Walking with a Saint - 2010

The scriptures tell us of the incalculable value of even a moment's association with a true saint, and Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja is exalted even among saints. With great sincerity, his disciples and followers thus availed themselves of any opportunity to accompany him on his morning walks and attend his morning darsanas. In those informal settings, they freely asked a variety of questions, his illuminating responses revealing a mere glimpse of the devotion radiating brilliantly within his heart. Sometimes personal, sometimes disciplinary, sometimes humorous and always loving, he would impart the deepest understandings of the scriptures for the benefit of all. It was on his repeated order that these walks and darsanas be transcribed and published. In this way, he has invited you, also, to walk with him and hear the jewel-like teachings he wants to share with you.

"TV Interview:-
Charles: What does it mean to be following in your guru's footsteps?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Before I came to serve the mission of my gurudeva full-time, I was a police-officer. I had the good fortune to meet the disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who preached the message of sanatana-dharma throughout India and the entire world. I met one of his main disciples, Sri Narottamananda Brahmacari, where I was residing in Tiwaripur. Hearing his lecture, I became so attracted that I left my house, wife, and children, and moved into the temple. After this, I received so many teachings from my spiritual master. Then I took initiation from him, and from him I could understand the guru-parampara and the necessity of the disciplic succession. From him I heard that we are not this material body. Under the misconception that, "I am this body," the souls of this world have completely forgotten their relationship with Krsna. Because of this forgetfulness, they are constantly transmigrating throughout thousands of cycles of creation and dissolution, and they are not able to find any happiness. From this guru-parampara and from hearing the teachings of my spiritual master, I understood that the goal of life is devotion to the Supreme Lord Krsna and to go back to God, back to home.
This guru-parampara began with the Supreme Lord Krsna Himself. He instructed His teachings to the first created being, Brahma. Brahma instructed his disciple, Narada, Narada instructed his disciple, Vyasa, and in this way the teachings came down to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Gosvamis, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, Sri Srinivasa Acarya, Sri Syamananda, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, then to my gurudeva, and I am receiving these teachings from him. I am now traveling throughout large and small countries, and giving people the chance to hear this same message of sanatana-dharma. What is sanatana-dharma? It is the teaching that the individual soul is eternal, the Supreme Lord is eternal, and our relationship with the Supreme Lord is our eternal natural function (dharma). When the individual soul becomes situated in his dharma, he becomes happy.
Hearing these instructions, I left everything, moved into the maṭha, and gradually began engaging in giving this message to others. By following the programs in the maṭha, I could appreciate the great benefit I was receiving and knew that by instructing others there would be so much benefit for them. With this intention I am traveling the entire world, giving this message that I heard from my gurudeva.

Charles: Each country you go to has a different way of living, a different cultural heritage, and different problems. How do you think your message will be geared towards South Africans?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No matter which country I go to, I find that many people are wealthy, and they have big positions like chief ministers or advisors in the government. Despite having such good positions, however, they are desperately unhappy and many even commit suicide. Despite having vast wealth, large families, good positions in society, and great opulence, still they are not happy. I tell people, "You cannot be happy by eating nicely and having nice clothing and possessions. Death comes to all, and with death comes so much suffering." When people hear this from me, they develop faith and give up all bad habits like drinking, smoking, meat-eating, and taking garlic and onions. I instruct them to chant the name of Krsna, which is Krsna Himself. There is no difference between God and His names – Hare, Krsna, and Rama. His names are very powerful. In fact, Krsna has invested all of His power, mercy, and qualities in these three names, or sixteen words [of the maha-mantra]. Therefore, these names can do what Krsna can do. They can give liberation and they can take us to Goloka Vrndavana. In Vrndavana, Krsna will engage us in the service of Srimati Radhika and Himself, and thus we will be happy forever. Everyone who meets me and begins chanting the names of Krsna says the same thing: "By chanting I am happier than ever before." We find this in all countries, including America, South America, Malaysia, Australia, Russia, and China. In fact, we find that in Russia and China people are more receptive than in most other countries. So many people have come to me. I have made many of them full-time celibate monks, and now they are also traveling around the world and spreading this message."

CONTENTS: Editor's Introduction, Note to the Reader, Pietermaritzburg South Africa [January: Morning Walk, Darsana After the Walk], Durban South Africa [January: Darsana After the Walk, Dharma Moments TV Interview], Sao Paulo Brazil [January: Morning Walk, Morning Darsana with ISKCON Gurukula Alumni, Pure Bhakti-Yoga Society Interview, Darsana After the Walk], Johannesburg South Africa [January: Darsana], New Delhi India [March: Darsana], Govardhana India [March: Morning Walk], Frankfurt Germany [May: Interview for a Magazine Article], Orlando Florida [May: Darsana, Morning Walk], Houston Texas [May: Morning Walk, Hindi Darsana], Badger California [June: Morning Walk, Darsana After the Walk, Darsana], Ojai California [June: Morning Walk, Evening Darsana, Darsana], Marina di Massa Italy [July: Morning Walk, Darsana, Darsana for the Dutch Sanga, Darsana After the Walk, Morning Walk], Massarosa Italy [July: Darsana], New Delhi India [August: Darsana], Ethnomir Russia [August: Morning Darsana, Afternoon Darsana, Darsana], Moscow Russia [August: Last Airport Darsana Domodedomo Airport], New Delhi India [August: Morning Walk, Evening Walk], Mathura India [September: Darsana], New Delhi India [September: Copyright Darsana], Govardhana India [November: Darsana], Appendix 1-How to Read Srila Gurudeva's books, Appendix 2-Copyright Licence, Appendix 3-Srila Gurudeva's Final Manifest Pastimes in this World, Glossary.

TITLE: Walking with a Saint - 2010 - English
Morning Walks and Conversations with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaj
PUBLISHER: Gaudiya Vedanta Publications
EDITION: First, 2014
ISBNs: 978-1-935428-99-2 9781935428992 1-935428-99-3 1-935428-99-3
LCCNs: 2014922036, 2014-922036 
PAGES: 350, Illustrated
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 700 grams