Question: How the devotees from Russia and Ukraine should stay united and not slide down in this political fighting between the two countries?
Author: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: When I was in Canada, I told my pūrvāśrama parents that I had joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
And my father said, I should come back immediately and be in the American Army and fight in Vietnam.
So I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda what should I do?
He told me, better you serve in Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I have been in Kṛṣṇa’s army ever since.
And I am very happy to have visited Russia.
And I also went to Siberia, and I think I went to Omsk.
I also went to Vladivostok, to the Urals,
then to Yekaterinburg and various places.
But now I stay mostly in India, but I travel a little bit.
I think that devotees, they are above these designations of nations.
So, we try to help the devotees from both Russia and Ukraine.
They are all part of Kṛṣṇa’s family.
This war is very superficial.
We hope that people will take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Rather than trying to kill each other!
Haribol!
Category: [Devotee Care], [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Related Questions
As we grow in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become devotees who are in senior positions, and at the phase of becoming mature devotees, we still tend to make vaiṣṇava-aparādhā while having that position and naturally when we have power and position that is what the people instead of having humility, because of their power and position, people, they tend to make or have the tendency to make vaiṣṇava-aparādhā. How do we correct that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You were not here last night. We talked that sometimes a father, a senior devotee, may have to correct a junior devotee.
It is not considered an offence.
The criticizing or laughing at Lord Brahmā that is something offensive.
If you have to correct a junior devotee, if you have to correct someone do that in private
so that their ego won’t be troubled.
And if we have to do it, then do as a sandwich,
do you know what it means sandwich?
You first of all praise them,
and then say what you want to say criticizing them,
then you praise them again.
That way, they don’t feel that the person doesn’t love me.
But we should not criticize, laugh at some senior devotee.
That may be there in ISKCON, but we should not do that.
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla dāsa
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is wishful thinking!
Do you ever find 100% of the people receptive?
There are always a few who are attached to their material things.
This is in our planet, what to speak of other planets?
I mean, in the lower planets they are very much demoniac.
But anyway, that is not a problem.
If you make everybody a devotee, very good! Kṛṣṇa will not complain.
But there will always be some who will not be interested.
You have the animals, the birds, the trees, the fish,
if you can make all of them Kṛṣṇa conscious, very good!
At least Lord Caitanya He had all the animals chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So if we can at least get the human beings to be Kṛṣṇa conscious that would be a good thing.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Maṅgalamayī Mālinī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that, if you are an initiated devotee,
then it is very beneficial for you, and not so much trouble for the devotee.
But sometimes people who are not devotees take the dust, and sometimes devotees distribute their guru’s prasāda remnants
to non-devotees.
That may cause great trouble for the devotee.
What is being said is true,
but it may cause some trouble for the devotee,
if the person is not a devotee himself.
So, that was the thing that Śrīla Prabhupāda said,
that we should not give it out to non-devotees,
or to uninitiated devotees.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-12-13
Jayapatākā Swami: Obviously, this is a specific issue
and without knowing the details,
it is hard to say.
I don’t want to be quoted that, “Oh, gurudeva told me to go to the court!”
Since I don’t know the details.
Generally, we try to exhaust all the possibilities of mediation and arbitration and everything,
then only when there is no choice,
we think about going to the court.
Court is also very – like some of our devotees were sitting in the court they were getting bitten by the bed-bugs in the wooden benches,
sucking their blood.
So, some lawyer said you can put down the legal paper
and sit on that,
all the lawyers were reincarnated as bug!
So, they could suck blood,
but they respect the legal papers
and so they won’t bite you if you sit on the legal papers! Ha! Ha!
So going to court is also very time consuming and expensive option.
So, we have to take the proper guidance whether such an adventure will be worth the time and energy.
Better to worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Day-to-day Life], [Devotee Care]
Candramohana Prabhu is from the Śrī Sampradāya and is following Chinna Jeeyar Swami, there they have different way of initiating. Would you like to comment on that? Bona fide ācārya and the different methods of initiation, what is your recommendation, what do you think about that? Is that also proper initiation and proper paramparā, and he will go back to Kṛṣṇa through that route?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Jayapataka Swami: Śrī Sampradāya is one of the four sampradāyas mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa.
And so it is a bona fide sampradāya.
But I was trying to analyze what is their process of initiation,
and it seems like the actual initiation is given to the sannyāsīs and gṛhasthas who are very intimate with the association.
Actually, it is not clear to me that they give this branding of the body, with śankha and cakra,
how that is initiation?
Because normally initiation is, we receive some mantra, name change.
So they give everybody this śankha cakra,
I don’t know if that is really considered initiation?
I mean, Gopala Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī he was in Śrīrangam,
but he took the shelter of Lord Caitanya.
And he became one of the six Gosvāmīs.
So, he had would have normally received that śankha cakra, but he took shelter from Lord Caitanya
and got the mantra from him.
It is a bona fide sampradāya but they only go up to Vaikunṭha.
Like Andal Devi, she seemed to have a kind of a special rasa with Kṛṣṇa.
The Jiyar in Śrīrangam said you are all representatives of Andal Devi.
Despite all adversities, you have always continued to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda without any interruption, and we see sometimes devotees, they get upset on small things. And they leave their services. And that really compromises everybody’s service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can we continue in your mood, that not to leave services when offended and work together? Any instructions, any guidance you can give us about that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, as I said,
we owe everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
He could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.
He would have easily got liberation.
But he took a great headache,
he came to the USA,
came to Canada,
and he gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So who thinks that they have paid their debt fully?
I don’t think so!
I have to do so much,
still the debts are not paid for.
As long as I have breath in the body,
as long as I have any abilities,
I will try to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.
When I was in Canada
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
whether I should join the USA army,
because my father said he would turn my name.
Then Śrīla Prabhupāda told me
better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I am still in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
and I haven’t taken retirement yet.
So as a serving officer in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
I have to continue! Ha!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Despite all adversities, you have always continued to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda without any interruption, and we see sometimes devotees, they get upset on small things. And they leave their services. And that really compromises everybody’s service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So how can we continue in your mood, that not to leave services when offended and work together? Any instructions, any guidance you can give us about that?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-21
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, as I said,
we owe everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
He could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.
He would have easily got liberation.
But he took a great headache,
he came to the USA,
came to Canada,
and he gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So who thinks that they have paid their debt fully?
I don’t think so!
I have to do so much,
still the debts are not paid for.
As long as I have breath in the body,
as long as I have any abilities,
I will try to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.
When I was in Canada
I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda,
whether I should join the USA army,
because my father said he would turn my name.
Then Śrīla Prabhupāda told me
better you join Kṛṣṇa’s army.
So I am still in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
and I haven’t taken retirement yet.
So as a serving officer in Kṛṣṇa’s army,
I have to continue! Ha!
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Why not?
Of course, all these things are very helpful in your spiritual life.
But we have to avoid also the association of non-devotees.
And that is why it would be good if there is some temple nearby
you can attend and to associate with devotees.
But if there are no devotees and you have Śrīla Prabhupāda books,
listen to my classes.
We see now by internet we have various Jayapatākā Swami Śiṣya Samūha [JSSS] programs,
you can attend them.
Actually, on the internet, we see YouTube I visit various temples every day.
So, now the internet we can associate with different devotees.
Via internet we can have good association, satsaṅga but we can also get into bad association.
So we should take the good and leave the bad.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Swapnil Tikale
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: No!
Advancement in spiritual life is not dependent on anything material.
If one is born in a rich family, the advantage is that they don’t have to struggle to maintain themselves,
but similar some situations which can be helpful,
but it is not essential,
to make advancement.
Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā that if someone serves Him and doesn’t finish,
they don’t lose,
they are either born in a family of rich merchant
or devotee,
or they take birth in heavenly planets.
So there is no loss by doing devotional service even if one doesn’t finish.
And one can advance in any situation.
Look at Prahlāda Mahārāja, he advanced even he was in the family of demons.
Haribol!
Category: [Material World], [Material World / Guṇas / Modes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we are trying to remember Kṛṣṇa.
And by following the path of navavida-bhakti we are trying to engage in devotional service.
And therefore, we want to return to the spiritual world to serve Kṛṣṇa personally.
But the karmīs, they are trying to find a solution to their material problems so that they can have interrupted sense gratification.
In this way they take birth after birth after birth after birth.
But we actually have this human life we should take advantage and go back to Godhead.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You see we are trying to remember Kṛṣṇa.
And by following the path of navavida-bhakti we are trying to engage in devotional service.
And therefore, we want to return to the spiritual world to serve Kṛṣṇa personally.
But the karmīs, they are trying to find a solution to their material problems so that they can have interrupted sense gratification.
In this way they take birth after birth after birth after birth.
But we actually have this human life we should take advantage and go back to Godhead.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: If you realize that you are weak
in some area,
then you want to pray to Kṛṣṇa and get some strength.
Pray to Lord Caitanya, pray to Lord Nityānanda, pray to Gurudeva.
It is like an athlete.
If you don’t win, what do you do?
Give up or try harder, train more.
You want to get that gold medal for your country.
Like that.
You want to offer something to Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: There are no hard and fast rules.
Once, someone was taking all the mahā-prasāda from all the guests.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, you said take from the devotees.
If you take from new people and you get sick, it is not auspicious.
Be a little selective!
Category: [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-09-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, we can try to learn from this līlā,
and it is like say in some countries, if you steal, they cut off your hands.
And people are afraid to steal because they will lose their hand.
So, if we understand how serious it is
to be envious against the devotees,
then you will avoid that like anything.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Generally, we are godbrothers, we don’t know how to deal amongst godbrothers, especially when we don’t get personal, direct instructions from you. We get very less personal association or direct contact with you especially being in Vṛndāvana. Sometimes we don’t know how to connect with our godbrothers and godsisters and don’t know how to deal with them.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: How many here have mobile phones?
How many of you have the Jayapatākā Swami App?
How many don’t have?
There are various things – what I do every day.
There is also a “Ask Jayapatākā Swami”.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda had given me various instructions.
Those are written down, which one you want to volunteer?
And then there are connections to the social media, with the āratis, many things.
I was looking at my app, there are many things.
So we are looking for volunteers in the UK, they are saying for Amala Mañjarī devī dāsī to be the local care coordinator.
She doesn’t know yet.
But the local care coordinators – we can use one or two in Vṛndāvana.
So they can connect with me through various means.
How to deal with godbrothers or godsisters?
I mean, do you have any brothers?
How do you deal with them?
How do you deal with your godbrothers? Like your brothers?
(He is more close to his godbrothers than his own brothers)
Very nice!
Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that our temples are like hospitals.
So many devotees are at different stages of being a patient.
Some are very advanced devotees like śikṣā-gurus.
So, just saying godbrothers, there are senior godbrothers and new godbrothers.
Treat them respectfully, nicely and humbly.
And I will be very happy.
Try to encourage them to engage in devotional service properly.
But then you have to hear them first
and some of them are a little strange.
Some of them are very critical.
I did not know that at first.
But most of them are very nice.
My disciples, men and women, are very nice.
But sometimes there are so much things.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: Normally, a Vaiṣṇava is not supposed to leave remnants.
But a guru may leave some remnants for disciples.
But there is no hard and fast rule regarding mahā-prasāda.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a Gulab jamun to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami.
He kept it on his plate and he was looking at it.
He was very proud and was thinking that I have got Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Gulab jamun wow! Wow! Gulab jamun! Wow!
Someone reached over and ate it!
He said, you took my Gulab jamun!
And Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami was very angry.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said, actually there are no rules when it comes to mahā-prasāda.
And even if you take from my plate, what can I do?
But please let me finish!
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Pūjā
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: As Śrīla Prabhupāda said, that a devotee,
he develops friendship with other devotees,
and birds of a feather flock together.
Like that if the devotee is on your level, then you can be their friend.
Like that we many not find some devotee with whom we can be friends,
a devotee who will keep your talks confidential.
But if we do, then you can discuss with that person.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Purnima
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see,
if one
worships Kṛṣṇa,
chants Hare Kṛṣṇa,
reads Bhāgavatam, Gītā
and other Kṛṣṇa conscious things,
you can make use of this
temporary relationship
*repetitition*
to
be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
To help others be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
and some people have certain desires
so you can regulate these desires
and
cross over all the obstacles.
Although
things are temporary,
they can last for this life.
If you have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband
then you can practice your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
very peacefully.
So it is important
that a man finds a woman
and a woman finds a man who is krsna consciousness or atleast favorable.
at least favorable.
Maybe you can make him a devotee.
I know some women
who have overestimation of their ability
to make people devotees. (Laughing)
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Women]
Questioner: Purnima
Date: 2022-10-22
Jayapatākā Swami: You see,
if one
worships Kṛṣṇa,
chants Hare Kṛṣṇa,
reads Bhāgavatam, Gītā
and other Kṛṣṇa conscious things,
you can make use of this
temporary relationship
*repetitition*
to
be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
To help others be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
and some people have certain desires
so you can regulate these desires
and
cross over all the obstacles.
Although
things are temporary,
they can last for this life.
If you have a Kṛṣṇa conscious husband
then you can practice your Kṛṣṇa consciousness
very peacefully.
So it is important
that a man finds a woman
and a woman finds a man who is krsna consciousness or atleast favorable.
at least favorable.
Maybe you can make him a devotee.
I know some women
who have overestimation of their ability
to make people devotees. (Laughing)
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Women]
Questioner: Saṅgītamayī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know why she is losing taste
in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
And we should see what the cause is
and try to answer that problem.
If she chants Pañca-tattva mantra more often,
that may help her to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and get more taste.
If she doesn’t feel connected with me, then she could download the Jayapatākā Swami App,
and read the regular message postings.
Category: [Devotee Care]
Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: Some people are more sentimental, and they get carried away by other people’s problems.
But actually, as Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā,
we should not lament for the living or the dead.
So by reading the Bhagavad-gītā,
Kṛṣṇa advices how one can
give the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, but avoid being affected by the problems.
Thank you.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: If husband and wife, both are devotees then there are many opportunities.
If between the two if one of them is little behind, the other person should be affectionate to him or her and inspire them.
There is no use of using any bad words or being angry, it will simply increase the distance between them.
There are some strategies and techniques where they can get together and read books or chant together.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Preach to them,
don’t let them preach to you!
Think how you can help them on the path to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Thank you for – you remember Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was in a school with all demon children,
but he preached to them
and he got them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
They said we are kids, we want to play, we don’t want to chant.
He said, you spend half your life sleeping, playing,
Category: [Anarthās / Bad association], [Day-to-day Life], [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: That is what we are doing.
At least they are your relatives, they listen to you.
And you could see what works.
Flattery
or heart to heart talk.
This time there is a pandemic in the world,
people are dying,
people are getting sick.
Maybe you have some relative who got sick.
So it is an opportunity to explain
that while we do our material work,
we have to do some sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa.
Because if we don’t
that is why all this pandemic is there.
How did Śrīla Prabhupāda instill a very strong sambandha-jñāna in you and his other disciples? We see a strong sense of identity which Śrīla Prabhupāda had with Kṛṣṇa. What was so different in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s preaching that is so rare to come across nowadays. How you all feel such a strong sense of belonging to Śrīla Prabhupāda and to Kṛṣṇa?
Questioner: Rādhe Śyāma Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-24
Jayapatākā Swami: As I said, I was looking what is the purpose of life
and a visiting professor from Harvard
had told, about the life of Lord Buddha.
And that inspired me, he told, about reincarnation and so many things.
Being in the West, we had no access to.
I don’t know how much Indian students have.
But it lit a spark in me, to find a guru, to find a teacher.
Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in my previous life I was a devotee.
Maybe there are some people who were devotees in their previous life, I don’t know,
and some people may be coming new.
So one has to be ready for different kinds of situations.
Now when I came to the temple nobody had any time for me.
They were all busy.
And then I was sent to Jayānanda Prabhu.
He was building a ratha cart.
He asked me if I knew how to hold a nail.
I held it.
Then he got it into the wood, and I took my hand away.
He said, very good!
Because that is the whole trick, how you hold the nail!
You should leave space so that you don’t get your thumb smashed.
And he said, “Do you know how to hit a nail?”
“Sure”
I said, because my uncle had a wood shop in his basement.
And then I hammered some nails,
and he said, “Okay!”, I passed the preliminary exam
and then he engaged me in service.
That service was something I liked to do, it was nice.
So, I think that is the trick for the youth. Whether it is prasāda distribution or something but engage them in something.
And with doing service, they hear from more senior devotees
and that way they get purified.
I was engaged in a lot of different services.
Questioner: Puja
Date: 2022-10-14
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, in the material world, people, they are competing with others in a race,
thinking I will be the first.
But in service to Kṛṣṇa, it is not that we are competing with others.
Rather, Kṛṣṇa is more pleased if they help others.
We shouldn’t be thinking that by somehow by impeding others,
or somehow if someone else excels,
somehow that is detrimental to us - it is not the case.
Everyone has a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa,
rather the envy of others is a great impediment
- you will never be the number one!
When I said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am the most fallen,
he said you are not the most anything!
So that should be our mood.
There will always be some devotee who is better than us,
but we should not envy that person.
Rather we should associate and try to improve our own service.
Link: 20200909 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka (Part 2)
Category: [Anarthās], [Emotions / Envy], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Ānandinī Sītā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-29
Although we have to associate with non-devotees we should not intimately associate with them.
And if we try to give them the holy name, try to give them Bhagavad-gītā, that will be very effective.
We don’t take their association; we give them our association.
Vidura did not go to Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get his satsaṅga.
He went to give his satsaṅga
We should when we meet non-devotees we should think how to bring the person closer to Kṛṣṇa.
Not to engage in prajalpa with them.
Thank you Ānandini Sītā for your question.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Material World], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-04-27
Jayapatākā Swami: By hearing,
by associating,
we get a taste for hearing and associating.
And naturally, we want to associate with them.
So by taking part in bhakti-yoga, it is natural to develop these things.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: Pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, pray to your guru and do your sevā correctly.
Passion means lust. To do it to get some material benefit.
Ignorance means crazy, lazy.
Anger – I will show you that I am the best devotee! I will kill you by my bhakti! And some crazy thing!
So avoid passion and ignorance, and what is left is goodness.
So we do devotional service – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate –
to please the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not for ourselves.
Questioner: Mathurā Lileśvarī devī dāsī, Gītā Nagarī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: It means… Frist of all constructive means that you are telling the person, how they can improve.
But just telling the person how they are wrong it is not constructive.
The rule of thumb is that we don’t tender any advice constructive, otherwise to the senior devotees.
Rather [to a] senior devotee, we ask a question.
But we always have a right to ask a question;
and you can get your point across, even though it is put as a question.
Say that somebody is a senior devotee, is not behaving the way what you think is correct,
and we say that, “Prabhu, I look to you as an example to follow
and you have always told us we should do like this.
But I saw that you are doing like that.
So there must be some reason why you are doing, so can you illuminate me?”
And if the person illuminates you or if they don’t that means you caught them doing something wrong.
And if they are broadminded, then they will apologize
and say that, that activity is not something to follow.
Prabhupāda once went to see Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura’s brother,
and since he was the brother of his guru, he accepted him as a senior devotee,
and had the good fortune of being with him at that time.
He had previously discussed about developing the birthplace of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
But this time he refused.
So Prabhupāda asked a question,
“Isn’t it sinful,
if somebody cannot develop the birthplace of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
and someone who can, is not given a chance?
Isn’t it sinful?”
So technically that is a question,
“Isn’t it sinful?”
But he got the idea across.
So technically even he may not have liked it,
it was not an offence
because he asked it as a question.
So that is the principle, we should ask as a question,
if someone who is senior to us.
If someone is under our care, then we can offer them constructive criticism
or someone is a peer, equal, depending on your relationship, you can offer a constructive criticism or you could ask a question.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Nandapriyā Premā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: The false ego is [inaudible word] identify our self as the body.
If someone tells us, “Oh, you are ugly!”
We are affected
that is false ego.
If someone tells, “Oh, you are beautiful!”
and we are affected—that is false ego.
So people can say different things,
but we don’t take it so serious.
Because we know that, it is temporary.
And we want to realize our real ego which is as a servitor of Kṛṣṇa.
So false ego is a very subtle thing that ties us to this material world.
So Kṛṣṇa, He gives certain instructions to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā;
so that he can overcome the false ego,
and by dovetailing our ego in the service of Kṛṣṇa,
that is a positive situation
for instance, Arjuna was a father,
he was a householder, he was a prince,
he was a general, in charge of the army.
So Kṛṣṇa did not tell him that you should give up everything and be a sannyāsī,
rather He said, you should carry out your duties as what you are;
but you should do so as an offering to Me.
So Lord Caitanya also said, “gṛhe thāko vane thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko”
Whether you are gṛhastha or a mendicant,
you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
loudly and stay fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Emotions / Pride], [Anarthās]
Questioner: Jānakī Śantirūpā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-22
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Married life], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Material World]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we have a spiritual master.
He is the final authority.
And we take his opinion.
When there are different opinions, then we take the opinion of our spiritual master, the opinion of the śāstras.
Questioner: Keśava Kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-27
Jayapatākā Swami: I know that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
what he told me to do.
So trying to execute his instructions,
I have to make various decisions.
But I always keep in my mind, pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda.
So, this has always served me well.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in one case,
I did what he would have done.
I don’t know
if everything I do is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But I am trying to do that.
And I know that that itself is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
But we may make some mistakes on the way.
But then we can also correct. that.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Satyabhāmā Sādhvī devī dasī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Very glorious question.
We want to always remember guru and Kṛṣṇa.
So if we do everything as an offering to guru and Kṛṣṇa,
then we will be constantly thinking of Guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Like, if you buy a gift for your loved one,
now you may be thinking what does that person like?
And you pick up some gift,
so it maybe that you are thinking about the gift,
but you are thinking in the context what does this person like?
So therefore, you are always thinking about the person.
Even though technically you may not always thinking about him, but all your action is offered to him.
So therefore, your thought process is centered around the person you love.
So if you love Kṛṣṇa, if you love the guru,
it is very easy to think always about guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-01-20
Jayapatākā Swami: You see that is why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!
That changes our consciousness.
And then we see how this material world is a temporary place of suffering.
Lord Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā about this material world, it is – duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.
So we should engage ourselves in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Doesn’t matter where we are, material world or spiritual world, we do the same activities, engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
And I told the story about the Yamadūtas, we want to give them a vacation.
But if we want to give them service, they are ready to do it.
Also, Lord Caitanya revealed how by doing devotional service we get transcendental bliss.
Animals have āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, maithuna.
Human beings have the same plus devotional service.
So, the secret is to engage in devotional service.
Not to be an animal.
The modern world is just to make animal life more comfortable.
Why do the human beings have better, easier life than animals?
Because they have extra time to do devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-02
Jayapatākā Swami: It is like a multiple question.
You can be in Vṛndāvana by being in Vṛndāvana.
And how to please Śrīla Prabhupāda and me? I am very pleased if you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If you are studying Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,
Śrīla Prabhupāda called that tapasyā in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If you are distributing the mercy out that is also very pleasing.
And if you are doing Kṛṣṇa conscious sevās, there are nine types of sevās,
then that is also pleasing.
How to deal with the vraja-vāsīs?
What is the problem?
How to deal with the vraja-vāsīs in regard to job, work, and association?
She is saying vraja-vāsīs, if she is saying in regard to work she has to work for someone.
You are staying in Vṛndāvana, then you have to live with vraja-vāsīs.
I guess I would just encourage them, they are vraja-vāsīs, they are very fortunate.
That they are in Kṛṣṇa’s land,
so they should be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Otherwise, what is the use of being a vraja-vāsī.
Of course, when I installed the lotus feet this morning,
then afterwards a brāhmaṇa vraja-vāsī said I will help you to worship the Śyāma-kuṇḍa.
Then he took some water, sprinkled it,
tied a thread around my wrist.
And then he said, I am a poor brāhmaṇa, please give me some donation.
So I gave him some.
I saw in Māyāpur, sometimes during the season, the boys come up and say we are having a pūjā program in our pandal for Durgā-pūjā, please give us donation.
So I was thinking we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa every day
but Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Alright, give them 10 rupees.”
So, they are taught they accept whatever they are given. So to make the long story short, just give them 10 rupees and Haribol!
So like that Śrīla Prabhupāda would sometimes give them something just to make them happy.
Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Śaśimukhi Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
he like to walk
when he chanted. He was very active.
So he didn’t like sitting and chanting.
He would walk,
pace back and forth chanting.
So as far as leaving our body,
Kṛṣṇa helps us then.
We should practice chanting in all situations;
because the time of death is of course the most difficult time.
I went to a dentist, he said,
“The greatest suffering is kidney stones,
child birth,
dying
and dental [surgeries]!
Welcome to your dentist!!” [laughter]
So he said that dying is one of the most difficult times.
That is why we need to practice chanting now.
So that we can chant at the time when we leave our body.
But even if we cannot,
if we had remained good and chanted all through our life;
at the time of leaving our body, Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Material Sufferings], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question.
So it is important if they are senior devotees talk to them privately.
Speak to them how you tried to enthuse these new people but if the older devotees express their doubts to the younger devotees that creates a bad taste.
Explain to him how his negative comments are influencing the younger people badly.
If it is not comments, he only has a bad mood, then talk to me, I can help him, I don’t have a bad mood.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-11-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Good question.
So it is important if they are senior devotees talk to them privately.
Speak to them how you tried to enthuse these new people but if the older devotees express their doubts to the younger devotees that creates a bad taste.
Explain to him how his negative comments are influencing the younger people badly.
If it is not comments, he only has a bad mood, then talk to me, I can help him, I don’t have a bad mood.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Premeśvarī Śrī Rādhā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-21
Separation from guru and Kṛṣṇa is something that we encounter
and Kṛṣṇa.
So Lord Caitanya said that we can get a closer devotion
by feeling separation.
So if we feel separation that is to the body of the guru,
if we feel separation that is to the instructions of the guru
and just try to follow his instructions.
By following his instructions, we can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Serving the guru personally is vapu-sevā
and serving his instructions is vāṇī-sevā.
So vāṇī-sevā is more important.
Category: [Emotions / Sorrow], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Everlyne Geraldo
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: It is not very difficult to develop favorable relationships with devotees.
?
In the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka
it says offer respect to others and don’t expect respect for, yourself.
So if you follow this system then you will make many friends.
And people are always looking for someone to appreciate them.
So if you appreciate others,
then naturally they will appreciate you.
So, I am very happy to receive your question.
And I am speaking English so everybody else can hear the answer.
And because my translator can do better
if I speak in English.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Cooperation], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Śaraṇāgati Gaura dāsa
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: You have a nice name, śaraṇāgati, means surrender.
Just apply your name!
Lord Caitanya said in the third verse of the Śikṣāṣṭakam which they chant here every morning –
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
Be more humble than a blade of grass.
Śrīla Prabhupāda described – you step on grass, it bends over, it is humble.
When you walk away from the grass, the grass comes back up.
So, in that way, we should be humble and at the same time be resilient.
Go upright in due course of time.
Be more tolerant than a tree.
A tree stands there in a rain, in heat, in a wind and people cut branches from the tree and make toothbrushes.
One devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, he wanted a neem tree.
There was a neem tree outside his window.
He hung out of the window to get a neem branch.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, don’t do that!
He said, don’t worry Prabhupāda, I did that many times!
Maybe, but don’t do in front of me, Śrīla Prabhupāda said.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was afraid for the devotee, maybe he will fall!
That way a tree is very tolerant, so we should be tolerant and we should offer respect to others
but not expect any appreciation or respect for ourselves.
In that way we can always chant the Holy Name.
So śaraṇāgati is the actual mood we should have surrender
and whether our authority treats us very nice with a smile, or he treats us harsh,
we are not doing it for the authority.
As such, we are doing it to please Kṛṣṇa.
And if the authority gives us a service we can do, we should appreciate it, thank you for giving me the service!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Saṅgītamayī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Rendering unalloyed service to Kṛṣṇa is a very rare thing.
We heard that out of millions of people, one people looks for spiritual life.
Out of thousands of those who seek spiritual life,
one finds it.
Of those thousands of those who find it,
it is rare to find one that becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So, we should encourage everyone to serve Kṛṣṇa.
And we should be good example of pure unalloyed love.
We should be serving the Lord without any ulterior motive.
That way, naturally we will feel very blissful.
That would inspire others to also take it up
selflessly.
So thank you very much for your enthusiasm.
We see that just as the water from the rivers go to the ocean,
we can see your devotion is heading towards Kṛṣṇa.
Normally the heart is thinking of all material things.
So if you are thinking about serving Kṛṣṇa and bringing people closer to Kṛṣṇa,
then naturally you will get special mercy. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Devotee Care]
Questioner: Sivaprasad (Sheltered)
Date: 2022-09-10
Jayapatākā Swami: Sambandha, abhideya and prayojana are the three things to be remembered.
If we are engaged in abhideya in devotional service, then naturally our relationship with guru and Kṛṣṇa is strong.
If we are not engaged in devotional service, then there is somewhat distance.
So the solution for that is to engage in devotional service.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: Ladies, they have to do a lot of housework.
They ask me similar questions.
But you see to be working plus have to do the housework.
So, the thing is that now we have the Bhagavad-gītā and different books that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other virtually.
You can have an iPod
and listen to the audio, Gītā and other audio śāstras.
So in this way while doing your work like washing and cooking,
you can hear the śāstra.
But also you can download the classes from the internet,
there is my Jayapatākā Swami App.
That gives access to the different JPS Archives and different programs
so you can hear the classes.
Many other things are there like SoundCloud.
You can also attend my daily classes which I give at 7pm.
And so there are different ways where you can hear classes, you can associate,
on Facebook,
YouTube.
You can download and you could also associate with different devotees,
virtually.
So there must be also classes of the IYF which you can attend.
So this way you can get some devotee association.
Actually, as I said,
I don’t have much personal contact with the devotees.
But all day long, I am meeting devotees.
And I don’t even feel that I am not meeting them.
I feel contact with them,
as I feel contact with you!
It used to be that only association was face to face, now we can contact each other
virtually.
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we only tell the palatable truth.
We don’t tell things that we know which would disturb the people.
Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Soundarya Rādhikā devī dāsī, New Rājāpur Dhāma, Bengaluru
Date: 2022-10-04
Jayapatākā Swami: You seem to have realized that when you don’t follow
the advice of the senior devotees,
you get attacked by māyā.
So that should convince you
that to avoid being attacked by māyā,
follow the more advanced devotees’ advice.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
I live in New York now and one thing about New York is lots of people, lots of events, lots of noise, lots of money, and I am 25 years old and one of the things I am thinking about is understanding how to balance living in the materialist world and having accomplishments, and meeting people and networking, but also living a peaceful, spiritual fulfilling life. How do I, at 25 who is ambitious and want to serve my community, but also not be attached to so many things, how do I find that balance?
Questioner: Dr Pandit
Date: 2023-11-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He told many people that they should keep their heart on Kṛṣṇa,
but they should do their material activities in a very responsible way.
He gave the example that say, a married woman has another lover than her husband.
And so, she does not want to be discovered and does her activities very carefully.
Household activities are very good.
But her mind is always thinking about her lover.
So Lord Caitanya advises keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa,
but do your material activities outwardly in a very responsible way.
That is how He advised to balance the things.
Like, we found that when we first joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness in 1968,
we were chanting on the street,
and we would see people walking by and they would react in different ways.
And we were somehow, we were in a different atmosphere.
And we could see all the mental trips and things that people were going through.
And so, being in New York, you see lots of people, but you can understand what is the real purpose of life?
And while you are in this world, in this life,
you have to do things to make your family work.
But ultimately you want to go back to the spiritual world,
and so that way you keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa.
I live in New York now and one thing about New York is lots of people, lots of events, lots of noise, lots of money, and I am 25 years old and one of the things I am thinking about is understanding how to balance living in the materialist world and having accomplishments, and meeting people and networking, but also living a peaceful, spiritual fulfilling life. How do I, at 25 who is ambitious and want to serve my community, but also not be attached to so many things, how do I find that balance?
Questioner: Dr Pandit
Date: 2023-11-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He told many people that they should keep their heart on Kṛṣṇa,
but they should do their material activities in a very responsible way.
He gave the example that say, a married woman has another lover than her husband.
And so, she does not want to be discovered and does her activities very carefully.
Household activities are very good.
But her mind is always thinking about her lover.
So Lord Caitanya advises keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa,
but do your material activities outwardly in a very responsible way.
That is how He advised to balance the things.
Like, we found that when we first joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness in 1968,
we were chanting on the street,
and we would see people walking by and they would react in different ways.
And we were somehow, we were in a different atmosphere.
And we could see all the mental trips and things that people were going through.
And so, being in New York, you see lots of people, but you can understand what is the real purpose of life?
And while you are in this world, in this life,
you have to do things to make your family work.
But ultimately you want to go back to the spiritual world,
and so that way you keep your mind on Kṛṣṇa.
Questioner: Milan, ISKCON Youth Forum, Baroda
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya, He taught that you can achieve perfection whether you are a vairāgī or a householder.
So, if you are a householder you should try to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center.
I saw one drama from the Chennai youths.
One girl and one boy were playing Yamadūtas and one lady, girl was playing Yamarāja.
She painted her mustache as Yamarāja.
The Yamadūtas they were complaining. Yamarāja! What do we do? These Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees have deities in the houses, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they read Bhagavad-gītā, what do we do?
We cannot take them to hell!
Maybe need a way to find another chākrī, another job!
So it was very interesting to see the Yamadūtas complaining.
Actually, one family in Kolkata, the mother, children, were all initiated.
Everyone but the father.
He was dead against.
But then he was diagnosed with cancer.
He was in bed ,
and he saw two hairy people with leather ropes, walk through the wall.
He said, “No, no, no, no! No, no!”
Somehow they left.
He called his wife, “I want the neck bead.
I want the Bhagavad-gītā, I want the japa-mālā.”
What we were trying so long, the Yamadūtas in few minutes they changed him.
So he became very Kṛṣṇa conscious after that.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Karma / Desires], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-29
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this same question was said.
Vāsudeva Datta, one great devotee of Lord Caitanya, he prayed, “I want to deliver all the fallen souls,
let them all go back to Kṛṣṇa and I take all their karma;
I will personally take all of their karma, and I will suffer here forever until all the karma is worked out.
Let them go back to Kṛṣṇa, I alone will suffer.”
And Lord Caitanya, He saw the great compassion of His devotee was crying, embraced him and said that,
“You don’t have to worry, they are already delivered by your desire.”
But as soon as one batch is delivered, there is unlimited jīvātmās that are still now in a dormant stage, in the brahma-jyoti, in different position.
And as soon as one batch of jīvas delivered from the universe, again new jīvātmās come down, so you don’t have to worry; there is always a fresh supply.
Category: [Material World]
Questioner: Mādhurī Mamatāmayī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: It can be an offence.
If it is presented in such a way that we respectfully say that this particular thing should not be followed,
the devotee is otherwise is very good, but this particular habit is something that we do not follow.
It is presented in a very constructive way
like Prabhupāda in the 12th chapter of Ādi-līlā Cc. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta) has given the details of the Gauḍīya Maṭhas
break up,
and failure to maintain the instructions of the founder.
So Prabhupāda gave those details to warn us, that we should not do the same thing.
So some of the Gauḍīya Maṭha leaders asked us to take out the 12th chapter.
But we said that we don’t have the right to take out Prabhupāda’s writings.
So depending on how you do it,
if it is to warn someone,
not to follow this example;
then it maybe alright.
You see Prabhupāda was talking about his godbrothers.
If one is a junior devotee is talking about someone who is very advanced or more senior;
it maybe, what you call mariyāda-laṅgana, the transgression of seniority.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Since He is the Absolute Truth,
so everything is in Him.
But He is bigger than anything else.
So it is not that anyone can contain Kṛṣṇa totally.
He is bigger than everything.
He is the cause of all causes.
And He is without any cause Himself.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]
In the third canto when Brahmājī becomes very pleased with Kardama Muni’s service, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the purport that the disciple should get the instructions from the master and execute it word by word. I understand that in terms of sādhana chanting, reading, following regulative principles, that needs to be done. So how much devotees should have their own initiative in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because we may or may not have the association of the spiritual master?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-08-16
Jayapatākā Swami: How many people here have the Jayapatākā Swami App?
How many read it regularly?
I put up daily things on the Jayapatākā Swami App.
And that way you can have your association with me as closely as you associate with your mobile phone.
I see people talking on their mobile phones often.
They can see the App rather.
I don’t know.
Also, someone told me that I should ask Śrīla Prabhupāda a question.
I should glorify Śrīla Prabhupāda,
humble myself
and ask a question and blessings.
So I was doing that every day.
And then it became like a ritual.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are all merciful,
Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am very fallen.
I want to serve you eternally,
life after life.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said one day, why do you want to make me come back?
I thought I was saying the right thing.
Then I said, I want to serve you even life after life.
If I don’t make it back to Godhead then I want to serve you here.
Questioner: Gaurāṅgī Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Why not?
A devotee never dies, he appears and disappears.
The word jayantī is reserved for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance,
because His appearance is very special.
But everyone else appears and disappears.
Of course, for the great saintly devotees, we celebrate their appearance and disappearance.
So rather than saying happy birthday, you can say happy appearance day! Haribol!!
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-30
Jayapatākā Swami: What Prabhupāda said is that, if a person follows the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness
then he may not have to take birth again in the material world.
Now
how free we are from things like offenses may dictate how I will go up in the spiritual world,
whether we get a place in Vaikuṇṭha, or whether we get a place in Goloka Vṛndāvana, how I am able to go.
Or
I mean, if a person, I had one person who approached me in India, he had a very strange character.
He said, “I have been chanting 32, 20 or 16 rounds for 26 years,
but he never gave up eating fish.” In His neutral position we were discussing today, He simply reciprocates with the person so perfectly.
There is someone who would do something like that because of their offenses while chanting the Holy name,
that they don’t actually make advancement towards pure love for Kṛṣṇa. They are getting some benefit from chanting,
but at the same time, their material desires are not going,
due to being absorbed in sense gratification like that. So I advised him that,
“you should chant the names of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
and by His mercy you may be able to overcome this desire of eating fish.”
And sure enough, after chanting Lord Caitanya’s name for some period of time,
he got some spiritual intelligence. He stopped eating fish.
Even though 26 years he was on his weird practice,
where he although chanting he never tried to avoid breaking that, you know, stopping breaking of regulative principle.
So if a person I mean if he is determined, you know although he would have chanted the 16 rounds
and followed the regulative principles, but if they take things in an attitude that I’m determined not to give up my material attachments,
then that is an anachronism. From our side it should be not just externals,
but it should be internal, we are trying to follow the process.
We are trying from our part to give up our attachments.
If we have the proper attitude , we are trying to give up our attachments, we are trying to avoid,
even if we are not fully successful, Prabhupāda said that there is,
that Kṛṣṇa is so merciful, Lord Caitanya is so merciful, even though we may not,
at the point of death, have done it a hundred percent successful,
we can still get delivered.
In fact, I was, (aside - How long should I go on?) I was in Montreal,
and Prabhupāda is giving a lecture. That time we had a Vyasāsana for him, it was very high.
I mean very- it was like when we would stand up we would just be facing Prabhupāda eye to eye,
or he will still be even a little higher than that.
It was a very high Vyasāsana.
You had to kind of crawl up, it had steps going up and it was more or less kind of a pulpit.
So he would be up there, he would sit and he would even take prasāda there.
In a feast, they would bring a big plate of prasāda and we would all be sitting down,
and he would take Prasāda from there, and sometimes he would give prasāda out from there.
So one day he was giving his lecture from up there
actually and at this point he was just preaching very hard,
we have to be a hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We have to try; we have to be a hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have to try for that.
We have to become. If we are hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we can get pure love for Kṛṣṇa,
then our life will be completely successful. He was just hammering this point.
Now the devotees were thinking, a hundred percent, you know, their heads gradually started hanging down,
they became very thoughtful.
The hundred percent was like such an objective that it never seemed that is ever possible;
even you know to get very close to a hundred percent.
But Prabhupāda was very emphatic on this point.
The devotees were very thoughtful at that time. Then Prabhupāda, he ended the class.
There was just a heavy silence. No questions. That is it.
He ended the class and said, “Become cent percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.”
It was just like a death place; I mean, just like… He saw silence that he could swim through it.
Now Prabhupāda was sitting there on his raised Vyāsāsana
and said, “Even if you are ninety percent Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa is so kind,
that you may still be delivered.” Then he started to get down and when he was about half way down,
just as he was getting off the Vyāsāsana he turned to the devotees and said, ”Even ninety percent, you can be delivered.”
He started walking out, then he turned and his chaddar fell off, I remember it was such a dramatic,
almost like you see in those movies Julius Caeser like that, his chaddar flew like that and said, “Even seventy percent.”
He took his chaddar and threw it over his shoulder and raised his head and walked away.
(Devotees laughing)
Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki
Devotees: Jaya!
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Sādhanā / Regulative Principles], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Karma / Desires]
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: It is on the border.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods]
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-02
Jayapatākā Swami: The guru takes responsibility for their karma.
And depending upon how the disciple surrenders then that karma is either taken away directly by Kṛṣṇa withdrawing it,
or by giving the disciple some tokens, to help the disciple to come to the proper frame of mind, which will allow all the karma to be removed.
The total responsibility is taken away by the spiritual master, and therefore the karma is not given to the disciple at face value.
But some momentum from the previous uh… from the previous activities is there, some desires are there.
And also, even after taking initiation sometimes devotees, they are also performing sinful activities against their oath, so for various reasons the person is put into difficulty.
One time, Srila Prabhupāda cut his finger, and one drop of blood came out.
He said that, “I should have had my head cut off, but instead Kṛṣṇa has just given me this token, just to remind me and I was released from such a big sinful reaction.”
So, once we surrender to the spiritual master then we’re under the care of Kṛṣṇa; once we take initiation.
But then we have to also practically practice devotional service and then more and more for relieve from all these reactions.
Just after initiation, we come into what is called the clearing stage where all these reactions are cleared away.
It is not that just immediately everything is gone, unless we can immediately completely fix our mind, every thought word and deed completely, without any material attachment,
we can completely absorb ourselves in the service of guru, then we are completely free.
But just after initiation, it is not that people suddenly forget their parents and forget their everything material.
They may get a different, may become more detached, they may become, still there may be some slight attachments there.
So how to get free from those?
Whatever attachments we have those are linked with reactions.
As detached as we become that is as free as we become from the reactions.
These two things are told today.
The 3 modes are there and their reactions, these are linked.
As we have attachments within the 3 modes of nature those attachments are linked with reactions.
As we get rid of the reactions of fruitive activities, we get rid of these attachments also.
Just like a person is very attached to getting a $1,000,000.
Once they get $1,000,000 they are not so attached any more, then either they want $2,000,000 or they want something else.
Just like in Hong Kong, in Japan, people they get very attached to material things.
They want to get a brand-new tape recorder.
They get the tape recorder.
After a while they get tired of the it, they just throw.
A perfectly good tape recorder, they throw it away in the garbage.
Just fed up, that’s the mood they are in.
They just throw it away.
You can find good tape recorders lying in the garbage, you see.
When you get the thing, that means that now your desire is fulfilled.
That is one way of getting your material fruitive action is you get what you want.
That’s one, that’s called the reaction for pious activities.
That also makes you detached, in some cases.
You get tired of it, you want something else.
And another way of getting rid of attachment is by suffering.
When that thing you want causes some pain you become detached.
So, both these reactions, pain as well as pleasure the devotee becomes detached to.
Because now, both of them simply cause material attachment.
They want spiritual ecstasy, spiritual bliss.
So, already the plug has been pulled out, you are not creating any more karmas, you’ve been freed.
And Kṛṣṇa promises that, “According to how you surrender that is how you will be rewarded.”
So, already you are free from any direct reaction of karma.
If any karma is given it means that you still have some attachments, and this is to help you become more and more advanced.
And you are only getting a small token of what you deserve.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Karma], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Dīkṣā (Initiation)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: To take shelter is not that difficult.
That is basically a time of testing.
Then gradually you read the said books,
follow the regulative principles.
This is practice time.
I don’t get any reaction.
It is time for you to see if you can do it.
After six months or more, whenever you feel ready, you can take initiation.
But you should finish the things in the checklist.
You may not wake up early, but somethings you have to do.
You need to get some spiritual knowledge.
Maybe some like the Bhagavad-gītā they have in the audio form.
When you are cooking for your husband, you can hear the Bhagavad-gītā audio.
That way you can also finish reading by hearing.
Read the Bhagavad-gītā two or three times,
what is the problem?
The first canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I don’t if there is an audio or not.
I read every night when I go to sleep half hour.
And although I have read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam many, many times,
every time I hear, I get some new ideas.
Sometimes you can hear or you can read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
But don’t be afraid,
you don’t take vows till initiation.
So, taking shelter is just a preparation.
You can see whether you are ready or not.
When you feel ready then you can take initiation.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-02-19
Jayapatākā Swami: To take shelter is not that difficult.
That is basically a time of testing.
Then gradually you read the said books,
follow the regulative principles.
This is practice time.
I don’t get any reaction.
It is time for you to see if you can do it.
After six months or more, whenever you feel ready, you can take initiation.
But you should finish the things in the checklist.
You may not wake up early, but somethings you have to do.
You need to get some spiritual knowledge.
Maybe some like the Bhagavad-gītā they have in the audio form.
When you are cooking for your husband, you can hear the Bhagavad-gītā audio.
That way you can also finish reading by hearing.
Read the Bhagavad-gītā two or three times,
what is the problem?
The first canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I don’t if there is an audio or not.
I read every night when I go to sleep half hour.
And although I have read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam many, many times,
every time I hear, I get some new ideas.
Sometimes you can hear or you can read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
But don’t be afraid,
you don’t take vows till initiation.
So, taking shelter is just a preparation.
You can see whether you are ready or not.
When you feel ready then you can take initiation.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Material World]
Just like the dacoits had many troubles like falling in the ditch, and getting bitten by insects, I also have many troubles. So many troubles come but the only feeling I have is to seek out some protection. There is no feeling of love or no feeling of that kind of shelter that you said we should seek out for? What to do?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-05
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this material world, there is a verse in the Purāṇas, it says padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ (ŚB. 10.14.58),
there is danger at every step.
In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa describes the material world as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (Bg. 8.15).
But we are so foolish that we want somehow very nice arrangement in the material world.
So we take birth after birth after birth after birth after birth after birth after birth.
Chewing the chewed.
And if we can only realize how much happiness there is by directly engaging in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
But we are so foolish, it says that Lord Caitanya came to deliver the foolish, the mūrkhas.
We think somehow, we can make some arrangement, and the material world will be a very nice place.
But it is not possible.
If we can engage ourselves in the service of Kṛṣṇa,
then we can taste the real happiness
that we are actually hankering for.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Mercy]
Questioner: Murāri Hari dāsa
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see everybody wants to enjoy,
they want to be happy.
But actually, the real happiness is from the spiritual kingdom.
In the material world everything is temporary.
So it is not possible to get permanent happiness,
and to get some happiness we have to get a lot of suffering also.
Like, old age, disease,
studying,
spend so much time to study,
if you are working,
and other people in your workplace may be envious
and they want to screw you,
so they can look good, so then can be the General Manager.
So we find that Quality Control, Operations, Marketing, they are actually trying to create problem for others.
So real happiness that you get is from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then you chant and dance.
Sometimes Lord Caitanya said one feels so much bliss
that they cry, laugh.
So like this they feel very happy.
Everyone wants to feel happy.
But māyā eludes us, she kicks us that we be, will be happy in material life.
That if we have lot of sense gratification, we will happy.
But actually, that doesn’t give real happiness.
So one should use this human birth, to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So, if you think you are the body, then this deep-rooted desire to enjoy the body will come.
But if you realize that you are not the body, then you will try to enjoy by giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa.
And by giving Kṛṣṇa pleasure we feel happier.
Category: [Karma / Desires], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material World], [Sādhanā / Sevā]
Questioner: Tattvavit Nimāi das
Date: 2022-10-12
Jayapatākā Swami: A devotee can stay very calm in an undisturbed situation.
Kaṁsa was very calm and serene, driving the chariot of his sister on her wedding.
Then this voice came from the sky, your sister’s eight son will kill you.
Immediately he became disturbed, he grabbed his sister by the hair and wanted to kill her.
So, we should not be like Kaṁsa.
There will be some disturbing situations.
These are tests.
If we are like Kaṁsa, we will get disturbed.
If we are devotees, we control ourselves, like Vasudeva.
He tried to convince Kaṁsa, that it is not good to kill your sister on her wedding day.
It is said, you should take decisions when you have a cool head.
So that was a very disturbing situation, his wife is being killed!
But he tried to pacify Kaṁsa.
So like that we should try to control ourselves, if we are agitated.
Everything is calm, no trouble to be calm.
The test is when things get disturbed.
At that time if we can control our emotions and think very deeply,
and do things that are most pleasing to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
And pass the test.
Haribol!
Category: [Anarthās], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Emotions / Anger], [Emotions / Envy], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Śyāmavallabhā Gopī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-01-27
Jayapatākā Swami: If they are right, you know that you are able to do.
If someone is asking you to do something you think that, is not correct or which is beyond your scope, then you can say, I am sorry, but be very polite.
Humility doesn’t mean you do everything that everybody tells you!
Regarding the dust of the lotus feet of the pure devotee, often we are encouraged to touch the feet of the pure devotee, especially our Gurudeva’s, but then we see that when Guru Mahārāja goes to public places it is not encouraged to let other people touch the lotus feet of Guru Mahārāja, so could you give a bit of an insight into why this distinction is there? Or should we also should be careful?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: When someone touches your feet, they give their karma to you.
And we see that - Śrīla Prabhupāda, actually once the home minister of Bengal, who is in charge of the Police and things,
he went and put his head on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet,
Brahmānanda wanted to punch him!
Śrīla Prabhupāda stopped him, said it is their culture.
Would have been a big mess to punch the Home Minister!
There are different circumstances.
And we see that some people, they want to touch the feet of the guru.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, when they would touch the feet, he would touch them on the head,
like giving them back the karma ha!
but also they were taking the blessing.
Sometimes the way devotees they prohibit people may be too much.
You have to see the situation.
I saw that in South India and different places, the ladies would pour the water and the husband would touch the lotus feet,
that ladies should not touch a sannyāsīs,
but they are allowed to pour the water.
That was the system that was apparently practiced when Lord Caitanya visited South India.
That the wife would pour the water and the husband would massage it.
So it is very late now.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Vasanta Ranjani mātājī
Date: 2022-07-30
Jayapatākā Swami: We organize joint programs on the appearance and disappearance days of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
I think those programs can be attended.
And we are gradually trying to extend our unity in diversity,
so we would like to finally achieve this kind of hearing from each other.
But I think everyone wants to be very cautious,
because if there are some different instructions given,
that can deviate us.
At the same time, we would be much stronger, if we had a united front.
So we are taking it step by step.
Questioner: Keśava-kṛpā Sindhu dāsa
Date: 2022-09-22
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Very good!
Lord Caitanya said that
we should be very humble to all.
To think oneself very sinful, fallen is a humble state of mind.
But in the humble state of mind, one should not lose their enthusiasm.
They should remain enthusiastic, not to remain in the fallen state.
We should not think that I am sinful and therefore I should not practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Because we are sinful that is why we should practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
That way we can solve our problems.
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)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya’s associates,
that sometimes Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī would try to touch each other’s lotus feet.
And they would have a face off and have some competition trying to touch each other’s lotus feet.
So, being great devotees they would not let the other touch their feet.
But the other was trying to get the foot dust,
so this seems to be a transcendental competition.
Now, it hasn’t been accepted as an Olympic sport yet -
maybe in the future,
when the whole world becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious!!
And Śrīla Prabhupāda, said that there are no hard and fast rules for mahā-prasāda.
He said if you wanted, you can even steal from my plant while I am eating,
but please let me finish prasāda!
So if someone wants to take mahā-prasāda,
appeal to them in the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda, to have mercy on you, so you could finish your meal!
Let them allow you to finish your meal!
Questioner: Phaneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: You have not mentioned if you are married and your husband is supportive or not...
If of course, nowadays there is an email, Whatsapp, phone call.
And you can talk to your friends.
In this way somehow have an audio association, or even video with Zoom or Skype
or Whatsapp.
I don’t really understand when someone says, they lack of association.
I heard someone say that, “Some of my friends spend so much time on Facebook.”
I asked, “How long?”
They said,“Eight hours!”
“How long you spend?” “Only three hours!” [Laughter]
So they have three hours to spend in Facebook,
but they say that they don’t have time for association.
And who they associate with on Facebook?
So we are on Facebook and this question and answer is being broadcasted on Facebook.
So any technology can be used in a positive way or negative way.
Sometimes people are giving false news;
sometimes getting positive association.
When I woke up this morning, I remembered how
Lord Caitanya was so merciful!
There is a Locana dāsa’s song:
dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi,
emona doyāla dātā
paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare, śuni'jāṅra guṇa-gāthā -
that my dear brothers, look at there is no one in the three worlds
as merciful as Nitāi Gaura.
Lord Caitanya made the animals chant, dance and cry.
He melted the stones,
see His fantastic qualities.
So I was just remembering how merciful is Lord Caitanya
and then Locana dāsa says:
saṁsāre majiyā,
rohili poriyā,
se pade nahilo āśa
se pade nahilo āśa
I am suffering and enjoying in the material ocean of birth and death.
I have fallen there hopelessly.
I have no hope for getting the shelter of the all merciful Nitāi Gauracandra.
I am suffering and enjoying according to my karma.
So, this is sung by Locana dāsa.
So Lord Caitanya is so merciful,
so merciful,
we would have no hope.
But Prabhupāda bought Nitāi Gaura to us;
and They are giving Their mercy out.
And we are thinking, “Oh! How can I get the mercy, this and that; they want to give it… so bad.
He wants to give, He didn’t think, this person is qualified, this one is unqualified—He gives freely to everybody.
Jagāi Mādhāi were evil people.
They committed so many offenses.
Yamarāja, he asked, “How many sins they were cleared from?”
And his clerk said that, “If we put it all through writing it will fill up warehouse after warehouse after warehouse.
We have a team of architects working and design a special hell for them.
Nitāi Gaura freed them all.
Wiped the slate clean!”
Anyone criticized them later on,
He said, it is offensive to bring up a person’s past life.
He is a devotee; we don’t care what he was before.
Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, They want to give their mercy to you.
Please take it.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Relatives], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-24
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya forgave Choṭa Haridāsa
but He did that later.
In the meantime, Choṭa Haridāsa left his body at Prayāga.
Lord Caitanya at that time officially, He did not know and asked where is Choṭa Haridāsa.
Lord Caitanya knew that being a sannyāsī knew that he would have wrong dealings with women.
As Choṭa Haridāsa’s mentality was wrong Lord Caitanya was displeased with him
and therefore He said, He will not see him again.
Later, He wanted to see Choṭa Haridāsa.
So we understand that He forgave him but it was much later.
Actually, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura he wrote, how one should choose a spouse.
Spouse means wife for husband and husband for wife.
So He said one should choose a spouse who is more advanced spiritually.
Who is very beautiful, that is not the question.
Who is strong armed is not the question?
Who is spiritually advanced that is what matters.
Just like I was saying today that a husband and wife should discuss how they should please Lord Caitanya, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said in one of his letters to his disciples, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action. But at the same time the culture and teachings encourages, and expects its practioners to surrender and to be obedient to senior devotees, guru and Gaurāṅga. How can I be independently thoughtful and be obedient at the same time, especially when dealing with senior devotees?
Questioner: Ekleśvarī Mādhavī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: It seems that you are facing some contradiction.
That you want to be submissive,
at the same time independently thoughtful.
So, independently thoughtful, we decide what we are going to do.
Not that we just do something blindly, but
if we decide that we are following some more experienced devotee,
that should be helpful.
So you can do well by following an experienced devotee,
at the same time be independently thoughtful.
Doesn’t mean you just blindly follow any devotee,
but you pick up some particular activity, because it is something that sits nicely with you
and it is in the śāstra.
Questioner: Subāhu Śacī Sūta dāsa
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: The type of tests that Haridāsa Ṭhākura had to go through, we usually don’t have to face such tests.
He was beaten in 22-marketplaces.
There was a prostitute tried to make him fall down.
I heard that Durgā devī even she came to test him.
We don’t have to face such gigantic tests.
If we pray to Kṛṣṇa to help us, Kṛṣṇa usually helps us.
We get very minor tests and even those we fail.
But we can get over these tests if we have the sincere desire.
If we depend on Kṛṣṇa, then we will overcome all the tests.
Category: [Anarthās], [Anarthās / Bad association], [Anarthās / Māyā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
There are different incarnations with different purposes. Can we worship all the incarnations just like in the material world, they world Lakṣmī devī to get opulence, to get riches. Sarasvatī to get material knowledge, like that are there any incarnations we can worship to destroy our anarthas, like kāma, krodha, lobha etc.?
Questioner: Iśvara Viśvambhara Dāsa
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: You see we should not worship Lakṣmī for getting material riches.
If we worship Kṛṣṇa, then He has millions of Lakṣmīs with Him.
And Sarasvatī we should worship to get divine knowledge, knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Keśava Kāśmīrī was a Digvijayī-paṇḍita.
He had victory all over the world.
He was victorious over all the scholars.
But he got so much mercy from Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He got defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita.
He prayed to Sarasvatī that, “I was defeated by a young kid! How did you allow that?”
Sarasvatī said, “He is my husband.
I cannot help you therefore.”
Then he went to Lord Caitanya and surrendered.
And then he became a pure Vaiṣṇava.
He became an ācārya in the Nimbārka sampradāya.
Your question, by what avatāra worship will our anarthas be destroyed?
If we surrender to Lord Caitanya, then we can get rid of all the anarthas.
If we need Lord Caitanya’s mercy, we first need to get the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.
Nitāi Gaura! Nityānanda Prabhu is Ādi-guru. Original guru.
Category: [Anarthās], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Kṛṣṇa's Incarnations], [Material World], [Material World / Demigods], [Emotions]
Questioner: Harihara Kṛṣṇa Caitanya dāsa
Date: 2022-09-08
Category: [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vigraha Āradhana (Deity Worship)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya told Lord Nityānanda that We have descended to deliver four kinds of people
who normally don’t get delivered –
one of those was those who are suffering.
You can preach to them how Lord Caitanya has come to take them all back to Godhead.
To give them ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, which will end their suffering.
Category: [Material Sufferings], [Mercy]
Questioner: Lakṣmī Jayakumārī
Date: 2023-07-07
Jayapatākā Swami: So Kṛṣṇa can do that,
nothing is impossible for Him.
But if we take the mercy of Vāsudeva Datta,
then we can get liberated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
in this lifetime.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like, I request my disciples to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and get their degrees such as Bhakti-śāstrī,
Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedānta.
So, there is one devotee in her 20s, she already has her Bhakti-vedānta degree.
We haven’t given much attention to that.
We find that there are many doctors, politicians, lawyers of the female gender.
It would be nice to have devotees who actually know the scriptures and can properly explain it.
People like to hear from Mātājīs and children.
Normally, they don’t speak philosophical things.
But if they do, people like it!
That is one thing that can be done.
I mean, I have been invited to go to Tucson, Arizona and Phoenix also.
Both those temples have females as Temple Presidents.
So in some countries of the world, not every country, there are no limitations like that.
In the 9th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is the Apsarā, Urvaśī, she criticizes a bit how ladies are not reliable.
But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda said this is for the materialistic ladies.
Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, man or woman, they are all equal.
So, I mean, I don’t see such a limitation.
We saw that in the Dallas Ratha-yātrā, ladies were doing many services.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-27
Jayapatākā Swami: To do this, one should use his common sense.
Like he went to the Pāṇḍavas and he did not want to make them unhappy and tell them that Lord Kṛṣṇa had already departed.
But with Dhṛtarāṣṭra it was another situation. Therefore, he comes and speaks harshly to Dhṛtarāṣṭra so that he is encouraged to take up devotional service.
So, preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness takes a lot of common sense.
In different situations we have to act differently.
I guess, this may be frustrating but there is no easy formula I can tell you.
That is why, we hear the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam where we find that Vidura according to different situations, he behaves differently.
Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Śrīnivāsa dāsa and Ratnāvalī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-02
Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we are trying to create this Kṛṣṇa conscious environment in Māyāpur.
And in different parts of the world, they are doing different things to give devotees, young children, a Kṛṣṇa conscious environment.
The CDM (Congregational Development Ministry) they have specially a program for children.
If you would like to be part of this initiative, please contact the CDM.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
We have a lot of similarities, when it comes to both our religions. Especially the garment, the orange, like we wear the white which symbolizes purity, and we are all one considered under God, and doesn’t matter what culture, what color skin you have that is not considered, materialist and all that. We are simple. I noticed that this is almost the same as well. I thought that it was eye opening for me. The reason I am here because I love to understand everybody else’s way of life, their purpose of existence, because in the end we are all like the same. It is all love and we are all humans you know. This is what I want to bring, I want to bring, bring love between everybody. So being here, gaining this experience is everything to me, it was a very eye opening humbling feeling. I do actually have a question that just popped in my mind - do you guys believe in hell or from what I understand, you were saying there is a spiritual world that you guys were?
Questioner: Dukanai
Date: 2023-10-23
Jayapatākā Swami: You see, here it is said there are 14 planetary levels
and so we are on the 7th.
Above us there are six other levels.
We are in the Bhu, then there is Bhuva and Svaha.
Svaha is heaven,
so you can go and have lots of happiness, material.
But material happiness is more or less the same.
But all happiness, little suffering.
Beyond that there are another 4 levels.
Beyond that is the spiritual world.
Where there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease,
and everybody is in their love of God.
In the material world those who are very pious, religious, but they want their material happiness,
they go up to svarga, heaven.
When their good karma runs out, they come back down.
And then there are seven lower planets,
and they are less God conscious.
Below that there are all hells.
That if you are sinful, then you may be in some hell for sometime, burn off your sins and take birth again.
We are trying to get the people out of this material world.
And the way is if you do sacrifice.
The sacrifice for this day and age is chanting the holy names.
We believe there is one God
you call him Allah, Jehovah or Kṛṣṇa,
but there is one person
He has unlimited names.
In Malaysia, the Christians translated the Bible in Malaysian language.
There instead of saying God, they said Allah,
but the Moslems they objected and said Allah is only for Moslems!
That is the word they use for God.
Then in the parliament they said we should be like the Hindus, they say God has thousands and millions of names, unlimited.
So we don’t ask anyone to give up who are Moslems or Jews or Christians, whatever,
that is like high school, basic school, this is like PhD.
We are just focused, transfer people to the spiritual world and awaken their love for Godhead.
But it is there in the fifth canto there is a whole chapter on the hells,
in the structure of the universe.
So if you have extramarital sex
then a particular hell for that.
If people just kill animals, or enjoy killing them,
there is a hell for that.
If someone cheats someone else, just like there are 26 different hells.
But sometimes some people are so sinful that they have architects to design special hells for them.
What a job!
Any way!
So, there is an interesting pastime that person who judges, he is especially empowered by the Supreme Lord,
and his name is Yamarāja.
Category: [Material World]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-03-13
Jayapatākā Swami: We are trying to have some joint programs
on the appearance disappearance days of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
And that time everybody speaks for ten minutes.
And we have various speakers.
That way we are cooperating.
But we don’t really associate, one on one, individually,
because it may expose us to some criticism.
Category: [Gauḍīya History / Gauḍīya maṭḥa], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
We know your mood is to bless everybody unconditionally, even a difficult person who is troubling you. We serve see devotees and when we see devotees troubling other devotees or being rude, are we doing vaiṣṇava-aparādhā to that other devotee? At the same time, we have to make sure he is not troubling others. So how do we handle these delicate situations?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I mean, one thing is that you don’t talk to the person in front of other people.
Then it gets their ego offended.
Take them aside and talk to them.
But I mean, ladies, they are, you know, sometimes it is better to have the husbands talk to them.
But we like to, there is a saying in India, where you train your daughter-in-law by chastising your daughter.
Jayapatākā Swami: You have to tell them that I am just using you as an example.
Because I love you and you love me.
But daughter-in-law is a different relationship.
Anyway, one thing is that
you have to develop these people skills,
it is not something, just there is saying one time a horse, he swallowed a watermelon or something.
The doctor hit the horse on the neck,
to break up the melon,
and then one student said, “I know how to cure a thousand horses.”
He hit every horse on the neck
and then they died!
The doctor, teacher told him, “You are a fool, this horse had swallowed a melon which was in his neck,
not every swollen neck is a melon!” .
Each person is an individual,
If I did the same thing and hit them on the neck it won’t work.
But you have to be sensitive to their feelings,
and sometimes like we are told to use the sandwich system.
So, glorify and give the message.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-28
Jayapatākā Swami: Association with devotees is very rare.
So, whenever it’s available, one should take advantage.
That one can only pray to Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya for more association.
Even if people try to chase after association, there we see that sometimes they end up committing offences.
So, the association of devotees is something which is given by the Lord. It is a rare opportunity.
So, one should take advantage of whatever association one gets and should be always anxious and pray to the Lord for the service and association of His devotees.
And by serving the spiritual master, by remembering the words of the pure devotees, that will give one association with them.
And that is a higher principle - association through union and association through separation.
One should practice both of these programs.
Sometimes someone in separation is more intimately united than someone… Someone who is in real separation is most intimately united.
Sometimes people even when they are physically present with a pure devotee, they fall asleep or they think of something else, their mind wanders off.
So, in this way instead of being mentally present, they are not present.
While the other person may be physically absent, but he is mentally and spiritually present.
So, when one has the physical presence of a pure devotee, then he should be very careful to be conscious, to be aware,
to take advantage so that when in the physical absence, one can also have the mind, they are fixed in separation.
Understood?
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: See, if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
it tells you how the material world is a kind of a jungle
and the pleasure here is temporary.
So we should side by side render devotional service.
I was thinking how in this age of Kali it is recommended that most people should get married
and how will they be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We see that people normally are very much attached to their material desires.
But we realize that these material desires, these material things are all temporary,
and if they render devotional service, it is not temporary.
So devotees need to render devotional service and material life won’t be so much important for us.
Since it is illusory or temporary,
we want to do all our activities in such a way that Kṛṣṇa is pleased.
I was thinking how when one has children, we try to bring up the children to be devotees,
and all our activities we try to do in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way.
Say we like to eat,
we offer the bhoga to Kṛṣṇa
and we take the prasāda.
That is a different thing than just eating for our enjoyment.
And we have Deities in our house,
we do worship of the Deities,
we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly
and then we understand what the difference is between temporary happiness and real happiness.
We want devotees to actually achieve this happiness.
Maybe temporarily the temporary happiness is considered important
but gradually one develops higher taste.
Just like Lord Caitanya, He would chant and dance,
sometimes in great ecstasy He would cry,
His hairs stood on ends
various symptoms of love of Kṛṣṇa would manifest.
So we want all the devotees to experience that love of Kṛṣṇa,
it may take some time
but then naturally the material desires diminish.
Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-31
Jayapatākā Swami: So that is devotional service in sattva-guṇa.
They are going to temple, they are doing some devotional service, may be their standard…
There is nine type of devotional service is subdivided, then again subdivided, then again 81 divisions in each guṇa,
and in the three guṇas.
So, that simply the solution is to preach pure devotional service.
Sometimes because Lord Caitanya’s movement,
He is able to purify even the most fallen people,
that those people who are very much in the mode of goodness, they think, “Well,
this movement of Lord Caitanya is only for the mlecchas, for the fallen people,
for the different type of out castes or whatever,
but for us we follow strictly the conservative varṇāśrama program,
Hinduism, this and that, whatever.”
But the point is that Lord Caitanya’s ocean of nectar is ever expanding
and as an ocean overcomes its boundaries
by the preaching of the devotees,
and we have to be able to show the good example and to present to them
that this is not meant simply for a particular class of people, but it is meant for all classes,
whether their background is sattva-guṇa or whether it is tamo-guṇa or whatever it may be,
it is for everyone.
This is the universal process of this Kali-yuga.
And those who are intelligent, they will accept,
and those who are not intelligent even they don’t accept.
You see, those who are intelligent they accept, and they swim in that ocean of nectar when it floods,
and the others they may not be able to swim but they are swept away anyway, and they are forced to float on the top of it,
because there is no more dry land to stand on,
everywhere there is simply the nectar of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement.
In this way by organizing big festivals, by organizing preaching in various way everywhere,
those people, they will not be able to avoid to chant.
So, Lord Caitanya, He said, “Be humble,
beg the people, beg them, go door to door, beg them to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
the worship of Kṛṣṇa, the study of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred teachings, Gītā and Bhāgavata.”
He said, “Beg the people.”
Personally, Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They went door to door begging.
This preaching movement is pure nectar, going and simply begging from the people.
A person is very proud and if you go and you beg from him one thing,
you please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how can he refuse
that, “No, I won’t chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Is there anyone? How can he refuse if he is proud of being religious,
if we present it in the right way?
But that ability, that is only possible if we get the mercy of our, you see,
the spiritual masters, of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda,
then if we somehow or another we get Their blessing, we go on trying,
surely some day we will be able to get so many people.
In South India, we were asking the people to take up the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa,
and they are very, they’re strict, but even the high brāhmaṇa class as well as even some Muslims
and other people, they all came forward to pledge that, “They will chant everyday 108 times Hare Kṛṣṇa,
because this is the yuga-dharma.
And they are going to follow the principles of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible.”
And in one meeting, in Madras alone, 3000 people were signed up.
I went to Delhi.
Lokanātha Swami said, “I don’t think you can do it in Delhi, it is very difficult.”
So, we printed up in one day 100 sheets and then in the middle of the Rāmānandī meeting,
I made an appeal at the end that, “This is the yuga-dharma,
which of you will chant 108 times a day to carry on the torchlight of knowledge of Caitanya Mahāprabhu
for purification in this Kali-yuga?”
And out of the assembly of about 1500 people,
500 people stood up, “We will daily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we will follow the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
They came up to sign the form.
That Rāmānandī guru, he flipped out, or he completely became wild, took the microphone from me,
said it will cause a disturbance, this that, and gave it to some this Rāmāyaṇa singer
who started immediately singing Tulasī dāsa Rāmāyaṇa, “Rāma-nāma”.
In spite of that people jumped over the stage and signed up and said, “Give me a form. We want to…”
Even one of the Rāmānandī sādhus, he came and said, “I’ll also chant.”
Devotees: Haribol!
Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that this process if we beg the people to chant,
so many people will come forward.
Then all we have to do is, see that after we, they agree to chant, that we
keep some contact and see that they go on chanting.
Anyway, whatever it means, if somehow or another through book distribution, through our appeals…
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he wrote to his disciples.
We found some old letters which are collected, and he wrote a letter to a disciple,
how they can preserve the Māyāpur preaching.
He said that first thing is to establish printing press,
then to distribute, print and distribute books.
And the third thing he said is, go on preaching in Nāmahaṭṭa.
Nāmahaṭṭa means that to get every person to practice, not simply that only full-time devotees practice,
every single person has to be encouraged to practice in their own house, in their own community, you see.
That Prabhupāda said also in the third canto of the Bhāgavatam that, “There is no reason
why every family in every society, in every country of the world
cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house every day.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda… This is what Śrīla Prabhupāda kept repeating to us the varṇāśrama preaching.
Varṇāśrama preaching.
We always said, just the devotees said, “No the public, the public, the public.”
Varṇāśrama preaching that is the modern, that is the way Prabhupāda described
it as not different from what Bhaktivinoda said, Nāmahaṭṭa.
It means getting the people to practice.
What is varṇāśrama? Accepting Kṛṣṇa.
If you don’t accept Kṛṣṇa there is no question of varṇāśrama.
So, it is the same program.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Sudevī Jayaśrī devī dāsī
Date: 2023-07-10
Jayapatākā Swami: I think this was the first question.
Anyway, should be someone on a similar level,
someone who will not take what you say and spread around.
You can talk to that person in confidence.
And someone that you respect their
realization, their Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
someone who is not a fault finder.
Who is someone, trying to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
But, as the first person said, it may not be always possible to find such a devotee,
and to have such a friend is very auspicious.
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura in one of his songs
he said, rāmacandra-saṅga māge narottama-dāsa:
because having a friend, in his case, like Rāmacandra dāsa,
that is very auspicious.
We need such association that will help us in our spiritual progress.
Like, Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, he would discuss with Svarūpa Dāmodara, and Svarūpa Dāmodara was saying I don’t see any faults in what is going on.
So a true Vaiṣṇava friend will tell the truth.
Not just be a yes man!
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Ratikeli Rādhikā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Teach them by your example
and encourage them that anything they do in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like Śrīla Prabhupāda, his father gave him Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa small Deities to practice pūjā.
And also gave him a Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā ratha.
So he was happy to have this Kṛṣṇa conscious play.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: IYF Māyāpur
Date: 2022-08-03
Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t get what the difficulty is in writing to me?
Is it a difficulty you have or there is a difficulty in writing and getting a reply?
Sometimes I get more letters than I can reply.
But I reply a certain percentage.
And we try to answer in the Jayapatākā Swami App.
It has various features.
Of course, one of the features is that you can see the various social media sites I have.
Every night I give class,
that is on zoom and Facebook Live.
That is in Bengali, Hindi, English
and other languages.
I don’t know if anyone here knows Chinese but!
So you can ask your local leader, local preacher if he can tell you the answer.
Otherwise, I don’t have a problem if you write to me.
If you ask a silly question, it is alright.
I don’t reject anyone,
and I try to answer.
And if there is already, I have given to this question before,
then that may be, I think, we have frequently asked questions in the App.
You can see that
and if your question has been answered already,
then you don’t need to write to me.
But if it has not been answered then you can write.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Anonymous
Date: 2022-07-29
Jayapatākā Swami: When they understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then they can actually understand what is the real crisis; that is birth, death, old age and disease.
And these crises, they don’t have a clue for.
Because they are thinking crisis is how to enjoy more and more.
Therefore, there is energy shortage because there is misuse of energy.
There is misuse of practically everything that Kṛṣṇa is giving.
Therefore, there is crisis.
Because as we are exploit Mother Nature, then she starts to stop giving.
But as we utilize everything in the Lord’s service, then nature begins to give more and more abundantly.
When Mahārāja Pṛthu came, then he provided the whole world very sumptuously with all the necessities.
People are not understanding that ultimately wealth is coming from the food grains and the food grains are coming from rain.
And rain is coming from yajña, sacrifice.
And nobody is doing any sacrifice to speak of.
Therefore, so many difficulties are coming.
If people just become a little Kṛṣṇa conscious, just a little bit, little pious, then you can see so many crises go away.
But so long as the people are becoming more and more selfish, more and more engrossed in material desire,
then they become more and more implicated, and crisis goes on increasing.
The more people eat meat, the more they are forced to fight wars.
Because they have to pay for the pāpa of killing so many innocent animals, you see.
Jayapatākā Swami: Because there is a difference – is that one person who doesn’t know anything, if he goes on, you see, doing mistakes...
Say that someone is committing crime but he doesn’t know that it is a crime;
he is just a bhoga, doesn’t know he is doing it because he doesn’t know any better -so he will get one sentence.
But if somebody knows better and he goes and does it anyway, you see... if one knowingly drinks poison that is worse, than if unknowingly one is drinking.
So, in the western countries they don’t know any better.
They don’t know what is life.
If you ask them “What is life? I don’t know.”
He doesn’t know what life is.
Eat, drink and be merry. Get a buck.
They don’t know what's life.
Some religious person says yes, to die and go to heaven.
What is heaven? I don’t know.
Who lives there? God.
What does He look like? I don’t know.
You see, they are very shallow understanding and so they can’t blame them too much.
Until they get the opportunity to make it a choice.
Then if they refuse it, then it is their misfortune.
But in India, everybody knows, “What is punar janma? What is rebirth?”
Everybody knows, who is Bhagavān.
Basically, this is taught.
In spite of that they are neglecting.
They are being misled by so many leaders who are discouraging them.
Instead of build up your economy and maintain your dharma standard, they are saying, dharma… this is sectarian state.
We can help no dharma, no tax exemption, no help, nothing.
Instead, only the minorities, they are getting help.
So therefore, because the people know yet they are being led into adharma, therefore, they are forced to suffer more.
In the śāstra, it says that of all the dvīpas of all the continents, one continent is puṇya-bhūmi.
Puṇya-bhūmi Bhārata.
That is the place for doing puṇya.
But if people do pāpa in the puṇya-bhūmi, then it is worse.
In other places, it is meant for saṅgha-bhoga, you can enjoy, you see.
So, this is the difficulty.
Because they know better, but they are committing offences to sādhus.
And so many bogus sādhus are also there.
So called sādhus who are not really sādhus that people can’t say who is the real sādhu, and who is the so called sādhu.
And they get misled.
Therefore, situation is critical.
Also, there has been 1200 years of foreign rule.
Of course, within the 25 years of independence, it's not improved because the standard ideology is western.
That is the difficulty.
So, the Indian people, they won’t be happier just with technology.
And the western people, they are not happy with just technology.
Day by day, they are getting more and more degraded.
Now the priest in the church, these homosexuals are becoming priests and making marriage between two men, two women.
What is that? That's civilization?
This thing unheard of in Vedic culture, practically speaking.
So that is the difficulty.
Category: [Material Sufferings]
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: Anyone who chants one time, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is a Vaiṣṇava.
But a pure Vaiṣṇava is, that you are not doing karma-miśra-bhakti, devotion mixed with fruitive activities.
I am not saying aśuddha, I am saying karma-miśra or jñāna-miśra-bhakti.
How can a Vaiṣṇava be aśuddha?
But we want pure devotion.
That gives love of Kṛṣṇa.
And karma-miśra-bhakti may give, like heavenly planets or some fruitive benefits.
Jñāna-mixed-bhakti may give like, impersonal liberation.
We want pure bhakti.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Jayarāseśvarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapataka Swami: Anyone who chants one time, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is a Vaiṣṇava.
But a pure Vaiṣṇava is, that you are not doing karma-miśra-bhakti, devotion mixed with fruitive activities.
I am not saying aśuddha, I am saying karma-miśra or jñāna-miśra-bhakti.
How can a Vaiṣṇava be aśuddha?
But we want pure devotion.
That gives love of Kṛṣṇa.
And karma-miśra-bhakti may give, like heavenly planets or some fruitive benefits.
Jñāna-mixed-bhakti may give like, impersonal liberation.
We want pure bhakti.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]
Questioner: Vinoda Kṛṣṇa and Nandapriya Padmā
Date: 2022-09-16
Jayapatākā Swami: Obviously you can only reveal your mind to very close devotees.
And so we would hope that you don’t have any offensive thoughts.
But in the case of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi,
his doubt,
we are going to hear what the result of that is.
So if you have doubt on the Lord or His devotee,
it may be dangerous.
He would say that
to Svarūpa Dāmodara
and then Svarūpa Dāmodara would correct him.
So if you are in a position, if someone reveals their mind to you,
and they have some doubt,
then you have to answer their doubt.’
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Anarthās]
Questioner: Ānandinī Śacīmātā devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, you can either jump into the Ganges,
or you can touch that person’s feet back.
We found that Lord Nityānanda and
Lord Caitanya, were dancing in such a way, They tried to touch each other’s feet.
They were so expert at dancing
that They avoided.
So, sometimes the associates of Lord Caitanya would do this type of
transcendental competition,
to touch each other’s feet.
If someone touches your feet, you touch their feet.
Category: [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-10-15
Jayapatākā Swami: You see it may be different it may be the same.
If you have a vision that you want to serve Kṛṣṇa,
you want to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
maybe some individual differences.
But if your reason is Kṛṣṇa conscious then it doesn’t matter.
Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Emotions / Confusion], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Nitāi Līleśvara dāsa
Date: 2022-08-04
Jayapatākā Swami: I hear different emails every day
and I have certain corresponding secretaries.
Like Rādhāramaṇa Sevaka dāsa and others.
So you write to me and don’t get a reply in a week,
then you could write a WhatsApp message to my corresponding secretary
that why you are not getting a reply.
And usually, you will get a reply.
But at least you will be told why you are not getting a reply.
And right now, we also have the Jayapatākā Swami Disciples’ e-Care
and you can write to them also.
So I am trying to make myself available
and I don’t know who is the śikṣā-guru you have faith in.
You can ask or suggest a śikṣā-guru
and get some authorization.
Otherwise, try to contact me as I mentioned.
Category: [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Emotions / Confusion]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-05-11
Jayapatākā Swami: Firstly, we should avoid doing aparādhas.
At the time of initiation, you read the ten offences of the holy name.
This is the system so that we don’t break the regulative principles.
First, if we commit an offence to someone knowingly,
then we can pray for forgiveness.
In Māyāpur, there is a place where specially we go we get freed from Vaiṣṇava aparādha.
Aparādha-bhañjanera-kuliyā-pāḍa
And if you did some aparādhā it can get forgiven by touching the feet of the devotee you offended.
And I have seen many shoes outside. I see devotees touching those shoes.
You should try to avoid committing offences.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes they come as first body as Brahmā.
Human is the first birth that you get a chance to go back.
Brahma at the end of the universe, can go right back.
Unless he becomes materialistic, then from Brahmā they can work their way down to a bug or one can be as human.
That will depend.
It’s not a… No one can say, it is not any, you will find some different evidences in the Vedas.
Coming as a Brahmā or coming as a human, that is not... that may vary from case to case.
We found that Jaya, Vijaya, they came as demons.
Each person, why they are here, why, no one can say exactly.
Everyone is an individual eternally.
And the only way we will know the exact reason how we got into this material world is when we ultimately again we get our liberation.
This is like a dreaming state.
Right now, we are locked into the dream and the whole endeavor is to get out of the dream, to wake up.
So, once we… It’s just like someone is in a kind of coma.
And in the coma, he is dreaming so many things.
And then in that dream, he is going from one dream and then he jumps out and goes to another dream, until finally he can remember someone comes up and says, “Harry! Harry!” [laughter]
And then he comes out of the dream, “Where am I? Right?
Where was I?”
It’s like once you come out of this material world and you come back to your original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will be like, I did all those things! I was an animal, and a man, I forgot, I forgot completely about Kṛṣṇa and about my eternal spiritual nature.
And just like a dream.
You never want to go to sleep again, you don’t ever want to come in the material world again.
The thing is one has to want to wake up.
So that’s why the spiritual master is so kind.
Even a person is sleeping, doesn’t want to wake up, they are calling, jīva jāgo, “Wake up, Wake up!
You are not this body.
You are eternal spirit soul.”
And the soul has heard so many things in its life.
You are an American, you are a Bohemian, you are a hippie, you are a conservative, you are republican, you are a democrat, this that.
And never even, doesn’t even come near to waking up the soul.
It is just different! It’s just trying to change the structure of your dream.
But when that pure devotee says, “No, you are an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, you are not this body”, then immediately the soul starts, it is the first time anything that was said is actually directed at the soul.
It starts to move, it starts to wake up.
Then the soul starts to direct the intelligence, what is that? What is he saying?
It’s shocking that the first time one hears that he is a devotee, it may even come as an intense shock.
The first time the devotee is saying, is going right to the soul.
They don’t even speak to the body and the mind; it is going right to the soul.
Because the soul can exert its influence and can control over the mind and the body.
But it has to be awakened, it is has to actually come from the soul, to act in its original, constitutional position.
So how we fell in this material world exactly?
What we were before? When we wake up, when we realize our original position, then we can remember all these things.
So, it is not always a stereotype.
We may come first time as a Brahmā and work our way down and may come in so many ways.
What we were before we came, what was our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what was our position, how we fell down, what desire we had? - these are different in every case.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-09
Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes they come as first body as Brahmā.
Human is the first birth that you get a chance to go back.
Brahma at the end of the universe, can go right back.
Unless he becomes materialistic, then from Brahmā they can work their way down to a bug or one can be as human.
That will depend.
It’s not a… No one can say, it is not any, you will find some different evidences in the Vedas.
Coming as a Brahmā or coming as a human, that is not... that may vary from case to case.
We found that Jaya, Vijaya, they came as demons.
Each person, why they are here, why, no one can say exactly.
Everyone is an individual eternally.
And the only way we will know the exact reason how we got into this material world is when we ultimately again we get our liberation.
This is like a dreaming state.
Right now, we are locked into the dream and the whole endeavor is to get out of the dream, to wake up.
So, once we… It’s just like someone is in a kind of coma.
And in the coma, he is dreaming so many things.
And then in that dream, he is going from one dream and then he jumps out and goes to another dream, until finally he can remember someone comes up and says, “Harry! Harry!” [laughter]
And then he comes out of the dream, “Where am I? Right?
Where was I?”
It’s like once you come out of this material world and you come back to your original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will be like, I did all those things! I was an animal, and a man, I forgot, I forgot completely about Kṛṣṇa and about my eternal spiritual nature.
And just like a dream.
You never want to go to sleep again, you don’t ever want to come in the material world again.
The thing is one has to want to wake up.
So that’s why the spiritual master is so kind.
Even a person is sleeping, doesn’t want to wake up, they are calling, jīva jāgo, “Wake up, Wake up!
You are not this body.
You are eternal spirit soul.”
And the soul has heard so many things in its life.
You are an American, you are a Bohemian, you are a hippie, you are a conservative, you are republican, you are a democrat, this that.
And never even, doesn’t even come near to waking up the soul.
It is just different! It’s just trying to change the structure of your dream.
But when that pure devotee says, “No, you are an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, you are not this body”, then immediately the soul starts, it is the first time anything that was said is actually directed at the soul.
It starts to move, it starts to wake up.
Then the soul starts to direct the intelligence, what is that? What is he saying?
It’s shocking that the first time one hears that he is a devotee, it may even come as an intense shock.
The first time the devotee is saying, is going right to the soul.
They don’t even speak to the body and the mind; it is going right to the soul.
Because the soul can exert its influence and can control over the mind and the body.
But it has to be awakened, it is has to actually come from the soul, to act in its original, constitutional position.
So how we fell in this material world exactly?
What we were before? When we wake up, when we realize our original position, then we can remember all these things.
So, it is not always a stereotype.
We may come first time as a Brahmā and work our way down and may come in so many ways.
What we were before we came, what was our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what was our position, how we fell down, what desire we had? - these are different in every case.
Questioner: Anon
Date: 2022-08-01
Jayapatākā Swami: Why were you able to read more earlier and not now?
Please try that you do not commit any Vaiṣṇava-aparādhā amongst each other and forgive each other.
You can chant the Pañca-tattva mantra and Nitāi-Gaura names and thus make advancement in spiritual life.
Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]
Questioner: Mālinī Sundarī devī dāsī
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya is considered a topmost devotee.
And what He is doing is an example for all to follow.
Everyone who is on the level of a topmost devotee, will also be begging from the Lord for service.
In the material world, one wants to control to enjoy
the material nature;
but in spiritual life, one wants to be enjoyed by the Lord.
One wants to please the Lord.
And one wants to serve the Lord.
So the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means. “Oh Lord! Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service.”
So as we engage in the Lord’s service, in devotees service, our taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness increases.
So the Lord is enjoying His pastimes.
He is always happy
and the devotees who are participating with His pastimes,
they are also happy.
Who wants to be happy?
[Haribol!]
The real happiness is to please Kṛṣṇa.
We are part of Kṛṣṇa.
When He is pleased, we are all automatically pleased.
When He is happy, we are also happy.
Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]
Questioner: Rādhikā Premabhakti devī dāsī
Date: 2022-09-02
So, we take it as Kṛṣṇa’s mercy because He doesn’t let anything happen without His permission.
Nothing!
For devotees, they see that their karma is settled at a reduced rate.
Actually, this material world is always problematic.
This material world is duḥkhālaya.
This is already stated by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā.
If you think that this material world is problematic,
that should be an inspiration for you to go back to the spiritual world.
Why do you want to stay in the material world, life after life?
Why don’t you see that this material world is problematic?
And you should try to be Kṛṣṇa conscious?
You have such a nice name.
Rādhikā Premabhakti!
I want that prema-bhakti of Rādhikā!
So we see that this material world is a horrible place, but we try to make best use of a bad bargain.
That is why it is very important that husband and wife, both are devotees.
And they try to become very dear to Kṛṣṇa.
Category: [Day-to-day Life], [Karma], [Material Sufferings], [Mercy], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2022-08-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if we mentally reside in the temple or holy dhāma,
this way on internet I go different places, but I certainly attend the Māyāpur maṅgala-ārati regularly.
This way, through YouTube, Facebook, through Māyāpur TV you can get darśana of various temples.
we can get that way, mentally you are visiting the holy dhāma.
Category: [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Akhila Bandhu Gopāla Dāsa [Indore]
Date: 2022-09-06
Jayapatākā Swami: So your question is being answered by Vidura.
He did not get upset, he saw that, he took it as an opportunity to increase his Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
You should not become morose, maybe by this you get rid of bad karma.
And in the material world there is this kind of false criticism.
That is why we want to transfer you to the spiritual world.
You are coming from Madhya Pradesh.
Nice to hear how people are hearing the class from Madhya Pradesh.
Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: It depends, who that devotee is.
If the devotee is a godbrother of the spiritual master, or peer of the spiritual master,
of if he is the guru of the spiritual master,
then one should offer him respect.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-24
Everyone has a time.
Everyone has an expiry date, like medicine has an expiry date.
I had gone to see my purvāśrama brother in Minnesota.
And there I got to see my brother.
But I had a closer relationship with my devotee disciples.
Anyway, one of my disciples had brought some medicine for my purvāśrama brother. He ate some prasāda and there was some discussion. He went back home.
We remain in this body as long as we are destined to be there.
Generally, we think that if we do this we will be happy.
And as a result after this body we get another body.
Some think that if I am rich, I will be happy.
Some think that if I am a woman, I will be happy.
Some people think if I am a man, I will be happy.
Some think that if I am a pig I will be happy.
This way, again and again, we repeatedly take birth.
And we take on different bodies due to those desires.
But if we think that we will be happy by serving Kṛṣṇa,
then our rebirth comes to an end.
And we shall return to the abode of the Lord, Vaikuṇṭha dhāma.
No death and birth, we have eternal life.
Haribol!
Questioner: Acintya Nitāi dāsa
Date: 2022-10-17
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, Śrīla Prabhupāda would scold the devotees in Calcutta,
for placing a dark blue velvet curtain,
which attracted many mosquitos,
and then devotees would kill the mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, you are attracting them and then killing them.
So, you should put some other curtain,
which would not attract so many mosquitos.
So, if a mosquito is biting us, we may kill it in self-defense,
but we should avoid just killing mosquitos.
Śrīla Prabhupāda would have the dhuna or the frankincense burn in his room and the windows open, and the mosquitos would fly out.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that if we loudly chant, then insects and plants would reap the benefit, by hearing the holy name.
There was someone, they took in regression to his previous life,
and he said in his previous life he was a butterfly.
He went into some place, where there was a statue and there was a fruit in front of the statue.
He landed on the fruit
to eat the fruit,
and someone came out and killed him.
In the next life he was a human being,
a devotee,
so in this case, it seemed that he was eating the fruit offering offered to a Deity of Kṛṣṇa,
we don’t know Kṛṣṇa’s Deity or someone else.
Yesterday we saw while you were reading the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you were experiencing extreme such separation even while reading, from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Kṛṣṇa. We could tell from just what was going on. In addition to that you were experiencing extreme physical pain and today in the medical meeting you mentioned that you are missing Gaura, Kṛṣṇa and that you are also missing Śrīla Prabhupāda. How are you able to handle such seeming diametric feelings, all at once?
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Just like when the lady climbed on Lord Caitanya’s shoulder holding the Garuḍa-stambha,
then Lord Caitanya said that Lord Jagannātha has not blessed Me with such eagerness.
So, He was praying that this lady would give Him blessing
so He would have so much eagerness to see the Lord.
I don’t have so much intense separation,
that I am surviving
is due to my lack of intense love for Kṛṣṇa.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
I will try to take lunch early and come for my evening class earlier
so that everybody can take rest early!
Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-09-06
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Woof! Woof!
The dog is very loyal.
There was one dog in Japan, he followed his owner to the subway station every day.
He would wait for the owner to come back and then would follow him home.
One day the owner died at work.
And the dog waited at the station for days on days.
So the dog is very faithful.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2023-10-29
Jayapatākā Swami: Woof! Woof!
The dog is very loyal.
There was one dog in Japan, he followed his owner to the subway station every day.
He would wait for the owner to come back and then would follow him home.
One day the owner died at work.
And the dog waited at the station for days on days.
So the dog is very faithful.
Questioner: Devotee
Date: 2024-03-15
Jayapatākā Swami: Well, that is why when we gather together for programs,
we bow down to all the Vaiṣṇavas.
We say vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ.
We try to forgive everyone for any knowing or unknowing offences.
Because if we don’t know about it, we don’t know! Ha!
So we may have inadvertently offended someone.
So we want to be forgiven for that.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said that generally if we ask questions, that is not an offence.
Like if we ask an advanced Vaiṣṇava some question,
even if it is a personal question.
Prabhu, actually you are a very senior devotee and I have been following you.
But I see that sometimes you just do this,
so I was wondering if I should follow that or not? Ha!
So in that way you are asking a question,
it is not offensive.
But if you say, PRABHU!
YOU ARE AN OFFENDER, YOU ARE SMOKING BEHIND THE CAR!
Maybe it is not true,
or maybe it is true but not something we should present in that way.
So, we try to ask questions rather than accuse anyone.
Unless you are in a very senior position
and you are advising some disciple who is junior.
I was made a temple president two weeks after my initiation.
So everyone in the temple, many were more senior than me! Ha!
So if told them, PRABHU, GO TO THE STORE!
They would look at me and say, who are you to tell me?
So I would go to people and say,
Prabhu, how would you like to go the store?
The deities need apples or something! Ha!
So if they said no,
I would keep asking them! Ha!
But I wouldn’t tell them,
I would ask them.
So somehow that became the thing that I learnt since I was a young president.
And it is hard for me to stop that even now!!
I am very happy to see that your house is very clean,
I feel very devotional in your house!
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