Question: Kindly distinguish sentimental bhakti from ecstatic love of Godhead.
Author: Karuṇāpati Keśava dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Related Questions
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: Harṣavardana Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: We want to take shelter of Nitāi-Gaura.
Also, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
And if we are harassed with memories of our previous mistakes,
we should pray for forgiveness,
and proceed with devotional service.
It is not worth giving attention to these sinful memories.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-07
If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa,
you surrender to Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa says mokṣya,
that He’ll protect you from all the sins.
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
‘Sarva-pāpebhyo’,
all pāpa He’ll protect you from.
There’s no other way to get free from your sin except for taking shelter of the Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Even if you do pious activity that doesn’t get rid of the sin.
Only by serving Kṛṣṇa you’d be get free from all the sin
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]
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: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean if the husband or someone has to go out working,
then they may wear their working clothes and bow down to the Lord.
There should be some reason.
Vaiṣṇava clothes are more relaxing.
But everyone may have some particular situation.
So, accordingly they may dress.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
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: 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: Maṅgalamayī Mālinī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that, if you are an initiated devotee,
then it is very beneficial for you, and not so much trouble for the devotee.
But sometimes people who are not devotees take the dust, and sometimes devotees distribute their guru’s prasāda remnants
to non-devotees.
That may cause great trouble for the devotee.
What is being said is true,
but it may cause some trouble for the devotee,
if the person is not a devotee himself.
So, that was the thing that Śrīla Prabhupāda said,
that we should not give it out to non-devotees,
or to uninitiated devotees.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: Kṛṣṇa Karuṇā-mūrti dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: Your hands should be clean!
If you are in some asuci, because your relative died or some other reason -
I never heard that we should not chant on our beads.
Maybe in such asuci times, we are not supposed to go to the temple.
But I never heard that we should not chant on our beads.
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]
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.
Questioner: Mahādhāma Vṛndāvana dāsa
Date: 2024-10-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya wrote the Śikṣāṣṭaka.
The third verse is that we should be humble and tolerant like grass.
Glorify the good qualities in other devotees
and do not expect any praise for yourself.
In this way, you will be able to chant the holy name all the time.
Questioner: Shivam
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why Śrīla Prabhupāda he would teach us to avoid the ten offences to the holy name.
The first offence is not to offend or blaspheme a devotee.
So it is worse to offend a devotee than being sinful.
So, you should avoid offending a devotee.
At the same time naturally, we want to try to come to the pure platform.
So, before you take initiation, you should be sure you can follow the principles.
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: 2022-12-06
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: No! The point is, say a devotee, tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and doesn’t make it; senses take him off; interested into material life again
but whatever time a person spent in doing Kṛṣṇa conscious activity, for that, they get heavenly planet or they get a very good birth in the future.
They don’t lose anything you see.
The sinful reaction doesn’t affect; the sinful life delays your going back to Godhead but doesn’t stop it because that your credit is in like a fixed account.
But what happens is when you do offenses, this is whole different thing.
Offenses are directly...just like you are working for someone, you build up a good credit history and then you steal from him,
then you get fired and that person never wants to see you again, right?
But say that you know, you work for a person, just somehow you go away, you quit, then whatever you do, but with him your relationship, you know, is the same.
This is a little gross kind of material example, it is not fully appropriate.
In a higher sense our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is independent of all the other activities.
But an offense against Him or His devotee directly, you see even He can forgive an offense against Him;
but when you offend His devotee who is just trying in helping people to come to Him that becomes intolerable for Him.
He has a policy that He doesn’t personally forgive anyone for that. If the devotees themselves forgive then He considers a pardon.
So, of all the offenses, the blaspheming of one’s spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and is considered to be the worst.
So, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that, it takes millions of births before one ever gets a chance to have a guru again.
Why Kṛṣṇa will bring you up to a guru if you are going to blaspheme?
If you are so envious, then you get put in an envious species of life.
So, that way, Śrīla Prabhupāda says that it is much better to fall down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and just fall into sinful or materialistic activities than to become a blasphemer.
You shouldn’t ever resent the guru.
If you couldn’t make it, why resent the guru, it is not his fault,
you couldn’t make it.
You tried, you got as far as you could, or you have that much determination, you lost faith and you lost.
So, why resent the guru? Guru didn’t do any harm to you.
Guru was trying to help you.
You go to a doctor; you have an incurable disease, or you are hooked on to some kind of drug, the doctor tries to help you to break your habit,
but you can’t take the withdrawal pains, so you just go back in and then you continue taking heroin or something until you OD (overdose) and die.
Why blaspheme the doctor?
It is not his fault; you didn’t have the determination or the patience to get out.
He was going to help you through the whole thing, through your shakes and your problems and everything just to bring you up to a point where you could be a healthy person.
Like that kind of a thing.
Jayapatākā Swami: Oh yeah. Lord Caitanya said that,
yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā
That the offense of blaspheming a devotee is called mad elephant offense.
Because one’s spiritual progress is compared to a creeper, a plant.
So, when you blaspheme pure devotees, that mad elephant can go into a garden, uproot the whole plants, tear apart, you can just demolish the garden.
So, the comparison given that all the other things are like weeds; they don’t actually kill the original plant, they just compete with it.
They stunt its growth by taking away the energy, just stays at whatever level it is.
But it is very hard for the weeds all to completely smother out the original plant unless it just completely overcomes the thing.
But the offenses, those are considered like wild elephants which come in and trrrrp (tearing sound), rip out the thing, put it on the ground and stomp on it.
And then even for a while it may seem that the person is spiritually situated;
they pull out a plant, still the leaves stay green for a few days but then they gradually dry and fall off.
The relationship with the guru is never cut even you fall down; it’s not cut just by material activities;
but if you blaspheme the guru, then it is cut off, it’s like disowning.
Disciple disowns his guru by blaspheming.
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-09-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, we can try to learn from this līlā,
and it is like say in some countries, if you steal, they cut off your hands.
And people are afraid to steal because they will lose their hand.
So, if we understand how serious it is
to be envious against the devotees,
then you will avoid that like anything.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Generally, we are godbrothers, we don’t know how to deal amongst godbrothers, especially when we don’t get personal, direct instructions from you. We get very less personal association or direct contact with you especially being in Vṛndāvana. Sometimes we don’t know how to connect with our godbrothers and godsisters and don’t know how to deal with them.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: How many here have mobile phones?
How many of you have the Jayapatākā Swami App?
How many don’t have?
There are various things – what I do every day.
There is also a “Ask Jayapatākā Swami”.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda had given me various instructions.
Those are written down, which one you want to volunteer?
And then there are connections to the social media, with the āratis, many things.
I was looking at my app, there are many things.
So we are looking for volunteers in the UK, they are saying for Amala Mañjarī devī dāsī to be the local care coordinator.
She doesn’t know yet.
But the local care coordinators – we can use one or two in Vṛndāvana.
So they can connect with me through various means.
How to deal with godbrothers or godsisters?
I mean, do you have any brothers?
How do you deal with them?
How do you deal with your godbrothers? Like your brothers?
(He is more close to his godbrothers than his own brothers)
Very nice!
Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that our temples are like hospitals.
So many devotees are at different stages of being a patient.
Some are very advanced devotees like śikṣā-gurus.
So, just saying godbrothers, there are senior godbrothers and new godbrothers.
Treat them respectfully, nicely and humbly.
And I will be very happy.
Try to encourage them to engage in devotional service properly.
But then you have to hear them first
and some of them are a little strange.
Some of them are very critical.
I did not know that at first.
But most of them are very nice.
My disciples, men and women, are very nice.
But sometimes there are so much things.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: Normally, a Vaiṣṇava is not supposed to leave remnants.
But a guru may leave some remnants for disciples.
But there is no hard and fast rule regarding mahā-prasāda.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a Gulab jamun to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami.
He kept it on his plate and he was looking at it.
He was very proud and was thinking that I have got Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Gulab jamun wow! Wow! Gulab jamun! Wow!
Someone reached over and ate it!
He said, you took my Gulab jamun!
And Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami was very angry.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said, actually there are no rules when it comes to mahā-prasāda.
And even if you take from my plate, what can I do?
But please let me finish!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when I was 19, told me practice brahmacarya till you are 25.
And then with your guru make your decision.
So between 25 to 30 you can decide which way to go.
One way of helping the mind, you say, okay, I will not go into the sense attraction till later.
Postpone it
and then you can practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness with your full concentration.
Also by staying busy in devotional service.
There is no time for the sense attractions.
Naturally, the living being is thinking, feeling, willing and doing.
So, we should be so fixed in Kṛṣṇa’s service
that we are always thinking about Kṛṣṇa.
We try that when we are 25 to 30.
And then we can decide which way we will be stronger.
As a gṛhastha or as a brahmacārī.
Questioner: Siddhāntamaṇi Prabhupāda dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If one is initiated and breaks the principles,
they are guilty of one of the offences to the holy name
disrespecting the order of the spiritual master.
So there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
So in that case one should repent for their misdeed
and then again take up the practice of devotional service,
as sincerely as possible, and gradually they can regain their status.
But, of course they have ceased their progress for some time, but they can start again
and there is no other way recommended by the śāstras.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
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: 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: 2022-09-17
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: 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.
How did Śrīla Prabhupāda instill a very strong sambandha-jñāna in you and his other disciples? We see a strong sense of identity which Śrīla Prabhupāda had with Kṛṣṇa. What was so different in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s preaching that is so rare to come across nowadays. How you all feel such a strong sense of belonging to Śrīla Prabhupāda and to Kṛṣṇa?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: As I said, I was looking what is the purpose of life
and a visiting professor from Harvard
had told, about the life of Lord Buddha.
And that inspired me, he told, about reincarnation and so many things.
Being in the West, we had no access to.
I don’t know how much Indian students have.
But it lit a spark in me, to find a guru, to find a teacher.
Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in my previous life I was a devotee.
Maybe there are some people who were devotees in their previous life, I don’t know,
and some people may be coming new.
So one has to be ready for different kinds of situations.
Now when I came to the temple nobody had any time for me.
They were all busy.
And then I was sent to Jayānanda Prabhu.
He was building a ratha cart.
He asked me if I knew how to hold a nail.
I held it.
Then he got it into the wood, and I took my hand away.
He said, very good!
Because that is the whole trick, how you hold the nail!
You should leave space so that you don’t get your thumb smashed.
And he said, “Do you know how to hit a nail?”
“Sure”
I said, because my uncle had a wood shop in his basement.
And then I hammered some nails,
and he said, “Okay!”, I passed the preliminary exam
and then he engaged me in service.
That service was something I liked to do, it was nice.
So, I think that is the trick for the youth. Whether it is prasāda distribution or something but engage them in something.
And with doing service, they hear from more senior devotees
and that way they get purified.
I was engaged in a lot of different services.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Story of Ramāyāṇa?
You know how when Marīci came and the golden you know, multicolor rainbow deer and then Ram went to on the request of Sītā to catch it.
And put Sītā under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa but then there was a whole heavy situation developed,
that Marīci made the voice of Ram come out.
So Sītā said you go and protect Ram.
He said Ram doesn’t need protection, nobody can get near him.
She was very concerned, so then Lakṣman made a circle.
He said, don’t leave this mystic protective circle, can’t enter in.
So Rāvaṇa came dressed as a sādhū, he tried to enter in.
She went in to get some food and he went in [Guru Mahārāja and devotees laughing] and “I can’t get through”.
So, then she said come on in because he was an enemy so couldn’t enter.
So, he said, no no I cannot go there, I am very tired you just come out here.
So, because he was dressed as a saint, as a sannyāsī or like some kind of a sādhū,
so, she was Sītā was always serving devotees.
So, in this way he cheated her.
And of course, the real Sītā-devī didn’t come out, but the plain Māyā-Sītā came out.
But this mystical circle,
you can use in many definitions but one of the things you can is like that she was protected but shouldn't leave it.
Like that this is a mystic circle --
you follow the orders of the guru and māyā cannot get you
but when we deviate, when we neglect instructions of the spiritual master,
when we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we do make offenses to the Holy name.
We have to do things which (doesn’t) take us out of that protective circle.
Otherwise, we're protected.
Māyā is waiting there, she's waiting at the doorstep.
But devotees, how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it's not an ordinary thing.
To be Kṛṣṇa conscious you have to have the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So only the devotee, it says the devotee can never fall down.
We've heard that so many times.
What does that mean?
Because Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee.
Then how do devotees fall down?
Because they stop acting like devotees for some time.
So, because of you know, virtually not acting as a devotee, then they fall down.
That's why says you have to cling to the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi.
We have to stay within that protective shelter.
Facing difficulty, what is the use?
One time one devotee was like in anxiety and Prabhupāda said “Why are you in anxiety?
Your guru is present on this planet, you can ask him questions, you can get your doubts taken”.
Having guru means that all your problems will be solved, if you have a bona fide guru.
(audio not clear) we can submit to our spiritual, what do you advise?
What is your instruction?
We carry that out.
So, we're protected.
But when we don't consult with the spiritual master, we don't consult with the Vaiṣṇavas, we don't follow the scripture, we go out of that protective circle, in whatever form she wants to take.
Māyā is there waiting.
That's why we say Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.
Where there's Kṛṣṇa, there's no māyā.
So, we have to always look to Kṛṣṇa.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, you look away from the sun, what do you find behind you?
Your shadow.
Māyā is like the shadow, she's right behind you, you don't have to look for her.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, she'll be there.
So, then what's the purport?
When should we look away from Kṛṣṇa?
So, we have to keep our focus to Kṛṣṇa, mukha...
kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
(Cc. Madhya 20.117)
That, you know that verse?
Kṛṣṇa, when we turn our face. Bahirmukha, bahirmukha literally means turn your face away or turn it to the outside.
And what it actually is this can be translated to by turning your face to sense gratification.
Devotional service is the attitude --
I do everything to the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, reject what's unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa.
So, when we turn our face away from the service attitude, and instead we look to enjoy bhoga whimsically desire to have bhoga to have sense gratification.
Then what happens?
We get samsāra ādi duḥkha.
Then we suffer material suffering.
All the suffering, I'm suffering so much.
All this suffering is because we desire sense gratification.
If we just keep our face to Kṛṣṇa, if we just desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, there's no suffering.
Suffering begins when we desire.
The moment we desire to enjoy something, there's suffering.
Lamentation, hankering and enxiety, fear.
There's another verse like that.
[Not Clear - 01:08:09]
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, very similar verse.
Very like parallel.
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, desiring sense gratification, māyā nikaṭastha ache,
māyā comes right up to you.
japaṭīya dhare and just like your football tackles.
She's got you.
Māyā, you can also think in Australian Football system you know.
Lot of tackling is there, right?
You can just imagine they got a whole team all around just waiting one wrong move and they can jump forward.
As long as you're moving forward, eyes on Kṛṣṇa, they can't do a thing.
As soon as you look around for sense gratification, suddenly you're in the middle of the scrum.
For those who know rugby.
Māyā, she’s there but you say how we can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
That's why it's said, be like a little child, simply depending on your parents, simply depending on Guru and Kṛṣṇa, simply you know I'm so weak, I don't have any ability to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
I'm not a big paṇḍita, I'm not a big devotee, I'm just a very insignificant fallen soul.
I can only be Kṛṣṇa conscious by really following the mercy of Lord Caitanya, of His pure representative in disciplic succession.
And this way, I have to be very because that is the secret of success.
That's how you can become successful.
If you think I'm a big paṇḍita, I can do this, a little that.
I'm a great devotee, it doesn't matter.
I'm an old devotee.
It's alright, if I go little māyā I won't be affected, haha!
[Devotees: laughing]
Don't kid yourself.
Māyā is more strong than you are.
Inspite remaining always in the humble position.
Why great ācāryas have praying?
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu doyā koro more
tomā binā ke doyālu jagat-saḿsāre
patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra
mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra
You won't find anyone more sinful than me.
pāpī -- Nobody more sinful than I am.
Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, the purest devotee, he's saying I'm more sinful than all the conditioned souls.
Bhakta this one, or Bhaktin that one or whoever it may be.
But they're saying I'm the most sinful, more sinful than anybody.
This is this position he's taking, therefore you're the most merciful, you're the deliverer of all the fallen souls.
I'm the most fallen soul therefore I should get delivered first.
If we think that my humble attitude, that dependence on the mercy of guru and Gaurāṅga, then māyā may be ready to get you.
She's not getting the chance.
Tough luck.
You want to give her a chance she'll take it.
Don't give her a chance.
This is how devotees feel.
Be humble.
Know that I need their mercy all the time.
Why great ācāryas are praying like that?
They're not praying "I'm an old devotee, I'm an ācārya, I don't have to strictly follow, I don't have to. I can go over a bit".
You don't hear Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura say, you only hear some 7-year-old or 10- or 12-year devotee in ISKCON say, I'm an old devotee.
Where we are coming from, in this age of Kali.
Hardly anybody was a Vaiṣṇava.
Everybody was coming from Māyāvada or smārta or at the best.
Prabhupāda grabbed up the people.
You know, some people they're claiming to be born in Vaiṣṇava family.
We know that Prabhupāda grabbed them up from Māyāvada.
That doesn't matter.
Once you become in pure devotional service that's what counts.
It says that this, what a person was before he's in pure devotional service that's not proper logic.
It says that once my mother was naked -- logic.
She was once a little girl she was naked but she's not naked anymore.
Now she's a mother, she's a respectable lady.
So, what a person was before and what they are now, that doesn't have any immediate bearing.
Prabhupāda said that if you're born of devotee parents then that's a good sign.
The point is that right now we have to deal with the present, we should be fixed in our devotional service, we should keep that humble attitude.
Lord Caitanya, he gave a promise to Advaita, two things.
Then Advaita said, "One thing is anybody who thinks they're ready, spiritually advanced, who thinks he's a advanced devotee, don't give him your mercy.
Anyone who is very proud of their position of some birth, or some any kind of material position, you don't give them your mercy.
Those who are hopeless, who are spiritually, they are the most needy, they need your mercy more than anyone.
Those who are normally the hard cases, the tough nuts, the ones that will never have a hope, let them get your mercy, priority basis.
Karuṇāvatāra, for all those who would never get a chance in other yugas.
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: 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: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we have a spiritual master.
He is the final authority.
And we take his opinion.
When there are different opinions, then we take the opinion of our spiritual master, the opinion of the śāstras.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: All the vices can be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa’s service except envy.
So we can be angry when Kṛṣṇa is offended,
when the devotee is offended.
But if someone, in some disturbing situation,
hampering their sense gratification,
they should not get angry.
If they get angry it is a vice, a mistake and sinful.
Like that we could angry for the right reason,
otherwise we should be tolerant.
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:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When the sun appears darkness goes.
There is a saying in śāstra,
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(Cc. Madhya 22.31)
That is why we always recommend chanting.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Where did the bad thoughts go?
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!
No negative thoughts!
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
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: 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: Nikhil Raj, Bhopal
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We have some very serious devotees in Māyāpur.
You can ask the residents of Māyāpur and they will confirm. One is Jananivāsa Prabhu.
Whenever he would come and talk Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
but if the discussion became a bit different,
he would leave.
You turn around he is gone.
As long as you are Kṛṣṇa conscious he will be there.
Loose talk and he is gone.
Also, some people they are able to change the topic.
If someone is talking loose talk,
they know how to change the topic.
And bring them around to serious talk.
Then if people are very addicted to loose talk they won’t like to stay around you.
Question: How to remain enthusiastic despite challenges we face in serving Kṛṣṇa?
—Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
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.
Question: How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
♦ ♦ ♦
I was discussing with a devotee today.
He told me that for every sevā or preaching project we are engaged in we must have a vision for that.
Guru Mahārāja, my question is..
Question: if I am serving under the authority, can I have a vision for the project?
What if our authority has different ways or visions?
—Amṛteśa Gaura dāsa, Bhubaneswar
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
♦ ♦ ♦
So thank you for asking so many questions
Category: [Anarthās], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Nikhil Raj, Bhopal
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We have some very serious devotees in Māyāpur.
You can ask the residents of Māyāpur and they will confirm. One is Jananivāsa Prabhu.
Whenever he would come and talk Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
but if the discussion became a bit different,
he would leave.
You turn around he is gone.
As long as you are Kṛṣṇa conscious he will be there.
Loose talk and he is gone.
Also, some people they are able to change the topic.
If someone is talking loose talk,
they know how to change the topic.
And bring them around to serious talk.
Then if people are very addicted to loose talk they won’t like to stay around you.
Question: How to remain enthusiastic despite challenges we face in serving Kṛṣṇa?
—Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
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.
Question: How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
♦ ♦ ♦
I was discussing with a devotee today.
He told me that for every sevā or preaching project we are engaged in we must have a vision for that.
Guru Mahārāja, my question is..
Question: if I am serving under the authority, can I have a vision for the project?
What if our authority has different ways or visions?
—Amṛteśa Gaura dāsa, Bhubaneswar
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
♦ ♦ ♦
So thank you for asking so many questions
Category: [Anarthās], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
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: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: It is like a multiple question.
You can be in Vṛndāvana by being in Vṛndāvana.
And how to please Śrīla Prabhupāda and me? I am very pleased if you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If you are studying Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,
Śrīla Prabhupāda called that tapasyā in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If you are distributing the mercy out that is also very pleasing.
And if you are doing Kṛṣṇa conscious sevās, there are nine types of sevās,
then that is also pleasing.
How to deal with the vraja-vāsīs?
What is the problem?
How to deal with the vraja-vāsīs in regard to job, work, and association?
She is saying vraja-vāsīs, if she is saying in regard to work she has to work for someone.
You are staying in Vṛndāvana, then you have to live with vraja-vāsīs.
I guess I would just encourage them, they are vraja-vāsīs, they are very fortunate.
That they are in Kṛṣṇa’s land,
so they should be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Otherwise, what is the use of being a vraja-vāsī.
Of course, when I installed the lotus feet this morning,
then afterwards a brāhmaṇa vraja-vāsī said I will help you to worship the Śyāma-kuṇḍa.
Then he took some water, sprinkled it,
tied a thread around my wrist.
And then he said, I am a poor brāhmaṇa, please give me some donation.
So I gave him some.
I saw in Māyāpur, sometimes during the season, the boys come up and say we are having a pūjā program in our pandal for Durgā-pūjā, please give us donation.
So I was thinking we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa every day
but Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Alright, give them 10 rupees.”
So, they are taught they accept whatever they are given. So to make the long story short, just give them 10 rupees and Haribol!
So like that Śrīla Prabhupāda would sometimes give them something just to make them happy.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question.
So it is important if they are senior devotees talk to them privately.
Speak to them how you tried to enthuse these new people but if the older devotees express their doubts to the younger devotees that creates a bad taste.
Explain to him how his negative comments are influencing the younger people badly.
If it is not comments, he only has a bad mood, then talk to me, I can help him, I don’t have a bad mood.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Everlyne Geraldo
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: It is not very difficult to develop favorable relationships with devotees.
?
In the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka
it says offer respect to others and don’t expect respect for, yourself.
So if you follow this system then you will make many friends.
And people are always looking for someone to appreciate them.
So if you appreciate others,
then naturally they will appreciate you.
So, I am very happy to receive your question.
And I am speaking English so everybody else can hear the answer.
And because my translator can do better
if I speak in English.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: As I mentioned, bhakti-yoga is a science.
And it is step by step.
Śravaṇam, kīrtanam, We should hear and then have sādhu-saṅga.
Then bhajana-kriyā.
With bhajana-kriyā comes initiation.
The next stage is anartha-nivṛtti,
getting rid of the bad habits.
So that comes after initiation, that you start working on removing the bad habits.
Then we become fixed, and we have good habits in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that is called niṣṭhā.
Then we have a taste,
then we get attached to that taste, āsakti.
Then we get bhāva, ecstatic devotional service.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Akshaj, Bhopal
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Usually, bhajana-kriyā stage is the time we take initiation.
Then after that with the guidance of the guru, we get anartha-nivṛitti.
We may hear from the guru or we may have śikṣā-gurus
who help us to overcome these anarthas.
One book I translated Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s book, Vaiṣṇava Ke?
He prayed to his mind, what kind of Vaiṣṇava are you? By doing solitary bhajana you seek name and fame.
That book, it is a small book. You read that to find out how to control and train the mind.
Also, there is another bhajana by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya
and that helps one to control the mind.
Anarthas are in the mind.
Anartha-nivṛtti means mind is purified.
Questioner: Darsh
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Māyā is stronger than we are
but Kṛṣṇa is stronger than māyā.
If we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa we can cross over māyā.
That is why we try to engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So there is a competition.
Māyā tests us,
but if we are successful in following Kṛṣṇa,
then māyā will offer her praṇāmas to us.
But if we succumb to her tests,
then we will remain in the material world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-10
Jayapatākā Swami: This question was asked by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā.
And Kṛṣṇa said that we should take our sword of knowledge and cut the knot of ignorance.
If you read the teachings of Kṛṣṇa,
Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
and if you regularly chant the holy name,
then naturally you can understand more
and your faith will increase.
But it is also important to have good association.
You associate with people who are Kṛṣṇa conscious
and avoid association with people who are very negative and critical.
One should know the philosophy,
one should know how to help people,
then you can meet with more people and help them.
But if you have a bad association in the beginning then it can be very disruptive.
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
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: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
In Bhagavad-Gītā I think Arjuna asked this question.
In the Bhāgavatam this question is asked
and the answer is given.
So generally, you see the anubhāvas are something that people cannot imitate.
The bhāvas, some people may cry,
that could be imitated.
But the anubhāvas, like losing something material
and being unaffected,
being always fixed in devotional service,
in spite of many difficulties.
All these are anubhāvas.
They cannot be easily imitated.
So there are 11 anubhāvas
and you can read about them.
So those who have these anubhāvas,
you can know them to be Vaiṣṇavas.
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: 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: 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:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Think of positive thoughts!
Just like we see the Deities of Rādhā Govinda Aṣṭa Sakhi, Lord Gaurāṅga, we think of Them.
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
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: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: It could be a very good habit,
if you use it on yourself.
You find all the good qualities of others, and all the bad qualities in yourself.
Don’t be like a fly, who sits on the sores.
So we follow the third instruction of Lord Caitanya in His Śikṣāṣṭakam.
We should give respect to others, and not expect any respect for ourselves.
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]
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: 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 in association of devotees for the past eight years. Just like any other devotee I could admire all positive aspects of other devotees. While at one point of time there is a fall in the graph when only the negatives of other bhaktas are only visible. I think many other devotees feel the same way as well. Guru Mahārāja, how to overcome this mentality of fault finding. Is there any particular reason why such thoughts are appearing in my mind?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked this kind of a question to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the temples are hospitals –
spiritual hospitals.
When you go to the hospital you see sick people.
It is natural.
That is what hospitals are for.
Some are doctors, they treat the sick people
and there are nurses who help the patients.
They are not as qualified as the doctors, but they serve the patients.
So like that, devotees will have some defects
until they are perfect.
But we see the good qualities in others,
see all the good qualities, all the things that they are doing for Kṛṣṇa
and see the defects in ourselves.
So don’t be like a fly
which always goes to the cut wounds and stool.
See the good qualities.
We try to see where we can improve.
It is not a competition like in the material world.
Not by putting others down, we will go up.
They tell me in the corporate world someone is an operations manager, someone is a quality control manager,
someone is the marketing manager.
So one manager tries to screw up another manager
so that he can be promoted to general manager.
So this thing is there in the material world.
Not like that in the spiritual life.
Kṛṣṇa rather sees how you cooperate with others.
How you help others.
Not how you fault find in others.
One of the qualities of the devotees is nirmatsarāṇām,
freedom from envy and fault finding.
So, everything we can dovetail,
except that one thing,
that thing we have to renounce.
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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-28
Jayapatākā Swami: No, the point is that, when you are preaching, and depending on Kṛṣṇa, then at that time, you are becoming an instrument in Kṛṣṇa’s hand, so, then you are feeling transcendental happiness.
You are cheating yourself that you are not able to always be instrument.
That’s why preaching is very purifying. Therefore, everyone is recommended to do maximum preaching.
The more that we can feel as an instrument that we can be as an instrument in Kṛṣṇa’s hand, by fully surrendering to Him, that is the perfection.
See even if a moment, you are feeling transcendental happiness, how is that cheating, if you tell someone about that?
Or if you at that moment, you are also inspiring that person.
It is only due to the lack of advancement you are not able to maintain that,
but very soon you will reach as soon as all the type of unwanted desires are cleansed from the heart, then you reach the fixed stage where that happiness, that enthusiasm is unwavering.
That is called niṣṭha.
And then beyond that one would get, has… Although sometimes we get a taste, that devotional service is very nice, then we lose the taste for a little while, then again we get it.
That means we are still in the clearing plane.
We are still clearing out so many offenses.
It may take long years of clearing, that depends on how much we are able to put ourselves in the fire.
But every time we are getting that little taste, that’s also clearing out so much more.
It describes, when the devotee some time is jumping and dancing and clapping (clapping sound) the hands and smiling before Jagannātha, the deity,
that by clapping the hands and smiling, that is like the birds go and eat in the rice field, you clap the hands, they fly off, then all the sins are just flying off, just like birds from the heart.
So, like that so many services gradually, they are reducing the load.
But when our load is completely reduced, then we reach this higher and higher platforms, and then one doesn’t, one simply goes from better to more to better.
Doesn’t go from mediocre to better, It’s always an ecstatic platform.
And even sometimes it become more intense and more intense.
You see, just like when you are riding a 10 speed bicycle, you know bicycle?
You are at 10 speeds.
(Italy has, Italy has the break first.)
And then you go as far as you can go right, then you go to the second, then it seems little harder at first, right, then you drive and ish, you up and third, you are pedaling like this.
So, one reaches a certain level of advancement and then suddenly, he gets a little wind or little boost, he goes up,
you see, then happens is, again shifting gear, and then he thinks, oh!
Then as one goes to other services, he is thinking that, this is little hard, then from there again one pushes up and in this way, one always going higher and higher.
What you think is difficult now, was impossible for you a year ago, and one year from now would you think is difficult, now you won’t think that you could even do it.
And in this way, one is going on.
You see.
Prabhupāda working day and night, at such an advanced age, preaching because he is on the transcendental platform.
So, what we should do, we should pull ourselves by that drive, the eagerness, to always taste that pleasure of doing some sincere service for Kṛṣṇa.
If you see someone enthuse in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, why you are feeling happy, Kṛṣṇa is happy.
Especially in preaching even the, one overcomes so many offenses.
That’s why one gets the special feeling then, ordinary service is not do so much.
Especially in preaching even the, one overcomes so many offenses.
That’s why one gets the special feeling then, ordinary service is not do so much.
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we only tell the palatable truth.
We don’t tell things that we know which would disturb the people.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
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: Kinjal Lohia
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Follow the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka -
offer respect to all others
and don’t expect any respect for yourself.
Seems like you are not offering respect to other Vaiṣṇavas.
And this is something that we should do.
And when we neglect that, naturally we have to suffer.
So we should appreciate what other Vaiṣṇavas are doing.
And that is the secret of success.
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: 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: 2022-08-09
Jayapatākā Swami: You see here someone eats non veg.
Non veg is sinful.
You are killing animals, causing them suffering and you are eating their flesh.
Some are doing selfless service to society, they are helping other people, they may be doing some, of course selfless service to society.
But we have to see what the Vedas say.
Whether that service is puṇya or pāpa.
Like someone may do selfless service and make a new abattoir, means a new slaughter house for society.
He thinks I am doing selfless service.
But according to the Vedas, he is also doing pāpa, he is doing sinful activity.
Someone may be doing selfless service of distributing free tea or whisky to all the people, I am not considering those kinds of selfless service.
I am saying like he is feeding the poor, he is making hospital, such service where the people are getting material benefit in a sāttvika sense, that is called puṅya.
So according to Vedas we get two accounts in the material world.
We get a puṅya account and a pāpa account.
And we are putting deposit in both.
Because someone does puṇya, it does not cross out the pāpa.
Some people think that ok, I will do many pious activities and I will do little sin and the pious will cross out the sin.
It doesn’t work that way.
Both you get.
That is why even if you find someone very rich, have a big car, big house, lot of money, but the wife got breast cancer.
But the son ran away with someone and married out of caste and the whole family is suffering.
So many things happen.
Income tax is raiding.
I am feeding the poor, I am giving so much to charity, why I am not –
because both the accounts are there – pāpa and puṇya. If you do pāpa you have to suffer, you do puṇya you have to enjoy. Material activities, you know they are not free, you have to take all the reactions. Usually the puṇya you get first and the pāpa you get later. But there is some mixing going on. Now the other thing is that he is greatly devoted to the Lord. Now that devotion to the Lord, the Lord is beyond the material world. He is saying mām ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhuyāya kalpate. (Bg 14.26) That those who do my bhakti-yoga, their activities are beyond the three guṇas. So if someone does bhakti that can clear out the path. But it is dangerous to tell this to people. Because if you tell to people who are not devoted, they will say, very good, I will pray in the temple, then I will do more pāpa. And then Kṛṣṇa takes that as an offence, you are trying to cheat Me. So He doesn’t save them. That is why we don’t tell people about this glory of the Lord that if you worship the Lord it takes away your sin very much. Of course we have to tell but we try to tell them. They should not think I can do more sin, that they shouldn’t do. What people should do is come and pray and chant the name of Kṛṣṇa and try to avoid sin. They may do some sin but they should try to reduce it, try to avoid it. They should not think that by doing my Kṛṣṇa conscious activity, I can do more sin. Whatever sin I am doing, I have to suffer. But let me chant, let me worship, some day I can get free from this. Then it is ok. So if they are devoted to the Lord, they should try to do what the Lord wants. What is the meaning of I am devoted to the Lord, the Lord is saying don’t do these things. I am devoted to the Lord, what does that mean? Lord, I want to please You. If I am Your servant, I want to do what You want me to do. Like if you have a servant in the house, you tell the servant, clean the floor. He says no, I won’t clean the floor, I want to clean the wall. But I want you to clean the floor first. You can clean the wall later. He says, no, I want to clean the wall and then the floor. How would that servant keep the job? If you have a servant and you tell him, cook me breakfast. And he says no, I want to cook you lunch. I want you to cook me vegetarian and he says no I want to cook you non veg! Then you wont keep such a servant, servant, who is this servant! So if we are already devoted to the Lord, we should do what the Lord wants us to do. And the Lord is telling us don’t do these things. Don’t take intoxication, don’t eat non veg, don’t do gambling and don’t do illicit sex. Don’t go to prostitutes. Don’t leave your good wife or husband, and do extra marital sex. So when we are devoted to the Lord we should do what the Lord wants. We are devoted to the Lord, we come and pray and then we go. That is called hāthī-snāna. Like the elephant is having a bath and coming out and throwing the dirt. So we should not worry what others are doing. Someone says he is vegetarian but he is cheating.
If you do pāpa you have to suffer, you do puṅya you have to enjoy.
Material activities, you know they are not free, you have to take all the reactions.
Usually the puṇya you get first and the pāpa you get later.
But there is some mixing going on.
Now the other thing is that he is greatly devoted to the Lord.
So therefore I can be nonveg and I won’t cheat.
Not much, little bit.
We should avoid everything like that.
Don’t settle for that.
Don’t judge.
It is just like if you want to judge gold, you want to judge it with pure gold.
You don’t judge it with some mixed gold, my gold is better than that gold.
What is that?
That is 10 carat mine is 4 carat.
You judge gold by 24 carat.
This is not a good decision that I am better than that so it is okay.
That person is going to hell no. 5 and you are going no. 4.
So what is the difference?
?
We want to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
So therefore what is the standard paramahaṁsa?
We see what gurudeva, what the pure devotee is doing.
We try to lead our life and follow the Mahājanas.
Mahājana yena gatā sa panthā.
We follow the great souls or Mahājanas, like Prahlāda, Nārada, Śiva, Brahma.
All the devas, Svāyambhuva Manu, all the great souls, we follow in their footsteps.
Not that we are following some ordinary person and we are saying oh that person, he is not so great.
I am not so bad.
This is all mental concoction.
He is not so great, I am not so bad.
So I can live with my sin.
Yamarāja doesn’t pick all these things.
What your neighbor was doing.
What you did he has all the account here.
You did this, this is your karma.
Now you enjoy, now you suffer.
If you see the animatronic works you can see the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudutas.
You can decide who you want to be the customer for.
Category: [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Day-to-day Life / Food], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-09
Jayapatākā Swami: You see here someone eats non veg.
Non veg is sinful.
You are killing animals, causing them suffering and you are eating their flesh.
Some are doing selfless service to society, they are helping other people, they may be doing some, of course selfless service to society.
But we have to see what the Vedas say.
Whether that service is puṇya or pāpa.
Like someone may do selfless service and make a new abattoir, means a new slaughter house for society.
He thinks I am doing selfless service.
But according to the Vedas, he is also doing pāpa, he is doing sinful activity.
Someone may be doing selfless service of distributing free tea or whisky to all the people, I am not considering those kinds of selfless service.
I am saying like he is feeding the poor, he is making hospital, such service where the people are getting material benefit in a sāttvika sense, that is called puṅya.
So according to Vedas we get two accounts in the material world.
We get a puṅya account and a pāpa account.
And we are putting deposit in both.
Because someone does puṇya, it does not cross out the pāpa.
Some people think that ok, I will do many pious activities and I will do little sin and the pious will cross out the sin.
It doesn’t work that way.
Both you get.
That is why even if you find someone very rich, have a big car, big house, lot of money, but the wife got breast cancer.
But the son ran away with someone and married out of caste and the whole family is suffering.
So many things happen.
Income tax is raiding.
I am feeding the poor, I am giving so much to charity, why I am not –
because both the accounts are there – pāpa and puṇya. If you do pāpa you have to suffer, you do puṇya you have to enjoy. Material activities, you know they are not free, you have to take all the reactions. Usually the puṇya you get first and the pāpa you get later. But there is some mixing going on. Now the other thing is that he is greatly devoted to the Lord. Now that devotion to the Lord, the Lord is beyond the material world. He is saying mām ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhuyāya kalpate. (Bg 14.26) That those who do my bhakti-yoga, their activities are beyond the three guṇas. So if someone does bhakti that can clear out the path. But it is dangerous to tell this to people. Because if you tell to people who are not devoted, they will say, very good, I will pray in the temple, then I will do more pāpa. And then Kṛṣṇa takes that as an offence, you are trying to cheat Me. So He doesn’t save them. That is why we don’t tell people about this glory of the Lord that if you worship the Lord it takes away your sin very much. Of course we have to tell but we try to tell them. They should not think I can do more sin, that they shouldn’t do. What people should do is come and pray and chant the name of Kṛṣṇa and try to avoid sin. They may do some sin but they should try to reduce it, try to avoid it. They should not think that by doing my Kṛṣṇa conscious activity, I can do more sin. Whatever sin I am doing, I have to suffer. But let me chant, let me worship, some day I can get free from this. Then it is ok. So if they are devoted to the Lord, they should try to do what the Lord wants. What is the meaning of I am devoted to the Lord, the Lord is saying don’t do these things. I am devoted to the Lord, what does that mean? Lord, I want to please You. If I am Your servant, I want to do what You want me to do. Like if you have a servant in the house, you tell the servant, clean the floor. He says no, I won’t clean the floor, I want to clean the wall. But I want you to clean the floor first. You can clean the wall later. He says, no, I want to clean the wall and then the floor. How would that servant keep the job? If you have a servant and you tell him, cook me breakfast. And he says no, I want to cook you lunch. I want you to cook me vegetarian and he says no I want to cook you non veg! Then you wont keep such a servant, servant, who is this servant! So if we are already devoted to the Lord, we should do what the Lord wants us to do. And the Lord is telling us don’t do these things. Don’t take intoxication, don’t eat non veg, don’t do gambling and don’t do illicit sex. Don’t go to prostitutes. Don’t leave your good wife or husband, and do extra marital sex. So when we are devoted to the Lord we should do what the Lord wants. We are devoted to the Lord, we come and pray and then we go. That is called hāthī-snāna. Like the elephant is having a bath and coming out and throwing the dirt. So we should not worry what others are doing. Someone says he is vegetarian but he is cheating.
If you do pāpa you have to suffer, you do puṅya you have to enjoy.
Material activities, you know they are not free, you have to take all the reactions.
Usually the puṇya you get first and the pāpa you get later.
But there is some mixing going on.
Now the other thing is that he is greatly devoted to the Lord.
So therefore I can be nonveg and I won’t cheat.
Not much, little bit.
We should avoid everything like that.
Don’t settle for that.
Don’t judge.
It is just like if you want to judge gold, you want to judge it with pure gold.
You don’t judge it with some mixed gold, my gold is better than that gold.
What is that?
That is 10 carat mine is 4 carat.
You judge gold by 24 carat.
This is not a good decision that I am better than that so it is okay.
That person is going to hell no. 5 and you are going no. 4.
So what is the difference?
?
We want to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
So therefore what is the standard paramahaṁsa?
We see what gurudeva, what the pure devotee is doing.
We try to lead our life and follow the Mahājanas.
Mahājana yena gatā sa panthā.
We follow the great souls or Mahājanas, like Prahlāda, Nārada, Śiva, Brahma.
All the devas, Svāyambhuva Manu, all the great souls, we follow in their footsteps.
Not that we are following some ordinary person and we are saying oh that person, he is not so great.
I am not so bad.
This is all mental concoction.
He is not so great, I am not so bad.
So I can live with my sin.
Yamarāja doesn’t pick all these things.
What your neighbor was doing.
What you did he has all the account here.
You did this, this is your karma.
Now you enjoy, now you suffer.
If you see the animatronic works you can see the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudutas.
You can decide who you want to be the customer for.
Category: [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Day-to-day Life / Food], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Especially meeting with a married woman in a private place,
that was prohibited by Lord Caitanya.
Sometimes I will be in a room, and there would be a man and woman and the man walks out!
Then I would ask the lady to go out or tell the man not leave or I would go out myself.
Sometimes a vairāgī says they just want to experiment.
You see, checking or experimenting should be done before you become a vairāgī!
If you are a gṛhastha, do all the experimenting with your wife.
If you take the vairāgī path, then at least you should follow the vows of renunciant life, at least for a sannyāsī.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: It is a situation that I wouldn’t envy.
Actually, one should avoid giving advice to senior Vaiṣṇavas as far as possible.
But of course, sometimes if a situation comes up, generally we consider that we are not really in a position to offer someone advice unless we are at an equal or greater level of service.
You see.
At least, I couldn’t off hand just imagine, what type of situation might come up, where the person was in an inferior position of service and wanted to offer advice.
But without going into all these ramifications, if somehow or other one finds one’s self in the position of giving some kind of instruction to a senior Vaiṣṇava,
then one would have to offer that in the most humble way, and you know, very apologetic that there is like some doubt,
you see something which is agitating your mind or which is making you feel that possibly it is not correct.
And so just to alleviate the doubt as a senior Vaiṣṇava you are requesting that he would please explain,
whether his activities actually bona fide Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because you are looking up to him for example,
and it’s creating a doubt in your mind, because from what you have been taught, it doesn’t seem to be correct.
In this way in some indirect polite way if one could ask like that, then it is very hard for a senior Vaiṣṇava to really feel offended.
But if you just come and say, “Well listen, you appear to be in māyā, you are doing this…” Of course, your life will get smashed.
But if you ask in that way, of course then, maintaining your relationship, that you are seeing him as a senior Vaiṣṇava
but you are not seeing his activities to be exemplary of that, and it’s creating… then naturally he will more than likely to be, to feel… if he is in fact wrongly situated,
then he will feel somewhat responsible to show a good example and will see that you are not saying out of some kind of enviousness,
but that you are actually more concerned for your own spiritual life and for his spiritual life as well.
It is a type of a sticky situation.
Lord Caitanya would maintain this type of formal relationship with different Vaiṣṇavas.
Sometimes… of course He was ultimately the Supreme Lord, so sometimes He would do other things too.
But generally, He would try to maintain that type of activity.
In that way sometimes, you would find like with Dāmodara Paṇḍita, He would say, “Well, Dāmodara is My senior, I can’t say anything with Him.”
and this and that.
Of course, sometimes indirectly it was like a criticism because although he was a senior Vaiṣṇava, of course Lord Caitanya was the guru of everyone.
So that requires a lot of intelligence to be able to present something in a palatable way, when the subject matter is unpalatable for someone.
No one wants to hear, how they are in māyā.
Of course, the spiritual master, he directly just tells the disciple in many different ways, how they are need to be corrected.
But when you are dealing with equals or with even superiors, sometimes a junior devotee is put as responsible for senior devotees,
but actually the person is more, more responsible maybe.
So, it requires a lot of Vaiṣṇava vision to actually be able to see that.
The Gauḍīya mission in many ways, they lost that type of perspective.
So, what happened was like the disciple of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhakti-Pradīpa Tīrtha, he is different than Bhakti-Vilāsa Tirtha.
He was Bhakti-Pradīpa Tīrtha disciple of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
But he could accept, he could understand that actually my grand disciple Bhaktisiddhānta, my nephew Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is actually completely empowered, pure devotee.
And so, he accepted Bhaktisiddhānta either as a sannyāsa-guru or as a śikṣa-guru, I forget exactly.
But he respected him like a spiritual master.
Even though there may be some formal thing, but he was actually a junior.
But because he had exhibited so many exalted Vaiṣṇava qualities, he wanted his spiritual association on that level.
This may happen in the future.
Of course, now, nothing like that is exactly happened where disciples of the present-day guru have really shown that much advancement yet.
But say in subsequent generations one great ācārya may appear as someone’s disciple.
And then Prabhupāda said like that the cream will rise to the top.
And if they actually become so dynamic in preaching then even if someone may be senior by years or by relationship
but if someone shows such a great quality of devotional service,
that may come that there will be a test whether they can recognize that person by quality or just by other external aspects.
So, Bhakti-Pradīpa Tīrtha, he accepted Bhaktisiddhānta in that way but after Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda left,
actually the most qualified person was Bhakti-Pradīpa Tīrtha.
But then some of the disciples of Bhaktisiddhānta were saying that, “He is not technically our god brother.”
Even though he was much more senior and much more learned, they tried to do a little politics.
So, Bhakti-Pradīpa Tīrtha saw that, “Well, if it’s like that…you know.”
He just went off and did his own devotional service and did not want to get involved in politic politics.
So, this happens in Vaiṣṇava, the whole material world is Kali-yuga and we have to be careful that we avoid this type of mistake.
Prabhupāda would explain these things to us, so we would not do that thing.
Of course, by having a GBC body, this one way we get protected, because we work under committee and not under individual.
Because there is always a tendency to resent one person, there may be some personality differences,
but to work under this committee, this was started by Bhaktivinoda in his Nāmahaṭṭa.
He had a ten-man pañcāyat and then Bhaktisiddhānta said to do it.
They started but they did not really carry it forward.
So Prabhupāda was always commenting that, “They never followed Bhaktisiddhānta’s order.
He never said to have one ācārya, he always said to have a Governing Body Commission.
You manage everything by Governing Body Commission.” you see.
One person may even be misled or one person may have difficulty, the unity of the movement has to be preserved by working under the system of Governing Body Commission.
So that way in the Governing Body Commission you have different type of devotees,
but they are all there because somehow or other they have done some personal service for Śrīla Prabhupāda,
they know Prabhupāda’s desires, or they have excelled in some preaching field.
So, in this way they have a understanding of responsibility for the society.
Even there may be other, very advanced in or equally advanced devotees outside, still in principle that they are, know what Prabhupāda wanted.
We follow under this basic system that the previous ācāryas wanted rather than a single ācārya system, which is more vulnerable.
This helps us to take that humble attitude in a society wide basis.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: 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: 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]
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 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: 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]
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, those who want the kingdom of God without God are better than impersonalists,
because, you see, the impersonalists, they don’t even want the kingdom of God without God.
The people who want the kingdom of God without God are the materialists.
They want the material world, and they want to enjoy it, but they don’t want God, you see.
Even the demigods, I mean, they respect Kṛṣṇa, you see.
But this like two sides of the coin; in one hand you have the materialists who want to
have the material world and enjoy it without God. They want to usurp in a way.
They want to be able to enjoy as the controller.
So those are coming, some as demigods who are still favorable to God,
and some are demons who are completely offensive to God.
But the Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists, they are completely offensive.
And in a way, they want to themselves by...they think that they are God, you see.
To say even without God indicates more of the demigods, because they...
By saying without God, we are indicating that there is God.
But the impersonalists, they don’t actually accept that there is any Supreme God; they’re saying that
everything is impersonal. That being impersonal, therefore, the concept of a Supreme
Person doesn’t come in at all. That every individual soul is a supreme as any other soul.
And that any form is illusion, so including the form of God.
So therefore, they are great offenders, Lord Caitanya said māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī (Cc Madhya 17.129).
They are offenders of Kṛṣṇa.
The demons that Kṛṣṇa kills, they get that. Some get even more than that.
But at least they get merging. So being killed by Kṛṣṇa, if you get to merge
and get impersonal realization, then what is so great about that,
you see. Even the demons get it. That means that these impersonalists are on the same level as demons.
So therefore, Lord Caitanya, He warned us, “Don’t listen to them.”
Because if you understand their viewpoint,
then that can destroy your actual appreciation of Kṛṣṇa because they are offensive.
And if we hear offenses against Kṛṣṇa, then that takes away our devotional assets.
So therefore, we should always avoid hearing the offenses of Kṛṣṇa, and their preaching is offensive.
Their way of preaching is to offend Kṛṣṇa.
Sahajiyāism is more dangerous than impersonalism for devotees.
It’s harder to recognize the difference between sahajiyāism and real devotion.
Impersonalism is pretty cut and dry, I mean, they just, you know, they don’t believe it. All
quality and personality is very cut and dry, the line is very sharp.
But in sahajiyāism where they seem to have a quality of a devotee,
but actually, there are some subtle offenses to real devotees;
they think that they are already an associate of God even though they haven’t achieved that position.
And thus, they are speaking as an associate or as an authority,
when actually, they are, because they are offenders of real devotees
and they are not presenting the thing as it is. Therefore, they miss the whole,
they are not able to actually go back to Godhead from that platform,
and they are guilty of other type of offenses; do rasābhasa and vaiṣṇava-aparādhas.
It’s actually what it is. Sahajiyāism is that you try to enjoy Kṛṣṇa.
Bhakti means that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and He enjoys you; He enjoys your service.
You offer the service, and that service
is enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, and you feel the transcendental bliss from within.
But sahajiyā means that, that person wants to enjoy Kṛṣṇa’s.
He wants to enjoy the ecstasy with Kṛṣṇa. He wants to… So, because it is not a service mood,
it’s an enjoyment.
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: Gaurāṅgī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Why not?
A devotee never dies, he appears and disappears.
The word jayantī is reserved for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance,
because His appearance is very special.
But everyone else appears and disappears.
Of course, for the great saintly devotees, we celebrate their appearance and disappearance.
So rather than saying happy birthday, you can say happy appearance day! Haribol!!
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: 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.
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: 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]
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: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa wears black on Amāvasyā day.
Generally black is in the mode of ignorance,
and therefore we don’t usually wear it,
but there may be some exceptions.
I don’t think on Pūrṇimā day Kṛṣṇa wears black!
On Amāvasyā like yesterday, He wore black.
Otherwise, they don’t wear black.
Questioner: Tattvavit Nimāi das
Date: 2022-10-12
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.
Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.
Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.
Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.
So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.
There will be some disturbing situations.
These are tests.
If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.
If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.
He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.
It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.
So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!
But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.
So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.
Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.
The test is when things get disturbed.
At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,
and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And pass the test.
Haribol!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Tattvavit Nimāi das
Date: 2022-10-12
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.
Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.
Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.
Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.
So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.
There will be some disturbing situations.
These are tests.
If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.
If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.
He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.
It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.
So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!
But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.
So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.
Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.
The test is when things get disturbed.
At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,
and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And pass the test.
Haribol!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
One of the devotees I know who is your disciple has fallen down. Parents of that devotee are constantly lamenting and in great grief their child has almost stopped practicing devotional service and left home and started living alone and started doing bad saṅga. My question is that if any devotee falls down from devotional service, should we lament for the devotee? Is it okay for the parents to lament excessively?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally a parent should want to make a son or daughter Kṛṣṇa conscious.
And when the son or daughter is well-situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
naturally the parent is relieved.
And if a child is in māyā,
then naturally the parent should be preoccupied.
Not to the extent that they give up their own practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
But encourage the son to come back or be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One of the key questions I have is about forgiveness. Maharāja spoke about how Rukmī’s hair was cut and Balarāma almost chastised Kṛṣṇa that this is not how you cut people’s hair. That brings us to the point of forgiveness - how can we build on this quality because it is so important right now to have this mood of forgiveness, because it actually impacts our service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: It is interesting
that two days ago was the Putradā Ekādaśī.
So some people want children,
they observe Putradā Ekādaśī.
But in the glories of this Ekādaśī,
it is said that for the
renounced people or people who don’t want children,
they observe this Ekādaśī
to get the child of forgiveness,
because forgiveness is a quality that Vaiṣṇavas need.
We were reading today how,
some foolish student
was criticizing Lord Caitanya
when He was in the mood of a gopī,
a Vraja-vāsī, He was chanting the name, Gopī, gopī!
The foolish student came and told Lord Caitanya, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, why are You chanting gopī, gopī?
They did not understand that Lord Caitanya, at that moment, He was in a different mood.
He was in the mood of Rādhārāṇī,
or some gopī-bhāva.
And they did not understand that.
And they were thinking ill against Him.
They wanted to attack Him, or to take some retribution.
So then Lord Caitanya was thinking,
I came to deliver the most fallen,
but if these people they offend Me,
they don’t pay their obeisances to Me,
they will be deprived of the mercy!
So like that He was thinking how can I get these people to offer their respect to Me, and thus take up bhakti-yoga.
So He had the mood of forgiveness.
So it is very important, that we also adopt this mood.
And somehow, that thing we should practice regularly.
We don’t take the offences of anyone,
as something directly to them.
So we take it that,
we have some karma which is because of something,
we caused suffering for someone else.
And therefore, we are getting the reaction.
Somehow we take it indirectly,
and do not take that persona as responsible, and we forgive them.
And then we go on.
Just like Lord Jesus,
He was crucified, He was innocent,
but He prayed,
please forgive them, they know not what they do.
Similarly, Haridāsa Ṭhākura,
he was beaten in 22 marketplaces.
Normally one would die after 2 or 3,
but he was surviving even after 22 marketplaces.
Because he prayed to Kṛṣṇa,
please forgive these executioners,
they don’t know what they do.
The executioners were very frustrated.
He asked them, why are you so unhappy?
They said, because you are alive.
Because you are alive, the king will punish us.
So he said, if I die, will you be happy?
They said, Oh! So happy! So happy! Please die!
So then he lay down and went into nirvikalpa-samādhi.
Then they thought he was dead.
Then they told the king, ok, he is dead.
So how these great souls,
they have forgiveness.
Like Lord Jesus was saying,
one who is sinless throw the first stone.
So naturally, we all have committed various offences.
So rather than wishing ill on anyone,
we rather forgive them.
That is the special qualify of a Vaiṣṇava,
that quality Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa, They had.
Category: [Mercy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was able to fully concentrate on each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam being his last seven days and so able to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. But being in gṛhastha-āśrama even after reading every day, still we have material thoughts like what will happen to our family and close ones if we leave this world. Please suggest Guru Mahārāja how we can act in this situation?
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he was a gṛhastha.
He had children, he had a kingdom.
But when he heard that he was going to die in seven days, he gave up everything.
So, actually what can you do anyway for your children, for your pet dog cat?
Some people in the last minute, they are thinking, oh my dog, who will take care of my dog? Who will give him food?
Then they may birth as a dog in his next life.
When we leave we leave everything to Kṛṣṇa.
And at the last minute what can we do in any case?
All these things should be given in your will.
When you leave your body you only think about the Lord.
Questioner: Bhaktin Śrīdevī
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: By reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā,
one should naturally obtain spiritual qualities.
And so by reading naturally one gets association with different spiritual personalities,
so we try to obtain these qualities.
And eventually we can achieve many things.
The other qualities that one should have like patience, tolerance,
usually that automatically comes through reading.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 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: Caturā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Any opportunity we can give out prasāda,
that is good.
And normally people observe birthdays for other reasons.
If you can invite people over and give them prasāda,
that is something auspicious.
You have to think how to take advent of birthdays and different celebrations.
Questioner: Kackuly Rāṇī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You just stick to the Vedas.
Show them what the Bhagavad-gītā says
and then if the bābā has said something different,
we cannot deal with that.
We say we follow the Vedas.
So then, that way some people they want to follow some false avatāras.
In Rajahmundry there was a person and he claimed to be an avatāra of Kalki.
Then they showed how in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kalki avatāra comes at the end of Kali.
And Kali has only just started.
There are 4,27,000 years to go.
Isn’t it not a little off time?
He said I may not be Kalki, but I am an avatāra!
So there are many people like this they are bogus.
And gradually you have to just stick to the Vedas.
We are basically followers of the Vedas.
If someone preaches something against the Vedas,
what can we do?
We can show them that what they are saying is against the Vedas.
Therefore, the sincere people will follow us.
There was one guru in Bengal, he was a sahajiyā.
He said that the devotee, he or she I forgot, was coming to the Nāmahaṭṭa.
And they learnt that Vaiṣṇavas take kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
So she gave the vegetarian food to the kula-guru.
He said, “What is this? What is this?
I am your guru.
I should be given opulent food.
These vegetables are cheap.
Fish, meat are expensive.
Give me the dāmi food! I don’t want this cheap food.”
Then she realized that this guru was bogus.
So, that way we have to stick to the Vedas and gradually we convince people.
Some people may choose a bābā because they want to eat fish or meat or something.
What can we do?
Then we try to present how eating prasāda is better
and by eating meat we get the bad karma.
And become a cat or
dog
or tiger.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Apasampradāya], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Hypocrisy]
Questioner: Kackuly Rāṇī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You just stick to the Vedas.
Show them what the Bhagavad-gītā says
and then if the bābā has said something different,
we cannot deal with that.
We say we follow the Vedas.
So then, that way some people they want to follow some false avatāras.
In Rajahmundry there was a person and he claimed to be an avatāra of Kalki.
Then they showed how in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kalki avatāra comes at the end of Kali.
And Kali has only just started.
There are 4,27,000 years to go.
Isn’t it not a little off time?
He said I may not be Kalki, but I am an avatāra!
So there are many people like this they are bogus.
And gradually you have to just stick to the Vedas.
We are basically followers of the Vedas.
If someone preaches something against the Vedas,
what can we do?
We can show them that what they are saying is against the Vedas.
Therefore, the sincere people will follow us.
There was one guru in Bengal, he was a sahajiyā.
He said that the devotee, he or she I forgot, was coming to the Nāmahaṭṭa.
And they learnt that Vaiṣṇavas take kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
So she gave the vegetarian food to the kula-guru.
He said, “What is this? What is this?
I am your guru.
I should be given opulent food.
These vegetables are cheap.
Fish, meat are expensive.
Give me the dāmi food! I don’t want this cheap food.”
Then she realized that this guru was bogus.
So, that way we have to stick to the Vedas and gradually we convince people.
Some people may choose a bābā because they want to eat fish or meat or something.
What can we do?
Then we try to present how eating prasāda is better
and by eating meat we get the bad karma.
And become a cat or
dog
or tiger.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Apasampradāya], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Hypocrisy]
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]
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: Mitravindā Mamatāmayī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: If it is really connected with Kṛṣṇa
then it is not prajalpa.
But if it has nothing to do with Kṛṣṇa or service,
then it is prajalpa.
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya’s associates,
that sometimes Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī would try to touch each other’s lotus feet.
And they would have a face off and have some competition trying to touch each other’s lotus feet.
So, being great devotees they would not let the other touch their feet.
But the other was trying to get the foot dust,
so this seems to be a transcendental competition.
Now, it hasn’t been accepted as an Olympic sport yet -
maybe in the future,
when the whole world becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious!!
And Śrīla Prabhupāda, said that there are no hard and fast rules for mahā-prasāda.
He said if you wanted, you can even steal from my plant while I am eating,
but please let me finish prasāda!
So if someone wants to take mahā-prasāda,
appeal to them in the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda, to have mercy on you, so you could finish your meal!
Let them allow you to finish your meal!
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: Bhagavān Dāmodara Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Confusion]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Answer: Lord Caitanya, He wrote in His śikṣāṣṭakam in the third verse.
It says, we should offer others respect
and not expect any respect for ourselves.
In this way we can always chant the holy names.
So you said, we are expecting people will deal with us properly.
Will give us proper respect.
And when we won’t get that, we feel false pride.
But Lord Caitanya advised that we should not expect these things.
We would like our devotees, to be like this always, to deal with respect and appreciation.
But if they don’t do that,
that should not be the reason that we don’t do service.
Rather we should do service, even though we don’t get treated the way we like to be treated.
If you take that humble state of mind,
then it is very easy to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa all the time.
Link: 20150301 Evening Darśana
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
We don’t want to be a kṛpaṇa – a miser.
You are saying how you understand the guru is doing so much for you!
But you don’t feel grateful!
Is that the way to feel?
If someone saves you from a car accident, should you feel grateful?
If someone is saving you from repeated birth and death, should you feel grateful?
If you don’t feel grateful, definitely you should be crying.
If you are not crying, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, you should cry that you are not crying!
And if you are not crying that you are not crying, then you should crying, that you are not crying for crying!
It goes on like that!
Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Mercy]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya forgave Choṭa Haridāsa
but He did that later.
In the meantime, Choṭa Haridāsa left his body at Prayāga.
Lord Caitanya at that time officially, He did not know and asked where is Choṭa Haridāsa.
Lord Caitanya knew that being a sannyāsī knew that he would have wrong dealings with women.
As Choṭa Haridāsa’s mentality was wrong Lord Caitanya was displeased with him
and therefore He said, He will not see him again.
Later, He wanted to see Choṭa Haridāsa.
So we understand that He forgave him but it was much later.
Actually, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura he wrote, how one should choose a spouse.
Spouse means wife for husband and husband for wife.
So He said one should choose a spouse who is more advanced spiritually.
Who is very beautiful, that is not the question.
Who is strong armed is not the question?
Who is spiritually advanced that is what matters.
Just like I was saying today that a husband and wife should discuss how they should please Lord Caitanya, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
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]
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: 2023-03-13
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: 2023-04-13
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: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur.
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: The devas, the demigods are sakāma devotees.
They have some material desires.
Because they are afraid that
Dhruva would take over their posts,
therefore they gave him different obstacles –
in one way they were testing him.
So if you don’t want a position in the heavenly planets,
you have to declare that to them.
Give them kṛṣṇa-prasādam.
They should not cause you trouble.
Because Dhruva was performing austerities for position,
they were afraid that he would take their position.
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Demigods]
Questioner: Subāhu Śacī Sūta dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: The type of tests that Haridāsa Ṭhākura had to go through, we usually don’t have to face such tests.
He was beaten in 22-marketplaces.
There was a prostitute tried to make him fall down.
I heard that Durgā devī even she came to test him.
We don’t have to face such gigantic tests.
If we pray to Kṛṣṇa to help us, Kṛṣṇa usually helps us.
We get very minor tests and even those we fail.
But we can get over these tests if we have the sincere desire.
If we depend on Kṛṣṇa, then we will overcome all the tests.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
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]
Questioner: Sukamala Nityānanda dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
We should try to achieve all the 12 qualities.
And if we have difficulty in anyone, we can contact our senior godbrother or godsister or guru.
Taking initiation is like taking a new birth.
After birth there are other things by practicing you can develop.
It is not that just from birth you will have all the qualities you have to practice and acquire them.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Dīkṣā (Initiation)]
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
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.
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: 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 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 know your mood is to bless everybody unconditionally, even a difficult person who is troubling you. We serve see devotees and when we see devotees troubling other devotees or being rude, are we doing vaiṣṇava-aparādhā to that other devotee? At the same time, we have to make sure he is not troubling others. So how do we handle these delicate situations?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean, one thing is that you don’t talk to the person in front of other people.
Then it gets their ego offended.
Take them aside and talk to them.
But I mean, ladies, they are, you know, sometimes it is better to have the husbands talk to them.
But we like to, there is a saying in India, where you train your daughter-in-law by chastising your daughter.
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to tell them that I am just using you as an example.
Because I love you and you love me.
But daughter-in-law is a different relationship.
Anyway, one thing is that
you have to develop these people skills,
it is not something, just there is saying one time a horse, he swallowed a watermelon or something.
The doctor hit the horse on the neck,
to break up the melon,
and then one student said, “I know how to cure a thousand horses.”
He hit every horse on the neck
and then they died!
The doctor, teacher told him, “You are a fool, this horse had swallowed a melon which was in his neck,
not every swollen neck is a melon!” .
Each person is an individual,
If I did the same thing and hit them on the neck it won’t work.
But you have to be sensitive to their feelings,
and sometimes like we are told to use the sandwich system.
So, glorify and give the message.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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”.
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”.
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-31
Jayapatākā Swami: So that is devotional service in sattva-guṇa.
They are going to temple, they are doing some devotional service, may be their standard…
There is nine type of devotional service is subdivided, then again subdivided, then again 81 divisions in each guṇa,
and in the three guṇas.
So, that simply the solution is to preach pure devotional service.
Sometimes because Lord Caitanya’s movement,
He is able to purify even the most fallen people,
that those people who are very much in the mode of goodness, they think, “Well,
this movement of Lord Caitanya is only for the mlecchas, for the fallen people,
for the different type of out castes or whatever,
but for us we follow strictly the conservative varṇāśrama program,
Hinduism, this and that, whatever.”
But the point is that Lord Caitanya’s ocean of nectar is ever expanding
and as an ocean overcomes its boundaries
by the preaching of the devotees,
and we have to be able to show the good example and to present to them
that this is not meant simply for a particular class of people, but it is meant for all classes,
whether their background is sattva-guṇa or whether it is tamo-guṇa or whatever it may be,
it is for everyone.
This is the universal process of this Kali-yuga.
And those who are intelligent, they will accept,
and those who are not intelligent even they don’t accept.
You see, those who are intelligent they accept, and they swim in that ocean of nectar when it floods,
and the others they may not be able to swim but they are swept away anyway, and they are forced to float on the top of it,
because there is no more dry land to stand on,
everywhere there is simply the nectar of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement.
In this way by organizing big festivals, by organizing preaching in various way everywhere,
those people, they will not be able to avoid to chant.
So, Lord Caitanya, He said, “Be humble,
beg the people, beg them, go door to door, beg them to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
the worship of Kṛṣṇa, the study of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred teachings, Gītā and Bhāgavata.”
He said, “Beg the people.”
Personally, Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They went door to door begging.
This preaching movement is pure nectar, going and simply begging from the people.
A person is very proud and if you go and you beg from him one thing,
you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how can he refuse
that, “No, I won’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Is there anyone? How can he refuse if he is proud of being religious,
if we present it in the right way?
But that ability, that is only possible if we get the mercy of our, you see,
the spiritual masters, of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda,
then if we somehow or another we get Their blessing, we go on trying,
surely some day we will be able to get so many people.
In South India, we were asking the people to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
and they are very, they’re strict, but even the high brāhmaṇa class as well as even some Muslims
and other people, they all came forward to pledge that, “They will chant everyday 108 times Hare Kṛṣṇa,
because this is the yuga-dharma.
And they are going to follow the principles of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible.”
And in one meeting, in Madras alone, 3000 people were signed up.
I went to Delhi.
Lokanātha Swami said, “I don’t think you can do it in Delhi, it is very difficult.”
So, we printed up in one day 100 sheets and then in the middle of the Rāmānandī meeting,
I made an appeal at the end that, “This is the yuga-dharma,
which of you will chant 108 times a day to carry on the torchlight of knowledge of Caitanya Mahāprabhu
for purification in this Kali-yuga?”
And out of the assembly of about 1500 people,
500 people stood up, “We will daily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we will follow the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
They came up to sign the form.
That Rāmānandī guru, he flipped out, or he completely became wild, took the microphone from me,
said it will cause a disturbance, this that, and gave it to some this Rāmāyaṇa singer
who started immediately singing Tulasī dāsa Rāmāyaṇa, “Rāma-nāma”.
In spite of that people jumped over the stage and signed up and said, “Give me a form. We want to…”
Even one of the Rāmānandī sādhus, he came and said, “I’ll also chant.”
Devotees: Haribol!
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that this process if we beg the people to chant,
so many people will come forward.
Then all we have to do is, see that after we, they agree to chant, that we
keep some contact and see that they go on chanting.
Anyway, whatever it means, if somehow or another through book distribution, through our appeals…
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote to his disciples.
We found some old letters which are collected, and he wrote a letter to a disciple,
how they can preserve the Māyāpur preaching.
He said that first thing is to establish printing press,
then to distribute, print and distribute books.
And the third thing he said is, go on preaching in Nāmahaṭṭa.
Nāmahaṭṭa means that to get every person to practice, not simply that only full-time devotees practice,
every single person has to be encouraged to practice in their own house, in their own community, you see.
That Prabhupāda said also in the third canto of the Bhāgavatam that, “There is no reason
why every family in every society, in every country of the world
cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house every day.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda… This is what Śrīla Prabhupāda kept repeating to us the varṇāśrama preaching.
Varṇāśrama preaching.
We always said, just the devotees said, “No the public, the public, the public.”
Varṇāśrama preaching that is the modern, that is the way Prabhupāda described
it as not different from what Bhaktivinoda said, Nāmahaṭṭa.
It means getting the people to practice.
What is varṇāśrama? Accepting Kṛṣṇa.
If you don’t accept Kṛṣṇa there is no question of varṇāśrama.
So, it is the same program.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: That we have them promise to avoid breaking the four principles at the time of initiation.
They should avoid not chanting 16 rounds.
They should avoid the ten offences to the Holy Name.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)]
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: 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: 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: Vinoda Kṛṣṇa and Nandapriya Padmā
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Obviously you can only reveal your mind to very close devotees.
And so we would hope that you don’t have any offensive thoughts.
But in the case of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi,
his doubt,
we are going to hear what the result of that is.
So if you have doubt on the Lord or His devotee,
it may be dangerous.
He would say that
to Svarūpa Dāmodara
and then Svarūpa Dāmodara would correct him.
So if you are in a position, if someone reveals their mind to you,
and they have some doubt,
then you have to answer their doubt.’
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās]
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: Guṇagrāhi Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: We may commit mistakes, but we should beg for forgiveness,
and we should continue to do our devotional service, being more and more careful.
If we realize we did a mistake, we can ask for forgiveness.
I saw that even in one of the prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee says,
I have committed innumerable offences, please forgive me and engage me in Your service.
I surrender to Your lotus feet!
So, there are offences we commit knowingly or unknowingly,
but we should be humble, try to correct any mistakes we make and continue to render devotional service.
Haribol!
Questioner: Harṣavardana Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: We think how we are able to do some service by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And thus we stay humble.
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: 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: 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]
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: Ānandinī Śacīmātā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, you can either jump into the Ganges,
or you can touch that person’s feet back.
We found that Lord Nityānanda and
Lord Caitanya, were dancing in such a way, They tried to touch each other’s feet.
They were so expert at dancing
that They avoided.
So, sometimes the associates of Lord Caitanya would do this type of
transcendental competition,
to touch each other’s feet.
If someone touches your feet, you touch their feet.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Emotions / Confusion], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Pulling out the weeds?
Well, just like for instance uh, the first weed is described as niṣiddhācāra - unauthorized behavior.
Say that a person uh, is habituated to uh, eating meat,
but chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, friend of Kṛṣṇa coming, but you know still he eats meat.
So, then the person gradually stops eating meat, that is pulling the weed out, say, in the beginning stage.
But then say something that might even attack an older person that’s in devotional service - kuṭīnāṭī or lābha, pratiṣṭhā, pūjā.
Kuṭīnāṭī means diplomatic behavior.
Just like say a neophyte devotee, not very strong, he is trying to practice devotional service, he is practicing.
But somehow, he got mislead… miss… you know, like waylaid.
Went out, did something wrong, maybe went out, got drunk or something, you know.
Just fall.
Say, met some old friends.
They said, “Come on!” Next thing you know, had a beer can in his hand, whatever; and so, got in trouble.
So, then I met a devotee like that.
That is not a devotee, initiated, but just like a bhakta type person.
And then he had something like that happen.
Then he got picked up for drunken driving.
Very… He was come by and he was apologizing.
He was going to really try to be Kṛṣṇa conscious again.
So, the thing was that if a person… say that a person does something like that,
and some senior person is there to help him, some spiritually advanced person, and then if tries to like lie about it, hide the truth,
so or… that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī, being devious you know.
Well, if the person was just straight forward, “Yeah, I had this problem, can you help me?”
Then he gets some good advice, and that gives him some more inspiration, some more strength to just stay on the path, you see.
So that lack of being straightforward of you know, confiding in uh, people who are actually there to help you spiritually, that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī.
There are many others.
Like different have diplomatic behavior.
So if one, one gives up that behavior
and then takes the uh, you know, straight forward path, takes the consequences whatever it may be, you see,
there is no consequences like that in devotional service, no one is going to uh,
put anyone unnecessarily on the spot, rather one is compassionate, trying to help someone if they are having difficulties.
So, that’s how you pull the weed.
It’s just that, when you, you have to isolate, you have to recognize,
“This is the defect, this is a mistake, this is a wrong thing.”
And then you… then you work at uh, not doing it anymore.
That’s how you pull it.
That’s the meaning of pulling it.
Just like you know, some people they show you, “Look at my garden.
Look at my lawn.
It’s so beautiful; everything is green, right?” Before… If I look at the lawn, I’ll think it’s great.
But then if some you know, horticulturist comes, he says, “Well that’s crabgrass, that’s too… this is you know, this is uh, hog… hog… hog grass,
and this is not you know you supposed to have all you know Kentucky blue or something.
You got all this other garbage grass in there.”
You see.
For an ordinary, layman, it’s all grass, you know, who cares?
But you know, if you really get into it, it’s all some kind of grass that are ultimately weeds that don’t help the…
They are going to take over the whole thing and make it very scrubby looking.
But it looks the same, it looks similar, you see.
So, all you do, you pull it out, take it out.
So, you have to isolate it first, what is the weed and what is the real plant?
Weed means it looks like a real plant.
It is not… It is a plant also.
It looks similar.
It is not you know necessarily a lot different, it might be a lot different or might even be similar, it’s a plant anyway.
So, some of the things are just a slight difference, some of them are really different.
Just like an oak tree and a piece of grass, same type of living entity: plant, you see, vegetation.
But it’s not that completely different, may be in the beginning stages it looks similar,
when it’s just like a 3 inches ha… high, but in the end, you know, it becomes completely different.
So how you pull it out in terms of practicality, just you guys stopping doing that particularly,
or at least trying to stop.
First you isolate what it is, then you work at pulling it out.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Pulling out the weeds?
Well, just like for instance uh, the first weed is described as niṣiddhācāra - unauthorized behavior.
Say that a person uh, is habituated to uh, eating meat,
but chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, friend of Kṛṣṇa coming, but you know still he eats meat.
So, then the person gradually stops eating meat, that is pulling the weed out, say, in the beginning stage.
But then say something that might even attack an older person that’s in devotional service - kuṭīnāṭī or lābha, pratiṣṭhā, pūjā.
Kuṭīnāṭī means diplomatic behavior.
Just like say a neophyte devotee, not very strong, he is trying to practice devotional service, he is practicing.
But somehow, he got mislead… miss… you know, like waylaid.
Went out, did something wrong, maybe went out, got drunk or something, you know.
Just fall.
Say, met some old friends.
They said, “Come on!” Next thing you know, had a beer can in his hand, whatever; and so, got in trouble.
So, then I met a devotee like that.
That is not a devotee, initiated, but just like a bhakta type person.
And then he had something like that happen.
Then he got picked up for drunken driving.
Very… He was come by and he was apologizing.
He was going to really try to be Kṛṣṇa conscious again.
So, the thing was that if a person… say that a person does something like that,
and some senior person is there to help him, some spiritually advanced person, and then if tries to like lie about it, hide the truth,
so or… that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī, being devious you know.
Well, if the person was just straight forward, “Yeah, I had this problem, can you help me?”
Then he gets some good advice, and that gives him some more inspiration, some more strength to just stay on the path, you see.
So that lack of being straightforward of you know, confiding in uh, people who are actually there to help you spiritually, that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī.
There are many others.
Like different have diplomatic behavior.
So if one, one gives up that behavior
and then takes the uh, you know, straight forward path, takes the consequences whatever it may be, you see,
there is no consequences like that in devotional service, no one is going to uh,
put anyone unnecessarily on the spot, rather one is compassionate, trying to help someone if they are having difficulties.
So, that’s how you pull the weed.
It’s just that, when you, you have to isolate, you have to recognize,
“This is the defect, this is a mistake, this is a wrong thing.”
And then you… then you work at uh, not doing it anymore.
That’s how you pull it.
That’s the meaning of pulling it.
Just like you know, some people they show you, “Look at my garden.
Look at my lawn.
It’s so beautiful; everything is green, right?” Before… If I look at the lawn, I’ll think it’s great.
But then if some you know, horticulturist comes, he says, “Well that’s crabgrass, that’s too… this is you know, this is uh, hog… hog… hog grass,
and this is not you know you supposed to have all you know Kentucky blue or something.
You got all this other garbage grass in there.”
You see.
For an ordinary, layman, it’s all grass, you know, who cares?
But you know, if you really get into it, it’s all some kind of grass that are ultimately weeds that don’t help the…
They are going to take over the whole thing and make it very scrubby looking.
But it looks the same, it looks similar, you see.
So, all you do, you pull it out, take it out.
So, you have to isolate it first, what is the weed and what is the real plant?
Weed means it looks like a real plant.
It is not… It is a plant also.
It looks similar.
It is not you know necessarily a lot different, it might be a lot different or might even be similar, it’s a plant anyway.
So, some of the things are just a slight difference, some of them are really different.
Just like an oak tree and a piece of grass, same type of living entity: plant, you see, vegetation.
But it’s not that completely different, may be in the beginning stages it looks similar,
when it’s just like a 3 inches ha… high, but in the end, you know, it becomes completely different.
So how you pull it out in terms of practicality, just you guys stopping doing that particularly,
or at least trying to stop.
First you isolate what it is, then you work at pulling it out.
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: Mālinī Sundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya is considered a topmost devotee.
And what He is doing is an example for all to follow.
Everyone who is on the level of a topmost devotee, will also be begging from the Lord for service.
In the material world, one wants to control to enjoy
the material nature;
but in spiritual life, one wants to be enjoyed by the Lord.
One wants to please the Lord.
And one wants to serve the Lord.
So the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means. “Oh Lord! Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service.”
So as we engage in the Lord’s service, in devotees service, our taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness increases.
So the Lord is enjoying His pastimes.
He is always happy
and the devotees who are participating with His pastimes,
they are also happy.
Who wants to be happy?
[Haribol!]
The real happiness is to please Kṛṣṇa.
We are part of Kṛṣṇa.
When He is pleased, we are all automatically pleased.
When He is happy, we are also happy.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends, who that devotee is.
If the devotee is a godbrother of the spiritual master, or peer of the spiritual master,
of if he is the guru of the spiritual master,
then one should offer him respect.
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: 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: Keśava Gaura dāsa
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: I only see the good qualities in other.
I don’t see whether they have this hatred to others,
but if they do
even, we should forget that.
Anyway, someone may be performing śravaṇam and kīrtanam with offenses,
and the result will be very limited.
So, we should be try to perform offenseless chanting.
That is why at the time of taking initiation, we discuss the ten offences.
But periodically, we should remind ourselves to remember to avoid these offences.
Category: [Anarthās]
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.
Questioner: Annu Prasad
Date: 2022-10-15
In Kali-yuga, one doesn’t get a reaction
for mentally creating some offence.
You have to do that practically.
Since the mind is not very easily controlled in the Kali-yuga,
it may think many weird things.
So Gadādhara Prabhu,
He was thinking that Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhī
was a materialistic,
later He realized that he was a pure devotee.
So therefore, He accepted him as His guru,
because the guru always forgives his disciples’ offences.
So, if someone offends a guru mentally,
and later surrenders and becomes the guru’s disciple,
that is authorized in the process, example set by Gadādhara Prabhu.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence]
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: 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]
You talked about the four regulative principles. During initiation we vow to follow these regulative principles. My question is after initiation if a disciple breaks any one of these regulative principles, what is the method of atonement and please tell the way out so that one does not make the same mistake again.
Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Priya Nitāi dāsa
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: We should beg for forgiveness from guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Then we should perform devotional service directly.
There is no higher atonement than bhakti-yoga.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
- Anarthās
- - Apasampradāya
- - Bad association
- - Māyā
- - Māyāvāda / Impersonalism
- - Sinful activities
- Aparādha (Offenses)
- - Nāma-aparādha
- - Vaiṣṇava-aparādha
- Day-to-day Life
- - Children
- - Education
- - Food
- - Health
- - Married life
- - Parents
- - Relatives
- - Technology
- - Workplace
- Devotee Care
- Dīkṣā (Initiation)
- Emotions
- - Anger
- - Confusion
- - Enthusiasm
- - Envy
- - Faith
- - Fault-finding
- - Greed
- - Happiness
- - Humility
- - Hypocrisy
- - Lust
- - Pride
- - Sloth
- - Sorrow
- - Stress/Anxiety
- Festivals
- - Sāka-Festival
- Gauḍīya History
- - Gauḍīya maṭḥa
- - ISKCON
- - Śrīla Prabhupāda
- Guru (Spiritual Master)
- - Dīkṣā-guru
- - Guru Disciple Relationship
- - Guru-paramparā
- - Śikṣā-guru
- Holy Rivers
- - Gaṅgā
- Jayapatākā Swami
- Karma
- - Desires
- Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)
- - Gaurāṇga
- - Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations
- - Pastimes
- - Spiritual World / Dhāma
- - Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
- Material Sufferings
- - Death
- Material World
- - Demigods
- - Demons
- - Guṇas / Modes
- - Kali yuga
- - Mind / Intelligence
- Mercy
- Other philosophies
- - Christianity
- - Islam
- - Jainism
- - Western Science / Western Philosophy
- Prasāda and Bhoga
- - Onion and Garlic
- Sādhanā
- - Book distribution
- - Chanting (Japa)
- - Diet
- - Maṅgala-ārati
- - Philosophical questions
- - Preaching
- - Reading / Śāstra
- - Regulative Principles
- - Sevā
- - Technicalities
- - Time Management
- Saṁskāras
- - Anna-prāśna
- - Antima-saṁskāras
- - Garbhadhāna
- - Upanayanam
- Śrī Caitanya-līlā
- - Lord Caitanya
- Vaiṣṇava Dealings
- - Association (Sādhu-saṅga)
- - Cooperation
- - Etiquette / Sadācāra
- - Vaiṣṇava-qualities
- Varṇāśrama
- - Brahmacārī
- - Changing Āśrama
- - Gṛhastha
- - Sannyāsī
- - Vānaprastha
- Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)
- - Home Deity Worship
- - Temple Deity Worship
- Vratās (Austerities)
- - Bhīṣma-Pañcaka-vratā
- - Ekādaśī-vratā
- - Kārtika-māsa-vratā
- - Puruṣottama-māsa-vratā
- Women
- - Protection
- Yet To Categories
- Youth