20210525 Question And Answer Session

The following is a Question & Answer Session given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 25th, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. 

Question: What should be our mood and prayer to Lord Narasiṁhadeva today? Also, the purport says that it is very easy to please Lord Nārayaṇa, but I find it very difficult and struggle to keep my sādhanā and sevā going on steadily every day. How to understand this if guru and Kṛṣṇa are pleased with me or not, and where am I going wrong?

—Harshita Sharma, New Delhi, India 

Jayapatākā Swami: Certainly, by your trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious you are pleasing the Lord. If you keep on trying, then gradually, as they say, practice makes perfect. So we hope that gradually you will be able to achieve the perfect stage. But just the fact that you are trying, that means a lot. So definitely you will be protected from the greatest danger.

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Question: 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?

—Nitāi Candra Nimāi dāsa

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.

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Question: What should be our prayers in the corona pandemic for normal persons and devotees and for preaching to new people?

Jayapatākā Swami: Whatever, we should always pray to the Lord for devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote letters, he always ended the letter, hope this meets you in good health. So, in good health it will help to serve the Lord. But these mundane people want good health, so that they can enjoy life. They want good health to have indriya-tṛpti. Sense gratification. But devotees they want good health to serve the Lord. So, we should pray like that. But we should always engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s sevā.

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Question: During some dangers, we pray to Lord Narasiṁhadeva for protection. Is it appropriate to offer prayers to Lord Narasiṁhadeva in times of danger?

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Narasiṁhadeva, you see He wants to fulfill your devotional desire. We are praying for devotional blessings. Every prayer we make, it should be connected with Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service. When we pray for our spiritual master’s health, then we say, if it so pleases, if You so desire, my Lord, please make my spiritual master well.

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Question: I have heard pastime of Śārabha, a form of Śiva fighting with Lord Narasiṁhadeva and other versions mentioned in various tāmasika and rājasika Purāṇas, I feel very painful, it disturbed me a lot. I felt I should not have read or heard. What should be the proper understanding of this pastime? Why such different versions? How a devotee of Lord Narasiṁhadeva understand these versions?

—Murāri Mādhava dāsa, SNGM Temple, Bengaluru, India

Jayapatākā Swami: Different Narasiṁhadevas have come in different kalpas. But we should hear commentaries of Vaiṣṇavas. We don’t know if non-vaiṣṇavas will give proper explanation. So actually there should be no conflict if it is properly explained. I don’t particularly know the Purāṇa, pastime, you are referring to. We know in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, there is a demon of Bāṇāsura who had the blessings of Lord Śiva. And the ultimate weapon of Lord Śiva met the ultimate weapon of Lord Nārāyaṇa. And Śiva’s weapon was defeated. And Sudarśana cakra cut off the thousands of Bāṇāsura and left four arms.

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Question: What is the prayer for the devotees, implicated by the corona pandemic?

Jayapatākā Swami: We pray that the Lord, if it pleases you, help this devotee to regain his health, and that devotee, the person can do devotional service.