20240712 Evening Ratha-yātrā Lecture and QA

The following is a talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 12th,2024 in Kolkata, India. The talk was given at the ISKCON Sri Jagannatha Ratha-yātrā Pandal in Kolkata, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam 
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Jayapatākā Swami: Today there were many meetings, etc. so got a bit delayed.

Śrīla Prabhupāda personally established 108 temples. And he said that after I leave all the temples should stay. If you can increase the number of temples, that is good. But he said, at least make sure that whatever I have established, that is preserved. He said that often after the departure of some charismatic leader or guru, their disciples sell his property etc. and make a living. Śrīla Prabhupāda did not want this. He wanted that there should be more advancement. At least, whatever is there that should be preserved. Now ISKCON has about 800 to 1000 branches. This has been possible only by the causeless mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Now, the devotees who are followers of Śrīla Prabhupāda, who will stay in ISKCON, will have many responsibilities. That they should protect all these temples and also expand them. So yesterday I saw that during the ārati everyone was doing Harināma and dancing. Lord Caitanya had instructed that everyone should chant the names of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Like it is mentioned in various scriptures:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(Cc.Ādi 17.21) 

There is no other way than chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This way if everyone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then their lives will be perfect. I hope that all of you will try to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa all the time.

In the Kali-śantaraṇa Upaniṣad it is stated:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare 

iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ
kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanaṁ
nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ
sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate

So it is there in various scriptures that in Satya-yuga it was meditation, in the Tretā-yuga it was fire sacrifice, in the Dvāpara-yuga it was deity worship and in Kali-yuga Harināma.

So, we tell others to chant Harināma but still, they do not chant. They give various excuses like we don’t have time, etc etc. Actually, it is not difficult to chant Harināma. That is why everyone can chant Harināma. As Lord Caitanya is so merciful, Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted to have a special temple for Him in Māyāpur. But His internal intention was to establish the chanting of Harināma, that was His special motive.

Lord Caitanya lived for 24 years in Māyāpur. Then He took sannyāsa and went to Nīlācala. When He was in Māyāpur, then He traveled around Eastern India. When He was in Utkala, He traveled around South India and also went to Central India. Then He went through the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest to Vṛndāvana. From Vṛndāvana He came [audio break] ? When there was Ratha-yātrā, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to chant, “Jaya Jagannātha!” (Devotees: Jaya Jagannātha!) But Lord Caitanya was so overwhelmed with bhāva that the words, “Ja ga ma ma, ja ga ma ma” only came out of His mouth!

? (A-side: What time is it? 9.13 pm.) After two minutes I will start answering questions. If someone wants to ask questions, write either in English or Bengali and I will answer. ? Two minutes more to go.

By the order of Śrīla Prabhupāda, here in front of our Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā Deities, there is Rādhā Govinda. This being Guṇḍicā Mandir, Rādhā Govinda are here. When you go to take darśana of the Jagannātha Deities, you can request the pūjārī that we also wish to take darśana of the Rādhā Govinda Deities.

There are many pastimes associated with this Ratha-yātrā. First, you all pull the ratha one way and then there is Ulṭā-ratha, pulling the ratha in the opposite direction. And then for one week, there are many pastimes. Guṇḍicā Mandir is established here.

Now, they told me there are some questions.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, how can I be enthusiastic like you? When we have so many challenges, we tend to succumb to challenges, but your spirit never dies!

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked me what I have that has been given by Śrīla Prabhupāda. In Māyāpur, we want to have a special exhibition where all things that belong to Śrīla Prabhupāda will be displayed. One day, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a ring, but it is not there now. So, I said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, what he has given me is mercy! Now how can we keep that in the exhibition!

If you get guru and Gaurāṅga’s mercy, definitely you will be enthusiastic.

What other questions are there?

Question (By a 9-year-old boy): Where do people go after death?

Jayapatākā Swami: We have to firstly understand what is human life. In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa says that this body is yantrā rūḍhāni māyayā (Bg. 18.61), the body is a machine made of material nature.

The people who are here or outside, why are they so beautiful? They have a soul, that is why. If the soul is in the body, the human has consciousness, thought, and brightness. Now, when the soul leaves the body, we say the person has died.

Śrīla Prabhupāda went to Haridaspur. And in Haridaspur he told the villagers, think your grandfather or any grandfather in the village died. And if you see, the grandfather, he has his clothes, hands, legs, hair, etc. everything. But what is not there? Everyone is crying, “My father, my grandfather has gone!” Who has gone? Actually, the soul has gone.

The question is where do they go? When the ātmā goes away, it could go to Yamarāja. The soul then enters another body. The soul never dies. The body dies. The body lives only with the presence of the soul in the body.

What is the time? 9.25 pm. One more question.

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, when we are serving in devotee association, especially with different leaders, there is lots of disunity, misunderstanding, etc. Guru Mahārāja, how can we respect each other and serve lovingly?

—Your servant, Mahādhāma Vṛndāvana dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya wrote the Śikṣāṣṭaka. The third verse is that we should be humble and tolerant like grass. Glorify the good qualities in other devotees and do not expect any praise for yourself. In this way, you will be able to chant the holy name all the time.

What is the time? 9.27 pm. Last question.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja!

Guru Mahārāja: Hare Kṛṣṇa. 

Question: Please accept my humble and respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet.

Guru Mahārāja: Haribol!

Question: My friend has a pet dog and she is quite attached to it. And cannot progress in devotional service. How to help her?

Jayapatākā Swami: In America a very rich lady had a pet cat. And the lady gave forty million dollars to the cat. And when the cat dies, then the money would be managed by her lawyers and given to different charities. If one is too attached to a pet dog or cat, then it is possible that in their next life, the soul will accept the body of a dog or cat or an animal. Therefore, it is better to have more attachment for Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So if one is too attached to a pet dog or cat or any animal, this danger is there.