20200530 Zoom Session with Central Asia Bhakti-Vṛkṣa Leaders

20200530 Jayapatākā Swami Guru Maharaj, Addressing JSSS Zoom Session, Questions and Answers, from Śrī Māyāpur Dham, India.

 His Grace Mahāvarāha prabhu: Guru maharaj will speak a little on the personal instructions he received from Śrīla Prabhupāda and then go on to questions and answers.

 I offer my obeisance’s to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

So, everyone when they take initiation, as Śrīla Prabhupāda provided they take vows to follow the four principles and to chant 16 rounds. Also, there is one additional, thing. We ask the disciples to commit that they will help me, fulfill Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission, his instructions to me. Some are general instructions, that he gives to everyone, and some were specific to me. Like he told me, that I should see that 10 thousand big books and 100 thousand small books are distributed every month. So, who is helping me to do that? You can distribute books and tell me. The credit can go to your local temple, but if you are inspired by me, you can tell me that.

Like this, Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me to help to build the TOVP. And many of you are helping that. I should know that. I am personally Chairman of the West Wing, which is the aspect of the TOVP, that exhibits the planetarium. So, the exhibits and the planetarium is in the West Wing, and Ambarish prabhu is very kind. And he has said that any donations to the TOVP from my zone or my disciples, anywhere in the world, 50% will go to the West Wing. Unfortunately, in the western world, they don’t ascertain who is my disciple. Although Ambarish prabhu has said that 50% will go to the West Wing, we need to know who has given money or pledged to the TOVP from my disciples.

Similarly, there are many things, like developing the Gaura Mandal Bhūmi, developing Navadvīpa dham, developing Māyāpur, the congregational preaching, developing all over the world. Many devotees are helping me by doing many bhakti vṛkṣa and namahatta in different parts of the world. So, I am very appreciative of all your help. So, there is no shortage of sevā to be done.

One time, Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me, that you please expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness prachar, unlimitedly. So that is an unlimited instruction. And anything you do to help expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, help your temple, help expand the preaching in any way, I will appreciate. So, this is a short overview. There are at least like 50 instructions which I have been given, and you can help in anyone one or more than one. If you have any questions, I have been trying to increase the contact with the disciples, and we are having a team established in Māyāpur, to do care of the disciples, to see how they are doing in their spiritual life. And so, we have some program to help us keep track of all the information. Recently I have been able to, in this lockdown period to visit various disciples’ houses, virtually. Using Zoom and Facebook. So, like that we are trying to help all the disciples to stay enthused in their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you have any questions, then I will try to answer.

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thank you for this JSSSS program.

I saw that Braja Hari was online. We have some alternative treatments. I wanted to call him to see if those treatments have helped him. I have been having a doctor research alternative treatment for the corona virus, and he came up with eight alternatives. So, if anyone is interested in that, it can be used by you or your friends.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

 If you have any questions, you can find a chat box in the bottom.

 Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa guru maharaj, PAMRO. You have been meditating on the instructions of Śrīla Prabhupāda for so many years, and you are fulfilling the instructions from so many years. What keeps you going? What is your secret power? Your servant, Acyuta.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know if there is any secret power! I am inspired by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message. I feel indebted for all the service that he has done. For all the personal help he gave me. I asked him what should I do, because my father said I should leave immediately otherwise he would turn my name over to the American army and I would have to fight in the Vietnam war. He said I hope you die if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. He disowned me as a child.

So, I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should I do?

He said, better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army. So, I joined Kṛṣṇa’s army and I am still on duty! Ha

Haribol!

 These pastimes of Lord Caitanya, they are definitely very inspiring. How the Supreme Lord came down to the earth and did the saṅkīrtana yagna. How hundreds, and thousands and millions of people, you heard today, how the devas were showering flowers from the heavens. How the sound was penetrating the entire universe, how the Lord was dancing in bliss, and how devotees all over the universe, how they became inspired. And even the atheists that saw Lord Caitanya dancing in the kīrtana, immediately became transformed and started chanting and dancing.

This reminds me, I was in San Francisco preaching to a lady. She said I don’t believe in God. It is all bogus. And then in San Francisco there was an earthquake. The windows started shaking in the earthquake, and she cried out, God save me! God save me! One minute she is saying I don’t believe in God, and then when there was an earthquake, she was crying out, God save me! So, think that is just a little shake in the wall.

Lord Caitanya came on the earth with all His associates and expansions, and He was chanting and dancing. Then He sent Śrīla Prabhupāda, to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the rest of the world.

Śrīla Prabhupāda took so much trouble. He had no help.

We owe it to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

 Devotee: Guru maharaj. What devotees should learn from the current situation of corona virus and lockdown?

Bhupati Jagannath das.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda has said in the fourth canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, that people have broken the laws of nature. They have broken the laws of God. Therefore, they will be put into difficulties. We know that this corona virus comes from eating animals. People eat bats, snakes, wild animals, what to speak of chicken, pigs and cows. Now human beings are suffering because they have mistreated the animals. In some cities when they were locked down, there were birds and ducks walking down the street. They were very free. So, you should learn to be sensitive to nature and not exploit it. This is a good opportunity to preach.

In Chennai some disciple started a Bhagavad-gītā course for beginners, and they expected like a 100 people might join. But from all over the world people signed up and in the last report that I got, 9000 people participated! People are hungry, hungry for spiritual life. You have got the mercy of Lord Caitanya, don’t be a miser, give them Kṛṣṇa consciousness, help them to overcome this problem. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya said that He will deliver anyone no matter how fallen, how sinful they are, but He didn’t want to deliver those who blaspheme or criticize devotees. In the Purāṇas, in the Vedic literatures, they say that if you have some kind of disease for which there is no cure, chant the name of Hari. In other Purāṇas, it says, also by chanting the name of Nṛsiṁhadeva 21 times Śrī Nṛsiṁha Jaya Nṛsiṁha, Jaya Jaya Jaya Nṛsiṁha, one can be freed from various pestilences and bad karmas. So, this is an opportunity we have to encourage the people to chant the holy name,

 Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa gurudev. PAMHO. We are doing our daily sādhana and other services. But we when we get some free time our ears and eyes go behind something not related to Kṛṣṇa. How can we avoid it? Your servant, Vanamālī Nimāi das.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Our eyes, our ears, our mind should be focused on Kṛṣṇa conscious things. Our process of bhakti yoga is a positive process. We try to engage our eyes, our senses, our mind in the service of Kṛṣṇa. In this way we avoid other things, by using our senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Hrishikena Hrishikesha sevanaṁ bhaktir ucate. Bhakti is called that when we use our senses in the service of the Lord of the senses. If you have any free time, use it in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Now we have online opportunities, use Facebook, Skype, Zoom. Instead of using the social media for gossip, use it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don’t leave any spare time for māyā.

 Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa guru maharaj: PAMRO. What mood should I maintain in my bhakti life. I hurt devotees because of my anger. Trying to be a servant of the Lord and His devotees.  Veera Nārāyaṇa Rao from Hyderabad.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: We should not be angry at devotees. You can be angry if someone is offensive of guru or Kṛṣṇa or devotees, but we should not be ourselves angry against devotees. We should appreciate that devotees are very rare, and they are very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

 Devotee: Dear guru maharaj: What is actual meaning of most fallen? We say it every time but how can we use this mentality in personal life? Sometimes it is very difficult to stay in fallen mood. Your servant, Nārāyaṇa Sarkar.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: You see we are part of Kṛṣṇa, just like the hand is a part of our body. So, if the hand cooperates with the body, it is healthy. But if doesn’t cooperate, it is unhealthy. So, doing everything in the service of Kṛṣṇa, or we do it out of some material motive. So, if you are still on the platform of material motive, then you are fallen, and we want to become healthy. So, you can see yourself if you are always Kṛṣṇa conscious, or if sometimes like other people are asking questions, how sometimes you are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore, you think you are fallen. And if we think we are fallen, and if we approach the Lord humbly, there is more chance of getting His mercy.

Narottamadas Thakur who is actually not a fallen soul, he is a very advanced vaiṣṇava ācārya, but he prayed to the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu, have Your mercy on me, daya koro more. And then he said, you came down to deliver the fallen. Patita Pavana hetu tava avatāra. Mosama patita prabhu na pāibe aara. You will not find anyone as fallen as me, so I need Your mercy first. So, if you are not considering yourself fallen, then Lord Caitanya may not deliver you. He wants to deliver the fallen souls. I met a doctor, he said I only treat hopeless patients!

So, Lord Caitanya, He delivers the most fallen. So that is why it is healthy to consider oneself very fallen. I prayed to Śrīla Prabhupāda once, that I am the most fallen and then he stopped me. He said you are not the most anything!  So that kept me humble.

 Devotee: From Devakisuta das. Hare Kṛṣṇa, PAMHO Gurudev !  After many years of chanting and trying observing the four rules, but feeling that not advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What to do? From Dhaka, Bangladesh.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: You said that for many years you are following the four principles and chanting. That is the basic requirement. I am glad you are doing that. Chanting only takes 2 hours a day. What do you do for the other 22 hours? You should be giving as much energy as you can to Kṛṣṇa, and then Kṛṣṇa gives you more and more help, and then you feel more inspired.  So, in our desire to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should offer service more and more, more focus and more purity.

 Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa guru maharaj. PAMHO at your holy lotus feet.  Kindly let me know how can the mental offences be avoided. Your spiritual daughter, Sirisa Haripriya devī dāsī.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: My dear spiritual daughter, Sirisa Haripriya devī dāsī! At least in the kali yuga if you think of some sinful act, you don’t get the reaction, you have to do it. If you think enough about it, you may do it. In other yugas if you thought something sinful, you will get the reaction. But if you try to think of good things about people, you can be like Śrīla Prabhupāda said the fly goes through the sores, or you can be like the bee that goes through the honey. Try to see the good in others. and if you look for good you will find it. If you look for bad, certainly you can find it. Sometimes people see the moon and say, see the moon has a mark on its face. But the moon gives light to the whole world in the night. So, try and look for the good in others, and that way you can avoid the mental offences.

 Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa guru maharaj. If in case of critical situations in life, I am not confident that Kṛṣṇa will protect me. Feeling myself very insignificant and nothing, why Kṛṣṇa will come for me. How to gain confidence in Kṛṣṇa’s protection, guru maharaj? Trying to be your servant, Bālajī, Tirupati.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. He promises He will reciprocate with His devotees. Ye yathā mām prapadyante, tāṁs tataiva bhajamyaham - as you approach Him He will reciprocate with you. No one is insignificant.

Actually, in that sense we are all insignificant. We are all minute particles, but we are part of Kṛṣṇa, and He cares for all of us. If you surrender to Him and try to serve Him, he will definitely protect us.  He says name bhakta praṇaśyati. My devotee will never perish. So, sooner or later we will have to leave this world, but if you are in the service of Kṛṣṇa, he will definitely protect us. He will take us back to Him. That is his promise in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is what every śāstra says, and every authority says.

Why do you doubt that?

Kṛṣṇa explains that if we doubt, there is no hope. One can always doubt on something. So, we should not just doubt based on some speculation.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said we are pessimistic when it comes to material plans, but spiritually, we are very optimistic.

Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear guru maharaj: PAMRO. How can we know whether you are pleased by us when we do services like preaching as we are not personally reporting to you? Your insignificant spiritual daughter, Śyāmala Gopikā devī dāsī.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Because it is my request that you all preach, so if you all preach so naturally, I will be satisfied, and Kṛṣṇa is the witness. He sees that you are carrying out your guru’s order. So that way He will definitely bless you. But you can also send me a report, there is no harm. I get so many crazy letters! It will be nice to get a report on preaching! Ha! Ha!

 Devotee: Phaneswari mātājī. Guru maharaj. I am so fearful when you will not be here, how to control that fear?  I don’t want you to leave. PAMRO, Phaneswari Lakṣmī devī dāsī.

 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: My dear disciple, Phaneswari Lakṣmī devī dāsī. Isn’t she from the San Diego area? Like Śrīla Prabhupāda said that he will be looking for us, and he will be watching over. So, in the same way, I would be also caring for my disciples.

One time I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, I want to serve you, life after life. He said, why do you want to make me come back? I thought I had said the write thing. Then I said, I want to serve you, even life after life. If he wants me to go back to Kṛṣṇaloka that is his choice. We know that there is vapu sevā and there is vāṇī sevā. When the guru is personally present, you can serve him physically. But his instructions, those can be followed even after he goes.

So, while I am here, I hope you can take advantage and ask any questions you have, clear your doubts, so that after I leave, you will be very clear about what you have to do. I remember that Śrīla Prabhupāda was talking to one of his secretaries. He said when the guru is present, why are you unhappy. You can clear out any doubt, any question. I ORDER YOU TO BE HAPPY! What an order! Ha!

So Śrīla Prabhupāda was so kind. He ordered this devotee to be happy. So why worry about, what will happen after I leave. Rather think how will I get as much service opportunity as possible while gurudev is here. Alright!

 As you said we are trying to help the poor temples and poor gṛhasthas in Bangladesh. Also, we are trying to give help to the different Gauḍīya matts and temples in Navadvīpa. They are asking for some more help. Every day we distribute 5000 plates.

Normally I would be in Atlanta for the Panihati Festival, but now there are no international flights from India, and anyway my doctor said I should avoid travelling at this time. So, we are trying to have a Cida-dahi festival in Māyāpur, and we have about 5-6 thousand devotees who have been in lockdown, very patiently following. So, I thought it would be nice to give everyone a cida-dahi feast.

But unfortunately, in Māyāpur we are financially depending on the influx of pilgrims, and with the lockdown there are basically no pilgrims They said that from June 1 they will allow people to visit places of worship. Only 10 persons at a time. I don’t know if anybody will come, because they have stopped all boats to Māyāpur. Because in Navadvīpa, they have found some corona virus positives. Any way that is a future thing. But we are trying to help the different matts, the devotees, the people, the villagers.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Father and in a Kṛṣṇa temple, no one should go hungry within a ten-mile radius. Because in the presence of one’s father, a son or daughter will never go hungry. So, we are trying to fulfill that instruction. So, like that, I personally donated 5 lakhs of takas, from whatever guru dakshina I received through the Bangladesh yatra. Like that you can give to Bangladesh, give to Fund Divine, give to Māyāpur.com if you like. I know that many people are going through difficulty. We see that many people have lost their jobs. So, we don’t want to really press for donations. But since Śrīvallabha has brought up Bangladesh, Bangladesh is certainly one of the things on my mind, but I also have other things on my mind. We just went through the Amphan cyclone and our temple in Sagar island got hit by a storm 185 km per hour. So there the government is asking us to give out relief. So, we are asking them to give us some grains. Ha! Let us see what happens. But we are trying to help people, I have heard that this is a very difficult time.  In December there is a solar eclipse, and before that there are 3 lunar eclipses, that means very bad astrological influence. So, the devotees should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and stay happy. The world may go through lots of difficulties. But somehow, we hope we will survive this and you will use this advantage to preach and to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

 Thank you Sarvajaya Mādhava, Śrīvallabha and all those participating in this JSSS meeting. Thank you! My blessings to all!

Krsner matir astu!

Transcribed by: Jayaraseshwari dasi

30 May 2020

Proof reading Level 1 by Bhavatariniradhika devi dasi

31 May 2020