20210911 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.11.11-12

The following is a Morning class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on September 11th, 2021 in Sri Dhama Mayapur, India.

The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.11.11-12.

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

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

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

Jayapatākā Swami: Here we see how Dvaraka was so nicely designed with flower gardens, fruit orchards and it was a very beautiful, natural facility. Here we see how Dvaraka was so nicely designed with flower gardens, fruit orchards and it was a very beautiful, natural facility. So this is how our city in Mayapur should be designed. But people are building large guest houses and buildings. But we don’t see gardens, etc. That is why with every home, there should be a garden. So it seems that the residents of Dvaraka, they were anxious to see Lord Krsna. Although they had a beautiful city and had all facilities, but they were all anxious to see Krsna. And when He came, they offered Him reception and gifts. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave the example how if offers a lamp to the sun. When we worship the Ganges, we take Ganges water and offer it back to the Ganges. So whatever the Dvaraka have, it is due to the mercy of Krsna. But still they were offering gifts to Krsna to show their love. They were anxious to see the smile of Krsna. In this way, Lord Krsna blew His conch shell to announce His arrival. So the people in Dvaraka without Krsna were really morose. When He came it was like new life was breathed into them. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he spent significant time describing the beauty of Dvaraka. Śrīla Prabhupāda described how there were flower gardens and fruit trees there. We see that modern PWD roads, they have kind of useless trees. These trees are only good for fuel. There are no fruits, no flowers in those trees. Here the trees are all jungle trees. But in Dvaraka there were flowers, fruits, beautiful trees. So the environment was very pleasing. But more than anything, the people loved Krsna. So, these people definitely have the chance to go back to Godhead.

So, I was riding with Śrīla Prabhupāda. On the Barrackpore trunk road. And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in his childhood, there were at least jute factories or jute mills. Nowadays, the place is full of different factories where they repair the wheels of trucks that are on the road. So how the people come from the country come to the city to work in the factory. And the situation in the city is staying in a slum type area. Since the situation is very polluted, they take intoxication, and they gamble and do many other things. So in this way, in the country they had a very good atmosphere and surroundings, but the cities are very much polluted. So I was talking to one Bangladeshi in Atlanta, USA. He was describing that when I was in Bangladesh I had a pond, I had trees in my house, and over here, if something happens nobody cares, but there everybody was friendly. So, although he had more money, but money was not everything. So, we see that giving the people possibility of going to the spiritual world, of going back home to Godhead, this is the real purpose of human life. So, we hope that all the people would get this opportunity of going back home back to Godhead.

For Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Vyasa Puja, I saw a beautiful skit staged by the devotees of Chennai. This program was completely staged by the devotees of bhakti vrksa. So they were having a drama where Yamaraja was on the stage along with two of the Yamadutas. The Yamadutas were complaining. This Bhaktivedanta, by his preaching, everyone is chanting Hare Krsna, we cannot take them to hell! Another Yamaduta said, these people have temples in their homes and deities in their homes. They are having Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam set. So we better get a new job, because if everyone is like this, we don’t have anyone to take. So we want that no one be taken by the Yamudatas. And everyone worships Krsna in their house and chants Hare Krsna. There was another drama by little children. And one little girl she brought a Jagannatha Deity. She was playing the part of Malati devi. And Śrīla Prabhupāda, the child playing Śrīla Prabhupāda, he offered paid obeisances to Lord Jagannatha. This is Krsna! This is Krsna! Is there another white one or yellow one – two Deities are there? Malati said yes! Bring them. And then she brought Subhadra and Baladeva. So in this way, Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, They came by Themselves to our temple! Actually Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, They are in Nilacala, They are not different from Krsna in Dvaraka. And once He has ratha yatra, they go back to Vrndavana. Śrīla Prabhupāda told us that in Calcutta ratha yatra, we should have Radha and Krsna where They go. So therefore they have Radha Krsna Deities.

So now we are reading the portion where Lord Caitanya is visiting Vrndavana. He is being taken to the twelve forests by the Sanodiya brahmana, Krsnadasa. So, in each of the forests, different pastimes of Krsna are heard. Hearing these pastimes, Lord Caitanya became ecstatic with emotions, and sometimes in love of Krsna, He would cry and sometimes He would faint. Human life is meant to awaken this dormant love for Krsna. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Adi-lila, 7th chapter it mentions that the Panca-tattva, They were so happy when They saw everyone was flooded with love of Krsna. Because of the flood the seeds of fruitive activity were not sprouting. They were feeling parama ulhasa to see everybody chanting and dancing in love of Krsna. Let everybody, whether he is a grhasta, or a renunciant, let everyone chant the holy name of the Lord and become immersed in love of Krsna. So, we see that the residents in Dvaraka, they have this mood of love for Krsna. And we see that the residents of Mathura, residents of Vrndavana, they also had the mood of love for Krsna. There were 24 ghatas in Mathura. Lord Caitanya bathed in every ghata. Krsnadasa showed, this was the house of Kubja, this was the house of the washer woman, this was the house of the cloth merchant. Lord Caitanya was so ecstatic, just to hear of the pastimes of Krsna! So then he said, this is the Setubandha pukur. And Krsna said, I am Raghunatha, I am Rama! But Srimati Radharani said that, no, You are a cowherd boy. If You are Rama, then You make the stones float in this lake and You build a bridge here. So the gopis, the assistants of Radharani, they said we will bring the rocks, You make them float. Krsna said, no problem, I will do it. So they brought the rocks and Krsna made the setu, with rocks floating on the water. So Radharani was gently smiling. This way, all the pastimes were seen in Vrndavana. And hearing these, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in intense, great bliss. So, this pastime was going on in Vrndavana. Mathura, Vrndavana, Dvaraka.

So we can develop this love of Krsna, then very easily we can go back to the spiritual world.

We can very easily go back to Goloka, to Vaikuntha. Any questions?

Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Swami: Hare Krsna! Very enlightening class. There is Yamaduta, drama, how Jagannatha came Himself to our temple, and Mahaprabhu’s Vrndavana visit. Many devotees, they asked me how to celebrate Radhastami, because Srila Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura said radha bhajane Jodi rati nahi hela, Krsna Bhajana akarana gela – so if you please Krsna, you please Radharani. So please guide us how devotees in their homes, somebody has Deities, somebody has only photos, how to celebrate Radhastami and please Radharani and Krsna and get love of Krsna easily?

Jayapataka Swami: If you have a Deity of Radharani, then you can perform Radha Krsna abhisheka. If you have a photo, you can pour water in front of the photo. You can read Krsna Book, chapters where Radharani is in love of Krsna.

HH Bhakti Vijaya Bhagavata Maharaja: What prasada should we accept – anukalpa or grain? Many devotees are also asking.

Jayapataka Swami: Anna prasada. We asked Śrīla Prabhupāda for Krsna we have to fast till midnight and have anukalpa. Why for Radharani only fast till noon and have grain? He said, Radharani is more merciful. Haribol! Haribol! Jaya Radhe!

Bengali: Pankaja Carana dasa, Noakali, Bangladesh: Sometimes when devotees are under the guidance of some counsellor and the counsellor reprimands or gives some punishment to those who are under him, and sometimes it happens that those devotees who are under the counsellor, they revolt against the counsellor and they make a revolution. So in such case, what should be the mentality of the devotees who are under a counsellor?

Jayapataka Swami: Do you remember the story how Daksa had committed offences against Lord Siva? There in the purport it is explained that in this way getting punished, the punishment was beneficial for him. Otherwise, he would have committed the same mistake again and again. Of course, Lord Siva was so powerful that He could bring him back to life. So I don’t know what shasti, punishment given by the counsellor. Wonder whether it was appropriate or not? But assuming it was appropriate, the person should be grateful. Maybe if we can ask to explain our mistake, if we don’t understand why we are being punished. One more question.

Bhakta Dhruva, aspiring disciple: Balaramadesh: If we commit sinful activities in the dhama, will it be automatically erased because we are in the dhama? I mean, by the potency of the dhama?

Jayapataka Swami: You see if you commit some sinful act on the strength of being in the dhama, that is an offence. Just like the seventh offence of the holy name – committing offence on the strength of chanting the holy name. But if just accidentally we commit some sin, then by doing some devotional service, then it could be wiped out.