Summer in Sweden

Over the last week, Kadamba Kanana Swami resided in Korsnas Gard, the BBT headquarters of Sweden, which is just a forty-five minute drive away from the city of Stockholm. It is beautifully situated with an arrangement of houses that give facility for several families to stay-in while working at the BBT. The presiding deities are called Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari who totally surpass mundane concepts of beauty.

After a full-steam schedule in Radhadesh, Maharaja had to use half of his stay in Stockholm to recover. Due to poor health, he didn’t hold any programs for three days. Even on Balarama’s Appearance Day, he was not able to lecture. On Saturday (4 August), he felt better and gave the morning Srimad-Bhagavatam class (SB 1.13.3-4). The verse spoke about the joy of Vidura’s family members upon his return from 30 years of pilgrimage. Maharaja pointed out how a pure devotee is appreciated by everyone, regardless of his material status. That is because he purchases Krsna and therefore can touch the heart of all those who are innocent but not of those who are envious. In response to a devotee’s question of how to detect envy in ourselves, Maharaja pointed out that to detect envy is easy but overcoming it is difficult! He suggested that we cannot immediately be free from envy but we can try to act according to Vaisnava etiquette, e.g. by accepting the authority of superiors, which helps us to act in a non-envious manner.

On Saturday evening, Maharaja went to the Hare Krsna centre in Stockholm city, where his talk focused on maintaining a balance in spiritual life. Although he encouraged keeping a balance, he also cited examples of great devotees who didn’t care about their bodily balance and surrendered cent percent to the service of Krsna. His conclusion was that we have to find the balance between our nature and our goal in spiritual life. He said: Somehow or other, we have to connect our nature with Krsna and adjust that nature so that whatever our nature is, we are in the strongest position to serve Krsna… that is being balanced. Then at one point, as one becomes more and more absorbed in serving Krsna, one-day one says: ‘I am tired of all this being balanced, let’s just do anything and everything for Krsna, let’s just carry on!’

The next day, Maharaja spoke further on the previous day’s Bhagavatam verse, continuing with the purport which now focused on Kunti Devi, the adopted daughter of King Kuntiboja. The purport establishes how Queen Kunti is actually the incarnation of the success energy of the Lord. Maharaja further elaborated on the astounding fact that she is a shaktyavesh avatara, by pointing out the incredible fortune of herself and her five sons, the Pandavas.

After some rest, he returned to Stockholm where a delayed celebration of Lord Balarama’s Appearance took place. The Lord was seated on a throne and bathed with flower petals. A play of the killing of Pralambasura was performed. Maharaja led bhajanas and gave a talk about different pastimes in glorification of Lord Balarama.

To listen to the recordings of the classes, please follow this link and if you cannot view the slide show below, then please visit flickr.