Actually we are observing Kartik Vrat for one month here. It is also known as Damodar Vrat. Why? Because the presiding deity of this Kartik Vrat is Damodar. If we do not worship Him then it will be incomplete. A conditioned soul like me, how he can worship and satisfy RadhaDamodar? There is doubt in it. But Satyavrata Muni, a devout devotee of RadhaDamodar pleased RadhaDamodar by his hymn. So this is to be repeated. If I repeat those words written by or performed by our Satyavrata Muni then there is possibility that RadhaDamodar are satisfied.

Second period of Devotional Practice (2nd Yama Sadhana)

Morning Worship:

In the first period of devotional practice we have started from ‘Sraddha’ firm faith. Without Sraddha you cannot start bhajan. There should be firm faith that by serving Krishna we serve all. He is at the root. There should not be any doubt in it. When there is firm faith we cannot spare time for anything else except service of Sri Krishna.

Next is morning worship. Gradual progress has been shown here, how to get the ultimate goal Krishna prema. In the second period association of bon-fide sadhus is essential. After Sraddha you have to associate with bona-fide sadhu who has got exclusive devotion to Sri Krishna. This is the original qualification of a sadhu. And the best sadhu is bona-fide Guru. Taking shelter of the lotus feet of Guru and as per his direction we have to perform all devotional practices. Amongst the devotional practices the highest practice is chanting of the Holy Name. By that you can remove ulterior desires. In the second period you have to think about this.

nāma grahaner kālākāla-vicāra nāhi
nāma sarvaśakti samanvitā

There is no restriction of doing Harinam, no consideration, every where, any time, any circumstance, any place you can do it, even inside the lavatory, not with mala. If you do not remember Krishna while you are going for evacuation, at that time you die where you will go? So you should not take the risk. Everywhere you have to remember, inwardly you can remember Krishna’s name, it is allowed. All powers have been given to Holy Name.

Second Verse of Sikshastaka:

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving His instruction:

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśi tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ
(2rd Verse of Sri Shikshastaka)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is expressing His extreme regret to see the sad plight of the conditioned souls of this Kali Yuga and as acting as a devotee. He is Supreme Lord, combined manifestation of Radha and Krishna, inside Krishna outside Radharani, playing the pastimes of a devotee. He is teaching us, you submit prayer like this: ‘O Supreme Lord! Your Holy Name can bestow all eternal welfare. Therefore You have appeared in this world, descended in this world in various Holy Names, transcendental Holy Names and has got no direct indirect connection with this world. There are names that have connection with the world but original names are very powerful. They have got no connection with the world, and They descend, Krishna, Govinda, Gopinath, Madanmohan, eternal. You can utter the Name, anywhere, any time, at any place. All powers have been given to the Name and no restriction, any where, any time, you can do without any consideration. It has been made so easy. So much scope has been given to the conditioned souls of this Kali yuga to get deliverance from the clutches of maya and get the highest objective Krishna prema. You utter Krishna Nama from the core of the heart. The Mahamantra in Kali yuga is case of address, to summon, to call Krishna, ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’. In every yuga, in every ages, golden age, silver age, bronze age, we say Satya, Treta, Dwapara, this taraka brahma mahamantra is there. They have got their own form of devotion. In Satya yuga meditation, in Treta yuga oblation, in Dwapara yuga worship of deities, but in those ages taraka brahma mahamantra is there. Without doing Mahamantra they cannot b delivered from their bondage in this world. They must do it, taraka brahma, which will deliver them from the clutches of maya. For that reason, ‘narayana paraveda narayana paraksharah narayana paramukti narayana para gatih’ this tarakabrahma mahamantra in Satya yuga, they have to utter. The influence of Name in every yuga is there. In Treta yuga ‘rama narayananta mukunda madhusudana Krishna keshav kamsare hare vaikunta vaman’. In Dwapara yuga ‘‘hare murare madhukaitabhare gopal govinda-mukunda-shaure yajnesh narayana Krishna vishnoh nirasrayam mam jagadeesh raksh’. In Kali yuga directly you have to call. This taraka will deliver you from the entanglement in the non-eternal relations in this world and will also give you the highest objective Krishna Prema, taraka and paraka. We are born in this Kaliyuga, we are fortunate in this sense. Supreme Lord has made it so easy for the conditioned souls of this Kali yuga, but yet due to tenfold offenses they have got no liking to do Harinam. This is the greatest misfortune. For that reason He (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) has expressed His great regret.

aneka-lokera vāñchā — aneka-prakāra
kṛpāte karila aneka-nāmera pracāra
khāite śuīte yathā tathā nāma laya

Even during eating, taking food prasad, you can do Harinam. While lying down you can do, no restriction.

khāite śuīte yathā tathā nāma laya,
deśa-kāla-niyama nāhi sarvasiddhi haya,
sarvaśakti nāme dila kariyā vibhāga,
āmāra durdaiva nāme nāhi anurāga
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.17-19)

ekānta bhaktera mātra kīrtan-smaraṇa,
anya parve ruchi nāhi haya pravartana,
bhāvera sahita haya śrīkṛṣṇa-sevana,
svārasikī-bhāva krame haya uddīpana

Those devotees who have got one-pointed exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord have got liking to do only kirtan and smaran (chanting of the Holy Names and remembrance) and for other forms of devotion they have got no liking. We cannot forcibly make them do other forms of devotion. By that it is said, those who have got no liking for kirtan and smaran have actually got no exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord, indirectly it is said. So much emphasis has been given to kirtan and smaran. In kirtan bhakti all forms of devotion are included. But without hearing how you can do kirtan? So it is said ‘adau sravanam’. From a realised soul, bona fide devotee, first you have to hear. Then you can perform kirtan. And in kirtan, you are hearing, you are remembering and in remembrance all other forms of devotion can be practiced internally. Kirtan smaran, in these forms of devotion one who has got one-pointed devotion to Supreme Lord has got taste for it and not in any other form. Generally you will find any where you arrange for Nama Sankirtan, what is this, I want to do something and you are doing only Nama Sankirtan? There should be one big oblation and one thousand Kg of clarified butter should be given there, then it is considered we have done something, like that. In Hyderabad one big person came and said we perform oblation pouring one thousand Kg of clarified butter in the fire. In Kali yuga, yajna (fire sacrifice, oblation) is not prescribed. In Kali yuga Nama Sankirtan is to be done. Actually there is also arrangement of Nama Sankritan. We will take you. They took me to that place. So many small boys are there and they are performing oblation with different orders, oblations. I was searching, where is Nama Sankirtan. Ultimately they took me to a place where two-three persons were doing Nama Sankirtan ‘tin tin tin tin tin tin..’ (i.e. in a low voice, in a small scale), they have got no taste for this. For them ‘Om swaha swaha’ that is good, external ritualistic performance to show others. In Harinam you can get everything.

bhāvera sahita haya śrīkṛṣṇa-sevana,
svārasikī-bhāva krame haya uddīpana,

When you have got one-pointed devotion then you will have love for Krishna and that love relation will be permanent. And when it will be permanent then in that relation you will serve Krishna, master-servant relation or friendship relation or parent-children relation whatever it may be. There should be permanence of that relation, then you will do it automatically out of love.

ekānta bhakatera kriyā mudrā rāgodita,
tathāpi sei saba nāhi vidhi viparīta

They may do something which we have been taught because we are neophytes, beginners, you should not commit offenses, these are 32 kinds of offenses. But those who have got one-pointed devotion and love for Krishna they can do something which neophytes won’t be able to understand and think Oh what is this, Oh what is this. They can do something which is not in the vidhi marga, in the ritualistic performance, in vidhi bhakti. First you have to start with vidhi bhakti, as per injunction of scriptures. But injunction of scripture is something else and these devotees they have love they can do something as per injunctions.

As for example, in one place in Vraja Dhama one devotee of Ramanuja Sampradaya he has been depressed because of some other persons. And one Vraja vasis she is his relative. She is a lady, not male. She is brushing her teeth and she put on the oven one pot for cooking something for giving to Krishna at the right time. Then she thought it is high time, and at that time she took the bark of the neem tree she was using to brush her teeth and using just the reverse side she has churned (stirred) the contents of the pot on the oven. Then that Ramanuja Vaishnav also saw and told her ‘Oh you have committed offense. You give this datoon (brush) in your teeth and you are again using it in cooking food offering for Krishna. You will go to inferno.’ And he advised her you have to do it in this way, this way, this way. On the next day as per his advice she prepared all this and it became late and at mid-day she offered. Then Krishna said to those persons, why have you come here, you have disturbed Me. At the right time I have not got the food, you go out of this Vraja dhama. Don’t teach them. Vraja prema is something else. By love they are doing that we cannot imagine. That by which Krishna is satisfied, that is vidhi. Ordinary neophytes cannot understand this.

sarva tyāga karile o chārā sukaṭhina,
pratiṣṭhāśātyāge yatna payibe praviṇa

It is very difficult to give up the desire for name and fame. If there is desire for name and fame, then there will be no devotion. At any moment, at any time we can commit offense to superior vaishnavas because of this desire for name and fame. If there is any obstacle to it you will become furious. It is condemned, this sort of desire.

prabhate gabhīra rātre madhyāhne sandhyāye,
anartha chāriyā lao nāmera āśraya

Without other ulterior desires we have to do Harinam always.

ei rūpe kīrtana smaraṇa jei kare,
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā haya śigrha, anāyāse tare

Kirtan you have to do, but the procedure has been given here in Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa it has been mentioned, in this way you have to do it.

śraddhā kari’ sādhu sange kṛṣṇa-nāma laye

Firm faith and with the association of bona fide sadhus you have to do Krishna Nama, not with professional chanters.

anartha sakala jāye niṣṭhā upajaye,
prātaḥakāle nityalīlā karibe cintana,
cintite cintite bhāvera haibe sadhana

Along with Krishna kirtan you have to think about the eternal pastimes if you want to go, enter into the transcendental realm, you should think, you should think, like that.

Morning pastimes of Radha-Krishna

rādhāṁ snāta-vibhūṣitāṁ vrajapayāhūtāṁ sakhībhiḥ prage
tad-gehe vihitānna-pāka-racanāṁ kṛṣṇāvaśeṣanām
kṛṣṇaṁ buddham avāpta-ḍhenu-sadanaṁ nirvyūḍha-go-dohanaṁ
susnātaṁ kṛta-bhojanaṁ saha-caraistaṁ cātha tāṁ cāśrye
(Sri Govinda-lilamrta)

In the morning what are the pastimes, already we are hearing. Those who are newcomers they may not be knowing. In the morning Radharani as per the desire of Yashoda Devi, Yashoda Devi wants that Radharani should come to Nandagram and cook, why? She does not want to cook? No. She has got the desire to cook. But she has heard that if Radharani’s cooked food her son Krishna takes that food the span of life of Krishna would be increased because Radharani has got boon from Durvasa Rsi. If any body takes the food cooked by Radharani, his or her span of life will be increased. For that reason Yashoda Devi calls Radharani. And here there may be a question. Yashoda Devi, best devotee, motherly affection, but she does not know actually who Krishna is, that Krishna is Supreme Lord, and she wants to increase his span of life of Krishna. She has got no knowledge, how can she become a great devotee? No, no. If that person goes there and teaches Yashoda Devi then that person is deprived from Vraja prema. In Vraja Dham they never see Krishna as Supreme Lord. They always see Him as a little boy, a little child. By their grace you can get Krishna. And Radharani also wants to serve Krishna, to have darshan of Krishna, to see Krishna, to serve Krishna, Radharani and also the other sakhis they want and they come to help Radharani and Radharani gives them opportunity to serve. And the whole time is spent for this, with great enthusiasm and happiness they do. And after that it is offered to Krishna. And after Krishna’s eating the remnant prasad is tasted by Radharani and others. We have to take shelter of such Radharani in the morning.

And, what is Krishna’s pastimes? Krishna also has got love for the devotees. For that reason Krishna several times goes to sleep and again several time rises to please the devotees. What has happened in the night Nanda Baba and Yashoda Mayya they do not know. When Krishna rises Nanda Baba and Yashoda Mayya are very happy, our child has woken up. After waking Krishna goes to the cowshed to milk the cows, to give satisfaction to the cows, with other cowherd boys. And after milking the cows then they take bath in one kunda or Yamuna whatever it may be and after taking bath they sit down to take food. Yashoda Devi feeds them. We have to take shelter of such Krishna.