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 | Questions and answers

Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [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]

As per guru and śāstra, women are to serve their husbands and children devotedly. However, the ultimate goal of life (kṛṣṇa-prema) requires a lot of sādhanā. Will serving the family become an obstacle towards the goal? Also, how can women go back to Godhead in one lifetime?

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.

Link: 20220715 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

Because of material allurements, my mind is distracting from chanting, service and so on. How could I develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa in such circumstances?

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]

Because of material allurements, my mind is distracting from chanting, service and so on. How could I develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa in such circumstances?

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]

Because of material allurements, my mind is distracting from chanting, service and so on. How could I develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa in such circumstances?

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]

Because of our services, we may not get enough time to actually read and deliberate on the philosophy. So how can we be assured that by doing just the service, we can still go back to Godhead ?

Questioner: Anon

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: Prabhupāda gave me a service of building Māyāpur and then at that time day and night we had two shifts of construction we were working - 600 people working under us - three devotees.

So then I went up to Prabhupāda and said I just want to take out two hours a day for reading books, because I am not getting any chance to read, so I want to take out.

Prabhupāda got angry at me and said, "You think there is a difference between serving and building my project and reading my books?

You see any difference?" (laughter)

"No."

"Then? Then?"

"Hare Kṛṣṇa"

That’s it.

Of course, the point is that while somehow or other I still managed to squeeze out half hour here there something.

It takes some desire.

This idea that we have to stop our service to read… actually, if we really go through our schedule, cut down, or even… you know, cut down on all the little times that we were wasting our…whatever.

If we really go through the schedule we can squeeze out some time every day.

And if there is really so much service that uh, needs to be done, well, that is also a shelter.

That protects us.

We have to see, if that much emergency service we have to do.

There was a big emergency in Māyāpur.

Of course, Prabhupāda generally tells everyone we should read for an hour a day.

But if we attend two classes that is also reading.

If we are hearing a class that is also reading, it is not that one is not reading.

We are hearing the Bhāgavatam every day.

In addition to that we can get time for reading, we have to just really economize.

That way if we have a desire that we want to do our service so quickly and so perfectly so that we can get little time for reading,

not little more time for sleeping or little more time for gossip… as soon as there’s a little time, we all start to gossip, or we do something else.

We have more taste sometimes for prajalpa, for other things, but if we actually tried to squeeze out the time then when we have a little time we immediately sit down and read.

So that is very good, we don't want to have a lot of spare time.

How much can we read anyway?

We can only read as much as we serve.

Service creates in us an appetite for reading.

So that way if you are competing with your time to do as much service then even do it more efficiently by which you can fit in a little more time for reading, you see.

Then it will be difficult for māyā to catch you.

In the spiritual world there is sevya, sevā and sevaka.

There is the served, the service and the servitor.

The process, the person… Everything is the, the person served, the process of service and the servant these three items are completely spiritual therefore the spiritual world is called Absolute.

There is no tinge of material contamination there.

We just have to see if our… if we can keep our consciousness in the service then there is no problem.

If our consciousness is becoming agitated we need some special instructions, then we have to discuss with authorities.

As long as the consciousness is good, one doesn’t have to think that well, just by serving you are not going to get where you want to go, because actually this service is completely pure.

Rather, just like Pra… I don't chant more than 16 rounds.

First, I will chant 16 rounds then I will read.

Then after I complete what I consider enough reading then I will chant more than 16 rounds, you see.

My priority is, first finish my rounds then read.

Sometimes devotees chant 20 rounds, 30 rounds.

Not always, but sometimes they chant more rounds.

My next priority after rounds is reading.

Then after that then more rounds sometimes if I have more time.

So, in this way, somehow or another we have to adjust everything without actually reducing.

We should not reduce, we should think how to further increase.

If there is so much service that you have no time for reading and if… if… if you are so expert that you are also not giving any time for māyā in your day, well then you are still safe.

And of course, you are attending class, so some reading is there, that is also reading.

Not that Prabhupāda did not think this was reading.

Then you can further become expert or arrange to engage other devotees who may not be as fully engaged and squeeze out a little time for reading.

Our goal is not to reduce service, but somehow fit everything in, increasing, as far as possible.

And if that can’t be done with one's own service then you try to train some other people to take up more responsibility.

Make more devotees, train them up, is that alright?

Devotee: Yes.

Link: 19821013 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.19

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)]

Can a gṛhastha devotee serve Kṛṣṇa like a brahmacārī?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

Jayapatākā Swami: You see it depends on one’s nature.

In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

there is fight between the king of the elephants and the king of the crocodiles.

So the fight was in the water.

At one point, the elephant felt that he was losing.

Because he is a land animal,

and he was in the water.

But the crocodile is a water animal.

So somehow or another he was in his elements, so he was stronger.

In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that we should see what is our nature.

That in every situation, we want to fight against māyā.

So, if your nature is more vairāgya, then you can be a brahmacārī for a long time.

If your nature is more gṛhastha,

then you may be in that āśrama.

But then it is important to have a devotee wife.

So that both of you can fight against māyā as a team,

to serve Kṛṣṇa.

If the lady is simply māyā,

then that will not be very convenient.

It is very important to marry a Kṛṣṇa conscious lady,

if you want to have a gṛhastha-āśrama.

Of course, having a household means you have to work.

Unless you have a service at the temple, you have to spend some time earning money.

So it is little more of a balancing act.

Being a brahmacārī has certain advantages – you don’t have these responsibilities.

But again, you have to see what your nature is.

If your nature is such that you have to be a gṛhastha,

then you should try to find a devotee mate.

See how you can do your devotional service together.

Unfortunately, people when they look for a mate, they look for a nice face!

But actually, you have to deal with the mind.

So you should see that they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

One boy, he married a non-devotee,

he was asked by his parents.

She was a non-veg,

but she promised I will be a vegetarian.

After they had a baby,

she started eating chicken.

Then he said, “You promised you will be a vegetarian!”

She said, “I promised,

I tried,

I was a vegetarian for a year.

You know what background I came from –

sorry, I have to eat

meat!”

So, better to have a devotee from the beginning.

So at least there is less maintenance.

Marriage is two people.

You have to have the other person on the same wavelength.

As brahmacārīs, when you are staying in the āśrama, there are some crazy people also.

So there are ups and downs in both sides.

Brahmacārīs, you don’t have responsibilities, so you can serve Kṛṣṇa 24 hours.

But gṛhasthas can also do a lot of service.

So if they make money, they can give some money to the temple.

Or they can do various preaching.

We want people to serve Kṛṣṇa,

no matter what they are.

Link: 20201117 Zoom Session with ISKCON IYF Kolkata

Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Can there be māyā in the temple/dhāma?

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.

Link: 19810614 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.19.37

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā]

Can you please let me know what are the services I can do every day that will please you?

Questioner: Mādhavī Śyāmasundarī devī dāsī

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: All the services to the Deities in this temple or any temple of ISKCON will be very pleasing to me.

So you can ask the temple leaders what service you can do.

Lord Caitanya said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.

Whoever you see, tell them the glories of Kṛṣṇa.

That will make me very happy.

Link: 20200601 The reaction of the Atheists and Devotees After Seeing the Saṅkīrtana

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

Could you please help us in genuinely inspiring others? I face challenge in getting my audience to follow what we try to teach in line with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. It requires a number of times’ repetition and if we say it again and again, they think, "Oh, I have heard this." But they don't follow. How to convince them?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

So like that if people you say one way and they are not accepting,

then repeating it again and again it did not produce the result even when we said once.

Then you have to think what is a new way.

Like, recently I went to some program

for the children.

They said Puruṣottama month challenge.

They had different children who participated.

So in this way, sometimes by challenge, some debate, we use different tactics.

So just like some wives if the husbands were not Kṛṣṇa conscious,

would tell them, dear husband, please help me understand this verse?

Because the man may be very macho, puffed up!

So the lady using her female intelligence

she may understand the verse,

but she tells the husband, can you help me understand this?

He says, well, I am a man, so he looks at the book. So she tricks him to read the book.

So what tricks you use to get people to chant, to read,

that is something that you have to think a bit out of the box.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

Could you teach us how to properly offer prayers?

Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: The highest form of prayer is to sing or chant the name of the Lord.

If we pray, it maybe not a very good prayer.

So that is why the saṅkīrtana or chanting of the holy name is recommended

If one chants the name of Narasiṁhadeva 21 times, they can get delivered from various sufferings.

“Śrī Narasiṁha! Jaya Narasiṁha! Jaya jaya jaya Narasiṁha!” 21 times.

Otherwise, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

You can chant 54 times or 108 times.

So, the name of Kṛṣṇa is worth 3000 names of Viṣṇu.

And the name Rāma is worth 1000 names of Viṣṇu.

So, by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma mantra,

you get so much spiritual benefit.

And the side benefits are the material suffering is mitigated.

But the real benefit is that one awakens one’s love of Godhead.

Please ask the people to chant one of the mantras,

and since there may be offence in our chanting, one can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛndā.

Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

Despite all adversities, you have always continued to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda without any interruption, and we see sometimes devotees, they get upset on small things. And they leave their services. And that really compromises everybody’s service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can we continue in your mood, that not to leave services when offended and work together? Any instructions, any guidance you can give us about that?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-21

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, as I said,

we owe everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

He could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.

He would have easily got liberation.

But he took a great headache,

he came to the USA,

came to Canada,

and he gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So who thinks that they have paid their debt fully?

I don’t think so!

I have to do so much,

still the debts are not paid for.

As long as I have breath in the body,

as long as I have any abilities,

I will try to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.

When I was in Canada

I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,

whether I should join the USA army,

because my father said he would turn my name.

Then Śrīla Prabhupāda told me

better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army.

So I am still in Kṛṣṇa’s army,

and I haven’t taken retirement yet.

So as a serving officer in Kṛṣṇa’s army,

I have to continue! Ha!

Link: 20200801 Addressing Balarāma Pūrṇimā Festival Eve to ISKCON Toronto

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]

Devotee association is very important for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But offenses to the lotus feet of devotees are very dangerous. How can we deal with this situation?

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.

Link: 20201118 Zoom Prabhupāda Kathā

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha]

Do we also have to suffer for offences due to mind?

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.

Link: 20220716 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.20

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

Even after knowing what would be favorable for me in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the desire serve in the proper mood and to get the blessings of senior devotees is weak. How to respond in these situations?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: If you realize that you are weak

in some area,

then you want to pray to Kṛṣṇa and get some strength.

Pray to Lord Caitanya, pray to Lord Nityānanda, pray to Gurudeva.

It is like an athlete.

If you don’t win, what do you do?

Give up or try harder, train more.

You want to get that gold medal for your country.

Like that.

You want to offer something to Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

Every day I make a resolve that I will do so many rounds of chanting, this much reading of scriptures and then do my studies. But I am not able to keep this program steadily.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Why you are not able to keep the program? What is it that your mind gets attracted to and does not let you do your daily routine properly?

That is your enemy.

You have to hear from the senior devotees about which is the obstacle that stops you.With the weapon of knowledge, you have to cut that.

Doing this you will become strong.

Doing exercise, in one day suddenly you cannot lift 100 kilos!

Slowly 20, 30, 40, 60, and finally in the future you can life 100 kilos.

Maybe more also.

Now His Holiness Bhānu Swami can lift a lot of weight!

I cannot!

He does exercise every day.

You are trying, that is good.

You should not feel disappointed.

Just keep going.

Link: 20200911 Zoom Session with Bangladesh National Youth Gathering

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

For the last many years I have been practicing, preaching and teaching Bhagavad-gītā to so many people but internally I feel my conviction has weakened and I am not able to practice properly. Wanted to ask how to deal with this situation?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Associate with devotees who have conviction.

You see, since devotional service is a gradual process,

some people naturally would be at different stages.

So some devotees are at a very advanced stage.

A devotee of the Lord (Akrūra), when he saw the footprints of Kṛṣṇa he left his chariot and paid his obeisances to the footprints.

Like that, some devotees are very fixed up.

Try to associate with them.

Link: 20240204 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-10-28

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked me what I have that has been given by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

In Māyāpur, we want to have a special exhibition where all things that belong to Śrīla Prabhupāda will be displayed.

One day, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a ring,

but it is not there now.

So, I said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, what he has given me is mercy!

Now how can we keep that in the exhibition!

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

Link: 20240712 Evening Ratha-yātrā Lecture and QA

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

How as youth in general, how do we very practically get over our attachment to sense objects. What activities should we do to get over our attraction to sense objects very quickly?

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.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Anarthās], [Sādhanā]

How can an initiated devotee, who has fallen away from the regulative principles due to sense gratification and has lost touch with the holy name and devotee association, resume his service towards guru and Prabhupāda?

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]

How can an initiated devotee, who has fallen away from the regulative principles due to sense gratification and has lost touch with the holy name and devotee association, resume his service towards guru and Prabhupāda?

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]

How can an initiated devotee, who has fallen away from the regulative principles due to sense gratification and has lost touch with the holy name and devotee association, resume his service towards guru and Prabhupāda?

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]

How can I develop greed, laulyam for rāgānuga-bhakti?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: The whole purpose of bhakti-yoga is to develop our intense desire, laulyam to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So that is something that should be increasing as we go on.

And it is not a separate endeavor.

If we become attached to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, if we become attached to Lord Caitanya,

naturally we want to associate with Them.

We were reading in this līlā of Lord Caitanya and His leaving Navadvīpa,

how the devotees are lamenting in separation.

They are holding their heads, they are crying, they are rolling on the ground,

like wild people.

Someone finally tells them,

you are very fortunate

that you have a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya

and He cares about you.

So you should control yourselves

and follow His instructions.

So someone gave them such instructions.

So like that, we see how they developed so much deep attachment for Lord Caitanya.

We want also to develop that attachment.

Lord Caitanya taught that in this Age of Kali,

the way we can worship the Lord

is to feel His separation.

And that vipralmbha-bhāva

is not difficult

considering it is Kali-yuga! Ha!

We actually beg from the Lord

and we are separated from the Lord!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can I develop greed, laulyam for rāgānuga-bhakti?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: The whole purpose of bhakti-yoga is to develop our intense desire, laulyam to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So that is something that should be increasing as we go on.

And it is not a separate endeavor.

If we become attached to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, if we become attached to Lord Caitanya,

naturally we want to associate with Them.

We were reading in this līlā of Lord Caitanya and His leaving Navadvīpa,

how the devotees are lamenting in separation.

They are holding their heads, they are crying, they are rolling on the ground,

like wild people.

Someone finally tells them,

you are very fortunate

that you have a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya

and He cares about you.

So you should control yourselves

and follow His instructions.

So someone gave them such instructions.

So like that, we see how they developed so much deep attachment for Lord Caitanya.

We want also to develop that attachment.

Lord Caitanya taught that in this Age of Kali,

the way we can worship the Lord

is to feel His separation.

And that vipralmbha-bhāva

is not difficult

considering it is Kali-yuga! Ha!

We actually beg from the Lord

and we are separated from the Lord!

Link: 20240201 Evening Darśana and Question-and-answer session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can I follow your orders properly? I am not able to do that properly now.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Try!

Why cannot you read the books?

Why cannot you preach?

One lady, she brought seven women to take shelter.

Anybody can preach.

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can I increase the dependence on holy name and Bhāgavatam?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-29

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and His name are not different.

And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if there is any anxiety or danger,

Kṛṣṇa helps us.

We have great devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he always took shelter of the holy name and His teachings.

But the demon father Hiraṇyakaśipu asked is your God in this column?

He is everywhere, Prahlāda Mahārāja said.

Then Hiraṇyakaśipu kicked the column.

There was a sound ohh….

Hiraṇyakaśipu was looking where is that sound coming from.

Then Narasiṁhadeva came out from the column.

So, you put your faith in Kṛṣṇa, His holy name, the śāstras, He will never let you down.

Prahlāda Mahārāja was an innocent boy, but his father was a demon.

So Prahlāda was not trying to purposely trouble his father.

So if you read the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam then that will strengthen your faith.

Link: 20220618 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

How can I keep my mind firmly fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa when lust always stands as an obstacle to my devotional service ?

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can I keep my mind firmly fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa when lust always stands as an obstacle to my devotional service ?

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!

Link: 20220516 Bidding Farewell to the Residents of Kāśī, Part 2

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can one be a serious preacher ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-23

Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.

When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.

If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,

whatever he does, including preaching.

If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,

awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,

in that case they become very serious preachers,

by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,

and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,

and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,

to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.

In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.

sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -

Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,

spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.

So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,

it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean

that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.

So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,

is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.

That… that for us we want to help everyone.

Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.

So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.

Like feeding their hunger.

But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.

Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,

some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.

Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.

But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,

wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.

Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.

Link: 19840531 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.10

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can one be a serious preacher ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-23

Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.

When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.

If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,

whatever he does, including preaching.

If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,

awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,

in that case they become very serious preachers,

by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,

and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,

and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,

to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.

In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.

sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -

Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,

spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.

So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,

it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean

that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.

So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,

is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.

That… that for us we want to help everyone.

Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.

So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.

Like feeding their hunger.

But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.

Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,

some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.

Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.

But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,

wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.

Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.

Link: 19840531 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.10

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can the disciple know that the spiritual master is happy with his service?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: The disciple, if they follow the guru correctly, then naturally he will be pleased.

If they are chanting their 16 rounds, following the regulative principles, if they are preaching,

so naturally the guru will be pleased.

If one has a doubt you can ask the guru.

But generally guru will be happy is following the orders of the guru.

But we should not commit any vaiṣṇava-aparādha,

that is very dangerous.

Link: 20200422 Zoom Session with Delhi Devotees

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can we engage all the varṇas in the service of Kṛṣṇa ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-29

parent takes care of the children who takes them, instructs them because he loves them.

So the proper attitude for someone with more spiritual knowledge is to love the others,

members of the human race, because everyone is, we are all living creatures, because we are all part of Kṛṣṇa,

and want to help them in the service of, so that they can engage in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Should be loving attitude.

You are feeling one with Kṛṣṇa, naturally you feel also connected with all living entities.

You feel kindness towards them.

Because there are all Kṛṣṇa is in them and they are in Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 19850416 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.6.30

Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can we have a proper attitude like Vāsudeva Datta?

Questioner: Gopa Gopikā devī dāsī

Date: 2023-07-07

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if we take inspiration from the example of Vāsudeva Datta,

and try to emulate that,

then naturally, gradually we can achieve similar consciousness.

Link: 20210518 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

How can we inspire more people to chant and dance, as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-22

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,

that in itself would be very inspiring.

Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video

of how they were chanting and dancing…

very nice!

And I think..

the way to inspire more people to chant

is to chant yourself.

Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa

and inspiring other people to join in.

I saw in New Orleans,

before the Mardi Gras,

Mardi Gras.

Christians

went.. and they had signs...

"TURN OR BURN!".

Such were the signs.

"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".

I did not see anyone joining in.

But when we went with our kīrtana,

people were buying roses and throwing at our feet

Some people

joined with the kīrtana.

So they see, they like..

how we were performing, singing and dancing.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How can we inspire more people to chant and dance, as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-22

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,

that in itself would be very inspiring.

Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video

of how they were chanting and dancing…

very nice!

And I think..

the way to inspire more people to chant

is to chant yourself.

Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa

and inspiring other people to join in.

I saw in New Orleans,

before the Mardi Gras,

Mardi Gras.

Christians

went.. and they had signs...

"TURN OR BURN!".

Such were the signs.

"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".

I did not see anyone joining in.

But when we went with our kīrtana,

people were buying roses and throwing at our feet

Some people

joined with the kīrtana.

So they see, they like..

how we were performing, singing and dancing.

Link: 20220516 Bidding Farewell to the Residents of Kāśī, Part 2

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How do devotees guard themselves from māyā ?

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

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.

Link: 19910108 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.9

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Karma / Desires]

How do devotees guard themselves from māyā ?

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

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.

Link: 19910108 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.9

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Karma / Desires]

How do I free myself from Māyā ?

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.

Link: 19810726 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.1.17

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā]

How do we avoid feeling envious of other devotees and their service ?

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]

How do we avoid feeling envious of other devotees and their service ?

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]

How do we avoid the offenses from our unavoidable association with non-devotees who hardly believe in Kṛṣṇa?

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.

Link: 20211218 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.29

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

How do we avoid the offenses from our unavoidable association with non-devotees who hardly believe in Kṛṣṇa?

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.

Link: 20211218 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.29

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

How do we beg forgiveness from guru for a falldown and continue our devotional service?

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)]

How do we beg forgiveness from guru for a falldown and continue our devotional service?

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)]

How do we develop a state of mind where we don’t see obstacles in spiritual life as obstacles anymore?

Questioner: Rāmakānāi Mathureśa dāsa, Reading, UK

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: You just expect to have different obstacles.

If it was too easy, that wouldn’t be glorious.

So we expect there will be tests and challenges.

If we see that, we will be determined to go ahead.

Link: 20240209 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How do we develop the desire for devotee association and service to devotees?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: By hearing,

by associating,

we get a taste for hearing and associating.

And naturally, we want to associate with them.

So by taking part in bhakti-yoga, it is natural to develop these things.

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

How do we do sevā in the right consciousness, not in the mode of passion or ignorance?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, pray to your guru and do your sevā correctly.

Passion means lust. To do it to get some material benefit.

Ignorance means crazy, lazy.

Anger – I will show you that I am the best devotee! I will kill you by my bhakti! And some crazy thing!

So avoid passion and ignorance, and what is left is goodness.

So we do devotional service – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate –

to please the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves.

Category: [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How do we get complete faith that Kṛṣṇa is the only protector and maintainer as part of śaraṇāgati (surrender), especially as a working individual ?

Questioner: Vedavit Kṛṣṇa dāsa [Laguna Beach, California, USA]:

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: You see someone may take shelter

of one of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions

and may think, “Oh, this is very nice!”

But the thing is that

we want to take shelter at the same time,

develop our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

So he may give us some options

to take shelter of Lord Śiva or others

but as a result

we may take birth again and again.

Because these devas they cannot give mukti.

So Kṛṣṇa, He gives the ideal

protection

and also, He brings one back home back to Godhead.

If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

then you will have many different pastimes

and can see how the Lord protects His devotees.

He is known as Bhakta-vatsala,

how He protected Prahlāda Mahārāja,

how He protected different devotees.

So by reading the pastimes

one should naturally develop faith.

Link: 20220327 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā]

How do we give up our false ego, particularly in difficult or challenging situations with other devotees?

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]

How do we increase the intensity of the absorption in our daily services to you and Kṛṣṇa? In other words, how do we keep our attention in devotional service fresh every day?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-29

Jayapatākā Swami: Just like Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said,

kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara, chāri anācāra,

we want to put Kṛṣṇa in the center of our household life.

We want to just give up the prohibited activities.

Meat eating, intoxication and others.

And if one wakes up with that intention

then naturally, they will try to increase their services of the day.

We want to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.

That is the goal of our life.

The common people, the goal of their life is to have sense pleasure.

But sometimes our senses are pleased and sometimes they suffer.

Just like no one wants fever

but some people get.

Nobody wants the Corona virus,

but some get.

Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa, he read to me one quote that

Sarvajaya Mādhava from Dallas had sent,

something that in the Bible,

they said that stay in your house

for a little time

and let the Lord take His vengeance

and then after that it will all pass!

What a coincidence, how great is our God.

The Government arranged the closure on March 26, 2020, in the Bible verse Isaac 26.20 says “Go home My people and close the doors.

Hide a little until the wrath of the Lord has passed.”

They found this verse in the Bible.

Anyway we are trying to do inter-faith preaching.

Not only the Hindus but get the other faiths to preach.

In America they have mostly Christians.

Middle East mostly Muslims.

We respect all the religions

and we want them to just chant the name of God they believe in.

So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the morning

and every day we do our devotional service,

naturally, that becomes the focus of our life.

We want the husband and wife to work together and cooperate together.

I was so inspired to hear how different gṛhasthas are doing internet preaching!

One gṛhastha said that he was giving four classes a day

in this lockdown period in India

and he had 500 people attending.

One lady was saying how

she had a Japathon

and they were chanting japa,

one person chanted 2 lakhs 11 thousand rounds.

A little child chanted 16 rounds.

Sometimes Japathon, sometimes class,

sometimes Bhakti-vṛkṣa,

different ways they are preaching,

encouraging people to take up to chanting in this time of crisis.

Even in the Supreme Court of India,

they recommended to the Government,

people should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz.

Link: 20200409 Zoom Class to Mathurādeśa Devotees

Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How do we remain calm in provoking situation and not react? I usually try not to get affected by what someone is saying, but end up reacting or saying something and that I regret later.

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.

Link: 20200829 The Devotees Forget about the Sannyāsa during Saṅkīrtana with the Lord (Part 3)

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Anger]

How do we understand when to help ourselves and when to simply depend of Lord Kṛṣṇa's mercy?

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.

Link: 20210601 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Mercy], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

How do we understand when to help ourselves and when to simply depend of Lord Kṛṣṇa's mercy?

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.

Link: 20210601 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Mercy], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

How do you continue to please Śrīla Prabhupāda so well even in his post-manifest līlā?

Questioner: Keśava Kṛpā Sindhu dāsa

Date: 2022-09-27

Jayapatākā Swami: I know that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,

what he told me to do.

So trying to execute his instructions,

I have to make various decisions.

But I always keep in my mind, pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda.

So, this has always served me well.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in one case,

I did what he would have done.

I don’t know

if everything I do is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

But I am trying to do that.

And I know that that itself is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

But we may make some mistakes on the way.

But then we can also correct. that.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

How do you get rid of darkness?

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

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How do you get rid of darkness?

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

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How do you know the services we do actually satisfies you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Nice question!

Because we should do service to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.

Now certain things the guru has said, he would like to be done.

Just like I told Nāma-niṣṭhā

that I would like a temple to be constructed.

So doing that sevā, constructing a temple,

he knows that it is pleasing to the guru.

Right?

Nāma-niṣṭhā dāsa: Actually, I went to meet Guru Mahārāja and this was in Tirupati.

And he was being very kind to me.

He told me, “Construct a temple.”

So I said, “Please put your hand and order.”

That was the time he put his hand on my head and ordered,

“Make a beautiful temple with all the facilities.”

At that moment we were only three devotees and no money!

And I remember next detail he told me, on June 5th Pānihāṭi 2020 that what are you doing?

That was an online visit.

We hardly had any devotees and I said, “There was nothing to do because everything is closed.”

“Why don’t you do like Chennai, Guru Mahārāja”, said. “6,000 devotees attended their course online.”

So I thought Sumitra Kṛṣṇa dāsa did 6,000, Nāma-niṣṭhā will do 10,000!

And I tried, within four days, 10,000 people registered.

And we don’t even know where the money came from, we don’t even know, in fact all the devotees Guru Mahārāja initiated yesterday,

all came from online and it is unbelievable.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How important is austerity for self-realisation?

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.

Link: 20200601 The reaction of the Atheists and Devotees After Seeing the Saṅkīrtana

Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vratās (Austerities)]

How seriously should the disciple take the instruction received from the guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-17

In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.

If you are not able

to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,

then you can ask him

what to do in that case.

Link: 20210607 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How seriously should the disciple take the instruction received from the guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-17

In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.

If you are not able

to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,

then you can ask him

what to do in that case.

Link: 20210607 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to always be enthusiastic?

Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: This is on the stage of anartha-nivṛitti.

One of the anarthas is called thick and thin.

Sometimes the devotion is very thick,

sometimes very thin,

so thin and thick.

So by following the process and reaching the stage of niṣṭhā,

then one will be fixed and there won’t be this thick and thin enthusiasm.

Link: 20190201 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to always be enthusiastic?

Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: This is on the stage of anartha-nivṛitti.

One of the anarthas is called thick and thin.

Sometimes the devotion is very thick,

sometimes very thin,

so thin and thick.

So by following the process and reaching the stage of niṣṭhā,

then one will be fixed and there won’t be this thick and thin enthusiasm.

Link: 20190201 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to always be focused on the holy-name?

Questioner: Ojasvinī Rādhikā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: We are advised to always remember Kṛṣṇa,

So, in this age, we can always remember Kṛṣṇa’s name and never forget Him.

And whatever we do, we should chant the holy name

and, in this way, you can always remember Kṛṣṇa.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]

How to avoid frivolous conversations?

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

Link: 20200816 Brahmā and the Demigods Test Dhruva – Viśvambhara’s Narration to Śacī-devī

Category: [Anarthās], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to avoid hesitation in encouraging and convincing others to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: See, we are not attached to winning or losing.

Rather, our system is that we offer respect to others

and we don’t expect any respect for ourselves.

So, like one of Lord Caitanya’s associates, he spoke to a Kazi, a Muslim magistrate.

He said, “You are very handsome, you are very powerful, rich, intelligent.”

Like that.

“I just want to ask you one thing?

Is it alright?”

He said, “Go ahead!”

He said, “Please forget all this

because when you die all this is gone.

Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!”

The Kazi said, “I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.”

That associate said, “Haribol! Haribol!

You just said it!

Don’t stop now!

Haribol! Haribol!”

If you try, you can figure out what is the best way of doing it.

And that you are trying Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased that this devotee is trying.

So we want to say things that are favorable,

which will help the person to listen.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

How to be certain that the messages we receive from within are from the mind or from Kṛṣṇa ?

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.

Link: 19820914 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.8.22-23

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)]

How to be determined in our devotional service like Dhruva Mahārāja was?

Questioner: Śacīnandana Gauracanda dāsa.

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: We can see, it is not a small thing.

Personally, I don’t we need such a determination.

But we should be determined to chant,

to follow the four regulative principles

and engage one’s self in devotional service,

and eventually achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful.

Why do you want to serve anyone else?

Kṛṣṇa or His devotees are the only persons we should worship.

You know, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they gave all material desires to their followers.

But they had to reject God and serve them,

then you will get all that you want, materially.

But why do you want to serve a demon?

But the demons would like to serve the demons,

the devotees want to serve the devotees.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to be determined in our devotional service like Dhruva Mahārāja was?

Questioner: Śacīnandana Gauracanda dāsa.

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: We can see, it is not a small thing.

Personally, I don’t we need such a determination.

But we should be determined to chant,

to follow the four regulative principles

and engage one’s self in devotional service,

and eventually achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful.

Why do you want to serve anyone else?

Kṛṣṇa or His devotees are the only persons we should worship.

You know, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they gave all material desires to their followers.

But they had to reject God and serve them,

then you will get all that you want, materially.

But why do you want to serve a demon?

But the demons would like to serve the demons,

the devotees want to serve the devotees.

Link: 20200816 Brahmā and the Demigods Test Dhruva – Viśvambhara’s Narration to Śacī-devī

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to become stable and strong when the situations are worse?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: Question is how do we be stable and strong when the situation is difficult?

How could you study in college if there are exams?

There will be exams,

you cannot avoid it.

That’s how you get your degree.

If you want to be a devotee,

there will be tests.

It is not a cheap thing, it is a very valuable thing.

So naturally, there will be difficulties.

And don’t be disturbed by that.

It is part of the process.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

How to become stable in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!

I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.

So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.

First is śraddhā,

then sādhu-saṅga,

bhajana-kriyā,

anartha-nivṛtti,

niṣṭhā,

ruci,

āsakti,

bhāva

and then prema.

So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.

And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.

That is called anartha-nivṛtti.

And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.

This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.

So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.

The Army and Navy.

Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”

He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”

And now I am in India, I am also an army man!

Link: 20201124 Addressing Devotees in Annakūṭa, Govardhana

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to become stable in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!

I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.

So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.

First is śraddhā,

then sādhu-saṅga,

bhajana-kriyā,

anartha-nivṛtti,

niṣṭhā,

ruci,

āsakti,

bhāva

and then prema.

So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.

And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.

That is called anartha-nivṛtti.

And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.

This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.

So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.

The Army and Navy.

Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”

He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”

And now I am in India, I am also an army man!

Link: 20201124 Addressing Devotees in Annakūṭa, Govardhana

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to chant or perform devotional service when the body is not feeling up for it?

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]

How to chant or perform devotional service when the body is not feeling up for it?

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.

Link: 20200915 Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu Enters the Forest After Accepting Sannyāsa

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to control the mind when it tries to drag us towards sense-gratification?

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!

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Karma / Desires], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā]

How to dedicate my life for your service?

Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,

you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.

So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?

Like that, the act of shopping

becomes an act of love.

And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,

you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?

And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to dedicate my life for your service?

Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,

you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.

So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?

Like that, the act of shopping

becomes an act of love.

And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,

you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?

And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to develop a taste for reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?

Questioner: —Sundara Nitāi dāsa, Ujjain.

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: Sundara Nitāi dāsa, If you read the books every day, your taste will increase.

And I was reading last night, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that those who are somehow in connection with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,

they should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books –

Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and others.

Otherwise, one may fall down and leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness because of inadequate knowledge.

So you can pray to Kṛṣṇa that you can read the books without offence.

And by regularly reading, then you will gradually increase your taste.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

How to develop submissive mood, keeping aside false ego while carrying out services under authorities?

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!

Link: 20200217 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

How to develop submissive mood, keeping aside false ego while carrying out services under authorities?

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!

Link: 20200217 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: To associate with devotees

who have unflinching faith.

Otherwise the process of bhakti-yoga

is to gradually increase your faith,

then it becomes unflinching.

Link: 20240209 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to get out of bad habits and how to get good habits fast? Please guide.

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Sādhanā]

How to get rid of anarthas?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā]

How to guard against māyā?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How to guard against māyā?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How to increase our faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how to get rid of the anarthas?

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.

Link: 20200917 Zoom Session with Utkarsa Youth Boys Program

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Faith]

How to keep one enthusiastic at all times despite what situation one is in?

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?

Link: 20190208 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to keep one enthusiastic at all times despite what situation one is in?

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?

Link: 20190208 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to overcome lethargy and laziness

Questioner: Anantalīlā Gopāla dāsa

Date: 2022-10-04

We don’t want to be lazy or lethargic.

We don’t want to miss this chance.

If you do nice devotional service,

but you have material desires,

you may end up in the heavenly planets,

be there for a long time,

hundreds of thousands of years.

You will miss the Golden Age,

and then come back in the worst part of Kali-yuga or after.

So, no time to be lazy.

You have to finish your business while you have the chance.

Category: [Emotions / Sloth], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Karma / Desires]

How to perceive aparādhās in our devotional service (or abhideya) and how to atone for them?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How to perceive aparādhās in our devotional service (or abhideya) and how to atone for them?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How to preach without expectations, only for the service and pleasure of guru?

Questioner: —Susevinī Guru Gaurāṅga devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, or Paramātmā,

the Christians know as the Holy Ghost.

So, one is actually talking through the Paramātmā in the heart of the living entity and to the Spirit Soul.

So with the help of the Paramātmā we want to help the jīva to get out his illusion.

The word preaching has kind of a negative connotation.

The word in Sanskrit or Bengali is pracāra,

pracāra means to glorify the Lord and the process of His devotional service.

It means how to encourage someone to take up devotional service.

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura said that there is no scarcity in the material world,

only scarcity is devotional service.

Everywhere you see this scarcity.

People work so hard to win some athletic competition,

they work so hard to get some academic degree,

they work very hard to get a raise.

But actually even if a little effort they give to serve Kṛṣṇa,

they would actually be able to perfect their lives.

Who remembers the one athletic event five years ago?

And some people leave and some people break their bones and die,

but if we render some devotional service we never lose the result,

it stays with us life after life.

But all the things we achieve in this material world, the material things we achieve this life we leave behind us.

Say we earn millions of dollars;

we cannot take one paisa to the next birth or one cent.

But any devotional service you do,it stays to your credit.

If you have enough credit, you leave this material world

and go back to the spiritual world where you can serve the Lord constantly,

where there is no birth, death, old age or disease. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remain enthusiastic in service despite all obstacles?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remain enthusiastic in service despite all obstacles?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remain enthusiastic in service despite all obstacles?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remain steady in brahmacārī-āśrama?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

Jayapatākā Swami: The secret is to always stay busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

Mana, kāya, vākya –

we want our deeds, our words and our thoughts to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.

If we can engage our intelligence how to expand the preaching,

or how to improve our service,

that is the best way.

If we allow the mind to drift on to the objects of the senses,

then naturally we become distracted.

So somehow, it is important to have a service,

you like to do.

That you can be fully absorbed in.

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a lot of very absorbing services.

And so that kept me busy, out of māyā.

So the devotee who gives you service should see that you are fully engaged.

If you are not fully engaged,

tell them, because you need to be fully engaged to be free of māyā.

As they say, idle mind is a devil’s workshop.

If the mind is idle,

if we are not fully fixed in our service,

then the mind will start to think about māyā.

Bhakti-yoga means to be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20201117 Zoom Session with ISKCON IYF Kolkata

Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remain steady in brahmacārī-āśrama?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

Jayapatākā Swami: The secret is to always stay busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

Mana, kāya, vākya –

we want our deeds, our words and our thoughts to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.

If we can engage our intelligence how to expand the preaching,

or how to improve our service,

that is the best way.

If we allow the mind to drift on to the objects of the senses,

then naturally we become distracted.

So somehow, it is important to have a service,

you like to do.

That you can be fully absorbed in.

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a lot of very absorbing services.

And so that kept me busy, out of māyā.

So the devotee who gives you service should see that you are fully engaged.

If you are not fully engaged,

tell them, because you need to be fully engaged to be free of māyā.

As they say, idle mind is a devil’s workshop.

If the mind is idle,

if we are not fully fixed in our service,

then the mind will start to think about māyā.

Bhakti-yoga means to be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20201117 Zoom Session with ISKCON IYF Kolkata

Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remove bad habits in the self being in society and how to increase our spiritual consciousness, ever increasing till the end?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How to remove negative thoughts?

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

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions], [Sādhanā]

How to stay positive and continue our devotional service even after making mistakes?

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to stay positive and continue our devotional service even after making mistakes?

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to stay positive and continue our devotional service even after making mistakes?

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to stop fault finding. I do it even if I don’t want to. How to give up this bad habit?

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.

Link: 20201010 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.10

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions], [Emotions / Fault-finding]

How to take our inabilities in performing some seva and in material life?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes someone is expert at something.

Sometimes they are not expert.

But Lord Kṛṣṇa is expert at everything.

So, we try to do all the services for Kṛṣṇa

and some services will be well done,

and some could be better.

So, we ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy to do our services better.

And shortcomings are taken as areas that we need to concentrate more on.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to take our inabilities in performing some seva and in material life?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes someone is expert at something.

Sometimes they are not expert.

But Lord Kṛṣṇa is expert at everything.

So, we try to do all the services for Kṛṣṇa

and some services will be well done,

and some could be better.

So, we ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy to do our services better.

And shortcomings are taken as areas that we need to concentrate more on.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to tell if guru and Gaurāṅga are pleased with our services and would it affect our taste in chanting if they are not?

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.

Link: 20200915 Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu Enters the Forest After Accepting Sannyāsa

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

How to tolerate bodily pains and carry on enthusiastically in devotional service ?

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?

Link: 20190127 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to understand sambandha, abhideya and prayojana properly?

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.

Link: 20220506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I always feel I am not able to serve you enough. So what to do about that?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, it is good to feel like that.

Rādhārāṇī feels She is not doing enough, as much as She could.

But we think that She is 100% best,

but She is thinking what more I should do?

That is the Kṛṣṇa conscious attitude.

Not that, oh! I am doing everything I can.

Then we won’t try to do more.

If we cannot think of how to increase, you could also always ask what more can I do?

Or if you have some idea, then you can suggest, can I do this, will this be pleasing?

We always should be eager to do something more for Kṛṣṇa.

Parents, your children ever come up and say, mom dad, can I do some service for you? Ha!

You think, what do they want from me! Ha!

But actually if they don’t want anything that would be super!

If you think what more you could do and you want permission, then suggest that.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20230425 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I am bereft of devotee association and am somehow trying to keep my bhakti alive. Due to a demanding schedule, it is hard to find time for book reading and other devotional services. I can barely just finish my 16 rounds. In such situation what should I do to stay fixed at your lotus feet?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Ladies, they have to do a lot of housework.

They ask me similar questions.

But you see to be working plus have to do the housework.

So, the thing is that now we have the Bhagavad-gītā and different books that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other virtually.

You can have an iPod

and listen to the audio, Gītā and other audio śāstras.

So in this way while doing your work like washing and cooking,

you can hear the śāstra.

But also you can download the classes from the internet,

there is my Jayapatākā Swami App.

That gives access to the different JPS Archives and different programs

so you can hear the classes.

Many other things are there like SoundCloud.

You can also attend my daily classes which I give at 7pm.

And so there are different ways where you can hear classes, you can associate,

on Facebook,

YouTube.

You can download and you could also associate with different devotees,

virtually.

So there must be also classes of the IYF which you can attend.

So this way you can get some devotee association.

Actually, as I said,

I don’t have much personal contact with the devotees.

But all day long, I am meeting devotees.

And I don’t even feel that I am not meeting them.

I feel contact with them,

as I feel contact with you!

It used to be that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other

virtually.

Link: 20201117 Zoom Session with ISKCON IYF Kolkata

Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

I am divided in my desire to surrender completely to Mahāprabhu. Sometimes, there is a desire for name and fame. Also there are the expected responsibilities of married and working individuals. What should I do ?

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!

Link: 20220502 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.12.17

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā], [Karma / Desires], [Emotions / Pride], [Emotions / Confusion]

I am from a Christian background and now he is a new devotee and Kṛṣṇa conscious. How to increase my inspiration and enthusiasm to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-05-13

Jayapatākā Swami: You see my mother was a Christian and very active in a Church.

But she came when I told her

I had found my guru,

Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupāda.

And that I wanted to follow him.

And then she said, “Why don’t you be a Christian priest?”

I told her that I have found my guru and I want to be taught by someone who knows the science.

And she said, why don’t you that when you are old?

I said, how long do I have to live?

She started crying!

No mother and father want to think how long their child will live!

Then how can I say how long I would live, I said.

I have to take this chance now!

So then she started chanting four rounds.

And she started staying in an apartment near our temple in New Orleans, USA.

So practically I have also a devotee who is a Christian nun

and I told her that she can chant the name of Lord Jesus.

She was chanting, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Christ, Christ, Jesus Jesus!

She thought it is almost like the Sanskrit, why don’t I try the Sanskrit?

So she started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

and she realized it was the same like chanting the name of Jesus.

But Hare Kṛṣṇa was more powerful!

Christians say, Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.

Who is the Father?

We say the Father is Kṛṣṇa.

He has unlimited names.

And then my mother saw in the Bible, St. Johns,

that Jesus said, I have many flocks

and you are one of them,

but there are many others,

they don’t look like you.

So you can also say that we are one of the flocks of Lord Jesus.

You try the process and see if that process works for you.

If it does, then very good!

We are not saying anything negative.

You just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa if it works!

Practice bhakti-yoga and see if it works!

Lord Jesus said, first commandment is “love God”,

with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind.

I didn’t do that before I came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness!

I loved other things! Ha!

We cannot talk about!

After coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I learnt to love Kṛṣṇa!

So, hope that you will be successful in practicing bhakti-yoga.

Link: 20200517 Zoom Session with Nigeria Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

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.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Fault-finding]

I am not attracted to the spiritual world; I don’t know why, it is amazing. Please tell me about the spiritual world and what should I do to be attracted so that I can take up sādhanā and regulative principles and bhakti seriously?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: You see this material world is a temporary world, aśāśvatam.

And it is a place of suffering.

You can look up the Al Jazeera or TRT World or any other news stations,

you see all the difficulties.

Some countries there is flood,

some countries hurricanes, cyclone,

some country war,

some pandemic,

rising cases.

There is no old age, disease, birth or death in the spiritual world.

There everyone is related to Kṛṣṇa in a loving relationship.

Naturally, one feels loving ecstasy all the time.

So you have your choice. In this material world there is suffering, there is some lust,

temporarily you will satisfy your lust

and you think that is the goal of life.

But that is not what we are actually looking for.

What we are looking for is the spiritual world.

Free life,

free choice.

Spiritual bliss.

There you serve the Lord out of love.

Here you work for some office

because you make them money

and when you are not making money,

they lay you off,

they fire you!

It is a business relation, there is no love.

So it depends what you want.

If you are attracted by love and freedom of all kinds of suffering,

then that is the spiritual world.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā]

I find it difficult to remember Kṛṣṇa while in office. Kindly help?

Questioner: Śrīdhara

Date: 2022-10-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Just that when we do office work,

we dedicate the work to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Certain percentage of the income, we may give to Kṛṣṇa.

So even though we may not always be able to think about Kṛṣṇa while we are working,

since the activity is offered to Kṛṣṇa, that will suffice.

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I have a question based on my profession. I am an advocate in Delhi High Court. I also write pages in newspaper on Hinduism and way of life how we can promote it.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Every job has got some defect.

Even a brāhmaṇa, a Purohit he has to do some sacrifice for materialists.

So the advocate, naturally they have to represent sometime people who are guilty.

But the advocate still has to defend him.

So everything we do has some defect.

In the present society everybody has a right to defense.

If the advocate is very expert he may save a person.

But that person may be actually guilty!

But by the advocate being expert, they may be saved.

So, the thing is that one could try to be selective

but that may not be possible.

The other thing is that what we earn, we give a certain percentage to Kṛṣṇa,

in that way, you are doing your job for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.

And you are not responsible ultimately for the person who you are defending.

The thing is that each person, if you do your service

as an offering to Kṛṣṇa

and you try to be expert.

So you said that you also write articles in the newspapers.

So we hope that you get education in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

And be able to represent Sanātana Dharma in a proper way.

Because you are an advocate in the High Court

naturally you have a certain respect in the society.

So use that for Kṛṣṇa.

In that way, you can balance your material and spiritual life.

I am very happy to meet you.

You said you are the niece of Ajīta Gopinātha das.

Link: 20200505 Zoom Session with IYF Chennai

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I have too many negative thoughts about Vaiṣṇavas and I don’t seem to be making any progress in spiritual life. I feel like I will go crazy if this is how it continues. What should I do?

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.

Link: 20220219 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Envy], [Anarthās], [Emotions / Fault-finding], [Sādhanā]

I know that being under the loving guidance of my seniors keeps me safe and also pleases guru and Gaurāṅga. But sometimes, due to māyā, I grow neglectful of them. How do I sharpen my faith?

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 know that being under the loving guidance of my seniors keeps me safe and also pleases guru and Gaurāṅga. But sometimes, due to māyā, I grow neglectful of them. How do I sharpen my faith?

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 know that being under the loving guidance of my seniors keeps me safe and also pleases guru and Gaurāṅga. But sometimes, due to māyā, I grow neglectful of them. How do I sharpen my faith?

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 learnt from your class that Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa at the age of 24. You have taken sannyāsa at the age of 21. What inspired you to take sannyāsa at the age of 21 which is such a young age?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: I was a brahmacārī since the age of 19

and then when I was 21

Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me if I wanted to take sannyāsa.

Since he was offering me, I thought

it was a great opportunity.

So I accept the chance.

Maybe I was innocent at the time,

but somehow or another by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy I have been able to maintain my vows

and increase the preaching in various ways.

So I very glad that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me this blessing.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]

I want to distribute books and do that but in between lose enthusiasm. What should I do?

Questioner: Anon

Date: 2022-08-01

Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue.

And that way your enthusiasm will return.

This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name.

Link: 20201007 Zoom Address to Bangladesh Book Distribution

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Book distribution], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

I want to improve my spiritual and devotional service. I am not able to attend maṅgala-ārati sometimes – is it an offence?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: It depends for what reason you are not able to attend. You are up late, preaching, you are sick or just lazy?

If you are just doing out of laziness, it is not proper.

Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I want to know what is the right mood to take the initiation test?

Questioner: Liz Valero

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: You have to listen to and read the books.

Understand the teachings, at least the basic books.

If you read the books, the questions are fairly simple. For instance, what is the difference between the body and soul.

You can have the questions in advance, no secret.

So if you want the questions, we can send you.

So any way don’t feel anxiety.

We want you to pass your test.

And if you don’t pass it first time,

you can ask for the answers.

Next time you pass.

I think they are not so difficult.

Why do you believe that Kṛṣṇa is God?

Questions like that, they are very simple.

More complicated for second initiation.

They have to pass Bhakti-śāstri.

For first initiation, they are very simple.

Okay? No anxiety! Be calm!

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I want to know what is the right mood to take the initiation test?

Questioner: Liz Valero

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: You have to listen to and read the books.

Understand the teachings, at least the basic books.

If you read the books, the questions are fairly simple. For instance, what is the difference between the body and soul.

You can have the questions in advance, no secret.

So if you want the questions, we can send you.

So any way don’t feel anxiety.

We want you to pass your test.

And if you don’t pass it first time,

you can ask for the answers.

Next time you pass.

I think they are not so difficult.

Why do you believe that Kṛṣṇa is God?

Questions like that, they are very simple.

More complicated for second initiation.

They have to pass Bhakti-śāstri.

For first initiation, they are very simple.

Okay? No anxiety! Be calm!

Link: 20240201 Evening Darśana and Question-and-answer session

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I was reading the Līlāmṛta. There was a conversation where you were giving a report on Bangladesh preaching and preaching to Muslims and Śrīla Prabhupāda was pleased with that. How can I please you Mahārāja, so that we can please Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: If you are able to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, assimilate the knowledge,

and preach,

I will be very happy!

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā]

I wish to offer myself to Śrīla Prabhupāda but am hesitant due to my material conditioning and attachments. Please guide.

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]

I wish to offer myself to Śrīla Prabhupāda but am hesitant due to my material conditioning and attachments. Please guide.

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]

I wish to offer myself to Śrīla Prabhupāda but am hesitant due to my material conditioning and attachments. Please guide.

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.

Link: 20240117 Address to Devotees from Ahmedabad in Bengali

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Karma / Desires], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

If a person has a lot of lusty desires for illicit sex and intoxication, is it helpful to indulge and feel they are fully like had enough and overcome those desires?

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.

Link: 20220801 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.33.39

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles]

If for some reason I am unable to understand who is a non-devotee and by mistake I hear from him, what will be my atonement?

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.

Link: 20220716 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.20

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

If Mahāprabhu is displeased with such behavior of Choṭā Haridāsa, and in view of this teaching of Caitanya Mahāprabhu will this behavior satisfy Caitanya Mahāprabhu or you?

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.

Link: 20220723 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18. 27-28

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

If our family members are not very favorable to our doing lot of service and preaching and go out and serve you, how do we continue with our services?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-06-03

Jayapatākā Swami: There is a saying in Bengali - Big big monkeys, big big stomachs…

Hanumān was very strong.

He went to South India and went to Laṅka from there.

We desire that I should be able to jump like Hanumān.

But we are not able to.

We have big, big stomach that is why we cannot jump.

Our desire is that we should do a lot of things.

But if do devotional service then everything will be good.

That we are not able to do maybe.

Here we have Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān Deities.

And we have Śrīnāthajī and Rādhā Govindajī as well.

This way we want to serve Lord Rāmacandrajī and Śrīnāthajī.

Haribol!

Nitāi Gaura!

With the mercy of Nitāi Gaura we get the mercy of Lord Rāmacandra and Śrīnāthajī.

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

In bhakti many times like ups and downs come, what to do at that time?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: We take initiation that puts us to the bhajana-kriyā stage.

And the next stage is to get rid of the anarthas,

anartha-nivṛtti.

And you are asking how to get through this stage.

You see, it is very easy!

You learn from your mistakes

and if you keep failing,

you will be tested again and again and again

until you learn

to not succumb to the anarthas.

And if you learn quick,

it is very fast.

Then you can become fixed up.

But if don’t learn

and you keep making the same mistakes again and again,

the it is like in college, if you fail, you have to go and start again,

until you pass the particular course

you have to repeat it.

Anartha-nivṛtti is like that.

So we learn

the hard way

and we get pinched every time we succumb to the anarthas.

But if you learn you don’t get pinched again.

Is it alright?

I am just telling you the truth.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā]

In Caitanya-līlā, we see that Nārāyaṇī became ecstatic upon receiving Lord Caitanyas prasāda remnants. Why does the same not happen with us and what do we need to do to reach such a state ?

Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa and Acala Hari dāsa

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārāyaṇī was a great devotee.

If you are not feeling ecstasy, that is your misfortune.

It is not the fault of the remnants,

it’s your lack of adhikāra,

to get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.

You should be lamenting, why you don’t feel ecstasy,

even when you take the prasāda remnants of the Deities.

Jayapatākā Swami: The more we practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

advancement increases.

So, by taking the prasāda of Kṛṣṇa, of Gaurāṅga,

our love for Kṛṣṇa can increase.

Just like getting rid of the anarthās,

and becoming fixed or niṣṭhā,

then we advance step by step,

until we have loving ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa,

then taking prasāda can be an impetus for love of Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20200626 The Lord Respects Nārāyaṇī by Giving Her Remnants of His Food

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Sādhanā], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

In our life there are many ups and downs how can we be determined and think of Kṛṣṇa in all the situations which is very difficult?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: If you want to go back to Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to please Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to have the spiritual bliss,

then material suffering should just be an incentive that this material world is not a good place.

Just like now we have the pandemic. The material world is a very dangerous place.

The Bhāgavatam says, padam padam yat vipadām.

One should use it well and understand that this material world is not a place for us to stay.

Bhagavad-gītā says that four kinds of people think about Kṛṣṇa –

those who are in need,

those who are miserable,

those who are inquisitive

and those who are in knowledge.

So these four types of people think of Kṛṣṇa.

If you are facing difficulty, then you should think of Kṛṣṇa.

There are four kinds of people who do not think about Kṛṣṇa –

narādhama,

asura,

this type.

Pious people think of Kṛṣṇa when they are in distress.

Now I will visit your houses as much as possible.

We want to thank everyone for your offerings and receiving me.

Please send your realizations to Madhavakānta or to Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa.

Hope you are all preaching using internet.

The scope is unlimited,

people are more receptive.

Because the hospital and doctors can only do so much.

So we are all on the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

Link: 20200422 Zoom Session with Delhi Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

In our life there are many ups and downs how can we be determined and think of Kṛṣṇa in all the situations which is very difficult?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: If you want to go back to Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to please Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to have the spiritual bliss,

then material suffering should just be an incentive that this material world is not a good place.

Just like now we have the pandemic. The material world is a very dangerous place.

The Bhāgavatam says, padam padam yat vipadām.

One should use it well and understand that this material world is not a place for us to stay.

Bhagavad-gītā says that four kinds of people think about Kṛṣṇa –

those who are in need,

those who are miserable,

those who are inquisitive

and those who are in knowledge.

So these four types of people think of Kṛṣṇa.

If you are facing difficulty, then you should think of Kṛṣṇa.

There are four kinds of people who do not think about Kṛṣṇa –

narādhama,

asura,

this type.

Pious people think of Kṛṣṇa when they are in distress.

Now I will visit your houses as much as possible.

We want to thank everyone for your offerings and receiving me.

Please send your realizations to Madhavakānta or to Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa.

Hope you are all preaching using internet.

The scope is unlimited,

people are more receptive.

Because the hospital and doctors can only do so much.

So we are all on the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

Link: 20200422 Zoom Session with Delhi Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

In the morning, tulasī-ārati is performed after maṅgala-ārati but in the evening it is performed before gaura-āratī. Why is this so?

Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Manohara dāsa, Dacca, Bangladesh.

Date: 2022-10-04

Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that if you do the maṅgala-ārati at 4.30,

we should do the tulasī-pūjā when the Deities are closed.

So, you have the choice to do tulasī-pūjā before maṅgala-ārati, or after.

So I think it is difficult enough for devotees to attend maṅgala-ārati at 4.30 am!

That is why they do it later in the morning.

But in the afternoon, when the deity is being offered bhoga,

they do the tulasī-āratī,

because after the sandhyā-ārati,

the deities are not closed.

But we have to offer worship to tulasī, when the deities are closed.

Or you can do tulasī-pūjā at 8.30 at night,

when the deities are closed.

Then it is too late,

if you have to get up for maṅgala-ārati.

Link: 20200829 The Devotees Forget about the Sannyāsa during Saṅkīrtana with the Lord (Part 3)

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Temple Deity Worship]

In this age of Kali Yuga, How did you become unattached from material things?

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.

Link: 19860929 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.8.13

Category: [Emotions / Lust], [Emotions / Greed], [Anarthās], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā], [Material World / Kali yuga]

Is fasting nirjala on every Ekādaśī a standard we may aspire to rise to or just unnecessary hard-heartening austerity ?

Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-09-27

Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day.

I thought this would be pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

But he told me that I should chant 16 rounds

and go and preach.

If I don’t preach, stay in the temple all day chanting,

who will preach?

So Śrīla Prabhupāda put more importance on preaching.

If you can fast and still preach,

then it is alright.

But at least you have to observe no grains Ekādaśī,

and then preach as much as you can.

If you can do or if you are inspired to do on some Ekādaśī,

that is nice.

But that shouldn’t be a reason that next day, the whole day you are sleeping or something.

That would be counterproductive.

Since you want to please the Lord,

that should be our focus.

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vratās (Austerities)], [Vratās (Austerities) / Ekādaśī-vratā]

Is impersonalism a deviation from Kṛṣṇa's service ?

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.

Link: 19820910 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.4.33

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyāvāda / Impersonalism]

Is it an offence to do any kind of devotional service like making ghee wicks during a live lecture?

Questioner: Anonymous

Date: 2022-11-30

Jayapatākā Swami:

It is not if you are paying attention to the lecture,

if you are able to multitask.

Link: 20190111 Question and Answer from Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Is it an offense to not be attentive while reading/hearing ?

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!

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]

Is it an offense to not be attentive while reading/hearing ?

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!

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]

Is it due to lack of hearing that one doesn’t have enthusiasm to go out and distribute books? And by going out, does one become enthusiastic?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-11-04

Jayapatākā Swami: Lack of understanding.

Uttarā, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child?

She knew that this was her responsibility.

She saw the connection between her and the child.

The child was given to her by the husband.

It was her ward, she had responsible.

Because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness.

Selfish means not the real self-interest, but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments.

It won't actually seize the connection.

The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver.

He’s given them.

They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could commit suicide and leave our body.

Why live in this world without our spiritual master?

Or why be somewhere without him?

We can just go wherever he is, you see.

We have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us.

If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help with being enthusiastic to go out, and preach up to our full capacity?

We don't see that connection.

If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard?

We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to get either heavenly planets or to get Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation.

Somehow or another we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead.

So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition.

Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.

That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service.

This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come?

It must come.

Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā and therefore we become, disturbed in our mind.

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva 'sānta - because a devotee doesn’t have, the Kṛṣṇa devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.

But the others, those desiring muktibhukti-siddhi-kāmī - liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they all disturbed in their mind.

And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach.

For a short time, one can do it.

So, the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in the mood of pure devotion.

That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal.

Could you follow?

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

Nitāi Gaura Guru Gaurāṅgadeva kī

Link: 19810912 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.9

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Book distribution], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

It is said nityam-bhāgavata-sevayā - does it mean that we should specifically read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily or reading other books of Śrīla Prabhupāda works too?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-16

Jayapatākā Swami: You should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books

but having read, you may read other books one time.

But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you should read every day.

Bhagavad-gītā is necessary for preaching,

the Bhāgavatam takes you to sambanda, abhideya and prayojana.

Link: 20220506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Kindly distinguish sentimental bhakti from ecstatic love of Godhead.

Questioner: Karuṇāpati Keśava dāsa

Date: 2022-09-22

Link: 20200819 Viśvambhara Somewhat Pacifies Śacī devī

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?

Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa

Date: 2022-08-05

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.

That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,

but other than that

we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,

other than thinking how to avoid such activities.

We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.

Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,

He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.

He wanted to give mercy to that person.

So like that, everybody in the material world,

has some defect

and we try to avoid committing mistakes

having defects

in our spiritual life.

Link: 20220218 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]

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.

Link: 20220218 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yoga system. What kind of service can we be engaged in where we can present our philosophy very scientifically to the inquisitive?

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.

Link: 20211127 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.9

Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Other philosophies / Western Science / Western Philosophy], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Many devotees are gifted with leadership qualities which should be used in Kṛṣṇa’s service. But sometimes we might use this leadership position for sense gratification. How do we keep a track of whatever we are doing is purely for Kṛṣṇa’s service?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: If we do leadership to enjoy material facilities,

we get that material happiness as our result.

But if we do it to please Kṛṣṇa then we will get Kṛṣṇa.

This temple has a very nice Temple President, Brajahari dāsa Prabhu.

He is trying to do everything, as far as I can see, to please Kṛṣṇa.

Lord Caitanya advises that we should not do things for lābha, pūjā or prathiṣṭha.

If we do for those things, that is a weed in our devotional service.

We should try to do everything to please Kṛṣṇa.

So, just because we are in a leadership position, that doesn’t mean we are doing for a material desire.

That is why we have to be very careful why we do things.

You see, I have a weakness.

We heard that there was some sadhu in previous time, he heard two English people arguing.

The sādhu was bathing in the river and he heard two English people arguing.

He did not know English.

But he came to court, and he said I remember what they said.

And he repeated like a tape recorder what they said.

Such was the memory in previous times!

I don’t remember names,

unless I use that name ten twenty times.

So, I know some peoples’ names because I use their names again and again.

But I thought that in these 15 minutes my disciples who are here can come up and tell me their names!

And I can give them a blessing!

Link: 20240209 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Many devotees have a desire to join ISKCON full time and dedicate their lives for Śrīla Prabhupāda. However, because of the situations in the world or in the family or personal life, they are sometimes on the borderline wondering whether I should or I should not. So what is your message to them Mahārāja so that they can freely develop that faith and courage that if I simply serve Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Prabhupāda, nothing else is to be taken care, everything Kṛṣṇa will help. Can you give them that courage and help? Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: As the co-minister for congregational preaching,

naturally I would like to see

not only the temple devotees but other devotees who are in congregations,

that they are all working to help the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

And of course, when I joined there was really only – either you are a temple devotee or you are …!

I don’t think it is like that now.

You be a temple devotee or a married devotee or whatever,

you can still help, you can still be a very significant force.

I mean, the person who is repeating me,

his name is Acintya Caitanya dāsa,

he is a gṛhastha.

His wife is very active in preaching.

He has two sons.

One of them is already very fixed up in book distribution.

In 1973 in the lecture that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave at his Vyāsa-pūjā in London,

he said that his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura who was the son of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,

and he wanted all the gṛhastha devotees that you should have ācāryas as your children.

You should all become paramahaṁsas.

So, rather than thinking this devotee can become a full-timer, others too bad!

Use everybody,

naturally I was a full-timer and the advantage that I have is can give all my time to Kṛṣṇa.

But, there is a lecture by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura

where he says that a man should accept a wife who is more spiritual advanced

and a woman should accept a husband who is more spiritual advanced.

That is not what people look at today.

They see if she is a beautiful woman,

what education she has

and other things.

But spiritual advancement, we don’t think about that.

But that is the thing that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said.

In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

there is the fight between Gajendra and the crocodile.

Because Gajendra was a land animal,

when he was in the water,

the crocodile was winning

and gradually the elephant was getting weaker.

So in the purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda said

that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means

we are declaring war against material nature

and to fight in the war,

one needs to be very strong,

sensually strong.

It is not the same for everyone.

Someone may be better as a vairāgī,

someone may be stronger as a gṛhastha.

The real thing is that we should be fighting to establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So, maybe people are sitting on the fence,

they should see what is their nature?

So they should think whatever it is, if their nature is to be married, or their nature is to be a vairāgī,

they should fully engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

If they are married, their partner should be equally enthusiastic to preach,

otherwise what is the use?

That is an interesting thing.

Of course, if you want your parents and everyone to agree,

it may happen.

But in my case it did not happen

and I said yesterday in my talk that my father said he would turn me over to the American Army,

and let me die in Vietnam.

India was not for this war.

And so I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What I should do?”

He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army”

and that is what I did.

I am still a member of Kṛṣṇa’s army!

So here, I have seen many families, where the father and mother are initiated, the children are initiated.

But, still I guess they are a minority.

But in India some are like that.

But generally, it is like one airliner crashed in the Northern Pacific.

One who passed, the parents said, “Oh, we spent so much money on our son trying to go to America for education,

now who will take care of us in our old age?”

That was their concern!

You see, it is like a business,

they paid for the education of their child,

and they want the child to give them money.

So some parents are like that.

Some parents are very affectionate,

I don’t say everyone is like that.

I mean, of course, some people would feel very bad.

But ultimately, we have to make our own choice.

This is like, mother and father of Lord Caitanya, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Mātā,

the older brother of Lord Caitanya,

He took sannyāsa.

They were feeling, “Oh!” rejected.

“Our son, He left the family and would not get married and all that.”

Because of your son taking sannyāsa, unlimited members of your family got liberated.

Of course, they were all liberated souls.

And they realized that what he did was for their benefit.

But then they were worried that their other son would also take sannyāsa.

So He promised,

“I have no such intention!”

Anyway, I hope that everybody in this room, no matter what, are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully.

How old are you?

73 years (Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu)

So what do you want to share with all these young leaders?

He helped build this Temple of the Vedic Planetarium!

Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu: Looking around me here seeing all these wonderful, young devotees, fresh looking actually,

reminds me when I was young, but not anymore!

All I can say to them is that you just practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the best of your ability.

Some of you will be temple devotees, some of you will be gṛhasthas on the outskirts,

but still under one umbrella of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So whichever works for you in the beginning accept it.

In the future, you probably will all be in the temples,

but for now just don’t let go of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at all.

Stick to this wonderful program that you are having

and continue preaching and spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness just like Mahārāja said.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Jayapatākā Swami: Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu, he is a gṛhastha,

but has dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness

and you can see

what a beautiful building this is.

He has done many services.

And if you have seen the samādhi temple

he has designed some of the artwork of the samādhi temple.

He was the builder of the samādhi.

So, the question is not if you join full-time or you get married.

Even if you are married, you should not give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness

and the advantage of course of being a brahmacārī or whatever,

is that you don’t have any other thing

to think about.

But as I said,

it depends on what each person’s nature is, it may be different.

We should be committed to serving,

no matter what.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / ISKCON], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī]

Many of your disciples are far away in different countries, how can we serve you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-25

Link: 20230505 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Many times, māyā defeats me and I feel very much embarrassed. What should I do to get protected and encouraged not to fall again?

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.

Link: 20230622 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)]

Māyā is attacking us, how to come out of it?

Questioner: 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.

Link: 20231129 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā]

My material desires overpower my spiritual desires. How do I increase my desire for service?

Questioner: Murāri Hari dāsa

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: You see everybody wants to enjoy,

they want to be happy.

But actually, the real happiness is from the spiritual kingdom.

In the material world everything is temporary.

So it is not possible to get permanent happiness,

and to get some happiness we have to get a lot of suffering also.

Like, old age, disease,

studying,

spend so much time to study,

if you are working,

and other people in your workplace may be envious

and they want to screw you,

so they can look good, so then can be the General Manager.

So we find that Quality Control, Operations, Marketing, they are actually trying to create problem for others.

So real happiness that you get is from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Then you chant and dance.

Sometimes Lord Caitanya said one feels so much bliss

that they cry, laugh.

So like this they feel very happy.

Everyone wants to feel happy.

But māyā eludes us, she kicks us that we be, will be happy in material life.

That if we have lot of sense gratification, we will happy.

But actually, that doesn’t give real happiness.

So one should use this human birth, to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

So, if you think you are the body, then this deep-rooted desire to enjoy the body will come.

But if you realize that you are not the body, then you will try to enjoy by giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa.

And by giving Kṛṣṇa pleasure we feel happier.

Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

My question is that while performing service there are three types of offences we can perform through mind, body and through actions. How can we avoid these offences so we can be engaged in devotional service of the Lord?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-04-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked me yesterday what do I do, how do I control my anger when my servants do not do what I want?

I could not remember a time when I lost my temper like that!

So, but there must have been a time long ago!

But I said that we commit so many offences to Kṛṣṇa, knowingly or unknowingly,

we want Kṛṣṇa to forgive us.

So, like that if we don’t forgive others, then how can we expect Kṛṣṇa to forgive us?

Your question, what is the root reason for your question?

If one hates another person that is an offence.

If such kind of hatred or violence is not there, then why should it be considered an offence?

This way, if we see the good qualities in others, if we praise them, then how will be commit offence?

If we are intolerant of the different qualities of people, then there is possibility of offences.

If you see an offence to Vaiṣṇavas or guru then you need to get angry.

Just like Kṛṣṇa, if you offend Him, He usually forgives you.

But if you offend His devotee, He is very angry.

Link: 20221217 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.33

Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Normally we tend to remain calm, but when provoked, our undesirable qualities manifest and we get implicated in offenses. How to avoid this?

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!

Link: 20200822 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.23

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

Now we are focusing a lot reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and also doing courses like Bhakti-vaibhava. Now we when we do these courses, it needs a good amount of time. So our preaching has reduced a bit. What will please you more?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-02

Jayapatākā Swami: What would you preach if you don’t read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

You know, we don’t say that by reading, you do not do any preaching.

But if you don’t read, what do you preach?

Would you speculate something?

It is important to read at least in the beginning.

Śrīla Prabhupāda told me that to get first initiation, I had to read the Bhagavad-gītā ten times.

Then I had these lines marked, one, two, three, four, strike. One, two, three, four, strike.

I read ten times and got my first initiation.

But by reading Bhagavad-gītā ten times I had so much knowledge of the Gītā that I was giving accredited courses in the university.

Although I was a college drop out!

And in the McGill University I gave a course but there was no credit.

So then, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us a test, I got Bhakti-śāstrī.

Recently I want to encourage my disciples, my followers, devotees in general

to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

Then the Māyāpur Institute offered me the honorary degrees,

because I had read the books so many times.

But I thought if I get honorary degree,

then that would not encourage the devotees to read.

I said, no, I will take the test.

And now I have finished the 5th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I got one more canto to go to get my Bhakti-vaibhava.

After that I will go for the Bhakti-vedānta.

Then I am very glad that I am doing that.

It is nice that if you are reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and are getting tested then you read it more carefully.

But it doesn’t mean I don’t preach.

In fact preaching is going on.

Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

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.

Link: 20240201 Evening Darśana and Question-and-answer session

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association]

One of the qualities we develop is humbleness and tolerance. Sometimes this results in others taking advantage of us. For example, at work. What should we do to avoid this?

Questioner: Śyāmavallabhā Gopī devī dāsī

Date: 2023-01-27

Jayapatākā Swami: If they are right, you know that you are able to do.

If someone is asking you to do something you think that, is not correct or which is beyond your scope, then you can say, I am sorry, but be very polite.

Humility doesn’t mean you do everything that everybody tells you!

Link: 20200217 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

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.

Link: 20220723 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18. 27-28

Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Emotions / Lust], [Anarthās]

Please enlighten me, if I face any difficulty while doing service, and it is due to our inefficiency or do we understand it in the right way? How do we understand it?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: If you get a service, take it as a blessing.

Try to do it as best you can.

If you don’t think you are doing it very well, then ask the person that gave you this service for some advice.

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Please guide us to the right method of worshipping śālagrāma.

Questioner: Tāriṇī Rādhikā devī dāsī, UK.

Date: 2022-10-04

Jayapatākā Swami: You can also learn the process

from the Māyāpur Academy on Deity Worship.

And also from the minister of Deity worship.

Śrīla Prabhupāda personally taught Jananivāsa Prabhu

how to worship the śālagrāma-śilā.

The śālagrāma should be worshiped every day.

At least bathe with water and put tulasī leaf on it.

But if you want you can also bathe with milk or pañca-gavya or pañcāmṛta.

And draw a smiling face on the śālagrāma-śilā with a tilaka.

More details you can get from the Deity Worship ministry.

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Home Deity Worship]

Prabhupāda said that we must serve the spiritual master to his exact desire. So how can develop the unalloyed service mood ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-25

You

try do that and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

always praying to the spiritual master, previous ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa,

to be able to do that, that is the principal desire in one’s life,

well by their mercy the impossible can be possible.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 19850307 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.10 - Gaura Purnima

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Should one try to make more devotees or try to absorb oneself in other devotional activities such as chanting, reading and serving Deities?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

So, the point is that there are two devotees, the bhajanānandīs and the goṣṭhyānandīs.

So, the bhajanānandīs want to see their own personal liberation.

The goṣṭhyānandīs want to take many devotees with them

back home back to Godhead.

So, our disciplic succession is goṣṭhyānandī.

We practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time we try to expand the number of devotees.

So, our business is practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we also try to outreach.

Link: 20211211 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.23

Category: [Gauḍīya History], [Gauḍīya History / ISKCON], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Some children like to do all the Kṛṣṇa conscious activities except chanting. How to handle this?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-08

Link: 20211003 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.11.28

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Sloth], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]

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!

Link: 20200601 The reaction of the Atheists and Devotees After Seeing the Saṅkīrtana

Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Emotions / Confusion]

Some people are allured by the duplicitous bābājīs and consider them guru. How to preach to these kind of people?

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.

Link: 20201118 Zoom Prabhupāda Kathā

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Apasampradāya], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Hypocrisy]

Sometimes atheists complain that God is narcissistic. As a result, He dislikes criticism and thus tries to kill and curse the atheists. Kindly clear this misconception.

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 I feel so low that I am not up to the mark. It is so overwhelming that I cannot remain enthusiastic anymore. And to endeavor to render better service. How do I deal with this conspiracy of the mind?

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.