19881030 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.12.8 Sunday Feast Lecture

The following is a Sunday feast lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 30^th 1988, Atlanta Georgia. The class begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam canto 5, chapter 12 text 8

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam canto 5, chapter 12 text 8

This is a lesson from the ancient history of India the great Bhāgavata Mahā Purāna. This is the history about the great emperor King Bharat who became the ruler of the entire world. And he retired after giving his throne to his son. He left for the forest and he became engaged in the practice of yoga, meditation and chanting mantra. Through this process he developed great spiritual learning, realization. But somehow, he took a pet deer into the āśrama.

Well actually what happened was the mother was drinking water when she was pregnant at the side of a river where he was meditating. There was suddenly a lightning bolt which frightened the deer who jumped across stream and landed on the other side causing a miscarriage. And the mother died, the mother deer. So then the retired king think that, helpless little deer, thought let me take care of this, no mother, just give some mild and food and kept it alive. The deer became very affectionate to King Bharata. Not knowing anyone else, he became just like its mother, father everything. And to make a long story short, after many years, the deer stayed there as a pet. Come in sometime, would wake up the king up in the morning when he is sleeping by licking on his face, so very affectionate. So, one day, when the retired King was leaving his body, he tried to meditate. But at that time the deer came under his custody and could see he was about to die. And the deer was smelling his face was leaving his body, the deer was looking right there. He thought oh what would happen to the deer and he left his body.

According to the Bhagavad-gītā, you have the Bhagavad-gītā here? In the Veda which is according to the law of karma, whatever we do, there is a reaction for it. There’s another aspect of the law of karma which is that whatever we think about when we leave the body; we achieve that destination in our next birth. This is explained in chapter 8 text 6

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail. That is the translation.

Purport: The process of changing one’s nature at the critical moment of death is here explained. A person who at the end of his life quits his body thinking of Kṛṣṇa attains the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord, but it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than Kṛṣṇa attains the same transcendental state. This is a point we should note very carefully.

How can one die in the proper state of mind? Mahārāja Bharata, although a great personality, thought of a deer at the end of his life.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mahārāja Bharata, although a great personality, thought of a deer at the end of his life, this is the secretarial and so in his next life he was transferred into the body of a deer. Although as a deer he remembered his past activities, he had to accept that animal body. Because when he left his body he thought of the deer he took birth in a deer body. But he didn’t lose his human intelligence, his memory while he was a deer because he was practiced yoga process.

Although he was a deer he could remembered his past activities he has to accept the animal body. Of course, one’s thoughts during the course of one’s life accumulate to influence one’s thoughts at the moment of death. So, this life creates one’s next life. If in one’s present life one lives in the mode of goodness and always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, it is possible for one to remember Kṛṣṇa at the end of one’s life. That will help one be transferred to the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not material. Therefore, the chanting of

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

is the best process for successfully changing one’s state of being at the end of one’s life. Hare Kṛṣṇa

So, after living a life as a deer, he would go to the holy places and get the food remnants or the prasad, sacred good. When he died, the next birth he took as a brāhmaṇa having some land and properties as well. He was so afraid that after giving up the entire world as an emperor, I was little careless that I became a deer, he became so afraid that he thought let me be very careful. Let me not make any mistake so that really go back to God at the end of this life time and not just start again per the law of reincarnation.

So, he remembered his previous two births which is very rare., We normally don’t remember our previous birth. He could because of his unique situation after having practiced so much bhakti-yoga. Then he wouldn’t play with the other children. He wouldn’t talk with anyone. He would just sit and meditate. So, the parents thought they have some kind of a strange child, like may be little retarded or something.

So, they didn’t know what to do with him. So, they asked him to stand out in the corn field and told him to scare away the crows like a living scarecrow. He stood out there and then when the crows come he would scare them away that was his duty. So there is a long history. He was very determined that whatever happens, I am not going to forget Kṛṣṇa, he just kept in very simple.

One time, he was kidnapped by some dacoits. Dacoits mean in which bandits. I mean bandits. Do you understand bandits? Professional, like a gang, like a gang [Guru Mahārāja and Devotees: laughing], gangsters. But they are very specially armed. So they kidnapped him. So, he was very healthy, He was very well built healthy body, he just sat there and scared crows was just chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Not talking to anyone not very proud, not entangled in worldly activity at that point. anymore. That he didn’t get involved. They kidnapped him. All of you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, but he was chanting some mantra connected to Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu.

So then when they kidnapped him they decided to offer him as human sacrifice to goddess Bhadrakālī. In this way, they can get a blessing for doing better robberies in future (devotees laughing) so they gave him to the head priest. So, they gave him to the head priest. And told the head priest he is killed as a man animal according to the kali, black right they called him man animal, someone who is retarded, so whatever happens, I am going to think of Kṛṣṇa.

So, this time, I am going to leave my body, I am not going to think of any deer, I am not going to think of anything else other than Kṛṣṇa. and waiting and ready.

But when the priest came out to sacrifice him up, he stood up and his big deity of Kali came to life and she came breaking the statue along with her associates, she came with

a chopper, chopped head of pujāri and killed all of the bandits, after that she disappeared, brāhmaṇa saw the situation. So, he went back to the corn field. Where were you?? [devotees laughing] You didn’t scare away crows, you can’t do anything? He didn’t do anything well. Why God gave us this foolish child? Then he was living on the side of the country. One king came in a palanquin and then he was passing by. One of the palanquin holders got hit by a stone or something. What’s going on here? Hold it hold it…then they decided this guy who is sitting in the corn field will help. Hey you. He came over. Can you carry the palanquin? He got the palanquin and as he is walking, Jaḍa Bharata saw so many ants on the path and stamping them, I would incur bad karma. Others were walking left, right let right. [devotees laughing] So the palanquin was moving up and down. So then in this way, the king started to criticize. The King Rahuguna told Jaḍa Bharata. How troublesome is this. My dear brother, You certainly look very fatigued. We have been in the palanquin for a long time and for a long distance. Because of old age, you have become fatigued. As I see, you are not very firm, not very stout and strong. The king criticized Jaḍa Bharata in a sarcastic way. Despite the King criticized him in a sarcastic way, Jaḍa Bharata had no bodily conception of the situation. He knew that he was not the body. He knew his spiritual identity. He knew he had nothing to do with matter made up of the five elements. He had nothing to do with his material body and his two hands and legs. He completely understood his spiritual identity – “aham brahmāsmi”. He was unaccepted by the fellow carriers and the king’s sarcastic words. Jaḍa Bharata was completely liberated. He just carried palanquin. He just didn’t care for anything. He just knew that I am a soul. I am not this body. He just kept his mind on the absolute truth.

Basically, the philosophy of reality of our existence as explained in this verse, is that we are the spirit souls within the body. Body is made up of five gross elements.

Body is made of five gross elements according to the Vedas, the Vedic literatures. Just after the subtle mind, intelligence and false ego these 3 subtle elements, there is combination of gross and subtle bodies. It’s the covering for the living force or the spirit soul. So, Jaḍa Bharata had realized that he was a spirit soul. He was actually the spirit soul, force within the body. The body is something changeable, we can’t change our souls but we change our bodies. Here is the person that makes the body alive. Once the person leaves the body, the soul leaves the body, the body is dead. There is no doubt. At the same time, we are not the body actually. Some time or the other we have to leave this body and then we have to take a new birth. So, the question is what will be the next birth. There is no question that one time we are going to have to leave the body, sooner or later. May be at 80, at 90, at 100, may be, any moment, there is no guarantee how long or when. So, he already reached that stage of realization, after taking three birth, he realized that I am not this body. So, he didn’t care that the King was calling him all kinds of sarcastic names. But then the King got really angry. He thought that after, even after giving so many sarcastic remarks, the palanquin was still moving in a, because Jaḍa Bharata told the king, he is still moving not to step any ant. He knew he was not this body and he did not want to be responsible for any animal's death and then he has to take the karma and then get more entangled. He was moving, jumping this way and that way, the palanquin is still moving.

So, the king became very angry and said, what are you doing? Are you deaf? Lost conscious of your body? Do you not know I am your master? Are you disregarding me? Are you not following my orders? For this disobedience I shall punish you and send to Yamarāja the superintendent of death, the punisher of sinful people. I would give you proper treatment so that you come to your senses and do the correct thing. I will take you and play like a thing in a street. He dropped my palanquin on way .. disobeying my order…He became so passion. He became so angry and he started to criticize Jaḍa Bharata who is actually the topmost liberated soul. So then Jaḍa Bharata spoke to the king. My dear king and hero, whatever you have spoken sarcastically is certainly true. Actually, these are not simply words of chastisement to the body of the carrier. The load carried by the body does not belong to me. So, I am the spirit soul. There is no contradiction in your statement because I am different from the body. I am not the carrier of the palanquin; the body is the carrier. Certainly, labours carrying the palanquin. I am detached from the body. You have said that I am not stout and strong and these words are befitting a person who does not know the distinction between the body and the soul.

The body may be fat or thin but no learned man will take that thing for the spirit soul. As far as the spirit soul is concerned, I am neither stout nor skinny, therefore you are correct when you say I am not really stout and skinny. Also the object of this journey the fast moving the mind there will be many problems or troubles for me but because they relate not to me but to my body, there is no trouble at all. Material happiness, old age, deep attachment for material, lust, anger, lamentation, illusion, identification of the body as the self are all confirmation of the material suffering of the spirit soul. A person absorbed in the material body conception is affected by these things. But I am free from all bodily conception. Hence, I am not affected by stout or skinny or anything else you mentioned.

My dear king, you are unnecessarily accusing me of your life. But this is the case everywhere. Everything material in this world has a beginning and an end. As far as you are the king and the master and you are trying to order me. This is also incorrect, as these positions are temporary, today you are a king. I am your servant but tomorrow the positions may be changed. You may be my servant and I your master. These are temporary circumstances created by providence.

My dear king, if you so think that you are the king and that I am your servant, you should order me and I shall follow your order, I can then say that this differentiation is temporary. And expand just only for conversation, I can see no other cause in that case as to who is the master and who is the servant. Anyone can become master and anyone can become servant. If you can’t accept what I can do for you, my dear king. The king thought who is that? He was surprised. Stopped the palanquin.

He jumped out of the palanquin, fell to the ground to Jaḍa Bharata's feet touching his feet, "You are a learned brāhmaṇa, saintly person, he could see you wearing a sacred thread. Are you one of the exalted saint Dattātreya? Or other highly qualified scholar? May you accept me as your disciple? He had so many questions. one thing I am afraid, I am afraid of afffending a brāhmaṇa . I am not afraid of anything. I am not afraid of any explosives anything but I am afraid of offending a brāhmaṇa. Actually, you are a great learned, spiritual person, therefore I request you to forgive me and instruct me, so this way they had a long discussion. Discussing on different matter, spiritual reality and material positions and material life and

yadā kṣitāv eva carācarasya
vidāma niṣṭhāṁ prabhavaṁ ca nityam
tan nāmato ’nyad vyavahāra-mūlaṁ
nirūpyatāṁ sat-kriyayānumeyam

All of us on the surface of the globe are living entities in different forms. Some of us are moving and some not moving. All of us come into existence, remain for some time and are annihilated when the body is again mingled with the earth. We are all simply different transformations of the earth. Different bodies and capacities are simply transformations of the earth that exist in name only, for everything grows out of the earth and when everything is annihilated it again mingles with the earth. In other words, we are but dust, and we shall but be dust. Everyone can consider this point.

This was spoken. Of course, many many thousands of years ago. Jaḍa Bharata existed as a history many many thousands of years ago, from the ancient Vedic civilization. So, this is the very famous discussion they have many of the recent religious thefts in the world that come up in the recent history from years, also we keep Jaḍa Bharata instructions. The deep meaning and explanation of how Jaḍa Bharata explaining the difference between body and the earth, again it is mingling back to earth. There is a difference between body and spirit, spirit will never perish, it will never go back to earth understanding of material nature is to give clear perspective.

For great self-realized souls, they considered the material world is always changing its not permanent and that is the higher reality. So, the two things the temporary reality has to be balanced with the eternal and original reality if we take a temporary reality to be everything then it is like a small child who thinks that a little play or other little things that the child thinks that he confronts everything. Someone take the candy away then they crying someone give candy then they are happy, to be happy or to be crying because we gain or lose something material it is also only a small sophisticated child .

So, Jaḍa Bharata by his instructions to the king was giving the king a vision. He understand also he thank him so much having himself as an emperor himself take this birth achieve the self-realization.

He was able to educate this king to understand the difference between the temporary world and eternal reality. So then that king at the end he accepts the Jaḍa Bharata as his guru as his spiritual master at that time. He was a very great king and he was achieving a bonafide spiritual master. He was enlightened completely otherwise he was just thinking I am king I am curious to protect them, they are my subjects, they have to do what I say, they awe me something cause. I am protecting them but when he could realize that we have a higher relationship and that his eternal identity not that of a king. But actually, he was the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa he was eternal spirit soul and therefore as a king it was his duty to actually uplift the spiritual consciousness of his people. So, everybody accepts a bonafide spiritual master under the guidance of Jaḍa Bharata entire world at that time became god conscious.

So, this story of Jaḍa Bharata and working by subsequently Jaḍa Bharata. in his third birth is Very interesting ...as the story gives an idea about the reincarnation about the laws of karma, about the nature of the spirit soul. Sometimes people have a misconception reincarnation of someone who dies goes in someone elses body this somehow works when you leave your present body at the time of death the spirit soul is very small like atomic size and that goes with the several bodies and enters into the womb of a mother at the time of conception what mothers it what birth what as we know.

Now various factors of karma consciousness of desires then they go into the womb just at the time of conception because of the presence of spirit soul the body grows in the womb as an embryo. So, according to the Vedas wife gives life and abortion therefore is considered taking of the life after conception. So, in this way it also gives us the idea what is actually the transmigration of the soul and the soul continues growing up so the importance of finding out what is the absolute truth finding out that it is essential to have a bonafide spiritual master.

Bharat Mahārāja when he first left his kingdom and he began. Meditating he was careless by becoming attach to a deer after giving up so many attachments he gave up the kingdom, a beautiful wife, whole i mean whole entire very loyal subjects, family members and children’s he left them all since he could concentrate on his Self-realization of the latter part of life.

The Vedic custom or tradition is that once a person gets over fifty years of age, he considers about retiring and using the latter part of his life for self-realization instead of going to old folks home where they play checkers or cards until they passed away they would go to some sacred ashram or some sacred place and they will do some devotional services or meditation in order to prepare themself for the next life.

So, the problem is that the King Bharata, he didn’t consult with his guru his spiritual master when he took the otherwise, he would not. But he didn’t consult with his Guru, his spiritual master when he took the care of pet. Otherwise he would have known well, for someone who has renounced so many things to take a little pet! Its dangerous because if you get attached to the pets… unnecessary attachment.

The final test of the human form of life is meant to get completely attached and focused on absolute truth, transcending all relative attachment. Now in previous ages the atmosphere was such if you go in the forest and if you just meditate and people will respect you and wouldn’t disturb you. Nowadays it’s a bit difficult. First of all its hard to find and probably if you did, they won’t give warrant that you can’t chant there you don’t have a license and maybe a hunter could come by looking for beer or something. But even in the Himalayan mountains it’s difficult to find secluded caves nowadays because so many tourists are flying overhead looking for the Mount Everest and everything but on an average there are still in Himalayas a few caves. If you go far off and inside them but generally speaking it’s a bit difficult to find a place you can go and meditate in the forest.

For most people it’s not very suitable for them to just give up their city borne comfort. It’s hard for them to survive plus the forests are not producing so many fruits and edible roots for human beings to be able to survive in that circumstance in that situation. So therefore it is recommended that to go in the forest, it is advised in the śāstras that in this particular modern age, forget the idea of this going and living in the forest as being a very impractical means of self-realization it’s better to live in a holy place in association with other spiritual minded person in spiritual community and recite in an ashram and practice devotional service or bhakti-yoga. This is much more practical that is why the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement has many āśramas and many communities and farm projects, where people could come and practice their devotional service along with many other likeminded people. Also of course this process can be practiced at one’s home but one need to regularly visit devotees or spiritual minded people to get some reinforcements from good associations.

Just like all of the people present here they can be going out and having some halloween parties and so many other things but they are here tonight to attend the lunch feast of the hare Kṛṣṇa temple and to listen to the lecture from the Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā and self-realization. So, you all are very spiritual people, you are not ordinary people, you are very special people who are spiritual minded. So, this coming together of spiritual people is very important, creates a very positive atmosphere. Its very conducive to our spiritual project and farm (devotees laugh). So of course, one does need to have a spiritual master, as a guide, as a shelter.

And that also a special search. This king is very fortunate, he got a spiritual master by accident, a mean created by accident, actually it is by the will of the providence, by divine sensation, somehow he had the good karma to get such a great blessing or we can say just a causeless blessing.

Generally, one has to live for spiritual master, one has to seek. I remember there is a history of a one great spiritual master in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his name was Śrīnivāsa Ācārya. So, he was later became ācārya. Ācārya is spiritual master but he served as Śrīnivāsa, the servant, and he got an idea that let me go and find Caitanya Mahaprabhu and learn from Him the teachings of the Bhāgavata, the devotional teachings of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. So that time Lord Caitanya lived in Jagannātha Purī which is on the side of the Bay of Bengal ocean or sea, the Bay of Bengal sea. And most of Navadvīpa in Bengal in the city called near Katwa and it is good, some 500 miles. So, he decided to walk to Jagannātha Puri to see Lord Caitanya and request him to teach the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So, he walked all the way down to Jagannātha Purī which took quite a bit of time - through forest and jungles and all the rivers, going through different check posts and things, because he had to go from one country to another. They were two separate kingdoms; the kingdom of Bengal was under Mohammedan ruler and kingdom of Orissa was under a Hindu ruler. So, he walked down and finally reached Jagannātha Purī. And in Jagannātha Purī. He saw there was a great gathering of people. Thousands of people were gathered around the temple.

And he said, what's the big festival? This, you don't know? He said "No, what's the big festival?" Said, "Lord Caitanya has just passed away. He entered into the temple, and the door was closed behind Him. He entered into the temple of Jagannātha, closed the door. When the pujārīs opened the door, he was no longer there. He entered into the deity. His pastimes are finished."

Śrīnivāsa, he just walked all the way, 500 miles by foot to see Lord Caitanya. His hope was to see Lord Caitanya to get the teachings of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He became so, so, so frustrated, so he became like mad and he said, "No, no, can't be, I don't believe it, No. How can it be? How will I learn the Bhāgavatam ? " Then, he fell on the ground, was hitting his head on the stone saying "No, No." Like he just went mad in separation. His whole life, actually he was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. His lifelong ambition was to see Lord Caitanya, but he left even the same day. He fell unconscious in his grief, in his misery. And he thought let me commit suicide, "What's the use of living now?" Then, Lord Caitanya appeared to him in his unconscious state, in a vision and told him, "You have given your body to Kṛṣṇa, you cannot kill it. It would be a great offense. Now you go to see Gadādhara Prabhu and he will be able to help you to study the Bhāgavatam. "

Then gained consciousness and then he remembered the words of Lord Caitanya and he asked, " where is Gadādhara?" They said," He is in the Toṭa Gopīnātha temple." He went to the temple of Toṭa Gopīnātha and there he asked for Gadādhara. They said, "Gadādhara is in such grief and such separation, in love, in separation of Lord Caitanya, he is not speaking to anyone, he is not eating he is just constantly crying in separation that the Lord has just gone." He said, "No but I need to see him, just tell him that I have come." So, they went in and told Gadādhara that Śrīnivāsa has come. He said, "Śrīnivāsa! Bring him immediately." They were all shocked; he wasn't seeing anyone, he wasn't eating. Even he was feeling such separation, he felt some happiness to see Śrīnivāsa. He knew that he was sent by Lord Caitanya.

So, Śrīnivāsa fell down on the ground offering his obeisances and said, "I want to accept you as a spiritual master, I want to learn from you the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the great history of the Bhāgavata, the science of God realization." "Well, I can teach you the Bhāgavatam, my dear Śrīnivāsa but the problem, the problem is that.. ", and he showed the Bhāgavatam. Of course, now, we have the Bhāgavatams which are printed, you know, by the big printing presses but in those days Bhāgavatams were written by hand. "The pages have been washed away, now we can't read it anymore." He looked and he saw the pages were all smeared because of the tears; you couldn't make out what was written, somehow it had become illegible. He said, "The only way I can teach you the Bhāgavatam is that you are going to have to get a new copy for me. If you get a new copy then I can teach you. "Where will I get you a new copy?" He said. "Well, they make them in Navadvīpa." (where he came from.. audience ..laughter). So then, well, he went back again to Navadvīpa walking all the way. That was a center of learning. So, there were many great scholars there and they could write in Bengali.

They copied by hand, the entire 18,000 verses of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Which took a bit of time. So, their whole operation took, a couple months, or more. In order to go there, walk there, get it all copied. They finally got a whole copy, wrapped it up in a special silk cloth and then, they went with this Bhāgavatam copy, walking back again to Jagannātha Purī. When he got back to Jagannātha Purī and he was taking a bath, in the place where Lord Caitanya’s daṇḍa was broken. He was going to head to see Gadādhara Prabhu.

Then he asked for Gadādhara prabhu and there was some kind off a festival going on in the Toṭa Gopīnātha temple. And they said “You don’t know?’ Gadādhara prabhu has passed away. He left the world in separation of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.’ ‘Oh no, no no! I don’t believe it.'

If Gadādhara did left his body who is going to teach me? How will I learn the Bhāgavatam? Who’s going to teach me? How will I get a spiritual master? No, how, it can’t be. No.’ and he ‘Yes’ Everyone said. ‘No’ He was going like just in a daze, hand in the, you know just kind a walking, in a stupor. People were what’s wrong with this, you know he just like and finally it’s like, fell unconscious, crying in a heap somewhere, completely frustrated. Always looking to find him. He was so eager learn. He wanted. It was his only goal in life, just to find him, to learn the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To get the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.

So, Gadādhara, appeared to him, in a dream, you know, and told him, ‘If you go back to Jagannātha, to Navadvīpa, there is Nityānanda and Advaita, they can help you. But first you meet all the devotees of Jagannātha Puri.’

So then, he went and he met all the devotees of Jagannātha Purī.. different associates of Lord Caitanya. I don’t know if Ramānanda Rāya was still there, but er, whoever was there, he met many of them. And all of the one’s that was still present. Then he took his Bhāgavatam, and again he walked back to Navadvīpa, 500 mile. When he got to Navadvīpa, he took a bath in the Ganges, and he was coming out, and he was asking the people for directions, where to find Lord Nityānanda and Advaita and er they said, ‘You don’t know? They just passed away, two days ago. They no longer present, they went back to the spiritual world.’ And again, he said, ‘No, no, noo.’ And he’s like, ‘I couldn’t believe it. Again! For the third time.’ His head hanging low and he was just like crying and he was walking down the road, in a just totally, just frustrated.

There are no words to describe the separation, the intense desire he was feeling and the hopelessness, at that moment. Then, somehow, a Vaiṣṇava came up to him, with tilaka, nice devotee and said, ‘Are you Śrīnivāsa?’ He said, ‘Yes’. ‘Please come with me.’ He said, ‘Who are you?’ I mean I was like, he said, I don’t know, I think Vamśidāsa babaji. "A consort of Lord Caitanya, Viṣṇu Priyā Thakurāṇi, wants to see you.’ Lord Caitanyas widow, who was living in separation of Lord Caitanya, was residing in Navadvīpa. So, she was calling Śrīnivāsa. Śrīnivāsa, you know, became very excited, you know, why, ‘How did you know who I am?’ ‘Don’t worry about this, I can recognize you from the description she gave.’

He said, ‘I never met her.’ ‘It’s alright, come.’

So then, he went with Vamśidās and then he came into the house of, Jagannātha Miśra’s own house. Śacī mata, had lived there. Lord Caitanya’s childhood house. And there he could see Viṣṇupriyā. Immediately, he fell on the ground and offered her his respectful, prostrate obeisances. And she told him to sit.

And offered her his respectful prostrate obeisances and she told him to sit, he could see that she was, she was, her hair was not kept she was obviously covered continuously crying she wasn’t taking care of herself but still she was effulgent very beautiful but totally just unkempt because she was in separation because Lord Caitanya left this world she was feeling transcendental love for him she wasn’t caring for herself or anything she was just eating a few grains of food and chanting continuously Lord Caitanya’s name Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

He said that she explained to him that last night Caitanya came to me in my dream he sat down and took me and said to sit on my lap and I sat on the Lord’s lap he told me that there is a great devotee of mine coming he is very dear to me he is suffering a lot because he wants to achieve a pure spiritual master but he is not achieving it his name is Śrīnivāsa and he comes to Navadvīpa and he describes what he looks like bring him and tell him to go to Vṛndāvan there he will find the Goswamīs Rūpa, Sanātana and others and he can get their shelter and so then he disappeared.

Viṣṇupriyā told you are definitely very blessed by Lord Caitanya. So I wanted to tell you this on the order of my Lord I am very glad to be able to see you have many services to perform for Lord Caitanya in the future. Now you should go to Vṛndāvana, but before you go you can meet the Vaiṣṇavas here and take their blessings.

So, then he met the different Vaiṣṇavas in Navadvīpa. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, Rāmadāsa Paṇḍita, different Vaiṣṇavas who were there at that time Nandan Ācārya and then he went on to this Bhāgavatam. One thousand miles at least one thousand maybe twelve or fifteen hundred miles distance to Vṛndāvan far more west then he was in the east after walking for a long time I don’t know how long it takes to walk that long “a month” it takes a long time to walk fifteen hundred miles hundred days maybe.

So at least it takes 3 to 4 months anyways finally he gets to Vṛndāvana the birth place of Lord Kṛṣṇa and he bathed at the sacred Akrura bathing pond where Kṛṣṇa had bathed before leaving Vṛndāvana and he was preparing himself to look for Rūpa and Sanātana the great spiritual master then he overheard two people speaking on the road. Oh! Vṛndāvana is not same without Rūpa and Sanātana know that they have left I feel that Vṛndāvana is empty “What!”, “What are they saying” jumped down.

“Oh! what are you saying? What is happened where is Rūpa and Sanātana?” looked at him and said “Why are you so upset?” you don’t know right know in Govindaji temple they are having their final festival they have just left their bodies last night “No No No” he took his pādukā and ran to the temple and they were was the big festival and they said they are gone.

He couldn’t believe and he fell in the back of the temple in the heat and fell unconsciousand someone started putting water on his face and patting him “Śrīnivāsa? Are you Śrīnivāsa?” He said Who are you? I am Jīva please come with me.

So, then Jīva Gosvāmī the younger brother of Rūpa and Sanātana with a message took him to his āśrama and explained that Rupa and Sanatana appeared to me last night in my dream and told to me that you would be coming and I should instruct you the science of Kṛṣṇa Conscioussness and you should take initiation from Gopala Bhatta Goswami who is far more superior and your initiating Guru and you will learn the science of Bhāgavatam and be able to preach Kṛṣṇa Consciousness on behalf of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

This way then he met the next day Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and he took shelter from Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and later he took

This way then he met the next day Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and he took shelter from Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and later he took initiation from him then under Gopāla Bhaṭṭas guidance he studied Jīva Gosvāmī the Vedas in this way there are so many trials and trying to find but he was always determined but of course sometimes he became very hopeless.

But then Kṛṣṇa somehow or the other gave him the mercy and then he went out again to seek and finally he found with great difficulty.

So sometimes one has to look in different ways eventually what finds the bonafide Spiritual master takes shelter and get connected with the disciplic succession engages in devotional service, engages in the process of bhakti-yoga.

Like this there are many histories of great souls who have undergone various trials for ultimately achieving the absolute truth so of course in the previous times one had to seek out a spiritual master, sometimes very difficult to find.

But Prabhupāda was very kind he came out to the world to establish the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So that people could get connection with the succession of spiritual line, of spiritual master so they one could easily understand the spiritual science otherwise it is very difficult everyone has to go to India to know this science of God consciousness.

He very kindly brought it to the rest of the world to all the continents. This year Kṛṣṇa consciousness also will get a social recognition in the Soviet Union. So, know the 10,000 people that are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa need not fear being arrested anymore for chanting and a number of chanters will increase hopefully by the mercy of Lord Caitanya to a million in that country.

So we need to focus on what are our priorities, who are we? Are we just living for the temporary life really, the thing we should do or should we have something balance where we live to maintain our body and soul together simple life without trying to unnecessarily complicate things and try to get more energy to understanding? What is the purpose of life? Who are we? What is God consciousness? What is the eternal happiness?

That is coming from love of god coming from within us coming from love of Kṛṣṇa. So, thank you again for all being present here tonight we discuss something about king Bharata and his different transmigration and ultimately his delivering of the world. We discussed the journey of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya in trying to find a bonafide spiritual master and we also discussed the nature of the body which is coming from earth and going back to earth and the difference of the living force in the body which is actually imperishable, which is a part of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, we should go back to our origin realise our original source and remain transcendental to the changes of the material world, by nature everyone is saccidānanda 'īśvara paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ saccidānanda vigrahaḥ' we are all eternal and filled with blissful knowledge that is what we are seeking, we are seeking knowledge of our eternal nature, we are seeking natural blissfrom within happiness that is fully satisfying and we want eternal knowledge, knowledge which is not changing from one minute to the next something which can give us a real understanding of this world life and existence even beyond our experience. 

Thank you very much for your attention. Hope that you take advantage of reading these books. They contain very many interesting histories nothing else is very interesting and they havemany important teachings which can be gained, teaching which is invaluable which willbe very difficult to get anywhere else.

Actually, these books are priceless but they are You are supposed to get anywhere, actually these books are priceless but there are libraries here, as well as books given in most of the college libraries, also they are available to participant, but it's very important to understand the different viewpoint coming from the ancient culture India.

In this world to get a better understanding of the world we live in, why not see from the prospective of ancient wise sages of India, they have a viewpoint which is so profound that so universal is the view, that it even solves our modern problems very easily.

HARE KṚṢṆA HARE KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA HARE HARE,
HARE RĀMA HARE RĀMA RĀMA RĀMA HARE HARE

Any questions.

*unclear question*

Jayapatākā Swami: I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa within park square .(devotees says jay) .They were chanting back when first after they got legally recognized and then police went to stop them and then the devotees they started telling now we are a legal society. So, we can chant here and practice then the police said you can't practiceand you can't chant in the park square but you have to do somewhere else, then a big crowd of people gathered around , they are saying " why not, claps more, let them chant" . and so so many people they thanked of and they listened to the chanting (devotees says jaya).  

Other questions? 

[ Devotee asks a question, not clear ]

Jayapatākā Swami: Yes, of course the spirit soul has very good remembrance, but normally what happens is when you change bodies , you forget the process of birth and everything, you forget your previous birth. There are some children, they can remember their previous life. There are thousands of cases like that but usually when they get over 5 years they start forgetting, very few peoples they are adults and can remember previous births. There are many children they can, many not, let's say 1 percent of many thousands who had their case history surveyed and recorded by psychologists and researchers. There was a case of Jaḍa Bharata, this was specifically seen as he had been a yogi, he had done a practice of yogi. If a person practices a little bit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a little bit of devotional service, then that can save one from the greatest danger sv-alpamapyasyadharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt . Of course, the greatest danger is forgetfulness. If we have to go to the birth, forget everything we have done, we start back again from zero, that is very danger. The battles of being able to continue on and grow from where you left off is very important. So he was a bit careless, very careless infact to become so attached to the deer, as the deer would lick his face, he would get very affectionate and what he thought at the time of death was the deer. Instead of being so much concentrated to prepare for going back to Godhead the deer was next to him and when he left his body, he had to take birth as a deer, because he was thinking about the deer but because all the other spiritual practices and austerities he performed, he had the blessing not to forget. He didn't forget in the third birth either when he took birth as Jaḍa Bharata. He could remember the whole Vedas. So, this was the special concession because he had been such a advanced devotee. Kṛṣṇa protect His devotee. He says na me bhaktaḥpraṇaśyati. "My devotee will never perish". So, He protects His devotees from this kind of danger. Is that alright? Any other question? [devotee asks a question, not clear] Guru mahārāja: Yes, this whole planet and the other planet, he understands that this planet is known as Bharatloka or Bhāratavarṣa like the residents of other planets. We understand that this planet is known as Bhārata Loka or Bhārata Varṣa by the residents of other planets. He was such a illustrious for that reason it's quite amazing and he was a famous emperor in his time and then he became liberated to the different stages of. This planet came to be known after him as Bharat, planet and king Bharat, the whole planet.

Devotee: whole planet or India?

Jayapatākā Swami: yes originally the whole planet. Now India is known as Bhārata but for the residents in other planets the whole planet is known as Bhārata. They don't know what is earth. They know what is Bhārata, Bharatloka Bhārata planet. Well, there is a book in India that tells you past life. Why you got the present body you have. Its astrological book. Through astrology one can know why you got the present body and what was your previous body. The point in knowing that is to avoid making the same mistakes but just to know just for some kind of sentimental value is not that useful and but it may be interesting to know why you got this particular birth, what karmas you performed. Generally, everyone studies little bit about astrology to learn what their previous karmas were, their previous influences so that they can be careful to transcend them by practicing proper yogic practices to transcend the previous karmas. No one can avoid karma unless you practice Bhakti yoga. Previous karmas will have their effect unless one is able to transcend them by becoming more spiritual, neutralizing the effects of previous karmas. There is a lot of interest in this type of things but people go about half the way, if they got the complete way then it would be more beneficial, would actually be useful. There is one thing to know about your previous birth is but is more important to know what's next gonna be (laughter).I can know where I went but I want to know where I am going. That is more important to know that how can I lead my life so that we end up in a better place , at least a better place than we are now and not in the worst place. For that purpose, sometimes it's good to know how did we get here, then we can get a clear idea how the whole laws of karma works and then we can take necessary precautions. So that next birth we don't duplicate any mistakes we might have made in the past. That's why it's more important to know how they act for the next life. Of course you are correct. In material world there is a lot of variety here we can choose from. So therefore people are trained to track this thing. Spiritual life when Kṛṣṇa says that Arjuna asks in Bhagavad-gītā "what happens if somebody tries to practice some yogas he was mentioning and practice devotional service and they do all these activities that you recommend but then they don't finish up their activity. So they detach themselves little bit from the material activity but theynot fully reach the spiritual goal, they have not reached the perfection. So, they are not, they are like somewhere in between. So what's going to happen? Are they gonna be like the cloud that gets destroyed by the wind, nothing just hanging in nowhere. What's going to happen" and then Kṛṣṇa replied that " in this regard, no, you don't have to worry about that, that someone who does auspicious or good activity, spiritual activity does not have a bad result. Even if someone doesn't finish in the next birth they will get a better opportunity. They will get a better birth or they will be born in a higher planet or they will be born in the family of yogis or very fortunate people so that they don't have to worry about material things. They can concentrate on spiritual life. They won't be the loser for having practiced even if they don't finish. Even if they still have many material desires then those will get fulfilled and then they can later get another opportunity to take up." Many people in the material world here, are actually waiting to again, comeback to practice this spiritual life. They didn't finish up in the previous birth. And when they come in contact with the devotees who are practicing with the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, they feel some immediate affinity, they feel at home. Maybe George Harrison is one of those people, he said, he feels very much at home with Krsna, sincere that is anything important for him. There are many people that feel that way. So in this way people can again take up where they left off in the previous life.