Question: How can an offender develop an unflinching taste for constant chanting ?
Author: Abhirāma Gopa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam
is that, if we practice those principles, we can always chant the holy names.
Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyā sadā hari
offer respect to others, don’t expect any respect for yourself.
Be more humble than a blade of grass, and more tolerant than a tree,
then you can always chant the holy name
kīrtanīyā sadā hari.
Related Questions
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know why your mind doesn’t want to think about Kṛṣṇa!
Kṛṣṇa is our shelter.
And we can apologize for feeling some anxiety, that I should not be feeling like this,
so we pray to Kṛṣṇa to give us strength,
so that we don’t succumb to these modes of ignorance and passion.
He is our best friend, right?
From seventh - dāsyam, sakhyam, ātma-nivedanam, eighth He is our friend!
You want to tell your friend, you are feeling some anxiety.
What are friends for? Right?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Everyday, they have newscasts.
And people in Africa, in Israel, in different people, in Ukraine, there is so much happening.
Would you like to be born there?
So, better to go back to Kṛṣṇa.
You don’t want to become slack in devotional service.
I am 54 years in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I am still worried and keep trying to do something to pay back Śrīla Prabhupāda’s debt!
If you lose your taste, then plan how you will increase it.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
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: 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]
As we grow in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become devotees who are in senior positions, and at the phase of becoming mature devotees, we still tend to make vaiṣṇava-aparādhā while having that position and naturally when we have power and position that is what the people instead of having humility, because of their power and position, people, they tend to make or have the tendency to make vaiṣṇava-aparādhā. How do we correct that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You were not here last night. We talked that sometimes a father, a senior devotee, may have to correct a junior devotee.
It is not considered an offence.
The criticizing or laughing at Lord Brahmā that is something offensive.
If you have to correct a junior devotee, if you have to correct someone do that in private
so that their ego won’t be troubled.
And if we have to do it, then do as a sandwich,
do you know what it means sandwich?
You first of all praise them,
and then say what you want to say criticizing them,
then you praise them again.
That way, they don’t feel that the person doesn’t love me.
But we should not criticize, laugh at some senior devotee.
That may be there in ISKCON, but we should not do that.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: By keeping on chanting,
gradually your chanting becomes offenseless.
And at first it starts as offensive chanting,
then clearing chanting,
then offenseless chanting.
The more we chant, we gradually overcome all the anarthas.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: By keeping on chanting,
gradually your chanting becomes offenseless.
And at first it starts as offensive chanting,
then clearing chanting,
then offenseless chanting.
The more we chant, we gradually overcome all the anarthas.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Balavān Śrīnivāsa dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Hope you never reach that stage!
And that always try to avoid offences.
I don’t know what the limit of Lord Caitanya’s mercy is but
I don’t want to take it that far!
Especially Lord Caitanya. He did not want anyone to offend the Vaiṣṇavas.
Cāpāla Gopāla offended Śrīvāsa and He said you have to suffer.
But then Cāpāla Gopāla begged Śrīvāsa for forgiveness.
Lord Caitanya embraced Cāpāla Gopāla and saved him.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās / Sinful activities]
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: So a haṁsa is able to separate a mixture of milk and water,
leave the water and drink the milk.
A paramahaṁsa means able to take out the spiritual and leave the material.
So, husband and wife, they should discuss with each other what they should do to please Kṛṣṇa.
Normally, the materialistic couple they discuss how they can enjoy life.
But a paramahaṁsa means they separate the spiritual from material and take to spiritual life.
It is possible if one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa and practices bhakti-yoga.
Category: [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 2. Because the people of Kali-yuga are very fallen,
therefore sometimes it is difficult for them to chant.
But we should understand that by chanting,
we can achieve all perfection.
So, we should chant, and thus become fortunate.
And just take it that, if we find difficulty in chanting,
it is because of our being very fallen.
So, pray for the mercy of the Pañca-tattva,
our gurudeva,
guru-paramparā,
and thus we can achieve the mercy of the Lord,
and chant His holy name.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 2. Because the people of Kali-yuga are very fallen,
therefore sometimes it is difficult for them to chant.
But we should understand that by chanting,
we can achieve all perfection.
So, we should chant, and thus become fortunate.
And just take it that, if we find difficulty in chanting,
it is because of our being very fallen.
So, pray for the mercy of the Pañca-tattva,
our gurudeva,
guru-paramparā,
and thus we can achieve the mercy of the Lord,
and chant His holy name.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-13
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know if there is a system to take others’ faults.
You can donate some of your merits to others.
That is in the Padma Purāṇa
that one lady she was donating some of her merits to a bull
who was being mistreated and who died.
So the ātmā from the bull took birth as a brāhmaṇa boy
and he remembered that he was a bull from his previous life.
Normally people are very greedy to get more merit, and they don’t give it away.
So he was curious how she was giving away her merit.
So he went to see her,
and said, you don’t know me but I know you.
Remember the bull who would be beaten and you gave some merit to the bull?
So I was that bull and now I took birth as a brāhmaṇa boy
and she revealed that she was reading the Bhagavad-gītā regularly.
Therefore, she gave half of her merit to the bull
and the bull took birth as a brāhmaṇa boy
and he started to read the Bhagavad-gītā also
and he went back to Godhead!
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Mercy]
Questioner: Kṛṣṇa Karuṇā-mūrti dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: Your hands should be clean!
If you are in some asuci, because your relative died or some other reason -
I never heard that we should not chant on our beads.
Maybe in such asuci times, we are not supposed to go to the temple.
But I never heard that we should not chant on our beads.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: If you are sick, you cannot take bath, this Kṛṣṇa can understand.
First if you want you can take an ācamana and take a mantra-snāna, mental bath, chanting the śuci-mantra.
Questioner: Bhakta Gopī Kṛṣṇan, Trivandrum
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Why do you say just? Just...
Kṛṣṇa and His holy names are not different.
So it is not a small thing
to chant the holy names.
And certainly, Kṛṣṇa can do anything.
So He can also take you back to His kingdom.
Therefore, we should chant His holy names and engage in His sevā.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Any devotional service it is recommended we should have utsāha –
we should be enthusiastic.
If you are taking the harināma, that is kīrtana, that is the second practice of devotional service.
Śravaṇam, kīrtanam, viṣṇoh śmaranam.
So in that way if you are going to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, have the association of Kṛṣṇa in the form of the holy name.
And then naturally when chanting we should be very devotional.
The mood – you should be enthusiastic, devotional, what more can I say?
There is a song by Narottama dāsa – he said golokera prema-dhana, harināma saṅkīrtana
So, in that mood that if you have the holy name which is the ecstasy of love of Kṛṣṇa from Goloka coming down.
golokera prema-dhana, harināma saṅkīrtana
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Haridhvani devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The highest form of prayer is to sing or chant the name of the Lord.
If we pray, it maybe not a very good prayer.
So that is why the saṅkīrtana or chanting of the holy name is recommended
If one chants the name of Narasiṁhadeva 21 times, they can get delivered from various sufferings.
“Śrī Narasiṁha! Jaya Narasiṁha! Jaya jaya jaya Narasiṁha!” 21 times.
Otherwise, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
You can chant 54 times or 108 times.
So, the name of Kṛṣṇa is worth 3000 names of Viṣṇu.
And the name Rāma is worth 1000 names of Viṣṇu.
So, by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma mantra,
you get so much spiritual benefit.
And the side benefits are the material suffering is mitigated.
But the real benefit is that one awakens one’s love of Godhead.
Please ask the people to chant one of the mantras,
and since there may be offence in our chanting, one can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛndā.
Questioner: Bhakta Yuvan, Russia
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we should not give too many rules and regulations.
We should be very friendly and engage people according to their likes.
So, if they like to do particular things, like they like computer, or they like agriculture, whatever they like, engage them in that.
Make it very interesting and treat them very nicely!
That is what Śrīla Prabhupāda said, that in some letters, how to preach to the intelligent people.
Category: [Sādhanā]
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: Pūjā
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: That is what Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī said
in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.
He cited some Purāṇas
that say watching the ārati of Lord Kṛṣṇa,
we get the same result as a person who does the ārati.
Questioner: 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:
Date: 2023-02-25
Jayapatākā Swami: We know our chanting, our devotional service is not very ideal. We would like to improve the quality.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said you should take maximum,
if you are a little experienced, you can do a little faster
maybe an hour and a half.
So
my thought would be,
then I try to chant when I do everything.
Link: 20221014 Evening Address
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: If you realize that you are weak
in some area,
then you want to pray to Kṛṣṇa and get some strength.
Pray to Lord Caitanya, pray to Lord Nityānanda, pray to Gurudeva.
It is like an athlete.
If you don’t win, what do you do?
Give up or try harder, train more.
You want to get that gold medal for your country.
Like that.
You want to offer something to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Prabhupāda said, if a person follows the process of Kṛṣṇa conscious then they can.
If one wants to take birth again in the material world, no.
How free you are from things like offences, may dictate how high you can go in spiritual world.
Whether we get place in Vaikuntha? Whether we get a place in Goloka Vṛndāvana? How I am will able to go?
Or, I mean if a person, I had one person, approached me in India, he was a real strange character.
He said that, “I have been chanting 32 or 20 or 16 rounds for 26 years.
But never gave up eating fish.”
Neutral position that we were discussing today, he reciprocates with the person so perfectly,
that if someone would do something like that because of their offences to chanting, while chanting the holy name,
but they don’t actually make advancement, towards pure love for Kṛṣṇa.
They are getting some benefit from chanting,
but at the same time they are material heart, their material desires aren’t 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 names for some period of time, he got some spiritual intelligence, and he could stop eating fish.
Even though for 26 years he was on his weird practice, where although chanting he never tried to avoid breaking that,
you know, stopping breaking that regulative principle.
So if a person, I mean if he is determined, you know, alright, I am going to chant 16 rounds and I am going to follow the four principles,
but if they take things in an attitude that I’m determined not to give up my material attachments,
then that’s anachronism, you know.
From our side it should be not just externals, but it should be internal, that 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 arenot fully successful.
Prabhupāda said, “There is… That Kṛṣṇa is so merciful, that Lord Caitanya is so merciful,
even though we may not at the point of death have been a hundred percent successful.
We can still get delivered.”
[Aside: How long I should go on ?]
I was in Montreal, and Prabhupāda was giving a lecture, that time we had a vyasāsana for him was very high.
I mean, very, it was like, when we would stand up, we would be facing Prabhupāda eye to eye,
or he would still be even higher than that.
It was a very high vyasāsana, and you have to kind of crawl up, steps going up.
[Aside: It was more like a kind of a culpit.
Culpit or something?
Devotee: Pulpit]
Pulpit, Pulpit.
So he would be up there, he would have a seat there and would even have prasādathere.
On a feast they would bring him a big plate of prasāda, we will all be sitting down,
and he would take Prasad from there and sometimes he would give prasāda out from there.
So one day he was giving his lecture from up there naturally,
and on this point he was just preaching very hard, we have to be a 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious,
we have to try, we have to be 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to try for that,
we have to become, if we are 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we can get pure love for Kṛṣṇa, then our lives will be completely successful.
He was hammering this point.
The devotees you know thinking, 100%! Their heads gradually started to hanging down and they became very thoughtful,
that 100% was like such an objective that never seem that this ever possible, even you know, to get real close to a 100%.
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, there was no question,
he ended the class, said become cent percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.
There was just like a death.
I mean there was a silence so thick you could swim through it.
And Prabhupāda was just sitting there on this, that raised
vyasāsana and said that, even if you are 90% Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that you may still be delivered.
Then he started to get down, and he was about halfway down,
just as he was getting off that vyasāsana, he turned to the devotees, said, “Even 90% you can be delivered.”
He started walking off, then he turned and then his cādara fell off.
I remember that it was such a dramatic, almost like you know what you see in those movies;
Julies Caesar his chaddar just blew like that you know.
“Even 70%”, he took his cādara and threw it over his shoulders, raised his head and walked off…
(laughter)
Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki!
Devotees: Jaya!
Jayapataka Swami: But the purport is that try for the 100%.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Mercy], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day.
I felt very proud.
I thought I was doing sādhana.
Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me, “What are you doing?”
I said, “I am chanting 32 rounds!”
I thought Śrīla Prabhupāda would be very happy.
He said, “If you stay here all day and chant rounds,
who will go out and preach?
Chant 16 rounds and go out and preach!”
So we have a dedicated time every day
for chanting.
2 hours a day.
22 hours we can spend in preaching, little time in sleeping and eating.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Why you are not able to keep the program? What is it that your mind gets attracted to and does not let you do your daily routine properly?
That is your enemy.
You have to hear from the senior devotees about which is the obstacle that stops you.With the weapon of knowledge, you have to cut that.
Doing this you will become strong.
Doing exercise, in one day suddenly you cannot lift 100 kilos!
Slowly 20, 30, 40, 60, and finally in the future you can life 100 kilos.
Maybe more also.
Now His Holiness Bhānu Swami can lift a lot of weight!
I cannot!
He does exercise every day.
You are trying, that is good.
You should not feel disappointed.
Just keep going.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Why you are not able to keep the program? What is it that your mind gets attracted to and does not let you do your daily routine properly?
That is your enemy.
You have to hear from the senior devotees about which is the obstacle that stops you.With the weapon of knowledge, you have to cut that.
Doing this you will become strong.
Doing exercise, in one day suddenly you cannot lift 100 kilos!
Slowly 20, 30, 40, 60, and finally in the future you can life 100 kilos.
Maybe more also.
Now His Holiness Bhānu Swami can lift a lot of weight!
I cannot!
He does exercise every day.
You are trying, that is good.
You should not feel disappointed.
Just keep going.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: When we are envious against other Vaiṣṇavas,
they become intolerant when another Vaiṣṇava is praised,
and they think, “Oh, why I am not getting the praise?
I worked harder! I worked more!
I should be appreciated!
Why am I not appreciated?”
That girl is a oohhh
and you commit some Vaiṣṇava-aparādha!
So we have to be very, very careful.
We are trying to please guru, Gaurāṅga and Kṛṣṇa and we don’t care if others get more glory,
we simply want to please the Lord.
And sometimes people will see it and sometimes they won’t. But the Lord sees it.
So we are not working for popularity.
Like that some politicians they get their names published in newspapers or newscast
and therefore an insignificant person becomes famous.
We just want to please the Lord
and if we recognize that is nice and if not doesn’t matter.
We still go on with our service.
Here Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi understood his mistake when Lord Jagannātha and Lord Balarāma enacted Their punishment pastime. But I commit many offences, and sometimes I cannot even understand my offences. So in such circumstances how am I to ask for forgiveness from you and from Lord Kṛṣṇa so that you may completely forgive me?
Questioner: Bhāgyaśrī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: We should pray to Kṛṣṇa that
I have committed many offences, knowingly or unknowingly,
please forgive me.
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: Jisu Sen
Date: 2023-12-11
Jayapatākā Swami: That is the original sin,
why we are here in the material world.
For some reason we envied or were jealous of the Lord.
So that is the one thing we cannot dovetail.
We dovetail anger, you can dovetail greed, you can dovetail everything but not envy, mātsarya.
I can be greedy to get more mercy of Kṛṣṇa,
I can be angry of someone who offends Kṛṣṇa,
everything can be dovetailed,
but envy, no!
So we should give up envy.
But how do we do that?
You do that by Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
by being advanced in kṛṣṇa-bhakti,
you think that if I have any good quality it is due to the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And if someone is doing better, we are inspired that oh, they have achieved success!
I will follow their example and get the mercy also.
Envy means, oh, that one is ahead, let me trip him up!
I will be ahead of him;
he will be in the dust! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hai!
I will be the king of the mountains!
You see that keeps us here in the material world!
It is a hellish mentality.
So, we want people to do better, we want to associate with them, we want their mercy,
we want to follow their good example,
we don’t want to envy them
that oh, they got the mercy.
Let me throw mud on them.
You see in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa went out with Rādhārāṇī,
they left the rāsa dance.
So the other gopīs they thought, this gopī must have had special bhakti to take the Lord away,
and they were happy that at least one gopī had conquered Kṛṣṇa.
So, we want Kṛṣṇa to be happy.
And if we are envious, Kṛṣṇa will not be happy.
That is the worst thing we could do.
So, if one understands this, they can avoid envy
because it is counter-productive.
Thank you very much.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam.
By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we clean our consciousness.
So by chanting you should chant and clean your consciousness.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and His name are not different.
And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if there is any anxiety or danger,
Kṛṣṇa helps us.
We have great devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he always took shelter of the holy name and His teachings.
But the demon father Hiraṇyakaśipu asked is your God in this column?
He is everywhere, Prahlāda Mahārāja said.
Then Hiraṇyakaśipu kicked the column.
There was a sound ohh….
Hiraṇyakaśipu was looking where is that sound coming from.
Then Narasiṁhadeva came out from the column.
So, you put your faith in Kṛṣṇa, His holy name, the śāstras, He will never let you down.
Prahlāda Mahārāja was an innocent boy, but his father was a demon.
So Prahlāda was not trying to purposely trouble his father.
So if you read the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam then that will strengthen your faith.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and His name are not different.
And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if there is any anxiety or danger,
Kṛṣṇa helps us.
We have great devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he always took shelter of the holy name and His teachings.
But the demon father Hiraṇyakaśipu asked is your God in this column?
He is everywhere, Prahlāda Mahārāja said.
Then Hiraṇyakaśipu kicked the column.
There was a sound ohh….
Hiraṇyakaśipu was looking where is that sound coming from.
Then Narasiṁhadeva came out from the column.
So, you put your faith in Kṛṣṇa, His holy name, the śāstras, He will never let you down.
Prahlāda Mahārāja was an innocent boy, but his father was a demon.
So Prahlāda was not trying to purposely trouble his father.
So if you read the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam then that will strengthen your faith.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
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: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
If you fix a specific time to read books daily then your reading habit will grow
and if two persons can sit and read, that way your reading habit will increase.
There are some books which are in audio version which you can hear while cooking or doing some work.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
If you fix a specific time to read books daily then your reading habit will grow
and if two persons can sit and read, that way your reading habit will increase.
There are some books which are in audio version which you can hear while cooking or doing some work.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapataka Swami: Interesting.
Being a manager I always had, thoughts that would come in my mind.
That I have to do this I have to do that.
I would keep a small notebook in my pocket
and would just write down and that way would not be distracted by my thoughts.
I would chant looking at Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet
or at some Deities or some pictures
and would try to concentrate.
At the end of the chanting, I would look at my note book and see what I had to do.
So I don’t know if that is useful, but some different methods to keep the mind on chanting.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Akhil Verma
Date: 2023-07-07
You can achieve it even in this life,
by getting the mercy of pure devotees,
or you can also take many lives.
Depends, what you want.
Questioner: Akhil Verma
Date: 2023-07-07
You can achieve it even in this life,
by getting the mercy of pure devotees,
or you can also take many lives.
Depends, what you want.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: If husband and wife, both are devotees then there are many opportunities.
If between the two if one of them is little behind, the other person should be affectionate to him or her and inspire them.
There is no use of using any bad words or being angry, it will simply increase the distance between them.
There are some strategies and techniques where they can get together and read books or chant together.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Depends on what gives you faith.
I mean, some people have faith by reading the scripture,
since it tells us that the holy name is Absolute and non-different from Kṛṣṇa.
Some people have faith by realization.
If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you may become peaceful and ecstatic.
And that may increase your faith.
Some people commit offences to the holy name.
So they don’t get the full result of chanting.
And you should tell them to be very careful to follow the order of the spiritual master.
I think the third offence to the holy name is to disobey the order of the spiritual master.
We must have a spiritual master and follow his instructions.
There is no question but to accept the spiritual master.
So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had everyone in the temple chant 64 rounds.
Those who went for book distribution and preaching, they should chant 16 rounds.
So Śrīla Prabhupāda said that for the Western rounds it would be difficult to chant 64 rounds.
So he had them chant 16 and preach.
So by following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, one can advance.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: We should rather try to see the good qualities in other devotees.
Like, there are two insects, there are the flies and the bees.
The flies are looking for infections or sores.
And the bees are looking for the honey.
Try to see the good qualities in devotees and you won’t have time to see any bad qualities.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: That is the whole question?
So, we always consider our chanting as not pure.
And we try to improve it, making it more pure.
In this way, we will get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
We don’t like to be too proud, oh! my chanting is so pure.
We would rather like to present ourselves as very fallen, we need the mercy of Nitāi Gaura.
In this way, we can get mercy.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: That is the whole question?
So, we always consider our chanting as not pure.
And we try to improve it, making it more pure.
In this way, we will get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
We don’t like to be too proud, oh! my chanting is so pure.
We would rather like to present ourselves as very fallen, we need the mercy of Nitāi Gaura.
In this way, we can get mercy.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: There are certain symptoms are mentioned in the ‘Nectar of Devotion’ and
‘Caitanya-caritāmṛta’.
If those symptoms match up.
If the other subsidiary symptoms are also there, the anubhāvas.
Then these are confirmations that it’s actually real ecstasy.
But in any case, one can always approach the guru
and explain what happened and get confirmed whether it’s a real ecstasy or not, if there is any doubt.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu did that, approached His guru and asked
whether His ecstasies, they were illusion or something.
And then His guru confirmed that no, these are the real ecstasies, you have love of Kṛṣṇa.
Ecstasy may come in a very advanced stage or may come for a moment as a
little preview of future things to happen.
That’s called like they are seeing the light in the sky before the sun rises, or ābhāsa.
So, there is different degrees of ecstasy.
Maybe someone gets a little glimpse of ecstasy but doesn’t stay, that’s the preliminary stage.
Then when one is more purified and takes more shelter of Kṛṣṇa,
then that ecstasy becomes steady.
It’s called sthāyi-bhāva - fixed ecstasy
and one is always feeling spiritual bliss in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
So we want… we may by Lord Caitanya’s mercy, He gives a little preview of ecstasy.
So many devotees say experience in the kīrtana.
In some festival, a little spiritual ecstasy.
It’s like an impetus.
You want to go on getting purified
and then one will be fixed in that ecstasy without any cessation.
Questioner: Anādi Akṣaya Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapatākā Swami: The gṛhasthas need to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center
and by offering their food to Kṛṣṇa,
by doing regular ārati to the deities,
reading certain amount of śāstra,
all these things help to keep one fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Husband and wife should help each other
to think of Kṛṣṇa.
And you may have Deities in the house
and do the various devotional services
to keep your self Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-18
Jayapatākā Swami: The first thing is to desire.
And you seem to have that desire.
Then you get the mercy from other devotees, from the spiritual master,
pray to the Deities
and do any kind of devotional service,
you can do it like chanting, hearing, serving.
There are nine different types of activities you can do,
do whatever you can do.
Category: [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Bhaktin Nivedita
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: By spiritual knowledge, we can avoid materialistic things.
kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(Cc Madhya 22.31)
(Cc Madhya 22.31)
Where there is Kṛṣṇa, He is like the sun, there is no darkness.
And material life is like darkness.
In order to eradicate the darkness, we need to bring in the light of Kṛṣṇa.
That will naturally solve the problem.
But for new devotees, it is hard for them to under what is spiritual, what is material.
And that is why they need more knowledge,
so that they can understand the difference.
It is not very difficult,
but it is a new way, we are not used to thinking.
Questioner: 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: Keyā Rāṇī
Date: 2023-12-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see if you taste the nectar at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet,
and that is received from Lord Caitanya,
so what can be better than that?
So we take Kṛṣṇa and we take a drop of the nectar from His lotus feet,
that is invaluable.
So, we are getting an opportunity to appreciate the wonderful gift of Lord Caitanya,
by tasting the nectar coming from His lotus feet.
Category: [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Vedavit Kṛṣṇa dāsa [Laguna Beach, California, USA]:
Date: 2022-09-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see someone may take shelter
of one of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions
and may think, “Oh, this is very nice!”
But the thing is that
we want to take shelter at the same time,
develop our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
So he may give us some options
to take shelter of Lord Śiva or others
but as a result
we may take birth again and again.
Because these devas they cannot give mukti.
So Kṛṣṇa, He gives the ideal
protection
and also, He brings one back home back to Godhead.
If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
then you will have many different pastimes
and can see how the Lord protects His devotees.
He is known as Bhakta-vatsala,
how He protected Prahlāda Mahārāja,
how He protected different devotees.
So by reading the pastimes
one should naturally develop faith.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said,
kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara, chāri anācāra,
we want to put Kṛṣṇa in the center of our household life.
We want to just give up the prohibited activities.
Meat eating, intoxication and others.
And if one wakes up with that intention
then naturally, they will try to increase their services of the day.
We want to please guru and Kṛṣṇa.
That is the goal of our life.
The common people, the goal of their life is to have sense pleasure.
But sometimes our senses are pleased and sometimes they suffer.
Just like no one wants fever
but some people get.
Nobody wants the Corona virus,
but some get.
Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa, he read to me one quote that
Sarvajaya Mādhava from Dallas had sent,
something that in the Bible,
they said that stay in your house
for a little time
and let the Lord take His vengeance
and then after that it will all pass!
What a coincidence, how great is our God.
The Government arranged the closure on March 26, 2020, in the Bible verse Isaac 26.20 says “Go home My people and close the doors.
Hide a little until the wrath of the Lord has passed.”
They found this verse in the Bible.
Anyway we are trying to do inter-faith preaching.
Not only the Hindus but get the other faiths to preach.
In America they have mostly Christians.
Middle East mostly Muslims.
We respect all the religions
and we want them to just chant the name of God they believe in.
So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the morning
and every day we do our devotional service,
naturally, that becomes the focus of our life.
We want the husband and wife to work together and cooperate together.
I was so inspired to hear how different gṛhasthas are doing internet preaching!
One gṛhastha said that he was giving four classes a day
in this lockdown period in India
and he had 500 people attending.
One lady was saying how
she had a Japathon
and they were chanting japa,
one person chanted 2 lakhs 11 thousand rounds.
A little child chanted 16 rounds.
Sometimes Japathon, sometimes class,
sometimes Bhakti-vṛkṣa,
different ways they are preaching,
encouraging people to take up to chanting in this time of crisis.
Even in the Supreme Court of India,
they recommended to the Government,
people should do bhajana, kīrtana and namaz.
Questioner:
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: 2023-06-10
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: Anon
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: (Spoken in Hindi – Translated here – Kali-yuga me nāma ke dvāra.
Kalau tad-dhari kīrtanāt.
Nāma ke dvāra bhagavān ko bahut jaldī prāpta ho sakte hain.
Hare Krsna.
Mūrti pūjā dvāpara-yuga me. (The Lord is easily attainable in the Kali-yuga by chanting of the Holy Names)
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Depends what you are thinking!
Generally, I would chant in front of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mūrti.
And I would chant the mantra but I would also be seeing Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Everything connected with Kṛṣṇa is also Kṛṣṇa.
It is not really Kṛṣṇa, but it is not different from Kṛṣṇa.
When we clean the temple, the temple is connected with Kṛṣṇa, therefore we clean our heart.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, in any part of the temple Kṛṣṇa is there.
So guru is connected to Kṛṣṇa
and if you see guru while chanting you will be connected to Kṛṣṇa.
Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like we say we are not the body.
We also say we are not the mind.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said that we should beat the mind in the morning with shoes 108 times.
In the evening beat with a broomstick 108 times.
Who is the boss here, mind or you?
You are the eternal spirit soul and you are the real person.
Not the mind.
We have to tell the mind, who is the boss!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Offense.. is a spiritual thing.
While preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness why would you offend new people ?
We should not refer to anyone
depending on their gender, race.. or color,
anything material.
but encourage people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.
Questioner: Medhāvinī Sakhi devī dāsī
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: So, every day if we read some śāstra,
that will help us to always remember Kṛṣṇa!
In the morning I listen to Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures,
in the evening I hear or read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
During the day I give classes.
But we are told that we should always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Girijā
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is described as a mad elephant.
It can destroy our devotional creeper –
it is very dangerous
to have offensive mentality.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Fault-finding]
Questioner: Ojasvinī Rādhikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: We are advised to always remember Kṛṣṇa,
So, in this age, we can always remember Kṛṣṇa’s name and never forget Him.
And whatever we do, we should chant the holy name
and, in this way, you can always remember Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Ojasvinī Rādhikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: We are advised to always remember Kṛṣṇa,
So, in this age, we can always remember Kṛṣṇa’s name and never forget Him.
And whatever we do, we should chant the holy name
and, in this way, you can always remember Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-28
Jayapatākā Swami: If one unjustly criticizes the devotee has to get forgiveness from that devotee or touch that devotee’s lotus feet.
If he touches his feet, then that can forgive him of all the offence.
Apart from that by worshipping Caitanya Mahāprabhu and feeling repentful,
repentful or sorry for what he has done, one can also overcome offences.
There is no loss or diminution in devotional service.
The only way to avoid offences or to overcome offences is by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
If one falls down into other type of offences, the only hope is to serve Kṛṣṇa.
Again, restart the service.
But for offences, one should try to get forgiveness from those who he has offended;
otherwise, touch their feet, otherwise simply pray to Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Tulasī devī
and other such great devotees of the Lord for being forgiven from these offences.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)]
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: Saccidānanda Gauracandra dāsa
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.
Our tendency is just to neglect our spiritual life.
But naturally we know that the human life
is very short
and that is with little opportunity.
And one moment that goes by,
we cannot get back
even for crores of rupees or millions of dollars or pounds.
So naturally, we would like to utilize
all the energy and resources
and be able to achieve success in this life.
If we think how much we are indebted to guru and Kṛṣṇa,
then naturally we would like to repay our debt.
So where is the time for laziness?
Being born in Nepal, this is a great opportunity
to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
You see on the news how they have different coup d’etat in Africa,
in Latin America
and other places.
So you are very fortunate to be in Nepal.
Why take a chance to be born in hellish places?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya wrote the Śikṣāṣṭaka.
In the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka He said to be humble like a blade of grass and tolerant like a tree.
To offer all respect to others and not to expect any respect for ourselves.
Basically, to be non-envious.
In other words, if you always follow the instructions of Lord Caitanya, you will become non-envious.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!
I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.
So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.
First is śraddhā,
then sādhu-saṅga,
bhajana-kriyā,
anartha-nivṛtti,
niṣṭhā,
ruci,
āsakti,
bhāva
and then prema.
So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.
And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.
That is called anartha-nivṛtti.
And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.
This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.
So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.
The Army and Navy.
Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”
He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”
And now I am in India, I am also an army man!
Questioner: Śaśimukhi Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
he like to walk
when he chanted. He was very active.
So he didn’t like sitting and chanting.
He would walk,
pace back and forth chanting.
So as far as leaving our body,
Kṛṣṇa helps us then.
We should practice chanting in all situations;
because the time of death is of course the most difficult time.
I went to a dentist, he said,
“The greatest suffering is kidney stones,
child birth,
dying
and dental [surgeries]!
Welcome to your dentist!!” [laughter]
So he said that dying is one of the most difficult times.
That is why we need to practice chanting now.
So that we can chant at the time when we leave our body.
But even if we cannot,
if we had remained good and chanted all through our life;
at the time of leaving our body, Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Devotional service is a somewhat gradual process.
After taking initiation,
there is the stage of anartha-nivṛtti,
where the mind is somewhat fluctuating.
Gradually we rise above that,
to become fixed on the level of niṣṭhā.
From there we develop a taste.
Then when you are recognizing your mind is fluctuating,
again and again you have to bring it back to Kṛṣṇa.
In that way you can advance in your devotional service.
Just like, there is a prayer to the mind,
like, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote a book,
Vaiṣṇava Ke?,
I wrote some commentary on that.
Who is a Vaiṣṇava?
He is praying to his mind, what kind of a Vaiṣṇava are you?
It is a very heavy prayer
because he chastises his mind.
And Śrīnivāsa Ācārya wrote a book, Manaḥ Śikṣā,
Teaching the Mind.
So somehow we have to bring the mind under our control.
That is the position of bhakti-yoga.
We don’t let the mind wander,
we keep it engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the time.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: Arjuna asked a similar question
and Kṛṣṇa said that by the sword of knowledge
he should cut the knots of illusion.
So there are different ways to overcome –
one is knowledge.
We have to have knowledge.
Like in Gajendra Mokṣa līlā, the elephant king and the crocodile king were fighting with each other
and they were in the water.
So the elephant realized he was a land animal and the crocodile was a water animal and the crocodile was winning.
Then he prayed to Lord Viṣṇu,
he could remember in his previous life he was a human being,
he was saved by Viṣṇu.
But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that
we should see which place we are stronger to fight māyā.
Even though we may have knowledge and wisdom,
maybe our nature is such that we should be gṛhastha
but if we can control our lust by knowledge and by engaging in service,
keep the mind off from the object of lust,
then maybe that is sufficient.
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: Arjuna asked a similar question
and Kṛṣṇa said that by the sword of knowledge
he should cut the knots of illusion.
So there are different ways to overcome –
one is knowledge.
We have to have knowledge.
Like in Gajendra Mokṣa līlā, the elephant king and the crocodile king were fighting with each other
and they were in the water.
So the elephant realized he was a land animal and the crocodile was a water animal and the crocodile was winning.
Then he prayed to Lord Viṣṇu,
he could remember in his previous life he was a human being,
he was saved by Viṣṇu.
But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda says that
we should see which place we are stronger to fight māyā.
Even though we may have knowledge and wisdom,
maybe our nature is such that we should be gṛhastha
but if we can control our lust by knowledge and by engaging in service,
keep the mind off from the object of lust,
then maybe that is sufficient.
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: Akhilabandhu Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-08-05
Jayapataka Swami: I don’t really understand how favoritism can affect.
Apparently if someone gets some favoritism, still Kṛṣṇa will analyze us as per our situation,
and so, that way we don’t have to worry.
But Kṛṣṇa is seeing all you do in His service
and so if someone gets favoritism how that could be good or not good.
It could be good in the sense if someone gets some facility to do devotional service.
It could be bad in the sense that he gets facilities without much effort.
So, that way he is deprived of certain mercy
from Lord Nitāi-Gaura.
So I wouldn’t worry about it.
You just try to please Nitāi-Gaura, please the Deities
and naturally someone may give you facilities.
You can approach the leaders saying you want more service.
Usually, people who approach like that, they get more service.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave the example that in a nest, the baby bird that chirps the loudest gets the worm.
Questioner: —Sundara Nitāi dāsa, Ujjain.
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Sundara Nitāi dāsa, If you read the books every day, your taste will increase.
And I was reading last night, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that those who are somehow in connection with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
they should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books –
Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and others.
Otherwise, one may fall down and leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness because of inadequate knowledge.
So you can pray to Kṛṣṇa that you can read the books without offence.
And by regularly reading, then you will gradually increase your taste.
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
I think the secret of getting up early is going to bed early.
Also, not eating too much at night,
eat light food.
If you eat heavy, then you sleep heavy.
So light food like poha or mūḍi
or something light.
And eat early.
I eat my dinner at 6 pm.
And then by the time I take rest it is digested.
So then I can get up for maṅgala-ārati every day.
Getting up at 3.30am is a bit early.
The brāhma-muhūrta starts one and a half hours before sunrise.
It is recommended that we should get up in the brāhma-muhūrta.
And that is a little later maybe. I don’t know what time the sun rises in Gujarat?
(approximately 6 am).
So 4.30am should be alright, take a bath.
Maṅgala-ārati starts at 4.30 am in Māyāpur.
What time does it start in Gujarat.
(4.30 am or something).
Anyway, the process is go to bed early and not eat too heavy.
And chant.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Food], [Day-to-day Life / Health], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Maṅgala-ārati], [Sādhanā / Time Management]
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: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, I once had a high fever,
and my body was feeling all kinds of pain.
I am just answering spontaneously.
At that time Śrīla Prabhupāda was giving lectures in Vṛndāvana on the Nectar of Devotion,
I was listening to those.
I felt so much happiness,
but my body was on fire!
So I could see that my happiness had nothing to do with the pain,
it was something different.
And Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a science when you reach a stage where there is happiness
you don’t bother about some of the pain that comes.
Category: [Sādhanā], [Vratās (Austerities)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Very critical,
but you have to think how I can make them devotees.
I met a devotee she was an actress.
She knew the Bhagavad-gītā cover to cover!
But she went to her husband and said, “You are very great, you are very intelligent, please help me!
I cannot understand this verse. Can you help me?”
He read it and that is how he got purified!
It says one daughter-in-law or one devotee in the family can liberate the whole family.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Emotions / Confusion], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
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: Harshita Sharma
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: While balancing all these things,
there is not much time for māyā.
So that is very good,
and you need two hours or so at one point
every day to chant your 16 rounds.
With some experience you can do a little faster.
Then you have to read every day something,
of Śrīla Prabhupāda books.
The other activities,
the material activities
and cultivating the Bhakti-vṛkṣa members,
that will keep you out of māyā.
And so it is a very nice activity,
that you are taking so much responsibilities.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see there will always be some tests.
Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?
You want to serve Kṛṣṇa or you are just playing around.
So many devotees here.
I give class every day, more or less every day.
Wherever you are, Bhopal, Vadodara, you can watch the class,
either by Facebook or Zoom.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 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: 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: Dīpā, London
Date: 2023-12-13
Jayapatākā Swami: My dear spiritual daughter Dīpā,
congratulations on your election as a counselor in the Municipality, in London.
If you know who you offended,
you can ask them to forgive you.
If you don’t know or if they don’t want to forgive you,
you can take the dust from their feet,
or you can take the dust from their shoes outside the temple,
or if you don’t know who you offended,
you can pray to the devotees to please forgive you,
and you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa very seriously and with attention,
and avoid future offences as far as possible.
Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Kiśorī Yoginī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: There is no higher atonement than Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So if one makes a mistake,
then the best remedial method is serving Kṛṣṇa.
So, if you make mistakes,
then you should be more diligent actually, at serving.
The point is that, one should not make sense gratification as the goal of our life.
When we have senses, there will be some sense of pleasure and some suffering.
So Kṛṣṇa explains that, you regulate the activities.
Just like you take prasādam,
just like we have married life,
try to produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
Different activities are regulated.
But the goal is not sense gratification,
the goal is to please Kṛṣṇa.
This world unfortunately is beginning, middle and end is all sense gratification.
They don’t understand anything about Kṛṣṇa in most cases.
Even if they are God conscious, they pray to God to give them some material gratification.
But we should rather want to serve the Lord.
Well, it is expected that you will make some mistakes.
That is why we should be more careful,
after making mistakes,
to practice more sincerely.
Just like a child learning how to walk.
Naturally they will fall down a few times,
but eventually they learn to walk, run, everything.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Thank you!
Questioner: 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: 2024-03-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Mind by nature wanders.
We bring it back by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
You can change your tune, you can chant Pañca-tattva mantra
or if you can look at a picture of Kṛṣṇa or His avatāras,
this way also it helps to fix the mind.
I would chant three rounds and time myself,
how long it takes to chant three rounds.
Because I had many things to do during the day,
so whenever anything would come in my mind I used to write down in my notebook.
Then I don’t have to think about it anymore.
At the end of my japa I would open my notebook and see.
But during the japa I would fix my mind on chanting.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: She asked how can I see Kṛṣṇa?
And what can I do to advance in my Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
We should try that Kṛṣṇa can see us.
And in that way, Kṛṣṇa will be very happy to reveal Himself to you. You serve in such a way that Kṛṣṇa will want to see you and this way you will advance in your devotional service.
How you can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is try to do the things which are pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, my Parama-guru and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s guru,
he would always walk and chant.
He was a very active person.
He could not just sit and chant.
So, some people sit, some people walk, we should just chant well any way and hear our chant as well.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
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: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Five rounds is over 3 million a year!
Gradually as you get older, add some rounds!
Haribol!
Gaurāṅga!
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: You see this material world is a temporary world, aśāśvatam.
And it is a place of suffering.
You can look up the Al Jazeera or TRT World or any other news stations,
you see all the difficulties.
Some countries there is flood,
some countries hurricanes, cyclone,
some country war,
some pandemic,
rising cases.
There is no old age, disease, birth or death in the spiritual world.
There everyone is related to Kṛṣṇa in a loving relationship.
Naturally, one feels loving ecstasy all the time.
So you have your choice. In this material world there is suffering, there is some lust,
temporarily you will satisfy your lust
and you think that is the goal of life.
But that is not what we are actually looking for.
What we are looking for is the spiritual world.
Free life,
free choice.
Spiritual bliss.
There you serve the Lord out of love.
Here you work for some office
because you make them money
and when you are not making money,
they lay you off,
they fire you!
It is a business relation, there is no love.
So it depends what you want.
If you are attracted by love and freedom of all kinds of suffering,
then that is the spiritual world.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to chant more the names of Lord Caitanya more.
Nitāi-Gaura!
These names will melt the hard hearts.
The animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa also started chanting with Lord Caitanya.
Pāṣāṇa vidare!
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
You chant this and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: In the material world there are always provoking situations.
Therefore, it is said we should take shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa,
or taking the shelter of the spiritual master who is Kṛṣṇa’s representative.
If we practice this, then naturally we can become firm.
Questioner: Hemāṇga Haladhara dāsa
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
And you can occasionally pray to Lord Prahlāda Narasiṁha,
but as a regular practice chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
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: 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: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-08
Jayapatākā Swami: How many rounds do you chant?
Devotee: Earlier I used to chant 16 rounds.
Jayapatākā Swami: Okay.
He said that he used to chant 16 regularly
and now he sometimes misses.
You see, you keep track of how many you are short
and later on you make it up.
This way you can keep your standard.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura, we say that he chanted 3 lakhs a day.
Actually, he had a monthly quota.
Some days he would chant more and some days he would chant less.
But average was 3 lakhs a day.
We just chant 1/12th of that which is 16 rounds a day.
Still there may be times when we have difficulties.
You keep track and make it up.
In that way, maybe on Ekādaśī or some holy day,
you chant 64 rounds or 32 rounds,
make up your balance.
Don’t be depressed. Ha! Ha!
Okay?
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-16
Jayapatākā Swami: He should seek pardon from gurudeva
and there is no other way to be in kṛṣṇa-bhakti other than by this way.
He should take the instructions from his gurudeva and do devotional service again.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)]
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: Mādhurī Mamatāmayī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: It can be an offence.
If it is presented in such a way that we respectfully say that this particular thing should not be followed,
the devotee is otherwise is very good, but this particular habit is something that we do not follow.
It is presented in a very constructive way
like Prabhupāda in the 12th chapter of Ādi-līlā Cc. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta) has given the details of the Gauḍīya Maṭhas
break up,
and failure to maintain the instructions of the founder.
So Prabhupāda gave those details to warn us, that we should not do the same thing.
So some of the Gauḍīya Maṭha leaders asked us to take out the 12th chapter.
But we said that we don’t have the right to take out Prabhupāda’s writings.
So depending on how you do it,
if it is to warn someone,
not to follow this example;
then it maybe alright.
You see Prabhupāda was talking about his godbrothers.
If one is a junior devotee is talking about someone who is very advanced or more senior;
it maybe, what you call mariyāda-laṅgana, the transgression of seniority.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: Nothing can disturb your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
if you don’t let it.
And we may get free from all our sinful actions.
But then if we again commit more,
then that is a new situation.
So not only should we get freed from the previous ones,
but we should also avoid making new sinful reactions.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-08
Jayapatākā Swami: How can it have exactly the same effect?
We might be chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names but we are not chanting the mahā-mantra.
You chant any name of Kṛṣṇa, that will have effect but especially powerful is the mahā-mantra: 16 words, 32 syllables.
So, when you leave out a few syllables and names then you are chanting indifferent mantra.
You are chanting 14 words, 30 syllable or 28 syllable mantra or something else.
So, that will reduce some of the effectiveness,
but of course because Kṛṣṇa’s name is Kṛṣṇa, it is very hard to put all that into equations what percent it will be reduced to and so and so forth.
But one should try to say the mantra as it is given; if one is inattentive while chanting, it can’t help, but affect.
Jayapatākā Swami: You listen to the spiritual masters, how they say it, that is the way you should try to say it.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: We take initiation that puts us to the bhajana-kriyā stage.
And the next stage is to get rid of the anarthas,
anartha-nivṛtti.
And you are asking how to get through this stage.
You see, it is very easy!
You learn from your mistakes
and if you keep failing,
you will be tested again and again and again
until you learn
to not succumb to the anarthas.
And if you learn quick,
it is very fast.
Then you can become fixed up.
But if don’t learn
and you keep making the same mistakes again and again,
the it is like in college, if you fail, you have to go and start again,
until you pass the particular course
you have to repeat it.
Anartha-nivṛtti is like that.
So we learn
the hard way
and we get pinched every time we succumb to the anarthas.
But if you learn you don’t get pinched again.
Is it alright?
I am just telling you the truth.
Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa and Acala Hari dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Nārāyaṇī was a great devotee.
If you are not feeling ecstasy, that is your misfortune.
It is not the fault of the remnants,
it’s your lack of adhikāra,
to get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.
You should be lamenting, why you don’t feel ecstasy,
even when you take the prasāda remnants of the Deities.
Jayapatākā Swami: The more we practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
advancement increases.
So, by taking the prasāda of Kṛṣṇa, of Gaurāṅga,
our love for Kṛṣṇa can increase.
Just like getting rid of the anarthās,
and becoming fixed or niṣṭhā,
then we advance step by step,
until we have loving ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa,
then taking prasāda can be an impetus for love of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Sādhanā], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: I was told by someone that when I met Śrīla Prabhupāda, I should offer prayer.
I should humble myself,
I should praise Śrīla Prabhupāda,
and I should ask some benediction.
So I would do this every day.
After a while, since this was a regular sequence,
Śrīla Prabhupāda he would reply sometimes saying surprising things.
I once said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am most fallen.
He said, yes! Ha!
Things like that.
I said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are very merciful!
I am in need of your mercy!
I am very fallen!
I want to serve you, life after life!
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, why do you want me to come back?
You said, life after life, so I have to be here to accept your service!
I thought I was saying the right thing.
So then I said, I want to serve you even life after life.
If you keep me in the material world, then I want to serve you.
Like that.
Anyway, offer prayer I was taught to offer some praise, humble yourself and ask for some benediction.
But you can see what great Vaiṣṇavas have done and you can follow that example.
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he offered his prayers,
you can see how he offered.
Category: [Sādhanā]
In Śaraṇāgati-bhajana, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura spoke about the six aspects of surrendering and also mentioned that Kṛṣṇa hears the prayers of those who practice them. But sometimes I feel that I am not able to practice them properly, especially kārpaṇya or humility. In this situation what should I do so that Kṛṣṇa may hear my prayers?
Questioner: Sudevī Jayaśrī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: We like to think that if we are doing good it is by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
We don’t take any credit for ourselves.
In that way, we stay humble.
If we think we are the doer, then that is also arrogance.
And so we are depending on guru and Kṛṣṇa all the time.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
In the third canto when Brahmājī becomes very pleased with Kardama Muni’s service, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the purport that the disciple should get the instructions from the master and execute it word by word. I understand that in terms of sādhana chanting, reading, following regulative principles, that needs to be done. So how much devotees should have their own initiative in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because we may or may not have the association of the spiritual master?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: How many people here have the Jayapatākā Swami App?
How many read it regularly?
I put up daily things on the Jayapatākā Swami App.
And that way you can have your association with me as closely as you associate with your mobile phone.
I see people talking on their mobile phones often.
They can see the App rather.
I don’t know.
Also, someone told me that I should ask Śrīla Prabhupāda a question.
I should glorify Śrīla Prabhupāda,
humble myself
and ask a question and blessings.
So I was doing that every day.
And then it became like a ritual.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are all merciful,
Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am very fallen.
I want to serve you eternally,
life after life.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said one day, why do you want to make me come back?
I thought I was saying the right thing.
Then I said, I want to serve you even life after life.
If I don’t make it back to Godhead then I want to serve you here.
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]
In this pastime we see Indra committed an offence against Lord Kṛṣṇa. And then he realized that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But later in Kṛṣṇa līlā, he gain starts fighting with Lord Kṛṣṇa when he was provoked by his wife. I want to know why this type of situation happened and how do we overcome this? And in case of Dakṣa Prajāpatī we see he offended Lord Śiva, then he offended Nārada Muni. How do we not do such things and avoid such things?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-02
Jayapatākā Swami: We understand from this that if we get married, it is very important to have a Kṛṣṇa conscious wife!
If the wife is not Kṛṣṇa conscious then she may have you fight with Kṛṣṇa!
This reminds me Śrīla Prabhupāda, in a lecture he was giving in London,
observing his Vyāsa-pūjā.
He said he wanted all his gṛhastha followers to be paramahaṁsas.
And he said how Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a gṛhastha had many children.
One was Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda said we need many personalities like this.
So the gṛhasthas should have such pure devotee children.
Although Lord Indra in the caitanya-līlā pastime, he joined in the kīrtana.
By then he seemed to have learned his lesson!
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]
Questioner: Śānta Gopī Mātājī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya comes after Kṛṣṇa, sometimes.
And Kṛṣṇa comes once in a day of Brahmā,
in the 27th Dvāpara-yuga,
and sometimes Lord Caitanya comes after Him in the next Kali-yuga.
So the four yugas are 4 million 320 thousand years
and Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Kali-yuga are 4, 3, 2, 1 [in that ratio].
So Kali-yuga is one tenth of the other yugas.
So that that is why Kali-yuga is 432,000 years
and we have already been through 5,000 years
and now we have 427,000 years left.
What is the yuga-dharma of the next yuga,
that will be revealed in the various śāstras.
But even if it is Harināma,
some other avatāra of the Lord will initiate this.
In Satya-yuga there was meditation, Tretā-yuga there was yajña and in Dvāpara-yuga there is temple worship.
So that is still 4 million years to the next Kali-yuga.
So you can tell me what is the next yuga-dharma.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]
Questioner: 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: Mādhava Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-10-24
Jayapatākā Swami: An initiated devotee should wear minimum two rounds
and maximum five
That's what I've heard.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that, that will, whole thing will depend on how much amount time the person has, theoretically.
Just like when I came here six months ago, then the Hong Kong Dollar was very strong,
but then after the Prime Minister of England went to Beijing [I don’t know Beijing or Beiking whatever they]
and they told so many things like, “Well, if they are all… that the Chinese government said so many things that we may, we may just throw you out, this or that.”
They were exerting some force, for whatever reason.
Now the Hong Kong Dollar uppsh…(gasps).
Like everybody wants to take the money somewhere else, where it is safe.
They are afraid, “What if they do throw us out, then?
We have to have our money somewhere where it, it won’t, it will be safe.”
Because they are thinking that maybe they won’t have so long after all.
Before that they are thinking, it is going get extend, there is no problem.
So, they won’t worry.
But then they became afraid that, “Well, if we don’t have that much time after all, then we better make some arrangement.”
So, it is like that.
People are thinking, “I am young now, so now I should take care of my material things, when I get old, I will take care of the spiritual matters.”
Well, there are two problems there.
The one problem is that, we do not know how long we are going to live.
Of course, in the normal course of events, we will live to old age.
But that is not that everyone lives to old age.
I do not know the percentage of people who die untimely.
But say at least 25% may die.
Actually, I do not know the exact percent, but a good percentage, not an insignificant number, but a good, significant number die at an age which is young.
So that danger is always there, that if we get suddenly evicted from this body then we will have no alter… then we’ll have no hope.
So that would also make us that we should make some preparation even now.
Just like saving money in the bank.
Therefore, showing to put money now in other accounts overseas, just in case, you see.
That is not for sure.
Hong Kong may be able to make some deal later on and stay here, for some time.
But it is for sure that we have to leave the body That’s for sure! There is no definite… I mean, that is definite, sooner or later.
So that’s the one problem we do not know when.
The other problem is that, even say we live till old age, but to do spiritual practices also is not something that can be just done abruptly.
Naturally, we’ve been practiced… it’s not all the sudden.
If someone can do it immediately, that is also a great, good fortune.
It means some great spiritual asset or blessings have been bestowed on that person.
Prahlāda Mahārāja gave the example that his children friends told him also the same thing, “We don’t want to chant, we don’t want to do this yoga, because we want to play now, we are kids.
When we grow old we will do it.”
He told them, “You play like this for the next ten years as children, then after that you will be busy with your school work and other type of play.
Then you are going to be getting into family life, you are going to have children, you will be working hard to make money to maintain your families, to raise your children, in this way you will be all busy with the family life.
Then in your old age, you will be weak and sick, and you won’t have any energy to travel, or to do anything.
And half your life you are spending sleeping anyway.
So where is the time?
Therefore ‘athāto brahma jijñāsā’ you should inquire now, or uh… uh… uh, ‘kaumāra ācaret prājño’ you should start inquiring and preparing yourself even in the kaumāra, even in the childhood.”
Actually, if a person is already 18 or 20 or 25 years old, that means already 18 years was wasted.
That means one quarter of the life is wasted, because we don’t generally live over 80, maximum is 100.
That means 1/4th of the life or more has already been wasted.
How many? Now you want to waste again how many another quarter?
If you waste another quarter, then you will become so engrossed in family affairs that you won’t be able to stop.
That’s why a person has to start practicing yoga either partially or fully from immediate moment.
Take whatever time is already been wasted, you have to make up for that.
If a person starts up at 75 years, that means he has to make up for 75 years of wasted time.
How is that possible? At that time, you are weaker.
At least if you start at 25, that means 25 years were wasted.
So then, At least you have strength enough to try double speed, to make up for lost time.
So generally, we find that you get people either young or old.
Middle age is very hard because they are already so involved in so many material entanglements.
They don’t find any time.
When they are young, they are just in college, or they are out of high school, or they haven’t yet got married, or got deep into the whole family situation, there is a good chance for them to start the good habits of yoga.
Otherwise, at the end of life we get a few, but usually by the end of life they develop so many bad habits even if they want to practice yoga, they don’t… it is too hard for them to learn at an old age.
It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
So, for these two reasons, one is that we don’t know when we are going to die.
Second is that if we keep delaying it, it becomes harder and harder, and we waste more and more time.
For these 2 reasons we should immediately start the practice of yoga, if at all we want to become free from these material problems and achieve spiritual perfection.
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: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Even if they chant offensively, it is better than not chanting at all.
I was in South India and once, you get these real intellectual type people there.
And he came up to me and said that, “Every religion says that theirs is the only way, you must have faith.
Isn’t there one religion that you don’t need faith? (Laughter).
Will it work even without faith, even you don’t believe?”
I said, “Yes, we have it.
This chanting of the Holy names.
ku Ratnākara, who became Vālmīkī, he had no faith.
He was asked to chant the name of Rāma.
He said I can’t chant any name of anything holy, he couldn’t even say God, nothing like that.
He was told to then chant murder-murder-murder in Sanskrit, mara-mara-mara.
If only that much faith, somehow or another chant, do what the guru ordered, that much minimal faith is required, then do it.
But he had no faith in the holy name as such.
He could not even say it, what to speak of have faith in it.
He was chanting marā-marā-marā-marā-marā.
By chanting marā-marā-marā-marā, because Rāma-Rāma-Rāma-Rāma was being spoken from his lips and as a result he became Vālmīki.
He realized Rāmacandra.
He had the eyes that could see the entire Rāmāyaṇa, 10,000 years before Rāma appeared on this earth.
He was so pure.”
“Ajāmila, he just chanted his son’s name Nārāyaṇa, NĀRĀYAṆA, when he was dying.
Then, just because of that he was saved.
He wasn’t chanting with some great faith, with accident, practically speaking.
If someone chant even just mechanically, without faith, somehow or another they chant, it will gradually have effect.
Obviously, if someone chants with faith, with devotion, with concentration then how much quicker we are at it.
It took Vālmīki a long time of chanting marā-marā-marā to get the same effect.
But nonetheless, there will be some effect.”
Why even Haridāsa Ṭhākura, when Lord Caitanya said that,
“How will all these mlecchas and yavanas will be delivered,
these fishermen, and all these various type of students who always arguing, and never want to get down to the actual reality,
just want to be on a mental platform and so man?
So then, what did Haridāsa Ṭhākura say, “By Your mercy, by this chanting, a nāmābhāsa,
the reflection of the name, it is like when the sun rises, there is a little light before that is called the ābhāsa,
it is just the dim reflection of the, dim reflection of the name, just by that they will be purified.
And like for instance, the Muhammadans when they say harām, they don’t mean hey Rāma,
they mean oh you offensive person, but somehow, they are saying harām.
When the Americans are seeing Ramāyaṇa or something Rāma, so many Rāmas they have in America, Tamil Rāma,
somehow or another, they are already getting the blessings, knowingly or unknowingly.
So, if they actually would chant:
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,
even without much faith, even just as an experiment, just as out of hopelessness or something, out of just why not, tried everything else,
well…
So many people, actually lots of people said to me,
but… Then, by chanting, by gradually see a change in themselves and they try to see that there is something a higher reality,
become a little purified.
Then when they read, when they come in the association of devotees, naturally, they can appreciate more.
Of course, if someone is very offensive to the devotees, very offensive, then it is more difficult.
One place I have Prabhupāda told that, “Just have them chant Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya,
because they are so simple that it will be more effective than chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Even if they are offensive, better they chant, than not chant.
Of course, we have to show the standard of offenseless chanting and preach against committing offenses.
Because if they are committing offenses, they won’t get pure love of God,
they may get liberation, or they may remain as human being, but they won’t get the ultimate goal.
So, want to bring them to the highest benefit, we have to show ourselves,
by our personal example, what is offensive chanting and try to bring people up to that platform.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Nāma-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Vraja Kṛṣṇa dāsa, Māyāpur
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: It is hard to say,
how is the situation in other Kali-yugas.
Previous Kali-yuga was about 4 million years ago.
So, it is hard to say
and we know in this Kali-yuga,
we chant the holy names
and we go back to Godhead.
Please don’t delay.
The next opportunity,
if it is in Kali-yuga,
it is four million years from now.
Lord Caitanya doesn’t come after every avatāra of Kṛṣṇa.
And Kṛṣṇa only comes once in the day of Brahmā.
And a day of Brahmā is a thousand catur-yugas.
And he has an equally long night.
Then he rests.
So, better to take advantage of this opportunity.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Śānta Gopī Mātājī
Date: 2022-10-17
Although the Supersoul is in our heart,
we may not be knowing that;
and we are just doing things as if we are the doer.
We don’t understand that the Lord is actually doing things for us.
So having the Lord fixed in our hearts means that we will be constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
We should be doing everything as a service to Kṛṣṇa.
So it is a whole change of our subtle body,
in the sense that now we feel connection with Kṛṣṇa always.
That means He is fixed in our heart.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-18
Jayapatākā Swami: There is a poem by Śrīla Narottama dasa Ṭhākura,
where he sings śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu dayā kara more – You have come down to deliver the fallen, Patita-pāvana, there is no one more fallen than me. Please have Your mercy on me!
Then he prays to Lord Nityānanda, hā hā prabhu nityānanda, premānanda sukhī: You are always filled with spiritual bliss of love of Kṛṣṇa,
please have mercy on me I very sad, duḥkhī.
You have Nitāi-Gaura here! You pray to them,
that I need mercy,
I am fallen,
I need your mercy more than anyone!
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Mercy]
Questioner: Phāneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Write to me what you think your problem is.
Kuntī Devī, whenever the Pāṇḍavas and Kuntī Devī had problems,
Kṛṣṇa came and saved them.
So whenever they had problems Kṛṣṇa came so she said she wanted to have problems all the time
so that Kṛṣṇa will come all the time.
If you are sincere, then Kṛṣṇa will come to us.
When you have problems then you can remember how Kuntī Devī was saved by Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
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: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa wears black on Amāvasyā day.
Generally black is in the mode of ignorance,
and therefore we don’t usually wear it,
but there may be some exceptions.
I don’t think on Pūrṇimā day Kṛṣṇa wears black!
On Amāvasyā like yesterday, He wore black.
Otherwise, they don’t wear black.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Are you Go-dāsa or Mohana-dāsa.
You listen to your mind?
Tell your mind, shut up! chant!
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
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: Giridhārī Gopīnātha dāsa
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: Gamblers ask, any tip, what horse to bet on?
But here you see Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it should take us not more than about two hours to chant 16 rounds.
So being a manager for many years in ISKCON,
different ideas would trouble my mind of things I had to do.
Today I have to see the DM.
Today I have to buy this, buy that. So many thoughts come in the mind.
So what I do is I have a little notebook
and I would write down the thought
because otherwise the thought would keep coming back, coming back.
I would write the thought to buy something, to do something.
Then I would put the book in my pocket
and would continue chanting.
Sometimes I would see my watch to make sure that I was not taking too much time for chanting.
And I would be concentrating on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mūrti.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Rukmiṇī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-12-19
Jayapatākā Swami: So, first we should know what Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is.
That is why at the time of initiation, we tell the ten offences.
Then, the second thing is that we avoid committing them!
You see, someone may say, oh! I did not know it was an offence!
So first thing you should know these are the offences.
Just like the first offence is to offend a devotee of the Lord.
So you should avoid doing that.
And if you do, then you should get forgiven.
Like Mother Śacī, she committed an offence against Lord Advaita.
So then Lord Caitanya and many associates, they went to see Advaita Ācārya.
He asked what brings everybody here?
Then Lord Caitanya said, “Mother Śacī committed an offence against you, therefore she has come to get your forgiveness.”
And Advaita Ācārya said, “Mother Śacī, Mother Śacī?!!
How can she offend Me?!
She is such a wonderful devotee!
She carried Lord Caitanya in her womb!”
And He started to glorify Mother Śacī for all her devotional service.
And then He was so ecstatic glorifying Mother Śacī,
that He fainted!
Then Lord Caitanya said, “He is not going to forgive you.
So what you can do is take the dust from His lotus feet.
By taking His dust, you will get forgiven.
But if you ask Him to forgive you, He will not do it.”
So then, she took the dust from Advaita Ācārya’s lotus feet
and then everybody chanted Haribol!
The girls, the ladies, did ulu-dhvanī.
Ladies only do that.
I cannot do that!
So like this, then Lord Caitanya, He forgave His mother for her Vaiṣṇava-aparādha.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, all the devotees of the Lord
are very dear to Kṛṣṇa
and even the wife she is very dear to Kṛṣṇa.
So if someone maltreats the wife
or feels envious against another devotee,
Kṛṣṇa will get pain by that.
So we don’t want to give Kṛṣṇa pain, we want to give Him pleasure.
So we should avoid envying anyone.
So you can say that is the only vice that cannot be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We can dovetail greed,
we can be greedy to make more devotees for Kṛṣṇa! Ha!
We can be angry,
angry against those who offend guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Every vice can be somehow dovetailed, except envy.
So envy is such an evil and detrimental thing.
We should see the good qualities of others,
like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says in the third verse of His Śikṣāṣṭakaṁ,
amānīna mānadena,
offer all respect to others,
don’t expect any respect for yourself.
Questioner: Ānandavihārī Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that one doesn’t have to have second initiation.
But no harm in having it.
Then you can do some confidential service to guru and the Deities.
But you go back to Godhead even after the first initiation.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Ānandavihārī Kṛṣṇa dāsa
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that one doesn’t have to have second initiation.
But no harm in having it.
Then you can do some confidential service to guru and the Deities.
But you go back to Godhead even after the first initiation.
Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Sloth], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
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: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: First of all, if you find that you have offended a devotee or offended the spiritual master, then you should bow down or something and beg for forgiveness.
And in the future, you have to be careful to pray for forgiveness, and avoid this habit.
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: Keya Rāṇī
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: So there are three options:
Like Satī devī, you can immediately burn yourself up
and if that is not possible,
then you can protest and defeat that person.
If that is not possible,
then leave the place.
Questioner: Bhāgyaśrī
Date: 2023-07-10
That we can always respectfully ask the devotee
why they are doing something like that.
If we know that they are new devotees, they don’t know what they are doing,
but if we have to correct them, they may feel embarrassed or something.
So it depends on the situation,
whether it is a senior devotee,
equal or new devotee.
So accordingly, if it is a senior devotee, we will ask first,
if he is equal devotee,
maybe in a more friendly way,
depending on the status
and our relationship,
we should act accordingly.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Fault-finding]
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: Akshas Sukhla
Date: 2022-12-02
Jayapatākā Swami: By reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
by getting the degrees,
that would be very pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda
and be very fixed up in your Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Śrīla Gurumahārāja! We understand that this is a mercy movement, and we also talk about that people are unqualified and they progress with the help of mercy. At the same time, we have certain standards for initiation and there are other standards. So sometimes devotees say that if a devotee is not able to meet the standards, no problem, by the mercy of the spiritual master, he will come to the standard. So sometimes, he should be allowed for initiation. So, how do we strike the balance between meeting the standards at the same time of course, mercy is required.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was telling Lord Nityānanda
in Jagannātha Purī
that We have come down to this material world
and We had promised We would deliver four kinds of people
who are normally not delivered.
He said the mūrkhas,
the nīcas,
the patītas
and the duḥkhitas.
So the foolish who think they are the body,
people who are born in low birth,
Kali-yuga everyone is considered like a śūdra
or even lower.
And then patīta, the fallen,
like one English gentleman requested a sannyāsī that, “I want to be a brāhmaṇa”.
“Yes, we can make you a brāhmaṇa”, the sannyāsī said.
“What do I have to do?”,the gentleman asked.
The sannyāsī said, “Just give up eating meat, fish and egg,
taking intoxication,
gambling
and illicit sex.
Do these four things and you can become a brāhmaṇa.”
“It is impossible,” the gentleman said.
“That is my life!”
So, people in the West they are by nature, patīta.
The Indians they want to follow the Westerners,
so they are also becoming patīta.
As a result, they naturally feel sad.
Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (Bg. 8.15) – Kṛṣṇa described this material world as a place of suffering.
But it is temporary.
Suffering is temporary, enjoyment is temporary,
everything is temporary.
That is why people in this world are very sad.
Trying to be happy but that produces sadness.
These four kinds of people Lord Caitanya said He came down to deliver.
We find that even like Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura he was a kṣatriya, he was a crown prince, he abdicated his throne
and he took up pure devotional service.
He said, “I am very fallen, I am very patīta,
please have Your mercy on me.”
Actually, he was not fallen,
but he presented himself like that to get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.
So, we humbly present ourselves as fallen, anyway we are fallen but anyway,
we find that Lord Caitanya’s devotees, they presented themselves in a very humble way.
So if you have someone who is fallen, he can pray to Nitāi Gaura for Their mercy.
Proof that they have this mercy, is to give up these four things.
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: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: As I said, any offence is multiplied a thousand times in Vṛndāvana.
In Māyāpur Śrīla Prabhupāda said it is especially good for gṛhasthas.
The material world is designed in such a way that even if you don’t want to, you are obliged to commit some offences, some sins.
So that is why we recommend that people stay a short time in Vṛndāvana and then go out.
In the short time they can be very careful.
But if they stay here permanently,
then they may commit some sinful activities.
That is just the fact.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
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: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-18
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean, at the time of initiation, we usually have someone give a class on the ten offences to the holy name
That is very important.
The other offences he does not consider so much and He usually forgives someone.
There was this Cāpāla Gopāla he had put lot of things, blood and things outside the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.
So, he got leprosy.
And at that time he was staying outside the city of Navadvīpa.
Lord Caitanya with His kīrtana party happened to go there.
He fell at Lord Caitanya’s feet and said, “Please have mercy on me!”
He said, “No you cannot have any mercy.
I will not give any mercy, you have offended My devotee.”
So the devotees went to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and said, “You have to forgive this Cāpāla Gopāla.
Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura said, “How can I be offended?I am lower than the stool!
I am lowest of the low.”
They said, “Listen Śrīvāsa, you want someone to suffer because of you?”
“No, no, no, no!
No one should suffer because of me.”
“Whether you think you are a devotee or not, you have to forgive Cāpāla Gopāla.
Otherwise, his destiny is very bad.”
“Alright, then I will do that.”
So then Śrīvāsa went
and then Cāpāla Gopāla pleaded, “Please forgive me for my offences.”
Then Śrīvāsa said, “Yes, I forgive you.”
As soon as he said, Lord Caitanya appeared out of nowhere
and He embraced Cāpāla Gopāla. Haribol! Haribol!
So we have to be careful
of offending devotees.
But Lord Caitanya is very merciful. If we get forgiven by the devotee, He will forgive you.
He told Mother Śacī that since she had offended Advaita Gosāñī she will not get love of Godhead.
Devotees, were like, “Mother Śacī, she is Your mother, how she cannot love of Kṛṣṇa?”
Lord Caitanya said, “When My brother took sannyāsa she said, maybe because of Advaita Ācārya’s preaching.
So, in this way she had offended Him.”
So He took Mother Śacī over to Advaita Ācārya and Advaita Ācārya asked, “What are all these devotees here about?”
“Śacīmātā has offended You and You have to forgive her.”
“She cannot offend Me, she is a very good devotee!” He started glorifying Śacīmātā
and He became so ecstatic glorifying Śacīmātā
that He fainted.
Lord Caitanya told Śacīmātā, “He is never going to forgive you.
He did not think that you can offend Him.
You take the dust from His lotus feet
and that way you will be forgiven.”
So Śacīmātā took the dust
from Advaita Ācārya’s lotus feet
and put it on her head
and she was forgiven!
And after that she got love of Godhead!
Any other question.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Mercy]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in nava-vidha-bhakti the first two are śravaṇam and kīrtanam – hearing and chanting.
You can chant the holy names you and listen.
The other sevā is pāda-sevanam.
If you can give some of the fruits of your work to serve the Lord.
This way, you remember the Lord – smaraṇam.
When you worship the Deities, that is arcanam.
When you pay obeisances, that is vandanam.
So, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he did all the nine practices of devotion that is ātma-nivedanam.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in nava-vidha-bhakti the first two are śravaṇam and kīrtanam – hearing and chanting.
You can chant the holy names you and listen.
The other sevā is pāda-sevanam.
If you can give some of the fruits of your work to serve the Lord.
This way, you remember the Lord – smaraṇam.
When you worship the Deities, that is arcanam.
When you pay obeisances, that is vandanam.
So, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he did all the nine practices of devotion that is ātma-nivedanam.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-13
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, first before we chant the mahā-mantra, we chant the Pañca-tattva mantra.
And after that Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Now if the mind wanders away, we can keep some picture of Kṛṣṇa and focus on that to bring the mind back.
Also, you can time yourself to see how long you take to chant.
If your mind wanders off, you can also change the tune.
One way or other you can bring the mind back.
And after a while your mind gets purified
and then you can chant more and more.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
We have been following Kṛṣṇa consciousness for so many years. Generally, devotees we see that in the process we have ups and downs. So when we take the case of Bharata Mahārāja, he was so sincere, he was so renounced, and he did his Kṛṣṇa consciousness so carefully, but there we hear that in the bhāva stage he was attracted and had to take another birth because of the offence that he did in a previous birth which he did not even know about. How to come out of it and what is the remedy when we do not know what offences we have committed?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, even Bharata Mahārāja who fell down took birth as a deer.
But Kṛṣṇa was merciful on him, and he could remember his previous lives.
The next birth he birth as a brāhmaṇa,
Jaḍa Bharata
and he was taken by some dacoits to be offered to Bhadra-Kālī as a balidāna, sacrifice.
But Bhadra-Kālī, she was so angry because he was a pure devotee.
She killed all the dacoits
and saved Jaḍa Bharata.
So we should just do our devotional service and even if we have done some unknown offence,
Kṛṣṇa will protect us if we do devotional service.
Now, this planet is known as Bhārata-varṣa.
And still India is called as Bhārata.
It is named after the king Bharata.
We have so many varieties of devotional service, like chanting, reading Śrīla Prabhupāda, Deity worship and visiting holy dhāmas. Sometimes we see that when we are more attracted to one method the other methods are getting less importance and we are not able to do them. So whether more reading or more of chanting, or more of Deity worship or more of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books reading, which one is more important?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: In every yuga, there is a particular, which is most important.
In Kali-yuga, śravaṇam kīrtanam is most important.
Reading books is one form of śravaṇam.
There are nine practices of devotional service
and by practicing any one then also it is possible to be delivered.
But in Kali-yuga it is especially recommended that we chant and hear.
But we should chant, hear remember,
pay obeisances, offer prayers
and do the arcanam,
and do pāda-sevanam, do some service,
considering oneself as the servant of the Lord,
considering the Lord as one’s friend
and offering everything to the Lord,
ātma-nivedenam.
These are the nine practices of devotional service.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
We have so many varieties of devotional service, like chanting, reading Śrīla Prabhupāda, Deity worship and visiting holy dhāmas. Sometimes we see that when we are more attracted to one method the other methods are getting less importance and we are not able to do them. So whether more reading or more of chanting, or more of Deity worship or more of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books reading, which one is more important?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: In every yuga, there is a particular, which is most important.
In Kali-yuga, śravaṇam kīrtanam is most important.
Reading books is one form of śravaṇam.
There are nine practices of devotional service
and by practicing any one then also it is possible to be delivered.
But in Kali-yuga it is especially recommended that we chant and hear.
But we should chant, hear remember,
pay obeisances, offer prayers
and do the arcanam,
and do pāda-sevanam, do some service,
considering oneself as the servant of the Lord,
considering the Lord as one’s friend
and offering everything to the Lord,
ātma-nivedenam.
These are the nine practices of devotional service.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
We know that Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to give this love of Godhead mainly when we chant the holy names and when we spread the holy names. So, we see around us many leaders, those who are engaged in missionary activities, and they are assisting in spreading the holy name, but when it comes to taking deeply shelter of the holy name, we do not get much inspiration from them because of their being so much engaged in their service. They may be serving so extensively but when it comes to personal sādhana, it may not be so inspiring for us. How do we understand this? Just because they are engaged in the mission will Lord Caitanya give them love of Godhead or they have to work hard to attain śuddha-nāma?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: We do not worry about others.
Kṛṣṇa will judge.
And we try to engage ourselves completely in devotional service.
Just like, I was attending two meetings,
GBC meeting
and then the MOVP meeting,
Museum of the Vedic Planetarium.
During that time, I was chanting on the pedal.
I was hearing and chanting
and at the end of four hours, I chanted 1,924 mantras.
My right hand is not paralyzed but paresis,
don’t have any feeling.
Anyway, while exercise I chant
Somehow or other I always chant.
In this way, I see that one can chant at all times.
We know that Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to give this love of Godhead mainly when we chant the holy names and when we spread the holy names. So, we see around us many leaders, those who are engaged in missionary activities, and they are assisting in spreading the holy name, but when it comes to taking deeply shelter of the holy name, we do not get much inspiration from them because of their being so much engaged in their service. They may be serving so extensively but when it comes to personal sādhana, it may not be so inspiring for us. How do we understand this? Just because they are engaged in the mission will Lord Caitanya give them love of Godhead or they have to work hard to attain śuddha-nāma?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: We do not worry about others.
Kṛṣṇa will judge.
And we try to engage ourselves completely in devotional service.
Just like, I was attending two meetings,
GBC meeting
and then the MOVP meeting,
Museum of the Vedic Planetarium.
During that time, I was chanting on the pedal.
I was hearing and chanting
and at the end of four hours, I chanted 1,924 mantras.
My right hand is not paralyzed but paresis,
don’t have any feeling.
Anyway, while exercise I chant
Somehow or other I always chant.
In this way, I see that one can chant at all times.
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: 2023-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: In the 18th chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.
So, there He says He will destroy all the sinful reactions.
If you have offended any devotees,
then you should see how you can beg forgiveness and touch their lotus feet.
Or do something which will help others to be Kṛṣṇa conscious and get forgiven for the offences.
Like Mādhāi he apologized to Nitāi
that, “I hit You!”
But Nityānanda said, “No, I took it like a mother kicked the baby.”
Then Mādhāi said, “I have offended many other Vaiṣṇavas of the dhāma,
how can I get forgiven for that?”
So, then Nityānanda Prabhu advised him to build a bathing ghāṭa
so that he will facilitate people to go and take bath in the Ganges,
and thereby he would get forgiven for his offences.
So one of the ghāṭas in Navadvīpa is Mādhāi-ghāṭa.
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: Kackulī Rāṇī
Date: 2022-09-21
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends on how bad he is
and if he is slightly offensive or fully offensive.
We don’t want liberation by the impersonal method,
and that is something we reject.
I don’t know what type of liberation that person gets.
So the guru is giving instructions to help us
so that we can achieve the spiritual perfection
and we should appreciate what the spiritual master tells us.
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-25
Jayapatākā Swami: But it’s Just… Of course, like one time one mataji in Māyāpur..
was telling Prabhupāda, "I don’t want to do any more service, I want to just chant.
I want to Just chant.”
Prabhupāda said, “Just chant?”
Chanting is not just chanting.
This chanting is the topmost of all our activities.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura, He was, He was perfect simply by chanting,
you see.
But you can just chant, you can simply chant, you can stay here,
and you sleep two to four hours a day,
and you chant the rest of the whole time, and you eat once a day.
That’s why I made Māyāpur, Vṛndāvana for anyone who wants to you know "Just chant."
If someone wants to simply chant, let them come to the holy dhāma.
Not that you chant in New York city or somewhere.
You chant in the holy dhāma and you don't eat,
only once a day and you reduce your sleep and you chant the whole time.”
And then Prabhupāda laughed and said, "You cannot do it.
You will chant for two hours and,
you chant for one hour and you go to sleep”.
Therefore, I have given you so much service.
You see.
Don't think… Chanting is the most difficult thing.
It is the most difficult thing to chant with full consciousness, with full attention,
with full enthusiasm and not to become distracted.
It is the most difficult... you see.
So...
that’s why Prabhupāda said, “Work now, samādhi later.”
That by doing this preaching, by doing this service, by becoming purified,
we get the qualification, then we can chant more, then we can read more,
then we can concentrate more.
It doesn't work the other way.
Of course, we are always chanting too, but to chant more than 16 rounds a day,
is in the beginning stages it’s not that productive as to engage fully 24 hours a day in constant devotional service,
especially in preaching activity.
Not only because now there's an emergency situation, just like when the house is on fire,
that now preaching is the most, is the most essential,
It's especially required that even if a person was capable or is capable of chanting,
even then…
One time we were chanting in Calcutta temple.
I remember that we were all chanting 32 rounds,
and Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami came and told Prabhupāda that,
“Acyutananda Maharaj, Jayapatākā, this one, that one, they are all chanting 32 rounds.”
And we were, they brought us in.
“So, you, and Jay doing that?”
“Yes” (laughter)
He said.. that,
“If you sit and chant 32 rounds, then who is going to go out and preach?
This is my order, you chant 16 rounds and immediately go out and preach,
otherwise who is going to do the preaching?”
Even if we can do the chanting, Prabhupāda wasn’t very impressed.
You see.
Of course, not that...
this is the specifics – particular advice at that moment.
You see, there might be other advices for other people in other situations.
But he wanted us to go out and establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness in India.
And if we are sitting the whole day and chanting japa then what's going to happen?
So, in that sense Prabhupāda, even if a person was capable of chanting,
still Prabhupāda wanted us priority to preach.
And actually, by preaching, what chanting one does do,
one can actually appreciate more intensely.
So, this preaching is something very wonderful.
It is an actual science.
It’s a whole science of preaching.. that this is a special benediction,
a special opportunity for us to make very rapid advancement.
And.. especially in Kali-yuga there are unlimited opportunities to preach.
In Satya-yuga.. you know you won’t get that fired up for preaching,
because here now the māyā is so obvious that preaching is....
and the mercy of Lord Caitanya is so great,
that the contrasts are so intense or so... vivid!
You see that here is the greatest mercy,
and at the same time here is practically greatest sinful activities going on.
And a person, if they someone or other can just be brought to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa,
to engage in reading Prabhupāda’s books and doing some devotional service,
can gradually come up to that platform.
It's a very great opportunity.
And then we can actually relish chanting.
By.. our organizing systems others so many others can chant,
then we are reaping the benefit also.
Just like a commission from everyone chanting.
So that way it’s...
like a pyramid letter or, something like that,
chain letters?
Just like that you're getting so many transcendental... results
for every person that engages in devotional service.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, devotees always depend on Kṛṣṇa.
When we face some challenge,
we have to learn how to depend on Kṛṣṇa.
He is in our heart
and He knows what we are facing.
So if we say, Kṛṣṇa, what should I do in this case?
He can give us intelligence,
how to face the problem.
And He mentioned that in the Bhagavad-gītā.
For His devotees, He gives the intelligence by which to serve Him.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
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: 2023-06-10
How to develop favourable devotional attitude?
we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.
If we really understand what is our self interest?
What is helping us?
And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.
Start to get lined up.
Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.
Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.
Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.
So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,
So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.
Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.
And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.
Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.
Lord Kṛṣṇa He has said that He is the higher of all living entities and so he is the higher of the devas and he is the one who fixes people’s faith on different devas.
When a person fully takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa then they need to see Kṛṣṇa in everything including the devas.
If they can see devas then there is no problem but the Kṛṣṇa the devas they got confused about how that two relate with each other then its obstacle.
So that’s why the devotees should understand that the devas are all great devotees of God.
His expansion in the Vedas what we call it as sahasra śīrṣāḥ puruṣaḥ What that mantra called?
In the puruṣa śūkta how all the devas are different parts of the body of the lord in the Viśvarūpa also mentions that so that devas are the arms representing so we understand that the devas are the devotees of the lord and we offer them respect as devotees then that is no problem.
If we go to the devas and asks If we go to the devas and asks the devas a blessing to be a better devotee of Kṛṣṇa then there is no problem.
But if we go to the devas and asks the same thing that the devas asking from Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa asks who do you really take shelter me or him?
If you want to take from him then all right no need to take from me.
But the devas they can give us the ticket back to Kṛṣṇa they can help us in many ways.
I was just reading this morning in Bhāgavatam when Kṛṣṇa had disappeared from Dvāraka when he was looking for the Śyāmantaka jewel all the residents of Dvāraka went to durgā and they prayed to durga please bring Kṛṣṇa back to us we want Kṛṣṇa back.
So out of love for Kṛṣṇa they prayed to the divine mother to bring Kṛṣṇa back.
So in someways that devotees of Kṛṣṇa ven prayed like that the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyinī to Pārvatī her name is Katyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband so such things are all right for devotees.
Everytime I go to deva temple I always pray to deva for blessing to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to spread the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya because I know that because this is what they all want.
If we read in the Purāṇas
the devas are fighting with the demons you know how much they want us to spread us this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
That’s really what they want?
When a person dies the soul leaves the body three or ones if we pick this one we can lack again.
what is the best method?
Bhakti-yoga.
Kṛṣṇa said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti – except for my devotee no one else can know me.
If you want to come to me you want to come by surrendering unto me.
Every time is good 24 hours a day but the best time to start your meditation is called brahma-muhūrta which is an hour and a half before sunrise.
But if we can’t do that time do any time we can do.
That’s the best time according to sastras.
So we should do all the time.
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: 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: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting!
We should be very cautious about māyā.
Māyā tries to take us away.
She is very strict.
One devotee when he joined ISKCON, his father offered him a million dollars
to leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
He did not leave!
I mean, how many here would be tempted by eight crores?
So, sometimes māyā gives one some incentives,
sometimes māyā gives one suffering,
and so we have to be very cautious.
So we should always keep ourselves surrendered at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.
What we should be conscious about is to do everything for the service of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting!
We should be very cautious about māyā.
Māyā tries to take us away.
She is very strict.
One devotee when he joined ISKCON, his father offered him a million dollars
to leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
He did not leave!
I mean, how many here would be tempted by eight crores?
So, sometimes māyā gives one some incentives,
sometimes māyā gives one suffering,
and so we have to be very cautious.
So we should always keep ourselves surrendered at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.
What we should be conscious about is to do everything for the service of Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we offer daily guru-pūjā
and on the Vyāsa-pūjā we offer the puṣpāñjali three times.
That way we pray that we may be forgiven for any knowing or unknowing offences.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: 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: 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: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: The devotee, when a devotee render pure devotional service,
that’s attractive to the Lord. The conditioned soul, acting in the material world,
independently is that nothing really very attractive about that to the Lord.
In accordance with their desire to serve the Lord, in accordance with their desire to approach the Lord,
it becomes more attractive. It is more glorious when someone wants to do some religious principle.
It is even better if they want to become liberated from the material world.
But he when he realizes the super soul but, the best is when someone is engaging in pure devotional service.
That’s really attractive for the Lord. Just like we have a small child but
when the baby is relating with you, depending on you, there is some attraction there.
Even though one sense insignificant but in another sense and especially
when the baby is trying to say their father’s name, they recognize and say you know,
“da, da” or something, that’s a special.
So, it is a happiness for the mother and father you know, it’s like a little high point there.
So, when the conditioned soul remembers Kṛṣṇa and wants to serve Kṛṣṇa,
that pure devotional service is attractive even to Kṛṣṇa.
Not only attractive, but it can purchase Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa promises to reciprocate although we are insignificant, but if we give our whole self to Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa would give His whole self to us. Talk about a business deal. (laughter)
There’s no great king or great person even if some political follower
gives his wife you know for the leader, this leader is not gonna reciprocate
and give everything just for the one little person.
Because he has this one person, he has to see over so many.
But Kṛṣṇa being unlimited, He can individually expand and individually relate to each devotee.
He is not limited like that. So, He can reciprocate, although we are insignificant
but He can, He is so unlimited that He can relate with each insignificant part of Him.
He is not limited.
But like one president, he has got millions or 250 million people,
how can he personally relate with each individual.
It is beyond his capacity. He can only have a cabinet of 20 people and
talk with a few congress committee chairmen.
He can hardly relate to all the representatives in the house of congress.
What to speak of you know in a personal way. It would take his whole time.
He has only 24 hours in a day.
But Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. He is not limited by time also.
In the spiritual world, there is no limitation of time.
So, Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself unlimitedly. He can be having unlimited simultaneous pastimes
going on. So, because of Kṛṣṇa’s grace, although we are so insignificant,
that doesn’t limit Kṛṣṇa because He is so unlimitedly great.
He can relate and He becomes attracted when we approach Him in pure devotional service.
Not only that, They have to purchase. The way to attract even when we do a little devotional service.
He is attracted. Is that clear?
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 1. We should observe it after that.
And plead to Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness.
Questioner: Keya Rani
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: 1. We should observe it after that.
And plead to Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Take initiation!
We don’t believe that we deliver ourselves.
We believe that our guru and Kṛṣṇa delivers us!
And we simply try to carry out Their instructions.
If you think you are not able to deliver yourself, that is natural, we should not think we can deliver ourselves.
You are saying it is right to say – I can deliver myself, I don’t need anyone! Is that right?
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: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-25
Jayapatākā Swami: If a person...
renders devotional service without...
hearing and chanting,
that is basically what karma-yoga is.
Doing some service, of course karma-yoga,
maybe that one is working and giving the fruits of the labor.
So if it is doing something which is specifically ordered by the guru,
then of course it comes more under bhakti.
The problem without chanting and hearing,
is that the consciousness does not become purified.
The power.. of purification in this Kali-yuga,
is in the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Just like in every age, there is a yuga-dharma.
So, in general, devotional service is...
is to be performed.
But in this age, just like in the other age meditation was the system, then sacrifice,
and temple worship.
So, this age the system to purify the consciousness is hearing and chanting, saṅkīrtana.
If a person just renders devotional service without hearing and chanting,
then the danger is that the person is..
getting spiritual credit,
but the desire to engage in material activity may not be counteractive.
That desire, that seed is there in our heart to engage in materialistic activity
and to counteract that we need the mercy of Nityānanda.
We need to fill our hearts with spiritual happiness,
you see.
So, rendering devotional service is sensitive,
we are still a bit too covered up to be able to fully relish..
the real.. benefit of...
of the service that he is doing at that time.
And so, the danger is that the person can become misled again into material activities.
It's like...
when you are on some battleship which is.. firing but does not have its radar,
doesn’t have the defenses.. you know, it's only.. it’s doing something,
but it does not have any defense.
The chanting is both defense as well as offense both,
but it actually protects us and gives us the opportunity, that ability to relish.
It gives us the spiritual realization for just the service alone.
In this particular age, it's difficult for one to actually...
be able to.. experience the transcendental...
happiness and transcendental realization just by their service.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Firstly, we should avoid doing aparādhas.
At the time of initiation, you read the ten offences of the holy name.
This is the system so that we don’t break the regulative principles.
First, if we commit an offence to someone knowingly,
then we can pray for forgiveness.
In Māyāpur, there is a place where specially we go we get freed from Vaiṣṇava aparādha.
Aparādha-bhañjanera-kuliyā-pāḍa
And if you did some aparādhā it can get forgiven by touching the feet of the devotee you offended.
And I have seen many shoes outside. I see devotees touching those shoes.
You should try to avoid committing offences.
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: 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: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why were you able to read more earlier and not now?
Please try that you do not commit any Vaiṣṇava-aparādhā amongst each other and forgive each other.
You can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra and Nitāi-Gaura names and thus make advancement in spiritual life.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why were you able to read more earlier and not now?
Please try that you do not commit any Vaiṣṇava-aparādhā amongst each other and forgive each other.
You can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra and Nitāi-Gaura names and thus make advancement in spiritual life.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know who your guru is but for my disciples, if they have to, they can use the counting machine.
Since I had a stroke in 2008, my right side doesn’t fully cooperate.
So I have to chant by my left hand.
And Rādhānātha Swami gave me some chanting machine.
Now I do more than 16 rounds.
But I have to like do exercises in the morning and when I exercise, I also chant and keep track of that.
When I walk in the pool, I chant, each step is half a mantra.
So I promised Śrīla Prabhupāda I would chant 16 rounds of 108 mantras each.
That is 1,728.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know who your guru is but for my disciples, if they have to, they can use the counting machine.
Since I had a stroke in 2008, my right side doesn’t fully cooperate.
So I have to chant by my left hand.
And Rādhānātha Swami gave me some chanting machine.
Now I do more than 16 rounds.
But I have to like do exercises in the morning and when I exercise, I also chant and keep track of that.
When I walk in the pool, I chant, each step is half a mantra.
So I promised Śrīla Prabhupāda I would chant 16 rounds of 108 mantras each.
That is 1,728.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-12-22
Jayapatākā Swami: Rādhārāṇī always thinks how I can surrender more unto Kṛṣṇa.
If we think that we are ready to face death, that is not right, then we may get lazy.
But if we have eagerness to understand devotional service all the time
then that will always be beneficial for us.
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla Dāsa [Indore]
Date: 2022-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: So your question is being answered by Vidura.
He did not get upset, he saw that, he took it as an opportunity to increase his Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
You should not become morose, maybe by this you get rid of bad karma.
And in the material world there is this kind of false criticism.
That is why we want to transfer you to the spiritual world.
You are coming from Madhya Pradesh.
Nice to hear how people are hearing the class from Madhya Pradesh.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes when we are chanting we forget Kṛṣṇa.
But by chanting our mind can come back to thinking about Kṛṣṇa.
So we should keep chanting.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-25
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, there is two types of service to guru –
vapu-sevā
and vāṇī-sevā.
When I am personally present and you are doing some personal service,
that is called vapu-sevā.
But otherwise, vāṇī-sevā to serve the spiritual master by following his instructions.
So if you make devotees, if you study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,
engage in some form of devotional service,
I get very happy by that.
And it is not necessary that you have to be where I am.
You can carry out my instructions anywhere.
Jayapatākā Swami: You know, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it took him twenty years for him.
How many lifetimes it will take for us, I don’t know!
But we try to do service for Lord Kṛṣṇa,
for Śrīla Prabhupāda, for guru
and this way, eventually the devotional ecstasy, devotional service increase.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You should try to not let go the bead.
Normally, we start where we stop chanting on the beads.
?
You can chant when you are thinking about Kṛṣṇa as well.
That is why you can take the beads out of your bag and chant holding the beads with two hands.
And when we keep chanting, we are thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
It is natural to think of Kṛṣṇa when we are chanting.
But we have to keep chanting.
I hope that all my disciples will not have this problem that when they think of Kṛṣṇa while chanting, they stop chanting.
They have to chant 16 rounds.
They have to chant 16 rounds.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that we are Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas.
So, on all the viṣṇu-tattvas days – Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, Gaura Pūrṇimā, we fully fast, we do anukalpa, take Ekādaśī.
But other forms of Viṣṇu, it is optional.
So, every form of Lord Kṛṣṇa has got a particular mood.
We generally, someone wants to pray for the health of guru or some loved one,
we pray to Lord Narasiṁhadeva.
When one wants special mercy to become Kṛṣṇa conscious we pray to Pañca-tattva,
and if we want to have appreciation for the sweetness of Lord Kṛṣṇa then we pray to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa
or Rādhā Kālacāndajī!
So depending on what you want,
you may go to that form of the Lord.
Creation is done by Brahmā, maintenance is done by Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu,
destruction is done by Mahādeva.
But they are all expansions in one way or other of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and then ultimately of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
From Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma come the catur-vyūha, Nārāyaṇa, then the second catur-vyūha,
then comes Mahā-Viṣṇu.
In every universe there is a Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu,
and in every heart, every atom there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
So if you pray to Kṛṣṇa, you pray to everybody.
Some people pray to a particular form, they like some form. Some are Rāma-bhaktas, some are Varāha-bhaktas.
But the original form is Kṛṣṇa
and first expansion is Balarāma.
So Lord Caitanya is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa
and Lord Nityānanda is Balarāma.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Attachment.
All off of… Sometimes the stress is external.
Sometimes obstacles are put up by demons.
So that creates a kind of distressful situation,
but if a person by learning to surrender to Kṛṣṇa in those times, by being tolerant, you see...
We have to learn tolerance.
Something that we have forgotten.
Something that can be, tolerance level can be built up, you see.
Just like in the airplane, I was flying over… and... Singapore Airline, there was one person who was very nasty to the steward.
But the steward completely kept his cool and just returned by saying, “Yes, sir,
I will…" The person was completely obnoxious, completely off the wall or something.
But the person just became very cool in reciprocation and just very suavely, you know, replied the person.
I was in Eastern Airways and some person who had drunk a few drinks just said a little something.
An American guy said, “You are not getting any drinks!
You want to stay on the plane?
No drinks! Otherwise, you get off!”
This is the way he dealt, you know.
A person immediately... He could have held it nicer.
“Listen buddy, you had too many.
Take it easy,” you know.
But no, the guy was so much on the air that steward, that as soon as he said, immediately, you know, he got all riled up.
So, you know, it’s a question of training.
Therefore, Singapore Airline gets a number one rating in the world, and Eastern is not within the rating, within America.
They don’t make even the top ten anyway.
But Singapore and Swiss are considered to be the best service in the world in terms of airline just because the stewards there are trained.
So, we can also be trained in tolerance, you see.
Generally, in America, we are trained not to be very tolerant for any kind of austerity.
Rather they go out to no end of creating new inventions - how you can avoid any kind of austerity, you see.
While living in India, one has to always take austerity because there is just no facility for aust… for anything but austerity.
There is no modern facilities like that but... on one level.
Here I find it very austere in the West for other reasons.
Different type of austerities.
Anyway, it is all relative.
But the main thing is we build up our tolerance to accept these different kinds of difficulties that may come up.
And rather than relate with them or start to become body-conscious and mental-conscious unnecessarily -
to become agitated by them, we overcome them by fixing our mind on Kṛṣṇa.
Just like it says in the Nectar of Devotion, “Say that you stub your foot,
at that moment instead of saying ouch or something or whatever some other thing, then you say Kṛṣṇa.
So that you don’t have to take another… just by that alone, you can get liberation.”
So the point is that when you are in distress, then where do you turn to?
You turn to your mind.
You turn to some other shelter.
Where do you take shelter?
When the pressure is on, where do you go for shelter, you know?
I know devotees who chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, but when the going gets rough, when they get agitated, when they have difficulty, you know,
they go out and take a drug on the side.
They bloop, kind of half-bloop, and now they are very weak.
If there is any difficulty, they can’t learn.
They don’t take shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
Instead they go on take drugs.
Therefore, you know, they take a marijuana or something.
Of course, those are people not generally in our temples.
But I know there is people like that.
That as soon as going gets rough, they surrender to māyā, you see.
Instead of chanting more intensely, hearing more carefully, reading the śāstras, absorbing… taking shelter.
My mind is being agitated by something, either my own body or some external cause,
and so at that moment, to actually depend on, take shelter of Kṛṣṇa that is the best training for us.
If we learn to depend on Kṛṣṇa in difficulty, then at time of death,
when it comes the final exam, when that death is facing us, we are not going to turn to something else,
“Oh! I am in big trouble now, give me this, give me no.”
No. Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then we go back to Kṛṣṇa.
Death is a very painful thing, painful situation.
So how are we going to face that if we are already completely habituated to facing so many difficulties
and always depending on Kṛṣṇa, if it is a reflex.
Any difficulty comes we learn to depend on Kṛṣṇa.
Then naturally, in death we will depend on Kṛṣṇa.
In every situation, we will depend upon Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore, the devotee is always protected.
But if we learn to depend on any other material thing, then we have to again come back till we learn not to rely on any designation or anything else other than Kṛṣṇa.
He is our only crutch, He is our guide, guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Remember the words of the guru.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: When we chant Nitāi-Gaura first,
we get the fruit of that when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: As the temple president my mind would go on all the work that I had to do.
I had to meet the DM (District Magistrate), I had to do this, I had to do that.
I used to carry a small book,
whenever a thought came up, I would write it down and put it back
and then concentrated,
otherwise, my mind would again and again think about this thing.
Instead, I wrote down in the book and continued chanting.
Some kind of way you can think of to write it down or something.
I would chant before Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mūrti
meditating on his lotus feet.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, we got the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-prasāda-mantra through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu
and the Pañca-tattva.
So, we want to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra by invoking the mercy of the Pañca-tattva.
Because in this chanting of the Pañca-tattva mantra, there is no offence considered.
And therefore, we chant Pañca-tattva first.
In Africa there is some tribe instead of drinking the milk, they cut a vein of the cow and drink the blood.
Anyway, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that from now chanting the name of the Pañca-tattva it would be more effective
because it would not be a great offence.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: It is recommended that in Kali-yuga that we should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
It doesn’t say that no other name cannot take you back to Godhead.
But we are recommended to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra
and that is the safest thing to do.
But other names could also deliver someone.
Lord Caitanya said to Haridāsa Ṭhākura that He came to deliver all the people –
Lord Caitanya said how would the Islam be delivered?
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, that if they are attacked by a pig,
they say when the pig hits them,
hā rāma, hā rāma,
which in their languages means offence.
But actually they are saying hā rāma
even though they are thinking of something else they get delivered
because hā rāma means in Sanskrit, “O my dear Lord Rāma!”
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]
You have dedicated your life to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Śrīla Prabhupāda. 74 years. From 19 to 74 now, you have dedicated your tan, mana, dhana.
For us we are gṛhasthas, you are our role model and if we want to take even 0.01 per cent of you, as a gṛhastha, you have dedicated your life. What we are doing only is a fraction of maybe what you have dedicated to Śrīla Prabhupāda. You have lot of wealth but we have dedicated a little wealth, you have a lot of time but we have dedicated very little time, but you have given 100% maybe more than 100%. Rūpa Gosvāmī said for gṛhasthas we should give 50% to Kṛṣṇa, 25% for family, how we can dedicate like you? What percentage we should dedicate? You have given 100% 1000% Guru Mahārāja, but percentage wise, how much like funds, energy, our talent, etc. Please bless us and guide us how you want all of us to surrender?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, these questions are answered in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.
That as a sannyāsī, I have to give 100% if I give 99% I am fallen. As a gṛhastha 50%, you are doing great!
But sometimes as we were discussing, even if the gṛhasthas, they give 5% or 10% that would be so much.
Anyway, the point is actually I have seen like some gṛhasthas, we were hearing this from the Hospital Manager this morning,
she wants to serve the GBC.
Be a coordinator for all the ministries
and all the standing committees.
So she is saying in the hospital we have like 34 or 35 specialties.
So I want to see each ministry, see what their purpose is and try to help them to do that.
She has two kids, one 8 and one 11,
she has a job.
Naturally she has a husband,
but she wants to serve.
And she is a disciple of His Holiness Kadamba Kānana Swami Mahārāja, who recently passed away.
And he was instructing her how ISKCON should be managed.
With the husband’s support she thinks she can do it.
It is very impressive. you don’t have to be a sannyāsī in fact a sannyāsī may not have the proper qualifications.
So she has the vision how to serve ISKCON.
Also, she is chanting her 16 rounds and following the principles.
So that is the kind of people we need.
People who are very dedicated who want to serve ISKCON.
We heard that Kālacāndajī restaurant is the best in Dallas, something like that.
Sanātana Kṛṣṇa said not just in Dallas, in the whole world.
So, there are different – His Grace Nityānanda Prabhu’s wife she had a team and helped in cooking,
she says she doesn’t cook anymore but she does the original menu for it.
Like that, don’t hesitate, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not anything, whatever you can do, do it!
Haribol!
In Detroit they have cow cuddling program.
So many people come to cuddle the cows, and they don’t know what to do.
But there is special, particular way if they touch the cow, they are happy.
The people sign up they say they will never eat cow again.
So you can serve Kṛṣṇa, not stereotype, different ways.
Some people may give money in dollars, some may cook nice preparations.
Some may cuddle cows, or some may do home ārati.
Everyone should have this service attitude.
If Kṛṣṇa is pleased, guru and Kṛṣṇa are pleased, that is our purpose in life. Haribol!
Questioner: 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.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapataka Swami: In due course of time, this thing is revealed to you.
And sometimes, Śrīla Prabhupāda would tell different disciples what rasa they were experiencing.
These things are revealed at some point.
If you are attracted by the pastimes of Lord Caitanya that is one thing, or Lord Nityananda that is another thing.
Like that different symptoms for different rasas.
But first of all we need to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Service is common to all.
And as you go up, the different rasas, like conjugal has all the other rasas included.
Friendship includes dāsya and śānta.
And paternal includes all the others except mādhurya.
So like that. First of all, we need to develop our service attitude to Kṛṣṇa.
Last night someone was saying how we can ask Kṛṣṇa for service, not asking for some material benediction.
I was explaining how we don’t want to do business with Kṛṣṇa,
that I serve You, and You give me something back material.
We are serving and we want to continue serving.
Like HH Kadamba Kānana Swami before he passed away, I saw him virtually
and he said in my lifetime I have been doing service to Kṛṣṇa,
and when I leave the body, I will just have another service.
A devotee always wants to engage in service.
Like that, they build up different rasas
but service is common to all.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā]
Questioner: Śacīputra Avatāra dāsa, Bangladesh
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends, what your work is.
So, his question was we should always chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, how can we do that work?
He is from Bangladesh.
So, it would depend, what your work is.
If you are working in like some factory or something,
you can sing while you work.
If you are working in an office,
naturally you have to do your office work.
Before you do your office work you can chant oṁ tat sat!
What I am about to do is a service,
you are saying this to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Of course, from your salary you can offer bhoga, donate something to the temple
and you are also going to survive,
you and your family.
So in the beginning, you can say oṁ tat sat!
If you chant mentally even if you are not able to chant,
anyway you are doing your work, which is part of your neutral work.
Category: [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]
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]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, that is why when we gather together for programs,
we bow down to all the Vaiṣṇavas.
We say vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ.
We try to forgive everyone for any knowing or unknowing offences.
Because if we don’t know about it, we don’t know! Ha!
So we may have inadvertently offended someone.
So we want to be forgiven for that.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that generally if we ask questions, that is not an offence.
Like if we ask an advanced Vaiṣṇava some question,
even if it is a personal question.
Prabhu, actually you are a very senior devotee and I have been following you.
But I see that sometimes you just do this,
so I was wondering if I should follow that or not? Ha!
So in that way you are asking a question,
it is not offensive.
But if you say, PRABHU!
YOU ARE AN OFFENDER, YOU ARE SMOKING BEHIND THE CAR!
Maybe it is not true,
or maybe it is true but not something we should present in that way.
So, we try to ask questions rather than accuse anyone.
Unless you are in a very senior position
and you are advising some disciple who is junior.
I was made a temple president two weeks after my initiation.
So everyone in the temple, many were more senior than me! Ha!
So if told them, PRABHU, GO TO THE STORE!
They would look at me and say, who are you to tell me?
So I would go to people and say,
Prabhu, how would you like to go the store?
The deities need apples or something! Ha!
So if they said no,
I would keep asking them! Ha!
But I wouldn’t tell them,
I would ask them.
So somehow that became the thing that I learnt since I was a young president.
And it is hard for me to stop that even now!!
I am very happy to see that your house is very clean,
I feel very devotional in your house!
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]
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