20250125 Address to ISKCON Kolkata Bhakti-vṛkṣa Group

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

Jayapatākā Swami: Those who take shelter of the holy names of the Lord completely, they can get the special mercy of the Lord. And if we practice chanting the names of the Lord all their life, that will take them back to Kṛṣṇa! Now, there are different levels of devotional service to the Lord. Hearing the holy name of the Lord and doing kīrtana, some faith develops. And there is another level of getting the association of the devotees of the Lord. Then faith, association of the devotees of the Lord and then practice bhakti. Now when one is in this level, there is the possibility of taking initiation. After that the different unwanted habits get removed – the stage of anartha-nivṛitti, with practice. Then there is a very good level called niṣṭhā. And this way slowly lead up to prema-bhakti level. And the devotee with niṣṭhā gradually goes up to the stage of getting a taste, ruci. From ruci, come to the stage of āsakti, attachment. From this level, goes up closer to prema-bhakti! Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it took him twenty years to get to this level. If it took him that time, then how much time will it take us? But it is possible within this very lifetime! If we are determined and dedicated. A yogī takes many, many lifetimes to reach this stage. But for a devotee can achieve this in this lifetime if he is determined and dedicated and enthusiastic, maybe in twenty or thirty years. From the stage of āsakti, devotee comes to the level of bhāva. One gets ecstatic feeling of hairs standing on end, tears flowing down, rolling on the ground, called aṣṭa-sāttvika-bhāva. When devotees have more āsakti for the Lord, then from bhāva comes prema. We desire that in the Bhakti-vṛkṣa you do, you chant the names of the Lord and in the future come up to the level of kṛṣṇa-prema! Haribol!

How long are you all here? (Till day after)

Kṛṣṇa matir astu!