20201012 Question and Answer session

The following is a question and answer session given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on October 12th 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India.

Question: Hare Krsna Guru Mahārāja. It is said that at the time of death, one experiences as much as the bit of forty thousand scorpions. Do devotees also face the same pain?

Your daughter,
Svarṇa Gopīkā devī dāsī,
Dāmodaradeśa.

Jayapatākā Swami: One day I went to the dentist’s office. The dentist said the greatest pain is dying, giving childbirth, the stone in the kidney and dental office. So welcome to your dentist’s office. But apparently the devotees can leave this world very happily, because for them they are going home back to Godhead. We heard that His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami left with a smile on his face. Haribol!

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Question: Why some initiated devotees are still having hatred on some people, even after practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness for more than 25 year? Where has all the śravaṇam and kīrtanam gone? How to come out of this icchā dveśa platform? Are we missing something in our sādhana? 

Your humble disciple,
Keśava Gaura dāsa,
Bengaluru.

Jayapatākā Swami: I only see the good qualities in other. I don’t see whether they have this hatred to others, but if they do even, we should forget that. Anyway, someone may be performing śravaṇam and kīrtanam with offenses, and the result will be very limited. So, we should be try to perform offenseless chanting. That is why at the time of taking initiation, we discuss the ten offences. But periodically, we should remind ourselves to remember to avoid these offences.

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Question: I have a humble clarification. From tomorrow the Pañcarāti-vratā is recommended to follow during this Puruṣottama month. Could you please elaborate on this? How to follow this?

Your son,
Cidānanda Nimāi dāsa,
Bengaluru.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we know that in the Bhīṣma-Pañcaka, there are three fasts recommended. That one can do the pañca-gavya, or second, fruits and roots or, third is the haviśyanna. Which included fruits and roots and some milk products and some grains. But I was reading that tomorrow is the Parama Ekādaśī. And that starting from the evening we should chant and dance the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in ecstasy, and if possible, stay awake the whole night, chanting. But at least we all could chant in the evening. And as far as the five day fast after Ekādaśī, it says fast up to your capacity. Maybe you can give up something during the five days. Don’t do something which would impede your service completely. I was asked about how to break the fast of the Puruṣottama month. I read in the śāstra that we should break the fast on the 14th day, so I will post the details. 

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Question: I am in a dilemma Guru Mahārāja! You are giving this nectarean class on Caitanya-līlā and I transcribe it and hear it and cannot miss it. At the same time, the Navadvīpa-maṇḍala -parikramā is going on, and even though I keep that on my i-Pad, not able to relish that as much, the timings are so clashing. I don’t know, am I committing any offences doing this?

Your insignificant spiritual daughter,
Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: My class is more or less consistent, around 7pm. Today I was a little late because of the East India Divisional Council (EIDC) meeting. But I don’t know exactly why the Navadvīpa virtual parikramā is organized at the same time. But I also pre-recorded a message for each day of the parikramā. So whichever one you like, you attend. This class is also recorded. You can download it later.