is teaching everyone to receive knowledge through an authentic source.

Brahma replied, “The name of this Ekādaśī is Kamika Ekādaśī. The presiding deity of this Ekādaśī is Lord Vishnu holding His four symbols, namely the conch-shell, Sudarśana-disc, club, and lotus flower. One who successfully observes this Ekādaśī-vrata can obtain the grace of the Lord.”

Vaiṣṇavas observe Ekādaśī with the sole aim to please the Lord, though other material benefits one can get by observing Ekādaśī are also mentioned here. For example, one can get the same results of performing Vajapeya Yajña by observing Ekādaśī Tithi. Such benefits are mentioned in the Vedas to encourage common people to observe Ekādaśī-vrata. Materialistic people will not observe such vows like Ekādaśī if they are not convinced that they will get material gains. They consider material benefits mentioned in the karma-kāṇḍīya section of the scriptures to be the real benefits.

After narrating the conversion between Brahma and Narada Muni, Krishna says that if one follows this Ekādaśī Tithi, then no sins can touch him; just like water cannot touch a lotus flower as it floats on the water. Though all sorts of sins can be eradicated by following Ekādaśī, one should not observe such vows for getting freed from sins or material attainments like money, name, and fame. One should observe Ekādaśī-vrata only to please Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, who is the cause of even four-armed Narayan.

Simply observing a fast doesn’t constitute observing Ekādaśī; the primary target should be to think about the Lord. Obviously, one shouldn’t accept any eatables that break the vow, and one can take those items that are allowed during the observance of the vrata (potatoes, fruits, water, etc.). If by observing a complete fast one’s thoughts are only focused on his belly, then it is better to accept things which are allowed during the observance of such vows and focus one’s mind on the Lord.

Once I was traveling from Delhi to Hyderabad on an Ekādaśī day. One of my Godbrothers was observing a complete fast (no water, no food) on that day. He was feeling sick, so we requested him to take water, but he refused. An earthen pot filled with cold water was put on his belly for some relief. As time passed by, he became more ill. Then he soaked his towel in water and put it on his body for further relief. This was the condition. So, during that entire time, was he staying near to the Lord? His thoughts were concentrated only on getting some relief.

Upavāsa means refraining from any sinful activity and staying near to the Lord by abandoning all sorts of material sense pleasures and thoughts. Ekādaśī removes attachment for perishable objects, so it is enjoined to observe this vow by abstaining from indulging in any material sensual pleasures, focusing the mind solely on the Lord. In prior ages like Satya, Treta, and Dwapara, people used to follow Nirahar Ekādaśī (without water) or Ekahar Ekādaśī (accepting items which are allowed during the fast one time in a day), since at that time the life-air was present in the bones, bone marrow, and flesh. So, the general populace could follow either Nirahar or Ekahar Ekādaśī, but in Kaliyuga the life-air is situated in Anna (food); one cannot survive without food in this age. For this reason, accepting things like potatoes, fruits, water, etc., while observing Ekādaśī is allowed; but it is emphasized that one should perform hari-kīrtana (glorification and chanting of Name, Form, and Qualities) of the Lord, day and night, always staying close to Him.

How can one stay close to the Lord, who is transcendental, with this material body? We find in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya
aprākṛta-dehe taṅra caraṇa bhajaya
(Antya-lila 4.192-193)

“At the time of taking mantra-dīkṣā, the devotee takes absolute shelter of Gurudeva. Sri Krishna makes the devotee cid-ānanda-māyā via the medium of Gurudeva, and in that transcendental form, the devotee can worship Sri Krishna.”

What is the significance of this? Dīkṣā means mantra-dīkṣā and harināma-dīkṣā. There are two kinds of dīkṣā, and when we take dīkṣā, we surrender to the lotus feet of Gurudeva and the Supreme Lord. However, we are not seeing the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is here in His Deity form, but He is not talking with us. We cannot exchange thoughts with Him even though He is here in His Deity form. Very rarely, among countless human beings, we may find a devotee of Krishna to whom the Deity is speaking, but generally, we experience no exchange of thoughts. On the other hand, although we know that the material body and the things related to it are temporary, we exchange thoughts with them, and as a result, we become attached. We have an attachment for non-eternal, physical relations, but we have no attachment for Krishna. What can be done? What is the procedure? You will find in the dialogue between Kapila Bhagavan and Mata Devahuti in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.20):

prasaṅgam ajaraṁ pāśam
ātmanaḥ kavayo viduḥ
sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto
mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam

“Every learned man knows very well that attachment for material things is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when directed toward self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.”

You are seeing the sādhu. The sādhu is moving and talking. The real, bonafide sādhu has one-pointed devotion to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. He is giving everything—mind, intelligence, speech, and senses—everything, for the service of Krishna. He is serving Krishna twenty-four hours a day. Such a śuddha bhakta is rarely found. You should go to a śuddha bhakta, but who is a śuddha bhakta? Kapila Bhagavan says that a śuddha bhakta must have this original quality of one-pointed devotion to the Supreme Lord; otherwise, he cannot be accepted as a śuddha bhakta.

One should find a śuddha bhakta such as our Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja. By speaking with him and seeing his outward appearance, everyone was attracted. Some even thought that he was the son of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, due to their striking physical similarity. Of course, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur had no son, as he was an ascetic. For those who have not personally seen our Paramgurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, it should be noted that he would think and speak about Krishna twenty-four hours a day. Many paṇḍitas (erudite scholars) would come to debate with him, challenge his contentions, and refute what he was preaching; but when they actually saw him, they would become speechless and bow down. So much power! They were astounded at the sight of him because his knowledge was not merely that of books, but actual realization by the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur was in the habit of sending our Gurudeva to functions in advance, as Srila Gurudeva was always very successful in his endeavors wherever he went. On one such occasion, our Paramgurudeva visited Sarabhoga, Assam, for the first time, and there was a great reception for Srila Prabhupada when he arrived. While in Sarabhoga, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur traveled in a bullock cart while others walked to different places in the area. At that time, one of my senior godbrothers, Srila Ashram Maharaj, was a young brāhmaṇa boy acting as the family guru there in Assam. While following Paramgurudeva’s cart one day, the brāhmaṇa boy, who was perhaps one or two years older than me, asked Paramgurudeva what his name was and where he had come from. The resulting conversation destroyed his connection with family life. So, therefore, conversing with a sādhu is very dangerous! By seeing, hearing, and engaging in a dialogue with Srila Prabhupada, the brāhmaṇa boy became very much attracted. His family had placed many restrictions upon him, such as, ‘you should not go outside,’ ‘you should take mantra here,’ etc., but instead he renounced everything and came to our Maṭh. The śuddha bhakta is so attractive! Upon first sight, Srila Ashram Maharaj was attracted. This boy had no prior knowledge of scripture, but because the śuddha bhakta is gracious to all, being the grace incarnate of the Supreme Lord, he was attracted by only a brief encounter.

The grace of the śuddha bhakta extends to all living beings, not just to human beings, as they are all one with Krishna. They are equal to all, showing affection to everyone, and it is this affection that attracts people. Paramgurudeva was ordered by Srila Gaura Kishor Dasa Babaji and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to preach the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Pañcatattva appeared, telling him, “Do not be afraid. We are giving you this order.” Within a very short time, he stirred the whole world. So many disciples came—our Gurudeva, Puri Goswami Maharaj, Bon Maharaj, Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaj, and Sridhara Maharaj—all stalwart figures! In this way, he expanded himself. So, if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Gurudeva, who is the absolute counterpart of Sri Bhagavan, Krishna will accept you through that medium and make your body transcendental.

Dīkṣā does not mean merely hearing the mantra. It means submitting completely to the lotus feet of a bonafide guru. Krishna gives His grace through the guru, who is grace incarnate. If you wish to see the sun, you cannot do so by ignoring the light from the rays of the sun. First, the light will come, and through the medium of that light, you will see the sun—the sun is self-effulgent, self-luminous—and in the night, if you want to see the sun, you will not be able to see it. Even if you connect together all the electric lights of the world, you will not be able to see the sun at night. You might see the light of those electric lights and mistakenly think that ‘this is the sun,’ but it is not. You have to wait for the sun to rise. When the sun rises, you have to accept the grace of the sun, you have to take the sun. You should not keep your eyes closed—you have to open them. You have to open the doors and windows. You have to accept—then, through that medium, you will see the sun. There is no other way. Self-effulgent God is the Cause of all causes. He has no cause, so He is Self-Evident Truth, Self-Luminous. By His grace, you can get Him. That form of grace incarnate is Sri Guru. If you are very fortunate, you can come in contact with a sādhu as bonafide Guru. God graces us all through the medium of His devotee.

Dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa, sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama: when we sincerely submit to a bonafide Guru, who is the grace incarnate of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, through that medium Sri Krishna will take us. He will embrace us and make our body transcendental, thereby fit for sitting near Him.

Sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya, aprākṛta-dehe taṅra caraṇa bhajaya: that transcendental spiritual form can worship Krishna. With this body, you cannot enter the transcendental realm of Vrndavana. Vrndavana is not a material part of India; it has descended. God descends, His realm descends, and His associates also descend. Even Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Maṭh is not a part of Kolkata or Chandigarh. Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Maṭh has descended there. Where can you perform worship of Sri Sri Radha Krishna? Only in the transcendental realm, in Vrndavana-dhāma. Radha-Krishna always remain in Vrndavana-dhāma. By the grace of a true devotee, one may receive the service of Radha-Krishna. An ordinary person cannot perform this service. So, Vrndavana is not a part of this world. It is not a part of India or Uttar Pradesh; Vrndavana, the transcendental spiritual realm, has descended there. We must submit to Krishna to understand.

In the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Lord Brahma, the creator of the material universe, stole the cowherd friends and calves from Sri Krishna, thinking Krishna to be an ordinary boy. Lord Brahma was bewildered by this form of Krishna as a simple cowherd boy, thinking that if Krishna were Bhagavan, He would exhibit great opulence and majesty. Now the point is this: if Brahma could not understand Krishna, then how can we understand Him? It is very difficult. When we take absolute shelter of Gurudeva, the grace incarnate of Sri Krishna, Krishna will grace us, and we will become eligible to receive a form comprised of sac-cid-ānanda. In that form, we can remain near Krishna and observe Ekādaśī correctly.