Men. Now we are born as human beings. After birth we spend it without knowing anything, young stage. Then we go to school. There we learn something. After that we get marriage and we may have some children. After that we protect them and give them food and education. After that we become old and go away. Death will come to us. What is the eternal benefit, spiritual benefit we could derive in this life is a question? Why a man borns and grows and earns and spends, constructs so much palatial building 15, 20 stories building and earns. At last old age comes, he disappears from the world. He doesn’t feel for what purpose I have to this world. What I have done in this world and what I am taking with me. From outside it is seen that he is not taking anything. With empty hands he has come here, with empty hands, and with empty hands he goes away. Here he has to quarrel with many, fight with many with great difficulty, suffering, may maintain themselves. What is the result? What is the benefit I take? According to our scriptures, a man, whatever he does in his life, the result will be taken by him when he passes away. That is called past birth. Now in this birth he will enjoy, he will suffer according to his past activities. And now again and again he will be taking birth and again and again he will die. This is only the duty he is doing here. Sometimes rich, sometimes poor. Sometimes master, sometimes servant. Various types of life he has to undergo. And he doesn’t know what is the real value of this life. If he is fortunate enough he must come to a saint or a sadhu. And from him he can learn in detail about past, and present, and future. Now, when we are taking the life of a human being, man. Whatever the man does, good or bad, he has to, it will be recorded, he has to undergo it. He receives reward or punishment, whatever may be. Now, when he comes to a real sadhu, saint, he will teach him: “Boy. In your past births you were a beast or a bird or a dog or a cat. Now the result you could not enjoy. Now you are enjoying as a human being.” And the sadhus appear by my fortune. If I am fortunate enough to get the association of sadhus or saints. And through their teaching I can be a perfect man in this world and in future world will be also perfect and happy. Everybody wants happiness but where is that happiness. All of us we sit in chairs, we have to struggle for stomach or. Are we happy? No. None of us is happy. Though they may be happy very short period. Maximum time they have to suffer. From this suffering we can be free only if we dedicate ourselves at the feet of Supreme Lord Krishna. As he said:

aham hi sarva-yajnanam bhokta ca prabhur eva ca
mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya

There is nothing greater than me, superior than me. I am the Superior, Supreme Master. I am the creator of this, the stars, the sun, several planets, all are moving according to my will. Now, if I surrender at the feet of the Supreme Lord and follow with faith, follow with service or the devotion, then I will be very much happy as whatever sage say. Our Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared in India on the banks of Ganga near Calcutta, Navadvipa. There he survived for 48 years only. He took sannyasa at the age of 24. For 24 years he survived and traveled throughout India propagating the simplest method, the surest method that we can achieve if we follow the teachings of the Lord, bhagavat-gita, or our vedam or Mahabharata or Ramayana. All of these great epics, they tell us that in kali-yuga. There are 4 yugas, millenniums. Kali yuga, kali millennium, dvapara-yuga, and treta yuga and satya-yuga. These are the millenniums. We are now in the millennium of Kali. Kali is the age of wrangling, fight. Nobody is happy. No country is happy. No town, no village is happy. They are struggling. They are struggling for happiness. They cannot reach happiness themselves. Our Mahaprabhu says. He is the Lord, Chaitanya, he says:

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha

And in kali-yugam only harinam, only harinam, only harinam. Harinam. Om is nama? And also you go on Hari, Govinda, Mukunda, Madhava, Madhusudana, there are hundred, thousands of names – sahasra nams. This we have to repeat. We can repeat, just like, you see, the boys are beating drums and karatals and singing, dancing and repeating the namam. Or you can sit and talk namam. Name. Name is not the worldly name. It is a transcendental name. And the transcendental matter can be only achieved through repeating that namam

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Now if we put this into practice approaching a saint and attach with full faith then the sadhana, practice begins. And by it step by step, sadhana, bhajana-kriya, anartha-nivritti, nishta, ruci, asakti, bhava, prema. Then we will come to the last, ninth step. It is prema. Only by repeating namam - only sadhana - no yoga, no karma, no jnana. Everything is under it. If you repeat namam, then you will realize. Realize. That realization is jnanam or a happiness, real happiness. You will enjoy real happiness. You will never afraid, you will never fear, you will never weep, never you undergo that stage. You will be always happy. And whatever action you do, all you actions you will be happy.

sukha-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau

He is not happy by adding plus and suffering minus, so he won't be happy.

sukha-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau

If he goes to battlefield. Why? This world is a battlefield always. We have to accept that I am always happy and not unhappy. I don’t want anything more except namam. You go on attending devotees and doing namam, Divine Name. That Divine Name will help. In Srimad Bhagavatam there is a story of Prahlada. Prahlada, he was a son of an emperor called Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu had four children. Among them Prahlada is the eldest one. When Hiranyakasipu went away to the forest to perform penance, nearly for a hundred years he performed penance and succeeded. And Indra who wants to destroy this boy when he was in mother’s womb. He was seeing that Kayatu wife of Hiranyakasipu is going away. Narada saw him taking this lady and saved the baby in his place. And he was, Indra, why are you taking? I am taking this because in her womb now there is my foe and after his birth I will kill him ….womb. Narada said: No, no. You cannot kill him. He is a great Mahabhagavata in the womb. He is not to kill you. So you need not kill him. Allow that lady. I will take her to some asrama. Sadhu’s asrama where she will be kept safe. You go there after, after birth. Now daily Narada used to come there and teach her some things about Hari. Teach her some things about the Supreme Lord. Reality. What is real and what is unreal. What is truth and what is untruth. These Marwaris, when they come to the grave, they come, dead body, they say Rama nama satya he or …. he. So Rama nama, Rama nama is truth. And that everything what we say to talk it is only waste, it is not truth. Not only that. Truth is always truth. Truth is truth. Truth cannot be untruth. Untruth cannot be truth. When you say Rama and you say Krishna it is truth. You see, everything, all the happiness we see in this world is not truth. Yes. Like that you should know. That Prahlada was a devotee from birth. How? By the association of Narada. When he was in mother’s womb Narada was telling Kayatu about Hari. Boy was, the boy admitted. When this Prahlada was sent to school. And teachers, tutors. Who were the tutors? Tutors are Sanda and Amarka. Sanda and Amarka were two brothers. They were the sons of Sukracarya. Sukracarya is the permanent Guru of all these demons. Now, after one month or three months or six months or one year Sandamarka taught him. Others boys are also there and he was taken to. Now he said you please bring the boy and now I will see how he has developed your teachings. He was brought. And he asked: What is the truth?

Now the Prahlada said: There is no happiness in this world. The wretched world. We must kick out this world and go to the forest. There happily we can lead our life. How? Hari, the Lord who can destroy all our unhappiness. When the father heard this he asked these Gurus. Are these the teachings that you have given to the boy? He said about Hari. Hari is my eternal foe. Now you have misguided my boy. Who has taught this Hari … to this boy? This my boy. Then they said: Sir, nobody has come to that topic, because we are only and many boys have studied. No other boys can tell such a reply. How can your boy study this worship. You must be very careful, unless you will be punished. You will be killed, not punished, killed. You don’t know who am I. Go. And that calculation. Then they took the boy and they asked the boy. Wherefrom you have got this answer? Who taught? Did we teach you? Who taught? No other Brahmins, or vaisnavas or any sadhus have come to this place. Nobody comes here. We are the teachers. Except us nobody comes. And how could you? Then he said: Nobody has come. Nobody has come.

……(verse 25:30)

They asked the students. That cane, with that cane we teach a boy. Teaching this study. Then he was afraid of the son, king’s son. Please stop this, because he was afraid, gave up. And now he said nobody has taught me. Who has taught you? Narada is my Guru. These people are not my Guru. Narada. And from Narada I learned this truth. How could you meet Narada. Narada has not come here. Not now, he nevers. In my mother’s womb. When I was kept aloof in the asrama. Narada used to come and give me the meaningful teaching. I was in my mother’s womb. I was born only after one hundred years. For hundred years Narada gave needful instructions. So much instructions he has given. His teaching make me go to towards devotion. Now I am a devotee. I am a devotee. After. Now the teacher said: Very careful. You must be very careful. You should be very careful. Unless he will take away our lives. Hiranyakasipu is, all demigods are afraid of him. In the world, he is threatening the whole universe. This Hiranyakasipu. Now he carefully looks after the boy. And when the teachers went away. Prahlada, you are our friend. We know none except you. We are hearing the teachings of Sandamarka only. We know none else except them. But what it is? They wondered. ……….. of this world. And who told? He said: When I was in my mother’s womb Narada used to give me needful. By the mercy of Narada, now I am perfect achieving the knowledge of devotion. This is the knowledge of devotion.

srimad-bhagavatam pramanam amalam yad vaisnavanam priyam
yasmin paramahamsyam ekam amalam jnanam param giyate
yatra jnana-viraga-bhakti-sahitam naiskarmyam aviskrtam
tac chrnvan supathan vicarana-paro bhaktya vimucyen narah

Now this is the sum we’ve taught, our mission teaches, Sir. We must know the truth. We must know the Lord. Supreme Lord. Supreme Creator.

atmava are drustavyaha srotavyaha mantavyaha nidhi dhyasitavyaha

Our Upanishad says as the Veda says: You must know that atma. What is that atma? Where is that atma? Atma is everywhere. In each and every soul atma is there. We must know that atma.

When Prahlada again was taken to Hiranyakasipu, Hiranyakasipu asked: Boy, what you have learned in these six months? Tell me. ……….. He says:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye 'dhitam uttamam

Those who are experts in these nine types of devotion. Devotion, nine types. Sravanam, repetition kirtanam. Then in the mind smaranam – the remembrance. Sravanam, kirtanam, Vishnu smaranam, pada sevanam. Pada seva – remaining only at pada. Pada seva of the Lord. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam. Arcana – puja. Vandanam. Dasyam. Sakhyam. Atma-nivedamam. Now Prahlada is the dasa. Who are you? I am the dasa of Supreme Lord. But we cannot say that. Who are you? I am the son of … He is untrue. Reply is untrue. And talk is untrue.

One should become perfect undergoing the service of mahatma or the saint. The right saint. Those who do some physical labor, help, a saint? No. He is not a saint. Saint is who is actually seeing the Supreme Lord and who can show you the Lord. If we dedicate ourselves to his lotus feet he will show you. So our masters, they have told us that in here now Lord Narasimha appeared before Prahlada and put Hiranyakasipu. There is no such a strong person in this world. He was so strong. But Nrsimha, half lion and half man. The face is lions face and the nails are lion’s nails. And legs, waist human. And now he put Hiranyakasipu on his lap and with the nails, lions nails opened his, killed. When he was killed then Prahlada offered his prayers. And the Lord, Supreme Lord, we have brought the end of your father because he was the topmost, first in the world, died. Now what shall I give you? What do you want? What do you want? “I am you servant sir. What we want? I don’t want anything. I want to do service.” This is the Vaisnava.

What do you want? I want money. I want good woman. I want wealth. I want health. I want good meals. No, no. Nothing. Prahlada said, nothing I want from you.

na sa bhrtyah sa vai vanik

He is the servant. Not a baniya to do business. I am not doing business with you. I give you my worship. A baniya has darshan and takes money from you. I am not the baniya. I have nothing to give and take. Prahlada said: I am you servant Sir, I am your servant. What do I want. I want nothing. I want you service. I want your service. I want your service.

It was some sixty, seventy years back. …. There was one servant adopted by one king. The nightwatcher. That nightwatcher at night, 12 o’clock, used to hear, somebody was crying. He observed for a week, continuously, the same time, cries. Then, last day, he went to that place where crying. Grama devata crying. Went there and asked: Mother, why you are crying? Boy, I am crying because Maharaja … will die. In his place somebody must sacrifice his life. Then he will survive. So he removed his sword and put it on his neck, finished. Early in the morning it was known. Servant. He was there to do service. Who can leave his life for the service? None can. Nobody. A bhakta, a devotee is always ready, always, to do the service of the Lord. All the devotees. What do you want? I want the service. Service is bhakti. Bhakti is duty. I will do my duty. Devotee. I am a devotee. I am a servant. Devotee means servant. For my master I will do service. In Krishna lila also we see many instances. Krishna ... Now, we want that bhakti. How to develop that bhakti? It can be developed only if find, surrender to a proper Guru. We may not able to understand who is a Guru. But that many are following he followed. And thereby with blind faith. Strong faith will help him. And he will get it all … … as a devotee. So, devotion. If you want to know the sun or if you want to know the moon you must receive the moon’s light. Without the help of the moonlight you cannot see ………sunlight only must help me to do that, our duty, service. If I dedicate myself, give everything to him.

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me

Man mana bhava. Mad bhakto bhava. Mad yaji bhava. Always think of me. Always do my service. Mad bhakto. Be my devotee. You will come to me. You will know me. But where? How I such strong faith, that I possess such strong faith? These boys, they come, they remain one or two years, after that dislodged to go away. But this is not so easy, and so easy if I dedicate myself. Dedication is wanted. I have no other qualification. Qualification is dedication. One must surrender. They talk many things. Stupids. They are all stupids. They talk something against another and get some money for benefit. Some benefit. No. They are not real. They have no real extension to become a sadhu. How can you wretches be a sadhu unless you are a sadhu. If you want to be a sadhu you must be a sadhu. You must be a sadhu only through the blessings of sadhus. Through the blessings of sadhus you have utmost stage. Sadhu must bless you and uplift you to that stage. The Lord, if you surrender

na me bhakta pranasyati kaunteya pratijanihi

You tell all. Go around the world to tell how can we realize the Lord. Yes. If I dedicate. Complete dedication. Centpercent dedication to the Lord. Lord is there to … No fear my boy. I will protect. So, the question is: Could I able to dedicate myself. I must, stupid, last .... I want to cheat others. I am a cheat. They should try hard. They should. Dedication means, the meaning of dedication is atma samarpanam. He has to dedicate himself – atma samarpanam. Unless you do atma samarpan or you give your life. O Lord, if you don’t help me I will die. I don’t want food. I don’t want anything except you. Lord will bring you food, you will survive. That dedication, he says, one should have that dedication. Because he has never seen anybody who has dedicated and … so how can he do that. It is not so easy to believe anybody. If you don’t get dedication how can you get the mercy of the Lord? Mercy as, we saw in Himalayas there is one Kathya(??) baba. I have seen him.(Shows how he is dressed) Some fellow has come and said: Babaji, please bless me. That lad, he was sitting, adjoin to it is a deep pit, well like. When he came baba said, jump, jump into it. If I jump I will die? Yes. He jumped. But he is all right. He is all right. He jumped. Now, he is sitting there. One must have that faith. Faith, faith, faith, faith. Without faith no use. No use. And now, devotion is wanted. A surrender. It is tough point. Surrender, the Lord will surrender. If we don’t surrender, Lord will never surrender. So, always you have to know this.

Now, one about kirtan. Among nine types of devotion kirtan is the supreme. Sravanam, kirtanam. Pariksit Maharaja of Pandava’s family, Pandava’s dynasty he was. He surrendered. He got the result. Sravanam, kirtanam. Then comes kirtana. That kirtana is, Sukadeva, the son of Vyasa who told, who reached the gathering of, to hear bhagavata, many were rishis, many rishis also. Vyasadeva wrote bhagavata, but he never told bhagavata except Suka. He said. Suka studied under. Now Suka, when he was born he went away to forest. While going away Vyasadeva followed him and while he followed him he could not see Sukadeva. So he young. He was 14 years. Then he returned. While returning he saw the damsels were taking bath in Mandakini, the Ganga. They have kept the clothes on the bank and without clothes they were taking bath. Vyasadeva also came there. Now Vyasadeva saw and asked these damsels why you are clothing? What happened? I am an old man, see me. Did you see my boy 14 years age? Naked boy. He was without clothes. Did you see him? Yes, yes, Sir. We saw him like a lifeless person, but you are elderly and we know you will definitely curse us and so we tied ourselves. So such this, the river. Now Pariksit Maharaja was waiting to hear. Many rishis have come. Nobody can sit and perform ... Then Sukadeva. Then he says:

sannidhyat te maha-yogin patakani mahanty api
sadyo nasyanti vai pumsam visnor iva suretarah

When there is a fight between demons and demigods. With demigods, when they get the assistance of Vishnu, helping, wherever they have come, all these demons, they run away. So, now, O Mahaprabhu when you came to this association. When you have come all the enemies of Vishnu went away. Now I see. I am very happy that you have come. Sukadeva and kirtan. Kirtan. The whole bhagavata he narrated to Pariksit Maharaja. So this is how it is not ordinary. By getting some college, what you call? Title, title. Many titles are there. They can become great. Titleholders cannot become great. Only those who are devotees, who have that devotion. So the bhagavata. Sum of bhagavata is that all of us should dedicate ourselves to the Lord and hear in details the pastimes of the Lord Vishnu, Krishna, Rama. And then they will bless us and through their blessings we can.

vancha-kalpa-tarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah