Calling Keertan
हरे राम हरे राम, राम राम हरे हरे।।
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण, कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे।
The utsav began with Shodash Kirtan.
Followed by a small introduction and the following pad
2. Pad
Today everyone is welcome in the “Nikunj pravesh’ festival of pujya Nanaji.
Today’s festivities are being commenced with a verse that was Nanaji’s favourite. It was so dear to him that in May 2012 he took a separate Gita seminar on it. In this verse, Shri Tulsidasji Maharaj mentions his various relationships with His Lord. Nanaji explained that ‘haun’ means ‘I’ in Awadhi language. Tulsidasji says –
You are merciful, I am a destitute – therefore have mercy on me.
You are a beneficent giver, I am a beggar.
I am a famous sinner – You are the destroyer of the entire storehouse of sins.
In this way, after describing in various forms the various relationships with God, in the end Tulsidasji says that whatever relationship appeals to You, accept that – just take me under Your shelter anyhow.
So let us pray to our revered Nanaji that the kind of refuge in God he has been inspiring us for, today, by His grace, we are able to firmly hold that sentiment.
Pad
तू दयाल दीन हों, तू दानि, हौं भिखारी। हौं प्रसिद्ध पातकी, तू पापपुंजहारी ।।
नाथ तू अनाथ को, अनाथ कौन मोसो । मो समान आरत नहिं, आरतिहर तोसो।।
बहू हौं जीव, तू है ठाकुर, हौं चेरो । तात, मात, गुरु, सखा तू सब विधि हितु मेरो ।।
तोहि मोहि नाते अनेक, मानिये जो भावे । ज्यों त्यों तुलसी कृपाल, चरन सरन पावै ।।
Meaning – (Tulsidasji is talking with Lord Ram and describing his various relationships with Him, he says) –
You are merciful, therefore, have mercy on this destitute, You are a beneficent giver and I am a beggar. I am famous amongst the sinners and You are the destroyer of the entire storehouse of sins, the cluster of sins. I am an orphan, who is more of an orphan than me, and You are the only guardian of all orphans. There is no one who suffers like me and You are the remover of all sufferings. You are the Supreme Soul and I am the individualized soul, You are my master and I am Your servant. You are my father, mother, teacher, friend and are my well-wisher in every respect. You and I have many relationships, whichever relationship appeals to You amongst all these, You accept that. O Merciful Lord ! consider any relationship, just take me in Your refuge anyhow.’
We have learnt from pujya Nanaji that after establishing a sweet relationship with God in this manner, when we start making effort to take refuge in Him, then gradually we begin to experience His compassion and His auspicious ordinance in every favourable-unfavourable conditions, ups and downs of the world. We start utilizing every circumstance for our spiritual practice, to strengthen our practice of Karmayog infused with devotion and to determinedly work on overcoming that point which needs self-rectification as indicated by that circumstance. The assurance given by Nanaji is that by doing this life not only becomes a game, it becomes an enjoyable game – with God and His love at its core.
Echoing the same sentiment is the next verse – in which Shri Radha is saying to Her beloved – Come My dear, let us play/celebrate Basant together on the banks of Yamunaji. As Nanaji would remind us – Yamunaji represents the flow of our actions infused with devotion, in Basant Ritu the entire Nature and all its aspects are very tender, new and conferring happiness – whether it is the flowers, the birds – and at the core of it all is the supreme, ever-blissful Shri Krishna. So, let us offer this prayer at the feet of Nanaji that we should also be able to behold this divine play of Shri Yugal Sarkar in our daily life —
Pad
चलो लाल खेलें बसंत मिलि जमुना जी के कूल
नव निकुंज नव नव ऋतु आई नव नव फूले फूल ।।
द्रुम डारिन बैठे नव पंछी बोलत अति अनुकूल।
नारायण उत नव बहार सुख इतमें तुम सुख-मूल ।।
Meaning
My dear ! let us play/celebrate Basant together on the banks of Yamunaji.
There is newness/new freshness in the grove, new (Basant/Spring) season has arrived, new flowers are blossoming.
New birds are sitting on the branches of the trees and chirping in very melodious voice.
Narayan Swami, the poet says there is the happiness of Spring all around – and at the root of all that happiness is the beloved Shyamsundar
Followed by SriRadha Naam Keertan.
And to top it all, Nanaji’s address to all of us.
Radha Naam
Nanaji's address
मार्गदर्शन
उत्सव
