20220517 Question and Answer Session

Question: Why Lord Caitanya in the verses He was called a covered sannyāsī?

Jayapatākā Swami: He was actually God, He was not a sannyāsīs, He was Kṛṣṇa Himself playing the part of a sannyāsī and drank the whole pot of buttermilk. And the boy said where is my money? And then he could not lift the pot it was filled with gold and jewels, he ran after the sannyāsī and touched His lotus feet and got kṛṣṇa-prema! Haribol! How many of you want kṛṣṇa-prema?

Anusha Pasam, Vaiṣṇavī Forum, Hyderabad: I am trying to crack an India level exam to get admission to a top college for post-graduation so that I can earn, to serve Kṛṣṇa and I want to serve you Guru Mahārāja, helping you to fulfill Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions. With material education I can develop my father’s business and get income to serve better. It will take three years to complete my studies and I have to live in a hostel where onion and garlic are served. I want to take initiation. Should I wait for three years or take initiation after the first year as it will take one year for me to complete the requirements for initiation. I am confused, what is the best thing to do right now? Please guide me.

Jayapatākā Swami: Take the test, as soon as you are qualified take initiation, but avoid eating onion and garlic.

Maṅgalavatī Citrā devī dāsī: About reading books, if a devotee feels a bit trauma due to being convinced that his late dīkṣā-guru has cursed him, he feels that by reading the books, he is reminded about the curse. He is convinced that he has been cursed to go to hell by his guru because he did not act according to the preaching plans of his guru. How can he overcome this saṁskāra or impressions or conviction of being cursed and will go to hell?

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda is the guru of the gurus and he said to read all books. So by reading books, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he is not going to go to hell. Of course, the ninth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā helps one to avoid curses. And also, many of the Ekādasīs help one to get over a curse. One was I think Kuvera cursed a man to become a rākṣasa because he did some offence. So then he observed Ekādaśī or his wife observed the Ekādaśī and gave him the fruits and therefore he was freed from the curse.

Mādhava Kṛṣṇa dāsa: Is it mandatory for an initiated devotee in ISKCON to wear three rounds of kaṇṭhi-mālā or just one round is sufficient?

Jayapatākā Swami: Initiated devotees should wear minimum 2 or maximum 5, that is what I have heard.

Rasapriya Gopīka devī dāsī: The phalaśruti says that when we hear these pastimes we will be freed from distress. But I can see that I still am so much distressed. Is it because I am not hearing the pastimes with proper attitude and mood?

Jayapatākā Swami: Maybe you are not hearing, that is what I can say. You are thinking of your problems, not listening.

Question from Jayapatākā Swami Tamil Facebook page: When we see Bengali devotees, they are naturally attached to yourself, Gaurāṅga and easily performing a lot of devotional service very casually and consistently. Is it ever possible for us to have such a humble attitude, at the same time perform loving devotional service consistently?

Jayapatākā Swami: Why not?

Sravan Kumar Mondal [Bengali]: I want to preach and devotee care. How can I do that?

Jayapatākā Swami: He wants to do preaching and devotee care. So he can talk to the devotee care department and he wants to do preaching- he can talk to His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami or he can do Nāmahaṭṭa preaching or Bhakti-vṛkṣa or Gītā course, saṅkīrtana, campus preaching. So there are many opportunities to preach.

Alright!