Weekly Sanga

In today's sanga, Śrīla Dhanurdhara Swami shares his realizations from his recent talks around Govardhana and his Kartika experience.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā Chapter 8 Text 76 prabhu kahe, — “eho uttama, āge kaha āra” rāya kahe, “vātsalya-prema — sarva-sādhya-sāra”   TRANSLATION The Lord said, “This statement is very good, but please proceed even further.” Note: Due to some technical difficulties, Maharaja often gets disconnected.

In today's sanga, Śrīla Dhanurdhara Swami shares his realizations on the disappearance day of Śrīla Prabhupāda (as observed in New York).

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā Chapter 8 Text 57 prabhu kahe, — “paḍa śloka sādhyera nirṇaya” rāya kahe, — “sva-dharmācaraṇe viṣṇu-bhakti haya”   TRANSLATION Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Rāmānanda Rāya, “Recite a verse from the revealed scriptures concerning the ultimate goal of life.” Note: Due to some technical difficulties, Maharaja often gets disconnected.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā Chapter 8 Text 38 āmā nistārite tomāra ihāṅ āgamana parama-dayālu tumi patita-pāvana   TRANSLATION “You have come here specifically to deliver me. You are so merciful that You alone can deliver all fallen souls. Note: Due to some technical difficulties, Maharaja often gets disconnected.

In today's sanga, Śrīla Dhanurdhara Swami shares his realizations from his recent talks around Govardhana and gives an introduction to the Rāmānanda-saṁvāda līlā from the Madhya-līlā of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Text 69 kṛṣṇāya praṇipatyāha bhakty-udrekaṁ vrajaukasām vasudevāya rāmāya rājñe copāyanāny adāt   TRANSLATION After falling down to pay his homage, Uddhava described to Lord Kṛṣṇa the immense devotion of the residents of Vraja. Uddhava also described it to Vasudeva, Lord Balarāma and King Ugrasena and presented to them the gifts of tribute he had brought with him.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Text 58 etāḥ paraṁ tanu-bhṛto bhuvi gopa-vadhvo govinda eva nikhilātmani rūḍha-bhāvāḥ vāñchanti yad bhava-bhiyo munayo vayaṁ ca kiṁ brahma-janmabhir ananta-kathā-rasasya   TRANSLATION [Uddhava sang:] Among all persons on earth, these cowherd women alone have actually perfected their embodied lives, for they have achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Lord Govinda. Their pure love is hankered after by those who fear material existence, by great sages, and by ourselves as well. For one who has tasted the narrations of the infinite Lord, what is the use of taking birth as a high-class brāhmaṇa, or even as Lord Brahmā himself?

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Text 52 he nātha he ramā-nātha vraja-nāthārti-nāśana magnam uddhara govinda gokulaṁ vṛjinārṇavāt   TRANSLATION O master, O master of the goddess of fortune, O master of Vraja! O destroyer of all suffering, Govinda, please lift Your Gokula out of the ocean of distress in which it is drowning!

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Text 22 śrī-śuka uvāca athoddhavo niśamyaivaṁ kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ sāntvayan priya-sandeśair gopīr idam abhāṣata   TRANSLATION Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having heard this, Uddhava then tried to pacify the gopīs, who were most eager to see Lord Kṛṣṇa. He thus began relating to them the message of their beloved.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Texts 9-10 iti gopyo hi govinde gata-vāk-kāya-mānasāḥ kṛṣṇa-dūte samāyāte uddhave tyakta-laukikāḥ gāyantyaḥ prīya-karmāṇi rudantyaś ca gata-hriyaḥ tasya saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya yāni kaiśora-bālyayoḥ   TRANSLATION Thus speaking, the gopīs, whose words, bodies and minds were fully dedicated to Lord Govinda, put aside all their regular work now that Kṛṣṇa’s messenger, Śrī Uddhava, had arrived among them. Constantly remembering the activities their beloved Kṛṣṇa had performed in His childhood and youth, they sang about them and cried without shame.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 47 Text 6 anyeṣv artha-kṛtā maitrī yāvad-artha-viḍambanam pumbhiḥ strīṣu kṛtā yadvat sumanaḥsv iva ṣaṭpadaiḥ   TRANSLATION The friendship shown toward others — those who are not family members — is motivated by personal interest, and thus it is a pretense that lasts only until one’s purpose is fulfilled. Such friendship is just like the interest men take in women, or bees in flowers.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 49 kiṁ sādhayiṣyaty asmābhir bhartuḥ prītasya niṣkṛtim tataḥ strīṇāṁ vadantīnām uddhavo ’gāt kṛtāhnikaḥ   TRANSLATION “Is he going to use our flesh to offer funeral oblations for his master, who was so satisfied with his service?” As the women were speaking in this way, Uddhava appeared, having finished his early-morning duties.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 44 evaṁ niśā sā bruvator vyatītā nandasya kṛṣṇānucarasya rājan gopyaḥ samutthāya nirūpya dīpān vāstūn samabhyarcya daudhīny amanthun   TRANSLATION While Kṛṣṇa’s messenger continued speaking with Nanda, the night ended, O King. The women of the cowherd village rose from bed and, lighting lamps, worshiped their household deities. Then they began churning the yogurt into butter.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 27 śrī-śuka uvāca iti saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya nandaḥ kṛṣṇānurakta-dhīḥ aty-utkaṇṭho ’bhavat tūṣṇīṁ prema-prasara-vihvalaḥ   TRANSLATION Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus intensely remembering Kṛṣṇa again and again, Nanda Mahārāja, his mind completely attached to the Lord, felt extreme anxiety and fell silent, overcome by the strength of his love.

The following is a recording of Srila Dhanurdhara Swami's Vyasa-puja address, given on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 18 api smarati naḥ kṛṣṇo mātaraṁ suhṛdaḥ sakhīn gopān vrajaṁ cātma-nāthaṁ gāvo vṛndāvanaṁ girim   TRANSLATION Does Kṛṣṇa remember us? Does He remember His mother and His friends and well-wishers? Does He remember the cowherds and their village of Vraja, of which He is the master? Does He remember the cows, Vṛndāvana forest and Govardhana Hill?

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 14 tam āgataṁ samāgamya kṛṣṇasyānucaraṁ priyam nandaḥ prītaḥ pariṣvajya vāsudeva-dhiyārcayat   TRANSLATION As soon as Uddhava arrived at Nanda Mahārāja’s home, Nanda came forward to meet him. The cowherd King embraced him in great happiness and worshiped him as nondifferent from Lord Vāsudeva.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 14 tam āgataṁ samāgamya kṛṣṇasyānucaraṁ priyam nandaḥ prītaḥ pariṣvajya vāsudeva-dhiyārcayat   TRANSLATION As soon as Uddhava arrived at Nanda Mahārāja’s home, Nanda came forward to meet him. The cowherd King embraced him in great happiness and worshiped him as nondifferent from Lord Vāsudeva.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 10 Chapter 46 Text 5 mayi tāḥ preyasāṁ preṣṭhe dūra-sthe gokula-striyaḥ smarantyo ’ṅga vimuhyanti virahautkaṇṭhya-vihvalāḥ   TRANSLATION My dear Uddhava, for those women of Gokula I am the most cherished object of love. Thus when they remember Me, who am so far away, they are overwhelmed by the anxiety of separation.