Indradyumna Swami_celebration

“I saw my house transformed into Goloka Vrindavan” – Indradyumna Swami Quotes Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur

“I saw my house transformed into Goloka Vrindavan” – Indradyumna Swami Quotes Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami attended the wedding of his dear disciples Syama-vanamali dasa and Keli Kandali dasi. Indradyumna Swami wrote about grhasta life and how when householder couples are always ready and willing to open their homes to others to experience Krsna Consciousness, then their home becomes just like the spiritual world. The entire letter can be found in one of Indradyumna Swami’s Facebook posts.

Keli_Wedding

He quoted from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in it:

ye dina grhe bhajana dekhi
grhete goloka bhaya

“One day while performing devotional practices I saw my house transformed into Goloka Vrindavan.”

[ From Saranagati, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur ]

 

 

At the end of the letter, Indradyumna Swami gives sweet blessings to the newly married couple: “May the Lord always watch over and protect you, may He bless you with unlimited services, may He fill your home with many happy children and endless contented guests. May He give you the spiritual strength to bear all trials and tribulations and the intelligence to overcome all obstacles on the path of pure devotional service. And when all is said and done, may He transport both you and all your kith and kin back home to the spiritual world to be part of the eternal family of His devotees. As Srila Prabhupada once said, ‘One day we’ll have our ISKCON in the spiritual world!'”

An excerpt from a letter written by Indradyumna Swami and recorded in a Facebook post from March 10, 2018.

Indradyumna_Swami_at_ceremony

Siksa on a Wedding Day – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

Siksa on a Wedding Day – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami returned to Mayapur and spoke at the wedding of Syama-vanamali dasa and Keli Kandali dasi, the latter of whom he has known since her early childhood. At the wedding, Indradyumna Swami spoke wonderful instructions related to married life and success in Krishna Consciousness. The letter that he wrote to the two newlyweds is recorded in one of his recent Facebook posts.

Indradyumna_Swami_Disciple_wedding

He quoted from the Bhagavad Gita in the letter:

“In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and blessed them by saying, ‘Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.’”

[ Bhagavad Gita 3.10 ]

The yajna for this age, of course, is the chanting of the holy names, specifically the Hare Krsna mantra. Permeate your married life with those holy names and you and your family will bear with dignity the ups and downs we all experience as life goes on. And what’s more important, constant chanting will fill your household with happiness and joy at every moment. It is essential that every day, without fail, you and Keli spend time together chanting the holy names, either in japa, bhajan or kirtan. The golden rule is that you should never be so busy in life that you can’t find time to chant together, read together and peacefully take prasadam together.

By chanting together you make spiritual progress side by side, and such an experience creates a strong bond between you. Yes, there will be moments of discontent, arguments and disagreements. But those differences can be tolerated and overcome when the relationship between husband and wife is rooted in spiritual practice, namely chanting Hare Krsna which Lord Caitanya says, “gives us the taste we are always hankering for”. Such a genuine, deeply spiritually and satisfying relationship can never be broken.

 

An excerpt from a letter written by Indradyumna Swami and recorded in a Facebook post from March 10, 2018.

Indradyumna Swami_Kirtan

Praying for Nama-Ruci – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

Praying for Nama-Ruci – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami has returned to Mayapur after a brief tour in South Africa. He wrote in a Facebook post from today:

Yesterday I returned to Mayapura from Africa. Bright and early this morning myself and several devotees went on parikrama beginning from Yogapith, where Lord Caitanya appeared. Walking through villages, fields and forests we visited the bhajan kutir of Jayadeva Goswami, the Madan Gopal temple and a large banyan tree where Mahaprabhu gave darshan to Nimbarka Acarya. But my favorite place of all was where Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati chanted one billion names of Krsna on his japa beads before starting his preaching mission. As we chanted japa there I prayed for “nama-ruci” – a genuine taste for chanting the holy names. I also prayed for more service in delivering the holy names to others, as I know such service gives great pleasure to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and my own beloved spiritual master, Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Indradyumna Swami often discusses the importance of nama-ruci, jiva-doya, and Vaishnava-seva, and these aspects of devotional service were also propounded by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Srila Rupa Goswami, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Mayapur

Written by Indradyumna Swami in a Facebook post from March 8, 2018.

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“Many are called but few are chosen” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

“Many are called but few are chosen” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

In Sri Vrindavan Dhama, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami gave a wonderful class on the glories of Srila Narottama das Thakur at the end of January just before traveling to Mayapur. His other activities in Vrindavan prior to heading to Mayapur are recounted in various Facebook posts but are also now recounted on his Twitter page.

Indradyumna Swami mentions in the class on Srila Narottama das Thakur:

I always lament that I wasn’t there in New York in 1965. Prabhupada said, ‘In the beginning, Krsna sent me a few good men.’ I always pray that in my next birth, I can be one of those men that Prabhupada called.”

He goes on to mention that the Acharya or Spiritual Master takes a group of disciples who help him in his mission. In a very instructive statement, Indradyumna Swami said that better than to go back to the Godhead would be to be part of that traveling roadshow preaching Krsna Consciousness.

This is not unlike what he says in a lecture delivered later on in Mayapur. In that lecture, he mentions that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur said that he would not be satisfied until all the fourteen worlds were chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. Similarly, Indradyumna Swami said, “We will also not be satisfied until the fourteen worlds are chanting Hare Krishna.”

Spoken by Indradyumna Swami in a lecture delivered in Vrindavan on January 31st, 2018.

Harinam_Indradyumna_Swami

“My Favorite Places” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

“My Favorite Places” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami spent much of the month of February in the holy land of Sridhama Mayapur and gave a class in which he detailed his favorite places to travel to in Mayapur.

Some of his favorite places and pastimes in the Dhama include:

  • Performing Harinam Sankirtan through the streets of Navadvipa-Dhama
  • Meeting the people of Sri Navadvipa Dhama

Harinam

Indradyumna Swami and the group of Devotees he was traveling with went on harinam sankirtan several times through the same streets that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu walked on so many years ago!

Pastimes recounted by Indradyumna Swami in a lecture delivered in Mayapur on February 7th, 2018.

Kirtan_Indradyumna_Swami

“Not only do they hear you, they reply to you.” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

“Not only do they hear you, they reply to you.” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami spent much of the month of February in the holy land of Sridhama Mayapur traveling to various places, giving classes, and leading harinam sankirtan through the streets. He recounted all of his adventures in the Dhama in various Facebook posts. In early February, he gave a class in which many children were present and so he recounted many stories for them from his adventures in preaching through the years.

Gurudeva_kids

Indradyumna Swami mentioned in the class that he had always felt a connection with Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. He said that he was shy when he was young, but one of his sankirtan leaders in France told him:

“Whenever you go to a town for the first time, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur accompanies you.”

Indradyumna Swami went on to say that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur is the original pioneer of the movement. He not only rediscovered the Krishna Consciousness movement in Mayapur but he had the vision of the whole world becoming Krishna Conscious.

Toward the end of the class, Indradyumna Swami mentioned that he read that one time, someone asked Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, “When we pray to previous acharyas and great saintly people who have left this world do they hear our prayers?” As he was reading, Indradyumna Swami said that he was thinking to himself, “What’s the answer?” and covered the answer on the page with his hand.

Then, in order to draw it out even longer, he went and took some prasadam and then came back and revealed the answer:

Gurudeva_kids

Spoken by Indradyumna Swami in a lecture delivered in Mayapur on February 7th, 2018.

Indradyumna_Swami_Lecture_Narottama

A Special Meditation from Bhakti Ratnakara – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

A Special Meditation from Bhakti Ratnakara – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami gave a wonderful class on the glories of Srila Narottama das Thakur at the very end of January just before leaving Vrindavan for Mayapur. There is a lot of nectar in the class, but a particular part of the class is most special. Indradyumna Swami recounts how Narottama das Thakur oversaw the carving of five sets of Krishna Deities and one Gauranga Deity. The Deity of Mahaprabhu had appeared to Narottama das Thakur in a dream and Narottama subsequently discovered Him in a granary.

So at the Kheturi Festival, Indradyumna Swami described, there was a big installation ceremony for these six Deities, and Narottama das Thakur led the kirtan for the ceremony. Meanwhile, Srinivas Acarya carried out the installation ceremony.

Indradyumna Swami said that Narottama das Thakur is one of his heroes, and that for everyone for whom Narottama das Thakur is their hero, they memorize and often recite the mantra cited below. Bhakti Ratnakara gives the following mantra for meditating on these six amazing Deities:

gauranga vallabhi-kanta shri-krishna vraja-mohana
radha-ramana he radhe radha-kanta namo’stu te

[ Bhakti-ratnakara 1.422-6 ]

Indradyumna_Swami_narottama_das_Thakur

Spoken by Indradyumna Swami in a lecture delivered in Vrindavan on January 31st, 2018.

Indradyumna Swami Mayapur

“Make the instructions of the Spiritual Master one with your heart” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

“Make the instructions of the Spiritual Master one with your heart” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami spent a good part of the month of February in the holy land of Sridhama Mayapur and he recounted the various trips the devotees made while there and the ecstatic kirtans they participated in on his Facebook page in a series of posts. In early February, he gave a class in which a lot of children were present (see picture below). To encourage them in Krishna Consciousness and particularly in preaching, Indradyuma Swami told them enlivening preaching stories from his own experience.

He told them about how he had been going out on sankirtan in France in the early days, but at some point, the Devotees had reached every single town in France. What next? Indradyumna Swami went to Italy, and then to Spain, and then to the Netherlands, and then Europe was finished. So he took a plane to Brazil and went to the Amazon. Meanwhile, he was always remembering the statement his Sankirtan leader had told him in France: “Whenever you go to a town for the first time, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur accompanies you.” After Brazil, Indradyumna Swami went on to Chile, Colombia, and then on to Paraguay, where he and the Devotees were amazed to discover 50 Russian Devotees who had been there for five years and were running a farm community!

Indradyumna_Swami_Mayapur

In the lecture, Indradyumna Swami said:

We will also not be satisfied until the fourteen worlds are chanting Hare Krishna. This is what it means to make the instructions of the Spiritual Master one with your heart. Yes, we want to go back to Godhead. But the secret of going back to Godhead is to fulfill the desires of the Spiritual Master here, so you can fulfill his desires in the spiritual world.

Spoken by Indradyumna Swami on a lecture delivered in Mayapur on February 7th, 2018.

Indradyumna Swami Mayapur 2

The Great Acarya – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

The Great Acarya – Indradyumna Swami Nectar

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami gave a wonderful three-part seminar on the glories of Srila Haridas Thakur while in Sri Mayapur Dhama. In the first lecture, Indradyumna Swami notes the two qualities of Srila Haridas Thakur which set him apart, according to Sanatana Goswami.

Srila Santana Goswami maintains that:

  1. Some preach, but have poor acara.
  2. Some have good acara, but do not preach.

Santana Goswami contends that Srila Haridas Thakur perfectly performs both duties in relation to the Holy Name—personal behavior and preaching.

Indradyumna Swami goes on to describe that the Acharya or Spiritual Master carefully chooses a group of disciples who help him in his mission. Mahaprabhu chose different associates to accomplish different parts of his Sankirtan movement. Through Srila Sanatana Goswami, He relayed the essence of devotional service. Meanwhile, through Srila Rupa Goswami. He revealed the ecstatic love and the transcendental pastimes of Vrindavan. Srila Haridas Thakur became the Nāmācārya even though he was born in a family of Yavanas.

Indradyumna Swami Mayapur 3

Indradyumna Swami quotes Srila Sanatana Goswami who says in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (2.12) that anyone can be elevated to the position of a brāhmaṇa by the process of initiation:

yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ / tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām

“As bell metal is turned to gold when mixed with mercury in an alchemical process, so one who is properly trained and initiated by a bona fide spiritual master immediately becomes a brāhmaṇa.”

Srila Prabhupada also frequently quoted the above verse.

Srila Haridas Thakur, Indradyumna Swami said, is an example for all of us—that no matter how low our birth is, by the mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga, we can be elevated to the platform of Vaisnava and Vaisnavi.

Indradyumna Swami Mayapur

Spoken by Indradyumna Swami in a lecture delivered in Sri Mayapur Dhama on February 5th, 2018.

For more on Indradyumna Swami’s trip to Mayapur and the blissful kirtans performed in the land in which the Holy Name was first inaugurated, please visit Indradyumna Swami’s facebook.