20160724 Q&A Session

The following is a question and answer session given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaj on July 24^th, 2016 in Sridham Mayapur India.

Devotee :  Reading from Bhagavat Gita, chapter 2, text- 68.

tasmad yasya maha-baho

nigrhitani sarvasah

indriyanindriyarthebhyas

tasya prajña pratisthita

Translation:

Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivendata Swami Prabhupada:

One can curb the forces of sense gratification only by means of Krishna consciousness, or engaging all the senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As enemies are curbed by superior force, the senses can similarly be curbed, not by any human endeavor, but only by keeping them engaged in the service of the Lord. One who has understood this – that only by Krishna consciousness is one really established in intelligence and that one should practice this art under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master – is called a sadhaka, or a suitable candidate for liberation.

(Translation in Bengali )

JPS: So this verse tells us that we should control our senses, and this is not possible by ordinary means.

Like for example a child says I will not eat and keeps it’s mouth close shut.

JPS: How long the baby can keep it’s breath hold. So the system to control the senses is to engage the senses in the service of Hrisikesh.

Hrishikena Hrishikesha sevanam bhaktir uchyate.

Bhakti is called that by which the senses are engaged in the Lord of the senses, Hrishikesha’s service.

Alright the questions have come.

Question (translated in English from Bengali): Hare Krishna Gurumaharaj, what is Vaishnava aparadh and why does it happen? What is the way to be released from Vaisnava aparadh?

JPS: Offenses to Vaisnavas happen in three ways.

By mind, by words and by body.

Now it is important to give vaisnava’s respect.

Brighu muni tested Brahma, Visnu and Siva.

He wanted to know who was the most satwic or in the mode of goodness.

So he disrespted Brahma by his mind.

When Brahma comes in front of him, he should pay obeisances, speak nice word’s, he didn’t do any of these. So Brahma got a little bit angry and so he came to the conclusion that he had failed in the exam. Then he went to Mahesh.

He with his words spoke very rudely. He said you stay with ashes, you are very impure, he said many rude things, you stay in crematorium. Because of that Mahadev got a bit angry. So Brigu Muni thought that ok Shiv has also failed the exam. Then he went to Lord Visnu.

Bhru muni kicked Visnu on the chest but Visnu didn’t get upset. Lord Visnu said, “my chest is very hard, is your foot alright?”

Then He took Brgu Muni’s foot and messaged it. And because of this Lasmi Devi who stays in the chest of Lord Visnu, she cursed the brahmas, brahmanas will never have money, they will never become rich.

Now to get free from the offences you have to ask for forgiveness, and the offender at the lotus feet of whom he committed the offence will beg for forgiveness….

Gurumaharaj corrects (The one who has offended has to give the forgiveness)

If the offended person doesn’t give forgiveness then the offender has to take the dust from the feet of the devotee.

Next question:

Question : What is the core of the relationship between the guru and the disciple? Is it not only strict following of the gurus order or loving affection also must be there, how does it work, how to make our heart offer able to the guru’s lotus feet and at the same time not be so sentimental, how do we not destroy this valuable relationship and use our maximum ability to satisfy guru?

JPS: Pretty long question. How many weeks do you want to discuss?

Every guru is a person and every disciple is a person. Now some guru’s are very strict and some are very loving, caring but the guru cannot give something that is not in the scripture or by his guru.

Similarly the disciple, if the guru says something which is against the scripture, naturally the disciple cannot follow that, but the disciple considers that the guru must be doing something according to the scripture.

So Srila Prabhupada says that the disciple has every right to ask the guru where that is mentioned in the scripture.  That should be done in a very respectful way.

Srila Prabhupada said that the disciple should be like a slate. The guru will write on the slate.

So the heart of the disciple, the mind of the disciple is ready to take the instructions from the guru, but if some doubt comes up in the mind, then they may ask the guru. So that way they don’t become bhavuk or sentimentalist.

Hare Krishna.

Devotee: There is a question from Jnanivas Prabhu.

Question :Why did Chaitanya Mahaprbhu and Gadadhara worship the adhoksaja Visnu murti after the disappearance of Jagannath Mishra. Usually in ISKCON we encourage to worship Radha, Krishna and Gaur Nitai and give up worship of Laxmi-Narayan.

Transcription by: Sadananda Krishnaprem Das

Mayapur.