Question: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yoga system. What kind of service can we be engaged in where we can present our philosophy very scientifically to the inquisitive?
Author: Sumitra Gauracandra Dāsa
Date: 2022-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: The TOVP, the Temple of Vedic Planetarium is trying to destroy the false
understanding or wrong understanding about the universe and things like this
and therefore they are trying to establish the proper science as per the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Vedas.
Now if you wish you could get in touch with the Bhaktivedanta Institute or you can also contact the TOVP
and be engaged in this service as they are doing the same activity.
Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Other philosophies / Western Science / Western Philosophy], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Related Questions
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!
Chant! Hear! First thing is hear! Second thing is chant!
When you go to the Deities, everyone is praying, oh Kṛṣṇa, give me a good car, give me a good thing, this and that.
But if you pray to Kṛṣṇa, I am very insignificant I surrender to You.
Please engage me in Your service!
If you need something always connect it with Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So the man may be praying please give me a wife who is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
The woman is asking please give me a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband.
If you are going to ask anything material it should be connected to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He visited many householders. When someone said, I want to leave my house and want to join You,
He said, don’t leave your family, don’t leave your children, don’t become a monkey vairāgī.
And just stay here and whoever meet tell them the message of Kṛṣṇa.
It is a very personal question. When one gets old they can discuss with the guru, with the wife what to do.
Generally, Lord Caitanya said one should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, don’t have to change.
Just like we see some of the gṛhasthas having Bhakti-vṛkṣa in their house, or they are doing Nāmahaṭṭa, they are preaching.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that his guru had sent sannyāsīs to England.
But they came back, they were not successful.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said he had sent three gṛhastha couples and they were successful!
Questioner: Bhaktin Pūjā
Date: 2022-09-30
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this material world is like a prison house.
And if you serve Kṛṣṇa, you get out of this prison.
If you serve guru and Kṛṣṇa, you will be free!
Do you think that the jail keeper will let you go so easy?!
She tests you first to see that you are really sincere.
And when you pass the test, she will offer you her obeisances.
Thank you, you can go back to Godhead!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Keyā Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī said in the Upadeśāmṛta
that one should live in a holy place,
so that could be in a dhāma or in a nearby temple.
So, that kind of desire is authorized.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Keyā Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī said in the Upadeśāmṛta
that one should live in a holy place,
so that could be in a dhāma or in a nearby temple.
So, that kind of desire is authorized.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
An initiated neophyte has vowed to follow the regulative principles, chant daily 16 rounds and to help you and help Śrīla Prabhupāda in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all around the world. Say, such a neophyte has broken this vow in an attempt to meet the demands of his competitive world due to his past bad karma, how can such a person be attractive and inspiring to the common man plus come back to the spiritual life and resume to his guru’s pleasure?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that is why taking first initiation
it is described as taking a new birth.
Naturally when you are taking birth as a baby,
a toddler,
you may fall down a few times.
Then gradually you learn to walk.
So at your first initiation
it is expected that
there may be a few mistakes.
And one should pick up and continue to practice,
in this way they can progress.
When one takes the second initiation,
they should be more considered like 9 or 12 years old.
If at that time they are sleeping in the lap of the mother
and passing stool or something,
then something is wrong!
A little baby it is expected.
But not in a 9 or 12-year-old boy!
Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The system is that we want new people, to send them with some old people to do some preaching.
The old people you send out to do some preaching for cultivation.
And then gradually we make someone an intern, then the trainee leader is made,
then a leader.
Like that.
So, the normal way is that each saṅga divides into two.
But now some of the saṅgas, they have a system where they divide into two or three or four.
And we want people to train up to do some cultivation
and thus they can see how they can preach.
Vaiśeṣika Prabhu, he has congregational devotees, once a month, distribute books.
He has them set up a table by some shop,
where they have permission from the shop
and once a month, they distribute books.
That is one way they can use for preaching.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya advised that we should do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do as an offering to Kṛṣṇa.
So, ideally the wife can marry a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Just by assisting him,
she is also directly doing devotional service.
If she is not so fortunate to have a devotee,
she can also try to bring up her children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
She can offer bhoga to the Deities
and take prasāda and give prasāda to the family.
There are different ways one can engage in devotional service.
I had the good fortune of visiting many gṛhastha families,
seeing how they have Deities,
how they are offering the bhoga,
offering āratī to the deities.
Some people have picture altars,
some have Deities.
So, we are seeing how the families are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how they are practicing.
This is the way that one can achieve success in this lifetime.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Women]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya advised that we should do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do as an offering to Kṛṣṇa.
So, ideally the wife can marry a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Just by assisting him,
she is also directly doing devotional service.
If she is not so fortunate to have a devotee,
she can also try to bring up her children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
She can offer bhoga to the Deities
and take prasāda and give prasāda to the family.
There are different ways one can engage in devotional service.
I had the good fortune of visiting many gṛhastha families,
seeing how they have Deities,
how they are offering the bhoga,
offering āratī to the deities.
Some people have picture altars,
some have Deities.
So, we are seeing how the families are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how they are practicing.
This is the way that one can achieve success in this lifetime.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Women]
As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee
and being personally there as an āveśa
is different from preaching.
Definitely you can preach.
Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.
The śāstra says
that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,
if He wants to.
It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,
but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.
You can preach anyway.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee
and being personally there as an āveśa
is different from preaching.
Definitely you can preach.
Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.
The śāstra says
that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,
if He wants to.
It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,
but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.
You can preach anyway.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is wishful thinking!
Do you ever find 100% of the people receptive?
There are always a few who are attached to their material things.
This is in our planet, what to speak of other planets?
I mean, in the lower planets they are very much demoniac.
But anyway, that is not a problem.
If you make everybody a devotee, very good! Kṛṣṇa will not complain.
But there will always be some who will not be interested.
You have the animals, the birds, the trees, the fish,
if you can make all of them Kṛṣṇa conscious, very good!
At least Lord Caitanya He had all the animals chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So if we can at least get the human beings to be Kṛṣṇa conscious that would be a good thing.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: By keeping on chanting,
gradually your chanting becomes offenseless.
And at first it starts as offensive chanting,
then clearing chanting,
then offenseless chanting.
The more we chant, we gradually overcome all the anarthas.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda never asked,
that we have to reject our previous culture.
I was born in a Christian family.
Śrīla Prabhupāda never said to reject Christianity.
Lord Jesus,
He gave ten commandments,
and the first commandment is
“love God”.
But how to do that?
That is bhakti-yoga.
The nine processes – chanting, remembering, serving, etc.
we have a process how to develop love of Godhead.
You can tell the Christians,
that if you really want to follow Lord Jesus,
do bhakti-yoga.
Lord Caitanya personally taught from the Quran in the Antya-līlā.
He said Allah is a person.
He is impersonal and personal, both.
He established that.
And many Muslims accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings.
He has qualities like Allah is very merciful, He is just,
we cannot say or think like a light bulb being very merciful!!Being loving etc.
these are all personal qualities.
We can present to the Muslims and Christians that actually by practicing bhakti-yoga,
they can actually achieve the purpose of their śāstra, their religion.
I used to give class in some churches.
I found them very receptive.
So we just need to know how to preach.
We respect.
We can also preach to the Christians in the church.
Recently I heard how one devotee, he was giving class in the mosque in the Madrasa.
He showed them in the Bhagavad-gītā
it never says the word Hindu.
That this book is for everyone.
For Christians, for Muslims, for everyone.
And I was amazed, because we don’t advertise this,
because the fanatic Muslims, they don’t like this.
But actually, you can reach out to them.
And there are many people who have any faith,
so we can also reach out to them.
So using this lockdown period,
on internet, you can teach Bhagavad-gītā.
In Kerala, a state in South India, which is also one third Christians, one third Muslims, one third Hindus,
they advertised Bhagavad-gītā class for beginners and 500 people joined.
So, anyway we have to go on with our preaching.
We respect all the religions.
By presenting Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this universal way,
naturally people may be attracted.
Questioner: Purabi Das
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: We should not be attracted by temporary things.
Temporary things only last for short time, so we should not be distracted by them.
If we are attracted by some temporary things, we should think how to do that in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
In this way, we can naturally develop our love for Kṛṣṇa.
So, developing love for Kṛṣṇa is a gradual process.
And step by step we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if we want to have a child, we pray to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious child.
We do everything in such a way that Kṛṣṇa will be pleased.
And naturally like we were reading how the king and his queen were praying to Kṛṣṇa and then they got a Kṛṣṇa conscious child, they actually got an avatāra, Ṛṣabhadeva as their child who was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: Prabhupāda gave me a service of building Māyāpur and then at that time day and night we had two shifts of construction we were working - 600 people working under us - three devotees.
So then I went up to Prabhupāda and said I just want to take out two hours a day for reading books, because I am not getting any chance to read, so I want to take out.
Prabhupāda got angry at me and said, "You think there is a difference between serving and building my project and reading my books?
You see any difference?" (laughter)
"No."
"Then? Then?"
"Hare Kṛṣṇa"
That’s it.
Of course, the point is that while somehow or other I still managed to squeeze out half hour here there something.
It takes some desire.
This idea that we have to stop our service to read… actually, if we really go through our schedule, cut down, or even… you know, cut down on all the little times that we were wasting our…whatever.
If we really go through the schedule we can squeeze out some time every day.
And if there is really so much service that uh, needs to be done, well, that is also a shelter.
That protects us.
We have to see, if that much emergency service we have to do.
There was a big emergency in Māyāpur.
Of course, Prabhupāda generally tells everyone we should read for an hour a day.
But if we attend two classes that is also reading.
If we are hearing a class that is also reading, it is not that one is not reading.
We are hearing the Bhāgavatam every day.
In addition to that we can get time for reading, we have to just really economize.
That way if we have a desire that we want to do our service so quickly and so perfectly so that we can get little time for reading,
not little more time for sleeping or little more time for gossip… as soon as there’s a little time, we all start to gossip, or we do something else.
We have more taste sometimes for prajalpa, for other things, but if we actually tried to squeeze out the time then when we have a little time we immediately sit down and read.
So that is very good, we don't want to have a lot of spare time.
How much can we read anyway?
We can only read as much as we serve.
Service creates in us an appetite for reading.
So that way if you are competing with your time to do as much service then even do it more efficiently by which you can fit in a little more time for reading, you see.
Then it will be difficult for māyā to catch you.
In the spiritual world there is sevya, sevā and sevaka.
There is the served, the service and the servitor.
The process, the person… Everything is the, the person served, the process of service and the servant these three items are completely spiritual therefore the spiritual world is called Absolute.
There is no tinge of material contamination there.
We just have to see if our… if we can keep our consciousness in the service then there is no problem.
If our consciousness is becoming agitated we need some special instructions, then we have to discuss with authorities.
As long as the consciousness is good, one doesn’t have to think that well, just by serving you are not going to get where you want to go, because actually this service is completely pure.
Rather, just like Pra… I don't chant more than 16 rounds.
First, I will chant 16 rounds then I will read.
Then after I complete what I consider enough reading then I will chant more than 16 rounds, you see.
My priority is, first finish my rounds then read.
Sometimes devotees chant 20 rounds, 30 rounds.
Not always, but sometimes they chant more rounds.
My next priority after rounds is reading.
Then after that then more rounds sometimes if I have more time.
So, in this way, somehow or another we have to adjust everything without actually reducing.
We should not reduce, we should think how to further increase.
If there is so much service that you have no time for reading and if… if… if you are so expert that you are also not giving any time for māyā in your day, well then you are still safe.
And of course, you are attending class, so some reading is there, that is also reading.
Not that Prabhupāda did not think this was reading.
Then you can further become expert or arrange to engage other devotees who may not be as fully engaged and squeeze out a little time for reading.
Our goal is not to reduce service, but somehow fit everything in, increasing, as far as possible.
And if that can’t be done with one's own service then you try to train some other people to take up more responsibility.
Make more devotees, train them up, is that alright?
Devotee: Yes.
Because youth are here, I would like to ask you this question. You are the pioneer of the ISKCON movement after Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave you Māyāpur and asked you to develop it and run the movement. What is your advice to the youth for the future of ISKCON? How do you want to see the youth taking on the responsibilities of ISKCON? Right now they are not fully connected – they are enjoying the kīrtana, they are enjoying the prasāda, they are enjoying the association, they are enjoying Kṛṣṇa’s friendship. But responsibility-wise how do you see the youth taking part in ISKCON?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I joined when I was 19 years old.
At that time, I visited all the ISKCON temples in the world, all three!
San Francisco, New York and Montreal.
Now I cannot say the same thing.
But I thought I would please my parents because I was becoming a devotee and giving up all bad habits and things.
But when I called my father, he told me, you come back immediately or I will send you to the Army to die in Vietnam.
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”
He said, “Well, better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army!”
Of course, they don’t have the draft now in America,
but I am still part of Kṛṣṇa’s army!
So I felt so indebted to Śrīla Prabhupāda
that he gave me so much
that I can never pay him back.
But I am trying to do that by carrying out all the instructions he gave me.
So like that, actually, the youth can achieve anything - sky is the limit, if they want.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying in 1973, he asked his gṛhastha followers to become paramahaṁsas.
We know that the sannyāsī, the high level is paramahaṁsa.
But he was saying that he wanted his gṛhasthas to be paramahaṁsas.
And he said we also need a lot of ācāryas.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a gṛhastha, he was the father of my (Śrīla Prabhupāda’s) guru,
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
So he asked all the gṛhasthas to be ācāryas or gurus.
And that is why I am encouraging that everyone read Śrīla Prabhupāda books.
And get the different degrees – actually I met a young girl, she is 25 years old or something
in the place next to Bengaluru, Hosur.
She already had her Bhakti-vedānta degree
and she was going for Bhakti-Sārvabhauma!
For young people it is very easy,
they don’t have other things to do.
Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me to be a guru when I was like 28.
So I want to see lots of young gurus.
But they have to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books,
they have to know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
You see here, a lot of our ladies are doctors, in India, 70% of the Justices are ladies.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying it is a matter of training.
If people are trained in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then they can spread it like anything.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it depends on one’s nature.
In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is fight between the king of the elephants and the king of the crocodiles.
So the fight was in the water.
At one point, the elephant felt that he was losing.
Because he is a land animal,
and he was in the water.
But the crocodile is a water animal.
So somehow or another he was in his elements, so he was stronger.
In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that we should see what is our nature.
That in every situation, we want to fight against māyā.
So, if your nature is more vairāgya, then you can be a brahmacārī for a long time.
If your nature is more gṛhastha,
then you may be in that āśrama.
But then it is important to have a devotee wife.
So that both of you can fight against māyā as a team,
to serve Kṛṣṇa.
If the lady is simply māyā,
then that will not be very convenient.
It is very important to marry a Kṛṣṇa conscious lady,
if you want to have a gṛhastha-āśrama.
Of course, having a household means you have to work.
Unless you have a service at the temple, you have to spend some time earning money.
So it is little more of a balancing act.
Being a brahmacārī has certain advantages – you don’t have these responsibilities.
But again, you have to see what your nature is.
If your nature is such that you have to be a gṛhastha,
then you should try to find a devotee mate.
See how you can do your devotional service together.
Unfortunately, people when they look for a mate, they look for a nice face!
But actually, you have to deal with the mind.
So you should see that they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One boy, he married a non-devotee,
he was asked by his parents.
She was a non-veg,
but she promised I will be a vegetarian.
After they had a baby,
she started eating chicken.
Then he said, “You promised you will be a vegetarian!”
She said, “I promised,
I tried,
I was a vegetarian for a year.
You know what background I came from –
sorry, I have to eat
meat!”
So, better to have a devotee from the beginning.
So at least there is less maintenance.
Marriage is two people.
You have to have the other person on the same wavelength.
As brahmacārīs, when you are staying in the āśrama, there are some crazy people also.
So there are ups and downs in both sides.
Brahmacārīs, you don’t have responsibilities, so you can serve Kṛṣṇa 24 hours.
But gṛhasthas can also do a lot of service.
So if they make money, they can give some money to the temple.
Or they can do various preaching.
We want people to serve Kṛṣṇa,
no matter what they are.
Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Svāmī: Without being married.
Ah, there is no such stipulation that liberation is dependent upon getting married.
But it has been recommended very strongly that women should be married.
But as far as being… What if a girl dies when she is twelve, or something?
It’s not, it’s not lean on the soul that you have to get married to go back to Godhead.
It’s a question of what consciousness you’re in when you leave your body.
If you’re in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you’ll go back to Godhead.
In a general sadhana practice of devotional service,
it’s conducive for women to be married and have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband.
If the husband is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then there is a problem.
But actually, the husband should be Kṛṣṇa conscious and the wife should be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
In this way, they give each other association.
I can elaborate.
But we’re on short of time right now.
But it’s not contingent on going back to Godhead, per se.
That is not contingent on any material thing.
It’s contingent on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, serving the spiritual master, following his instructions.
Hare Krsna.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Women]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in Guruvayūr the head priest or Nambhūthirī is not told if his close relative has passed away.
So he is not affected.
The questions is: if you are affected, if you are lamenting, then it is not good to go before the Deities.
If you are not affected,
then the aśauca period is considered to be less.
I mean like for the brāhmaṇas something like 11 days and śudras 30 days or something.
Vaiṣṇavas are considered to be detached, considered to be on the brahmanical platform.
That you can see your consciousness, how you feel.
Category: [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Saṁskāras / Antima-saṁskāras]
Questioner: Bhakta Gopī Kṛṣṇan, Trivandrum
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Why do you say just? Just...
Kṛṣṇa and His holy names are not different.
So it is not a small thing
to chant the holy names.
And certainly, Kṛṣṇa can do anything.
So He can also take you back to His kingdom.
Therefore, we should chant His holy names and engage in His sevā.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Mādhavī Śyāmasundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: All the services to the Deities in this temple or any temple of ISKCON will be very pleasing to me.
So you can ask the temple leaders what service you can do.
Lord Caitanya said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.
Whoever you see, tell them the glories of Kṛṣṇa.
That will make me very happy.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Candramohana Prabhu is from the Śrī Sampradāya and is following Chinna Jeeyar Swami, there they have different way of initiating. Would you like to comment on that? Bona fide ācārya and the different methods of initiation, what is your recommendation, what do you think about that? Is that also proper initiation and proper paramparā, and he will go back to Kṛṣṇa through that route?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapataka Swami: Śrī Sampradāya is one of the four sampradāyas mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa.
And so it is a bona fide sampradāya.
But I was trying to analyze what is their process of initiation,
and it seems like the actual initiation is given to the sannyāsīs and gṛhasthas who are very intimate with the association.
Actually, it is not clear to me that they give this branding of the body, with śankha and cakra,
how that is initiation?
Because normally initiation is, we receive some mantra, name change.
So they give everybody this śankha cakra,
I don’t know if that is really considered initiation?
I mean, Gopala Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī he was in Śrīrangam,
but he took the shelter of Lord Caitanya.
And he became one of the six Gosvāmīs.
So, he had would have normally received that śankha cakra, but he took shelter from Lord Caitanya
and got the mantra from him.
It is a bona fide sampradāya but they only go up to Vaikunṭha.
Like Andal Devi, she seemed to have a kind of a special rasa with Kṛṣṇa.
The Jiyar in Śrīrangam said you are all representatives of Andal Devi.
Could you please help us in genuinely inspiring others? I face challenge in getting my audience to follow what we try to teach in line with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. It requires a number of times’ repetition and if we say it again and again, they think, "Oh, I have heard this." But they don't follow. How to convince them?
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
So like that if people you say one way and they are not accepting,
then repeating it again and again it did not produce the result even when we said once.
Then you have to think what is a new way.
Like, recently I went to some program
for the children.
They said Puruṣottama month challenge.
They had different children who participated.
So in this way, sometimes by challenge, some debate, we use different tactics.
So just like some wives if the husbands were not Kṛṣṇa conscious,
would tell them, dear husband, please help me understand this verse?
Because the man may be very macho, puffed up!
So the lady using her female intelligence
she may understand the verse,
but she tells the husband, can you help me understand this?
He says, well, I am a man, so he looks at the book. So she tricks him to read the book.
So what tricks you use to get people to chant, to read,
that is something that you have to think a bit out of the box.
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The highest form of prayer is to sing or chant the name of the Lord.
If we pray, it maybe not a very good prayer.
So that is why the saṅkīrtana or chanting of the holy name is recommended
If one chants the name of Narasiṁhadeva 21 times, they can get delivered from various sufferings.
“Śrī Narasiṁha! Jaya Narasiṁha! Jaya jaya jaya Narasiṁha!” 21 times.
Otherwise, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
You can chant 54 times or 108 times.
So, the name of Kṛṣṇa is worth 3000 names of Viṣṇu.
And the name Rāma is worth 1000 names of Viṣṇu.
So, by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma mantra,
you get so much spiritual benefit.
And the side benefits are the material suffering is mitigated.
But the real benefit is that one awakens one’s love of Godhead.
Please ask the people to chant one of the mantras,
and since there may be offence in our chanting, one can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛndā.
Despite all adversities, you have always continued to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda without any interruption, and we see sometimes devotees, they get upset on small things. And they leave their services. And that really compromises everybody’s service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can we continue in your mood, that not to leave services when offended and work together? Any instructions, any guidance you can give us about that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, as I said,
we owe everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
He could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.
He would have easily got liberation.
But he took a great headache,
he came to the USA,
came to Canada,
and he gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So who thinks that they have paid their debt fully?
I don’t think so!
I have to do so much,
still the debts are not paid for.
As long as I have breath in the body,
as long as I have any abilities,
I will try to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.
When I was in Canada
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
whether I should join the USA army,
because my father said he would turn my name.
Then Śrīla Prabhupāda told me
better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I am still in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
and I haven’t taken retirement yet.
So as a serving officer in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
I have to continue! Ha!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Well if they accept Him with respect at least they will be not guilty of the greatest offences,then they will be able to advance something.
From that the point is of course Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mood was always as a devotee.
Sometimes He fell into this kind of, entered into His Kṛṣṇa mood,
at that time in His own humor, He would have these unusual pastimes.
But that didn’t happen very often, it was very rare.
But just like they are singing out the thousand names of Viṣṇu, when He heard the name of Nṛsinghadeva,
He just got into the mood of Nṛsingha at that moment and He forgot His devotional mood.
Sometimes He was worshipped by Advaita Gosāñī.
When Advaita could see that He was in that mood, other times when Advaita tried to touch His feet, He ran, He said, “No no, you are the senior brāhmaṇa”.
So actually, I get absorbed.
There was a resolution that we should start this year reading from the Caitanya Caritāmṛta for some time every day.
Actually, I just wanted to start to hear.
So that thing as the great one point that Lord Caitanya, He never would allow Himself to be glorified like that.
But on two or three occasions, due to falling in some transcendental ecstasy in that particular mood,
the devotees could actually see that aspect of Lord Caitanya revealed.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Rucika
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, Śrīla Prabhupāda said both things.
But more often he said, we fall from the spiritual world,
and that is why our magazine is, Back to Godhead.
So, there is a whole book on this.
At different times, different things were said.
When the question was given to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,
if we came from the spiritual world,
why did we decide to come here?
He said, a person falls from the ship
and a lifeboat comes to save him.
Are you going to ask first, before I get into the boat, tell me how did I come here?
Sharks are spinning all around.
First you get on the lifeboat, then you will understand how you fell.
We don’t understand any way.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
This is a very interesting question.
Now selling books is an economic issue that you are giving some money for the book.
If you use the money for your own sense gratification, but then selling the books,
well, some kind of reciprocation may be there. If you give out a book freely then,
the person takes the book and throws it, you are responsible.
If the person bought the book and then he throws it or whatever he does,
that is not your responsibility, that is his, he has bought the book.
So at the same time, like devotees if they are working under some system
like the management tells them, you deposit the money, you can take so much per cent
or if are working under a system authorized by the temple,
and then it is considered that they are working for Kṛṣṇa and then Kṛṣṇa takes the responsibility.
So if the saṅkīrtana devotees have some agreement with the temple,
so as such they should not be responsible. They are considered to be working directly under Kṛṣṇa.
Of course, if they just try to buy and sell,
because they are selling the books it is not so much an issue of karma, I mean as I mentioned earlier,
at the same time something may be there. Because they are doing on their own behalf.
But if they are doing on behalf of the temple
and the temple says you can draw your maintenance or take some percent
then it is considered working under Kṛṣṇa directly. So if they are working for themselves i.e. buying and selling,
then it is a issue that we have to look into.
Generally selling things is not bring karma; any way it shouldn’t be a problem.
If you are working for Kṛṣṇa, you are doing it as a devotional service, so it is not an issue at all.
If you are doing it for your own for making money it is not also an issue because
selling things usually does not attract karma; except the karma
if it is some meat or drug or [such thing], then obviously there is karma.
But for selling books there is no karma. So that is transcendental books,
rather they will get the good reaction. So I don’t see in either case as a karma
except if you give out books free and you don’t know [inaudible word] the people,
if they misuse the book, then you may have to accept some karma.
On the other hand, if they… Just like Prabhupāda was saying that
we shouldn’t give out japa mālās for free. We should… Some ladies, some people
in India, like to give out japa mālā. But in doing so, as a guru, we give to our disciples;
we are taking their karma anyway. So if someone gives out japa-mālā and they
commit some offense on that mālā, then you have to take the karma.
So we get some token little donation, something sell it for even one cent or
it doesn’t matter. Just in fact they took for some price and then
then we are not responsible for their karma. In the same way Prabhupāda said
if you give a tulasī seed there is no karma.
Whether they plant the seed and then.... But if you give a plant
and they mistreat the [tulasī] plant, then you are responsible.
So, I don’t know if you particularly ask about books except if the book is given free,
I heard that question. So, I don’t think you have to worry about karma
rather you are doing it as a service to Kṛṣṇa, this is Lord Caitanya’s order,
so you carrying out His order. Why would you be responsible for their karma?
It is Lord Caitanya’s order. In the same way we chant also Pañca-tattva mantra
before we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So, you are working on behalf of Lord Caitanya.
He said to distribute the teaching of Kṛṣṇa, so that is what you are doing?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: In Kali-yuga normally you get reaction for activities performed.
In other yugas just by thinking about something, you get the reaction.
So Kali-yuga, normally by thinking you do not get a reaction.
If you take second initiation, then you may be more responsible for your mind.
If you think of something bad, then you beg for forgiveness and replace it with some Kṛṣṇa conscious thought.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Swapnil Tikale
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: No!
Advancement in spiritual life is not dependent on anything material.
If one is born in a rich family, the advantage is that they don’t have to struggle to maintain themselves,
but similar some situations which can be helpful,
but it is not essential,
to make advancement.
Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā that if someone serves Him and doesn’t finish,
they don’t lose,
they are either born in a family of rich merchant
or devotee,
or they take birth in heavenly planets.
So there is no loss by doing devotional service even if one doesn’t finish.
And one can advance in any situation.
Look at Prahlāda Mahārāja, he advanced even he was in the family of demons.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World], [Material World / Guṇas / Modes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Dāmodara Dhanañjaya dāsa
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: You see the Lord accompanies us in all our births
and therefore, when we enter, He enters.
When we leave, He leaves.
This is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we are trying to remember Kṛṣṇa.
And by following the path of navavida-bhakti we are trying to engage in devotional service.
And therefore, we want to return to the spiritual world to serve Kṛṣṇa personally.
But the karmīs, they are trying to find a solution to their material problems so that they can have interrupted sense gratification.
In this way they take birth after birth after birth after birth.
But we actually have this human life we should take advantage and go back to Godhead.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: If you realize that you are weak
in some area,
then you want to pray to Kṛṣṇa and get some strength.
Pray to Lord Caitanya, pray to Lord Nityānanda, pray to Gurudeva.
It is like an athlete.
If you don’t win, what do you do?
Give up or try harder, train more.
You want to get that gold medal for your country.
Like that.
You want to offer something to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
Absolutely yes.
Specially keep crying for Kṛṣṇa.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Purnima
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see,
if one
worships Kṛṣṇa,
chants Hare Kṛṣṇa,
reads Bhāgavatam, Gītā
and other Kṛṣṇa conscious things,
you can make use of this
temporary relationship
*repetitition*
to
be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
To help others be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
and some people have certain desires
so you can regulate these desires
and
cross over all the obstacles.
Although
things are temporary,
they can last for this life.
If you have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband
then you can practice your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
very peacefully.
So it is important
that a man finds a woman
and a woman finds a man who is krsna consciousness or atleast favorable.
at least favorable.
Maybe you can make him a devotee.
I know some women
who have overestimation of their ability
to make people devotees. (Laughing)
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Women]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: The whole purpose of bhakti-yoga is to develop our intense desire, laulyam to serve Kṛṣṇa.
So that is something that should be increasing as we go on.
And it is not a separate endeavor.
If we become attached to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, if we become attached to Lord Caitanya,
naturally we want to associate with Them.
We were reading in this līlā of Lord Caitanya and His leaving Navadvīpa,
how the devotees are lamenting in separation.
They are holding their heads, they are crying, they are rolling on the ground,
like wild people.
Someone finally tells them,
you are very fortunate
that you have a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
and He cares about you.
So you should control yourselves
and follow His instructions.
So someone gave them such instructions.
So like that, we see how they developed so much deep attachment for Lord Caitanya.
We want also to develop that attachment.
Lord Caitanya taught that in this Age of Kali,
the way we can worship the Lord
is to feel His separation.
And that vipralmbha-bhāva
is not difficult
considering it is Kali-yuga! Ha!
We actually beg from the Lord
and we are separated from the Lord!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Try!
Why cannot you read the books?
Why cannot you preach?
One lady, she brought seven women to take shelter.
Anybody can preach.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know why you are asking me?
Anyway, read the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and see what please Gaura-Nitāi!
If you do that, certainly you will please Gaura-Nitāi!
And onetime Lord Caitanya after taking sannyāsa He came back to Bengal.
And He visited the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.
He said, “You don’t go out, how do you maintain your family?”
Śrīvāsa clapped his hands three times and said, “I use this system.”
Lord Caitanya said, “What is that?”
“If one day we don’t have enough prasāda to eat, I clap my hands three times.
Then I will go to the Ganges and drown myself.”
Lord Caitanya said, “Even if Lakṣmī has to go begging door to door, you will never have shortage of prasāda in your house!”
Śrīvāsa had the faith that as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will provide.
But he constantly did devotional service.
We cannot imitate Śrīvāsa, he was a great devotee.
Questioner: Sukamala Nityānanda dāsa [Bangladesh]
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: I just said that
we should pray to Kṛṣṇa
that whatever we do, we do service in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Firstly, you have to get married,
and then the two should pray that you have Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-23
Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.
When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.
If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,
whatever he does, including preaching.
If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,
awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,
in that case they become very serious preachers,
by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,
and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,
and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,
to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.
In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.
sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -
Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,
spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.
So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,
it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean
that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.
So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,
is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.
That… that for us we want to help everyone.
Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.
So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.
Like feeding their hunger.
But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.
Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,
some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.
Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.
But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,
wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.
Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-23
Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.
When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.
If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,
whatever he does, including preaching.
If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,
awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,
in that case they become very serious preachers,
by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,
and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,
and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,
to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.
In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.
sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -
Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,
spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.
So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,
it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean
that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.
So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,
is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.
That… that for us we want to help everyone.
Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.
So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.
Like feeding their hunger.
But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.
Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,
some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.
Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.
But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,
wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.
Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: The disciple, if they follow the guru correctly, then naturally he will be pleased.
If they are chanting their 16 rounds, following the regulative principles, if they are preaching,
so naturally the guru will be pleased.
If one has a doubt you can ask the guru.
But generally guru will be happy is following the orders of the guru.
But we should not commit any vaiṣṇava-aparādha,
that is very dangerous.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: If people are answering and accepting your preaching, and becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious,
then we think our preaching is going well.
How can we appear humble when we have received a little bit of mercy by the Lord? Because of this mercy, we are having the great desire of giving to others this message and we are trying to show boldness and some enthusiasm, so sometimes people take this enthusiasm for pride. So how can we appear to be more humble in front of them?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-09-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When you put the butter on the fire and then keep it on the heat,
then as it stays simmering in the heat, automatically the impurities come off to the top.
The more that you go on giving the mercy out, then naturally Kṛṣṇa gives the spiritual intelligence.
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
(Bg. 10.10)
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
(Bg. 10.10)
He gives intelligence how to advance in the devotional service.
There are some people who, they’ll will always find criticisms against the devotees;
those are the people who don’t get Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy.
The other thing is that we should remain humble.
Because even if we may have a drop of mercy,
that mercy is only by the mercy of Guru and Kṛṣṇa, and we have yet so much further to go.
So, when we realize how much further we must still progress on the path, then how can we help but be humble?
We may feel little enthusiasm after serving, but that enthusiasm is simply the first step.
Beyond that there is so much higher realizations that we still must achieve.
Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: While the guru is present,
you shouldn’t feel any doubt.
You can always ask the guru
if your idea is correct or not.
I asked Prabhupāda several times about different things like this
and somethings he said, they are sent by Kṛṣṇa,
somethings not.
To be sure, that is why we have a guru,
because we cannot connect directly with Kṛṣṇa in our conditioned state.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-23
Jayapatākā Swami: Mercy.
Of course, if someone gives you something for which they are not obliged to do that, that’s called mercy.
If you make a business deal with some merchant that, “I’ll work for you, and you pay me thousand rupees per month.”
and he pays you thousand rupees,
and that is the market rate for that job, then this is not a question of mercy, its fair market.
But
if he doesn’t need any employee, and neither he has anybody, he says, “Alright, you stay here and I will give you some money”,
then you can say, “Well he is being merciful.”
That means that it is some kindness.
That he is doing something for which he is not actually necessary to be done.
He is doing it because of some sentiment, or some kindness on his part to help another.
In Kṛṣṇa’s case you see He gives His mercy.
That means that He is not obliged to do so.
See, there’s nothing we can do, there’s nothing that we can do to actually get from Him some particular benediction whereby we are obliged to do that.
That’s why even sometimes if the Lord gives a devotee a material benediction they’ll say, “That’s not merciful.”
Some pure devotee might out of his deep love He may also even criticize that to give a devotee
who is serving to give him some material thing this is not mercy, because that material thing is not so valuable.
That if they can get pure bhakti, that is real mercy, like that.
But these are internal type of sentiments.
Basically, mercy means they are giving something more than what they need to give,
out of their own kindness, out of their own very broad heart they are giving.
Just like the Vāsudeva Datta, he prayed that,
“All living entities in the universe let them be delivered to Kṛṣṇa, let me take their karma.”
They know not that those living entities did anything for Vāsudeva Datta.
Why is he taking? “Let me take their karma.”
Everybody is hungry to get rid of karma.
He is saying, “Give me their karma.
Let them go back to Kṛṣṇa.”
Because that was his mercy.
That was his very kind mood that he thought that, “Somehow I tasted the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s sevā, Kṛṣṇa’s service,
and these people they are all bahir-mukha.
They are just absorbed in material suffering and enjoyment, missing out their real happiness.
So, once I already experience even for a second the happiness of Kṛṣṇa, now my life is already you see fulfilled.
Why should I one person just be happy and everyone suffer?
Better let me suffer and them all go back to Kṛṣṇa.
Let me take their karma and let them go back.
Then I can just suffer.
For one person, if I suffer, what’s the harm, I am insignificant, if so many can be saved?”
This type of mentality, this sacrifice wanting to help others is the nature of a devotee.
There is no cause for that.
You see.
They will be called fools.
Many time, if a person becomes a devotee and starts to preach and distribute books to… to do devotional service
their family members will come and say, “What are you doing with your youth?
You could be enjoying.
You could be having good times.
You could be just enjoying in the world in so many ways.
What are you doing?
You are giving up all this fun, you see.
You could be going to cinemas, and you could be may be dancing, or you could be like this doing so many things.”
They try to, they think that, “really you are, you are missing the good time of your life.”
Like Govinda dāsa prayed,
bhajahū re mana, śrī-nanda-nandana
abhaya-caraṇāravinda re
ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana,
ithe ki āche paratīti re
ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana,
ithe ki āche paratīti re
kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala
kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala
(ei ache ei nai… jīvana ṭalamala)
bhajahū hari-pada nīti re.
bhajahū hari-pada nīti re.
That, what this ei dhana - this wealth, ei dhana yauvana - so called youth, putras - children, parijana- relatives?
ithe ki āche paratīti re - what is the eternal spiritual value of all these things?
kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala - life is just flickering like a drop of water on a lotus leaf.
In one second everything is just topsy-turvy.
In one second, everything can be destroyed.
So better that we give our mind and our thoughts and our actions
and words in the service of Hari, service of Kṛṣṇa.
Bhajahū hari-pada nīti re - this should be our daily activity.
This, let us only take this as our goal, just to serve His lotus feet.
Then we are fearless.
Then we can have the perfection of life.
Otherwise what is the value of these things?
So devotee has got opposite opinion.
Kṛṣṇa also may give the devotee family, may give the devotee fame, may give the devotee material things.
But devotee takes this as inconsequential.
This Kṛṣṇa gives it, “Alright, He gives”, if He doesn’t give it, Kṛṣṇa, they are not worried about that.
That it may come, that’s according to our previous karmas we may get something or not.
You see.
But the devotee already figured it out that this thing is not essential.
It I get it, it’s also Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
He’ll live with it and use that.
But real objective should be how somehow or other get the shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.
Because once you get that shelter, then you never lose that.
The material things, they may come, they may go.
Sometimes one may get very good mate.
Then suddenly accident there, and one is made as a widow or widower.
Nobody can say.
So many difficulties, someone may get a very nice child.
But even at an early age sometimes children are dying.
Then they are feeling very bad.
Like King Citraketu got a son, then the son died untimely.
He was very frustrated.
So material happiness means material suffering.
We can’t avoid one, because always a limit is there, always end is there.
So the devotee they become detached.
If suffering or happiness comes, we’ll tolerate.
The real thing that I want is to get the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
Because that is the real happiness and that never ends.
Material happiness and material suffering that we have to tolerate.
Even you have entered devotional service, that doesn’t mean you won’t get material happiness.
Rather Kṛṣṇa says, “There is no loss.
Whatever happiness you are going to get you are still going to get that.
Only you may be relieved from some suffering.”
So even the devotee they also afraid that, “I don’t want that happiness also.
You promis,e or also help whatever happiness I was going to get, whatever good karma I have I am going to get,
but even that good karma, if it stands in the way of my devotional service, I don’t care for it,
you see.
If it can be used in my devotional service, alright.
I don’t mind.
But if it is going to be a stumbling block, then I also don’t want even my good karma.”
So the materialist they can’t understand, they don’t see that the devotee actually doesn’t lose any happiness.
They get the full happiness.
But they also, they are not deriving satisfaction from that material happiness.
The devotee derives the satisfaction from the pure devotional service.
Questioner: Rasapriyā Gopīkā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he was praying that,
he wants to fall at the lotus feet of Śrīvāsa
and beg him for that mercy.
So, we can follow the example of our previous ācāryas,
and we should surrender at the lotus feet, we should pray for the mercy of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura,
and our previous ācāryas,
for this special mercy.
Śrīla Prabhupāda
has given us this opportunity,
to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
Actually, this is incomparable,
and people who give up their service,
it is very unfortunate.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-29
parent takes care of the children who takes them, instructs them because he loves them.
So the proper attitude for someone with more spiritual knowledge is to love the others,
members of the human race, because everyone is, we are all living creatures, because we are all part of Kṛṣṇa,
and want to help them in the service of, so that they can engage in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Should be loving attitude.
You are feeling one with Kṛṣṇa, naturally you feel also connected with all living entities.
You feel kindness towards them.
Because there are all Kṛṣṇa is in them and they are in Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
Jayapatākā Swami: I think that we should not think that we will ever have the same love that Gadādhara Paṇḍita had for Lord Caitanya.
If we can have a drop of his love,
that would be something to aspire for.
And by following the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda and other pure devotees,
it is possible to achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya.
It says by hearing these pastimes,
one will get the shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet
very soon.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Depends on what gives you faith.
I mean, some people have faith by reading the scripture,
since it tells us that the holy name is Absolute and non-different from Kṛṣṇa.
Some people have faith by realization.
If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you may become peaceful and ecstatic.
And that may increase your faith.
Some people commit offences to the holy name.
So they don’t get the full result of chanting.
And you should tell them to be very careful to follow the order of the spiritual master.
I think the third offence to the holy name is to disobey the order of the spiritual master.
We must have a spiritual master and follow his instructions.
There is no question but to accept the spiritual master.
So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had everyone in the temple chant 64 rounds.
Those who went for book distribution and preaching, they should chant 16 rounds.
So Śrīla Prabhupāda said that for the Western rounds it would be difficult to chant 64 rounds.
So he had them chant 16 and preach.
So by following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, one can advance.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,
that in itself would be very inspiring.
Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video
of how they were chanting and dancing…
very nice!
And I think..
the way to inspire more people to chant
is to chant yourself.
Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa
and inspiring other people to join in.
I saw in New Orleans,
before the Mardi Gras,
Mardi Gras.
Christians
went.. and they had signs...
"TURN OR BURN!".
Such were the signs.
"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".
I did not see anyone joining in.
But when we went with our kīrtana,
people were buying roses and throwing at our feet
Some people
joined with the kīrtana.
So they see, they like..
how we were performing, singing and dancing.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,
that in itself would be very inspiring.
Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video
of how they were chanting and dancing…
very nice!
And I think..
the way to inspire more people to chant
is to chant yourself.
Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa
and inspiring other people to join in.
I saw in New Orleans,
before the Mardi Gras,
Mardi Gras.
Christians
went.. and they had signs...
"TURN OR BURN!".
Such were the signs.
"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".
I did not see anyone joining in.
But when we went with our kīrtana,
people were buying roses and throwing at our feet
Some people
joined with the kīrtana.
So they see, they like..
how we were performing, singing and dancing.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Māyāpureśvarī Lakṣmīpriyā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: First of all, we want to reach all the people,
and how all the people with learning difficulties
can access,
that is something which people will ascertain.
We have seen that
some children with Down’s syndrome,
they have become very Kṛṣṇa conscious.
And I cannot particularly speak for all those with learning difficulties.
But those who have some experience,
they can say.
Of course, there are many people
without any difficulties,
and how to help them
to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
that is our priority in one sense.
But then, they also have special learning difficulties,
how they could be taken out
is a separate thing.
Mahā Varāha dāsa: There is one mātājī, Anuttama mātājī, in Chennai who preaches to the deaf people.
There are a group of devotees in Chennai and Mumbai who are preaching.
They use sign language and preach to these people who have such difficulties.
We will share her contact with you and you can communicate with her.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: That is what we are doing.
At least they are your relatives, they listen to you.
And you could see what works.
Flattery
or heart to heart talk.
This time there is a pandemic in the world,
people are dying,
people are getting sick.
Maybe you have some relative who got sick.
So it is an opportunity to explain
that while we do our material work,
we have to do some sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa.
Because if we don’t
that is why all this pandemic is there.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: As far as I know, all the temples in Bengaluru are into preaching.
They seem to be expanding the preaching in various ways.
I don’t know particularly, maybe some temple need particular devotees to do particular service.
But frees other devotees to do a lot of preaching.
I don’t know if you talked to your local president.
Ask how you could at least some time be engage in preaching.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: There are certain symptoms are mentioned in the ‘Nectar of Devotion’ and
‘Caitanya-caritāmṛta’.
If those symptoms match up.
If the other subsidiary symptoms are also there, the anubhāvas.
Then these are confirmations that it’s actually real ecstasy.
But in any case, one can always approach the guru
and explain what happened and get confirmed whether it’s a real ecstasy or not, if there is any doubt.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu did that, approached His guru and asked
whether His ecstasies, they were illusion or something.
And then His guru confirmed that no, these are the real ecstasies, you have love of Kṛṣṇa.
Ecstasy may come in a very advanced stage or may come for a moment as a
little preview of future things to happen.
That’s called like they are seeing the light in the sky before the sun rises, or ābhāsa.
So, there is different degrees of ecstasy.
Maybe someone gets a little glimpse of ecstasy but doesn’t stay, that’s the preliminary stage.
Then when one is more purified and takes more shelter of Kṛṣṇa,
then that ecstasy becomes steady.
It’s called sthāyi-bhāva - fixed ecstasy
and one is always feeling spiritual bliss in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
So we want… we may by Lord Caitanya’s mercy, He gives a little preview of ecstasy.
So many devotees say experience in the kīrtana.
In some festival, a little spiritual ecstasy.
It’s like an impetus.
You want to go on getting purified
and then one will be fixed in that ecstasy without any cessation.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: By not making them do a lot of sacrifice.
Let them do what they like to do
for Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Jagatbandu Pal
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: So we should do our study as a service to Kṛṣṇa.
By this education we will be able to reach out more effectively to many people.
Like Jīva Gosvāmī, he went to university first.
So that he could serve his gurudeva more effectively.
So if you see your education as part of service to Kṛṣṇa and guru,
then it should not be a hindrance,
for your spiritual advancement.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Confusion], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Youth]
Questioner: Puja
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, in the material world, people, they are competing with others in a race,
thinking I will be the first.
But in service to Kṛṣṇa, it is not that we are competing with others.
Rather, Kṛṣṇa is more pleased if they help others.
We shouldn’t be thinking that by somehow by impeding others,
or somehow if someone else excels,
somehow that is detrimental to us - it is not the case.
Everyone has a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa,
rather the envy of others is a great impediment
- you will never be the number one!
When I said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am the most fallen,
he said you are not the most anything!
So that should be our mood.
There will always be some devotee who is better than us,
but we should not envy that person.
Rather we should associate and try to improve our own service.
Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Envy], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Nandagopīpriyā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no reason not to reveal your mind to guru.
If you have had some trouble with one of the principles, you could get some advice from your spiritual master.
But if you have recovered, then all the better to tell him that you had difficulty but now you have come back to the strict standard.
And sometimes one is started to difficulty with a principle, but it is not as serious as they think.
It is better to reveal to the spiritual master.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Aparādha (Offenses)]
Questioner: Nandagopīpriyā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no reason not to reveal your mind to guru.
If you have had some trouble with one of the principles, you could get some advice from your spiritual master.
But if you have recovered, then all the better to tell him that you had difficulty but now you have come back to the strict standard.
And sometimes one is started to difficulty with a principle, but it is not as serious as they think.
It is better to reveal to the spiritual master.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Aparādha (Offenses)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: By hearing,
by associating,
we get a taste for hearing and associating.
And naturally, we want to associate with them.
So by taking part in bhakti-yoga, it is natural to develop these things.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, pray to your guru and do your sevā correctly.
Passion means lust. To do it to get some material benefit.
Ignorance means crazy, lazy.
Anger – I will show you that I am the best devotee! I will kill you by my bhakti! And some crazy thing!
So avoid passion and ignorance, and what is left is goodness.
So we do devotional service – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate –
to please the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves.
Questioner: Mathurā Lileśvarī devī dāsī, Gītā Nagarī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: It means… Frist of all constructive means that you are telling the person, how they can improve.
But just telling the person how they are wrong it is not constructive.
The rule of thumb is that we don’t tender any advice constructive, otherwise to the senior devotees.
Rather [to a] senior devotee, we ask a question.
But we always have a right to ask a question;
and you can get your point across, even though it is put as a question.
Say that somebody is a senior devotee, is not behaving the way what you think is correct,
and we say that, “Prabhu, I look to you as an example to follow
and you have always told us we should do like this.
But I saw that you are doing like that.
So there must be some reason why you are doing, so can you illuminate me?”
And if the person illuminates you or if they don’t that means you caught them doing something wrong.
And if they are broadminded, then they will apologize
and say that, that activity is not something to follow.
Prabhupāda once went to see Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura’s brother,
and since he was the brother of his guru, he accepted him as a senior devotee,
and had the good fortune of being with him at that time.
He had previously discussed about developing the birthplace of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
But this time he refused.
So Prabhupāda asked a question,
“Isn’t it sinful,
if somebody cannot develop the birthplace of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
and someone who can, is not given a chance?
Isn’t it sinful?”
So technically that is a question,
“Isn’t it sinful?”
But he got the idea across.
So technically even he may not have liked it,
it was not an offence
because he asked it as a question.
So that is the principle, we should ask as a question,
if someone who is senior to us.
If someone is under our care, then we can offer them constructive criticism
or someone is a peer, equal, depending on your relationship, you can offer a constructive criticism or you could ask a question.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Nandapriyā Premā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The false ego is [inaudible word] identify our self as the body.
If someone tells us, “Oh, you are ugly!”
We are affected
that is false ego.
If someone tells, “Oh, you are beautiful!”
and we are affected—that is false ego.
So people can say different things,
but we don’t take it so serious.
Because we know that, it is temporary.
And we want to realize our real ego which is as a servitor of Kṛṣṇa.
So false ego is a very subtle thing that ties us to this material world.
So Kṛṣṇa, He gives certain instructions to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā;
so that he can overcome the false ego,
and by dovetailing our ego in the service of Kṛṣṇa,
that is a positive situation
for instance, Arjuna was a father,
he was a householder, he was a prince,
he was a general, in charge of the army.
So Kṛṣṇa did not tell him that you should give up everything and be a sannyāsī,
rather He said, you should carry out your duties as what you are;
but you should do so as an offering to Me.
So Lord Caitanya also said, “gṛhe thāko vane thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko”
Whether you are gṛhastha or a mendicant,
you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
loudly and stay fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Emotions / Pride], [Anarthās]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said,
kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara, chāri anācāra,
we want to put Kṛṣṇa in the center of our household life.
We want to just give up the prohibited activities.
Meat eating, intoxication and others.
And if one wakes up with that intention
then naturally, they will try to increase their services of the day.
We want to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
That is the goal of our life.
The common people, the goal of their life is to have sense pleasure.
But sometimes our senses are pleased and sometimes they suffer.
Just like no one wants fever
but some people get.
Nobody wants the Corona virus,
but some get.
Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa, he read to me one quote that
Sarvajaya Mādhava from Dallas had sent,
something that in the Bible,
they said that stay in your house
for a little time
and let the Lord take His vengeance
and then after that it will all pass!
What a coincidence, how great is our God.
The Government arranged the closure on March 26, 2020, in the Bible verse Isaac 26.20 says “Go home My people and close the doors.
Hide a little until the wrath of the Lord has passed.”
They found this verse in the Bible.
Anyway we are trying to do inter-faith preaching.
Not only the Hindus but get the other faiths to preach.
In America they have mostly Christians.
Middle East mostly Muslims.
We respect all the religions
and we want them to just chant the name of God they believe in.
So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the morning
and every day we do our devotional service,
naturally, that becomes the focus of our life.
We want the husband and wife to work together and cooperate together.
I was so inspired to hear how different gṛhasthas are doing internet preaching!
One gṛhastha said that he was giving four classes a day
in this lockdown period in India
and he had 500 people attending.
One lady was saying how
she had a Japathon
and they were chanting japa,
one person chanted 2 lakhs 11 thousand rounds.
A little child chanted 16 rounds.
Sometimes Japathon, sometimes class,
sometimes Bhakti-vṛkṣa,
different ways they are preaching,
encouraging people to take up to chanting in this time of crisis.
Even in the Supreme Court of India,
they recommended to the Government,
people should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz.
Questioner: Keya Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: They are skipping over your question because it is not particularly from the verse.
Anyway we should do both together.
We should help ourselves
while we depend on Kṛṣṇa,
not that we just sit and say Kṛṣṇa will do everything.
We do the best we can and we depend on Kṛṣṇa.
There is a story where there is a flood.
And they came by the house and said that,
"Get in!
There is a flood."
He said, "No, No! I am depending on Kṛṣṇa."
Then the water rose
up to the roof.
And he was on the roof.
Boat came and said, "Get on!"
He said, "No on I am depending on God",
and the boat left.
And then helicopter come,
ere grab the rope!"
and he said "No. I am depending on God.",
and he got drowned.
Then he went back to Godhead.
He asked God, "Why did you not save me?"
He said "I sent you a car, a boat, a helicopter
you did not take anything.
So what do you expect?"
So naturally we have to take the mercy of Kṛṣṇa
that may come in any way.
Questioner: Keya Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: They are skipping over your question because it is not particularly from the verse.
Anyway we should do both together.
We should help ourselves
while we depend on Kṛṣṇa,
not that we just sit and say Kṛṣṇa will do everything.
We do the best we can and we depend on Kṛṣṇa.
There is a story where there is a flood.
And they came by the house and said that,
"Get in!
There is a flood."
He said, "No, No! I am depending on Kṛṣṇa."
Then the water rose
up to the roof.
And he was on the roof.
Boat came and said, "Get on!"
He said, "No on I am depending on God",
and the boat left.
And then helicopter come,
ere grab the rope!"
and he said "No. I am depending on God.",
and he got drowned.
Then he went back to Godhead.
He asked God, "Why did you not save me?"
He said "I sent you a car, a boat, a helicopter
you did not take anything.
So what do you expect?"
So naturally we have to take the mercy of Kṛṣṇa
that may come in any way.
Questioner: Keśava Kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I know that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
what he told me to do.
So trying to execute his instructions,
I have to make various decisions.
But I always keep in my mind, pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda.
So, this has always served me well.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in one case,
I did what he would have done.
I don’t know
if everything I do is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But I am trying to do that.
And I know that that itself is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But we may make some mistakes on the way.
But then we can also correct. that.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Nice question!
Because we should do service to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Now certain things the guru has said, he would like to be done.
Just like I told Nāma-niṣṭhā
that I would like a temple to be constructed.
So doing that sevā, constructing a temple,
he knows that it is pleasing to the guru.
Right?
Nāma-niṣṭhā dāsa: Actually, I went to meet Guru Mahārāja and this was in Tirupati.
And he was being very kind to me.
He told me, “Construct a temple.”
So I said, “Please put your hand and order.”
That was the time he put his hand on my head and ordered,
“Make a beautiful temple with all the facilities.”
At that moment we were only three devotees and no money!
And I remember next detail he told me, on June 5th Pānihāṭi 2020 that what are you doing?
That was an online visit.
We hardly had any devotees and I said, “There was nothing to do because everything is closed.”
“Why don’t you do like Chennai, Guru Mahārāja”, said. “6,000 devotees attended their course online.”
So I thought Sumitra Kṛṣṇa dāsa did 6,000, Nāma-niṣṭhā will do 10,000!
And I tried, within four days, 10,000 people registered.
And we don’t even know where the money came from, we don’t even know, in fact all the devotees Guru Mahārāja initiated yesterday,
all came from online and it is unbelievable.
Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Rāma Kānāi Mathureśa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The thing that pleases Kṛṣṇa most is pure devotional service.
And the renunciation austerity
is not so important.
What is more important is pure bhakti.
So, that is why in the jñāna-yoga, to get the impersonal liberation,
one should be a sannyāsī.
But in bhakti-yoga, one could be a gṛhastha, one could be a sannyāsī, as long as they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follow the process of pure bhakti, they can achieve Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Rāma Kānāi Mathureśa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The thing that pleases Kṛṣṇa most is pure devotional service.
And the renunciation austerity
is not so important.
What is more important is pure bhakti.
So, that is why in the jñāna-yoga, to get the impersonal liberation,
one should be a sannyāsī.
But in bhakti-yoga, one could be a gṛhastha, one could be a sannyāsī, as long as they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follow the process of pure bhakti, they can achieve Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-21
Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Yes, (laughing)
if he is actually bonafide.
If he is actually bonafide.
You understand?
If someone is not a bonafide spiritual master, someone is only pretending to be a spiritual master,
then how can the relationship be eternal?
So therefore, the disciple has to know the real symptoms.
Just like for example, in the case I was just mentioning, there were some symptoms which were very unusual, that were not the normal symptoms.
So, some of the people in in England they were not, of course the young devotees they didn't know,
but they were not very strict and serious and seeing that the same standard was kept.
Do you understand?
In other words, just like we are… we are always preaching, that is the duty of our disciple to see, to select a bonafide spiritual master.
So, the point is that anyone who joins this movement sincerely will get Kṛṣṇa and will get a bonafide spiritual master.
And the symptom that is getting one that is he will get Kṛṣṇa.
If you are getting a bonafide spiritual master, then you are getting the proper instruction.
Any guru in ISKCON who is presenting Prabhupāda as he is, or presenting the standard program, he is a bonafide guru.
Just like if I tell my disciples, "Read these books."
So, I am giving them the right knowledge, you understand?
Now, if someone is actually a bonafide spiritual master, then that relationship is eternal.
So it’s not that, it’s not that, because one particular person had some difficulty therefore I will become doubtful.
This is also a foolish idea.
Just like in the Gauḍīya Maṭha, all of them deviated except Prabhupāda.
I mean fifty of them or something like that, there were 100 or something, I don’t know how many... do you understand?
And every last one of them, every single one of them, deviated from Bhaktisiddhānta's order.
And out of the movement of hundreds and thousands of people, Prabhupāda was the only one who actually
carried it out exactly as Bhaktisiddhānta wanted, do you understand?
So, it’s not that when we heard about Gauḍīya Maṭha, we begin to doubt our spiritual master.
No, we become more proud of our spiritual master.
So, it’s just like my parents always used to tell me, "You should be glad that your parents don’t drink or smoke…
or… tell me that, some parents beat their children, some parents do this, some parents do that.”
So, in that way Kṛṣṇa has given these historical examples. Kṛṣṇa has given these examples,
so you should be happy if you have a guru who doesn’t drink or smoke. (Laughter)
Yes, actually, we accept that Śrīla Prabhupāda among his godbrothers…
not that all they fell down to sinful activities,
but they deviated from the preaching mission and Prabhupāda told us that, none of them actually really captured the purport completely.
So, it's in the līlāmṛta, all.
Prabhupāda's frustration trying to work with them.
So, does that make us doubt Śrīla Prabhupāda? No, it makes us glorify him more.
That if others have failed, that means it must be very difficult.
Because someone has not… could not do it, that means it must be a very difficult thing.
It must be... So, therefore, it made us more attached to our spiritual master.
So, Prabhupāda said, "If you see, if you try to see the guru without Kṛṣṇa then that’s bad.
If you try to see Kṛṣṇa without the guru, that is also bad.
If we see guru as the representative of Kṛṣṇa,
then we will never be deviated.”
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Depends what you are thinking!
Generally, I would chant in front of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mūrti.
And I would chant the mantra but I would also be seeing Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Everything connected with Kṛṣṇa is also Kṛṣṇa.
It is not really Kṛṣṇa, but it is not different from Kṛṣṇa.
When we clean the temple, the temple is connected with Kṛṣṇa, therefore we clean our heart.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, in any part of the temple Kṛṣṇa is there.
So guru is connected to Kṛṣṇa
and if you see guru while chanting you will be connected to Kṛṣṇa.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.
If you are not able
to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,
then you can ask him
what to do in that case.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Offense.. is a spiritual thing.
While preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness why would you offend new people ?
We should not refer to anyone
depending on their gender, race.. or color,
anything material.
but encourage people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.
Questioner: Medhāvinī Sakhi devī dāsī
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: So, every day if we read some śāstra,
that will help us to always remember Kṛṣṇa!
In the morning I listen to Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures,
in the evening I hear or read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
During the day I give classes.
But we are told that we should always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: This is on the stage of anartha-nivṛitti.
One of the anarthas is called thick and thin.
Sometimes the devotion is very thick,
sometimes very thin,
so thin and thick.
So by following the process and reaching the stage of niṣṭhā,
then one will be fixed and there won’t be this thick and thin enthusiasm.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: See, we are not attached to winning or losing.
Rather, our system is that we offer respect to others
and we don’t expect any respect for ourselves.
So, like one of Lord Caitanya’s associates, he spoke to a Kazi, a Muslim magistrate.
He said, “You are very handsome, you are very powerful, rich, intelligent.”
Like that.
“I just want to ask you one thing?
Is it alright?”
He said, “Go ahead!”
He said, “Please forget all this
because when you die all this is gone.
Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!”
The Kazi said, “I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.”
That associate said, “Haribol! Haribol!
You just said it!
Don’t stop now!
Haribol! Haribol!”
If you try, you can figure out what is the best way of doing it.
And that you are trying Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased that this devotee is trying.
So we want to say things that are favorable,
which will help the person to listen.
Questioner: Śacīnandana Gauracanda dāsa.
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: We can see, it is not a small thing.
Personally, I don’t we need such a determination.
But we should be determined to chant,
to follow the four regulative principles
and engage one’s self in devotional service,
and eventually achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful.
Why do you want to serve anyone else?
Kṛṣṇa or His devotees are the only persons we should worship.
You know, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they gave all material desires to their followers.
But they had to reject God and serve them,
then you will get all that you want, materially.
But why do you want to serve a demon?
But the demons would like to serve the demons,
the devotees want to serve the devotees.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that is why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!
That changes our consciousness.
And then we see how this material world is a temporary place of suffering.
Lord Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā about this material world, it is – duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.
So we should engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Doesn’t matter where we are, material world or spiritual world, we do the same activities, engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
And I told the story about the Yamadūtas, we want to give them a vacation.
But if we want to give them service, they are ready to do it.
Also, Lord Caitanya revealed how by doing devotional service we get transcendental bliss.
Animals have āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, maithuna.
Human beings have the same plus devotional service.
So, the secret is to engage in devotional service.
Not to be an animal.
The modern world is just to make animal life more comfortable.
Why do the human beings have better, easier life than animals?
Because they have extra time to do devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!
I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.
So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.
First is śraddhā,
then sādhu-saṅga,
bhajana-kriyā,
anartha-nivṛtti,
niṣṭhā,
ruci,
āsakti,
bhāva
and then prema.
So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.
And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.
That is called anartha-nivṛtti.
And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.
This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.
So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.
The Army and Navy.
Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”
He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”
And now I am in India, I am also an army man!
Questioner: Śaśimukhi Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
he like to walk
when he chanted. He was very active.
So he didn’t like sitting and chanting.
He would walk,
pace back and forth chanting.
So as far as leaving our body,
Kṛṣṇa helps us then.
We should practice chanting in all situations;
because the time of death is of course the most difficult time.
I went to a dentist, he said,
“The greatest suffering is kidney stones,
child birth,
dying
and dental [surgeries]!
Welcome to your dentist!!” [laughter]
So he said that dying is one of the most difficult times.
That is why we need to practice chanting now.
So that we can chant at the time when we leave our body.
But even if we cannot,
if we had remained good and chanted all through our life;
at the time of leaving our body, Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Śaśimukhi Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
he like to walk
when he chanted. He was very active.
So he didn’t like sitting and chanting.
He would walk,
pace back and forth chanting.
So as far as leaving our body,
Kṛṣṇa helps us then.
We should practice chanting in all situations;
because the time of death is of course the most difficult time.
I went to a dentist, he said,
“The greatest suffering is kidney stones,
child birth,
dying
and dental [surgeries]!
Welcome to your dentist!!” [laughter]
So he said that dying is one of the most difficult times.
That is why we need to practice chanting now.
So that we can chant at the time when we leave our body.
But even if we cannot,
if we had remained good and chanted all through our life;
at the time of leaving our body, Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said prāṇa haite jāra, sei hetu pracāra.
So if your spiritual life is there, then you will be automatically cultivating your spiritual life.
Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,
you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.
So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?
Like that, the act of shopping
becomes an act of love.
And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,
you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?
And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Śaraṇāgati Gaura dāsa
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You have a nice name, śaraṇāgati, means surrender.
Just apply your name!
Lord Caitanya said in the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam which they chant here every morning –
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
Be more humble than a blade of grass.
Śrīla Prabhupāda described – you step on grass, it bends over, it is humble.
When you walk away from the grass, the grass comes back up.
So, in that way, we should be humble and at the same time be resilient.
Go upright in due course of time.
Be more tolerant than a tree.
A tree stands there in a rain, in heat, in a wind and people cut branches from the tree and make toothbrushes.
One devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he wanted a neem tree.
There was a neem tree outside his window.
He hung out of the window to get a neem branch.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, don’t do that!
He said, don’t worry Prabhupāda, I did that many times!
Maybe, but don’t do in front of me, Śrīla Prabhupāda said.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was afraid for the devotee, maybe he will fall!
That way a tree is very tolerant, so we should be tolerant and we should offer respect to others
but not expect any appreciation or respect for ourselves.
In that way we can always chant the Holy Name.
So śaraṇāgati is the actual mood we should have surrender
and whether our authority treats us very nice with a smile, or he treats us harsh,
we are not doing it for the authority.
As such, we are doing it to please Kṛṣṇa.
And if the authority gives us a service we can do, we should appreciate it, thank you for giving me the service!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Rādhā Śrī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Rādhā Śrī! How to develop tolerance for everything? It is very hard to tolerate the absence of Kṛṣṇa
and the absence of Prabhupāda.
So that is called vipralambha-bhāva
or feeling separation.
That is something we don’t have to tolerate.
We can cry.
But all these false ego things I was talking about before,
we tolerate those,
because we know that they are not constructive.
So unless we can do something for Kṛṣṇa, we tolerate it and we don’t do it.
So as we develop more attachment for Kṛṣṇa, it is easier to tolerate material things.
So what we should do as a human being is learn more about Kṛṣṇa.
And to develop our affection and attraction for Kṛṣṇa.
And then it is very easy to tolerate all the other things.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Antīmā devī dāsī.
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we should have the vision of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura,
seeing the difference from material relationship,
and the spiritual reality.
If we have this knowledge,
naturally we can transcend the suffering and troubles of the material world.
But since we are conditioned, and we lament over things which should not be lamented for,
therefore, say one family member dies,
different varṇas have different times or periods, when we are not supposed to go to the temple.
I think brāhmaṇas have 11 days and śūdras 30 days.
So, the more one has spiritual knowledge,
they may be able to recover.
Now I heard that the head priest of the Guruvāyur temple,
if someone dies in his family,
they wouldn’t tell him.
Because if they told him,
he would have to stop worship for so many days.
So, while he is in the six months as head priest.
He would not hear about any misfortune in his family.
Fixing your mind on guru and Kṛṣṇa, is a matter of spiritual wisdom.
Category: [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Yaśodā Kṛṣṇa.
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If you associate with enthusiastic devotees
you will also be enthusiastic.
And knowing how wonderful is Kṛṣṇa,
and how when you take one step towards Kṛṣṇa, He takes ten steps towards you.
So how can you fail to be enthusiastic?
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Yaśodā Kṛṣṇa.
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If you associate with enthusiastic devotees
you will also be enthusiastic.
And knowing how wonderful is Kṛṣṇa,
and how when you take one step towards Kṛṣṇa, He takes ten steps towards you.
So how can you fail to be enthusiastic?
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Attachment, fear, and anger, how to overcome? There is a verse of this in the Bhagavad-gītā
and some advice is given there.
But in a nutshell, we want to dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Instead of being attached to the material world, we are more attached to Kṛṣṇa and His service.
An anger instead of being angry because our ego is pinched
or because someone is not giving us the sense gratification we want,
or because someone is criticizing us unnecessarily,
unconstructively,
then if we get angry that is material.
But if someone offends a devotee or Kṛṣṇa; if we get angry
that’s Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So anger, we try to use it for the right reason and anger for the wrong reason, we renounce.
And since Kṛṣṇa promises He will protect His devotees,
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati [Bg 9.31]
My devotee will never be destroyed.
So why should we have any fear?
Fear is the part of the material world,
and fear means that we take it as a caution.
But we don’t actually fear absolutely because we can depend on the mercy and protection of Kṛṣṇa.
But if He tells us in our mind, that going to this place is dangerous now,
we take that also as a warning by Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Anantalīlā Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
We don’t want to be lazy or lethargic.
We don’t want to miss this chance.
If you do nice devotional service,
but you have material desires,
you may end up in the heavenly planets,
be there for a long time,
hundreds of thousands of years.
You will miss the Golden Age,
and then come back in the worst part of Kali-yuga or after.
So, no time to be lazy.
You have to finish your business while you have the chance.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: The abhideya is devotional practice of devotional service.
And
so thinking of practicing devotional service is one thing.
But if you are thinking something against devotional service,
that is aparādhā.
To atone an aparādhā there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: In the time, place and circumstance,
what is your goal?
In the marketplace, what do you want to do?
If you can get people to buy a book,
then they will read it for hours and hours.
Then they will have some understanding.
What will you speak in the market?
Some place you may want to distribute the books.
You have to see the circumstance, what is the best way of preaching.
Questioner: —Susevinī Guru Gaurāṅga devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, or Paramātmā,
the Christians know as the Holy Ghost.
So, one is actually talking through the Paramātmā in the heart of the living entity and to the Spirit Soul.
So with the help of the Paramātmā we want to help the jīva to get out his illusion.
The word preaching has kind of a negative connotation.
The word in Sanskrit or Bengali is pracāra,
pracāra means to glorify the Lord and the process of His devotional service.
It means how to encourage someone to take up devotional service.
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura said that there is no scarcity in the material world,
only scarcity is devotional service.
Everywhere you see this scarcity.
People work so hard to win some athletic competition,
they work so hard to get some academic degree,
they work very hard to get a raise.
But actually even if a little effort they give to serve Kṛṣṇa,
they would actually be able to perfect their lives.
Who remembers the one athletic event five years ago?
And some people leave and some people break their bones and die,
but if we render some devotional service we never lose the result,
it stays with us life after life.
But all the things we achieve in this material world, the material things we achieve this life we leave behind us.
Say we earn millions of dollars;
we cannot take one paisa to the next birth or one cent.
But any devotional service you do,it stays to your credit.
If you have enough credit, you leave this material world
and go back to the spiritual world where you can serve the Lord constantly,
where there is no birth, death, old age or disease. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: —Susevinī Guru Gaurāṅga devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, or Paramātmā,
the Christians know as the Holy Ghost.
So, one is actually talking through the Paramātmā in the heart of the living entity and to the Spirit Soul.
So with the help of the Paramātmā we want to help the jīva to get out his illusion.
The word preaching has kind of a negative connotation.
The word in Sanskrit or Bengali is pracāra,
pracāra means to glorify the Lord and the process of His devotional service.
It means how to encourage someone to take up devotional service.
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura said that there is no scarcity in the material world,
only scarcity is devotional service.
Everywhere you see this scarcity.
People work so hard to win some athletic competition,
they work so hard to get some academic degree,
they work very hard to get a raise.
But actually even if a little effort they give to serve Kṛṣṇa,
they would actually be able to perfect their lives.
Who remembers the one athletic event five years ago?
And some people leave and some people break their bones and die,
but if we render some devotional service we never lose the result,
it stays with us life after life.
But all the things we achieve in this material world, the material things we achieve this life we leave behind us.
Say we earn millions of dollars;
we cannot take one paisa to the next birth or one cent.
But any devotional service you do,it stays to your credit.
If you have enough credit, you leave this material world
and go back to the spiritual world where you can serve the Lord constantly,
where there is no birth, death, old age or disease. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: While balancing all these things,
there is not much time for māyā.
So that is very good,
and you need two hours or so at one point
every day to chant your 16 rounds.
With some experience you can do a little faster.
Then you have to read every day something,
of Śrīla Prabhupāda books.
The other activities,
the material activities
and cultivating the Bhakti-vṛkṣa members,
that will keep you out of māyā.
And so it is a very nice activity,
that you are taking so much responsibilities.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see there will always be some tests.
Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?
You want to serve Kṛṣṇa or you are just playing around.
So many devotees here.
I give class every day, more or less every day.
Wherever you are, Bhopal, Vadodara, you can watch the class,
either by Facebook or Zoom.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: The secret is to always stay busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Mana, kāya, vākya –
we want our deeds, our words and our thoughts to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.
If we can engage our intelligence how to expand the preaching,
or how to improve our service,
that is the best way.
If we allow the mind to drift on to the objects of the senses,
then naturally we become distracted.
So somehow, it is important to have a service,
you like to do.
That you can be fully absorbed in.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a lot of very absorbing services.
And so that kept me busy, out of māyā.
So the devotee who gives you service should see that you are fully engaged.
If you are not fully engaged,
tell them, because you need to be fully engaged to be free of māyā.
As they say, idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
If the mind is idle,
if we are not fully fixed in our service,
then the mind will start to think about māyā.
Bhakti-yoga means to be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, bhakti-yoga is a powerful practice.
And if you just say stop something, what do you do? Your mind, your senses do not stop.
So we do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do to please Kṛṣṇa.
So just like we have to eat. So instead of eating nonsense, we eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
We replace what we are doing materially bad habits with positive kṛṣṇa-sevā.
People may have the bad habit of illicit sex.
But those who want sex they have to be married.
And we bring up our children also in devotional service.
Questioner: Kiśorī Yoginī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no higher atonement than Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So if one makes a mistake,
then the best remedial method is serving Kṛṣṇa.
So, if you make mistakes,
then you should be more diligent actually, at serving.
The point is that, one should not make sense gratification as the goal of our life.
When we have senses, there will be some sense of pleasure and some suffering.
So Kṛṣṇa explains that, you regulate the activities.
Just like you take prasādam,
just like we have married life,
try to produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
Different activities are regulated.
But the goal is not sense gratification,
the goal is to please Kṛṣṇa.
This world unfortunately is beginning, middle and end is all sense gratification.
They don’t understand anything about Kṛṣṇa in most cases.
Even if they are God conscious, they pray to God to give them some material gratification.
But we should rather want to serve the Lord.
Well, it is expected that you will make some mistakes.
That is why we should be more careful,
after making mistakes,
to practice more sincerely.
Just like a child learning how to walk.
Naturally they will fall down a few times,
but eventually they learn to walk, run, everything.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Thank you!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes someone is expert at something.
Sometimes they are not expert.
But Lord Kṛṣṇa is expert at everything.
So, we try to do all the services for Kṛṣṇa
and some services will be well done,
and some could be better.
So, we ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy to do our services better.
And shortcomings are taken as areas that we need to concentrate more on.
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well there are two parts to your question.
One, how do I know if my service is pleasing to guru?
If we are doing something which he has asked us to do,
then it is usually pleasing to him.
If we are doing something which is for our authorities requested us to do
and it doesn’t go in contradiction with anything that guru told us;
and that something that is completely against our nature,
then usually it is very pleasing.
If it is something that is against our nature;
but it is something that is urgently needed;
and sometimes by fulfilling that one gets some special mercy from the guru.
What was the second part?
If our services are not pleasing does it affect our taste in chanting?
If you do not carry out the order of your guru,
then that is the third offence to the holy name
and naturally that will be something that hampers our tastes.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well there are two parts to your question.
One, how do I know if my service is pleasing to guru?
If we are doing something which he has asked us to do,
then it is usually pleasing to him.
If we are doing something which is for our authorities requested us to do
and it doesn’t go in contradiction with anything that guru told us;
and that something that is completely against our nature,
then usually it is very pleasing.
If it is something that is against our nature;
but it is something that is urgently needed;
and sometimes by fulfilling that one gets some special mercy from the guru.
What was the second part?
If our services are not pleasing does it affect our taste in chanting?
If you do not carry out the order of your guru,
then that is the third offence to the holy name
and naturally that will be something that hampers our tastes.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]
Questioner: Sureśvara Nimāi dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you can do that, it is a sign of being very advanced.
Usually when we are suffering, it is hard to render devotional service enthusiastically.
But some devotees are able to do so;
and that depends on how grateful you are to the guru, or how you are attached to Gaurāṅga or Kṛṣṇa.
Also, how bad is the material suffering you are going through?
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Saṁbandha is understanding of our relationship that we are the servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Abhideya is engaging in that relationship.
And prayojana is achieving the perfection of life,
pure love of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Saṁbandha is understanding of our relationship that we are the servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Abhideya is engaging in that relationship.
And prayojana is achieving the perfection of life,
pure love of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
How to understand that we are facing our own karma or it is Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement in our life. Is it true that when we start doing bhakti our karma diminishes and we act according to Kṛṣṇa’s will and arrangement. But for that we have to be a pure devotee even a sādhaka’s karma diminishes completely when they start bhakti. Then again why we face difficulties?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see if you are 25% surrendered
then Kṛṣṇa protects you 25%,
if you are 50% then 50%.
If you are 100% then He will fully protect you.
Like Prahlāda Mahārāja
he was fully protected by the Lord.
But maybe we want some material sense gratification,
and we also want to do some service.
So finally, Kṛṣṇa will protect us some and māyā will control the other.
We should think that we are suffering much less than we should be
by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: They all know Kṛṣṇa, they know Rāma.
Then speak about Kṛṣṇa and Rāma.
Lord Caitanya said that all the time chant and worship Kṛṣṇa.
I met a person who said that he was chanting for the past 26 years the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but do not get any happiness.
Then I asked him do you chant the name of Lord Caitanya?
He said no, I am from another sampradāya.
Then I gave him the Pañca-tattva mantra—
śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
wrote it down for him.
I told him chant this mantra first and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
If you chant this way, you will get good result.
After three months I went there and saw him.
He saw me from far and came running to me.
He fell down flat and paid obeisances.
“What mantra did you give me!” he said. “I am so happy now! What mantra did you give me?”
If you live in Lucknow they don’t know anything but you have this knowledge,
then preach the names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to them.
And teach them the significance of Nitāi-Gaura.
Lord Gaurāṅga had come to Vṛndāvana, to Banaras.
And how so easily He distributed the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma.
Nitāi Gaurāṅga!
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, it is good to feel like that.
Rādhārāṇī feels She is not doing enough, as much as She could.
But we think that She is 100% best,
but She is thinking what more I should do?
That is the Kṛṣṇa conscious attitude.
Not that, oh! I am doing everything I can.
Then we won’t try to do more.
If we cannot think of how to increase, you could also always ask what more can I do?
Or if you have some idea, then you can suggest, can I do this, will this be pleasing?
We always should be eager to do something more for Kṛṣṇa.
Parents, your children ever come up and say, mom dad, can I do some service for you? Ha!
You think, what do they want from me! Ha!
But actually if they don’t want anything that would be super!
If you think what more you could do and you want permission, then suggest that.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
I am an assistant professor of psychology and a counseling psychologist. In this lockdown period I have been attending classes by Sukṛtī mātājī and Amarendra prabhu. And I have also started taking classes for a bunch of middle aged people older than me. Request you Guru Mahārāja to kindly bless me so that they also feel inspired to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I can also do more preaching services and progress in my Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: So you are an assistant professor, you have a Master’s degree or PhD.
The Supreme Court was saying that more people may die from the fear of the corona virus.
So psychologists are very important.
For counseling they said, they should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz
and have counseling.
So you could help us also.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Ladies, they have to do a lot of housework.
They ask me similar questions.
But you see to be working plus have to do the housework.
So, the thing is that now we have the Bhagavad-gītā and different books that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other virtually.
You can have an iPod
and listen to the audio, Gītā and other audio śāstras.
So in this way while doing your work like washing and cooking,
you can hear the śāstra.
But also you can download the classes from the internet,
there is my Jayapatākā Swami App.
That gives access to the different JPS Archives and different programs
so you can hear the classes.
Many other things are there like SoundCloud.
You can also attend my daily classes which I give at 7pm.
And so there are different ways where you can hear classes, you can associate,
on Facebook,
YouTube.
You can download and you could also associate with different devotees,
virtually.
So there must be also classes of the IYF which you can attend.
So this way you can get some devotee association.
Actually, as I said,
I don’t have much personal contact with the devotees.
But all day long, I am meeting devotees.
And I don’t even feel that I am not meeting them.
I feel contact with them,
as I feel contact with you!
It used to be that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other
virtually.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Since this verse is about Dhruva Mahārāja
and he was the great grandson of Lord Brahmā.
The grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu.
So Manu was obviously a gṛhastha.
He was grandfather of Dhruva,
he also was the father of the mother of Kapila Muni.
And so it is said that he went back to Godhead.
But he was a gṛhastha
he had children, he had responsibilities,
but he did everything Kṛṣṇa consciously.
When he did his things, he did everything thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
So like that our gṛhasthas sometimes have deities in their house.
They may have Jagannātha Baladeva Subhadrā, Nitāi-Gaura,
so by doing their daily activities in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way they can balance.
We should always remember that our prime duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa.
But we may have other duties.
Those we do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way
and that way we always stay under Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.
In the 10th topic of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it says āśraya.
We want to be under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
So we pray to the Deities as gṛhasthas, that we want to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious healthy, long lived suputra or putrī.
Only gṛhasthas can have children.
Brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas, sannyāsīs no children.
It says if your child becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious and goes back to Godhead, putra or putrī,
then if they go back to Godhead, 14 generations will go, also, minimum,
7 backward and 7 forward.
Kṛṣṇa is very grateful.
I have one family they said we don’t know if we will go or not but please train our son in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so he goes back.
If you think, oh I have a responsibility for my parents who are sick, old,
you think I will help them to remember Kṛṣṇa
or remember Rāma, that is the interest.
In this way our service, our responsibility, is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Bhakti-yoga is very practical.
We want - everything will be naturally balanced because we do everything in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Since this verse is about Dhruva Mahārāja
and he was the great grandson of Lord Brahmā.
The grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu.
So Manu was obviously a gṛhastha.
He was grandfather of Dhruva,
he also was the father of the mother of Kapila Muni.
And so it is said that he went back to Godhead.
But he was a gṛhastha
he had children, he had responsibilities,
but he did everything Kṛṣṇa consciously.
When he did his things, he did everything thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
So like that our gṛhasthas sometimes have deities in their house.
They may have Jagannātha Baladeva Subhadrā, Nitāi-Gaura,
so by doing their daily activities in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way they can balance.
We should always remember that our prime duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa.
But we may have other duties.
Those we do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way
and that way we always stay under Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.
In the 10th topic of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it says āśraya.
We want to be under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
So we pray to the Deities as gṛhasthas, that we want to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious healthy, long lived suputra or putrī.
Only gṛhasthas can have children.
Brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas, sannyāsīs no children.
It says if your child becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious and goes back to Godhead, putra or putrī,
then if they go back to Godhead, 14 generations will go, also, minimum,
7 backward and 7 forward.
Kṛṣṇa is very grateful.
I have one family they said we don’t know if we will go or not but please train our son in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so he goes back.
If you think, oh I have a responsibility for my parents who are sick, old,
you think I will help them to remember Kṛṣṇa
or remember Rāma, that is the interest.
In this way our service, our responsibility, is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Bhakti-yoga is very practical.
We want - everything will be naturally balanced because we do everything in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
I am from Punjab in North India, there is a culture and tradition like there are events like doing Rāmāyaṇa-paṭha, invite devotees and host a Bhāgavatam, invite someone who translates Bhāgavatam and do it for seven days, do the Bhāgavata-saptāha. For Rāmāyaṇa it is the Rāmacarita-manasa, these kinds of events are very popular. Is it okay for me to promote such cultural events here as a Bhakti-vṛkṣa leader?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: In India, we don’t do Bhāgavata-saptāha,
we call it Bhāgavata-kathā or something else.
Usually Bhāgavata-saptāha, some professional does it.
Actually, I mean Parīkṣit Mahārāja he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all twelve cantos day and night without eating or sleeping.
And so, we listen for an hour or two, usually they talk about rasa-līlā or something,
but we may take any part of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
If you do it in that way, it is alright.
Call it Bhāgavata-kathā or something.
That may last seven days.
So we have different devotees who are expert at speaking.
The Rāmacarita-manasa, some of the verses are somewhat impersonal.
The Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa is better.
And one devotee is translating the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Vidvāna Gaurāṅga dāsa.
So the original Rāmāyaṇa done by Vālmīki is authorized.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Questioner: Purabi Das
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, if we take water used by non-devotees,
then that may compromise our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
At the same time, if people and devotees take water from us, which we offer to Kṛṣṇa, they get blessings.
So maybe in this situation, you take two bottles.
One for the staff
and one for yourself.
And we would like to give non-devotees kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Day-to-day Life / Workplace]
Questioner: Śrīdhara
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Just that when we do office work,
we dedicate the work to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Certain percentage of the income, we may give to Kṛṣṇa.
So even though we may not always be able to think about Kṛṣṇa while we are working,
since the activity is offered to Kṛṣṇa, that will suffice.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, the point we should only say what we have understood or heard.
We don’t speculate.
For instance, if someone asks a question,
we don’t know the answer,
we speculate and say something.
That is the not the way.
Better to say, I will find out the answer.
You can ask Rādhe Śyāma or read the book.
Then you will know the answer, you will go and say, I am ready now! I am ready! I AM READY! Let them come and ask any question!
I was distributing books and people would ask me questions.
Sometimes I did not know the answers.
So I told them, wait, I will tell you tomorrow.
I would ask Śrīla Prabhupāda or some senior devotee
and then I would go back and say I am ready.
You said, you are being guided by Rādhe Śyāma so that is very good!
The point is that it is not that you should not preach.But you should not speculate.
You should say what you have heard.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Every job has got some defect.
Even a brāhmaṇa, a Purohit he has to do some sacrifice for materialists.
So the advocate, naturally they have to represent sometime people who are guilty.
But the advocate still has to defend him.
So everything we do has some defect.
In the present society everybody has a right to defense.
If the advocate is very expert he may save a person.
But that person may be actually guilty!
But by the advocate being expert, they may be saved.
So, the thing is that one could try to be selective
but that may not be possible.
The other thing is that what we earn, we give a certain percentage to Kṛṣṇa,
in that way, you are doing your job for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
And you are not responsible ultimately for the person who you are defending.
The thing is that each person, if you do your service
as an offering to Kṛṣṇa
and you try to be expert.
So you said that you also write articles in the newspapers.
So we hope that you get education in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And be able to represent Sanātana Dharma in a proper way.
Because you are an advocate in the High Court
naturally you have a certain respect in the society.
So use that for Kṛṣṇa.
In that way, you can balance your material and spiritual life.
I am very happy to meet you.
You said you are the niece of Ajīta Gopinātha das.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-02-15
Jayapatākā Swami: This is due to the time factor.
And bhakti, vairāgya, jñāna, they are eternal tattvas.
But jñāna, vairāgya they became old in Kali-yuga.
But by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they became rejuvenated.
If you think that because of distributing books you will remain in this material world forever?
Anyway, we have a limited time to live.
And by your distributing books, after this life we hope you will not have to take birth again!
We should avoid offences.
Questioner: Soundarya Rādhikā devī dāsī, New Rājāpur Dhāma, Bengaluru
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You seem to have realized that when you don’t follow
the advice of the senior devotees,
you get attacked by māyā.
So that should convince you
that to avoid being attacked by māyā,
follow the more advanced devotees’ advice.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
I read in the book once that everything you do in the day from eating breakfast to reading a book or driving, everything you do is your spiritual life, and it is only a matter of how consciously you do these ordinary things, so my question is how can we do ordinary things more spiritually consciously?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: By doing the activities for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
By doing the activities to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So even the things which we do every day, like we offer our food to Kṛṣṇa,
we take kṛṣṇa-prasāda
and chant japa,
read books.
If you are studying in college or school, then you do with that idea that I will use what I learn in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
If you are working and earning money and then you think you will use a certain percentage for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
And even the part you need for maintaining yourself, also you are offering your food, you are using your house for Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you read, it should stay in your mind.
So, I don’t know why it doesn’t stay in your mind.
You can read a little bit
and say that
if something that doesn’t stay in your mind, you can tell them that you will read and tell them later.
So then you can read again,
refresh your mind
and use it.
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
If you use it, then naturally you can keep it.
Do you take cow’s milk?
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue.
And that way your enthusiasm will return.
This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends for what reason you are not able to attend. You are up late, preaching, you are sick or just lazy?
If you are just doing out of laziness, it is not proper.
Questioner: Liz Valero
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to listen to and read the books.
Understand the teachings, at least the basic books.
If you read the books, the questions are fairly simple. For instance, what is the difference between the body and soul.
You can have the questions in advance, no secret.
So if you want the questions, we can send you.
So any way don’t feel anxiety.
We want you to pass your test.
And if you don’t pass it first time,
you can ask for the answers.
Next time you pass.
I think they are not so difficult.
Why do you believe that Kṛṣṇa is God?
Questions like that, they are very simple.
More complicated for second initiation.
They have to pass Bhakti-śāstri.
For first initiation, they are very simple.
Okay? No anxiety! Be calm!
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
I wanted to understand some of the tactics to engage the people in devotional service. We just received the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets during the pandemic time. But our temple is closed down and we cannot invite people to visit the temple. So what are some other ways we can help them to connect to Kṛṣṇa?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see since people are restricted from coming to the temple,
we have been finding that using the internet is a very good way!
At present time, there is a three-day Nāmahaṭṭa sammelan
and I heard that yesterday morning 18,000 links were accessed in the morning
and in the evening it was 25,000.
Each link may have many people.
Similarly, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, they had the Bhagavad-gītā Made Easy class –
18 days, 18 chapters.
9,000 people joined up.
I told this to Mangaluru
and they also started a program.
They did not have money to buy the Zoom account.
They got from Microsoft Meeting
25 free programs,
each one has about 275 capacities.
Like that they had 10 to 11 thousand people each time.
And they have done it three times.
By using Zoom, internet,
it is possible to reach out to many people.
People seem to be more eager for spiritual life now than ever before!
There are experts, you can ask the SPT GBCs some ideas about this.
We have Śabda Hari dāsa in Chennai, he is an expert on social media
and he gives classes
over the internet,
how to use this social media platform for preaching.
I think that Houston could definitely do a lot of preaching.
I don’t know if you are on Māyāpur TV or not.
But in that way you will be accessible all over the world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you are able to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, assimilate the knowledge,
and preach,
I will be very happy!
Questioner: Milan, ISKCON Youth Forum, Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya, He taught that you can achieve perfection whether you are a vairāgī or a householder.
So, if you are a householder you should try to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center.
I saw one drama from the Chennai youths.
One girl and one boy were playing Yamadūtas and one lady, girl was playing Yamarāja.
She painted her mustache as Yamarāja.
The Yamadūtas they were complaining. Yamarāja! What do we do? These Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees have deities in the houses, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they read Bhagavad-gītā, what do we do?
We cannot take them to hell!
Maybe need a way to find another chākrī, another job!
So it was very interesting to see the Yamadūtas complaining.
Actually, one family in Kolkata, the mother, children, were all initiated.
Everyone but the father.
He was dead against.
But then he was diagnosed with cancer.
He was in bed ,
and he saw two hairy people with leather ropes, walk through the wall.
He said, “No, no, no, no! No, no!”
Somehow they left.
He called his wife, “I want the neck bead.
I want the Bhagavad-gītā, I want the japa-mālā.”
What we were trying so long, the Yamadūtas in few minutes they changed him.
So he became very Kṛṣṇa conscious after that.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Karma / Desires], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: It is said that if you hear with faith if you hear and not be agitated,
then you can cure the lust in your heart.
If you speculate lusty things when you hear, then you are not hearing with faith.
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: We hope that you are not poisoned.
You should hear from a pure devotee and read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and take the mistaken thoughts from your mind.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Mādhurī Mamatāmayī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: It can be an offence.
If it is presented in such a way that we respectfully say that this particular thing should not be followed,
the devotee is otherwise is very good, but this particular habit is something that we do not follow.
It is presented in a very constructive way
like Prabhupāda in the 12th chapter of Ādi-līlā Cc. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta) has given the details of the Gauḍīya Maṭhas
break up,
and failure to maintain the instructions of the founder.
So Prabhupāda gave those details to warn us, that we should not do the same thing.
So some of the Gauḍīya Maṭha leaders asked us to take out the 12th chapter.
But we said that we don’t have the right to take out Prabhupāda’s writings.
So depending on how you do it,
if it is to warn someone,
not to follow this example;
then it maybe alright.
You see Prabhupāda was talking about his godbrothers.
If one is a junior devotee is talking about someone who is very advanced or more senior;
it maybe, what you call mariyāda-laṅgana, the transgression of seniority.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-06-03
Jayapatākā Swami: There is a saying in Bengali - Big big monkeys, big big stomachs…
Hanumān was very strong.
He went to South India and went to Laṅka from there.
We desire that I should be able to jump like Hanumān.
But we are not able to.
We have big, big stomach that is why we cannot jump.
Our desire is that we should do a lot of things.
But if do devotional service then everything will be good.
That we are not able to do maybe.
Here we have Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān Deities.
And we have Śrīnāthajī and Rādhā Govindajī as well.
This way we want to serve Lord Rāmacandrajī and Śrīnāthajī.
Haribol!
Nitāi Gaura!
With the mercy of Nitāi Gaura we get the mercy of Lord Rāmacandra and Śrīnāthajī.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-06-03
Jayapatākā Swami: There is a saying in Bengali - Big big monkeys, big big stomachs…
Hanumān was very strong.
He went to South India and went to Laṅka from there.
We desire that I should be able to jump like Hanumān.
But we are not able to.
We have big, big stomach that is why we cannot jump.
Our desire is that we should do a lot of things.
But if do devotional service then everything will be good.
That we are not able to do maybe.
Here we have Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān Deities.
And we have Śrīnāthajī and Rādhā Govindajī as well.
This way we want to serve Lord Rāmacandrajī and Śrīnāthajī.
Haribol!
Nitāi Gaura!
With the mercy of Nitāi Gaura we get the mercy of Lord Rāmacandra and Śrīnāthajī.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
That is why we want you to read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
I heard that one lady was principal of a college, she took the Bhakti-śāstri degree.
Anyway, if you repeat what you heard in the class,
you distribute books, by reading your books you can understand.
Even new devotees, they distribute books.
So this is how one can preach even if they are not particularly knowledgeable.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: Nothing can disturb your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
if you don’t let it.
And we may get free from all our sinful actions.
But then if we again commit more,
then that is a new situation.
So not only should we get freed from the previous ones,
but we should also avoid making new sinful reactions.
Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting.
In other words, you are saying we have false ego.
We think we don’t have any faults.
But the associates of Lord Caitanya,
always think, it must be because of some faults they did.
So, we should follow in their example.
Don’t blame others,
see yourself first.
What mistake you made,
“Not me! It was he!”
The associates of Lord Caitanya are teaching by their good example,
because of their good qualities,
Lord Caitanya’s heart melted.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see when I was a new devotee,
I visited every temple in ISKCON.
San Francisco, New York and Montreal!
Three!
And there were no other devotees in these temples, nearby.
But right now, we have about 800 temples, more or less.
And there is this one temple I know, mostly there are no other devotees.
In India, we have one place we have a few temples
but in other countries you don’t see.
Of course, in some places, there is the Gauḍīya Maṭha and other devotees.
It is alright.
They are making devotees around the world is good.
But it is very rare, most they are ISKCON devotees.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: If you want to go back to Kṛṣṇa,
if you want to please Kṛṣṇa,
if you want to have the spiritual bliss,
then material suffering should just be an incentive that this material world is not a good place.
Just like now we have the pandemic. The material world is a very dangerous place.
The Bhāgavatam says, padam padam yat vipadām.
One should use it well and understand that this material world is not a place for us to stay.
Bhagavad-gītā says that four kinds of people think about Kṛṣṇa –
those who are in need,
those who are miserable,
those who are inquisitive
and those who are in knowledge.
So these four types of people think of Kṛṣṇa.
If you are facing difficulty, then you should think of Kṛṣṇa.
There are four kinds of people who do not think about Kṛṣṇa –
narādhama,
asura,
this type.
Pious people think of Kṛṣṇa when they are in distress.
Now I will visit your houses as much as possible.
We want to thank everyone for your offerings and receiving me.
Please send your realizations to Madhavakānta or to Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa.
Hope you are all preaching using internet.
The scope is unlimited,
people are more receptive.
Because the hospital and doctors can only do so much.
So we are all on the mercy of the Supreme Lord.
In Śaraṇāgati-bhajana, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura spoke about the six aspects of surrendering and also mentioned that Kṛṣṇa hears the prayers of those who practice them. But sometimes I feel that I am not able to practice them properly, especially kārpaṇya or humility. In this situation what should I do so that Kṛṣṇa may hear my prayers?
Questioner: Sudevī Jayaśrī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: We like to think that if we are doing good it is by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
We don’t take any credit for ourselves.
In that way, we stay humble.
If we think we are the doer, then that is also arrogance.
And so we are depending on guru and Kṛṣṇa all the time.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11th canto chapter 5 devotees appear in various places in the Age of Kali that those people will be very clear hearted who drinks the water of Kāverī, Tāmaraparaṇī and Padmavatī. Most of the things it says that the devotees in Tāmaraparaṇī are very pure hearted. So just want to understand that if we say the mantra gange ca yamune ca godāvarī sarasvatī…we chant. But we see that in South India they say Kāverī, Tāmaraparaṇī, Godāvarī, Mahānadī. So I want to understand what is the significance of these devotees?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: You have already read the verses from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
You are saying you don’t understand?
These are holy rivers.
And naturally people born by the holy river
they get special benefit.
We went on our safari
there and in Tāmaraparaṇī
the water has copper in it.
So these places are very sacred.
So, we see that in South India,
sannyāsīs and brāhmaṇas still maintain certain rituals.
Next to the Godāvarī in Rajahmundry, there was a couple and he was claiming to be Kalki avatāra.
Kalki is coming at the end of Kali-yuga.
We are about 5,000 years into Kali-yuga.
Some devotee went and asked him, “Aren’t you a little early?”
He said, “I may not be the Kalki avatāra but I am an avatāra and I am God! I AM GOD!”
Śrīla Prabhupāda in Boston in 1969 when he arrived,
he got many garlands
and he said that they worship the spiritual master like God.
But he doesn’t think he is God.
If he thinks he is God,
he is not G-O-D,
he is D-O-G, dog.
So Śrīla Prabhupāda he was very clear that he was a devotee.
When I had my stroke I was in the Bhakti Vedanta hospital.
So they had a crew who does devotee care.
One person used to give me daily report of what happens.
He said that there were was one man who have many magazines,
spiritual magazines.
Brahma-kumārī, so many different religious organizations.
So the devotee asked him are you interested in spiritual things.
He said, “I am interested but every organization says
your father is God.
I am confused.
Who is really God?”
“Our founder says he is not God,
he is a devotee of God.”
“Wow!” And then he gave the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
and he said that, “I never knew that there is a founder who said he is a devotee!
So like that in India you have true people and people who are speculators.”
And so when I went Śrīla Prabhupāda went to the Bhagavad-gītā World Assembly
and there was a person who had mauna-vratā because they were killing cows.
And he had his followers to chant chapters of Bhagavad-gītā
and Śrīla Prabhupāda had his disciples to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
And then one Māyāvādī sannyāsī
he wanted to compete
so he said that chant, “Sat-cit-ānanda Kṛṣṇa!
Sat-cit-ānanda Kṛṣṇa!”
Śrīla Prabhupāda was so angry.
But he said just chant and devotees started chanting.
So everybody became very happy.
You see the Māyāvādī sannyāsī he was speculating some mantra.
In India we have many good people and some Māyāvādī, speculators.
So that is why we want people to read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and follow it.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Since we understand that everyone is a part of Kṛṣṇa,
then if we love Kṛṣṇa
naturally all the parts of Kṛṣṇa you love.
Say, you love your father,
you love his fingers, everything.
You don’t want him to lose his finger.
Similarly, all the living entities are part of Kṛṣṇa
but those who are not devotees, they are like diseased parts.
They don’t really work just like my right hand
since my stroke by right hand is not paralyzed but paresis.
It doesn’t really do what I want to do.
Shakes around!
So, like that, the conditioned souls of non-devotees are like diseased limbs.
But they are also suffering.
The Vaisṇavas are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.
We feel sad to see others suffering.
We know that they could be happy if they become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Naturally, Prahlāda Mahārāja was very compassionate, he was thinking about all the others.
He was not asking for himself.
Actually, Kṛṣṇa gives His devotees everything he needs.
But the devotee cares that the fallen souls should also be delivered.
So, now we are on the eve of Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī,
that is tomorrow.
Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was always remembering Kṛṣṇa,
therefore he was always protected by Kṛṣṇa.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura was praying,
that I am not able to remember Kṛṣṇa always,
so please have mercy on me that I can always remember You.
The devotee wants to have the mercy of the Lord.
And also feels, like actually, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said he cannot remember Kṛṣṇa,
but no one believes that!
He chants 300,000 rounds a day!
What we chant in one year, he chants in one month!
So, he would be beaten in 22 market places
and he was praying for the executioners
who were beating him
that they may be forgiven.
They don’t know what they do.
So Kṛṣṇa Caitanya said that he came down with His Sudarśana Cakra
to kill them,
but then Haridāsa Ṭhākura was praying for them!
So He could not kill them.
What did He do?
He took all the hits on His own back
to protect His devotee!
So the more we know about how Lord Caitanya is how merciful the great devotees are,
we would also like to follow their footsteps.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he prayed if I can ask for one blessing,
Lord Caitanya said anything, anything you can ask.
ANYTHING!
What would you do if you could ask the Lord ANYTHING?
And what was the thing that Haridāsa Ṭhākura asked?
I want the remnants of Vaiṣṇavas! Ha! Ha!
Could you believe this! He asked for the remnants of the Vaiṣṇavas! Ha! Ha!
Because Kṛṣṇa said, the dust of the devotees’ feet,
the water that washes the devotees’ feet
and the remnants of their prasāda
are very powerful to give love of Kṛṣṇa.
So Haridāsa Ṭhākura asked for the remnants of the Vaiṣṇavas.
How great is Haridāsa Ṭhākura!
That the Lord embraced him!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Since He is the Absolute Truth,
so everything is in Him.
But He is bigger than anything else.
So it is not that anyone can contain Kṛṣṇa totally.
He is bigger than everything.
He is the cause of all causes.
And He is without any cause Himself.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
Questioner: Mathuralīleśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa, He always remains neutral.
But He reciprocates with devotees as they approach Him.
When someone approaches Him with devotion, He reciprocates with devotion.
If someone approaches Him neglectfully then He reciprocates like that.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Emotions / Happiness], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Manohara dāsa, Dacca, Bangladesh.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that if you do the maṅgala-ārati at 4.30,
we should do the tulasī-pūjā when the Deities are closed.
So, you have the choice to do tulasī-pūjā before maṅgala-ārati, or after.
So I think it is difficult enough for devotees to attend maṅgala-ārati at 4.30 am!
That is why they do it later in the morning.
But in the afternoon, when the deity is being offered bhoga,
they do the tulasī-āratī,
because after the sandhyā-ārati,
the deities are not closed.
But we have to offer worship to tulasī, when the deities are closed.
Or you can do tulasī-pūjā at 8.30 at night,
when the deities are closed.
Then it is too late,
if you have to get up for maṅgala-ārati.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Temple Deity Worship]
In the past classes you had said that one should not make sense gratification as the ultimate goal of life. While following this particular principle, sometimes when we face fluctuation and are swayed away by māyā, and because of our unlimited desires, we get engaged in any kind of sense gratification. How should we avoid and control ourselves not being swayed away by māyā and get determined in the service of guru and Kṛṣṇa? Please enlighten me
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: While we have senses in the material world,
so naturally the senses need a certain amount of satisfaction.
That depends on each individual.
But that should not be the ultimate goal.
In the material world
we see that people, they make as their goal that their senses should be happy.
But the senses are a source of happiness and a source of suffering.
So, although there may be some happiness
and some suffering,
we should tolerate that,
but we should make our ultimate goal to serve Kṛṣṇa.
So, certain very simple things we should avoid.
Like eating meat, fish, onion, garlic,
like gambling,
like taking intoxication
and having out of marriage illicit sex.
If you are a married person
it is natural there will be some material pleasure.
But there will also be some suffering.
Just like to conceive a child there is some happiness
but to have a child is also pain –
labor pain.
So, that should not be our ultimate goal.
You may have certain desires,
but the ultimate desire should be to serve and love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-05-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Lord Caitanya explained that there is a fifth artha –
dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, prema. Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, liberation and love of Godhead.
So this way, we try to do devotional service and do our work, then whatever happens will happen.
We don’t want to take another birth in conditioned life.
If we take birth, it is for serving Kṛṣṇa.
Otherwise, there is no reason to be born in this material world.
But whatever situation we are in, we have to work accordingly.
If we are gṛhasthas, naturally we have to do some work to maintain our family.
Here in Māyāpur, some people are establishing businesses to employ gṛhasthas.
Brahmacārīs and some gṛhasthas both perform service in the temple.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-09
How did I become?!
How did I become?
Well,
material desires are always there,
they are coming in the mind.
I don’t allow any time to address those.
I keep busy.
Who can say that they have no desire comes?
Desires may come in the mind.
So we go back to Kṛṣṇa and we have the material body desire may come,
but that desire we dovetail it in Kṛṣṇa’s service so we reject it.
Even Prabhupāda one time someone said,
"I have no lust,
Srila Prabhupāda,
I have no material desire." So,
Prabhupāda said,
"really!
what’s wrong with you!
(devotees laugh) I have material lust but I have no time to address that.
I have no time for that.
I am too busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service." You see,
the point is that it's already,
nobody can say that in the material world,
even if they were desireless,
they shouldn’t say that.
Because that would give,
even if someone was a nitya-siddha,
they have no desire,
which is very unlikely to find such souls in this world.
But even if that were the case,
they should,
supposed to take the role as a conditioned soul to teach by example others.
Even if one has some desire comes in the mind,
the desire is either dovetailed,
seen if that can be used for any Kṛṣṇa conscious purpose.
If it is totally material,
then it’s rejected with appropriate disgust,
according to the nature of that particular thought.
We stay so occupied in Kṛṣṇa’s service that there is no chance for Māyā to come in.
That is the secret.
Category: [Emotions / Lust], [Emotions / Greed], [Anarthās], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā], [Material World / Kali yuga]
Questioner: Śānta Gopī Mātājī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya comes after Kṛṣṇa, sometimes.
And Kṛṣṇa comes once in a day of Brahmā,
in the 27th Dvāpara-yuga,
and sometimes Lord Caitanya comes after Him in the next Kali-yuga.
So the four yugas are 4 million 320 thousand years
and Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Kali-yuga are 4, 3, 2, 1 [in that ratio].
So Kali-yuga is one tenth of the other yugas.
So that that is why Kali-yuga is 432,000 years
and we have already been through 5,000 years
and now we have 427,000 years left.
What is the yuga-dharma of the next yuga,
that will be revealed in the various śāstras.
But even if it is Harināma,
some other avatāra of the Lord will initiate this.
In Satya-yuga there was meditation, Tretā-yuga there was yajña and in Dvāpara-yuga there is temple worship.
So that is still 4 million years to the next Kali-yuga.
So you can tell me what is the next yuga-dharma.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day.
I thought this would be pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But he told me that I should chant 16 rounds
and go and preach.
If I don’t preach, stay in the temple all day chanting,
who will preach?
So Śrīla Prabhupāda put more importance on preaching.
If you can fast and still preach,
then it is alright.
But at least you have to observe no grains Ekādaśī,
and then preach as much as you can.
If you can do or if you are inspired to do on some Ekādaśī,
that is nice.
But that shouldn’t be a reason that next day, the whole day you are sleeping or something.
That would be counterproductive.
Since you want to please the Lord,
that should be our focus.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-11-30
Jayapatākā Swami:
It is not if you are paying attention to the lecture,
if you are able to multitask.
Questioner: Vraja Kīrtana dāsa
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva.
And someone came and talked to him.
He looked away; he was listening to the devotee.
And the guru said, “You no need to hear?”
So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them.
So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Absolutely yes.
Specially keep crying for Kṛṣṇa.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-11-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lack of understanding.
Uttarā, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child?
She knew that this was her responsibility.
She saw the connection between her and the child.
The child was given to her by the husband.
It was her ward, she had responsible.
Because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness.
Selfish means not the real self-interest, but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments.
It won't actually seize the connection.
The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver.
He’s given them.
They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could commit suicide and leave our body.
Why live in this world without our spiritual master?
Or why be somewhere without him?
We can just go wherever he is, you see.
We have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us.
If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help with being enthusiastic to go out, and preach up to our full capacity?
We don't see that connection.
If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard?
We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to get either heavenly planets or to get Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation.
Somehow or another we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead.
So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition.
Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.
That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service.
This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come?
It must come.
Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā and therefore we become, disturbed in our mind.
Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva 'sānta - because a devotee doesn’t have, the Kṛṣṇa devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.
But the others, those desiring muktibhukti-siddhi-kāmī - liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they all disturbed in their mind.
And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach.
For a short time, one can do it.
So, the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in the mood of pure devotion.
That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal.
Could you follow?
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Nitāi Gaura Guru Gaurāṅgadeva kī
Questioner: Vraja Kṛṣṇa dāsa, Māyāpur
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: It is hard to say,
how is the situation in other Kali-yugas.
Previous Kali-yuga was about 4 million years ago.
So, it is hard to say
and we know in this Kali-yuga,
we chant the holy names
and we go back to Godhead.
Please don’t delay.
The next opportunity,
if it is in Kali-yuga,
it is four million years from now.
Lord Caitanya doesn’t come after every avatāra of Kṛṣṇa.
And Kṛṣṇa only comes once in the day of Brahmā.
And a day of Brahmā is a thousand catur-yugas.
And he has an equally long night.
Then he rests.
So, better to take advantage of this opportunity.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: You should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books
but having read, you may read other books one time.
But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you should read every day.
Bhagavad-gītā is necessary for preaching,
the Bhāgavatam takes you to sambanda, abhideya and prayojana.
Questioner: Śānta Gopī Mātājī
Date: 2022-10-17
Although the Supersoul is in our heart,
we may not be knowing that;
and we are just doing things as if we are the doer.
We don’t understand that the Lord is actually doing things for us.
So having the Lord fixed in our hearts means that we will be constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
We should be doing everything as a service to Kṛṣṇa.
So it is a whole change of our subtle body,
in the sense that now we feel connection with Kṛṣṇa always.
That means He is fixed in our heart.
Questioner: Karuṇāpati Keśava dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?
Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.
That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,
but other than that
we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,
other than thinking how to avoid such activities.
We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.
Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,
He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.
He wanted to give mercy to that person.
So like that, everybody in the material world,
has some defect
and we try to avoid committing mistakes
having defects
in our spiritual life.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Phāneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Write to me what you think your problem is.
Kuntī Devī, whenever the Pāṇḍavas and Kuntī Devī had problems,
Kṛṣṇa came and saved them.
So whenever they had problems Kṛṣṇa came so she said she wanted to have problems all the time
so that Kṛṣṇa will come all the time.
If you are sincere, then Kṛṣṇa will come to us.
When you have problems then you can remember how Kuntī Devī was saved by Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If we do leadership to enjoy material facilities,
we get that material happiness as our result.
But if we do it to please Kṛṣṇa then we will get Kṛṣṇa.
This temple has a very nice Temple President, Brajahari dāsa Prabhu.
He is trying to do everything, as far as I can see, to please Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Caitanya advises that we should not do things for lābha, pūjā or prathiṣṭha.
If we do for those things, that is a weed in our devotional service.
We should try to do everything to please Kṛṣṇa.
So, just because we are in a leadership position, that doesn’t mean we are doing for a material desire.
That is why we have to be very careful why we do things.
You see, I have a weakness.
We heard that there was some sadhu in previous time, he heard two English people arguing.
The sādhu was bathing in the river and he heard two English people arguing.
He did not know English.
But he came to court, and he said I remember what they said.
And he repeated like a tape recorder what they said.
Such was the memory in previous times!
I don’t remember names,
unless I use that name ten twenty times.
So, I know some peoples’ names because I use their names again and again.
But I thought that in these 15 minutes my disciples who are here can come up and tell me their names!
And I can give them a blessing!
Many devotees have a desire to join ISKCON full time and dedicate their lives for Śrīla Prabhupāda. However, because of the situations in the world or in the family or personal life, they are sometimes on the borderline wondering whether I should or I should not. So what is your message to them Mahārāja so that they can freely develop that faith and courage that if I simply serve Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Prabhupāda, nothing else is to be taken care, everything Kṛṣṇa will help. Can you give them that courage and help? Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: As the co-minister for congregational preaching,
naturally I would like to see
not only the temple devotees but other devotees who are in congregations,
that they are all working to help the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
And of course, when I joined there was really only – either you are a temple devotee or you are …!
I don’t think it is like that now.
You be a temple devotee or a married devotee or whatever,
you can still help, you can still be a very significant force.
I mean, the person who is repeating me,
his name is Acintya Caitanya dāsa,
he is a gṛhastha.
His wife is very active in preaching.
He has two sons.
One of them is already very fixed up in book distribution.
In 1973 in the lecture that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave at his Vyāsa-pūjā in London,
he said that his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura who was the son of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,
and he wanted all the gṛhastha devotees that you should have ācāryas as your children.
You should all become paramahaṁsas.
So, rather than thinking this devotee can become a full-timer, others too bad!
Use everybody,
naturally I was a full-timer and the advantage that I have is can give all my time to Kṛṣṇa.
But, there is a lecture by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
where he says that a man should accept a wife who is more spiritual advanced
and a woman should accept a husband who is more spiritual advanced.
That is not what people look at today.
They see if she is a beautiful woman,
what education she has
and other things.
But spiritual advancement, we don’t think about that.
But that is the thing that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said.
In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is the fight between Gajendra and the crocodile.
Because Gajendra was a land animal,
when he was in the water,
the crocodile was winning
and gradually the elephant was getting weaker.
So in the purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda said
that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means
we are declaring war against material nature
and to fight in the war,
one needs to be very strong,
sensually strong.
It is not the same for everyone.
Someone may be better as a vairāgī,
someone may be stronger as a gṛhastha.
The real thing is that we should be fighting to establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So, maybe people are sitting on the fence,
they should see what is their nature?
So they should think whatever it is, if their nature is to be married, or their nature is to be a vairāgī,
they should fully engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
If they are married, their partner should be equally enthusiastic to preach,
otherwise what is the use?
That is an interesting thing.
Of course, if you want your parents and everyone to agree,
it may happen.
But in my case it did not happen
and I said yesterday in my talk that my father said he would turn me over to the American Army,
and let me die in Vietnam.
India was not for this war.
And so I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What I should do?”
He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army”
and that is what I did.
I am still a member of Kṛṣṇa’s army!
So here, I have seen many families, where the father and mother are initiated, the children are initiated.
But, still I guess they are a minority.
But in India some are like that.
But generally, it is like one airliner crashed in the Northern Pacific.
One who passed, the parents said, “Oh, we spent so much money on our son trying to go to America for education,
now who will take care of us in our old age?”
That was their concern!
You see, it is like a business,
they paid for the education of their child,
and they want the child to give them money.
So some parents are like that.
Some parents are very affectionate,
I don’t say everyone is like that.
I mean, of course, some people would feel very bad.
But ultimately, we have to make our own choice.
This is like, mother and father of Lord Caitanya, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Mātā,
the older brother of Lord Caitanya,
He took sannyāsa.
They were feeling, “Oh!” rejected.
“Our son, He left the family and would not get married and all that.”
Because of your son taking sannyāsa, unlimited members of your family got liberated.
Of course, they were all liberated souls.
And they realized that what he did was for their benefit.
But then they were worried that their other son would also take sannyāsa.
So He promised,
“I have no such intention!”
Anyway, I hope that everybody in this room, no matter what, are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully.
How old are you?
73 years (Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu)
So what do you want to share with all these young leaders?
He helped build this Temple of the Vedic Planetarium!
Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu: Looking around me here seeing all these wonderful, young devotees, fresh looking actually,
reminds me when I was young, but not anymore!
All I can say to them is that you just practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the best of your ability.
Some of you will be temple devotees, some of you will be gṛhasthas on the outskirts,
but still under one umbrella of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So whichever works for you in the beginning accept it.
In the future, you probably will all be in the temples,
but for now just don’t let go of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at all.
Stick to this wonderful program that you are having
and continue preaching and spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness just like Mahārāja said.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu, he is a gṛhastha,
but has dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness
and you can see
what a beautiful building this is.
He has done many services.
And if you have seen the samādhi temple
he has designed some of the artwork of the samādhi temple.
He was the builder of the samādhi.
So, the question is not if you join full-time or you get married.
Even if you are married, you should not give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness
and the advantage of course of being a brahmacārī or whatever,
is that you don’t have any other thing
to think about.
But as I said,
it depends on what each person’s nature is, it may be different.
We should be committed to serving,
no matter what.
Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / ISKCON], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-25
Questioner: Murāri Hari dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see everybody wants to enjoy,
they want to be happy.
But actually, the real happiness is from the spiritual kingdom.
In the material world everything is temporary.
So it is not possible to get permanent happiness,
and to get some happiness we have to get a lot of suffering also.
Like, old age, disease,
studying,
spend so much time to study,
if you are working,
and other people in your workplace may be envious
and they want to screw you,
so they can look good, so then can be the General Manager.
So we find that Quality Control, Operations, Marketing, they are actually trying to create problem for others.
So real happiness that you get is from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then you chant and dance.
Sometimes Lord Caitanya said one feels so much bliss
that they cry, laugh.
So like this they feel very happy.
Everyone wants to feel happy.
But māyā eludes us, she kicks us that we be, will be happy in material life.
That if we have lot of sense gratification, we will happy.
But actually, that doesn’t give real happiness.
So one should use this human birth, to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So, if you think you are the body, then this deep-rooted desire to enjoy the body will come.
But if you realize that you are not the body, then you will try to enjoy by giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa.
And by giving Kṛṣṇa pleasure we feel happier.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked me yesterday what do I do, how do I control my anger when my servants do not do what I want?
I could not remember a time when I lost my temper like that!
So, but there must have been a time long ago!
But I said that we commit so many offences to Kṛṣṇa, knowingly or unknowingly,
we want Kṛṣṇa to forgive us.
So, like that if we don’t forgive others, then how can we expect Kṛṣṇa to forgive us?
Your question, what is the root reason for your question?
If one hates another person that is an offence.
If such kind of hatred or violence is not there, then why should it be considered an offence?
This way, if we see the good qualities in others, if we praise them, then how will be commit offence?
If we are intolerant of the different qualities of people, then there is possibility of offences.
If you see an offence to Vaiṣṇavas or guru then you need to get angry.
Just like Kṛṣṇa, if you offend Him, He usually forgives you.
But if you offend His devotee, He is very angry.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: What would you preach if you don’t read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
You know, we don’t say that by reading, you do not do any preaching.
But if you don’t read, what do you preach?
Would you speculate something?
It is important to read at least in the beginning.
Śrīla Prabhupāda told me that to get first initiation, I had to read the Bhagavad-gītā ten times.
Then I had these lines marked, one, two, three, four, strike. One, two, three, four, strike.
I read ten times and got my first initiation.
But by reading Bhagavad-gītā ten times I had so much knowledge of the Gītā that I was giving accredited courses in the university.
Although I was a college drop out!
And in the McGill University I gave a course but there was no credit.
So then, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us a test, I got Bhakti-śāstrī.
Recently I want to encourage my disciples, my followers, devotees in general
to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
Then the Māyāpur Institute offered me the honorary degrees,
because I had read the books so many times.
But I thought if I get honorary degree,
then that would not encourage the devotees to read.
I said, no, I will take the test.
And now I have finished the 5th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I got one more canto to go to get my Bhakti-vaibhava.
After that I will go for the Bhakti-vedānta.
Then I am very glad that I am doing that.
It is nice that if you are reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and are getting tested then you read it more carefully.
But it doesn’t mean I don’t preach.
In fact preaching is going on.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
One of the challenges we face while going to the college youth is getting the suitable time between the preacher and the student. The preachers are ready to give instruction but the students seem to have less time. And getting them to the center is also becoming challenging. So how do we make our association impactful given the shortage of time?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya Avatārī dāsa in Bengaluru is working on this.
Instead of having discovery and reading of some verse,
he is putting the verse in the video format,
like a 3-minute short video,
snippet.
Then he shows that
and have people go directly to the understanding.
What are the two or three most important points?
And then have people discuss,
go around the room,
and how you apply this knowledge in daily life.
Like six different ways it could be applied.
So, in this way, you don’t need to read eight pages, one page is enough.
We have more knowledge than they can absorb.
So, this aspect of discussion could be completed in 45 minutes’ time.
Maybe less, I don’t know,
I did not try but also like in the beginning some kind of icebreaker may be good.
Something less philosophical, some variety of ice breakers.
What do you like to eat or something, there is a whole book on icebreakers.
So that will let them loosen up in the classroom
So a ten-minute icebreaker, five minutes chanting
and half hour discussion.
A full Bhakti-vṛkṣa takes about two hours.
But they have also like they call mañjarīs
which takes like an hour.
If you can see how much time they can tolerate.
Whether we should have a mañjarī or a Bhakti-vṛkṣa.
Questioner: Śyāmavallabhā Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are right, you know that you are able to do.
If someone is asking you to do something you think that, is not correct or which is beyond your scope, then you can say, I am sorry, but be very polite.
Humility doesn’t mean you do everything that everybody tells you!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you get a service, take it as a blessing.
Try to do it as best you can.
If you don’t think you are doing it very well, then ask the person that gave you this service for some advice.
Questioner: Tāriṇī Rādhikā devī dāsī, UK.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You can also learn the process
from the Māyāpur Academy on Deity Worship.
And also from the minister of Deity worship.
Śrīla Prabhupāda personally taught Jananivāsa Prabhu
how to worship the śālagrāma-śilā.
The śālagrāma should be worshiped every day.
At least bathe with water and put tulasī leaf on it.
But if you want you can also bathe with milk or pañca-gavya or pañcāmṛta.
And draw a smiling face on the śālagrāma-śilā with a tilaka.
More details you can get from the Deity Worship ministry.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Home Deity Worship]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Answer: Don’t put a beehive under the window of your guru.
(laugh)
The common sense is the easiest thing,
but it is the hardest thing to come cross.
Most people don’t have common sense
and they do things very impractically.
So, you can ask your guru or śikṣā-guru or senior devotees,
What could be the best thing that you can do? Under the circumstances,
and accordingly you can act.
So utility is the principle means something may not be very useful.
And we just do them and we don’t get the desired result.
So utility is the principle we should see,
what will bring that out, proper results.
Link: 20150301 Evening Darśana
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-25
You
try do that and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
always praying to the spiritual master, previous ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa,
to be able to do that, that is the principal desire in one’s life,
well by their mercy the impossible can be possible.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā Devī Dāsī
Date: 2022-10-24
Maybe shes not hearing? Well I can't say.
She is thinking of her problems, not listening.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
So, the point is that there are two devotees, the bhajanānandīs and the goṣṭhyānandīs.
So, the bhajanānandīs want to see their own personal liberation.
The goṣṭhyānandīs want to take many devotees with them
back home back to Godhead.
So, our disciplic succession is goṣṭhyānandī.
We practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time we try to expand the number of devotees.
So, our business is practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we also try to outreach.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
So, the point is that there are two devotees, the bhajanānandīs and the goṣṭhyānandīs.
So, the bhajanānandīs want to see their own personal liberation.
The goṣṭhyānandīs want to take many devotees with them
back home back to Godhead.
So, our disciplic succession is goṣṭhyānandī.
We practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time we try to expand the number of devotees.
So, our business is practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we also try to outreach.
Questioner: Keśava-kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Questioner: Gita Bhagat
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: You say, I do not know still if I have some trouble or need something?
Should I pray to the Lord for the same?
I don’t understand the question.
You first say, I don’t know if I need anything,
should I pray to Kṛṣṇa for that?
If you don’t know, how do you pray?
and Lakṣmī said, anyway even if you knew, since Kṛṣṇa is the Supersoul, He knows everything, about what we want, what we need.
So, we don’t have to bother Him, telling Him we need this and that.
He can naturally fulfill what we need,
but if you don’t know what you need,
how can you ask anyway?
But even if you knew or think you know, Kṛṣṇa knows better than you, what you need.
There is an example where one may say, I want ten thousand rupees.
He gets it and ‘it’s not enough’. Then he says, “I want a lakh of rupees”.
Sure enough.
But he cannot buy a car.
“I want a crore of rupees”.
So, he goes again and again to Kṛṣṇa.
He sees that this person needs 3 crores,
if I give him 3 crores now,
he will get detoured.
So first of all, “I will purify him and build him up.
Then give him the three crores!”
So that is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and other devas.
Devas might give whatever we ask.
But that may not be enough.
Then we go again and again to bother.
But Kṛṣṇa knows what we need,
we don’t have to ask for anything.
We rather try to please Him,
and he will give us what we need,
better not to want anything material.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, that who says they are My devotees are not My real devotees.
The ones who say that they are devotees of My devotees, they are My real devotees.
When you are a devotee of a devotee, then you can say that,
and Kṛṣṇa will recognize you as His devotee.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Shuvra Dev Babu
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord doesn’t personally take a part, except if His devotee is being threatened.
But we all owe everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and this is the reality.
We cannot live without sunlight;
you don’t provide it.
Kṛṣṇa provides it.
Similarly, He sees to the maintenance of everyone.
Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān - one person maintains everyone else.
So, the atheists are very envious, they think the Lord is preoccupied
in admiration of Himself.
But He is the source of everything.
And if someone commits blasphemy or offences to Him,
He doesn’t personally take a role in that.
He has agents, that give people their pious, their impious results.
And so, if one is envious of the Lord, they get punished.
He doesn’t want that; He would rather have the people be uplifted.
But to teach them, people are punished according to their activities.
So, since they steal from others, cheat others,
then they get the reaction for their bad karmas.
If they give charity, if they help others,
they get good karma.
If they engage in devotional service,
they get delivered from this material world.
If they engage in persecuting devotees,
and if they are envious of the Lord,
then they stay in this material world
life after life.
That is what they want, they don’t want to be where the Lord is.
I don’t know why you accuse the Lord of being a narcissist?
Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the advantage maybe of being a brahmacārī.
That you don’t have to do intense work.
But any way, in the office environment,
as you move up the ladder,
sometimes you get less time, sometimes you get more time.
I have some disciples, they said that they got a job as a director in a company,
they could delegate different jobs
and do all their required work in a few hours
and have more time for preaching and other services.
It is hard to understand
what the particular job is.
It is kind of a disadvantage of working in a place –
I heard that sometimes the IT professionals, they make them work more than 8 hours, like 12 hours.
And so sometimes it is a different situation.
And some people they make them work
but they don’t actually have to do much.
So they have set up some program on their computer
that shows that they are working,
but they are actually chanting their japa
and the computer automatically types.
So I don’t know, when I first came to ISKCON in 1968 we did not have many books,
we had to take different jobs.
Although I was from a very rich family,
since I was looking for some temporary jobs just to pay for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s rent,
I had to work in many menial jobs.
Some plastic factory,
paint factory,
all kinds of jobs.
Finally, I got a printing job.
So when I was at work I would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
but I can understand that there is a problem working.
So try to do the best you can.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: For… for a devotee, the more that you understand that Kṛṣṇa is directly accepting your service through the spiritual master, and the main thing that He is accepting is how enthusiastically you do it.
Because ultimately, He doesn’t need the service.
What He’s relishing is your...your desire to serve Him, your devotion, your enthusiasm.
Just like that time when Kṛṣṇa appeared in the kitchen, and then they so enthusiastically handed Him the banana peel, instead of the ba… they handed Him the banana peel, and He ate the banana peel.
So, then they saw, “I gave Kṛṣṇa the banana peel, and I kept the banana.
He is eating the peel!”
Then He said, “Well for Me, the peel and the apple are the same.
I was relishing your enthusiasm to serve Me.” (laughing)
Actually, Kṛṣṇa doesn’t need anything.
He is already ātmārāmāḥ ca munayaḥ.
He is already complete - oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ.
But the fact that after so many millions of years of forgetting Him, the conditioned soul is coming forward to serve Him, that enthusiasm and that desire is what Kṛṣṇa appreciates most.
So therefore, even if (uhh), the service may not be that… sometimes one needs a slight change of service, sometimes the service is alright.
These are things that can only be discussed by the authorities with the individual devotee as to whether there is adequate service to keep the person fully engaged.
That’s a separate situation.
That has to be dealt with individually.
But even in such a situation, still, one should be very enthusiastic,
and still after being very enthusiastic if the person is bored, or just unengaged, true that it’s not enough service, or not enough to keep the mind in… involved, then that’s something that has to be dealt with individually between the spiritual master,
or the representative… his representative, the temple authority.
Still, the person should be doing the service fully enthusiastically, otherwise, how can you tell whether you’re working up to the capacity or not?
Just like if you’re driving in the car and the pedals… the gas pedals got down and then the car is killing, you see…you know and then you come to some conclusion, “Well, something is wrong with the car.”
But then sometimes when the engine is cold, or when you overload it, just have to put on more gas.
You’re going up a hill, then you keep going up the hill, then when you’re going up the hill, it kills, then you say, “What’s wrong?”
You go and look at your car and everything, but because you weren’t putting the gas on.
Right?
So, when you’re going up the hill, you’ve got to put the gas on.
Maybe sometimes you downshift, put on the gas, and you go up. Right?
If you don’t put on more gas when you’re going uphill.
So, that’s why sometimes Kṛṣṇa makes a person go uphill a little bit, just like you’re forced to put on the gas.
Sink to swim.
Ordinarily you know, if you’re always putting on the gas,then it doesn’t make any difference.
Those type of tests are no longer really needed, either.
So, a devotee is not actually tested that much, and even if he is, it doesn’t make any difference.
He just passes, just to show other devotees as an example.
Do you see what’s for Kṛṣ… for Prahlāda to swim in the boiling oil, because he such a great devotee.
You know.
Similarly, for us, we get very infinitesimal situations comparatively, Kṛṣṇa helps us to cross over them.
Enthusiasm is something that is just (uhh)… just somehow or another, like a person riding, running in a race.
How do you become enthusiastic?
Someone either through instruction, through criticism, through joking, through something, a person just gets fired up and goes out and does it.
Ultimately, enthusiasm is not something, you can pray of course to Nitāi-Gaura,
Nityānanda to help you become more enthusiastic, but enthusiasm comes from one’s desire.
If you desire something, you’re enthusiastic.
If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you become enthusiastic.
It’s just a question of focusing.
Focusing your… focusing your desires, focusing your intentions, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena, just like the sunlight, focusing on Kṛṣṇa.
If it’s not focused, energy gets splayed, you lose enthusiasm.
Sometimes we are born in a family who are surrendered to many gurus or Mahārājas, right! Like we are born in families where they have kula-gurus and we have been raised and brought up praying to many devatas like Durgā Mā, Gaṇesajī, Kṛṣṇa, etc. We also feel that God is one, ultimately one energy. But I feel that God is above all this, right? How do we surrender, what is the best way to surrender?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it states vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: Lord Śiva, Maheśa, is the greatest of all the Vaiṣṇavas. and similarly, we have Kārttikeya, we have Gaṇeśa, they are great Vaiṣṇavas. Durgā is known as Bhagavatī, Vaiṣṇavī. We should know that Kṛṣṇa, He is the ultimate Personality of Godhead.
But Kṛṣṇa has unlimited forms,
ananta-rūpam.
So, every form is equal.
That doesn’t mean that we are equal.
We are very small.
Lord Brahmā, Lord Maheśa are greater.
But they are still depending on Kṛṣṇa
and Kṛṣṇa they are all equal, simultaneously one and different for Kṛṣṇa.
The father of Vyāsadeva, Parāsara Muni analyzed,
he found that 50 of the qualities are in Lord Brahmā,
Five more with Lord Śiva, he had 55.
Lord Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa had five more than Lord Śiva. He had 60.
And then Kṛṣṇa, He had four more even than Lord Nārāyaṇa. He had 64.
Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa are both considered viṣṇu-tattva
and they are all the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Other devas, either Maheśa or Brahmā, they are not as great.
So the kula-gurus sometimes they say everybody is the same, that means they are impersonalists.
Because it says, if one thinks Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā are the same they are pāṣaṇḍīs.
So we find Hiraṇyakaśipu, in this day of Brahmā līlā, he worship Lord Brahmā receive powers.
He asked Brahmā first to give him immortality.
Brahmā said, “I am not immortal,
how can I give something which I don’t have?”
So then he said, “I should not be killed in day or night, in the house or out of the house, and all those conditions.
Not man, or animal, or a demon or deva.”
Narasiṁhadeva came, half man and half lion!
Hiraṇyakaśipu was confused, “Is He a man or an animal?”
So Lord Śiva, in some yugas, in some days of Brahmā when Hiraṇyakaśipu comes he gets the blessing from Lord Śiva.
Śiva, he has his weapon, śiva-jvara,
it produces the maximum heat!
But Lord Kṛṣṇa has the nārāyaṇa-jvara,
it produced unlimited cold.
Hardly you can survive in a cold day, you need a jacket and other things.
Any śiva-jvara produced heat and nārāyaṇa-jvara came and sucked up all the heat and created unlimited cold,
and then śiva-jvara surrendered.
So Śiva is greater than jīvas,
we are jīvas.
He is very great.
But still he is not as great as Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa.
So we worship Śiva, Durgā, Gaṇeśa, Kārttikeya, all the Vaiṣṇavas as Vaiṣṇavas.
And if in your house you worship Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa first offer bhoga to Them and then Their prasāda to the devas.
In South India like in Mahābalipuram,
that is one of the Divya-deśams,
they worship the Nārāyaṇa form first
and then they take the prasāda and offer to Śiva
and Durgā and others.
If the kula-guru gives you transcendental knowledge, it is very nice.
But if he is not able to give transcendental knowledge, he is just like a vyavahāri-guru, he acts like a guru but he cannot give transcendental knowledge,
then the śāstra says it is alright if we take a sad-guru,
someone who gives transcendental knowledge.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Keya Rāṇī
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: So there are three options:
Like Satī devī, you can immediately burn yourself up
and if that is not possible,
then you can protest and defeat that person.
If that is not possible,
then leave the place.
Questioner: Gauracandra Bhagavān dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
That reminds me of an example,
there was a flood, and police came by and said to a person, “We came to evacuate you from the flood.”
“I am depending on Kṛṣṇa” he said.
Then more water came.
A boat came to take him, and he again said, “I am depending on Kṛṣṇa!”
And then the water rose higher, and he went on the roof.
Then a helicopter came and said, “Come on, come with me!”
But he said, ‘No, I am depending on Kṛṣṇa.”
Then the flood rose higher, and he died.
He went to Vaikuṇṭha
and he asked Kṛṣṇa “why didn’t You save me?”
“I sent the police, I sent the boat, I sent the helicopter,
you didn’t take anything!”
So, you see depending on Kṛṣṇa, we take whatever help He sends.
How Kṛṣṇa works, He works in unique ways!
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: We know that kāla, deśa, patra,
time place and circumstance.
The person also.
Why that person is stopping chanting?
You may talk to him.
Find out what his hesitation is.
And encourage him and you will know his reason.
Most people are just lazy in spiritual life.
And if you find the person chanting a little bit, then you could be appreciative.
People say, I asked how many round they are chanting,
they are very shy, they say only 4 rounds!
4 rounds! Wow! 2.5 million names of Kṛṣṇa in a year!
So like that, I try to encourage people and they chant even one round and I try to encourage them and they feel oh wow! He is so happy, and they say I will try to chant 8 rounds.
Questioner: Phaneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: You have not mentioned if you are married and your husband is supportive or not...
If of course, nowadays there is an email, Whatsapp, phone call.
And you can talk to your friends.
In this way somehow have an audio association, or even video with Zoom or Skype
or Whatsapp.
I don’t really understand when someone says, they lack of association.
I heard someone say that, “Some of my friends spend so much time on Facebook.”
I asked, “How long?”
They said,“Eight hours!”
“How long you spend?” “Only three hours!” [Laughter]
So they have three hours to spend in Facebook,
but they say that they don’t have time for association.
And who they associate with on Facebook?
So we are on Facebook and this question and answer is being broadcasted on Facebook.
So any technology can be used in a positive way or negative way.
Sometimes people are giving false news;
sometimes getting positive association.
When I woke up this morning, I remembered how
Lord Caitanya was so merciful!
There is a Locana dāsa’s song:
dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi,
emona doyāla dātā
paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare, śuni'jāṅra guṇa-gāthā -
that my dear brothers, look at there is no one in the three worlds
as merciful as Nitāi Gaura.
Lord Caitanya made the animals chant, dance and cry.
He melted the stones,
see His fantastic qualities.
So I was just remembering how merciful is Lord Caitanya
and then Locana dāsa says:
saṁsāre majiyā,
rohili poriyā,
se pade nahilo āśa
se pade nahilo āśa
I am suffering and enjoying in the material ocean of birth and death.
I have fallen there hopelessly.
I have no hope for getting the shelter of the all merciful Nitāi Gauracandra.
I am suffering and enjoying according to my karma.
So, this is sung by Locana dāsa.
So Lord Caitanya is so merciful,
so merciful,
we would have no hope.
But Prabhupāda bought Nitāi Gaura to us;
and They are giving Their mercy out.
And we are thinking, “Oh! How can I get the mercy, this and that; they want to give it… so bad.
He wants to give, He didn’t think, this person is qualified, this one is unqualified—He gives freely to everybody.
Jagāi Mādhāi were evil people.
They committed so many offenses.
Yamarāja, he asked, “How many sins they were cleared from?”
And his clerk said that, “If we put it all through writing it will fill up warehouse after warehouse after warehouse.
We have a team of architects working and design a special hell for them.
Nitāi Gaura freed them all.
Wiped the slate clean!”
Anyone criticized them later on,
He said, it is offensive to bring up a person’s past life.
He is a devotee; we don’t care what he was before.
Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, They want to give their mercy to you.
Please take it.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Akshas Sukhla
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: By reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
by getting the degrees,
that would be very pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda
and be very fixed up in your Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said to publish the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.
Then Rāmeśvara Prabhu said, that is impossible.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said impossible is a word in the fool’s dictionary.
They had a marathon and published all the volumes of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.
Some devotees went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said I distributed so many books – say ten thousand!
Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, very good!
Now double it next year!
So, if you want to do a little more you can double it.
We should try to do as best we can do.
A little better!
So, we were distributing for Bhādra Pūrṇimā previously 6,000 sets.
In 2020 we did 25,000 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets.
in 2021 we did 35,000.
So Vaiśeṣika Prabhu said that by 2026 we should distribute 100,000 sets.
That means every year increasing by 23%.
This year we should distribute at least 43,000 sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Every year we should increase minimum 23%.
So if you can give me how many sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītās you can distribute. Each person.
You may not know Bengali but just by being friendly you can capture their heart!
Ladies can embrace the other ladies!
Wow! They will never forget! I was embraced by a Russian lady!
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned in his books we are not the body we are the soul. You also mentioned today in the class. But how can I feel that I am not the body, I am the soul? Always I see man, woman, black, white, American, Indian, so I don’t feel I am the soul, I feel I am the body. Kindly enlighten.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Śrīla Prabhupāda arrived in Melbourne Australia.
The newspaper journalists met him at the airport,
they told him, “You are from India, a poor country.
You have come to Australia, we are a rich country.
What have you come to take from us?”
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I haven’t come to take anything from you.
I have come to save you for a cats and dogs life.
So, you mean, we are cats and dogs?
What is the difference?
Cat eats anything on the street,
you eat in some hotel restaurant.
You eat with a spoon, fork, and knife.
A cat or dog sleeps anywhere.
You may sleep on a bed.
A cat, dog can have sex anywhere.
You may have sex in your house.
Cat and dog defend themselves with their fangs, with their paws.
You may use machine guns, missiles.”
Yesterday I saw the news, there was a crazy who shot 8 people in the mall at Dallas,
and he was shot by the police
and 9 people died,
What for?
Anyway, Śrīla Prabhupāda said
is a human being just a sophisticated animal?
The human being is meant to realize Kṛṣṇa.
And realize that we are not the body.
You may drive your car, you can take care of the car.
You are the body,
you can take care of it.
But there is a much higher happiness.
You feed petrol or diesel to your car,
now there are electric cars, you plug them in.
Somehow, you cannot plug it into your body to drink gasoline.
You have to eat food that is appropriate.
Just like that, if you realize that you are a spiritual soul then we can have a higher happiness.
Actually, the happiness we get from the body is not very lasting.
It is a superficial thing.
Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying to his disciples in London in 1973
he said, I want all my gṛhastha followers to become paramahaṁsas.
To realize the difference between the living force and the body.
The swan, they will separate the milk and water mixture and drink the milk. And leave the water.
Like that if we realize that we are not the body, and take out the essential thing, the spiritual thing.
As I said, my guru, he was the son of an ācārya.
So, he said I want all my gṛhastha followers should also have ācāryas as their children.
So today we had an ācārya making ceremony,
we are going to have many ācāryas.
We have to realize that we are more than the body,
we are the spirit soul.
Bodily experience is there
but we realize there is something beyond this.
So maybe, why did Śrīla Prabhupāda repeat so often, we are not the body, we are not the body, we are not the body,
because in spite of that we are still thinking I am the body!
Our body has senses.
The senses need a certain amount of gratification.
The senses never satisfy you.
They just tell you we need some gratification.
I need some food, I need this, I need that.
Just like the song of the rock and roll group who sing – I can’t get no satisfaction -
there is no satisfaction.
Satisfaction comes from a spiritual experience.
Just try to think about it you, can realize
that you are not the body.
I realized, just like in 1972 or ‘73,
I had very high fever,
I was suffering so much pain.
Then I listened to Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures from the Nectar of Devotion from Vṛndāvana.
I felt so much happiness.
Bodily I was suffering,
but I felt happiness.
I realized I am not the body!
It is not very difficult.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Śrīla Prabhupāda said in one of his letters to his disciples, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action. But at the same time the culture and teachings encourages, and expects its practioners to surrender and to be obedient to senior devotees, guru and Gaurāṅga. How can I be independently thoughtful and be obedient at the same time, especially when dealing with senior devotees?
Questioner: Ekleśvarī Mādhavī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: It seems that you are facing some contradiction.
That you want to be submissive,
at the same time independently thoughtful.
So, independently thoughtful, we decide what we are going to do.
Not that we just do something blindly, but
if we decide that we are following some more experienced devotee,
that should be helpful.
So you can do well by following an experienced devotee,
at the same time be independently thoughtful.
Doesn’t mean you just blindly follow any devotee,
but you pick up some particular activity, because it is something that sits nicely with you
and it is in the śāstra.
Questioner: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa!
Haribol!
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that if we had a strong desire
then Kṛṣṇa consciousness would manifest suddenly.
Just like a baby is crying,
if the baby is like half-crying,
the mother may ignore
but if the baby really cries,
aaaaahhhh, the mother will run, what happened?
If we desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious very intensely,
then Kṛṣṇa will help you to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in a minute.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura he said
prāṇa āche jāra sei hetu pracāra.
If someone has spiritual life, he can preach.
The mistake we make in accepting the impersonalism
actually kills our spiritual life.
And therefore, we are not able to preach.
But if we understand the actual substance of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
and then we can easily preach.
That is why we want people to study Bhagavad-gītā As It Is,
study the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
and study the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
So how Lord Caitanya convinced these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs
is very important,
for us to understand.
We pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda the
way that he explains the philosophy to the voidists and the impersonalists.
So similarly, we should understand
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings
and we are able to understand the impersonalist idea.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: To the guru you should pay respectful obeisances and to other godbrothers and godsisters pay humble obeisances. So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is quite simple. But you have to practice it very sincerely. That way, a slight deviation may be very significant. That is why he says that it is like a knife edge.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I hope they are serving Śrīla Prabhupāda enthusiastically
and I hope that the grand disciples will also serve guru and Gaurāṅga enthusiastically.
And that depends on their sincerity.
If they are sincere they will do that.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-13
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura he was a gṛhastha.
And his son was Śrīla Prabhupāda’s spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that like this the gṛhasthas they could have a child like Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and we need many such souls to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
But if we cannot have children, I would understand and that by outreach would enthuse many people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
We need devotees to use their brain to think how they can spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Thank you for the wonderful class - the fire sacrifice we just say they are saṁskāra, chanting of the holy names, that Kṛṣṇa is also known as the most renounced and is most satisfied. Does it mean that all the methods of self realization prescribed in the other yugas were meant for jīvas only? That the fire sacrifice in the Tretā-yuga was just a process of austerity and meditation?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-18
Jayapatākā Swami: In Satya-yuga they were doing meditation,
in Tretā-yuga they were doing fire sacrifice.
Actually, by the fire sacrifice they could actually have the Personality of Godhead appear,
and there are some descriptions of that.
That was truly amazing,
by fire sacrifice they could take an old cow and make it young,
they could do all amazing thing.
Now in the Kali-yuga that is forbidden because brāhmaṇas are not so qualified.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: This is a story told but I don’t know if it is in any śāstra.
Generally, the queens of Dvāraka are devotees.
But there is parakīya and svakīya-rasa. The svakīya-rasa has wives they don’t want to put their feet dust on their husband.
But the gopīs, they are ready to go to hell for Kṛṣṇa’s headache.
I don’t know if this is a true story or not.
But we do know that the gopīs’ love for Kṛṣṇa is higher than that of the queens of Dvāraka.
And so, that is what we want to show by this example.
The youth are seen to be indulging in various undesirable activities and thus are not capable of appreciating the Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy. However, when using bridge-level preaching tactics (such as anger/stress management etc.), there is a feeling that the teachings of paramparā may be compromised. How then do we strike the balance ?
Questioner: IYF
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean somehow, there was a presentation how to be happy.
That was very interesting because
I was not happy.
I had sense gratification
but it wasn’t satisfying.
So somehow if we want to tell those people that
by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness
they can become happy.
The bridging programs can somehow bring them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness
then that would be ideal.
If anger management can include some aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
some practices that they could do.
Some ways they can control their anger
by dovetailing it.
So bridge is to take us over the bridge to the other side of the river.
That means, take us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So at the end of the bridge there should be something Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Although the attraction is okay, anger management for instance,
we learn that we can practice, we can control anger through bhakti-yoga.
So the bridge program actually does that, it bridges us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
At least to some extent.
Like you are saying people have many lusty desires and bad habits,
I saw today on the Tv
that in some states 3 or 5 states in the USA,
they do a referendum and made marijuana smoking for recreation legal.
It was previously legal for medicinal use.
But now it is legal for recreation in some states.
So, all kinds of bad habits people have –
not only drinking, smoking,
illicit sex.
Actually, we know that none of these things give one satisfaction.
But we cannot directly attack these things.
Rather, we try to present the positive thing of chanting, meditation,
and then when they are more ready,
when they ask appropriate questions,
we may reveal that bad habits should be controlled.
That is a gradual process.
That is what Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it takes buckets of blood,
not easy to make a devotee.
Do you think only people now are addicted to bad habits?
Ha! I think before I was 12-I had already broken all the regulative principles!!
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Youth]
The youth of today are looking for recreational activities such as meditation, yoga and so on and if we try to provide them with those, they entertain themselves with the same and leave, never to come back. Also one of the pressing problems of the youth is that they come with a lot of lusty propensities and thus face a lot of challenges in dealing with the opposite sex.
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: As far as light activities, the thing is that chanting, singing is very light.
Actually, that is much more effective and much more purifying than these breathing exercises.
Art of Living all that, they promote this breathing exercise.
But if we get the people to chant and sign,
dance,
that can loosen them up.
That way, they actually get more purified
and because people are seeing themselves as the body,
they think that the body, the senses have to be satisfied.
Therefore, lusty desires are very prominent.
And so how to engage their energy
in such a way that their energy would be better utilized.
That is why we see that many people they may not be interested in being brahmacārīs.
And like in the West, somehow the ladies they are actively preaching
and therefore many men are attracted.
And if the men are preaching, the ladies are attracted.
Now, I heard that in the Indian universities it is quite open.
Maybe more than the West.
So it could be a big challenge.
Questioner: Lakṣmī Jayakumārī
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: So Kṛṣṇa can do that,
nothing is impossible for Him.
But if we take the mercy of Vāsudeva Datta,
then we can get liberated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
in this lifetime.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī was not very literate.
But he memorized the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
And he followed his spiritual master.
In South Indian there was a brāhmaṇa, all the ladies, the educated people were spitting on him and making fun of him.
Lord Caitanya asked him why all these people are harassing you?
Why are you crying?
He said, I am not very educated.
My guru told me to read Bhagavad-gītā every day.
And then I am not able to pronounce the Sanskrit very correctly that is why these children, these people are making fun of me.
But when I see the picture of Kṛṣṇa driving the chariot of Arjuna, I cannot but help cry!
How Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet He drives the chariot for His friend!
Lord Caitanya embraced him and said you are the real paṇḍita of the Bhagavad-gītā! Haribol!
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
To become a devotee means to have gone through all purification process such as knowledge of all the Vedas and such. But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee. Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others. There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?m
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Many devotees are praying for me, doing various sacrifices,
so that is helping.
Also, devotees if they follow the regulative principles, that also helps me.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like, I request my disciples to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and get their degrees such as Bhakti-śāstrī,
Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedānta.
So, there is one devotee in her 20s, she already has her Bhakti-vedānta degree.
We haven’t given much attention to that.
We find that there are many doctors, politicians, lawyers of the female gender.
It would be nice to have devotees who actually know the scriptures and can properly explain it.
People like to hear from Mātājīs and children.
Normally, they don’t speak philosophical things.
But if they do, people like it!
That is one thing that can be done.
I mean, I have been invited to go to Tucson, Arizona and Phoenix also.
Both those temples have females as Temple Presidents.
So in some countries of the world, not every country, there are no limitations like that.
In the 9th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is the Apsarā, Urvaśī, she criticizes a bit how ladies are not reliable.
But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda said this is for the materialistic ladies.
Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, man or woman, they are all equal.
So, I mean, I don’t see such a limitation.
We saw that in the Dallas Ratha-yātrā, ladies were doing many services.
We are doing Bhakti-vṛkṣa and there are some standards for new devotees who come. Is there any hard and fast rules because some Bhakti-vṛkṣas are giving opportunity for new devotees also and they later become devotees. So is there any hard and fast rule or we can just sense it and feel it, ok this devotee we can give chance to cook even they are not chanting 4 rounds or 8 or 16 rounds yet.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: You see if they cook under your supervision, it is alright.
You are seeing what they do is proper.
But if they are cooking in their house we don’t know if they are eating it and whether they have a cat or dog in their house.
So if you have new people and they are not cooking under your supervision then we ask them to bring uncooked stuff like salad, fruits.
But otherwise have them cook under your supervision and Śrīla Prabhupāda said that is alright.
You see that they are following all the rules.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: To do this, one should use his common sense.
Like he went to the Pāṇḍavas and he did not want to make them unhappy and tell them that Lord Kṛṣṇa had already departed.
But with Dhṛtarāṣṭra it was another situation. Therefore, he comes and speaks harshly to Dhṛtarāṣṭra so that he is encouraged to take up devotional service.
So, preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness takes a lot of common sense.
In different situations we have to act differently.
I guess, this may be frustrating but there is no easy formula I can tell you.
That is why, we hear the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam where we find that Vidura according to different situations, he behaves differently.
Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
We are very fortunate that we have your darśana and it is Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy we are seeing you, the direct representative of Śrīla Prabhupāda. I want to know how much strength you get from your spiritual master. You are struggling so hard and serving the paramparā. How do you gather so much enthusiasm and strength to serve even in this condition?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-06-03
Jayapatākā Swami: I have seen how Śrīla Prabhupāda expanded the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us the teachings of Lord Caitanya.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda desired that
we should distribute the teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya wanted that His teachings should be followed.
Śrīla Prabhupāda had visited Māyāpur,
he wanted that Lord Caitanya’s teachings be expanded.
Many people did not know Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya lived in Bengal.
He was in the place of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
Lord Caitanya lived in different places.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Kackuly Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Thank you Kackuly Rāṇī for your nice question.
In the Puruṣottama month
Kṛṣṇa has accepted this month as nondifferent from Himself.
♫
So, they are regular attendees of this class,
Keya Rāṇī, Kackuly Rāṇī.
So on the CDM website
we are going to publish all the things that you can do in Puruṣottama month.
In the Dāmodara month,
you get hundred times benefit.
But in the Puruṣottama month, it is a 1000 times.
So basically, we do all the things
that we can do in the Dāmodara month,
and some more also.
It is not a good month for weddings or any kind of śubha-karma.
But it is very good for transcendental devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like I am serving my spiritual master,
I hope you can learn from my example
and serve me.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
We have kṛṣṇa-prema, nāma-prema and gaura-prema. All these three are in a very transcendental platform. But gaura-prema is so juicy, nectarean and overwhelming. So will we get the same feeling with the other two premas also and what is that we need to do that we are not able to distinguish between the three and get to the highest, gaura-prema?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the first time I heard the difference between gaura-prema and kṛṣṇa-prema!
Lord Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa.
If you love Lord Caitanya, then naturally you love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
But Lord Caitanya, He gives love very freely.
As far as I understood, He gave out kṛṣṇa-prema.
If you love Lord Caitanya, then you love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
And Kṛṣṇa and His name are non-different.
If you love His name, then you love Kṛṣṇa.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
We read from Caitanya-caritāmṛta where Kavirāja Gosvāmī mentions that once in a day of Lord Brahmā Lord Kṛṣṇa appears and after that in Dvāpara-yuga Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appears. So in other Dvāpara-yugas and Kali-yuga, especially Kali-yuga does Lord Caitanya descend? Or some other incarnation appears because it is mentioned in the scriptures that the Lord comes in every yuga?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: (Does Lord Caitanya come in every Kali-yuga?) No!
I went to Tirumala and they say that Bālājī, He is the Kali-yuga incarnation
for the last Kali-yuga.
So Lord Caitanya only comes after Lord Kṛṣṇa
and He doesn’t come every time.
We should be very grateful that He just came.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Rasapriyā Gopīkā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: We don’t think we are worthy of the Lord’s mercy,
that’s why it’s causeless mercy.
We don’t see ourselves as the cause.
Rather we have no such qualities,
and the Lord, if He gives us His mercy,
that is His blessing.
One disciple at the Kumbha-melā asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
you said that one gets devotional service,
if they have done all these spiritual practices.
But in my life when I look back, I don’t see any such qualifications,
how did I get devotional service?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I made your good fortune for you”.
We see so many amazing orators in ISKCON, doing preaching service. Everyone wants mercy. And Lord Caitanya can give us mercy easily if we preach. So I also want the mercy but I see that my voice is not empowered. So could you please tell that how can we preach so that it penetrates the hearts of people?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Acintya Caitanya dāsa here was telling me
how when he visited Kethuri-grāma
and heard how Lord Caitanya left love for Godhead in the Padmā river for Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,
and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura bathed in the Padmā, he came out changed.
But then he said Lord Caitanya had left His ecstasy in the Padmā river.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda said that his books are his personal ecstasies,
so if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,
we can get love for Kṛṣṇa.
And naturally if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and then you just be sincere to repeat what you have heard in your own words -
I pray for the mercy of guru, Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa before giving every class
and by Their mercy I give what I give.
But these two things - reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and praying for Their mercy,
that is what I know.
Don’t be self-conscious.
Think of Kṛṣṇa,
and try to say Kṛṣṇa’s message.
Kṛṣṇa ordered everybody yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa - that is the secret.
One time in this Kārtika month, we had a function in the town hall in South America, Ecuador, in Cuenca.
There one civil contractor, he was a labor contractor (from Delhi?), he was not very educated.
But he spoke, he was so sincere.
Everybody was moved! Everybody there they were Christians, and they came and offered candles to Yaśoda and Kṛṣṇa.
Haribol!
If you are sincere, that is what changes peoples’ hearts!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-14
Jayapatākā Swami: We use all the… we do temple worship, we do yajñas, but we do it with the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Just like the marriage ceremony we do fire yajña, initiation we do with fire yajña.
But we also chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in those ceremonies.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: See, if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
it tells you how the material world is a kind of a jungle
and the pleasure here is temporary.
So we should side by side render devotional service.
I was thinking how in this age of Kali it is recommended that most people should get married
and how will they be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We see that people normally are very much attached to their material desires.
But we realize that these material desires, these material things are all temporary,
and if they render devotional service, it is not temporary.
So devotees need to render devotional service and material life won’t be so much important for us.
Since it is illusory or temporary,
we want to do all our activities in such a way that Kṛṣṇa is pleased.
I was thinking how when one has children, we try to bring up the children to be devotees,
and all our activities we try to do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Say we like to eat,
we offer the bhoga to Kṛṣṇa
and we take the prasāda.
That is a different thing than just eating for our enjoyment.
And we have Deities in our house,
we do worship of the Deities,
we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly
and then we understand what the difference is between temporary happiness and real happiness.
We want devotees to actually achieve this happiness.
Maybe temporarily the temporary happiness is considered important
but gradually one develops higher taste.
Just like Lord Caitanya, He would chant and dance,
sometimes in great ecstasy He would cry,
His hairs stood on ends
various symptoms of love of Kṛṣṇa would manifest.
So we want all the devotees to experience that love of Kṛṣṇa,
it may take some time
but then naturally the material desires diminish.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Bhagyasri
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has recommended
that when one wakes up in the morning
you should beat their mind with shoes 100 times.
And before we go to bed beat your mind 108 times with a broom stick.
In this way, you are not the mind, your mind should cooperate with you.
You have to tell the mind who is the boss.
Instead of the mind bossing you around, you tell the mind what to do.
If you don’t want to think about that pray to Kṛṣṇa He will help
and pray that you want to think about Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Mariya, Perm
Date: 2022-10-17
So, if we please Kṛṣṇa, we can eventually feel blissful,
but if we are not able to understand,
then if we please the spiritual master,
and we should understand that we pleased Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa accepts our service,
if we offer it with devotion and love.
If one is very proud, then Kṛṣṇa is not obliged to accept that service,
that way we know that if I offer to my guru and he accepts,
then he will offer to his guru, and he will accept,
and in this way it goes back to Kṛṣṇa.
So, the guru-paramparā system is such,
that we know that our service is being accepted by Kṛṣṇa,
if it is accepted by the spiritual master
Questioner: Mariya, Perm
Date: 2022-10-17
So, if we please Kṛṣṇa, we can eventually feel blissful,
but if we are not able to understand,
then if we please the spiritual master,
and we should understand that we pleased Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa accepts our service,
if we offer it with devotion and love.
If one is very proud, then Kṛṣṇa is not obliged to accept that service,
that way we know that if I offer to my guru and he accepts,
then he will offer to his guru, and he will accept,
and in this way it goes back to Kṛṣṇa.
So, the guru-paramparā system is such,
that we know that our service is being accepted by Kṛṣṇa,
if it is accepted by the spiritual master
Questioner: Ratikeli Rādhikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Teach them by your example
and encourage them that anything they do in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like Śrīla Prabhupāda, his father gave him Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa small Deities to practice pūjā.
And also gave him a Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā ratha.
So he was happy to have this Kṛṣṇa conscious play.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Jayā Gopālī devī dāsī, Russia
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee means a servant of the Supreme Lord.
I don’t think there is any difference.
You see, in this material world,
people want to be a member of the Legislative Assembly,
or Councilor of some municipality,
or to be a Member of Parliament,
be a minister
or be a Prime Minister
or be a President.
But actually, to be a devotee of the Lord is the most wonderful position.
All these temporary things in the material world,
being a king, being a president,
at the end of life they will still be punished by Yamarāja, in the precincts of Hell.
So, the real thing is to be a dāsa, to be a servant of the Lord,
and we should all aspire for that transcendental position.
Lord Brahmā, who is the first living entity of this universe,
he likes to be addressed as a servitor of the Supreme Lord,
Lord Śiva, He likes to be addressed as a servitor of the Lord,
Durgā is known as Vaiṣṇavī,
she likes to be considered as a maidservant of the Lord.
The most exalted living entities in this universe,
aspire to be a servant of the Lord,
a devotee of the Lord,
so that should be our aspiration,
and other things in the material world, in themselves, they are not very useful.
Unless we can use them in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
Yudhistira, he was the emperor of the world,
but the position he really aspired was, to always be a servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So, he ruled his empire as a service to Kṛṣṇa,
all of us, whatever our position is,
should try to serve the Lord,
with whatever ability or power that we have.
Questioner: Golokapriya Gaurāṅgī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: Since the guru is a pure devotee, always thinking of his guru and Kṛṣṇa,
therefore by thinking of the spiritual master,
one can also achieve Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Well we don’t worry about that.
That is not our department.
Our department is helping others.
Even Lord Nityānanda helped Jagāi and Mādhāi
although they were the most envious people.
They attacked Nityānanda Prabhu physically
and caused Him to bleed,
by breaking a wine bottle on His head!
He said, “Just because you are causing Me to bleed,
does that mean I will not give you love of Godhead?!”
See he is causing Him to bleed and He is talking of love!!
He is not an ordinary person, bow down, BOW DOWN! BOW DOWN!
Jagāi told Mādhāi to bow down.
Lord Caitanya He promised that He would not lift any weapon of violence
but He was so angry,
He promised to always protect His devotees
and that promise took precedence.
So He called, “Cakra! Cakra!”
He called Sudarśana-cakra, the invincible weapon
but by that time Jagāi and Mādhāi bowed down
and Lord Nityānanda, He pleaded please have mercy on them.
So, if people tell us to stop chanting,
you just listen and say that it is the order of our guru,
that we have to chant.
So, come and join us!
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
(Guru Mahārāja sang in kīrtana).
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
(Guru Mahārāja sang in kīrtana).
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-09
Of course more important.
It’s an individual situation.
Individual.
Prabhupāda explains in the 8th Canto Bhāgavatam that we have to work from wherever our position of strength is.
The example that’s said,
the elephant was fighting against the crocodile.
But the crocodile and elephant were in the water.
So the elephant was becoming weaker,
and the crocodile was becoming stronger.
So the elephant was getting to not able to fight.
So he start to pray to Kṛṣṇa to help.
So in this verse Prabhupāda explains that the devotees should be physically,
mentally,
and spiritually strong.
And it gets to be a bit of an energy drain.
In other words,
for them,
the mind is being distracted that a lot by different thoughts.
So it’s a constant thing that a person has to work at.
Of course,
everyone can do it,
but it seems to be like an energy drain,
or possibly one will be more peaceful and productive in a family situation.
So basically it depends upon each individual.
Generally our program is that people should first of all practise the brahmacārī life as far as possible,
and become strong,
and after some time,
then the Spiritual master and the senior Vaiṣṇavas,
they can help to advice one,
whether they should enter into the gṛhastha-āśrama,
whether they should try to remain in the brahmacārī ashram for some more time,
or in some cases,
whether,
rarely,
someone should take sannyāsa.
Category: [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: The desire to serve the Lord.
Mercy on the conditioned souls.
When you distribute books to someone, pray to the Lord that He bestows His mercy on them.
This way the Lord if He bestows His mercy on that person, they may take the books.
One devotee in New Orleans airport, was trying to distribute books the whole day but no one took any.
Then he prayed to the Lord requesting that someone come and take some book.
At that time a plane landed, and many passengers alighted and left.
He went up to one such passenger and showed him a book and asked him to take it.
He said that today was my worst day! Worst day!
I will not see anything.
The devotee said, sir, when one has the worst day, I have come to help such a person.
Why was it the worst day for you?
He said, “Why did I study, why did I go to university?
Why did I get married?
Why did I take up a job?
Everything for pleasing my mother.
And today my mother died! My worst day!”
The devotee said, “Sir, your mother did not die.
Here is the Bhagavad-gītā, it says that the soul is eternal, and body dies.
Soul does not die.
Your mother is still there.”
The man said, “She is?
Can I take this book?”
“Sure”, the devotee said.
He said, “I only have 20 dollars, is that okay?”
The devotee said, “That is okay, give whatever you have.”
This way, if we pray to the Lord, what can not happen?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Every time is good 24 hours a day but the best time to start your meditation is called brahma-muhūrta which is an hour and a half before sunrise.
But if we can’t do that time do any time we can do.
That’s the best time according to sastras.
So we should do all the time.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we don’t tell the glories of the holy name to a faithless person.
If you say, oh, you chant the holy name it will destroy all your sins.
He is a faithless person he does not believe in sin.
You just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy,
not going through all the glories of the holy name.
Just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!
Eat this prasāda, bhel-purī!
It was very nice Gujarati prasāda today.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I was there when Śrīla Prabhupāda said this.
He was in Montreal, 1968.
And all the devotees were thinking, “Oh, 100%, that is very high!”
But as he was coming down, 90%, 80%.
Then, he was walking away,
taking his cadāra behind him.
He said even 70%. [paragraph]
In my class His Holiness Girirāja Swami, he said he knew the secret!
That one devotee said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, even if I don’t achieve 70%, what is my hope then?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Stay with me, I have the key to the backdoor!”
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Well,
the four Kumāras had already realized the Brahman.
The Māyāvādīs may… may have not realized the Brahman, but they’re speculating on what Brahman is, what māyā is.
They want to become brahmavādis.
But in doing so, they make so many misconceptions.
The four Kumāras, they had no preconceived conceptions.
Even like Buddha, he never said, “Well, there is no God.”
He said, “Why you bring up this thing?
I know what I know and,
so that’s enough.
You don’t need to ask about more.”
Just avoided the whole subject.
The four Kumāras, they’re not offensive.
You see, Māyāvādīs,
they not only want to realize brahman, but they’re actually against Kṛṣṇa.
The four Kumāras are not against Kṛṣṇa.
They were just not at all… it wasn’t something that they were really concerned with.
They didn’t understand Kṛṣṇa.
Then there wasn’t something that was …
how do you say…
a preoccupation with them.
They weren’t at all preoccupied.
They were preoccupied with Brahman.
Just like, there are many people in the material world who are preoccupied with, material life.
They’re not against Kṛṣṇa.
They’re just preoccupied with material life.
Category: [Anarthās / Māyāvāda / Impersonalism], [Other philosophies], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Indulekhā Karuṇa devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Everyone is taking up Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
everyone is an individual
and what thing impresses one person,
may not impress another.
So you have to hear a bit what the person likes.
The thing is that in the material world
people naturally turn to things they like,
but if they understand that these things often may lead them astray,
then they may be less inclined to do that.
And so in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is kevala ānanda kāṇḍa, it is a very blissful process.
So if can somehow engage people in chanting, hearing, dancing, serving,
then they will get a taste.
And you know, I met one person,
he was an impersonalist.
But then Śrīla Prabhupāda said that there is no use to talk philosophy
because in their brain some short circuit is there.
But if they like to do sevā, engage them in sevā.
By doing sevā
they get purified
and their whole idea changes.
After several years, that person told me
that, now I understand
about devotional service,
because he was practically doing it.
Otherwise, philosophically he was off.
He got purified by serving Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-05
There’s different,
if you chant mantra in certain places you get more benefit.
If you chant by the sacred rivers and if you chant the,
I’m not,
exactly not sure about the river and the land.
You chant by the side of the sacred river you get so many times more benefit.
And if you chant in a holy place,
the pilgrimage you get so many times.
So once like,
a thousand and others like,
hundred thousand,
what figure which is which.
And you chant in front of the tulasī then you get,
like a million times.
So if you chant in the Ganges you get many times more.
And if you chant in front of the deities,
installed deities you say your Gayatri you get unlimited times of benefit.
Everyone should say the Gayatri mantra.
So that’s why the sages say in the Ganges.
The devotees appreciate the varṇāśrama system.
They feel that the varṇāśrama system was perfect,
for it was main.
While in the age of Kali it started to degenerate.
So what we have left over varṇāśrama system now is just like kind of a perverted reflection,
was imperfect representation.
But they appreciate the other caste system.
And in fact they like to create society,
say communities based on a,
as I mentioned the kind of streamlined,
spiritualized varṇāśrama system.
Where it would be in one sense casteless,
but everyone would be a Vaiṣṇava,
not for practical purposes.
People would be acting according to their different natures and types of work.
And Prabhupāda stress that the,
this divisions are there anyway in the modern society,
they’re all,
there these occupations exist.
There’s intellectuals,
there’s teachers,
priests,
the problem is that they don’t take the responsibility.
But in varṇāśrama system the brāhmaṇas or the teachers and priests,
they had to be vegetarians,
they had to worship God,
they had to lead the holy life.
If they didn’t they,
they couldn’t act those positions.
So now you have them,
like in America problem that is school teachers,
sometime they’re found to molest the children.
Even recently the priests in Canada they’re found that they were molesting the children.
So that,
they don’t follow the,
they’re not following the rules.
So according to varṇāśrama if someone does that they’re banned,
they’re,
they’re banned from being a brāhmaṇa.
Then they’re,
they’re called as criminals.
So due to lack of this,
just the profession is there,
but the,
the spiritual training is lacking.
So we like to see a type of spiritualized varṇāśrama program in the worlds
(laughing)
.
Is there still varṇāśrama in Indonesia?
That’s,
That’s what Prabhupāda said was,
it’s not possible to reinstate the original thing now in Kali-yuga.
So but somehow the basic principles could be .
It needs to be fully spiritualized so that one caste doesn’t think that they’re better than the other caste.
Because that creates itself the hatred and the imbalance.
But that,
we’ll see that this is all part of the same body,
so we all have to work together.
They’re trying in Canada to make a varṇāśrama,
in many countries they’re trying to make varṇāśrama community,
so they’re inspired.
And Prabhupada said in order to varṇāśrama is based upon agricultural production,
we have to also cow protection.
Unless that one thing missing in modern society,
they’re slaughtering the cow,
but in varṇāśrama the cow is to be protected by the vaiśyas and everyone drinks the milk of the cow.
Cause milk is needed to give higher intelligence to understand spiritual subject matters.
It said fish make people clever,
but spiritually dull.
Materialy clever,
spiritually dull.
But eating milk gives spiritual intelligence,
creates a finer tissue to understand the higher philosophical knowledge.
So milk is a type of miracle food.
But we need to protect the cow.
Here they protect mother cow
(laughing)
.
It’s the most protected cow I’ve ever seen
(laughing)
,
mosquito net
(laughing)
Very nicely protected
Questioner: Mathurālīleśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, Dhruva Mahārāja was the grandson of Svāyambhuva,
the great grandson of Lord Brahmā.
He was a kṣatriya
and he wanted to achieve a post higher than his grandfather.
But then he was fully concentrating on the Kṛṣṇa japa.
So, by that means he was not being swayed.
But practicing these austerities in the age of Kali is not necessary.
By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda,
we can achieve pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
With some basic austerities we perform -
we eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda,
we chant our japa,
we avoid breaking the regulative principles.
Like this we stay occupied in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So, if you do very harsh austerities,
there are dangers that your heart will become hard.
Some devotees, their heart becomes like gold and hard.
Some devotees’ hearts are like butter
and that melts.
So, we admire the great austerities of Dhruva,
but fortunately
we don’t necessarily have to perform
some austerities, our austerities are relatively simple.
Category: [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vratās (Austerities)]
Questioner: Sucitra Revatī devī dāsīT
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: That means approaching in great humility.
So holding a blade of grass in your teeth
means you are taking a very humble position.
Questioner: Akshay, Vadodara
Date: 2022-10-15
I feel very grateful for all that Śrīla Prabhupāda did for me
and so to repay him I try to preach.
And in 2008 I had a stroke.
And the right side of my body is not paralyzed fully but paresis, partially paralyzed.
And the left side of my face.
But the teachings of Lord Caitanya are very blissful.
It says that normal people if they eat grains and milk, you get strong,
but for devotees even if you have one drop of nectar
then you feel so much energy.
Lord Caitanya gives this nectar.
We hope that your visit to Māyāpur was very nice.
This is known as audārya-dhāma,
the merciful dhāma.
Vṛndāvana is mādhurya-dhāma, very sweet.
Jagannātha Purī and Dvārakā are aiśvarya-dhāmas,
very opulent.
This is the place to have mercy
and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa but He is in the mood of devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
So that is why it is the special mercy we get
and we want to serve Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: The devotee, when a devotee render pure devotional service,
that’s attractive to the Lord. The conditioned soul, acting in the material world,
independently is that nothing really very attractive about that to the Lord.
In accordance with their desire to serve the Lord, in accordance with their desire to approach the Lord,
it becomes more attractive. It is more glorious when someone wants to do some religious principle.
It is even better if they want to become liberated from the material world.
But he when he realizes the super soul but, the best is when someone is engaging in pure devotional service.
That’s really attractive for the Lord. Just like we have a small child but
when the baby is relating with you, depending on you, there is some attraction there.
Even though one sense insignificant but in another sense and especially
when the baby is trying to say their father’s name, they recognize and say you know,
“da, da” or something, that’s a special.
So, it is a happiness for the mother and father you know, it’s like a little high point there.
So, when the conditioned soul remembers Kṛṣṇa and wants to serve Kṛṣṇa,
that pure devotional service is attractive even to Kṛṣṇa.
Not only attractive, but it can purchase Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa promises to reciprocate although we are insignificant, but if we give our whole self to Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa would give His whole self to us. Talk about a business deal. (laughter)
There’s no great king or great person even if some political follower
gives his wife you know for the leader, this leader is not gonna reciprocate
and give everything just for the one little person.
Because he has this one person, he has to see over so many.
But Kṛṣṇa being unlimited, He can individually expand and individually relate to each devotee.
He is not limited like that. So, He can reciprocate, although we are insignificant
but He can, He is so unlimited that He can relate with each insignificant part of Him.
He is not limited.
But like one president, he has got millions or 250 million people,
how can he personally relate with each individual.
It is beyond his capacity. He can only have a cabinet of 20 people and
talk with a few congress committee chairmen.
He can hardly relate to all the representatives in the house of congress.
What to speak of you know in a personal way. It would take his whole time.
He has only 24 hours in a day.
But Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. He is not limited by time also.
In the spiritual world, there is no limitation of time.
So, Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself unlimitedly. He can be having unlimited simultaneous pastimes
going on. So, because of Kṛṣṇa’s grace, although we are so insignificant,
that doesn’t limit Kṛṣṇa because He is so unlimitedly great.
He can relate and He becomes attracted when we approach Him in pure devotional service.
Not only that, They have to purchase. The way to attract even when we do a little devotional service.
He is attracted. Is that clear?
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: What pleases me the most? Pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda! Ha! Ha!
He asked me to distribute books,
expand the congregation,
to expand Kṛṣṇa consciousness pracāra unlimitedly,
to develop Māyāpur Dhām,
to unite the Saraswat family,
to develop Navadvīpa-dhāma,
to develop Gaura Maṇḍala Bhūmī,
and many other things.
So you can do any of these things,
which one will you do?
What should be our mood and prayer to Lord Narasiṁhadeva today? Also, the purport says that it is very easy to please Lord Nārayaṇa, but I find it very difficult and struggle to keep my sādhanā and sevā going on steadily every day. How to understand this if guru and Kṛṣṇa are pleased with me or not, and where am I going wrong?
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2023-07-08
Jayapatākā Swami: Certainly, by your trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious you are pleasing the Lord.
If you keep on trying, then gradually, as they say, practice makes perfect.
So we hope that gradually you will be able to achieve the perfect stage.
But just the fact that you are trying, that means a lot.
So definitely you will be protected from the greatest danger.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally, we should serve the spiritual master as the representative of his guru, the guru-paramparā and Kṛṣṇa.
So, in this way Kṛṣṇa is watching
and how we satisfy our spiritual master
that Kṛṣṇa sees.
He blesses accordingly.
Now how to develop proper attitude.
It happens naturally as we progress in our spiritual life.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Śrījīva Gosvāmī dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are taking minimal amount,
what they need for maintaining their family,
so if the temple thinks it is worthwhile,
then one should do that.
And that would be considered as selfless service.
Of course, if one is taking a huge amount and saving a lot,
then he may consider if it is selfless.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Sucarita Jāhnavā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: If we circumambulate Kṛṣṇa,
naturally, He will be in our lives.
So it is very important that we do everything with the idea of pleasing Kṛṣṇa, serving Kṛṣṇa.
If we cook, we offer that to the deities,
therefore it is Kṛṣṇa prasāda we are taking.
Everything we do, we do in yukta-vairāgya,
and we offer the results to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Take initiation!
We don’t believe that we deliver ourselves.
We believe that our guru and Kṛṣṇa delivers us!
And we simply try to carry out Their instructions.
If you think you are not able to deliver yourself, that is natural, we should not think we can deliver ourselves.
You are saying it is right to say – I can deliver myself, I don’t need anyone! Is that right?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Well he gave me many advices.
But the main thing was that I should always engage in serving Kṛṣṇa.
And try to help others to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
He told me to expand the Nāmahaṭṭa and congregational preaching.
He told me to distribute, I have to distribute at least ten thousand big books, every month and 100 thousand small books, every month.
We were discussing this morning possibility of selling packets of books at discounted price.
He told me to travel and preach.
So I used to travel five or six times around the world in a year.
Now I am not able to do that, you see I am physically challenged.
I only travel around the world twice a year. I need help!
I need the senior devotees to help travel and preach.
Anyway, there are many other questions.
You can see the Jayapatākā Swami App, which you can download on Android or Apple Play where they have listed all the instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me.
I pay all the expenses, you don’t have to pay anything!
* * * *
Questioner: Rukmiṇī Rāmana dāsa
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked Prabhupāda once what to do when people cover their ears when they walked by the kīrtana,
Prabhupāda said, “Pull their hands away for hearing!!” Ha!
Of course, that may be not legal,
but the point is that we want people to hear.
Unless there is some law about chanting,
we shouldn’t have to listen to anybody.
We go on chanting!
If there is some law that is not permitted or something,
you need to get the permit.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
That is our connection with our spiritual master,
to serve him
and carry out his instructions,
the vāṇī-sevā.
It is definitely very difficult
but there is nothing else we can do.
We have to keep our connection with the spiritual master,
by carrying out his instructions, his vāṇī,
and this way we will be connected with our spiritual master.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Every time is good 24 hours a day but the best time to start your meditation is called brahma-muhūrta which is an hour and a half before sunrise.
But if we can’t do that time do any time we can do.
That’s the best time according to sastras.
So we should do all the time.
Well,
very good good very good
if you are simply thinking about Kṛṣṇa in a possible way and you feel tears coming that means you are getting some mercy from Lord Caitanya.
Of course some times people think of other things and cry so I’m hoping that you are thinking about Kṛṣṇa and crying so that’s good.
If you are feeling attachment for Kṛṣṇa this is a very good sign things like this are more for individual talking to the guru because how can I say by somebody is crying but it could be that it is devotional crying.
If one does experience special symptoms in spiritual life that is a good reason to interviewed with guru and conclude up with the advanced devotee and then they can see whether everything is going all right and how to advice you?
It’s not something to talk about in public.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Rādhikā Premabhakti devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-02
So, we take it as Kṛṣṇa’s mercy because He doesn’t let anything happen without His permission.
Nothing!
For devotees, they see that their karma is settled at a reduced rate.
Actually, this material world is always problematic.
This material world is duḥkhālaya.
This is already stated by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā.
If you think that this material world is problematic,
that should be an inspiration for you to go back to the spiritual world.
Why do you want to stay in the material world, life after life?
Why don’t you see that this material world is problematic?
And you should try to be Kṛṣṇa conscious?
You have such a nice name.
Rādhikā Premabhakti!
I want that prema-bhakti of Rādhikā!
So we see that this material world is a horrible place, but we try to make best use of a bad bargain.
That is why it is very important that husband and wife, both are devotees.
And they try to become very dear to Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Day-to-day Life], [Karma], [Material Sufferings], [Mercy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Rādhārāṇī always thinks how I can surrender more unto Kṛṣṇa.
If we think that we are ready to face death, that is not right, then we may get lazy.
But if we have eagerness to understand devotional service all the time
then that will always be beneficial for us.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the path of devotional service happens gradually.
First, you have to say something easy for them.
Chant the name of Kṛṣṇa once and you will be happy.
If someone is interested in doing service to Kṛṣṇa, give them that.
From 17th September to 23rd September the ‘World Holy Name Week’ is being celebrated.
That is why they want many people to get together and chant the holy name.
Those who have smart phone,
make a video in which one time you say that I am from Bangladesh and I am chanting for world peace and happiness and chant:
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
And send this.
If you chant these names, you will get love for Kṛṣṇa.
There is no need to give much details.
Just say you will be fortunate, just chant the holy name.
We will send the video to America.
Fortunatepeople.com
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-10-28
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.
Questioner: Rakshita Varadarajan
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: One can be in whichever āśrama they want to.
Whichever they feel more comfortable.
If they feel that gṛhastha-āśrama is more appropriate for you,
that allows certain license for sex life.
Kṛṣṇa has made machines –
male and female form.
So they can reproduce each other.
So the scientists they are not able to make a machine
that could reproduce itself.
Ha! We shouldn’t think that Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
with the queens or the gopīs, are material.
He is transcendental.
And in Vṛndāvana,
His pastimes are understood by the liberated souls.
One has to read all the previous nine cantos,
then you can understand how the position of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental.
Once when I was a new devotee,
I asked a question about Rādhārāṇī.
Śrīla Prabhupāda chastised me.
Who are you to ask about Rādhārāṇī?
Since I was a new devotee,
I didn’t understand much, so I accepted that.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Youth]
Questioner: Rakshita Varadarajan
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: One can be in whichever āśrama they want to.
Whichever they feel more comfortable.
If they feel that gṛhastha-āśrama is more appropriate for you,
that allows certain license for sex life.
Kṛṣṇa has made machines –
male and female form.
So they can reproduce each other.
So the scientists they are not able to make a machine
that could reproduce itself.
Ha! We shouldn’t think that Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
with the queens or the gopīs, are material.
He is transcendental.
And in Vṛndāvana,
His pastimes are understood by the liberated souls.
One has to read all the previous nine cantos,
then you can understand how the position of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental.
Once when I was a new devotee,
I asked a question about Rādhārāṇī.
Śrīla Prabhupāda chastised me.
Who are you to ask about Rādhārāṇī?
Since I was a new devotee,
I didn’t understand much, so I accepted that.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Youth]
While preaching to some tough nuts, we need to go in karmī dress, then it becomes difficult to be always thinking of Kṛṣṇa and little challenging. How can we follow Prahlāda Mahārāja in such situations as Prahlāda Mahārāja was so bold and steady, while preaching, even in such hostile conditions. How can we also be bold and steady while preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Questioner: Nitāi Candra Nimāi dāsaPr
Date: 2023-07-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Prahlāda had to go to the school of the demons.
So, he was smart!
He did not speak in front of the demoniac teachers.
When they gave time for the kids to have recreation,
then he would preach to the children.
So he would be waiting for the chance when the teachers would go out, and then he would preach to the students.
Like that we can take good example from Prahlāda to use whatever possible, to preach.
Questioner: Amāni Gauracandra dāsa
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: The more one has faith, the more they can obtain devotional service.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said
that the coins, money, to purchase the holy name, is faith.
So, how to increase someone’s faith?
The so-called obstacles of family, friends, they can’t actually stop one from having faith.
But if one’s faith is weak,
then they would create disturbance.
So, you should try to help people obtain more faith
in Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya, to glorify the Lord,
how He i
s so merciful
and then try to increase their faith. Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-24
Everyone has a time.
Everyone has an expiry date, like medicine has an expiry date.
I had gone to see my purvāśrama brother in Minnesota.
And there I got to see my brother.
But I had a closer relationship with my devotee disciples.
Anyway, one of my disciples had brought some medicine for my purvāśrama brother. He ate some prasāda and there was some discussion. He went back home.
We remain in this body as long as we are destined to be there.
Generally, we think that if we do this we will be happy.
And as a result after this body we get another body.
Some think that if I am rich, I will be happy.
Some think that if I am a woman, I will be happy.
Some people think if I am a man, I will be happy.
Some think that if I am a pig I will be happy.
This way, again and again, we repeatedly take birth.
And we take on different bodies due to those desires.
But if we think that we will be happy by serving Kṛṣṇa,
then our rebirth comes to an end.
And we shall return to the abode of the Lord, Vaikuṇṭha dhāma.
No death and birth, we have eternal life.
Haribol!
Questioner: Suvra Dev Babu
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: In the material world our spiritual body is dormant,
and the soul is just a small cid particle,
one ten thousandth of the tip of the hair.
But in the spiritual world,
our soul expands into a spiritual body,
which is not different from ourselves,
and that is sat-cit-ānanda.
So, we don’t actually have to take a new body,
we regain our original form.
But since the normal situation
in the material world,
is that when we leave the body,
we take a new body,
that is the general principle.
When we go back to the spiritual world,
we manifest our original body,
our original form,
which is sat-cit-ānanda.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Everyone was born in this world so that we can start to go closer and closer to Kṛṣṇa especially being born as a human being.
We have given the chance this human form of life to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
If we miss out it’s a big loss.
Human life among the eighty four lakh species of life eight million four hundred thousand species
the species which has given the chance to go back to godhead.
What is the meaning of life?
Well Kṛṣṇa has given us the freedom to try to work out the material desires and at the same time he has given the opportunity to go back to him.
So all the other species of life they are working out their karmas and at last they come to the human form of life and then they go back to Kṛṣṇa.
We made it.
Haribol!
We are human beings but we don’t engage in Kṛṣṇa service we may blew it and loose out.
So therefore what is the advice?
The advice is what Kṛṣṇa said in Bhagavad-gītā think of him,
“man-manā bhava mad-bhakto” become his devotees mad-yājī mām namaskuru – bow down to him and worship him,
always think of him,
be his devotee,
bow down to him,
worship him,
engage in his devotional service,
take shelter of his representative the spiritual master who guide you how to serve Kṛṣṇa and in this way in this life time you can reach Kṛṣṇa.
So initially we chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa because it is the easiest way to worship him and to remember him.
By chanting,
Very nice questions.
For person who is new in Kṛṣṇa consciousness how does he know for sure that scriptures were not adulterated and the one was translated by Prabhupāda because one might have the tendency to think that the Prabhupāda is another ordinary human being looking for fame and name.
Well its a good objective question and people should ask such questions to clear away their doubts normally you ask this someone could they really study Prabhupāda's character.
you see you have a nature someone have the tendency to think that the Prabhupāda is another ordinary human being looking for fame and name.
Well its a good objective question and people should ask such questions to clear away their doubts normally you ask this someone could they really study Prabhupāda's character.
you see you have a nature someone is after name and fame.
There are so many spiritual movements who was named after the Guru.
This bābā and this swami movement and so on and so far.
I dont want to mention any name since i respect all of them but we are not seeing this Prabhupāda for his part im not saying others did it for the reason but i'm saying Prabhupāda he didn't use even his name if he was after name and fame he would have his own name he didn't input his name.
He called it as "International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness" Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.
All around the world everyone knows hare Kṛṣṇa but many people don't know who is the founder of hare Kṛṣṇa is?
They don't know the founder His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.
Not only he was serve place nor after name and fame but he was coming in this sucession of devotional masters and he gave up a very comfortable situation in a holy place in India.
To bring this message to the west and many people said to follow up to change your principle but he never changes his principle.
He said i don't want that kind of followers.
Let me have less followers but i want followers who are serious about knowing the science of Kṛṣṇa.
He never compromise his principle and what he said is exactly following in the you see whatever Prabhupāda said is if you want to go and see you can see what the previous gurus have said.
If there is any contradiction and which great scholars even in India none of them of all the people so many people have written appreciation with Prabhupāda words nobody ever accused him of changing the view of Kṛṣṇa.
Everyone is saying that he is giving out clearly what is the message of Gita and Bhāgavata are presenting?
Then another point this also Prabhupāda put here the sanskrit and the word to word you can see you can ask any Sanskrit scholar is it correct translation may be many translations were nobody said it is equal.
This translation this regional Sanskrit everything is there so any objective persons they can understand what is the message given in the śāstra?
Then according to that realization standard down from previous guru sequence isn’t it?
He is a bona fide representative of his disciplic succession he has the credentials.
Someone can go doubting but the other proved those who followed him the medicine is working.
When you go to a doctor how do you know that the doctor is good?
The patient get cured so he is good.
Everyone who took the medicine that Prabhupāda gave they are getting cured.
Swamiji stick to the poses scientifically how does one know about the existence of the soul?
Because the existence of the soul is mentioned in the Vedas.
Scientists can always go back to the lab and prove that his conclusions were based on his experiments.
How does one go back to the Vedas and questions the Vedas because one should have faith in the Vedas.
For scientists Vedas are just books which can be proven wrong without experiments.
Similarly how does one prove the existence of Kṛṣṇa?
According to them he is just a fairy tale.
Of course this is a big question.
He gave in all lectures listen where we have some intellectuals here Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a class.
One form of gathering knowledge which the scientists are using what is called empirical.
It is called deductive and inductive.
It is called deductive.
Just like here we have 100 to 80 people 200 people everybody here we have one head,
two arms and two legs so based on the sampling of the people here it is said all people have one head,
two arms and two legs.
But sometime there might be someone born with born with one arm or three arm or two heads then the whole theory would go out.
The deduction means it's based on here experiments like I got a medicine today and the medicine said we don’t know how this works?
But based on clinical tests they works and based on so far so many thousand people tested it doesn’t done anybody any harm except some people get allergic and some people get diseased something they got the itching medicine so they don’t know you know may be that 1% so allergic to this medicine and die.
But based on the tests only 10 people got sick and 20 people got allergy and ten thousand nothing happens so this is okay its all right so this is deductive knowledge.
By deductive knowledge you can never know anything for sure.
This cycle has a theory,
okay swans in Germany are white.
There are thousands of swans are there and so someone comes with the theory all swans are white then someone go to Australia there they have a unique black swan.
So the whole theory that the swans are white have gone out.
One black swan shows up so these are just very crude examples.
So you can come up with the idea like this what is life?
Just like every year the full theory is like what is the process of creation?
What is matter?
And
eventually a scientist talks the physical law could explain everything I don’t know this seem like a scientific personal he didn’t put his name.
But nowadays our science has got a lot of changes and we had a meeting in 1986 called “the synthesis of science and religion” Nobel prize laureate he has admitted we would never have been sitting with religionists,
the swamis,
the gurus and the people 20 years ago but now because of the quantum mechanic research in physics we find that sub atomic particles are quantum mechanics does not act according to normal physical law.
Therefore we want to know from these great wise people whether they have any information that can help us.
That one Nobel laureate right on the Vedas on the books of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he said that there is valuable scientific information to be gotten from these books.
So the other form of knowledge is called inductive were we are getting from Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa knows what He is?
He knows how he created the universe?
He knows what the ātmās are?
And he is handed down this knowledge.
By deductive means it is impossible to know what existed before creation?
Or before this existence or everything that exists.
How can you know that?
There will be no evidence.
In the Vedas Kṛṣṇa said only I existed.
This material world did not exists,
Śiva did not exists,
Brahmā did not exists only I exists its in the Ṛg Veda.
So what to know what to exists before existence?
And the material world we can only know from Kṛṣṇa.
You can study the Vedas from this that point of view.
Then this got called He is giving the explanation what is existence?
And see if it works.
You will find I’m a science student I was a science student now I’m a Vedic student.
And I found that the Vedas are incredibly scientific.
And many many very intelligent people PhD's are taken up Kṛṣṇa consciousness based upon the scientific nature of this Vedas.
So there are a lot of practical reasons why this soul exists?
And why we can’t understand its existence?
(aside):
But I’ve to go on other questions.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Every time is good 24 hours a day but the best time to start your meditation is called brahma-muhūrta which is an hour and a half before sunrise.
But if we can’t do that time do any time we can do.
That’s the best time according to sastras.
So we should do all the time.
Well,
very good good very good
if you are simply thinking about Kṛṣṇa in a possible way and you feel tears coming that means you are getting some mercy from Lord Caitanya.
Of course some times people think of other things and cry so I’m hoping that you are thinking about Kṛṣṇa and crying so that’s good.
If you are feeling attachment for Kṛṣṇa this is a very good sign things like this are more for individual talking to the guru because how can I say by somebody is crying but it could be that it is devotional crying.
If one does experience special symptoms in spiritual life that is a good reason to interviewed with guru and conclude up with the advanced devotee and then they can see whether everything is going all right and how to advice you?
It’s not something to talk about in public.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: So, there is only one God.
Different religions may think that they worship different Gods.
But from a Kṛṣṇa conscious point of view we understand that there is only one God.
The Mohammadans worship as Allah, and the Christians worship as God.
So, the real thing is whether you have developed love for the Supreme Person.
If you are just praying to the Supreme Lord, to give you bread, to give you good wife, good husband, something like that, then that means you are only attached to material things, not to Him.
We want that people should develop their love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So, what Lord Jesus said was the Kingdom of God we say Vaikuṇṭha, it is the same thing.
The question is that to what extent they actually develop love of Godhead, then we have no objection.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Other philosophies / Christianity], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Acintya Nitāi dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, Śrīla Prabhupāda would scold the devotees in Calcutta,
for placing a dark blue velvet curtain,
which attracted many mosquitos,
and then devotees would kill the mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, you are attracting them and then killing them.
So, you should put some other curtain,
which would not attract so many mosquitos.
So, if a mosquito is biting us, we may kill it in self-defense,
but we should avoid just killing mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would have the dhuna or the frankincense burn in his room and the windows open, and the mosquitos would fly out.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that if we loudly chant, then insects and plants would reap the benefit, by hearing the holy name.
There was someone, they took in regression to his previous life,
and he said in his previous life he was a butterfly.
He went into some place, where there was a statue and there was a fruit in front of the statue.
He landed on the fruit
to eat the fruit,
and someone came out and killed him.
In the next life he was a human being,
a devotee,
so in this case, it seemed that he was eating the fruit offering offered to a Deity of Kṛṣṇa,
we don’t know Kṛṣṇa’s Deity or someone else.
You have mentioned just now about the glories of Navadvīpa-dhāma and residence in Navadvīpa-dhāma is beneficial and profitable. We are in Bangladesh constantly facing opposition and we are in such an unfavorable situation trying to carry out preaching but practically we are on war front with certain groups. How can we remain in Navadvīpa-dhāma consciousness and get the benefits of Navadvīpa-dhāma while we are in our preaching fields under these circumstances?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
Of course, we should understand that if we face a lot of inconvenience or unfavorable situations for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, for the service of Kṛṣṇa, then we should know that Kṛṣṇa is very grateful to us.
We can serve in Navadvīpa-dhāma in separation.
Just like, whether you get more credit if you stay in Navadvīpa-dhāma or if you go out on saṅkīrtana preaching.
When we preach and spread the glories of Māyāpur-dhāma, then our Founder-Ācārya, our previous ācāryas, they are very pleased.
So the śāstra says about Navadvīpa-dhāma, about Vṛndāvana dhāma, how much benefit we get.
But when one goes out to preach, the amount of benefit that one gets, that is incalculable.
I was going out from Māyāpur and distributing books.
Śrīla Prabhupāda did not tell me, oh, you stay in Māyāpur, you will get more credit.
He told me to distribute 10,000 big books and 100,000 small books in a month.
So then when I was sick, he told me, maybe you are working too hard, remain in Māyāpur and work through your assistants.
So, in this verse, it mentions sevā-bhāva.
And we want to do that service which is most pleasing to our Founder-Ācārya.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Preaching]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: What do I not like?
In the path of devotion, being a brahmacārī in the temple and preaching, youth preaching, Nāmahaṭṭa, Bhakti-vṛkṣa, all I like!
When there were no brahmacārīs in the temple there were no programs.
So that all the people do service to Kṛṣṇa, Lord Nityānanda and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had established the Nāmahaṭṭa and I reestablished that.
In the villages it is possible to have Nāmahaṭṭa but in the cities it is a bit inconvenient.
That is why I created the Bhakti-vṛkṣa.
Not that I am attached to something because I started it. I was a BBT trustee, Śrīla Prabhupāda had ordered me to distribute books.
I like all services.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we need educated devotees in the future.
They will be leaders on the path of devotion.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we need educated devotees.
That way, educated youth is very useful.
We need ordinary people and educated people as well.
I do a variety of service.
That way I want to follow the special instructions of Lord Caitanya.
Questioner: Neha
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: Normally we visit the holy dhāma just for a few days.
That time we are very careful not to commit any offence.
And if we stay longer for some parikramā or something,
then we try to hear from the devotees.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, the successful gṛhasthas may be able to guide the others.
I am a sannyāsī, I don’t claim to know how to bring up children!
But I know that it is an important service.
It should be done in such a way that the children are enthused.
I just talked to one wife, where is your husband?
She said, he is with my son in Vṛndāvana.
My son he likes hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class or something, he likes to hear śāstra so much that he extending his visit for one week.
So, obviously we should encourage the children to want to do devotional service.
Now what is the secret? I don’t think there is any monopoly
but there is no guarantee that every child will be a pure devotee.
But if you do the garbhādāna-saṁskāra, do all the saṁsakāras, we give nice association, set good examples, then there is hope.
Advaita Gosāñi had six sons
and three sons were pure devotees.
Three sons were not pure devotees.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, had many children.
One was an ācārya,
one was a naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī.
I don’t know everyone, what happened to the others.
Anyway, Now I have to end the class and you should all go and take your breakfast.
But if you try that your child be Kṛṣṇa consciousness then Kṛṣṇa will be appreciative.
I saw in New Tālavana,
small children, about 6 years old or younger,
they were chanting their one round japa.
There was a plate of sandeśa.
When their japa finished they would all get the sandeśa.
Now some of the children were looking at the sandeśa and chanting! Ha!
Anyway, somehow or other they were enthusiastically chanting!
So we should think of some ways to enthuse them.
You were saying how all these great devotees of the Lord are helping Lord Nityānanda and Lord Caitanya in preaching. So do you have any general answer to devotees who ask you like, Guru Mahārāja, I don’t know, you have not given me any instruction, please tell me an instruction. Is there a general answer that you would give to devotees, if they don’t have any specific service given?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda he gave me many instructions. I mean, at least 30 things to do, at least. And maybe more. And what I have done in my Jayapatākā Swami App, I have listed all of those. And of course, some of those things are instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave to everybody, and some things he gave specifically to me, or to a few others. I asked any disciples, śikṣā disciples, well-wishers if they can you help me to fulfill these instructions. And you may help in one or help in five or many more.
So I gave all these instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me and requested the people to help me.
So, I give them a free will to choose from any of those instructions.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Dīkṣā-guru], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is mentioned the qualification for bhakti.
Intense desire.
That is called laulyam.
I am very glad that you are feeling this intense laulyam.
So, somehow or another we have to be a bit humble.
There was a devotee who met a Muslim magistrate and humbly said, can I ask you a question? Can I ask you something?
Sure. You are very intelligent, very handsome, very educated.
I just have one request.
Forget all this!
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!
So that Muslim magistrate he said I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.
The devotee, he started dancing!
You have already started!
Don’t stop now! Haribol!
You see, the secret is we offer our respect to others and somehow or another we get them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
That is not offensive.
- Anarthās
- - Apasampradāya
- - Bad association
- - Māyā
- - Māyāvāda / Impersonalism
- - Sinful activities
- Aparādha (Offenses)
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- Women
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- Yet To Categories
- Youth