20231108 Question and Answer Session

The following is a Question & Answer Session given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 8th, 2023 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

Question: I am not able to feel genuine connection with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. My question is how can one develop genuine connection with Mahāprabhu? How can develop a natural inclination to hear about the pastimes of Lord Gaurahari and take pleasure in hearing and reading about Him? Mahārāja, I humbly beg for your blessings so that I can build loving devotional relationship with Lord Mahāprabhu?

Your servant, Mathurā Maṇḍala dāsa. 

Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are the most esoteric. So just like we have the Bhakti-śāstrī, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedānta – these are all Gītā and Bhāgavata. Then we have the Vaiṣṇava-Sārvabhauma which is Lord Caitanya. Actually, Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are the most esoteric. But we can also appreciate the first pastimes of Lord Caitanya. So He starts out chanting and assuming different roles and then at the end of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta He is experiencing ecstasy. It takes time to understand Lord Caitanya. It is very difficult, and one should understand Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā and then they can understand Lord Caitanya. 

Question: In the sādhaka state at least philosophically we understand that the gift Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving is very precious viz. mādhurya-bhakti. But when we hear about the affairs between Lord Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, we cannot relish that, rather we tend to be disturbed by lusty thoughts. In such condition if we still desire to obtain mādhurya-bhakti, is our desire valid? And how can we come to the platform where we can relish those pastimes?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if we get agitated by hearing the esoteric pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa or Lord Caitanya, then one should not read, you are not ready yet. But eventually you will be ready and then you can appreciate Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Initially you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and taste the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and that way you can taste Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.