19901107 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.4.29

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 7th, 1990 at Bhaktivedanta Manor,England. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.4.29.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam 
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya iśvaram 

Thank you for your mercy allowing me opportunity to serve, reading Bhāgavatam verse to be purifying… 

Text twenty-nine, chapter four, canto nine Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the chapter title Ambarīṣa Mahārāja offended by Durvāsa muni.

7 November 1990 London gaurabda 504

ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaṁ 
mahiṣyā tulya-śīlayā 
yuktaḥ sāṁvatsaraṁ vīro 
dadhāra dvādaśī-vratam

ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaṁ 
mahiṣyā tulya-śīlayā 
yuktaḥ sāṁvatsaraṁ vīro 
dadhāra dvādaśī-vratam

ārirādhayiṣuḥ — aspiring to worship; kṛṣṇam — the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa; mahiṣyā — with his queen; tulya-śīlayā — who was equally as qualified as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; yuktaḥ — together; sāṁvatsaram — for one year; vīraḥ — the King; dadhāra — accepted; dvādaśī-vratam — the vow for observing Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī.

Translation (by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda): To worship Lord Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī for one year.

? *repetition*

Purport (by Śrīla Prabhupāda): To observe Ekādaśī-vrata and Dvādaśī-vrata means to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must observe Ekādaśī-vrata regularly. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa’s queen was equally as qualified as the King. Therefore, it was possible for Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to engage his life in household affairs. In this regard, the word tulya-śīlayā is very significant. Unless a wife is equally as qualified as her husband, household affairs are very difficult to continue. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita advises that a person in such a situation should immediately give up household life and become a vānaprastha or sannyāsī:

mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti 
bhāryā cāpriya-vādinī 
araṇyaṁ tena gantavyaṁ 
yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham

A person who has no mother at home and whose wife is not agreeable with him should immediately go away to the forest. Because human life is meant for spiritual advancement only, one’s wife must be helpful in this endeavour. Otherwise there is no need of household life.

Thus, ends Bhaktivedanta Swami Translation and Purport Text twenty-nine, chapter four, canto nine, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is a very strong verse regarding the duties and the nature of a Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhastha relationship. Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura of course practice Kṛṣṇa conscious as a gṛhastha. In the gṛhastha-āśrama most of his life time he, explains that what is the definition of gṛhastha life. So that is Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhastha, if someone who uses his senses who has all the senses, touch, hearing, tasting, feeling, smelling all the senses of course the mind are fully engaged in all varieties of activities but simply with the purpose of pleasing Kṛṣṇa. And such a Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhastha also he married to an equally qualified Kṛṣṇa Conscious spouse.

So, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura considered that actually have the gṛhastha-āśrama required that both husband and wife have to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise individual who is practicing Kṛṣṇa conscious along with someone else in household.

According to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita verse quoted here by Śrīla Prabhupāda yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham if somebody is living in the house, if spouse is not Kṛṣṇa conscious then living in the house and living in the forest is not different. yathāraṇyaṁ just like living in the forest, tathā gṛham same in the house there is no advantage. Someone thinks if by living in gṛhastha situation I have this protection, I have this kind of peaceful situation, or I can practice my Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if the spouse is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, you won’t get that thing.

Very strong recommendation by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita and Śrīla Prabhupāda in such a circumstance what is the use of staying home this kind of… living renounce life means lot of test, lot of austerity. One has to endeavor similar austerities will be there in the household but in the household with non-Kṛṣṇa conscious spouse it won’t be possible to be Kṛṣṇa conscious very easily but is more possible.

So, of course I seen it, advising different devotee how often they misunderstanding about different, between the different couples and sometimes they come and ask questions.

Because Śrīla Prabhupāda advise us sannyāsī shouldn’t never get involved in marriage counselling. As such part of his duty to philosophical basis we see that sometime misunderstanding comes what is the role of the other person because of dissatisfaction with the activities of the other person, especially in terms of the material devotees maintaining, protect, so on.

But here we see that Bhāgavatam places the first criteria to the spouses, spouse should be in Kṛṣṇa conscious that is the first thing you see. That is the most important aspect. We can see in the life of Rāmānujācārya, he was the gṛhastha and he was preaching and preaching and in order to advance in his Kṛṣṇa consciousness he had accepted a spiritual master. It so happened that his spiritual master was also a gṛhastha, so he invited his guru to live in his house so that he could study directly under the guru and serve the guru.

Guru was before living in Śrīraṅgam and Rāmānuja was staying in Kanchipuram in Tamilnadu, today Tamilnadu is in south India. Both these places are famous because of very great temples. Temples are very great because the deities are very active and very merciful, they have performed unlimited miracles with the devotees in Kanchipuram, Varadarāja and in Śrīraṅgam, Raṅganātha, Viṣṇu deity two handed form lying down. The deities are personally worshiped by Śrī Rama. It so happened that Rāmānuja’s wife didn’t really come up to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness of Rāmānuja or try to understand.

In South India, the life of Rāmānuja is recorded in different pictures in the temple in series, it is reveled. He told his wife I will remain with you my whole life to serve Kṛṣṇa together and engaged in household life but as long as you don’t offend any Vaiṣṇava, if you offend the Vaiṣṇava then I will give two chance, if third time… there won’t be third chance I will go.

So, in following this system apparently one day at the water, those are the water wells, in those days water well there wasn’t running water. So everyone was going to the same well and lift water from bucket with the rope and filled the water jug then take it back for household duty.

So, the guru’s wife was there and Rāmānuja's wife was had already come and filled water pot of jug. And she was about to leave but the guru’s wife came and she was lifting water jug when she was filling up her jug one drop of water splash into the jug of Ramanuja's wife. Then Ramanuja’s wife start to chastise like anything, “what you are thinking doing, you are from a low class family, I am from aristocratic higher Brahman family and your water has contaminated my water by falling from your pot to my pot who did think you are doing don’t be puffed up just because you are wife of the guru, that you think I have to respect you guru-mātā something when you are coming from an inferior family lineage”. Gone to the totally some mundane appreciation of someone’s family lineage in a brāhmaṇa, say higher brāhmaṇa, lower brāhmaṇa but this all-smart superficial considerations. Certainly, it was totally inappropriate and not… very offensive instead of seeing guru’s wife as a Vaiṣṇavī.

Instead of just respecting as Vaiṣṇava she was just comparing herself among mundane characteristics. So, the guru’s wife was soft-hearted, soft-spoken lady she didn’t… she just forgive, like shock all this chastisement she is giving and she was crying didn’t protest anything. Rāmānuja’s wife take water pot goes back.

Guru comes back and see his wife completely you know shook up, what’s happened she said this was happened, anyway don’t take it seriously, this is the will of the Lord, we shouldn’t stay here any longer. We should go back to Śrīraṅgam and Lord there must be waiting for us. And so they packed up the things and immediately they packed up and went back to Śrīraṅgam.

Meanwhile Rāmānuja giving classes or something he came back to the house with some presents for the guru. And in the meantime what happened was another brāhmaṇa came no… what happened he went back to see the guru, found the guru was gone. He asked the wife where is the guru?

The wife has commit offence to the wife and that a second time vow what kind of gurus you got now a days, we heard that guru is supposed to be great people but this look at I just happen to say few harsh words to his wife he came and got so offended by seeing his wife was kind of sentimental girl, she is so affected by this he got angry and he took off and went off to Śrīraṅgam.

What kind of guru you got nowadays? They get angry and drop of the hat and something like that.

Rāmānuja was shocked, don’t say all these things this is aparādha you know of course that wasn’t… that all not guru was thinking this was third offence, what she thought the guru is thinking, guru just forget her. That’s not favorable here so that means Lord wants me to go some were else, okay let’s go but he wasn’t like angry, forget wife.

But she was like this is second offence I was given three chance then she was offending the guru not having so Rāmānuja, may be that was a second offence anyway that happened. He went everywhere looking for the guru, couldn’t find. As he was coming back, in the meantime some brāhmaṇa comes there custom is those days is that mendicant brāhmaṇa’s goes some time they came across to brāhmaṇa house they would ask for some meal. So those who have houses establish somewhere was custom they were always giving charity.

Like Ambarīṣa mahārāja he was the king doing vrata but he was giving charity to the brāhmaṇa. So, Rāmānuja was an established brāhmaṇa who was well to do that time he has many students, many thousands of students. So, somebody came for prasādam he automatically would feed such brāhmaṇa. In this case brāhmaṇa knowing the charity and great Vaiṣṇava called Rāmānuja comes to the house and he request you know; this kind of way he is going to get invited for prasādam or something.

Rāmānuja’s wife, she saw, she is standing there what you want? Don’t think everything you get here in this house coming here begging, better to do… something like this got angry, screaming. Get out here you know like that.

In those days’ householders was honored to be able to feed some brāhmaṇa here he is getting chastise, he didn’t say anything, just stand. I came to Rāmānuja’s house and this happened what’s we are coming for. So, here he goes out in a state of shock, you know. Even the greatest Vaiṣṇava all south Indian we go to house blasted by his wife, we beg mercy, in the form of mahāprasāda. And so Rāmānuja was very disturbed all these things happening, comes back, these brāhmaṇas walking along state of shock and totally. what scenario? what happened? where you coming from? Paying obeisances, I came to your house hoping to get a little mahāprasāda and just he explained, but your wife became angry.

Then Rāmānuja thought one, two, three [16.41 Not clear] I got something to give you, he wrote letter to his wife. Wrote letter saying my dear daughter, or my dear Rāmānuja as if father-in-law writing, here we going to have big wedding of your sister-in-law whatever and really need your wife to come and help us want you to come also for this festivity lot of pressure on our household so please come along with your wife. If you can’t come right now then at least immediately send your wife with the bearer of this letter so that she can help in all these households affairs of this big festival putting on. And you come as quickly as possible but without daughter difficult to do all this thing signed, as father-in-law.

May be his wife didn’t recognize handwriting of father I don’t know. Any way he gave letter to the brāhmaṇa and sends it. You go and give this to my wife say you are the messenger of my father-in-law. And that he has given you this message and he wants you to present this to Rāmānuja. And then you get very nice prasādam and everything not to worry about anything. He would figure out his wife was not considering her relationship with Kṛṣṇa, for her family and material relationship was totally an identification.

So, the brāhmaṇa goes back and I have message from your father for Rāmānuja oh!!! “My father, come in, sit down and have a nice prasāda”. everything all based on bodily relation.

Then Rāmānuja comes back wife told my father send you a letter, oh!!! What is this letter, he read, Dear Rāmānuja whole letter loud you know this is what, I can’t go right now, I really urgent things to take care but you can go with this brāhmaṇa. He will take you to your father’s house I will be surely coming in very short time?

And then, She was very happy to go see her family and relatives, packed all the stuff and went with brāhmaṇa. Rāmānuja thought okay I have to go somewhere quickly and then he went to the temple and have a big sacrifice arranged. And before the deity, he took sannyāsa sent his wife back to the father.

Hari Bol and he took sannyāsa. Wife was protected no children and at a young age he took sannyāsa. And he had a beautiful wife materially beautiful but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness she wasn’t able to help Rāmānuja. Rather what help he was trying sending his guru, sending his guru’s wife, sending the brāhmaṇa’s to come there who is next although happened in a very short time.

Rāmānuja left, he had a very big mission, he wanted to achieve, if wife was cooperating, he wouldn’t have left her, rather he remained as a gṛhastha. So, like that, that’s one of the examples of how this principle has been practiced.

Of course, once Rāmānuja took sannyāsa he didn’t need it. He lived over hundred and twenty years and of course he had tens and thousands of disciples, may be hundreds and thousands. And I think I forget the number, but it was… how much six hundred sannyāsī disciples may be over thousand. i don’t know may be someone else know but huge numbers of devotees took sannyāsa also. And of course, he was preaching all over, at the same time Rāmānuja, he could appreciate when a gṛhastha was Kṛṣṇa conscious.

One time there was, one gṛhastha wasn’t a brāhmaṇa who was very Kṛṣṇa conscious. And all the brāhmaṇas were complaining because he was giving this disciple so much mercy putting his hand on his shoulder, walking with him sometime they said, “well we are brāhmaṇas, why you are so intimately associating with a non-brāhmaṇa”, this, that so… Rāmānuja didn’t appreciate this kind of material vision.

So, Rāmānujācārya, he sent someone and he went and he ripped of all the brāhmaṇas everybody six yards so he ripped of 3-4 inches-each person dhoti, took someone kaupīna, here and there from the sannyāsīs and then went back to the āśrama. And then such a huge who took my dhoti, who took my cloth everybody like you know yelling and screaming. And what’s going on and he called you know someone took my kaupīna, I can’t find it. Someone took my underwear, someone took my cloth.

? but such a huge thing because people had kaupīna stolen, won’t know who stolen. Actually, thing is someone else has someone else getting into whole fight over this underwears and dhoti.

So then, Ramanuja back then he called brāhmaṇa disciples okay let’s test this non-brāhmaṇa gṛhastha if he was a really. I want two of you brāhmaṇas to go and they have lot of rich golden jewelry, go on and steal the jewelry, see how attached they were.

So, that evening before the husband came back the brāhmaṇa … two brāhmaṇa disciples they went somehow sunk took some other rooftop and lower themselves down in to the house. Meanwhile waiting for husband to come back the wife in the house, somehow resting in the bed was her jewelry on. And then she wasn’t really sleep she saw that oh!!! Two brāhmaṇa disciples of my guru-mahārāja coming whatever they want, maybe they send, I just lay here and not disturb like have whatever they want they are sneaking in maybe they were shy to ask something otherwise directly they come and ask.

Then they see here the lady is sleeping and she has all the gold jewelry very fabulous amount. So they carefully take of half the jewelry she is laying on the half so other occupied to take of the jewelry, what to do how we get the other half, she is thinking they must go on to other half, so roll over so they can get the other half guru must need money or something. So, then she just sleeping she rolled over, maybe she is waking up and they run out of the house and go on hide.

Then she is lamenting, they came you know and I couldn’t give other half they run away husband came and saw wife was upset, what’s the matter. And she said this happened these two disciples came they want, I sleep half and then husband start chastising her, this is because you thought it was yours to give then you were giving the guru you are having this false ego everything is already gurus. Then why you are giving then you are trying to give him. It’s all Kṛṣṇa’s property anyway because of your false ego when you turned over therefore, they got scared, ran away couldn’t give everything to Kṛṣṇa when they came for. And then, she.. whole crying due to false ego (laughter) they are very high standard. Brāhmaṇa Overheard all this has happening they couldn’t believe it; they came back and told Rāmānuja. and Then Rāmānuja called brāhmaṇa and explains and then he said you know what happened few days ago you lost dhotis, your kaupīna got mixed up you sannyāsī, you brāhmaṇa I personally had taken so now you told they lost their gold jewelry and they lamenting they couldn’t give all they thought all the Kṛṣṇa’s property in spite of having house, and property they were thinking all belongs to Kṛṣṇa and you in spite of renouncing everything living in āśrama living as a renunciate somebody takes your dhoti and your kaupīna and you are fighting with each other like children, who is more brahminical? You or this Vaiṣṇavas who are not born in the brāhmaṇa family? They all hang the head and said no, they were much more brahminical then we were. So, this way Ramanuja taught them how Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhastha is a devotee and after that nobody complain any more when he gives his mercy to that gṛhastha.

So, like that in Caitanya Mahāprabhu give us so many examples most of the Lord Caitanya’s followers were actually gṛhasthas. And the husband, wife both had equal quality but because of having different body and for the sake of social example, for the sake of maintaining certain etiquette, they naturally would act differently. When Lord Caitanya’s devotees came from Bengal so many times, they bring their wife with them.

One description is there in Caitanya-bhāgavatam when they arrived in Jagannātha Puri one time suddenly Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana party was taking Jagannātha deva, utsava-mūrti for procession to the Narendra Sarovara, devotees were coming from side street for the first time after walking 500 kilometers to see them. Immediately they all bow down seeing Lord Caitanya suddenly, hearing the kīrtana and Lord Caitanya seeing his devotees immediately he runs to them he start embracing and they all crying in ecstasy. LORD Chaitanya & his associates in Jagannātha Purī are crying, devotees from Bengal they are crying embracing the Lord, touching His feet and the wife of these associates, they are little bit back in a distance. And they also touching the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya in their heart they are embracing, but in the mind in distance in the spiritual sense not on a material platform.

They were crying in ecstasy also, just meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord. So everybody was crying in ecstasy but to maintain the proper etiquette Lord Caitanya was sannyāsī, so they were kept a respectful distance.

So, in this way you can see that sentiment and ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa they were both on the same level. There was no distinction that one who go back to Godhead and other on won’t they both to be Kṛṣṇa conscious but according to the situation they were accordingly engaged in appropriate services.

Śrīnivāsa Ācārya who was associate, contemporary with Narottam Dāsa Ṭhākura. He was ordered by Narahari Ṭhākura to accept the gṛhastha-āśrama and he became king’s guru and his wife became what you called guru-mātā. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākur on the other hand, he was lifelong brahmacārī, naiṣṭika-brahmacārī but he practically although contemporary he accepted Śrīnivāsa Ācārya to be like his śikṣā-guru in that sense. So both are God brothers really respected him, considering him spiritual guide not on the level of his initiating guru but in respectful way in the bhajana, he singing along with the six gosvāmīs, Lokanātha gosvāmī is initiating guru --- daya karo śrī ācārya prabhu śrinivāsa.

Śrīnivāsa is known as ācārya because he was expert in explaining the Bhāgavatam and establishing philosophy of disciplic succession. So, he gets a title of ācārya one who practice what he is preaching, dispel the doubt on the philosophy. So, although here, he was in the renounced order Narottama, Śrīnivāsa was a gṛhastha he was respected much more. Recent time. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura who was superficially may in gṛhastha-āśrama was accepted as a guru by Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī, who was the most renounced, was eating out of the empty skull & completely you know, wear just a kaupīna, engaging in devotional service totally absorbed in the mood of separation from Kṛṣṇa. So, you can see that the appreciation on real level of Kṛṣṇa conscious from someone’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness more than one’s āśrama.

In this case Ambarīṣa Mahārāja and his good wife are both fully Kṛṣṇa conscious engaging in their devotional service as husband and wife. And they were equally glorious, Durvāsa Muni he was a mental son of Lord Brahmā who was a great mystic, he was not able to appreciate their transcendental position, considering them to be ordinary mundane gṛhastha. He made some offence against Ambarīṣa and as a result of course whole pastime will be explained, how he had to suffer for that. And how he got realization of the actual position of the Vaiṣṇavas.

So, to be spouse of Vaiṣṇava is a very big responsibility for both husband and wife to remain Kṛṣṇa conscious. To not allow the relationship to come down something simply to a mundane level which is going to create a situation like a jungle in the house. That’s why Cāṇakya says woman is a jungle, those days you take sannyāsa and you go to the jungle you chant do your meditation of course that’s prohibited in Kali-yuga, not recommended take vānaprastha to live in an āśrama. Because living in the forest and stopping activities not very easy not recommended in age of kali, better to simply engage directly in a temple in devotional service. So, gṛhasthas need to engage themselves in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities and keep the house with Kṛṣṇa in the center.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he wrote a song in this regard and he also explained how one day, he was in his house he kept Kṛṣṇa in the center of his household and worshiping Kṛṣṇa. One day, he actually realized Kṛṣṇa in a household everyone was being engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service not just theoretically, but he could actually realize Kṛṣṇa in the house. And see that this house is become spiritual world with Kṛṣṇa there. And there is a song about his ecstasy in that regard, this is actually the objective.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Nāmahaṭṭa he said when we have husband and wife cooperatively serving and establishing Kṛṣṇa conscious household, called that śraddhā-kuṭīra. Literally it means cottage of pure faith in Kṛṣṇa but it was like a basic unit of the nāmahaṭṭa. It many individual members but you can consider that śraddhā-kuṭīra must be important aspect.

So, we are trying in India in different parts to establish this śraddhā-kuṭīra, houses of faith. Whole family centered on Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes here in the west, modern circumstances don’t work out, people already married before once not equally interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So it’s a difficult situation for them to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, artificially they don’t take the vow, but people think I have a lot of stress trying to make our family Kṛṣṇa conscious. When whole team is not interested so lot of difficulties for them. When everybody is cooperating then it’s very ideal situation, so that’s the actual definition of gṛhastha, Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura showed the example, many other great ācāryas showed the example.

Prahlada Mahārāja, he personally explained the difference also between gṛhastha and gṛhamedhi. That gṛhamedhi sukhaṁ hi tuccham the happiness of the materialistic household life is insignificant tuchham… Despite that kind of happiness. But the happiness that real gṛhastha achieves, is the happiness, ecstasy of pure of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is very transcendental.

So, if everyone is eager to achieve that Kṛṣṇa consciousness and working cooperatively serving, so then that’s a very glorious household. And if the center is sense gratification then this is gṛhamedhi and that type of happiness achieve, they will achieve some material happiness and along with some material frustration.

But Prahlāda Mahārāja's opinion is that tuccha its very irrespectable - insignificant drop in desert. Now the so many troops from Britain, American and Europe and middle east and they supposed to drink gallons of water every day. We can imagine someone there hundred plus degree heat of the desert you gave him here, have tea spoon of water is not going to satisfy their thirst. They have to take liters, gallons of water to just stay alive.

In material life, yes, there is happiness, but actually that happiness compare we need tea spoon and be satisfied just like taking few drops in the desert, maybe this is theoretical. You can read in the papers how they are suffering recently some big official winter and their solders were trying some hard water because all the drinking water is warm, ? everything hot putting a water even a drink with the water it’s not cool water it’s hot everything is hot so if you don’t get enough water, there is no peace.

So, that’s a situation you got people in material world they may have big house, they may have all the facilities. But if they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious is dry, they try to have parties have social web but ultimately there is not complete satisfaction. Of course, there are also other problems are developed in trying to find satisfaction so they have affairs, different scandals going on.

So, if I have to be happy focused on these senses then we may get dragged to all kinds of tāmasika, rājasika. We may get dragged away from Kṛṣṇa if we focus very clearly on being God conscious, being Kṛṣṇa conscious giving us satisfaction by pleasing Kṛṣṇa by hinting, then we will be complete. Then that is the real transcendental position. In that circumstance both husband and wife are equally glorified they are both on the transcendental platform.

So, here the word is used “tulya śīlayā'' equally qualified, also this verse the glories of following Ekādaśī is given. Apparently, everyone always observed Ekādaśī equally but that was observed to in order to please Kṛṣṇa.

So, here mahārāja Ambarīṣa one year strictly observed all the fifty two, may be one or two week all the weeks in the year, of the fortnight twenty six Ekādaśī in a year generally and dvādaśī. Ekādaśī means actually one start the day before and you want to strictly observe ritualistic Ekādaśī then it’s a three day process. 

The day before you don’t eat after the your main noon meal then you don’t either heavily eat in the evening if you did the strict ritualistic fast then after you rise in the morning Ekadashi maṅgala-āratī time, brahma-muhūrta then whole day don’t take rest, whole night you keep nirjala whole night chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, discussing only kṛṣṇa-kathā, chanting. And then the next morning you take bath on dvādaśī and you have to take is a part before the stipulated time which is after the sun rise astrologically period is fixed 7.30 to 9.30 usually, in some cases very closed to the sun rise.

Then next day you are not also supposed to sleep and so the next night practically from maṅgala-ārati to next day after that evening time you don’t take any rest. The whole time you should chanting that’s the strict way of following this Ekādaśī, Dvādaśī vrata.

Even on Dvādaśī don’t take rest. Of course, normally this type of, I don’t know how many actually keep this nirjala for the whole period which is actual if you want to do it in that nirjala, nirjala in this way nirjala for stay nirjala whole time. Not that right after maṅgala-ārati go on taking rest after sun rises until Dvādaśī can’t sleep.

So, there was an austerity Śrīla Prabhupāda of course stress that the most important aspect of Ekādaśī you don’t need to follow, it’s not obliged one has to follow this ritualistic way. But at least one shouldn’t take any grain, beans, pulses on Ekādaśī day, and one should increase chanting and hearing on that day. I just personally show, so other can do what the actual system was if you want to do nirjala it’s actually like three days.

It’s Just like people follow caturmāsya sometime in India they grow beard. But Prabhupāda said even if you follow on that level then you follow it also that then you only eat once a day grains. And that you just take type of khichdi without salt, no salt, no spices for that time. We did that for two years, all the sannyāsī in Māyāpur of course in the end he say not important to preach. Now all Vedic system I come all over the west just coming and rainy season go went back to India.

Now in the rainy season I go to south America, Europe for preaching, that’s more not important then growing a beard, eating such type khichdi and chanting extra. If you do that austerity, Prabhupāda said do it fully, don’t do just rituals doing austerity, living life normal Even you do that you know the purpose is you, lack in a way your body not going to eat luxuriously, not going to grow, not going to cut you hair instead of spent much time in chanting that is the purpose of this type of austerity.

And those days there is no plain roads, so rainy season nobody can move. So the sannyāsī and preachers they were travelling preachers, they just sit, they couldn’t walk, being raining every were, mud every were, if you go in the village now in a rainy season all the bullock-cart moving on the roads they practically wait up to your waist in mud, mud is so thick.

Travelling around Is every distance is impractical during that season. So, it became a custom just to sit four months and do this austerity chant and just follow.

Prabhupāda, he saw that many of these things were not as important in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness so he would also just follow the basic minimum for caturmāsya. No spinach first month, no yogurt, no milk, no urad dal or high protein in the last month and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But he would also travel, & preach during caturmāsya considering the circumstances.

So, Prabhupāda said use the… maintain respect for the Vedic system and Vedic tradition. Prabhupāda said be Kṛṣṇa conscious at the same time ritual is the principle, preaching is the essence according to circumstances he was giving more priority to preaching.

I remember we went to Vṛndāvana to see Śrīla Prabhupāda we had a beard and everything doing tapasyā when almost last week before end of Kārtika one more week to complete cāturmāsya and then Prabhupāda called us and spread out big mahāprasāda or kind of prasādam "Take prasādam." (laughter) finished we have to do Prabhupāda said he tell to his secretary. I never got straight but anyway Prabhupāda he was very… he did… he told us if you do it you did it in this way, we did it, we don’t know didn’t get very much… we don’t get any recognition because we are doing austerity but he was give much more recognition when devotees came from eastern europe, give the reports how many books were distributed.

So, we can understand that more important than these austerities was actually giving people Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We went in this morning in the verse that was read out after maṅgala-āratī, that in this age more important to engage in saṅkīrtana-yajña, that is the real purification.

Now marathon of book distribution is going to be starting very soon and engage in the saṅkīrtana-yajña is austerity which called some time people are friendly some time they are not. But engaging and giving people the saṅkīrtana mercy, that is more important, more glorious for this age more purifying than doing some austerity. But in previous ages austerity is were considered very important and purifying but now neither we can do the austerity very nicely. While doing our mind may become disturbed otherwise and is more important need in the world today is more to give people Kṛṣṇa consciousness and whatever the austerities of chanting

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

and spreading the harināma that purifies us through this chanting of the Holy name and the effect of austerity is purity to have purity to the purity anyway achieved more sublimely and one quickly gets mercy. In previous ages they are also chanting but the offence of the holy name was something difficult to overcome. So, people were afraid of these offences, for this age by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu he is protecting us from these offences to the Holy name so before we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we take shelter of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and we chant

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Any questions?

Of course, even if the sannyāsī there is a case. Lord Caitanya was preaching of course he was preach to woman but generally woman won’t be alone be with husband. i don’t know of any ---preaching to woman individually. But He will preach to men and women together, there was mixed rules but He maintain very strictly that separation. Woman wouldn’t touch His Lotus feet or wouldn’t go close to Him wouldn’t come like a yard, or meter of Lord Caitanya. And Lord Caitanya was living in the time when woman was very orthodox, and society also was very orthodox.

We can take an example more, little closer to us from Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, also lifelong sannyāsī. One time some mātāji wanted to speak with him alone, said I wanted to tell you something in private, but he refused. He said instead of confidential people you can speak and come with them.

So, the principle one shouldn’t be alone with a woman should be very… Of course, you shouldn’t sit alone even he is gṛhastha you can’t be with another woman and another’s wife in a solitary place.

One shouldn’t be all alone with a woman without… if you will be alone, sannyāsī. If you seen that there is causally specially one sannyāsī would preach to a woman alone in a room some time we will leave a door open. You talking with a door open people know what topic you are talking. The point is you shouldn’t be alone with the woman, if you are sannyāsī had to have someone else in the room at all times. It may be some time difficult when some woman wants to talk to spiritual master who maybe sannyasi someone else in the room but this austerity must be practice take certainly very…

You can’t be alone with the sannyāsī in the room because it is a kind of transgression of the law of sannyāsa. To be in that situation it's more dangerous so that’s how it been applied, that’s how it been applied recently. Because now there aren’t many woman are unmarried want some spiritual guidance so we preach to woman also but someone in renounced order of life brahmacārī, he is sannyāsī he can’t be in the room alone.

Someone told I was just confused it happened one phone call came sir there is a phone call for you in my office I went to the office open the door of the office nobody in the office, but one mātājī is sitting there, I can’t go in, I can’t go in and get the phone. I have to go get another man or somebody to come with me. ? Somebody that’s part of the etiquette we have to follow externally, mentally you have to follow the etiquette of controlling your mind, not allowing the mind to delve any kind of improper thought. So, they can’t act on improper thought so that’s how we observe it.

Today you know, because we do have to preach, if you are in proper place to someone we can preach, we keep the talks scripture give so many advises also. Jagadānanda Paṇḍita he advised that’s talks…

In Śrīla Prabhupāda books he writes talks with a woman for those brahmacārī or sannyāsī should be simply related to Kṛṣṇa’s service not in… not just like light social talk, not simply laughing and joking together on some mundane platform just kept to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

? Brahmacārī has option to become a gṛhastha but there is some etiquette of wearing saffron cloth which sometimes devotees in the west not wear it like In India bhaktas are given saffron when they take initiation brahmacārī they wear saffron.

Someone in Gauḍīya Maṭha you don’t get saffron until you are very kind of very fixed you want to be brahmacārī for a definite period to follow this standard of brahmacārī things. If he wants to marry in future, then in mean immediate future he acts will be engaged in the process of the prior preliminary things to getting married like negotiation so on. They aren’t wearing saffron they wear white. So, we also follow the similar system that we give the respect to the saffron, its renounce somebody wearing saffron they can’t… should be engaged in some kind of negotiation for getting married. They think I want to get married you know I am in the state where I am right now.

I may get married there is a question of finding a proper person they meditating like that it’s not appropriate to be wearing saffron, kind of looking around you know, they say that biggest offence.

Rāvaṇa made was that he kidnapped Sītā in a sannyāsīs cloth, if he just kidnap her as kṣatriya wasn’t a big offence. Kṣatriya do some time other’s wife specially you are rākṣasa but instead he went as a sannyāsī & cheated Sītā. Presenting himself in the renounced order like a wolf in a lamb’s cloth and because of that that was a bigger offence that’s why he had to be eliminated so… we don’t want to be a Rāvaṇa you know dressing in saffron trying to use that to be able to get closer to woman because you get respect… Go for some spiritual guidance person actually think no other way.

Last question.

Prabhupāda also answered this question in the Prabhupāda another purport he explained the duties of the wife to serve the husband but in the purport, he said it’s not that a wife has to be slave to an un-Kṛṣṇa conscious husband.

In case the husband becomes fallen she doesn’t have to serve a fallen husband because she has right to take shelter of the father. Just like Rāmānuja sent his wife back to the father that situation this type of shelter of the guru spiritual father engage in devotional service in a temple in that situation like that, there are some rare cases.

Like Prabhupāda’s sister she took the austerity of staying with the husband and following very strictly in her house worshiping her deity following all the principles. Even though her husband wasn’t good for three years he was drinking and doing bad activities then by his wife’s determination he could realize his mistake and he went back to the proper path. This is really about the call of duty like we call as a special work may be behind the call of duty it’s not that wife has to do that and if you do it you had to be Kṛṣṇa conscious it’s no use of doing it and then a wife also falls in māyā, then it is worst both are loss. She could do it remain Kṛṣṇa conscious and even in that situation that will be it is she cooks for herself vegetarian and everything, even though her husband … like he was fallen for three years becoming gradually.

So, wife thinks she can save her husband and still be Kṛṣṇa conscious I think it is very difficult for most woman on the path. There are example some people done that but they have to remain themselves self-Kṛṣṇa conscious otherwise what is the use?

But according to Śrīla Prabhupāda woman is not oblige to… she can take shelter of his spiritual father and wait for the husband to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in order to be able to serve him as a Vaiṣṇava.

Hare Kṛṣṇa.