20200510 Zoom Session with Mumbai Devotees

20200510 Jayapatākā Swami Guru Maharaj, Zoom Address to Devotees In Mumbai, From Base Camp, Śrī Māyāpur Dham, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

paramānanda-mādhavam

Śrī Caitanya Īśvaram

I am a bit concerned because we are reading how Mumbai and Maharashtra are the epicenter of the corona virus. If you want a repetition, Mahāvarāha can repeat. If you want it, raise your hand. At the bottom of the screen, you will get the option to raise your hand. I am very grateful that the husbands and wives are cooperating together, those who are gṛhasthas. And we hope that you are using this lockdown time to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and to preach using the internet. We are very grateful that the ISKCON Juhu and other temples are distributing prasādam. This is a very noble effort.

We are also trying to do in Māyāpur. We are already distributing 5000 plates a day. I think Mumbai is considered a red zone. We are considered an orange zone. Still, we have to be very careful. We are telling the distributors who go out that the virus stays alive on a hard surface for up to 3 days. So, they should wash their hands. They are wearing gloves when they distribute prasādam. Of course, we have a large number of devotees in our community. Some of them are alright, some of them are very poor. So, we are distributing some bhoga to the devotees, who are poor.

And those who are rich, some of them are contributing also to us. So, every day I have a number of classes and meetings on Zoom. I don’t know if you see my class on Facebook Live, Jayapatākā Swami page. At 6.15 pm I give class every day. Today it was a bit late because of the IIAC meeting. We discussed about having self-sufficient farms, like Juhu has. We need that in different places. Also, how we need financial transparency and budgeting, like that, many topics.

 So, we also spiritually we were discussing how Lord Caitanya, He said He will deliver anyone, no matter how sinful or how fallen they are! But He would not deliver those who criticize a vaiṣṇava. He said, vaiṣṇava nindā, He does not accept. So, we have to be very careful, avoiding blaspheming any devotees. We are reading how Lord Caitanya, He comes in the mood of His different expansions. Sometimes as Nṛsiṁhadeva, sometimes Varāhadeva, sometimes Balarāma. So, He is enjoying these pastimes with His intimate associates and they are doing kīrtana.

 Actually, Audārya Dham prabhu from Russia, he has developed a treatment for the COVID-19. So, we are doing a trial on that. So far, it seems to be working. It is not invasive; you can do any other treatment. It is just a mix of ginger and turmeric. But there is a specific protocol how to use it. So far it works on devotees. We are asking other people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and to also be vegetarian.

Recently, we found that the people, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and they preach on the line, using the internet. People are generally more interested.

In Trivandrum, they advertised a Bhagavad-gītā for beginners – 500 people joined! So, a lot of interest now in spiritual life! The scientists are saying that the COVID-19 is with us for a year and a half or two years! There is only so much that the doctors, scientists and government can do. The states are running out of money, so they have opened the liquor shops because they said, 27 to 30% of their income comes from liquor tax. Temples are still closed, churches and masjids are closes, but liquor shops are open!! Ha! Ha! So, because of this we are suffering this pandemic. Because people are breaking the laws of nature. This virus comes from animals, but humans do not have the antibodies. If people would stop eating animals, we haven’t heard of a tomato virus or cucumber virus!! We heard about swine virus, corona virus – these are from the bats and snakes.

 So anyway, by engaging in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the real solution to our problem. They want temporary solutions; they want permanent happiness in this temporary world. Not possible to have permanent happiness in this material world. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, dukalayam aśāśvatam.

This material world is a dukalayam, a place of suffering, and it is temporary. So, what more can we expect?

But if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do devotional service, then we can be peaceful as possible. I am very glad that you are helping in the temple and practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We hope that you use this opportunity, to call your friends, your neighbors, and ask them to chant the holy names.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare!

Is Brajahari prabhu online?

Now we will start a virtual tour of devotee homes.