20200527 Zoom Session with Gītā Course Devotees

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: Almost everyone has heard about the virus. Right? Today in our class we were reading about Lord Caitanya getting ready to take procession to the house of the Chand Kazi. This was such a beautiful description of this pastime and there were so many kīrtana groups organized. In front was Advaita Gosāñī. And another group was headed by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Another was Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. At the end came Lord Caitanya and to see His dance lakhs and lakhs of people had come. Seeing tears flowing from His eyes, shivering of His body, the aṣṭa-sāttvikā-bhāva, even the non-believers began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance. This was the effect of the procession. We have five or six parties for the Navadvīpa-maṇḍala parikramā. About 12 to 15 thousand people go. We think that is very good! But this is nothing compared to Lord Caitanya’s procession! How Lord Kṛṣṇa came in the combined form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And how Mahā-Viṣṇu came as Advaita Gosāñī and danced and how Brahmā came as Haridāsa Ṭhākura and danced. How Nārada Muni came as Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and danced. And along with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu were Nityānanda Prabhu and Gadādhara Prabhu. This was an amazing scene! Amazing! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Lakhs and lakhs of people were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and chanting Haribol! This beautiful pastime came to mind.

Anyway, at the present time we are in the lockdown situation. Watching the news on TV it maybe that the lockdown is extended by another two weeks. But taking this opportunity you should chant, read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. And you can try to preach the Harināma to others. In Chennai they organized an 18-day Bhagavad-gītā course for new people. They thought maybe about 100 people would sign in. But how many signed up – 9,000! 9,000! Imagine, how much people want to know about spirituality and hearing about Lord Kṛṣṇa and hearing about the glories of Bhagavad-gītā. These politicians fight amongst themselves. Doctors, scientists, Government, how much can they do? They are trying but not successful. Therefore, people want to know the spiritual way out of this. What is the meaning of spiritual life? Why are we living? We had broken many laws of nature, laws of God, that is why we are suffering. I was seeing that West Bengal is no. 1 in India. No. 1 in eating non-vegetarian food. 98 or 99% eat nonveg. But because you all read Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and do Harināma, you are saved to some extent. But we need to see that all the people chant the names of Kṛṣṇa, it is of utmost need.  So that people don’t eat animals.

This disease has come from the animals. And because we eat animals, and give the animals a lot of suffering, that is why this disease has come from the animals. But you are all devotees and hope that you all eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda. But because the humans have broken the laws of nature that is why this disease has come and even though we are vegetarians, we are also affected. But we wish that all eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda, read Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and perfect your lives.

The goal of human life is to serve the Lord. Because we do not serve Him that is why we are suffering. If all of us try to serve the Lord, then the Lord will be happy.

I will not speak more and bless all of you!