Question: When I go for book distribution sometimes people say you are selling books and this is an ISKCON business. Then I get offended and sometimes get angry too. What should I do in such a situation?
Author: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why should you feel bad?
Jayapatākā Swami: If we go to print books we cannot do that for free right?
There is a price for the paper, price for printing.
Compared to many other books, the price of our books is much less.
If you go to other book stalls, the price of the books are Rs. 300, 400 or 500.
Our Bhagavad-gītā is Rs.150 or so, in Bangladesh probably Rs. 100 or 200.
We see that we do not take much profit.
Now, if you can get it printed for free, then we can also distribute them for free. You can say that.
Related Questions
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
This is a very interesting question.
Now selling books is an economic issue that you are giving some money for the book.
If you use the money for your own sense gratification, but then selling the books,
well, some kind of reciprocation may be there. If you give out a book freely then,
the person takes the book and throws it, you are responsible.
If the person bought the book and then he throws it or whatever he does,
that is not your responsibility, that is his, he has bought the book.
So at the same time, like devotees if they are working under some system
like the management tells them, you deposit the money, you can take so much per cent
or if are working under a system authorized by the temple,
and then it is considered that they are working for Kṛṣṇa and then Kṛṣṇa takes the responsibility.
So if the saṅkīrtana devotees have some agreement with the temple,
so as such they should not be responsible. They are considered to be working directly under Kṛṣṇa.
Of course, if they just try to buy and sell,
because they are selling the books it is not so much an issue of karma, I mean as I mentioned earlier,
at the same time something may be there. Because they are doing on their own behalf.
But if they are doing on behalf of the temple
and the temple says you can draw your maintenance or take some percent
then it is considered working under Kṛṣṇa directly. So if they are working for themselves i.e. buying and selling,
then it is a issue that we have to look into.
Generally selling things is not bring karma; any way it shouldn’t be a problem.
If you are working for Kṛṣṇa, you are doing it as a devotional service, so it is not an issue at all.
If you are doing it for your own for making money it is not also an issue because
selling things usually does not attract karma; except the karma
if it is some meat or drug or [such thing], then obviously there is karma.
But for selling books there is no karma. So that is transcendental books,
rather they will get the good reaction. So I don’t see in either case as a karma
except if you give out books free and you don’t know [inaudible word] the people,
if they misuse the book, then you may have to accept some karma.
On the other hand, if they… Just like Prabhupāda was saying that
we shouldn’t give out japa mālās for free. We should… Some ladies, some people
in India, like to give out japa mālā. But in doing so, as a guru, we give to our disciples;
we are taking their karma anyway. So if someone gives out japa-mālā and they
commit some offense on that mālā, then you have to take the karma.
So we get some token little donation, something sell it for even one cent or
it doesn’t matter. Just in fact they took for some price and then
then we are not responsible for their karma. In the same way Prabhupāda said
if you give a tulasī seed there is no karma.
Whether they plant the seed and then.... But if you give a plant
and they mistreat the [tulasī] plant, then you are responsible.
So, I don’t know if you particularly ask about books except if the book is given free,
I heard that question. So, I don’t think you have to worry about karma
rather you are doing it as a service to Kṛṣṇa, this is Lord Caitanya’s order,
so you carrying out His order. Why would you be responsible for their karma?
It is Lord Caitanya’s order. In the same way we chant also Pañca-tattva mantra
before we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So, you are working on behalf of Lord Caitanya.
He said to distribute the teaching of Kṛṣṇa, so that is what you are doing?
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day.
I felt very proud.
I thought I was doing sādhana.
Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me, “What are you doing?”
I said, “I am chanting 32 rounds!”
I thought Śrīla Prabhupāda would be very happy.
He said, “If you stay here all day and chant rounds,
who will go out and preach?
Chant 16 rounds and go out and preach!”
So we have a dedicated time every day
for chanting.
2 hours a day.
22 hours we can spend in preaching, little time in sleeping and eating.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Our books generally attract the people.
When I used to take the saṅkīrtana party out there was His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami and other devotees in the party.
We would distribute the books
and my job was to arrange the stay of the devotees overnight.
Then I had a system – I used to find out the richest and generous person in that area.
Then I would associate and go to them.
I would ask them where is the most pious person where we brahmacārīs can stay?
Where could we go?
Then they would say, no, no, you can stay with us.
The Hindus in gṛhastha-āśrama cannot spend much,
I used to take a list and would ask where the bazar was even though I knew where it was.
How will I be able to offer bhoga offering to the Lord?
They would grab the list from me and say, no, no, we will get it.
This way, every day we used to stay in different places
and we had Nitāi-Gaura Deities,
we used to cook for Them, the initiated devotees, they would cook and we would offer to the Lords.
We were guests and we used to give them the prasāda.
They would be very happy to have the prasāda.
They were vegetarians or not I don’t know but we used to cook, offer and give kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
We used to give the family including the women and others prasāda and they were very happy.
We used to go to the bazaar and bring the devotees back and give them prasāda.
This was our principle.
Category: [Sādhanā / Book distribution]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: There are certain symptoms are mentioned in the ‘Nectar of Devotion’ and
‘Caitanya-caritāmṛta’.
If those symptoms match up.
If the other subsidiary symptoms are also there, the anubhāvas.
Then these are confirmations that it’s actually real ecstasy.
But in any case, one can always approach the guru
and explain what happened and get confirmed whether it’s a real ecstasy or not, if there is any doubt.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu did that, approached His guru and asked
whether His ecstasies, they were illusion or something.
And then His guru confirmed that no, these are the real ecstasies, you have love of Kṛṣṇa.
Ecstasy may come in a very advanced stage or may come for a moment as a
little preview of future things to happen.
That’s called like they are seeing the light in the sky before the sun rises, or ābhāsa.
So, there is different degrees of ecstasy.
Maybe someone gets a little glimpse of ecstasy but doesn’t stay, that’s the preliminary stage.
Then when one is more purified and takes more shelter of Kṛṣṇa,
then that ecstasy becomes steady.
It’s called sthāyi-bhāva - fixed ecstasy
and one is always feeling spiritual bliss in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
So we want… we may by Lord Caitanya’s mercy, He gives a little preview of ecstasy.
So many devotees say experience in the kīrtana.
In some festival, a little spiritual ecstasy.
It’s like an impetus.
You want to go on getting purified
and then one will be fixed in that ecstasy without any cessation.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Now in every country there is a situation and procedure.
In the West there is no problem.
Women and men mix freely.
Women go for preaching and book distribution and there is no problem.
But in Bangladesh I cannot say much.
As per Bangladesh culture, I don’t know if unwed girls can go with men.
That the leaders of Bangladesh can say.
But mostly the ladies cannot mix with men and men cannot mix with women.
This way if women mix with women what is the inconvenience?
I don’t know if there it is convenient for women to go along with men in Bangladesh.
In the university there are hostels for women, there the women can go.
Ordinarily, the Hindus have a separate hostel.
And men cannot go to women’s hostel.
This way women can go and distribute books in the women’s hostel.
When I was in Montreal, I used to go the university hostel to distribute books.
Women are generally at home, they can in the evenings or when they are free they can distribute books.
In this time of pandemic, many people distribute books through the telephone or internet.
Here every day 100 or more Bhagavad-gītās, 10 or 12 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets, Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2 or 3 sets are distributed.
Today was the birthday of a devotee, therefore, from our virtual book table they donated 50 Bhagavad-gītās.
Because I cannot go to all, I have this virtual book table and the devotees donate here.
Some people send by courier and some just donate.
That way you can call your friends, relatives and distribute the books.
His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami knows very well in this regard.
Every day the boys in the saṅkīrtana team distribute books.
There are ten buses but they are not able to go but still they distribute books.
Questioner: Bhaktin Nivedita
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: By spiritual knowledge, we can avoid materialistic things.
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(Cc Madhya 22.31)
(Cc Madhya 22.31)
Where there is Kṛṣṇa, He is like the sun, there is no darkness.
And material life is like darkness.
In order to eradicate the darkness, we need to bring in the light of Kṛṣṇa.
That will naturally solve the problem.
But for new devotees, it is hard for them to under what is spiritual, what is material.
And that is why they need more knowledge,
so that they can understand the difference.
It is not very difficult,
but it is a new way, we are not used to thinking.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: All the vices can be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa’s service except envy.
So we can be angry when Kṛṣṇa is offended,
when the devotee is offended.
But if someone, in some disturbing situation,
hampering their sense gratification,
they should not get angry.
If they get angry it is a vice, a mistake and sinful.
Like that we could angry for the right reason,
otherwise we should be tolerant.
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Attachment, fear, and anger, how to overcome? There is a verse of this in the Bhagavad-gītā
and some advice is given there.
But in a nutshell, we want to dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Instead of being attached to the material world, we are more attached to Kṛṣṇa and His service.
An anger instead of being angry because our ego is pinched
or because someone is not giving us the sense gratification we want,
or because someone is criticizing us unnecessarily,
unconstructively,
then if we get angry that is material.
But if someone offends a devotee or Kṛṣṇa; if we get angry
that’s Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So anger, we try to use it for the right reason and anger for the wrong reason, we renounce.
And since Kṛṣṇa promises He will protect His devotees,
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati [Bg 9.31]
My devotee will never be destroyed.
So why should we have any fear?
Fear is the part of the material world,
and fear means that we take it as a caution.
But we don’t actually fear absolutely because we can depend on the mercy and protection of Kṛṣṇa.
But if He tells us in our mind, that going to this place is dangerous now,
we take that also as a warning by Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Attachment, fear, and anger, how to overcome? There is a verse of this in the Bhagavad-gītā
and some advice is given there.
But in a nutshell, we want to dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Instead of being attached to the material world, we are more attached to Kṛṣṇa and His service.
An anger instead of being angry because our ego is pinched
or because someone is not giving us the sense gratification we want,
or because someone is criticizing us unnecessarily,
unconstructively,
then if we get angry that is material.
But if someone offends a devotee or Kṛṣṇa; if we get angry
that’s Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So anger, we try to use it for the right reason and anger for the wrong reason, we renounce.
And since Kṛṣṇa promises He will protect His devotees,
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati [Bg 9.31]
My devotee will never be destroyed.
So why should we have any fear?
Fear is the part of the material world,
and fear means that we take it as a caution.
But we don’t actually fear absolutely because we can depend on the mercy and protection of Kṛṣṇa.
But if He tells us in our mind, that going to this place is dangerous now,
we take that also as a warning by Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Think of positive thoughts!
Just like we see the Deities of Rādhā Govinda Aṣṭa Sakhi, Lord Gaurāṅga, we think of Them.
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: It could be a very good habit,
if you use it on yourself.
You find all the good qualities of others, and all the bad qualities in yourself.
Don’t be like a fly, who sits on the sores.
So we follow the third instruction of Lord Caitanya in His Śikṣāṣṭakam.
We should give respect to others, and not expect any respect for ourselves.
Questioner: Bhaktin Kavita
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: We don’t think, that if we do anything right, it is for our credit.
We think that is by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa
and therefore we are able to do something nice.
So that way we don’t get falsely proud.
If we make a mistake, we take the blame.
If we do something nice
we give credit to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was watching some video of his departure,
and all the devotees, most of the devotees were feeling you know, very separated.
One devotee came in front of the camera and started chanting, clapping, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he is not very advanced.
It is natural that you feel separation from the guru, naturally devotees felt separation when Śrīla Prabhupāda left.
Śrīla Prabhupāda appreciated
that that kind of intense feeling is a sign of spiritual advancement
and there are emotions that devotees feel.
And some circumstances are suitable for chanting, dancing in happiness.
But when the spiritual master is departing,
most of the devotees are feeling heavy hearted.
If some devotes smiling, laughing, Haribol!
Śrīla Prabhupāda he did not appreciate that.
So they were not really conscious what was happening.
Not conscious of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
In the same way, to see Kṛṣṇa, multiply that, and there is nothing you can explain,
that words will not do justice.
If we hear what Lord Caitanya was experiencing, to whatever extent that touches our heart,
that by this feeling, by this meditation on Lord Caitanya’s ecstasy at that time,
we get the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
So, someone was saying that the greatest separation in the world is to be separated from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: In the material world there are always provoking situations.
Therefore, it is said we should take shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa,
or taking the shelter of the spiritual master who is Kṛṣṇa’s representative.
If we practice this, then naturally we can become firm.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue.
And that way your enthusiasm will return.
This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Will they not chant?
Will they not have kṛṣṇa-prasāda?
Jayapatākā Swami: If they do book distribution all the time then what is the difficulty?
We have to always do some service or the other.
If they distribute books all the time, that is good.
Those who are in Māyāpur they cannot distribute books all the time.
They come and contribute in the ārati, they dance.
This way they do different services.
But if they do book distribution there all the time, what is the difficulty? It is even good.
But we have to always be doing one service or the other.
One cooks, if there is no cooking then we have a problem.
Like soldiers, one cooks, and one goes out. Similarly, our devotees also, someone cooks, and someone does some other service.
One will distribute prasāda.
If they say that we will not do any other service.
Those who distribute books can also do any other service.
But the time allocated for book distribution, they should do that.
But they can also distribute prasāda, and they should have prasāda. During ārati they should participate and do everything.
One service or the other we have to do.
As many books are distributed, it is good.
But all the time we should do one service.
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
My question is from yesterday's class. You mentioned that the gopis and creepers of Vrndavana are always in the fire of separation, they always feel that separation from Krsna. Although, they are always associating with Krsna because they are always remembering Him, still they feel that separation. But we are in reality, in actuality, we are the ones who are separated from Krsna, but we never realize that separation. So how do we realize this at every moment that we are separated from Krsna?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: The they thing is that Lord Caitanya is teaching us how we can love Krsna in separation,
and if we develop the desire, I asked how we want to develop love of Krsna,
everybody raised their hand.
But if you desire very intensely, we want it strongly,
we could achieve that.
But we have to do everything.
And gradually we will awaken that spontaneous love.
In the beginning of the Nectar of Devotion, the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu,
it explains how we start devotional service following certain rules.
And gradually practicing devotional service becomes like a spontaneous, like a ritual thing.
From there one actually starts to develop a taste and becomes very attached
and becomes every ecstatic,
and then they start to manifest ecstatic symptoms
and then that becomes pure and they start to achieve Kṛṣṇa-prema.
So, these are the steps, it is a gradual process.
Eight steps to the bhāva
and prema and then eight steps of prema.
We may not get all the way to the top of prema, but anywhere in prema, even bhāva is very nice.
Category: [Emotions], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)]
Questioner: Tattvavit Nimāi das
Date: 2022-10-12
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.
Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.
Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.
Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.
So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.
There will be some disturbing situations.
These are tests.
If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.
If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.
He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.
It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.
So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!
But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.
So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.
Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.
The test is when things get disturbed.
At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,
and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And pass the test.
Haribol!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are genuinely interested in reading books and they are poor,
He said, “I have my wife, children, cow, my sister who is physically challenged. Can I bring them?”
The book distributor said, “I will check with the temple authorities and let you know.”
He said, “But I have read the book, I am determined now, I want to do something and follow the book.
What should I do?”
The book distributor said, “Then you become a life member.”
He asked, “How much do I have to pay?” The book distributor said, “It would be some few thousand rupees.”
The man said, “I am poor, I don’t get much salary.
I can maybe pay in instalments.
I want to do something! What should I do?”
“Then you buy some more books.”
Because of this I established the Nāmahaṭṭa.
That way people can stay at home and do devotional service.
If everyone comes to the temple, that is not practical.
This way, distributing books means being the representative of guru and Gaurāṅga.
Giving everyone the opportunity to serve the Lord.
Category: [Sādhanā / Book distribution]
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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Answer: We are in competition,
after I try,
if it is successful or not I will tell.
And if you are in Māyāpur, you will find out.
But, His Holiness Gopal Kṛṣṇa Goswami Maharaj,
he said that 2,750 devotees were on the marathon month in Delhi.
So, one thing is to get as many devotees as possible during the marathon
and distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
Link: 20150301 Evening Darśana
Category: [Sādhanā / Book distribution]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Every time is good 24 hours a day but the best time to start your meditation is called brahma-muhūrta which is an hour and a half before sunrise.
But if we can’t do that time do any time we can do.
That’s the best time according to sastras.
So we should do all the time.
Well,
very good good very good
if you are simply thinking about Kṛṣṇa in a possible way and you feel tears coming that means you are getting some mercy from Lord Caitanya.
Of course some times people think of other things and cry so I’m hoping that you are thinking about Kṛṣṇa and crying so that’s good.
If you are feeling attachment for Kṛṣṇa this is a very good sign things like this are more for individual talking to the guru because how can I say by somebody is crying but it could be that it is devotional crying.
If one does experience special symptoms in spiritual life that is a good reason to interviewed with guru and conclude up with the advanced devotee and then they can see whether everything is going all right and how to advice you?
It’s not something to talk about in public.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why should you feel bad?
It is not that everyone will take a book from you.
If they say they have this book, they say we have the Bhagavad-gītā.
Then we should ask them do you have Bhagavad-gītā As It Is? If they have, how did they like it?
Then you can ask them what is there in chapter 12 verse 32?
We know that in chapter 12 there are only 20 verses.
Do you really have the Bhagavad-gītā and do you read it?
It depends on how much time the person has, you can then have a discussion.
You can ask them how did you find reading this book?
What are the books you have? If there are many people, then you can say good and go to other people.
We want to serve the Lord.
If someone says, I have the books, then good.
Maybe they bought it from someone else.
But do they really have Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books or what books? You can inquire.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why should you feel bad?
It is not that everyone will take a book from you.
If they say they have this book, they say we have the Bhagavad-gītā.
Then we should ask them do you have Bhagavad-gītā As It Is? If they have, how did they like it?
Then you can ask them what is there in chapter 12 verse 32?
We know that in chapter 12 there are only 20 verses.
Do you really have the Bhagavad-gītā and do you read it?
It depends on how much time the person has, you can then have a discussion.
You can ask them how did you find reading this book?
What are the books you have? If there are many people, then you can say good and go to other people.
We want to serve the Lord.
If someone says, I have the books, then good.
Maybe they bought it from someone else.
But do they really have Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books or what books? You can inquire.
Yesterday we saw while you were reading the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you were experiencing extreme such separation even while reading, from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Kṛṣṇa. We could tell from just what was going on. In addition to that you were experiencing extreme physical pain and today in the medical meeting you mentioned that you are missing Gaura, Kṛṣṇa and that you are also missing Śrīla Prabhupāda. How are you able to handle such seeming diametric feelings, all at once?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like when the lady climbed on Lord Caitanya’s shoulder holding the Garuḍa-stambha,
then Lord Caitanya said that Lord Jagannātha has not blessed Me with such eagerness.
So, He was praying that this lady would give Him blessing
so He would have so much eagerness to see the Lord.
I don’t have so much intense separation,
that I am surviving
is due to my lack of intense love for Kṛṣṇa.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
I will try to take lunch early and come for my evening class earlier
so that everybody can take rest early!
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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