19970615 Bhagavad-gītā Evening

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatāka Swami Mahārāja on June 15^th, 1997, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The class begins with the reading from Bhagavad-gītā 8^th Chapter Verse 7. .

Jayapatākā Swami: This is a very important verse. This verse explains to us how we can remain in the transcendental platform even though we are doing so many activities. How the purpose of what we are doing is so important That everything is dependant upon what was the purpose for which we do things. Or the consciousness of which they’re done. What is the difference between matter and spirit? Depends on the consciousness in which it is. Just like a knife A knife in itself isn’t bad We use a knife to cut fruit to offer to the deities Or a criminal can use a knife to stab someone and rob him A doctor uses a surgical knife to operate on someone and to cure them from some disease. To save their life So what is the difference It’s the consciousness in which a knife is used Something might look, like something, like a material activity but if the consciousness is spiritual it’s spiritual activity. If the consciousness is Kṛṣṇa conscious then everything is spiritualized.

It’s like, say that someone wants to buy a birthday present for his wife. And goes in to the shop and looks at different clothing looks at different things thinking what does more wife like. He has to see the price, the quality so many different things. But the total activity’s purpose is he wants to give a gift for his wife for her pleasure. So that’s all connected. So here in this verse is explaining that all the activities are a sacrifice. Which are meant to be offered as a full offering to Kṛṣṇa. Everything becomes spiritualized The activity, the performer, the purpose everything becomes spiritualized.

That’s what we can use mainly in the time of Lord Caitanya He used boats to go from one place to the next sometimes to preach. And where Śrīla Prabhupāda used jets to fly from one place to the next. Of course we still do padayātrā which is following our traditional system of walking from one place to the next. We may also use saṅkīrtana bus to take book distributors from one place to the next. It doesn’t really matter what the vehicle is, the point is that the vehicle is used to carry books or to carry things which are meant to be used as service to Kṛṣṇa that become spiritualized. Now in this verse it says that if someone is fully contributing to the spiritual activity it becomes absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They’re sure to attain the Spiritual Kingdom. This is a very confidential point.

Just like somebody can be working on their computer doing the layout for a book. And that’s a totally spiritual activity because it’s going out the Bhagavad-gītā. Everybody has to cook. But when you are cooking with the purpose of offering it to Kṛṣṇa it becomes a sacrifice. Russians are famous for dancing. Different kinds of dancing, there’s the Barynya dancing, Russian Barynya famous. And there’s also that, what’s that the (laughing) what do you call gasha I don’t know exactly. You know the  Ta ta.. (laughing) ah!  (laughing), so many kinds of dancing. Now also becoming famous for Hare Kṛṣṇa dancing. Haribol! (Haribol!) But there’s a big difference right? And if you’re dancing for Kṛṣṇa then the whole activity is spiritualized. But if you’re dancing for some material purpose then you have to take the material reaction. So that means if an intelligent person considers this, practically almost anything you can do which can be a sacrifice to Kṛṣṇa. You simply need the guidance of a proper spiritual master, proper guide who can guide you how to do your activities in a spiritual way. You can be, you can be a businessman, or you can be an employee, you can be a performing artist.

When George Harrison and John Lennon discussed with Śrīla Prabhupāda, he didn’t tell them that they should give up what they are doing. When Henry Ford’s great grandson surrendered to Śrīla Prabhupāda and asked whether he should give away all his money from the Ford dynasty. Henry Ford inventor of motor cars. He rather taught him how he can utilize his funds for Kṛṣṇa conscious purposes. He then told Alfred how to do athletics for Kṛṣṇa. Of course, we don’t know how to use the slaughterhouse for Kṛṣṇa (laughing). But other than a few things like that slaughterhouses, butcher shops, almost everything else can be used for Kṛṣṇa. And when you’re doing something for Kṛṣṇa the we get the same quality as Kṛṣṇa sat-cit-ānanda.

Sat-cit-ānanda means eternal blissful knowledge So that so many different kinds of sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas And in the, for this age, current age sacrifice of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is recommended So in order to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa we need a place, we need of the loudspeaker system so many other things. So all those arrangements that are made they’re all part of the sacrifice So this is very easy sacrifice, singing and dancing and feasting Who doesn’t like to sing.

How many people like to sing? How may like to dance? How many like to feast? (laughing) Haribol! (Haribol!)

So this is our sacrifice. Singing, dancing and feasting. And at the end we discussed little Bhagavad Gītā little philosophy for the mind. But someone may say well this is too easy this is sentimental It’s a great science. Because everything is being offered to Kṛṣṇa which is completely transcendental. And that’s what so wonderful is that this sacrifice can be performed anywhere in the world. This type of meditation can be performed by anyone, a housewife, by working person, by a child, by a elderly person, anyone.

So this morning I was asked to tell about Lord Nityānanda. You still want to hear? (yes!) Then let me hear you say Nityānanda! (Jail!) Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!)

So Lord Nityānanda He was asked to start the Nāmahaṭṭa preaching. By Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu And Lord Caitanya said that I’ve left Bengal so you should go back there and finish up the preaching. We should flood bengal with Harināma Saṅkīrtana. So Lord Caitanya gave about say a dozen devotees to Nityānanda Prabhu. And they headed back towards Bengal from Jagannātha Purī it’s about 500 kilometer journey. If you travel, walk 15 kms a day you cover in one month. 500 years ago that was the way walk. So the devotees they weren’t just walking they were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa all way. And they were having such ecstatic kīrtana Having very ecstatic kīrtana Ecstatic kīrtana (laughing), they would be imitating Kṛṣṇa in some drama like to remember the pastime of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa used to play the flute like this you know And someone would say, no remember Giri Govardhana hill with His left finger. And remember how Nṛsiṁhadeva torn off! Hiraṇyakśipu. (laughing) And someone said, so like that someone said Rāmacandra He would shoot arrow puh! So they’re remembering pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and the other hand they’re doing kīrtana. They would become so absorbed. Like in the verse it says a person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where these devotees were so absorbed. They forgot where the road was! They would ride off the road! And they start you know why we’re not finally after sometime they asks people on the village where are we? Where’s the road to Bengal? Arey you should go left 10kms up, you have to go back! Okay, thank you! Freshly walk (laughing) Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare And again they’ll do kīrtana And somehow they would crossover the road they don’t even know they go on the other side. (laughing) But that time road it was not like a big national highway it was not road also. So they’d be doing kīrtana they go off the other side. After a while where are we? again ask some villager, where are we? We have to go back to Bengal? Arey! 10, 15 kms away! Where you’ve been the road’s off! Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. So they’re really having a very blissful journey (laughing). It took them a little longer. About three months to get back. (laughing) They were in total absorption of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And then Lord Nityānanda He reached Pāṇihāti Dhāma!

How many of you have heard of Pāṇihāti? You haven’t, only a few of you heard of Pāṇihāti! Pāṇihāti is one of the most wonderful main places of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. Lord Caitanya said that ‘I eternally reside in Pāṇihāti’ So on the bank of the sacred Ganges river It’s about 18kms south of Māyāpur. And 20 miles north of what is the present day city of Calcutta. Of course there was no Calcutta 500 years ago. And there, there was a wonderful devotee who was living, his name is Rāghava Paṇḍita. Rāghava Paṇḍita used to be one of the very greatest cooks. And only one who was, may be better than him and to cook was his sister Damayanti. Damayanti could prepare food that would stay good for one year. She would prepare different kinds of prasādam for Lord Caitanya with different expiration date. (translator:) what does it mean expiration date?  When you get medicine it says use before such date, expiration date. (laughing) One month, three months, six months, one year. She could even make a preparation from Ganges mud. If you can make food from mud then you’re really good cook. (laughing)

Of course Ganges mud is very special. It’s right from the Causal Ocean, so original earth. Anyway, this is very special place. And there Rāghava Paṇḍita was preparing Rādhā-Madanamohana deities, he’s preparing the offering and Nityānanda walked in to the kitchen. And put His hand on his shoulder. Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!). Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!). Immediately paid obeisances And Nityānanda, what You’re back! You’re here! How wonderful! Listen, why don’t you go take a bath in the Ganges and I’ll prepare lunch for you! How many are here? All were about 12, 20 like that. Okay no problem! We’ll prepare Your prasādam, You just take Your bath and come back. In one hour, everything will be ready. He could cook a 25 preparations feast for 25 people, one hour no problem.

And it said that actually whatever Damayanti cooked it was, she was a special assistant cook of Rādhārāṇī who came in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. So then Nityānanda went, took His bath He came again, they offered all the bhoga to Rādhā-Madanamohana, made offerings and fed all of Nityānanda’s associates sumptuous prasāda. There after the took prasāda, they rest a little bit then Lord Nityānanda and His associates they started a kīrtana. And this kīrtana is very ecstatic kīrtana going on all day, all night. So Lord Nityānanda, He sat down and all the devotees were dancing around. And hundreds of villagers came Brāhmaṇas, respectful gentlemen they all came, ladies were coming and watching the kīrtana. They all started joining in to the kīrtana. To whatever Lord Nityānanda looked. People start feeling ecstasy. They’d be ordinarily chanting. Suddenly they’d feel the glance of Nityānanda. Their hairs would stay on end. They eyes will become filled with tears of love. The voice would get choked up. Sometimes they’d start laughing in ecstasy. Haribol! Ha ha ha! Haribol! haribol! (Haribol!) Sometime they’ll be crying in separation. Oh Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa! And they would just fall on the ground. How many of you would like to get that loving glance of Lord Nityānanda? Gaurāṅga! (Gaurāṅga!) Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!)

So like this it was a very ecstatic kīrtana. And then Lord Nityānanda He got up and dancing suddenly. And when Lord Nityānanda dances it’s very very special. Lord Caitanya said, wherever I may be anywhere in the creation, if Lord Nityānanda dances I will immediately come there, I will not miss it. So Lord Nityānanda He’s dancing, He’s indescribable, He’s no where I can describe Him. But the śāstra says that when He was dancing it’s so beautiful, it’s so, it’s so totally out of this world that it enchants everyone. It said, when is feet, His lotus feet touch the Earth even the Earth was feeling ecstasy. And there would be Earth tremors coming for every step. 3.2 on the richter scale (laughing) We don’t know what scale, actually what, they’re ecstatic quakes, nothing destructive. And while Lord Nityānanda was dancing the kīrtana was very intense, the devotees are just jumping and they’re all completely overwhelmed with the, with the flow of nectar. So due to His promise when Lord Nityānanda dance immediately Lord Caitanya came these was standing watching! Lord Caitanya been walking in south India and here He came and there He was by the side of Nityānanda watching. But nobody could see Him. Only Nityānanda could see Him. Nityānanda told everyone, He stopped, He said here is Lord Caitanya, but you cannot see Him. But you can smell because He’s wearing a garland from south India of special flower that doesn’t grow in Bengal. And as the devotees they could suddenly smell the garland that Lord Caitanya was wearing, it’s very fragrant flower And they became more ecstatic! Haribol! (Haribol!) Haribol! (Haribol!) Gaurāṅga! (Gaurāṅga!) The kīrtana became really ecstatic! Then Lord Nityānanda, He was dancing and dancing and then He completely His clothes became wet. Then He sat down. And the devotees, it’s like is hot in Bengal it’s hot not like, not like here. And so the devotees brought containers of Ganges water to perform the abhiṣeka of Lord Nityānanda. We never, how wonderful would be to take a big container water of Gaṅgā water, Ganges water and pour it over the head of Lord Nityānanda! Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!) So then Lord Nityānanda came, went and He put on dry cloth, He came back. Kīrtana id going on. Then He called Rāghava Paṇḍita. I’m a cowherd boy from Vṛndāvana, I want a Kadamba garland I want this flowers in Vṛndāvana Kadamba flower, give me one Kadamba garland. Kadamba flowers are round and yellow color. Rāghava Paṇḍita said where I’ll get Kadamba? We don’t have the tree, this is not the season. I have no idea! You just go behind your house and look in your garden, if you find any Kadamba flowers you make a garland and give me! So then he went behind the house Then the lemon tree! All of a sudden the lemon tree phut phut phut out came Kadamba flowers. Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!). He made quickly a beautiful garland of Kadamba. And gave to Lord Nityānanda! So in this way the devotees are amazed where did you get a Kadamba garland? And now, this time of the year? So this kīrtana was so intense. Today one of the devotees asked we should have regularly 3hour kīrtanas, 2 hour kīrtanas. This kīrtana went on non-stop For three months! (laughing) Day and night. Non-stop three months. It’s tens and thousands of people started coming, the word came out that who want to have happiness in your life you just go to this place, it’s amazing! People would come there just to see what’s going on, watch this singing and dancing Hare Kṛṣṇa. But very soon they would drown into the kīrtana. They spend the whole week they don’t even know what is going on! (laughing) and they go back, they go back to their home completely changed.  

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

(laughing) What’s going on with you? What happened! He would Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa! Haribol! Haribol! (laughing) They feel so ecstatic there they get the whole village to chant. (laughing) From one place Lord Nityānanda was flooding everywhere. It’s like waves coming out! And then these devotees who were chanting then they started the kīrtana was making then so powerful they started manifesting superhuman powers! Without any extra effort some were just manifesting the mystic mystic powers! One devotee became as light as a balloon just floating in the air Haribol! Haribol! And he’s flying jumping from one tree to another just you know uph! (laughing) Nityānanda! Gaurāṅga! Haribol! Uph! People are watching how he’s flying (laughing) One devotee he became a was, became so strong he picked up a 10mt long bamboo that was weighing over 200kilos and just playing like a little flute. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare! (laughing) Then other devotee became just so much, feeling so much separation of Kṛṣṇa! He picked up a higher coconut tree Lifted out of the ground He started dancing with it There were so many amazing things going on! And then Lord Nityānanda He just, after there is, He just took the devotees after that and they think they already like spread the vibration everywhere, they established the Nāmahaṭṭa. All the devotees are just devotees then He went to village to village and established Nāmahaṭṭas. Like someone was proposing you have a big festival, so that’s why we have a big festival of harināma and then we establish Nāmahaṭtas for all of people have come. So you would help that all of you should become, just get the mercy Nitāi Gaura and get absorbed in the sacrifice and systematically do the Nāmahaṭṭa preaching. And try to give this message of Lord Caitanya Nityānanda’s love to everyone. It is the, is the professional act of love for Godhead. And this is the process how to awaken that love for Him easily, very simply, very sublimely.

So how many of you like the message of Lord Caitanya Nityānanda? Haribol! How many would like to be in the kīrtana of Lord Nityānanda? Nityānanda! (Nityānanda!) Gaurāṅga! (Gaurāṅga!) His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami:. This is a special mercy of Lord Caitanya Hear His pastimes and just want to be with Him. If you want to be with Him that means that we’re having a very strong spiritual desire. If you keep that desire you’ll be back to Him. They’re giving whatever you want right! The people want Him, He’ll give Himself. But most people they want something else. Because they’re in illusion and they think this temporary things are important.

Lord Caitanya is showing how the Absolute Truth is actually the most wonderful thing. There’s beautiful song composed about Gaura-Nitāi.

parama karuṇā, pahu dui jana nitāi-gauracandra
saba avatāra sāra śiromaṇi kevala ānanda-kanda

This verse it means parama karuṇa pahū dui jana nitāi gauracandra, that parama karuṇa means the most merciful, parama means supremely and karuṇa means merciful. pahū means the Lord . So these pahū the Lords nitāi-gauracandra saba avatāra-sāra śiromaṇi, amongst all incarnations of Godhead. They are the crown jewel. They are the incomparable special incarnations kevala ānanda-kanda, because they’ve given a process of sacrifice which is simply blissful. Normally in order to get self-realization and God realization we have to do many (inaudible 45:37)[1]  charities and difficult practices. Lord Caitanya’s process is simply nectarian chanting, dancing and feasting. The point is to get absorbed, you get absorbed in that we don’t need anything else. But this opportunity only comes once in a very rare period of time. Nature is we’re spirit soul The body is simply a bio mechanism to carry our soul, carry our self. But if we use the body in Kṛṣṇa’s service it becomes spiritualized. Consciousness becomes spiritualized. The soul becomes liberated from the bondage of the material nature. Actually to chant the name of God is described in all the holy scriptures as the sacred of divine. In the Quran it’s mentioned of hundred and one holy names of Allah. In the Bible, it says that the name of God is sacred and holy. About Jesus in his famous prayers O Lord in heaven hallowed be thy name. Oh my Lord of heaven hallowed be thy name, Lord’s prayer. And in the songs it says that the, this play symbols can see the names of God. Throughout all the scriptures of the world the name of God is very holy, most holy. So Lord Caitanya He has revealed the science of how to use the name of God as a meditation. Meditation in the singing, dancing so on Also but some people are very difficult to get them to chant. Once if somebody chants they like it it’s so nice. But people will think what will others think of me if I chant? Why should I chant? There so many reasons not to chant. One of our devotees went to see his mother and she was just about to, she was on a deathbed. Said her to chant the holy name of God that when you die it’s the Gītā says you go back to Kṛṣṇa go back to the spiritual world. And, so being a son requests his mother please chant. Please say Hare Kṛṣṇa! No, I’m too sick I don’t feel very good I’m not able to say all these things, I don’t know all these things. I can’t do that, I can’t do that, I can’t, I can't,ah ah ah. And she could have said you know said I can’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Said so many words but she didn’t say Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then one of my disciples recently went to her home and because her father had a stroke and he was in the coma. And there all relatives are crying, everyone is crying you know what to do father and father face is like (laughing) (laughing) So she went and in his ears she began to chant.

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

And there see the (laughing) it became smiling face (laughing). And they were amazed because they haven’t seen him smiling for ten years! (laughing) And in, somehow at that moment like he died. He dies But he died, he had a big smile on his face. We could see all around people dying with they’re all horrible but this he was like peaceful light coming from his face. All the people had there you know against Hare Kṛṣṇa all the relatives before that. Everyone could sense that something really sublime just happened. If he looks that peaceful and he’s smiling that means he sure went to a very good place, very happy where he went to. Everyone of you can save so many souls You need to know the science of Bhagavad Gītā what is life, what is the soul, what is Kṛṣṇa, who is Kṛṣṇa. mantras of this knowledge we can save so many people. Of course you have to sometimes use very much tact how to present these things everyone take it right way. But you know that somehow or another if you can get someone to chant and participate they will definitely become convinced because it’s so wonderful. The problem does someone bring people they don’t want to chant you know. At least we try to get those who are favourable first. And if you meet anyone favourable cultivate that person. Try to grow the relationships So that person can also be brought to the under the mercy of Lord Caitanya. So I was supposed to come and give all kinds of presentations about Nāmahaṭṭa technical systems how to do it. But they don't have all the projector I could have bought my projector somehow not available right now. Or maybe I have to come back again really I don’t know to show the things (Haribol!) (clapping) Russia always very doubt (laughing) So that you all very much for your coping this Śrīla Prabhupāda and this coping with spreading saṅkīrtana movement. We don’t disrespect any religion and try to respect everyone for what the, anything good that they’re doing. Even if people they just want to know about this admire, this is very open for people to know about it and compare to learn anything they can. We hope that all you are happy.

Hare Kṛṣṇa