20200505 Zoom Session to Kumbhakonam Devotees

The following is an address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 5th,2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. The address was given to the Kumbakonam Devotees via zoom.

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

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Jayapatākā Swami: I am very happy to be present in Kumbhakonam. I have gone many times to Kumbhakonam, but this time I am coming by virtual Zoom. Otherwise, I would have had the prasāda of the Deity that doesn’t eat salt! I would see the Deity of Kṛṣṇa with a bow and arrow. Kumbhakonam has many temples. And also, I would stay in the house of Harilila das for some time. So Kumbhakonam is a very sacred place. Somehow, all the other places in Southern Tamil Nadu they said they did not know how to use Zoom. So Kumbhakonam gets the mercy! Using Zoom is not so difficult. So we have a password, a meeting code. Download the Zoom app and log into Zoom and be present.

So, now Tamil Nadu is in special lockdown. This time the lockdown 3.0 has identified red, orange and green zones. The Metros and certain places having high incidence of corona virus are identified as red. Some places with no incidence of corona virus are green. And orange in between these. Māyāpur is orange. I don’t know what Kumbhakonam is. You can send me some message on the Chat what zone you are.

Anyway the problem that we are suffering now in the pandemic because someone in China was eating some animals. COVID -19 virus is not a human virus, it comes from the animals. Although we devotees don’t eat animals, we are also subject to the suffering of the humanity because they eat animals. Recently, we have some alternative treatments which seem to be promising. If you know anyone who has the corona virus and wants to try this alternative treatment, we can give you the information. So, because there is no treatment and vaccine for the virus, so they are saying, don’t get it. If you get it, maybe the hospitals are overcrowded. They just try to keep you, allow as long as you can develop antibodies. Some people who are elderly or have some other health issues, they may be susceptible. They are saying those who are over 65 should stay at home. In Mumbai the Police are saying people over 53 should stay home. Anyway because the virus can stay alive on some hard surface up to three days. If you touch that, the virus is on your hand. If you scratch your face, you may get the virus. If you frequently wash your hands with soap and hot water, that may kill the virus. So someone who has a virus, and you are outside, they cough, then the virus can transmit up to two meters’ distance. Therefore, they say wear mask. And keep a distance from other people. That is known as social distancing. So that is the material disease.

But we have a spiritual disease. Birth, death, old age and disease. To solve that we need bhakti. We need to chant the holy name. To engage in devotional service. And tomorrow is Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī, we hope that you will be able to observe it in your house. In Māyāpur we are having abhiṣeka from 4 to 6 pm, more or less. And today we had the abhiṣeka of the Nṛsiṁha Deity with oils. In the Hari Bhakti Vilāsa they say if we chant the name of Nrsimhadeva : Śrī Nṛsiṁha jaya jaya! Śrī Nṛsiṁha jaya jaya! ŚRĪ NṚSIṀHA JAYA JAYA! ŚRĪ NṚSIṀHA JAYA JAYA! ŚRĪ NṚSIṀHA JAYA JAYA! ŚRĪ NṚSIṀHA JAYA JAYA! If you chant that 21 times, then by His mercy you can get free from suffering and disease.

Actually, Lord Caitanya is so merciful that He said He wanted to deliver anyone, no matter how sinful they are. But those who offend devotees, who criticize devotees, who blaspheme devotees, He does not deliver. We should avoid criticizing devotees. It is very dangerous. So, if we can chant the names of Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma,Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare! And engage our mind, words and activities in the service of Kṛṣṇa, this is the process of bhakti-yoga. And I would like to visit the devotees’ house and see their altars. To see how the husband and wife are working together to serve Kṛṣṇa. Actually, in some places I found that the husband and wife staying together for long periods during lockdown, their relationship was strained. Be very patient, be very loving, it is extraordinary time. Try to use the internet, use your phone to preach. In Trivandrum which is not very far from you, they advertised a Bhagavad-gītā course, in English. They did not expect much interest. But they found 500 people enrolled! 500! Such an interest! Because the people understand that the doctors, scientists, government, can only do so much! So they want to know the spiritual solution. Even the Supreme Court said the anxiety of COVID may kill more than the actual disease.

We know that this world is a duḥkhālayam, aśāśvatam. So it is a temporary world and a lot of suffering. Sometimes although suffering like this is helpful to get the people to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. In one of the Western countries, one youth said my dharma is partying! I may get corona virus. But I cannot stop the party! Crazy guy! But most people are a little bit sensible, they want to know what is the solution in spiritual life. So this is a good chance for you to preach. Devotees take some suffering as Kṛṣṇa’s mercy! If people are enjoying all the time, they think, oh! this world is not so bad! But they realize that life could end at any time. The pious people they want to know more about spiritual life. So we are sad to see people suffering. We are thankful to all the doctors and nurses and health workers that are taking all these risks. And you can help others to understand that we are eternal spirit souls and we never die. Sooner or later this body passes away. We never die. If we are God conscious we go back to Kṛṣṇa, if we are not, we take another birth. What birth we get depends on how we develop our consciousness.

Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that just like in a jungle there are many woods. They can be used for fire or furniture, for cooking. But sandalwood is not that kind of wood. It has great value. Should not be used for cooking rice! Or your idlis! Ha! The human form of life is very special. Like sandalwood is a very special wood. So we can in this human form, achieve God consciousness. Lord Caitanya came to see that all the people in the world would take up bhakti-yoga. He went to Śrīraṅgam, He went all around Tamil Nadu. He probably went to Kumbhakonam. So these are all blessed places. I will not talk too long. If you have any questions, I can answer a couple. After that I will visit your homes. Unmute your mikes and turn on your video so we can see you when we come to your home. Hare Kṛṣṇa!  Kumbhakonam is in red zone, that means fully locked down! Only you go to drug stores or hospitals at certain times. That means you are at home, locked.