20230506 Question and Answer Session

The following is a Q&A session answered by His Holiness on the 6th of May at Dallas, USA.

Any questions? 

Question: We see here Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was feeling lot of separation from the Lord. I also feel lot of separation from you. Before in Zoom you used to ask devotees to be spotlighted and give blessings. Now we are not having that, I am missing that a lot Guru Mahārāja, please can you start doing that again?

Jayapatākā Swami: You want me to make home visits? You have to talk with Mahā Varāha Prabhu. He may allow one day to visit all the homes, but I don’t know, it may not be possible. But what is the – you are seeing me here?

Question: How we see in this pastime while Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has all these mahā-bhāva ecstasies, when we talk about this or discuss with the devotees, sometimes they question that, how is it possible, it is unbelievable! We do have faith, but how to explain to them that it really happened? Or how to make them trust like whatever the words are here, they all are so true?

Jayapatākā Swami: That is why Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is saying that the common men, they not believe. But Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and others have seen that, so Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja says, I accept it, I believe it! I BELIEVE! These are things that we just have to believe. If people don’t believe it, maybe, there are other things that Lord Caitanya did, which are believable, and mentioned in the śāstra, but that I witnessed and saw these uncommon transformations of Lord Caitanya, His body. So the author accepts, if you want to accept or not that is your free will. He gives his reason why he accepts. We know one thing that Lord Caitanya was uncommon. Haribol! Haribol! Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kī jaya!

Question: To what extent does your karma change when you are under the shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Or does it not change?

Jayapatākā Swami: The spiritual master has to accept your karma and Lord Caitanya’s mercy is such that past karma can be mitigated. And how He wants to do that is up to Him. But after you have taken initiation, if you are again breaking the principles or do illicit activities, then you are responsible for that. Guru is also responsible. So one should cease to do any sinful activities after taking initiation. And if one suffers, we take it that Kṛṣṇa is directly giving mercy, so that we can directly experience how the material world is a place of suffering.

Dr. Vinaya Gauracandra dāsa: Yesterday we saw while you were reading the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you were experiencing extreme such separation even while reading, from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Kṛṣṇa. We could tell from just what was going on. In addition to that you were experiencing extreme physical pain and today in the medical meeting you mentioned that you are missing Gaura, Kṛṣṇa and that you are also missing Śrīla Prabhupāda. How are you able to handle such seeming diametric feelings, all at once?

Jayapatākā Swami: Just like when the lady climbed on Lord Caitanya’s shoulder holding the Garuḍa-stambha, then Lord Caitanya said that Lord Jagannātha has not blessed Me with such eagerness. So, He was praying that this lady would give Him blessing so He would have so much eagerness to see the Lord. I don’t have so much intense separation, that I am surviving is due to my lack of intense love for Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa! I will try to take lunch early and come for my evening class earlier so that everybody can take rest early! Hare Kṛṣṇa!