Question: How will we educate people about Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda?
Author: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: They all know Kṛṣṇa, they know Rāma.
Then speak about Kṛṣṇa and Rāma.
Lord Caitanya said that all the time chant and worship Kṛṣṇa.
I met a person who said that he was chanting for the past 26 years the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but do not get any happiness.
Then I asked him do you chant the name of Lord Caitanya?
He said no, I am from another sampradāya.
Then I gave him the Pañca-tattva mantra—
śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
wrote it down for him.
I told him chant this mantra first and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
If you chant this way, you will get good result.
After three months I went there and saw him.
He saw me from far and came running to me.
He fell down flat and paid obeisances.
“What mantra did you give me!” he said. “I am so happy now! What mantra did you give me?”
If you live in Lucknow they don’t know anything but you have this knowledge,
then preach the names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to them.
And teach them the significance of Nitāi-Gaura.
Lord Gaurāṅga had come to Vṛndāvana, to Banaras.
And how so easily He distributed the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma.
Nitāi Gaurāṅga!
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations]
Related Questions
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga!
Chant! Hear! First thing is hear! Second thing is chant!
When you go to the Deities, everyone is praying, oh Kṛṣṇa, give me a good car, give me a good thing, this and that.
But if you pray to Kṛṣṇa, I am very insignificant I surrender to You.
Please engage me in Your service!
If you need something always connect it with Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So the man may be praying please give me a wife who is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
The woman is asking please give me a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband.
If you are going to ask anything material it should be connected to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The system is that we want new people, to send them with some old people to do some preaching.
The old people you send out to do some preaching for cultivation.
And then gradually we make someone an intern, then the trainee leader is made,
then a leader.
Like that.
So, the normal way is that each saṅga divides into two.
But now some of the saṅgas, they have a system where they divide into two or three or four.
And we want people to train up to do some cultivation
and thus they can see how they can preach.
Vaiśeṣika Prabhu, he has congregational devotees, once a month, distribute books.
He has them set up a table by some shop,
where they have permission from the shop
and once a month, they distribute books.
That is one way they can use for preaching.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
As a part of the preaching session few new devotees had questions about Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu being Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. We had shown them the scriptural references from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Garuḍa Purāṇa, etc. But they were not fully convinced. Please could you enlighten us the different ways we can try to make them understand this?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: If the person accepts the Vedic literatures as evidence,
then they could be convinced,
after lots of Vedic evidence.
But say, one does not really accept the Vedas,
then just encourage them to chant.
There are lots of evidences in the Vedas and scriptures in the world
that tell us that we should chant the names of God.
When they feel the spiritual bliss of chanting the holy name,
or if they feel some peace
then they may be more convinced.
You see, in the first canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
it mentions that if someone
engages in devotional service,
then the causeless knowledge and detachment comes.
So somehow get the people to engage in some service.
Like maybe they are doing it as a social work,
like giving out prasāda to the hungry, to the homeless,
somehow or another they do some service
which they like to do.
Have them do something they like to do.
Then, by doing that,
they get causeless knowledge and detachment.
Maybe we know we can wake someone who is asleep,
but if they are awake pretending they are asleep, you cannot wake them up.
Because they are already awake.
So you may give the knowledge that the Vedas say this,
but if the person doesn’t want to hear,
then it may not be so useful.
I had one person in Assam,
he would meditate in his closet.
He was a believer that he was God.
And in the Bhagavad-gītā in the 14th chapter, last verse it says very clearly
that the Lord is the basis of the impersonal Brahman.
But he could not accept.
But then he liked to do service.
So we engaged him in service.
After a few years, he said you know I am beginning to understand devotional service.
So think of trying to convince someone,
if they have a short circuit in their brain,
they cannot understand,
then just engage them to do some service.
As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee
and being personally there as an āveśa
is different from preaching.
Definitely you can preach.
Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.
The śāstra says
that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,
if He wants to.
It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,
but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.
You can preach anyway.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee
and being personally there as an āveśa
is different from preaching.
Definitely you can preach.
Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.
The śāstra says
that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,
if He wants to.
It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,
but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.
You can preach anyway.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda never asked,
that we have to reject our previous culture.
I was born in a Christian family.
Śrīla Prabhupāda never said to reject Christianity.
Lord Jesus,
He gave ten commandments,
and the first commandment is
“love God”.
But how to do that?
That is bhakti-yoga.
The nine processes – chanting, remembering, serving, etc.
we have a process how to develop love of Godhead.
You can tell the Christians,
that if you really want to follow Lord Jesus,
do bhakti-yoga.
Lord Caitanya personally taught from the Quran in the Antya-līlā.
He said Allah is a person.
He is impersonal and personal, both.
He established that.
And many Muslims accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings.
He has qualities like Allah is very merciful, He is just,
we cannot say or think like a light bulb being very merciful!!Being loving etc.
these are all personal qualities.
We can present to the Muslims and Christians that actually by practicing bhakti-yoga,
they can actually achieve the purpose of their śāstra, their religion.
I used to give class in some churches.
I found them very receptive.
So we just need to know how to preach.
We respect.
We can also preach to the Christians in the church.
Recently I heard how one devotee, he was giving class in the mosque in the Madrasa.
He showed them in the Bhagavad-gītā
it never says the word Hindu.
That this book is for everyone.
For Christians, for Muslims, for everyone.
And I was amazed, because we don’t advertise this,
because the fanatic Muslims, they don’t like this.
But actually, you can reach out to them.
And there are many people who have any faith,
so we can also reach out to them.
So using this lockdown period,
on internet, you can teach Bhagavad-gītā.
In Kerala, a state in South India, which is also one third Christians, one third Muslims, one third Hindus,
they advertised Bhagavad-gītā class for beginners and 500 people joined.
So, anyway we have to go on with our preaching.
We respect all the religions.
By presenting Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this universal way,
naturally people may be attracted.
Because youth are here, I would like to ask you this question. You are the pioneer of the ISKCON movement after Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave you Māyāpur and asked you to develop it and run the movement. What is your advice to the youth for the future of ISKCON? How do you want to see the youth taking on the responsibilities of ISKCON? Right now they are not fully connected – they are enjoying the kīrtana, they are enjoying the prasāda, they are enjoying the association, they are enjoying Kṛṣṇa’s friendship. But responsibility-wise how do you see the youth taking part in ISKCON?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I joined when I was 19 years old.
At that time, I visited all the ISKCON temples in the world, all three!
San Francisco, New York and Montreal.
Now I cannot say the same thing.
But I thought I would please my parents because I was becoming a devotee and giving up all bad habits and things.
But when I called my father, he told me, you come back immediately or I will send you to the Army to die in Vietnam.
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”
He said, “Well, better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army!”
Of course, they don’t have the draft now in America,
but I am still part of Kṛṣṇa’s army!
So I felt so indebted to Śrīla Prabhupāda
that he gave me so much
that I can never pay him back.
But I am trying to do that by carrying out all the instructions he gave me.
So like that, actually, the youth can achieve anything - sky is the limit, if they want.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying in 1973, he asked his gṛhastha followers to become paramahaṁsas.
We know that the sannyāsī, the high level is paramahaṁsa.
But he was saying that he wanted his gṛhasthas to be paramahaṁsas.
And he said we also need a lot of ācāryas.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a gṛhastha, he was the father of my (Śrīla Prabhupāda’s) guru,
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
So he asked all the gṛhasthas to be ācāryas or gurus.
And that is why I am encouraging that everyone read Śrīla Prabhupāda books.
And get the different degrees – actually I met a young girl, she is 25 years old or something
in the place next to Bengaluru, Hosur.
She already had her Bhakti-vedānta degree
and she was going for Bhakti-Sārvabhauma!
For young people it is very easy,
they don’t have other things to do.
Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me to be a guru when I was like 28.
So I want to see lots of young gurus.
But they have to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books,
they have to know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
You see here, a lot of our ladies are doctors, in India, 70% of the Justices are ladies.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying it is a matter of training.
If people are trained in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then they can spread it like anything.
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 2. Because the people of Kali-yuga are very fallen,
therefore sometimes it is difficult for them to chant.
But we should understand that by chanting,
we can achieve all perfection.
So, we should chant, and thus become fortunate.
And just take it that, if we find difficulty in chanting,
it is because of our being very fallen.
So, pray for the mercy of the Pañca-tattva,
our gurudeva,
guru-paramparā,
and thus we can achieve the mercy of the Lord,
and chant His holy name.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-26
Jayapatākā Swami: In Pāṇihāti they were doing kīrtana for many, many days.
And thus they started to manifest super powers;
One devotee went to the top of a tree and started jumping from tree to tree like a balloon.
Another devotee uprooted a tree and started dancing with it.
A whole big tree, he danced.
One devotee took a 60 foot long bamboo, held it on one side and played it like a flute.
It is very hard though with so much weight.
Rāghava Paṇḍita said, this way I will not have any trees left!
Please move your kīrtana on!
I won’t be able to offer you any sabzis, any trees, if all are uprooted.
Lord Caitanya gradually headed from Pāṇihāti to Korda and different places and in this way throughout Bengal His saṅkīrtana went on day and night.
Could you please help us in genuinely inspiring others? I face challenge in getting my audience to follow what we try to teach in line with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. It requires a number of times’ repetition and if we say it again and again, they think, "Oh, I have heard this." But they don't follow. How to convince them?
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
So like that if people you say one way and they are not accepting,
then repeating it again and again it did not produce the result even when we said once.
Then you have to think what is a new way.
Like, recently I went to some program
for the children.
They said Puruṣottama month challenge.
They had different children who participated.
So in this way, sometimes by challenge, some debate, we use different tactics.
So just like some wives if the husbands were not Kṛṣṇa conscious,
would tell them, dear husband, please help me understand this verse?
Because the man may be very macho, puffed up!
So the lady using her female intelligence
she may understand the verse,
but she tells the husband, can you help me understand this?
He says, well, I am a man, so he looks at the book. So she tricks him to read the book.
So what tricks you use to get people to chant, to read,
that is something that you have to think a bit out of the box.
Questioner: Lokapālikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita is Nārada muni in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes,
and we can see that he has exceptional qualities of devotion,
and in the Pañca-tattva mantra we say śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda – Śrīvāsa and all other devotees of Lord Gaurāṅga.
So, Śrīvāsa is the chief devotee.
There were so many devotees of Lord Gaurāṅga,
of them, the chief is Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita,
but there are so many devotees
and some of them are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta,
in the Ādi-līlā,
Thank you Lokapālikā devī dāsī.
Category: [Gauḍīya History], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Since Caitanya came down, He descended as an avatāra, the way to reach Caitanya avatāra is through Lord Nityānanda.
So, in that sense, Lord Nityānanda is the original spiritual master.
If we want worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, we need the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
The guru on this planet is described as the mercy avatāra of Lord Nityānanda.
So, he represents the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
So, since the guru is very merciful to his disciples, Lord Nityānanda is the original guru, He is very merciful to everyone.
Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Well if they accept Him with respect at least they will be not guilty of the greatest offences,then they will be able to advance something.
From that the point is of course Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mood was always as a devotee.
Sometimes He fell into this kind of, entered into His Kṛṣṇa mood,
at that time in His own humor, He would have these unusual pastimes.
But that didn’t happen very often, it was very rare.
But just like they are singing out the thousand names of Viṣṇu, when He heard the name of Nṛsinghadeva,
He just got into the mood of Nṛsingha at that moment and He forgot His devotional mood.
Sometimes He was worshipped by Advaita Gosāñī.
When Advaita could see that He was in that mood, other times when Advaita tried to touch His feet, He ran, He said, “No no, you are the senior brāhmaṇa”.
So actually, I get absorbed.
There was a resolution that we should start this year reading from the Caitanya Caritāmṛta for some time every day.
Actually, I just wanted to start to hear.
So that thing as the great one point that Lord Caitanya, He never would allow Himself to be glorified like that.
But on two or three occasions, due to falling in some transcendental ecstasy in that particular mood,
the devotees could actually see that aspect of Lord Caitanya revealed.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
This is a very interesting question.
Now selling books is an economic issue that you are giving some money for the book.
If you use the money for your own sense gratification, but then selling the books,
well, some kind of reciprocation may be there. If you give out a book freely then,
the person takes the book and throws it, you are responsible.
If the person bought the book and then he throws it or whatever he does,
that is not your responsibility, that is his, he has bought the book.
So at the same time, like devotees if they are working under some system
like the management tells them, you deposit the money, you can take so much per cent
or if are working under a system authorized by the temple,
and then it is considered that they are working for Kṛṣṇa and then Kṛṣṇa takes the responsibility.
So if the saṅkīrtana devotees have some agreement with the temple,
so as such they should not be responsible. They are considered to be working directly under Kṛṣṇa.
Of course, if they just try to buy and sell,
because they are selling the books it is not so much an issue of karma, I mean as I mentioned earlier,
at the same time something may be there. Because they are doing on their own behalf.
But if they are doing on behalf of the temple
and the temple says you can draw your maintenance or take some percent
then it is considered working under Kṛṣṇa directly. So if they are working for themselves i.e. buying and selling,
then it is a issue that we have to look into.
Generally selling things is not bring karma; any way it shouldn’t be a problem.
If you are working for Kṛṣṇa, you are doing it as a devotional service, so it is not an issue at all.
If you are doing it for your own for making money it is not also an issue because
selling things usually does not attract karma; except the karma
if it is some meat or drug or [such thing], then obviously there is karma.
But for selling books there is no karma. So that is transcendental books,
rather they will get the good reaction. So I don’t see in either case as a karma
except if you give out books free and you don’t know [inaudible word] the people,
if they misuse the book, then you may have to accept some karma.
On the other hand, if they… Just like Prabhupāda was saying that
we shouldn’t give out japa mālās for free. We should… Some ladies, some people
in India, like to give out japa mālā. But in doing so, as a guru, we give to our disciples;
we are taking their karma anyway. So if someone gives out japa-mālā and they
commit some offense on that mālā, then you have to take the karma.
So we get some token little donation, something sell it for even one cent or
it doesn’t matter. Just in fact they took for some price and then
then we are not responsible for their karma. In the same way Prabhupāda said
if you give a tulasī seed there is no karma.
Whether they plant the seed and then.... But if you give a plant
and they mistreat the [tulasī] plant, then you are responsible.
So, I don’t know if you particularly ask about books except if the book is given free,
I heard that question. So, I don’t think you have to worry about karma
rather you are doing it as a service to Kṛṣṇa, this is Lord Caitanya’s order,
so you carrying out His order. Why would you be responsible for their karma?
It is Lord Caitanya’s order. In the same way we chant also Pañca-tattva mantra
before we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So, you are working on behalf of Lord Caitanya.
He said to distribute the teaching of Kṛṣṇa, so that is what you are doing?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Hm. I know that Lord Caitanya only comes after Lord Kṛṣṇa. But I don’t know
for certain that He comes every time after Lord Kṛṣṇa comes.
Not certain about that. I heard that, on contrary, that Lord Caitanya’s
coming is more rare than Lord Kṛṣṇa’s coming, but
I haven’t seen it actually or directly heard it from Prabhupāda.
Except that I heard directly that He only comes after Lord Kṛṣṇa comes.
But you can see Lord Caitanya now, if He reveals Himself to the devotee. But then in, you know,
proclaimed way, everyone can see Him, He only comes after Lord Kṛṣṇa comes.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Few days ago in your class you explained about the different separation ecstasies of Lord Caitanya for Kṛṣṇa. Can we experience these eight transcendental symptoms of separation from Lord Gaurāṅga as He is the Supreme Lord, or only in love of directly from Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, can these moods of symptoms be experienced? Please enlighten us.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: One can also experience separation from Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda, etc.
And even you can experience separation from devotees.
Separation is possible.
When Śrīla Prabhupāda would leave, some devotees would feel separation at Śrīla Prabhupāda’s departure
and others would be chanting and smiling.
Later when Śrīla Prabhupāda saw the video he pointed out that devotees who were laughing at the departure of Śrīla Prabhupāda,
they were not as advanced as those who were experiencing separation.
Category: [Emotions / Happiness], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya-Maṅgala it says, that Nārada Muni went to Goloka Vṛndāvana to invite Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu to come.
There, Caitanyadeva said, ok, I will go.
But you go and tell Balarāma to come as well.
Balarāma came ten years before
and this way Balarāma came as Nityānanda.
Revatī and Vāruṇī came as Jāhnavā Devī and Vasudhā.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-26
Jayapatākā Swami: I explained this in Bengali in the morning, you were there?
Lord Nityānanda, He was in Vṛndāvana and He realized that Lord Caitanya had started the saṅkīrtana movement.
So He took Sridāma and Abhirāma Ṭhākura and they went to Navadvīpa.
They stayed in the Nandanācārya temple.
Then, Lord Caitanya had sent his devotees out but nobody could find Lord Nityānanda.
Then Lord Caitanya said, were you looking for Lord Nityānanda?
They said, yes.
He said, no wonder you could not find Him.
You cannot find the Lord by looking for Him, He has to reveal Himself to you.
So if you want to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has to reveal Himself to you.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we should try to do such service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, then they would want to meet us.
So anyway, Lord Caitanya told the devotees that I can find Him, you cannot find Him.
I can find Him.
So next morning they went out in kīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.
So Lord Nityānanda, He heard the kīrtana and His hairs stood on end and He stood up.
And then Lord Caitanya entered into the courtyard of Nandanācārya
and then He saw Lord Nityānanda! Nitāi!
And then Lord Nityānanda saw Gaurāṇga and said,
Gauuuuranga!
Nityānanda!
Gaurāṇga!
Nityānanda!
Gaurāṇga!
Nityānanda!
Gaurāṇga!
And then They came and embraced each other.
All the devotees were Haribol! Haribol!
Nitai-Gaura Haribol!
Haribol!
Hari Hari Hari Hari bol!
Nitāi! Nitāi! Nitāi!
Gaura! Gaura! Gaura!
Nitāi-Gaura!
Nitāi-Gaura!
Nitāi! Nitāi!
Gaura! Gaura!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-26
Jayapatākā Swami: This was Nityānanda’s mercy, which has no limits.
And Jagāi and Mādhāi said that Ajāmila was a sinner
but he chanted the names of Nārāyaṇa, calling out his son.
But we have no good quality, as much hair as we have on our head, we have committed that many sins, even more!
So much we have sinned, but we got liberated by Nitāi-Gaura! They are the most merciful!
THEY ARE THE MOST MERCIFUL!
NITĀI GAURĀṆGA! NITĀI GAURĀṆGA! NITAI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know why you are asking me?
Anyway, read the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and see what please Gaura-Nitāi!
If you do that, certainly you will please Gaura-Nitāi!
And onetime Lord Caitanya after taking sannyāsa He came back to Bengal.
And He visited the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.
He said, “You don’t go out, how do you maintain your family?”
Śrīvāsa clapped his hands three times and said, “I use this system.”
Lord Caitanya said, “What is that?”
“If one day we don’t have enough prasāda to eat, I clap my hands three times.
Then I will go to the Ganges and drown myself.”
Lord Caitanya said, “Even if Lakṣmī has to go begging door to door, you will never have shortage of prasāda in your house!”
Śrīvāsa had the faith that as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will provide.
But he constantly did devotional service.
We cannot imitate Śrīvāsa, he was a great devotee.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-23
Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.
When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.
If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,
whatever he does, including preaching.
If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,
awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,
in that case they become very serious preachers,
by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,
and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,
and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,
to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.
In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.
sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -
Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,
spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.
So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,
it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean
that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.
So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,
is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.
That… that for us we want to help everyone.
Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.
So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.
Like feeding their hunger.
But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.
Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,
some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.
Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.
But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,
wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.
Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: If people are answering and accepting your preaching, and becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious,
then we think our preaching is going well.
How can we appear humble when we have received a little bit of mercy by the Lord? Because of this mercy, we are having the great desire of giving to others this message and we are trying to show boldness and some enthusiasm, so sometimes people take this enthusiasm for pride. So how can we appear to be more humble in front of them?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-09-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When you put the butter on the fire and then keep it on the heat,
then as it stays simmering in the heat, automatically the impurities come off to the top.
The more that you go on giving the mercy out, then naturally Kṛṣṇa gives the spiritual intelligence.
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
(Bg. 10.10)
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
(Bg. 10.10)
He gives intelligence how to advance in the devotional service.
There are some people who, they’ll will always find criticisms against the devotees;
those are the people who don’t get Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy.
The other thing is that we should remain humble.
Because even if we may have a drop of mercy,
that mercy is only by the mercy of Guru and Kṛṣṇa, and we have yet so much further to go.
So, when we realize how much further we must still progress on the path, then how can we help but be humble?
We may feel little enthusiasm after serving, but that enthusiasm is simply the first step.
Beyond that there is so much higher realizations that we still must achieve.
Questioner: Rasapriyā Gopīkā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he was praying that,
he wants to fall at the lotus feet of Śrīvāsa
and beg him for that mercy.
So, we can follow the example of our previous ācāryas,
and we should surrender at the lotus feet, we should pray for the mercy of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura,
and our previous ācāryas,
for this special mercy.
Śrīla Prabhupāda
has given us this opportunity,
to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
Actually, this is incomparable,
and people who give up their service,
it is very unfortunate.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Him or worship Him,
and the spiritual master is considered as His dear servitor,
so by following a Vaiṣṇava, spiritual master, who is surrendered to Nityānanda prabhu,
one can get His mercy!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-01-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see how this ācārya, he only wants to take the shelter of Lord Caitanya.
He realizes that Lord Caitanya, He gives one blessings to see things from the eyes of Lord Caitanya.
That if we want to see things from a sāttvika mood, we need the mercy of Lord Caitanya.
You see in the earlier verses, it said how people they hope to reach Kṛṣṇa by sādhana-bhakti and so on.
But he said they can try, but I simply depend on the mercy of Lord Caitanya.
If we have that mood that we want the mercy of Lord Caitanya, then it is possible.
What do you think?
Gaurāṅga!
Nityānanda!
Haribol!
Last question.
If we understand how Lord Caitanya, He is the most merciful,
He doesn’t see if you are qualified or not,
He gives out freely love of Kṛṣṇa to everyone.
So therefore, we want to take shelter of Lord Gaurāṅga!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
Jayapatākā Swami: I think that we should not think that we will ever have the same love that Gadādhara Paṇḍita had for Lord Caitanya.
If we can have a drop of his love,
that would be something to aspire for.
And by following the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda and other pure devotees,
it is possible to achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya.
It says by hearing these pastimes,
one will get the shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet
very soon.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,
that in itself would be very inspiring.
Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video
of how they were chanting and dancing…
very nice!
And I think..
the way to inspire more people to chant
is to chant yourself.
Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa
and inspiring other people to join in.
I saw in New Orleans,
before the Mardi Gras,
Mardi Gras.
Christians
went.. and they had signs...
"TURN OR BURN!".
Such were the signs.
"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".
I did not see anyone joining in.
But when we went with our kīrtana,
people were buying roses and throwing at our feet
Some people
joined with the kīrtana.
So they see, they like..
how we were performing, singing and dancing.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Māyāpureśvarī Lakṣmīpriyā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: First of all, we want to reach all the people,
and how all the people with learning difficulties
can access,
that is something which people will ascertain.
We have seen that
some children with Down’s syndrome,
they have become very Kṛṣṇa conscious.
And I cannot particularly speak for all those with learning difficulties.
But those who have some experience,
they can say.
Of course, there are many people
without any difficulties,
and how to help them
to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
that is our priority in one sense.
But then, they also have special learning difficulties,
how they could be taken out
is a separate thing.
Mahā Varāha dāsa: There is one mātājī, Anuttama mātājī, in Chennai who preaches to the deaf people.
There are a group of devotees in Chennai and Mumbai who are preaching.
They use sign language and preach to these people who have such difficulties.
We will share her contact with you and you can communicate with her.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: That is what we are doing.
At least they are your relatives, they listen to you.
And you could see what works.
Flattery
or heart to heart talk.
This time there is a pandemic in the world,
people are dying,
people are getting sick.
Maybe you have some relative who got sick.
So it is an opportunity to explain
that while we do our material work,
we have to do some sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa.
Because if we don’t
that is why all this pandemic is there.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: As far as I know, all the temples in Bengaluru are into preaching.
They seem to be expanding the preaching in various ways.
I don’t know particularly, maybe some temple need particular devotees to do particular service.
But frees other devotees to do a lot of preaching.
I don’t know if you talked to your local president.
Ask how you could at least some time be engage in preaching.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: By not making them do a lot of sacrifice.
Let them do what they like to do
for Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When I went to Jagannātha Purī,
I met one pāṇḍa there
who was expert in Caitanya philosophy.
He said that those who are devotees of Lord Caitanya,
they simultaneously can be part of caitanya-līlā and kṛṣṇa-līlā.
We asked how do we do that?
That is the specialty of caitanya-līlā.
That simultaneously
one can participate in gaura-līlā and Rādhā Kṛṣṇa-līlā,
at the same time.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Offense.. is a spiritual thing.
While preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness why would you offend new people ?
We should not refer to anyone
depending on their gender, race.. or color,
anything material.
but encourage people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: See, we are not attached to winning or losing.
Rather, our system is that we offer respect to others
and we don’t expect any respect for ourselves.
So, like one of Lord Caitanya’s associates, he spoke to a Kazi, a Muslim magistrate.
He said, “You are very handsome, you are very powerful, rich, intelligent.”
Like that.
“I just want to ask you one thing?
Is it alright?”
He said, “Go ahead!”
He said, “Please forget all this
because when you die all this is gone.
Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!”
The Kazi said, “I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.”
That associate said, “Haribol! Haribol!
You just said it!
Don’t stop now!
Haribol! Haribol!”
If you try, you can figure out what is the best way of doing it.
And that you are trying Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased that this devotee is trying.
So we want to say things that are favorable,
which will help the person to listen.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said prāṇa haite jāra, sei hetu pracāra.
So if your spiritual life is there, then you will be automatically cultivating your spiritual life.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Be a friend of Kṛṣṇa!
Many are friends in Vṛndāvana, Arjuna was also a friend.
Uddhava was a friend.
So, one can be a friend by following the footsteps of the friend.
Are you ready?
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: In the time, place and circumstance,
what is your goal?
In the marketplace, what do you want to do?
If you can get people to buy a book,
then they will read it for hours and hours.
Then they will have some understanding.
What will you speak in the market?
Some place you may want to distribute the books.
You have to see the circumstance, what is the best way of preaching.
Questioner: —Susevinī Guru Gaurāṅga devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, or Paramātmā,
the Christians know as the Holy Ghost.
So, one is actually talking through the Paramātmā in the heart of the living entity and to the Spirit Soul.
So with the help of the Paramātmā we want to help the jīva to get out his illusion.
The word preaching has kind of a negative connotation.
The word in Sanskrit or Bengali is pracāra,
pracāra means to glorify the Lord and the process of His devotional service.
It means how to encourage someone to take up devotional service.
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura said that there is no scarcity in the material world,
only scarcity is devotional service.
Everywhere you see this scarcity.
People work so hard to win some athletic competition,
they work so hard to get some academic degree,
they work very hard to get a raise.
But actually even if a little effort they give to serve Kṛṣṇa,
they would actually be able to perfect their lives.
Who remembers the one athletic event five years ago?
And some people leave and some people break their bones and die,
but if we render some devotional service we never lose the result,
it stays with us life after life.
But all the things we achieve in this material world, the material things we achieve this life we leave behind us.
Say we earn millions of dollars;
we cannot take one paisa to the next birth or one cent.
But any devotional service you do,it stays to your credit.
If you have enough credit, you leave this material world
and go back to the spiritual world where you can serve the Lord constantly,
where there is no birth, death, old age or disease. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: While balancing all these things,
there is not much time for māyā.
So that is very good,
and you need two hours or so at one point
every day to chant your 16 rounds.
With some experience you can do a little faster.
Then you have to read every day something,
of Śrīla Prabhupāda books.
The other activities,
the material activities
and cultivating the Bhakti-vṛkṣa members,
that will keep you out of māyā.
And so it is a very nice activity,
that you are taking so much responsibilities.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
I am an assistant professor of psychology and a counseling psychologist. In this lockdown period I have been attending classes by Sukṛtī mātājī and Amarendra prabhu. And I have also started taking classes for a bunch of middle aged people older than me. Request you Guru Mahārāja to kindly bless me so that they also feel inspired to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I can also do more preaching services and progress in my Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: So you are an assistant professor, you have a Master’s degree or PhD.
The Supreme Court was saying that more people may die from the fear of the corona virus.
So psychologists are very important.
For counseling they said, they should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz
and have counseling.
So you could help us also.
I am from Punjab in North India, there is a culture and tradition like there are events like doing Rāmāyaṇa-paṭha, invite devotees and host a Bhāgavatam, invite someone who translates Bhāgavatam and do it for seven days, do the Bhāgavata-saptāha. For Rāmāyaṇa it is the Rāmacarita-manasa, these kinds of events are very popular. Is it okay for me to promote such cultural events here as a Bhakti-vṛkṣa leader?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: In India, we don’t do Bhāgavata-saptāha,
we call it Bhāgavata-kathā or something else.
Usually Bhāgavata-saptāha, some professional does it.
Actually, I mean Parīkṣit Mahārāja he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all twelve cantos day and night without eating or sleeping.
And so, we listen for an hour or two, usually they talk about rasa-līlā or something,
but we may take any part of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
If you do it in that way, it is alright.
Call it Bhāgavata-kathā or something.
That may last seven days.
So we have different devotees who are expert at speaking.
The Rāmacarita-manasa, some of the verses are somewhat impersonal.
The Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa is better.
And one devotee is translating the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Vidvāna Gaurāṅga dāsa.
So the original Rāmāyaṇa done by Vālmīki is authorized.
I am not able to feel genuine connection with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. My question is how can one develop genuine connection with Mahāprabhu? How can develop a natural inclination to hear about the pastimes of Lord Gaurahari and take pleasure in hearing and reading about Him? Mahārāja, I humbly beg for your blessings so that I can build loving devotional relationship with Lord Mahāprabhu?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are the most esoteric.
So just like we have the Bhakti-śāstrī,
Bhakti-vaibhava,
Bhakti-vedānta –
these are all Gītā and Bhāgavata.
Then we have the Vaiṣṇava-Sārvabhauma
which is Lord Caitanya.
Actually, Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are the most esoteric.
But we can also appreciate the first pastimes of Lord Caitanya.
So He starts out chanting and assuming different roles
and then at the end of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta He is experiencing ecstasy.
It takes time to understand Lord Caitanya.
It is very difficult,
and one should understand Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā and then they can understand Lord Caitanya.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Questioner: Purabi Das
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, if we take water used by non-devotees,
then that may compromise our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
At the same time, if people and devotees take water from us, which we offer to Kṛṣṇa, they get blessings.
So maybe in this situation, you take two bottles.
One for the staff
and one for yourself.
And we would like to give non-devotees kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Day-to-day Life / Workplace]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-02
Jayapataka Swami: I don’t have any love!
But the more you hear about Lord Caitanya, you have to be very stonehearted if you do not have any love for Him!
Maybe after more than fifty years in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, my stone heart has softened a bit, by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy!
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, the point we should only say what we have understood or heard.
We don’t speculate.
For instance, if someone asks a question,
we don’t know the answer,
we speculate and say something.
That is the not the way.
Better to say, I will find out the answer.
You can ask Rādhe Śyāma or read the book.
Then you will know the answer, you will go and say, I am ready now! I am ready! I AM READY! Let them come and ask any question!
I was distributing books and people would ask me questions.
Sometimes I did not know the answers.
So I told them, wait, I will tell you tomorrow.
I would ask Śrīla Prabhupāda or some senior devotee
and then I would go back and say I am ready.
You said, you are being guided by Rādhe Śyāma so that is very good!
The point is that it is not that you should not preach.But you should not speculate.
You should say what you have heard.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you read, it should stay in your mind.
So, I don’t know why it doesn’t stay in your mind.
You can read a little bit
and say that
if something that doesn’t stay in your mind, you can tell them that you will read and tell them later.
So then you can read again,
refresh your mind
and use it.
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
If you use it, then naturally you can keep it.
Do you take cow’s milk?
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue.
And that way your enthusiasm will return.
This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name.
I wanted to understand some of the tactics to engage the people in devotional service. We just received the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets during the pandemic time. But our temple is closed down and we cannot invite people to visit the temple. So what are some other ways we can help them to connect to Kṛṣṇa?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see since people are restricted from coming to the temple,
we have been finding that using the internet is a very good way!
At present time, there is a three-day Nāmahaṭṭa sammelan
and I heard that yesterday morning 18,000 links were accessed in the morning
and in the evening it was 25,000.
Each link may have many people.
Similarly, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, they had the Bhagavad-gītā Made Easy class –
18 days, 18 chapters.
9,000 people joined up.
I told this to Mangaluru
and they also started a program.
They did not have money to buy the Zoom account.
They got from Microsoft Meeting
25 free programs,
each one has about 275 capacities.
Like that they had 10 to 11 thousand people each time.
And they have done it three times.
By using Zoom, internet,
it is possible to reach out to many people.
People seem to be more eager for spiritual life now than ever before!
There are experts, you can ask the SPT GBCs some ideas about this.
We have Śabda Hari dāsa in Chennai, he is an expert on social media
and he gives classes
over the internet,
how to use this social media platform for preaching.
I think that Houston could definitely do a lot of preaching.
I don’t know if you are on Māyāpur TV or not.
But in that way you will be accessible all over the world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He spreads the Harināma.
And He gives His mercy very freely.
So when He doesn’t come, it is not easy.
While He just appeared 500 years ago,
we should take the advantage and get His mercy.
Haribol!
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-06-03
Jayapatākā Swami: There is a saying in Bengali - Big big monkeys, big big stomachs…
Hanumān was very strong.
He went to South India and went to Laṅka from there.
We desire that I should be able to jump like Hanumān.
But we are not able to.
We have big, big stomach that is why we cannot jump.
Our desire is that we should do a lot of things.
But if do devotional service then everything will be good.
That we are not able to do maybe.
Here we have Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān Deities.
And we have Śrīnāthajī and Rādhā Govindajī as well.
This way we want to serve Lord Rāmacandrajī and Śrīnāthajī.
Haribol!
Nitāi Gaura!
With the mercy of Nitāi Gaura we get the mercy of Lord Rāmacandra and Śrīnāthajī.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
That is why we want you to read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
I heard that one lady was principal of a college, she took the Bhakti-śāstri degree.
Anyway, if you repeat what you heard in the class,
you distribute books, by reading your books you can understand.
Even new devotees, they distribute books.
So this is how one can preach even if they are not particularly knowledgeable.
Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting.
In other words, you are saying we have false ego.
We think we don’t have any faults.
But the associates of Lord Caitanya,
always think, it must be because of some faults they did.
So, we should follow in their example.
Don’t blame others,
see yourself first.
What mistake you made,
“Not me! It was he!”
The associates of Lord Caitanya are teaching by their good example,
because of their good qualities,
Lord Caitanya’s heart melted.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 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.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Sādhanā], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see when I was a new devotee,
I visited every temple in ISKCON.
San Francisco, New York and Montreal!
Three!
And there were no other devotees in these temples, nearby.
But right now, we have about 800 temples, more or less.
And there is this one temple I know, mostly there are no other devotees.
In India, we have one place we have a few temples
but in other countries you don’t see.
Of course, in some places, there is the Gauḍīya Maṭha and other devotees.
It is alright.
They are making devotees around the world is good.
But it is very rare, most they are ISKCON devotees.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Since we understand that everyone is a part of Kṛṣṇa,
then if we love Kṛṣṇa
naturally all the parts of Kṛṣṇa you love.
Say, you love your father,
you love his fingers, everything.
You don’t want him to lose his finger.
Similarly, all the living entities are part of Kṛṣṇa
but those who are not devotees, they are like diseased parts.
They don’t really work just like my right hand
since my stroke by right hand is not paralyzed but paresis.
It doesn’t really do what I want to do.
Shakes around!
So, like that, the conditioned souls of non-devotees are like diseased limbs.
But they are also suffering.
The Vaisṇavas are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.
We feel sad to see others suffering.
We know that they could be happy if they become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Naturally, Prahlāda Mahārāja was very compassionate, he was thinking about all the others.
He was not asking for himself.
Actually, Kṛṣṇa gives His devotees everything he needs.
But the devotee cares that the fallen souls should also be delivered.
So, now we are on the eve of Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī,
that is tomorrow.
Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was always remembering Kṛṣṇa,
therefore he was always protected by Kṛṣṇa.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura was praying,
that I am not able to remember Kṛṣṇa always,
so please have mercy on me that I can always remember You.
The devotee wants to have the mercy of the Lord.
And also feels, like actually, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said he cannot remember Kṛṣṇa,
but no one believes that!
He chants 300,000 rounds a day!
What we chant in one year, he chants in one month!
So, he would be beaten in 22 market places
and he was praying for the executioners
who were beating him
that they may be forgiven.
They don’t know what they do.
So Kṛṣṇa Caitanya said that he came down with His Sudarśana Cakra
to kill them,
but then Haridāsa Ṭhākura was praying for them!
So He could not kill them.
What did He do?
He took all the hits on His own back
to protect His devotee!
So the more we know about how Lord Caitanya is how merciful the great devotees are,
we would also like to follow their footsteps.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he prayed if I can ask for one blessing,
Lord Caitanya said anything, anything you can ask.
ANYTHING!
What would you do if you could ask the Lord ANYTHING?
And what was the thing that Haridāsa Ṭhākura asked?
I want the remnants of Vaiṣṇavas! Ha! Ha!
Could you believe this! He asked for the remnants of the Vaiṣṇavas! Ha! Ha!
Because Kṛṣṇa said, the dust of the devotees’ feet,
the water that washes the devotees’ feet
and the remnants of their prasāda
are very powerful to give love of Kṛṣṇa.
So Haridāsa Ṭhākura asked for the remnants of the Vaiṣṇavas.
How great is Haridāsa Ṭhākura!
That the Lord embraced him!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: Rukmiṇī told Kṛṣṇa, "You know what is going in Brahmaloka,
You know what is going on in Kailasa,
you know what is going on in the ananta-koṭi-brahmāṇḍa, unlimited millions of universes,
but there is one thing You don’t know,
I know, Rādhārāṇī knows,
You don’t know."
No one ever said that to Him,
there was something He did not know.
Incredible!
So He asked what is that.
And Rukmiṇī said, You don’t know what the devotees feel for You, and how much we feel for You.
Then Kṛṣṇa thought I will come as My devotee, I will come as My devotee. I will come as My devotee.
He said that three times.
That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Such things that Lord Caitanya exhibited.
In India once in Māyāpur, I had very high fever in 1972 or ‘73
I was feeling pain in my body.
I was listening to Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture in Vṛndāvana on the Nectar of Devotion,
and I was feeling happiness.
So physically I was feeling pain
but my consciousness was very happy.
That may be an example
of how Lord Caitanya was feeling lamentation and jubilation.
Of course I was very happy to hear Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture.
So the consciousness, the living force was very happy.
But I realized that my consciousness was not the same as my body.
But most people do not have any consciousness of Krsna.
I don’t know, I don’t think does anyone know?
All of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes, the author is saying I cannot write properly.
I think there is no example in the material world where someone is experiencing lamentation and jubilation at the same time.
Actually to be satisfied even in lamentation.
You are lamenting, let me give you an ice cream, or something.
Category: [Emotions / Happiness], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Supriyā Jāhnavā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: It shows that Lord Caitanya is more merciful than Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Although He is Kṛṣṇa, but He has Rādhārāṇī’s heart,
so He is more merciful.
One who is not initiated,
He also said, He does not accept their offence.
So, if you are initiated,
it is a two-edged sword.
If you follow strictly, you get the Lord’s mercy,
if you don’t follow,
then He may take offence.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Mercy], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Gaurāṅga Priyā devī dāsī
Date: 2023-12-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya knows what this world is like.
If you attempt to offer your heart to Lord Gaurāṅga,
He will accept it.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Śānta Gopī Mātājī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya comes after Kṛṣṇa, sometimes.
And Kṛṣṇa comes once in a day of Brahmā,
in the 27th Dvāpara-yuga,
and sometimes Lord Caitanya comes after Him in the next Kali-yuga.
So the four yugas are 4 million 320 thousand years
and Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Kali-yuga are 4, 3, 2, 1 [in that ratio].
So Kali-yuga is one tenth of the other yugas.
So that that is why Kali-yuga is 432,000 years
and we have already been through 5,000 years
and now we have 427,000 years left.
What is the yuga-dharma of the next yuga,
that will be revealed in the various śāstras.
But even if it is Harināma,
some other avatāra of the Lord will initiate this.
In Satya-yuga there was meditation, Tretā-yuga there was yajña and in Dvāpara-yuga there is temple worship.
So that is still 4 million years to the next Kali-yuga.
So you can tell me what is the next yuga-dharma.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya, He would give out mercy which was otherwise very hard to come by.
Actually for the Lord to kill some demon or lift up the earth considering that He has unlimited strength, it is not such a wonderful thing.
But giving conditioned souls pure love of Kṛṣṇa, that is really something wonderful!
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-11-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lack of understanding.
Uttarā, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child?
She knew that this was her responsibility.
She saw the connection between her and the child.
The child was given to her by the husband.
It was her ward, she had responsible.
Because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness.
Selfish means not the real self-interest, but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments.
It won't actually seize the connection.
The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver.
He’s given them.
They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could commit suicide and leave our body.
Why live in this world without our spiritual master?
Or why be somewhere without him?
We can just go wherever he is, you see.
We have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us.
If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help with being enthusiastic to go out, and preach up to our full capacity?
We don't see that connection.
If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard?
We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to get either heavenly planets or to get Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation.
Somehow or another we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead.
So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition.
Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.
That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service.
This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come?
It must come.
Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā and therefore we become, disturbed in our mind.
Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva 'sānta - because a devotee doesn’t have, the Kṛṣṇa devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.
But the others, those desiring muktibhukti-siddhi-kāmī - liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they all disturbed in their mind.
And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach.
For a short time, one can do it.
So, the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in the mood of pure devotion.
That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal.
Could you follow?
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Nitāi Gaura Guru Gaurāṅgadeva kī
Questioner: Kaivalya Sundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: They are all Absolute,
at least the first four.
They can have unlimited personal relationship
but whether one is qualified,
we want to be the servant of the servant of the Lord,
not to be directly in the service of the Lord.
So, by being the servant of the servant. of the servant of the Lord,
we get to serve the Lord!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Mādhāi built a Mādhāi ghāṭa.
And then the Navadvīpa-vāsīs, Māyāpur-vāsīs used Mādhāi ghāṭa.
And that forgave him of the offences he committed on the residents of Navadvīpa.
That means by helping people in their spiritual life, we get forgiven for our offences.
That is why we chant the name of the Lord!
Gaurāṅga!
Link: 20200218 Śravaṇa Utsava
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see when Keśava Kāśmīrī met Nimāi Paṇḍita, that was still many years before He started the saṅkīrtana-āndolana.
Many years He was acting as Nimāi Paṇḍita,
when He went to Gayā and He was initiated by Īśvara Purī, then He started to manifest love of Kṛṣṇa.
And in Kānāi-Nāṭaśālā He had a darśana of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa embraced Him.
And when He returned to Navadvīpa, He was changed!He was Gaura Hari!
Link: 20200218 Śravaṇa Utsava
Questioner: Sumitra Gauracandra Dāsa
Date: 2022-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: The TOVP, the Temple of Vedic Planetarium is trying to destroy the false
understanding or wrong understanding about the universe and things like this
and therefore they are trying to establish the proper science as per the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Vedas.
Now if you wish you could get in touch with the Bhaktivedanta Institute or you can also contact the TOVP
and be engaged in this service as they are doing the same activity.
Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Other philosophies / Western Science / Western Philosophy], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-02
Jayapataka Swami: He only came for a minute!
Not even a minute!
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Demigods], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-16
Jayapatākā Swami: He is Kṛṣṇa,
He is playing as a devotee.
Sometimes Murāri Gupta was chanting the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma.
When he came up to the name of Narasiṁhadeva,
Lord Caitanya became in the mood of Narasiṁhadeva
and He ran out on the streets –
“Where are the demons? Where are the demons?”
In the mood of Narasiṁhadeva.
And people ran, wow!
And then Lord Caitanya felt bad.
I scared all these people!
But Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura said, “You liberated all the people!
Just by seeing You all of them were liberated.”
Also, in the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma, he chanted the name of Varāhadeva.
Then Lord Caitanya assumed the form of Varāha, four hooves.
So in the purport it says, if someone says he is God, then tell them to show their hooves!
So, it is not easy to manifest hooves,
unless you are the Supreme Person.
Yes, sometimes Lord Caitanya manifested these different things.
These are very secret, very confidential, only few people saw.
One time, He showed to Advaita Gosāñi, for 21-hours they did the ārati and He displayed Himself.
Apart from that, generally He kept Himself hidden as much as possible.
Anyway, He is Kṛṣṇa!
Like in Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s house in Jagannātha Purī,
He showed His six-handed form
as Lord Caitanya, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Rāma.
Some devotees, Rāmānanda Rāya and others, He revealed His divine form.
But these are all recorded in the history books.
But in general, He would not say anything.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-09-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Why they are feeling separation?
Because they are feeling separation, then their desire to talk about Kṛṣṇa is more.
Then when they talk about Kṛṣṇa, then they feel the presence of Kṛṣṇa.
Then they feel union even in separation.
?
That’s why they would sometimes feel union even in separation.
That is why, their separation is different than material distance; because in that separation they are feeling union.
Otherwise how can they survive?
Without Kṛṣṇa, they would all die.
?
The nectarine emotion of separation from the Guru or Kṛṣṇa is so real and wonderful that a devotee wouldn’t exchange millions and billions of dollars or liras, in exchange for that real emotion.
One of the challenges we face while going to the college youth is getting the suitable time between the preacher and the student. The preachers are ready to give instruction but the students seem to have less time. And getting them to the center is also becoming challenging. So how do we make our association impactful given the shortage of time?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya Avatārī dāsa in Bengaluru is working on this.
Instead of having discovery and reading of some verse,
he is putting the verse in the video format,
like a 3-minute short video,
snippet.
Then he shows that
and have people go directly to the understanding.
What are the two or three most important points?
And then have people discuss,
go around the room,
and how you apply this knowledge in daily life.
Like six different ways it could be applied.
So, in this way, you don’t need to read eight pages, one page is enough.
We have more knowledge than they can absorb.
So, this aspect of discussion could be completed in 45 minutes’ time.
Maybe less, I don’t know,
I did not try but also like in the beginning some kind of icebreaker may be good.
Something less philosophical, some variety of ice breakers.
What do you like to eat or something, there is a whole book on icebreakers.
So that will let them loosen up in the classroom
So a ten-minute icebreaker, five minutes chanting
and half hour discussion.
A full Bhakti-vṛkṣa takes about two hours.
But they have also like they call mañjarīs
which takes like an hour.
If you can see how much time they can tolerate.
Whether we should have a mañjarī or a Bhakti-vṛkṣa.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Answer: Don’t put a beehive under the window of your guru.
(laugh)
The common sense is the easiest thing,
but it is the hardest thing to come cross.
Most people don’t have common sense
and they do things very impractically.
So, you can ask your guru or śikṣā-guru or senior devotees,
What could be the best thing that you can do? Under the circumstances,
and accordingly you can act.
So utility is the principle means something may not be very useful.
And we just do them and we don’t get the desired result.
So utility is the principle we should see,
what will bring that out, proper results.
Link: 20150301 Evening Darśana
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So naturally, I was asked by one paṇḍita in Purī,
we hear that devotees of Lord Caitanya have devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So where are you situated? Lord Caitanya or Lord Kṛṣṇa?
Jayapatākā Swami: You see devotees of Lord Caitanya simultaneously are in Śvetadvīpa and Goloka.
So that is a special facility of being a devotee of Lord Caitanya.
Like Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, he was simultaneously Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and also Satyabhāmā in Dvārakā.
Sanātana Gosvāmī is a mañjarī and at the same time he is Sanātana Gosvāmī.
Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and the aṣṭa-sakhis,
Rūpa Gosvāmī is the 9th sakhi.
So, he is simultaneously in caitanya-līlā and kṛṣṇa-līlā.
Gadādhara Prabhu is Rādhārāṇī.
So in caitanya-līlā he is Gadādhara and in kṛṣṇa-līlā he is Rādhārāṇī.
So there is no loss in being devoted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
and we understand that Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa in the mood of being His devotee.
Actually, we cannot be God.
But if we are a devotee of the Lord, Vaiṣṇava or Vaiṣṇavī, that is actually a wonderful position.
So that is being demonstrated by Lord Caitanya and His followers.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
So, the point is that there are two devotees, the bhajanānandīs and the goṣṭhyānandīs.
So, the bhajanānandīs want to see their own personal liberation.
The goṣṭhyānandīs want to take many devotees with them
back home back to Godhead.
So, our disciplic succession is goṣṭhyānandī.
We practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time we try to expand the number of devotees.
So, our business is practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and we also try to outreach.
Questioner: Keśava-kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the advantage maybe of being a brahmacārī.
That you don’t have to do intense work.
But any way, in the office environment,
as you move up the ladder,
sometimes you get less time, sometimes you get more time.
I have some disciples, they said that they got a job as a director in a company,
they could delegate different jobs
and do all their required work in a few hours
and have more time for preaching and other services.
It is hard to understand
what the particular job is.
It is kind of a disadvantage of working in a place –
I heard that sometimes the IT professionals, they make them work more than 8 hours, like 12 hours.
And so sometimes it is a different situation.
And some people they make them work
but they don’t actually have to do much.
So they have set up some program on their computer
that shows that they are working,
but they are actually chanting their japa
and the computer automatically types.
So I don’t know, when I first came to ISKCON in 1968 we did not have many books,
we had to take different jobs.
Although I was from a very rich family,
since I was looking for some temporary jobs just to pay for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s rent,
I had to work in many menial jobs.
Some plastic factory,
paint factory,
all kinds of jobs.
Finally, I got a printing job.
So when I was at work I would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
but I can understand that there is a problem working.
So try to do the best you can.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: We know that kāla, deśa, patra,
time place and circumstance.
The person also.
Why that person is stopping chanting?
You may talk to him.
Find out what his hesitation is.
And encourage him and you will know his reason.
Most people are just lazy in spiritual life.
And if you find the person chanting a little bit, then you could be appreciative.
People say, I asked how many round they are chanting,
they are very shy, they say only 4 rounds!
4 rounds! Wow! 2.5 million names of Kṛṣṇa in a year!
So like that, I try to encourage people and they chant even one round and I try to encourage them and they feel oh wow! He is so happy, and they say I will try to chant 8 rounds.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura he said
prāṇa āche jāra sei hetu pracāra.
If someone has spiritual life, he can preach.
The mistake we make in accepting the impersonalism
actually kills our spiritual life.
And therefore, we are not able to preach.
But if we understand the actual substance of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
and then we can easily preach.
That is why we want people to study Bhagavad-gītā As It Is,
study the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
and study the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
So how Lord Caitanya convinced these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs
is very important,
for us to understand.
We pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda the
way that he explains the philosophy to the voidists and the impersonalists.
So similarly, we should understand
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings
and we are able to understand the impersonalist idea.
The way you explained just now, it is very difficult to understand Lord Śiva. Similarly, in the Śīkṣāṣṭakam Lord Caitanya has put all the knowledge in the Śīkṣāṣṭakam, eight verses, so like the verse tṛṇād api sunīcena - it seems so impractical to practice. Being more tolerant than a tree, just thinking about it, you nail, and tree and the tree does not respond. My humble request is that if you so desire, could you during your stay here and in the caitanya-līlā classes, could you explain to us how we could live those eight verses? How we can practice them? And how can we make it practical?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You see someone gave me a book How to make Friends, by Dale Carnegie.
He was actually saying the third verse of the Śīkṣāṣṭakam.
No matter what anyone says to you, just praise everybody and make friends.
When a material person like that, was able to understand
how we should tolerate offences and just appreciate others,
then how profound are Lord Caitanya’s instructions!
I have seen, someone comes and says you are a rascal, a rogue! And then you just say, thank you very much!
I understand that you are very - just praise the person.
So then what can they say?
So, whether you believe it or you are just doing it because you are told it works, try it!
But like one time in the GBC meeting, someone told us this - tell someone something good, then some criticism, then something good.
So they said I will do it, tell the person next to you. So you have to think something good of the person next to you.
Oh, the way you give class it inspires us!
Sometimes you drink water and you touch the lips to the glass then it becomes muci,
but anyway you are very special person.
So what can they say?
You managed to criticize them at the same time you praised them.
That way, you be like bees look for the honey.
Not like flies looking for the sores and infections.
But a guru or a manager, sometimes he has to find fault.
And if your husband or someone, you just tell people negative, they become distressed.
But you say something like you are very dedicated, you are wonderful,
but sometimes you get worried that people may take advantage of you.
Anyway, I am sure you will take the steps to see that.
Learn how to say things in a positive way.
It is not impractical.
It is very practical.
If you say you are nonsense, you rascal, then people they think he hates me.
If you tell something nice, he then they think, oh, he like me.
Then you may give some advice,
they don’t feel like you don’t like them or something.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: See the Padma Purāṇa mentions four bona fide Vaiṣṇava lines.
And the Śrī-sampradāya is one of the four bona fide.
Brahma-sampradāya is also one.
Śrī-sampradāya they go to Vaikuṇṭha.
And in Gauḍīya-sampradāya you can either go to Vaikuṇṭha or you can go to Kṛṣṇa-loka.
The youth are seen to be indulging in various undesirable activities and thus are not capable of appreciating the Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy. However, when using bridge-level preaching tactics (such as anger/stress management etc.), there is a feeling that the teachings of paramparā may be compromised. How then do we strike the balance ?
Questioner: IYF
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean somehow, there was a presentation how to be happy.
That was very interesting because
I was not happy.
I had sense gratification
but it wasn’t satisfying.
So somehow if we want to tell those people that
by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness
they can become happy.
The bridging programs can somehow bring them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness
then that would be ideal.
If anger management can include some aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
some practices that they could do.
Some ways they can control their anger
by dovetailing it.
So bridge is to take us over the bridge to the other side of the river.
That means, take us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So at the end of the bridge there should be something Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Although the attraction is okay, anger management for instance,
we learn that we can practice, we can control anger through bhakti-yoga.
So the bridge program actually does that, it bridges us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
At least to some extent.
Like you are saying people have many lusty desires and bad habits,
I saw today on the Tv
that in some states 3 or 5 states in the USA,
they do a referendum and made marijuana smoking for recreation legal.
It was previously legal for medicinal use.
But now it is legal for recreation in some states.
So, all kinds of bad habits people have –
not only drinking, smoking,
illicit sex.
Actually, we know that none of these things give one satisfaction.
But we cannot directly attack these things.
Rather, we try to present the positive thing of chanting, meditation,
and then when they are more ready,
when they ask appropriate questions,
we may reveal that bad habits should be controlled.
That is a gradual process.
That is what Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it takes buckets of blood,
not easy to make a devotee.
Do you think only people now are addicted to bad habits?
Ha! I think before I was 12-I had already broken all the regulative principles!!
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Youth]
The youth of today are looking for recreational activities such as meditation, yoga and so on and if we try to provide them with those, they entertain themselves with the same and leave, never to come back. Also one of the pressing problems of the youth is that they come with a lot of lusty propensities and thus face a lot of challenges in dealing with the opposite sex.
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: As far as light activities, the thing is that chanting, singing is very light.
Actually, that is much more effective and much more purifying than these breathing exercises.
Art of Living all that, they promote this breathing exercise.
But if we get the people to chant and sign,
dance,
that can loosen them up.
That way, they actually get more purified
and because people are seeing themselves as the body,
they think that the body, the senses have to be satisfied.
Therefore, lusty desires are very prominent.
And so how to engage their energy
in such a way that their energy would be better utilized.
That is why we see that many people they may not be interested in being brahmacārīs.
And like in the West, somehow the ladies they are actively preaching
and therefore many men are attracted.
And if the men are preaching, the ladies are attracted.
Now, I heard that in the Indian universities it is quite open.
Maybe more than the West.
So it could be a big challenge.
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
We are doing Bhakti-vṛkṣa and there are some standards for new devotees who come. Is there any hard and fast rules because some Bhakti-vṛkṣas are giving opportunity for new devotees also and they later become devotees. So is there any hard and fast rule or we can just sense it and feel it, ok this devotee we can give chance to cook even they are not chanting 4 rounds or 8 or 16 rounds yet.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: You see if they cook under your supervision, it is alright.
You are seeing what they do is proper.
But if they are cooking in their house we don’t know if they are eating it and whether they have a cat or dog in their house.
So if you have new people and they are not cooking under your supervision then we ask them to bring uncooked stuff like salad, fruits.
But otherwise have them cook under your supervision and Śrīla Prabhupāda said that is alright.
You see that they are following all the rules.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: To do this, one should use his common sense.
Like he went to the Pāṇḍavas and he did not want to make them unhappy and tell them that Lord Kṛṣṇa had already departed.
But with Dhṛtarāṣṭra it was another situation. Therefore, he comes and speaks harshly to Dhṛtarāṣṭra so that he is encouraged to take up devotional service.
So, preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness takes a lot of common sense.
In different situations we have to act differently.
I guess, this may be frustrating but there is no easy formula I can tell you.
That is why, we hear the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam where we find that Vidura according to different situations, he behaves differently.
Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
We have kṛṣṇa-prema, nāma-prema and gaura-prema. All these three are in a very transcendental platform. But gaura-prema is so juicy, nectarean and overwhelming. So will we get the same feeling with the other two premas also and what is that we need to do that we are not able to distinguish between the three and get to the highest, gaura-prema?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the first time I heard the difference between gaura-prema and kṛṣṇa-prema!
Lord Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa.
If you love Lord Caitanya, then naturally you love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
But Lord Caitanya, He gives love very freely.
As far as I understood, He gave out kṛṣṇa-prema.
If you love Lord Caitanya, then you love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
And Kṛṣṇa and His name are non-different.
If you love His name, then you love Kṛṣṇa.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
We read from Caitanya-caritāmṛta where Kavirāja Gosvāmī mentions that once in a day of Lord Brahmā Lord Kṛṣṇa appears and after that in Dvāpara-yuga Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appears. So in other Dvāpara-yugas and Kali-yuga, especially Kali-yuga does Lord Caitanya descend? Or some other incarnation appears because it is mentioned in the scriptures that the Lord comes in every yuga?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: (Does Lord Caitanya come in every Kali-yuga?) No!
I went to Tirumala and they say that Bālājī, He is the Kali-yuga incarnation
for the last Kali-yuga.
So Lord Caitanya only comes after Lord Kṛṣṇa
and He doesn’t come every time.
We should be very grateful that He just came.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
We see so many amazing orators in ISKCON, doing preaching service. Everyone wants mercy. And Lord Caitanya can give us mercy easily if we preach. So I also want the mercy but I see that my voice is not empowered. So could you please tell that how can we preach so that it penetrates the hearts of people?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Acintya Caitanya dāsa here was telling me
how when he visited Kethuri-grāma
and heard how Lord Caitanya left love for Godhead in the Padmā river for Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,
and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura bathed in the Padmā, he came out changed.
But then he said Lord Caitanya had left His ecstasy in the Padmā river.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda said that his books are his personal ecstasies,
so if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,
we can get love for Kṛṣṇa.
And naturally if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and then you just be sincere to repeat what you have heard in your own words -
I pray for the mercy of guru, Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa before giving every class
and by Their mercy I give what I give.
But these two things - reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and praying for Their mercy,
that is what I know.
Don’t be self-conscious.
Think of Kṛṣṇa,
and try to say Kṛṣṇa’s message.
Kṛṣṇa ordered everybody yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa - that is the secret.
One time in this Kārtika month, we had a function in the town hall in South America, Ecuador, in Cuenca.
There one civil contractor, he was a labor contractor (from Delhi?), he was not very educated.
But he spoke, he was so sincere.
Everybody was moved! Everybody there they were Christians, and they came and offered candles to Yaśoda and Kṛṣṇa.
Haribol!
If you are sincere, that is what changes peoples’ hearts!
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: Rāma has every right to worship Śiva.
Just like Kṛṣṇa, He is driving the chariot for Arjuna, therefore he is known as Pārtha-sārathi.
Because Śiva is vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ – he is the greatest devotee of Lord Rāma.
He is chanting Rāma’s name, always on his rudrākṣa, he is always chanting Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare,
because he is the expansion of Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa, who is only the expansion of Rāma.
So Rāma has every reason to worship His devotee.
Because the Lord is always known as bhakata-vatsala.
He always like to put His devotee in the superior place.
Kṛṣṇa is only taking the inferior position with Yaśodā, but how about all the times?
Even in that particular līlā, Śiva came out and said, “There’s no need for You to worship me, You Yourself a Lord.”
And even Śiva himself, just like he did tapasyā to be admitted as a gopī in Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā.
And he was made as the gatekeeper, Gopeśvara for Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā.
And like that, there are so many pastimes in the Purāṇas.
So actually, Lord Brahmā in his Brahma-saṁhitā said, “There is no difference between Viṣṇu and Śiva;
Viṣṇu is like milk, and Lord Śiva is like yogurt, like dūdh, dadhi.
So, from milk only, dadhi is made.
And dadhi and milk are all milk– there is no other substance.
There is no other second material there; only that the yogurt cannot be rechanged back to milk.
There’s a slight difference in the quality, but… or you can say in the taste or the flavor, but the substance is more or less the same; same thing, milk product.”
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: The desire to serve the Lord.
Mercy on the conditioned souls.
When you distribute books to someone, pray to the Lord that He bestows His mercy on them.
This way the Lord if He bestows His mercy on that person, they may take the books.
One devotee in New Orleans airport, was trying to distribute books the whole day but no one took any.
Then he prayed to the Lord requesting that someone come and take some book.
At that time a plane landed, and many passengers alighted and left.
He went up to one such passenger and showed him a book and asked him to take it.
He said that today was my worst day! Worst day!
I will not see anything.
The devotee said, sir, when one has the worst day, I have come to help such a person.
Why was it the worst day for you?
He said, “Why did I study, why did I go to university?
Why did I get married?
Why did I take up a job?
Everything for pleasing my mother.
And today my mother died! My worst day!”
The devotee said, “Sir, your mother did not die.
Here is the Bhagavad-gītā, it says that the soul is eternal, and body dies.
Soul does not die.
Your mother is still there.”
The man said, “She is?
Can I take this book?”
“Sure”, the devotee said.
He said, “I only have 20 dollars, is that okay?”
The devotee said, “That is okay, give whatever you have.”
This way, if we pray to the Lord, what can not happen?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Maybe some did.
But the ones mentioned in today’s class, they didn’t.
They were laughing and were happy
that the Lord has left,
they don’t have to see Him anymore.
We know that even Kaṁsa was an atheist.
But he was always thinking about Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa will come to kill me.
One day his two wives
came one dressed in white garment and one in black garment.
Then Kaṁsa said, “Oh no! Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, They are coming to kill me!”
His minister said, “No, no, they are your wives!”
“Oh!” So if are an atheist and always thinking about Kṛṣṇa,
then that is useful.
But if you are just occasionally thinking negatively about Kṛṣṇa
then you are a candidate for going to Pātalaloka.
A free ticket, one way!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we don’t tell the glories of the holy name to a faithless person.
If you say, oh, you chant the holy name it will destroy all your sins.
He is a faithless person he does not believe in sin.
You just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy,
not going through all the glories of the holy name.
Just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!
Eat this prasāda, bhel-purī!
It was very nice Gujarati prasāda today.
Questioner: Indulekhā Karuṇa devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Everyone is taking up Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
everyone is an individual
and what thing impresses one person,
may not impress another.
So you have to hear a bit what the person likes.
The thing is that in the material world
people naturally turn to things they like,
but if they understand that these things often may lead them astray,
then they may be less inclined to do that.
And so in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is kevala ānanda kāṇḍa, it is a very blissful process.
So if can somehow engage people in chanting, hearing, dancing, serving,
then they will get a taste.
And you know, I met one person,
he was an impersonalist.
But then Śrīla Prabhupāda said that there is no use to talk philosophy
because in their brain some short circuit is there.
But if they like to do sevā, engage them in sevā.
By doing sevā
they get purified
and their whole idea changes.
After several years, that person told me
that, now I understand
about devotional service,
because he was practically doing it.
Otherwise, philosophically he was off.
He got purified by serving Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, first of all there are five types of relationships.
Śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhurya.
The awe and reverence mood we call śānta.
The service mood we call dāsya.
Friendship mode is called sākhya
and the parental mood is called vātsalya.
The conjugal mode is called mādhurya.
So one has any one of these relationships with the Lord.
If one has dāsya,
it includes śānta.
If one has sākhya it includes dāsya and śānta.
If one has vātsalya or parental, it includes the previous three.
If one has mādhurya, it includes all the five.
So we can have any of the relationships.
Normally, those who are especially attracted to Lord Caitanya’s pastimes achieve conjugal.
And those who are attracted to Lord Nityānanda’s pastime, they achieve the parental or something.
So like that depending on your attachment, you have the particular mood.
Some people worship Gaura-Gadāi.
Some people worship Nitāi-Gaura.
Nitāi-Gaura are more for preaching.
And Gaura-Gadāi are for relationship.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Akṣara Govinda dāsa
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: We should not do it the wrong way!
We would like to offer Lord Caitanya our obeisances at His lotus feet.
So, if we are doing in a humble frame of mind
and we surrender at the lotus feet of Lord Gaurāṅga,
then it should be alright.
There was a situation where a brahmacārī was travelling with Lord Caitanya.
And Lord Caitanya asked him for some harītakī (myrobalan).
So then he went to the village, got some harītakī
and gave it to Lord Caitanya.
The next day Lord Caitanya asked for some harītakī again.
This time the proud brahmacārī, he took it out from his pocket.
Lord Caitanya said, “Yesterday it took you so much time,
how come today you are able to give it so quickly?”
He said, “I kept some.”
Lord Caitanya said, “Oh!
that means you are having a mentality of a gṛhastha because
the gṛhastha saves for a rainy day.
But in the renounced order they take whatever Kṛṣṇa gives.
You have to get married.”
So he was told to get married because he tried to save some harītakī.
So Lord Caitanya was very strict
and one side He is very soft.
In Agradvīpa upstream a little bit,
he became a gṛhastha,
his wife died,
his son died.
So he said, “You asked me to be a gṛhastha when I was not qualified.
Who will now do my śrāddha when I die?”
The Lord said, “I am your son.”
He said, “You are not that kind of son.”
“No, I will do it,” the Lord said.
So He called the village leaders as a witness He told them that on his death anniversary,
take Me to His sāmadhi and I will offer the piṇḍī.
So even to this day, I went there with the Safari,
they called me in the room.
The Deity came in offered the piṇḍī,
it was an amazing thing.
So this pastime was done by the Gopīnātha Deity for His devotee.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-18
Jayapatākā Swami: I like all of them.
There is this one pastime of Lord Nityānanda and the dacoits.
That is quite amazing!
It is like when you read some pastime it is so different.
It is so unique.
At that moment I like that pastime.
But I don’t know if there is any pastime that is my favorite.
What was unique was Nimāi Paṇḍita, He did not manifest His love of Kṛṣṇa first in Navadvīpa.
He manifested it in Gayā, in Bihar,
after He got initiated from Īśvara Purī.
He started chanting and dancing in ecstasy,
crying like anything.
And that was the beginning of His ecstasy.
Before that, it was interesting, but when He came back from there He was a changed person.
Questioner: Akshay, Vadodara
Date: 2022-10-15
I feel very grateful for all that Śrīla Prabhupāda did for me
and so to repay him I try to preach.
And in 2008 I had a stroke.
And the right side of my body is not paralyzed fully but paresis, partially paralyzed.
And the left side of my face.
But the teachings of Lord Caitanya are very blissful.
It says that normal people if they eat grains and milk, you get strong,
but for devotees even if you have one drop of nectar
then you feel so much energy.
Lord Caitanya gives this nectar.
We hope that your visit to Māyāpur was very nice.
This is known as audārya-dhāma,
the merciful dhāma.
Vṛndāvana is mādhurya-dhāma, very sweet.
Jagannātha Purī and Dvārakā are aiśvarya-dhāmas,
very opulent.
This is the place to have mercy
and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa but He is in the mood of devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
So that is why it is the special mercy we get
and we want to serve Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Rukmiṇī Rāmana dāsa
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked Prabhupāda once what to do when people cover their ears when they walked by the kīrtana,
Prabhupāda said, “Pull their hands away for hearing!!” Ha!
Of course, that may be not legal,
but the point is that we want people to hear.
Unless there is some law about chanting,
we shouldn’t have to listen to anybody.
We go on chanting!
If there is some law that is not permitted or something,
you need to get the permit.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Gosāñi was the first to figure it out.
After some time of this, joined the saṅkīrtana movement.
First Advaita then Śrīvāsa, then after that everyone.
Apart from some rare instances with different people, different devotees realized.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
When the associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they see Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this aṣṭa-sāttvika-bhāva, it might be also difficult for them to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this state, what gave them the courage? To personally be there and see Caitanya Mahāprabhu in that ecstasy, understand the mood of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it might be so difficult for them as well. So what gave them the courage to bring Caitanya Mahāprabhu back and what was their ecstasy to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was awake in His original state and chanting the mahā-mantra?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean, because they loved Lord Caitanya.
Seeing Him like bleeding from the pores, we normally perspire, but He was not normally perspiring, there was blood coming from His pores.
So His aṣṭa-sāttvika-bhāva was extreme.
So when people saw Him appearing in this very extreme situation,
they cried,
and they chanted.
What else to do?
And among them Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī or someone he was taking the lead.
And knew that chanting was the only thing that would return Lord Caitanya to a little bit conscious state.
So, these devotees were so fortunate
that they could participate in these pastimes of the Lord.
And hopefully we would develop a desire to participate in the Lord’s pastimes.
Who would like to participate?
May Kṛṣṇa fulfill your desires!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the path of devotional service happens gradually.
First, you have to say something easy for them.
Chant the name of Kṛṣṇa once and you will be happy.
If someone is interested in doing service to Kṛṣṇa, give them that.
From 17th September to 23rd September the ‘World Holy Name Week’ is being celebrated.
That is why they want many people to get together and chant the holy name.
Those who have smart phone,
make a video in which one time you say that I am from Bangladesh and I am chanting for world peace and happiness and chant:
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
And send this.
If you chant these names, you will get love for Kṛṣṇa.
There is no need to give much details.
Just say you will be fortunate, just chant the holy name.
We will send the video to America.
Fortunatepeople.com
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are so nectarean.
Kṛṣṇa Himself came as a devotee.
And He established the saṅkīrtana movement,
and He was experimenting,
what it is like to be a devotee.
And as Rukmiṇī said to Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā,
You know everything,
You know what Brahmā is doing in Satya-loka,
You know what Śiva is doing in Kailāsa,
but there is one thing You don’t know!!
Rādhārāṇī knows!
I know!!
You don’t know!
He said, What do you mean? There is something that I don’t know?!
Yes!
She said. What is that?
You don’t know how much Your devotees love you!
and in what way we love you?
So that inspired Kṛṣṇa,
ok I will become a devotee,
and I will find out.
So this is such an amazing pastime,
that Lord Gaurāṅga came as a devotee.
I cannot, it is in my mind, it is so wonderful,
I cannot forget it!
I see that in every aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
we can have some connection with Lord Caitanya.
Haribol!
Nitāi Gaurāṅga!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Let me take it another stage, you see. Because that’s very easy to answer because,
you see, in the spiritual sky, in the Goloka Vṛndāvana, Lord Caitanya has His own
section of Goloka Vṛndāvana where He along with His associates, it’s described that
associates of Lord Caitanya generally having, of course, separates mothers and other,
they are generally having male forms. While the associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa,
of course, except for the friends, but I mean to say that generally they
are having the female forms like gopīs and that. There a lot of gopīs.
So, simultaneously, in the spiritual world, those who are the devotees of Lord Caitanya,
they’re having their form with Lord Caitanya,
and those who are the devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they are having their forms with Kṛṣṇa.
Those who are having both relationships
like there may be someone exclusively with Lord Caitanya, although this is very rare;
mostly they will have relationships with both, because that was Lord Caitanya’s mood.
So, they’ll have their form simultaneously with Kṛṣṇa and with Lord Caitanya.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Rakshita Varadarajan
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: One can be in whichever āśrama they want to.
Whichever they feel more comfortable.
If they feel that gṛhastha-āśrama is more appropriate for you,
that allows certain license for sex life.
Kṛṣṇa has made machines –
male and female form.
So they can reproduce each other.
So the scientists they are not able to make a machine
that could reproduce itself.
Ha! We shouldn’t think that Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
with the queens or the gopīs, are material.
He is transcendental.
And in Vṛndāvana,
His pastimes are understood by the liberated souls.
One has to read all the previous nine cantos,
then you can understand how the position of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental.
Once when I was a new devotee,
I asked a question about Rādhārāṇī.
Śrīla Prabhupāda chastised me.
Who are you to ask about Rādhārāṇī?
Since I was a new devotee,
I didn’t understand much, so I accepted that.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Youth]
While preaching to some tough nuts, we need to go in karmī dress, then it becomes difficult to be always thinking of Kṛṣṇa and little challenging. How can we follow Prahlāda Mahārāja in such situations as Prahlāda Mahārāja was so bold and steady, while preaching, even in such hostile conditions. How can we also be bold and steady while preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Questioner: Nitāi Candra Nimāi dāsaPr
Date: 2023-07-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Prahlāda had to go to the school of the demons.
So, he was smart!
He did not speak in front of the demoniac teachers.
When they gave time for the kids to have recreation,
then he would preach to the children.
So he would be waiting for the chance when the teachers would go out, and then he would preach to the students.
Like that we can take good example from Prahlāda to use whatever possible, to preach.
Questioner: Amāni Gauracandra dāsa
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: The more one has faith, the more they can obtain devotional service.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said
that the coins, money, to purchase the holy name, is faith.
So, how to increase someone’s faith?
The so-called obstacles of family, friends, they can’t actually stop one from having faith.
But if one’s faith is weak,
then they would create disturbance.
So, you should try to help people obtain more faith
in Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya, to glorify the Lord,
how He i
s so merciful
and then try to increase their faith. Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Those who say the pastimes of the Lord Caitanya and participated in it favorably,
they are considered as not only pure devotees, but eternal associates of the Lord.
Like Murāri Gupta.
He is actually the incarnation of Hanumān.
So all the great devotees, Hanumān, Prahlāda and so many came.
Nārada Muni, Rādhārāṇī,
Satyabhāmā,
Viśākhā,
Lalitā,
so many came
from the spiritual world,
to accompany the Lord.
These are not only pure devotees; they are eternal spiritual associates of the Lord.
Some of them maybe from a distance, were pure devotees,
but we consider them as associates of the Lord,
and you can also become an associate of the Lord in the next birth,
in His pastimes.!!
Of course, in this life you can also get His mercy!
Gaurāṅga!
Nityānanda!
Gaurāṅga!
Nityānandaa!
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa! Guru Mahārāja, said this three times in answer to the devotee’s Hare Kṛṣṇa!)
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-09-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Because He is independent, He can do whatever He likes.
He left a lot of work for you to do!
(laughter)
But He is still here in the form of His order and His message,
and He has left you lots of service.
Now you can get Lord Caitanya's misericordia (Italian for ‘mercy’)
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Śivānanda Sena, he appreciated the kick by Lord Nityānanda.
The spiritual master sometimes chastises a devotee who can take it.
And one time Śrīla Prabhupāda came into the temple in New York,
and everyone bowed down to Śrīla Prabhupāda showing their feet to the Deities.
So, Śrīla Prabhupāda used his stick and hit Brahmānanda Prabhu.
And said, don’t show your feet to the Deity.
At first, Brahmānanda, he was upset
because everybody had put their feet to the Deities, why was he singled out?
So then, like in Bengal there is a saying,
mother teaches her daughter-in-law by chastising her daughter.
Like that, Śivānanda Sena, he took it as a blessing, for he made Lord Nityānanda wait for prasāda.
Lord Nityānanda, He was very humorous.
He would do things very special!
He told Raghunātha dāsa in Pānihāṭi, I am going to give you daṇḍa –
I will give you punishment.
So the punishment was to give a feast of dadhi, ciḍā and fruits.
Actually, for Raghunātha dāsa it was not a big thing.
He was a millionaire.
Those days ciḍā and mangoes were very cheap.
So, why was this a punishment?
So Lord Nityānanda that is how He decided.
So Lord Nityānanda’s nature was to be a bit funny.
But He was very tolerant, very merciful.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-25
Jayapatākā Swami: There are many proofs.
Of course, the most famous that we quote is from the Bhāgavatam:
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
[ŚB
[ŚB
11.5.32
]
So, Prabhupāda has given us several proofs.
And actually Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura did a little research on this,
so did Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
and they've have come up with about, 50 ślokas from the different purāṇas, upaniṣads,
from the Mahābhārata
describing that in the Kali-yuga the Lord comes as yellow color,
the avatāra in Kali-yuga is known as Mahāprabhu,
saying that,
the Lord comes, distributes the harināma in the Kali-yuga.
He comes as a sannyāsī, comes as a channa-avatāra,
there are so many slokas, I did not memorize all of them.
Mahāprabhu, ei yuga...
So, there are many, many proofs in the.. Vedas
that all indicate that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself
is the fulfillment of the prediction that Kṛṣṇa would come as a sannyāsī,
as a hidden avatāra, as a person giving out the saṅkīrtana movement.
There is no one else who has done that, there is no one else who fulfilled those qualifications.
And Lord Caitanya when He was here, He actually did everything that was predicted,
and He did things which were extraordinary.
Even Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he accepted that Lord Caitanya was Kṛṣṇa Himself.
So, the people of the West, they don’t know because the movement just came there,
what was it, seventeen years ago.
And why they don’t know in India, it is because
the followers of Lord Caitanya,
several hundred years ago predicted that the movement would become dormant.
And that is exactly what happened.
Just a very...
slim...
line of acāryas that were carrying out the doctrines.
Therefore, Bhaktisiddhānta Ṭhākura, he was preaching all over India,
even his followers they did not work together, everything broke up.
Now there is so many Gauḍīya Maṭhas and instead of Caitanya Mahāprabhu being understood,
people understanding this Rāma and this Kṛṣṇa and so many others.
So,
similarly to convince the people..
Its not possible to convince the people that the avatāra of the saṅkīrtana movement
is bonafide unless the people who are convincing, actually themselves,
are in the mood of saṅkīrtana.
Saṅkīrtana means many doing kīrtana together.
Japa is one.
Kīrtana is a few.
Saṅkīrtana means everyone together.
That means that they are all singing the same tune,
they are all singing the same mantra.
They are clapping and playing their instruments in time.
The saṅkīrtana means together.
So when,
this movement as long as it remains together,
as long as everyone keeps a cooperative saṅkīrtana mood,
then people will be convinced
and wherever you see in history that that mood of working cooperatively together
was compromised,
then
they lose their potency for convincing people about Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Actually, everybody is very easily convinced;
it is just that they do not know anything.
Because we're very few, we've only reached a few.
So, if you go on telling people, if you're convinced,
and you tell people, in this same cooperative spirit,
they will also be convinced.
There is no doubt about it. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-05
Because He’s coming as a devotee.
If it was known that He’s the Lord then how He could act as a devotee,
it would have disturbed His pastimes.
The Lord comes as a devotee.
So devotee,
devotee cannot think that he is the Lord.
You can have the people yelling that He is the Lord.
Just like if the president of the country decides he’s gonna make a secret visit and mingle amongst the people to see what the mood is,
but if it comes out in the headlines of the paper.
President coming 4pm in see,
in the skies to see the people.
Could be thousands of people will assemble and he’ll have no protection.
Also in this age of Kali,
there’s no scheduled avatāra,
who comes as a proclaimed avatāra.
The avatāra,
Lord Caitanya is predicted that He is a channa-avatāra,
He’s a secret,
He’s the covered avatāra.
Although He’s the Lord Himself He comes and covering Himself in the disguise as a devotee.
After He left then you can reveal His identity.
And after the president how did he came and why he didn’t say?
He came,
he was there
(laughing)
.
Oh,
very interesting,
everyone learnt this.
But if you say before then it spoils.
That’s how although many Vedas predicted He was coming,
but Kṛṣṇa covered by the yoga-māyā.
So the sages couldn’t understand clearly.
There’s different,
if you chant mantra in certain places you get more benefit.
If you chant by the sacred rivers and if you chant the,
I’m not,
exactly not sure about the river and the land.
You chant by the side of the sacred river you get so many times more benefit.
And if you chant in a holy place,
the pilgrimage you get so many times.
So once like,
a thousand and others like,
hundred thousand,
what figure which is which.
And you chant in front of the tulasī then you get,
like a million times.
So if you chant in the Ganges you get many times more.
And if you chant in front of the deities,
installed deities you say your Gayatri you get unlimited times of benefit.
Everyone should say the Gayatri mantra.
So that’s why the sages say in the Ganges.
The devotees appreciate the varṇāśrama system.
They feel that the varṇāśrama system was perfect,
for it was main.
While in the age of Kali it started to degenerate.
So what we have left over varṇāśrama system now is just like kind of a perverted reflection,
was imperfect representation.
But they appreciate the other caste system.
And in fact they like to create society,
say communities based on a,
as I mentioned the kind of streamlined,
spiritualized varṇāśrama system.
Where it would be in one sense casteless,
but everyone would be a Vaiṣṇava,
not for practical purposes.
People would be acting according to their different natures and types of work.
And Prabhupāda stress that the,
this divisions are there anyway in the modern society,
they’re all,
there these occupations exist.
There’s intellectuals,
there’s teachers,
priests,
the problem is that they don’t take the responsibility.
But in varṇāśrama system the brāhmaṇas or the teachers and priests,
they had to be vegetarians,
they had to worship God,
they had to lead the holy life.
If they didn’t they,
they couldn’t act those positions.
So now you have them,
like in America problem that is school teachers,
sometime they’re found to molest the children.
Even recently the priests in Canada they’re found that they were molesting the children.
So that,
they don’t follow the,
they’re not following the rules.
So according to varṇāśrama if someone does that they’re banned,
they’re,
they’re banned from being a brāhmaṇa.
Then they’re,
they’re called as criminals.
So due to lack of this,
just the profession is there,
but the,
the spiritual training is lacking.
So we like to see a type of spiritualized varṇāśrama program in the worlds
(laughing)
.
Is there still varṇāśrama in Indonesia?
That’s,
That’s what Prabhupāda said was,
it’s not possible to reinstate the original thing now in Kali-yuga.
So but somehow the basic principles could be .
It needs to be fully spiritualized so that one caste doesn’t think that they’re better than the other caste.
Because that creates itself the hatred and the imbalance.
But that,
we’ll see that this is all part of the same body,
so we all have to work together.
They’re trying in Canada to make a varṇāśrama,
in many countries they’re trying to make varṇāśrama community,
so they’re inspired.
And Prabhupada said in order to varṇāśrama is based upon agricultural production,
we have to also cow protection.
Unless that one thing missing in modern society,
they’re slaughtering the cow,
but in varṇāśrama the cow is to be protected by the vaiśyas and everyone drinks the milk of the cow.
Cause milk is needed to give higher intelligence to understand spiritual subject matters.
It said fish make people clever,
but spiritually dull.
Materialy clever,
spiritually dull.
But eating milk gives spiritual intelligence,
creates a finer tissue to understand the higher philosophical knowledge.
So milk is a type of miracle food.
But we need to protect the cow.
Here they protect mother cow
(laughing)
.
It’s the most protected cow I’ve ever seen
(laughing)
,
mosquito net
(laughing)
Very nicely protected
You have mentioned just now about the glories of Navadvīpa-dhāma and residence in Navadvīpa-dhāma is beneficial and profitable. We are in Bangladesh constantly facing opposition and we are in such an unfavorable situation trying to carry out preaching but practically we are on war front with certain groups. How can we remain in Navadvīpa-dhāma consciousness and get the benefits of Navadvīpa-dhāma while we are in our preaching fields under these circumstances?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
Of course, we should understand that if we face a lot of inconvenience or unfavorable situations for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, for the service of Kṛṣṇa, then we should know that Kṛṣṇa is very grateful to us.
We can serve in Navadvīpa-dhāma in separation.
Just like, whether you get more credit if you stay in Navadvīpa-dhāma or if you go out on saṅkīrtana preaching.
When we preach and spread the glories of Māyāpur-dhāma, then our Founder-Ācārya, our previous ācāryas, they are very pleased.
So the śāstra says about Navadvīpa-dhāma, about Vṛndāvana dhāma, how much benefit we get.
But when one goes out to preach, the amount of benefit that one gets, that is incalculable.
I was going out from Māyāpur and distributing books.
Śrīla Prabhupāda did not tell me, oh, you stay in Māyāpur, you will get more credit.
He told me to distribute 10,000 big books and 100,000 small books in a month.
So then when I was sick, he told me, maybe you are working too hard, remain in Māyāpur and work through your assistants.
So, in this verse, it mentions sevā-bhāva.
And we want to do that service which is most pleasing to our Founder-Ācārya.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Preaching]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: What do I not like?
In the path of devotion, being a brahmacārī in the temple and preaching, youth preaching, Nāmahaṭṭa, Bhakti-vṛkṣa, all I like!
When there were no brahmacārīs in the temple there were no programs.
So that all the people do service to Kṛṣṇa, Lord Nityānanda and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had established the Nāmahaṭṭa and I reestablished that.
In the villages it is possible to have Nāmahaṭṭa but in the cities it is a bit inconvenient.
That is why I created the Bhakti-vṛkṣa.
Not that I am attached to something because I started it. I was a BBT trustee, Śrīla Prabhupāda had ordered me to distribute books.
I like all services.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we need educated devotees in the future.
They will be leaders on the path of devotion.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we need educated devotees.
That way, educated youth is very useful.
We need ordinary people and educated people as well.
I do a variety of service.
That way I want to follow the special instructions of Lord Caitanya.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Last night, someone asked this question in the temple.
And were you there?
There are different ways we can answer this.
You see Rādhārāṇī created Navadvīpa dhāma
and She played on the flute.
Lord Kṛṣṇa thought who was playing on the flute so beautifully!
Who, who is that? Who is that?
He came and He saw it was Rādhārāṇī,
and She had made a beautiful holy dhāma of nine islands.
And then Lord Kṛṣṇa combined with Rādhārāṇī,
took Rādhārāṇī’s heart
and He took Her complexion.
And thus He became the united form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa of Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu!
And He is the form of Kṛṣṇa who is most merciful!
We asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṇa makes us fast till midnight, but on Rādhāṣṭamī we fast only till midday.
Why is that?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, Rādhārāṇī is very merciful.
So it is very hard to get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
Normally He gives love of Kṛṣṇa to those who fully surrender to Him.
But Lord Caitanya He would give out mercy without considering who is qualified, who is not qualified.
If ask it, you get it.
Even some people they did not want it but they got it! Ha!
So if one understands that Kṛṣṇa’s most merciful form is Lord Caitanya, then actually they naturally they want to have love for Lord Caitanya.
In Mumbai, they have Nitāi-Gaura, they have Śrī Rādhā-Rāsabihārī, Lalitā Viśākhā, and they have Sītā-Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān,
as worshipable Deities.
Of course, as dioramas, they have Tukārāma, Viṭṭala and many others,
Narasiṁhadeva, but the worshipable Deities are those three altars.
Many people crowd around Rādhā-Rāsabihārī and Sītā-Rāma.
But not so many around Nitāi-Gaura.
I was explaining in the class that by the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura we get the mercy of Rādhā-Rāsabihārī and Sītā-Rāma.
So we should all be praying to Lord Caitanya to get the mercy of all other Deities.
If you don’t, it is very hard to get Their mercy.
But if you do, it is very easy to get Their mercy.
So I was telling earlier today, how Lord Caitanya came down especially in the Golden Age which is supposed to start 5000 years after the beginning of Kali-yuga,
this is mentioned in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa.
The Golden Age lasts for ten thousand years.
I was reading also recently, at the end of 9th canto and the beginning of the 10th canto how Lord Kṛṣṇa He would have the demoniac forces got puffed up and fight with each other and kill each other.
So it seems that for no reason all over the world war is going on.
So, all these things are diminishing the demoniac forces
and then naturally Lord Caitanya is giving out His mercy freely.
So we should naturally, if you are appreciating what Lord Caitanya does, then how can you not help but love him.
Haribol Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, the successful gṛhasthas may be able to guide the others.
I am a sannyāsī, I don’t claim to know how to bring up children!
But I know that it is an important service.
It should be done in such a way that the children are enthused.
I just talked to one wife, where is your husband?
She said, he is with my son in Vṛndāvana.
My son he likes hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class or something, he likes to hear śāstra so much that he extending his visit for one week.
So, obviously we should encourage the children to want to do devotional service.
Now what is the secret? I don’t think there is any monopoly
but there is no guarantee that every child will be a pure devotee.
But if you do the garbhādāna-saṁskāra, do all the saṁsakāras, we give nice association, set good examples, then there is hope.
Advaita Gosāñi had six sons
and three sons were pure devotees.
Three sons were not pure devotees.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, had many children.
One was an ācārya,
one was a naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī.
I don’t know everyone, what happened to the others.
Anyway, Now I have to end the class and you should all go and take your breakfast.
But if you try that your child be Kṛṣṇa consciousness then Kṛṣṇa will be appreciative.
I saw in New Tālavana,
small children, about 6 years old or younger,
they were chanting their one round japa.
There was a plate of sandeśa.
When their japa finished they would all get the sandeśa.
Now some of the children were looking at the sandeśa and chanting! Ha!
Anyway, somehow or other they were enthusiastically chanting!
So we should think of some ways to enthuse them.
- Anarthās
- - Apasampradāya
- - Bad association
- - Māyā
- - Māyāvāda / Impersonalism
- - Sinful activities
- Aparādha (Offenses)
- - Nāma-aparādha
- - Vaiṣṇava-aparādha
- Day-to-day Life
- - Children
- - Education
- - Food
- - Health
- - Married life
- - Parents
- - Relatives
- - Technology
- - Workplace
- Devotee Care
- Dīkṣā (Initiation)
- Emotions
- - Anger
- - Confusion
- - Enthusiasm
- - Envy
- - Faith
- - Fault-finding
- - Greed
- - Happiness
- - Humility
- - Hypocrisy
- - Lust
- - Pride
- - Sloth
- - Sorrow
- - Stress/Anxiety
- Festivals
- - Sāka-Festival
- Gauḍīya History
- - Gauḍīya maṭḥa
- - ISKCON
- - Śrīla Prabhupāda
- Guru (Spiritual Master)
- - Dīkṣā-guru
- - Guru Disciple Relationship
- - Guru-paramparā
- - Śikṣā-guru
- Holy Rivers
- - Gaṅgā
- Jayapatākā Swami
- Karma
- - Desires
- Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)
- - Gaurāṇga
- - Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations
- - Pastimes
- - Spiritual World / Dhāma
- - Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
- Material Sufferings
- - Death
- Material World
- - Demigods
- - Demons
- - Guṇas / Modes
- - Kali yuga
- - Mind / Intelligence
- Mercy
- Other philosophies
- - Christianity
- - Islam
- - Jainism
- - Western Science / Western Philosophy
- Prasāda and Bhoga
- - Onion and Garlic
- Sādhanā
- - Book distribution
- - Chanting (Japa)
- - Diet
- - Maṅgala-ārati
- - Philosophical questions
- - Preaching
- - Reading / Śāstra
- - Regulative Principles
- - Sevā
- - Technicalities
- - Time Management
- Saṁskāras
- - Anna-prāśna
- - Antima-saṁskāras
- - Garbhadhāna
- - Upanayanam
- Śrī Caitanya-līlā
- - Lord Caitanya
- Vaiṣṇava Dealings
- - Association (Sādhu-saṅga)
- - Cooperation
- - Etiquette / Sadācāra
- - Vaiṣṇava-qualities
- Varṇāśrama
- - Brahmacārī
- - Changing Āśrama
- - Gṛhastha
- - Sannyāsī
- - Vānaprastha
- Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)
- - Home Deity Worship
- - Temple Deity Worship
- Vratās (Austerities)
- - Bhīṣma-Pañcaka-vratā
- - Ekādaśī-vratā
- - Kārtika-māsa-vratā
- - Puruṣottama-māsa-vratā
- Women
- - Protection
- Yet To Categories
- Youth