19930608 Vaisnava Ke.16

Lecture Code: 19930608

Vaishnava Ke 16 Lecture By

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja

In Murāri Sevak Farm,

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca

  sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-Kṛṣṇa-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

The Vaishnava Ke No 16

je ‘phalgu-vairagi,’ kohe nije ‘tyagi,’
se na pare kabhu hoite ‘vaisnava’
hari-pada chadi’, ‘nirjanata badi,’
labhiya ki phala, ‘phalgu’ se vaibhava

Someone who falsely renounces as material objects which can actually be utilized in devotional service to Lord Krishna  is known as phalgu vairagya. Due to false pride he claims to be a great renounciate, however by his practice of dry renunciation, a phalgu vairagi is never able to become a vaishnava, pure devotee of Lord Krishna. Discarding the eternal shelter of pure devotional service to the Lotus feet of the guru and Lord Krishna, the phalgu vairagi may practice what may appear to be Krishna conscious in his separate or solitary home away from the Krishna conscious association of the society of devotees, but what transcendental result does he achieve for all his efforts. Whatever so called Krishna conscious result he is achieving is simply a form of material illusion but no actual eternal... Krishna Conscious....

Purport 

The phalgu vairagi is one who has falsely renounced. A phalgu vairagya may either be an impersonalist who renounces the material world for achieving liberation or he may be a devotee who has separated himself from the association of the devotees in a show of renunciation and so called solitary worship. The phalgu vairagya renunciation is superficial and is not pleasing to the guru and Krishna. The impersonalist the phalgu vairagi probably boasts, 'I am the most renounced', others are materially attached.  ' I have given up so many material things', 'I am liberated' The impersonalists, the phalgu vairagis are almost devoid of devotional service. His reference point is the material world, what to speak of being a vaishnava, he is not even complete in his renunciation. Even great sanyasis are considered phalgu vairagis, if the renunciation is not in devotional service to Krishna. According to Srila Rupa Goswami since Prakashananda Saraswati was not engaged in the Lord's devotional service, his sanyas is to be considered phalgu vairagya. This means that since he did not know how to use things for The Lord's service his renunciation of the world was artificial. Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 17.116

Sometimes, someone practicing devotional service may also be phalgu vairagi if the devotional service is performed in neglect of the orders of the spiritual master. Or if he is bewildered by false ego he considers himself to be one of the eternal associates of the Lord. Such as, such a devotional phalgu vairagi may also leave the association of devotees, thinking of himself 'O I am great devotee, I am most pure in my devotional service, others are impure and unworthy to associate with, therefore I can no longer associate with them. 'I am renounced and advanced in my realizations, others are neophytes, therefore I am practicing Krishna Consciousness independently'. Phalgu vairagis artificially inflated in false pride in being so called advanced vaishnava enable him to whimsically deviate the orders of his spiritual master. He is actually devoid of real pure devotional service, although due to false ego he considers himself the purest of devotees. The varieties of phalgu vairagis and their excuses for avoiding surrender to authorized programs of devotional service are virtually unlimited. The basic characteristic of mental speculation and dry renunciation are the most common. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught that proper renunciation and devotional service should be practiced. 

Translation

Caitanya Charitmrta Madhya 23.105

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Sanātana Gosvāmī about proper renunciation according to a particular situation, and the Lord forbade dry renunciation and speculative knowledge in all respects.

The imagine peace of mind a phalgu vairagi feels is far removed from the bliss of Krishna Consciousness. Actually such an attitude is in complete opposition to the devotional mood of serving and satisfying Krishna. Lord Krishna taught that He is more pleased when His devotee co-operates together, with His devotees co-operate together in devotional service, rather it was Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special request that all persons should co-operate together to spread the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world. 

Again translation from Chaitanya Caritmrta Adi 9.35

I am the only gardener. How many places can I go? How many fruits can I pick and distribute?

Purport 

Here Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu indicates that the distribution of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra should be performed by combined forces. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He laments, “How can I act alone? How can I alone pick and distribute it all over the world?” This indicates that all classes of devotees should combine to distribute the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without consideration of the time, place or situation. 

Chaitanya Caritmrta Adi 9.35

Pure renunciation means to that which is pleasing to The Lord. The Lord has taught that the priority of the present day and ages to co-operate together to propagate the message of Lord Krishna to the conditioned souls, this process of sankirtana yajna or congregational chanting of the holy names of The Lord is a co-operative effort to glorify The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Devotees should do this to the most dear to Lord Krishna. Krishna guarantees their success....Bhagvad Gita. For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed and at the end He will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he nor will there ever be one more dear. Bhagvad Gita 18.68 and 69. Renunciation does not mean to renounce the association of devotees or the orders of the spiritual master and mind can be so treacherous that it may become envious of sincere devotees and simply absorb in pointless, pointing out the so called defects of others. This offensive attitude may enable the mind to sufficiently bewilder the intelligence but when then considers the auspicious to renounce devotional service, thus causing one’s spiritual annihilation. All these activities may outwardly appear to be renunciation but they are simply steps of regression from the spiritual platform back to material conditioned life. The real standard of renunciation has been described by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Caitanya Caritamrta by calling the Bhagavad Gita 12, 13 - 20

Translation

One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego, equal in both happiness and distress, always satisfied, forgiving in self-controlled, who is engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are dedicated to Me, he is very dear to Me.

He, for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is liberated from jubilation, anger, fear and anxiety is very dear to Me.

A devotee who is not dependent on others but dependent solely on Me, who is clean inwardly and outwardly, who is expert in different material things without cares, free from all pains and who rejects all pious and impious activities is very dear to Me.

One who neither rejoices nor hates, who neither laments nor desires, who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things and who is devoted to Me is very dear to Me.

One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always grave and satisfied with anything, who does not care for any residence and who is fixed in devotional service is very dear to Me.

He who does follows the imperishable religious principles of Krishna Consciousness with great faith and devotion, fully accepting Me as the Supreme goal is very very dear.

So here Lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita, He gave guidelines on how we have to act, how devotees consciousness should be. One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all the living entities. What does it mean to be non-envious. What is envy? Envy, when you want to see the downfall of somebody else, would that be a definition. You wish harm on someone else or you cannot tolerate to see the success of someone else, but you want to have what they have, [Not Clear (11:48-11:54) ],that's quite a good point. Because, say someone has pure devotion, Oh I want to have pure devotion too. That's not enviousness but if somehow, because this is not spiritual but materially say someone has something or you want to steal from him or want to cheat him or want to create some problem and then somehow I can get that position or I can get that object. So they are envious of, its a big obstacle in spiritual life. Actually, this is like the original sin to be envious, even in the ...it's very hard to understand sometimes because of a lack of a disciplic succession. the real meaning of the allegories given in the Bible but what is the first one, Adam and Eve and there is the forbidden apple. Basically seems like a envy, it's something like Krishna has and they are not suppose to have. So they take it without His permission. Something which they can't really have. It's not their's to have. So because of envy but what that story actually means don't really ask me because I have just..apparently appears that whatever I said, that's all I know about it but we know from Srila Prabhupad, envy is the one vice which cannot be dovetailed in Krishna Consciousness very easily. Krishna used envy against the enemies of His devotees like Hiranyakashipu or Kamsa. Apart from that, envy is not usable. Specially not against the devotees. Greed, you can be greedy they have so many nice devotees Krishna has so many nice things to offer Krishna, nice flower garden, nice project, nice temple, even anger. Some body offence guru or Krishna to be angry to be dovetailed. The other vices of last anger, greed, madness or illusion can be dovetailed but envy is very difficult to dovetail. In their consideration with devotees in spiritual things cannot be dovetailed. So Krishna is saying one who is non-envious but is a kind friend to all living entities. Devotee wishes well to everyone. Prabhupad stressed how a vaishnava is para-dukh-dukhi. He is sad to see others suffer. So that's a real friend. Sometimes even you see that close friends in conjugal couples due to some kind of reversal in their relationship they express things which are very unkind to each other and they wish ill on one another. This is actually against the devotional principle to do that to anybody. What to speak of someone who is near and dear. Even a stranger in the street we don't wish ill to him. But somehow due to the influence of kaliyuga, even mothers and children and parents of children and brothers, wives and husbands, close relation sometimes they get into such discussion where they actually verbally wish ill on one another or even they may physically sometime do harm, wishing ill and doing ill. But here the quality of a devotee is to be kind of everyone, everyone what to speak to of your own loved ones alone, relations, everyone. Due to the nature of the material world we are trying to control the situation of the material world when it gets out of control we get so angry that anyone obstructing our ability to control the material nature and that happens a lot with near and dear ones because they are the closest, so they can obstruct you more. But a devotee has to rise above this situation because our purpose is really not to control the material nature. The extent to which we control the material nature is to use it in the service of Krishna. If someone is obstructing devotional service then you may get angry and we may take whatever steps are needed so that devotional service won't be obstructed but that wouldn't include any unkind desire to cause any suffering to another person. Some demon who is beating another devotees who are sometimes that you know, some kshatriyas around, their duty is to protect but even in the vedas you see the kshatriyas are the person who are surrendered to the kshatriyas, its ok I surrender, like kshatriya would not kill that person. It's like America is now trying to ply certain moral standards, I don't know how much it;s in line with the Manu Samhita but like somebody is unarmed and a person is armed, he shouldn't argue, do violence on a person more than what's necessary for self defense. Later you can get hold off to court have to, you know, he can get sentenced even if it's proven that he has done such a thing. So that was also the principle that kshatriya were very controlled. Of course in a war situation fight to the finish then it;s like another situation. But under normal dealings you can even see that when Krishna caught Rukmi, Rukmahaka, Rukmi it was Rukmi. The brother of Rukmini and because Rukmini requested and there was his offense was not so great so that it was Ok I will spare Him and he just gave him a funny hair cut, let him go. Just that he was being very naughty. So The Lord would, so that was also in the case of Ashwatthama that was the mercy case on the request of Draupadi. Sometimes very Krishna conscious women have compassion, they are able to add that very feminine quality of compassion to the odd situation. Of course we have the Ramayana play where we had another very pious lady, we had  a rakshashi, Supranakha, she was not imbibing the feminine qualities of compassion, she wanted vengenance, she was a rakshasi, she was man eater canibal, so she was lusty, greedy, angry, envious. that's her nature. So here there is devotee, so devotee has to avoid rakshasa qualities, demoniac quality and take Godly qualities, so these are the qualities to not be envious but to be a kind friend of all living entities who does not think himself to be a proprietor, it;s interesting point because first you start off don't be envious and be kind, don't be, don't consider yourself, oneself to be a proprietor because thinking oneself a proprietor is one of the main things that gets one into enviousness and be unkind to people. Even in India in village you find that big factor side of war on land because people fight over land. You have taken one foot of my land, You have put a fence on my land ....Of course according to the karma kaanda people have a right to defend their land and all that but just over this proprietorship thing can become very blown up, so devotee doesn't think he is the proprietor because he knows Krishna is the proprietor so he does something to protect Krishna's property. Even the husband is supposed to consider that his wife is not his property it's Krishna's property, his duty is to protect the wife, of course she agrees to protected. Now a days sometimes women they don't think they need any protection so they start to be husband, it goes the way also, some men they don't protect, we won;t get into all these details but anyway. 

The point here is not consider oneself a proprietor, how do we do that? You think Krishna is The Proprietor. That can go to our position, I am not the owner of the position or this service. It's Krishna's service or guru's service, He is giving me this service, and He is The Proprietor. Even this body, everybody considers, well this is my body, body belongs to me, so many times you meet bewildered people, they will say well I can do whatever I want to my body, it's my body isn't it? If I want to smoke cigarette and give a cancer or TB, you know it's my body that is destroyed or if it's the women, want to kill the embryo, it is my body, it's the extension of my body, what is the problem and present time being because of this proprietorship people are killing each other in Serbia or Croatia or whatever the place whether that's Bosnia. Everbody is claiming that this land belongs to the serbs or to the Croats or to The Muslims and its such a hell of a situation. So we wonder how there will be peace in the world, remember that how Prabhupad he gave us the peace formula , 

Bhoktaram yajna tapasam
Sarva loka maheshvaram

That the proprietor of all religious activities, the proprietor of sacrifices men, the prorietor not only of this planet, not only of this lands and seas and sky and this planet butt all the universe, all the planets, the entire universe 

Bhoktaram yajna tapasam

Sarva loka, sarva loka means all the planets, maheshvaram , The Supreme Lord over all the planets, Supreme Proprietor, is Krishna, He is our friend, so that's our friend, so that's all right, He is The Proprietor, that;s all right, because He is everybody's friend. He is not going to kick you of the planet, right, this is my planet, nobody here can do worship the Krishna anymore. Get off my planet. That's not very nice , where are we going to go, if I have to go off the planet, that's your problem, that's the demoniac you know, get off my land, this is not my land, this is Serbia, no this is Musulmania, whatever. Bosnia, Bosnia, no this is Croatia, get off here. Croatia for the Croats, Serbia for The Serbs, Bosnia for The Muslims. But the whole world provider is Krishna, everybody is the son of Krishna, daughter of Krishna, spiritual part of Krishna, everybody. So this simple concept was really propagated widely. They would not be this type of war. There would be basis for establishing. The people are trained from the childhood, you are Muslims, you are Christians, you are Croat, you are Serbian, You are Chinese, you are Indian, you are Hindu, you are Sikh, you are Muslim, you are Jew. And they identify and then they get a sense of proprietorship, they have their own identity, which is all a superficial identity, and a false identification. Think that they are proprietor over, doesn't actually belong to them. When they leave this body, what do they own. Their so called identity, where does it go, once they take birth again. Someone may be born in a Christian family, next life they may be born in a Muslim family. This faiths does not have eternal aa designation or identity. They don;t belong to us, what belongs to us is service to Krishna, the way we serve, the little details or rituals, those are changed, but the actual serving, surrendering that doesn't change, in all religions. So Krishna Consciousness is dealing with the essence, those aspects of religion was never changed, those aspects of life which are eternal, which are inseparable from the living entity, that's what we can claim proprietorship.  I am the devotee of Krishna, this is my right to serve Krishna, no one can take that away from me, to chant His name, to serve Him, and of course not just our service to Krishna should cause distress on everybody else. That's covered later on down the line. We got in our own mind, confrontation or manner to do the devotional service favorable to Krishna, that's everybody's right. So does not think himself a proprietor who is free from false ego but it was too long, it was too distant to study,when I saw proprietorship over identity that was too, touching it in proprietorship on the way to Krishna. It's covered in the next verse, free from false ego, any case definitely without any stretch of the imagination, it's false ego when we identify with the body. With the body lay identification, people are considering all the ways are explained. Prabhupad, the first when he came to America, people said why should we follow Indian religion, we are Amercians, India is a poor country, we are a rich country, so many similar points and then Prabhupad he said, you are not American, you are not Indian, you are not Chinese or Russian, you are not this body, you are pure spirit soul. So we are free from the false ego, then we can advance in Krishna Consciousness, as long as we are identifying with the false ego, that's a big obstacle. Then we have a, next statement here is 'equal in both happiness and distress'. How can we do that, how can one be equal in happiness and distress.

Does anyone has a answer?  [Background some devotees answers]

Try Caitanya, [Not Clear 27:04-27:10] Nandadas, you want to add something. Well tolerations is included in what he said. To remain steady in our service, for the devotee, it's all about devotees, so if equal in happiness and distress, I mean if someone has devotional service. Sometimes material life gives one happiness. I have a disciple, who is doing devotional service, he got in inheritance. He got inheritance, so well I was doing devotional service, so I was suffering in the material world, now got inheritance; I got so much money, why should I do devotional service. I can enjoy, left the temple and spent the money on kaliyuga activity, fell totally. So happiness, we got little material happiness you now here he got money then he completely lost his, lost it (Guru Maharaj laughs). You know, later on he came like a dog with a tail between his legs you know after some months, totally wiped out,  lost all his money, suffering like anything. I want to be back in devotional service. Not only once, but about three times, now he is a congregational member, hopeless (ha). But anyway, we have hope eventually, somehow he is doing service. So happiness, equal in happiness, sometimes Krishna gives so much happiness that one thing is [Not Clear 28:43-28-48] getting material happiness, so now I don't need devotional service. That's not being equal. Sometimes one gets suffering. Terminal diseases, family problems, adhyatmik, adhidaivik, adibhautik, so many different types of kleshas are there. This world is filled with [Not Clear 29:10 29:16], we can go on you know. Like an encyclopedia whatever difficulties you can face right. So this happiness and distress, when those things happen, if one remains fixed in doing devotional service, look at Draupadi, what distress? Husband were helpless, she was being tortured and attempt of rape practically was being performed in the, she took shelter in Krishna. So instead of breaking down, or loose, she just took shelter of Krishna, She started crying out on Krishna's name. She did not get depressed, throwing the towel on the surface saying finished everything, it's gone. She just knew that Krishna is the only one who can save me and then Krishna, she just took shelter of Krishna, Krishna saved her. Then she is the queen of the entire world, so much success but then her sleeping children had the head cut off. For a mother losing her children, not only losing by natural calamities but in a heinous way. You go and see the captivated children. So naturally she was crying and naturally she was affected but then did she give up her devotional service? No, she never, until the immediate shock was over, she kept on with her devotional service, O Krishna whatever happened but I am never leaving your lotus feet. Here when incomparable proportions, so you never someone, you know who has more happiness or distress is complete empress of the entire civilized world, so much happiness and she doesn't give to the daily worship to Krishna and once she is, she is also in spite of so much happiness, she is put in a more distress, incomparable kinds of distress. She also remains fixed in her devotional service. So you can understand why she is so very dear to Krishna. Always satisfied. The devotee does his service, whatever Krishna provides for the devotee personally, the devotee accepts that this is Krishna's mercy. Of course our desire to please Krishna, the devotee may not be satisfied but that's not, this is regard to our personal material satisfaction. For serving Krishna, the devotee always can wants more better nicer, improve standards in a positive way. Forgiving and self-controlled. In this material world who doesn't make mistakes, we want Krishna to forgive our mistakes. No it's also our duty to forgive others mistakes, specially if they are asking for forgiveness. Sometimes the devotees they are forgiving, even if people don't ask, because they understand what is the nature of material life. People are under the modes, forgive them, they know not what they do. Haridas Thakur he was being whipped by these executioners and they weren't asking for forgiveness, they were going out wiping him but still he was praying to Krishna, forgive them for their sins. Don't know what they are doing. I deserve to be punished because I have committed so many sins. Krishna had to come and He had to absorb them, hits the whips and protect his devotee. So the devotees are forgiving, mostly they know that, if I am being put into difficulty by someone it's not that person really who is the primal cause, the person is also the instrument to give me suffering I deserve to be getting put into some kind of suffering, for some previous karmas I have performed, some purification I have to go through. So rather than consider that person to be the cause, devotees always considering the ultimate cause is, the higher cause is and therefore they can be very forgiving at the own regard, somebody is coming and trying to attack the deities or something, we may not be very forgiving, the moment because we want to protect the deities. But it's interesting how there was one person who was, you heard that story of achuytananda, Achutytananda no 2, very common figure, It's very interesting story how there was one man who studied the Krishna consciousness movement and saw that how effective we were for collecting money in India and he was a you know, he was a materialist married man but he put on sanyasi robes, shaved his head and called himself Achutananda and he somehow got receipts, from ISKCON gave a donation got a receipt so made a receipt copy, Jaipur, Rajasthan in India. So people were showing up in Bombay with life membership cards and things signed by Achutananda. It's like coming from Jaipur, Achyutananda, ya he is there, we just gave the money to Achyutananda.  Achutananda everyone knew he was at that time in Hyderabad or somewhere in South India. They said how that is possible. So then some devotees some task force personnel to figure out who is this Achyutananda, Achyutananda no 2 and they found you know that there was somebody collecting, he had made a big project design, you know with picture of the temple, they are going to build, and he was collecting good, couple of lakhs of rupees one hundred thousand rupees. So they broke into his, I don't know, somehow they got into his room, maybe they walked in, I don't know, anyway. They found he has got rubber stamps of ISKCON and all the papers and things. So they took that and took him to Srila Prabhupad. So Srila Prabhupad, he had called the police chief, district superintendent and all the big police officers, Indian Police Service (IPS) big cadre, national cadre, They were all there to arrest this guy, but the person said I want to speak to Prabhupad personally first for 2 minutes.  He said that actually I did this wrong, I admit it. I am very sorry but having your association and saying everything, I want to surrender. I take shelter of you, you are a saint and I want to serve you. So then Prabhupad told the Police, he is taking shelter of me, I can turn him over anymore. But he told that but if you stay here and you follow then you are safe but if you try to leave, we turn you off and he engaged him in some translations, some, just to give him some service, you translate from Hindi to English and English to Hindi and he was there for couple of weeks forget how long exactly, he was there doing some service but one morning, one devotee spotted him trying to leave at Mangal aarti time with his bag. But [Not Clear 37:11- 37:14] someone was late for mangal aarti, grabbed him, brought him to Prabhupad, he said I gave you a chance, but you didn't give up your cheating ways, now you are trying to leave. But Prabhupad was so forgiving that someone wanted to surrender to Krishna, really wanted to change his ways, he was going to forget everything. So this is a quality of a devotee, forgiving and self controls, especially when angers, anger is so hard out of control. To control one's mind, to be forgiving  [Not Clear 37:54- 37:58] forgiving and self control because I mean, sometimes, some devotee was offended and offending devotees bow down, I beg your forgiveness, I am sorry but then he was so angry, he said, I mean you are just gonna ask forgiveness and I got a and that’s all, I can't get any vengeance? I can't do anything to you, I can't you know it was like and they came and complained to me, see look at this person you know does something wrong and just comes and ask forgiveness and that's all he asks. (GM laughs). So hard to control the anger you know. What do you think the person was just serious about asking forgiveness, maybe it's that easy you know ? Of course you know that's what is the proper way of dealing with any circumstances . That's why it requires some self control.

Parikshit Maharaj, he was so angry against kali for beating the cow , he was going to kill him on the spot, when kali surrendered and he controlled himself. Because there were religious principles, they were guided by religious principles. Krishna consciousness is the way of life. And to do, what to do, what not to do there is religious principles, that's why the kshatriyas they also took a lot of religious training. So they would know what to do, what not to do and then in some areas that they weren't sure what to do, they had brahmanas to ask, what do you think I should do now? In fact every king had his assembly of brahmanas, any major issues, he'd submit to them. But they took 40 days time, research it thoroughly because if they gave a verdict it would be completely. I mean upto 30. They could sooner but that was the maximum time that would take, to thoroughly research and give definite verdict, so that requires certain self control, who is engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are dedicated to me. So here you have, engage in devotional service with determination, that's the physical aspect, doing the devotional service. Someone might be engaged in devotional service but the other aspect is mind and intelligence is also dedicated to Me. That the mind and the intelligence and also totally absorbed in the devotional service, sometimes someone may be doing the devotional service externally but they are thinking in their mind that maybe I should do this, maybe I should do that. So they are not really dedicating their mind, intelligence to Krishna. But someone is doing devotional service but in their intelligence they are thinking well, if I do it in this way then I can get this kind of material result and put some other objective, other goal. So Krishna hears saying that mind and intelligence should also be dedicated and one should be determined in devotion. That person is very dear. So you can read through the verse very fast, read word to word but if you go I mean, you can discuss each one of these phases in great depth. I am sure every devotee has so many realizations. Just giving his devotees the guidelines. It's only one of the first 6 here. 1,2,3,4,5,6. Krishna giving us so many guidelines here. For Him, for He, for whom no one is put into difficulty. I know few of these are rare but i know a few devotees, members of the movement are, previous members who, they had a certain quirk in their, certain unique character where they like to other people in difficulty. Different varieties. Some people are more submissive kinds, where one person of this [Not Clear 41:50 - 42:01] fight with each other, stand back and kind of a. And there are some people who are just oblivious, like this is my service and you know they just kind of bulldoze everybody else aside. Like one Hanuman was throwing that mount tops and he was telling little squirrels, get off my way, but Ram said listen don't think that you are one rendering service, you are doing to your capacity, squirrel is also doing upto his capacity. Some people called spider, it's a written story of squirrels and you know. Everyone knows the story. Krishna is accepting everyone's service, according to their capacity, so just because someone can do more service, he shouldn't take that as an excuse so that I can obstruct people to do less service. Shouldn't put other people into difficulty. Even it says if a uttama adhikari puts a kanishta adhikari into a serious difficulty in his spiritual life, to some kind of conscious, some certain way of dealing, such circumstances even an uttama adhikari can fall down for that. It is not because someone is more advanced he can just kind of, just like okay out of the way. No one else can do any devotional service, I am here. But a uttama adhikari’s should be more conscious to encourage the younger, other, lesser fixed up devotees in their devotional service. Eventually if they continue in devotional service, they may also be uttama adhikari’s, in due course. But if we obstruct their service or somebody obstructs someone else's service then they may have obstructed, they cannot go forward, they have enough problem in their own mind, in their own physical and material situation to deal with that what to speak of another devotee causing difficulty. Someone is trying to serve their spiritual master, develop some faith in the process, somebody comes up, plays the whole number on their brain, destroys their faith or disturbs their faith, shakes their whole foundation, Krishna consciousness. There are people who do that put others into difficulty. So Krishna, He is saying here that the devotee should be someone who no one is put into difficulty for that because of that devotee. He is not disturbed by anxiety, here comes the steadiness situation again. For material anxieties, but so, one shouldn't be lose the determination to serve Krishna. What's so amazing now is then the calm there is the link and San Diego, the electronic mail service that the BBT put in communication ministry is providing. They give out some news about, from the devotees in Sarajivo. Tell how they were distributing prasadam and now there is no more food, so they are just somehow surviving I said some people are actually growing vegetables in their bath tub. Anywhere in the roof top, anywhere they put some dirt, they grow vegetables, because there is no supermarkets, there is no stores, there is nowhere you get food. And they are having weekly programs where people come, chant Hare Krishna and they say, you walk on the street [Not Clear 45:41 - 45:44] everywhere. Still they are having programs, 50 people, somehow during the week day. Can't really go out todo book distribution also, this is the type of life, they do programs in the hospitals, they can’t do Harinams, so they go to hospitals and they try to encourage people there that lecture They are doing as much service, public service as they can, before they are giving out prasadam. Here you see like it's practically living hell, I mean if we give the details which are, I can't, mentally block them out, they are so heavy, the situation is that how these devotees are still continuing along with their devotional service due to their determination. Certainly they are in a situation, well worth being in anxiety about. So, they are not disturbed by anxiety, they are going to be causes in the material world to be anxious, but that shouldn't disturb our devotional service and faith in Krishna. We have to deal with the good things and the bad things that happen. Someone may be in San Francisco, everything is all right, all of a sudden a earthquake hits. So lot of times people they get disturbed by anxiety and they lose it, they don't know what to do, they get disturbed or they get a shock. Somebody at that moment he is listening to Krishna, please help me, what should I do now? Whats the right thing for me to do in your service? and Krishna helps his devotees. He gives intelligence what to do. Sometimes devotees are put into anxiety, they don't know what to do and there are some weak devotees, they want to go, they go out take a, you know, they fall down, take intoxication, as a means to deviate their anxiety. So the only way we can be able to do this, see if you  this is like such a tall order, the only way one can do it is really take shelter of Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. (devotees chant along with GM). Read Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Prabhupad books with the senior devotees, hear some Krishna Conscious instruction, absorb in devotional service, worshipping the deities, we have to learn to take shelter of Krishna, everyone, all the devotees needs to know how to take shelter of Krishna, when anxiety comes and nobody will be free from anxiety. The question here is not to be disturbed by it, not to let our devotional service be disturbed by the anxiety. Our desire to Krishna should be unflinching, to go on desiring to serve Krishna. Who is liberated from jubilation, anger, fear and anxiety is very dear to me. Of course we may not be immediately come up to all these standards but it's like a goal, we should know, Oh prabhu I am not a pure devotee, I can't do all these things. It's like you know, why try, but that's, we can't do anything, that's true but Krishna is more powerful than maya, we take shelter of Krishna, then Krishna will deliver us from this attachment to jubilation , anger and so on. He will deliver us from these bad qualities. Therefore we have to try to be a pure devotee, we may not be pure devotees, we have to try to be as a pure devotee as we can. Be a pure devotee is not difficult; just have the pure desire to want to be a pure devotee is a Prabhupad explained, if we want to be a pure devotee, that is the unripe stage of being a pure devotee. Someone who takes initiation or is aspiring to be initiated devotee that means that they have committed themselves to wanting to be a pure devotee and to acting accordingly. Accepting whatsoever is favorable, rejecting whatsoever is unfavorable. So the, under no circumstances initiated devotee is that anyone who is committed to the path of devotional service, have any reason or excuse or cause to say that well that I am not a pure devotee, so I can't do that because even a pure devotee will never take to, I am a pure devotee, so I am doing it. Pure devotees also, always take the humble position; I am aspiring to be a pure devotee, under most circumstances. Prabhupad said, just like we have a green banana or green mango, you keep it then it turns into ripe mango or ripe banana. We have practical experience of this in South America, we have temples in Ecuador and that's one of the major exporting nations of Banana exporters in the world. You can get Ecuadorian bananas and Europe and America. So one time the big banana exporters have got tonnes and tonnes of bananas stacked up in the dark and for one reason another, the ship arrived late or couldn't load it on time or there were some government rules, Somehow, they passed the date, that is they would load the bananas when the time they reached wherever they had to go they would all be overripe. All rot. So they told the, anybody who wants bananas come and get it. The devotees went for the pick-up truck, tub, 10 tonnes you know bananas, came to the temple and the whole front of the temple is like big, but the bananas were still so green, you couldn't eat them. They go for month or something before they reach ,but they gave that, but they had calculated that by the time they reach, there won't be too gone. When they gave them away, they still had to wait few weeks, so it's like I don't know how it was like, maybe you know half the room had just like bananas. (devotees laughing). Oh I wasn't there when they arrived. I asked someone they did, they said, well they have bananas chutney, banana fry, banana everything, you know (GM laughing) there, here banana, food for life, bananas, devotees are pretty creative when it comes to preparing prasadam, they can figure out how to use. So it's like bananas, no problem. Little melon may be little tough (Everyone laughing) Bananas. So Prabhupad say here the conclusion,I will skip ahead, the process of yukta vairagya is a science. Those who are interested in advancing in Krishna Consciousness should carefully study the difference between yukta vairagya and phalgu vairagya. Surrendering to Lord Krishna and in to Lord Krishna in His service. It's easy to perform but it is not a whimsical matter. Once must strictly act according to the guidance of the spiritual master and the vedic literatures.

Hare Krishna 

Any question? Nandan.

On Prabhupad, he was saying one mainly says one, one time he said, a devotee not depend on others but depend solely on Me, he is clean inwardly and outwardly, who is expert in different material things. Without cares free from all pains, rejects all pious, impious activities I did. Otherwise he just says he want, o that's another this may, obviously this is discussing primarily about devotees but. These standards are, Krishna is saying, these are, in sanskrit, ‘mad-bhakta˙my devotees sa me priyah˙. So when He starts off, He starts on being a, these devotees are dear to Me. Now. We have to remember that they practically everybody can set himself a devotee of God. In America if you ask me would you believe in God, you know, 99% of people say they believe in God. I don't know if that is accurate anymore but it is 15 years old statistics. But in America most people believe in God, they believe in God that means they probably consider themselves devotee of God. But when they get down to practical, say even in India people may be karmakandis or jnana kandis, but they also respect God, like Krishna would consider themselves some kind of a devotee of Krishna, many of them or most of them. But, so that here is a very general point but here Krishna is saying, He is talking about His devotees, these are the qualities which His devotees should have. Prabhupad explains in the purport come again to the point of pure devotional service, in other words he has already discussed pure devotional service, unadulterated, according to rules and regulations, work karma yoga, working for Him then other alternatives. Then asceticism, meditation and so many other things, then He stops. Coming again to the point of pure devotional service. Lord is describing the transcendental qualifications of a pure devotee in these two verses. The next verse probably, pure of a devotee's qualifications are further being described. So then verse 15 was an elaboration. Then again Krishna is giving guidelines to devotees and how they should deal in material activities in 16 and 17 when they get material gain, Prabhupad said pure devotee is neither happy nor distressed of material gain or loss. So these qualities are especially for the pure devotees. People who do devotional service in the, those who do devotional service are also people, that's quite [Not Clear 56:36- 56:40] people. Personalist, he is describing here about devotees, what their standard is.  If someone is not a devotee and they read this, when they do this you become dear to Me, you may also inspire them to be a devotee. So it goes, For the devotees the, verses are important because they say what one devotee should do, for someone who is non devotee they can, these qualities are obviously very nice. People appreciate these qualities, I mean most pious people appreciate these type of qualities, they expect that even the modern, the senators, the representatives, political leaders should have you know many of these qualities, we kind of expect that. But you know because, eventually they get exposed to what they are really doing, I mean it's a big scandal when they get forced out of office and so on. But these are very nice qualities and anyone should have but these qualities are especially for the devotee, to be a devotee of Krishna. So it inspires people to be a devotee. Materialists try to maintain such qualities but it's very difficult, just do it by will power without any devotion. The material nature is so strong, the modes of nature will take you away but if you take shelter of Krishna then it's possible. Sometimes the devotee do not know what he should do, what he shouldn't be doing, may do something wrong and then be acting detrimentally to his devotional service or therefore Krishna explains everything here that this is what a devotee should be doing. This is the standard. So when we are not up to the standard we shouldn't be proud of, we should be ashamed about it and should try to come up to the standard. We should be concerned, we are not up to the standard and therefore we try to do what is needed, for purification that we have the proper standard. That's the glorious thing, that's why it is a fight with maya, declaring war and maya, Prabhupad used the statment many times. Because to maintain this high standard means that we have to struggle against many obstacles maya puts up by, but our system of struggling is to take shelter of Krishna. Yes Balaji.

While one is performing devotional service in association of a pure devotees in full Krishna consciousness there are certain things which require to be vanquished altogether. The most important thing, one has to surmount his weakness of the heart. The first fall down is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. Thus one gives up the transcendental loving service of The Supreme Lord. The second weakness of the heart is one, as one increases the propensity to lord it over material nature he becomes attached to matter and the possession of matter. Problems of material existence are due to these weaknesses of the heart. In these chapters the five verses describe the process of freeing oneself from this weaknesses of the heart and the rest of the chapter from the 6th verse to the end discusses Purushottama yoga. It is like sometimes a new devotee joins the temple, I was thinking about joining the temple and they get weakness of heart, that if I surrender, that if I accept a guru, if I surrender, what am I going to miss out on.I won't be able to lord it over this material thing and that material thing. I won't be able to lord it over going to cinemas, won't be able to do everything I want, whatever I want. I am going to be, have to be in devotional service. This is weakness of heart for surrendering to Krishna, because they are thinking that all these things that they could do, they can’t do, what to do. They are not thinking that I will get the highest spiritual ecstacy can be guided that is the weakness of heart can be guided rearly in temporarily little things that they are attached to lording it over, the idea lording it over, so that is the weakness of heart, makes one hesitate or stops one from surrendering to Guru and Krishna, from really absorbing in the process of devotional service to Krishna and the second is when one has already surrendered first to the weakness of heart and is trying to , one is like fallen down to certain degree to the material activities and he become attached to matter and personal matter, so they don’t want to give it up, so to train and preach to such people, they are not really enter material things so much, but they have a desire that they think  feel internally that they will be happy personally, internal things, when they attached that will go, they feel why excuses they didn’t do so many devotional service to please Krishna. Actual thing is they really want that’s why Rupa Goswami said that someone is really decided to enjoy material life, you can’t convince them, because they are not really listening, they are not open, they don’t want be convinced. If you wake somebody who is asleep up, you cannot wake someone who is  pretending he is asleep. Devotees know everything, but they decided  I just wanted to cling on to this material things and not let it go, no matter what you say I will not let it go. Still devotees may try but if he is not succeed, it is not , you know, it is easier to preach new people than the old person who is weakness in heart all to the material attachment, because they doesn’t want to listen to you, they know everything. why not one should do it. they give so many reasons, because temple president was not nice to me  10 years ago because this one was bad and that one was bad. Srila Prabhupada explains that these people are attached to these enjoying and they don’t want to let it go and will come up with so many reasons and those reasons can be you know Presidents changed, everyone is different and things do  change you know life goes on, this is very applicable instruction I was just preaching this to someone few days to go, about how that person should be doing devotional service.so how can I do devotional service when this other devotee is not doing. The other devotee is in Maya they are not co operating they are not coming to Mangala Arati, how can I go to Mangala Arati  if  they don’t go, they are not doing their service, how can I do my service? Two things were not at all connected. One a devotee A goes to Mangala Arati and does it mean you have to be dependent on that person going for you to go.  There are many joint efforts you know if everybody cooperates together we can do something really wonderful. If everybody will help and cooperate with each other we can do you know like a festival, working many people cooperating together, Ratha Yatras, feasts, you know all these type of  things requires joint effort.

But here this particular verse is really discussing the conscious of a devotee to be a  pure devotee. Like Srila Prabhupad if he was dependent  on his god brothers would he have come to America. Everyone told him don’t go, why bother it does not , how can you preach anyway to those materialistic people who are in mode of passion and ignorance. If he was dependant on them to carry out  each one of us has got order of our Guru, order of Prabhupada, order of disciplic succession. That’s our individual instructions, now if we can get help from others  that we can take good association of others.  Srila Prabhupada said many times we are all flying in the sky like birds flying high in the sky on their own, nobody is going to pick us up on their back and fly. We have to do our devotional service ourselves, there is no use of saying that he is not doing, he is not chanting his japa, she is not chanting her japa, so how can I chant?people say that sometimes, you know does not equate, does not make any sense, you be the example, who can say who is going to be like Prabhupada was not the senior disciple, he wasn’t the first sanyasi, he did not take Sanyasa directly from Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvathi Thakur, this doesn’t not matter  you see , what did he did, he just took the order of his Guru to heart and he carried it out. And as much as he could took association he did and he did not reject the association, he never said no,ok,  he tired to get the association, he tried to get the help , but everyone else came down, the spiritual bottom line, no one was going to participate or support in such a  venture of such a magnitude but he did it himself. On a very  smaller level he did his own  devotional service even as a, we had to get someone so dedicated to go on a service of book distribution, you cannot go on to do it. sometimes you know.  In Calcutta there are no proper cars, no taxis, we have to go by bus, so we go by bus wasting hours and hours of travel time, at that time Prabhupada told not to waste money, you go by bus, not to waste on spending for taxis, we used to, I used to go by train, by bus, and go to just one place to next place is very tedious, and until we were producing enough results to warrant for spending money on taxis and cars, Prabhupada didn’t permit it.  Sometimes you know, [Not Clear 1:07:45 - 1:07:49] know devotees until i got a driver I cannot  go on preach, until i  get this I can do or I can do that, so many conditions, but they will get anything if they just went out and just sure do something you know, they probably very easily can do so many things, this is mentality I find especially amongst my Indian disciples and they get into whole thing, that person is into Maya then how can I be Krishna conscious, how does it matter, he is in maya, you have to be in Maya.

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Transcribed By: Anuttama Gandharvika DD

Transcribed On: 13-sep-2020

Proof Reading By: Amrita Padma Devi Dasi

On 01/10/2020

Proof Reading By: Sudarsana Vrajesa Das

On 01/01/2021