I heard about the successful celebration of Janmashtami in Vienna. Through a letter I got from Slovenia, I have come to learn that all the devotees attended the meeting there. Here also, in Kolkata, the annual function is held twice in a year, one on the occasion of Janmashtami, the holy appearance day of Nandnandan Sri Krishna and the other on the occasion of the installation of the presiding deities in Kolkata Math during winter season in the month of January. It is a big function of five days. People in huge numbers from Kolkata metropolis and other districts, towns and villages attended the celebration. The Math was packed full. Our Guru Maharaj introduced it.

It is important that you should perform ‘Adhivas’, preliminary function, one day earlier. Adhivas is preparing yourself, all arrangements should be done for puja, ritualistic performances before Krishna’s appearance. The main reason for observing Adhivas is to sanctify the heart. In Srimad Bhagavatam, 4th canto, Mahadeva has said about who Vasudeva is:

sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ
yad īyate tatra pumān apāvṛtaḥ
sattve ca tasmin bhagavān vāsudevo
hy adhokṣajo me namasā vidhīyate
(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.3.23)

“I offer my obeisances to the Supreme Lord, Vasudeva who manifests only in the sanctified pure heart which is called Vasudeva.”

The Supreme Lord’s functions and all pastimes are eternal. There are infinite Brahmandas. The Supreme Lord is infinite, so all the products of His potency are also infinite. Nobody can comprehend them fully. Nobody can say that I have already seen everything and narrated everything about Sri Krishna. If anybody says like that then he has got no knowledge of the Supreme Lord. There are infinite spirit souls, infinite Brahmandas, infinite Vaikunthas—transcendental spiritual realms. He also manifests in infinite forms, but the origin of all the forms, Nandnandan Sri Krishna, is the highest. Highest and all delightful relations are with Nandnandan Krishna. You can love Sri Krishna with all kinds of delightful relations. Mainly five (shant, dashya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya), but the mixture of them make infinite combinations. It is by permutations and combinations, the mathematical way of understanding. Everything is infinite there. Prior to the appearance day of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is the preliminary function. Our Gurudev said that you have to perform Nagar Sankirtan on this day. You have to sanctify your heart. God’s appearance is eternal in the sense that in infinite Brahmandas, all pastimes like appearance, childhood, boyhood etc. are going on (when one pastime gets finished in one Brahmanda the same will start in another Brahmanda). In another sense, God will appear in the heart of some blessed devotees on that day. We are not sanctified yet. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ — He appears in the sanctified heart (viśuddha-satva) only.

There is satva-guna in the primal qualities of the material energy—satva(mode of goodness), rajas(mode of passion) and tamah(mode of ignorance). But this satva is mixed with rajas and tamah. Viśuddha-satva means there is no connection with the gunas, it is nirgun i.e. purely transcendental, completely transcendental, aprakrita — beyond comprehension. With human sense organs—gross and subtle, you cannot comprehend it. It is a finest region, very blissful. The Supreme Lord has got a form; He can take the initiative. In Vedic culture, you have to note very carefully, nothing can be preserved or retained without consciousness. Matter can do nothing. As long as consciousness exists in the body, the body will remain. When consciousness leaves the body, you may try to preserve it for a long time, chemically, but there is no person there. The person is attributed to conscious principle—thinking, feeling and willing. Nobody considers a dead body as a person. Everywhere in this world we see all the living beings, including human beings, are doing all activities through consciousness, by thinking, feeling and willing. Even in this material world, there are many atheist persons who don’t believe in the existence of Atma or Paramatma, but when Atma leaves the body they also don't consider the dead body to be the person. Even if they touch the dead body they take a bath. In Vedic culture, the Sun is God. You are not seeing that, you are seeing the material form. Without consciousness it cannot be retained. This building is constructed. As long as conscious beings are here it will be maintained, if they leave this, after four-five hundred or may be one thousand years it will perish. Nothing can be retained without consciousness. The Supreme Lord is the source of all conscious beings. He can take initiative. He is not inert. He is All-Powerful, All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss. Without His grace, as there is no one equal or more than Him, nobody can get Him. If anybody tries to do this, by using reasoning and arguments, it will be a total failure. With a challenging mood you cannot get any idea of the Supreme Lord.

We are not the prime cause. It is written in Taittiriya Upanishad (3.1.1), yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante — everything is coming from the Supreme Lord. All the jivas are emerging from Brahma, and Brahma is sustained by the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the prime cause. He is controlling everything. In a moment He can create infinite Brahmands. In a moment He can destroy them. We may have much so-called vanity, false vanity, that we have done this, we have done that. It is nothing. In regards to the Supreme Lord, He is omniscient. But human beings are not omniscient. As much power is given to them so much they can do (imparted power). We are always to remember Swami Maharaj's saying in explanation of one verse of Gita with deep thought—when one is enlightened with the knowledge, by that ignorance is destroyed and his knowledge reveals everything as Sun lights up everything at day time. We try to see things by our material sense organs so this instance has been given. Supreme Lord has infinite knowledge. He is self-effulgent. If the Supreme Lord appears in you, you will have your own knowledge; you will see everything in proper perspective. You will also be omniscient. But once you get it, you cannot keep your body here (After having the real knowledge, you will not be able to live away from the Supreme Lord). As long as the Supreme Lord wants that this person should remain here, He will not appear fully before him. Once a person gets the realization of the Supreme Lord, his existence is fully finished in this world. He cannot remain here. Only by the Lord’s desire, if He sends somebody, they can remain, otherwise not.

So you have to sanctify your heart. Vasudeva means sanctified heart, pure heart. Even with the heart filled with many worldly things, if you call God and if He comes, He will think, “Oh! His heart is already filled; I have got no place to stay.” He will go back. You have to clear everything from the heart. Can you clear yours? You pass through millions of births, those previous thoughts (impressions) are going on. For that reason, our Param Gurudev, Srila Saraswati Goswami Thakur, who is the personal associate and the grace incarnate form of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, Gaurang Mahaprabhu, has written about not going for nirjan-bhajan (doing devotion in a secluded place). There were some devotees who, without taking permission from him, went for worship in a lonely place. Performing devotion without associating with devotees is called nirjan-bhajan. No Vaishnav or anybody else has previously said anything against nirjan-bhajan. But Prabhupad said, “If you are neophyte and want your eternal welfare then you should stay in the company of bona fide sadhus. The atmosphere in Kaliyuga is not congenial for doing lonely bhajan and your previous evil thoughts are also flowing constantly within your mind, like an undercurrent river flow in Gaya (it is called Phalgu—not seen outside). If you remain in lonely place and do anything wrong, any evil action, who will see you? So don’t do this.”

A few disciple of Srila Saraswati Prabhupad went in seclusion for performing devotion without asking his permission. Srila Prabhupad then advised them to not do so. He has written,

duṣṭa mana! tumi kisera vaiṣṇava?
pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava 'hari nāma' kevala ‘kaitava'

We should not think that we have become Vaishnavas. Srila Prabhupad says, “Oh! Wicked mind, with this sort of vanity that 'you have become a Vaishnava’, you will not get actual spiritual, devotional benefit. Your worship in loneliness is deceitfulness, nothing else.” He himself has written, and our Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj used to sing this hymn. I don't want to elaborately discuss this, but, by the by,

tāi duṣṭa mana, ‘nirjana bhajana,"
pracāricha chale ‘kuyogī-vaibhava"

“You are propagating the solitary worship — kuyogī-vaibhava, the wealth of the indecent yogis. Conditioned souls of this world may be attracted to the wealth of such yogis but the real devotee will not. You are a neophyte.”

sei du'ti kathā, bhula' nā sarvathā
uccaiī svare kara ‘hari nāma-rava"
‘phalgu" āra ‘yukta", ‘baddha" āra ‘mukta,"
kabhu nā bhaviha, ekākāra saba

“You do Sankirtan loudly from the core of the heart by remaining in the association of Sadhus. Because if you remain in a lonely place then the imbibed thoughts of millions of births will come in your mind. And if you do an abominable act, who will rescue you?”

kīrtana-prabhāve, smaraṇa svabhāve,
se kāle bhajana-nirjana sambhava

“You are not eligible for nirjan-bhajan. When by Kirtan you will be surcharged with the remembrance of Krishna, then you can do nirjan-bhajan.” Now if you go for nirjan-bhajan, just the reverse is what you will get. With all this knowledge they (our Guruvarga) have established Math, not unnecessarily they have done so. Congenial atmosphere for bhajan exists only in the association of Sadhus, pure devotees. If you go outside, you will not find it. Our Guruvaraga knew that a situation will come in which even if a person wants to perform bhajan he will not find a proper place for that. Previously (in ancient times), it was not necessary. But they understood that those who want to worship and engage themselves for the service of Krishna and His devotees in Kaliyuga, they will need someplace. How will you know whether you are fit for performing bhajan or not? You are speaking about the material things, will God come into your mind? You are hearing about worldly things always, will God come to your mind?

grāmya-kathā nā balibe, grāmya-vārtā nā śunibe

You are hearing just the opposite (worldly things) so those thoughts will get imbibed in the storehouse of your mind. Who will rescue you? When you remain in the company of Sadhus, even outside people may control you, “Ah! Being in Math are you smoking?” There are so many persons who do smoke but they will not say anything to them and they will come to the Acharya of the Math to complain, “Swamiji, your person is smoking.” Outside the whole world may be smoking but they will not say anything to anybody. Though, they are not devotees but they are also governing you. So here by the fruit you will understand. You will think within but not with vanity. You should remain in association of Sadhus—pure devotees. Even the highest emancipated souls—Gopa and Gopis, millions of them, they remain together and sing the glories of Supreme Lord in the emancipated state, realized state. When we shall go to the realized state, we are to do the same thing. Gradually we will get it.

There was Sankirtan Sobha-yatra (Nagar-sankirtan) performed here in Kolkata. It was introduced by our Gurudev, I am deprived because I have committed an offense, I have some difficulty in the heart, I have been told not to perform jumping, perform Kirtan loudly. If you utter loudly you are doing good to yourself and to others, all these animals, trees etc. God’s name and God are the same. They are not different. When you utter, “Krishna Krishna Krishna, Radhe Shyam” those words will touch trees, animals etc. So you should do Sankirtan, not to show to others, but as your bhajan. If you do it, it will be beneficial to you. Your mind will be sanctified. If you stay in the Math just to eat and sleep then it will be like staying in hotel. Regularly, in the morning and night and if possible in daytime we have to speak and hear Harikatha. So, Nagar-sankirtan was performed successfully and after that Krishna Janmashtami was observed. So many persons came. They observed fasting the whole day and night. Of course those who could not remain completely without taking anything, they were given fruits etc. at three a.m. in the morning after performing Maha-abhisheka. Next day of Krishna Janmashtami, Nanda Maharaj came to know that he has got a son. So there was Nandostava (a festival by Nanda Maharaj), thousands of people came and they were served. We perform a festival for the marriage ceremony of the son, daughter, by that we get attachment to the world. If you perform festival for Krishna, then you will have attachment to Krishna. At midnight we go through Krishna’s advent pastime from Srimad Bhagavat. You have to remember them. As we could not have the video conference that time as so many persons were there and there was no space so now after finishing the function at least something should be spoken to you, for that reason this video conference is arranged.

There is consciousness in Prithvi Devi. She is a demigod. Prithvi, earth, by the burden of tremendous sins and crimes of the demons, was very much in trouble and anxiety. She approached Brahma. Whenever there will be all these heinous crimes and killing without consideration, you should be ready for the consequences, anything may happen. For keeping it balanced, anything may happen anytime. For that we should be prepared. Prithvi Devi approached Brahma. Brahma said he will have to worship Vishnu. Brahma went to the shore of the ocean of milk with other demigods and performed immense penance. He ultimately heard a celestial voice—oracle. Lord Vishnu directed Brahma, “I am going to appear (on earth) so you should not be afraid. Other demigods with their wives will also appear to help me in the lineage of Pandu (Pandavas) and Yadavas. There is no reason to fear.” Then Brahma said to all the demigods that this is the order of the Supreme Lord so you should appear on the earth with your wives and then He will also appear.

Devaki, the younger sister of Kamsa, was had just got married to Vasudeva. Kamsa was very glad and wanted to drive their chariot himself. That was not necessary but he thought that, “It is my sister’s marriage so I should do that.” So he was driving the chariot with great enthusiasm. On the way he heard, “Oh Kamsa! You are taking your sister Devaki with great joy. But the eighth womb (son) of Devaki who will appear in the month of Bhadra (fifth month of Bengali calendar and middle of August to mid-September of English calendar) will kill you.” Immediately, Kamsa took hold of the hair of Devaki to kill her. His mind was changed. Then Vasudeva tried to pacify him saying, “What are you doing? You are a hero. Death is nothing. When there is birth, there will be death also. If you kill your younger sister who is like your daughter, you will earn ill fame. That will be more harmful to you. Why are you doing this?”

In this way he tried to pacify him. But Kamsa was determined to kill Devaki. Ultimately, Vasudeva said, “The celestial voice does not say that Devaki will kill you. Devaki’s eighth womb (son) will kill you. It will take time; seven births will take place first. I promise you that I shall handover to you all my sons.”

Kamsa had respect for Vasudeva as he knew that he is a Sadhu. He had the belief that whatever he says, he does. And because of that he accepted his proposal. After that what happened? When Dekavi gave birth to their first son, Vasudeva offered him to Kamsa. Kamsa was astonished to see such an act from Vasudeva. He said, “I have got no fear from your first child, I only want your eighth son. You can take him back.” Reluctantly, Vasudeva returned because he knew that mischievous persons are sometimes happy and sometimes they are not happy, there is no certainty of their words. Then Narad Muni came to Kamsa. Narad Muni travels throughout the Brahmanda. Kamsa thought, “I have the scope to know what the demigods are doing against me, I shall get all the information from Narad.” When Narad Muni goes to the demigods, demigods wanted to know about demons.

Privately, Kamsa discussed with Narad. Narad said, “I have heard that the Supreme Lord Vishnu will appear to kill you and as per the desire of Vishnu all the demigods with their wives will also appear in the family lineage of Pandavas and Yadavas.” At that time Narad Goswami warned Kamsa, “You are saying that the eighth son of Devaki will kill you, but eighth son from which side? Is it from the rear side or from the beginning of the births? (Krishna could appear in any one of the eight pregnancies) There is no certainty. And all the demigods with their wives are also coming to help Him. In your previous birth, you were Kalanemi and you were killed by Vishnu. That Vishnu is coming.”

When Narad left, Kamsa immediately thought that all the Yadavas and Pandavas are my enemies. He started oppressing them with the help of all other demons, Jarasandh, Aghasura, Bakasura etc. He immediately imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaki after chaining them in captivity, he also imprisoned his own father, Ugrasen. And so much oppression was done that all the Yadavas fled from their places. Now when Kamsa heard about not knowing which pregancy Krishna may appear from Narad Goswami, he asked Vasudeva to bring back the first child which he had returned previously. And in front of Devaki he killed that child. He killed him by striking him against the stone wall. Devaki was shocked and cried, a heart-rending cry, yet he was so cruel that in the same way he killed her six sons one by one. After that, at the time of the seventh birth, Krishna ordered Yogamaya, “You should attract the pregnancy of Devaki and take it to Gokula Mahavan to the other wife of Vasudeva, Rohini, without the knowledge of anybody. Nobody should notice this. This is my order.” And it was done, the seventh pregnancy (womb) was attracted and taken to Rohini. So Baladeva is Rohini-nandan not Devaki-nandan. He is garbha-sankarshanata-sankarshan. And that Garbha (that pregnancy) was attracted from there to Gokula Mahavan so He is named Sankarshan, Loka Ramananath, Balaram; He is giving happiness to all the Vrajavasis. He is Balaram. He is an extending personality of Krishna — sandhini-shakti-matta-vigrah. He is very powerful—Balashraya Balbhadra. After His apperance Krishna thought, “I shall appear now on the eighth of Bhadra, dark fortnight. In dark fortnight, moon will not be full, it will be a decayed moon.”

The description of His appearance is written in Srimad Bhagavatam. When there was manifestation of a very delightful, blissful time, all good qualities, all the stars, planets etc. and constellations became calm and quiet. God is coming. Every area is blissful, calm and serene. Krishna appeared in Rohini Holy Star (Rohini-nakshatra). All the ten quarters of the globe became peaceful and quiet. The sky (firmament) was spotless and adorned with stars. God who is All-Good is going to come. All the towns, cities, villages and pasture lands on earth became decorated automatically. Rivers were thoroughly filled with clear water. Lakes were adorned with various beautiful Lotuses. Forests were reverberating with the sweet voice of cuckoos and the pleasant sound of other birds and with the humming sound of bumblebees. Earth was adorned with green leaves and sweet scented flowers. When God comes everything becomes very pleasant. A pure pleasant wind was blowing. Brahmins, all of a sudden, started an oblation fire which was stopped by the demons. In this wonderful sacred environment, the Supreme Lord Bhagavan Vishnu was about to appear in the world. At that time all the sages became complacent and bright. There was the holy sound of celestial kettledrums in heaven. The Supreme Lord is going to appear. You think about this. I may leave some portion. Demigods and saints started showering flowers. When the Supreme Lord Janardan was about to appear in the dark night, there was rumbling sound of clouds. At that time like a full moon, the Supreme Lord, who resides in the hearts of all the spirit souls, appeared. ‘Gaur Premanande Hari Haribol!’

Sri Krishna appeared in the womb of sat-chid-anand form of Devaki. Vishwanath Chakraborty Thakur said in his commentary that Bhagavan was not born from the womb of Devaki like an ordinary child.

āvirāsīd yathā prācyāṁ diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ

You have to think about this. Supreme Lord was not born from the womb like the other persons of this world. But He appeared like the full moon in the East. How? On the eighth day a full manifestation! He appeared in the prison house with a conch shell, disc, club and lotus in His hands. Sun and Moon are not produced by the East quarters. Sun rises in the East but Eastern side is not the producer of Sun or Moon. Sun and Moon grace the East side. Like that Krishna appeared from Devaki to give them service in parental mood (love). He appeared in the dark fortnight, the eighth lunar day, of the fifth month Bhadra of Bengali calendar and mid-August to mid-September.

āvirāsīd yathā prācyāṁ diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ

Here, Indu means Moon. Puṣkala means full Moon. How can a full Moon come on the eighth day? Krishna appears by His own will, as the Sun and Moon rise in the East. He is not a production of Vasudeva and Devaki. First He appears in the heart of Vasudeva. After that He enters into the heart of Devaki. Devaki become very luminous due to Lord’s appearance in her heart. Beholding this, there is an infusion of fear in the heart of Kamsa, “Now the eighth son will be born and He will kill me. Oh! Devaki has become so powerful.” Kamsa, pricked by conscience, without doing any harm to Devaki, he was always thinking of the Supreme Lord out of fear with a hostile mentality. He was seeing Krishna everywhere but with hostile mentality. He always feared that Krishna will come and will kill him. His mind was engrossed in Krishna. This is one kind of bhajan. Now what had happened? Kamsa was seeing Bhagavan everywhere with a hostile spirit; meanwhile all demigods and saints came there and started singing the glories of Devaki’s womb and the glories of the Supreme Lord. They said amongst the three truths (satyam)—God, individual souls and Maya, God is the eternal truth. Individual souls are superior to gross and subtle bodies but Paramatma is far superior to individual souls and the Supreme Lord who possesses infinite opulences is the highest entity. He is the transcendental Supreme person. He is All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss. They also sung the glories of goodness and blessedness of the surrendered souls, the necessity of descent of Supreme Lord, fearlessness of bona-fide pure devotees. Bona-fide devotees had no fear.

Sukadeva Goswami was requested by Pariksit Maharaj, “I want to hear about the appearance of Krishna and Baladeva and about what pastimes They performed.” At that time Pariksit Maharaj said I want to hear because,

nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād
bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-’bhirāmāt
ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt
pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.4)

Those who are emancipated souls, realized souls, they will worship Krishna correctly. Their worship is without any ulterior desires. They are worshipping Krishna for Krishna’s satisfaction. They have an inclination to hear about Him from core of their hearts. For such persons, His pastimes will enter into their heart through their ears. Nvṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc — these descriptions are medicine for those who are in the malady of births and deaths, three-fold afflictions, infirmity, vanity etc. in this world. The divine panacea for them is to hear about the glories of Sri Krishna, about His advent, name, form, attributes, personal associates and pastimes. And even those who want deliverance from the clutches of Maya, if they hear about this, they become free from the clutches of Maya. Bhavauṣadhāt — births and deaths and also threefold affliction are called 'bhavau' which will be removed. Ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt ― Who will not listen about Krishna’s advent, holy name, form, pastimes excepting those who are killing animals? Only the animal killers will not have aptitude to listen to them. Those who are not worshipping the Supreme Lord and singing His glories are committing a kind of suicide. They will be deprived of hearing such transcendental topics. If they hear they will be rescued. When Sukadeva Goswami said to Pariksit Maharaj that, “You are hearing without taking any food, water and rest, how will you maintain your body? You should take some water some food, some rest.” Pariksit Maharaj replied, “No,

naiṣātiduḥsahā kṣun māṁ tyaktodam api bādhate

“It is true and very difficult to tolerate the pangs of thirst and hunger but,”

pibantaṁ tvan-mukhāmbhoja-
cyutaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.13)

‘’I shall die after some time. I have been cursed by a Brahmin, so you should not think about me. I am drinking ambrosia of the Krishna’s name, form, attributes and everything. So I have got no feeling of thirst or hunger. I do not want to take water, food or sleep.”

Can we say like this? Pariksit Maharaj said like this. Sukadeva Goswami also spoke without taking anything. Those who were there, Munis, Rishis they were also engrossed in hearing. So this, as you were not present here at the time of Krishna Janmastami, I have tried briefly to say something.