How to increase our faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how to get rid of the anarthas? | Questions and answers

Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

As a part of the preaching session few new devotees had questions about Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu being Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. We had shown them the scriptural references from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Garuḍa Purāṇa, etc. But they were not fully convinced. Please could you enlighten us the different ways we can try to make them understand this?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: If the person accepts the Vedic literatures as evidence,

then they could be convinced,

after lots of Vedic evidence.

But say, one does not really accept the Vedas,

then just encourage them to chant.

There are lots of evidences in the Vedas and scriptures in the world

that tell us that we should chant the names of God.

When they feel the spiritual bliss of chanting the holy name,

or if they feel some peace

then they may be more convinced.

You see, in the first canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

it mentions that if someone

engages in devotional service,

then the causeless knowledge and detachment comes.

So somehow get the people to engage in some service.

Like maybe they are doing it as a social work,

like giving out prasāda to the hungry, to the homeless,

somehow or another they do some service

which they like to do.

Have them do something they like to do.

Then, by doing that,

they get causeless knowledge and detachment.

Maybe we know we can wake someone who is asleep,

but if they are awake pretending they are asleep, you cannot wake them up.

Because they are already awake.

So you may give the knowledge that the Vedas say this,

but if the person doesn’t want to hear,

then it may not be so useful.

I had one person in Assam,

he would meditate in his closet.

He was a believer that he was God.

And in the Bhagavad-gītā in the 14th chapter, last verse it says very clearly

that the Lord is the basis of the impersonal Brahman.

But he could not accept.

But then he liked to do service.

So we engaged him in service.

After a few years, he said you know I am beginning to understand devotional service.

So think of trying to convince someone,

if they have a short circuit in their brain,

they cannot understand,

then just engage them to do some service.

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

As you explained Lord Caitanya enters the heart of his pure devotee and inspires him to preach. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja. If someone is not a pure devotee, will he still be able to preach? Please enlighten dear Guru Mahārāja.

Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa

Date: 2022-12-02

Jayapatākā Swami: You see entering into the heart of a devotee

and being personally there as an āveśa

is different from preaching.

Definitely you can preach.

Lord Caitanya being personally present is a different thing altogether.

The śāstra says

that He appears in the heart of a pure devotee,

if He wants to.

It does not mean that in every devotee this has to happen,

but it happens if the Lord wants in some pure devotee’s heart.

You can preach anyway.

Link: 20220715 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

Because of material allurements, my mind is distracting from chanting, service and so on. How could I develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa in such circumstances?

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.

Link: 20220417 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Devotee association is very important for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But offenses to the lotus feet of devotees are very dangerous. How can we deal with this situation?

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.

Link: 20201118 Zoom Prabhupāda Kathā

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha]

Do we also have to suffer for offences due to mind?

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.

Link: 20240204 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

For the last many years I have been practicing, preaching and teaching Bhagavad-gītā to so many people but internally I feel my conviction has weakened and I am not able to practice properly. Wanted to ask how to deal with this situation?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Associate with devotees who have conviction.

You see, since devotional service is a gradual process,

some people naturally would be at different stages.

So some devotees are at a very advanced stage.

A devotee of the Lord (Akrūra), when he saw the footprints of Kṛṣṇa he left his chariot and paid his obeisances to the footprints.

Like that, some devotees are very fixed up.

Try to associate with them.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

How as youth in general, how do we very practically get over our attachment to sense objects. What activities should we do to get over our attraction to sense objects very quickly?

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.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Anarthās], [Sādhanā]

How can an initiated devotee, who has fallen away from the regulative principles due to sense gratification and has lost touch with the holy name and devotee association, resume his service towards guru and Prabhupāda?

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.

Link: 20190219 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

How can I develop unwavering faith and love in you and Kṛṣṇa in my heart?

Questioner: Kṛṣṇasevinī Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-12-02

Jayapatākā Swami: The whole practice of bhakti-yoga is to develop our love for guru and Kṛṣṇa.

It is not a different process.

Same process delivers us

and we should perform devotional service

and naturally if you help the spiritual master

then Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased.

Link: 20220715 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)]

How can I keep my mind firmly fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa when lust always stands as an obstacle to my devotional service ?

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!

Link: 20220417 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How can we increase our faith in chanting the holy names and the order of the spiritual master?

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]

How do devotees guard themselves from māyā ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-10-14

Jayapatākā Swami: Story of Ramāyāṇa?

You know how when Marīci came and the golden you know, multicolor rainbow deer and then Ram went to on the request of Sītā to catch it.

And put Sītā under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa but then there was a whole heavy situation developed,

that Marīci made the voice of Ram come out.

So Sītā said you go and protect Ram.

He said Ram doesn’t need protection, nobody can get near him.

She was very concerned, so then Lakṣman made a circle.

He said, don’t leave this mystic protective circle, can’t enter in.

So Rāvaṇa came dressed as a sādhū, he tried to enter in.

She went in to get some food and he went in [Guru Mahārāja and devotees laughing] and “I can’t get through”.

So, then she said come on in because he was an enemy so couldn’t enter.

So, he said, no no I cannot go there, I am very tired you just come out here.

So, because he was dressed as a saint, as a sannyāsī or like some kind of a sādhū,

so, she was Sītā was always serving devotees.

So, in this way he cheated her.

And of course, the real Sītā-devī didn’t come out, but the plain Māyā-Sītā came out.

But this mystical circle,

you can use in many definitions but one of the things you can is like that she was protected but shouldn't leave it.

Like that this is a mystic circle --

you follow the orders of the guru and māyā cannot get you

but when we deviate, when we neglect instructions of the spiritual master,

when we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we do make offenses to the Holy name.

We have to do things which (doesn’t) take us out of that protective circle.

Otherwise, we're protected.

Māyā is waiting there, she's waiting at the doorstep.

But devotees, how they can be Kṛṣṇa conscious, it's not an ordinary thing.

To be Kṛṣṇa conscious you have to have the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.

So only the devotee, it says the devotee can never fall down.

We've heard that so many times.

What does that mean?

Because Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee.

Then how do devotees fall down?

Because they stop acting like devotees for some time.

So, because of you know, virtually not acting as a devotee, then they fall down.

That's why says you have to cling to the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi.

We have to stay within that protective shelter.

Facing difficulty, what is the use?

One time one devotee was like in anxiety and Prabhupāda said “Why are you in anxiety?

Your guru is present on this planet, you can ask him questions, you can get your doubts taken”.

Having guru means that all your problems will be solved, if you have a bona fide guru.

(audio not clear) we can submit to our spiritual, what do you advise?

What is your instruction?

We carry that out.

So, we're protected.

But when we don't consult with the spiritual master, we don't consult with the Vaiṣṇavas, we don't follow the scripture, we go out of that protective circle, in whatever form she wants to take.

Māyā is there waiting.

That's why we say Kṛṣṇa is like the sun.

Where there's Kṛṣṇa, there's no māyā.

So, we have to always look to Kṛṣṇa.

You look away from Kṛṣṇa, you look away from the sun, what do you find behind you?

Your shadow.

Māyā is like the shadow, she's right behind you, you don't have to look for her.

You look away from Kṛṣṇa, she'll be there.

So, then what's the purport?

When should we look away from Kṛṣṇa?

So, we have to keep our focus to Kṛṣṇa, mukha...

kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha

ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha

(Cc. Madhya 20.117)

That, you know that verse?

Kṛṣṇa, when we turn our face. Bahirmukha, bahirmukha literally means turn your face away or turn it to the outside.

And what it actually is this can be translated to by turning your face to sense gratification.

Devotional service is the attitude --

I do everything to the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, reject what's unfavorable to Kṛṣṇa.

So, when we turn our face away from the service attitude, and instead we look to enjoy bhoga whimsically desire to have bhoga to have sense gratification.

Then what happens?

We get samsāra ādi duḥkha.

Then we suffer material suffering.

All the suffering, I'm suffering so much.

All this suffering is because we desire sense gratification.

If we just keep our face to Kṛṣṇa, if we just desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, there's no suffering.

Suffering begins when we desire.

The moment we desire to enjoy something, there's suffering.

Lamentation, hankering and enxiety, fear.

There's another verse like that.

[Not Clear - 01:08:09]

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, very similar verse.

Very like parallel.

You turn your face away from Kṛṣṇa, desiring sense gratification, māyā nikaṭastha ache,

māyā comes right up to you.

japaṭīya dhare and just like your football tackles.

She's got you.

Māyā, you can also think in Australian Football system you know.

Lot of tackling is there, right?

You can just imagine they got a whole team all around just waiting one wrong move and they can jump forward.

As long as you're moving forward, eyes on Kṛṣṇa, they can't do a thing.

As soon as you look around for sense gratification, suddenly you're in the middle of the scrum.

For those who know rugby.

Māyā, she’s there but you say how we can be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

That's why it's said, be like a little child, simply depending on your parents, simply depending on Guru and Kṛṣṇa, simply you know I'm so weak, I don't have any ability to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

I'm not a big paṇḍita, I'm not a big devotee, I'm just a very insignificant fallen soul.

I can only be Kṛṣṇa conscious by really following the mercy of Lord Caitanya, of His pure representative in disciplic succession.

And this way, I have to be very because that is the secret of success.

That's how you can become successful.

If you think I'm a big paṇḍita, I can do this, a little that.

I'm a great devotee, it doesn't matter.

I'm an old devotee.

It's alright, if I go little māyā I won't be affected, haha!

[Devotees: laughing]

Don't kid yourself.

Māyā is more strong than you are.

Inspite remaining always in the humble position.

Why great ācāryas have praying?

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu doyā koro more

tomā binā ke doyālu jagat-saḿsāre

patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra

mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra

You won't find anyone more sinful than me.

pāpī -- Nobody more sinful than I am.

Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, the purest devotee, he's saying I'm more sinful than all the conditioned souls.

Bhakta this one, or Bhaktin that one or whoever it may be.

But they're saying I'm the most sinful, more sinful than anybody.

This is this position he's taking, therefore you're the most merciful, you're the deliverer of all the fallen souls.

I'm the most fallen soul therefore I should get delivered first.

If we think that my humble attitude, that dependence on the mercy of guru and Gaurāṅga, then māyā may be ready to get you.

She's not getting the chance.

Tough luck.

You want to give her a chance she'll take it.

Don't give her a chance.

This is how devotees feel.

Be humble.

Know that I need their mercy all the time.

Why great ācāryas are praying like that?

They're not praying "I'm an old devotee, I'm an ācārya, I don't have to strictly follow, I don't have to. I can go over a bit".

You don't hear Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura say, you only hear some 7-year-old or 10- or 12-year devotee in ISKCON say, I'm an old devotee.

Where we are coming from, in this age of Kali.

Hardly anybody was a Vaiṣṇava.

Everybody was coming from Māyāvada or smārta or at the best.

Prabhupāda grabbed up the people.

You know, some people they're claiming to be born in Vaiṣṇava family.

We know that Prabhupāda grabbed them up from Māyāvada.

That doesn't matter.

Once you become in pure devotional service that's what counts.

It says that this, what a person was before he's in pure devotional service that's not proper logic.

It says that once my mother was naked -- logic.

She was once a little girl she was naked but she's not naked anymore.

Now she's a mother, she's a respectable lady.

So, what a person was before and what they are now, that doesn't have any immediate bearing.

Prabhupāda said that if you're born of devotee parents then that's a good sign.

The point is that right now we have to deal with the present, we should be fixed in our devotional service, we should keep that humble attitude.

Lord Caitanya, he gave a promise to Advaita, two things.

Then Advaita said, "One thing is anybody who thinks they're ready, spiritually advanced, who thinks he's a advanced devotee, don't give him your mercy.

Anyone who is very proud of their position of some birth, or some any kind of material position, you don't give them your mercy.

Those who are hopeless, who are spiritually, they are the most needy, they need your mercy more than anyone.

Those who are normally the hard cases, the tough nuts, the ones that will never have a hope, let them get your mercy, priority basis.

Karuṇāvatāra, for all those who would never get a chance in other yugas.

Link: 19910108 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.9

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Karma / Desires]

How do we avoid feeling envious of other devotees and their service ?

Questioner: Puja

Date: 2022-10-14

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, in the material world, people, they are competing with others in a race,

thinking I will be the first.

But in service to Kṛṣṇa, it is not that we are competing with others.

Rather, Kṛṣṇa is more pleased if they help others.

We shouldn’t be thinking that by somehow by impeding others,

or somehow if someone else excels,

somehow that is detrimental to us - it is not the case.

Everyone has a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa,

rather the envy of others is a great impediment

- you will never be the number one!

When I said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am the most fallen,

he said you are not the most anything!

So that should be our mood.

There will always be some devotee who is better than us,

but we should not envy that person.

Rather we should associate and try to improve our own service.

Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Envy], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How do we avoid the offenses from our unavoidable association with non-devotees who hardly believe in Kṛṣṇa?

Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-08-29

Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.

And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.

We don’t take their association; we give them our association.

Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.

He went to give his satsaṅga

We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.

Not to engage in prajalpa with them.

Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.

Link: 20211218 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.29

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

How do we give up our false ego, particularly in difficult or challenging situations with other devotees?

Questioner: Nandapriyā Premā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: The false ego is [inaudible word] identify our self as the body.

If someone tells us, “Oh, you are ugly!”

We are affected

that is false ego.

If someone tells, “Oh, you are beautiful!”

and we are affected—that is false ego.

So people can say different things,

but we don’t take it so serious.

Because we know that, it is temporary.

And we want to realize our real ego which is as a servitor of Kṛṣṇa.

So false ego is a very subtle thing that ties us to this material world.

So Kṛṣṇa, He gives certain instructions to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā;

so that he can overcome the false ego,

and by dovetailing our ego in the service of Kṛṣṇa,

that is a positive situation

for instance, Arjuna was a father,

he was a householder, he was a prince,

he was a general, in charge of the army.

So Kṛṣṇa did not tell him that you should give up everything and be a sannyāsī,

rather He said, you should carry out your duties as what you are;

but you should do so as an offering to Me.

So Lord Caitanya also said, “gṛhe thāko vane thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko”

Whether you are gṛhastha or a mendicant,

you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa

loudly and stay fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Link: 20190114 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Emotions / Pride], [Anarthās]

How do we remain calm in provoking situation and not react? I usually try not to get affected by what someone is saying, but end up reacting or saying something and that I regret later.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: All the vices can be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa’s service except envy.

So we can be angry when Kṛṣṇa is offended,

when the devotee is offended.

But if someone, in some disturbing situation,

hampering their sense gratification,

they should not get angry.

If they get angry it is a vice, a mistake and sinful.

Like that we could angry for the right reason,

otherwise we should be tolerant.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Anger]

How do you get rid of darkness?

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

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How to avoid frivolous conversations?

Questioner: Nikhil Raj, Bhopal

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: We have some very serious devotees in Māyāpur.

You can ask the residents of Māyāpur and they will confirm. One is Jananivāsa Prabhu.

Whenever he would come and talk Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

but if the discussion became a bit different,

he would leave.

You turn around he is gone.

As long as you are Kṛṣṇa conscious he will be there.

Loose talk and he is gone.

Also, some people they are able to change the topic.

If someone is talking loose talk,

they know how to change the topic.

And bring them around to serious talk.

Then if people are very addicted to loose talk they won’t like to stay around you.

Question: How to remain enthusiastic despite challenges we face in serving Kṛṣṇa?

—Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda

Jayapatākā Swami: You see there will always be some tests.

Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?

You want to serve Kṛṣṇa or you are just playing around.

So many devotees here.

I give class every day, more or less every day.

Wherever you are, Bhopal, Vadodara, you can watch the class,

either by Facebook or Zoom.

Question: How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?

Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm

when we have a taste for spiritual life.

Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,

ruci means taste.

You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.

And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.

But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.

Then he held on the door

and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.

After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.

You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.

So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached

and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.

♦ ♦ ♦

I was discussing with a devotee today.

He told me that for every sevā or preaching project we are engaged in we must have a vision for that.

Guru Mahārāja, my question is..

Question: if I am serving under the authority, can I have a vision for the project?

What if our authority has different ways or visions?

—Amṛteśa Gaura dāsa, Bhubaneswar

Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.

If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,

you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,

maybe some individual differences.

But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.

♦ ♦ ♦

So thank you for asking so many questions

Link: 20240209 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Anarthās], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to become stable and strong when the situations are worse?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: Question is how do we be stable and strong when the situation is difficult?

How could you study in college if there are exams?

There will be exams,

you cannot avoid it.

That’s how you get your degree.

If you want to be a devotee,

there will be tests.

It is not a cheap thing, it is a very valuable thing.

So naturally, there will be difficulties.

And don’t be disturbed by that.

It is part of the process.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

How to develop faith?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-10

How do you develop faith in walking?

And how do you know that the ground will not fall in?

If you see other people walking

you take a step forward,

you see that you don’t fall into any ditch,

then your faith increases.

It is a practical thing.

We put the knowledge to practice

and then we see the effect.

So, you are studying so maybe it is a new thing for you.

As Śrīla Prabhupāda said, it is a gradual process.

And gradually you increase your faith,

increase your realization.

How fast one can advance

depends on how you put your mind to it.

I was thinking, I was looking for a guru,

and I was going here and there,

so then I thought

unless I try this Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully,

I won’t know for sure.

Let me try

and if it works, alright it is done or otherwise will go on and try something else.

As Rādhe Śyāma said I have been at it for 52 years.

I have never looked back, I have never regretted it.

Link: 20200917 Zoom Session with Utkarsa Youth Boys Program

Category: [Emotions / Faith]

How to develop submissive mood, keeping aside false ego while carrying out services under authorities?

Questioner: Śaraṇāgati Gaura dāsa

Date: 2023-01-27

Jayapatākā Swami: You have a nice name, śaraṇāgati, means surrender.

Just apply your name!

Lord Caitanya said in the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam which they chant here every morning –

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.

Be more humble than a blade of grass.

Śrīla Prabhupāda described – you step on grass, it bends over, it is humble.

When you walk away from the grass, the grass comes back up.

So, in that way, we should be humble and at the same time be resilient.

Go upright in due course of time.

Be more tolerant than a tree.

A tree stands there in a rain, in heat, in a wind and people cut branches from the tree and make toothbrushes.

One devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he wanted a neem tree.

There was a neem tree outside his window.

He hung out of the window to get a neem branch.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, don’t do that!

He said, don’t worry Prabhupāda, I did that many times!

Maybe, but don’t do in front of me, Śrīla Prabhupāda said.

Śrīla Prabhupāda was afraid for the devotee, maybe he will fall!

That way a tree is very tolerant, so we should be tolerant and we should offer respect to others

but not expect any appreciation or respect for ourselves.

In that way we can always chant the Holy Name.

So śaraṇāgati is the actual mood we should have surrender

and whether our authority treats us very nice with a smile, or he treats us harsh,

we are not doing it for the authority.

As such, we are doing it to please Kṛṣṇa.

And if the authority gives us a service we can do, we should appreciate it, thank you for giving me the service!

Link: 20200217 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: To associate with devotees

who have unflinching faith.

Otherwise the process of bhakti-yoga

is to gradually increase your faith,

then it becomes unflinching.

Link: 20190114 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to get out of bad habits and how to get good habits fast? Please guide.

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Sādhanā]

How to get rid of anarthas?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā]

How to guard against māyā?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Sādhanā]

How to overcome the enjoyment mentality?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: We maintain our enthusiasm

when we have a taste for spiritual life.

Like in different stages of devotional service like bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci,

ruci means taste.

You have a taste, you want to do more and more service.

And one time, in Montreal, mother and father came to see the son. Put their arm around him talked to him nicely.

But when they got to the doorway, they grabbed him and told him to go home.

Then he held on the door

and they were pulling his feet and Śrīla Prabhupāda when he heard he said he is attached.

After ruci comes āsakti, attachment.

You have to be attached to resist your parents like that.

So anyway, by devotional service we gradually get taste, we get attached

and in this way we desire to render devotional service more and more.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Karma / Desires]

How to perceive aparādhās in our devotional service (or abhideya) and how to atone for them?

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.

Link: 20220417 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How to remain enthusiastic in service despite all obstacles?

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.

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to remove bad habits in the self being in society and how to increase our spiritual consciousness, ever increasing till the end?

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.

Link: 20220822 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How to remove negative thoughts?

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

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions], [Sādhanā]

How to stay positive and continue our devotional service even after making mistakes?

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!

Link: 20200818 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to stop fault finding. I do it even if I don’t want to. How to give up this bad habit?

Questioner: Harihara Caitanya dāsa

Date: 2022-08-01

Jayapataka Swami: It could be a very good habit,

if you use it on yourself.

You find all the good qualities of others, and all the bad qualities in yourself.

Don’t be like a fly, who sits on the sores.

So we follow the third instruction of Lord Caitanya in His Śikṣāṣṭakam.

We should give respect to others, and not expect any respect for ourselves.

Link: 20201010 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.10

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions], [Emotions / Fault-finding]

How we see in this pastime while Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has all these mahā-bhāva ecstasies, when we talk about this or discuss with the devotees, sometimes they question that, how is it possible, it is unbelievable! We do have faith, but how to explain to them that it really happened? Or how to make them trust like whatever the words are here, they all are so true?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-25

Jayapatākā Swami: That is why Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is saying that the common men, they not believe.

But Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and others have seen that,

so Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja says, I accept it, I believe it!

I BELIEVE!

These are things that we just have to believe.

If people don’t believe it, maybe, there are other things that Lord Caitanya did,

which are believable,

and mentioned in the śāstra,

but that I witnessed and saw these uncommon transformations of Lord Caitanya, His body.

So the author accepts, if you want to accept or not that is your free will.

He gives his reason why he accepts.

We know one thing that Lord Caitanya was uncommon. Haribol!

Haribol!

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kī jaya!

Link: 20230506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

I am from a Christian background and now he is a new devotee and Kṛṣṇa conscious. How to increase my inspiration and enthusiasm to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-05-13

Jayapatākā Swami: You see my mother was a Christian and very active in a Church.

But she came when I told her

I had found my guru,

Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupāda.

And that I wanted to follow him.

And then she said, “Why don’t you be a Christian priest?”

I told her that I have found my guru and I want to be taught by someone who knows the science.

And she said, why don’t you that when you are old?

I said, how long do I have to live?

She started crying!

No mother and father want to think how long their child will live!

Then how can I say how long I would live, I said.

I have to take this chance now!

So then she started chanting four rounds.

And she started staying in an apartment near our temple in New Orleans, USA.

So practically I have also a devotee who is a Christian nun

and I told her that she can chant the name of Lord Jesus.

She was chanting, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Christ, Christ, Jesus Jesus!

She thought it is almost like the Sanskrit, why don’t I try the Sanskrit?

So she started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

and she realized it was the same like chanting the name of Jesus.

But Hare Kṛṣṇa was more powerful!

Christians say, Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.

Who is the Father?

We say the Father is Kṛṣṇa.

He has unlimited names.

And then my mother saw in the Bible, St. Johns,

that Jesus said, I have many flocks

and you are one of them,

but there are many others,

they don’t look like you.

So you can also say that we are one of the flocks of Lord Jesus.

You try the process and see if that process works for you.

If it does, then very good!

We are not saying anything negative.

You just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa if it works!

Practice bhakti-yoga and see if it works!

Lord Jesus said, first commandment is “love God”,

with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind.

I didn’t do that before I came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness!

I loved other things! Ha!

We cannot talk about!

After coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I learnt to love Kṛṣṇa!

So, hope that you will be successful in practicing bhakti-yoga.

Link: 20200517 Zoom Session with Nigeria Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Faith]

I am in association of devotees for the past eight years. Just like any other devotee I could admire all positive aspects of other devotees. While at one point of time there is a fall in the graph when only the negatives of other bhaktas are only visible. I think many other devotees feel the same way as well. Guru Mahārāja, how to overcome this mentality of fault finding. Is there any particular reason why such thoughts are appearing in my mind?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone asked this kind of a question to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

And Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the temples are hospitals –

spiritual hospitals.

When you go to the hospital you see sick people.

It is natural.

That is what hospitals are for.

Some are doctors, they treat the sick people

and there are nurses who help the patients.

They are not as qualified as the doctors, but they serve the patients.

So like that, devotees will have some defects

until they are perfect.

But we see the good qualities in others,

see all the good qualities, all the things that they are doing for Kṛṣṇa

and see the defects in ourselves.

So don’t be like a fly

which always goes to the cut wounds and stool.

See the good qualities.

We try to see where we can improve.

It is not a competition like in the material world.

Not by putting others down, we will go up.

They tell me in the corporate world someone is an operations manager, someone is a quality control manager,

someone is the marketing manager.

So one manager tries to screw up another manager

so that he can be promoted to general manager.

So this thing is there in the material world.

Not like that in the spiritual life.

Kṛṣṇa rather sees how you cooperate with others.

How you help others.

Not how you fault find in others.

One of the qualities of the devotees is nirmatsarāṇām,

freedom from envy and fault finding.

So, everything we can dovetail,

except that one thing,

that thing we have to renounce.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Fault-finding]

I have too many negative thoughts about Vaiṣṇavas and I don’t seem to be making any progress in spiritual life. I feel like I will go crazy if this is how it continues. What should I do?

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.

Link: 20220219 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Envy], [Anarthās], [Emotions / Fault-finding], [Sādhanā]

I know that being under the loving guidance of my seniors keeps me safe and also pleases guru and Gaurāṅga. But sometimes, due to māyā, I grow neglectful of them. How do I sharpen my faith?

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.

Link: 20200814 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

I was wondering how we develop the same guru-niṣṭhā that Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura had for Lord Nityānanda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-02

Jayapatākā Swami: It is just causeless mercy!

We see that Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, he offered prayers to Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda.

So, that is the devotional process called vandanam.

Offering prayers, obeisances.

So, by desiring, praying for, by Their mercy, it can be achieved.

Link: 20230420 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

I wish to offer myself to Śrīla Prabhupāda but am hesitant due to my material conditioning and attachments. Please guide.

Questioner: Milan, ISKCON Youth Forum, Baroda

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya, He taught that you can achieve perfection whether you are a vairāgī or a householder.

So, if you are a householder you should try to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center.

I saw one drama from the Chennai youths.

One girl and one boy were playing Yamadūtas and one lady, girl was playing Yamarāja.

She painted her mustache as Yamarāja.

The Yamadūtas they were complaining. Yamarāja! What do we do? These Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees have deities in the houses, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they read Bhagavad-gītā, what do we do?

We cannot take them to hell!

Maybe need a way to find another chākrī, another job!

So it was very interesting to see the Yamadūtas complaining.

Actually, one family in Kolkata, the mother, children, were all initiated.

Everyone but the father.

He was dead against.

But then he was diagnosed with cancer.

He was in bed ,

and he saw two hairy people with leather ropes, walk through the wall.

He said, “No, no, no, no! No, no!”

Somehow they left.

He called his wife, “I want the neck bead.

I want the Bhagavad-gītā, I want the japa-mālā.”

What we were trying so long, the Yamadūtas in few minutes they changed him.

So he became very Kṛṣṇa conscious after that.

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Karma / Desires], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

If a person has a lot of lusty desires for illicit sex and intoxication, is it helpful to indulge and feel they are fully like had enough and overcome those desires?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-05

Jayapatākā Swami: It is said that if you hear with faith if you hear and not be agitated,

then you can cure the lust in your heart.

If you speculate lusty things when you hear, then you are not hearing with faith.

Link: 20220801 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.33.39

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles]

If for some reason I am unable to understand who is a non-devotee and by mistake I hear from him, what will be my atonement?

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]

If Mahāprabhu is displeased with such behavior of Choṭā Haridāsa, and in view of this teaching of Caitanya Mahāprabhu will this behavior satisfy Caitanya Mahāprabhu or you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-12-22

Jayapatākā Swami: Especially meeting with a married woman in a private place,

that was prohibited by Lord Caitanya.

Sometimes I will be in a room, and there would be a man and woman and the man walks out!

Then I would ask the lady to go out or tell the man not leave or I would go out myself.

Sometimes a vairāgī says they just want to experiment.

You see, checking or experimenting should be done before you become a vairāgī!

If you are a gṛhastha, do all the experimenting with your wife.

If you take the vairāgī path, then at least you should follow the vows of renunciant life, at least for a sannyāsī.

Link: 20220723 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18. 27-28

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Lust], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

In the past classes you had said that one should not make sense gratification as the ultimate goal of life. While following this particular principle, sometimes when we face fluctuation and are swayed away by māyā, and because of our unlimited desires, we get engaged in any kind of sense gratification. How should we avoid and control ourselves not being swayed away by māyā and get determined in the service of guru and Kṛṣṇa? Please enlighten me

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: While we have senses in the material world,

so naturally the senses need a certain amount of satisfaction.

That depends on each individual.

But that should not be the ultimate goal.

In the material world

we see that people, they make as their goal that their senses should be happy.

But the senses are a source of happiness and a source of suffering.

So, although there may be some happiness

and some suffering,

we should tolerate that,

but we should make our ultimate goal to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So, certain very simple things we should avoid.

Like eating meat, fish, onion, garlic,

like gambling,

like taking intoxication

and having out of marriage illicit sex.

If you are a married person

it is natural there will be some material pleasure.

But there will also be some suffering.

Just like to conceive a child there is some happiness

but to have a child is also pain –

labor pain.

So, that should not be our ultimate goal.

You may have certain desires,

but the ultimate desire should be to serve and love Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

In this age of Kali Yuga, How did you become unattached from material things?

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.

Link: 19860929 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.8.13

Category: [Emotions / Lust], [Emotions / Greed], [Anarthās], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā], [Material World / Kali yuga]

Is impersonalism a deviation from Kṛṣṇa's service ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-26

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, those who want the kingdom of God without God are better than impersonalists,

because, you see, the impersonalists, they don’t even want the kingdom of God without God.

The people who want the kingdom of God without God are the materialists.

They want the material world, and they want to enjoy it, but they don’t want God, you see.

Even the demigods, I mean, they respect Kṛṣṇa, you see.

But this like two sides of the coin; in one hand you have the materialists who want to

have the material world and enjoy it without God. They want to usurp in a way.

They want to be able to enjoy as the controller.

So those are coming, some as demigods who are still favorable to God,

and some are demons who are completely offensive to God.

But the Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists, they are completely offensive.

And in a way, they want to themselves by...they think that they are God, you see.

To say even without God indicates more of the demigods, because they...

By saying without God, we are indicating that there is God.

But the impersonalists, they don’t actually accept that there is any Supreme God; they’re saying that

everything is impersonal. That being impersonal, therefore, the concept of a Supreme

Person doesn’t come in at all. That every individual soul is a supreme as any other soul.

And that any form is illusion, so including the form of God.

So therefore, they are great offenders, Lord Caitanya said māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī (Cc Madhya 17.129).

They are offenders of Kṛṣṇa.

The demons that Kṛṣṇa kills, they get that. Some get even more than that.

But at least they get merging. So being killed by Kṛṣṇa, if you get to merge

and get impersonal realization, then what is so great about that,

you see. Even the demons get it. That means that these impersonalists are on the same level as demons.

So therefore, Lord Caitanya, He warned us, “Don’t listen to them.”

Because if you understand their viewpoint,

then that can destroy your actual appreciation of Kṛṣṇa because they are offensive.

And if we hear offenses against Kṛṣṇa, then that takes away our devotional assets.

So therefore, we should always avoid hearing the offenses of Kṛṣṇa, and their preaching is offensive.

Their way of preaching is to offend Kṛṣṇa.

Sahajiyāism is more dangerous than impersonalism for devotees.

It’s harder to recognize the difference between sahajiyāism and real devotion.

Impersonalism is pretty cut and dry, I mean, they just, you know, they don’t believe it. All

quality and personality is very cut and dry, the line is very sharp.

But in sahajiyāism where they seem to have a quality of a devotee,

but actually, there are some subtle offenses to real devotees;

they think that they are already an associate of God even though they haven’t achieved that position.

And thus, they are speaking as an associate or as an authority,

when actually, they are, because they are offenders of real devotees

and they are not presenting the thing as it is. Therefore, they miss the whole,

they are not able to actually go back to Godhead from that platform,

and they are guilty of other type of offenses; do rasābhasa and vaiṣṇava-aparādhas.

It’s actually what it is. Sahajiyāism is that you try to enjoy Kṛṣṇa.

Bhakti means that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and He enjoys you; He enjoys your service.

You offer the service, and that service

is enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, and you feel the transcendental bliss from within.

But sahajiyā means that, that person wants to enjoy Kṛṣṇa’s.

He wants to enjoy the ecstasy with Kṛṣṇa. He wants to… So, because it is not a service mood,

it’s an enjoyment.

Link: 19820910 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.4.33

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyāvāda / Impersonalism]

Is it an offense to not be attentive while reading/hearing ?

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!

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Kindly distinguish sentimental bhakti from ecstatic love of Godhead.

Questioner: Karuṇāpati Keśava dāsa

Date: 2022-09-22

Link: 20200819 Viśvambhara Somewhat Pacifies Śacī devī

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Hypocrisy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very blissful process. But some resentment owing to some bad interactions we had with devotees occupy so much of the mind that absorption and focus in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because difficult, and again and again same thoughts come when we see those devotees. How to overcome all this and absorb in service to our guru?

Questioner: Hemāṅga Haladhara dāsa

Date: 2022-08-05

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Not that you should be focused on bad experiences.

That would distract your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Some bad behavior we may be committed that we would not like to do such bad behavior with others,

but other than that

we really don’t want to be focused on bad experiences,

other than thinking how to avoid such activities.

We see that Lord Nityānanda, He was merciful.

Even though He was hit on the head with a wine bottle,

He did not feel any anger or jealousy to that person.

He wanted to give mercy to that person.

So like that, everybody in the material world,

has some defect

and we try to avoid committing mistakes

having defects

in our spiritual life.

Link: 20220218 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Emotions / Sorrow], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]

Many devotees have a desire to join ISKCON full time and dedicate their lives for Śrīla Prabhupāda. However, because of the situations in the world or in the family or personal life, they are sometimes on the borderline wondering whether I should or I should not. So what is your message to them Mahārāja so that they can freely develop that faith and courage that if I simply serve Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Prabhupāda, nothing else is to be taken care, everything Kṛṣṇa will help. Can you give them that courage and help? Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: As the co-minister for congregational preaching,

naturally I would like to see

not only the temple devotees but other devotees who are in congregations,

that they are all working to help the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

And of course, when I joined there was really only – either you are a temple devotee or you are …!

I don’t think it is like that now.

You be a temple devotee or a married devotee or whatever,

you can still help, you can still be a very significant force.

I mean, the person who is repeating me,

his name is Acintya Caitanya dāsa,

he is a gṛhastha.

His wife is very active in preaching.

He has two sons.

One of them is already very fixed up in book distribution.

In 1973 in the lecture that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave at his Vyāsa-pūjā in London,

he said that his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura who was the son of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,

and he wanted all the gṛhastha devotees that you should have ācāryas as your children.

You should all become paramahaṁsas.

So, rather than thinking this devotee can become a full-timer, others too bad!

Use everybody,

naturally I was a full-timer and the advantage that I have is can give all my time to Kṛṣṇa.

But, there is a lecture by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura

where he says that a man should accept a wife who is more spiritual advanced

and a woman should accept a husband who is more spiritual advanced.

That is not what people look at today.

They see if she is a beautiful woman,

what education she has

and other things.

But spiritual advancement, we don’t think about that.

But that is the thing that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said.

In the 8th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

there is the fight between Gajendra and the crocodile.

Because Gajendra was a land animal,

when he was in the water,

the crocodile was winning

and gradually the elephant was getting weaker.

So in the purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda said

that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means

we are declaring war against material nature

and to fight in the war,

one needs to be very strong,

sensually strong.

It is not the same for everyone.

Someone may be better as a vairāgī,

someone may be stronger as a gṛhastha.

The real thing is that we should be fighting to establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So, maybe people are sitting on the fence,

they should see what is their nature?

So they should think whatever it is, if their nature is to be married, or their nature is to be a vairāgī,

they should fully engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

If they are married, their partner should be equally enthusiastic to preach,

otherwise what is the use?

That is an interesting thing.

Of course, if you want your parents and everyone to agree,

it may happen.

But in my case it did not happen

and I said yesterday in my talk that my father said he would turn me over to the American Army,

and let me die in Vietnam.

India was not for this war.

And so I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What I should do?”

He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army”

and that is what I did.

I am still a member of Kṛṣṇa’s army!

So here, I have seen many families, where the father and mother are initiated, the children are initiated.

But, still I guess they are a minority.

But in India some are like that.

But generally, it is like one airliner crashed in the Northern Pacific.

One who passed, the parents said, “Oh, we spent so much money on our son trying to go to America for education,

now who will take care of us in our old age?”

That was their concern!

You see, it is like a business,

they paid for the education of their child,

and they want the child to give them money.

So some parents are like that.

Some parents are very affectionate,

I don’t say everyone is like that.

I mean, of course, some people would feel very bad.

But ultimately, we have to make our own choice.

This is like, mother and father of Lord Caitanya, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Mātā,

the older brother of Lord Caitanya,

He took sannyāsa.

They were feeling, “Oh!” rejected.

“Our son, He left the family and would not get married and all that.”

Because of your son taking sannyāsa, unlimited members of your family got liberated.

Of course, they were all liberated souls.

And they realized that what he did was for their benefit.

But then they were worried that their other son would also take sannyāsa.

So He promised,

“I have no such intention!”

Anyway, I hope that everybody in this room, no matter what, are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully.

How old are you?

73 years (Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu)

So what do you want to share with all these young leaders?

He helped build this Temple of the Vedic Planetarium!

Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu: Looking around me here seeing all these wonderful, young devotees, fresh looking actually,

reminds me when I was young, but not anymore!

All I can say to them is that you just practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the best of your ability.

Some of you will be temple devotees, some of you will be gṛhasthas on the outskirts,

but still under one umbrella of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So whichever works for you in the beginning accept it.

In the future, you probably will all be in the temples,

but for now just don’t let go of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at all.

Stick to this wonderful program that you are having

and continue preaching and spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness just like Mahārāja said.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Jayapatākā Swami: Ṣaḍbhuja Prabhu, he is a gṛhastha,

but has dedicated his life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness

and you can see

what a beautiful building this is.

He has done many services.

And if you have seen the samādhi temple

he has designed some of the artwork of the samādhi temple.

He was the builder of the samādhi.

So, the question is not if you join full-time or you get married.

Even if you are married, you should not give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness

and the advantage of course of being a brahmacārī or whatever,

is that you don’t have any other thing

to think about.

But as I said,

it depends on what each person’s nature is, it may be different.

We should be committed to serving,

no matter what.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / ISKCON], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī]

Normally we tend to remain calm, but when provoked, our undesirable qualities manifest and we get implicated in offenses. How to avoid this?

Questioner: Tattvavit Nimāi das

Date: 2022-10-12

Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.

Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.

Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.

Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.

So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.

There will be some disturbing situations.

These are tests.

If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.

If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.

He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.

It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.

So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!

But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.

So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.

Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.

The test is when things get disturbed.

At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,

and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.

And pass the test.

Haribol!

Link: 20200822 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.23

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

One of the devotees I know who is your disciple has fallen down. Parents of that devotee are constantly lamenting and in great grief their child has almost stopped practicing devotional service and left home and started living alone and started doing bad saṅga. My question is that if any devotee falls down from devotional service, should we lament for the devotee? Is it okay for the parents to lament excessively?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally a parent should want to make a son or daughter Kṛṣṇa conscious.

And when the son or daughter is well-situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

naturally the parent is relieved.

And if a child is in māyā,

then naturally the parent should be preoccupied.

Not to the extent that they give up their own practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

But encourage the son to come back or be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association]

Parīkṣit Mahārāja was able to fully concentrate on each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam being his last seven days and so able to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. But being in gṛhastha-āśrama even after reading every day, still we have material thoughts like what will happen to our family and close ones if we leave this world. Please suggest Guru Mahārāja how we can act in this situation?

Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-12-22

Jayapatākā Swami: Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he was a gṛhastha.

He had children, he had a kingdom.

But when he heard that he was going to die in seven days, he gave up everything.

So, actually what can you do anyway for your children, for your pet dog cat?

Some people in the last minute, they are thinking, oh my dog, who will take care of my dog? Who will give him food?

Then they may birth as a dog in his next life.

When we leave we leave everything to Kṛṣṇa.

And at the last minute what can we do in any case?

All these things should be given in your will.

When you leave your body you only think about the Lord.

Link: 20220723 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18. 27-28

Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Emotions / Lust], [Anarthās]

So, the next generation, I often feel that the kind of affection and loyalty and dedication like a sold-out-servant as all of you are, I feel that is greatly lacking in the next generation, Mahārāja. So, we feel in our generation many people, they get initiated officially and after that they do not feel such a great commitment to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission and in expanding the movement the way. I am sure that your expanding the movement has happened because you are strongly rooted in Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can the grand disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda have such feelings for him and a sense of belonging with him and thereby a sense of love and dedication for his mission?

Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!

You see Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave us the science of bhakti-yoga.

So everyone should read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, attend the Śrīla Prabhupāda daily guru-pūjā.

I mean, what does it take for people to be committed to Śrīla Prabhupāda?

When I first came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we did not have many books.

So Śrīla Prabhupāda said we could read Professor Sanyal’s Teachings of Lord Caitanya

and there was a section on Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

He said that whenever he would think of anything else, he would chant louder.

So I was a new bhakta

and I had so many thoughts.

So I would end up chanting louder and louder!

All the devotees, they went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said, “This Bhakta Jay, he shouts so loudly while chanting

and we cannot concentrate!”

Śrīla Prabhupāda called me

and he asked me, “Why you chant so loud?”

I told him,

he said, “Hmmm, that is not bad,

but you are disturbing all the other devotees.

So I give you permission to chant in the park.”

That was the pre joggers’ period, now we have many joggers.

I saw birds, and squirrels.

They all heard the holy name when I was shouting!

Anyway, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy devotional service is so nice

that we start experiencing some bliss

and I don’t think that is a big secret.

Anyone who does Kṛṣṇa consciousness sincerely,

they can also experience bliss!

I have seen some new people

coming and they are very blissful and very happy.

We should be you know, grateful

that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us such a nice process

that works.

It is not a theory or just a faith, it works!

If you do it then you will not regret

it and then you feel grateful

that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us such a wonderful thing.

If he hadn’t come, he hadn’t preached, where would we be today!

I wrote a song yadi prabhupāda nā haita, tabe kī haita.

If there was no Śrīla Prabhupāda, what would there be today?

It is something terrifying,

to think back,

what I was

and what I am today,

what bliss I am experiencing by following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions.

I think everybody should realize

that what they have

is all due to ultimately Śrīla Prabhupāda starting this movement.

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

Some people are allured by the duplicitous bābājīs and consider them guru. How to preach to these kind of people?

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.

Link: 20201118 Zoom Prabhupāda Kathā

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Apasampradāya], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Emotions / Hypocrisy]

Sometimes we need to talk about something with the devotees which is not Kṛṣṇa-related such as some management issues. But how to identify if we are doing prajalpa?

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.

Link: 20220219 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā], [Emotions / Confusion], [Anarthās]

Sometimes, even after giving all the love and philosophical teachings, the children still do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is to be done?

Questioner: Bhagavān Dāmodara Kṛṣṇa dāsa

Date: 2022-09-08

Link: 20211003 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.11.28

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Confusion]

Spiritual master does so much for us, he is so merciful, but my heart is so contaminated. I am stonehearted, I don’t feel anything for him. What should I do to increase my love and devotion to him, dear Mahārāja. Please enlighten me.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.

We don’t want to be a kṛpaṇa – a miser.

You are saying how you understand the guru is doing so much for you!

But you don’t feel grateful!

Is that the way to feel?

If someone saves you from a car accident, should you feel grateful?

If someone is saving you from repeated birth and death, should you feel grateful?

If you don’t feel grateful, definitely you should be crying.

If you are not crying, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, you should cry that you are not crying!

And if you are not crying that you are not crying, then you should crying, that you are not crying for crying!

It goes on like that!

Link: 20220822 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Mercy]

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples are very enthusiastically serving their Śrīla Prabhupāda with surrender, dedication and commitment. How do we as his grand disciple develop this level of faith and surrender?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I hope they are serving Śrīla Prabhupāda enthusiastically

and I hope that the grand disciples will also serve guru and Gaurāṅga enthusiastically.

And that depends on their sincerity.

If they are sincere they will do that.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

The demigods, being Kṛṣṇa’s representatives, help the Vaiṣṇavas progress in kṛṣṇa-bhakti. But here (in Dhruva-līlā) we see them creating many obstacles. How can we reconcile this?

Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur.

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: The devas, the demigods are sakāma devotees.

They have some material desires.

Because they are afraid that

Dhruva would take over their posts,

therefore they gave him different obstacles –

in one way they were testing him.

So if you don’t want a position in the heavenly planets,

you have to declare that to them.

Give them kṛṣṇa-prasādam.

They should not cause you trouble.

Because Dhruva was performing austerities for position,

they were afraid that he would take their position.

Link: 20200818 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Confusion], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Material World / Demigods]

The great souls like Vidura and Haridāsa Ṭhākura were associates and great devotees of the Lord, so it was easy for them to overcome māyā but fallen souls like us get affected by material association and fall down. What to do in this kind of situation?

Questioner: Subāhu Śacī Sūta dāsa

Date: 2022-08-29

Jayapatākā Swami: The type of tests that Haridāsa Ṭhākura had to go through, we usually don’t have to face such tests.

He was beaten in 22-marketplaces.

There was a prostitute tried to make him fall down.

I heard that Durgā devī even she came to test him.

We don’t have to face such gigantic tests.

If we pray to Kṛṣṇa to help us, Kṛṣṇa usually helps us.

We get very minor tests and even those we fail.

But we can get over these tests if we have the sincere desire.

If we depend on Kṛṣṇa, then we will overcome all the tests.

Link: 20211218 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.29

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

The youth are seen to be indulging in various undesirable activities and thus are not capable of appreciating the Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy. However, when using bridge-level preaching tactics (such as anger/stress management etc.), there is a feeling that the teachings of paramparā may be compromised. How then do we strike the balance ?

Questioner: IYF

Date: 2022-08-24

Jayapatākā Swami: I mean somehow, there was a presentation how to be happy.

That was very interesting because

I was not happy.

I had sense gratification

but it wasn’t satisfying.

So somehow if we want to tell those people that

by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness

they can become happy.

The bridging programs can somehow bring them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness

then that would be ideal.

If anger management can include some aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

some practices that they could do.

Some ways they can control their anger

by dovetailing it.

So bridge is to take us over the bridge to the other side of the river.

That means, take us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So at the end of the bridge there should be something Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Although the attraction is okay, anger management for instance,

we learn that we can practice, we can control anger through bhakti-yoga.

So the bridge program actually does that, it bridges us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

At least to some extent.

Like you are saying people have many lusty desires and bad habits,

I saw today on the Tv

that in some states 3 or 5 states in the USA,

they do a referendum and made marijuana smoking for recreation legal.

It was previously legal for medicinal use.

But now it is legal for recreation in some states.

So, all kinds of bad habits people have –

not only drinking, smoking,

illicit sex.

Actually, we know that none of these things give one satisfaction.

But we cannot directly attack these things.

Rather, we try to present the positive thing of chanting, meditation,

and then when they are more ready,

when they ask appropriate questions,

we may reveal that bad habits should be controlled.

That is a gradual process.

That is what Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it takes buckets of blood,

not easy to make a devotee.

Do you think only people now are addicted to bad habits?

Ha! I think before I was 12-I had already broken all the regulative principles!!

Link: 20201105 Zoom Session with ISKCON Youth India Conference

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Sinful activities], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Youth]

There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?

Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa

Date: 2022-08-01

Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.

If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.

And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.

Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.

He had victory all over the world.

He was victorious over all the scholars.

But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.

He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.

He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”

Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.

I cannot help you therefore.”

Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.

And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.

He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.

Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?

If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.

If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.

Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.

Link: 20201010 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.10

Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]

To become a devotee means to have gone through all purification process such as knowledge of all the Vedas and such. But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee. Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others. There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?m

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-06-10

How to develop favourable devotional attitude?

we should accept everything for devotional service and give up everything which is unfavourable.

If we really understand what is our self interest?

What is helping us?

And we understand serving Kṛṣṇa and serving his devotees are our own self interest and then we know what is the favourable for that we accept the favourable things and we avoid the unfavourable automatically we can.

Start to get lined up.

Now what is very important is to develop that is by associating with the devotees already have their attitude.

Not that every devotees is equally developed in his favourable attitude such those who are especially ball pointless those who are in bitter mood they may be advancing but in a slow track.

Those who are seeing good qualities in others enthusiastic cheerful and they don’t hold any grudges on anyone they are in mode of fast track.

So we look for devotees that we can relate with a better situation we are and associating with them and in this way we can progress by the good association and this leads to the next question which is sādhu-saṅga which is one of most if not the most important limbs of devotional principles is offensive be six certain devotee association to avoid others,

So we select the associating just associating of any devotees so we can read the questions super souls.

Lord Caitanya said that there are three kinds of devotees those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa but they are not following the principles we can help them otherwise we don’t associate with them very intimately but those who are initiated and following very strictly we can accept them in a very we can respect them and offer respect to them and associate with them.

And those who are very advanced who are fully fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who are in the level of guru we can take shelter from them.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that we can seek out association with the likely minded devotees.

Of course hopefully the like minded should be a good mind but its all right we may be more intimate with some than the others.

Question:

But have to becoming a devotee means still one has a same suffering and problems as non-devotee.

Even after taking of devotional service one still has the propensity to be envious and causing anxiety to others.

There is nothing wrong in the process of devotional life why does devotees come under māyā’s attack?

Answer:

There are so many process of purification.

You come to bhakti means this is the supreme process there is no other process after this.

And there is no need of doing any lower processes but still we have to learn how to do bhakti-yoga to do properly.

As we do bhakti-yoga we will find many dirt will come in our hearts.

It’s a cleaning process,

if we clean the house dust comes out.

We have to be very careful to move the dirt.

We have to be learned to be tolerant.

We have to learn to be humble.

These are part of the devotional process.

Now side by side by chanting and performing the activities we have to also do cleaning.

We have to be always analyzing and seeing wherever we have defects and systematically try to move that.

Then in this material world time is immemorial.

Millions of millions of birth even after few days,

months,

weeks or years of devotional service its not likely some of the contaminations are still there in our hearts.

But if we absorb ourselves fully in devotional service and we take the shelter of the spiritual master properly then we can burn out these accumulated contaminations very quickly.

So the reason why the process of devotional service is to get different attacks the contamination is there as I mentioned in the class we are getting devotional service very easy from Lord Caitanya we are making mmediately they are close on us.

They will take away the curve.

We have to make a proper we have to be patient we are not fully qualified for devotional service we are getting it on a special concession like the government sometimes give the poor people the low cost housing.

They don’t get afford to get a house but they can buy it by low credit just to get the people out of the slums.

So Lord Caitanya want us to get out from this horrible material world.

He is giving us a special credit plan.

Because we are not fully qualified we have to work it becoming qualified.

You are coming to this process very quickly.

But if we stick to it within a short period of time we can get rid out of this bad qualities and we become properly situated.

So we need the patience and determination and the conviction.

We need the associate properly with devotees.

We need to avoid the different kind of negative activities and we have to be very open hearted and straight forward.

These are the six things that Rūpa Gosvāmi recommends us and help us

to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So in one sentence nothing wrong.

And people surely benefit something by hearing them.

But usually for the initiated devotees prefer to hear singing by someone more spiritually developed.

These are especially songs sung by attracting the new people by music aspect but not spiritual aspect.

In public programs we use these more but for personal purification it is recommended to hear Prabhupāda and some other pure devotee chanting.

But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.

In Kali-yuga for different this is very funny the four varṇāśramas.

So four āśramas we don’t.

I understand its meaning.

Question is addressing the āśramas.

It’s a mistake to go through the varṇas.

So the āśramas it depends also so some people just go through marriage the only āśrama they have to go through.

For spiritual life someone joins the movement he is a gṛhastha we don’t say he has to go to brahmacārī.

But later on the gṛhasthas are good to taken vānaprastha husband and wife together.

It is not essential that people must take sannyāsa.

If they are initiated wife and husband prepare themselves for this also.

This all voluntarily.

One doesn’t have to go through different āśramas but its something that one has to consult with one’s own guru.

What is best for each individual?

To which āśrama that one should go through?

Some brahmacārīs go straight to sannyāsa and some brahmacārīs to gṛhastha and vānaprastha.

So this all different scenarios.

Link: 19950727 Bhagavad-gītā 8.15

Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Emotions / Envy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

We see how the associates of Lord Caitanya were certainly worthy recipients of the Lords mercy. Sometimes, we as sādhakas, also unjustly feel that we deserve mercy. How to avoid this?

Questioner: Rasapriyā Gopīkā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: We don’t think we are worthy of the Lord’s mercy,

that’s why it’s causeless mercy.

We don’t see ourselves as the cause.

Rather we have no such qualities,

and the Lord, if He gives us His mercy,

that is His blessing.

One disciple at the Kumbha-melā asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,

you said that one gets devotional service,

if they have done all these spiritual practices.

But in my life when I look back, I don’t see any such qualifications,

how did I get devotional service?

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I made your good fortune for you”.

Link: 20200623 The Lord Praises Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura

Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Pride], [Mercy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

We should surrender the body mind and words, but my mind is very uncontrolled. It is very painful that something which I don’t want to remember or think of, again and keeps popping up in my mind which may be offensive thought. Please kindly tell me what should I do?

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.

Link: 20220711 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

What about people who are situated in sattva-guṇa but not devotees ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-31

Jayapatākā Swami: So that is devotional service in sattva-guṇa.

They are going to temple, they are doing some devotional service, may be their standard…

There is nine type of devotional service is subdivided, then again subdivided, then again 81 divisions in each guṇa,

and in the three guṇas.

So, that simply the solution is to preach pure devotional service.

Sometimes because Lord Caitanya’s movement,

He is able to purify even the most fallen people,

that those people who are very much in the mode of goodness, they think, “Well,

this movement of Lord Caitanya is only for the mlecchas, for the fallen people,

for the different type of out castes or whatever,

but for us we follow strictly the conservative varṇāśrama program,

Hinduism, this and that, whatever.”

But the point is that Lord Caitanya’s ocean of nectar is ever expanding

and as an ocean overcomes its boundaries

by the preaching of the devotees,

and we have to be able to show the good example and to present to them

that this is not meant simply for a particular class of people, but it is meant for all classes,

whether their background is sattva-guṇa or whether it is tamo-guṇa or whatever it may be,

it is for everyone.

This is the universal process of this Kali-yuga.

And those who are intelligent, they will accept,

and those who are not intelligent even they don’t accept.

You see, those who are intelligent they accept, and they swim in that ocean of nectar when it floods,

and the others they may not be able to swim but they are swept away anyway, and they are forced to float on the top of it,

because there is no more dry land to stand on,

everywhere there is simply the nectar of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement.

In this way by organizing big festivals, by organizing preaching in various way everywhere,

those people, they will not be able to avoid to chant.

So, Lord Caitanya, He said, “Be humble,

beg the people, beg them, go door to door, beg them to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,

the worship of Kṛṣṇa, the study of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred teachings, Gītā and Bhāgavata.”

He said, “Beg the people.”

Personally, Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They went door to door begging.

This preaching movement is pure nectar, going and simply begging from the people.

A person is very proud and if you go and you beg from him one thing,

you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how can he refuse

that, “No, I won’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.”

Is there anyone? How can he refuse if he is proud of being religious,

if we present it in the right way?

But that ability, that is only possible if we get the mercy of our, you see,

the spiritual masters, of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda,

then if we somehow or another we get Their blessing, we go on trying,

surely some day we will be able to get so many people.

In South India, we were asking the people to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,

and they are very, they’re strict, but even the high brāhmaṇa class as well as even some Muslims

and other people, they all came forward to pledge that, “They will chant everyday 108 times Hare Kṛṣṇa,

because this is the yuga-dharma.

And they are going to follow the principles of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible.”

And in one meeting, in Madras alone, 3000 people were signed up.

I went to Delhi.

Lokanātha Swami said, “I don’t think you can do it in Delhi, it is very difficult.”

So, we printed up in one day 100 sheets and then in the middle of the Rāmānandī meeting,

I made an appeal at the end that, “This is the yuga-dharma,

which of you will chant 108 times a day to carry on the torchlight of knowledge of Caitanya Mahāprabhu

for purification in this Kali-yuga?”

And out of the assembly of about 1500 people,

500 people stood up, “We will daily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we will follow the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

They came up to sign the form.

That Rāmānandī guru, he flipped out, or he completely became wild, took the microphone from me,

said it will cause a disturbance, this that, and gave it to some this Rāmāyaṇa singer

who started immediately singing Tulasī dāsa Rāmāyaṇa, “Rāma-nāma”.

In spite of that people jumped over the stage and signed up and said, “Give me a form. We want to…”

Even one of the Rāmānandī sādhus, he came and said, “I’ll also chant.”

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that this process if we beg the people to chant,

so many people will come forward.

Then all we have to do is, see that after we, they agree to chant, that we

keep some contact and see that they go on chanting.

Anyway, whatever it means, if somehow or another through book distribution, through our appeals…

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote to his disciples.

We found some old letters which are collected, and he wrote a letter to a disciple,

how they can preserve the Māyāpur preaching.

He said that first thing is to establish printing press,

then to distribute, print and distribute books.

And the third thing he said is, go on preaching in Nāmahaṭṭa.

Nāmahaṭṭa means that to get every person to practice, not simply that only full-time devotees practice,

every single person has to be encouraged to practice in their own house, in their own community, you see.

That Prabhupāda said also in the third canto of the Bhāgavatam that, “There is no reason

why every family in every society, in every country of the world

cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house every day.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda… This is what Śrīla Prabhupāda kept repeating to us the varṇāśrama preaching.

Varṇāśrama preaching.

We always said, just the devotees said, “No the public, the public, the public.”

Varṇāśrama preaching that is the modern, that is the way Prabhupāda described

it as not different from what Bhaktivinoda said, Nāmahaṭṭa.

It means getting the people to practice.

What is varṇāśrama? Accepting Kṛṣṇa.

If you don’t accept Kṛṣṇa there is no question of varṇāśrama.

So, it is the same program.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 19820121 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.22 and Vaiśiṣṭyāṣṭakam Verse 3

Category: [Material World / Guṇas / Modes], [Material World], [Anarthās]

What do you want your disciples to avoid?

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.

Link: 20220822 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)]

What is the best way to preach and is it offensive to preach to the faithless, so how do you preach then?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-04

Jayapatākā Swami: You see we don’t tell the glories of the holy name to a faithless person.

If you say, oh, you chant the holy name it will destroy all your sins.

He is a faithless person he does not believe in sin.

You just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy,

not going through all the glories of the holy name.

Just tell them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy!

Eat this prasāda, bhel-purī!

It was very nice Gujarati prasāda today.

Link: 20230419 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

What is the importance of revealing our mind without hesitation? Whom should be reveal our mind to, considering there are offensive thoughts inside?

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.’

Link: 20210601 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās]

What is the proper mood to carry on bhakti even if we commit mistake unintentionally?

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!

Link: 20200217 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Sādhanā]

What’s the practical example of pulling out the weeds? (to guard the creeper of devotion)

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.

Link: 19821226 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.23

Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Sādhanā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās]

When we encounter people of other religions or faith who question ISKCON and our faith in Kṛṣṇa, how should we respond or act?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-01

Jayapatākā Swami: Every person is different.

And if they are open or they are challenging,

I asked Trivikrama Mahārāja, what to do, in the Free Speech Alley in the Baton Rouge, he said, challenge them. Louisiana State University.

He told me, just ask them a question they cannot answer.

They say you believe in karma, this that and the other, you say well people are born crippled, why?

They say that is a mystery.

So I asked them another question and it just blew them away.

But I met a nice man he was favorable, recently here in Dallas

and so I said how Jesus said we should love God.

That is the first commandment.

You know little bit about different religions, so you can tell that.

And how bhakti-yoga means the science of how to love God.

Like Śrīla Prabhupāda met some ayatollahs in Tehran

and he was very happy. They discovered that saying Allah hu Akbar

means paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi.

I met one devotee, people they said you are a Hindu,

they wanted to argue.

I said I am a devotee of God.

Then he came around and said there is one God,

all religions worship the same God.

We believe there is only one God and all religions worship the one God.

But they call Him by different names

it depends how people approach you, and if they are open or not.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20230516 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Other philosophies]

Why some initiated devotees are still having hatred on some people, even after practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness for more than 25 year? Where has all the śravaṇam and kīrtanam gone? How to come out of this icchā dveśa platform? Are we missing something in our sādhana?

Questioner: Keśava Gaura dāsa

Date: 2022-01-05

Jayapatākā Swami: I only see the good qualities in other.

I don’t see whether they have this hatred to others,

but if they do

even, we should forget that.

Anyway, someone may be performing śravaṇam and kīrtanam with offenses,

and the result will be very limited.

So, we should be try to perform offenseless chanting.

That is why at the time of taking initiation, we discuss the ten offences.

But periodically, we should remind ourselves to remember to avoid these offences.

Link: 20201012 Question and Answer session

Link: 20210628 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Anarthās]

Would you still consider someone who commits a mental offence towards a pure devotee as your servant?

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.

Link: 20200727 The Lord Hints of Taking Sannyāsa

Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Material World / Kali yuga], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence]

You mentioned how to increase faith in Lord Caitanya, you said people have faith in Kṛṣṇa, they don’t have faith in Lord Caitanya. Can you please elaborate on that?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Last night, someone asked this question in the temple.

And were you there?

There are different ways we can answer this.

You see Rādhārāṇī created Navadvīpa dhāma

and She played on the flute.

Lord Kṛṣṇa thought who was playing on the flute so beautifully!

Who, who is that? Who is that?

He came and He saw it was Rādhārāṇī,

and She had made a beautiful holy dhāma of nine islands.

And then Lord Kṛṣṇa combined with Rādhārāṇī,

took Rādhārāṇī’s heart

and He took Her complexion.

And thus He became the united form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa of Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu!

And He is the form of Kṛṣṇa who is most merciful!

We asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṇa makes us fast till midnight, but on Rādhāṣṭamī we fast only till midday.

Why is that?

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, Rādhārāṇī is very merciful.

So it is very hard to get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.

Normally He gives love of Kṛṣṇa to those who fully surrender to Him.

But Lord Caitanya He would give out mercy without considering who is qualified, who is not qualified.

If ask it, you get it.

Even some people they did not want it but they got it! Ha!

So if one understands that Kṛṣṇa’s most merciful form is Lord Caitanya, then actually they naturally they want to have love for Lord Caitanya.

In Mumbai, they have Nitāi-Gaura, they have Śrī Rādhā-Rāsabihārī, Lalitā Viśākhā, and they have Sītā-Rāma Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān,

as worshipable Deities.

Of course, as dioramas, they have Tukārāma, Viṭṭala and many others,

Narasiṁhadeva, but the worshipable Deities are those three altars.

Many people crowd around Rādhā-Rāsabihārī and Sītā-Rāma.

But not so many around Nitāi-Gaura.

I was explaining in the class that by the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura we get the mercy of Rādhā-Rāsabihārī and Sītā-Rāma.

So we should all be praying to Lord Caitanya to get the mercy of all other Deities.

If you don’t, it is very hard to get Their mercy.

But if you do, it is very easy to get Their mercy.

So I was telling earlier today, how Lord Caitanya came down especially in the Golden Age which is supposed to start 5000 years after the beginning of Kali-yuga,

this is mentioned in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa.

The Golden Age lasts for ten thousand years.

I was reading also recently, at the end of 9th canto and the beginning of the 10th canto how Lord Kṛṣṇa He would have the demoniac forces got puffed up and fight with each other and kill each other.

So it seems that for no reason all over the world war is going on.

So, all these things are diminishing the demoniac forces

and then naturally Lord Caitanya is giving out His mercy freely.

So we should naturally, if you are appreciating what Lord Caitanya does, then how can you not help but love him.

Haribol Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!

Link: 20230424 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

You mentioned that considering himself as a doer, an ordinary being could not understand God, could not see Caitanya Mahāprabhu as God. Could you please give some explanation on that as how I consider myself a doer and that stops me from seeing God?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-04

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in the Bhagavad-gītā there is a verse

that everything is done by the material nature,

but the living entity thinks that he is the doer.

kartāham iti manyate.

So if we see that we simply desire and the Lord provides us,

that he is the doer - that material energy is the doer,

we are simply desiring.

So He remembers what we desired

and He provides us the opportunities.

So if someone thinks he is the doer,

then he can’t really understand the Supreme Lord

who is actually doing everything for us.

Link: 20190130 Advaita Ācārya’s Vision of The Lord’s Universal Form (Part-3)

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

You mentioned that if we visit Śrīdhama Vṛndāvana and we commit offences it would get multiplied 1000 times. But being a beginner, knowingly or unknowingly one could commit offences. So should they avoid visiting Śrīdhama Vṛndāvana?

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]

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.