20210320 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.33

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.7.33:

tata āsādya tarasā
dāruṇaṁ gautamī-sutam
babandhāmarṣa-tāmrākṣaḥ
paśuṁ raśanayā yathā

Translation: Arjuna, his eyes blazing in anger like two red balls of copper, dexterously arrested the son of Gautamī and bound him with ropes like an animal.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Aśvatthāmā’s mother, Kṛpī, was born in the family of Gautama. The significant point in this śloka is that Aśvatthāmā was caught and bound up with ropes like an animal. According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, Arjuna was obliged to catch this son of a brāhmaṇa like an animal as a part of his duty (dharma). This suggestion by Śrīdhara Svāmī is also confirmed in the later statement of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Aśvatthāmā was a bona fide son of Droṇācārya and Kṛpī, but because he had degraded himself to a lower status of life, it was proper to treat him as an animal and not as a brāhmaṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Aśvatthāmā released his brahmāstra weapon. So Arjuna asked, “What is this heat I am feeling?” Then Lord Kṛṣṇa said that, “Aśvatthāmā, he has released the brahmāstra weapon but does not know how to withdraw it.” This way Arjuna released his brahmāstra weapon. So the two brahmāstras created so much heat that people in different planets thought it was mahā-pralaya. And then Arjuna brought back both the brahmāstras. And then he tied up Aśvatthāmā.

So this morning we heard Śrīla Prabhupāda’s quote. That we should always depend on Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is not the doctor, not the medicine, not the place. Ultimately, Kṛṣṇa and His decision. We had the medicine, we had the hospital, we were praying, but His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Mahārāja, he was taken from us. Maybe Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted him. Suddenly, Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana Prabhu left his body. He was one of the pioneers in Bangladesh. And he would give long lectures, beautiful kīrtanas. So, now we have over a hundred branches of ISKCON, Bangladesh. And we can give a lot of credit to Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana Prabhu that he was preaching unlimitedly. And last night, some devotee in South Africa said that he, Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana Prabhu had visited their house two times. I saw one kīrtana, I thought it looks like South Africa. So I went to ISKCON Durban on YouTube. Same temple! So that way I could understand that Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana Prabhu had gone to South Africa. And then last night, the South African devotee confirmed that. So, this way, we must depend on the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa. We don’t know how long we have to live.

And Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he had the benefit of knowing that he would live for seven days. We don’t know whether we will live for 7 hours, or 7 days, 7 months, or 7 years, or 70 years we don’t know. So Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana Prabhu was giving lecture, chanting, taking prasāda, and then he left. So now we are happy that he went back to Godhead but we are also sad because we will not have his association anymore. Being in this material world we are all born and we will all leave.

Aśvatthāmā was afraid that he would die at the hand of Arjuna. So everyone in this material world they are afraid of death. But death is afraid of Lord Narasiṁhadeva. So, by always taking shelter in Kṛṣṇa, then we are in a very safe situation. So, this Aśvattāmā he was a dvija-bandhu. He was the son of a brāhmaṇa. But he did not act like a brāhmaṇa. Because of that Arjuna now has tied him like an animal, because he was acting like an animal, worse than an animal! At the outset, he discharged the brahmāstra but did not know how to stop it. So brahmāstra is a type of nuclear weapon. Very, very dangerous. So, Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna you are expert in military science, you can use your brahmāstra. And you can neutralize Aśvatthāmā’s brahmāstra. This way, Arjuna always took the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

This year is the 125^th year of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s appearance. So this is a special opportunity for us that every temple should think what they can do to celebrate this 125th year. So this should be continued to the 150th year. Some of us may not live to see the 150th year. So this is a once in a lifetime chance. Those who missed the 100th year and we may not live up to the 150th years, this is the only chance they have. So they can visit www.tovp.org . So Vraja vilāsa Prabhu has given some options how devotees they can participate. Yesterday in our South India Divisional Advisory Council meeting Lokanātha Mahārāja was giving some ideas how to celebrate the 125^th year. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is more pleased when you serve His devotees.

Kṛṣṇa could have neutralized, or He could have stopped Aśvatthāmā’s brahmāstra. He did that only later when Aśvatthāmā released that against Parīkṣit Mahārāja. But He wished that Arjuna be glorified and if the devotee is glorified then that is the real glory. So like that He let Arjuna face the brahmāstra. So like that serving the devotee is more pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. So, this is the opportunity to glorify Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, this is a way to glorify Śrīla Prabhupāda. But for the karmīs, 100^th year, 125^th year, 150^th year has more significance. So it is a good time to get the Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers and other ministers, other celebrities, to do something or say something glorifying Śrīla Prabhupāda. We see that Kṛṣṇa is very pleased when His devotee is glorified. Lord Caitanya He could have spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. But He said, He would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness in India. He said, after 500 years His Senāpati-bhakta, His commander-in-chief would come and he would spread the holy name all over the world. Haribol! Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya! So, this is the most wonderful opportunity to glorify Śrīla Prabhupāda. So this is a good year to finish temples, to start temples. Now we can start different programs, different projects in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s name.

Anyway, Aśvatthāmā being born in a family of a devotee is a very great thing. We see that Śivānanda Sena, when his wife was pregnant, then Lord Caitanya said, “Oh, very good you are having a child, give him this name!” So in that way He was blessing the children. Later that child of Śivānanda Sena, he was Kavi Karṇapūra. And he was a very great devotee of Lord Caitanya. He wrote many many valuable literatures. And he established the Jagannātha temple in Maheśa. Like that, being born in a family of devotees is a very important thing. The Bhagavad-gītā says that those who don’t complete their work as a Vaiṣṇava, they take birth either in a rich mercantile family or in a family of a devotee. So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that children born of devotees are Vaikuṇṭha kids.

So anyway, Navadvīpa parikramā is going to Navadvīpa today and coming back here for breakfast.

If anyone has any question, they can write in the chat box. It is 9 O’clock, the Māyāpur devotees can go for breakfast, I will see the devotees in the Far East.

Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami: Kṛṣṇa saved Pāṇḍavas from brahmāstra, why did Kṛṣṇa not save their five children?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see if we question why did Kṛṣṇa do this or why did He do that? We don’t have the adhikāra, right. He knows so many things we may not know. You can say why all His devotees, His associates in the Yadu dynasty they killed each other. Because He wanted them to go back with Him. So why the sons of the Pāṇḍavas were killed, that we may not know. Just like why did Devakī’s six boys get killed? So then we found that they had committed offence against Lord Brahmā. But we saw Kṛṣṇa he took the breast milk of Devakī and they also took the breast milk of Devakī. So then he brought them back to Devakī and then they were sent back to the spiritual world. So, in some cases we may know or not know why Kṛṣṇa did something. Because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead He knows the past lives of everyone, He knows everything. That way, why Lord Kṛṣṇa does these kinds of pastimes, in certain manner that we may know or not know. But this is our faith that He is all powerful. So, we can ask why did He do that why did He do that. He doesn’t have to answer to us. He has to be answerable to us, there is no such thing. So He may reveal or may not reveal, it is up to Him. I hope that answers your question.

Nivedita & Līleśvara Govinda dāsa, Chattagram, Bangladesh: How to avoid laziness and be active in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said, prāṇa ache yāra sei hetu pracāra if you have life air, you must use it for preaching. So, as one advances in Kṛṣṇa consciousness naturally they like to do something. Just like if you want to go ahead in your studies, you read the books, you attend classes. So, if wew want to do something in our devotional service, we should not be lazy. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we should serve in such a way that Kṛṣṇa would like to see you. Like if somebody serves under the Prime Minister, government officials, they are given prizes from the government. If we do some significant work for the government, then the government gives some title. There are many questions. I have to answer quick.

Ramyā Subhāṅgada devī dāsī, Atlanta, USA: Some new people who are interested to become devotees engage in chanting of the holy name and other services, but they worship demigods also. How can we help them to focus just on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not perform demigod worship?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see we try to present that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the demigods are His devotees. So, we offer them kṛṣṇa-prasāda. That way, it is harmonious for their worship of Kṛṣṇa.

Sudevī Jayaśrī devī dāsī, Bhubaneshwar, India: If someone gets some opportunity to preaching but she has very little knowledge of scriptures and preaching, what should be her duty?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see the ultimate limit of knowledge, is she should preach. But she should not speculate. And if people ask her something more than she knows, then she should say that I am a new devotee, and some of these things I may not know, I will come to know and then I will tell you. That is how I was preaching in Canada. And in that way I learnt the philosophy very well.

Ratnabāhu dāsa, Ujjain: How can we develop a good relationship with devotees?

Jayapatākā Swami: We know that all the devotees, are all very dear to guru and Kṛṣṇa. Naturally when we know that they are dear to the Lord, then naturally we should have a good relationship with them.

Śrī, aspiring servant, Sydney Australia: How can I maintain consistency in my sādhana and not get setback in change from circumstances?

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is sending different circumstances, it is a good way to learn to adapt. We don’t want everything to be exactly the same so we can do devotional service. Then if there is some change then we get bewildered. So, we have to learn how to adapt to with our consistency to different time, place circumstances. So we see how advanced devotees, maintain their service attitude in every situation. This is Kali yuga there will always be some disturbance. There will be some problems in Kali yuga. But we should be determined to serve Kṛṣṇa. To serve the spiritual master.

It is already after 9.30 so we will visit some temples and proceed with home visits. And then if we are able to finish early, we will answer more questions up to 10 am IST.