19880209 Bhagavad-gītā 9.31

The following is lecture a given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Maharāja on February 09th, 1988 in Los Angeles, USA. The class begins from a reading from the Bhagavad-gītā chapter 9 verse 31.

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

Translation: He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.

Purport: This should not be misunderstood. In the Seventh Chapter the Lord says that one who is engaged in mischievous activities cannot become a devotee of the Lord. One who is not a devotee of the Lord has no good qualifications whatsoever. The question remains, then, how can a person engaged in abominable activities – either by accident or by intention – be a pure devotee? This question may justly be raised. The miscreants, as stated in the Seventh Chapter, who never come to the devotional service of the Lord, have no good qualifications, as is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Generally, a devotee who is engaged in the nine kinds of devotional activities is engaged in the process of cleansing all material contamination from the heart. He puts the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, and all sinful contaminations are naturally washed away. Continuous thinking of the Supreme Lord makes him pure by nature. According to the Vedas, there is a certain regulation that if one falls down from his exalted position he has to undergo certain ritualistic processes to purify himself. But here there is no such condition, because the purifying process is already there in the heart of the devotee, due to his remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. Therefore, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare should be continued without stoppage. This will protect a devotee from all accidental falldowns. He will thus remain perpetually free from all material contaminations.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Swami translation and purport to text 31, chapter 9 in The Most Confidential Knowledge.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the purport Prabhupāda explains applications of this verse in, in different levels, in different aspects. Usually one thinks of this verse in sense, in the sense that devotee would not perish that Kṛṣṇa protects his devotees, that Kṛṣṇa reciprocates or remembers His devotee always and therefore doesn’t know how the devotee to perish and one considers this in some time either material sense or sometimes at well in the next birth one will also would be able to be a devotee even if one doesn't finish in this lifetime because Kṛṣṇa has promised that. But here Prabhupāda goes, gives a whole new dimension that a devotee is protected even from māyā, that even if a devotee somehow or another accidently has some difficulty if they continue to serve their,  to practice their devotional service without stopping it, the very quickly again they become righteous and attain lasting peace. In other words even though they’ve lost some battles they haven't lost the war that still Kṛṣṇa is protecting His devotee. We saw how in the history of Jaḍa Bharata or for Bharata Mahārāja, he was careless he made a mistake. He was up to the level of bhāva he was chanting and even crying in ecstasy however because he took compassion on a baby deer and then started to develop a tremendous affection for the deer he didn’t consult his spiritual master whether this was appropriate or not. He just whimsically did it just out of his own sentiment and as a result when he was dying he was thinking who’s gonna take care of the baby, the deer. And the deer was so affectionate, knew him like mother father everything that while he was dying deer was coming up and licking his face so just he is laying there leaving his body and the deer’s there licking his face, he’s thinking what’s gonna happen with the deer and then in this thought he leaves his body so next life he becomes a deer. But we can also see this verse applied that although he became a deer he remembered his previous birth that he was the emperor of the universe, he was practicing devotional service then the life after that of course he became Jaḍa Bharata where  he achieved the complete perfection.

In Mayapur, in Vṛndāvana Prabhupāda has stated that sometimes devotees who do not finish specially Vṛndāvana he said that the devotees who don’t, who commit some kind of offence while in the dhāma they may take birth as monkeys or dogs or pigs or some other animal in Vṛndāvana. But then being born in Vṛndāvana they go back again; they get another opportunity after that birth or they go back to Godhead from there. In Mayapur there was unique circumstance, unique thing happened about 10, 15 years ago is that one devotee informed me that every night after the evening āratī when all the devotees would go to take their milk prasādam that a dog would run into the temple and offer his obeisances to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So one night I hid and I watched and sure enough there was this dog waiting at the door. When all the devotees left the temple he ran in and right in front of Prabhupāda he did a complete flat out daṇḍavats and he got up and ran out (laughing). So who knows who the dog was? (laughing). I didn’t believe it so I personally saw it. Then after a few days that dog we didn’t find anyone. So in different ways Kṛṣṇa protects His devotee. That of course when it says quickly, quickly if you say quickly that could mean, in America quickly means few minutes. But in terms of Lord Brahmā quickly would mean a few births even, to be very quick, two three births is nothing. So doesn’t exactly define quickly but kṣipra means very soon or quickly. So by Lord Caitanya’s mercy that may be, just like Junior Haridāsa, he was rejected by Lord Caitanya because of his misdeed, when he left his body though he was given a spiritual form right then and he was chanting kīrtana for Lord Caitanya and basically he was already liberated, so immediately he was forgiven. So like this there is this verse brings various aspects which we, of how Kṛṣṇa can protect his devotee.

One time in Montreal 1968 when Prabhupāda had, I was just a bhakta that time, but he somehow he had me dying his clothes in the bathroom. I was in the tub rubbing rock dye, rocks together in the tub and he would come occasionally and see whether the color was saffron enough. And so while I was rubbing the rocks together Prabhupāda went down to the basement with another devotee of the place where he was living. And then when he came up devotee said that Prabhupāda went downstairs in the basement suddenly a big rat jumped out and then Prabhupāda said Hare Rāma! Just exclaimed Hare Rāma. So in this way he said that Kṛṣṇa is always protecting the devotee. So spontaneously if a devotee gets frightened, they’ll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Hare Rāma. In that case Prabhupāda chanted Hare Rāma thinking of Rāma the protector.

Then there was so many things happen when Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1977 when Māyāpur was attacked, that time I was with Prabhupāda in Vṛndāvana and then Prabhupāda mentioned that actually they wanted to attack me but Kṛṣṇa has saved me. I wasn’t there then, I was to, we were supposed to go there but somehow it delayed and when been attacking in Māyāpur. So Prabhupāda, they are planning to attack when I was there. But we changed our plan, so by Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement we were safe. So in this way the devotee sometimes feel that where Kṛṣṇa is directly even physically saving the devotee from different dangers. So many saṅkīrtana stories are there where devotees are saved from different calamities. Even in Rome that airport, that horrible massacre that happened not too many years ago when the terrorists shot down the people waiting in the line of the airplane that was flying to Tel Aviv. At that time four-five devotees were booked on that flight, at least three were booked and five devotees were there, they were waiting in the same line. Then someone said "Oh I have left something in the car." He went out to the car, said I’ll go with you. Then the other person was still standing in the line. He said I’ll go to make a phone call. So he went to the phone, just at that moment the terrorist start shooting down. Everyone else that was standing in the line they got shot. And the devotee say he just, somehow they, they hid, and one devotee he was standing behind a staircase and the person right next to him had his head shot. So like that the devotees will know how Kṛṣṇa has saved us. So generally we think in this sense although sometimes this may cause the devotees to be careless like driving late at night and not keeping up, someone talking to the driver something people fall asleep. Prabhupāda warned that we shouldn’t just take depend on Kṛṣṇa in some improper way and then actually not take the necessary precautions. We shouldn’t, how do you say, take Kṛṣṇa for granted in that sense. We should aspire for Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, we should try to serve Kṛṣṇa always but not that we should neglect our service to Kṛṣṇa in any way.

So Caitanya when He would travel throughout South India, where ever He would go He would be chanting

Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! rakṣā mām
Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! pāhi mām

He’d be chanting that all the time that Kṛṣṇa my protector, Lord Rama and Kṛṣṇa my protectors. So in this way Lord Caitanya showed the example of where, just travelling and preaching by depending on Kṛṣṇa. And so similarly Mādhavendra Purī while he was travelling Madhvācārya, Madhvācārya was even attacked by dacoits one time. He had to defend them off using his daṇḍa. Another time when Nityānanda Prabhu and Haridāsa Ṭhākura they went preaching and they met Jagāi Mādhāi who were drunkards and they’re just arguing with each other sitting down. He thought let us request them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. At that time that the local people could think what they were, anticipate what they were thinking, so they told them don’t do it, whatever you, you don’t go to Jagāi Mādhāi they are hopeless. They are rapist, they are murders, they are like the mafiosos they are the worst, there’s no hope for them. So but still Nityānanda Prabhu thought let me give them some mercy. So he went up to them and he said my dear brothers bolo `kṛṣṇa,’ bhajo kṛṣṇa, koro kṛṣṇa-śikṣā chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, worship Kṛṣṇa, read Kṛṣṇa’s teachings lead a holy life. They looked at each other they couldn’t believe it what is going on? And they thought, he he’s telling us to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa so what should we respond to that, then immediately they said maar! Beat him, just kill him, you know just and they jumped up and they just want to just immediately to to beat up Nityānanda Prabhu. So Nityānanda ran, Haridāsa Ṭhākura ran and they are running after where they are very drunk so there was you know having a high type running but they are also fast. Nityānanda and Haridāsa they’re running, and the two drunkard brothers are running after, beat them! Beat them! Kill them! They’re telling us to chant, we’ll show them! And they were just chasing after them even Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very old by that time he said ha ha ha I’m having a very hard time I don't know I can keep up. So Nityānanda said come on come on we have to go on. Jagāi Mādhāi are following so then somehow they just went down this street, went down then they saw there was a trop, a trop for feeding the water to the horses. So they hid behind that and Jagāi Mādhāi went looking. They couldn't see and they ran off, Shh saved. And they went back Lord Caitanya already heard the news, he chastised Nityānanda why are taking so much unnecessary risk. Lord Caitanya you are the most merciful of all incarnations, so these are the most fallen, you are patīta-pāvana you are delivering even the most fallen. So I’ve tried to deliver these most fallen that people can understand the real nature of your mercy. Nityānanda took some way of course if he wants he can do anything, he himself is Balarāma but he’s playing the role of devotee, he’s in that mood, so he was depending on Kṛṣṇa.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was arrested by one nawab, one ruler Mohammedan ruler and he asked that why you are being a born a Mohammedan? why you are chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, Hari? What’s wrong with the name Allah? He said nothing is wrong with the name of Allah, I never said anything was wrong with the name Allah. There’s only one God and He has many names Kṛṣṇa, Allah so many names are there. So some people are chanting Allah and they get spiritual satisfaction, I’m chanting Kṛṣṇa and finding spiritual satisfaction from that, is that anything wrong with chanting the name of God? So then the nawab said there’s nothing wrong, what’s the problem? I guess it’s alright. You see but then his mullah, his imam, his ayatollah was there, and he said you must throw this person in jail. He is very bad example, if other people take his example every one would start chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa. Then what’ll happen to our sect of Islam? So the ruler listen to his mullah, his priest, his spiritual head and threw Haridāsa Ṭhākura in jail. So all the people in the prison house they all lamenting you know how we can get out of this prison? It’s so how horrible, we’re locked up in here. And you see Haridāsa Ṭhākura is sitting there

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

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

Very blissfully chanting, they saw what are you so happy about? You are in prison, you were in here with us, we’re all prisoners. How do you have to be happy about? Haridāsa Ṭhākura said we’re all prisoners, you are very intelli, you are very fortunate that you realize you are prisoners. The people in the rest of the world they are also prisoners but they haven’t realized it. They are prisoners to their material desires, to the lust, anger, greed, intoxication, madness, envy, they are prisoners to their senses. Whatever their senses are demanding they are, they are prisoners to birth, death, old age, disease. They are prisoners to the laws of karma. Whatever they do they are getting their reaction. They are prisoners to the cycle of reincarnation. They are prisoners to so many things. Who is free in this world? You are very fortunate being here in this prison house you can realize you are prisoner. You are more fortunate than those outside because one, they‘re in the illusion that they are free when they actually totally bound up by material laws. So better to take this advantage while you are in here, you can’t do anything else. You come with me and chant

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

So he convinced all the prisoners to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So they all started to chant and the news came to the king the whole prison house everyone was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Actually when that, after that attack in Mayapur in 1977 the devotees went down to the police station to lodge a complaint. As the police came that they said you come down first to lodge the complaint. They said alright, they instantly went with the police then when they went to lodge the complaint the police lock them up, took them to the court and have them all booked. Although that they were attacked the whole thing was a frame up because the communist government had just come into power and they thought we have to get this Americans send out of here. There’s too many Americans in Māyāpur we have to drive them out. That was actually that thing, now things have changed, some extent, but that time there was that type of mood. So there was whole thing was already pre planned so they put all the devotees in the jail. But what happened there we got the permission from the court to bring prasad everyday to the devotees that were in the jail. So we brought them a very big prasad. So they fed the jailers, they fed the other prisoners. And gradually they do kīrtana everyday in the prison house that all the prisoners started to chant and when they go out inside the prison they, they didn’t let the devotees out same time as the other prisoners, they had different times so that they did not mix so much. So when the other prisoners were inside their cages, their cells then these are the 150 year old prisons, just stone, chains, steel doors hasn’t changed since over a century. And the devotees were going around and chanting their japa out in a open courtyard. So there was some fanaticals, marxists, maoist, communist. These communists and this maoist communists that they believe that you have to get political freedom with the barrel of a gun. And that time they were assassinating all other communists, all other capitalists everyone. So they are a group of this hardcore terrorists were locked up there in that jail. And all along, all day they’d be chanting chanting laal assalaam! red salute! red salute! this that you know different slogans and they had them chain to the wall. So when the devotees came by their cell, even when they saw the devotees they said laal assalaam! Hare Kṛṣṇa salaam! salaam means like you know salute. So everyone was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, or know even the, the hardcore terrorist were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

But Haridāsa Ṭhākura after he got all the prisoners to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa then he was taken again before the nawab. He’s what are you doing? I put you to prison and you are getting everyone to chant? He said they’re all prisoners, instead of doing mischief they’re chanting the name of the God, what is the problem with that? So then the ayatollah told him listen, you have to tell him that he should convert back to Islam. So the king said, the nawab said listen, since you’re born a Mohammedan you should give up chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and again take to just chanting the names of Allah. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura said some people are changing from Hindu to Muslim. So many here in this country have changed from Hindu to Muslim. So what is the harm if one Muslim change to Hindu and he chants the Hindu names of God? Afterall there’s only one God, in the Sanskrit they say God is Kṛṣṇa meaning the all attractive. In Arabic also, Arab Arab language use to call God is Allah, so I’m chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa what is the difficulty if one person chants the name of Kṛṣṇa? So many are chanting the name of Allah, there would be no difficulty. Again the nawab thought he’s pretty reasonable person, there’s no difficulty. But this ayatollah, that mullah his priest said No! He’s a harami, he’s an offender. How can he say such things that the Kṛṣṇa and Allah are the same? He should be immediately punished. So then the nawab was pushed by him and again he said alright, I order you must give up this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you don’t give up this chanting then I’m going to have you beaten. Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that even if you cut my body into little, little pieces so long as there is one piece left it’s going to chant

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

So then the nawab ordered in 22 market places you’ll be beaten. When they took Haridāsa Ṭhākura to be beaten even the local people they said they women, they went how you can beat he’s a saint! He’s a holy person what does he done wrong? He’s just chanting the name of God. No, just whipped the public away, this is the order of the nawab, ayatollah has sanctioned it. So that time they started to whip Haridāsa Ṭhākura, so how the whole time, at that time actually later Lord Caitanya revealed. When Lord Caitanya showed His mahā-prakāśa, see they’re whipping Haridāsa Ṭhākura and no matter how much they whipped him there was no mark coming on his body. He wasn’t, normally after two three times whipping, the way they whipped you’d be dead, 22 is like there would be nothing left, it would be just like shreds. But in spite of so much whipping nothing was happening to him. Later Lord Caitanya revealed when he showed the mahā-prakāśa, He reveal to different devotees who they were then He revealed to Haridāsa Ṭhākura that then, that time when they started to whip you I came from the spiritual world. Immediately I was going to kill the executionists but that time you started to pray please forgive them, don’t punish them, I’m so sinful I deserve whatever I’m getting. So because you prayed for their forgiveness how could I kill them at that time? How can I also let you suffer? I have to protect my devotee. So Lord Caitanya that time took the form of a Viṣṇu, the He showed that Kṛṣṇa Viṣṇu and He showed the in His back so many whip marks are there so I took all the feeling on my own back. Then Haridāsa Ṭhākura saw that he fainted, it’s too much. He came conscious and there was nothing, everything was back. So while they are whipping Haridāsa Ṭhākura He was going on thinking that this is, he was feeling some pain but not to the extent that normally somehow he was surviving. And he was thinking that this is just a fraction of what I deserve, I’m so sinful. Whatever punishment I’m getting I would deserve much worse.

So finally after the 22 market places were finished the two executionists, the torcherers they were sitting there crying. Haridāsa Ṭhākura so what’s the matter? Why you are so sad? That because you were not dead. So why? Because I’m not dead what is the problem because of that? Because you’re alive we are ordered to whip you 22 market places, because you’re alive means we are going to be killed. We fail to execute you after 22 whippings that means the nawab will finish us off. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura said so if I die that will make you happy? They said oh yes, we’d be very happy if you die. So don’t cry for you I’ll die, then Haridāsa Ṭhākura laid down and he died. They felt no more breath no more heartbeat, He’s dead! what a saint He’s dead! Immediately they went back to the nawab, they said we done our business, he’s dead. The mullah was very happy, the Mohammedan priest and the king all of them see, they went, and all life symptoms were gone. So then the king said now have him buried. But the mullah the priest said no no, he’s a great offender, he changed his religion, he’s given up Islam, therefore you cannot burn him you cannot bury him. So then we’ll burn him, no no he should also not be burnt. He should not be buried, he should not be burnt, he should not, his soul should not allowed to have any peace. Throw him in the river, let the jackals and the dogs and the crows and the vultures tear his flesh, let his soul wander without peace. Nawab said alright, throw him in the river. So the two executionists try to lift Haridāsa Ṭhākura but they couldn't lift him, they couldn’t budge him an inch, so heavy. The called some more strong man all were straining, trying to they couldn't lift him, they even brought elephants. And elephants tied huge ropes around, they’re screaming and pulling, he wouldn’t move on, not even a millimeter. That actually when Haridāsa Ṭhākura he did, he went into complete samādhi meditating on the Supersoul in the heart. His body took on the mass of the entire universe, because he was completely absorbed in meditation on Kṛṣṇa his mass was equal to the whole universe, you couldn't move, or more, equal to Kṛṣṇa which is unlimited. So you couldn’t move him at all. Just as Dhruva Mahārāja exhibited that in his meditation. When he stop breathing the whole universe stop breathing like that. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura he took on this immense mass. All of a sudden by Kṛṣṇa’s desire he became very light, Just Kṛṣṇa is heavier than the heaviest, lighter than the lightest. They could lift him just like a feather, like a just, no weight not even an ounce. They took Haridāsa Ṭhākura and they put him in the river, and he’s just floating on the water. After floating the wind blew him off almost to the other side then he came out of his samādhi. And he started just swim to the other side, he jumped up Haribol! Haribol! Hare Kṛṣṇa! He started to chant.

The nawab looked he couldn’t believe it, he’s come back from the death. Get me my boat, immediately get me my royal voyage. He took his boat he’s, on the other side immediately crossover, the nawab, when he saw this he came to the other side he ran after Haridāsa Ṭhākura who was just chanting and going on. He ran after him, fell down at his feet, sahib sahib you are great peer, you are great guru, you’re saint. Please forgive me for my offence I couldn’t recognise you, please forgive me I’ll burn in hell eternally for all my offences to you, you must forgive me. And after that there that mullah, the priest he also ran after, he came the king said get out of here, you misled me so many ways. No no he just didn’t pay any attention to that nawab, he also grabbed Haridāsa Ṭhākura feet, please forgive me for my offence Hari sahib. So then Haridāsa Ṭhākura said I only forgive you to, on one condition that you give the order that no one will disturb the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa in your empire again. So alright we give this command, please forgive us. So the he bless them and after that in that kingdom no one was this molested for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So like this Haridāsa Ṭhākura he was also protected.

Devotees are protected in so many ways by preaching. The secret of course is to try to become a devotee. Who is actually a devotee? It mention someone who is not a devotee they don’t have any good qualities. Why? Because even you can say how was that possible? We see so many people with nice qualities like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was not a devotee he was considered a rākṣasa. But he was very powerful, very generous, very intelligent, he proud, he could won a nobel prize or something, if so many qualities. Then why is it? I mean you could, these books were telling this people that worship Rāvaṇa even today. They consider that he is such a wonderful person, had so many great qualities, he’s the, the number one, you can just, success in material life. The problem of course was that for his, although he had these qualities that if anyone dare to cross his own selfish interest, there’s no respect, it finish that personality. Wouldn’t accept any obstacle, as long as you flattered him, as long as you, but then he has very generous, as long as you played the part, he was quite showing so many good qualities. But if somehow you wanted one thing and you don’t agree just like Vibhīṣaṇa, his brother simply said listen give back Sītā, if you keep the Goddess of fortune, captive, the whole Lanka will lose all it’s good fortune, everything will be finished, just give her back. You has so many wives, so many concubine, so many women what do you want from the one human being, give her back. What did he do when he heard that? So you are one of them. You are an agent of Rāma. I banish you from my kingdom, I disregard you as my brother, you get out, never want to see you again, giving me such foolish advice. So Vibhīṣaṇa he was banned from Rāvaṇa’s kingdom, why? Because he gave a good advise. If Rāvaṇa wouldn’t give back Sītā what was his problem? Rāma would in one second have forgiven him. Because this is what, he met so many good qualities but when he wanted to enjoy something, there all good qualities were lost, all common sense, all patience all everything was lost. Why? Because of uncontrolled desires. That’s why it says that a devotee has good qualities. Even if they get mislead again Kṛṣṇa will bring them back to the path of become right. But a non-devotee even if they sometime show some good qualities and the ultimate test come he’s all a show, they all just become puppets in the hands of māyā.

So the point is to make people devotees. Then they get all the good qualities, naturally come to them, they take shelter. This is the problem, sometimes you see leaders of some country they’re put up and they put on show of so many good qualities but if they are not devotees ultimately you find that what appeared to be good qualities it’s all a show and underneath they are doing so much funny business, then everyone’s disappointed. That’s why Kṛṣṇa He wanted to establish government with devotee avatāra, there should be devotees people, god loving people managing countries, the world, then you can have peace. So Vibhīṣaṇa he was banned, so why he would take shelter of Rāma? Cause he was a devotee so he got saved. Instead of having the fight with Rāma he gave a good advice to Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa kicked him out, so then he went and took shelter of Rāma.

Mārīca the great magician, he was told by Rāvaṇa that you take the form of the magical deer so I can steal Sītā. You know how can they do that? I’ll be killed by Rāma. He said if you don’t do it I’ll kill you. So then he thought well if I don’t do I’ll get killed by Rāvaṇa, if I do I’ll get killed by Rāma. Better to be killed by the Supreme personality of Godhead, then I’ll go back to Godhead, I’ll get at least liberation. He killed by Rāvaṇa is no benefit (laughing). Lord Caitanya said someone, who is a devotee? So anyone who chants

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

They are devotees. Some are devotees who are purely chanting, you can take shelter of them, they’ll give spiritual guidance, they are actually representing Kṛṣṇa, there are some who are chanting, they’re initiated, you bow down to them we call them Prabhu, we respect them, even we give our life for them they’re in some danger or something. Then there are those who chant but they are not following strictly. They’re chanting but they gave got lot of material attachments and habits that they haven’t overcome. So Lord Caitanya said for them we respect them in the heart. We may preach to them, encourage them, from a distance we respect them in the heart. But we don’t this intimately associate or do those material activities along with them for, certainly. We encourage then in their chanting and from a distance we wish them all good success like that, or give them, but we don’t intimately associate. But Lord Caitanya accepted that there’d be these different types of devotees. It’s not that someone chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, even though not following the principles they’re not demons. They’re also devotee but they are not purified. They’re still entangled, their devotion may be mixed they’re not come to the purest level yet. But they are also devotees and eventually they can become purified if they continue chanting and serving the Lord.

So just like Jagāi Mādhāi who tried to be delivered by Nityānanda Prabhu. Eventually he delivered them. So after delivering them Mādhāi came to Nityānanda and he said that, fell at his feet, said please forgive me. Because I stuck you with a pot, I cause you to bleed, I committed such a great offence must please forgive me for that. And Nityānanda said I have, there’s nothing to forgive you about, I didn’t take it like in that sense. You see actually what happened was Mādhāi the second encounter he just broke a pot over, a bottle of wine, but there’s a clay bottle over Nityānanda’s head and blood was pouring down. Still Nityānanda said, just because you beat me that doesn’t mean I don’t give you love for Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That was that affected the other brother that this is not the normal person. We beat him but still He’s talking about love of Godhead. So that Mādhāi he was begging Nityānanda that please forgive me. Afterwards, after they took initiation, stay one time they met him alone. So I committed the greatest offence, I hit you. So Nityānanda told them, listen just like a small baby on the lap of the mother sometimes he kicks the mother, something hits the mother the mother doesn’t take it seriously because of relationship of love. Like that even though you hit me I just took it you’re like my baby. So I never took any offence. So there’s nothing to forgive you about. So then Mādhāi said I committed so many other offences against so many other living entities, I killed people, I robbed them, I so many things, how do I get forgiven for those offences? So then Nityānanda said well you do something to help them in their spiritual life. By doing that you’ll get forgiven for any offences very quickly. So what can I do? So then he said well you could build a bathing ghat to the Ganges so that more people can bathe in the Ganges and they’ll get purified for their sins by bathing in the Ganges, and they can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa while they’re bathing. So build a bathing ghat. So he said thank you very much I’ll do that. So with his own hands he made a huge bathing ghat, he was very strong so he dug out, put stones down made a complete staircase in to the, bathing ghāṭa means on the side of the river, the river height goes up and down according to the season. So then it’s very hard cause all muddy and everything how to get to the start like the beach where’s there is all sand, there’s always dirt on the side. So what they do is they dig a, make a staircase into the water. It goes right down to the, the lowest part of the, the river to the highest in bank man. So that all throughout the year you can bathe in the river at whatever height it’s at. So then Jagāi Mādhāi he personally built huge bathing ghat. People are amazed how he was working day and night to build this bathing ghat. He had to build it within a particular time as once the rainy season starts and the waters high then you can’t build anymore. So he completed the whole thing in the dry season and it became very famous as Mādhāi Ghat. And people would bathe there and glorify Mādhāi. So in this way he got forgiven for his offences. And by doing this help to others , by distributing prasādam or distributing books or somehow helping others advance in their Kṛṣṇa consciousness this will allow the devotees to advance much quicker. By getting them very quick forgiveness for all the offences that they have committed knowingly or unknowingly. So in this way Kṛṣṇa protects His devotees in so many ways. So Prabhupāda uses this verse many times in his preaching. There’s no limit how much you could actually speak on this verse, although may be a limit how much I can say on, but there’s actually all of these verses in Bhagavad gita have unlimited significance at this time.

On Spiritual Progress: May be not this lifetime. One should avoid that’s what Lord Caitanya raises us we should avoid committing offences. We should avoid the weeds in devotional service because weeds can smother our spiritual progress and the offence especially against the Vaiṣṇavas and can pull out our spiritual creeper from the root if we commit offence against Prabhupāda or some, some pure devotee. But barring such type of offence one, Jīva Gosvāmi asked Lord Nityānanda, what happens if someone even after they’re devoted they start to act against the regulative principles carelessly or whimsically? So Lord Nityānanda said that well if they act in that way they have to take the responsibility for whatever they do. Once we take initiation, we surrender to Guru, paraṁparā, to the Guru, to the Guru-paraṁparā, to Lord Kṛṣṇa then whatever we do under the guidance and order of the Guru, according to the Sādhu, śāstra and Guru we are protected from karmic reactions, there’s no karma. Just like a soldier following the orders of his superior there’s no responsibility, he’s automatically absolved from that as long as he is actually carrying out the proper order of his superior. So if we carrying out our devotional service we’re, properly we’re protected from any reaction but when we start to do things knowingly, that this is not according, or even unknowingly but the effect might be different degree. But this is not according to the authorised path of the previous ācāryas then we have to take the reaction for that. How Kṛṣṇa gives that reaction? That’s also a type of learning. Just like Jaḍa Bharata or Mahārāja Bharata by taking birth as a deer, it was as shock but that made him so determined that next birth when he took birth as Jaḍa Bharata he didn’t make the same mistake again. He didn’t have any attachment to develop for anything but Kṛṣṇa. So even when māyā kicks us that’s also Kṛṣṇa’s mercy for a devotee because that can, sometime that there always māyā kicks, Kṛṣṇa may also see like if there is some material desire, let them enjoy for some time. Or may get have them kicked whether, that’s up to Kṛṣṇa, it’s very hard to say but eventually they can’t forget Kṛṣṇa, eventually they Kṛṣṇa brings them back. When and how that we can pray only sometimes as we know have some friend that, it’s that can recommend later a bit sooner than later. But even Prabhupāda said that even that few, some people leave they’ll be back. Someone who has practiced sincerely devotional service they cannot forget. They have to do so very serious offences against Vaiṣṇavas in order to forget.

I mean people do leave but they’re not, they always even they’d alos they  become like folk members, Namahatta members or they become, they work worship from their house, they become one of the congregation, they come and eat in the restaurants. You know they not fully in the Nectar of Devotion but somehow or another they keep their contact. They just not able to fully remain in sādhana-bhakti. Kṛṣṇa says if you do sādhana-bhakti you’ll achieve me, that’s a very exalted position to practice sādhana-bhakti means that this will be your last lifetime. So Arjuna ask, also asked what happens I’ll be, I’ll be like, if I don’t make it, what if I start to practice yoga, I do bhakti-yoga, I do the sādhanā but then if I’m not able to achieve the complete success I’ll be in kind of lost of missed out material life and I won’t, have achieve the perfection in my spiritual life, so then I’ll be lost in both the sides. But then Kṛṣṇa said no, someone who does good works, auspicious work they never get a inauspicious result. You’ll take birth in the heavenly planets after you pass away, then afterwards again you’ll take birth in some brāhmaṇa, yogī family. Brāhmaṇa family or vaiśya family, rich mercantile family, of course we don’t that‘s why we then. Like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura he prayed, I don’t even want to take birth as a Brahmā I just want to take birth in the family of a devotee. Incase I don’t go back to you, incase you don’t take me back to serve you directly in devotional service in some way as you take again birth in the material world please allow me to take birth as a devotee. So he said if you not, think I’m not qualified to be devotee at least allow me to be born in a family of your devotees even as a worm. If I can be a worm say in the intestine of a devotee at least I can get some mahā-prasādam

On Christ: Bhaviśya Purāṇa has many quotes about Jesus. He known as Īśa Putra that there will be a Īśa Putra. Son of God will come, son of, I think they said Josa something like that, Josa. And he’ll be born by some immaculate, some kind of like birth without father and he’ll preach in the western countries to meat eaters, west of India. Many other verses, a few other verses are there, I can’t remember all the sanskrit.

Jai Rukmiṇī Dvārakādhiśa ki!
Jai!

Nitāi Gaura ki!
Jai!

Jagannātha Subhadrā Baladeva ki!
Jai!