19870627 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.2.9

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami on June 27^th, 1987 given in Melbourne, Australia. The class begins with a reading of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 9^th Canto, Chapter 2, text 9

Jayapataka Swami: (leads chanting of the verse) (devotees repeat)

sri−kṛṣṇa−caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī−advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādī−gaura−bhakta−vṛnda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Why is it in ISKCON everyone, when you say sri-Kṛṣṇa-caitanya no one chants, when you say Hare Kṛṣṇa, they all chant.... Everytime, they always say śrī-kṛṣṇa (inaudible). They always say Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee: Everywhere

Jayapataka Swami: Everywhere. Everywhere. (laughs).

Devotee: inaudible:

Jayapataka Swami: But we need to chant sri−kṛṣṇa−caitanya more. ( laughs)

Jayapataka Swami: (leads chanting of the verse) (devotees repeat)

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam
devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
paramānanda-mādhavam

Text Nine, Chapter 2, Canto Nine

Jayapataka Swami: (leads chanting of the verse, translation and purport) (devotees repeat)

taṁ śaśāpa kulācāryaḥ
kṛtāgasam akāmataḥ
na kṣatra-bandhuḥ śūdras tvaṁ
karmaṇā bhavitāmunā

Translation: Although Pṛṣadhra had committed the sin unknowingly, his family priest, Vasiṣṭha, cursed him, saying, “In your next life you shall not be able to become a kṣatriya. Instead, you shall take birth as a śūdra because of killing the cow.”

Purport: It appears that Vasiṣṭha was not free from tamo-guṇa, the mode of ignorance. As the family priest or spiritual master of Pṛṣadhra, Vasiṣṭha should have taken Pṛṣadhra’s offense very lightly, but instead Vasiṣṭha cursed him to become a śūdra. It is the duty of a family priest not to curse a disciple but to give him relief through the performance of some sort of atonement. Vasiṣṭha, however, did just the opposite. Therefore Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that he was durmati; in other words, his intelligence was not very good.

Ends the translation and purport to verse 9, chapter 2, canto 9.

Jayapataka Swami: So reading about the sons… of the dynasty of the sons of Manu. The Manu known as Śrāddhadeva, got ten sons and Ikṣvāku was the eldest. Ikṣvāku who is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. So, this is another son, and he was following the order of his spiritual master by protecting cows. He stand all night with the sword to give the cow protection.

Prabhupāda says that at that time, even the son of a kṣatriya was protecting the cows, what to speak of how important it was! Stay up the whole night to see that no wild animal would kill them. Well now, we’re sending them off to the slaughter houses in the modern world. Isn’t that such a sinful activity for the human society.

So then, once at night while it was raining a tiger entered the land of the cowshed. Upon seeing the tiger, all the cows who were lying down got up in fear and scattered here and there on the land. When the very strong tiger seized the cow, the cow screamed in distress and fear; and Pṛṣadhra hearing the screaming, immediately followed the sound. He took up his sword, but because the stars were covered by the clouds, he mistook the cow for the tiger and mistakenly cut of the cow’s head with great force. Because the tiger’s ear had been cut by the edge of the sword, the tiger was very afraid and it fled from that place while bleeding unrestrictedly.

In the morning when Pṛṣadhra who was quite able to subdue his enemy saw that he had killed the cow, although at night he thought he had killed the tiger, he was very unhappy. So, he unknowingly committed the sin of killing the cow. So Vasiṣṭha cursed him to become a śūdra in his next life. Vasiṣṭha was not a pure Vaiṣṇava. Vasiṣṭha was basically a rṣi (inaudible 8:22) in the karma-kāṇḍa. He was very powerful. His curses wouldn’t fail ordinarily. Infact, even he became connected with the Rāmacandra’s pastimes as well.

Vasiṣṭha Muni was a born brāhmaṇa, and he was very concerned about protecting cows, protecting brāhmaṇical culture. At the same time, he would perform meditation and penances. It seemed that although he respected the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was not situated as a pure Vaiṣṇava. Between Vasiṣṭha Muni and Viśvāmitra Muni, there was a long standing feud. Viśvāmitra was a kṣatriya by birth. But he could realize that the brāhmaṇas were more powerful due to brahma-tejas, due to their austerity and penances. So he decided that he would like to become a brāhmaṇa.

So he did much tapasyā and penance so that he could become a brāhmaṇa. So finally he became a brāhmaṇa by his penances. So then, he got into some form of argument with Vasiṣṭha Muni. He thought, “ Now I am a brāhmaṇa, so I am equal with Vasiṣṭha Muni.” And by his mystic power he threw something at Vasiṣṭha, but Vasiṣṭha Muni with his stick, his danda, he caught it and just deflected it. Not ordinarily but by some mystic power. So then Vasiṣṭha said that you may be a brāhmaṇa, but you’re the lowest rung of brāhmaṇa. (Maharaj laughs).

So then, Vasiṣṭha this way humiliated the... Viśvāmitra. So he became determined to become more than a ordinary brāhmaṇa, but to become a rṣi, which is a super power of a brāhmaṇa. So he did more penances and austerities to become a rṣi. And after becoming a rṣi, then again he got into some fight with Vasiṣṭha and end up cursing each other to become ducks. Somewhere along the way and so, both of them were quacking around and everything. And then...Somehow they got out of that. But... Maybe that was later. One of the times they curse each other be ducks - is mentioned on that in Bhāgavatam.

Besides, it was like an ongoing thing. So actually as a rṣi… Must’ve been later because as a rṣi, he still couldn’t defeat Vasiṣṭha. So then... But he expended all his potency. So then, he wanted to become a maharṣi, which is a great rṣi. So then, he did more penances and austerities, and finally he came up to the position of being a maharṣi. So then, at that time, there was a famous... I think I have mentioned this before about how that, Hariścandra? ( Maharaja asked devotees to confirm the name; devotees never responded) came to him and requested to go to Indraloka. This Hariścandra, he went to the ... Viśvāmitra and requested that, “I want to go to heaven... Indraloka directly.”

So he had just,you know, finished his penances. He is filled with mystic power. It’s like a battery that charged it up. They get so many mystic powers. So that, he said “All right. By my mystic power you’ll go right upto Indraloka” and somehow he was able to transfer all the way up to Indraloka, into outer space. Then, you know, here this śūdra walks in on Indra’s, you know, court. And this scares all the apsarās, the gandharvas, all the siddhas. All of sudden they see, you know, the śūdra comes, walk in, you know. (Mahārāja and devotees laughing).

 And Indra said, “What!” you know “Who are you?” you know.

 He says,” Viśvāmitra, the… you know, great rṣi has sent me here,” you know.

He looks it up immediately and said, “This guy doesn’t have the karma to be up here.” You know, he is just a śūdra from earthly... “Get back down,” you know. ( Mahārāja laughing).

Hariścandra is falling to outer space again. Coming back to earth planet and Viśvāmitra said, “What’s going on? Why is he coming back? Go back!” you know. Indra’s saying... And he is going back up again (devotees laughing) and then Indra says, “Oh no! He’s coming back! Go...” So there was a huge tug of war, you know. Indra’s pushing down with his mystic power. Viśvāmitra is pushing him up, and he’s like dangling in outer space. He can’t get anywhere.

So Viśvāmitra is getting a little... his mystic was getting a little bit strained. So he said, “I’m not gonna be able to just continue on against Indra. So what to do?” So then he got the idea. He made a complete duplicate heavenly planet... Indraloka and the whole, you know, the whole milky way, all the heavenly planet (inaudible) double.

So then he put Hariścandra into his new Indraloka. Indra saw that he said, “Oh no! Now what.” You know, it’s like all of a sudden, you got another Australia up there. What the Labour party going to think? (everybody laughing) So it was a big problem for Indra. Suddenly he’s got double planets and he’s not incharge of half of them. This was much more complicated than what he had bargained for.

So then, you know, he had a discussion with the other demigods. Went down and requested Viśvāmitra, “Listen, we’ll accept Hariścandra into Indraloka if you kindly wind up the duplicate planets.” (everybody laughs) They got compromise. So then Viśvāmitra, he agreed. Afterwards he was like totally wiped out again. He didn’t have any more mystic powers. He’s like depleted.

So again, he started doing tapasyā. This time, to again become back up to the full power. When he was building up his mystic powers, Indra could see that was gonna happen again. He said, “Oh no, this guy gets full power again, who knows what he’s gonna do.”

So then he asked Menaka, one of the Menaka... one of the heavenly apsarās, to ... if she would kindly go down there and neutralise Viśvāmitra. (Maharaj laughs). Preoccupy him a little bit with some other activity than meditation. So then, she came down. He was of course deep in meditation. He was, you know, couldn’t really see anything. He’s in samādhī. But she had some special ankle-bells which could penetrate that... penetrate that layers of meditation and everything. So she started walking around in front of him, you know, ching ching ching with the ankle-bells ringing and you know, suddenly it’s like ... it’s going through his meditation.

He just opened his eyes and it was all over.( devotees laugh). So Śakuntalā was born from that one. But after that Viśvāmitra, he became very dissatisfied with himself. But he became determined and then he went to Vasiṣṭha Muni. Somehow he did more tapasyā. He went to Vasiṣṭha Muni somehow, and there he said, “The point is that you are only a maharṣi and you have to become a brahmarṣi. I am a brahmarṣi.”

So then he became determined to become a brahmarṣi and then become more powerful than all these demigods. So then again he did a super tapasyā, you know, like thousands of years. So finally he was able to satisfy Lord Brahmā who personally came. And by... Brahmā gives his blessing, he becomes a brahmarṣi. At that time he becomes, you know, practically like on the level of being one of the sons of Brahmā, something... very powerful.

So then he goes to Vasiṣṭha Muni, and that time he, you know, is filled with the brahma-teja. And… So... At that time, Vasiṣṭha had already learnt a lot, somehow maybe. This was a long time ago. That time he said, “Don’t get puffed up because you’re a brahmarṣi because we, brahmarṣis, are not the highest thing there is.”

He said, “What?! Working hardest time I came from a kṣatriya to a brāhmaṇa to a rṣi .. maharṣi. Now brahmarṣi ... still something more”. So then he asked, ”What’s that?” And he said, “Well, much higher than us are the pure Vaiṣṇavas. The pure devotees of the Lord are directly... we have the power of Brahmā, but they have directly the shelter and unlimited potency of Lord Viṣṇu behind them. So never cross a pure Vaiṣṇavas because they have unlimited potency from Lord Viṣṇu.”

So even if Vasiṣṭha was a brahmarṣi, eventually he could come to understand that the pure Vaiṣṇavas were more exalted, even then the greatest demigod. In fact when Dhruva Mahārāja was going back to home, back to Godhead, the demigods were watching him go. And they watch him go by right past their planets and just go out of sight. Beyond what they could, the limit they could go. Even the great demigods, they cannot understand the limit of a Vaiṣṇavas. So to be a Vaiṣṇava is the greatest position. It’s the greatest attainment that there possibly is. It’s not a small thing.

What Lord Caitanya is giving us by making it possible for us to eventually become a Vaiṣṇava, appear Vaiṣṇava. It’s inconceivable. Even great munis, ṛṣis, what they would perform thousands of years of penance and austerity, they could not aspire to be at their level of being a pure Vaiṣṇava.

Of course, just because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, we should not immediately think that “I am already completely pure Vaiṣṇava.” But we should consider how great the position that is, that we are actually aspiring to be a Vaiṣṇava.

Even Śrīla Prabhupāda in humility, he would say that “I am aspiring to be a Vaiṣṇava.” Actually to be a Vaisnava is great… Of course, he was a pure Vaiṣṇava but that is the mood. In this world, even the pure Vaiṣṇavas out of humility, they consider that it’s such a great position. It’s such a great attainment to be a pure Vaiṣṇava. And out of humility they consider themselves less than a pure Vaiṣṇava, and they aspire to be one. Because a pure Vaiṣṇava means someone who’s totally surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, someone who’s totally accepted by Kṛṣṇa in every respect, who has developed pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

So Vasiṣṭha, at the beginning of well say 14 million years ago, probably at the time of creation. One of the first Manus, he cursed his disciple to become a śūdra in his next life. So normally, the guru doesn’t curse his disciple. Vasiṣṭha was ... pure Vaiṣṇava’s supposed to be… He’s free from all tamo, rajo guṇa. Like they are totally transcendental. The others sometimes they have a little bit of tamo, rajo mixed with it. Otherwise how will they get into all those fights? Like Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra had maybe more sometimes. But between them, they sometimes got into these fights.

Whereas a pure Vaiṣṇava avoids argumentation and unnecessarily fighting, especially over any form of false prestige, but only for the sake of protecting Kṛṣṇa or other Vaiṣṇavas. Subsequently Vasiṣṭha in this last Tretā-yuga, he was blessed by Lord Rāma. I think he even was accepted like a spiritual master of Rāmacandra. But at this present time… This is in the very beginning of the universe. Vasiṣṭha Muni is a very old sage. He is a very very well established. So, at that time he cursed his disciple. Now, his disciple just took it.

Actually, the next so many verses don’t have any purport, so I might as well read them. Oh, they do have a purport. They do have purports. Well some do, some don’t.

Basically what he did is, he just accepted the curse with folded hands, and he became a brahmacārī, which is approved by great sages.

Then, he just like said here that - (reading of translation 9.02.11-13) “Thereafter Pṛṣadhra gained relief from all responsibilities, became peaceful in mind and and established control over all his senses. Being unaffected by material conditions. Being pleased with whatever was available by the grace of the Lord to maintain body and soul together. Being equal towards everyone he gave full attention to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, who is the transcendental Supersoul free from material contamination. Thus, Pṛṣadhra, fully satisfied in pure knowledge, always keeping his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead achieved pure devotional service to the Lord and began travelling all over the world without affection for the material activities as if he were deaf, dumb and blind.” 

So, of course because he achieved pure devotional service... Later will explain how also, he achieved the spiritual world. That he took the curse that he was going to become a śūdra in the next birth, what is the use of living? What is the use of... You’re going to become a śūdra in your next birth, there is no hope.

So then he just put all of his attention on Kṛṣṇa. Actually, that’s what the devotees in this age of Kali should consider that to be born in material life in Kali-yuga, there’s no hope. The next birth, no matter what birth you get on this planet, it is gonna be a kind of hopeless situation unless you are born as a devotee. Because… Look at the whole situation in Kali-yuga. Unless you are a devotee, there’s no hope at all for .. it’s not, you know... There’s nothing but śūdras and more than śūdras in the world.

So, the situation for Pṛṣadhra, he could see that “Well, if you’re gonna be a śūdra, you’re not gonna have any culture. Then where’s the hope.” So he just completely fixed his mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And as such he became totally detached from the world. He became totally attached to Kṛṣṇa. He became a pure devotee.

So indirectly Vasiṣṭha’s curse because (inaudible 24:45) it was given without the proper.. wasn’t the proper curse to give to someone who’d made an accident. But by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, Pṛṣadhra, because he was actually faultless, by that curse he was able to become a pure devotee. And then there was no question of taking a next birth as a śūdra. There was no more next birth. He was already liberated even while living. And when he died, he went back to Godhead.

(break) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that the Vaiṣṇava never dies as long as they are in sound. While living they spread the glories of the Holy Name around. And when they die, they die to live, go back to the spiritual world. So, the Vaiṣṇava, they are transcendental even to the curse of a Brāhmaṇa.

Just like, one time Lord Caitanya, he was cursed by some brāhmaṇa. He was cursed ...

You know what the curse was? And he accepted that curse just like ...

Oh yeah, was it? Nārada Muni was cursed.

Well, someone cursed Lord Caitanya that He will never enjoy material happiness. So Lord Caitanya became very happy. (Mahārāja laughs). That was the last thing He wanted to enjoy, was material happiness. So, that the Vaiṣṇavas, they actually are transcendental, so there is nothing that anyone can do. Because nobody can cut the relationship between a Vaiṣṇava and Kṛṣṇa. Whether they cut off your head or whatever they do, there is nothing that can cut the relationship of a Vaiṣṇava to Kṛṣṇa.

Once you take initiation, once you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, once you are connected with Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession, once you are fixed with Kṛṣṇa as a devotee, there is nothing material that can stand in the way. Of course, if the person himself is careless, if he is offensive, if he commits the ten offenses to the holy name, blasphemes Vaiṣṇavas or commits other... disobeys orders of the guru, or commits other offences, that’s another thing.That can definitely delay our returning back to Kṛṣṇa, our development of devotional service. That can even withdraw the shelter of Kṛṣṇa depending on how severe and compounded the various offences are. But materially there is nothing to fear.

(Mahārāja sings)

bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana
abhaya-caraṇāravinda re

bhajahū re mana - please my mind worship the lotus feet of śrī-nanda-nandana Kṛṣṇa. abhaya-caraṇāravinda re - because by worshipping the lotus feet, one becomes totally fearless.

We read the history of Pṛṣadhra, how he is even cursed, but he overcame that by simply engaging in pure devotional service. He could go back to home, back to Godhead. He could develop purely. Although it is a kind of a curse to be born in the Kali-yuga, there are so many defects.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann

Kali-yuga is a doṣa-nidhe, it’s an ocean of defects. So many defects are here. You can just enumerate one after... Everyday you’ll open any paper, any six o’clock news, it’s filled with defects; filled with the violence, with murder, with rape, with robbery, with arson, with any number of problems. Ocean of problems.

But in spite of all this ocean of problems, there is one great good quality.

asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

One great quality, mahan gunah, that counteracts and outweighs all of the defects that there exists in the entire Kali-yuga.

kirtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

Chanting of kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa congregationally with the devotees. This is so… Glorifying Kṛṣṇa, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa - this is so auspicious. This is so powerful. This is so merciful, that it alone counteracts all of the problems that we have to face in Kali-yuga.

kirtanād eva kṛṇasya mukta-sangah

Because it liberates one from the contamination and association of the three modes of nature. The guṇa-saṅga. Guṇa-saṅga and mukta-saṅga. Either we are associated with the modes of nature or liberated from that association.

mukta-saṅgaḥ param vrajet

Liberated from the association of the three modes of material nature. And if we stick it out till we leave the body, faithfully chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and following the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda and the previous ācāryas - param vrajet - we go back to home, back to Godhead, back to the spiritual position.

Even if we take birth again, for some reason again to... it would not be separated from Lord Caitanya. Someone might pray that “I’ll want to continue to be in the saṅkīrtana wherever you place me.” Then one is born as a nitya-siddha, born as a ... already they are liberated then they take birth already liberated consciousness.

Sometimes even a liberated soul comes down to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but then they are not considered conditioned. Their situation is ... Of course it’s austerity for them. but out of their compassion sometimes they do that. So, these are very good examples, which are given here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam - how Kṛṣṇa protects his devotees.

Sometimes the devotees because of being a devotee has to face some difficulty. But if one remains faithful to the path of devotional service, then Kṛṣṇa, He always protects.

Just as they who are going to be observing the Jagannath Rath Yatra. There’s the history how Indradyumna ... Indradyumna ... I believe it was Indradyumna or his one of his descendants. This is the story the pandas tell in Jagannātha Purī.

That how many thousands of years before, or long time ago rather, that the King of Jagannātha Purī was going to be married to the daughter of another King. But then the other King had sent a spy to just check up on this King, what’s what with him? So then they went and saw the King of Jagannātha Purī during the Rātha Yātrā ceremony. Once a year, he rides on his horses and elephants and everything, and he goes to the Chariot of Lord Jagannātha. And he sweeps the road in front of Lord Jagannātha with a golden broom.

Now this is considered, ordinarily the sweepers (inaudible 33:35) , śūdra or lower than a śūdra. But of course the King of Jagannātha Purī , Indradyumna, he was doing this as a service for Jagannātha. But before God, whether you are a King or whatever you are, you are a servant. Actually this is the highest consideration of devotional service. But the spies, “Oh! Look at this guy. He’s just sweeping on the streets. What kind of King is he? He is a street sweeper.”

So went back and reported, “Don’t marry your daughter to this King because he sweeps the streets.”

 “He sweeps the streets! I will not marry my daughter to a street sweeper.”

He sent the message back, you know. So then that King, the King Indradyumna, he took it as a great offence. That it was a matter of honour Lord Jagannātha. If you sweep the road in front of Jagannātha, that doesn’t contaminate one. That’s...Every King should come and sweep the road in front of Kṛṣṇa, that will purify them.

Actually this year in Bangalore, we had a Ratha Yātrā festival. At that time, the ex Vice President of India B. D. Jatti, he was invited to inaugurate the festival. So he gave some discussion and a little humanistic in his approach, needless to say. Anyway, we addressed his various points and tried to Kṛṣṇa conscious- ise them for the public.

But after all the discussions were over, the person who was announcing - the President of the temple – he gave a whole speech how King Pratāparudra and other great Kings in the history of Orissa, they would even go and sweep the road in front of Lord Jagannātha.

Since the Vice President of India was present, they requested him to kindly come and sweep the road in front of Lord Jagannātha. He said, “No! I refuse.”

Everybody was shocked, all the newspapers... you know. (Maharaj and devotees laugh).

He said that, “We are democrats. We believe in the parliamentary system of government. Democracy. We don’t follow any King. Whatever a King did, we will never follow,” you know.

How the newspaper guys were writing... so then I was supposing what to do, you know. When he was presenting, I thought, you know...

So then I said, “Well, now there is democracy, its government for the people, by the people, of the people. So, everyone’s a king. Everyone’s a ruler. So now we request all the people to sweep the road in front of Lord Jagannātha, including the Vice President.” ( Maharaj and devotees laugh).

So then, he said, “Well, then I can do it.” (Maharaj and disciples laugh).

So he came there, I gave him the broom, he took it for like... I never saw anyone sweep faster. He was maybe like half a second. Whoosh and he handed back. One sweep and he gave the broom back.

He offered āratī to Jagannath. Guess he didn’t really like to sweep. So we all swept, and all life members and all the other people, everybody got into whole sweeping. It was a big thing. So we had the Ratha Yātrā. Next day in the headlines, it came - “Vice President refuses to sweep the road in front of Kṛṣṇa”. It’s in the headlines. (Mahārāja and devotees laugh). (inaudible 37:49 - 55) you know. Put his own foot in his mouth.

But… So this king Indradyumna, he declared a war against the other king, went out with his whole army. But he was really concerned that the other is a very powerful king, am I going to be victorious? They are going in procession. Meanwhile up here, there was an old lady carrying some yogurt to the market. And she was a devotee. She was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. She was carrying some yogurt to the market, and she saw the two young princes riding up.

They stopped her. They said, “What do you have there?”

 She said, “We are having some yogurt.”

 They said, “Can I have the ... Give it to us. We want it. We are hungry.”

 She said, “So how do I get paid?”

They said, “King Indradyumna is coming behind. He’ll pay you.”

 “So how will he know that you eat the yogurt?”

So he said, “You just take my ring. You show it to him. He’ll pay you.”

It was a valuable gold ring, you know.

“All right!

So she gave him the yogurt. And then those two princes drove off. They rode off on their horses. So then, after some time the whole army comes by, and the king and the Indrayumna, everyone.

And then, there is this lady saying, “ I want to see the king, you know. It wasn’t so easy, but the king sees some lady waiting.

“No no! I want my yogurt money.” (Mahārāja and devotees laugh).

So the king hears. “What’s going on? Bring her over. What’s the matter?’

And she says, “Listen! Two of your princes came, and they took yogurt from me. And they said when you came, you would pay me. And they gave the ring to show you.”

“None of my princes went ahead. None of my generals went ahead. What is that? Let me see the ring.” (pause)

“Where did you get this ring? This is the ring of Lord Jagannātha! What did those two princes look like?’

Said, “One was black on a white horse. The other was white on a ... the other was white, very light on a black horse.  And they were very young. He had a peacock feather on his hair.”

“That was Lord Jagannātha and (inaudible 40:21) “

Conch is blowing. (Maharāja and devotees laugh).

So of course, they were victorious and everything. Got married to the daughter and princess, and everything was happy forever after in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

So, Kṛṣṇa, He helps His devotee. Lord Jagannātha helps if they remain determined, they have a very strong desire to always engage in devotional service without any deviation. So we should never consider any circumstance, no matter how great a trial it may seem, as anything more than an opportunity for us to become more determined, more fixed, more established in the desire of becoming pure Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Kṛṣṇa promises that His devotees will not perish if we remain devotees. He will never let us perish. We have to have that determination that I will be a devotee forever. I am a devotee. I’m a devotee means a devotee is a devotee eternally.

(Mahārāja and devotees chant)

sri−kṛṣṇa−caitanya prabhu nityānanda
sri−advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi−gaura−bhakta−vṛṇda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Time for question. Any questions? Yes, mataji.

Devotee: (inaudible)

Jayapatākā Swami: Physical pain in the heart, palpitations. Well, not that a devotee is... One may feel emotions. Not that we are not people, we don’t have any more emotions so that we feel things. When Draupadī lost her five sons, killed in their sleep by Aśvatthāmā, you don’t think she was upset? You don’t think she cried? You don’t think she was horrified by the heinous act, the loss of her sons? But did she stop being a devotee?

After the initial emotional trauma that she experienced, you know while she… This made her just more determined to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That in this world there is nothing that you can depend upon. There is nothing that is more dear than Kṛṣṇa. Then she later, she saw Kṛṣṇa, said, “Whatever happened, actually I simply... You are my greatest love. You are my greatest shelter. You are my only shelter, not even my husbands, not my children, not any one. I am doing all this, it’s simply my duty, but you are my eternal Lord. You are everything for me.”

So the devotee, they may be the perfect husband, the perfect wife, the perfect son, the perfect whatever. It’s like an old airplane. But actually down, when we get right down to the grassroot, right down to the basic, what are they? They are simply sold out to Kṛṣṇa. They are doing everything as a matter of duty to Kṛṣṇa. And when there is any kind of conflict, they always picked Kṛṣṇa. There is never actually any conflict for the devotee. No conflict of interest. But being soft hearted people, when even see someone suffering, the devotee feels para-duḥkha dukhī.

They feel even sadness to see another suffer. What to speak something may happen… They see something, actually they may feel for it. It’s not that the devotee is like a cold, harsh... They are not actually very soft hearted. That’s why Arjuna was so compassionate to see how the (inaudible) were fighting each other for what? Of course he lost a little bit of his perspective.

But Kṛṣṇa gave back his transcendental vision, then he was rightly situated. Still he was feeling foolish at these people fighting. But all right, it’s my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa. In Kṛṣṇa’s service I will fight, even though it is foolish for them. But as I am doing it not out of foolishness, not out of anger, not out of envy but out of devotional service. The fact that someone feels so strongly about something and still surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, endears one more to Krsna.

Prabhupāda never denied our emotions or denied our ... When someone would had their baby there, and Prabhupada said, “Why do you take care of your baby?

And all he said,” Well …” Started giving all long kind of, long blown things and Prabhupāda said,” No, because you love your baby. You love your child. That’s natural, you should love your child. Because you love your child, you want to give your child the best thing - Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

It’s natural that someone will feel. We have feelings. Devotees are ... That’s why devotees are perfect people. They are very human. They are, you know, more human than human being.

Human beings are only a reflection of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the perfect person. And the Vaiṣṇavas, they become the perfect persons because they are totally connected with Kṛṣṇa. That’s why it is so difficult to be a Vaiṣṇava. But when there is a conflict of interest between Kṛṣṇa and something else, the devotee always takes Kṛṣṇa. That’s the test. Even it hurts they take Kṛṣṇa.

Any other question? Yes. What’s your name?

Devotee: (inaudible)

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, you know, it’s like a boy sees girl, girl sees boy; attachment is there, affection develops; whether or not they get married.[6]  (inaudible) don’t be too quick (inaudible)

We tell folk members, Nāmahaṭṭa members, bhaktas, you know, take it carefully. Don’t make any sudden decision. Make a decision with due consideration. Before moving in the temple, we tell people what it means, what it is (inaudible) they want to do it. Once they do it... once they take the steps forward (inaudible) actually it’s not fast like the washing machine.

They are taking maybe an extra load of devotional service. It’s somehow, actually to their credit that they have taken that. When they have done it, they should try to fulfil the obligation they have done. Somehow, in trying and trying again to fulfil it. If somehow they fall down or they can’t do it, then of course, in consultation with guru, with senior Vaiṣṇavas, then they should take the most responsible alternatives that they are able to maintain at that time.

It is not just whims, “Oh, I took a (inaudible 48:02) ... I stop eating meat whimsically, too quick, maybe I should just go back and start gradually, red meat, white meat, fish and... Obviously we don’t do things like that.

You know, just like say, someone may have taken sanyas. In the past people took sannyāsa without really considering, without preparing, without realising what a great kind of austerity it is. That a total change of mentality and everything. So then subsequently, they found that they were not able to maintain that vow.

So Prabhupāda said, “All right! If that is the case, and you find that you are not going to be able to remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by maintaining your sanyas vows, then if you can be peaceful by having sex life, then get married and have regulated sex life and be a devotee. Render devotional service. Don’t give up devotional service. Be responsible. Be married. Have Kṛṣṇa conscious sex life.”

That is the most uncivilised statement that I have ever heard in my life. It’s not at all supported by the śastras. Kṛṣṇa, He said that “I am sex life which is not against religious principles.” Somebody thinks that sex is sex. Kṛṣṇa didn’t accept that. Sex which is according to religious principles is considered karma free. It is considered to be authorised. And eating is eating. Why not eat meat? If there is a difference between eating meat and eating vegetarian food, then there is a difference between illicit sex and licit sex. There is a difference. Eating is not eating.

There is various types of eating. And there is various types of sex. And licit sex, responsible sex, that is bonafide. You do that and remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can go back to Godhead in this lifetime. The other type of sex would delay you from going back to Godhead.

So the point is that there may be many tests, but if someone goes ahead and takes a little additional weight... Well, it’s like someone you skip him a few grades in class. It’s difficult. He is behind everyone else. They already went through it for two, three years. I was skipped ahead in my primary school a couple of grades. I graduated from high school when I was fourteen. That was... I was behind. I never learnt hand writing very well.

I had to print. Because there was third grade and fourth grade, you learn handwriting. I didn’t learn it. But then you get to graduate early too. So you kind of just try and catch up, and then you get the advantage. So if somehow someone did surrender more, did take a little ahead, they should try ... that’s to their advantage. If they can somehow stick it out, or they can somehow take shelter from other Vaiṣṇavas, from the guru, from the Deities.

Somehow just pray to the previous ācāryas that somehow, “Maybe I wasn’t ready but I did it. So now that I have stepped forward, please help me.” And If they can go ahead! That’s to their credit, they can go back to Kṛṣṇa faster. But even after all good attempts of trying. Not just that ... Well, it’s too difficult and pop out before you even, you know... But after really trying you just see that you are falling on my faith, I really can’t do it. Then talking with other Vaiṣṇavas and they also say, “No, you are sincerely trying, but you are not able to do it.” All right, then they give some remedial suggestion.

That’s what Vasiṣṭha should have done - given a remedial suggestion. You killed the cow by accident. You do this. You get rid of the sin. No that is a karmic example. This is a devotional example. Then we take the best alternative that we can. All right, we can’t maintain sannyāsa, all right then be a responsible gṛhastha.

You can’t maintain this situation, all right what is the best situation you could do. Not that we go from all to nothing. Not that we break a Ekādaśī by accident, so that that way we have a big rice feast or something. You still follow Ekādaśī even though you break it. Then again two days later, you follow it again, on Trayodaśī. The point is that if we are not able to maintain, we discuss and we see that, all right, what is the best alternative.

Sometimes you see that devotees, they use certain slogans: “Oh! I went in too fast.” And then you find... So then, next thing you see they are completely in sense gratification. How is that… How is that, you know… Maybe they went in too fast (inaudible)... But they have taken vows, they have taken oath in front of deity, in front of Kṛṣṇa, in front of guru, in front of the entire disciplic succession, in front of the ten directions, all the devotees, everyone. These things are not forgotten by Kṛṣṇa.

Even if you took them too early, now in retrospect, you took them - you are obligated. If you can’t do it hundred percent, then at least try to do ninety percent, eighty percent of what you promised. And then Kṛṣṇa may out of His causeless mercy still deliver you because He sees you are trying. But if a person just (inaudible) you know, make some excuses and doesn’t even try after that. How is it going to be auspicious for him? How is he going to get back to Kṛṣṇa in this lifetime? How is it fulfilling the obligations you made?

That civilisation, you take a vow… He took a promise to protect the cow. He didn’t protect the cow. Even if it was an accident, when he was cursed he didn’t think, “Well, it was an accident. I don’t accept this, you know. How would the guru or something like that …”

He just accepted it. And then what he did is, since I made a mistake and I got cursed and it was a total accident. Then he decided what is the use of this world, I am going to totally get fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He became Krsna conscious and went back to Godhead.

So in other words even if you take more than you could chew, that may also be an opportunity to surrender. That is somehow Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Sometimes people, they do that but that’s also the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes people would never have surrendered if they knew what it was all about.

But at a certain stage, if they had known they would have to go through that test they might not have surrendered. But somehow by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy they did surrender. Then when they go through that test, then they think, “Wow! It was actually Prabhupāda’s mercy. It was Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Because now I am able to taste the nectar of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” So we have to take it somehow by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, even though we weren’t ready.

Somehow I took. I was enthusiastic. I took this initiative. Now I am finding myself a little weak. I should see first how I would build up my strength. And if I can’t do without... strong enough, then I should consult and see what I can do which would still earn me Kṛṣṇa’s mercy and not separate me from the lotus feet.

What do you think?

Hare Kṛṣṇa.