Firstly, the arrival in Rome was very stimulating. Having been 9 years since my last visit, I anticipated a happy reunion with some dear devotees I had fond memories with. However, I did not expect to immediately have remembrance of that time upon my arrival. When I left the airport in Rome and crossed to the area for pick-up, the vision came clearly in my mind of my last trip. I distinctly remembered Rukmini Didi meeting me there after my long flight from Delhi, and how her family so kindly hosted me even despite Sripad Bhagavat Maharaj’s absence. To feel taken care of is to feel loved.
I got to spend a few days with Jiva Priya das Brahmacari, even visiting the ocean, until the auspicious day before our festival arrived. Gathering with a few other devotees to stay in Villa Madhuri, the beautiful temple of Sri Gaura Radha Damodar of Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaj’s line managed by Devendra Prabhu, we prepared diligently for the festivities. While not a retreat, as it was “only” 3 evening programs, we still had a lot to do like prepare for prasadam, flower garlands, decorations for the first night at a Yoga studio, all the while ensuring visiting devotees (like myself) had breakfast and lunch and all needs covered. The Rome Chaitanya Academy team headed by Rasik Shekhar das Adhikari, Syama Priya dasi, and Jiva Priya das Brahmacari, did an excellent job in both caring for and engaging everyone in service!
The first class was truly astonishing, and with the effulgent Chota Thakurji from the Venice Ashram present to oversee everything, our Madhava das Brahmacari quipped: “They couldn’t wait for the installation festival, They had to see Gurudeva right away!” Being an outreach program at a local yoga studio that was supposed to be geared for new people, we were delightedly surprised that it somehow culminated in an esoteric poem glorifying the exquisite beauty of Sri Krsna that none of us had heard before! I had just been with Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji in Spain - how is it always an ever fresh experience with him? After the class, several of us gathered to discuss what the final verse sung was and when none of us knew, we simply surrendered to wait for Karuna Mayi dasi, our Chaitanya Academy Russian Sloka cataloger*, to find and share it with us all. I present it to you below:
phullendivara-kantim indu-vadanam barhavatamsa-priyam
srivatsankam udara-kaustubha-dharam pitambaram sundaram
gopinam nayanotpalarcita-tanum go-gopa-sanghavritam
govindam kala-venu-vadana-param divyanga-bhusham bhaje
Sri Rupa Gosvami’s Padyavali, Verse 46
“I worship Lord Govinda, whose complexion is the color of a blooming blue lotus flower, whose His face is like the moon, who is fond of wearing a peacock feather crown, who bears the mark of Srivatsa, who wears a great Kaustubha gem, who is dressed in yellow garments, whose handsome form is worshiped with offerings of the lotus flowers that are the gopis' glances, who is accompanied by a host of surabhi cows and gopas, who is fond of sweetly playing the flute, and whose transcendental body is decorated with glittering ornaments.”
The final day was truly madhuryena samarpayet - ending with sweetness. On Sayana Ekadasi, during the divine Avirbhava Tithi of Pujyapada Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaj, we got to hear many intimate pastimes of Srila Maharaj. Personal interactions and instructions, examples of his brilliantly vast understanding of Gaudiya History, and especially about his intimately deep connection with our beloved Srila Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaj. Srila Bharati Maharaj was personally responsible for sourcing Ujjval Nilamani with the tikka of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur for our Srila Gurudeva and was a direct witness to our Param Gurudeva Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaj’s unfettered love for his sat-sisya, Srila Gurudeva. When Srila Gurudeva was presumed to have left the Math, at that time our Param Gurudeva weeped in separation. Immediately upon our Srila Gurudeva’s return, he was again made the Math-in-Charge in Mathura. During his time away he was actually performing his pastime of becoming siddha and realizing his eternal position as Raman Manjari. Srila Bharati Maharaj, having been personally involved in assisting Srila Gurudeva and a direct witness to this history, assured Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji that “You should know that not for a moment did your Gurudeva ever leave the service of his Guru!” Concluding by engaging all of us in memorization of one of Srila Maharaj’s favorite verses, I present it below for the readers pleasure:
sneha-leśāpeksā mātra śrī-krsna-krpāra
sneha-vaśa hañā kare svatantra ācāra
CC Madhya 10.139
“Lord Krsna’s mercy is dependent only on affection. Being obliged only by affection, Lord Krsna acts very independently.”
Far and away the most unbelievable Harinam experience of my life, we wove throughout the heart of Rome, chanting and dancing with hundreds and thousands of locals and tourists alike. At the Trevi Fountain, the crowd was especially large and forming a circle we had many quasi-inebriated prospective Bhaktas chant and dance with enthusiasm. In fact, this Harinam had us all drunk on the power of the Holy Names! Coming from Trevi Fountain, we made our way down tight streets filled with various families and couples eating dinner while drinking wine. Mahaprabhu is truly Parama Karuna and the thunderous drums playing melodious ragas resounded against the cobbled stones making for a symphony of pure unadulterated nectarean bliss! Ending at the Pantheon with a darshan of the local police, we all were physically exhausted yet simultaneously floating.
Upon arrival in Via Reggio, we were lovingly greeted by Govinda Caran das Adhikari and Arundhati Dasi. This couple represents the local Chaitanya Academy team who were spearheading this festival, with diligent assistance by Muralidhara das Brahmacari. Ambitiously, they had chosen not only to host a festival but to have their Vedic Wedding Ceremony the night before festivities began! While an intense endeavor, it’s also such a wonderful opportunity. Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji oversees the ceremony in such a way as to be a completely spiritualized event. This wasn’t a marriage ceremony - this was a preaching event! In fact, one of the Harinam disciples from the recent festival in Cadiz, Spain is the mother of a devotee who had her wedding overseen by Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji previously, and first met Gurudeva there. To gather together and hear the recitation of Brahma-Samhita, to hear Hari Katha, to have ecstatic Kirtan, and to honor sumptuous Maha prasadam is nothing short of a festival. It’s no wonder that devotees are made at these so-called weddings!
After a short breakfast break, the morning program began with bhajans and then Hari Katha. As this was the start of Caturmasya, it was wonderful to hear about the glories and responsibilities of following this Vrata. Afterwards, Gurudeva began to speak about the uniquely special position of Srila Vyasadeva in our spiritual lives and opened up the discussion on the Narada-Vyasa Samvad from First Canto Srimad Bhagavatam. As revealed in the classes, this is a profoundly brilliant dialogue which contains the bija verses of the entire Srimad Bhagavatam! In fact, Gurudeva explained that most years we usually have time to speak a few words on this tithi and then move on, so he was excited to have a full festival to explore the deep esoteric realizations that sprout from an analytical study of this critical conversation. After morning bhajans and Hari Katha, we did Guru Puja of Srila Vyasadeva while Gurudeva led us in the heartfelt prayers of Srila Narottam das Thakur’s “Sri Guru Carana Padma”.
During the evening program, we all assisted Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji in the Sapta-Panchakam Puja - the worship of seven sets of five Gurus - as done by our predecessor Acaryas. These groupings are as follows:
Center position: Sri Krsna (center), Sankarshan, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Sri Vasudeva
West position: Four Kumaras & Vishvaksena (Sanaka Kumar in center)
North position: Sukadeva Gosvami (center), Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbaditya
East position: Your own Guru in the center surrounded by 4 generations (his Guru, his Param Guru, etc.)
South position: Srila Vyasadeva (center), Paila Rsi, Jaimini Rsi, Vaishampayana Rsi, Sumantu Rsi
Southeast position: Pancha Tattva - Sri Krsna Chaitanya (center), Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acary, Gadadhar Pandit, Srivas Thakur
Southwest position: Upasya Panchakam - Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhar, Sri Guru (center)
When Day 2 rolled around, due to the immersion in honoring Srila Vyasadeva on Day 1, Gurudeva began with a deep dive into a special verse from Sanatana Siksha to honor Srila Sanatan Gosvamipada whose disappearance is also on Guru Purnima. I provide it below:
aham vedmi śuko vetti
vyāso vetti na vetti vā
bhaktyā bhāgavatam grāhyam
na buddhyā na ca tīkayā
CC Madhya 24.313
“[Lord Śiva said:] ‘I may know; Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, may know; and Vyāsadeva may know or may not know Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. On the whole, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the spotless Purāṇa, can be learned only through devotional service, not by material intelligence, speculative methods or imaginary commentaries.’ ”
This is actually an astounding statement if we reflect on it. Of course, it’s easy to accept that Lord Siva & Sukadeva Gosvami know Srimad-Bhagavatam. However, how is it possible that Vedavyasa - who compiled the scripture himself - may or may not know?? Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji gave some extraordinary explanations of how this could be possible. With Hari Katha, it’s a transcendental flow of divine reality. One time, Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur received a letter full of intimate realizations and questions associated with them from his disciple, Pujyapada Srila Bhakti Hrdoy Bon Maharaj. When his secretary was reading to him, he was astounded and asked “From where did these amazing realizations come from?” His secretary was shocked and said “Srila Prabhupada, you shared these things to Maharaj in a previous letter.” How is it possible that Srila Prabhupada couldn’t remember? In the transcendental descent of sabda-brahma, one may be the via-medium to conduct the flow of the vidvad-rudhi-vrtti words from the spiritual world and yet not remember or realize the subject. While Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Srimad-Bhagavatam, who can know what he realized? This flow of transcendental knowledge descended from its own desire and Vedavyas was the via-medium to compile it and give it to the world.
Yet there is another consideration. Srila Vyasadeva can be worshipped as either the Asraya or Visaya - the abode of love or the object of love. Sri Krishna is the visaya and so there are aspects of the prema of Srimati Radhika that He cannot understand until He comes in the mood of the asraya as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Similarly, because every word of Srimad-Bhagavatam is kavya, poetry, that points to the esoteric and profound moods of Srimati Radhika, Vedavyasa as the visaya cannot know but as the asraya he can! Bah! This subject went very deep and comprised over a two hour long morning program which left the entire audience stunned.
While these three brothers were Sri Vaishnavas originally, by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s association and sangati (reconciliation) on these types of topics, they came to the Gaudiya line. What a great fortune for us as we are very indebted to Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati Thakur for his outstanding literary contributions. Gurudeva called on Madhava das Brahmacari to speak on one of the important verses from his Sri Caitanya Candramrta - 125:
kalah kalir balina indriya-vairi-vargah
sri bhakti-marga iha kantaka-koti-ruddhah
ha ha kva yami vikalah kim aham karomi
caitanyacandra yadi nadya krpam karosi
"Now it is the age of Kali. My enemies, the senses, are very strong. The beautiful path of bhakti is spiked with countless thorns (like karma, jnana, and unrestricted sense enjoyment). My spirit is weak. My senses are powerful and agitated. O what shall I do? Where shall I go? O Lord Caitanya-candra, if you do not grant me Your mercy, what shall I do to save myself?"
Gurudeva also explained how there are many prayers of Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati Thakur that are in the mood of the manjaris, written from the perspective of the manjari expansion of Tungavidya Sakhi. Why? Because all the associates of the Lord have descended to facilitate the mood of His pastimes. Just like in Gaura Lila, Srimati Radhika as Gadadhara Pandit gives up her vamya bhava (contrary mood) from Krsna Lila and is fully embodying dakshina bhava (submissive mood), Her eternal associates all engage with Sri Krsna as Gauranga in accordance to the moods most favorable for His lila.
After more than one and a half hours of glorifying Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati Thakur, Gurudeva ended with a short kirtan and we all rushed together to engage in the Yuga Dharma - HARINAM SANKIRTAN! Imagine you are on vacation in a small ocean village, having dinner with friends and family, completely and totally in the lap of Maya when - BAM - 50 devotees show up waving flags and chanting loudly the names of God. This was the experience of hundreds of people as we walked up and down the boardwalk with Gurudeva sharing melodious renditions of the Maha Mantra. While very different from Rome, it was not one bit less ecstatic and we had several bystanders very curious to engage in the Yuga Dharma. Gurudeva even led one young man in his first ever chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare! Devotees were so enthusiastic afterwards that they led Kirtan to the car and even into the street as Gurudeva was driven back to his apartment.
On the third morning, we again came back to the Narada-Vyasa Samvad as Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji went very deep into the analysis of shastra on the basis on this verse from the Purva Mimamsa:
upakram upasamharav
abhyasapurvata phalam
arthavadopapati ca
lingam tatparjya nirnaye
“The six ways to ascertain the meaning of any statement (or scripture) are: review that the beginning and the end are consistent, look at what is repeated, look for unprecedented or astonishing claims, look at what it claims is the fruit or result, who/what is it glorifying, and how appropriate is it or how logical is the argument.”
Highlighting the defect in the consciousness of the general populace, Gurudeva explained in the opening of the class, “The path of karma is a path of active hostility to God…the path of jnana is a path of passive hostility to God.” Due to these two considerations, Srila Narada Muni is chastising Srila Vyasadeva for having extensively focused on these two topics without elaboration on Bhakti.
Gurudeva then analyzed the three central verses from the discussions of Narada Rsi and Vedvyasa, which fit in the category of upakram upasamhara, being present in both the first and twelfth cantos: SB 1.5.10-12 repeated in SB 12.12.51-53. While there are slight changes in the 12th canto verses, they remain almost identical. Why is this significant? Because if we want to understand what is the real purpose of a text or scripture, this is the first thing to look at - how it begins and how it ends. From these verses we can glean the inner meaning and mood of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In fact, Gurudeva mentions how Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur says these verses are like the bija mantra of the Srimad-Bhagavatam!
That evening, we gathered again to discuss further on the Narada-Vyasa Samvad. Narada Rsi, being exceptionally soft-hearted and affectionate towards his disciple, chose to share his own personal path to perfection. Recounting his time as the son of a maidservant in a previous day of Lord Brahma, he shared that by the auspicious association of great sages, residing in the house of the Brahman his mother served, during Caturmasya he developed an eagerness to hear Hari Katha. By serving them diligently, they let him honor their maha prasad remnants which solidified his greed to continually hear the glories of the Lord. However, he was left alone after this Caturmasya season at a very young age, with only the mantra and vani of his Gurus to sustain him. This left Vedvyasa astonished - and brought about two questions. Firstly, he wondered how it is that Narada Rsi made progress - and attained perfection - after being left alone at such a young age. Secondly, he wanted to know how it is possible that Narada Rsi remembers not just a past life, but a previous day of Lord Brahma. Leaving us on this cliff hanger, Gurudeva led us in ecstatic Gaura Arati to end the night!
In the following morning, Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji recounted an amazing verse from Tulasi Das’s Rama Caritamanas explaining how scriptures say you should respect and listen to your father, your elder brother, your mother, your Guru, and your husband. However, in the case of Prahlad Maharaj, he could not listen to his father who wanted him to become a demon; Vibhishan could not side with his elder brother, Ravana, against Lord Rama; Bharata Maharaj could not follow his mother, Kaikeyai, who banished Lord Rama to the forest; Bali Maharaj could not accept the instructions of his Guru Sukracarya which were against serving Lord Vamandeva; finally, the Gopis could not stay with their husbands when the loving call of Lord Sri Krsna’s flute invited them to meet with Him. Tulasi Das explains that actually, these activities which seem to be against Dharma are the cause of the greatest auspiciousness. Sri Krsna is mangala-mayi, and anything done for Him will bring great auspiciousness.
As such, Narada Rsi explained to Srila Vyasadeva that when the sages left, he followed their instructions. While it’s not always possible to do physical (vapu) seva to Sri Guru, we can always take shelter of the teachings (vani) of Sri Guru. Gurudeva explains from the pastime of Gopa-Kumar that while he had received his mantra, he had not received siksha in how to remember the mantra properly.
He had not received instructions in sambandha-jnana, what to speak of his visesa-sambandha-jnana, yet he surrendered to the vani of his Guru to recite this mantra every day at the appropriate times. This is showing how mantra is svata-siddha, self-existent, and svayam-prakasha, self-revealing. The power of mantra thus elevated him through all levels of the universe until coming to Golok Vrndavana. Meeting his Guru from time to time as he made progress, he received more guidance bit by bit. Thus there were waves of separation and meeting which both served to cut his attachment to the material realm.
Similarly, Narada Rsi was fully attached to following the instructions of his Guru. Yet, as a young child he worried for the responsibilities he would have for his mother in her older age. One evening, she was bitten by a snake and passed away. Narada Rsi considered this the mercy of his Guru as she was his only world responsibility. Even without making any funeral arrangements, he immediately left home. Such was the detached and grave nature of Narada Rsi, even as a young child, by the mercy of his Guru.
Regarding how Narada Rsi can remember everything from a previous kalpa, this is a direct result of his surrendered following of the instructions of his Guru. As he engaged in sadhana, meditating on the supersoul within, the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed Himself and spoke to him directly upon his maturation in devotional service.
matir mayi nibaddheyam
na vipadyeta karhicit
prajā-sarga-nirodhe ’pi
smrtiś ca mad-anugrahāt
SB 1.6.24
Intelligence engaged in My devotion cannot be thwarted at any time. Even at the time of creation, as well as at the time of annihilation, your remembrance will continue by My mercy.
Thus, Narada Rsi was blessed by the Lord Himself to be able to remember everything. Gurudeva explains that because he had realized his transcendental form, he can travel anywhere without any obstacle - within the universe and beyond the universe. In his spiritual body, he is not limited by time and space. Imagine the loving affection Narada Rsi must have for Vedavyasa to share this intimate history with him. Narada Rsi leaves Vedavyasa with two sublimely pertinent realizations:
etad dhy ātura-cittānām
mātrā-sparśecchayā muhuh
bhava-sindhu-plavo drsto
hari-caryānuvarnanam
SB 1.6.34
It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their objects can cross the ocean of nescience on a most suitable boat — the constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead.
yamādibhir yoga-pathaih
kāma-lobha-hato muhuh
mukunda-sevayā yadvat
tathātmāddhā na śāmyati
SB 1.6.35
It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead.
Thus, Narada Rsi assured Vedavyasa that by following these instructions, his soul would become satisfied. Playing on his vina, singing sweetly, Narada Rsi left Vedavyasa to digest these teachings.
Coming to the final program on the last evening, Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji wrapped up the Narada-Vyasa Samvad. What did Srila Vyasadeva do at this time? He did acaman. Gurudeva explains that before chanting mantras, one must do acaman because offering the mantra is like a sankalpa, a vow. Then he began to remember the mantra. Putting his mind in the mantra and the mantra in his mind, he became fully absorbed, forgetting all sense of being the doer. Srila Suta Gosvami states:
SB 1.7.4
bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak praṇihite ’male
apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ
māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayām
Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] without any tinge of materialism, and thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with His external energy, which was under full control.
Because he had surrendered to and heard deeply from Sri Narada Rsi, then Srila Vyasadeva quickly could come to the state of ekagrita citta, one-pointed steady consciousness, and had darshan of Sri Krsna, His avatars, His shaktis, and all His associates. Gurudeva explains that because Sri Krsna is incomplete without his purna-shakti, Srimati Radhika, it also means he had darshan of Srimati Radhika, Her associates, and Their divine loving pastimes.
During this experience of this darshan, he did not see Maya, as Sri Krsna and Maya are opposites - like the sun and the darkness. Only afterwards, he had a vision of Maya, the material realm, and the suffering jivas. In this way, he realized all tattvas - maya tattva, jiva tattva, guru tattva, nama tattva, bhakti tattva, etc. How is it that he could realize everything in this manner? Gurudeva explains that while Buddha had an experience of nothing in his trance, Srila Vyasadeva realized the Supreme Absolute Reality because he had the shelter of Sri Guru.
As such, we must always remain in anugatya of pure devotees of the Lord. Padma Purana states:
sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah
'Any mantra that does not come in disciplic succession is considered to be fruitless.’
Gurudeva explains that “Bhakti is the vilasa of swarup shakti, it’s the play of Krsna’s divine energy. So we have to be connected to that energy through service to a devotee who’s already connected to that energy.” I remember how there was complete silence in the audience as this was explained. It’s as if you could feel each person in the room thinking the same thing - ‘How have I become so lucky to be in this type of association??’
This festival in Via Reggio was such a special deep dive into the miraculous benefits of sadhu sanga. It’s one thing to read something, it’s another thing to hear something, but to be in association with an exalted Vaishnava one can experience the deeper meanings behind the shastric glorifications of saintly association. Pure Bhakti comes from Pure Bhaktas. Thus, Srila Gour Govinda Gosvami Maharaj states: sadhu sanga means to imbibe the mood of the sadhu.
If you have made it to the end here, and are lamenting missing out on sadhu sanga please consider taking advantage of the opportunity to join us this coming weekend in LATVIA or for Janmastami in VENICE! The flyer is in the pictures below and you can DM me for more information. I for one can attest that the experience of enthusiastic, bright, and joyful taste for engaging in the angas of Bhakti has never been more prominent in my life as it is on this tour with Gurudeva Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhuji. His organization, Chaitanya Academy, is a shining beacon of transcendental ecumenical love in a world covered by sectarian darkness. I pray to my Srila Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja to always keep me in the shelter of pure devotees who can reveal his innermost moods to me.
Radhe Shyam!
Aspiring to serve Sri Hari, Guru, and the Vaishnavas,
Narasimha das
