19980206 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 6th, 1998 in Balarāmadeśa. The class begins with the reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 4, chapter 24, overview and text no 27,28,29,42,59.

 

jāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī

(jaya) rādhā-mādhava kuṣja-bihārī

(jaya) rādhā-mādhava kuṣja-bihārī (2)

 

(jaya) rādhā-mādhava, rādhā-mādhava rādhe

(jaya) rādhā-mādhava, rādhā-mādhava rādhe

 

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

 

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

 

Nitāi gaura Hari Bol, Hari Bol, Hari Bol , Hari Bol!

Nitāi gaura Hari Bol, Hari Bol, Hari Bol , Hari Bol!

 

Jaya! Prabhupāda, Jaya! Prabhupāda Prabhupāda Jaya! Prabhupāda!

Jaya! Prabhupāda, Jaya! Prabhupāda Prabhupāda Jaya! Prabhupāda!

 

 

Harihi Oṁ tat sat!

 

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāṣjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

 

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe

nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

 

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

 

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho

dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopīkā-kānta

rādhā-kānta namo ’stu te

 

tapta-kāṣcana-gaurāṅgi

rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devī

praṇamāmi hari-priye

 

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

 

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma

rāma rāma hare hare

 

Oṁ namo bhāgavata vāsudevāya!

Oṁ namo bhāgavata vāsudevāya!

Oṁ namo bhāgavata vāsudevāya!

 

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya

naraṁ caiva narottamam

devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ

tato jayam udīrayet

 

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam

paramānanda-mādhavam

śrī caitanya īśvaram

 

Jayapatākā Swami:  Today we're reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 4^th canto, 24^th chapter. This is regarding chanting the song sung by Lord Śiva.

 There was a king in previous time who was known as Mahārāja Prācīnabarhi. Mahārāja Prācīnabarhi had many sons. They were known as the Pracetās. These sons were the disciples of Nārada Muni, and they were performing tapasya to prepare themselves for the gṛhastha ashram. Previously, before someone would enter into the gṛhastha ashram, they would first practice brahmacarya and prepare themselves to be very spiritual and controlled in their gṛhastha ashram, so that they could, after the gṛhastha ashram period, enter into vānaprastha and some even into sannyāsa in their old age.

 

So now the young men, they were traveling together over the world. Their father told them that before I'll let you get married, you had to perform Tapasya and become spiritually strong. You had to do meditation. So they were traveling to the west. It seems that in their travels, they came across the Mānas Sarovar near Kailash, or because there was a very great lake that they saw which was filled with lotus flowers, some of them the rare blue lotus flower, some red lotus. Some were night lotus, and some were day lotus, and some were even, evening lotus. Usually you only get lotus blooming during the day. But this particular lake was so auspicious. There was lotus day, night and evening. So it looked like a huge mine of such flowers. On the shores of this beautiful lake there were swans, cranes, chakravaka, rāja-haṁsa, kāraṇḍava, many beautiful water birds swimming.

 

Alongside the lake, there are beautiful trees and creepers and there were mad bumblebees, brahmers who were humming all around the trees. The trees appeared very joyful because of the sweet humming of the bees. Saffron which was contained in the flowers were being thrown into the air. So this created in this beautiful natural beauty a kind of festive mood. It seems that they have reached Śivaloka near the Himalaya mountains. The sons of the mahārāja, the princes, they became very amazed when they started to hear vibrations.

 

Dong dungadong dung. Dungadong dung dungadang dung-  from

 

Kettle drums and many other musical instruments playing in the air. What does it mean? Suddenly the prachetās were so fortunate that from the water of the lake appeared Lord Śiva,'Panise, Mahadev, Śiva, Uttaya' and along with Mahadev, many of his associates were there. He was on the Nandi bull. Lord Śiva had the color of molten gold but his throat was Nīlakaṇṭa bluish. He had three eyes and he looked very mercifully upon these devotees. He was accompanied by many musicians who were glorifying him. As soon as the Pracetās saw Lord Śiva, immediately they fell flat on the ground offering their pranams. They are very amazed to see the lord Śiva. lord Śiva, He became so pleased to see these princes because Lord Śiva is the protector of pious people and persons of gentle behavior. So Lord Śiva began to speak to these pracetās.

           

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.27

 

śrī-rudra uvāca

yūyaṁ vediṣadaḥ putrā

viditaṁ vaś cikīrṣitam

anugrahāya bhadraṁ va

evaṁ me darśanaṁ kṛtam

 

Translations by His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: Lord Śiva said: You are all the sons of King Prācīnabarhi, and I wish all good fortune to you. I also know what you are going to do, and therefore I am visible to you just to show my mercy upon you.

 

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.28

 

yaḥ paraṁ raṁhasaḥ sākṣāt

tri-guṇāj jīva-saṁjṣitāt

bhagavantaṁ vāsudevaṁ

prapannaḥ sa priyo hi me

 

Jayapatākā Swami: This is a very important verse!

 

Translations: Lord Śiva continued: Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the controller of everything — material nature as well as the living entity — is actually very dear to me.

 

Jayapatākā Swami:  Purport: Prabhupāda explains here that,

 

 

Purport (by His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda): Now Lord Śiva explains the reason he has personally come before the princes. It is because all the princes are devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19):

 

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

 

Translation: “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.”

 

Lord Śiva is rarely seen by common men, and similarly a person who is fully surrendered unto Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is also very rarely seen because a person who is fully surrendered unto the Supreme Lord is very rare (sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ). Consequently, Lord Śiva came especially to see the Pracetās because they were fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa). Vāsudeva is also mentioned in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the mantra oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (Devotees repeats). Since Vāsudeva is the ultimate truth, Lord Śiva openly proclaims that one who is a devotee of Lord Vāsudeva, who is surrendered to Lord Kṛṣṇa, is actually very dear to him. Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is worshipable not only by ordinary living entities but by demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā and others. Yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ (Bhāg. 12.13.1): Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Varuṇa, Indra, Candra and all other demigods. That is also the situation with a devotee. Indeed, one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately becomes very dear to anyone who is simply finding out and beginning to understand what Kṛṣṇa consciousness actually is. Similarly, all the demigods are also trying to find out who is actually surrendered to Lord Vāsudeva. Because the Pracetā princes were surrendered to Vāsudeva, Lord Śiva willingly came forth to see them.

 

Jayapatākā Swami: Nitāi Gaur sitanāth premānande…. Hari Hari Bol!

 

Devotees: played mṛdanga & says Hari Hari Bol!

 

Jayapatākā Swami: So this is such a very great mercy. How many sādhakas, yogis, devotees are worshipping Lord Śiva. chanting "oṁ namaḥ śivāya, oṁ namaḥ śivāya" again and again doing so many pujas tapasyas. But here the Pracetās simply because they were devotees of Kṛṣṇa, without even asking to see Lord Śiva, he came and revealed himself to them.

 

So by worshipping Kṛṣṇa, automatically one satisfies all the devatas. This is explained by Lord Śiva in the next verse.

 

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.29

 

sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān

viriṣcatām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām

avyākṛtaṁ bhāgavato ’tha vaiṣṇavaṁ

padaṁ yathāhaṁ vibudhāḥ kalātyaye

 

Translation: A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahmā, and if he becomes more qualified, he can approach Lord Śiva. A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. Lord Śiva and other demigods attain these planets after the destruction of this material world.

 

 

Jayapatākā Swami: So how fortunate to be a devotee. If you ah… anyone is an unalloyed devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they can immediately go back to the spiritual world which even Brahmā and Śiva cannot approach until the end of the universe. What to speak of other devatās?

 

 That's why Lord Śiva told them you're all devotees of the Lord appreciate you are respectable just as the Lord is.

 

And I know in this way that the devotees respect me and I am dear to them. Thus, no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am. In other words, Kṛṣṇa Bhaktās are dear to Lord Śiva and Śiva is dear to Kṛṣṇa Bhaktās. This Bhāgavad-tattva, this is the way that Caitanya Mahāprabhu respected the devatās. He personally went to all the Śiva temples in south India and he chanted in each and every temple.

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that.

 

ŚB 4.24.30 Purport: It is said, vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: Lord Śiva is the best of all devotees. Therefore all devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are also devotees of Lord Śiva. In Vṛndāvana there is Lord Śiva’s temple called Gopīśvara. The gopīs used to worship not only Lord Śiva but Kātyāyanī, or Durgā, as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa. A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa does not disrespect Lord Śiva, but worships Lord Śiva as the most exalted devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Consequently whenever a devotee worships Lord Śiva, he prays to Lord Śiva to achieve the favor of Kṛṣṇa, and he does not request material profit. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) it is said that generally people worship demigods for some material profit (kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ). Driven by material lust, they worship demigods. But a devotee never does so, for he is never driven by material lust. That is the difference between a devotee’s respect for Lord Śiva and an asura’s respect for him. The asura worships Lord Śiva, takes some benediction from him, misuses the benediction, and ultimately is killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who awards him liberation.

 

Because Lord Śiva is a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he loves all the devotees of the Supreme Lord. Lord Śiva told the Pracetās that because they were devotees of the Lord, he loved them very much. Lord Śiva was not kind and merciful only to the Pracetās; anyone who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very dear to Lord Śiva. Not only are the devotees dear to Lord Śiva, but he respects them as much as he respects the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, devotees of the Supreme Lord also worship Lord Śiva as the most dear devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They do not worship him as a separate Personality of Godhead. It is stated in the list of nāma-aparādhas that it is an offense to think that the chanting of the name of Hari and the chanting of Hara, or Śiva, are the same. The devotees must always know that Lord Viṣṇu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that Lord Śiva is His devotee. A devotee should be offered respect on the level of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and sometimes even more respect. Indeed, Lord Rāma, the Personality of Godhead Himself, sometimes worshiped Lord Śiva. If a devotee is worshiped by the Lord, why should a devotee not be worshiped by other devotees on the same level with the Lord? This is the conclusion. From this verse it appears that Lord Śiva blesses the asuras simply for the sake of formality. Actually he loves one who is devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

 Jayapatākā Swami: So then Lord Śiva said, I'm going to teach you the prayer that I chant to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The prayer for anyone who wants to attain the goal of life. There's a very beautiful prayer. Sometime you should read it. I won't be able to read the whole prayer because it's about 20-50 verses. A very beautiful prayer. (Gap)

 

One of the verses is

 

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.42

 

namas ta āśiṣām īśa

manave kāraṇātmane

namo dharmāya bṛhate

kṛṣṇāyākuṇṭha-medhase

puruṣāya purāṇāya

sāṅkhya-yogeśvarāya ca.

 

Translation: My dear Lord, You are the topmost of all bestowers of all benediction, the oldest and supreme enjoyer amongst all enjoyers. You are the master of all the worlds’ metaphysical philosophy, for You are the supreme cause of all causes, Lord Kṛṣṇa. You are the greatest of all religious principles, the supreme mind, and You have a brain which is never checked by any condition. Therefore I repeatedly offer my obeisances unto You.

 

 Jayapatākā Swami: He begs to see the Lord's form. We should take the advice of the great guru Lord Śiva.

 

 He advises us,

 

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.59

 

na yasya cittaṁ bahir-artha-vibhRāmaṁ

tamo-guhāyāṁ ca viśudDhām āviśat

yad-bhakti-yogānugṛhītam aṣjasā

munir vicaṣṭe nanu tatra te gatim

 

Translation: The devotee whose heart has been completely cleansed by the process of devotional service and who is favored by Bhaktidevī does not become bewildered by the external energy, which is just like a dark well. Being completely cleansed of all material contamination in this way, a devotee is able to understand very happily Your name, fame, form, activities, etc.

 

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's vision was to respect every one of the Devatās as the great devotees of the Lord because that is actually the description given in all the Vedas. Lord Śiva, he wanted to see the Rāsa-līla and he went to Vṛndāvana to see the Rāsa-līla. But he was told that he had to take permission from Rādha-Rani in order to be able to see Līla. So when he went to see Rādha-Rani, she told him that in Rāsa-līla only one male can be there.

 

So if Śiva wants to be present, he has to come as a gopī. So then Lord Śiva, he changed his form into a gopī form and then he was given the assignment to watch the gate and his name was Gopīśwara, the lord of the Gopīs. So if anyone wants to get into the Rāsa-līla of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you have to get by Lord Śiva, who's there as Gopīśwara. So whenever we go to the holy land of Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana, we pray to Śiva to give us the blessing to enter into the inner pastimes of the lord. He's the one who guards the holy land from the non-devotees. Even Lakshmi, she was doing tapasya and meditation to enter the Rāsa-līlā, but she was refused. Sometimes people get confused. They think Nārāyaṇa is the original form and Kṛṣṇa is only an avatar. But…. [End of recording (Part 1)].

 

 

 

Had also some of these 50 qualities, but in some small quantity. But Brahmā had the most. Then he studied that Lord Śiva had five more qualities than Lord Brahmā. He had 55. He studied Lord Viṣṇu and found that Viṣṇu had five more qualities than Śiva. He had 60 qualities. And then finally, he studied the personality of Kṛṣṇa and found that Kṛṣṇa had 64 qualities, four more than Nārāyaṇa. So then he came to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa must be the original with 64 full qualities. Viṣṇu is his direct expansion with 93%. Lord Śiva is a partial expansion with 86%. And Brahma and others are minute parts of the Lord with 78% of his qualities in number, but not in the quantity of them. Lord Brahmā, he also prayed to Kṛṣṇa.

 

īśvaraḥ paRāmaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

 

Kṛṣṇa, you are the cause of all causes. You are the origin of everything. But you have got no origin. Sometimes people say, well, who is the origin of God? But Anadi Ādi, he is original and he has got no origin. That is the definition of God. When you find a person who has got no origin, he's God, the person who always existed. So sometime when Lord Caitanya was in the Śrī Rangam temple during the Chaturmās, the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas asked him, why do you worship Kṛṣṇa as supreme? Why don't you worship Nārāyaṇa? Kṛṣṇa is only the avatar of Nārāyaṇa. Lord Caitanya said, well, if you say that Kṛṣṇa is the avatar of Nārāyaṇa, then please answer this one question to me. Why is it that Lakshmi, being the consort of Nārāyaṇa, was doing Tapasya to go into Kṛṣṇa's Rasa-līlā?

If Nārāyaṇa is superior to Kṛṣṇa, then Lakshmi, the consort of Nārāyaṇa, doesn't have to beg to go to see Kṛṣṇa. She can just go. But she couldn't. She had to do Tapasya. Why is that? They didn't have any answer. Then he said, one more question I have. After doing Tapasya, how is it? She was refused. Not only did she do Tapasya to see Rastila, but she was not allowed to.

 

 Śrīla Prabhupāda For our easy understanding, he explains it like this. Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, they're all the same personality, but their original form is Kṛṣṇa. And the form of Nārāyaṇa is the majestic form. Just like in a high court or supreme Court, you find the justice comes out and everyone treats him. My lord, your honor. And he's the judge. When he comes in the court, everyone stands up, isn't it?

But when he's in his house, then his wife, his children, they are coming. Grandchildren might sit on his lap. But in the courtroom, the grandchild is not allowed to come and sit on the lap. That's very formal. So like that. Nārāyaṇa is the formal form, the majestic form of the Lord. When he's in that form, everyone is awe and reverence and respect. And Kṛṣṇa is the informal form, the loving form. That's why Kṛṣṇa is more approachable by his devotees. The devotees can hug Kṛṣṇa, they can play with Kṛṣṇa. They can have so many loving exchanges with Kṛṣṇa, where with Nārāyaṇa, all you can do is do worship of Nārāyaṇa. You cannot play with the cowherd, in the cows or in the fields with Nārāyaṇa. He's on the throne. He's the supreme lord. And he's worshipped with great awe and reverence and respect.

So the devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they respect Narayan as being non different from Kṛṣṇa, but they prefer him in the Kṛṣṇa form. One time, Kṛṣṇa was hiding from all the Gopīs. And the Gopīs are looking everywhere.

Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Where is Kṛṣṇa? Kannayyya lāl. Where is Kahanniya Kanaya?

They're looking everywhere.

Then one Gopī said, look it, there he is.

And Kṛṣṇa was sitting on a rock. He said, oh no, the Gopīs have found me out. Nowhere to hide. So what can he do? He changed his form to the form of Nārāyaṇa with four hands. śaṅkha, cakra, gadā and padma. There he is, sitting on the rock. The Gopīs ran to sing this Kṛṣṇa.

And they came close.

Nārāyaṇa. oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya. They offered their respect. Oh Lord Nārāyaṇa, tell me, where is Kṛṣṇa? Where has he gone? It's actually Kṛṣṇa, but took a Narayan form. He's pointing with one hand. So one by one, the Gopīs came and offered their respect. Lord Nārāyaṇa, we're happy to see you. Where is Kṛṣṇa? They're running by. But finally, when Rādhārāṇī came and asked Lord Nārāyaṇa, where is my beloved Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa could not keep his four arms. Two arms kept disappearing. And this way, Rādhārāṇī's love exposed Kṛṣṇa. Then they realized, this is not Nārāyaṇa, it's Kṛṣṇa trying to hide as Nārāyaṇa. See the Gopīs. Even they could see Nārāyaṇa. They wanted to see Kṛṣṇa. That is the nature of the Kṛṣṇa Bhaktās. They are not satisfied with other forms. They want to see the lord as Kṛṣṇa, as tribangim, Shyāmasundara, Giridhārilal. So actually, this not a major.

We respect the four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa, the four sampradāyas that are mentioned. If anyone comes in these Guru sampradāyas, their mantras are effective and others who are asampradāya mantra who got the mantras from another sampradāya or Asampradāya. Those mantras are declared in Padma Purāṇa to be niṣpalataha, fruitless. So the four sampradāyas mentioned are Brahmā-sampradāya. We are coming in the Brahmā-sampradāya, Brahmā-Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradāya. The other three sampradāyas are rudra from Lord Śiva that comes to the Gujaratis. The Viṣṇu swami and vallabhācarya are in that sampradāya. The Śrī-sampradāya where Rāmanuja is coming and the Kumāra-sampradāya where Nimbārka ācārya is coming.

 

So, if somebody accepts Viṣṇu, one supreme lord, maybe if someone thinks Nārāyaṇa or someone thinks Kṛṣṇa, there's a minor difference, but because it's the same person, only different moods.

But the three sampradāyas basically accept Kṛṣṇa as the original and Śrī sampradāya thinks that Nārāyaṇa is original. But there's a very loving relationship between all, at least between Lord Caitanya had a loving relationship with everyone, especially the śrī sampradāya. Most of our Kṛṣṇa conscious āgamas, yajṣas, saṁskāras are very heavily influenced by the traditions of the Śrī-Sampradāya. Because one of the ācāryas in our sampradāya who wrote down all the samskāras like wedding, annaprasanna, he was the chief-priest of the Śrī Ranganath temple Son. And he took initiation from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and became one of the six goswamis, Gopālabhaṭṭa Goswami.

 

Actually, that's all mentioned in the Vedas. So it's a common samskaras. All these sampradāyas are based on the vedas. Now, many people, they don't follow Vedas. So if they don't follow, we cannot recognize them as a bona fide disciplic succession.

Now you can see here the Pachetās. As soon as Śiva came, they immediately offered their obeisances. They are very respectful. This is a way to approach guru, way to approach the senior Vaiṣṇava, to offer respect and worship. This story in the Purāṇas, how Rāvaṇa met Nārada. But Rāvaṇa was not very respectful. He told Nārada, I'll be your disciple, you be my guru. Teach me. And Nārada said, this is not the way to ask a guru to teach you. Disciples should serve the guru humbly. And then the guru will give his blessings to the disciple.

I am Mahārāja Ravan, I do what I want to do. You're my guru, I'm your disciple. You give me the knowledge now. This is my order. Rāvaṇa.

Narad Muni said, no, I won't give you like that. This is not the way you approach a guru who you think? You think a very good guru disciple relationship. He's ordering like he's the commander. If you don't give me the knowledge, I'm your disciple. You must give me. I say I'm your disciple. You give me now or I'll kill.

 

Nārada Muni said, even if I were to give you with this attitude, nothing will stick in your brain. You won't understand anything. To understand what is bhakti, you had to come in a different attitude.

 

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

[Bg. 4.34]

 

come with a humble attitude, with surrender service. Inquire from the guru, receive that information, apply it in your life. This is the proper way. This is threatening. This is not the way to learn from a guru. Don't tell me all these things.

You give me the knowledge now or I Rāvaṇa going to cast my weapons on you. You do what you like. I'm not going to give you knowledge like this. So then Rāvaṇa took one of his weapons threw at Nārada Muni and went right through the body of Nārada Muni out the other side. Nothing happened to Na

Nārada. The weapon came back. He gave back the weapon to Rāvan here. Then Rāvana threw another weapon and also went through Nārada. Nothing happened. He gave it back another weapon.

Arrows, choppers, everything he had, all the weapons he had.

Nothing could affect Nārada. He said, how is it I am not able to harm you? So these weapons are all material. I'm not material. Nārada Muni is a muktātma. He already liberated soul. He says Sacchidānanda form. So what will material things do for him? They cannot harm him. So Rāvaṇa was frustrated. He could not force him to give him the knowledge. We cannot force a guru or Kṛṣṇa to give us knowledge. But if we serve him as a humble devotee, then Kṛṣṇa is very kind. The prachetas, they didn't even ask. But Śiva came and gave them mantra, gave them mercy because they are serving as humble devotees. So we have to think whether we can approach like a rāvaṇa or approach like the sons of the princes of Prācīnabarhi.

what do you think?

 

if you want to get Guru Kripa, how we have to approach?

 

Devotee: submissiveness to Guru.

 

Jayapatākā Swami:  submissiveness to Guru. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

 

So the way to get the Lord's mercy is by submissiveness, humbleness and devotion. Then he can be won over. And if somebody is devoted to the devotee of the Lord then the Lord is even more pleased. If somebody surrenders to the devotee of the Lord then Kṛṣṇa gives himself to that devotee. One of Kṛṣṇa's names, ajita. He's inconquerable. But he can be conquered by the love of his devotee. And when a devotee gives the love to his devotee then Kṛṣṇa is more pleased. That's why we always say Hare Kṛṣṇa, Sitāram, Rādhā, Radheshyām. We say the name of the devotee first. Devotee is the mercy of the Lord. If we get the mercy of Rādhārāṇī easily, we can get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

If you get the mercy of Sītā easily you can get the mercy of Rāma, so Hare means energy of the lord sīta, Rādha, lakṣmi. Hare Kṛṣṇa is Radhe Kṛṣṇa, that’s how we get the mercy of the Lord by approaching him through his devotee.

 

 Some people, they're very proud. I worship God. I don't need to worship devotee. I bowed before no man. They are not understood the esoteric significance of service to Vaiṣṇava and Guru. Say, there's a person who's a billionaire. He has everything. But he has a little grandson. You give the grandson a lozenge which cost only 50 paisa. If that fils, fils.  then maybe that if the child is happy, the grandson is happy. That billionaire also become happy for 50 fils. But even you give him a gift. Even you give him a Mercedes Benz. He doesn't care. He's got all the things. So like that. If you please the devotee of the Lord is also pleased. And the devotee is very easily pleased.

So that's why it's recommended. If we want to approach the Lord, we need to approach through the devotee. Because of the blessing of a devotee, we can advance very quickly. Otherwise, for those who try to go directly without going through devotee it is a very tedious and difficult path.

 

 One day, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was.. he met one devotee, Śrīvast Pandit. And he started to ask Śrīvast Pandit, why do you worship your guru Nityānanda? Nityānanda is Avadhut. He acts in a funny way. Why do you worship him? It'll be bad for your image as a pundit. Better to avoid him. Sometimes he is dancing and jumping up and down in Kīrtana. Sometimes he's rolling in the ground in ecstasy. Very unusual personality. Better you keep away from him. Śrīvas said, I cannot give up Nityānanda Prabhu.

I have full respect and faith in him as a pure devotee of the lord. It doesn't bother me what he's doing. I know it's always in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, I am simply surrender to him. I don't know why you're asking me all these things. I think you are testing me. But I cannot give up Nityānanda Prabhu. I have full faith in him. Then because of the devotion of Śrīvas pandit. Lord Caitanya said your devotion for Guru has purchased me. Because you have so much devotion for your spiritual master. Now you have bought me. I belong to you. You can do with me whatever you want. If you want to take me to the bazaar, you can just sell me in the street. I'm yours. So much devotion has to the Guru that it can cause the lord to surrender to the devotee.

Because Guru is representative of Kṛṣṇa. If someone surrenders to Guru then Kṛṣṇa accepts the surrendering to me. But it's easier to surrender to Guru than to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. First of all, Guru is accessible. He is not so demanding. He's easily pleased. Someone is trying to serve Kṛṣṇa. He's very happy. So serving the devotee of the lord is the secret on how to get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. So if we worship Śiva and devatās as devotees of the Lord we get more mercy than if we worship them as being independent lords. And they're also more pleased to be worshipped as a devotee of the lord.

 

            I went to the Meenākshi temple in Madurai. And there, the beautiful deity of Meenākshi. I paid my obeisances and I offered prayers to her as Vaiṣṇavī, Nārāyaṇī, as energy of Lord Viṣṇu.

And prayed that I could have a devotion for Kṛṣṇa in this lifetime. Things like that. And immediately the garland around her neck, she had a very big garland. It fell down.

 

Devotees: Hari Bol!, Applauses,  played mridanga!

 

 Jayapatākā Swami: And many times these things have happened with me. I find that Śiva, Durgā, Gaṇapatī. They are the greatest devotees of the lord. If we pray to them as a devotee, they reciprocate. One devotee was a great devotee, Gaṇapati. He prayed to the devotee. This is not from Śāstra. This is recent history. What? Someone told me that he was praying to Gaṇesh. That I want to know who is absolute truth. Please reveal to me. And in his dream, Gaṇapati came. And he said, you want to know who is absolute truth? I'll show you. And he took his stomach and (shhhuuuuq…Sound) opened it in the dream.

And there was a beautiful deity of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

 

 

Devotees: Hari Bol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Radheshyamaki.

 

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapatākā Swami: So he worshiped them. Another devotee told me, went to the Kamakya temple in Assam, in Gowhati, prayed to Kamakya Devī for Bona fide guru. And then Kamakya came in a dream and revealed Śrīla Prabhupāda and some of his followers and said, take shelter of them. So many things I heard so many times. If you know anything, you can also tell me. But many true stories like this have happened, confirming what the scripture tells us. I mean, I don't need confirmation like that. But it's nice to hear when people approach the devatās for bhakti, for blessing, to know Kṛṣṇa, to know absolute truth, to find a bona fide guru, they get such blessing. But mostly everyone going,

 

Dhanam deya, pratistam deya, Śtrīyam Deya, pujyam deya… this, give me this, give me that.  I want the big house, a big car, I want so much good health, good wealth, good this, good everything shopping list we give. But if we go to them asking for the real important things of life, how to achieve eternal life, how to achieve the bona fide guru, they can also give such blessing very happily, because they are great devotees. They are greatest devotees. So the Gopīs, they would pray to Kātyani, but what do they pray for? Give me Kṛṣṇa as my husband. They didn't ask for anything material. Material things we get automatically. We don't have to ask for them. Kṛṣṇa knows what we need materially. But spiritual things we should ask for, because these don't come by karma. By karma you can get wealth, you can get health, and by bad karma you can get sick and have problems.

But to get spiritual wisdom, to get spiritual master, to get actually liberation from this material world and go back to the spiritual world, this does not come by any amount of karma. This has to come by your desire and by blessing of guru and Kṛṣṇa. So if you pray or do things to get the spiritual benefit, you can get it. And automatically the material things, they automatically straighten out in a natural way. So I apologize. I wanted to show the ISKCON interactive, but so many devotees were coming to see that everything got delayed. They're supposed to start at 5:30, so that at 6:30 we could show, or seven, we could show the interactive. But what I'll try to do is bring it back with me next time I come. And I, hopefully that time we'll have more time. I can show all of you.

I'll bring a faster computer which will be even more clear to see. Thank you very much. Thank Hare Kṛṣṇa.

 

Devotees:-

 

Jaya Srīla Ācārya pāda ki [Jaya!]

 

Patita pāvana srīla Ācārya pāda ki [Jaya!]

 

jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paRāmahaṁsa parivrājakācārya aṣṭottara-śata śrī śrīmad His Divine Grace Jayapatāka swami Srīla Ācaryapāda ki [Jaya!]

 

Gurudeva ki [Jaya!]

 

jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paRāmahaṁsa parivrājakācārya aṣṭottara-śata śrī śrīmad

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda kī! [Jaya!]

 

Srīla Prabhupāda ki [Jaya!]

ISKCON Founder-Ācharya Sila Prabhupāda ki [Jaya!]

 

Jagadguru Srīla prabhupāda ki [Jaya!]

Hare Kṛṣṇa

 

Jayapatāka Swami: (with the Bengali hearers) [….] here or there. Promised to speak for a few minutes. I live in Māyāpur which is in Bengal. So I know Bengali. I know also the Hindi. I'm learning Tamil. But Koncham Koncham, you know how… [End of recording (Part 2)].