Question: I wish to offer myself to Śrīla Prabhupāda but am hesitant due to my material conditioning and attachments. Please guide.
Author: 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]
Related Questions
Questioner: Harṣavardana Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: We want to take shelter of Nitāi-Gaura.
Also, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
And if we are harassed with memories of our previous mistakes,
we should pray for forgiveness,
and proceed with devotional service.
It is not worth giving attention to these sinful memories.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda always told us we should not try to see Kṛṣṇa but act in such a way that Kṛṣṇa will see us.
It was devastating to lose Śrīla Prabhupāda’s personal association.
But he gave me a lot of different services to perform to him.
So, that kept me busy in serving Śrīla Prabhupāda.
How many of you are disciples of Caitanya Candra Caraṇa dāsa? (Almost all)
How many of you have the Jayapatākā Swami App?
(a few) You can download it.
It is in various languages, and you can choose Russian.
So, there are various programs in the App like offering ārati, like seeing what I do, seeing Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures.
Then you can ask, to put out something about Caitanya Candra Caraṇa dāsa also.
Have you visited any of the holy places around Navadvīpa dhāma?
(Yes, the house of Śrīvāsa Aṅgana.) Śrīvāsa Aṅgana. (Yoga-pīṭha, House of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Jagannātha Mandir, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura samādhi, Viṣṇu-priyā temple, and also TOVP construction site)
Have you seen the TOVP site?
Is there are anyone who is an IT person, we are doing a Museum in the West Wing, we could use help for the Exhibits.
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: 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]
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]
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: Kṛṣṇa and Samyak, UK
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally we can have spiritual desires,
spiritual activities.
That is what devotional service is,
it is a spiritual endeavor.
If we desire to have the association of pure devotees, we desire to have mercy of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya,
Have Their mercy
those are all spiritual desires.
Questioner: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Many people think that Śrīla Prabhupāda was manifesting in his heart.
But he did not say that as Nakula Brahmacārī did.
But it seemed that by his participating in Ratha-yātrās and some other festivals
that people were very much inspired
and in one Ratha-yātrā after the Ratha-yātrā he went to the car and turned to the driver
and said, “Did you see how beautifully Nitāi-Gaura were dancing in the crowd?”
The driver, of course he did not see Nitāi-Gaura,
he said Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]
Questioner: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya advised that we should do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do as an offering to Kṛṣṇa.
So, ideally the wife can marry a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Just by assisting him,
she is also directly doing devotional service.
If she is not so fortunate to have a devotee,
she can also try to bring up her children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
She can offer bhoga to the Deities
and take prasāda and give prasāda to the family.
There are different ways one can engage in devotional service.
I had the good fortune of visiting many gṛhastha families,
seeing how they have Deities,
how they are offering the bhoga,
offering āratī to the deities.
Some people have picture altars,
some have Deities.
So, we are seeing how the families are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how they are practicing.
This is the way that one can achieve success in this lifetime.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Gṛhastha], [Women]
As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.
Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee
and being personally there as an āveśa
is different from preaching.
Definitely you can preach.
Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.
The śāstra says
that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,
if He wants to.
It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,
but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.
You can preach anyway.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is wishful thinking!
Do you ever find 100% of the people receptive?
There are always a few who are attached to their material things.
This is in our planet, what to speak of other planets?
I mean, in the lower planets they are very much demoniac.
But anyway, that is not a problem.
If you make everybody a devotee, very good! Kṛṣṇa will not complain.
But there will always be some who will not be interested.
You have the animals, the birds, the trees, the fish,
if you can make all of them Kṛṣṇa conscious, very good!
At least Lord Caitanya He had all the animals chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So if we can at least get the human beings to be Kṛṣṇa conscious that would be a good thing.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
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: 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: 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: 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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Yes. Māyā in the holy dhāma, she covers the dhāma with a thin karpanāya, with a thin coating.
And the non-devotees who live in the dhāma but have not accepted their relationship with Lord Caitanya, they are not living actually in the dhāma.
So why not in the temple?
If someone is in the temple but one’s mind is always outside the temple
or if one has not accepted in his heart the spiritual master and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then actually that person will be covered by māyā.
But this is very rare.
But one therefore should not be proud; one has to be always humble.
Just because someone is living in the temple does not mean that one is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
One is Kṛṣṇa consciousness if one is living in the temple physically, mentally and spiritually.
So that is possible by being humble, by respecting other Vaiṣṇavas and not wanting respect for one’s self,
by being hay, humble like more than a straw in the street and being more tolerant than the tree, you see.
Someone gets their brāhmaṇa underwear stolen and he thinks, “Oh, all the Vaiṣṇavas are dogs!” Or something like that, you know. Said some offend.
Just because of… He may even have misplaced it, you know.
But then immediately he will criticize.
And even if someone took, all right, so what? Get another one, get a box, lock it up, something.
Someone is serving, may have a bad habit.
There is a story about one time, there was so many saints, you probably heard this, so many devotees in the temple.
And they’d wake up and every day they would find all their bedding mixed-up.
And then they said, “How is this?
And so, one time one devotee said, “I was actually a night house-breaker before I became a devotee, a robber.
So, this is my habit, in the night to steal something.
So, if I don’t steal something I can’t sleep.
So, I take all your things and move them from here to there very secretly without waking you up and this is able to, you see get rid of my habit.”
You see.
So sometimes someone may have even a bad habit,
but still we shouldn’t condemn if they are trying to serve Kṛṣṇa, you see.
So that means we have to be tolerant.
One has to be tolerant.
Of course, one should not try, that doesn’t give excuse, “I had a bad habit before, so let me do it in the temple.”
That of course is a temporary status which should be eradicated.
But there might be some bad habit, but that should be avoided and if someone sees, we should try to help that person.
Or they should just, if they are not in a position to help the person, then they at least should not themselves become agitated or disgusted with devotional service.
They should be disgusted with māyā, that māyā is so strong that if one by being in this material world, even coming to the temple, there might still be some trace.
Therefore, one has to be determined to get rid of the māyā, to become pure.
So, in living in the temple, one has to also bring in the mind, bring in the consciousness and put those in the temple, then one gets the full benefit.
One has to accept the relationship, “I am servant of guru and Gaurāṅga”.
With that relationship one lives in the temple, one lives in the dhāma, gets the full effect.
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.
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]
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: Shivam
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why Śrīla Prabhupāda he would teach us to avoid the ten offences to the holy name.
The first offence is not to offend or blaspheme a devotee.
So it is worse to offend a devotee than being sinful.
So, you should avoid offending a devotee.
At the same time naturally, we want to try to come to the pure platform.
So, before you take initiation, you should be sure you can follow the principles.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: In Kali-yuga normally you get reaction for activities performed.
In other yugas just by thinking about something, you get the reaction.
So Kali-yuga, normally by thinking you do not get a reaction.
If you take second initiation, then you may be more responsible for your mind.
If you think of something bad, then you beg for forgiveness and replace it with some Kṛṣṇa conscious thought.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Why not?
Of course, all these things are very helpful in your spiritual life.
But we have to avoid also the association of non-devotees.
And that is why it would be good if there is some temple nearby
you can attend and to associate with devotees.
But if there are no devotees and you have Śrīla Prabhupāda books,
listen to my classes.
We see now by internet we have various Jayapatākā Swami Śiṣya Samūha [JSSS] programs,
you can attend them.
Actually, on the internet, we see YouTube I visit various temples every day.
So, now the internet we can associate with different devotees.
Via internet we can have good association, satsaṅga but we can also get into bad association.
So we should take the good and leave the bad.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Swapnil Tikale
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: No!
Advancement in spiritual life is not dependent on anything material.
If one is born in a rich family, the advantage is that they don’t have to struggle to maintain themselves,
but similar some situations which can be helpful,
but it is not essential,
to make advancement.
Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā that if someone serves Him and doesn’t finish,
they don’t lose,
they are either born in a family of rich merchant
or devotee,
or they take birth in heavenly planets.
So there is no loss by doing devotional service even if one doesn’t finish.
And one can advance in any situation.
Look at Prahlāda Mahārāja, he advanced even he was in the family of demons.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World], [Material World / Guṇas / Modes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we are trying to remember Kṛṣṇa.
And by following the path of navavida-bhakti we are trying to engage in devotional service.
And therefore, we want to return to the spiritual world to serve Kṛṣṇa personally.
But the karmīs, they are trying to find a solution to their material problems so that they can have interrupted sense gratification.
In this way they take birth after birth after birth after birth.
But we actually have this human life we should take advantage and go back to Godhead.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
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: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I am thinking that
I still want to perform the different instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me,
and I am praying to Śrīla Prabhupāda to give his mercy so that I could execute these orders.
One thing on the disappearance day,
is that the heritage of the spiritual master
is left for us to perform,
and we want to keep him alive
by executing his instructions.
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: Purnima
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see,
if one
worships Kṛṣṇa,
chants Hare Kṛṣṇa,
reads Bhāgavatam, Gītā
and other Kṛṣṇa conscious things,
you can make use of this
temporary relationship
*repetitition*
to
be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
To help others be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
and some people have certain desires
so you can regulate these desires
and
cross over all the obstacles.
Although
things are temporary,
they can last for this life.
If you have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband
then you can practice your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
very peacefully.
So it is important
that a man finds a woman
and a woman finds a man who is krsna consciousness or atleast favorable.
at least favorable.
Maybe you can make him a devotee.
I know some women
who have overestimation of their ability
to make people devotees. (Laughing)
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Women]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when I was 19, told me practice brahmacarya till you are 25.
And then with your guru make your decision.
So between 25 to 30 you can decide which way to go.
One way of helping the mind, you say, okay, I will not go into the sense attraction till later.
Postpone it
and then you can practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness with your full concentration.
Also by staying busy in devotional service.
There is no time for the sense attractions.
Naturally, the living being is thinking, feeling, willing and doing.
So, we should be so fixed in Kṛṣṇa’s service
that we are always thinking about Kṛṣṇa.
We try that when we are 25 to 30.
And then we can decide which way we will be stronger.
As a gṛhastha or as a brahmacārī.
Questioner: Siddhāntamaṇi Prabhupāda dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If one is initiated and breaks the principles,
they are guilty of one of the offences to the holy name
disrespecting the order of the spiritual master.
So there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
So in that case one should repent for their misdeed
and then again take up the practice of devotional service,
as sincerely as possible, and gradually they can regain their status.
But, of course they have ceased their progress for some time, but they can start again
and there is no other way recommended by the śāstras.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Siddhāntamaṇi Prabhupāda dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: If one is initiated and breaks the principles,
they are guilty of one of the offences to the holy name
disrespecting the order of the spiritual master.
So there is no higher atonement than devotional service.
So in that case one should repent for their misdeed
and then again take up the practice of devotional service,
as sincerely as possible, and gradually they can regain their status.
But, of course they have ceased their progress for some time, but they can start again
and there is no other way recommended by the śāstras.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Before you read chant your praṇāmas
to guru and Śrīla Prabhupāda.
In that way read the book with full attention.
And then gradually by reading every day your taste will increase.
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Read his books,
try to carry out his instructions.
He wanted his gṛhastha followers to become paramahaṁsas,
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]
Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,
that in itself would be very inspiring.
Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video
of how they were chanting and dancing…
very nice!
And I think..
the way to inspire more people to chant
is to chant yourself.
Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa
and inspiring other people to join in.
I saw in New Orleans,
before the Mardi Gras,
Mardi Gras.
Christians
went.. and they had signs...
"TURN OR BURN!".
Such were the signs.
"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".
I did not see anyone joining in.
But when we went with our kīrtana,
people were buying roses and throwing at our feet
Some people
joined with the kīrtana.
So they see, they like..
how we were performing, singing and dancing.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: One of the qualifications of the uttama-adhikārī
is that he cannot be understood.
It may not be completely possible for you to understand the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But in principle you can understand a little bit about his mood
by reading his books.
And those books are available in Spanish,
I see that you are in Bogota, Colombia.
You can read the books and feel and see how Śrīla Prabhupāda
is so much attached to Kṛṣṇa and Lord Gaurāṅga!
Then you can start to be very grateful for all the help he has given to you.
Then naturally, you can advance.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: He was very sincere.
Whatever he would give speech in the evening,
he was very straightforward, simple and honest.
So that was very convincing.
And he used to tell the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā
in a very simple way
and it seemed very appropriate.
When I was trying to practice bhakti-yoga,
there were no books at that time.
He said we could read the Teachings of Lord Caitanya by Professor O.B.L. Kapoor.
So I was reading that about Haridasa Ṭhākura
said that whenever he had some māyā thought chant loudly.
I was a new bhakta, I had so many māyā thoughts!
I chanted louder and louder and louder
and I was screaming Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa!
and all the devotees when to Śrīla Prabhupāda and complained -
this Bhakta Jay, he shouts Hare Kṛṣṇa and we cannot chant our japa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda called me,
asking me to explain
why all the devotees were stressed with me!
So I explained that I read Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted louder when he had some māyā thought, I had so many māyā thought so I chant loud!
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Hmmm, that is not so bad!”
So he told me that chant next to the temple in the public park,
Park Mount Royale,
the city of Montreal is named after this hill, Mount Royale, means Royal Hill.
Our temple was next to that park.
So I would walk up to the hill
and chant loudly
and the squirrels and birds would dance around
So in that way I was chanting.
At that time, we were having Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana festival.
And he would take devotees in between and we would visit different places.
How did Śrīla Prabhupāda instill a very strong sambandha-jñāna in you and his other disciples? We see a strong sense of identity which Śrīla Prabhupāda had with Kṛṣṇa. What was so different in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s preaching that is so rare to come across nowadays. How you all feel such a strong sense of belonging to Śrīla Prabhupāda and to Kṛṣṇa?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: As I said, I was looking what is the purpose of life
and a visiting professor from Harvard
had told, about the life of Lord Buddha.
And that inspired me, he told, about reincarnation and so many things.
Being in the West, we had no access to.
I don’t know how much Indian students have.
But it lit a spark in me, to find a guru, to find a teacher.
Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in my previous life I was a devotee.
Maybe there are some people who were devotees in their previous life, I don’t know,
and some people may be coming new.
So one has to be ready for different kinds of situations.
Now when I came to the temple nobody had any time for me.
They were all busy.
And then I was sent to Jayānanda Prabhu.
He was building a ratha cart.
He asked me if I knew how to hold a nail.
I held it.
Then he got it into the wood, and I took my hand away.
He said, very good!
Because that is the whole trick, how you hold the nail!
You should leave space so that you don’t get your thumb smashed.
And he said, “Do you know how to hit a nail?”
“Sure”
I said, because my uncle had a wood shop in his basement.
And then I hammered some nails,
and he said, “Okay!”, I passed the preliminary exam
and then he engaged me in service.
That service was something I liked to do, it was nice.
So, I think that is the trick for the youth. Whether it is prasāda distribution or something but engage them in something.
And with doing service, they hear from more senior devotees
and that way they get purified.
I was engaged in a lot of different services.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Story of Ramāyāṇa?
You know how when Marīci came and the golden you know, multicolor rainbow deer and then Ram went to on the request of Sītā to catch it.
And put Sītā under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa but then there was a whole heavy situation developed,
that Marīci made the voice of Ram come out.
So Sītā said you go and protect Ram.
He said Ram doesn’t need protection, nobody can get near him.
She was very concerned, so then Lakṣman made a circle.
He said, don’t leave this mystic protective circle, can’t enter in.
So Rāvaṇa came dressed as a sādhū, he tried to enter in.
She went in to get some food and he went in [Guru Mahārāja and devotees laughing] and “I can’t get through”.
So, then she said come on in because he was an enemy so couldn’t enter.
So, he said, no no I cannot go there, I am very tired you just come out here.
So, because he was dressed as a saint, as a sannyāsī or like some kind of a sādhū,
so, she was Sītā was always serving devotees.
So, in this way he cheated her.
And of course, the real Sītā-devī didn’t come out, but the plain Māyā-Sītā came out.
But this mystical circle,
you can use in many definitions but one of the things you can is like that she was protected but shouldn't leave it.
Like that this is a mystic circle --
you follow the orders of the guru and māyā cannot get you
but when we deviate, when we neglect instructions of the spiritual master,
when we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we do make offenses to the Holy name.
We have to do things which (doesn’t) take us out of that protective circle.
Otherwise, we're protected.
Māyā is waiting there, she's waiting at the doorstep.
But devotees, how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it's not an ordinary thing.
To be Kṛṣṇa conscious you have to have the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So only the devotee, it says the devotee can never fall down.
We've heard that so many times.
What does that mean?
Because Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee.
Then how do devotees fall down?
Because they stop acting like devotees for some time.
So, because of you know, virtually not acting as a devotee, then they fall down.
That's why says you have to cling to the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi.
We have to stay within that protective shelter.
Facing difficulty, what is the use?
One time one devotee was like in anxiety and Prabhupāda said “Why are you in anxiety?
Your guru is present on this planet, you can ask him questions, you can get your doubts taken”.
Having guru means that all your problems will be solved, if you have a bona fide guru.
(audio not clear) we can submit to our spiritual, what do you advise?
What is your instruction?
We carry that out.
So, we're protected.
But when we don't consult with the spiritual master, we don't consult with the Vaiṣṇavas, we don't follow the scripture, we go out of that protective circle, in whatever form she wants to take.
Māyā is there waiting.
That's why we say Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.
Where there's Kṛṣṇa, there's no māyā.
So, we have to always look to Kṛṣṇa.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, you look away from the sun, what do you find behind you?
Your shadow.
Māyā is like the shadow, she's right behind you, you don't have to look for her.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, she'll be there.
So, then what's the purport?
When should we look away from Kṛṣṇa?
So, we have to keep our focus to Kṛṣṇa, mukha...
kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
(Cc. Madhya 20.117)
That, you know that verse?
Kṛṣṇa, when we turn our face. Bahirmukha, bahirmukha literally means turn your face away or turn it to the outside.
And what it actually is this can be translated to by turning your face to sense gratification.
Devotional service is the attitude --
I do everything to the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, reject what's unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa.
So, when we turn our face away from the service attitude, and instead we look to enjoy bhoga whimsically desire to have bhoga to have sense gratification.
Then what happens?
We get samsāra ādi duḥkha.
Then we suffer material suffering.
All the suffering, I'm suffering so much.
All this suffering is because we desire sense gratification.
If we just keep our face to Kṛṣṇa, if we just desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, there's no suffering.
Suffering begins when we desire.
The moment we desire to enjoy something, there's suffering.
Lamentation, hankering and enxiety, fear.
There's another verse like that.
[Not Clear - 01:08:09]
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, very similar verse.
Very like parallel.
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, desiring sense gratification, māyā nikaṭastha ache,
māyā comes right up to you.
japaṭīya dhare and just like your football tackles.
She's got you.
Māyā, you can also think in Australian Football system you know.
Lot of tackling is there, right?
You can just imagine they got a whole team all around just waiting one wrong move and they can jump forward.
As long as you're moving forward, eyes on Kṛṣṇa, they can't do a thing.
As soon as you look around for sense gratification, suddenly you're in the middle of the scrum.
For those who know rugby.
Māyā, she’s there but you say how we can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
That's why it's said, be like a little child, simply depending on your parents, simply depending on Guru and Kṛṣṇa, simply you know I'm so weak, I don't have any ability to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
I'm not a big paṇḍita, I'm not a big devotee, I'm just a very insignificant fallen soul.
I can only be Kṛṣṇa conscious by really following the mercy of Lord Caitanya, of His pure representative in disciplic succession.
And this way, I have to be very because that is the secret of success.
That's how you can become successful.
If you think I'm a big paṇḍita, I can do this, a little that.
I'm a great devotee, it doesn't matter.
I'm an old devotee.
It's alright, if I go little māyā I won't be affected, haha!
[Devotees: laughing]
Don't kid yourself.
Māyā is more strong than you are.
Inspite remaining always in the humble position.
Why great ācāryas have praying?
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu doyā koro more
tomā binā ke doyālu jagat-saḿsāre
patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra
mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra
You won't find anyone more sinful than me.
pāpī -- Nobody more sinful than I am.
Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, the purest devotee, he's saying I'm more sinful than all the conditioned souls.
Bhakta this one, or Bhaktin that one or whoever it may be.
But they're saying I'm the most sinful, more sinful than anybody.
This is this position he's taking, therefore you're the most merciful, you're the deliverer of all the fallen souls.
I'm the most fallen soul therefore I should get delivered first.
If we think that my humble attitude, that dependence on the mercy of guru and Gaurāṅga, then māyā may be ready to get you.
She's not getting the chance.
Tough luck.
You want to give her a chance she'll take it.
Don't give her a chance.
This is how devotees feel.
Be humble.
Know that I need their mercy all the time.
Why great ācāryas are praying like that?
They're not praying "I'm an old devotee, I'm an ācārya, I don't have to strictly follow, I don't have to. I can go over a bit".
You don't hear Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura say, you only hear some 7-year-old or 10- or 12-year devotee in ISKCON say, I'm an old devotee.
Where we are coming from, in this age of Kali.
Hardly anybody was a Vaiṣṇava.
Everybody was coming from Māyāvada or smārta or at the best.
Prabhupāda grabbed up the people.
You know, some people they're claiming to be born in Vaiṣṇava family.
We know that Prabhupāda grabbed them up from Māyāvada.
That doesn't matter.
Once you become in pure devotional service that's what counts.
It says that this, what a person was before he's in pure devotional service that's not proper logic.
It says that once my mother was naked -- logic.
She was once a little girl she was naked but she's not naked anymore.
Now she's a mother, she's a respectable lady.
So, what a person was before and what they are now, that doesn't have any immediate bearing.
Prabhupāda said that if you're born of devotee parents then that's a good sign.
The point is that right now we have to deal with the present, we should be fixed in our devotional service, we should keep that humble attitude.
Lord Caitanya, he gave a promise to Advaita, two things.
Then Advaita said, "One thing is anybody who thinks they're ready, spiritually advanced, who thinks he's a advanced devotee, don't give him your mercy.
Anyone who is very proud of their position of some birth, or some any kind of material position, you don't give them your mercy.
Those who are hopeless, who are spiritually, they are the most needy, they need your mercy more than anyone.
Those who are normally the hard cases, the tough nuts, the ones that will never have a hope, let them get your mercy, priority basis.
Karuṇāvatāra, for all those who would never get a chance in other yugas.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Story of Ramāyāṇa?
You know how when Marīci came and the golden you know, multicolor rainbow deer and then Ram went to on the request of Sītā to catch it.
And put Sītā under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa but then there was a whole heavy situation developed,
that Marīci made the voice of Ram come out.
So Sītā said you go and protect Ram.
He said Ram doesn’t need protection, nobody can get near him.
She was very concerned, so then Lakṣman made a circle.
He said, don’t leave this mystic protective circle, can’t enter in.
So Rāvaṇa came dressed as a sādhū, he tried to enter in.
She went in to get some food and he went in [Guru Mahārāja and devotees laughing] and “I can’t get through”.
So, then she said come on in because he was an enemy so couldn’t enter.
So, he said, no no I cannot go there, I am very tired you just come out here.
So, because he was dressed as a saint, as a sannyāsī or like some kind of a sādhū,
so, she was Sītā was always serving devotees.
So, in this way he cheated her.
And of course, the real Sītā-devī didn’t come out, but the plain Māyā-Sītā came out.
But this mystical circle,
you can use in many definitions but one of the things you can is like that she was protected but shouldn't leave it.
Like that this is a mystic circle --
you follow the orders of the guru and māyā cannot get you
but when we deviate, when we neglect instructions of the spiritual master,
when we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we do make offenses to the Holy name.
We have to do things which (doesn’t) take us out of that protective circle.
Otherwise, we're protected.
Māyā is waiting there, she's waiting at the doorstep.
But devotees, how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it's not an ordinary thing.
To be Kṛṣṇa conscious you have to have the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So only the devotee, it says the devotee can never fall down.
We've heard that so many times.
What does that mean?
Because Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee.
Then how do devotees fall down?
Because they stop acting like devotees for some time.
So, because of you know, virtually not acting as a devotee, then they fall down.
That's why says you have to cling to the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi.
We have to stay within that protective shelter.
Facing difficulty, what is the use?
One time one devotee was like in anxiety and Prabhupāda said “Why are you in anxiety?
Your guru is present on this planet, you can ask him questions, you can get your doubts taken”.
Having guru means that all your problems will be solved, if you have a bona fide guru.
(audio not clear) we can submit to our spiritual, what do you advise?
What is your instruction?
We carry that out.
So, we're protected.
But when we don't consult with the spiritual master, we don't consult with the Vaiṣṇavas, we don't follow the scripture, we go out of that protective circle, in whatever form she wants to take.
Māyā is there waiting.
That's why we say Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.
Where there's Kṛṣṇa, there's no māyā.
So, we have to always look to Kṛṣṇa.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, you look away from the sun, what do you find behind you?
Your shadow.
Māyā is like the shadow, she's right behind you, you don't have to look for her.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, she'll be there.
So, then what's the purport?
When should we look away from Kṛṣṇa?
So, we have to keep our focus to Kṛṣṇa, mukha...
kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
(Cc. Madhya 20.117)
That, you know that verse?
Kṛṣṇa, when we turn our face. Bahirmukha, bahirmukha literally means turn your face away or turn it to the outside.
And what it actually is this can be translated to by turning your face to sense gratification.
Devotional service is the attitude --
I do everything to the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, reject what's unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa.
So, when we turn our face away from the service attitude, and instead we look to enjoy bhoga whimsically desire to have bhoga to have sense gratification.
Then what happens?
We get samsāra ādi duḥkha.
Then we suffer material suffering.
All the suffering, I'm suffering so much.
All this suffering is because we desire sense gratification.
If we just keep our face to Kṛṣṇa, if we just desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, there's no suffering.
Suffering begins when we desire.
The moment we desire to enjoy something, there's suffering.
Lamentation, hankering and enxiety, fear.
There's another verse like that.
[Not Clear - 01:08:09]
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, very similar verse.
Very like parallel.
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, desiring sense gratification, māyā nikaṭastha ache,
māyā comes right up to you.
japaṭīya dhare and just like your football tackles.
She's got you.
Māyā, you can also think in Australian Football system you know.
Lot of tackling is there, right?
You can just imagine they got a whole team all around just waiting one wrong move and they can jump forward.
As long as you're moving forward, eyes on Kṛṣṇa, they can't do a thing.
As soon as you look around for sense gratification, suddenly you're in the middle of the scrum.
For those who know rugby.
Māyā, she’s there but you say how we can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
That's why it's said, be like a little child, simply depending on your parents, simply depending on Guru and Kṛṣṇa, simply you know I'm so weak, I don't have any ability to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
I'm not a big paṇḍita, I'm not a big devotee, I'm just a very insignificant fallen soul.
I can only be Kṛṣṇa conscious by really following the mercy of Lord Caitanya, of His pure representative in disciplic succession.
And this way, I have to be very because that is the secret of success.
That's how you can become successful.
If you think I'm a big paṇḍita, I can do this, a little that.
I'm a great devotee, it doesn't matter.
I'm an old devotee.
It's alright, if I go little māyā I won't be affected, haha!
[Devotees: laughing]
Don't kid yourself.
Māyā is more strong than you are.
Inspite remaining always in the humble position.
Why great ācāryas have praying?
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu doyā koro more
tomā binā ke doyālu jagat-saḿsāre
patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra
mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra
You won't find anyone more sinful than me.
pāpī -- Nobody more sinful than I am.
Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, the purest devotee, he's saying I'm more sinful than all the conditioned souls.
Bhakta this one, or Bhaktin that one or whoever it may be.
But they're saying I'm the most sinful, more sinful than anybody.
This is this position he's taking, therefore you're the most merciful, you're the deliverer of all the fallen souls.
I'm the most fallen soul therefore I should get delivered first.
If we think that my humble attitude, that dependence on the mercy of guru and Gaurāṅga, then māyā may be ready to get you.
She's not getting the chance.
Tough luck.
You want to give her a chance she'll take it.
Don't give her a chance.
This is how devotees feel.
Be humble.
Know that I need their mercy all the time.
Why great ācāryas are praying like that?
They're not praying "I'm an old devotee, I'm an ācārya, I don't have to strictly follow, I don't have to. I can go over a bit".
You don't hear Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura say, you only hear some 7-year-old or 10- or 12-year devotee in ISKCON say, I'm an old devotee.
Where we are coming from, in this age of Kali.
Hardly anybody was a Vaiṣṇava.
Everybody was coming from Māyāvada or smārta or at the best.
Prabhupāda grabbed up the people.
You know, some people they're claiming to be born in Vaiṣṇava family.
We know that Prabhupāda grabbed them up from Māyāvada.
That doesn't matter.
Once you become in pure devotional service that's what counts.
It says that this, what a person was before he's in pure devotional service that's not proper logic.
It says that once my mother was naked -- logic.
She was once a little girl she was naked but she's not naked anymore.
Now she's a mother, she's a respectable lady.
So, what a person was before and what they are now, that doesn't have any immediate bearing.
Prabhupāda said that if you're born of devotee parents then that's a good sign.
The point is that right now we have to deal with the present, we should be fixed in our devotional service, we should keep that humble attitude.
Lord Caitanya, he gave a promise to Advaita, two things.
Then Advaita said, "One thing is anybody who thinks they're ready, spiritually advanced, who thinks he's a advanced devotee, don't give him your mercy.
Anyone who is very proud of their position of some birth, or some any kind of material position, you don't give them your mercy.
Those who are hopeless, who are spiritually, they are the most needy, they need your mercy more than anyone.
Those who are normally the hard cases, the tough nuts, the ones that will never have a hope, let them get your mercy, priority basis.
Karuṇāvatāra, for all those who would never get a chance in other yugas.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: Story of Ramāyāṇa?
You know how when Marīci came and the golden you know, multicolor rainbow deer and then Ram went to on the request of Sītā to catch it.
And put Sītā under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa but then there was a whole heavy situation developed,
that Marīci made the voice of Ram come out.
So Sītā said you go and protect Ram.
He said Ram doesn’t need protection, nobody can get near him.
She was very concerned, so then Lakṣman made a circle.
He said, don’t leave this mystic protective circle, can’t enter in.
So Rāvaṇa came dressed as a sādhū, he tried to enter in.
She went in to get some food and he went in [Guru Mahārāja and devotees laughing] and “I can’t get through”.
So, then she said come on in because he was an enemy so couldn’t enter.
So, he said, no no I cannot go there, I am very tired you just come out here.
So, because he was dressed as a saint, as a sannyāsī or like some kind of a sādhū,
so, she was Sītā was always serving devotees.
So, in this way he cheated her.
And of course, the real Sītā-devī didn’t come out, but the plain Māyā-Sītā came out.
But this mystical circle,
you can use in many definitions but one of the things you can is like that she was protected but shouldn't leave it.
Like that this is a mystic circle --
you follow the orders of the guru and māyā cannot get you
but when we deviate, when we neglect instructions of the spiritual master,
when we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we do make offenses to the Holy name.
We have to do things which (doesn’t) take us out of that protective circle.
Otherwise, we're protected.
Māyā is waiting there, she's waiting at the doorstep.
But devotees, how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it's not an ordinary thing.
To be Kṛṣṇa conscious you have to have the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So only the devotee, it says the devotee can never fall down.
We've heard that so many times.
What does that mean?
Because Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee.
Then how do devotees fall down?
Because they stop acting like devotees for some time.
So, because of you know, virtually not acting as a devotee, then they fall down.
That's why says you have to cling to the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi.
We have to stay within that protective shelter.
Facing difficulty, what is the use?
One time one devotee was like in anxiety and Prabhupāda said “Why are you in anxiety?
Your guru is present on this planet, you can ask him questions, you can get your doubts taken”.
Having guru means that all your problems will be solved, if you have a bona fide guru.
(audio not clear) we can submit to our spiritual, what do you advise?
What is your instruction?
We carry that out.
So, we're protected.
But when we don't consult with the spiritual master, we don't consult with the Vaiṣṇavas, we don't follow the scripture, we go out of that protective circle, in whatever form she wants to take.
Māyā is there waiting.
That's why we say Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.
Where there's Kṛṣṇa, there's no māyā.
So, we have to always look to Kṛṣṇa.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, you look away from the sun, what do you find behind you?
Your shadow.
Māyā is like the shadow, she's right behind you, you don't have to look for her.
You look away from Kṛṣṇa, she'll be there.
So, then what's the purport?
When should we look away from Kṛṣṇa?
So, we have to keep our focus to Kṛṣṇa, mukha...
kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
(Cc. Madhya 20.117)
That, you know that verse?
Kṛṣṇa, when we turn our face. Bahirmukha, bahirmukha literally means turn your face away or turn it to the outside.
And what it actually is this can be translated to by turning your face to sense gratification.
Devotional service is the attitude --
I do everything to the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, reject what's unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa.
So, when we turn our face away from the service attitude, and instead we look to enjoy bhoga whimsically desire to have bhoga to have sense gratification.
Then what happens?
We get samsāra ādi duḥkha.
Then we suffer material suffering.
All the suffering, I'm suffering so much.
All this suffering is because we desire sense gratification.
If we just keep our face to Kṛṣṇa, if we just desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, there's no suffering.
Suffering begins when we desire.
The moment we desire to enjoy something, there's suffering.
Lamentation, hankering and enxiety, fear.
There's another verse like that.
[Not Clear - 01:08:09]
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, very similar verse.
Very like parallel.
You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, desiring sense gratification, māyā nikaṭastha ache,
māyā comes right up to you.
japaṭīya dhare and just like your football tackles.
She's got you.
Māyā, you can also think in Australian Football system you know.
Lot of tackling is there, right?
You can just imagine they got a whole team all around just waiting one wrong move and they can jump forward.
As long as you're moving forward, eyes on Kṛṣṇa, they can't do a thing.
As soon as you look around for sense gratification, suddenly you're in the middle of the scrum.
For those who know rugby.
Māyā, she’s there but you say how we can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
That's why it's said, be like a little child, simply depending on your parents, simply depending on Guru and Kṛṣṇa, simply you know I'm so weak, I don't have any ability to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
I'm not a big paṇḍita, I'm not a big devotee, I'm just a very insignificant fallen soul.
I can only be Kṛṣṇa conscious by really following the mercy of Lord Caitanya, of His pure representative in disciplic succession.
And this way, I have to be very because that is the secret of success.
That's how you can become successful.
If you think I'm a big paṇḍita, I can do this, a little that.
I'm a great devotee, it doesn't matter.
I'm an old devotee.
It's alright, if I go little māyā I won't be affected, haha!
[Devotees: laughing]
Don't kid yourself.
Māyā is more strong than you are.
Inspite remaining always in the humble position.
Why great ācāryas have praying?
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu doyā koro more
tomā binā ke doyālu jagat-saḿsāre
patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra
mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra
You won't find anyone more sinful than me.
pāpī -- Nobody more sinful than I am.
Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, the purest devotee, he's saying I'm more sinful than all the conditioned souls.
Bhakta this one, or Bhaktin that one or whoever it may be.
But they're saying I'm the most sinful, more sinful than anybody.
This is this position he's taking, therefore you're the most merciful, you're the deliverer of all the fallen souls.
I'm the most fallen soul therefore I should get delivered first.
If we think that my humble attitude, that dependence on the mercy of guru and Gaurāṅga, then māyā may be ready to get you.
She's not getting the chance.
Tough luck.
You want to give her a chance she'll take it.
Don't give her a chance.
This is how devotees feel.
Be humble.
Know that I need their mercy all the time.
Why great ācāryas are praying like that?
They're not praying "I'm an old devotee, I'm an ācārya, I don't have to strictly follow, I don't have to. I can go over a bit".
You don't hear Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura say, you only hear some 7-year-old or 10- or 12-year devotee in ISKCON say, I'm an old devotee.
Where we are coming from, in this age of Kali.
Hardly anybody was a Vaiṣṇava.
Everybody was coming from Māyāvada or smārta or at the best.
Prabhupāda grabbed up the people.
You know, some people they're claiming to be born in Vaiṣṇava family.
We know that Prabhupāda grabbed them up from Māyāvada.
That doesn't matter.
Once you become in pure devotional service that's what counts.
It says that this, what a person was before he's in pure devotional service that's not proper logic.
It says that once my mother was naked -- logic.
She was once a little girl she was naked but she's not naked anymore.
Now she's a mother, she's a respectable lady.
So, what a person was before and what they are now, that doesn't have any immediate bearing.
Prabhupāda said that if you're born of devotee parents then that's a good sign.
The point is that right now we have to deal with the present, we should be fixed in our devotional service, we should keep that humble attitude.
Lord Caitanya, he gave a promise to Advaita, two things.
Then Advaita said, "One thing is anybody who thinks they're ready, spiritually advanced, who thinks he's a advanced devotee, don't give him your mercy.
Anyone who is very proud of their position of some birth, or some any kind of material position, you don't give them your mercy.
Those who are hopeless, who are spiritually, they are the most needy, they need your mercy more than anyone.
Those who are normally the hard cases, the tough nuts, the ones that will never have a hope, let them get your mercy, priority basis.
Karuṇāvatāra, for all those who would never get a chance in other yugas.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: The senses are controlled by the material energy.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
(
Bg
3.27)
Then one is actually being dragged by impulses of material nature only.
That means māyā.
So, when one is free from impulses of the material nature, that is mukta.
So how to get free?
There are two basic paths.
The one path is not recommended for Kali-yuga, but that was there in the past.
People would simply go in secluded place and meditate.
In this way, they would control their senses by prāṇāyama and by dhyāna.
The other system is to control the senses by active engagement, in activities which are not material.
Just as in Gītā it says, “One is offering yajña; the yajña itself is transcendental.
The yajña-patiḥ is transcendental, the offering is being offered is transcendental.
Everything becomes on the param-satya platform.”
So, when one is offering one’s senses, one’s body, one’s mind, one’s words as an offering to the lord, just like I am speaking, you are hearing; you are offering your senses and your mind.
I am offering– I am not speaking only for your benefit, I am speaking for my benefit.
By my speaking, my senses are being engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Only by being engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, can I remain in the transcendental platform.
And by my speaking only about Kṛṣṇa, only according to the authorized guru-paramparā siddhānta,
or conclusion of the scripture, whoever is listening, their consciousness is also uplifted to what extent they can understand or they are fully listening with concentration.
So, in this way, when our senses are fully engaged in activities, which have nothing to do with material activities, that is mukta.
Anything to do with Kṛṣṇa, with Viṣṇu is transcendental.
Therefore, by engaging our senses in Viṣṇu-related activities, “jīvan-mukta sa ucyate - then our life becomes liberated, because those actions produce no reaction.”
Whatever action we do in material life, that produces a karma reaction, which is binding us.
If I give in charity to an ordinary person, I get in a next life, same amount back.
If I give to a brāhmaṇa, who is half-educated, I get double.
If I give to a qualified brāhmaṇa, who knows how to do, ah, who is just an ordinary brāhmaṇa with no special qualification, I get ten times back;
then if he is qualified in performing sacrifices, then I get 100 times back.
If he is a Veda-jñā, that means he knows the Vedānta-jñā, he knows the conclusion of the Vedānta, then I get, you see, crores of times back.
And if he is a pure devotee, who is a completely transcendentally situated, I get unlimited.
So, as I am giving charity, that means I have to take even another birth to reap the result of the charity.
That’s why in Gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, “Whatever you give in charity, whatever you do in tapasya, whatever you do as an offering, everything you should do only on My behalf.”
Because whatever we do on Kṛṣṇa’s behalf, He accepts the karmas.
But what we do on our behalf, good or bad, we have to accept the karma.
Even the good karma means we have to take birth.
Birth means again death.
Whoever is born must die.
Whoever dies, must again be born.
This is the law of material world.
We are born to die, we die to be born.
And birth means old age, disease, and other types of problems.
So māyā means when we are acting in illusion that, “I am this body, I am this mind, I am a product of the material energy.”
And mukta means, “I am a nitya-jīva, I am a bhagavān-aṁśa, and I’m the part of the Lord, I have nothing to with this material energy and we act in that knowledge.”
Then we’re liberated, we are mukta.
So māyā means illusion - To act as we are not.
We are not this body.
We have to leave this body in no time, but we are working day and night, as if we are the body.
That’s māyā.
And when we act, “I am the possessor of the body, this body is a vehicle;
I’m the nitya-jīva, I am the spirit soul, pure spirit soul, then, that’s liberated.
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: 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: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
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: 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: Nandapriyā Premā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The false ego is [inaudible word] identify our self as the body.
If someone tells us, “Oh, you are ugly!”
We are affected
that is false ego.
If someone tells, “Oh, you are beautiful!”
and we are affected—that is false ego.
So people can say different things,
but we don’t take it so serious.
Because we know that, it is temporary.
And we want to realize our real ego which is as a servitor of Kṛṣṇa.
So false ego is a very subtle thing that ties us to this material world.
So Kṛṣṇa, He gives certain instructions to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā;
so that he can overcome the false ego,
and by dovetailing our ego in the service of Kṛṣṇa,
that is a positive situation
for instance, Arjuna was a father,
he was a householder, he was a prince,
he was a general, in charge of the army.
So Kṛṣṇa did not tell him that you should give up everything and be a sannyāsī,
rather He said, you should carry out your duties as what you are;
but you should do so as an offering to Me.
So Lord Caitanya also said, “gṛhe thāko vane thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko”
Whether you are gṛhastha or a mendicant,
you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
loudly and stay fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Emotions / Pride], [Anarthās]
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: Jānakī Śantirūpā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-22
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Material World]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: All the vices can be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa’s service except envy.
So we can be angry when Kṛṣṇa is offended,
when the devotee is offended.
But if someone, in some disturbing situation,
hampering their sense gratification,
they should not get angry.
If they get angry it is a vice, a mistake and sinful.
Like that we could angry for the right reason,
otherwise we should be tolerant.
Questioner: 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: 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:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When the sun appears darkness goes.
There is a saying in śāstra,
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(Cc. Madhya 22.31)
That is why we always recommend chanting.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Where did the bad thoughts go?
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!
No negative thoughts!
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
Questioner:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: When the sun appears darkness goes.
There is a saying in śāstra,
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(Cc. Madhya 22.31)
That is why we always recommend chanting.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
Where did the bad thoughts go?
Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!
No negative thoughts!
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Absolutely yes.
Specially keep crying for Kṛṣṇa.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā]
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: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: When I was in Canada, I told my pūrvāśrama parents that I had joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
And my father said, I should come back immediately and be in the American Army and fight in Vietnam.
So I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should I do?
He told me, better you serve in Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I have been in Kṛṣṇa’s army ever since.
And I am very happy to have visited Russia.
And I also went to Siberia, and I think I went to Omsk.
I also went to Vladivostok, to the Urals,
then to Yekaterinburg and various places.
But now I stay mostly in India, but I travel a little bit.
I think that devotees, they are above these designations of nations.
So, we try to help the devotees from both Russia and Ukraine.
They are all part of Kṛṣṇa’s family.
This war is very superficial.
We hope that people will take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Rather than trying to kill each other!
Haribol!
Category: [Devotee Care], [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
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: Nikhil Raj, Bhopal
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We have some very serious devotees in Māyāpur.
You can ask the residents of Māyāpur and they will confirm. One is Jananivāsa Prabhu.
Whenever he would come and talk Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
but if the discussion became a bit different,
he would leave.
You turn around he is gone.
As long as you are Kṛṣṇa conscious he will be there.
Loose talk and he is gone.
Also, some people they are able to change the topic.
If someone is talking loose talk,
they know how to change the topic.
And bring them around to serious talk.
Then if people are very addicted to loose talk they won’t like to stay around you.
Question: How to remain enthusiastic despite challenges we face in serving Kṛṣṇa?
—Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
Jayapatākā Swami: You see there will always be some tests.
Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?
You want to serve Kṛṣṇa or you are just playing around.
So many devotees here.
I give class every day, more or less every day.
Wherever you are, Bhopal, Vadodara, you can watch the class,
either by Facebook or Zoom.
Question: How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
♦ ♦ ♦
I was discussing with a devotee today.
He told me that for every sevā or preaching project we are engaged in we must have a vision for that.
Guru Mahārāja, my question is..
Question: if I am serving under the authority, can I have a vision for the project?
What if our authority has different ways or visions?
—Amṛteśa Gaura dāsa, Bhubaneswar
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
♦ ♦ ♦
So thank you for asking so many questions
Category: [Anarthās], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: In the beginning the only way to be 100% sure is by asking the spiritual master.
One can check with other devotees, senior devotee, especially the spiritual master, then one can be fully sure.
Just like we would sometimes get an idea and we would ask Śrīla Prabhupāda and he would say that idea was inspired by the Supersoul.
Sometimes, someone would give an idea and he would say that idea is inspired by māyā.
(devotees laughing)
Of course, by hearing, by reading, we have to only get an idea, we have to learn to analyze it, that, just like we pray, guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, I mean… how does it go?
cittete kariyā aikya - “May the consciousness be made one with your instructions, with your orders.”
Whatever the word of the spiritual master is, our consciousness we want that to be filled with those words and to be one with, in harmony with those words.
So, we do something, we have an idea, we want to have it confirmed.
This is the system of paramparā – whatever a person does; does it only if it’s authorized;
directly you can see that, guru has said, Kṛṣṇa has said in the śāstra.
And the śāstras are so vast, the Vedas, that one does not have to leave anything for speculation even if one knows in his heart that this is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Also one trace out the effort; immediately also, Kṛṣṇa gives the example, there is this example in the Vedas or this devotee, or this situation.
There are so many millions of examples that have been given on these even in the Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā that most of all the situations have already been covered, if one has the eyes to see.
So, the spiritual master has the eyes to see, therefore we take his advice.
There also symptom that over endeavor is usually a symptom of a māyā idea.
Just like a person gets an idea to do something for Kṛṣṇa and it happens very easily or it happens, it seems to be just going on.
But when we have an idea when we do this for Kṛṣṇa, but the number of steps of the material activities one has to do before it finally gets around to being something which is directed at Kṛṣṇa are so many
and so rot with difficulties, that is a symptom of over endeavor, an over endeavor for an unproportionate result.
If one has to do something, an over endeavor, they may be attached to Kṛṣṇa and think, let me do this for Kṛṣṇa, I want to build a house for Kṛṣṇa, whatever, something, it is very hard to say any particular thing.
Maybe one wants to make an aeroplane.
The same thing might be Kṛṣṇa conscious in another situation, so it is not the particular thing, but in that particular situation, there were other easier ways of using time.
Kṛṣṇa preferred you do in a different way so that particular way, He keeps, māyā keeps giving so many obstacles so that one will take the other way.
But if one is so fixed on that particular idea due to some kind of preconceived idea that in spite of every obstacle, they go on trying, and so at every step they meet difficulty.
Lot of practical examples I can think of.
They always involve devotees; I don’t want to embarrass them.
There was one older devotee in our movement who was doing nice service but then he got an idea… someone turned him on… turned him… gave him some rubies
and they got into a whole thing that he started mining rubies, he bought a ruby mine and he started going there.
He just became overwhelmed by these rubies and jewels, like kind of a gold fever. He got a ruby fever, a gem fever.
Prabhupāda kept telling him that it is an over endeavor, it is unnecessary, just preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa will provide, this, that.
“No, no, I want to make money for Kṛṣṇa.”
and even Pra… you know, even his guru told him don’t do it, he said, “No, no.”
And so of course whatever money he did make didn’t go to Kṛṣṇa, he just re-invested it in his business again and again; what usually happens.
And then finally he just became farther and farther and removed from Kṛṣṇa and more and more in māyā.
Now he is, for the past many years he is completely out of touch.
You see him sometimes.
Still going to make it one day.
So, it’s like over endeavors, misdirected.
So, of course, ultimately the guru is the custodian of one’s spiritual progress, you have to take his advice and as one advances more and more, then, one can tell when one makes a wrong decision, Kṛṣṇa usually smashes it.
As you become more advanced in devotional service the slightest mistake will create an immediate result.
You see karma might take hundred births.
When you surrender to Kṛṣṇa you make a mistake you may get the reaction, “pshew!” five seconds or five minutes or five hours.
There was a devotee riding in a taxi cab in Calcutta, who started to criticize Śrīla Prabhupāda and different devotees for God knows what reason, must have gone mad or something.
And another devotee who was with him, immediately he stopped the car and got out and said, “I am not going to hear any offense of pure devotees.”
That person went on and within one hour, went to the railway station, missed the train, got into a fight with one of the coolies there, one of the porters, they call them coolies in India,
that is the official name, hey coolie! They don’t mind being called coolies.
So then, there was a whole riot and about a 150 of the coolies came out of their walls with bricks and sticks and they stripped the so-called devotee completely down naked
and only he had on was the brāhmaṇa thread and they beat the pulp out and he was running down the street naked and finally jumped into a moving bus.
You know, the whole bus emptied out, they couldn't believe it.
(His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmī and devotees laughing)
And all this happened within one or two hours after he blasphemed the devotees.
He was in the hospital.
He’s a blooped devotee, wasn't… that criticizing others always.
After that he came by and bowed down hundreds of times in the temple and personally went to each devotee, begging for forgiveness.
So that way he was able to learn.
Sometimes we are repeatedly told to be cautious in a particular way or to avoid some kind of activity; we don’t listen, we don’t listen, we don’t listen and then finally Kṛṣṇa says, “Well, “Let what be happen!” and māyā takes over.
Kṛṣṇa lifts up, He doesn’t personally do it; He just lifts up some of the shelter, and lets māyā move in, otherwise the devotees are always under the yoga-māyā shelter.
But if we neglect Kṛṣṇa, if we neglect the guru, or we blaspheme, then that shelter is removed, and then we are at the mercy of māyā.
See, she’s already upset that we are trying to get out of her clutches, so she puts her full load on us, you know.
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: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that is why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!
That changes our consciousness.
And then we see how this material world is a temporary place of suffering.
Lord Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā about this material world, it is – duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.
So we should engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Doesn’t matter where we are, material world or spiritual world, we do the same activities, engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
And I told the story about the Yamadūtas, we want to give them a vacation.
But if we want to give them service, they are ready to do it.
Also, Lord Caitanya revealed how by doing devotional service we get transcendental bliss.
Animals have āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, maithuna.
Human beings have the same plus devotional service.
So, the secret is to engage in devotional service.
Not to be an animal.
The modern world is just to make animal life more comfortable.
Why do the human beings have better, easier life than animals?
Because they have extra time to do devotional service.
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: Sadānandinī Yogīnī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: We should make our goal in life to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Sometimes the senses will give us pleasure, sometimes they will give suffering.
So, we should not be very dependent on the senses,
they are not reliable.
That way, by keeping our mind on Kṛṣṇa, we can advance.
Now, as long as we live in this material world,
we will have senses.
Sometimes the senses will experience pleasure, sometimes suffering.
So, we should not be very much illusioned by this.
This is not the real happiness we are searching for.
Certain amount of pleasure is needed,
to keep us balanced in this material world.
But our goal should be to have the spiritual pleasure, like Lord Caitanya is having.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Sadānandinī Yogīnī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-13
Jayapatākā Swami: We should make our goal in life to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Sometimes the senses will give us pleasure, sometimes they will give suffering.
So, we should not be very dependent on the senses,
they are not reliable.
That way, by keeping our mind on Kṛṣṇa, we can advance.
Now, as long as we live in this material world,
we will have senses.
Sometimes the senses will experience pleasure, sometimes suffering.
So, we should not be very much illusioned by this.
This is not the real happiness we are searching for.
Certain amount of pleasure is needed,
to keep us balanced in this material world.
But our goal should be to have the spiritual pleasure, like Lord Caitanya is having.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: As I mentioned, bhakti-yoga is a science.
And it is step by step.
Śravaṇam, kīrtanam, We should hear and then have sādhu-saṅga.
Then bhajana-kriyā.
With bhajana-kriyā comes initiation.
The next stage is anartha-nivṛtti,
getting rid of the bad habits.
So that comes after initiation, that you start working on removing the bad habits.
Then we become fixed, and we have good habits in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that is called niṣṭhā.
Then we have a taste,
then we get attached to that taste, āsakti.
Then we get bhāva, ecstatic devotional service.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Akshaj, Bhopal
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Usually, bhajana-kriyā stage is the time we take initiation.
Then after that with the guidance of the guru, we get anartha-nivṛitti.
We may hear from the guru or we may have śikṣā-gurus
who help us to overcome these anarthas.
One book I translated Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s book, Vaiṣṇava Ke?
He prayed to his mind, what kind of Vaiṣṇava are you? By doing solitary bhajana you seek name and fame.
That book, it is a small book. You read that to find out how to control and train the mind.
Also, there is another bhajana by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya
and that helps one to control the mind.
Anarthas are in the mind.
Anartha-nivṛtti means mind is purified.
Questioner: Darsh
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Māyā is stronger than we are
but Kṛṣṇa is stronger than māyā.
If we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa we can cross over māyā.
That is why we try to engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So there is a competition.
Māyā tests us,
but if we are successful in following Kṛṣṇa,
then māyā will offer her praṇāmas to us.
But if we succumb to her tests,
then we will remain in the material world.
Questioner: Darsh
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Māyā is stronger than we are
but Kṛṣṇa is stronger than māyā.
If we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa we can cross over māyā.
That is why we try to engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
So there is a competition.
Māyā tests us,
but if we are successful in following Kṛṣṇa,
then māyā will offer her praṇāmas to us.
But if we succumb to her tests,
then we will remain in the material world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-10
Jayapatākā Swami: This question was asked by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā.
And Kṛṣṇa said that we should take our sword of knowledge and cut the knot of ignorance.
If you read the teachings of Kṛṣṇa,
Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
and if you regularly chant the holy name,
then naturally you can understand more
and your faith will increase.
But it is also important to have good association.
You associate with people who are Kṛṣṇa conscious
and avoid association with people who are very negative and critical.
One should know the philosophy,
one should know how to help people,
then you can meet with more people and help them.
But if you have a bad association in the beginning then it can be very disruptive.
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: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm
when we have a taste for spiritual life.
Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,
ruci means taste.
You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.
And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.
But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.
Then he held on the door
and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.
After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.
You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.
So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached
and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.
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: 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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, bhakti-yoga is a powerful practice.
And if you just say stop something, what do you do? Your mind, your senses do not stop.
So we do yukta-vairāgya.
Everything we do, we do to please Kṛṣṇa.
So just like we have to eat. So instead of eating nonsense, we eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
We replace what we are doing materially bad habits with positive kṛṣṇa-sevā.
People may have the bad habit of illicit sex.
But those who want sex they have to be married.
And we bring up our children also in devotional service.
Questioner:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Think of positive thoughts!
Just like we see the Deities of Rādhā Govinda Aṣṭa Sakhi, Lord Gaurāṅga, we think of Them.
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
Questioner: 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: 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: Harihara Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: It could be a very good habit,
if you use it on yourself.
You find all the good qualities of others, and all the bad qualities in yourself.
Don’t be like a fly, who sits on the sores.
So we follow the third instruction of Lord Caitanya in His Śikṣāṣṭakam.
We should give respect to others, and not expect any respect for ourselves.
Questioner: 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: Jayacaran
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, my experience was even before the first time!
His secretary gave me a set of beads.
So I went out in the park and I was chanting.
I chanted about 26 rounds, nonstop!
And I was feeling so much ecstasy,
I had never felt anything like this before.
At that time, I was in San Francisco
and Śrīla Prabhupāda was in Montreal.
I came back to the temple
and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s secretary was waiting for me.
He asked me do you have the beads?
I said, “Yes, of course.”
He said, “I was not supposed to give those to you,
those were Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads!”
So I gave him back.
Other beads were not quite the same!
So, even before I met Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time, I had an introduction.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]
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: 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!
I am in association of devotees for the past eight years. Just like any other devotee I could admire all positive aspects of other devotees. While at one point of time there is a fall in the graph when only the negatives of other bhaktas are only visible. I think many other devotees feel the same way as well. Guru Mahārāja, how to overcome this mentality of fault finding. Is there any particular reason why such thoughts are appearing in my mind?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked this kind of a question to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the temples are hospitals –
spiritual hospitals.
When you go to the hospital you see sick people.
It is natural.
That is what hospitals are for.
Some are doctors, they treat the sick people
and there are nurses who help the patients.
They are not as qualified as the doctors, but they serve the patients.
So like that, devotees will have some defects
until they are perfect.
But we see the good qualities in others,
see all the good qualities, all the things that they are doing for Kṛṣṇa
and see the defects in ourselves.
So don’t be like a fly
which always goes to the cut wounds and stool.
See the good qualities.
We try to see where we can improve.
It is not a competition like in the material world.
Not by putting others down, we will go up.
They tell me in the corporate world someone is an operations manager, someone is a quality control manager,
someone is the marketing manager.
So one manager tries to screw up another manager
so that he can be promoted to general manager.
So this thing is there in the material world.
Not like that in the spiritual life.
Kṛṣṇa rather sees how you cooperate with others.
How you help others.
Not how you fault find in others.
One of the qualities of the devotees is nirmatsarāṇām,
freedom from envy and fault finding.
So, everything we can dovetail,
except that one thing,
that thing we have to renounce.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: At first you might not have a taste for reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
But you should still read.
I must have read the books maybe five or ten times.
At first, it was not so much taste, but I knew it was medicine, I had to read it.
Now, I read every day.
And it is very blissful!
So, I got my Bhakti-vaibhava degree, by studying.
And now on the 12th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to get my Bhakti-vedānta degree!
How many of you have the Bhakti-śāstrī?
So, Bhakti-śāstrī is mainly Bhagavad-gītā.
And everybody should read that and get the degree.
Bhakti-vaibhava is six cantos of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
And Bhakti-vedānta is the last six cantos.
Bhakti-Sārvabhauma is Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Read, read, read. Read and put it to practice,
it sticks with you.
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: Kinjal Lohia
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Follow the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka -
offer respect to all others
and don’t expect any respect for yourself.
Seems like you are not offering respect to other Vaiṣṇavas.
And this is something that we should do.
And when we neglect that, naturally we have to suffer.
So we should appreciate what other Vaiṣṇavas are doing.
And that is the secret of success.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: May be good fortune, I don’t know.
One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s servants gave me a set of beads to chant on.
I was practicing yoga before that.
So I sat in the ardha-padmāsana and started meditating and chanting
and I chanted six hours nonstop.
I was chanting 32 rounds or something.
And I was feeling so much ecstasy,
I never felt that in the yoga practice.
So I was convinced that Kṛṣṇa consciousness works.
The secretary was waiting for me to come back.
He asked, “Do you still have those beads?”
I said, “Yes!” “Those are Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads” he said!
But he said he was not supposed to give that to anyone, but I did not know it at that time.
So he took the beads back from me.
Next day was not quite the same!
But I had a glimpse!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]
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: 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: Soundarya Rādhikā devī dāsī, New Rājāpur Dhāma, Bengaluru
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You seem to have realized that when you don’t follow
the advice of the senior devotees,
you get attacked by māyā.
So that should convince you
that to avoid being attacked by māyā,
follow the more advanced devotees’ advice.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
I live in New York now and one thing about New York is lots of people, lots of events, lots of noise, lots of money, and I am 25 years old and one of the things I am thinking about is understanding how to balance living in the materialist world and having accomplishments, and meeting people and networking, but also living a peaceful, spiritual fulfilling life. How do I, at 25 who is ambitious and want to serve my community, but also not be attached to so many things, how do I find that balance?
Questioner: Dr Pandit
Date: 2023-11-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He told many people that they should keep their heart on Kṛṣṇa,
but they should do their material activities in a very responsible way.
He gave the example that say, a married woman has another lover than her husband.
And so, she does not want to be discovered and does her activities very carefully.
Household activities are very good.
But her mind is always thinking about her lover.
So Lord Caitanya advises keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa,
but do your material activities outwardly in a very responsible way.
That is how He advised to balance the things.
Like, we found that when we first joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness in 1968,
we were chanting on the street,
and we would see people walking by and they would react in different ways.
And we were somehow, we were in a different atmosphere.
And we could see all the mental trips and things that people were going through.
And so, being in New York, you see lots of people, but you can understand what is the real purpose of life?
And while you are in this world, in this life,
you have to do things to make your family work.
But ultimately you want to go back to the spiritual world,
and so that way you keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa.
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!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: It is said that if you hear with faith if you hear and not be agitated,
then you can cure the lust in your heart.
If you speculate lusty things when you hear, then you are not hearing with faith.
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-29
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this same question was said.
Vāsudeva Datta, one great devotee of Lord Caitanya, he prayed, “I want to deliver all the fallen souls,
let them all go back to Kṛṣṇa and I take all their karma;
I will personally take all of their karma, and I will suffer here forever until all the karma is worked out.
Let them go back to Kṛṣṇa, I alone will suffer.”
And Lord Caitanya, He saw the great compassion of His devotee was crying, embraced him and said that,
“You don’t have to worry, they are already delivered by your desire.”
But as soon as one batch is delivered, there is unlimited jīvātmās that are still now in a dormant stage, in the brahma-jyoti, in different position.
And as soon as one batch of jīvas delivered from the universe, again new jīvātmās come down, so you don’t have to worry; there is always a fresh supply.
Category: [Material World]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: We hope that you are not poisoned.
You should hear from a pure devotee and read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and take the mistaken thoughts from your mind.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Especially meeting with a married woman in a private place,
that was prohibited by Lord Caitanya.
Sometimes I will be in a room, and there would be a man and woman and the man walks out!
Then I would ask the lady to go out or tell the man not leave or I would go out myself.
Sometimes a vairāgī says they just want to experiment.
You see, checking or experimenting should be done before you become a vairāgī!
If you are a gṛhastha, do all the experimenting with your wife.
If you take the vairāgī path, then at least you should follow the vows of renunciant life, at least for a sannyāsī.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-10
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, I was looking for a spiritual master and I went to San Francisco.
I went to the bookstore
and saw all the spiritual books were from India.
I was an American at that time
and said, are there no spiritual books from America?
The bookstore owner, he laughed!
America! Spiritual! Ha! Ha!
Then I asked and he said I have one book.
That was on Astral projections.
I saw that the writer was living in San Francisco.
I went to see him.
But then he called me in his room,
and he told me
I cannot really guide you because I have been grounded for two years!
I have not been to astro project for two years.
So I saw yogīs, astro projectors, Buddhists,
then I thought will go to India and find a guru there.
But then I saw the advertisement for the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple.
I went to the temple,
I read a book
called Easy Journey to Other Planets.
I like the book, I was a science student.
And it was talking about antimatter and everything.
Then I was asked to go to the back of the temple
where Jayānanda Prabhu was building a ratha for the yātrā.
So he engaged me in the building of the ratha.
One day I was given a set of beads by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s secretary.
So I went to the park
since I knew how to practice yoga,
I sat in padmāsana and chanted for six hours straight!
32 rounds.
First day!
Then I thought, “Wow!”
I was feeling such trembling in my body, my hairs were standing on end, tears were flowing down my eyes.
I never had a meditation like this.
So much ecstasy!
I went back to the temple
and that secretary who had given me the beads,
he said, “Do you have those beads?”
I said, “Yes.”
He said, “Those are Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads!
I am not supposed to give them to anyone!” Ha! Ha!
After that chanting was not quite the same!
Anyway, I could get a glimpse.
Then I went to see Śrīla Prabhupāda in Montreal, Canada.
And he was very kind to me.
He asked me what I was thinking to do.
I said, I thought I would go to India.
He said, “I will send you,
but first I will train you up.”
So I was under his direct training.
And I could speak a lot but
it was a wonderful experience to be with him.
That is the first few days!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Since He is the Absolute Truth,
so everything is in Him.
But He is bigger than anything else.
So it is not that anyone can contain Kṛṣṇa totally.
He is bigger than everything.
He is the cause of all causes.
And He is without any cause Himself.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
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.
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.
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-09
How did I become?!
How did I become?
Well,
material desires are always there,
they are coming in the mind.
I don’t allow any time to address those.
I keep busy.
Who can say that they have no desire comes?
Desires may come in the mind.
So we go back to Kṛṣṇa and we have the material body desire may come,
but that desire we dovetail it in Kṛṣṇa’s service so we reject it.
Even Prabhupāda one time someone said,
"I have no lust,
Srila Prabhupāda,
I have no material desire." So,
Prabhupāda said,
"really!
what’s wrong with you!
(devotees laugh) I have material lust but I have no time to address that.
I have no time for that.
I am too busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service." You see,
the point is that it's already,
nobody can say that in the material world,
even if they were desireless,
they shouldn’t say that.
Because that would give,
even if someone was a nitya-siddha,
they have no desire,
which is very unlikely to find such souls in this world.
But even if that were the case,
they should,
supposed to take the role as a conditioned soul to teach by example others.
Even if one has some desire comes in the mind,
the desire is either dovetailed,
seen if that can be used for any Kṛṣṇa conscious purpose.
If it is totally material,
then it’s rejected with appropriate disgust,
according to the nature of that particular thought.
We stay so occupied in Kṛṣṇa’s service that there is no chance for Māyā to come in.
That is the secret.
Category: [Emotions / Lust], [Emotions / Greed], [Anarthās], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā], [Material World / Kali yuga]
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-26
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, those who want the kingdom of God without God are better than impersonalists,
because, you see, the impersonalists, they don’t even want the kingdom of God without God.
The people who want the kingdom of God without God are the materialists.
They want the material world, and they want to enjoy it, but they don’t want God, you see.
Even the demigods, I mean, they respect Kṛṣṇa, you see.
But this like two sides of the coin; in one hand you have the materialists who want to
have the material world and enjoy it without God. They want to usurp in a way.
They want to be able to enjoy as the controller.
So those are coming, some as demigods who are still favorable to God,
and some are demons who are completely offensive to God.
But the Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists, they are completely offensive.
And in a way, they want to themselves by...they think that they are God, you see.
To say even without God indicates more of the demigods, because they...
By saying without God, we are indicating that there is God.
But the impersonalists, they don’t actually accept that there is any Supreme God; they’re saying that
everything is impersonal. That being impersonal, therefore, the concept of a Supreme
Person doesn’t come in at all. That every individual soul is a supreme as any other soul.
And that any form is illusion, so including the form of God.
So therefore, they are great offenders, Lord Caitanya said māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī (Cc Madhya 17.129).
They are offenders of Kṛṣṇa.
The demons that Kṛṣṇa kills, they get that. Some get even more than that.
But at least they get merging. So being killed by Kṛṣṇa, if you get to merge
and get impersonal realization, then what is so great about that,
you see. Even the demons get it. That means that these impersonalists are on the same level as demons.
So therefore, Lord Caitanya, He warned us, “Don’t listen to them.”
Because if you understand their viewpoint,
then that can destroy your actual appreciation of Kṛṣṇa because they are offensive.
And if we hear offenses against Kṛṣṇa, then that takes away our devotional assets.
So therefore, we should always avoid hearing the offenses of Kṛṣṇa, and their preaching is offensive.
Their way of preaching is to offend Kṛṣṇa.
Sahajiyāism is more dangerous than impersonalism for devotees.
It’s harder to recognize the difference between sahajiyāism and real devotion.
Impersonalism is pretty cut and dry, I mean, they just, you know, they don’t believe it. All
quality and personality is very cut and dry, the line is very sharp.
But in sahajiyāism where they seem to have a quality of a devotee,
but actually, there are some subtle offenses to real devotees;
they think that they are already an associate of God even though they haven’t achieved that position.
And thus, they are speaking as an associate or as an authority,
when actually, they are, because they are offenders of real devotees
and they are not presenting the thing as it is. Therefore, they miss the whole,
they are not able to actually go back to Godhead from that platform,
and they are guilty of other type of offenses; do rasābhasa and vaiṣṇava-aparādhas.
It’s actually what it is. Sahajiyāism is that you try to enjoy Kṛṣṇa.
Bhakti means that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and He enjoys you; He enjoys your service.
You offer the service, and that service
is enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, and you feel the transcendental bliss from within.
But sahajiyā means that, that person wants to enjoy Kṛṣṇa’s.
He wants to enjoy the ecstasy with Kṛṣṇa. He wants to… So, because it is not a service mood,
it’s an enjoyment.
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-30
Jayapatākā Swami: What Prabhupāda said is that, if a person follows the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness
then he may not have to take birth again in the material world.
Now
how free we are from things like offenses may dictate how I will go up in the spiritual world,
whether we get a place in Vaikuṇṭha, or whether we get a place in Goloka Vṛndāvana, how I am able to go.
Or
I mean, if a person, I had one person who approached me in India, he had a very strange character.
He said, “I have been chanting 32, 20 or 16 rounds for 26 years,
but he never gave up eating fish.” In His neutral position we were discussing today, He simply reciprocates with the person so perfectly.
There is someone who would do something like that because of their offenses while chanting the Holy name,
that they don’t actually make advancement towards pure love for Kṛṣṇa. They are getting some benefit from chanting,
but at the same time, their material desires are not going,
due to being absorbed in sense gratification like that. So I advised him that,
“you should chant the names of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
and by His mercy you may be able to overcome this desire of eating fish.”
And sure enough, after chanting Lord Caitanya’s name for some period of time,
he got some spiritual intelligence. He stopped eating fish.
Even though 26 years he was on his weird practice,
where he although chanting he never tried to avoid breaking that, you know, stopping breaking of regulative principle.
So if a person I mean if he is determined, you know although he would have chanted the 16 rounds
and followed the regulative principles, but if they take things in an attitude that I’m determined not to give up my material attachments,
then that is an anachronism. From our side it should be not just externals,
but it should be internal, we are trying to follow the process.
We are trying from our part to give up our attachments.
If we have the proper attitude , we are trying to give up our attachments, we are trying to avoid,
even if we are not fully successful, Prabhupāda said that there is,
that Kṛṣṇa is so merciful, Lord Caitanya is so merciful, even though we may not,
at the point of death, have done it a hundred percent successful,
we can still get delivered.
In fact, I was, (aside - How long should I go on?) I was in Montreal,
and Prabhupāda is giving a lecture. That time we had a Vyasāsana for him, it was very high.
I mean very- it was like when we would stand up we would just be facing Prabhupāda eye to eye,
or he will still be even a little higher than that.
It was a very high Vyasāsana.
You had to kind of crawl up, it had steps going up and it was more or less kind of a pulpit.
So he would be up there, he would sit and he would even take prasāda there.
In a feast, they would bring a big plate of prasāda and we would all be sitting down,
and he would take Prasāda from there, and sometimes he would give prasāda out from there.
So one day he was giving his lecture from up there
actually and at this point he was just preaching very hard,
we have to be a hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We have to try; we have to be a hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have to try for that.
We have to become. If we are hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we can get pure love for Kṛṣṇa,
then our life will be completely successful. He was just hammering this point.
Now the devotees were thinking, a hundred percent, you know, their heads gradually started hanging down,
they became very thoughtful.
The hundred percent was like such an objective that it never seemed that is ever possible;
even you know to get very close to a hundred percent.
But Prabhupāda was very emphatic on this point.
The devotees were very thoughtful at that time. Then Prabhupāda, he ended the class.
There was just a heavy silence. No questions. That is it.
He ended the class and said, “Become cent percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.”
It was just like a death place; I mean, just like… He saw silence that he could swim through it.
Now Prabhupāda was sitting there on his raised Vyāsāsana
and said, “Even if you are ninety percent Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa is so kind,
that you may still be delivered.” Then he started to get down and when he was about half way down,
just as he was getting off the Vyāsāsana he turned to the devotees and said, ”Even ninety percent, you can be delivered.”
He started walking out, then he turned and his chaddar fell off, I remember it was such a dramatic,
almost like you see in those movies Julius Caeser like that, his chaddar flew like that and said, “Even seventy percent.”
He took his chaddar and threw it over his shoulder and raised his head and walked away.
(Devotees laughing)
Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki
Devotees: Jaya!
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Karma / Desires]
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: It is on the border.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods]
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.
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.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: To take shelter is not that difficult.
That is basically a time of testing.
Then gradually you read the said books,
follow the regulative principles.
This is practice time.
I don’t get any reaction.
It is time for you to see if you can do it.
After six months or more, whenever you feel ready, you can take initiation.
But you should finish the things in the checklist.
You may not wake up early, but somethings you have to do.
You need to get some spiritual knowledge.
Maybe some like the Bhagavad-gītā they have in the audio form.
When you are cooking for your husband, you can hear the Bhagavad-gītā audio.
That way you can also finish reading by hearing.
Read the Bhagavad-gītā two or three times,
what is the problem?
The first canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I don’t if there is an audio or not.
I read every night when I go to sleep half hour.
And although I have read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam many, many times,
every time I hear, I get some new ideas.
Sometimes you can hear or you can read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
But don’t be afraid,
you don’t take vows till initiation.
So, taking shelter is just a preparation.
You can see whether you are ready or not.
When you feel ready then you can take initiation.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World]
Questioner: Karuṇāpati Keśava dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?
Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.
That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,
but other than that
we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,
other than thinking how to avoid such activities.
We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.
Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,
He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.
He wanted to give mercy to that person.
So like that, everybody in the material world,
has some defect
and we try to avoid committing mistakes
having defects
in our spiritual life.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?
Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.
That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,
but other than that
we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,
other than thinking how to avoid such activities.
We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.
Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,
He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.
He wanted to give mercy to that person.
So like that, everybody in the material world,
has some defect
and we try to avoid committing mistakes
having defects
in our spiritual life.
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-24
Jayapatākā Swami: You should win, not lose!
Anyway, that is why Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Śrīla Prabhupāda said is a gradual process.
When you are a little baby, you will fall down a few times
but as you grow up you should not fall down.
A three-year-old child will fall
but if you are a 12-year-old child you should not fall.
As you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness you get stronger.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-01-10
Jayapatākā Swami: We read in one of the verses ahead where it said if we are attacked by Māyā,
if our desire for sense gratification is growing,
then we should just take shelter of Lord Caitanya. Gaurāṅga!
By His mercy the desire for sense gratification will go away.
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: 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: 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: Tattvavit Nimāi das
Date: 2022-10-12
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.
Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.
Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.
Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.
So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.
There will be some disturbing situations.
These are tests.
If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.
If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.
He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.
It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.
So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!
But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.
So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.
Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.
The test is when things get disturbed.
At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,
and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And pass the test.
Haribol!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
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 devotees I know who is your disciple has fallen down. Parents of that devotee are constantly lamenting and in great grief their child has almost stopped practicing devotional service and left home and started living alone and started doing bad saṅga. My question is that if any devotee falls down from devotional service, should we lament for the devotee? Is it okay for the parents to lament excessively?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally a parent should want to make a son or daughter Kṛṣṇa conscious.
And when the son or daughter is well-situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
naturally the parent is relieved.
And if a child is in māyā,
then naturally the parent should be preoccupied.
Not to the extent that they give up their own practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
But encourage the son to come back or be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
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!
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was able to fully concentrate on each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam being his last seven days and so able to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. But being in gṛhastha-āśrama even after reading every day, still we have material thoughts like what will happen to our family and close ones if we leave this world. Please suggest Guru Mahārāja how we can act in this situation?
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he was a gṛhastha.
He had children, he had a kingdom.
But when he heard that he was going to die in seven days, he gave up everything.
So, actually what can you do anyway for your children, for your pet dog cat?
Some people in the last minute, they are thinking, oh my dog, who will take care of my dog? Who will give him food?
Then they may birth as a dog in his next life.
When we leave we leave everything to Kṛṣṇa.
And at the last minute what can we do in any case?
All these things should be given in your will.
When you leave your body you only think about the Lord.
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Many pastimes.
One pastime, he was going around the rooftop
and he stopped by the door there
and he told me that
when a spiritual master leaves
sometimes the disciples sell off his properties and live off the proceeds.
And so if you can increase it very good, but at least maintain what I gave you.
One time we were walking on the roof here
and there was a migration of ants from one side to the other.
And we could tell the queen ants were bigger in size.
The male ants carried the seeds,
and the female ants were just going along.
We were looking down at them.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that as just as we were look the ants and thinking that they were insignificant,
the devas in the higher planets were looking at us
and thinking how we are very insignificant.
We only live a few of their days.
Those are two pastimes.
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: 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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted his disciples to go back to Godhead.
But we want to go back only if there is service we want to go back.
We don’t want to just be there, we want to be there to serve.
So naturally if your desire is to serve, then you will be taken wherever is a place where your service will be.
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda I wanted to serve him life after life.
Then he replied to me,
why do want to make me come back?
I thought I said the right thing.
I said, I would like to serve you even life after life!
So you can pray like that.
That we want to serve even staying in this material world
but we want to serve.
So in that way if that is the Lord’s desire He will take you back to the spiritual world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Very good!
Lord Caitanya said that
we should be very humble to all.
To think oneself very sinful, fallen is a humble state of mind.
But in the humble state of mind, one should not lose their enthusiasm.
They should remain enthusiastic, not to remain in the fallen state.
We should not think that I am sinful and therefore I should not practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Because we are sinful that is why we should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
That way we can solve our problems.
Questioner: Gita Bhagat
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: You say, I do not know still if I have some trouble or need something?
Should I pray to the Lord for the same?
I don’t understand the question.
You first say, I don’t know if I need anything,
should I pray to Kṛṣṇa for that?
If you don’t know, how do you pray?
and Lakṣmī said, anyway even if you knew, since Kṛṣṇa is the Supersoul, He knows everything, about what we want, what we need.
So, we don’t have to bother Him, telling Him we need this and that.
He can naturally fulfill what we need,
but if you don’t know what you need,
how can you ask anyway?
But even if you knew or think you know, Kṛṣṇa knows better than you, what you need.
There is an example where one may say, I want ten thousand rupees.
He gets it and ‘it’s not enough’. Then he says, “I want a lakh of rupees”.
Sure enough.
But he cannot buy a car.
“I want a crore of rupees”.
So, he goes again and again to Kṛṣṇa.
He sees that this person needs 3 crores,
if I give him 3 crores now,
he will get detoured.
So first of all, “I will purify him and build him up.
Then give him the three crores!”
So that is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and other devas.
Devas might give whatever we ask.
But that may not be enough.
Then we go again and again to bother.
But Kṛṣṇa knows what we need,
we don’t have to ask for anything.
We rather try to please Him,
and he will give us what we need,
better not to want anything material.
Questioner: Prema Prakāśa Haridāsa (Dr. Parekh)
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: You know Śrīla Prabhupāda taught many things.
So he was asking what is the most important thing to learn from the spiritual master.
So everybody had a different idea.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda’s idea was that you should learn pure bhakti, how to serve Kṛṣṇa.
This attitude of service is the most important thing.
Just like Śrīla Prabhupāda went to the West to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.
He said what is the secret.
He said the secret was everything he did was to follow his spiritual master.
Like his spiritual master told him to publish books.
His spiritual master told him to establish a GBC.
So everything he did, he tried to carry out the instruction of his spiritual master.
That was his secret of success.
So, the next generation, I often feel that the kind of affection and loyalty and dedication like a sold-out-servant as all of you are, I feel that is greatly lacking in the next generation, Mahārāja. So, we feel in our generation many people, they get initiated officially and after that they do not feel such a great commitment to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission and in expanding the movement the way. I am sure that your expanding the movement has happened because you are strongly rooted in Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can the grand disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda have such feelings for him and a sense of belonging with him and thereby a sense of love and dedication for his mission?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!
You see Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave us the science of bhakti-yoga.
So everyone should read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, attend the Śrīla Prabhupāda daily guru-pūjā.
I mean, what does it take for people to be committed to Śrīla Prabhupāda?
When I first came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we did not have many books.
So Śrīla Prabhupāda said we could read Professor Sanyal’s Teachings of Lord Caitanya
and there was a section on Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
He said that whenever he would think of anything else, he would chant louder.
So I was a new bhakta
and I had so many thoughts.
So I would end up chanting louder and louder!
All the devotees, they went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said, “This Bhakta Jay, he shouts so loudly while chanting
and we cannot concentrate!”
Śrīla Prabhupāda called me
and he asked me, “Why you chant so loud?”
I told him,
he said, “Hmmm, that is not bad,
but you are disturbing all the other devotees.
So I give you permission to chant in the park.”
That was the pre joggers’ period, now we have many joggers.
I saw birds, and squirrels.
They all heard the holy name when I was shouting!
Anyway, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy devotional service is so nice
that we start experiencing some bliss
and I don’t think that is a big secret.
Anyone who does Kṛṣṇa consciousness sincerely,
they can also experience bliss!
I have seen some new people
coming and they are very blissful and very happy.
We should be you know, grateful
that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us such a nice process
that works.
It is not a theory or just a faith, it works!
If you do it then you will not regret
it and then you feel grateful
that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us such a wonderful thing.
If he hadn’t come, he hadn’t preached, where would we be today!
I wrote a song yadi prabhupāda nā haita, tabe kī haita.
If there was no Śrīla Prabhupāda, what would there be today?
It is something terrifying,
to think back,
what I was
and what I am today,
what bliss I am experiencing by following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions.
I think everybody should realize
that what they have
is all due to ultimately Śrīla Prabhupāda starting this movement.
Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Some devotees are taking the association of devotees and start to do chanting and enjoying the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But when their relatives or parents say something negative about ISKCON immediately they leave without informing. It is painful for me how I missed the soul to serve. How to understand the situation? How to overcome and guide them? Please guide me.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Part of preaching is to help the people
to tolerate the different obstacles.
They may encounter obstacles from their relatives,
or internet,
somehow, I don’t know,
some ṛtvik sites they say I murdered a devotee!
I don’t know who that is! I don’t even kill a fly, what to talk about killing a devotee!
So, who knows what people say, what they see?
So we have to be ready to answer any questions that come up
or prepare the people to endure any kind of obstacles.
There was one devotee who was kidnapped by the deprogrammers.
Exactly a few days before she was kidnapped
I called her and encouraged her.
Just generally.
When she was kidnapped, they tore the Bhagavad-gītā up, they jumped up on the Bhagavad-gītā and did all kinds of offensive things.
But she remembered that I was kind to her
and she went through some difficult times
and she escaped from that place
and came back to the devotees.
So, we don’t know at least if we do our part,
be positive, give them good association
and if someone turns away,
the fact that we are there to help, that we ask them what happened, you used to come?
Like that try to find out what are the things they heard.
Like that we try to help them.
Not easy to make a devotee.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, it takes buckets of blood!
Kṛṣṇe matir astu blessings!
Questioner: Kackuly Rāṇī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You just stick to the Vedas.
Show them what the Bhagavad-gītā says
and then if the bābā has said something different,
we cannot deal with that.
We say we follow the Vedas.
So then, that way some people they want to follow some false avatāras.
In Rajahmundry there was a person and he claimed to be an avatāra of Kalki.
Then they showed how in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kalki avatāra comes at the end of Kali.
And Kali has only just started.
There are 4,27,000 years to go.
Isn’t it not a little off time?
He said I may not be Kalki, but I am an avatāra!
So there are many people like this they are bogus.
And gradually you have to just stick to the Vedas.
We are basically followers of the Vedas.
If someone preaches something against the Vedas,
what can we do?
We can show them that what they are saying is against the Vedas.
Therefore, the sincere people will follow us.
There was one guru in Bengal, he was a sahajiyā.
He said that the devotee, he or she I forgot, was coming to the Nāmahaṭṭa.
And they learnt that Vaiṣṇavas take kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
So she gave the vegetarian food to the kula-guru.
He said, “What is this? What is this?
I am your guru.
I should be given opulent food.
These vegetables are cheap.
Fish, meat are expensive.
Give me the dāmi food! I don’t want this cheap food.”
Then she realized that this guru was bogus.
So, that way we have to stick to the Vedas and gradually we convince people.
Some people may choose a bābā because they want to eat fish or meat or something.
What can we do?
Then we try to present how eating prasāda is better
and by eating meat we get the bad karma.
And become a cat or
dog
or tiger.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Apasampradāya], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Hypocrisy]
Questioner: Shuvra Dev Babu
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord doesn’t personally take a part, except if His devotee is being threatened.
But we all owe everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and this is the reality.
We cannot live without sunlight;
you don’t provide it.
Kṛṣṇa provides it.
Similarly, He sees to the maintenance of everyone.
Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān - one person maintains everyone else.
So, the atheists are very envious, they think the Lord is preoccupied
in admiration of Himself.
But He is the source of everything.
And if someone commits blasphemy or offences to Him,
He doesn’t personally take a role in that.
He has agents, that give people their pious, their impious results.
And so, if one is envious of the Lord, they get punished.
He doesn’t want that; He would rather have the people be uplifted.
But to teach them, people are punished according to their activities.
So, since they steal from others, cheat others,
then they get the reaction for their bad karmas.
If they give charity, if they help others,
they get good karma.
If they engage in devotional service,
they get delivered from this material world.
If they engage in persecuting devotees,
and if they are envious of the Lord,
then they stay in this material world
life after life.
That is what they want, they don’t want to be where the Lord is.
I don’t know why you accuse the Lord of being a narcissist?
Category: [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: If we think I am very qualified to do devotional service,
if we are very proud,
that is not according to the instructions of Lord Caitanya.
You should be humble, very tolerant,
offer respect to others
and don’t expect respect for one’s self.
I don’t understand if you say, I feel I am not qualified,
so therefore I lose my enthusiasm.
We see great devotees like Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,
they pray to Lord Gaurāṅga that Your avatāra is to deliver the most fallen.
There is no one more fallen than me.
If you are feeling yourself very unqualified,
very fallen,
then there is more chance you will get the mercy of Lord Caitanya,
since He is the deliverer of the most fallen.
But you should not lose your enthusiasm
since Lord Caitanya has come to deliver the most fallen.
Therefore, you have a good qualification.
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: Mitravindā Mamatāmayī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: If it is really connected with Kṛṣṇa
then it is not prajalpa.
But if it has nothing to do with Kṛṣṇa or service,
then it is prajalpa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: One time, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said that he would indulge a 100-times in sex life if he knew that every time, he was guaranteed to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious child.
So therefore, every times your child will become a devotee, that is not guaranteed.
That is why we try
from the beginning we want a Kṛṣṇa conscious potential child.
So we pray to the Deities, we get the blessing of guru.
We do the garbhadāna-saṁskāra.
Then we also have to bring up the child with love and affection.
It is not an accident that they become a devotee.
They may get some special association of a pure devotee.
The parents naturally feel that they are very successful if the child becomes a devotee.
There is no śāstra that says if a child is not a devotee, that somehow affects the parents.
But the first five years of the child life, if they commit some sinful activities, then the parents have to take responsibility.
This was a curse given by a ṛṣi to Yamarāja so this thing was done in the universe.
Because when he was a little child, he poked an insect with a grass.
Questioner: Bhagavān Dāmodara Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Confusion]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
We don’t want to be a kṛpaṇa – a miser.
You are saying how you understand the guru is doing so much for you!
But you don’t feel grateful!
Is that the way to feel?
If someone saves you from a car accident, should you feel grateful?
If someone is saving you from repeated birth and death, should you feel grateful?
If you don’t feel grateful, definitely you should be crying.
If you are not crying, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, you should cry that you are not crying!
And if you are not crying that you are not crying, then you should crying, that you are not crying for crying!
It goes on like that!
Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Mercy]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Some of the instructions are work-in-progress.
I am trying to fulfill them.
I don’t say that I fulfilled all of them.
Maybe some of them,
to some extent.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda took so much sacrifice, took so much trouble
to bring Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the West.
So we owe Śrīla Prabhupāda, unlimitedly.
So whatever he asked me to do,
or instructed me to do,
I am trying to do that.
I don’t say that I have done it,
but I am trying to do it.
Seven days before his departure,
he established the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust,
and he made me the lifetime chairman.
That meant that my lifetime service
was to see the fulfillment of this Trust objective.
So it is basically to develop Navadvip dhāma,
develop Gaura-maṇḍala-bhūmi,
and also to unite the Saraswat disciplic family.
So we have established the Sārasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Association,
and many Gauḍīya members are members of this organization.
Some people, they keep separate.
But we are trying to work on it.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the BSCT,
he had established two of his god brothers
and 5 ISKCON devotes.
So now the god brother are no longer there,
so we are having the disciples of those god brothers.
So like that there are many different services.
We would like to see the completion of the TOVP.
I have a minor role, maybe.
Ambarīśa Prabhu is doing the major thing.
I am overseeing the Western wing,
which is the planetarium and exhibitions.
So we are trying to do what Śrīla Prabhupāda desired. [paragraph
It is very interesting to be serving Śrīla Prabhupāda.
I hope that the generations that follow will continue this service.
Bhakti Cāru Swami, he wanted that his followers would
also serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.
In fact, he saw the whole ISKCON family as one.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]
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: 2023-01-05
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: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa!
Haribol!
Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that if we had a strong desire
then Kṛṣṇa consciousness would manifest suddenly.
Just like a baby is crying,
if the baby is like half-crying,
the mother may ignore
but if the baby really cries,
aaaaahhhh, the mother will run, what happened?
If we desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious very intensely,
then Kṛṣṇa will help you to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in a minute.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I heard from Dāmodara Mahārāja, one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Godbrothers,
one-time Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was walking in the evening,
and suddenly he started gazing at the moon
and everyone was looking at him and he was looking at the moon.
After a long time,
he said the people on the moon have become materialistic,
they have become bahir-mukha,
they need preaching.
So next trip to the moon, send some preachers!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: First we should read all the translations and purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
They are what inspires me.
And what I know, is simply by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: To the guru you should pay respectful obeisances and to other godbrothers and godsisters pay humble obeisances. So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is quite simple. But you have to practice it very sincerely. That way, a slight deviation may be very significant. That is why he says that it is like a knife edge.
Questioner: Śāśvatī Sudhārāṇī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I remember that Śrīla Prabhupāda liked kacaurīs.
And that is why sometimes he would have kacaurīs.
I am not one who cooked for Śrīla Prabhupāda,
so I don’t know all the things he liked.
One time I saw he had dysentery
and his sister prepared hot purīs with salt.
So she sprinkled salt on the purī and the purī was hot.
I didn’t think that it would cure dysentery, but somehow it cured him!
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: 2023-03-13
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: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur.
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: The devas, the demigods are sakāma devotees.
They have some material desires.
Because they are afraid that
Dhruva would take over their posts,
therefore they gave him different obstacles –
in one way they were testing him.
So if you don’t want a position in the heavenly planets,
you have to declare that to them.
Give them kṛṣṇa-prasādam.
They should not cause you trouble.
Because Dhruva was performing austerities for position,
they were afraid that he would take their position.
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Demigods]
Questioner: Subāhu Śacī Sūta dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: The type of tests that Haridāsa Ṭhākura had to go through, we usually don’t have to face such tests.
He was beaten in 22-marketplaces.
There was a prostitute tried to make him fall down.
I heard that Durgā devī even she came to test him.
We don’t have to face such gigantic tests.
If we pray to Kṛṣṇa to help us, Kṛṣṇa usually helps us.
We get very minor tests and even those we fail.
But we can get over these tests if we have the sincere desire.
If we depend on Kṛṣṇa, then we will overcome all the tests.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Subāhu Śacī Sūta dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: The type of tests that Haridāsa Ṭhākura had to go through, we usually don’t have to face such tests.
He was beaten in 22-marketplaces.
There was a prostitute tried to make him fall down.
I heard that Durgā devī even she came to test him.
We don’t have to face such gigantic tests.
If we pray to Kṛṣṇa to help us, Kṛṣṇa usually helps us.
We get very minor tests and even those we fail.
But we can get over these tests if we have the sincere desire.
If we depend on Kṛṣṇa, then we will overcome all the tests.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
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]
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
Questioner: Lakṣmī Jayakumārī
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: So Kṛṣṇa can do that,
nothing is impossible for Him.
But if we take the mercy of Vāsudeva Datta,
then we can get liberated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
in this lifetime.
To become a devotee means to have gone through all purification process such as knowledge of all the Vedas and such. But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee. Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others. There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?m
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
To become a devotee means to have gone through all purification process such as knowledge of all the Vedas and such. But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee. Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others. There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?m
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Question:
But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.
Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.
There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?
Answer:
There are so many process of purification.
You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.
And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.
As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.
It’s a cleaning process,
if we clean the house dust comes out.
We have to be very careful to move the dirt.
We have to be learned to be tolerant.
We have to learn to be humble.
These are part of the devotional process.
Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.
We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.
Then in this material world time is immemorial.
Millions of millions of birth even after few days,
months,
weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.
But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.
So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.
They will take away the curve.
We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.
They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.
So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.
He is giving us a special credit plan.
Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.
You are coming to this process very quickly.
But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.
So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.
We need the associate properly with devotees.
We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.
These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us
to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in one sentence nothing wrong.
And people surely benefit something by hearing them.
But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.
These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.
In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.
But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.
In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.
So four āśramas we don’t.
I understand its meaning.
Question is addressing the āśramas.
It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.
So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.
For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.
But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.
It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.
If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.
This all voluntarily.
One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.
What is best for each individual?
To which āśrama that one should go through?
Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.
So this all different scenarios.
Questioner: 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: 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
We have a lot of similarities, when it comes to both our religions. Especially the garment, the orange, like we wear the white which symbolizes purity, and we are all one considered under God, and doesn’t matter what culture, what color skin you have that is not considered, materialist and all that. We are simple. I noticed that this is almost the same as well. I thought that it was eye opening for me. The reason I am here because I love to understand everybody else’s way of life, their purpose of existence, because in the end we are all like the same. It is all love and we are all humans you know. This is what I want to bring, I want to bring, bring love between everybody. So being here, gaining this experience is everything to me, it was a very eye opening humbling feeling. I do actually have a question that just popped in my mind - do you guys believe in hell or from what I understand, you were saying there is a spiritual world that you guys were?
Questioner: Dukanai
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, here it is said there are 14 planetary levels
and so we are on the 7th.
Above us there are six other levels.
We are in the Bhu, then there is Bhuva and Svaha.
Svaha is heaven,
so you can go and have lots of happiness, material.
But material happiness is more or less the same.
But all happiness, little suffering.
Beyond that there are another 4 levels.
Beyond that is the spiritual world.
Where there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease,
and everybody is in their love of God.
In the material world those who are very pious, religious, but they want their material happiness,
they go up to svarga, heaven.
When their good karma runs out, they come back down.
And then there are seven lower planets,
and they are less God conscious.
Below that there are all hells.
That if you are sinful, then you may be in some hell for sometime, burn off your sins and take birth again.
We are trying to get the people out of this material world.
And the way is if you do sacrifice.
The sacrifice for this day and age is chanting the holy names.
We believe there is one God
you call him Allah, Jehovah or Kṛṣṇa,
but there is one person
He has unlimited names.
In Malaysia, the Christians translated the Bible in Malaysian language.
There instead of saying God, they said Allah,
but the Moslems they objected and said Allah is only for Moslems!
That is the word they use for God.
Then in the parliament they said we should be like the Hindus, they say God has thousands and millions of names, unlimited.
So we don’t ask anyone to give up who are Moslems or Jews or Christians, whatever,
that is like high school, basic school, this is like PhD.
We are just focused, transfer people to the spiritual world and awaken their love for Godhead.
But it is there in the fifth canto there is a whole chapter on the hells,
in the structure of the universe.
So if you have extramarital sex
then a particular hell for that.
If people just kill animals, or enjoy killing them,
there is a hell for that.
If someone cheats someone else, just like there are 26 different hells.
But sometimes some people are so sinful that they have architects to design special hells for them.
What a job!
Any way!
So, there is an interesting pastime that person who judges, he is especially empowered by the Supreme Lord,
and his name is Yamarāja.
Category: [Material World]
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: Rasapriyā Gopīkā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: We don’t think we are worthy of the Lord’s mercy,
that’s why it’s causeless mercy.
We don’t see ourselves as the cause.
Rather we have no such qualities,
and the Lord, if He gives us His mercy,
that is His blessing.
One disciple at the Kumbha-melā asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
you said that one gets devotional service,
if they have done all these spiritual practices.
But in my life when I look back, I don’t see any such qualifications,
how did I get devotional service?
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I made your good fortune for you”.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: See, if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
it tells you how the material world is a kind of a jungle
and the pleasure here is temporary.
So we should side by side render devotional service.
I was thinking how in this age of Kali it is recommended that most people should get married
and how will they be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We see that people normally are very much attached to their material desires.
But we realize that these material desires, these material things are all temporary,
and if they render devotional service, it is not temporary.
So devotees need to render devotional service and material life won’t be so much important for us.
Since it is illusory or temporary,
we want to do all our activities in such a way that Kṛṣṇa is pleased.
I was thinking how when one has children, we try to bring up the children to be devotees,
and all our activities we try to do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Say we like to eat,
we offer the bhoga to Kṛṣṇa
and we take the prasāda.
That is a different thing than just eating for our enjoyment.
And we have Deities in our house,
we do worship of the Deities,
we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly
and then we understand what the difference is between temporary happiness and real happiness.
We want devotees to actually achieve this happiness.
Maybe temporarily the temporary happiness is considered important
but gradually one develops higher taste.
Just like Lord Caitanya, He would chant and dance,
sometimes in great ecstasy He would cry,
His hairs stood on ends
various symptoms of love of Kṛṣṇa would manifest.
So we want all the devotees to experience that love of Kṛṣṇa,
it may take some time
but then naturally the material desires diminish.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: See, if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
it tells you how the material world is a kind of a jungle
and the pleasure here is temporary.
So we should side by side render devotional service.
I was thinking how in this age of Kali it is recommended that most people should get married
and how will they be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We see that people normally are very much attached to their material desires.
But we realize that these material desires, these material things are all temporary,
and if they render devotional service, it is not temporary.
So devotees need to render devotional service and material life won’t be so much important for us.
Since it is illusory or temporary,
we want to do all our activities in such a way that Kṛṣṇa is pleased.
I was thinking how when one has children, we try to bring up the children to be devotees,
and all our activities we try to do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Say we like to eat,
we offer the bhoga to Kṛṣṇa
and we take the prasāda.
That is a different thing than just eating for our enjoyment.
And we have Deities in our house,
we do worship of the Deities,
we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly
and then we understand what the difference is between temporary happiness and real happiness.
We want devotees to actually achieve this happiness.
Maybe temporarily the temporary happiness is considered important
but gradually one develops higher taste.
Just like Lord Caitanya, He would chant and dance,
sometimes in great ecstasy He would cry,
His hairs stood on ends
various symptoms of love of Kṛṣṇa would manifest.
So we want all the devotees to experience that love of Kṛṣṇa,
it may take some time
but then naturally the material desires diminish.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Bhagyasri
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has recommended
that when one wakes up in the morning
you should beat their mind with shoes 100 times.
And before we go to bed beat your mind 108 times with a broom stick.
In this way, you are not the mind, your mind should cooperate with you.
You have to tell the mind who is the boss.
Instead of the mind bossing you around, you tell the mind what to do.
If you don’t want to think about that pray to Kṛṣṇa He will help
and pray that you want to think about Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-31
Jayapatākā Swami: So that is devotional service in sattva-guṇa.
They are going to temple, they are doing some devotional service, may be their standard…
There is nine type of devotional service is subdivided, then again subdivided, then again 81 divisions in each guṇa,
and in the three guṇas.
So, that simply the solution is to preach pure devotional service.
Sometimes because Lord Caitanya’s movement,
He is able to purify even the most fallen people,
that those people who are very much in the mode of goodness, they think, “Well,
this movement of Lord Caitanya is only for the mlecchas, for the fallen people,
for the different type of out castes or whatever,
but for us we follow strictly the conservative varṇāśrama program,
Hinduism, this and that, whatever.”
But the point is that Lord Caitanya’s ocean of nectar is ever expanding
and as an ocean overcomes its boundaries
by the preaching of the devotees,
and we have to be able to show the good example and to present to them
that this is not meant simply for a particular class of people, but it is meant for all classes,
whether their background is sattva-guṇa or whether it is tamo-guṇa or whatever it may be,
it is for everyone.
This is the universal process of this Kali-yuga.
And those who are intelligent, they will accept,
and those who are not intelligent even they don’t accept.
You see, those who are intelligent they accept, and they swim in that ocean of nectar when it floods,
and the others they may not be able to swim but they are swept away anyway, and they are forced to float on the top of it,
because there is no more dry land to stand on,
everywhere there is simply the nectar of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement.
In this way by organizing big festivals, by organizing preaching in various way everywhere,
those people, they will not be able to avoid to chant.
So, Lord Caitanya, He said, “Be humble,
beg the people, beg them, go door to door, beg them to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
the worship of Kṛṣṇa, the study of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred teachings, Gītā and Bhāgavata.”
He said, “Beg the people.”
Personally, Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They went door to door begging.
This preaching movement is pure nectar, going and simply begging from the people.
A person is very proud and if you go and you beg from him one thing,
you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how can he refuse
that, “No, I won’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Is there anyone? How can he refuse if he is proud of being religious,
if we present it in the right way?
But that ability, that is only possible if we get the mercy of our, you see,
the spiritual masters, of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda,
then if we somehow or another we get Their blessing, we go on trying,
surely some day we will be able to get so many people.
In South India, we were asking the people to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
and they are very, they’re strict, but even the high brāhmaṇa class as well as even some Muslims
and other people, they all came forward to pledge that, “They will chant everyday 108 times Hare Kṛṣṇa,
because this is the yuga-dharma.
And they are going to follow the principles of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible.”
And in one meeting, in Madras alone, 3000 people were signed up.
I went to Delhi.
Lokanātha Swami said, “I don’t think you can do it in Delhi, it is very difficult.”
So, we printed up in one day 100 sheets and then in the middle of the Rāmānandī meeting,
I made an appeal at the end that, “This is the yuga-dharma,
which of you will chant 108 times a day to carry on the torchlight of knowledge of Caitanya Mahāprabhu
for purification in this Kali-yuga?”
And out of the assembly of about 1500 people,
500 people stood up, “We will daily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we will follow the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
They came up to sign the form.
That Rāmānandī guru, he flipped out, or he completely became wild, took the microphone from me,
said it will cause a disturbance, this that, and gave it to some this Rāmāyaṇa singer
who started immediately singing Tulasī dāsa Rāmāyaṇa, “Rāma-nāma”.
In spite of that people jumped over the stage and signed up and said, “Give me a form. We want to…”
Even one of the Rāmānandī sādhus, he came and said, “I’ll also chant.”
Devotees: Haribol!
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that this process if we beg the people to chant,
so many people will come forward.
Then all we have to do is, see that after we, they agree to chant, that we
keep some contact and see that they go on chanting.
Anyway, whatever it means, if somehow or another through book distribution, through our appeals…
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote to his disciples.
We found some old letters which are collected, and he wrote a letter to a disciple,
how they can preserve the Māyāpur preaching.
He said that first thing is to establish printing press,
then to distribute, print and distribute books.
And the third thing he said is, go on preaching in Nāmahaṭṭa.
Nāmahaṭṭa means that to get every person to practice, not simply that only full-time devotees practice,
every single person has to be encouraged to practice in their own house, in their own community, you see.
That Prabhupāda said also in the third canto of the Bhāgavatam that, “There is no reason
why every family in every society, in every country of the world
cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house every day.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda… This is what Śrīla Prabhupāda kept repeating to us the varṇāśrama preaching.
Varṇāśrama preaching.
We always said, just the devotees said, “No the public, the public, the public.”
Varṇāśrama preaching that is the modern, that is the way Prabhupāda described
it as not different from what Bhaktivinoda said, Nāmahaṭṭa.
It means getting the people to practice.
What is varṇāśrama? Accepting Kṛṣṇa.
If you don’t accept Kṛṣṇa there is no question of varṇāśrama.
So, it is the same program.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-31
Jayapatākā Swami: So that is devotional service in sattva-guṇa.
They are going to temple, they are doing some devotional service, may be their standard…
There is nine type of devotional service is subdivided, then again subdivided, then again 81 divisions in each guṇa,
and in the three guṇas.
So, that simply the solution is to preach pure devotional service.
Sometimes because Lord Caitanya’s movement,
He is able to purify even the most fallen people,
that those people who are very much in the mode of goodness, they think, “Well,
this movement of Lord Caitanya is only for the mlecchas, for the fallen people,
for the different type of out castes or whatever,
but for us we follow strictly the conservative varṇāśrama program,
Hinduism, this and that, whatever.”
But the point is that Lord Caitanya’s ocean of nectar is ever expanding
and as an ocean overcomes its boundaries
by the preaching of the devotees,
and we have to be able to show the good example and to present to them
that this is not meant simply for a particular class of people, but it is meant for all classes,
whether their background is sattva-guṇa or whether it is tamo-guṇa or whatever it may be,
it is for everyone.
This is the universal process of this Kali-yuga.
And those who are intelligent, they will accept,
and those who are not intelligent even they don’t accept.
You see, those who are intelligent they accept, and they swim in that ocean of nectar when it floods,
and the others they may not be able to swim but they are swept away anyway, and they are forced to float on the top of it,
because there is no more dry land to stand on,
everywhere there is simply the nectar of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement.
In this way by organizing big festivals, by organizing preaching in various way everywhere,
those people, they will not be able to avoid to chant.
So, Lord Caitanya, He said, “Be humble,
beg the people, beg them, go door to door, beg them to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
the worship of Kṛṣṇa, the study of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred teachings, Gītā and Bhāgavata.”
He said, “Beg the people.”
Personally, Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They went door to door begging.
This preaching movement is pure nectar, going and simply begging from the people.
A person is very proud and if you go and you beg from him one thing,
you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how can he refuse
that, “No, I won’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Is there anyone? How can he refuse if he is proud of being religious,
if we present it in the right way?
But that ability, that is only possible if we get the mercy of our, you see,
the spiritual masters, of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda,
then if we somehow or another we get Their blessing, we go on trying,
surely some day we will be able to get so many people.
In South India, we were asking the people to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
and they are very, they’re strict, but even the high brāhmaṇa class as well as even some Muslims
and other people, they all came forward to pledge that, “They will chant everyday 108 times Hare Kṛṣṇa,
because this is the yuga-dharma.
And they are going to follow the principles of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible.”
And in one meeting, in Madras alone, 3000 people were signed up.
I went to Delhi.
Lokanātha Swami said, “I don’t think you can do it in Delhi, it is very difficult.”
So, we printed up in one day 100 sheets and then in the middle of the Rāmānandī meeting,
I made an appeal at the end that, “This is the yuga-dharma,
which of you will chant 108 times a day to carry on the torchlight of knowledge of Caitanya Mahāprabhu
for purification in this Kali-yuga?”
And out of the assembly of about 1500 people,
500 people stood up, “We will daily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we will follow the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
They came up to sign the form.
That Rāmānandī guru, he flipped out, or he completely became wild, took the microphone from me,
said it will cause a disturbance, this that, and gave it to some this Rāmāyaṇa singer
who started immediately singing Tulasī dāsa Rāmāyaṇa, “Rāma-nāma”.
In spite of that people jumped over the stage and signed up and said, “Give me a form. We want to…”
Even one of the Rāmānandī sādhus, he came and said, “I’ll also chant.”
Devotees: Haribol!
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that this process if we beg the people to chant,
so many people will come forward.
Then all we have to do is, see that after we, they agree to chant, that we
keep some contact and see that they go on chanting.
Anyway, whatever it means, if somehow or another through book distribution, through our appeals…
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote to his disciples.
We found some old letters which are collected, and he wrote a letter to a disciple,
how they can preserve the Māyāpur preaching.
He said that first thing is to establish printing press,
then to distribute, print and distribute books.
And the third thing he said is, go on preaching in Nāmahaṭṭa.
Nāmahaṭṭa means that to get every person to practice, not simply that only full-time devotees practice,
every single person has to be encouraged to practice in their own house, in their own community, you see.
That Prabhupāda said also in the third canto of the Bhāgavatam that, “There is no reason
why every family in every society, in every country of the world
cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house every day.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda… This is what Śrīla Prabhupāda kept repeating to us the varṇāśrama preaching.
Varṇāśrama preaching.
We always said, just the devotees said, “No the public, the public, the public.”
Varṇāśrama preaching that is the modern, that is the way Prabhupāda described
it as not different from what Bhaktivinoda said, Nāmahaṭṭa.
It means getting the people to practice.
What is varṇāśrama? Accepting Kṛṣṇa.
If you don’t accept Kṛṣṇa there is no question of varṇāśrama.
So, it is the same program.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
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: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: That we have them promise to avoid breaking the four principles at the time of initiation.
They should avoid not chanting 16 rounds.
They should avoid the ten offences to the Holy Name.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: By reading his books
and carrying out his instructions.
He wants you to free yourself from the clutches of māyā
and go back home back to Godhead.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]
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: Vinoda Kṛṣṇa and Nandapriya Padmā
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Obviously you can only reveal your mind to very close devotees.
And so we would hope that you don’t have any offensive thoughts.
But in the case of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi,
his doubt,
we are going to hear what the result of that is.
So if you have doubt on the Lord or His devotee,
it may be dangerous.
He would say that
to Svarūpa Dāmodara
and then Svarūpa Dāmodara would correct him.
So if you are in a position, if someone reveals their mind to you,
and they have some doubt,
then you have to answer their doubt.’
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās]
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: Guṇagrāhi Gaurāṅga dāsa
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: We may commit mistakes, but we should beg for forgiveness,
and we should continue to do our devotional service, being more and more careful.
If we realize we did a mistake, we can ask for forgiveness.
I saw that even in one of the prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee says,
I have committed innumerable offences, please forgive me and engage me in Your service.
I surrender to Your lotus feet!
So, there are offences we commit knowingly or unknowingly,
but we should be humble, try to correct any mistakes we make and continue to render devotional service.
Haribol!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: If you ask what is my most favorite this and that
how can I say?
Tell us one of your favorite,
I can do that,
say that whatever comes to mind.
Someone told me when you see the spiritual master
you should humble yourself,
praise him ask for blessings.
Whenever I went, I used to do that.
One day I said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are very merciful,
I offered praise and then I said I am a fool and I humbled myself.
Before I could say something else,
he spoke out, yes! Ha!
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: ISKCON Kurnool
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t think there is any limit.
All the qualities of a pure devotee we can see in Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know.
Attend the JSSS programs!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]
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: 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]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Well he gave me many advices.
But the main thing was that I should always engage in serving Kṛṣṇa.
And try to help others to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
He told me to expand the Nāmahaṭṭa and congregational preaching.
He told me to distribute, I have to distribute at least ten thousand big books, every month and 100 thousand small books, every month.
We were discussing this morning possibility of selling packets of books at discounted price.
He told me to travel and preach.
So I used to travel five or six times around the world in a year.
Now I am not able to do that, you see I am physically challenged.
I only travel around the world twice a year. I need help!
I need the senior devotees to help travel and preach.
Anyway, there are many other questions.
You can see the Jayapatākā Swami App, which you can download on Android or Apple Play where they have listed all the instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me.
I pay all the expenses, you don’t have to pay anything!
* * * *
Questioner: Kṛṣṇa Karuṇāmṛta dāsa
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Crying!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, I heard about Śrīla Prabhupāda first.
And I heard great things!
Then I went to Montreal to see Śrīla Prabhupāda.
At that time, I could see auras around people.
When I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda his aura filled up the whole room, yellow!
So what was the first thing I thought when I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda – WOW!
And he said, “Who is that?” Pointing to me.
I was shaved up and there were not so many devotees there.
Garga Muni who was there from San Francisco, he said, he is a bhakta.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Bring him for lunch tomorrow!”
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Pulling out the weeds?
Well, just like for instance uh, the first weed is described as niṣiddhācāra - unauthorized behavior.
Say that a person uh, is habituated to uh, eating meat,
but chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, friend of Kṛṣṇa coming, but you know still he eats meat.
So, then the person gradually stops eating meat, that is pulling the weed out, say, in the beginning stage.
But then say something that might even attack an older person that’s in devotional service - kuṭīnāṭī or lābha, pratiṣṭhā, pūjā.
Kuṭīnāṭī means diplomatic behavior.
Just like say a neophyte devotee, not very strong, he is trying to practice devotional service, he is practicing.
But somehow, he got mislead… miss… you know, like waylaid.
Went out, did something wrong, maybe went out, got drunk or something, you know.
Just fall.
Say, met some old friends.
They said, “Come on!” Next thing you know, had a beer can in his hand, whatever; and so, got in trouble.
So, then I met a devotee like that.
That is not a devotee, initiated, but just like a bhakta type person.
And then he had something like that happen.
Then he got picked up for drunken driving.
Very… He was come by and he was apologizing.
He was going to really try to be Kṛṣṇa conscious again.
So, the thing was that if a person… say that a person does something like that,
and some senior person is there to help him, some spiritually advanced person, and then if tries to like lie about it, hide the truth,
so or… that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī, being devious you know.
Well, if the person was just straight forward, “Yeah, I had this problem, can you help me?”
Then he gets some good advice, and that gives him some more inspiration, some more strength to just stay on the path, you see.
So that lack of being straightforward of you know, confiding in uh, people who are actually there to help you spiritually, that’s one form of kuṭīnāṭī.
There are many others.
Like different have diplomatic behavior.
So if one, one gives up that behavior
and then takes the uh, you know, straight forward path, takes the consequences whatever it may be, you see,
there is no consequences like that in devotional service, no one is going to uh,
put anyone unnecessarily on the spot, rather one is compassionate, trying to help someone if they are having difficulties.
So, that’s how you pull the weed.
It’s just that, when you, you have to isolate, you have to recognize,
“This is the defect, this is a mistake, this is a wrong thing.”
And then you… then you work at uh, not doing it anymore.
That’s how you pull it.
That’s the meaning of pulling it.
Just like you know, some people they show you, “Look at my garden.
Look at my lawn.
It’s so beautiful; everything is green, right?” Before… If I look at the lawn, I’ll think it’s great.
But then if some you know, horticulturist comes, he says, “Well that’s crabgrass, that’s too… this is you know, this is uh, hog… hog… hog grass,
and this is not you know you supposed to have all you know Kentucky blue or something.
You got all this other garbage grass in there.”
You see.
For an ordinary, layman, it’s all grass, you know, who cares?
But you know, if you really get into it, it’s all some kind of grass that are ultimately weeds that don’t help the…
They are going to take over the whole thing and make it very scrubby looking.
But it looks the same, it looks similar, you see.
So, all you do, you pull it out, take it out.
So, you have to isolate it first, what is the weed and what is the real plant?
Weed means it looks like a real plant.
It is not… It is a plant also.
It looks similar.
It is not you know necessarily a lot different, it might be a lot different or might even be similar, it’s a plant anyway.
So, some of the things are just a slight difference, some of them are really different.
Just like an oak tree and a piece of grass, same type of living entity: plant, you see, vegetation.
But it’s not that completely different, may be in the beginning stages it looks similar,
when it’s just like a 3 inches ha… high, but in the end, you know, it becomes completely different.
So how you pull it out in terms of practicality, just you guys stopping doing that particularly,
or at least trying to stop.
First you isolate what it is, then you work at pulling it out.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes they come as first body as Brahmā.
Human is the first birth that you get a chance to go back.
Brahma at the end of the universe, can go right back.
Unless he becomes materialistic, then from Brahmā they can work their way down to a bug or one can be as human.
That will depend.
It’s not a… No one can say, it is not any, you will find some different evidences in the Vedas.
Coming as a Brahmā or coming as a human, that is not... that may vary from case to case.
We found that Jaya, Vijaya, they came as demons.
Each person, why they are here, why, no one can say exactly.
Everyone is an individual eternally.
And the only way we will know the exact reason how we got into this material world is when we ultimately again we get our liberation.
This is like a dreaming state.
Right now, we are locked into the dream and the whole endeavor is to get out of the dream, to wake up.
So, once we… It’s just like someone is in a kind of coma.
And in the coma, he is dreaming so many things.
And then in that dream, he is going from one dream and then he jumps out and goes to another dream, until finally he can remember someone comes up and says, “Harry! Harry!” [laughter]
And then he comes out of the dream, “Where am I? Right?
Where was I?”
It’s like once you come out of this material world and you come back to your original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will be like, I did all those things! I was an animal, and a man, I forgot, I forgot completely about Kṛṣṇa and about my eternal spiritual nature.
And just like a dream.
You never want to go to sleep again, you don’t ever want to come in the material world again.
The thing is one has to want to wake up.
So that’s why the spiritual master is so kind.
Even a person is sleeping, doesn’t want to wake up, they are calling, jīva jāgo, “Wake up, Wake up!
You are not this body.
You are eternal spirit soul.”
And the soul has heard so many things in its life.
You are an American, you are a Bohemian, you are a hippie, you are a conservative, you are republican, you are a democrat, this that.
And never even, doesn’t even come near to waking up the soul.
It is just different! It’s just trying to change the structure of your dream.
But when that pure devotee says, “No, you are an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, you are not this body”, then immediately the soul starts, it is the first time anything that was said is actually directed at the soul.
It starts to move, it starts to wake up.
Then the soul starts to direct the intelligence, what is that? What is he saying?
It’s shocking that the first time one hears that he is a devotee, it may even come as an intense shock.
The first time the devotee is saying, is going right to the soul.
They don’t even speak to the body and the mind; it is going right to the soul.
Because the soul can exert its influence and can control over the mind and the body.
But it has to be awakened, it is has to actually come from the soul, to act in its original, constitutional position.
So how we fell in this material world exactly?
What we were before? When we wake up, when we realize our original position, then we can remember all these things.
So, it is not always a stereotype.
We may come first time as a Brahmā and work our way down and may come in so many ways.
What we were before we came, what was our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what was our position, how we fell down, what desire we had? - these are different in every case.
Questioner: Bhaktin Sujatha Kartikeyan
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: It is hard for us to understand when we can go to Godhead.
And that time is revealed by Kṛṣṇa.
And we cannot go earlier, so we try to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then naturally we think about Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Because we don’t know how long we have to live
so we should be ready any time to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
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: 2022-08-27
Whether there is any time to do books
during your study,
that you have to analyze
and like, housewives when they are cooking, they can listen to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s class, or his books audio version.
I don’t know specifically what your schedule is that you can give any time in the day for reading.
Sometimes there is so much service to do for your studies,
when there is no time for māyā,
that is good.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Time Management]
Questioner: Sumitra Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapataka Swami: Interesting question.
We know that Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was a gṛhastha.
He mentioned that in Allahabad he had a house, and it had a special room for visiting preachers.
So, he facilitated many Gauḍīya Maṭha preachers.
And he said that he wanted to marry a particular, good-looking girl.
But his father told him to marry another lady
who, in his estimation, was not as beautiful.
In one sense he said, that by the mercy of my father it was easier for me to take sannyāsa.
Anyway, he was a gṛhastha and had many children, he had responsibilities.
Then, he took vānaprastha
and finally took sannyāsa.
So, in that way, he was able to go to the west and preach.
Everybody is different
and today we have many devotees who are gṛhasthas but they are doing full devotional service.
But maybe at that time, one had to be a sannyāsī to be able to travel freely around the world.
Secondly, Śrīla Prabhupāda never forgot the instruction he received in 1922,
and he then went to the West, he came to America in 1965.
Questioner: Jayavant
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: When I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda,
I was overwhelmed.
Sometimes, he would call me in the night,
sometimes he would call me in the day time.
Sometimes he would talk to my pūrvāśrama mother.
And he would be telling her we are the living force in the body.
And she would give him a rose bouquet
and then he would thank her and praise her
and acknowledge the roses.
Everything about Śrīla Prabhupāda was exceedingly wonderful!
Sometimes, someone told me that he would bow down to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
And he told me when I bow down, I should praise Śrīla Prabhupāda,
I should humble myself
and then ask a question.
And whenever I would ask a question,
Śrīla Prabhupāda I am a fool.
He would look at me and say, “Yes!”
We couldn’t get away saying anything to Śrīla Prabhupāda, he would immediately answer.
Questioner: Vrajasevinī Vṛndā devī dāsī
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I did not,
but I had no choice.
I did not want Śrīla Prabhupāda to leave.
But Kṛṣṇa takes us, and nothing we can do.
But I did lots of service, and thanks to Ahlādinī Rādhā and others to help us do all the services.
Questioner: Keśava Gaura dāsa
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: I only see the good qualities in other.
I don’t see whether they have this hatred to others,
but if they do
even, we should forget that.
Anyway, someone may be performing śravaṇam and kīrtanam with offenses,
and the result will be very limited.
So, we should be try to perform offenseless chanting.
That is why at the time of taking initiation, we discuss the ten offences.
But periodically, we should remind ourselves to remember to avoid these offences.
Category: [Anarthās]
Questioner: Acintya Nitāi dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, Śrīla Prabhupāda would scold the devotees in Calcutta,
for placing a dark blue velvet curtain,
which attracted many mosquitos,
and then devotees would kill the mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, you are attracting them and then killing them.
So, you should put some other curtain,
which would not attract so many mosquitos.
So, if a mosquito is biting us, we may kill it in self-defense,
but we should avoid just killing mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would have the dhuna or the frankincense burn in his room and the windows open, and the mosquitos would fly out.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that if we loudly chant, then insects and plants would reap the benefit, by hearing the holy name.
There was someone, they took in regression to his previous life,
and he said in his previous life he was a butterfly.
He went into some place, where there was a statue and there was a fruit in front of the statue.
He landed on the fruit
to eat the fruit,
and someone came out and killed him.
In the next life he was a human being,
a devotee,
so in this case, it seemed that he was eating the fruit offering offered to a Deity of Kṛṣṇa,
we don’t know Kṛṣṇa’s Deity or someone else.
Questioner: Annu Prasad
Date: 2022-10-15
In Kali-yuga, one doesn’t get a reaction
for mentally creating some offence.
You have to do that practically.
Since the mind is not very easily controlled in the Kali-yuga,
it may think many weird things.
So Gadādhara Prabhu,
He was thinking that Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhī
was a materialistic,
later He realized that he was a pure devotee.
So therefore, He accepted him as His guru,
because the guru always forgives his disciples’ offences.
So, if someone offends a guru mentally,
and later surrenders and becomes the guru’s disciple,
that is authorized in the process, example set by Gadādhara Prabhu.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: This is Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy that I am living in Māyāpur dhāma.
And I had a lot of service to Kṛṣṇa.
I engrossed myself totally in that service.
I had no time to think of Māyā.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, I am giving you the spiritual world, now develop it.
That is why I had a lot of service.
If we have service, then that helps.
Most of the people will become gṛhasthas.
You have to be in one place
then with family, children, you have to give them association.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me sannyāsa at a young age. He told me that being a sannyāsī I have to travel.
I was in Māyāpur and then I toured the world.
Some years I travelled around the world 5 or 6 times in one year.
This way the British Airways and United Airways gave me Life Gold card.
So I can go by plane.
But this is for Kṛṣṇa’s service.
As I had so much service, there was no time for Māyā for me.
Those who work and stay in a place, they should get married to a devotee girl.
Those who stay as a brahmacārī in the temple and do there then they can stay that way.
It depends on their service.
And their nature.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me so much service that I have no time for anything else.
How will I accomplish these services that is my worry.
Śrīla Prabhupāda had told me that I should distribute 10,000 Mahā-big books and 100,000 small books every month.
Now I have to see how many books were distributed in all my zones.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the Sārasvata family should be united.
And develop the Navadvīpa dhāma parikramā, he said.
And develop the Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi he said.
Lots of service.Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me so much service that I don’t have time for anything else.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Questioner: Neha
Date: 2022-12-06
Jayapatākā Swami: Normally we visit the holy dhāma just for a few days.
That time we are very careful not to commit any offence.
And if we stay longer for some parikramā or something,
then we try to hear from the devotees.
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
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.
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 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.
- Anarthās
- - Apasampradāya
- - Bad association
- - Māyā
- - Māyāvāda / Impersonalism
- - Sinful activities
- Aparādha (Offenses)
- - Nāma-aparādha
- - Vaiṣṇava-aparādha
- Day-to-day Life
- - Children
- - Education
- - Food
- - Health
- - Married life
- - Parents
- - Relatives
- - Technology
- - Workplace
- Devotee Care
- Dīkṣā (Initiation)
- Emotions
- - Anger
- - Confusion
- - Enthusiasm
- - Envy
- - Faith
- - Fault-finding
- - Greed
- - Happiness
- - Humility
- - Hypocrisy
- - Lust
- - Pride
- - Sloth
- - Sorrow
- - Stress/Anxiety
- Festivals
- - Sāka-Festival
- Gauḍīya History
- - Gauḍīya maṭḥa
- - ISKCON
- - Śrīla Prabhupāda
- Guru (Spiritual Master)
- - Dīkṣā-guru
- - Guru Disciple Relationship
- - Guru-paramparā
- - Śikṣā-guru
- Holy Rivers
- - Gaṅgā
- Jayapatākā Swami
- Karma
- - Desires
- Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)
- - Gaurāṇga
- - Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations
- - Pastimes
- - Spiritual World / Dhāma
- - Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
- Material Sufferings
- - Death
- Material World
- - Demigods
- - Demons
- - Guṇas / Modes
- - Kali yuga
- - Mind / Intelligence
- Mercy
- Other philosophies
- - Christianity
- - Islam
- - Jainism
- - Western Science / Western Philosophy
- Prasāda and Bhoga
- - Onion and Garlic
- Sādhanā
- - Book distribution
- - Chanting (Japa)
- - Diet
- - Maṅgala-ārati
- - Philosophical questions
- - Preaching
- - Reading / Śāstra
- - Regulative Principles
- - Sevā
- - Technicalities
- - Time Management
- Saṁskāras
- - Anna-prāśna
- - Antima-saṁskāras
- - Garbhadhāna
- - Upanayanam
- Śrī Caitanya-līlā
- - Lord Caitanya
- Vaiṣṇava Dealings
- - Association (Sādhu-saṅga)
- - Cooperation
- - Etiquette / Sadācāra
- - Vaiṣṇava-qualities
- Varṇāśrama
- - Brahmacārī
- - Changing Āśrama
- - Gṛhastha
- - Sannyāsī
- - Vānaprastha
- Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)
- - Home Deity Worship
- - Temple Deity Worship
- Vratās (Austerities)
- - Bhīṣma-Pañcaka-vratā
- - Ekādaśī-vratā
- - Kārtika-māsa-vratā
- - Puruṣottama-māsa-vratā
- Women
- - Protection
- Yet To Categories
- Youth