Today is Harivasar Tithi, Mokshada Ekadashi. If one performs bhajan on this day even while at home, he will get a hundred times more benefits than other days. More than that, if this Tithi is observed at any dhāma like Mathura, Vraja-mandal, then one will obtain crores and crores times more benefits. The place where a pure devotee performs worship of Radha-Krishna and manifests their worshipable Lord is also considered a dhāma. Radha-Shayamasundar is present here.

‘nāma’, ‘vigraha’, ‘svarūpa’ — tina eka-rūpa
tine ‘bheda’ nāhi, — tina ‘cid-ānanda-rūpa’
(Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya 17.131)

“The Lord’s Holy Name, His form and His personality are all one and the same. There is no difference between Them. Since all of Them are Absolute and transcendentally blissful.”

mad-bhaktāḥ yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada

But just by being physically present in the dhāma one cannot realize the real identity of the dhāma. There was a rich person who had faith on Gurumaharaj. One day in a casual conversation, he told Gurumaharaj, “I want to say something to you. I visited Vrindavan twenty years back, that time Vrindavan was very nice. I again recently visited Vrindavan, this time I felt it is not the same Vrindavan, it has become dirty.”

Gurumaharaj asked, “Why do you say Vrindavan has become dirty? Vrindavan never becomes dirty.”

“But when I went there twenty years back, there were so many nice cows. People used to get very nice ghee, milk and sweets etc. The People there were very nice. But this time when I went, as per my previous experience. I ate Rabdi (a condensed-milk based sweet dish) but the next day morning I got bloody stool, my stomach got upset. Somehow I could get well only by consulting a doctor. I also realized that one cannot keep their valuable belongings out or they will be stolen immediately. Vrindavan has changed now, it has become dirty.”

In response to his comments, Gurumaharaj told, “Vrindavan dhāma descends to this world. The Supreme Lord possesses innumerable potencies. They are mainly classified as internal, external and marginal potencies. The Supreme Lord’s dhāma is part of His internal potency. Jivas belong to the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, when they become averse to Sri Krishna, Mahamaya (external potency) envelopes them and puts them in to this world which is like a prison house. And those who are inclined to serve Sri Krishna, Yogamaya (internal potency) takes them to dhāma, the holy abode of Supreme Lord.”

Those who go to the holy dhāma with the intention of getting some material benefits from there, they do not get darshan of the dhāma, they see that transcendental abode as an ordinary village. They compare that place with other places of this world and might say that this place is dirtier than Delhi or Kolkata. With material eyes one can see material things only. There is a proverb, jahān kāma, tāhan nahi rām, ravi, rajni mile nahi ekthām —'the Supreme Lord does not reside at the place where there is lust (material desires).' Day and night cannot stay together. Supreme Lord is transcendental and so His holy abode is also transcendental. His dhāma cannot be material. Pure devotees of Supreme Lord are also transcendental. Everything belongs to the dhāma is transcendental. Our Gurudev used to say during Vrajamandal-parikrama, “Do not pick any chewing stick (datun) from a tree to clean your teeth. Vraja-vasis can make use of it but you cannot. It will not be good for you.”

Gurumaharaj had that vision, so he can see it. Everything belongs to the dhāma is for the service of Supreme Lord, we should stay in dhāma with the mood of surrender. Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, Raghunath Das Goswami, are all very rich and famous personalities, they were not ordinary persons. They used to stay beneath a tree. They used to roam here and there in dhāma. Did they see Vrindavan as dirty place? No, they have transcendental eyes and with those eyes they witnessed the Divine pastimes of Supreme Lord. If one tries to understand the transcendental objects of dhāma without the mood of surrendered then Mahamaya will capture him and even by staying in dhāma, he may be engaged in some abominable activities. All the holy abodes of the Supreme Lord, be it Mayapur, Vrindavan or Purusottam dhāma, all are transcendental. The real vision of dhāma does not manifest where there is presence of desires for satisfying one’s own senses. And wherever there is love and devotion for Supreme Lord and when one lives his life for the service of Supreme Lord and His devotees then the real nature of dhāma becomes manifest to him.

Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Prabhupad, though he stayed at Kolkata at Bagh Bazaar Gaudiya Math, he used to say, “I do not stay in Kalikata, the place of kali. My worshipable Supreme Lord is manifested here, this place is non-different from Vrindavan.”

This Chaitanya Gaudiya Math is not made up of the five elements of material nature. At whatever places the personal associates of the Supreme Lord establishes Math or temples, they do not belong to this material world. When a materialistic person establishes temple, he may expect some material benefit from it but a pure devotee establishes temple for the service of the Supreme Lord only and Supreme Lord resides in such places.

The Supreme Lord may manifest or go from one place to another to accept service from His devotees or to give His association to devotees. Govind Dev, on the pretext of fearing some Muslim kings, had gone to Jaipur from Vrindavan to give His association to the Vaishnavas there. He had gone to Bharatpur first and from there He later went to Jaipur. The residents of Jaipur have a special worshiping mood. The deities worshiped by Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatan Goswami, Sri Madhu Pandit and Sri Jayadev Goswami are there in Jaipur. After India’s independence, Srila Bon Goswami Maharaj tried to bring original deities back to Vrindavan but he did not succeed as the Supreme Lord desired to stay there in Jaipur. Here in Delhi, we have the temple where Sri Sri Guru Gaurang Radha-Shaymasundar originally resided. They then took Their position in the new temple. We should pay our obeisance to the temple were They resided previously. That is the place of Radha-Shyamsundar so no other can stay there, so deities of His devotees, the five Pandavas are kept there because if the temple is kept empty without any deities then no one will pay obeisance to that place or to that temple. Radha-Shyamasundar stayed there so that temple is also worshipable. By offering obeisance there, it is considered offering obeisance to both, Radha-Shaymasundar’s place as well as to the Pandavas.

Today is a very auspicious Tithi. If Ekadashi is observed in dhāma or the places where devotees sing the glories of Supreme Lord, it will give crores and crores times more benefits. If you visit Kolkata Math and find the sankirtan hall full with devotees and if it is not Janmastami or Radhastami Tithi or any appearance or disappearance day then you do not have to refer to panchang (Hindu calendar) to know which Tithi it is. That day must be Ekadashi Tithi. Those who live far away from Math, and they cannot visit the Math daily, they come once every fifteen days on Ekadashi Tithi. They take darshan of Gurudev, Thakurji and participate in Kirtans on this Tithi and earn the benefits of fifteen days in just one day. It is my misfortune that because of my ill health, even staying in Math, I could not come here to serve Supreme Lord. I paid obeisance only on the first day. Supreme Lord Himself is residing here but I did not come for His service. Shravan—hearing, Kirtan—singing the glories, Smaran—contemplating on the object of worship etc. are different forms of devotion. It is my misfortune that because of my ill health, I am not allowed to perform any service. I could not come to sankirtan hall for the past 7 to 8 days but as today is Ekadashi Tithi, I have come here so I will get the benefits of all those days in just one day.

The importance of Ekadashi is narrated here. According to vedic-calendar this is Agrahayan month, also known as Margashirsha (because of Margashirsha-nakshatra). Agrahayan—‘hayan’ means varsh (year) and ‘agra’ means first, so this is supposedly the first month of the year according to the Vedic calculation. There are twenty seven Nakshatras (constellations) and Margashirsha is the fifth one among them. The personified deity of Ekadashi Tithi appeared on the dark fortnight of this month and is called Utpanna Ekadashi. You have heard the glories of Utpanna Ekadashi. She appeared from the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord. There was a demon named Mura, who was very powerful. All demigods were united to fight against him but they could not defeat him. After their request to the Supreme Lord, He fought by wrestling with him without using any weapon. He defeated the demon and then performed a pastime of taking rest in a cave at Badrinarayana. As He defeated the demon Mura so He is also known as Murari. While the Supreme Lord was taking rest at Badrinarayan, the demon Mura got up again and started searching for Him thinking that He is taking the side of demigods so He should be killed. He entered into the cave where Supreme Lord was taking rest. He thought this is the good opportunity to kill Him. When he was about to attack Him, a divine potency appeared from the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord and fought with the demon and killed him. Who is she? There it is written that she is the divine potency of the Supreme Lord. Actually Supreme Lord Himself killed the demon in the form of His potency, Ekadashi.

The Supreme Lord asked her, “Where have you come from?”

She replied, “I have appeared from You and have killed the demon.”

“You have appeared on the day of Ekadashi and have killed this demon. I am pleased with you. So from today your name will be Ekadashi and by performing Ekadashi-vrata, one will be relieved of all kinds of sins. I will be pleased with him and he will get everything.”

As that divine potency of Supreme Lord appeared on the Ekadashi Tithi which occurs on the dark fortnight of Margashirsha month, she is known as Utpanna Ekadashi. Today is the second Ekadashi of the Margashirsha month which occurs during the bright fortnight (shukla-paksh). Yudhisthir Maharaj asked Lord Sri Krishna, “What is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs during the bright fortnight of the month of Margashirsha, what is its importance and how should one observe vow on that day?”

Krishna replied, “The name of this Ekadashi is Mokshada Ekadashi. If one observes vrata on this holy day then he will be freed from all the sins he has committed.” It is written in the scriptures, for all the Ekadashi Tithis, that by observing vrata on that day, one will get rid of all sins he might have committed. The Supreme Lord says that He will be very much pleased if someone worships Him with Tulsi-manjari on Ekadashi Tithi. It is also written that by observing Ekadashi-vrata, one will get the fruit of observing Bajpayi-yagna, this yagna is prescribed in Samved.

The purpose of mentioning such temporary benefits in the scriptures is to attract the conditioned souls of this world for observing Ekadashi-vrata, thinking about their eternal welfare. For example, when a child is sick, he must take some medicine to get cured. In my childhood days, as capsules were not available, one has to take medicine in the form of tables only. But generally, children do not like to take medicine as it tastes bitter. They like to eat ladoos, sugar candy or rasgulla etc. So when a child is sick and taken to a doctor, the doctor gives him some medicine to cure his illness. Generally the child refuses to take those medicines. That time the doctor and the child’s parents try to persuade him to take those medicines. Even if they warn him, saying that he might die if he does not take the medicines, still the boy will not be persuaded by their arguments. That time the doctor generally plays a trick. He inquires from the parents about the eatable the child likes the most. If the child likes rasagulla then the doctor promises him to give that if he takes the medicine. So being tempted by such condition, the child gets ready to take the medicine and gets cured of his disease. Here the main purpose of the doctor is not to feed the child with rasagulla but to somehow make him take the medicine in order to cure his illness. In like manner, we are also diseased in this material life and relations and thus the karma-kandiya section of scriptures mention material benefits for following Ekadashi-vrata to tempt us with those benefits in order to make us observe the vrata. If someone says that by worshipping Supreme Lord with Tulsi-manjari, He will be pleased with you, then one may argue that who is Supreme Lord and what will he get by pleasing Him. But if he is told that he will be elevated to upper planetary systems or he will obtain unlimited opulences, then he would become immediately ready to perform any vow. So the purpose of mentioning such material benefits, is to make the materialistic persons inclined towards following such vows. But for pure devotees, they do not perform such vows for such material benefits.

There was a beautiful city named Champaka-nagar, where many Vaishnavas used to reside. It was ruled by a saintly King, Maharaj Vaikhanasa. He used to consider all the residents of his kingdom as his own children. One night, the king had a dream in which he saw his father suffering the pangs of hellish torture in one of the hellish planets ruled by Yamaraj. His father requested him to rescue him from that hellish planet. The king became overwhelmed with compassion for his father. His mind became restless. His beautiful kingdom and his vast wealth in his treasury that gave him so much pleasure, now did not give him any pleasure. The next morning he called upon all the Vedic Brahmins from all over his kingdom and described what had he seen in his dream.

He told them, "O Brahmanas, please tell me about what is the duty of a son to deliver his father from the agony and pains of hellish conditions and bestow liberation upon his forefathers?"

The Brahmins replied, “O king, not far from here is the place where a great saint Parvata Muni resides. We will go to him, for he is tri-kala-jnani(one who knows past, present and future) and can surely help you in gaining relief from your misery.”

Upon hearing this advice, the distressed king immediately set out on a journey with all other Brahmanas to the ashram of the Parvata Muni. On arrival, Maharaj Vaikhanasa offered his humble obeisances to the Parvata Muni, prostrating his entire body before him.

Parvata Muni asked him about reason for arriving there. The king described everything to him. Then Parvata Muni, told him that he would meditate upon it. He then closed his eyes and meditated on the King's past, present and future.

After a few moments he opened his eyes and said, “Your father was a lusty person and he had performed an abominable act so he is suffering the results of committing that great sin. King Vaikhanasa then said, “Then what is the duty for me now to liberate my father from such a condition?”

Parvata Muni replied, “During the bright fortnight of the month of Margashirsha there occurs an Ekadashi called Mokshada Ekadashi. If you, with your wife, son, daughter and all servants observe this sacred Ekadashi strictly, with a full fast, and give directly to your suffering father the merit you thus attain, he will be freed from his pain and instantly liberated.”

He then perfectly and with full faith observed the Ekadashi fast with his wife, children, and all servants. He observed this vrata as per injunction. On Dashmi and Dwadashi, he took food only once on those days, and on the Ekadashi day he observed fasting without even taking water (Nirjala). In kaliyuga, it is difficult to observe Nirjala Ekadashi as in this yuga the life of living beings is in food. Some people still observe fasting without taking water. But by having Anukalpa, taking the food items which are allowed during Ekadashi, your vrata would not be broken. By eating grains like rice, wheat, semolina or oil like mustard oil, it will be broken, so you cannot eat them on the day of Ekadashi.

āpo mūlam phalam payaḥ
havir brāhmaṇa kāmyā ca
guror vacanam auṣadham’e
aṣtaitānyavrataghnani
(Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa 12.40, quoted from the Udyoga-parva of Mahabharata)

If you take the foods stated in this verse, there will be no breach of your vow. You can take water. Mulam means potatoes and other roots that grow under the earth. You can boil them and eat. By that your vow will not be broken. Phalam — all kinds of fruits can be taken. Cow’s milk and milk preparations such as yogurt and ghee (clarified butter) can also be taken. With ghee from cow’s milk, you can prepare a curry from vegetables like potatoes or other roots. Green bananas (plantains) and papaya are also acceptable. There will also be no breach of vow if medicine is taken that doctors has prescribed for a serious, possibly life threatening, health problem. If a bona-fide Brahman would like to take something, then he or she should fulfill their desire in such a way that their vow will not be destroyed.

If someone advises to follow Ekadashi-vrata to any ordinary person, he would say, “I cannot follow a vrata like this, I might die without food.” But if a rich person comes and declares that he would give five lakh rupees to a person who will observe complete fast and perform Kirtan for the full day and night without sleeping for the whole day and night then everyone of us will get ready for it immediately. Everyone will get ready to perform fasting for five lakh rupees but not for the Supreme Lord! So the Supreme Lord is less valuable than five lakh rupees! If you think like that then you do not have knowledge about Him. What to say about five lakh rupees, if you ask someone to perform Ekadashi not even for one lakh, but for only fifty thousands, he would be ready immediately. If we observe Ekadashi-vrata for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord then we feel pain but if we get some material benefits by observing the same then we will get ready immediately. If a doctor would restrict you from some food to cure you from some disease, you will be ready for that but if it is said to refrain from food for just one day, on Ekadashi day then immediately you would say, “No, I cannot remain without food.” If we are established in the faith that by the mercy of the Supreme Lord we receive everything only then will we get ready to observe a fast for the Supreme Lord. But we do not have such faith.

So here in the glories of Mokashada Ekadashi, it is mentioned that the king dutifully gave the fruit of his fast to his father; he traversed the lower to middle and from middle to higher planets. The father said to the king, “My dear son, all auspiciousness unto you!”

Is it the real fruit of Ekadashi? The Ekadashi was observed in a real sense by Ambarish Maharaj. He observed complete fast on Ekadashi Tithi at a stretch for one year in Madhuvan, Mathura dhāma. By observing Ekadashi-vrata, he became such an exalted Vaishanava that even the curse of a Brahmana could not harm him. He used to follow Ekadashi-vrata perfectly as per the prescribed injunctions. He used to eat only one time on Dashami (the previous day of Ekadashi) and Dwadashi (the next day of Ekadashi) and on Ekadashi Tithi, he used to observe complete fast without taking water. He also used to break his fast within the mentioned time. He used to perform bhajan sincerely along with fasting.

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane
karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu
śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau
tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ’ṅga-saṅgamam
ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe
śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite

pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe
śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane
kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā
yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ
(Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.18-20)

While performing Ekadashi in dhāma, it was not like that he was sitting idle there. He engaged his all sense organs in the service of the Supreme Lord; first of all he engaged his mind, which is the king of all the other sense organs, in the service of the Lord. He engaged his hands in archan, worshiping the Supreme Lord. Archan is a Sanskrit word, it is more used in Bengal. In Hindi it is called 'pujan' which means worship. Did Ambarish Maharaja has any scarcity of money? He could have appointed a priest for worshiping of Supreme Lord. But he performed worship of Supreme Lord by his own hands. He appointed persons to perform his materialistic duties and but engaged himself in the service of Supreme Lord. He engaged his ears in hearing the glories of Supreme Lord, his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the Deity of Supreme Lord and his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of things offered to the Lord. Thus he engaged all his sense organs in the service and served the Supreme Lord. Just by refraining one’s self from the food is not the real fasting.

upāvṛttasya pāpebhyo
yas tu vāso gunaiḥ saha
upavāsaḥ sa vijṣeyaḥ
sarva bhoga vivarjitaḥ
(Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilāsa, 13.14)

Giving up all sins, and with all good qualities, one who remains near Krishna, totally relinquishing all enjoyments, has actually observed the vow of Ekadashi. We do not observe this vow for any kind of material benefits. upāvṛttasya pāpebhyo — we are to give up all sinful activity. We are to refrain, to desist from committing all sins. We should restrain ourselves from all the kinds of enjoyments and should stay near the Supreme Lord. We can enjoy only things inferior to us and they are temporary. By having tendency to enjoy we will be entangled in the temporary things, ignorance or illusory potency of the Supreme Lord, we cannot remain near to Him. So how can we stay near or in association of Supreme Lord with this material body as He is cid-ananda vigraha? He is transcendental. What is the solution?

We find in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita:

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

“At the time of taking Mantra-diksha, the devotee takes absolute shelter of Gurudeva, Grace incarnate of Supreme Lord, non-different from Supreme Lord. Sri Krishna makes the devotee cid-ananda-maya via the medium of Gurudeva and in that transcendental form, the devotee can worship Sri Krishna.”

At the time of taking Mantra-diksha, the devotee takes absolute shelter of Gurudeva, but what type of Guru? A real guru, sadguru, suddha-bhakta, is very difficult to get. Mahadeva has said to Parvati,

bahavaḥ guravo santi
śiṣya-vittāpahārakaḥ
durlabhaḥ sadgururdevi
śiṣya-saṁtāpa-hārakam
(Skanda-purana's Guru-gita verse 162)

“You will find so many so-called gurus who squeeze money from the disciples but gurus who remove the afflictions, miseries and give eternal bliss to the disciples are rare to be found. A real guru will remove all the miseries of his disciple. A person should take absolute shelter to such a guru. Adau guru-padashrayha — first of all one should take shelter to a bona-fide spiritual master.”

There are sixty four limbs of devotional service as described by Rupa Goswami,

adau guru-pādāśraya, dīkṣā, gurura sevana
sad-dharma-śikṣā-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārgānugamana
kṛṣṇa-prītye bhoga-tyāga, kṛṣṇa-tīrthe vāsa
yāvan-nirvāha-pratigraha, ekādaśy-upavāsa
dhātry-aśvattha-go-vipra-vaiṣṇava-pūjana
sevā-nāmāparādhādi dūre visarjana
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya 22. 115-117)

Out of ten topmost important limbs from those sixty four limbs, one is observing fast on Ekadashi. Why one should observe this vrata? It is to please the Supreme Lord. So here Ambarish Maharaj used to observe Ekadashi strictly and also break the fast in the prescribed time. Before breaking his fast, he used to feed all the Vaishnava and Brahmanas present there. One day, one Brahmana arrived there. He was not an ordinary Brahmana. He was so powerful that he could remain without food for a thousand years and then he can eat the food one eats in one thousand years in a single day. Everyone fears even hearing his name. He was Durvasa Risi. He said, “I am Durvasa Risi and I have come here.” Ambarish Maharaj became very much pleased and felt fortunate to see such an exalted personality at his place. He welcomed him and requested him to take Prasad on that Dwadashi tithi, the day after Ekadashi Tithi. “I shall be very much glad if you will accept this invitation to take Prasad.” Durvasa Risi agreed to take Prasad and said, “Now I am going to Yamuna to take bath.” By seeing the Yamuna, he became absorbed in Brahmanand. Here, the time for breaking the fasting was approaching. One has to break the fast according to the prescribed time to complete the vow. Ambarish Maharaj got afraid thinking, “Without feeding him how can I eat? What should I do?”

He asked for advice from the Brahmins. The Brahmins advised, “You can take water. Because you are observing complete fast without taking anything so by taking water, it will be considered as taking food and also not taking food. So there will be no offense.” So he took a drop of water. But Durvasa Risi could understand this as he was a brahmagya. Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur has written in his commentary that to spread the glories of Ambarish Maharaj, Durvasa Risi performed such a pastime. He came to Ambarish Maharaj, showing anger towards him, “You are the autocrat of the whole world, and you are a religious person. Did I come to you to have food? You invited me, I am a Sanyasi, a Brahmana and you have accepted food before me? When a guest comes to the house, one should first serve him and then take food afterwards, not before. Everybody follows the best of persons. If a dignified king like you is acting against societal rules then the world will not be benefited by seeing this. It will destroy the whole society so I will not allow it I shall punish you in such a way that nobody would dare to do this. He cursed him and pulled a hair from his head and threw it on the ground and one goddess appeared with sword in hand to kill Ambarish Maharaj. Ambarish Maharaj said with folded hands, “You have got every right to punish me as you are superior to me in all respects. So I accept your punishment.”

But Narayan ordered Sudarshan-chakra, “From outside it seems that Ambarish Maharaj is a householder and has connections with worldly wealth but he has got no connection. He has taken absolute shelter to Me and he has no false ego that he is the master of this world. He is always serving with unconditional surrender. Whenever he is in difficulty you go and protect him.”

Externally it seems that he was a king of the whole world but he did not have attachment for any object of sensual enjoyment.

śrī-śuka uvāca
ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ
sapta-dvīpavatīṁ mahīm
avyayāṁ ca śriyaṁ labdhvā
vibhavaṁ cātulaṁ bhuvi

mene ’tidurlabhaṁ puṁsāṁ
sarvaṁ tat svapna-saṁstutam
vidvān vibhava-nirvāṇaṁ
tamo viśati yat pumān
(Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.15-16)

“Maharaj Ambarish, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Maharaj Ambarish did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The king knew that any non devotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature’s mode of darkness.”

In this material world, a person is considered more fortunate who has more opulence or wealth. Ambarish Maharaj is most fortunate as he was the ruler of the entire world. No one in this world has opulence equivalent to him. Ambarish Maharaj was an autocrat of seven continents but he considered all his opulence, false and temporary. But can we think like him? Can we leave our attachment even for one crores rupees or one lakh rupees or even just one thousand rupees? He considered all his opulence belongs to Supreme Lord, “I am not the enjoyer of this all opulence, I belong to Supreme Lord.” No one is the owner of this opulence. No one is the enjoyer or doer. If anybody tries to enjoy something then ultimately he will suffer in hell. Ambarish Maharaj was an autocrat, he was not like a president of any institute, who gets elected by votes and can be removed from his post by someone. No one can harm his position. But he did not have any attachment to his position or the opulence he had. On the other side a person like me, who has collected money begging from others for the construction of the Math, considers himself as an owner of it. What is this? Devasya apaharan and brahmasya apaharan are great sins. Therefore Nrigraj who was a great religious king, a great donor also but because of a small mistake committed by him, he had to suffer the fruit of brahmsya apaharan - sin and though he was a great king he had to become a chameleon. If you have greed for money then you may earn money but do not consider yourself as enjoyer of that money, as the Supreme Lord is the only enjoyer. But Ambarish Maharaj considered everything to be the Supreme Lords. He was an autocrat; he did not have attachment for material things. By seeing externally you may think him as an ordinary materialistic person, but he is not. He did not have any attachment in any material thing.

ye dārāgāra-putrāpta-
prāṇān vittam imaṁ param
hitvā māṁ śaraṇaṁ yātāḥ
kathaṁ tāṁs tyaktum utsahe
(Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.65)

“The Supreme Lord says to Durvasa, Ambarish Maharaj has left not only his huge kingdom having unlimited opulence, but also his wife, children, relatives, friendship, society everything for Me and came into My shelter. “ But still when Durvasa pleaded for the mercy of the Supreme Lord, He told,

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno
hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.63)

“I become subjugated by the devotion of the devotee so My heart has been occupied by the devotee. My heart is not here. Compassion comes from heart but My heart is with My devotee.”

I have got this sort of promise that if someone serves Me I have to give him something. But a pure devotee wants nothing except My service. So I become subjugated by his devotion. Compassion comes from heart but My heart is not with me. It is with My devotee. No one can cheat the Supreme Lord. Grihastha is inferior and sansyasi is superior, it is not like that for the Supreme Lord. He does not differentiate between grihastha or sanyasi, he sees their activities and according to that gives the results. No one can change the fruits or results.

karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr
mā te saṅgo ’stv akarmaṇi
(Bhagavad-gita 2.47)

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.”

Fruits of your karma are in the hands of Supreme Lord. They are not in the hands of any materialistic person of this world. If you perform any abominable acts then you will not get good results. Durvasa Risi went to Narayan who is the controller of even Brahma and Shiva. But Lord Narayan told to him, “I cannot rescue you from sudarshan-chakra, you have to go to Ambarish Maharaj.”

Then Durvasa Risi went to Ambarish Maharaj. Ambarish Maharaj was very repentant, “Oh! Durvasa Rsi left without taking any food. I committed a great offense.” He also remained without any food, he only took water till Durvasa Risi came back to him. Ambarish Maharaj did not have any false ego, he did not think, “It was not my fault, it was Durvasa’s fault so he had to come back to me.” Rather he told to Durvasa that he came there to rescue him. Durvasa told, “This sudarshan is giving me heat please rescue me from him, I also went to Narayan but he sent me to you. “ Then Ambarish Maharaja started praying to Sudarshana-chakra, “If our family has given charity to the proper persons, if we have performed ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, if we have properly carried out our occupational duties, and if we have been guided by learned brāhmaṇas, I wish, in exchange, that this Brahmana be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarshanachakra.” but chakra did not become peaceful then the king again prayed to chakra, “If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, who is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities, and who is the life and soul of all living entities, if I performed devotion to him and He was pleased with me, then I wish that this Brahmana, Durvasa Muni, be freed from the pain of being burned.” When the king offered prayers to the Sudarshana-chakra and Lord Vishnu, Sudarshana-chakra became peaceful and stopped burning Durvasa Muni. Thus He saved the Durvasa. Can we get such a devoted, first order of Vaishnava in this world, who gave the fruits of his bhajan to someone else who came to kill him?

Thus Ambarish Maharaj has engaged his mind and all other senses in the service of Supreme Lord and wherever we devote our energy and our senses, our mind would go there. There are five important limbs of devotion,

sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa
mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana
(Chaitanya Charitamrit Madhya 22.128)

“One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.”

When senses come in the contact with object of senses like rupa, rasa, gandh etc, then senses will be satisfied and happiness come. Like happiness, miseries also will come. Though no one wants them, they will come automatically, as happiness comes automatically. So you need not be concerned about them, for they will come automatically. Depending upon our karma happiness and sorrowfulness both will come automatically, no one is responsible for that. We blame others for our distress. Others are instrumental, no one is the cause, I am the cause. You see your own defect always, and not see them in others. Dhruva acted in this way. He followed his mother’s instructions. She advised him not to blame his step mother for his afflictions. If you perform devotion to Supreme Lord with any kind of vanity then your whole life will go in vain. You will not get the objective. The Supreme Lord is controlling everything. He knows everything.

There was one poor Brahmin who could hardly find food for himself. In spite of such poverty, he used to worship Lord Vishnu daily without fail. One day he mentally prepared kheer (sweet-rice) to be offered to Lord Vishnu. By his thoughts the preparation took a long time and it was already the time for offering. So, he took out the kheer in a bowl and offered it to Lord Vishnu. Suddenly he realized that the kheer must be very hot and he tried to verify it by putting his finger into it. Everything he was doing was by mind only. There was no kheer, fire or anything. When he put his finger into the bowl, it got burnt. He then worried thinking that he committed an offense at the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. Witnessing the Brahmin’s action, Lord Vishnu who was being served by Lakshmidevi in Vaikuntha, suddenly started laughing loudly. Being asked by Lakshmidevi, He narrated about Brahmin’s service attitude. Thus even though this Brahmand is so vast, the Lord knows about what is happening in each and every small corner of it. The Supreme Lord, being situated in the heart of each and every living being as Paramatma, knows about the actions of each and every living being.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18.61)

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.”

So do not inflict injuries to any living being as the Supreme Lord resides in the heart of each and every one. He is witnessing the action of all. You cannot deceive God. It is impossible. If you do not believe in this then there will not be any bhajan. We should have firm faith in Him.

If we perform devotion with firm faith then we will realize Supreme Lord’s presence in our heart.

śṛṇvataḥ śraddhayā nityaṁ
gṛṇataś ca sva-ceṣṭitam
kālena nātidīrgheṇa
bhagavān viśate hṛdi
(Srimad Bhagavatam 2.8.4)

“Persons who listen to Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna manifested in their hearts within a short time.”

If we perform devotion with firm faith then we will realize Supreme Lord’s presence in our heart. If we do not have that faith in Him then we will keep moving in the cycle of birth and death, incessantly. Chanting of the Holy Name of Supreme Lord is the only solution. There are no rules and regulations for chanting the Holy Name.

khāite śuite yathā tathā nāma laya
deśa-kāla -niyama nāhi, sarva siddhi haya
(Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.18)

“Regardless of time or place, one who chants the Holy Name, even while eating or sleeping, attains all perfection.”

kaliyuga keval nam adhara, simar-simar nar utarahin para

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126 and quoted in Caitanya Charitamtra Madhya 6.242)

“In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress other than the Holy Name, the Holy Name, the Holy Name of the Lord.”

There was one gentleman in Hyderabad who invited me to his place. He wanted to perform a sacrifice. He mentioned that they are going to pour 100 kilograms of ghee in that sacrifice. I told that nowadays pure ghee made from the milk of cow is not available and by using contaminated ghee for the sacrifice they are going to incur an offense. I also tried to explain him that performing sacrifice is not prescribed for the people of Kaliyuga. The only prescribed process for people of Kaliyuga is performing hari-kirtan. In reply, he mentioned that they are going to perform hari-kirtan also. He was keen to take me to that place. He arranged a car also. After repeated requests, I went there and saw that they had made so much arrangement for performing the sacrifice. While he was showing all those arrangements, I asked him, “Where is hari-kirtan being performed?” Then he showed me some two-three persons doing some kairtan in a small corner without any enthusiasm! For them the important thing was the quantity of ghee they were going to use to sacrifice there. I told them if they have inclination to perform sacrifice then they should keep some cows and perform the sacrifice from the ghee obtained from their milk. In Kaliyuga, all these things are not possible. So, the prescribed process for Kaliyuga in chanting of the Holy Name.