20200414 Zoom Session with Māyāpur Residence

The following is a zoom session given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 14th,2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. The zoom session was with the Bengali Māyāpur Residence.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Now I will speak in Bengali and hope all of you will understand. Happy Poila Baisak and wishes for a Happy New Year! I heard that it is the New year in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab and other states as well. Here in Māyāpur, I am addressing the brahmacārīs in Māyāpur and other devotees here in Māyāpur. Now Baisak month has started and there is lot of significance of this month in the scriptures. Candana Yātrā, Akṣaya Tritīyā, Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī and other festivals are in this month. The scriptures say that whatever devotional service we do in the month of Baisak we will get 100 times the benefit. Now doing the lockdown, what can we do? Ha! Anyway, during the lockdown, we can distribute books online. I heard that Nareśvara prabhu said that the International BBT trustee, will declare after a few days that after distribution of E-book and we get points for distribution of these books. It could be that the points will be more or less the same as when we distribute the regular books. Anyway, Bhīma prabhu said that BBT India, through an app called Transcend, the BBT E books can be procured. The Bhagavad-Gītā and smaller books can be got by paying Rs. 500. Now, 20 small books and with Bhagavad-Gītā is one set. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, one set is Rs. 1000 I believe. Now, these can be go through the computer and mobile phones and read. There is a device called Kindle. On this, E books can be read. Now, during the lockdown, I don’t know how Kindle can be procured I don’t know, but that is there. After the lockdown finishes, we can procure Kindle through Amazon, etc. Anyway, this Baisak month is a month wherein if we do devotional service to the Lord, we get special benefits.

Now, why is there a lockdown? This is because this corona virus, there is no treatment, no vaccine as yet. We don’t know how people can get cured of this disease. They are saying that the best thing is that we don’t contract the disease. That is why they are advising, stay at home and be safe. If you have to go out, for shopping, then wear mask and keep social distancing. When you come from outside, wash your hands and feet, not bring in outside footwear into the house. In Indian culture, generally people don’t do that. But foreigners, they wear outside footwear inside the house. If the footwear has that virus, then that will enter the house. Anyway, we have to be very careful. Make sure your homes are clean, so that the virus does not enter. One person, was living in Vraja. He came to Nagpur to see his wife and children. One day, he came to the Iskcon temple for darśana. Now, when he went back to Vṛndāvana, he was found to be positive for the corona virus. Then he underwent testing and treatment. When questioned, where did he go? He said I had gone to Nagpur, I had gone to Iskcon temple. Then all the devotees of the congregation were quarantined. They closed the temple and initially they did not even let the devotional service be done. Then now, after lot of requests, four pujārīs stay in the temple and do the service. But the devotees did not have any disease. The outside people were coming for darśana, and the devotees were accused of it. So we have to understand that we have to be very careful.

Anyway, today is Poila Baisak, and all the brahmacārīs got a sweet today! I gave Maha prasād laddoo! I hope all of you got it! And for my secretaries, HH Bhakti Vijay Bhagavat Mahārāja Goswami sent rosagollas! Ha! Ha! But I could not eat it! Anyway, today take up this opportunity to preach to any of your contacts, to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa! The Kali Santaraṇa Upaniṣad says, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Krsma Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. These 16 syllable mantra destroys all the kalmaṣa, the ill-effects of Kali. This present situation, of the pandemic of the corona virus is a Kali kalmaṣa. And that is why all the people if they chant Kṛṣṇa’s names, that will be really effective. Various leaders are saying, offer prayer to the Lord. But the most potent prayer is to chant the names of the Lord. When we pray to the Lord, we may say something more or less. But the name of the Lord is not material, there is no difference between the Lord and His name. Nārada Muni said, that if any one chants the name of the Lord in whatever way, that will still have fruit. Dasyu Ratnākar was advised by Nārada Muni to chant the name of Lord Hari. But he said, that he could not say anything spiritual. Then Narada muni told him, chant MARA MARA MARA. He said, yes, I can say that because I am used to that. MARA MARA MARA MARA! Saying that it became RĀMA RĀMA RĀMA RĀMA! This way after chanting the name of Rāma, this Dasyu became Vālmīkī. That way, if we chant the name of the Lord and do kīrtana, we will also be similarly purified. There are people from other faiths who do not want to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that whatever name is mentioned in their authorized scriptures, they can chant those names. Anyway, we know that 1000 names of Viṣṇu is equal to one name of Rāma. 3000 names of Viṣṇu is equal to one name of Kṛṣṇa. That way, name of Kṛṣṇa is very potent. The meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa, is that please o Lord engage me in Your service. I want to serve Kṛṣṇa. In the spiritual world, service is love and bhāva. But in the materialistic world, is like a business. If there is something I can get from you, you are my friend. If you do not assist, then you are not my friend. But Kṛṣṇa-prema is another world. There everyone wants to make Kṛṣṇa happy and Kṛṣṇa wants that His devotees stay happy always. This way, all are immersed in the bliss of chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name, serving Kṛṣṇa. This is the special mercy of Caitanyadeva. And the mercy of His associates. His Divine Grace Abhaycaraṇa Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda distributed this mercy of Caitanyadeva and Nityānanda Prabhu all over the world. And, he said that if one breaks the laws of nature, then nature will punish them appropriately. This is what is happening in the present time. This virus has come from the animal. Wuhan in China people used to eat bats, snakes, various types of animals. In Indonesia there is a bazar too. This was the disease has come from the animals to humans. Now those who eat non-veg get the disease but once it comes to humans it does not differentiate between vegetarians and non-vegetarians and infects all. But it has been seen the vegetarians are less affected. But it does infect. So if all were to be vegetarian and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, this pandemic will reduce. Anyway, we were saying that if the Prime Minister will announce, I have written a letter to him, but I don’t know whether he will do it or not. Any way, Lord Caitanya had said, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma. So we have to capitalize on this opportunity to spread the name and teachings of Lord Caitanya all over the world. In the present situation, there are many people now with an open mind. Because they see that even in the very big nations of the world they are helpless and there is no respite. In the USA over 5 lakh people have been affected. If all were to chant the name of the Lord and eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam then they will benefit.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!