In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Ter Kadamba, which is famous for Srila Rupa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutir. It is also here where Krsna would climb onto a Kadamba tree and call out the names of the leaders of the various herds of cows. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan and lecture below, along with a few photos, at Ter Kadamba during Parikrama 2018.
In one sense, Ter Kadamba is the most important place for us because it is where Rupa Gosvami resided for quite some time. Ter Kadamba is very famous for Srila Rupa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutir. It is commonly stated that he wrote his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu here. Srila Rupa Gosvami describes the characteristics of pure devotional service, beginning with klesa-agni (immediate relief from all kinds of material distress). It is only in devotional service that all suffering is destroyed. This is important. I do not know about you, but I certainly do not want to be in this material world that is full of suffering: suffering from our mind and bodies, and also other living entities. Sometimes my voice is hoarse and today my legs are giving me trouble. Sometimes our family causes us suffering, at other times our neighbours (laughter). Upon our arrival here in Ter Kadamba, we were welcomed by a big black snake. Suffering from natural circumstances is also there. But all these types of suffering are destroyed by pure devotional service and everything becomes auspicious. What material happiness could we ever want? Material happiness means nothing for a Krsna conscious person, as it is the material energy that asks to serve the pure devotees. So stay steady in your practice and simply serve Krsna, then your satisfaction will automatically come! As Srila Prabhupada said, “Do not bother for material happiness!”
Atha-agnani guru-padasrayas (taking shelter of the lotus feet of our spiritual master) is the first of Rupa Gosvami’s principles and the most important one. Everything rests on that. Whatever else we do in devotional service, this principle is always with us. It is the first because it is the foundation of everything we do. We should invest in that relationship because when we do that, we will break through to the other side – the side of Krsna. Today, we try to come to the platform of pure devotional service by trying to hear and by becoming a completely dedicated servant of our spiritual master and always thinking of his satisfaction. We can pray to Rupa Gosvami, who is our original spiritual master, for that blessing. We remember that Krsna is our best friend and that we should do something to attract Him. Let us serve our spiritual master to the fullest extent and then we will surely attract Krsna. The spiritual master is dear to Krsna, therefore Krsna becomes inclined to whoever serves him.
Comments