Narrator:
[00:00 – 00:10] (Sounds of temple bells ringing and instrumental music)
Narrator:
[00:11 – 01:00] [Chanting in Sanskrit] Om. Om. Om. Om! I bow to the Invincible Goddess (Aparajita), who is dark like the petals of a blue lotus, adorned with many ornaments, and whose head is graced by the crescent moon. She possesses three eyes and holds a conch and a discus. She is the giver of boons and the destroyer of fear. Hear, O righteous ones, the secrets of the Goddess Vaishnavi, the invincible one, who fulfills all desires and accomplishes all tasks, both easy and difficult. Om.
Narrator:
[01:01 – 01:31] [Chanting continues] Om! Salutations to the Lord, Vasudeva. Salutations to the infinite one with a thousand heads, who rests upon the milky ocean. Salutations to the unborn, the invincible, the immeasurable, the one who wears yellow garments. To Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. To the Horse-headed one, the Great Boar, the Man-lion, the Dwarf, and the three Ramas. To the Fish, the Tortoise, and the Boar—salutations to You. Svaha!
Narrator:
[01:32 – 02:30] [Chanting continues] Om! To the gods, demons, nagas, gandharvas, yakshas, and rakshasas; to the spirits, ghosts, and yoginis. Destroy all faults and obstacles! Strike, strike! Burn, burn! Cook, cook! Crush, crush! Destroy, destroy! With the conch, discus, thunderbolt, sword, trident, mace, and pestle. O Damodara, protect us! Svaha! O Great Lord of all gods, the remover of all planetary influences, the destroyer of enemies, O Janardana, salutations to You. Svaha!
Narrator:
[02:31 – 04:41] [Chanting of the Bhagavad Gita and its virtues] Whoever reads this invincible and supreme Vaishnavi prayer, which is a great science of success, or hears it, or keeps it in their home, shall be freed from all fears. Whether it be fire, wind, or lightning, no harm shall befall them. The person who reads the Gita with devotion, even if it is just a little every day, attains the fruits of great virtue. The Gita is the essence of all scriptures. One who meditates on Krishna while reading the Gita is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. In the age of Kali, there is no path other than the chanting of the Holy Name.
Narrator:
[04:42 – 05:00] (Sounds of rituals and background chatter)
Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, Pranam.
Interviewer:
Today is Dol Purnima (Holi). Please tell our seekers about the significance of Dol Purnima and the rituals being performed here at Shantikunj. We see fire rituals (Homa) on one side, Gita chanting on another, and arrangements for the Mother’s worship as well.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, on Dol, we always do this. There will be music and singing tonight—Harinam Sankirtan (devotional chanting).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Tonight, we also bring the Narayan (Salagram Shila) outside. Many people ask me, "Why do you keep the sacred Salagram Shila at the cremation ground?" I tell them, "Look, the name of Hari is constantly being chanted here. Whoever comes here comes saying 'Hari-bol' (Chant the name of the Lord). Hari is already here. This place is equivalent to Vrindavan." So, Narayan is present here. Today there will be food offerings for the Father and the Mother. We have the fire rituals and the Gita explanations. We do this every year.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No matter what other worship you do, you must perform Harinam Sankirtan. In this age of Kali, there is no other way open. Only Harinam Sankirtan: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare." This is the ultimate worship now. You see many rituals, but the Lord in this age primarily wants you to chant His name loudly. You should chant so loudly that everyone around can hear it. Even hearing the name of the Lord cleanses many sins. This is stated in the Gita.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If you perform Harinam Sankirtan loudly, the influence of Kali (the dark age) cannot enter that space. This was the instruction given by Krishna Himself. To ensure that the darkness of Kali does not enter this precinct, we perform these fire rituals, offer Tulsi leaves to Narayan, and play with colors. There are food arrangements and offerings. After everything, we will chant the holy names tonight before going home. This is how we celebrate Dol.
Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Be blessed.
Narrator:
[End of Audio]