Question: What should be the mood of a gṛhastha who is serving in the temple and has to accept Lakṣmī for maintaining his family? Could the service also be selfless ?
Author: Śrījīva Gosvāmī dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are taking minimal amount,
what they need for maintaining their family,
so if the temple thinks it is worthwhile,
then one should do that.
And that would be considered as selfless service.
Of course, if one is taking a huge amount and saving a lot,
then he may consider if it is selfless.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Related Questions
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that if someone thought whether I should be a gṛhastha or a brahmacārī,
being a brahmacārī is a difficult proposition.
If they think that let me try being a brahmacārī for some time that is one thing.
But now when you are studying to think immediately after studies should I be a brahmacārī or a gṛhastha, how is that possible?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that you need to be determined and firm to become a brahmacārī.
This is called bṛhad-vrata.
I see some devotees stay as a brahmacārī for five years and after that discuss with the guru what should I do.
When I joined the movement, I was only 19 years. The temple president’s wife in the temple I was in told me that if you want to go back to Godhead, you should become a gṛhastha.
Then I went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and asked him, “What should I do?” I did not think that at this age I want to be a gṛhastha.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “You be a brahmacārī for 25 years and after that discuss with your guru and he will decide.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me sannyāsa when I was 21 years old.
Now I have completed 50 years of sannyāsa.
Anyway, from 25 to 30 one should think,
if they think that which āśrama they will be stronger in. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is the Gajendra-mokṣa episode
where Gajendra is the king of elephants.
He was fighting with the king of crocodiles in the water.
The fight went on for many days.
Because elephant is a land animal
and crocodile is a water animal
and is in the water,
the crocodile is having some more strength.
Gajendra understood that I am slowly getting weak.
In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda said we should see in which situation will we be stronger to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Being a gṛhastha or a brahmacārī, we have to think.
But why should you do it right now?
You have to make up your mind that some days I will be a brahmacārī and then will think.
But if someone thinks that I will be stronger as a gṛhastha,
the purpose is that we should do service to Kṛṣṇa.
Then it is advisable to get married to a Kṛṣṇa conscious girl.
Many non-devotee girls will say, “I will eat veg.”
There was a case in Māyāpur.
The devotee after discussion with me, married a non-devotee.
They had a child
and then the girl started eating nonveg.
The devotee said, “You promised that you will not eat nonveg.”
The girl said, “You know what family I come from,
I was trying
but I cannot.
I will eat chicken.”
One thing is that I will not be a brahmacārī, I will be a gṛhastha. And then being a gṛhastha, you have to be in such a situation that you can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
If you get married to a non-devotee, then there will be lot of inconvenience.
Anyway, stay a brahmacārī till the age of about 25 and then after that decide.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-07
If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa,
you surrender to Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa says mokṣya,
that He’ll protect you from all the sins.
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
‘Sarva-pāpebhyo’,
all pāpa He’ll protect you from.
There’s no other way to get free from your sin except for taking shelter of the Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Even if you do pious activity that doesn’t get rid of the sin.
Only by serving Kṛṣṇa you’d be get free from all the sin
Questioner: Bhaktin Pūjā
Date: 2022-09-30
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this material world is like a prison house.
And if you serve Kṛṣṇa, you get out of this prison.
If you serve guru and Kṛṣṇa, you will be free!
Do you think that the jail keeper will let you go so easy?!
She tests you first to see that you are really sincere.
And when you pass the test, she will offer you her obeisances.
Thank you, you can go back to Godhead!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Keyā Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī said in the Upadeśāmṛta
that one should live in a holy place,
so that could be in a dhāma or in a nearby temple.
So, that kind of desire is authorized.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
An initiated neophyte has vowed to follow the regulative principles, chant daily 16 rounds and to help you and help Śrīla Prabhupāda in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all around the world. Say, such a neophyte has broken this vow in an attempt to meet the demands of his competitive world due to his past bad karma, how can such a person be attractive and inspiring to the common man plus come back to the spiritual life and resume to his guru’s pleasure?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that is why taking first initiation
it is described as taking a new birth.
Naturally when you are taking birth as a baby,
a toddler,
you may fall down a few times.
Then gradually you learn to walk.
So at your first initiation
it is expected that
there may be a few mistakes.
And one should pick up and continue to practice,
in this way they can progress.
When one takes the second initiation,
they should be more considered like 9 or 12 years old.
If at that time they are sleeping in the lap of the mother
and passing stool or something,
then something is wrong!
A little baby it is expected.
But not in a 9 or 12-year-old boy!
Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean if the husband or someone has to go out working,
then they may wear their working clothes and bow down to the Lord.
There should be some reason.
Vaiṣṇava clothes are more relaxing.
But everyone may have some particular situation.
So, accordingly they may dress.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya advised that we should do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do as an offering to Kṛṣṇa.
So, ideally the wife can marry a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Just by assisting him,
she is also directly doing devotional service.
If she is not so fortunate to have a devotee,
she can also try to bring up her children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
She can offer bhoga to the Deities
and take prasāda and give prasāda to the family.
There are different ways one can engage in devotional service.
I had the good fortune of visiting many gṛhastha families,
seeing how they have Deities,
how they are offering the bhoga,
offering āratī to the deities.
Some people have picture altars,
some have Deities.
So, we are seeing how the families are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how they are practicing.
This is the way that one can achieve success in this lifetime.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Women]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya advised that we should do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do as an offering to Kṛṣṇa.
So, ideally the wife can marry a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Just by assisting him,
she is also directly doing devotional service.
If she is not so fortunate to have a devotee,
she can also try to bring up her children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
She can offer bhoga to the Deities
and take prasāda and give prasāda to the family.
There are different ways one can engage in devotional service.
I had the good fortune of visiting many gṛhastha families,
seeing how they have Deities,
how they are offering the bhoga,
offering āratī to the deities.
Some people have picture altars,
some have Deities.
So, we are seeing how the families are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how they are practicing.
This is the way that one can achieve success in this lifetime.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Women]
Questioner: Purabi Das
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: We should not be attracted by temporary things.
Temporary things only last for short time, so we should not be distracted by them.
If we are attracted by some temporary things, we should think how to do that in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
In this way, we can naturally develop our love for Kṛṣṇa.
So, developing love for Kṛṣṇa is a gradual process.
And step by step we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if we want to have a child, we pray to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious child.
We do everything in such a way that Kṛṣṇa will be pleased.
And naturally like we were reading how the king and his queen were praying to Kṛṣṇa and then they got a Kṛṣṇa conscious child, they actually got an avatāra, Ṛṣabhadeva as their child who was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: Prabhupāda gave me a service of building Māyāpur and then at that time day and night we had two shifts of construction we were working - 600 people working under us - three devotees.
So then I went up to Prabhupāda and said I just want to take out two hours a day for reading books, because I am not getting any chance to read, so I want to take out.
Prabhupāda got angry at me and said, "You think there is a difference between serving and building my project and reading my books?
You see any difference?" (laughter)
"No."
"Then? Then?"
"Hare Kṛṣṇa"
That’s it.
Of course, the point is that while somehow or other I still managed to squeeze out half hour here there something.
It takes some desire.
This idea that we have to stop our service to read… actually, if we really go through our schedule, cut down, or even… you know, cut down on all the little times that we were wasting our…whatever.
If we really go through the schedule we can squeeze out some time every day.
And if there is really so much service that uh, needs to be done, well, that is also a shelter.
That protects us.
We have to see, if that much emergency service we have to do.
There was a big emergency in Māyāpur.
Of course, Prabhupāda generally tells everyone we should read for an hour a day.
But if we attend two classes that is also reading.
If we are hearing a class that is also reading, it is not that one is not reading.
We are hearing the Bhāgavatam every day.
In addition to that we can get time for reading, we have to just really economize.
That way if we have a desire that we want to do our service so quickly and so perfectly so that we can get little time for reading,
not little more time for sleeping or little more time for gossip… as soon as there’s a little time, we all start to gossip, or we do something else.
We have more taste sometimes for prajalpa, for other things, but if we actually tried to squeeze out the time then when we have a little time we immediately sit down and read.
So that is very good, we don't want to have a lot of spare time.
How much can we read anyway?
We can only read as much as we serve.
Service creates in us an appetite for reading.
So that way if you are competing with your time to do as much service then even do it more efficiently by which you can fit in a little more time for reading, you see.
Then it will be difficult for māyā to catch you.
In the spiritual world there is sevya, sevā and sevaka.
There is the served, the service and the servitor.
The process, the person… Everything is the, the person served, the process of service and the servant these three items are completely spiritual therefore the spiritual world is called Absolute.
There is no tinge of material contamination there.
We just have to see if our… if we can keep our consciousness in the service then there is no problem.
If our consciousness is becoming agitated we need some special instructions, then we have to discuss with authorities.
As long as the consciousness is good, one doesn’t have to think that well, just by serving you are not going to get where you want to go, because actually this service is completely pure.
Rather, just like Pra… I don't chant more than 16 rounds.
First, I will chant 16 rounds then I will read.
Then after I complete what I consider enough reading then I will chant more than 16 rounds, you see.
My priority is, first finish my rounds then read.
Sometimes devotees chant 20 rounds, 30 rounds.
Not always, but sometimes they chant more rounds.
My next priority after rounds is reading.
Then after that then more rounds sometimes if I have more time.
So, in this way, somehow or another we have to adjust everything without actually reducing.
We should not reduce, we should think how to further increase.
If there is so much service that you have no time for reading and if… if… if you are so expert that you are also not giving any time for māyā in your day, well then you are still safe.
And of course, you are attending class, so some reading is there, that is also reading.
Not that Prabhupāda did not think this was reading.
Then you can further become expert or arrange to engage other devotees who may not be as fully engaged and squeeze out a little time for reading.
Our goal is not to reduce service, but somehow fit everything in, increasing, as far as possible.
And if that can’t be done with one's own service then you try to train some other people to take up more responsibility.
Make more devotees, train them up, is that alright?
Devotee: Yes.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: When we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
we chant Pañca-tattva before that.
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
The thing is that the teachings of Caitanya-caritāmṛta are very advanced.
Therefore, as far as the teachings are concerned we may be able to understand it better there.
Now we know in principle, basic, that Lord Caitanya is very merciful,
and we can know basic things about Lord Caitanya.
But to read Caitanya-caritāmṛta there are some pastimes which are very advanced
and we may not understand all the nectar.
So we study something before,
something after.
We know that Lord Caitanya, He has given us the special mercy.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
He (Vrajeśvara Gaura dāsa) is reminding me that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam introduction Śrīla Prabhupāda has given description of Lord Caitanya in about 50 pages, and you can read that too.
Haribol!
I am finishing my class quickly so you can have your prasāda soon!
Srila Jayapataka Swami Gurumaharaja Ki! Jay!
Srila Prabhupada Ki! Jay!
Gaur Premanande!
Being a gṛhastha and at the same time we do temple service also. It happens sometime it becomes difficult to manage or balance the temple service and gṛhastha life at the same time. What should be more importance – spiritual life, temple service or in gṛhastha-āśrama, gṛhastha services? Sometimes we struggle for that. What is the right solution for that and how do we balance our spiritual life at the same time gṛhastha life also?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
You see, Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhasthas, their gṛhastha life is also spiritual.
Just like Jagadānanda Paṇḍita he met with Sanātana Gosvāmī, and they were discussing about Lord Caitanya.
So, like this Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhasthas, they could talk about Kṛṣṇa and make plans how to do some spiritual programs in their house.
Just like we see that Lord Caitanya being a sannyāsī, He never cooked.
But He would go to the gṛhasthas’ houses and take His meals.
That was a kind of festival.
How would you like to have Lord Caitanya come to your home?
So, like this, gṛhasthas should also follow Lord Caitanya’s instructions.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa (Cc. Madhya 7.128).
Like Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he wanted all his gṛhastha followers to be paramahaṁsas.
Now, most of these devotees were gṛhasthas,
not in the present, but in the past, they were gṛhasthas.
So Lord Caitanya was instructing them to go back to their homes and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So, like that, if you have some service you can do in the temple,
that is a great benefit.
But also, the activities they can do in their house which promote Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
like Śrīla Prabhupāda was explaining that when they saw Śrīla Prabhupāda, they get frightened, he is a sannyāsī.
So, normally gṛhasthas, like we had a guest last night.
Gṛhasthas are soft selling!
Sannyāsīs they tend to be a bit like hard selling!
So like this, we should try to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
People may say, oh! He has a wife, she has a husband, they are doing all the things in their house, they are happy, why don’t I be Kṛṣṇa conscious, I will be happy!
So gṛhastha is a very important aspect of our preaching.
You should not think that somehow it is lower.
It is a different style.
Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Maṅgalamayī Mālinī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that, if you are an initiated devotee,
then it is very beneficial for you, and not so much trouble for the devotee.
But sometimes people who are not devotees take the dust, and sometimes devotees distribute their guru’s prasāda remnants
to non-devotees.
That may cause great trouble for the devotee.
What is being said is true,
but it may cause some trouble for the devotee,
if the person is not a devotee himself.
So, that was the thing that Śrīla Prabhupāda said,
that we should not give it out to non-devotees,
or to uninitiated devotees.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it depends on one’s nature.
In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is fight between the king of the elephants and the king of the crocodiles.
So the fight was in the water.
At one point, the elephant felt that he was losing.
Because he is a land animal,
and he was in the water.
But the crocodile is a water animal.
So somehow or another he was in his elements, so he was stronger.
In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that we should see what is our nature.
That in every situation, we want to fight against māyā.
So, if your nature is more vairāgya, then you can be a brahmacārī for a long time.
If your nature is more gṛhastha,
then you may be in that āśrama.
But then it is important to have a devotee wife.
So that both of you can fight against māyā as a team,
to serve Kṛṣṇa.
If the lady is simply māyā,
then that will not be very convenient.
It is very important to marry a Kṛṣṇa conscious lady,
if you want to have a gṛhastha-āśrama.
Of course, having a household means you have to work.
Unless you have a service at the temple, you have to spend some time earning money.
So it is little more of a balancing act.
Being a brahmacārī has certain advantages – you don’t have these responsibilities.
But again, you have to see what your nature is.
If your nature is such that you have to be a gṛhastha,
then you should try to find a devotee mate.
See how you can do your devotional service together.
Unfortunately, people when they look for a mate, they look for a nice face!
But actually, you have to deal with the mind.
So you should see that they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One boy, he married a non-devotee,
he was asked by his parents.
She was a non-veg,
but she promised I will be a vegetarian.
After they had a baby,
she started eating chicken.
Then he said, “You promised you will be a vegetarian!”
She said, “I promised,
I tried,
I was a vegetarian for a year.
You know what background I came from –
sorry, I have to eat
meat!”
So, better to have a devotee from the beginning.
So at least there is less maintenance.
Marriage is two people.
You have to have the other person on the same wavelength.
As brahmacārīs, when you are staying in the āśrama, there are some crazy people also.
So there are ups and downs in both sides.
Brahmacārīs, you don’t have responsibilities, so you can serve Kṛṣṇa 24 hours.
But gṛhasthas can also do a lot of service.
So if they make money, they can give some money to the temple.
Or they can do various preaching.
We want people to serve Kṛṣṇa,
no matter what they are.
Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it depends on one’s nature.
In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is fight between the king of the elephants and the king of the crocodiles.
So the fight was in the water.
At one point, the elephant felt that he was losing.
Because he is a land animal,
and he was in the water.
But the crocodile is a water animal.
So somehow or another he was in his elements, so he was stronger.
In the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that we should see what is our nature.
That in every situation, we want to fight against māyā.
So, if your nature is more vairāgya, then you can be a brahmacārī for a long time.
If your nature is more gṛhastha,
then you may be in that āśrama.
But then it is important to have a devotee wife.
So that both of you can fight against māyā as a team,
to serve Kṛṣṇa.
If the lady is simply māyā,
then that will not be very convenient.
It is very important to marry a Kṛṣṇa conscious lady,
if you want to have a gṛhastha-āśrama.
Of course, having a household means you have to work.
Unless you have a service at the temple, you have to spend some time earning money.
So it is little more of a balancing act.
Being a brahmacārī has certain advantages – you don’t have these responsibilities.
But again, you have to see what your nature is.
If your nature is such that you have to be a gṛhastha,
then you should try to find a devotee mate.
See how you can do your devotional service together.
Unfortunately, people when they look for a mate, they look for a nice face!
But actually, you have to deal with the mind.
So you should see that they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One boy, he married a non-devotee,
he was asked by his parents.
She was a non-veg,
but she promised I will be a vegetarian.
After they had a baby,
she started eating chicken.
Then he said, “You promised you will be a vegetarian!”
She said, “I promised,
I tried,
I was a vegetarian for a year.
You know what background I came from –
sorry, I have to eat
meat!”
So, better to have a devotee from the beginning.
So at least there is less maintenance.
Marriage is two people.
You have to have the other person on the same wavelength.
As brahmacārīs, when you are staying in the āśrama, there are some crazy people also.
So there are ups and downs in both sides.
Brahmacārīs, you don’t have responsibilities, so you can serve Kṛṣṇa 24 hours.
But gṛhasthas can also do a lot of service.
So if they make money, they can give some money to the temple.
Or they can do various preaching.
We want people to serve Kṛṣṇa,
no matter what they are.
Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Svāmī: Without being married.
Ah, there is no such stipulation that liberation is dependent upon getting married.
But it has been recommended very strongly that women should be married.
But as far as being… What if a girl dies when she is twelve, or something?
It’s not, it’s not lean on the soul that you have to get married to go back to Godhead.
It’s a question of what consciousness you’re in when you leave your body.
If you’re in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you’ll go back to Godhead.
In a general sadhana practice of devotional service,
it’s conducive for women to be married and have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband.
If the husband is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then there is a problem.
But actually, the husband should be Kṛṣṇa conscious and the wife should be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
In this way, they give each other association.
I can elaborate.
But we’re on short of time right now.
But it’s not contingent on going back to Godhead, per se.
That is not contingent on any material thing.
It’s contingent on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, serving the spiritual master, following his instructions.
Hare Krsna.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Women]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: If you are sick, you cannot take bath, this Kṛṣṇa can understand.
First if you want you can take an ācamana and take a mantra-snāna, mental bath, chanting the śuci-mantra.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in Guruvayūr the head priest or Nambhūthirī is not told if his close relative has passed away.
So he is not affected.
The questions is: if you are affected, if you are lamenting, then it is not good to go before the Deities.
If you are not affected,
then the aśauca period is considered to be less.
I mean like for the brāhmaṇas something like 11 days and śudras 30 days or something.
Vaiṣṇavas are considered to be detached, considered to be on the brahmanical platform.
That you can see your consciousness, how you feel.
Category: [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Saṁskāras / Antima-saṁskāras]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Seems so! Seems that they describe, if we take sesame on Sat-tila Ekādaśī, we get the mercy.
Normally we don’t take sesame, we use that in havan.
We think of it as a grain although it is not.
Sat-tila Ekādaśī, I read that you should tila, sesame in many ways.
So it would seem alright then,
since it is written in the scripture.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vratās (Austerities)], [Vratās (Austerities) / Ekādaśī-vratā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: You should take the advice of pūjārīs like Sevatulya Prabhu, who are very senior and experienced here.
I think that on Dvādaśī there is a restriction to not pluck tulasī leaves.
But you should ask the head pūjārīs.
That is all I know that on Dvādaśī we do not pick.
I did not hear there is restriction on any other days.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-23
Jayapatākā Swami: In our major temples in Vṛndāvana and Māyāpur, in Bombay
we don’t purchase any store-bought fruits uh these where store-bought sweets.
In the smaller temples sometime, they purchase.
Of course, purchasing is that has got some other implications.
Purchasing is sometime allowed.
but that would be considered to be not as perfect as if we could make the things ourselves,
because, they are not having any pure standard.
We don’t know what type of, actually technically speaking store-bought things which are made outside by non-devotees,
they are not… even in the West, we don’t also offer fruit juice.
We make the juice ourselves,
because whether that people are washing their hands after they are going in bathroom,
or something like that, or what they’re doing, you don’t know, what standard they have.
There are many rules, you see.
If you go to the bathroom, you have to take an entire shower.
The same cloth you shouldn’t use, if you are going to cook for the Deity.
If people are negligent of this, they will get worse than sinful reactions.
They will get offensive reactions from Kṛṣṇa.
Their devotion will be stuck up.
And for preaching sometime, you can pray to Kṛṣṇa that for preaching sometimes, we have to just do these things,
and there is no alternative.
But normally one should be very careful.
It’s an opportunity to get the blessing; it’s an opportunity at the same time if you are not careful to also get punished.
So, we should be very careful when we do these things to do it properly.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Food], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
Questioner: Cārurūpa Mādhava dāsa:
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Generally, we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam first and then the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
But we can start reading Bhāgavatam and simultaneously read Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
But usually Caitanya-caritāmṛta philosophy is very high and one may not understand it.
I am trying to write a Kṛṣṇa type book
on Lord Caitanya’s pastimes
and keep the philosophy down;
so that then, one can go and read the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and get all the philosophy.
So it is good we know a little bit of Caitanya-caritāmṛta but
it is not that you leave aside Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam totally.
You should have a regular routine of reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
If you have time, then you can read a little bit of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta as well
or the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book that I am compiling.
Questioner: Mādhavī Śyāmasundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: All the services to the Deities in this temple or any temple of ISKCON will be very pleasing to me.
So you can ask the temple leaders what service you can do.
Lord Caitanya said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.
Whoever you see, tell them the glories of Kṛṣṇa.
That will make me very happy.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Mādhavī Śyāmasundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: All the services to the Deities in this temple or any temple of ISKCON will be very pleasing to me.
So you can ask the temple leaders what service you can do.
Lord Caitanya said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.
Whoever you see, tell them the glories of Kṛṣṇa.
That will make me very happy.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The highest form of prayer is to sing or chant the name of the Lord.
If we pray, it maybe not a very good prayer.
So that is why the saṅkīrtana or chanting of the holy name is recommended
If one chants the name of Narasiṁhadeva 21 times, they can get delivered from various sufferings.
“Śrī Narasiṁha! Jaya Narasiṁha! Jaya jaya jaya Narasiṁha!” 21 times.
Otherwise, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
You can chant 54 times or 108 times.
So, the name of Kṛṣṇa is worth 3000 names of Viṣṇu.
And the name Rāma is worth 1000 names of Viṣṇu.
So, by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma mantra,
you get so much spiritual benefit.
And the side benefits are the material suffering is mitigated.
But the real benefit is that one awakens one’s love of Godhead.
Please ask the people to chant one of the mantras,
and since there may be offence in our chanting, one can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛndā.
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The highest form of prayer is to sing or chant the name of the Lord.
If we pray, it maybe not a very good prayer.
So that is why the saṅkīrtana or chanting of the holy name is recommended
If one chants the name of Narasiṁhadeva 21 times, they can get delivered from various sufferings.
“Śrī Narasiṁha! Jaya Narasiṁha! Jaya jaya jaya Narasiṁha!” 21 times.
Otherwise, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
You can chant 54 times or 108 times.
So, the name of Kṛṣṇa is worth 3000 names of Viṣṇu.
And the name Rāma is worth 1000 names of Viṣṇu.
So, by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma mantra,
you get so much spiritual benefit.
And the side benefits are the material suffering is mitigated.
But the real benefit is that one awakens one’s love of Godhead.
Please ask the people to chant one of the mantras,
and since there may be offence in our chanting, one can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛndā.
Despite all adversities, you have always continued to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda without any interruption, and we see sometimes devotees, they get upset on small things. And they leave their services. And that really compromises everybody’s service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can we continue in your mood, that not to leave services when offended and work together? Any instructions, any guidance you can give us about that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, as I said,
we owe everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
He could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.
He would have easily got liberation.
But he took a great headache,
he came to the USA,
came to Canada,
and he gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So who thinks that they have paid their debt fully?
I don’t think so!
I have to do so much,
still the debts are not paid for.
As long as I have breath in the body,
as long as I have any abilities,
I will try to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.
When I was in Canada
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
whether I should join the USA army,
because my father said he would turn my name.
Then Śrīla Prabhupāda told me
better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I am still in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
and I haven’t taken retirement yet.
So as a serving officer in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
I have to continue! Ha!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Pūjā
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: That is what Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī said
in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.
He cited some Purāṇas
that say watching the ārati of Lord Kṛṣṇa,
we get the same result as a person who does the ārati.
Questioner: Ānandamayī Gopīnātha dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: It costs money for higher education.
Basically, you want to equip your child to deal with this world.
But the most important thing,
the real duty of a parent,
is to promote the child’s affection for Kṛṣṇa.
At the same time, basic education and things,
parents should take care of.
Not just make a lot of money and give it to the child.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, he divided his wealth - 25%
for emergencies,
25% for his family,
for his children
and 50% for Kṛṣṇa’s bhaktas.
Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
If you are not a pure devotee, Mahārāja’s opinion is that you become gṛhastha by previous karma.
Some people may have sannyāsa karma.
But that doesn’t mean that they will be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
They maybe have a sannyāsī tendency.
But somebody fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, even though their karma may be to get married,
they can also be transcendental. They can remain as a sannyāsī.
Or someone may have a sannyāsa-yoga, they should be
sannyāsī but if they are ordered that you have to get married, they might also take that up.
They can do anything for Kṛṣṇa.
So, by karma there is some tendencies.
Certainly, that’s what the astrologers, they look so.
Like for instance someone mentioned Madhva, they understand that they looked at the chart,
who has got the sannyāsa-yoga, they pick those people to be sannyāsīs.
So already got that karmic tendency.
We don’t have that type of predisposition.
We don’t take the astrologer with chart to giving someone sannyāsa.
We see whether someone has that… is able to absorb themself in a renounced way
for some period of time.
So, the point is that devotional service can change your karma.
Devotional service can adjust things by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
He is the Karma-dātā; He is the one who is giving the karma-phala.
So, He can change someone’s karma.
Sometime astrologer looks at the chart, how did you get there, how did you become a devotee?
According to your chart you should be a real bhogī.
One day a devotee said I don’t understand how I became a devotee.
My whole life I’m simply into sense gratification.
And Prabhupāda said, I made your good fortune for you.
So, by some blessing of a great devotee, one can also change their situation.
So, we have certain amount of freewill
and we can decide in which way we should perform devotional service
after studying so many factors.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: If you realize that you are weak
in some area,
then you want to pray to Kṛṣṇa and get some strength.
Pray to Lord Caitanya, pray to Lord Nityānanda, pray to Gurudeva.
It is like an athlete.
If you don’t win, what do you do?
Give up or try harder, train more.
You want to get that gold medal for your country.
Like that.
You want to offer something to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: No! The point is, say a devotee, tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and doesn’t make it; senses take him off; interested into material life again
but whatever time a person spent in doing Kṛṣṇa conscious activity, for that, they get heavenly planet or they get a very good birth in the future.
They don’t lose anything you see.
The sinful reaction doesn’t affect; the sinful life delays your going back to Godhead but doesn’t stop it because that your credit is in like a fixed account.
But what happens is when you do offenses, this is whole different thing.
Offenses are directly...just like you are working for someone, you build up a good credit history and then you steal from him,
then you get fired and that person never wants to see you again, right?
But say that you know, you work for a person, just somehow you go away, you quit, then whatever you do, but with him your relationship, you know, is the same.
This is a little gross kind of material example, it is not fully appropriate.
In a higher sense our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is independent of all the other activities.
But an offense against Him or His devotee directly, you see even He can forgive an offense against Him;
but when you offend His devotee who is just trying in helping people to come to Him that becomes intolerable for Him.
He has a policy that He doesn’t personally forgive anyone for that. If the devotees themselves forgive then He considers a pardon.
So, of all the offenses, the blaspheming of one’s spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and is considered to be the worst.
So, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that, it takes millions of births before one ever gets a chance to have a guru again.
Why Kṛṣṇa will bring you up to a guru if you are going to blaspheme?
If you are so envious, then you get put in an envious species of life.
So, that way, Śrīla Prabhupāda says that it is much better to fall down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and just fall into sinful or materialistic activities than to become a blasphemer.
You shouldn’t ever resent the guru.
If you couldn’t make it, why resent the guru, it is not his fault,
you couldn’t make it.
You tried, you got as far as you could, or you have that much determination, you lost faith and you lost.
So, why resent the guru? Guru didn’t do any harm to you.
Guru was trying to help you.
You go to a doctor; you have an incurable disease, or you are hooked on to some kind of drug, the doctor tries to help you to break your habit,
but you can’t take the withdrawal pains, so you just go back in and then you continue taking heroin or something until you OD (overdose) and die.
Why blaspheme the doctor?
It is not his fault; you didn’t have the determination or the patience to get out.
He was going to help you through the whole thing, through your shakes and your problems and everything just to bring you up to a point where you could be a healthy person.
Like that kind of a thing.
Jayapatākā Swami: Oh yeah. Lord Caitanya said that,
yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā
That the offense of blaspheming a devotee is called mad elephant offense.
Because one’s spiritual progress is compared to a creeper, a plant.
So, when you blaspheme pure devotees, that mad elephant can go into a garden, uproot the whole plants, tear apart, you can just demolish the garden.
So, the comparison given that all the other things are like weeds; they don’t actually kill the original plant, they just compete with it.
They stunt its growth by taking away the energy, just stays at whatever level it is.
But it is very hard for the weeds all to completely smother out the original plant unless it just completely overcomes the thing.
But the offenses, those are considered like wild elephants which come in and trrrrp (tearing sound), rip out the thing, put it on the ground and stomp on it.
And then even for a while it may seem that the person is spiritually situated;
they pull out a plant, still the leaves stay green for a few days but then they gradually dry and fall off.
The relationship with the guru is never cut even you fall down; it’s not cut just by material activities;
but if you blaspheme the guru, then it is cut off, it’s like disowning.
Disciple disowns his guru by blaspheming.
Questioner: Saṅgītamayī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we read in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya
when Lord Caitanya was in Vṛndāvana,
one gṛhastha approached Him
and he said, I am a very very fallen gṛhastha.
So like that he got the mercy from Lord Caitanya.
Now Śrīla Prabhupāda said as gṛhasthas we should try to keep our goal higher.
But as you said, maybe we are not able to achieve that right away.
But we try.
That is why the śāstra gives us different vratās, different systems that we can follow.
Like the Bhīṣma Pañcaka is optional.
So there are many things which are optional.
If you think you need more purification, you can do these optional vratās.
A brahmacārī may consider, these are not for me, I don’t have any problem.
But they can also preach to the gṛhasthas.
And if they do, no harm.
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should we do in the Dāmodara month?
He said, this is especially for the new customers!
Like a store has a sale.
To encourage new customers,
but you are a regular customer.
All the months, all the days, whether sale or not sale, you are a regular customer.
So this is the answer Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me.
Questioner: Saṅgītamayī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we read in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya
when Lord Caitanya was in Vṛndāvana,
one gṛhastha approached Him
and he said, I am a very very fallen gṛhastha.
So like that he got the mercy from Lord Caitanya.
Now Śrīla Prabhupāda said as gṛhasthas we should try to keep our goal higher.
But as you said, maybe we are not able to achieve that right away.
But we try.
That is why the śāstra gives us different vratās, different systems that we can follow.
Like the Bhīṣma Pañcaka is optional.
So there are many things which are optional.
If you think you need more purification, you can do these optional vratās.
A brahmacārī may consider, these are not for me, I don’t have any problem.
But they can also preach to the gṛhasthas.
And if they do, no harm.
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should we do in the Dāmodara month?
He said, this is especially for the new customers!
Like a store has a sale.
To encourage new customers,
but you are a regular customer.
All the months, all the days, whether sale or not sale, you are a regular customer.
So this is the answer Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: Only Jagannātha Purī and the temples connected with Jagannātha Purī have this restriction.
Some devotees have gone and opened up the other temples.
Some temples like Guruvayoor you have to officially accept Hinduism.
You go to Calicut, you do a yajña and pay 35 rupees.
You get a certificate.
I did not do the yajña, but someone got me the certificate.
But I did not need it because I had already gone to Guruvayoor many times.
Like the Śiva in Vāranāsi, the Viśvanātha Deity,
he allows everyone.
But generally, devotees are allowed to go,
except Jagannātha Purī and Sākṣī Gopāla also.
Actually. In 1970 I had darśana of Sākṣī Gopāla.
Since then, they are more strict.
Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me to somehow get permission for devotees to enter.
But I have not been able to do so as yet.
We are trying.
And, we have given some gifts, some books,
and you see, the king of Purī, the hereditary king, he said to go to the Śaṅkarācārya,
as he is the final authority.
The brāhmaṇas don’t listen to him because the king is a kṣatriya.
But right now, the Śaṅkarācārya of Purī is not favorable to the devotees.
His junior is a bit more favorable.
The previous Śaṅkarācārya, I went to him in 1970s to try to get his permission.
And he said, oh yes, boil one kilo of ghee and drink it!
I will die I said.
Yes, but then you will be born again as a Hindu,
and then they will let you into enter the temple!
Anyway, we are working on it.
There are many places connected to Lord Caitanya in Jagannātha Purī.
In Tirupati, if the devotees of our temple arrange, then you can go.
But otherwise, if someone comes and wants to go in, then they must sign a declaration that they accept Bālājī as God.
For the devotees, that is no problem.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: The whole purpose of bhakti-yoga is to develop our intense desire, laulyam to serve Kṛṣṇa.
So that is something that should be increasing as we go on.
And it is not a separate endeavor.
If we become attached to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, if we become attached to Lord Caitanya,
naturally we want to associate with Them.
We were reading in this līlā of Lord Caitanya and His leaving Navadvīpa,
how the devotees are lamenting in separation.
They are holding their heads, they are crying, they are rolling on the ground,
like wild people.
Someone finally tells them,
you are very fortunate
that you have a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
and He cares about you.
So you should control yourselves
and follow His instructions.
So someone gave them such instructions.
So like that, we see how they developed so much deep attachment for Lord Caitanya.
We want also to develop that attachment.
Lord Caitanya taught that in this Age of Kali,
the way we can worship the Lord
is to feel His separation.
And that vipralmbha-bhāva
is not difficult
considering it is Kali-yuga! Ha!
We actually beg from the Lord
and we are separated from the Lord!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Try!
Why cannot you read the books?
Why cannot you preach?
One lady, she brought seven women to take shelter.
Anybody can preach.
Questioner: Sukamala Nityānanda dāsa [Bangladesh]
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: I just said that
we should pray to Kṛṣṇa
that whatever we do, we do service in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Firstly, you have to get married,
and then the two should pray that you have Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: The disciple, if they follow the guru correctly, then naturally he will be pleased.
If they are chanting their 16 rounds, following the regulative principles, if they are preaching,
so naturally the guru will be pleased.
If one has a doubt you can ask the guru.
But generally guru will be happy is following the orders of the guru.
But we should not commit any vaiṣṇava-aparādha,
that is very dangerous.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-29
parent takes care of the children who takes them, instructs them because he loves them.
So the proper attitude for someone with more spiritual knowledge is to love the others,
members of the human race, because everyone is, we are all living creatures, because we are all part of Kṛṣṇa,
and want to help them in the service of, so that they can engage in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Should be loving attitude.
You are feeling one with Kṛṣṇa, naturally you feel also connected with all living entities.
You feel kindness towards them.
Because there are all Kṛṣṇa is in them and they are in Kṛṣṇa.
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: 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: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: For that purpose, I am thinking of making a video.
You have to break the vrata on Caturdaśī.
That day you have to offer 33 mālpuas
and give it to a gṛhastha brāhmaṇa.
And that day you have to different services and donations.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vratās (Austerities) / Kārtika-māsa-vratā], [Vratās (Austerities) / Puruṣottama-māsa-vratā]
Questioner: Puja
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, in the material world, people, they are competing with others in a race,
thinking I will be the first.
But in service to Kṛṣṇa, it is not that we are competing with others.
Rather, Kṛṣṇa is more pleased if they help others.
We shouldn’t be thinking that by somehow by impeding others,
or somehow if someone else excels,
somehow that is detrimental to us - it is not the case.
Everyone has a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa,
rather the envy of others is a great impediment
- you will never be the number one!
When I said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am the most fallen,
he said you are not the most anything!
So that should be our mood.
There will always be some devotee who is better than us,
but we should not envy that person.
Rather we should associate and try to improve our own service.
Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Envy], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Nandagopīpriyā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no reason not to reveal your mind to guru.
If you have had some trouble with one of the principles, you could get some advice from your spiritual master.
But if you have recovered, then all the better to tell him that you had difficulty but now you have come back to the strict standard.
And sometimes one is started to difficulty with a principle, but it is not as serious as they think.
It is better to reveal to the spiritual master.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Aparādha (Offenses)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If you want you can take it without water.
But I personally never saw Śrīla Prabhupāda observe the Ekādaśī with a complete fast.
But Ekādaśīs, you get more fruit, if you observe it
fully by no water,
stay up the whole night, and then break your fast next day with some milk,
and then some grains.
I asked my secretary to read me the glories of the Ekādaśī tomorrow.
But he didn’t answer.
He said, “He sent a message to another secretary, to tell him how to do it!”
So just to hear the glories of Ekādaśī, it usually tells you that the fruitive listening to the Ekādaśī is donating a thousand cows.
Every Ekādaśī is different.
One Ekādaśī I heard twice
from two different Purāṇas.
Each Purāṇa said
“Just hear [about] the Ekādaśī,
you get the karma of giving a thousand cows.
” So, I gave 2000 cows!
Without even observing the Ekādaśī!
But then I observed it also.
So, I asked, I wanted to hear the glories.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vratās (Austerities)], [Vratās (Austerities) / Ekādaśī-vratā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: By hearing,
by associating,
we get a taste for hearing and associating.
And naturally, we want to associate with them.
So by taking part in bhakti-yoga, it is natural to develop these things.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, pray to your guru and do your sevā correctly.
Passion means lust. To do it to get some material benefit.
Ignorance means crazy, lazy.
Anger – I will show you that I am the best devotee! I will kill you by my bhakti! And some crazy thing!
So avoid passion and ignorance, and what is left is goodness.
So we do devotional service – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate –
to please the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, pray to your guru and do your sevā correctly.
Passion means lust. To do it to get some material benefit.
Ignorance means crazy, lazy.
Anger – I will show you that I am the best devotee! I will kill you by my bhakti! And some crazy thing!
So avoid passion and ignorance, and what is left is goodness.
So we do devotional service – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate –
to please the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves.
Questioner: Vedavit Kṛṣṇa dāsa [Laguna Beach, California, USA]:
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see someone may take shelter
of one of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions
and may think, “Oh, this is very nice!”
But the thing is that
we want to take shelter at the same time,
develop our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
So he may give us some options
to take shelter of Lord Śiva or others
but as a result
we may take birth again and again.
Because these devas they cannot give mukti.
So Kṛṣṇa, He gives the ideal
protection
and also, He brings one back home back to Godhead.
If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
then you will have many different pastimes
and can see how the Lord protects His devotees.
He is known as Bhakta-vatsala,
how He protected Prahlāda Mahārāja,
how He protected different devotees.
So by reading the pastimes
one should naturally develop faith.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said,
kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara, chāri anācāra,
we want to put Kṛṣṇa in the center of our household life.
We want to just give up the prohibited activities.
Meat eating, intoxication and others.
And if one wakes up with that intention
then naturally, they will try to increase their services of the day.
We want to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
That is the goal of our life.
The common people, the goal of their life is to have sense pleasure.
But sometimes our senses are pleased and sometimes they suffer.
Just like no one wants fever
but some people get.
Nobody wants the Corona virus,
but some get.
Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa, he read to me one quote that
Sarvajaya Mādhava from Dallas had sent,
something that in the Bible,
they said that stay in your house
for a little time
and let the Lord take His vengeance
and then after that it will all pass!
What a coincidence, how great is our God.
The Government arranged the closure on March 26, 2020, in the Bible verse Isaac 26.20 says “Go home My people and close the doors.
Hide a little until the wrath of the Lord has passed.”
They found this verse in the Bible.
Anyway we are trying to do inter-faith preaching.
Not only the Hindus but get the other faiths to preach.
In America they have mostly Christians.
Middle East mostly Muslims.
We respect all the religions
and we want them to just chant the name of God they believe in.
So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the morning
and every day we do our devotional service,
naturally, that becomes the focus of our life.
We want the husband and wife to work together and cooperate together.
I was so inspired to hear how different gṛhasthas are doing internet preaching!
One gṛhastha said that he was giving four classes a day
in this lockdown period in India
and he had 500 people attending.
One lady was saying how
she had a Japathon
and they were chanting japa,
one person chanted 2 lakhs 11 thousand rounds.
A little child chanted 16 rounds.
Sometimes Japathon, sometimes class,
sometimes Bhakti-vṛkṣa,
different ways they are preaching,
encouraging people to take up to chanting in this time of crisis.
Even in the Supreme Court of India,
they recommended to the Government,
people should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz.
Questioner: Keya Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: They are skipping over your question because it is not particularly from the verse.
Anyway we should do both together.
We should help ourselves
while we depend on Kṛṣṇa,
not that we just sit and say Kṛṣṇa will do everything.
We do the best we can and we depend on Kṛṣṇa.
There is a story where there is a flood.
And they came by the house and said that,
"Get in!
There is a flood."
He said, "No, No! I am depending on Kṛṣṇa."
Then the water rose
up to the roof.
And he was on the roof.
Boat came and said, "Get on!"
He said, "No on I am depending on God",
and the boat left.
And then helicopter come,
ere grab the rope!"
and he said "No. I am depending on God.",
and he got drowned.
Then he went back to Godhead.
He asked God, "Why did you not save me?"
He said "I sent you a car, a boat, a helicopter
you did not take anything.
So what do you expect?"
So naturally we have to take the mercy of Kṛṣṇa
that may come in any way.
Questioner: Keśava Kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I know that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
what he told me to do.
So trying to execute his instructions,
I have to make various decisions.
But I always keep in my mind, pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda.
So, this has always served me well.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in one case,
I did what he would have done.
I don’t know
if everything I do is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But I am trying to do that.
And I know that that itself is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But we may make some mistakes on the way.
But then we can also correct. that.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Nice question!
Because we should do service to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Now certain things the guru has said, he would like to be done.
Just like I told Nāma-niṣṭhā
that I would like a temple to be constructed.
So doing that sevā, constructing a temple,
he knows that it is pleasing to the guru.
Right?
Nāma-niṣṭhā dāsa: Actually, I went to meet Guru Mahārāja and this was in Tirupati.
And he was being very kind to me.
He told me, “Construct a temple.”
So I said, “Please put your hand and order.”
That was the time he put his hand on my head and ordered,
“Make a beautiful temple with all the facilities.”
At that moment we were only three devotees and no money!
And I remember next detail he told me, on June 5th Pānihāṭi 2020 that what are you doing?
That was an online visit.
We hardly had any devotees and I said, “There was nothing to do because everything is closed.”
“Why don’t you do like Chennai, Guru Mahārāja”, said. “6,000 devotees attended their course online.”
So I thought Sumitra Kṛṣṇa dāsa did 6,000, Nāma-niṣṭhā will do 10,000!
And I tried, within four days, 10,000 people registered.
And we don’t even know where the money came from, we don’t even know, in fact all the devotees Guru Mahārāja initiated yesterday,
all came from online and it is unbelievable.
Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Rāma Kānāi Mathureśa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The thing that pleases Kṛṣṇa most is pure devotional service.
And the renunciation austerity
is not so important.
What is more important is pure bhakti.
So, that is why in the jñāna-yoga, to get the impersonal liberation,
one should be a sannyāsī.
But in bhakti-yoga, one could be a gṛhastha, one could be a sannyāsī, as long as they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follow the process of pure bhakti, they can achieve Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.
If you are not able
to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,
then you can ask him
what to do in that case.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
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: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: This is on the stage of anartha-nivṛitti.
One of the anarthas is called thick and thin.
Sometimes the devotion is very thick,
sometimes very thin,
so thin and thick.
So by following the process and reaching the stage of niṣṭhā,
then one will be fixed and there won’t be this thick and thin enthusiasm.
Questioner: Śacīnandana Gauracanda dāsa.
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: We can see, it is not a small thing.
Personally, I don’t we need such a determination.
But we should be determined to chant,
to follow the four regulative principles
and engage one’s self in devotional service,
and eventually achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful.
Why do you want to serve anyone else?
Kṛṣṇa or His devotees are the only persons we should worship.
You know, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they gave all material desires to their followers.
But they had to reject God and serve them,
then you will get all that you want, materially.
But why do you want to serve a demon?
But the demons would like to serve the demons,
the devotees want to serve the devotees.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!
I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.
So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.
First is śraddhā,
then sādhu-saṅga,
bhajana-kriyā,
anartha-nivṛtti,
niṣṭhā,
ruci,
āsakti,
bhāva
and then prema.
So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.
And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.
That is called anartha-nivṛtti.
And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.
This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.
So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.
The Army and Navy.
Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”
He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”
And now I am in India, I am also an army man!
Questioner: Śaśimukhi Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
he like to walk
when he chanted. He was very active.
So he didn’t like sitting and chanting.
He would walk,
pace back and forth chanting.
So as far as leaving our body,
Kṛṣṇa helps us then.
We should practice chanting in all situations;
because the time of death is of course the most difficult time.
I went to a dentist, he said,
“The greatest suffering is kidney stones,
child birth,
dying
and dental [surgeries]!
Welcome to your dentist!!” [laughter]
So he said that dying is one of the most difficult times.
That is why we need to practice chanting now.
So that we can chant at the time when we leave our body.
But even if we cannot,
if we had remained good and chanted all through our life;
at the time of leaving our body, Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question.
So it is important if they are senior devotees talk to them privately.
Speak to them how you tried to enthuse these new people but if the older devotees express their doubts to the younger devotees that creates a bad taste.
Explain to him how his negative comments are influencing the younger people badly.
If it is not comments, he only has a bad mood, then talk to me, I can help him, I don’t have a bad mood.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,
you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.
So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?
Like that, the act of shopping
becomes an act of love.
And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,
you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?
And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Śaraṇāgati Gaura dāsa
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You have a nice name, śaraṇāgati, means surrender.
Just apply your name!
Lord Caitanya said in the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam which they chant here every morning –
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
Be more humble than a blade of grass.
Śrīla Prabhupāda described – you step on grass, it bends over, it is humble.
When you walk away from the grass, the grass comes back up.
So, in that way, we should be humble and at the same time be resilient.
Go upright in due course of time.
Be more tolerant than a tree.
A tree stands there in a rain, in heat, in a wind and people cut branches from the tree and make toothbrushes.
One devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he wanted a neem tree.
There was a neem tree outside his window.
He hung out of the window to get a neem branch.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, don’t do that!
He said, don’t worry Prabhupāda, I did that many times!
Maybe, but don’t do in front of me, Śrīla Prabhupāda said.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was afraid for the devotee, maybe he will fall!
That way a tree is very tolerant, so we should be tolerant and we should offer respect to others
but not expect any appreciation or respect for ourselves.
In that way we can always chant the Holy Name.
So śaraṇāgati is the actual mood we should have surrender
and whether our authority treats us very nice with a smile, or he treats us harsh,
we are not doing it for the authority.
As such, we are doing it to please Kṛṣṇa.
And if the authority gives us a service we can do, we should appreciate it, thank you for giving me the service!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Sivaprasad (Sheltered)
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Sambandha, abhideya and prayojana are the three things to be remembered.
If we are engaged in abhideya in devotional service, then naturally our relationship with guru and Kṛṣṇa is strong.
If we are not engaged in devotional service, then there is somewhat distance.
So the solution for that is to engage in devotional service.
Questioner: Yaśodā Kṛṣṇa.
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If you associate with enthusiastic devotees
you will also be enthusiastic.
And knowing how wonderful is Kṛṣṇa,
and how when you take one step towards Kṛṣṇa, He takes ten steps towards you.
So how can you fail to be enthusiastic?
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Anantalīlā Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-10-04
We don’t want to be lazy or lethargic.
We don’t want to miss this chance.
If you do nice devotional service,
but you have material desires,
you may end up in the heavenly planets,
be there for a long time,
hundreds of thousands of years.
You will miss the Golden Age,
and then come back in the worst part of Kali-yuga or after.
So, no time to be lazy.
You have to finish your business while you have the chance.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: The abhideya is devotional practice of devotional service.
And
so thinking of practicing devotional service is one thing.
But if you are thinking something against devotional service,
that is aparādhā.
To atone an aparādhā there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: The abhideya is devotional practice of devotional service.
And
so thinking of practicing devotional service is one thing.
But if you are thinking something against devotional service,
that is aparādhā.
To atone an aparādhā there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
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]
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]
Questioner: Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see there will always be some tests.
Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?
You want to serve Kṛṣṇa or you are just playing around.
So many devotees here.
I give class every day, more or less every day.
Wherever you are, Bhopal, Vadodara, you can watch the class,
either by Facebook or Zoom.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: The secret is to always stay busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Mana, kāya, vākya –
we want our deeds, our words and our thoughts to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.
If we can engage our intelligence how to expand the preaching,
or how to improve our service,
that is the best way.
If we allow the mind to drift on to the objects of the senses,
then naturally we become distracted.
So somehow, it is important to have a service,
you like to do.
That you can be fully absorbed in.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a lot of very absorbing services.
And so that kept me busy, out of māyā.
So the devotee who gives you service should see that you are fully engaged.
If you are not fully engaged,
tell them, because you need to be fully engaged to be free of māyā.
As they say, idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
If the mind is idle,
if we are not fully fixed in our service,
then the mind will start to think about māyā.
Bhakti-yoga means to be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Kiśorī Yoginī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no higher atonement than Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So if one makes a mistake,
then the best remedial method is serving Kṛṣṇa.
So, if you make mistakes,
then you should be more diligent actually, at serving.
The point is that, one should not make sense gratification as the goal of our life.
When we have senses, there will be some sense of pleasure and some suffering.
So Kṛṣṇa explains that, you regulate the activities.
Just like you take prasādam,
just like we have married life,
try to produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
Different activities are regulated.
But the goal is not sense gratification,
the goal is to please Kṛṣṇa.
This world unfortunately is beginning, middle and end is all sense gratification.
They don’t understand anything about Kṛṣṇa in most cases.
Even if they are God conscious, they pray to God to give them some material gratification.
But we should rather want to serve the Lord.
Well, it is expected that you will make some mistakes.
That is why we should be more careful,
after making mistakes,
to practice more sincerely.
Just like a child learning how to walk.
Naturally they will fall down a few times,
but eventually they learn to walk, run, everything.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Thank you!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes someone is expert at something.
Sometimes they are not expert.
But Lord Kṛṣṇa is expert at everything.
So, we try to do all the services for Kṛṣṇa
and some services will be well done,
and some could be better.
So, we ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy to do our services better.
And shortcomings are taken as areas that we need to concentrate more on.
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well there are two parts to your question.
One, how do I know if my service is pleasing to guru?
If we are doing something which he has asked us to do,
then it is usually pleasing to him.
If we are doing something which is for our authorities requested us to do
and it doesn’t go in contradiction with anything that guru told us;
and that something that is completely against our nature,
then usually it is very pleasing.
If it is something that is against our nature;
but it is something that is urgently needed;
and sometimes by fulfilling that one gets some special mercy from the guru.
What was the second part?
If our services are not pleasing does it affect our taste in chanting?
If you do not carry out the order of your guru,
then that is the third offence to the holy name
and naturally that will be something that hampers our tastes.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Saṁbandha is understanding of our relationship that we are the servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Abhideya is engaging in that relationship.
And prayojana is achieving the perfection of life,
pure love of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, it is good to feel like that.
Rādhārāṇī feels She is not doing enough, as much as She could.
But we think that She is 100% best,
but She is thinking what more I should do?
That is the Kṛṣṇa conscious attitude.
Not that, oh! I am doing everything I can.
Then we won’t try to do more.
If we cannot think of how to increase, you could also always ask what more can I do?
Or if you have some idea, then you can suggest, can I do this, will this be pleasing?
We always should be eager to do something more for Kṛṣṇa.
Parents, your children ever come up and say, mom dad, can I do some service for you? Ha!
You think, what do they want from me! Ha!
But actually if they don’t want anything that would be super!
If you think what more you could do and you want permission, then suggest that.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Ladies, they have to do a lot of housework.
They ask me similar questions.
But you see to be working plus have to do the housework.
So, the thing is that now we have the Bhagavad-gītā and different books that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other virtually.
You can have an iPod
and listen to the audio, Gītā and other audio śāstras.
So in this way while doing your work like washing and cooking,
you can hear the śāstra.
But also you can download the classes from the internet,
there is my Jayapatākā Swami App.
That gives access to the different JPS Archives and different programs
so you can hear the classes.
Many other things are there like SoundCloud.
You can also attend my daily classes which I give at 7pm.
And so there are different ways where you can hear classes, you can associate,
on Facebook,
YouTube.
You can download and you could also associate with different devotees,
virtually.
So there must be also classes of the IYF which you can attend.
So this way you can get some devotee association.
Actually, as I said,
I don’t have much personal contact with the devotees.
But all day long, I am meeting devotees.
And I don’t even feel that I am not meeting them.
I feel contact with them,
as I feel contact with you!
It used to be that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other
virtually.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Since this verse is about Dhruva Mahārāja
and he was the great grandson of Lord Brahmā.
The grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu.
So Manu was obviously a gṛhastha.
He was grandfather of Dhruva,
he also was the father of the mother of Kapila Muni.
And so it is said that he went back to Godhead.
But he was a gṛhastha
he had children, he had responsibilities,
but he did everything Kṛṣṇa consciously.
When he did his things, he did everything thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
So like that our gṛhasthas sometimes have deities in their house.
They may have Jagannātha Baladeva Subhadrā, Nitāi-Gaura,
so by doing their daily activities in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way they can balance.
We should always remember that our prime duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa.
But we may have other duties.
Those we do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way
and that way we always stay under Kṛṣṇa’s shelter.
In the 10th topic of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it says āśraya.
We want to be under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
So we pray to the Deities as gṛhasthas, that we want to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious healthy, long lived suputra or putrī.
Only gṛhasthas can have children.
Brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas, sannyāsīs no children.
It says if your child becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious and goes back to Godhead, putra or putrī,
then if they go back to Godhead, 14 generations will go, also, minimum,
7 backward and 7 forward.
Kṛṣṇa is very grateful.
I have one family they said we don’t know if we will go or not but please train our son in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so he goes back.
If you think, oh I have a responsibility for my parents who are sick, old,
you think I will help them to remember Kṛṣṇa
or remember Rāma, that is the interest.
In this way our service, our responsibility, is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Bhakti-yoga is very practical.
We want - everything will be naturally balanced because we do everything in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: 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: Śrīdhara
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Just that when we do office work,
we dedicate the work to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Certain percentage of the income, we may give to Kṛṣṇa.
So even though we may not always be able to think about Kṛṣṇa while we are working,
since the activity is offered to Kṛṣṇa, that will suffice.
Questioner: Śrīdhara
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Just that when we do office work,
we dedicate the work to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Certain percentage of the income, we may give to Kṛṣṇa.
So even though we may not always be able to think about Kṛṣṇa while we are working,
since the activity is offered to Kṛṣṇa, that will suffice.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Every job has got some defect.
Even a brāhmaṇa, a Purohit he has to do some sacrifice for materialists.
So the advocate, naturally they have to represent sometime people who are guilty.
But the advocate still has to defend him.
So everything we do has some defect.
In the present society everybody has a right to defense.
If the advocate is very expert he may save a person.
But that person may be actually guilty!
But by the advocate being expert, they may be saved.
So, the thing is that one could try to be selective
but that may not be possible.
The other thing is that what we earn, we give a certain percentage to Kṛṣṇa,
in that way, you are doing your job for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
And you are not responsible ultimately for the person who you are defending.
The thing is that each person, if you do your service
as an offering to Kṛṣṇa
and you try to be expert.
So you said that you also write articles in the newspapers.
So we hope that you get education in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And be able to represent Sanātana Dharma in a proper way.
Because you are an advocate in the High Court
naturally you have a certain respect in the society.
So use that for Kṛṣṇa.
In that way, you can balance your material and spiritual life.
I am very happy to meet you.
You said you are the niece of Ajīta Gopinātha das.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Every job has got some defect.
Even a brāhmaṇa, a Purohit he has to do some sacrifice for materialists.
So the advocate, naturally they have to represent sometime people who are guilty.
But the advocate still has to defend him.
So everything we do has some defect.
In the present society everybody has a right to defense.
If the advocate is very expert he may save a person.
But that person may be actually guilty!
But by the advocate being expert, they may be saved.
So, the thing is that one could try to be selective
but that may not be possible.
The other thing is that what we earn, we give a certain percentage to Kṛṣṇa,
in that way, you are doing your job for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
And you are not responsible ultimately for the person who you are defending.
The thing is that each person, if you do your service
as an offering to Kṛṣṇa
and you try to be expert.
So you said that you also write articles in the newspapers.
So we hope that you get education in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And be able to represent Sanātana Dharma in a proper way.
Because you are an advocate in the High Court
naturally you have a certain respect in the society.
So use that for Kṛṣṇa.
In that way, you can balance your material and spiritual life.
I am very happy to meet you.
You said you are the niece of Ajīta Gopinātha das.
Questioner: Soundarya Rādhikā devī dāsī, New Rājāpur Dhāma, Bengaluru
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You seem to have realized that when you don’t follow
the advice of the senior devotees,
you get attacked by māyā.
So that should convince you
that to avoid being attacked by māyā,
follow the more advanced devotees’ advice.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends for what reason you are not able to attend. You are up late, preaching, you are sick or just lazy?
If you are just doing out of laziness, it is not proper.
Questioner: Liz Valero
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to listen to and read the books.
Understand the teachings, at least the basic books.
If you read the books, the questions are fairly simple. For instance, what is the difference between the body and soul.
You can have the questions in advance, no secret.
So if you want the questions, we can send you.
So any way don’t feel anxiety.
We want you to pass your test.
And if you don’t pass it first time,
you can ask for the answers.
Next time you pass.
I think they are not so difficult.
Why do you believe that Kṛṣṇa is God?
Questions like that, they are very simple.
More complicated for second initiation.
They have to pass Bhakti-śāstri.
For first initiation, they are very simple.
Okay? No anxiety! Be calm!
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you are able to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, assimilate the knowledge,
and preach,
I will be very happy!
I was wondering that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta we find that there is lot of stress on separation between men and women and there is lot of criticism of any kind of intermixing between men and women? How much of what we hear in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regarding separation between men and women today is applicable at the present moment?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: If one is in one of the renounced orders then it is imperative that one show a good example.
That is why in this Age of Kali sannyāsa is generally prohibited,
and we see that Lord Caitanya is very positive to the gṛhasthas.
Like, it is said that gṛhe thāko vane thāko, sadā hari bole ḍāko -
wherever you are, in the home or in the renounced order everyone should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So in fact, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that all the members of the Pañca-tattva were one time gṛhasthas.
So the gṛhastha-āśrama is more applicable for today’s situation.
If someone is in the renounced order, then they have to follow these rules.
In the Gajendra-mokṣa, 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in the fight between the elephant and the crocodile,
the elephant was the land animal, but he was in the water.
And that the crocodile was a water animal and he was in his element.
So Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that we have to have strong senses and mind, to fight against Māyā.
We have declared war on material illusion.
Therefore, the situation at the present time that people they are mainly gṛhasthas
and, I told this before, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that he wants all his gṛhastha followers to be paramahaṁsas,
and he said that Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a gṛhastha guru
and he had a son who was an ācārya.
So he said that he hoped that all his gṛhasthas would have ācāryas as children.
I am encouraging people to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books. Lord Caitanya said kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya (Cc. Madhya 8.128).
So we want everybody should know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Questioner: Milan, ISKCON Youth Forum, Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya, He taught that you can achieve perfection whether you are a vairāgī or a householder.
So, if you are a householder you should try to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center.
I saw one drama from the Chennai youths.
One girl and one boy were playing Yamadūtas and one lady, girl was playing Yamarāja.
She painted her mustache as Yamarāja.
The Yamadūtas they were complaining. Yamarāja! What do we do? These Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees have deities in the houses, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they read Bhagavad-gītā, what do we do?
We cannot take them to hell!
Maybe need a way to find another chākrī, another job!
So it was very interesting to see the Yamadūtas complaining.
Actually, one family in Kolkata, the mother, children, were all initiated.
Everyone but the father.
He was dead against.
But then he was diagnosed with cancer.
He was in bed ,
and he saw two hairy people with leather ropes, walk through the wall.
He said, “No, no, no, no! No, no!”
Somehow they left.
He called his wife, “I want the neck bead.
I want the Bhagavad-gītā, I want the japa-mālā.”
What we were trying so long, the Yamadūtas in few minutes they changed him.
So he became very Kṛṣṇa conscious after that.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Karma / Desires], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: How can it have exactly the same effect?
We might be chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names but we are not chanting the mahā-mantra.
You chant any name of Kṛṣṇa, that will have effect but especially powerful is the mahā-mantra: 16 words, 32 syllables.
So, when you leave out a few syllables and names then you are chanting indifferent mantra.
You are chanting 14 words, 30 syllable or 28 syllable mantra or something else.
So, that will reduce some of the effectiveness,
but of course because Kṛṣṇa’s name is Kṛṣṇa, it is very hard to put all that into equations what percent it will be reduced to and so and so forth.
But one should try to say the mantra as it is given; if one is inattentive while chanting, it can’t help, but affect.
Jayapatākā Swami: You listen to the spiritual masters, how they say it, that is the way you should try to say it.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-05
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.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: If you want to go back to Kṛṣṇa,
if you want to please Kṛṣṇa,
if you want to have the spiritual bliss,
then material suffering should just be an incentive that this material world is not a good place.
Just like now we have the pandemic. The material world is a very dangerous place.
The Bhāgavatam says, padam padam yat vipadām.
One should use it well and understand that this material world is not a place for us to stay.
Bhagavad-gītā says that four kinds of people think about Kṛṣṇa –
those who are in need,
those who are miserable,
those who are inquisitive
and those who are in knowledge.
So these four types of people think of Kṛṣṇa.
If you are facing difficulty, then you should think of Kṛṣṇa.
There are four kinds of people who do not think about Kṛṣṇa –
narādhama,
asura,
this type.
Pious people think of Kṛṣṇa when they are in distress.
Now I will visit your houses as much as possible.
We want to thank everyone for your offerings and receiving me.
Please send your realizations to Madhavakānta or to Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa.
Hope you are all preaching using internet.
The scope is unlimited,
people are more receptive.
Because the hospital and doctors can only do so much.
So we are all on the mercy of the Supreme Lord.
Questioner: Lakṣmī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-01-09
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to make one a pure devotee.
If you have two children, make one a pure devotee.
Category: [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Manohara dāsa, Dacca, Bangladesh.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that if you do the maṅgala-ārati at 4.30,
we should do the tulasī-pūjā when the Deities are closed.
So, you have the choice to do tulasī-pūjā before maṅgala-ārati, or after.
So I think it is difficult enough for devotees to attend maṅgala-ārati at 4.30 am!
That is why they do it later in the morning.
But in the afternoon, when the deity is being offered bhoga,
they do the tulasī-āratī,
because after the sandhyā-ārati,
the deities are not closed.
But we have to offer worship to tulasī, when the deities are closed.
Or you can do tulasī-pūjā at 8.30 at night,
when the deities are closed.
Then it is too late,
if you have to get up for maṅgala-ārati.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Temple Deity Worship]
Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Manohara dāsa, Dacca, Bangladesh.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that if you do the maṅgala-ārati at 4.30,
we should do the tulasī-pūjā when the Deities are closed.
So, you have the choice to do tulasī-pūjā before maṅgala-ārati, or after.
So I think it is difficult enough for devotees to attend maṅgala-ārati at 4.30 am!
That is why they do it later in the morning.
But in the afternoon, when the deity is being offered bhoga,
they do the tulasī-āratī,
because after the sandhyā-ārati,
the deities are not closed.
But we have to offer worship to tulasī, when the deities are closed.
Or you can do tulasī-pūjā at 8.30 at night,
when the deities are closed.
Then it is too late,
if you have to get up for maṅgala-ārati.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Temple Deity Worship]
In the past classes you had said that one should not make sense gratification as the ultimate goal of life. While following this particular principle, sometimes when we face fluctuation and are swayed away by māyā, and because of our unlimited desires, we get engaged in any kind of sense gratification. How should we avoid and control ourselves not being swayed away by māyā and get determined in the service of guru and Kṛṣṇa? Please enlighten me
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: While we have senses in the material world,
so naturally the senses need a certain amount of satisfaction.
That depends on each individual.
But that should not be the ultimate goal.
In the material world
we see that people, they make as their goal that their senses should be happy.
But the senses are a source of happiness and a source of suffering.
So, although there may be some happiness
and some suffering,
we should tolerate that,
but we should make our ultimate goal to serve Kṛṣṇa.
So, certain very simple things we should avoid.
Like eating meat, fish, onion, garlic,
like gambling,
like taking intoxication
and having out of marriage illicit sex.
If you are a married person
it is natural there will be some material pleasure.
But there will also be some suffering.
Just like to conceive a child there is some happiness
but to have a child is also pain –
labor pain.
So, that should not be our ultimate goal.
You may have certain desires,
but the ultimate desire should be to serve and love Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day.
I thought this would be pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But he told me that I should chant 16 rounds
and go and preach.
If I don’t preach, stay in the temple all day chanting,
who will preach?
So Śrīla Prabhupāda put more importance on preaching.
If you can fast and still preach,
then it is alright.
But at least you have to observe no grains Ekādaśī,
and then preach as much as you can.
If you can do or if you are inspired to do on some Ekādaśī,
that is nice.
But that shouldn’t be a reason that next day, the whole day you are sleeping or something.
That would be counterproductive.
Since you want to please the Lord,
that should be our focus.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-11-30
Jayapatākā Swami:
It is not if you are paying attention to the lecture,
if you are able to multitask.
Questioner: Vraja Kīrtana dāsa
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva. And someone came and talked to him. He looked away; he was listening to the devotee. And the guru said, “You no need to hear?” So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them. So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was sitting in the class of his Gurudeva.
And someone came and talked to him.
He looked away; he was listening to the devotee.
And the guru said, “You no need to hear?”
So, he thought that as a great blessing, because the guru noticed them.
So definitely we want to give our full concentration while class is going on.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Gaurāṅgī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Why not?
A devotee never dies, he appears and disappears.
The word jayantī is reserved for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance,
because His appearance is very special.
But everyone else appears and disappears.
Of course, for the great saintly devotees, we celebrate their appearance and disappearance.
So rather than saying happy birthday, you can say happy appearance day! Haribol!!
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Mādhava Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-24
Jayapatākā Swami: An initiated devotee should wear minimum two rounds
and maximum five
That's what I've heard.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Even if they chant offensively, it is better than not chanting at all.
I was in South India and once, you get these real intellectual type people there.
And he came up to me and said that, “Every religion says that theirs is the only way, you must have faith.
Isn’t there one religion that you don’t need faith? (Laughter).
Will it work even without faith, even you don’t believe?”
I said, “Yes, we have it.
This chanting of the Holy names.
ku Ratnākara, who became Vālmīkī, he had no faith.
He was asked to chant the name of Rāma.
He said I can’t chant any name of anything holy, he couldn’t even say God, nothing like that.
He was told to then chant murder-murder-murder in Sanskrit, mara-mara-mara.
If only that much faith, somehow or another chant, do what the guru ordered, that much minimal faith is required, then do it.
But he had no faith in the holy name as such.
He could not even say it, what to speak of have faith in it.
He was chanting marā-marā-marā-marā-marā.
By chanting marā-marā-marā-marā, because Rāma-Rāma-Rāma-Rāma was being spoken from his lips and as a result he became Vālmīki.
He realized Rāmacandra.
He had the eyes that could see the entire Rāmāyaṇa, 10,000 years before Rāma appeared on this earth.
He was so pure.”
“Ajāmila, he just chanted his son’s name Nārāyaṇa, NĀRĀYAṆA, when he was dying.
Then, just because of that he was saved.
He wasn’t chanting with some great faith, with accident, practically speaking.
If someone chant even just mechanically, without faith, somehow or another they chant, it will gradually have effect.
Obviously, if someone chants with faith, with devotion, with concentration then how much quicker we are at it.
It took Vālmīki a long time of chanting marā-marā-marā to get the same effect.
But nonetheless, there will be some effect.”
Why even Haridāsa Ṭhākura, when Lord Caitanya said that,
“How will all these mlecchas and yavanas will be delivered,
these fishermen, and all these various type of students who always arguing, and never want to get down to the actual reality,
just want to be on a mental platform and so man?
So then, what did Haridāsa Ṭhākura say, “By Your mercy, by this chanting, a nāmābhāsa,
the reflection of the name, it is like when the sun rises, there is a little light before that is called the ābhāsa,
it is just the dim reflection of the, dim reflection of the name, just by that they will be purified.
And like for instance, the Muhammadans when they say harām, they don’t mean hey Rāma,
they mean oh you offensive person, but somehow, they are saying harām.
When the Americans are seeing Ramāyaṇa or something Rāma, so many Rāmas they have in America, Tamil Rāma,
somehow or another, they are already getting the blessings, knowingly or unknowingly.
So, if they actually would chant:
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,
even without much faith, even just as an experiment, just as out of hopelessness or something, out of just why not, tried everything else,
well…
So many people, actually lots of people said to me,
but… Then, by chanting, by gradually see a change in themselves and they try to see that there is something a higher reality,
become a little purified.
Then when they read, when they come in the association of devotees, naturally, they can appreciate more.
Of course, if someone is very offensive to the devotees, very offensive, then it is more difficult.
One place I have Prabhupāda told that, “Just have them chant Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya,
because they are so simple that it will be more effective than chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Even if they are offensive, better they chant, than not chant.
Of course, we have to show the standard of offenseless chanting and preach against committing offenses.
Because if they are committing offenses, they won’t get pure love of God,
they may get liberation, or they may remain as human being, but they won’t get the ultimate goal.
So, want to bring them to the highest benefit, we have to show ourselves,
by our personal example, what is offensive chanting and try to bring people up to that platform.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: You should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books
but having read, you may read other books one time.
But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you should read every day.
Bhagavad-gītā is necessary for preaching,
the Bhāgavatam takes you to sambanda, abhideya and prayojana.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?
Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.
That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,
but other than that
we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,
other than thinking how to avoid such activities.
We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.
Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,
He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.
He wanted to give mercy to that person.
So like that, everybody in the material world,
has some defect
and we try to avoid committing mistakes
having defects
in our spiritual life.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
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: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If we do leadership to enjoy material facilities,
we get that material happiness as our result.
But if we do it to please Kṛṣṇa then we will get Kṛṣṇa.
This temple has a very nice Temple President, Brajahari dāsa Prabhu.
He is trying to do everything, as far as I can see, to please Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Caitanya advises that we should not do things for lābha, pūjā or prathiṣṭha.
If we do for those things, that is a weed in our devotional service.
We should try to do everything to please Kṛṣṇa.
So, just because we are in a leadership position, that doesn’t mean we are doing for a material desire.
That is why we have to be very careful why we do things.
You see, I have a weakness.
We heard that there was some sadhu in previous time, he heard two English people arguing.
The sādhu was bathing in the river and he heard two English people arguing.
He did not know English.
But he came to court, and he said I remember what they said.
And he repeated like a tape recorder what they said.
Such was the memory in previous times!
I don’t remember names,
unless I use that name ten twenty times.
So, I know some peoples’ names because I use their names again and again.
But I thought that in these 15 minutes my disciples who are here can come up and tell me their names!
And I can give them a blessing!
Many devotees have a desire to join ISKCON full time and dedicate their lives for Śrīla Prabhupāda. However, because of the situations in the world or in the family or personal life, they are sometimes on the borderline wondering whether I should or I should not. So what is your message to them Mahārāja so that they can freely develop that faith and courage that if I simply serve Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Prabhupāda, nothing else is to be taken care, everything Kṛṣṇa will help. Can you give them that courage and help? Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: As the co-minister for congregational preaching,
naturally I would like to see
not only the temple devotees but other devotees who are in congregations,
that they are all working to help the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
And of course, when I joined there was really only – either you are a temple devotee or you are …!
I don’t think it is like that now.
You be a temple devotee or a married devotee or whatever,
you can still help, you can still be a very significant force.
I mean, the person who is repeating me,
his name is Acintya Caitanya dāsa,
he is a gṛhastha.
His wife is very active in preaching.
He has two sons.
One of them is already very fixed up in book distribution.
In 1973 in the lecture that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave at his Vyāsa-pūjā in London,
he said that his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura who was the son of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,
and he wanted all the gṛhastha devotees that you should have ācāryas as your children.
You should all become paramahaṁsas.
So, rather than thinking this devotee can become a full-timer, others too bad!
Use everybody,
naturally I was a full-timer and the advantage that I have is can give all my time to Kṛṣṇa.
But, there is a lecture by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
where he says that a man should accept a wife who is more spiritual advanced
and a woman should accept a husband who is more spiritual advanced.
That is not what people look at today.
They see if she is a beautiful woman,
what education she has
and other things.
But spiritual advancement, we don’t think about that.
But that is the thing that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said.
In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is the fight between Gajendra and the crocodile.
Because Gajendra was a land animal,
when he was in the water,
the crocodile was winning
and gradually the elephant was getting weaker.
So in the purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda said
that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means
we are declaring war against material nature
and to fight in the war,
one needs to be very strong,
sensually strong.
It is not the same for everyone.
Someone may be better as a vairāgī,
someone may be stronger as a gṛhastha.
The real thing is that we should be fighting to establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So, maybe people are sitting on the fence,
they should see what is their nature?
So they should think whatever it is, if their nature is to be married, or their nature is to be a vairāgī,
they should fully engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
If they are married, their partner should be equally enthusiastic to preach,
otherwise what is the use?
That is an interesting thing.
Of course, if you want your parents and everyone to agree,
it may happen.
But in my case it did not happen
and I said yesterday in my talk that my father said he would turn me over to the American Army,
and let me die in Vietnam.
India was not for this war.
And so I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What I should do?”
He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army”
and that is what I did.
I am still a member of Kṛṣṇa’s army!
So here, I have seen many families, where the father and mother are initiated, the children are initiated.
But, still I guess they are a minority.
But in India some are like that.
But generally, it is like one airliner crashed in the Northern Pacific.
One who passed, the parents said, “Oh, we spent so much money on our son trying to go to America for education,
now who will take care of us in our old age?”
That was their concern!
You see, it is like a business,
they paid for the education of their child,
and they want the child to give them money.
So some parents are like that.
Some parents are very affectionate,
I don’t say everyone is like that.
I mean, of course, some people would feel very bad.
But ultimately, we have to make our own choice.
This is like, mother and father of Lord Caitanya, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Mātā,
the older brother of Lord Caitanya,
He took sannyāsa.
They were feeling, “Oh!” rejected.
“Our son, He left the family and would not get married and all that.”
Because of your son taking sannyāsa, unlimited members of your family got liberated.
Of course, they were all liberated souls.
And they realized that what he did was for their benefit.
But then they were worried that their other son would also take sannyāsa.
So He promised,
“I have no such intention!”
Anyway, I hope that everybody in this room, no matter what, are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully.
How old are you?
73 years (Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu)
So what do you want to share with all these young leaders?
He helped build this Temple of the Vedic Planetarium!
Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu: Looking around me here seeing all these wonderful, young devotees, fresh looking actually,
reminds me when I was young, but not anymore!
All I can say to them is that you just practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the best of your ability.
Some of you will be temple devotees, some of you will be gṛhasthas on the outskirts,
but still under one umbrella of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So whichever works for you in the beginning accept it.
In the future, you probably will all be in the temples,
but for now just don’t let go of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at all.
Stick to this wonderful program that you are having
and continue preaching and spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness just like Mahārāja said.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Jayapatākā Swami: Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu, he is a gṛhastha,
but has dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness
and you can see
what a beautiful building this is.
He has done many services.
And if you have seen the samādhi temple
he has designed some of the artwork of the samādhi temple.
He was the builder of the samādhi.
So, the question is not if you join full-time or you get married.
Even if you are married, you should not give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness
and the advantage of course of being a brahmacārī or whatever,
is that you don’t have any other thing
to think about.
But as I said,
it depends on what each person’s nature is, it may be different.
We should be committed to serving,
no matter what.
Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / ISKCON], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-25
Questioner: Murāri Hari dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see everybody wants to enjoy,
they want to be happy.
But actually, the real happiness is from the spiritual kingdom.
In the material world everything is temporary.
So it is not possible to get permanent happiness,
and to get some happiness we have to get a lot of suffering also.
Like, old age, disease,
studying,
spend so much time to study,
if you are working,
and other people in your workplace may be envious
and they want to screw you,
so they can look good, so then can be the General Manager.
So we find that Quality Control, Operations, Marketing, they are actually trying to create problem for others.
So real happiness that you get is from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then you chant and dance.
Sometimes Lord Caitanya said one feels so much bliss
that they cry, laugh.
So like this they feel very happy.
Everyone wants to feel happy.
But māyā eludes us, she kicks us that we be, will be happy in material life.
That if we have lot of sense gratification, we will happy.
But actually, that doesn’t give real happiness.
So one should use this human birth, to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So, if you think you are the body, then this deep-rooted desire to enjoy the body will come.
But if you realize that you are not the body, then you will try to enjoy by giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa.
And by giving Kṛṣṇa pleasure we feel happier.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked me yesterday what do I do, how do I control my anger when my servants do not do what I want?
I could not remember a time when I lost my temper like that!
So, but there must have been a time long ago!
But I said that we commit so many offences to Kṛṣṇa, knowingly or unknowingly,
we want Kṛṣṇa to forgive us.
So, like that if we don’t forgive others, then how can we expect Kṛṣṇa to forgive us?
Your question, what is the root reason for your question?
If one hates another person that is an offence.
If such kind of hatred or violence is not there, then why should it be considered an offence?
This way, if we see the good qualities in others, if we praise them, then how will be commit offence?
If we are intolerant of the different qualities of people, then there is possibility of offences.
If you see an offence to Vaiṣṇavas or guru then you need to get angry.
Just like Kṛṣṇa, if you offend Him, He usually forgives you.
But if you offend His devotee, He is very angry.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: What would you preach if you don’t read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
You know, we don’t say that by reading, you do not do any preaching.
But if you don’t read, what do you preach?
Would you speculate something?
It is important to read at least in the beginning.
Śrīla Prabhupāda told me that to get first initiation, I had to read the Bhagavad-gītā ten times.
Then I had these lines marked, one, two, three, four, strike. One, two, three, four, strike.
I read ten times and got my first initiation.
But by reading Bhagavad-gītā ten times I had so much knowledge of the Gītā that I was giving accredited courses in the university.
Although I was a college drop out!
And in the McGill University I gave a course but there was no credit.
So then, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us a test, I got Bhakti-śāstrī.
Recently I want to encourage my disciples, my followers, devotees in general
to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
Then the Māyāpur Institute offered me the honorary degrees,
because I had read the books so many times.
But I thought if I get honorary degree,
then that would not encourage the devotees to read.
I said, no, I will take the test.
And now I have finished the 5th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I got one more canto to go to get my Bhakti-vaibhava.
After that I will go for the Bhakti-vedānta.
Then I am very glad that I am doing that.
It is nice that if you are reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and are getting tested then you read it more carefully.
But it doesn’t mean I don’t preach.
In fact preaching is going on.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
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: Śyāmavallabhā Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are right, you know that you are able to do.
If someone is asking you to do something you think that, is not correct or which is beyond your scope, then you can say, I am sorry, but be very polite.
Humility doesn’t mean you do everything that everybody tells you!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If you get a service, take it as a blessing.
Try to do it as best you can.
If you don’t think you are doing it very well, then ask the person that gave you this service for some advice.
Questioner: Tāriṇī Rādhikā devī dāsī, UK.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You can also learn the process
from the Māyāpur Academy on Deity Worship.
And also from the minister of Deity worship.
Śrīla Prabhupāda personally taught Jananivāsa Prabhu
how to worship the śālagrāma-śilā.
The śālagrāma should be worshiped every day.
At least bathe with water and put tulasī leaf on it.
But if you want you can also bathe with milk or pañca-gavya or pañcāmṛta.
And draw a smiling face on the śālagrāma-śilā with a tilaka.
More details you can get from the Deity Worship ministry.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Home Deity Worship]
Questioner: Tāriṇī Rādhikā devī dāsī, UK.
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You can also learn the process
from the Māyāpur Academy on Deity Worship.
And also from the minister of Deity worship.
Śrīla Prabhupāda personally taught Jananivāsa Prabhu
how to worship the śālagrāma-śilā.
The śālagrāma should be worshiped every day.
At least bathe with water and put tulasī leaf on it.
But if you want you can also bathe with milk or pañca-gavya or pañcāmṛta.
And draw a smiling face on the śālagrāma-śilā with a tilaka.
More details you can get from the Deity Worship ministry.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship) / Home Deity Worship]
Questioner: Anand and Janani, Bengaluru
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: The gold is a pure metal.
And we use that to decorate our Deities.
But in Kali-yuga maybe people steal gold.
So we have to be careful to use pure gold in Deity worship.
Sometimes the ladies wear gold ornaments on some special functions.
This is allowed
for the gṛhasthas.
The ladies should not wear her gold ornaments when her husband is away,
but she may wear in the presence of her husband,
it is very attractive.
So now we have paper money.
Previously paper money was equal to a certain amount of gold.
That is why we call it Pound Sterling
because it is based on how much silver you can get.
But now there are pounds, euros, rupees
and the paper is not equivalent to any specific amount of gold.
There is a kind of false economy is part of Kali-yuga.
But not that, ladies cannot wear gold ornaments.
It is just that it is a little dangerous,
so usually they wear during special social functions.
Category: [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-25
You
try do that and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
always praying to the spiritual master, previous ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa,
to be able to do that, that is the principal desire in one’s life,
well by their mercy the impossible can be possible.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Bhaktin Śrīdevī
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: By reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā,
one should naturally obtain spiritual qualities.
And so by reading naturally one gets association with different spiritual personalities,
so we try to obtain these qualities.
And eventually we can achieve many things.
The other qualities that one should have like patience, tolerance,
usually that automatically comes through reading.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Ānandavihārī Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that one doesn’t have to have second initiation.
But no harm in having it.
Then you can do some confidential service to guru and the Deities.
But you go back to Godhead even after the first initiation.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
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: Caturā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Any opportunity we can give out prasāda,
that is good.
And normally people observe birthdays for other reasons.
If you can invite people over and give them prasāda,
that is something auspicious.
You have to think how to take advent of birthdays and different celebrations.
Questioner: Sumukhi Hariṇī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: It is not that they offer starched wool.
They are offering a cotton cloth,
which is starched,
at the Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī they just offer the cotton chadars, cotton cloths.
When it is colder, then they use woolen.
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: For… for a devotee, the more that you understand that Kṛṣṇa is directly accepting your service through the spiritual master, and the main thing that He is accepting is how enthusiastically you do it.
Because ultimately, He doesn’t need the service.
What He’s relishing is your...your desire to serve Him, your devotion, your enthusiasm.
Just like that time when Kṛṣṇa appeared in the kitchen, and then they so enthusiastically handed Him the banana peel, instead of the ba… they handed Him the banana peel, and He ate the banana peel.
So, then they saw, “I gave Kṛṣṇa the banana peel, and I kept the banana.
He is eating the peel!”
Then He said, “Well for Me, the peel and the apple are the same.
I was relishing your enthusiasm to serve Me.” (laughing)
Actually, Kṛṣṇa doesn’t need anything.
He is already ātmārāmāḥ ca munayaḥ.
He is already complete - oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ.
But the fact that after so many millions of years of forgetting Him, the conditioned soul is coming forward to serve Him, that enthusiasm and that desire is what Kṛṣṇa appreciates most.
So therefore, even if (uhh), the service may not be that… sometimes one needs a slight change of service, sometimes the service is alright.
These are things that can only be discussed by the authorities with the individual devotee as to whether there is adequate service to keep the person fully engaged.
That’s a separate situation.
That has to be dealt with individually.
But even in such a situation, still, one should be very enthusiastic,
and still after being very enthusiastic if the person is bored, or just unengaged, true that it’s not enough service, or not enough to keep the mind in… involved, then that’s something that has to be dealt with individually between the spiritual master,
or the representative… his representative, the temple authority.
Still, the person should be doing the service fully enthusiastically, otherwise, how can you tell whether you’re working up to the capacity or not?
Just like if you’re driving in the car and the pedals… the gas pedals got down and then the car is killing, you see…you know and then you come to some conclusion, “Well, something is wrong with the car.”
But then sometimes when the engine is cold, or when you overload it, just have to put on more gas.
You’re going up a hill, then you keep going up the hill, then when you’re going up the hill, it kills, then you say, “What’s wrong?”
You go and look at your car and everything, but because you weren’t putting the gas on.
Right?
So, when you’re going up the hill, you’ve got to put the gas on.
Maybe sometimes you downshift, put on the gas, and you go up. Right?
If you don’t put on more gas when you’re going uphill.
So, that’s why sometimes Kṛṣṇa makes a person go uphill a little bit, just like you’re forced to put on the gas.
Sink to swim.
Ordinarily you know, if you’re always putting on the gas,then it doesn’t make any difference.
Those type of tests are no longer really needed, either.
So, a devotee is not actually tested that much, and even if he is, it doesn’t make any difference.
He just passes, just to show other devotees as an example.
Do you see what’s for Kṛṣ… for Prahlāda to swim in the boiling oil, because he such a great devotee.
You know.
Similarly, for us, we get very infinitesimal situations comparatively, Kṛṣṇa helps us to cross over them.
Enthusiasm is something that is just (uhh)… just somehow or another, like a person riding, running in a race.
How do you become enthusiastic?
Someone either through instruction, through criticism, through joking, through something, a person just gets fired up and goes out and does it.
Ultimately, enthusiasm is not something, you can pray of course to Nitāi-Gaura,
Nityānanda to help you become more enthusiastic, but enthusiasm comes from one’s desire.
If you desire something, you’re enthusiastic.
If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you become enthusiastic.
It’s just a question of focusing.
Focusing your… focusing your desires, focusing your intentions, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena, just like the sunlight, focusing on Kṛṣṇa.
If it’s not focused, energy gets splayed, you lose enthusiasm.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said to publish the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.
Then Rāmeśvara Prabhu said, that is impossible.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said impossible is a word in the fool’s dictionary.
They had a marathon and published all the volumes of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.
Some devotees went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said I distributed so many books – say ten thousand!
Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, very good!
Now double it next year!
So, if you want to do a little more you can double it.
We should try to do as best we can do.
A little better!
So, we were distributing for Bhādra Pūrṇimā previously 6,000 sets.
In 2020 we did 25,000 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets.
in 2021 we did 35,000.
So Vaiśeṣika Prabhu said that by 2026 we should distribute 100,000 sets.
That means every year increasing by 23%.
This year we should distribute at least 43,000 sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Every year we should increase minimum 23%.
So if you can give me how many sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītās you can distribute. Each person.
You may not know Bengali but just by being friendly you can capture their heart!
Ladies can embrace the other ladies!
Wow! They will never forget! I was embraced by a Russian lady!
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I hope they are serving Śrīla Prabhupāda enthusiastically
and I hope that the grand disciples will also serve guru and Gaurāṅga enthusiastically.
And that depends on their sincerity.
If they are sincere they will do that.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-13
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura he was a gṛhastha.
And his son was Śrīla Prabhupāda’s spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that like this the gṛhasthas they could have a child like Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and we need many such souls to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
But if we cannot have children, I would understand and that by outreach would enthuse many people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
We need devotees to use their brain to think how they can spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Many devotees are praying for me, doing various sacrifices,
so that is helping.
Also, devotees if they follow the regulative principles, that also helps me.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like, I request my disciples to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and get their degrees such as Bhakti-śāstrī,
Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedānta.
So, there is one devotee in her 20s, she already has her Bhakti-vedānta degree.
We haven’t given much attention to that.
We find that there are many doctors, politicians, lawyers of the female gender.
It would be nice to have devotees who actually know the scriptures and can properly explain it.
People like to hear from Mātājīs and children.
Normally, they don’t speak philosophical things.
But if they do, people like it!
That is one thing that can be done.
I mean, I have been invited to go to Tucson, Arizona and Phoenix also.
Both those temples have females as Temple Presidents.
So in some countries of the world, not every country, there are no limitations like that.
In the 9th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is the Apsarā, Urvaśī, she criticizes a bit how ladies are not reliable.
But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda said this is for the materialistic ladies.
Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, man or woman, they are all equal.
So, I mean, I don’t see such a limitation.
We saw that in the Dallas Ratha-yātrā, ladies were doing many services.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in nava-vidha-bhakti the first two are śravaṇam and kīrtanam – hearing and chanting.
You can chant the holy names you and listen.
The other sevā is pāda-sevanam.
If you can give some of the fruits of your work to serve the Lord.
This way, you remember the Lord – smaraṇam.
When you worship the Deities, that is arcanam.
When you pay obeisances, that is vandanam.
So, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he did all the nine practices of devotion that is ātma-nivedanam.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in nava-vidha-bhakti the first two are śravaṇam and kīrtanam – hearing and chanting.
You can chant the holy names you and listen.
The other sevā is pāda-sevanam.
If you can give some of the fruits of your work to serve the Lord.
This way, you remember the Lord – smaraṇam.
When you worship the Deities, that is arcanam.
When you pay obeisances, that is vandanam.
So, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he did all the nine practices of devotion that is ātma-nivedanam.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Kackuly Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Thank you Kackuly Rāṇī for your nice question.
In the Puruṣottama month
Kṛṣṇa has accepted this month as nondifferent from Himself.
♫
So, they are regular attendees of this class,
Keya Rāṇī, Kackuly Rāṇī.
So on the CDM website
we are going to publish all the things that you can do in Puruṣottama month.
In the Dāmodara month,
you get hundred times benefit.
But in the Puruṣottama month, it is a 1000 times.
So basically, we do all the things
that we can do in the Dāmodara month,
and some more also.
It is not a good month for weddings or any kind of śubha-karma.
But it is very good for transcendental devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like I am serving my spiritual master,
I hope you can learn from my example
and serve me.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: We are trying to have some joint programs
on the appearance disappearance days of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
And that time everybody speaks for ten minutes.
And we have various speakers.
That way we are cooperating.
But we don’t really associate, one on one, individually,
because it may expose us to some criticism.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Gauḍīya maṭḥa], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: We offer it to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, but just show it to the guru-paramparā.
After showing the guru-paramparā, we offer to Rādhā Kṛṣṇa or Gaura-Nitāi.
Then offering to guru-paramparā as a prasāda is not an offence.
If tulasī is offered to Kṛṣṇa, then we can eat that tulasī, that is kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Nandakumāra Kṛṣṇa dāsa, USA
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: In a very respectful way, you can always ask the devotee
how, what they are doing can be accepted.
And if they have a good answer,
then that is alright.
If they say, it is my mistake,
then they stand corrected.
But we should not jump
to conclude that they are wrong.
First we ask them,
why they are doing that
and see what they say.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: In Māyāpur we sing the Yugalāṣṭakam.
Jīva Gosvāmī had sung this song and that song is sung here.
If you want to sing the Caurāṣṭakam, I don’t forbid that.
Someone questioned that did any ācārya recommend to sing this Caurāṣṭakam?
I told our paṇḍita to check on this.
And he said that in puṣṭi-mārga they sing this song.
We should especially sing the songs of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
But puṣṭi-mārga they don’t sing the songs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, they sing this song.
This song is not bad, we can do that, but this is not in praise of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, it is only in praise of Kṛṣṇa.
Name of Rādhā comes only once.
Kṛṣṇa stole the heart of Rādhā it says.
In this month you can sing any song on Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
I saw that the song by Jīva Gosvāmī is very easy.
Everyone can sing it.
If we sing any Rādhā Kṛṣṇa song, the worshipable Deities in Puruṣottama month are Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
In Dāmodara month, Dāmodara Yaśodā are the worshipable Deities.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said to sing saccidānanda rūpam.
But no ācāryas have not specifically said to say any prayer.
But they said that worship of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa should be done.
That way we agreed to sing the Yugalāṣṭakam.
Questioner: Mariya, Perm
Date: 2022-10-17
So, if we please Kṛṣṇa, we can eventually feel blissful,
but if we are not able to understand,
then if we please the spiritual master,
and we should understand that we pleased Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa accepts our service,
if we offer it with devotion and love.
If one is very proud, then Kṛṣṇa is not obliged to accept that service,
that way we know that if I offer to my guru and he accepts,
then he will offer to his guru, and he will accept,
and in this way it goes back to Kṛṣṇa.
So, the guru-paramparā system is such,
that we know that our service is being accepted by Kṛṣṇa,
if it is accepted by the spiritual master
Questioner: Ratikeli Rādhikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Teach them by your example
and encourage them that anything they do in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like Śrīla Prabhupāda, his father gave him Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa small Deities to practice pūjā.
And also gave him a Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā ratha.
So he was happy to have this Kṛṣṇa conscious play.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-09
Of course more important.
It’s an individual situation.
Individual.
Prabhupāda explains in the 8th Canto Bhāgavatam that we have to work from wherever our position of strength is.
The example that’s said,
the elephant was fighting against the crocodile.
But the crocodile and elephant were in the water.
So the elephant was becoming weaker,
and the crocodile was becoming stronger.
So the elephant was getting to not able to fight.
So he start to pray to Kṛṣṇa to help.
So in this verse Prabhupāda explains that the devotees should be physically,
mentally,
and spiritually strong.
And it gets to be a bit of an energy drain.
In other words,
for them,
the mind is being distracted that a lot by different thoughts.
So it’s a constant thing that a person has to work at.
Of course,
everyone can do it,
but it seems to be like an energy drain,
or possibly one will be more peaceful and productive in a family situation.
So basically it depends upon each individual.
Generally our program is that people should first of all practise the brahmacārī life as far as possible,
and become strong,
and after some time,
then the Spiritual master and the senior Vaiṣṇavas,
they can help to advice one,
whether they should enter into the gṛhastha-āśrama,
whether they should try to remain in the brahmacārī ashram for some more time,
or in some cases,
whether,
rarely,
someone should take sannyāsa.
Category: [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Varṇāśrama], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I was there when Śrīla Prabhupāda said this.
He was in Montreal, 1968.
And all the devotees were thinking, “Oh, 100%, that is very high!”
But as he was coming down, 90%, 80%.
Then, he was walking away,
taking his cadāra behind him.
He said even 70%. [paragraph]
In my class His Holiness Girirāja Swami, he said he knew the secret!
That one devotee said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, even if I don’t achieve 70%, what is my hope then?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Stay with me, I have the key to the backdoor!”
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I was there when Śrīla Prabhupāda said this.
He was in Montreal, 1968.
And all the devotees were thinking, “Oh, 100%, that is very high!”
But as he was coming down, 90%, 80%.
Then, he was walking away,
taking his cadāra behind him.
He said even 70%. [paragraph]
In my class His Holiness Girirāja Swami, he said he knew the secret!
That one devotee said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, even if I don’t achieve 70%, what is my hope then?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Stay with me, I have the key to the backdoor!”
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Combination of separation when we miss the devotee,
and because they went back to Godhead, so
some feeling of bliss.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-05
Naivedya-mantra,
you
to guru,
to Gaurāṅga and to Kṛṣṇa.
And some
mantra
is there for offering
naivedya.
You see,
if you want to offer the prasāda in your house then we can teach you this mantra also because in India we are not having the same radio station
(laughing)
.
So we’ll give you the
mantra.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we offer daily guru-pūjā
and on the Vyāsa-pūjā we offer the puṣpāñjali three times.
That way we pray that we may be forgiven for any knowing or unknowing offences.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Sucitra Revatī devī dāsīT
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: That means approaching in great humility.
So holding a blade of grass in your teeth
means you are taking a very humble position.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: What pleases me the most? Pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda! Ha! Ha!
He asked me to distribute books,
expand the congregation,
to expand Kṛṣṇa consciousness pracāra unlimitedly,
to develop Māyāpur Dhām,
to unite the Saraswat family,
to develop Navadvīpa-dhāma,
to develop Gaura Maṇḍala Bhūmī,
and many other things.
So you can do any of these things,
which one will you do?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally, we should serve the spiritual master as the representative of his guru, the guru-paramparā and Kṛṣṇa.
So, in this way Kṛṣṇa is watching
and how we satisfy our spiritual master
that Kṛṣṇa sees.
He blesses accordingly.
Now how to develop proper attitude.
It happens naturally as we progress in our spiritual life.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Ānandinī Śacīmātā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, you can either jump into the Ganges,
or you can touch that person’s feet back.
We found that Lord Nityānanda and
Lord Caitanya, were dancing in such a way, They tried to touch each other’s feet.
They were so expert at dancing
that They avoided.
So, sometimes the associates of Lord Caitanya would do this type of
transcendental competition,
to touch each other’s feet.
If someone touches your feet, you touch their feet.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 1. We should observe it after that.
And plead to Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Emotions / Confusion], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-17
That is our connection with our spiritual master,
to serve him
and carry out his instructions,
the vāṇī-sevā.
It is definitely very difficult
but there is nothing else we can do.
We have to keep our connection with the spiritual master,
by carrying out his instructions, his vāṇī,
and this way we will be connected with our spiritual master.
Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know who your guru is but for my disciples, if they have to, they can use the counting machine.
Since I had a stroke in 2008, my right side doesn’t fully cooperate.
So I have to chant by my left hand.
And Rādhānātha Swami gave me some chanting machine.
Now I do more than 16 rounds.
But I have to like do exercises in the morning and when I exercise, I also chant and keep track of that.
When I walk in the pool, I chant, each step is half a mantra.
So I promised Śrīla Prabhupāda I would chant 16 rounds of 108 mantras each.
That is 1,728.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know who your guru is but for my disciples, if they have to, they can use the counting machine.
Since I had a stroke in 2008, my right side doesn’t fully cooperate.
So I have to chant by my left hand.
And Rādhānātha Swami gave me some chanting machine.
Now I do more than 16 rounds.
But I have to like do exercises in the morning and when I exercise, I also chant and keep track of that.
When I walk in the pool, I chant, each step is half a mantra.
So I promised Śrīla Prabhupāda I would chant 16 rounds of 108 mantras each.
That is 1,728.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: If the guru gives instruction
to accept disciples,
then one has to follow the instructions of the guru.
In the Remuna for instance, there is a Deity of Rasikānanda
and his guru is Śyāmānanda.
So he was a guru in the presence of his guru.
Because he got instruction from Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita to accept disciples.
I have in Russia, Caitanya Candra Caraṇa dāsa
and I asked him to be a guru.
He has thousands of disciples,
and he is preaching in Russia.
Similarly, I am asking other disciples who are qualified,
and unless one is asked by the guru
it is true that they should not accept disciples.
But if the guru asks,
if he orders then that has to be carried out by the disciple.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, we got the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-prasāda-mantra through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu
and the Pañca-tattva.
So, we want to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra by invoking the mercy of the Pañca-tattva.
Because in this chanting of the Pañca-tattva mantra, there is no offence considered.
And therefore, we chant Pañca-tattva first.
In Africa there is some tribe instead of drinking the milk, they cut a vein of the cow and drink the blood.
Anyway, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that from now chanting the name of the Pañca-tattva it would be more effective
because it would not be a great offence.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, of course chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we are not saying it is not enough.
But every avatāra has got a particular mood.
And Narasiṁhadeva, His mood is to help people from danger, from sickness.
We started chanting Narasiṁha mantra when Śrīla Prabhupāda was sick.
That is Narasiṁhadeva’s specialty.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
You have dedicated your life to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Śrīla Prabhupāda. 74 years. From 19 to 74 now, you have dedicated your tan, mana, dhana.
For us we are gṛhasthas, you are our role model and if we want to take even 0.01 per cent of you, as a gṛhastha, you have dedicated your life. What we are doing only is a fraction of maybe what you have dedicated to Śrīla Prabhupāda. You have lot of wealth but we have dedicated a little wealth, you have a lot of time but we have dedicated very little time, but you have given 100% maybe more than 100%. Rūpa Gosvāmī said for gṛhasthas we should give 50% to Kṛṣṇa, 25% for family, how we can dedicate like you? What percentage we should dedicate? You have given 100% 1000% Guru Mahārāja, but percentage wise, how much like funds, energy, our talent, etc. Please bless us and guide us how you want all of us to surrender?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, these questions are answered in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
That as a sannyāsī, I have to give 100% if I give 99% I am fallen. As a gṛhastha 50%, you are doing great!
But sometimes as we were discussing, even if the gṛhasthas, they give 5% or 10% that would be so much.
Anyway, the point is actually I have seen like some gṛhasthas, we were hearing this from the Hospital Manager this morning,
she wants to serve the GBC.
Be a coordinator for all the ministries
and all the standing committees.
So she is saying in the hospital we have like 34 or 35 specialties.
So I want to see each ministry, see what their purpose is and try to help them to do that.
She has two kids, one 8 and one 11,
she has a job.
Naturally she has a husband,
but she wants to serve.
And she is a disciple of His Holiness Kadamba Kānana Swami Mahārāja, who recently passed away.
And he was instructing her how ISKCON should be managed.
With the husband’s support she thinks she can do it.
It is very impressive. you don’t have to be a sannyāsī in fact a sannyāsī may not have the proper qualifications.
So she has the vision how to serve ISKCON.
Also, she is chanting her 16 rounds and following the principles.
So that is the kind of people we need.
People who are very dedicated who want to serve ISKCON.
We heard that Kālacāndajī restaurant is the best in Dallas, something like that.
Sanātana Kṛṣṇa said not just in Dallas, in the whole world.
So, there are different – His Grace Nityānanda Prabhu’s wife she had a team and helped in cooking,
she says she doesn’t cook anymore but she does the original menu for it.
Like that, don’t hesitate, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not anything, whatever you can do, do it!
Haribol!
In Detroit they have cow cuddling program.
So many people come to cuddle the cows, and they don’t know what to do.
But there is special, particular way if they touch the cow, they are happy.
The people sign up they say they will never eat cow again.
So you can serve Kṛṣṇa, not stereotype, different ways.
Some people may give money in dollars, some may cook nice preparations.
Some may cuddle cows, or some may do home ārati.
Everyone should have this service attitude.
If Kṛṣṇa is pleased, guru and Kṛṣṇa are pleased, that is our purpose in life. Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya told Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa not to marry.
In the purport he was explaining how generally gṛhasthas were usually involved in their family affairs
in sense gratification,
so they don’t make much advancement or very slow.
But actually, if the husband wife, if they actually worship together to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how to make the children, facilitate the children to be Kṛṣṇa conscious,
how to - just like we have some gṛhasthas they head Bhakti-vṛkṣa groups.
Some gṛhasthas they manage the temple,
some gṛhasthas are working in maintaining the temple.
The point is that if we concentrate on Kṛṣṇa, and we try to work as gṛhasthas to please Kṛṣṇa,
it is not normal. Normally the gṛhasthas, they do not think much about Kṛṣṇa.
That is why a Vaiṣṇava gṛhastha is much different from an ordinary gṛhastha.
They are trying to do things for Kṛṣṇa, they cook for Kṛṣṇa, they offer to Kṛṣṇa, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Just like, I saw in Chennai, some of the children, were doing a drama.
Two were Yamadūtas and one was playing Yamarāja.
A girl was playing Yamarāja and she had a mustache on.
So the Yamadūtas were complaining that these devotee, the gṛhasthas, they are worshiping the Deities in their homes.
They are offering their food to Kṛṣṇa,
they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa,
they are read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
they are preaching.
We cannot arrest them, we cannot take them to hell!
If everyone does like this, what will we do?
So I thought that was a very nice drama.
So I asked the gṛhastha, who would like to have mercy on the Yamadūtas?
Give them some work to do!
No one raised their hands!
So I said, who would like to give them a vacation?
So anyway, paramahaṁsa, is not very difficult, it just means that together, to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-04-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in Māyāpur in Dāmodara you get 100, in Ekādaśī you get another hundred and near the Ganges you get a thousand or a lac times, so in this way its mentioned. But Kolkata is part of Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi.
I think that Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said something.
He said he couldn’t stay in Kolkata, but those who stay in his birthplace they will get special mercy.
So, I don’t remember how many times but Śrīla Prabhupāda said something.
I will look it up.
You talked about the four regulative principles. During initiation we vow to follow these regulative principles. My question is after initiation if a disciple breaks any one of these regulative principles, what is the method of atonement and please tell the way out so that one does not make the same mistake again.
Questioner: Saṅkīrtana Priya Nitāi dāsa
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: We should beg for forgiveness from guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Then we should perform devotional service directly.
There is no higher atonement than bhakti-yoga.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
You were mentioning yesterday in class about demarcation of Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi. And you mentioned the different directions it reaches in West Bengal, Odisha and some parts of Bangladesh. But we also know there were many close associates of Lord Caitanya who have taken birth in other parts of India like South India and Maharashtra, also Lord Caitanya had gone and had pastimes in South India, Maharashtra, Vṛndāvana and other places. How do we consider Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi demarcation and what is part of Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya went to many places.
He went to Bangladesh, He went all over South India,
He went to Maharashtra, Gujarat.
So He also went to Uttara Pradesh, Vṛndāvana.
Vṛndāvana is Vraja
and Jagannātha Purī is Śrī Kṣetra.
Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi is 168 km from Māyāpur.
So that means up to Remuṇā in the south.
To the South-east we have Puṇḍarika dhāma.
And North-east is Advaita Ācārya birthplace.
And North-west is beyond Kānāi-Naṭaśālā to the hills. Forgot the name of the hills.
So that particular area is known as Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi.
And in Odisha it is known as Śrī Kṣetra.
And in Vṛndāvana it is known as Vraja dhāma.
So maybe the associates of Lord Caitanya were from some other place,
the holy place around Kāverī river and Śrīraṅgam,
that may not be Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi
but that is a holy place.
Like that India has lots of holy rivers, holy places
and they are not necessarily Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
You were saying how all these great devotees of the Lord are helping Lord Nityānanda and Lord Caitanya in preaching. So do you have any general answer to devotees who ask you like, Guru Mahārāja, I don’t know, you have not given me any instruction, please tell me an instruction. Is there a general answer that you would give to devotees, if they don’t have any specific service given?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda he gave me many instructions. I mean, at least 30 things to do, at least. And maybe more. And what I have done in my Jayapatākā Swami App, I have listed all of those. And of course, some of those things are instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave to everybody, and some things he gave specifically to me, or to a few others. I asked any disciples, śikṣā disciples, well-wishers if they can you help me to fulfill these instructions. And you may help in one or help in five or many more.
So I gave all these instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me and requested the people to help me.
So, I give them a free will to choose from any of those instructions.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Dīkṣā-guru], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is mentioned the qualification for bhakti.
Intense desire.
That is called laulyam.
I am very glad that you are feeling this intense laulyam.
So, somehow or another we have to be a bit humble.
There was a devotee who met a Muslim magistrate and humbly said, can I ask you a question? Can I ask you something?
Sure. You are very intelligent, very handsome, very educated.
I just have one request.
Forget all this!
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!
So that Muslim magistrate he said I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.
The devotee, he started dancing!
You have already started!
Don’t stop now! Haribol!
You see, the secret is we offer our respect to others and somehow or another we get them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
That is not offensive.
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