Question: Māyā is attacking us, how to come out of it?
Author: Devotee
Date: 2024-01-10
Jayapatākā Swami: We read in one of the verses ahead where it said if we are attacked by Māyā,
if our desire for sense gratification is growing,
then we should just take shelter of Lord Caitanya. Gaurāṅga!
By His mercy the desire for sense gratification will go away.
Related 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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Yes. Māyā in the holy dhāma, she covers the dhāma with a thin karpanāya, with a thin coating.
And the non-devotees who live in the dhāma but have not accepted their relationship with Lord Caitanya, they are not living actually in the dhāma.
So why not in the temple?
If someone is in the temple but one’s mind is always outside the temple
or if one has not accepted in his heart the spiritual master and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then actually that person will be covered by māyā.
But this is very rare.
But one therefore should not be proud; one has to be always humble.
Just because someone is living in the temple does not mean that one is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One is Kṛṣṇa consciousness if one is living in the temple physically, mentally and spiritually.
So that is possible by being humble, by respecting other Vaiṣṇavas and not wanting respect for one’s self,
by being hay, humble like more than a straw in the street and being more tolerant than the tree, you see.
Someone gets their brāhmaṇa underwear stolen and he thinks, “Oh, all the Vaiṣṇavas are dogs!” Or something like that, you know. Said some offend.
Just because of… He may even have misplaced it, you know.
But then immediately he will criticize.
And even if someone took, all right, so what? Get another one, get a box, lock it up, something.
Someone is serving, may have a bad habit.
There is a story about one time, there was so many saints, you probably heard this, so many devotees in the temple.
And they’d wake up and every day they would find all their bedding mixed-up.
And then they said, “How is this?
And so, one time one devotee said, “I was actually a night house-breaker before I became a devotee, a robber.
So, this is my habit, in the night to steal something.
So, if I don’t steal something I can’t sleep.
So, I take all your things and move them from here to there very secretly without waking you up and this is able to, you see get rid of my habit.”
You see.
So sometimes someone may have even a bad habit,
but still we shouldn’t condemn if they are trying to serve Kṛṣṇa, you see.
So that means we have to be tolerant.
One has to be tolerant.
Of course, one should not try, that doesn’t give excuse, “I had a bad habit before, so let me do it in the temple.”
That of course is a temporary status which should be eradicated.
But there might be some bad habit, but that should be avoided and if someone sees, we should try to help that person.
Or they should just, if they are not in a position to help the person, then they at least should not themselves become agitated or disgusted with devotional service.
They should be disgusted with māyā, that māyā is so strong that if one by being in this material world, even coming to the temple, there might still be some trace.
Therefore, one has to be determined to get rid of the māyā, to become pure.
So, in living in the temple, one has to also bring in the mind, bring in the consciousness and put those in the temple, then one gets the full benefit.
One has to accept the relationship, “I am servant of guru and Gaurāṅga”.
With that relationship one lives in the temple, one lives in the dhāma, gets the full effect.
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: 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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: The senses are controlled by the material energy.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
(
Bg
3.27)
Then one is actually being dragged by impulses of material nature only.
That means māyā.
So, when one is free from impulses of the material nature, that is mukta.
So how to get free?
There are two basic paths.
The one path is not recommended for Kali-yuga, but that was there in the past.
People would simply go in secluded place and meditate.
In this way, they would control their senses by prāṇāyama and by dhyāna.
The other system is to control the senses by active engagement, in activities which are not material.
Just as in Gītā it says, “One is offering yajña; the yajña itself is transcendental.
The yajña-patiḥ is transcendental, the offering is being offered is transcendental.
Everything becomes on the param-satya platform.”
So, when one is offering one’s senses, one’s body, one’s mind, one’s words as an offering to the lord, just like I am speaking, you are hearing; you are offering your senses and your mind.
I am offering– I am not speaking only for your benefit, I am speaking for my benefit.
By my speaking, my senses are being engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Only by being engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, can I remain in the transcendental platform.
And by my speaking only about Kṛṣṇa, only according to the authorized guru-paramparā siddhānta,
or conclusion of the scripture, whoever is listening, their consciousness is also uplifted to what extent they can understand or they are fully listening with concentration.
So, in this way, when our senses are fully engaged in activities, which have nothing to do with material activities, that is mukta.
Anything to do with Kṛṣṇa, with Viṣṇu is transcendental.
Therefore, by engaging our senses in Viṣṇu-related activities, “jīvan-mukta sa ucyate - then our life becomes liberated, because those actions produce no reaction.”
Whatever action we do in material life, that produces a karma reaction, which is binding us.
If I give in charity to an ordinary person, I get in a next life, same amount back.
If I give to a brāhmaṇa, who is half-educated, I get double.
If I give to a qualified brāhmaṇa, who knows how to do, ah, who is just an ordinary brāhmaṇa with no special qualification, I get ten times back;
then if he is qualified in performing sacrifices, then I get 100 times back.
If he is a Veda-jñā, that means he knows the Vedānta-jñā, he knows the conclusion of the Vedānta, then I get, you see, crores of times back.
And if he is a pure devotee, who is a completely transcendentally situated, I get unlimited.
So, as I am giving charity, that means I have to take even another birth to reap the result of the charity.
That’s why in Gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, “Whatever you give in charity, whatever you do in tapasya, whatever you do as an offering, everything you should do only on My behalf.”
Because whatever we do on Kṛṣṇa’s behalf, He accepts the karmas.
But what we do on our behalf, good or bad, we have to accept the karma.
Even the good karma means we have to take birth.
Birth means again death.
Whoever is born must die.
Whoever dies, must again be born.
This is the law of material world.
We are born to die, we die to be born.
And birth means old age, disease, and other types of problems.
So māyā means when we are acting in illusion that, “I am this body, I am this mind, I am a product of the material energy.”
And mukta means, “I am a nitya-jīva, I am a bhagavān-aṁśa, and I’m the part of the Lord, I have nothing to with this material energy and we act in that knowledge.”
Then we’re liberated, we are mukta.
So māyā means illusion - To act as we are not.
We are not this body.
We have to leave this body in no time, but we are working day and night, as if we are the body.
That’s māyā.
And when we act, “I am the possessor of the body, this body is a vehicle;
I’m the nitya-jīva, I am the spirit soul, pure spirit soul, then, that’s liberated.
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:
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: In the beginning the only way to be 100% sure is by asking the spiritual master.
One can check with other devotees, senior devotee, especially the spiritual master, then one can be fully sure.
Just like we would sometimes get an idea and we would ask Śrīla Prabhupāda and he would say that idea was inspired by the Supersoul.
Sometimes, someone would give an idea and he would say that idea is inspired by māyā.
(devotees laughing)
Of course, by hearing, by reading, we have to only get an idea, we have to learn to analyze it, that, just like we pray, guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, I mean… how does it go?
cittete kariyā aikya - “May the consciousness be made one with your instructions, with your orders.”
Whatever the word of the spiritual master is, our consciousness we want that to be filled with those words and to be one with, in harmony with those words.
So, we do something, we have an idea, we want to have it confirmed.
This is the system of paramparā – whatever a person does; does it only if it’s authorized;
directly you can see that, guru has said, Kṛṣṇa has said in the śāstra.
And the śāstras are so vast, the Vedas, that one does not have to leave anything for speculation even if one knows in his heart that this is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Also one trace out the effort; immediately also, Kṛṣṇa gives the example, there is this example in the Vedas or this devotee, or this situation.
There are so many millions of examples that have been given on these even in the Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā that most of all the situations have already been covered, if one has the eyes to see.
So, the spiritual master has the eyes to see, therefore we take his advice.
There also symptom that over endeavor is usually a symptom of a māyā idea.
Just like a person gets an idea to do something for Kṛṣṇa and it happens very easily or it happens, it seems to be just going on.
But when we have an idea when we do this for Kṛṣṇa, but the number of steps of the material activities one has to do before it finally gets around to being something which is directed at Kṛṣṇa are so many
and so rot with difficulties, that is a symptom of over endeavor, an over endeavor for an unproportionate result.
If one has to do something, an over endeavor, they may be attached to Kṛṣṇa and think, let me do this for Kṛṣṇa, I want to build a house for Kṛṣṇa, whatever, something, it is very hard to say any particular thing.
Maybe one wants to make an aeroplane.
The same thing might be Kṛṣṇa conscious in another situation, so it is not the particular thing, but in that particular situation, there were other easier ways of using time.
Kṛṣṇa preferred you do in a different way so that particular way, He keeps, māyā keeps giving so many obstacles so that one will take the other way.
But if one is so fixed on that particular idea due to some kind of preconceived idea that in spite of every obstacle, they go on trying, and so at every step they meet difficulty.
Lot of practical examples I can think of.
They always involve devotees; I don’t want to embarrass them.
There was one older devotee in our movement who was doing nice service but then he got an idea… someone turned him on… turned him… gave him some rubies
and they got into a whole thing that he started mining rubies, he bought a ruby mine and he started going there.
He just became overwhelmed by these rubies and jewels, like kind of a gold fever. He got a ruby fever, a gem fever.
Prabhupāda kept telling him that it is an over endeavor, it is unnecessary, just preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa will provide, this, that.
“No, no, I want to make money for Kṛṣṇa.”
and even Pra… you know, even his guru told him don’t do it, he said, “No, no.”
And so of course whatever money he did make didn’t go to Kṛṣṇa, he just re-invested it in his business again and again; what usually happens.
And then finally he just became farther and farther and removed from Kṛṣṇa and more and more in māyā.
Now he is, for the past many years he is completely out of touch.
You see him sometimes.
Still going to make it one day.
So, it’s like over endeavors, misdirected.
So, of course, ultimately the guru is the custodian of one’s spiritual progress, you have to take his advice and as one advances more and more, then, one can tell when one makes a wrong decision, Kṛṣṇa usually smashes it.
As you become more advanced in devotional service the slightest mistake will create an immediate result.
You see karma might take hundred births.
When you surrender to Kṛṣṇa you make a mistake you may get the reaction, “pshew!” five seconds or five minutes or five hours.
There was a devotee riding in a taxi cab in Calcutta, who started to criticize Śrīla Prabhupāda and different devotees for God knows what reason, must have gone mad or something.
And another devotee who was with him, immediately he stopped the car and got out and said, “I am not going to hear any offense of pure devotees.”
That person went on and within one hour, went to the railway station, missed the train, got into a fight with one of the coolies there, one of the porters, they call them coolies in India,
that is the official name, hey coolie! They don’t mind being called coolies.
So then, there was a whole riot and about a 150 of the coolies came out of their walls with bricks and sticks and they stripped the so-called devotee completely down naked
and only he had on was the brāhmaṇa thread and they beat the pulp out and he was running down the street naked and finally jumped into a moving bus.
You know, the whole bus emptied out, they couldn't believe it.
(His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmī and devotees laughing)
And all this happened within one or two hours after he blasphemed the devotees.
He was in the hospital.
He’s a blooped devotee, wasn't… that criticizing others always.
After that he came by and bowed down hundreds of times in the temple and personally went to each devotee, begging for forgiveness.
So that way he was able to learn.
Sometimes we are repeatedly told to be cautious in a particular way or to avoid some kind of activity; we don’t listen, we don’t listen, we don’t listen and then finally Kṛṣṇa says, “Well, “Let what be happen!” and māyā takes over.
Kṛṣṇa lifts up, He doesn’t personally do it; He just lifts up some of the shelter, and lets māyā move in, otherwise the devotees are always under the yoga-māyā shelter.
But if we neglect Kṛṣṇa, if we neglect the guru, or we blaspheme, then that shelter is removed, and then we are at the mercy of māyā.
See, she’s already upset that we are trying to get out of her clutches, so she puts her full load on us, you know.
Questioner: Sadānandinī Yogīnī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: We should make our goal in life to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Sometimes the senses will give us pleasure, sometimes they will give suffering.
So, we should not be very dependent on the senses,
they are not reliable.
That way, by keeping our mind on Kṛṣṇa, we can advance.
Now, as long as we live in this material world,
we will have senses.
Sometimes the senses will experience pleasure, sometimes suffering.
So, we should not be very much illusioned by this.
This is not the real happiness we are searching for.
Certain amount of pleasure is needed,
to keep us balanced in this material world.
But our goal should be to have the spiritual pleasure, like Lord Caitanya is having.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: 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]
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]
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: 2023-09-24
Jayapatākā Swami: You should win, not lose!
Anyway, that is why Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Śrīla Prabhupāda said is a gradual process.
When you are a little baby, you will fall down a few times
but as you grow up you should not fall down.
A three-year-old child will fall
but if you are a 12-year-old child you should not fall.
As you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness you get stronger.
Some devotees are taking the association of devotees and start to do chanting and enjoying the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But when their relatives or parents say something negative about ISKCON immediately they leave without informing. It is painful for me how I missed the soul to serve. How to understand the situation? How to overcome and guide them? Please guide me.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Part of preaching is to help the people
to tolerate the different obstacles.
They may encounter obstacles from their relatives,
or internet,
somehow, I don’t know,
some ṛtvik sites they say I murdered a devotee!
I don’t know who that is! I don’t even kill a fly, what to talk about killing a devotee!
So, who knows what people say, what they see?
So we have to be ready to answer any questions that come up
or prepare the people to endure any kind of obstacles.
There was one devotee who was kidnapped by the deprogrammers.
Exactly a few days before she was kidnapped
I called her and encouraged her.
Just generally.
When she was kidnapped, they tore the Bhagavad-gītā up, they jumped up on the Bhagavad-gītā and did all kinds of offensive things.
But she remembered that I was kind to her
and she went through some difficult times
and she escaped from that place
and came back to the devotees.
So, we don’t know at least if we do our part,
be positive, give them good association
and if someone turns away,
the fact that we are there to help, that we ask them what happened, you used to come?
Like that try to find out what are the things they heard.
Like that we try to help them.
Not easy to make a devotee.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, it takes buckets of blood!
Kṛṣṇe matir astu blessings!
Questioner: Shuvra Dev Babu
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord doesn’t personally take a part, except if His devotee is being threatened.
But we all owe everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and this is the reality.
We cannot live without sunlight;
you don’t provide it.
Kṛṣṇa provides it.
Similarly, He sees to the maintenance of everyone.
Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān - one person maintains everyone else.
So, the atheists are very envious, they think the Lord is preoccupied
in admiration of Himself.
But He is the source of everything.
And if someone commits blasphemy or offences to Him,
He doesn’t personally take a role in that.
He has agents, that give people their pious, their impious results.
And so, if one is envious of the Lord, they get punished.
He doesn’t want that; He would rather have the people be uplifted.
But to teach them, people are punished according to their activities.
So, since they steal from others, cheat others,
then they get the reaction for their bad karmas.
If they give charity, if they help others,
they get good karma.
If they engage in devotional service,
they get delivered from this material world.
If they engage in persecuting devotees,
and if they are envious of the Lord,
then they stay in this material world
life after life.
That is what they want, they don’t want to be where the Lord is.
I don’t know why you accuse the Lord of being a narcissist?
Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: If we think I am very qualified to do devotional service,
if we are very proud,
that is not according to the instructions of Lord Caitanya.
You should be humble, very tolerant,
offer respect to others
and don’t expect respect for one’s self.
I don’t understand if you say, I feel I am not qualified,
so therefore I lose my enthusiasm.
We see great devotees like Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,
they pray to Lord Gaurāṅga that Your avatāra is to deliver the most fallen.
There is no one more fallen than me.
If you are feeling yourself very unqualified,
very fallen,
then there is more chance you will get the mercy of Lord Caitanya,
since He is the deliverer of the most fallen.
But you should not lose your enthusiasm
since Lord Caitanya has come to deliver the most fallen.
Therefore, you have a good qualification.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: One time, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said that he would indulge a 100-times in sex life if he knew that every time, he was guaranteed to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious child.
So therefore, every times your child will become a devotee, that is not guaranteed.
That is why we try
from the beginning we want a Kṛṣṇa conscious potential child.
So we pray to the Deities, we get the blessing of guru.
We do the garbhadāna-saṁskāra.
Then we also have to bring up the child with love and affection.
It is not an accident that they become a devotee.
They may get some special association of a pure devotee.
The parents naturally feel that they are very successful if the child becomes a devotee.
There is no śāstra that says if a child is not a devotee, that somehow affects the parents.
But the first five years of the child life, if they commit some sinful activities, then the parents have to take responsibility.
This was a curse given by a ṛṣi to Yamarāja so this thing was done in the universe.
Because when he was a little child, he poked an insect with a grass.
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)]
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: Bhaktin Sujatha Kartikeyan
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: It is hard for us to understand when we can go to Godhead.
And that time is revealed by Kṛṣṇa.
And we cannot go earlier, so we try to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then naturally we think about Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Because we don’t know how long we have to live
so we should be ready any time to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
- Anarthās
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