20110906 Question and Answer Session

Following is a Question-and-Answer Session given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmi Mahārāja on September 06^th 2011, in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India. The Question-and-answer session was given with English and Bengali translation

Jayapātāka Swami:

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurum dīna-tāranam
paramānanda mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya īśvaraṁ

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

This verse tells us, we should not unnecessarily doubt the words of the śāstras. We should put our faith in the words of the śāstras. Just like how do we know who our father is? We have to take the word of our mother. She is the only one who knows; otherwise, it is not practical to test every man in the world to see who has the same D.N.A. So, we accept what our mother says. “This is your father.” And we accept that. Like that, śāstra is our mother, and guru is our father. So, we take śāstra, guru and sādhūs. So, in this way we place our faith. We have faith that we will be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you do not have faith in anything, this śloka says that we will have no existence in this life or in the life after this birth.

So, Lord Caitanya, He put His faith in the words of śāstra.

Jaya Gaurāṅga!

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

Nityānanda!

Devotees: Nityānanda!

Today is Caṁpakalatā’s appearance day, and she had her caṁpā orchard in Ṛtudvīpa, Navadvīpa-dhāma. She had so many caṁpā flowers, that from this day onwards it has become known as Caṁpāhāṭi. We go there and there is a Gaura-Gadādhara temple manifested there. So, Caṁpakalatā-sakhī, she would cultivate her caṁpā flowers here in Navadvīpa-dhāma.

I am a little late today because we had a meeting of all the co-directors. It was a internet meeting. His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Mahārāja was present. His Grace Praghosh prabhu was in UK and His Holiness Bhakti Puruṣottama and others were here in Māyāpur. So, now the co-directors are having regular meetings. We are watching.

Any questions?

Question: When chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if we think of Rādhā-Mādhava as Hare and Kṛṣṇa, and Balarāma as Hare Rāma, is that rasābhāsa?

-Hetal, Birmingham

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, Rāma could mean Balarāma or Rāmacandra or... there are three Rāmas – Paraśurāma... Paraśurāma! Or you could also think of Kṛṣṇa, because Lord Kṛṣṇa appears as all His avatāras.

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Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Gurumahārāja, please accept my humble obeisances. How can we please you?

—Your humble servant Vrajeśvara Mādhava dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Is he here? Well, if you help me to fulfil Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desires, and you help me with those services, then I will be very pleased. There could also be other ways. This question was asked to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He said, “He was happy when he saw his disciples advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” I got a message from a devotee in UK, that Rādhā-Londonīśvara on Rādhāṣṭamī day, had worn a dress of flowers, and the picture of the same was sent to me. I was very happy to receive.  Some things make me very happy.

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Question: Yesterday morning my śikṣā-guru, Śrīmad Gaura Govinda Maharājā was speaking about crookedness and simplicity. Guru Mahārāja could you please advise how to become free from crookedness and become simple in our heart, and simultaneously how to think of Kṛṣṇa always.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya has advised that we should keep the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakaṁ around our neck. And in that verse it says that if we follow (that verse), we can always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

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Question: Please accept my humble obeisances respected Guru Mahārāja. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Guru Mahārāja I live in Vṛndāvana, and the stock of Gaṅgā water can be limited. Can we use Yamunā water for Deity worship in such cases? 

—Your eternal servant, Ramyā Vṛṇdāvana Devī Dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: In Kṛṣṇa book it’s mentioned that previously the Yamunā was called the Ganges, and we know that the Yamunā is also sacred. In fact authorities say that it is a hundred times more purifying than the Ganges. So, I think you could use Yamunā for some things. I do not know if the... I know that the Ganges water is self-purifying. I don’t know if the Yamunā has that quality.

Last question.

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Question: I do not know if I have committed vaiṣṇava-aparādha, but I am feeling like maybe I have done it, because my mind is very bad. I am feeling really bad, I have no peace of mind. Even though I am chanting more rounds, still I am not able to pacify my mind. How can I get out of this situation?

-Tulasī Rāṇī Devī dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: We get impediments or difficulties from offenses and weeds. What has happened, one should investigate in oneself, and try to get the clarification. If one cannot figure out what offence has been committed, then one can consult other Vaiṣṇavas and get some advice from them. One time Rūpa Gosvāmī was laughing in ecstasy. Just at that time, unbeknown to Rūpa Gosvāmī, one devotee who was a cripple, he came by, and that devotee thought, “Ah… I never expected Rūpa Gosvāmī to laugh at me. Chi chi! (expression of disgust)” So, Rūpa Gosvāmī couldn’t understand who he had offended. He asked Sanātana Gosvāmī, and Sanātana said, “Invite everyone for a feast. And that person who does not come, he must feel offended.” So like that, one can somehow or other find out who they have offended.

So, there is some prasādam which I will try to give out, but we have to let the brahmacārīs go first. Those who want to go early they can leave, but we would try to serve the brahmacārīs first.

This side for men, and this side for ladies.