His meeting with Lord Viṣṇu. So now he will speak to Devahūti. What was those words, what was Viṣṇu's words that Kardama Muni remembered? In the 21st chapter of the Third Canto, it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, informed Kardama that Svāyambhuva Manu would visit him, together with his daughter, Devahūti. And then, Lord Viṣṇu also told Kardama that he should accept her as his wife. And then the third thing he told him is that he also promised that he himself, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, would appear as his son later on, as Kapila. So this is what he is remembering now before his answering Devahūti. I would like to give a short summary of this 24th chapter, just very short, that we are going to read. Kardama had promised he would stay with Devahūti until they had children, and then he would renounce family life. So they had nine daughters together. And these nine daughters were very special, they were all married to great sages. And they became, in this way, mothers of important, very important, influential persons. Then, as promised, Kapila appeared, Lord Kapila, the son of Kardama and Devahūti. Kardama Muni, he understood completely clearly that my son is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in this chapter, he will offer beautiful prayers glorifying his son, Kapiladeva. And then it is also about Kardama Muni's renunciation, having fulfilled all his responsibilities as husband and father, and then he decided to leave home because he wanted to be fully engaged in devotional service and show that example also for everyone else. Devahūti, she was naturally very attached to Kardama Muni. She, at this point, was concerned about her future. What would be my future? My husband is leaving. After his departure, what will I do? So now in this chapter, Kardama assured her that Lord Kapiladeva would stay with her, protect her, and also give knowledge, transcendental knowledge. So then in this chapter, it is described how Kardama left home. So Kardama Muni is remembering Lord Viṣṇu. And this is very significant. Remembrance is so very important. There are nine processes of devotional service: śravaṇaṁ, kīrtanaṁ, viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam, to remember the Lord. Very easily we forget, but if we can remember the Lord, that is most wonderful. It is explained in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.234:
smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur
vismartavyaḥ na jātucit
sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur
etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ
It is explained that all rules and prohibitions mentioned in the scriptures should be servants of two principles. And they are: what are they? Lord Viṣṇu should always be remembered, and never forgotten at any time. Kṛṣṇa explains also in regards to remembrance in Bhagavad-gītā in the eighth chapter, text 14, that he can easily be obtained by us just remembering Him. This is a quote now from Bhagavad-gītā 8.14. Kṛṣṇa says: "For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain because of his constant engagement in devotional service." Also in the same chapter, Kṛṣṇa is speaking about remembrance in 8.8. He says: "He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, is sure to reach Me." So if one remembers the Lord or Śrīla Prabhupāda, our founder-ācārya, remember devotees, and so on, it is the perfection of life. I was reading in Nectar of Devotion about tulasī. And also it is described, just by remembering tulasī, all auspiciousness will enter our lives. Here is a quote from Nectar of Devotion. Prabhupāda speaks first generally about tulasī, how important tulasī is. "In India, all Hindus, even those not belonging to the Vaiṣṇava group, take special care of the tulasī tree. Even in great cities, where it is very difficult to keep a tulasī tree, people are to be found very carefully keeping this plant. They water it and offer obeisances to it, because worship of the tulasī tree is very important in devotional service." We have such nice tulasīs here. I spoke with Lalitanath Prabhu about it yesterday, they look so healthy and strong. So it is great pleasure to sing for her in the morning here and doing pūjā.
Q: All credit to Ananga Manjari.
A: Yes.
Q: And Rajvidya.
A: Ah, and Rajvidya.
Q: I think she is the boss.
A: Mostly. They are doing wonderful service. I want to read a statement about Śrīmatī tulasī-devī from Skanda Purāṇa, how auspicious it is to also remember tulasī. Quote now: "Tulasī is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing this tree, there is always, all auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in contact with the tulasī tree in the above-mentioned ways, lives eternally in the Vaikuṇṭha world." That is from Skanda Purāṇa. Prabhupāda was so pleased with Govinda Dasi because she was bringing up tulasī plants in our movement. So remembrance is so very important. And I also have a quote here from the Padma Purāṇa in regards to remembrance, remembering: "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, because if someone remembers Him, either at the time of death or during his span of life, he becomes free from all sinful reactions."
There is a wonderful story about Kārttikeya Prabhu's mother. She left this world. Kārttikeya Prabhu was disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda. And she was not very favorable towards ISKCON and devotees. She had cancer, and was going to pass away very soon. Kārttikeya went to be with her. But just as she was going to take her last breath, she looked up suddenly towards Kārttikeya, and do you know what she said? She was looking him straight in the eyes, and then she said, "Is your Kṛṣṇa here now?" And then she left.
Q: She was not favorable to Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
A: No, to the movement.
Q: And her husband was taking care of tulasī?
A: No. That I don't know, but she was just an ordinary mother. But Kārttikeya pleased Śrīla Prabhupāda so much when he heard this. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was really happy. "Is your Kṛṣṇa here now?" and then she left. So Prabhupāda showed that he was very grateful, and he became very loving towards Kārttikeya Prabhu. And this is a quote, what Prabhupāda said: "Your devotional service has saved your mother. She has gone back to Godhead because of you."
Very wonderful. We are preparing ourselves for the time of leaving these bodies, and Kṛṣṇa says in 8.5:
anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ
anta-kāle means "at the end of life". smaran muktvā kalevaram, "one who remembers Me when he is quitting this kalevaram, this material, temporary material body, he certainly will attain my nature, of this there is no doubt." And also in 8.6, Kṛṣṇa is again speaking about the same thing:
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail. I was reading about, there was a research or report from the 1960s, the Americans, the American soldiers who were fighting in Vietnam. And the research was about what they remembered at the time of death. The last words. There was a study about the last words of them, what was in their mind. It was a study of 50,000 American soldiers who died in Vietnam in the 1960s. Most of them remember, and they cried for, do you know what? Their mothers. They remembered their mothers, they cried for their mothers just at that point, at the time of death. The life is meant for training ourselves, so we can meet death in an auspicious way. And not only death, but every day. Meet every day in a most auspicious way. Just being together with devotees is such a blessing, to be able to come for maṅgala-ārati, to see Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi so beautifully dancing on the altar, shining, and just being in the association of devotees, supporting each other, hearing the holy name, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, and remembering the Lord. Although we have been to morning programs many times, it is always interesting, it is always fresh. You never get tired of it. Śaunaka Ṛṣi speaks about this to Sūta Gosvāmī in the first chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He says:
vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma
uttama-śloka-vikrame
yac-chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ
svādu svādu pade pade
We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is uttama-śloka-vikrame, who is glorified by hymns and prayers. Those who have developed a taste for transcendental relationship to the Lord relish hearing of His pastimes at every moment. svādu svādu pade pade. svādu svādu pade pade. It means it is sweet and sweeter, and still sweeter at every step. svādu svādu pade pade. So that is in kṛṣṇa-kathā. Just by remembering the Lord, we can experience it is always fresh. The mood Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke about that is that we are always looking for Kṛṣṇa, not that we have found Kṛṣṇa. Not that we have attained Kṛṣṇa, but "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" Always, like the Gosvāmīs, they were in this mood. They were always looking for Kṛṣṇa, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" Although they were with Kṛṣṇa constantly because they were remembering Him constantly, and chanting His glories, but they did not feel like that. "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" So Prabhupāda said it is so important to develop that right mood. Prabhupāda, he was teaching George Harrison. George Harrison came to Prabhupāda in London and he wanted to surrender. Nanda-kumāra Prabhu told the story. He was at that time, servant of Prabhupāda. And then, George Harrison entered, and he said, "Do you think I can see Śrīla Prabhupāda?" And he was very humble. Of course. So Nanda-kumāra let him in. And then he sneaked in himself. And then, Nanda-kumāra told that George Harrison said, "I have been thinking about to move into the temple, to become a full-time devotee." And he was offering full daṇḍavats to Prabhupāda. And Prabhupāda asked him to come closer and closer. So he was just sitting besides him. And then Prabhupāda said, "No, no, you can do much better service by just going on making music with Kṛṣṇa conscious lyrics." And then he said, "I can teach you what could be the right mood for writing songs." And then he came several days to meet Prabhupāda at Bhaktivedanta Manor. And Prabhupāda, he was showing him bhajanas from Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, just for the right mood. Not that, "I have seen Kṛṣṇa", but "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" So we know in "My Sweet Lord", "I really want to see You, I really want to see You, where are You?" That's the mood in that song, it's so nice. Coming from Prabhupāda. "It takes so long, I want to see You."
There is also one, I want to end with a nice story. It was, it is from Giriraj Maharaj. He was doing service for many years in India. Wonderful service. And he was in Madras. And Giriraj Maharaj, he liked to cultivate big people, influential people, intelligent people, leaders in society. So he had met the Chief Justice in Madras, the High Court Judge in Madras, and he started to cultivate him. And he was really becoming more and more serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And Prabhupāda was so pleased with Giriraj Maharaj's ability to cultivate this kind of people. So he was going to him more or less daily, and speaking with him and preaching to him. He told Prabhupāda, Prabhupāda was very curious about the conversation. Prabhupāda asked, "What did you say, what did he say?" and so on. So he came to that point, he wanted to become initiated. And it is just interesting that he said, "I am ready to give up everything, but there is one thing that is very difficult for me to give up." To become initiated, difficult to give up drinking tea. So when Giriraj Maharaj told Prabhupāda that, Prabhupāda said, "Okay, for a big man, influential man, we can make some small exception." So he accepted him. So it was very nicely described in regards to "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" The High Court Judge, he invited one day, judges and advocates from the area around, and they had a program. And Prabhupāda was invited, Prabhupāda was speaking. And Prabhupāda was speaking about the Six Gosvāmīs, that they were such influential people, just like the judges and the advocates and the High Court Judge, and how they gave up everything, and how they joined Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So Prabhupāda was preaching to them that you should also, encouraged them to also be involved, to also join the saṅkīrtana movement. And then he was speaking about this mood of "Where is Kṛṣṇa?"
At that meeting, there was Śyāmasundara's daughter, just a few years old, Sarasvatī. And the High Court Judge, he had a very nice mūrti of Kṛṣṇa. So Prabhupāda showed this beautiful mūrti, silver, it was in solid silver, for Sarasvatī and showed her, "Here is Kṛṣṇa, He is so beautiful." And then, Prabhupāda hid, for Sarasvatī, Kṛṣṇa. He put Kṛṣṇa behind his back. And then he asked Sarasvatī, "Sarasvatī, where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" And Sarasvatī, she became anxious, she was looking around everywhere and Prabhupāda said again, "Where is Kṛṣṇa, where is Kṛṣṇa?" And everyone was watching this, the natural inclination within us for a devotee to look for Kṛṣṇa. And so, this was going on for some time. And then, one devotee gave the hint: asking Sarasvatī, "Sarasvatī, who has Kṛṣṇa?" And then, her eyes lit up, and then she said, "Oh, Prabhupāda has Kṛṣṇa." And then Prabhupāda very slowly from behind his back, he took out this silver Kṛṣṇa, the silver mūrti. "Here is Kṛṣṇa, here is Kṛṣṇa." So Prabhupāda, in such an expert way, he was able to relate to everyone. To the advocates and High Court Judges, and most smart, intelligent people in society, and at the same time, a little girl, and teaching the right mood. And looking for Kṛṣṇa, longing for Kṛṣṇa, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" So this was Prabhupāda's expertise. He could relate to everyone. So in this verse today, Kardama Muni, he remembers, remembers the words of Lord Viṣṇu. So that is his perfection and our perfection, just to always remember the Lord. And tomorrow it will continue with how he's answering Devahūti. Thank you very much. Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!
Q: jaya!
Q: You were speaking about remembrance, like Kardama Muni was remembering his talk with Lord Viṣṇu. We also sometimes try to remember Kṛṣṇa at every step, but it is not so easy. So what we can do that we can at least go further in that process, that we remember Kṛṣṇa more often and then forever?
A: In the Nectar of Instruction, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in a practical way how to remember Kṛṣṇa, it's chanting. Always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So that's the way to remember Kṛṣṇa in this age, always chanting constantly. Prabhupāda said we can always chant when you take a shower, when you walk here and there, when you are on the bus or train, or if you are washing the dishes, or whatever we are doing, we can always chant. And in this way, we can be, we can say, forced to remember Kṛṣṇa by just chanting constantly, non-stop. And Prabhupāda showed that example. He always had his bead bag with him and the hand in the bead bag, so when he was doing different things, walking here and there, or when lectures, and as soon as there was a little gap between something, immediately he was chanting constantly. So that's example how to remember Kṛṣṇa.
Q: Our spiritual master said one time, when Prabhupāda was talking to the people, his chanting bead bag was moving.
A: Indradyumna Maharaj?
Q: He said that when Prabhupāda was talking to people, still his hand was like, maybe chanting in the mind, I don't know how he was doing that, but...
A: I remember Indradyumna Maharaj, he told that he got that instruction from Śrīla Prabhupāda that, "Preach boldly and depend on the holy name."
Q: And follow in the footsteps of the ācāryas.
A: Follow in the footsteps of the ācāryas. It was like a direct instruction to Indradyumna Maharaj from Śrīla Prabhupāda: "Preach boldly and depend on the holy name." We have nothing to fear, we can say the truth.
Q: And he took to heart that instruction.
A: So, really, when he is preaching, he is like, bold. Something else?
Q: What does this mean, "Tulasī tree's auspiciousness can really elaborate on, what is auspiciousness?"
A: Well, real auspiciousness is to come closer to Kṛṣṇa, and because she is so dear to Kṛṣṇa. So by just as it said, remembering her, even seeing her, touching her, and so on, because she is dear to Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa is blessing us if we are serving her nicely. And this is real auspiciousness, because by pleasing Kṛṣṇa, we forget this illusory material existence, māyā, and that's real auspiciousness. It's like, it's Vedic saying, tamaso mā jyotir gama: get out of the darkness, illusory world, jyotir gama, come to the light. So that's real auspiciousness, and that means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we remember Kṛṣṇa, then there is the light. Like it is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta:
kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
jāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
Kṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. So wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be any darkness. As soon as one take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the darkness of illusion will immediately go away, it will vanish. So this is real auspiciousness. Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa immediately makes everything auspicious.
Q: I mean, all kinds of devotional service create auspiciousness, of course, but is there any special auspiciousness that comes especially from tulasī?
A: There are five personalities who can grant us the residency in Vṛndāvana. One of them is tulasī, so that's most auspicious auspiciousness.
Q: Five personalities who can grant us residency in Vṛndāvana: Yamunā, Lord Śiva, Vraja-reṇu, dust of Vṛndāvana, and Girirāja Govardhana.
A: Vṛndā-devī.
Q: Vṛndā-devī, yeah.
A: So we say them again: tulasī...
Q: Tulasī, Yamunā, Girirāja Govardhana, Vraja-reṇu, dust of Vṛndāvana...
A: Lord Śiva.
Q: Yeah, Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva.
A: Very good, thank you.
Q: All help from spiritual master, many times, what Prabhupāda was chanting and...
A: So we heard from Indradyumna Maharaj many times.
Q: And on the way when we do parikramā, so we are starting this parikramā from Vṛndā-kuṇḍa. Vṛndā-devī is the person who can grant us the entrance, the residency of Vṛndāvana.
A: So we should ask her blessings.
Q: And Lord Śiva is protector also. Yeah, Gopīśvara Mahādeva. Also walking around tulasī, it's so auspicious.
A: Yeah, it can destroy all sins, of course, as we saw.
Q: I remember when I came to Kṛṣṇa first time, it was, I think, '79, and I was there for the morning program, and then there was worship of tulasī-devī. First time I had seen. And I felt a little like stiff in the morning program, everything new, and just observing everyone doing everything. But when we walked around tulasī, I just felt like, in a very practical way, great relief, and became very joyful, happy, just by walking around. And when they told me it's so important to walk around, then I, I could understand, "Yes, I, I can feel it." For some time, also, living in the temple in Poland in Częstochowa, and we had tulasī pūjā during the Sunday programs, for everyone also.
A: We had it for many years, but now there is a change in the program, so it's not there. I think it's a little sad, personally.
Q: Wasn't it also part of the evening program, tulasī pūjā? Prabhupāda's original... I think it was during the evening also, tulasī pūjā.
A: Yeah, I think it's in Māyāpur, Vṛndāvana, they have that.
Q: But when they are not taking...
A: No.
Q: In morning only.
A: In morning only.
Q: And when temple close...
A: They do, in Delhi also they do, evening...
Q: I was also in Ahmedabad, Māyāpur, where they serve prasādam for the guests, and they offered the servants, and the servants finished their job, I mean cleaning the pots and the plates and everything, tables. They are putting the tulasī, and they sing to tulasī vṛndā-devyai, young guys. They have free time, tulasī.
A: I was like, "Wow, so sweet."
Q: There's one thing, it's like, it's like just an assistant, what we have here. It's like assistant with translator. We can do now one, really... wherever this Prabhupāda is, not giving purport, so we take next purports, so wherever is purport, and then we class.
A: Yes. So we take together that purport and then, next verse. Most valuable.
Q: I was asking Lalitanath Prabhu about it, and he said it's...
A: What did you say?
Q: He said to speaker...
A: Okay, but each speaker can speak on any verse, but we take like...
Q: Next verse if it has purport.
A: Next verses if it has no purport then, another verse also. We take all those verses and then speak on that.
Q: That's very good thing.
A: That's very good thing, yes. Then again also, some, like when we, like for especially when it's the first verse of the chapter, to give a summary of the chapter, that's also nice.
Q: And spoke about smaraṇam.
A: Yeah, also we have to give a summary of the chapter.
Q: And especially keep like Prabhupāda, keeping the, the home live person...
A: Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!
Q: jaya!
A: For sure, you are. So, it's, I think it's good time to end here. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam kī jaya!
Q: jaya!
A: Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi kī jaya!
Q: jaya!
A: Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda kī jaya!
Q: jaya!