20221028 Addressing International Travelling Russian Preaching Party

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 28th, 2022 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. 

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Jayapatākā Swami: So, all the holy places have been brought here by Lord Kṛṣṇa. One gets a thousand times the result of any devotional service done here. But in Vṛndāvana, they also get a hundred times the result of any offence they commit. But the same is not true in Māyāpur. This is called the audārya-dhāma, the mercy-dhāma! You were in Jagannātha Purī, that is the aiśvarya-dhāma, the opulent-dhāma. And this is the audārya-dhāma or mercy-abode. Vṛndāvana is the mādhurya-dhāma. Very sweet-abode! We just installed the lotus footprints of Lord Caitanya in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Śyāma-kuṇḍa. If you see any place in your travels where Lord Caitanya visited, and there is no lotus footprint, tell us and we will arrange to have one put there.

We heard that in Russia they are mobilizing or drafting the men for the Army. Does that also include your men? (to some extent yes, they said). So spend some time in India! We were listening rather how Śrīla Prabhupāda in London, he gave a lecture. And he told the gṛhasthas that he wanted them to be paramahaṁsas. He mentioned how they were preaching in London and that they had more success than his sannyāsī Godbrother. So, we are very thankful that you are going around and preaching. You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, distributing books and prasāda. How many days have you been here? (one month in India, one week in Māyāpur). How long will you be staying here? (In Māyāpur, two more days) So here we are observing the disappearance day of Śrīla Prabhupāda tomorrow, in the temple and in the samādhi. I would like to welcome all of you.Thank you for coming to Māyāpur. Any questions?

Question: After Śrīla Prabhupāda departed from this world, what gave you strength and the force to go forward?

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda always told us we should not try to see Kṛṣṇa but act in such a way that Kṛṣṇa will see us. It was devastating to lose Śrīla Prabhupāda’s personal association. But he gave me a lot of different services to perform to him. So, that kept me busy in serving Śrīla Prabhupāda.

How many of you are disciples of Caitanya Candra Caraṇa dāsa? (Almost all) How many of you have the Jayapatākā Swami App? (a few) You can download it. It is in various languages, and you can choose Russian. So, there are various programs in the App like offering ārati, like seeing what I do, seeing Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures. Then you can ask, to put out something about Caitanya Candra Caraṇa dāsa also. Have you visited any of the holy places around Navadvīpa dhāma? (Yes, the house of Śrīvāsa Aṅgana.) Śrīvāsa Aṅgana. (Yoga-pīṭha, House of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Jagannātha Mandir, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura samādhi, Viṣṇu-priyā temple, and also TOVP construction site) Have you seen the TOVP site? Is there are anyone who is an IT person, we are doing a Museum in the West Wing, we could use help for the Exhibits.

Question: How the devotees from Russia and Ukraine should stay united and not slide down in this political fighting between the two countries?

Jayapatākā Swami: When I was in Canada, I told my pūrvāśrama parents that I had joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And my father said, I should come back immediately and be in the American Army and fight in Vietnam. So I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should I do? He told me, better you serve in Kṛṣṇa’s army. So I have been in Kṛṣṇa’s army ever since. And I am very happy to have visited Russia. And I also went to Siberia, and I think I went to Omsk. I also went to Vladivostok, to the Urals, then to Yekaterinburg and various places. But now I stay mostly in India, but I travel a little bit. I think that devotees, they are above these designations of nations. So, we try to help the devotees from both Russia and Ukraine. They are all part of Kṛṣṇa’s family. This war is very superficial. We hope that people will take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Rather than trying to kill each other! Haribol!

I will go down to offer lamps to the Deities and then will have the Caitanya-līlā class. Thank you very much! Spacebo! Hare Kṛṣṇa!