You have been a sannyāsī for 50 years. What was the secret? Someone told you that if you don’t get married you will not go back to Godhead. But you have managed to be a sannyāsī for 50 years. What is the secret that you have been steadily serving Śrīla Pr | Questions and answers

Link: 20240213 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

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

As a disciple would not know the mood of his spiritual master of serving Kṛṣṇa what happens if his mood differs from the mood of his spiritual master. Will he attain the same mood of serving Lord Kṛṣṇa if he goes back home back to Godhead?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-05-13

Jayapatākā Swami: You see if you are mood is such that you go back to Godhead,

that means you got some mercy from your guru.

I spent so many weeks giving class so that people could get an idea of my mood.

What do you think?

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma]

As Lord Caitanya entered the body of Nakula Brahmacārī can we see the same thing happening in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s pastime since Śrīla Prabhupāda was carrying Kṛṣṇa in his heart (āveśa)?

Questioner: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa

Date: 2022-12-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Many people think that Śrīla Prabhupāda was manifesting in his heart.

But he did not say that as Nakula Brahmacārī did.

But it seemed that by his participating in Ratha-yātrās and some other festivals

that people were very much inspired

and in one Ratha-yātrā after the Ratha-yātrā he went to the car and turned to the driver

and said, “Did you see how beautifully Nitāi-Gaura were dancing in the crowd?”

The driver, of course he did not see Nitāi-Gaura,

he said Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!

Link: 20220715 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Can someone who is endeavoring to follow his guru’s instructions sincerely and is making efforts to take his guru’s instructions and his desire as his life and soul, but hasn’t got the chance to take formal initiation, can such a person go back to Godhead and achieve the highest goal of kṛṣṇa-prema in this very life? Can he also achieve his guru’s service eternally?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the name of Kṛṣṇa is not different from Kṛṣṇa,

somehow by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa,

one may also achieve the highest perfection.

But a sure way is if possible, is for you to take initiation from the authorized guru-paramparā,

and then in that way serve Kṛṣṇa.

You see Kṛṣṇa gives you the opportunity to take initiation.

If out of false ego you don’t do it,

then it is not really Kṛṣṇa’s fault.

So if He is giving us some help, we should take it.

During this lockdown period

I am also giving initiation on the internet by zoom.

And other gurus are also doing the same thing.

So if one is qualified, they could take initiation.

Don’t have to wait for the guru to physically come there.

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma]

Can you please let me know what are the services I can do every day that will please you?

Questioner: Mādhavī Śyāmasundarī devī dāsī

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: All the services to the Deities in this temple or any temple of ISKCON will be very pleasing to me.

So you can ask the temple leaders what service you can do.

Lord Caitanya said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.

Whoever you see, tell them the glories of Kṛṣṇa.

That will make me very happy.

Link: 20200801 Addressing Balarāma Pūrṇimā Festival Eve to ISKCON Toronto

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

Could you please help us in genuinely inspiring others? I face challenge in getting my audience to follow what we try to teach in line with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. It requires a number of times’ repetition and if we say it again and again, they think, "Oh, I have heard this." But they don't follow. How to convince them?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

So like that if people you say one way and they are not accepting,

then repeating it again and again it did not produce the result even when we said once.

Then you have to think what is a new way.

Like, recently I went to some program

for the children.

They said Puruṣottama month challenge.

They had different children who participated.

So in this way, sometimes by challenge, some debate, we use different tactics.

So just like some wives if the husbands were not Kṛṣṇa conscious,

would tell them, dear husband, please help me understand this verse?

Because the man may be very macho, puffed up!

So the lady using her female intelligence

she may understand the verse,

but she tells the husband, can you help me understand this?

He says, well, I am a man, so he looks at the book. So she tricks him to read the book.

So what tricks you use to get people to chant, to read,

that is something that you have to think a bit out of the box.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

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

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]

Does reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books regularly and listening to your classes also qualify as association ?

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.

Link: 20211218 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.29

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

Even so long after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance how do you experience his presence?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I am thinking that

I still want to perform the different instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me,

and I am praying to Śrīla Prabhupāda to give his mercy so that I could execute these orders.

One thing on the disappearance day,

is that the heritage of the spiritual master

is left for us to perform,

and we want to keep him alive

by executing his instructions.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Even though the Bhagavad-gītā says that a devotee will attain birth in heavenly planets or a nice material situation in the afterlife, does this statement hold true for one who has blasphemed a devotee or the spiritual master ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-08

Jayapatākā Swami: No! The point is, say a devotee, tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and doesn’t make it; senses take him off; interested into material life again

but whatever time a person spent in doing Kṛṣṇa conscious activity, for that, they get heavenly planet or they get a very good birth in the future.

They don’t lose anything you see.

The sinful reaction doesn’t affect; the sinful life delays your going back to Godhead but doesn’t stop it because that your credit is in like a fixed account.

But what happens is when you do offenses, this is whole different thing.

Offenses are directly...just like you are working for someone, you build up a good credit history and then you steal from him,

then you get fired and that person never wants to see you again, right?

But say that you know, you work for a person, just somehow you go away, you quit, then whatever you do, but with him your relationship, you know, is the same.

This is a little gross kind of material example, it is not fully appropriate.

In a higher sense our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is independent of all the other activities.

But an offense against Him or His devotee directly, you see even He can forgive an offense against Him;

but when you offend His devotee who is just trying in helping people to come to Him that becomes intolerable for Him.

He has a policy that He doesn’t personally forgive anyone for that. If the devotees themselves forgive then He considers a pardon.

So, of all the offenses, the blaspheming of one’s spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and is considered to be the worst.

So, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that, it takes millions of births before one ever gets a chance to have a guru again.

Why Kṛṣṇa will bring you up to a guru if you are going to blaspheme?

If you are so envious, then you get put in an envious species of life.

So, that way, Śrīla Prabhupāda says that it is much better to fall down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and just fall into sinful or materialistic activities than to become a blasphemer.

You shouldn’t ever resent the guru.

If you couldn’t make it, why resent the guru, it is not his fault,

you couldn’t make it.

You tried, you got as far as you could, or you have that much determination, you lost faith and you lost.

So, why resent the guru? Guru didn’t do any harm to you.

Guru was trying to help you.

You go to a doctor; you have an incurable disease, or you are hooked on to some kind of drug, the doctor tries to help you to break your habit,

but you can’t take the withdrawal pains, so you just go back in and then you continue taking heroin or something until you OD (overdose) and die.

Why blaspheme the doctor?

It is not his fault; you didn’t have the determination or the patience to get out.

He was going to help you through the whole thing, through your shakes and your problems and everything just to bring you up to a point where you could be a healthy person.

Like that kind of a thing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Oh yeah. Lord Caitanya said that,

yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā

That the offense of blaspheming a devotee is called mad elephant offense.

Because one’s spiritual progress is compared to a creeper, a plant.

So, when you blaspheme pure devotees, that mad elephant can go into a garden, uproot the whole plants, tear apart, you can just demolish the garden.

So, the comparison given that all the other things are like weeds; they don’t actually kill the original plant, they just compete with it.

They stunt its growth by taking away the energy, just stays at whatever level it is.

But it is very hard for the weeds all to completely smother out the original plant unless it just completely overcomes the thing.

But the offenses, those are considered like wild elephants which come in and trrrrp (tearing sound), rip out the thing, put it on the ground and stomp on it.

And then even for a while it may seem that the person is spiritually situated;

they pull out a plant, still the leaves stay green for a few days but then they gradually dry and fall off.

The relationship with the guru is never cut even you fall down; it’s not cut just by material activities;

but if you blaspheme the guru, then it is cut off, it’s like disowning.

Disciple disowns his guru by blaspheming.

Link: 19820914 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.8.22-23

Category: [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

Even though we may not be fully purified at heart and still have some material desires, if we keep following the given process of chanting our daily rounds and following the regulative principles diligently, will we go back to Godhead ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-24

Jayapatākā Swami: Prabhupāda said, if a person follows the process of Kṛṣṇa conscious then they can.

If one wants to take birth again in the material world, no.

How free you are from things like offences, may dictate how high you can go in spiritual world.

Whether we get place in Vaikuntha? Whether we get a place in Goloka Vṛndāvana? How I am will able to go?

Or, I mean if a person, I had one person, approached me in India, he was a real strange character.

He said that, “I have been chanting 32 or 20 or 16 rounds for 26 years.

But never gave up eating fish.”

Neutral position that we were discussing today, he reciprocates with the person so perfectly,

that if someone would do something like that because of their offences to chanting, while chanting the holy name,

but they don’t actually make advancement, towards pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

They are getting some benefit from chanting,

but at the same time they are material heart, their material desires aren’t going due to being absorbed in sense gratification like that.

So I advised him that, you should chant the names of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu,

and by His mercy you may be able to overcome this desire of eating fish.

And sure enough after chanting Lord Caitanya’s names for some period of time, he got some spiritual intelligence, and he could stop eating fish.

Even though for 26 years he was on his weird practice, where although chanting he never tried to avoid breaking that,

you know, stopping breaking that regulative principle.

So if a person, I mean if he is determined, you know, alright, I am going to chant 16 rounds and I am going to follow the four principles,

but if they take things in an attitude that I’m determined not to give up my material attachments,

then that’s anachronism, you know.

From our side it should be not just externals, but it should be internal, that we are trying to follow the process.

We are trying from our part to give up our attachments.

If we have the proper attitude, we are trying to give up our attachments, we are trying to avoid, even if we arenot fully successful.

Prabhupāda said, “There is… That Kṛṣṇa is so merciful, that Lord Caitanya is so merciful,

even though we may not at the point of death have been a hundred percent successful.

We can still get delivered.”

[Aside: How long I should go on ?]

I was in Montreal, and Prabhupāda was giving a lecture, that time we had a vyasāsana for him was very high.

I mean, very, it was like, when we would stand up, we would be facing Prabhupāda eye to eye,

or he would still be even higher than that.

It was a very high vyasāsana, and you have to kind of crawl up, steps going up.

[Aside: It was more like a kind of a culpit.

Culpit or something?

Devotee: Pulpit]

Pulpit, Pulpit.

So he would be up there, he would have a seat there and would even have prasādathere.

On a feast they would bring him a big plate of prasāda, we will all be sitting down,

and he would take Prasad from there and sometimes he would give prasāda out from there.

So one day he was giving his lecture from up there naturally,

and on this point he was just preaching very hard, we have to be a 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious,

we have to try, we have to be 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to try for that,

we have to become, if we are 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we can get pure love for Kṛṣṇa, then our lives will be completely successful.

He was hammering this point.

The devotees you know thinking, 100%! Their heads gradually started to hanging down and they became very thoughtful,

that 100% was like such an objective that never seem that this ever possible, even you know, to get real close to a 100%.

But Prabhupāda was very emphatic on this point.

The devotees were very thoughtful at that time.

Then Prabhupāda, he ended the class, there was just a heavy silence, there was no question,

he ended the class, said become cent percent Kṛṣṇa conscious.

There was just like a death.

I mean there was a silence so thick you could swim through it.

And Prabhupāda was just sitting there on this, that raised

vyasāsana and said that, even if you are 90% Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that you may still be delivered.

Then he started to get down, and he was about halfway down,

just as he was getting off that vyasāsana, he turned to the devotees, said, “Even 90% you can be delivered.”

He started walking off, then he turned and then his cādara fell off.

I remember that it was such a dramatic, almost like you know what you see in those movies;

Julies Caesar his chaddar just blew like that you know.

“Even 70%”, he took his cādara and threw it over his shoulders, raised his head and walked off…

(laughter)

Śrīla Prabhupāda Ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: But the purport is that try for the 100%.

Link: 19850110 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.1.3

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Mercy], [Sādhanā]

Every day I make a resolve that I will do so many rounds of chanting, this much reading of scriptures and then do my studies. But I am not able to keep this program steadily.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Why you are not able to keep the program? What is it that your mind gets attracted to and does not let you do your daily routine properly?

That is your enemy.

You have to hear from the senior devotees about which is the obstacle that stops you.With the weapon of knowledge, you have to cut that.

Doing this you will become strong.

Doing exercise, in one day suddenly you cannot lift 100 kilos!

Slowly 20, 30, 40, 60, and finally in the future you can life 100 kilos.

Maybe more also.

Now His Holiness Bhānu Swami can lift a lot of weight!

I cannot!

He does exercise every day.

You are trying, that is good.

You should not feel disappointed.

Just keep going.

Link: 20200911 Zoom Session with Bangladesh National Youth Gathering

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Associate with devotees who have conviction.

You see, since devotional service is a gradual process,

some people naturally would be at different stages.

So some devotees are at a very advanced stage.

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

Like that, some devotees are very fixed up.

Try to associate with them.

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

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

Guru Mahārāja, today you explained how by residing in the holy dhāma one gets billions of times the benefit, my question is please explain when mahā-bhāgavatas like you go for preaching outside the dhāma how is it?

Questioner: Atula Kṛṣṇa dāsa

Date: 2023-04-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I used to travel 5 or 6 times around the world every year.

I have lifetime-gold-membership in United Airways.

British Airways I have Emerald membership, it is like Gold.

I don’t have to fly, I get every year automatically.

But this was initially Śrīla Prabhupāda said as a sannyāsī, I should travel.

But now I spend more time in Māyāpur.

Śrīla Prabhupāda told me also remain in Māyāpur and do your activities through your assistants.

So, at different times, he told me different things.

So, I think I did my travelling enough.

Now I spend more time in Māyāpur, India.

I only travel once or twice around the year every year!

But that way, I think I used to travel to all the countries, South Africa, Poland, Nigeria, Ghana, etc.

Bhakti Tīrtha Swami had asked me to go to West Africa sometimes.

I went two or three times.

So like that. During the pandemic I stayed all the time in Māyāpur.

That is the thing, I am trying to carry out Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions.

Link: 20221217 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.33

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja. Please accept my respectful obeisances. You were talking about the remnants, is only a disciple allowed to take guru’s remnants or everybody is allowed?

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!

Link: 20230518 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Etiquette / Sadācāra]

How as a disciple can we understand the mood of guru? And his heart?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, one way is to ask him! Ha! Ha!

Otherwise by observing him

and hearing his instructions,

you can know what he wants.

And every guru may be different because we are all persons, we may have differences.

But we are united in serving Kṛṣṇa

and serving Śrīla Prabhupāda.

So like that we want all the devotees to be united

in serving guru and Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20200424 Zoom Session to Kanhaiyādeśa

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

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

Questioner: Siddhāntamaṇi Prabhupāda dāsa

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: If one is initiated and breaks the principles,

they are guilty of one of the offences to the holy name

disrespecting the order of the spiritual master.

So there is no higher atonement than devotional service.

So in that case one should repent for their misdeed

and then again take up the practice of devotional service,

as sincerely as possible, and gradually they can regain their status.

But, of course they have ceased their progress for some time, but they can start again

and there is no other way recommended by the śāstras.

Link: 20190219 Question and Answer Session

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

How can I develop greed, laulyam for rāgānuga-bhakti?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: The whole purpose of bhakti-yoga is to develop our intense desire, laulyam to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So that is something that should be increasing as we go on.

And it is not a separate endeavor.

If we become attached to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, if we become attached to Lord Caitanya,

naturally we want to associate with Them.

We were reading in this līlā of Lord Caitanya and His leaving Navadvīpa,

how the devotees are lamenting in separation.

They are holding their heads, they are crying, they are rolling on the ground,

like wild people.

Someone finally tells them,

you are very fortunate

that you have a personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya

and He cares about you.

So you should control yourselves

and follow His instructions.

So someone gave them such instructions.

So like that, we see how they developed so much deep attachment for Lord Caitanya.

We want also to develop that attachment.

Lord Caitanya taught that in this Age of Kali,

the way we can worship the Lord

is to feel His separation.

And that vipralmbha-bhāva

is not difficult

considering it is Kali-yuga! Ha!

We actually beg from the Lord

and we are separated from the Lord!

Link: 20240201 Evening Darśana and Question-and-answer session

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

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

Questioner: Kṛṣṇasevinī Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-12-02

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

It is not a different process.

Same process delivers us

and we should perform devotional service

and naturally if you help the spiritual master

then Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased.

Link: 20220715 Question and Answer Session

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

How can I follow your orders properly? I am not able to do that properly now.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Try!

Why cannot you read the books?

Why cannot you preach?

One lady, she brought seven women to take shelter.

Anybody can preach.

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

How can I increase my taste in reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-08-16

Jayapatākā Swami: Before you read chant your praṇāmas

to guru and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

In that way read the book with full attention.

And then gradually by reading every day your taste will increase.

Link: 20230322 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

How can I increase the dependence on holy name and Bhāgavatam?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-29

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and His name are not different.

And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

So if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if there is any anxiety or danger,

Kṛṣṇa helps us.

We have great devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he always took shelter of the holy name and His teachings.

But the demon father Hiraṇyakaśipu asked is your God in this column?

He is everywhere, Prahlāda Mahārāja said.

Then Hiraṇyakaśipu kicked the column.

There was a sound ohh….

Hiraṇyakaśipu was looking where is that sound coming from.

Then Narasiṁhadeva came out from the column.

So, you put your faith in Kṛṣṇa, His holy name, the śāstras, He will never let you down.

Prahlāda Mahārāja was an innocent boy, but his father was a demon.

So Prahlāda was not trying to purposely trouble his father.

So if you read the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam then that will strengthen your faith.

Link: 20220618 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

How can I know who is my spiritual master?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-10

Jayapatākā Swami: That question has been asked to me many times.

And there are like 15 questions that you could ask yourself.

But basically, you pray to Kṛṣṇa, you pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda

to reveal, who you should take shelter of.

And whose preaching you feel more connected with Śrīla Prabhupāda and Kṛṣṇa.

Maybe he is your spiritual master.

Sometimes you feel connected to several people’s preaching,

then you can take more than one as your śikṣā-guru,

as the instructing spiritual master.

Since there is no limit to how many instructing spiritual masters we can have.

And then the one we feel most connected with, we take him as the dīkṣā-guru.

I have an application, the Jayapatākā Swami App.

Maybe I can try to answer the questions.

Link: 20200917 Zoom Session with Utkarsa Youth Boys Program

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

How can one be a serious preacher ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-23

Jayapatākā Swami: A serious preacher, well a person can become a serious preacher in different ways.

When one is a serious devotee, one becomes a serious, one can be a serious preacher.

If a person is very serious about carrying out the order of guru, Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa, that naturally becomes also a serious,

whatever he does, including preaching.

If a preacher becomes very concerned about helping the people,

awaken from their animalistic consciousness and come into their actual spiritual heritage,

in that case they become very serious preachers,

by developing their compassion, by actually seeing philosophically how people both those who appear to be happy,

and those who appear to be suffering are all in a very precarious unfortunate condition,

and they need to be helped to become Kṛṣṇa conscious,

to become God conscious, to get out of this entire material entanglement.

In material life, happiness is the stepping stone to misery, and misery is the stepping stone to happiness.

sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ -

Happiness and sadness is always changing just like the changing of the seasons,

spring to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer, like that.

So, if someone is happy, it doesn’t mean anything,

it just means that within no time he going to be sad, even if someone is suffering that doesn’t mean

that much because after some time things will change and he will become happy.

So, to simply try to help all the people who are materially unfortunate, become materially fortunate,

is alright in the material platform, but in the overall spiritual sense that falls short.

That… that for us we want to help everyone.

Of course, those who are suffering materially, obviously it’s hard for them to concentrate on spiritual life.

So many of the Kṛṣṇa conscious services like giving out prasāda, also do have the material side effect.

Like feeding their hunger.

But the purpose is not to stop there, but to actually give them spiritual happiness.

Even rich people, even so called successful people or happy people, their situation is also uh one that deserves some sympathy,

some compassion, some mercy that they could actually become spiritually situated, because their situation is very unstable.

Very soon they will also be put into material suffering if they are not already in it.

But devotee becomes very compassionate to the fallen soul, wants to see them become spiritually happy,

wants to see them in their suffering, this is one way of becoming a very serious preacher.

Or one in general takes up the mood of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa and wants to carry out their instruction but also be very serious.

Link: 19840531 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.10

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

How can we be sure if it is Kṛṣṇa or the devotees guiding us from within or just the mind?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: While the guru is present,

you shouldn’t feel any doubt.

You can always ask the guru

if your idea is correct or not.

I asked Prabhupāda several times about different things like this

and somethings he said, they are sent by Kṛṣṇa,

somethings not.

To be sure, that is why we have a guru,

because we cannot connect directly with Kṛṣṇa in our conditioned state.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20190127 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Confusion], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How can we have a proper attitude like Vāsudeva Datta?

Questioner: Gopa Gopikā devī dāsī

Date: 2023-07-07

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if we take inspiration from the example of Vāsudeva Datta,

and try to emulate that,

then naturally, gradually we can achieve similar consciousness.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

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

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Depends on what gives you faith.

I mean, some people have faith by reading the scripture,

since it tells us that the holy name is Absolute and non-different from Kṛṣṇa.

Some people have faith by realization.

If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you may become peaceful and ecstatic.

And that may increase your faith.

Some people commit offences to the holy name.

So they don’t get the full result of chanting.

And you should tell them to be very careful to follow the order of the spiritual master.

I think the third offence to the holy name is to disobey the order of the spiritual master.

We must have a spiritual master and follow his instructions.

There is no question but to accept the spiritual master.

So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had everyone in the temple chant 64 rounds.

Those who went for book distribution and preaching, they should chant 16 rounds.

So Śrīla Prabhupāda said that for the Western rounds it would be difficult to chant 64 rounds.

So he had them chant 16 and preach.

So by following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, one can advance.

Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana

Category: [Emotions / Faith], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How can we increase our surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Read his books,

try to carry out his instructions.

He wanted his gṛhastha followers to become paramahaṁsas,

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]

How can we inspire more people to chant and dance, as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Yamuneśvarī devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-22

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you chant and dance,

that in itself would be very inspiring.

Gaurāṇgī Gandharvikā, she sent me a video

of how they were chanting and dancing…

very nice!

And I think..

the way to inspire more people to chant

is to chant yourself.

Naturally by having a group, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa

and inspiring other people to join in.

I saw in New Orleans,

before the Mardi Gras,

Mardi Gras.

Christians

went.. and they had signs...

"TURN OR BURN!".

Such were the signs.

"Accept Jesus or burn in hell!".

I did not see anyone joining in.

But when we went with our kīrtana,

people were buying roses and throwing at our feet

Some people

joined with the kīrtana.

So they see, they like..

how we were performing, singing and dancing.

Link: 20220516 Bidding Farewell to the Residents of Kāśī, Part 2

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

How can we understand the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda to improve our relationship with him and in the same way with you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: One of the qualifications of the uttama-adhikārī

is that he cannot be understood.

It may not be completely possible for you to understand the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

But in principle you can understand a little bit about his mood

by reading his books.

And those books are available in Spanish,

I see that you are in Bogota, Colombia.

You can read the books and feel and see how Śrīla Prabhupāda

is so much attached to Kṛṣṇa and Lord Gaurāṅga!

Then you can start to be very grateful for all the help he has given to you.

Then naturally, you can advance.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

How can we understand the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda to improve our relationship with him and in the same way with you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: One of the qualifications of the uttama-adhikārī

is that he cannot be understood.

It may not be completely possible for you to understand the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

But in principle you can understand a little bit about his mood

by reading his books.

And those books are available in Spanish,

I see that you are in Bogota, Colombia.

You can read the books and feel and see how Śrīla Prabhupāda

is so much attached to Kṛṣṇa and Lord Gaurāṅga!

Then you can start to be very grateful for all the help he has given to you.

Then naturally, you can advance.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

How did Śrīla Prabhupāda convince you and his other disciples into Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: He was very sincere.

Whatever he would give speech in the evening,

he was very straightforward, simple and honest.

So that was very convincing.

And he used to tell the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā

in a very simple way

and it seemed very appropriate.

When I was trying to practice bhakti-yoga,

there were no books at that time.

He said we could read the Teachings of Lord Caitanya by Professor O.B.L. Kapoor.

So I was reading that about Haridasa Ṭhākura

said that whenever he had some māyā thought chant loudly.

I was a new bhakta, I had so many māyā thoughts!

I chanted louder and louder and louder

and I was screaming Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa!

and all the devotees when to Śrīla Prabhupāda and complained -

this Bhakta Jay, he shouts Hare Kṛṣṇa and we cannot chant our japa.

Śrīla Prabhupāda called me,

asking me to explain

why all the devotees were stressed with me!

So I explained that I read Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted louder when he had some māyā thought, I had so many māyā thought so I chant loud!

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Hmmm, that is not so bad!”

So he told me that chant next to the temple in the public park,

Park Mount Royale,

the city of Montreal is named after this hill, Mount Royale, means Royal Hill.

Our temple was next to that park.

So I would walk up to the hill

and chant loudly

and the squirrels and birds would dance around

So in that way I was chanting.

At that time, we were having Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana festival.

And he would take devotees in between and we would visit different places.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

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.

Link: 20201105 Zoom Session with ISKCON Youth India Conference

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

How do we beg forgiveness from guru for a falldown and continue our devotional service?

Questioner: Nandagopīpriyā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: There is no reason not to reveal your mind to guru.

If you have had some trouble with one of the principles, you could get some advice from your spiritual master.

But if you have recovered, then all the better to tell him that you had difficulty but now you have come back to the strict standard.

And sometimes one is started to difficulty with a principle, but it is not as serious as they think.

It is better to reveal to the spiritual master.

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Aparādha (Offenses)]

How do we develop a state of mind where we don’t see obstacles in spiritual life as obstacles anymore?

Questioner: Rāmakānāi Mathureśa dāsa, Reading, UK

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: You just expect to have different obstacles.

If it was too easy, that wouldn’t be glorious.

So we expect there will be tests and challenges.

If we see that, we will be determined to go ahead.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How do we get complete faith that Kṛṣṇa is the only protector and maintainer as part of śaraṇāgati (surrender), especially as a working individual ?

Questioner: Vedavit Kṛṣṇa dāsa [Laguna Beach, California, USA]:

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: You see someone may take shelter

of one of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions

and may think, “Oh, this is very nice!”

But the thing is that

we want to take shelter at the same time,

develop our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

So he may give us some options

to take shelter of Lord Śiva or others

but as a result

we may take birth again and again.

Because these devas they cannot give mukti.

So Kṛṣṇa, He gives the ideal

protection

and also, He brings one back home back to Godhead.

If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

then you will have many different pastimes

and can see how the Lord protects His devotees.

He is known as Bhakta-vatsala,

how He protected Prahlāda Mahārāja,

how He protected different devotees.

So by reading the pastimes

one should naturally develop faith.

Link: 20220327 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Workplace], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā]

How do we select the right guru?

Questioner: Ritvik, ISKCON Baroda

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: If the guru is able to help you if you feel that Śrīla Prabhupāda is talking to you through the guru and you are able to cross over māyā,

then that is the right guru for you.

So you also get help from various śikṣā-gurus and Vaiṣṇavas.

I have fifteen questions you should ask yourself,

to help you understand if it is the right guru.

Link: 20200829 The Devotees Forget about the Sannyāsa during Saṅkīrtana with the Lord (Part 3)

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Dīkṣā-guru], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Śikṣā-guru]

How do we understand when to help ourselves and when to simply depend of Lord Kṛṣṇa's mercy?

Questioner: Keya Rāṇī

Date: 2022-09-16

Jayapatākā Swami: They are skipping over your question because it is not particularly from the verse.

Anyway we should do both together.

We should help ourselves

while we depend on Kṛṣṇa,

not that we just sit and say Kṛṣṇa will do everything.

We do the best we can and we depend on Kṛṣṇa.

There is a story where there is a flood.

And they came by the house and said that,

"Get in!

There is a flood."

He said, "No, No! I am depending on Kṛṣṇa."

Then the water rose

up to the roof.

And he was on the roof.

Boat came and said, "Get on!"

He said, "No on I am depending on God",

and the boat left.

And then helicopter come,

ere grab the rope!"

and he said "No. I am depending on God.",

and he got drowned.

Then he went back to Godhead.

He asked God, "Why did you not save me?"

He said "I sent you a car, a boat, a helicopter

you did not take anything.

So what do you expect?"

So naturally we have to take the mercy of Kṛṣṇa

that may come in any way.

Link: 20210601 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Mercy], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

How do you continue to please Śrīla Prabhupāda so well even in his post-manifest līlā?

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]

How does one develop cultivate one favourable devotional attitude so that Śrīla Prabhupāda said it is essential to advance in spiritual life

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-06-10

How to develop favourable devotional attitude?

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

If we really understand what is our self interest?

What is helping us?

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

Start to get lined up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Absolutely yes.

Specially keep crying for Kṛṣṇa.

So in one sentence nothing wrong.

And people surely benefit something by hearing them.

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

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

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

But its nothing wrong but that is the guideline.

Link: 19950727 Bhagavad-gītā 8.15

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā]

How is the relationship between a spiritual master and disciple considered eternal ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-21

Hṛdayānanda Dāsa Goswami: Yes, (laughing)

if he is actually bonafide.

If he is actually bonafide.

You understand?

If someone is not a bonafide spiritual master, someone is only pretending to be a spiritual master,

then how can the relationship be eternal?

So therefore, the disciple has to know the real symptoms.

Just like for example, in the case I was just mentioning, there were some symptoms which were very unusual, that were not the normal symptoms.

So, some of the people in in England they were not, of course the young devotees they didn't know,

but they were not very strict and serious and seeing that the same standard was kept.

Do you understand?

In other words, just like we are… we are always preaching, that is the duty of our disciple to see, to select a bonafide spiritual master.

So, the point is that anyone who joins this movement sincerely will get Kṛṣṇa and will get a bonafide spiritual master.

And the symptom that is getting one that is he will get Kṛṣṇa.

If you are getting a bonafide spiritual master, then you are getting the proper instruction.

Any guru in ISKCON who is presenting Prabhupāda as he is, or presenting the standard program, he is a bonafide guru.

Just like if I tell my disciples, "Read these books."

So, I am giving them the right knowledge, you understand?

Now, if someone is actually a bonafide spiritual master, then that relationship is eternal.

So it’s not that, it’s not that, because one particular person had some difficulty therefore I will become doubtful.

This is also a foolish idea.

Just like in the Gauḍīya Maṭha, all of them deviated except Prabhupāda.

I mean fifty of them or something like that, there were 100 or something, I don’t know how many... do you understand?

And every last one of them, every single one of them, deviated from Bhaktisiddhānta's order.

And out of the movement of hundreds and thousands of people, Prabhupāda was the only one who actually

carried it out exactly as Bhaktisiddhānta wanted, do you understand?

So, it’s not that when we heard about Gauḍīya Maṭha, we begin to doubt our spiritual master.

No, we become more proud of our spiritual master.

So, it’s just like my parents always used to tell me, "You should be glad that your parents don’t drink or smoke…

or… tell me that, some parents beat their children, some parents do this, some parents do that.”

So, in that way Kṛṣṇa has given these historical examples. Kṛṣṇa has given these examples,

so you should be happy if you have a guru who doesn’t drink or smoke. (Laughter)

Yes, actually, we accept that Śrīla Prabhupāda among his godbrothers…

not that all they fell down to sinful activities,

but they deviated from the preaching mission and Prabhupāda told us that, none of them actually really captured the purport completely.

So, it's in the līlāmṛta, all.

Prabhupāda's frustration trying to work with them.

So, does that make us doubt Śrīla Prabhupāda? No, it makes us glorify him more.

That if others have failed, that means it must be very difficult.

Because someone has not… could not do it, that means it must be a very difficult thing.

It must be... So, therefore, it made us more attached to our spiritual master.

So, Prabhupāda said, "If you see, if you try to see the guru without Kṛṣṇa then that’s bad.

If you try to see Kṛṣṇa without the guru, that is also bad.

If we see guru as the representative of Kṛṣṇa,

then we will never be deviated.”

Link: 19830624 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.2.5

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How ok or not so ok is to think about one’s spiritual master while chanting?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Depends what you are thinking!

Generally, I would chant in front of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mūrti.

And I would chant the mantra but I would also be seeing Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Everything connected with Kṛṣṇa is also Kṛṣṇa.

It is not really Kṛṣṇa, but it is not different from Kṛṣṇa.

When we clean the temple, the temple is connected with Kṛṣṇa, therefore we clean our heart.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, in any part of the temple Kṛṣṇa is there.

So guru is connected to Kṛṣṇa

and if you see guru while chanting you will be connected to Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20221023 Evening Darśana

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How seriously should the disciple take the instruction received from the guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-17

In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.

If you are not able

to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,

then you can ask him

what to do in that case.

Link: 20210607 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How seriously should the disciple take the instruction received from the guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-17

In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda was quoting Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

that the disciple should take the order of the spiritual master as their life and soul.

If you are not able

to follow the instruction of your spiritual master,

then you can ask him

what to do in that case.

Link: 20210607 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How should one fully surrender to guru and Kṛṣṇa? Our mind is so obstinate that at times it does not want to accept authority.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Just like we say we are not the body.

We also say we are not the mind.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said that we should beat the mind in the morning with shoes 108 times.

In the evening beat with a broomstick 108 times.

Who is the boss here, mind or you?

You are the eternal spirit soul and you are the real person.

Not the mind.

We have to tell the mind, who is the boss!

Link: 20230424 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Material World / Mind / Intelligence], [Sādhanā]

How to always be enthusiastic?

Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī, Māyāpur

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: This is on the stage of anartha-nivṛitti.

One of the anarthas is called thick and thin.

Sometimes the devotion is very thick,

sometimes very thin,

so thin and thick.

So by following the process and reaching the stage of niṣṭhā,

then one will be fixed and there won’t be this thick and thin enthusiasm.

Link: 20190201 Question and Answers Session

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

How to always be focused on the holy-name?

Questioner: Ojasvinī Rādhikā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: We are advised to always remember Kṛṣṇa,

So, in this age, we can always remember Kṛṣṇa’s name and never forget Him.

And whatever we do, we should chant the holy name

and, in this way, you can always remember Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20200601 The reaction of the Atheists and Devotees After Seeing the Saṅkīrtana

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]

How to always remember guru ?

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.

Link: 20190201 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

How to avoid hesitation in encouraging and convincing others to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: See, we are not attached to winning or losing.

Rather, our system is that we offer respect to others

and we don’t expect any respect for ourselves.

So, like one of Lord Caitanya’s associates, he spoke to a Kazi, a Muslim magistrate.

He said, “You are very handsome, you are very powerful, rich, intelligent.”

Like that.

“I just want to ask you one thing?

Is it alright?”

He said, “Go ahead!”

He said, “Please forget all this

because when you die all this is gone.

Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!”

The Kazi said, “I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa tomorrow.”

That associate said, “Haribol! Haribol!

You just said it!

Don’t stop now!

Haribol! Haribol!”

If you try, you can figure out what is the best way of doing it.

And that you are trying Kṛṣṇa will be very pleased that this devotee is trying.

So we want to say things that are favorable,

which will help the person to listen.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

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

How to be determined in our devotional service like Dhruva Mahārāja was?

Questioner: Śacīnandana Gauracanda dāsa.

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: We can see, it is not a small thing.

Personally, I don’t we need such a determination.

But we should be determined to chant,

to follow the four regulative principles

and engage one’s self in devotional service,

and eventually achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful.

Why do you want to serve anyone else?

Kṛṣṇa or His devotees are the only persons we should worship.

You know, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, they gave all material desires to their followers.

But they had to reject God and serve them,

then you will get all that you want, materially.

But why do you want to serve a demon?

But the demons would like to serve the demons,

the devotees want to serve the devotees.

Link: 20200816 Brahmā and the Demigods Test Dhruva – Viśvambhara’s Narration to Śacī-devī

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

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

How could you study in college if there are exams?

There will be exams,

you cannot avoid it.

That’s how you get your degree.

If you want to be a devotee,

there will be tests.

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

So naturally, there will be difficulties.

And don’t be disturbed by that.

It is part of the process.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

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

How to become stable in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Good question!

I know very little Hindi, but I will speak in English.There will be Translation.

So there are eight steps in bhakti-yoga.

First is śraddhā,

then sādhu-saṅga,

bhajana-kriyā,

anartha-nivṛtti,

niṣṭhā,

ruci,

āsakti,

bhāva

and then prema.

So, first one at the stage of bhajana-kriyā one takes initiation.

And then one under the guidance of guru and his assistants, they get rid of their anarthas.

That is called anartha-nivṛtti.

And then one is niṣṭhā or steady in devotional service.

This is a gradual process and if he takes initiation, he goes up to anartha-nivṛtti and then he can become niṣṭhā or fixed.

So I was in the RODC and then in the NRODC in the USA.

The Army and Navy.

Then I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What should I do?”

He said, “Better you join Kṛṣṇa’s Army!”

And now I am in India, I am also an army man!

Link: 20201124 Addressing Devotees in Annakūṭa, Govardhana

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

How to chant or perform devotional service when the body is not feeling up for it?

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]

How to deal with the feelings of separation from the spiritual master?

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.

Link: 20220305 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Sorrow], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

How to dedicate my life for your service?

Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,

you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.

So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?

Like that, the act of shopping

becomes an act of love.

And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,

you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?

And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to dedicate my life for your service?

Questioner: Ati Sundara Jagannātha dāsa

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: When it is some puja time, say Dīpāvalī or something,

you buy something for your sister, your mother, your loved ones.

So while you are buying that you are thinking what does this person like? What should I get?

Like that, the act of shopping

becomes an act of love.

And so in the same way when you want to do something for the spiritual master,

you think like that, what will be pleasing? What can be used?

And that way, it is an act of love for your spiritual master.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

How to develop a taste for reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?

Questioner: —Sundara Nitāi dāsa, Ujjain.

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: Sundara Nitāi dāsa, If you read the books every day, your taste will increase.

And I was reading last night, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that those who are somehow in connection with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,

they should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books –

Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and others.

Otherwise, one may fall down and leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness because of inadequate knowledge.

So you can pray to Kṛṣṇa that you can read the books without offence.

And by regularly reading, then you will gradually increase your taste.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

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

How to develop unflinching faith?

Questioner: Vijaya Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: To associate with devotees

who have unflinching faith.

Otherwise the process of bhakti-yoga

is to gradually increase your faith,

then it becomes unflinching.

Link: 20200615 Lord Gaurahari Performs saṅkīrtana in Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s Courtyard; the Death of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s Son.

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

How to feel that we are always connected to your lotus feet and you are always with us?

Questioner: Bhaktin Ambika

Date: 2022-08-04

Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally when you are serving guru and Kṛṣṇa,

then you will be connected to guru and Kṛṣṇa

and you can feel that.

So, we try if we can either serve the guru directly

or by following his instructions.

And that way we can feel connected.

Link: 20220219 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Dīkṣā-guru], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

How to fix our mind on guru and Kṛṣṇa even in trying situations, when it difficult to keep calm on account of mental anxiety ?

Questioner: Antīmā devī dāsī.

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: You see we should have the vision of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura,

seeing the difference from material relationship,

and the spiritual reality.

If we have this knowledge,

naturally we can transcend the suffering and troubles of the material world.

But since we are conditioned, and we lament over things which should not be lamented for,

therefore, say one family member dies,

different varṇas have different times or periods, when we are not supposed to go to the temple.

I think brāhmaṇas have 11 days and śūdras 30 days.

So, the more one has spiritual knowledge,

they may be able to recover.

Now I heard that the head priest of the Guruvāyur temple,

if someone dies in his family,

they wouldn’t tell him.

Because if they told him,

he would have to stop worship for so many days.

So, while he is in the six months as head priest.

He would not hear about any misfortune in his family.

Fixing your mind on guru and Kṛṣṇa, is a matter of spiritual wisdom.

Category: [Emotions / Stress/Anxiety], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

How to gauge the strength of one’s connection with guru and Kṛṣṇa?

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.

Link: 20220417 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

How to keep one enthusiastic at all times despite what situation one is in?

Questioner: Yaśodā Kṛṣṇa.

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: If you associate with enthusiastic devotees

you will also be enthusiastic.

And knowing how wonderful is Kṛṣṇa,

and how when you take one step towards Kṛṣṇa, He takes ten steps towards you.

So how can you fail to be enthusiastic?

Link: 20190208 Question and Answers Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How to remain enthusiastic in service despite all obstacles?

Questioner: Bhakta dāsa, ISKCON Baroda

Date: 2022-10-15

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

Māyā will test you, are you really sincere?

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

So many devotees here.

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

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

either by Facebook or Zoom.

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

How to remain steady in brahmacārī-āśrama?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-27

Jayapatākā Swami: The secret is to always stay busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

Mana, kāya, vākya –

we want our deeds, our words and our thoughts to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa.

If we can engage our intelligence how to expand the preaching,

or how to improve our service,

that is the best way.

If we allow the mind to drift on to the objects of the senses,

then naturally we become distracted.

So somehow, it is important to have a service,

you like to do.

That you can be fully absorbed in.

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me a lot of very absorbing services.

And so that kept me busy, out of māyā.

So the devotee who gives you service should see that you are fully engaged.

If you are not fully engaged,

tell them, because you need to be fully engaged to be free of māyā.

As they say, idle mind is a devil’s workshop.

If the mind is idle,

if we are not fully fixed in our service,

then the mind will start to think about māyā.

Bhakti-yoga means to be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20201117 Zoom Session with ISKCON IYF Kolkata

Category: [Varṇāśrama], [Varṇāśrama / Brahmacārī], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

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

Questioner: Kiśorī Yoginī devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: There is no higher atonement than Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So if one makes a mistake,

then the best remedial method is serving Kṛṣṇa.

So, if you make mistakes,

then you should be more diligent actually, at serving.

The point is that, one should not make sense gratification as the goal of our life.

When we have senses, there will be some sense of pleasure and some suffering.

So Kṛṣṇa explains that, you regulate the activities.

Just like you take prasādam,

just like we have married life,

try to produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children.

Different activities are regulated.

But the goal is not sense gratification,

the goal is to please Kṛṣṇa.

This world unfortunately is beginning, middle and end is all sense gratification.

They don’t understand anything about Kṛṣṇa in most cases.

Even if they are God conscious, they pray to God to give them some material gratification.

But we should rather want to serve the Lord.

Well, it is expected that you will make some mistakes.

That is why we should be more careful,

after making mistakes,

to practice more sincerely.

Just like a child learning how to walk.

Naturally they will fall down a few times,

but eventually they learn to walk, run, everything.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Thank you!

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

How to take our inabilities in performing some seva and in material life?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes someone is expert at something.

Sometimes they are not expert.

But Lord Kṛṣṇa is expert at everything.

So, we try to do all the services for Kṛṣṇa

and some services will be well done,

and some could be better.

So, we ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy to do our services better.

And shortcomings are taken as areas that we need to concentrate more on.

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

How to tell if guru and Gaurāṅga are pleased with our services and would it affect our taste in chanting if they are not?

Questioner: Rasapriya Gopikā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: Well there are two parts to your question.

One, how do I know if my service is pleasing to guru?

If we are doing something which he has asked us to do,

then it is usually pleasing to him.

If we are doing something which is for our authorities requested us to do

and it doesn’t go in contradiction with anything that guru told us;

and that something that is completely against our nature,

then usually it is very pleasing.

If it is something that is against our nature;

but it is something that is urgently needed;

and sometimes by fulfilling that one gets some special mercy from the guru.

What was the second part?

If our services are not pleasing does it affect our taste in chanting?

If you do not carry out the order of your guru,

then that is the third offence to the holy name

and naturally that will be something that hampers our tastes.

Link: 20240213 Evening Address | Question-and-Answer session

Category: [Sādhanā / Sevā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

How to tolerate bodily pains and carry on enthusiastically in devotional service ?

Questioner: Sureśvara Nimāi dāsa

Date: 2022-10-17

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, if you can do that, it is a sign of being very advanced.

Usually when we are suffering, it is hard to render devotional service enthusiastically.

But some devotees are able to do so;

and that depends on how grateful you are to the guru, or how you are attached to Gaurāṅga or Kṛṣṇa.

Also, how bad is the material suffering you are going through?

Link: 20190127 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Humility], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Vaiṣṇava-qualities]

How was your experience when you had met Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time?

Questioner: Jayacaran

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, my experience was even before the first time!

His secretary gave me a set of beads.

So I went out in the park and I was chanting.

I chanted about 26 rounds, nonstop!

And I was feeling so much ecstasy,

I had never felt anything like this before.

At that time, I was in San Francisco

and Śrīla Prabhupāda was in Montreal.

I came back to the temple

and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s secretary was waiting for me.

He asked me do you have the beads?

I said, “Yes, of course.”

He said, “I was not supposed to give those to you,

those were Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads!”

So I gave him back.

Other beads were not quite the same!

So, even before I met Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time, I had an introduction.

Link: 20231006 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

I always feel I am not able to serve you enough. So what to do about that?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, it is good to feel like that.

Rādhārāṇī feels She is not doing enough, as much as She could.

But we think that She is 100% best,

but She is thinking what more I should do?

That is the Kṛṣṇa conscious attitude.

Not that, oh! I am doing everything I can.

Then we won’t try to do more.

If we cannot think of how to increase, you could also always ask what more can I do?

Or if you have some idea, then you can suggest, can I do this, will this be pleasing?

We always should be eager to do something more for Kṛṣṇa.

Parents, your children ever come up and say, mom dad, can I do some service for you? Ha!

You think, what do they want from me! Ha!

But actually if they don’t want anything that would be super!

If you think what more you could do and you want permission, then suggest that.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20230425 Question and Answer Session

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

I am a new devotee. And I want to serve you and want to become your disciple. But I heard that you are going to stop giving initiation. Is it true?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-05-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I am trying to convince many of my senior disciples to take up the service of dīkṣā-guru.

And when I do that, then except in some cases I may stop giving initiation except for those who have taken shelter.

So people who have taken shelter I will give them.

Those who took initiation, they have already taken.

As of now, I have not yet stopped.

Still, sometime I may stop.

So, better chant 16 rounds and take shelter.

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-05-13

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

But she came when I told her

I had found my guru,

Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupāda.

And that I wanted to follow him.

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

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

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

I said, how long do I have to live?

She started crying!

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

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

I have to take this chance now!

So then she started chanting four rounds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But Hare Kṛṣṇa was more powerful!

Christians say, Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.

Who is the Father?

We say the Father is Kṛṣṇa.

He has unlimited names.

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

that Jesus said, I have many flocks

and you are one of them,

but there are many others,

they don’t look like you.

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

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

If it does, then very good!

We are not saying anything negative.

You just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa if it works!

Practice bhakti-yoga and see if it works!

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

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

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

I loved other things! Ha!

We cannot talk about!

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

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

Link: 20200517 Zoom Session with Nigeria Devotees

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

I am not able to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. How to increase the taste to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: At first you might not have a taste for reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

But you should still read.

I must have read the books maybe five or ten times.

At first, it was not so much taste, but I knew it was medicine, I had to read it.

Now, I read every day.

And it is very blissful!

So, I got my Bhakti-vaibhava degree, by studying.

And now on the 12th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to get my Bhakti-vedānta degree!

How many of you have the Bhakti-śāstrī?

So, Bhakti-śāstrī is mainly Bhagavad-gītā.

And everybody should read that and get the degree.

Bhakti-vaibhava is six cantos of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

And Bhakti-vedānta is the last six cantos.

Bhakti-Sārvabhauma is Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Read, read, read. Read and put it to practice,

it sticks with you.

Link: 20240201 Evening Darśana and Question-and-answer session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra]

I am not attracted to the spiritual world; I don’t know why, it is amazing. Please tell me about the spiritual world and what should I do to be attracted so that I can take up sādhanā and regulative principles and bhakti seriously?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: You see this material world is a temporary world, aśāśvatam.

And it is a place of suffering.

You can look up the Al Jazeera or TRT World or any other news stations,

you see all the difficulties.

Some countries there is flood,

some countries hurricanes, cyclone,

some country war,

some pandemic,

rising cases.

There is no old age, disease, birth or death in the spiritual world.

There everyone is related to Kṛṣṇa in a loving relationship.

Naturally, one feels loving ecstasy all the time.

So you have your choice. In this material world there is suffering, there is some lust,

temporarily you will satisfy your lust

and you think that is the goal of life.

But that is not what we are actually looking for.

What we are looking for is the spiritual world.

Free life,

free choice.

Spiritual bliss.

There you serve the Lord out of love.

Here you work for some office

because you make them money

and when you are not making money,

they lay you off,

they fire you!

It is a business relation, there is no love.

So it depends what you want.

If you are attracted by love and freedom of all kinds of suffering,

then that is the spiritual world.

Link: 20200919 Zoom Session for South India Youth Boys

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma], [Sādhanā]

I have been in ISKCON for the past 6-7 years chanting 16 rounds and following regulative principles for 5 or 6 years. I want to go back to Godhead. I want to follow the orders of Śrīla Prabhupāda and want to surrender my life to Lord Kṛṣṇa. I want to choose a guru, but I am very confused. ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-04-27

Jayapatākā Swami: Many people ask this question.

This is one thing that every disciple, every devotee has to choose.

After some time, I will stop initiating.

But at the present time I am still taking.

But who you will choose, is truly up to you.

Who you think Kṛṣṇa is speaking thru to you.

And many gurus, they can be your śikṣā-gurus.

You have to choose one as your dīkṣā-guru.

So, dīkṣā-guru has the responsibility to take care of your karma.

And you can pray to Śrīla Prabhupāda, you can pray to the Deities,

to reveal to you who your guru is.

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

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Emotions / Confusion], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

I heard that we, as disciples of Guru Mahārāja should take his mahā-mahā-prasāda. Should this only be taken by his disciples or can others take it too? In the same way should we only take mahā-mahā-prasāda of our gurus or we can take that from other gurus in our sampradāya?

Questioner: Phaneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī, San Diego

Date: 2023-09-01

Jayapatākā Swami: You can take from any pure devotee.

Because if you take that of a guest or someone and you get sick that is not very auspicious.

But even if we get sick taking from some pure devotee that is glorified.

So, the prasāda or mahā-prasāda can be taken from someone, even if he is not your dīkṣā-guru.

Thank you Phaneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī.

Link: 20230523 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Prasāda and Bhoga]

I heard when a devotee asked your inspiration to continue Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you said that you got infection from Śrīla Prabhupāda. How can we get a glimpse of that infection?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: May be good fortune, I don’t know.

One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s servants gave me a set of beads to chant on.

I was practicing yoga before that.

So I sat in the ardha-padmāsana and started meditating and chanting

and I chanted six hours nonstop.

I was chanting 32 rounds or something.

And I was feeling so much ecstasy,

I never felt that in the yoga practice.

So I was convinced that Kṛṣṇa consciousness works.

The secretary was waiting for me to come back.

He asked, “Do you still have those beads?”

I said, “Yes!” “Those are Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads” he said!

But he said he was not supposed to give that to anyone, but I did not know it at that time.

So he took the beads back from me.

Next day was not quite the same!

But I had a glimpse!

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

I heard when a devotee asked your inspiration to continue Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you said that you got infection from Śrīla Prabhupāda. How can we get a glimpse of that infection?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: May be good fortune, I don’t know.

One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s servants gave me a set of beads to chant on.

I was practicing yoga before that.

So I sat in the ardha-padmāsana and started meditating and chanting

and I chanted six hours nonstop.

I was chanting 32 rounds or something.

And I was feeling so much ecstasy,

I never felt that in the yoga practice.

So I was convinced that Kṛṣṇa consciousness works.

The secretary was waiting for me to come back.

He asked, “Do you still have those beads?”

I said, “Yes!” “Those are Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads” he said!

But he said he was not supposed to give that to anyone, but I did not know it at that time.

So he took the beads back from me.

Next day was not quite the same!

But I had a glimpse!

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

I learnt from your class that Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa at the age of 24. You have taken sannyāsa at the age of 21. What inspired you to take sannyāsa at the age of 21 which is such a young age?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: I was a brahmacārī since the age of 19

and then when I was 21

Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me if I wanted to take sannyāsa.

Since he was offering me, I thought

it was a great opportunity.

So I accept the chance.

Maybe I was innocent at the time,

but somehow or another by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy I have been able to maintain my vows

and increase the preaching in various ways.

So I very glad that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me this blessing.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]

I learnt from your class that Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa at the age of 24. You have taken sannyāsa at the age of 21. What inspired you to take sannyāsa at the age of 21 which is such a young age?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: I was a brahmacārī since the age of 19

and then when I was 21

Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me if I wanted to take sannyāsa.

Since he was offering me, I thought

it was a great opportunity.

So I accept the chance.

Maybe I was innocent at the time,

but somehow or another by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy I have been able to maintain my vows

and increase the preaching in various ways.

So I very glad that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me this blessing.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]

I want to distribute books and do that but in between lose enthusiasm. What should I do?

Questioner: Anon

Date: 2022-08-01

Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue.

And that way your enthusiasm will return.

This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name.

Link: 20201007 Zoom Address to Bangladesh Book Distribution

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Book distribution], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

I want to know what is the right mood to take the initiation test?

Questioner: Liz Valero

Date: 2022-10-05

Jayapatākā Swami: You have to listen to and read the books.

Understand the teachings, at least the basic books.

If you read the books, the questions are fairly simple. For instance, what is the difference between the body and soul.

You can have the questions in advance, no secret.

So if you want the questions, we can send you.

So any way don’t feel anxiety.

We want you to pass your test.

And if you don’t pass it first time,

you can ask for the answers.

Next time you pass.

I think they are not so difficult.

Why do you believe that Kṛṣṇa is God?

Questions like that, they are very simple.

More complicated for second initiation.

They have to pass Bhakti-śāstri.

For first initiation, they are very simple.

Okay? No anxiety! Be calm!

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Education], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

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

Questioner: Milan, ISKCON Youth Forum, Baroda

Date: 2022-10-15

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

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

I saw one drama from the Chennai youths.

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

She painted her mustache as Yamarāja.

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

We cannot take them to hell!

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

So it was very interesting to see the Yamadūtas complaining.

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

Everyone but the father.

He was dead against.

But then he was diagnosed with cancer.

He was in bed ,

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

He said, “No, no, no, no! No, no!”

Somehow they left.

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

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

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

So he became very Kṛṣṇa conscious after that.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

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

I've heard that to get Lord Nityānanda’s kṛpā we need to get guru-kṛpā. How can we get and be qualified to get guru-kṛpā?

Questioner: Dīpadātri Gaurāṅgī devī dāsī

Date: 2022-08-04

So, anyway, we would like to see everybody

chant Hare Kṛṣṇa

and engage in devotional service.

Lord Nityānanda is the original guru.

So the spiritual master

is naturally in connection with Lord Nityānanda.

So it is not so difficult to get guru-kṛpā

and if one tries to get guru-kṛpā,

by preaching, by giving Kṛṣṇa

to the conditioned souls,

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā 18th chapter

that those who preach

this message of Mine,

they are the dearest to Me.

So naturally,

we get the kṛpā.

Link: 20220217 Question and Answer Session

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

If a devotee wants to take initiation what is the parameter for choosing dīkṣā-guru and how will I realize that he is my guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-14

Jayapatākā Swami: Some people, they have some inclination to someone.

If one cannot understand, they can take them as their śikṣā-guru

and amongst the śikṣā-gurus they can decide who will be their dīkṣā-guru.

Otherwise, I have 15 questions and one can ask themselves and thus choose who is their dīkṣā-guru.

So if you have the Jayapatākā Swami App I can send those questions out.

Link: 20201108 Sunday Feast Lecture to ISKCON Chennai

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Dīkṣā-guru]

If you can share some of your initial days, when you were working, how did you serve Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-10

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, I was looking for a spiritual master and I went to San Francisco.

I went to the bookstore

and saw all the spiritual books were from India.

I was an American at that time

and said, are there no spiritual books from America?

The bookstore owner, he laughed!

America! Spiritual! Ha! Ha!

Then I asked and he said I have one book.

That was on Astral projections.

I saw that the writer was living in San Francisco.

I went to see him.

But then he called me in his room,

and he told me

I cannot really guide you because I have been grounded for two years!

I have not been to astro project for two years.

So I saw yogīs, astro projectors, Buddhists,

then I thought will go to India and find a guru there.

But then I saw the advertisement for the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple.

I went to the temple,

I read a book

called Easy Journey to Other Planets.

I like the book, I was a science student.

And it was talking about antimatter and everything.

Then I was asked to go to the back of the temple

where Jayānanda Prabhu was building a ratha for the yātrā.

So he engaged me in the building of the ratha.

One day I was given a set of beads by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s secretary.

So I went to the park

since I knew how to practice yoga,

I sat in padmāsana and chanted for six hours straight!

32 rounds.

First day!

Then I thought, “Wow!”

I was feeling such trembling in my body, my hairs were standing on end, tears were flowing down my eyes.

I never had a meditation like this.

So much ecstasy!

I went back to the temple

and that secretary who had given me the beads,

he said, “Do you have those beads?”

I said, “Yes.”

He said, “Those are Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads!

I am not supposed to give them to anyone!” Ha! Ha!

After that chanting was not quite the same!

Anyway, I could get a glimpse.

Then I went to see Śrīla Prabhupāda in Montreal, Canada.

And he was very kind to me.

He asked me what I was thinking to do.

I said, I thought I would go to India.

He said, “I will send you,

but first I will train you up.”

So I was under his direct training.

And I could speak a lot but

it was a wonderful experience to be with him.

That is the first few days!

Link: 20200917 Zoom Session with Utkarsa Youth Boys Program

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]

In bhakti many times like ups and downs come, what to do at that time?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-12-05

Jayapatākā Swami: We take initiation that puts us to the bhajana-kriyā stage.

And the next stage is to get rid of the anarthas,

anartha-nivṛtti.

And you are asking how to get through this stage.

You see, it is very easy!

You learn from your mistakes

and if you keep failing,

you will be tested again and again and again

until you learn

to not succumb to the anarthas.

And if you learn quick,

it is very fast.

Then you can become fixed up.

But if don’t learn

and you keep making the same mistakes again and again,

the it is like in college, if you fail, you have to go and start again,

until you pass the particular course

you have to repeat it.

Anartha-nivṛtti is like that.

So we learn

the hard way

and we get pinched every time we succumb to the anarthas.

But if you learn you don’t get pinched again.

Is it alright?

I am just telling you the truth.

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā]

In Caitanya-līlā, we see that Nārāyaṇī became ecstatic upon receiving Lord Caitanyas prasāda remnants. Why does the same not happen with us and what do we need to do to reach such a state ?

Questioner: Gopati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa and Acala Hari dāsa

Date: 2022-10-15

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārāyaṇī was a great devotee.

If you are not feeling ecstasy, that is your misfortune.

It is not the fault of the remnants,

it’s your lack of adhikāra,

to get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.

You should be lamenting, why you don’t feel ecstasy,

even when you take the prasāda remnants of the Deities.

Jayapatākā Swami: The more we practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

advancement increases.

So, by taking the prasāda of Kṛṣṇa, of Gaurāṅga,

our love for Kṛṣṇa can increase.

Just like getting rid of the anarthās,

and becoming fixed or niṣṭhā,

then we advance step by step,

until we have loving ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa,

then taking prasāda can be an impetus for love of Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20200626 The Lord Respects Nārāyaṇī by Giving Her Remnants of His Food

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Gaurāṇga], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Prasāda and Bhoga], [Sādhanā], [Śrī Caitanya-līlā / Lord Caitanya]

In our Gauḍīya-sampradāya, I am not sure if Lord Nityānanda or Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī would be our original guru? Who would be our original guru?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-18

Jayapatākā Swami: You see the spiritual maser is supposed to be very dear to Lord Nityānanda.

And he gives Lord Nityānanda’s mercy.

By Lord Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy

we get the mercy of Rādhārāṇī.

And Rādhārāṇī is very hard to approach.

But Nitāi-Gaura, They are more easy to approach.

The spiritual master is easier.

Now śrī śrīla and śrīmān.

Śrī, is the goddess of fortune,

we put śrī in front of someone’s name it means someone is very auspicious.

Śrīman is usually used for someone junior,

who is very - sometimes Śrīla Prabhupāda would address with śrīman in the name.

I don’t know the actual dictionary meaning, I am not a Sanskrit scholar.

Just, I have seen it used,

and śrīla is apparently used for someone who is like a guru or a very elevated devotee.

Sometimes the guru is called an ācārya like Śrīla Prabhupāda, He is śrī-śrīmad,

His Divine Grace.

You can ask a Sansrkit scholar, and they can give more of the meaning.

But actually, that is how I see it has been used.

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thank you very much!

He is saying I should say something about the Dallas congregation and temple.

I think the congregation is very nice!

We saw the devotees at the Ratha-yātrā yesterday, I was very impressed

by their enthusiasm!

Something I did not understand, what DIY mean?

Someone told me oh, it is Do It Yourself!

Anyway, very nice to see the devotees.

I know Bengali if someone wants to speak in Bengali,

I know a little Hindi and I can speak in Hindi with you.

I have been living in India since 1970

and I joined in 1968.

I saw every temple in ISKCON in 1968,

all three!

San Francisco, New York, and Montreal.

After that there are so many temples.

So now it is not possible to see all the temple.

Of course, I have seen quite a few.

I have been given a lifetime Gold by United Star Alliance

and American and from British Airways, lifetime Emerald.

So I visited all the temples around.

But I was thinking I have not seen all of them.There are about 800 or a thousand now,

it not so easy.

But I thought we should call all the temples which were started by by Śrīla Prabhupāda, he did 108, we should call them as śrīpāṭs.

Like Dallas, should be śrīpāṭ Dallas.

These Deities were worshiped by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

They are very special.

This temple was established by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

There may be about a thousand now and in the future, there may be tens of thousands of temples

but there were 108 established by Śrīla Prabhupāda

and this is one of them.

We would like all the devotees to stay as part of Kṛṣṇa consciousness

and take advantage of the mercy of Rādhā-Kālacāndajī and Nitāi-Gaura and Jagannātha Baladeva Subhadrā.

Link: 20230416 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī]

In our life there are many ups and downs how can we be determined and think of Kṛṣṇa in all the situations which is very difficult?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: If you want to go back to Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to please Kṛṣṇa,

if you want to have the spiritual bliss,

then material suffering should just be an incentive that this material world is not a good place.

Just like now we have the pandemic. The material world is a very dangerous place.

The Bhāgavatam says, padam padam yat vipadām.

One should use it well and understand that this material world is not a place for us to stay.

Bhagavad-gītā says that four kinds of people think about Kṛṣṇa –

those who are in need,

those who are miserable,

those who are inquisitive

and those who are in knowledge.

So these four types of people think of Kṛṣṇa.

If you are facing difficulty, then you should think of Kṛṣṇa.

There are four kinds of people who do not think about Kṛṣṇa –

narādhama,

asura,

this type.

Pious people think of Kṛṣṇa when they are in distress.

Now I will visit your houses as much as possible.

We want to thank everyone for your offerings and receiving me.

Please send your realizations to Madhavakānta or to Vrajeśvara Gaura Dāsa.

Hope you are all preaching using internet.

The scope is unlimited,

people are more receptive.

Because the hospital and doctors can only do so much.

So we are all on the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

Link: 20200422 Zoom Session with Delhi Devotees

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

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

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

so naturally the senses need a certain amount of satisfaction.

That depends on each individual.

But that should not be the ultimate goal.

In the material world

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

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

So, although there may be some happiness

and some suffering,

we should tolerate that,

but we should make our ultimate goal to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So, certain very simple things we should avoid.

Like eating meat, fish, onion, garlic,

like gambling,

like taking intoxication

and having out of marriage illicit sex.

If you are a married person

it is natural there will be some material pleasure.

But there will also be some suffering.

Just like to conceive a child there is some happiness

but to have a child is also pain –

labor pain.

So, that should not be our ultimate goal.

You may have certain desires,

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

Link: 20220221 Īśvara Purī Instructs His Disciple Nimāi Paṇḍita to Chant and Preach Kṛṣṇa-Nāma, Part 1

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

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.

Link: 20230322 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

Is it due to lack of hearing that one doesn’t have enthusiasm to go out and distribute books? And by going out, does one become enthusiastic?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-11-04

Jayapatākā Swami: Lack of understanding.

Uttarā, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child?

She knew that this was her responsibility.

She saw the connection between her and the child.

The child was given to her by the husband.

It was her ward, she had responsible.

Because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness.

Selfish means not the real self-interest, but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments.

It won't actually seize the connection.

The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver.

He’s given them.

They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could commit suicide and leave our body.

Why live in this world without our spiritual master?

Or why be somewhere without him?

We can just go wherever he is, you see.

We have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us.

If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help with being enthusiastic to go out, and preach up to our full capacity?

We don't see that connection.

If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard?

We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to get either heavenly planets or to get Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation.

Somehow or another we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead.

So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition.

Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.

That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service.

This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come?

It must come.

Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā and therefore we become, disturbed in our mind.

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva 'sānta - because a devotee doesn’t have, the Kṛṣṇa devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.

But the others, those desiring muktibhukti-siddhi-kāmī - liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they all disturbed in their mind.

And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach.

For a short time, one can do it.

So, the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in the mood of pure devotion.

That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal.

Could you follow?

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Nitāi Gaura Guru Gaurāṅgadeva kī

Link: 19810912 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.9

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Book distribution], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

Is there really any difference between taking the divine initiation from our Śrīla Gurudeva directly or virtually?

Questioner: Rasasindhu Śacīsuta dāsa:

Date: 2022-08-05

Jayapataka Swami: As far as benefit of taking initiation directly or virtually,

if you feel initiated you feel connected to the guru, that is what counts.

Śrīla Prabhupāda had initiated many devotees by letter.

And now sometimes due to the pandemic we have initiations virtually.

So, if the spiritual master is accepting you, you are accepting him, then what is the difference?

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Technology], [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

It is said nityam-bhāgavata-sevayā - does it mean that we should specifically read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily or reading other books of Śrīla Prabhupāda works too?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-16

Jayapatākā Swami: You should read all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books

but having read, you may read other books one time.

But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you should read every day.

Bhagavad-gītā is necessary for preaching,

the Bhāgavatam takes you to sambanda, abhideya and prayojana.

Link: 20220506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Reading / Śāstra], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Last week your quotation of the day on May 18 said, actually to get chastised by your spiritual master is a higher blessing than getting a praise. Praise actually is not so good. Could you please share a little more on this?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-09-01

Jayapatākā Swami: Is that in the verse today?

Questions should be especially on the verses today.

If anyone has any doubt or question on the verses today, otherwise it will just open up to anything.

You have a question on the verse? I chastised you! Ha! Ha!

So I answered your question.

Ha! Ha! How do you feel? Ha! Ha!

Link: 20230522 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Mercy]

Many of your disciples are far away in different countries, how can we serve you?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-25

Link: 20230505 Question and Answer Session

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

Now we are focusing a lot reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and also doing courses like Bhakti-vaibhava. Now we when we do these courses, it needs a good amount of time. So our preaching has reduced a bit. What will please you more?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-02

Jayapatākā Swami: What would you preach if you don’t read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

You know, we don’t say that by reading, you do not do any preaching.

But if you don’t read, what do you preach?

Would you speculate something?

It is important to read at least in the beginning.

Śrīla Prabhupāda told me that to get first initiation, I had to read the Bhagavad-gītā ten times.

Then I had these lines marked, one, two, three, four, strike. One, two, three, four, strike.

I read ten times and got my first initiation.

But by reading Bhagavad-gītā ten times I had so much knowledge of the Gītā that I was giving accredited courses in the university.

Although I was a college drop out!

And in the McGill University I gave a course but there was no credit.

So then, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us a test, I got Bhakti-śāstrī.

Recently I want to encourage my disciples, my followers, devotees in general

to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

Then the Māyāpur Institute offered me the honorary degrees,

because I had read the books so many times.

But I thought if I get honorary degree,

then that would not encourage the devotees to read.

I said, no, I will take the test.

And now I have finished the 5th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I got one more canto to go to get my Bhakti-vaibhava.

After that I will go for the Bhakti-vedānta.

Then I am very glad that I am doing that.

It is nice that if you are reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and are getting tested then you read it more carefully.

But it doesn’t mean I don’t preach.

In fact preaching is going on.

Link: 20221024 Evening Darśana

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

Please share some pastimes of Śrīla Prabhupāda on the Lotus roof top.

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Many pastimes.

One pastime, he was going around the rooftop

and he stopped by the door there

and he told me that

when a spiritual master leaves

sometimes the disciples sell off his properties and live off the proceeds.

And so if you can increase it very good, but at least maintain what I gave you.

One time we were walking on the roof here

and there was a migration of ants from one side to the other.

And we could tell the queen ants were bigger in size.

The male ants carried the seeds,

and the female ants were just going along.

We were looking down at them.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said that as just as we were look the ants and thinking that they were insignificant,

the devas in the higher planets were looking at us

and thinking how we are very insignificant.

We only live a few of their days.

Those are two pastimes.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Prabhupāda said that we must serve the spiritual master to his exact desire. So how can develop the unalloyed service mood ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-25

You

try do that and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

always praying to the spiritual master, previous ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa,

to be able to do that, that is the principal desire in one’s life,

well by their mercy the impossible can be possible.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 19850307 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.10 - Gaura Purnima

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Prabhupāda said that we must serve the spiritual master to his exact desire. So how can develop the unalloyed service mood ?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-25

You

try do that and by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness,

always praying to the spiritual master, previous ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa,

to be able to do that, that is the principal desire in one’s life,

well by their mercy the impossible can be possible.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 19850307 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.10 - Gaura Purnima

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

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.

Link: 20230522 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings]

Should we aim to go back to Godhead or stay here to serve Guru Mahārāja in fulfilling Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-08

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted his disciples to go back to Godhead.

But we want to go back only if there is service we want to go back.

We don’t want to just be there, we want to be there to serve.

So naturally if your desire is to serve, then you will be taken wherever is a place where your service will be.

I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda I wanted to serve him life after life.

Then he replied to me,

why do want to make me come back?

I thought I said the right thing.

I said, I would like to serve you even life after life!

So you can pray like that.

That we want to serve even staying in this material world

but we want to serve.

So in that way if that is the Lord’s desire He will take you back to the spiritual world.

Link: 20200913 Zoom Session with Melbourne Devotees

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Spiritual World / Dhāma]

Single most important incident with Śrīla Prabhupāda which you want us to know and learn.

Questioner: Prema Prakāśa Haridāsa (Dr. Parekh)

Date: 2023-12-19

Jayapatākā Swami: You know Śrīla Prabhupāda taught many things.

So he was asking what is the most important thing to learn from the spiritual master.

So everybody had a different idea.

But Śrīla Prabhupāda’s idea was that you should learn pure bhakti, how to serve Kṛṣṇa.

This attitude of service is the most important thing.

Just like Śrīla Prabhupāda went to the West to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.

He said what is the secret.

He said the secret was everything he did was to follow his spiritual master.

Like his spiritual master told him to publish books.

His spiritual master told him to establish a GBC.

So everything he did, he tried to carry out the instruction of his spiritual master.

That was his secret of success.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

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)]

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.

Link: 20230717 Question And Answer Session With IYF Devotees

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

Some children like to do all the Kṛṣṇa conscious activities except chanting. How to handle this?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-08

Link: 20211003 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.11.28

Category: [Day-to-day Life / Children], [Day-to-day Life / Parents], [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Emotions / Sloth], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)]

Sometimes it seems that we engage in service or chanting, but we don’t have the full enthusiasm for it. How do we fix that?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-08-08

Jayapatākā Swami: For… for a devotee, the more that you understand that Kṛṣṇa is directly accepting your service through the spiritual master, and the main thing that He is accepting is how enthusiastically you do it.

Because ultimately, He doesn’t need the service.

What He’s relishing is your...your desire to serve Him, your devotion, your enthusiasm.

Just like that time when Kṛṣṇa appeared in the kitchen, and then they so enthusiastically handed Him the banana peel, instead of the ba… they handed Him the banana peel, and He ate the banana peel.

So, then they saw, “I gave Kṛṣṇa the banana peel, and I kept the banana.

He is eating the peel!”

Then He said, “Well for Me, the peel and the apple are the same.

I was relishing your enthusiasm to serve Me.” (laughing)

Actually, Kṛṣṇa doesn’t need anything.

He is already ātmārāmāḥ ca munayaḥ.

He is already complete - oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ.

But the fact that after so many millions of years of forgetting Him, the conditioned soul is coming forward to serve Him, that enthusiasm and that desire is what Kṛṣṇa appreciates most.

So therefore, even if (uhh), the service may not be that… sometimes one needs a slight change of service, sometimes the service is alright.

These are things that can only be discussed by the authorities with the individual devotee as to whether there is adequate service to keep the person fully engaged.

That’s a separate situation.

That has to be dealt with individually.

But even in such a situation, still, one should be very enthusiastic,

and still after being very enthusiastic if the person is bored, or just unengaged, true that it’s not enough service, or not enough to keep the mind in… involved, then that’s something that has to be dealt with individually between the spiritual master,

or the representative… his representative, the temple authority.

Still, the person should be doing the service fully enthusiastically, otherwise, how can you tell whether you’re working up to the capacity or not?

Just like if you’re driving in the car and the pedals… the gas pedals got down and then the car is killing, you see…you know and then you come to some conclusion, “Well, something is wrong with the car.”

But then sometimes when the engine is cold, or when you overload it, just have to put on more gas.

You’re going up a hill, then you keep going up the hill, then when you’re going up the hill, it kills, then you say, “What’s wrong?”

You go and look at your car and everything, but because you weren’t putting the gas on.

Right?

So, when you’re going up the hill, you’ve got to put the gas on.

Maybe sometimes you downshift, put on the gas, and you go up. Right?

If you don’t put on more gas when you’re going uphill.

So, that’s why sometimes Kṛṣṇa makes a person go uphill a little bit, just like you’re forced to put on the gas.

Sink to swim.

Ordinarily you know, if you’re always putting on the gas,then it doesn’t make any difference.

Those type of tests are no longer really needed, either.

So, a devotee is not actually tested that much, and even if he is, it doesn’t make any difference.

He just passes, just to show other devotees as an example.

Do you see what’s for Kṛṣ… for Prahlāda to swim in the boiling oil, because he such a great devotee.

You know.

Similarly, for us, we get very infinitesimal situations comparatively, Kṛṣṇa helps us to cross over them.

Enthusiasm is something that is just (uhh)… just somehow or another, like a person riding, running in a race.

How do you become enthusiastic?

Someone either through instruction, through criticism, through joking, through something, a person just gets fired up and goes out and does it.

Ultimately, enthusiasm is not something, you can pray of course to Nitāi-Gaura,

Nityānanda to help you become more enthusiastic, but enthusiasm comes from one’s desire.

If you desire something, you’re enthusiastic.

If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you become enthusiastic.

It’s just a question of focusing.

Focusing your… focusing your desires, focusing your intentions, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena, just like the sunlight, focusing on Kṛṣṇa.

If it’s not focused, energy gets splayed, you lose enthusiasm.

Link: 19821016 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.9.9

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā / Chanting (Japa)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

Sometimes when we are inspiring a new person, they chant for some days but after that they give up gradually, despite follow up. How to convince them?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: We know that kāla, deśa, patra,

time place and circumstance.

The person also.

Why that person is stopping chanting?

You may talk to him.

Find out what his hesitation is.

And encourage him and you will know his reason.

Most people are just lazy in spiritual life.

And if you find the person chanting a little bit, then you could be appreciative.

People say, I asked how many round they are chanting,

they are very shy, they say only 4 rounds!

4 rounds! Wow! 2.5 million names of Kṛṣṇa in a year!

So like that, I try to encourage people and they chant even one round and I try to encourage them and they feel oh wow! He is so happy, and they say I will try to chant 8 rounds.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

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

Sometimes, association with devotees is slackened due to family responsibilities. How to remain enthusiastic in such times ?

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

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)]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Interesting question.

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

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

But you don’t feel grateful!

Is that the way to feel?

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

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

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

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

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

It goes on like that!

Link: 20200801 Addressing Balarāma Pūrṇimā Festival Eve to ISKCON Toronto

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

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave you many instructions when you were in Māyāpur, and so many times, multiple instructions. How did you actually work on them and take them to heart and how did you go about doing them all simultaneously? How did you do it Mahārāja?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-21

Jayapatākā Swami: Some of the instructions are work-in-progress.

I am trying to fulfill them.

I don’t say that I fulfilled all of them.

Maybe some of them,

to some extent.

But Śrīla Prabhupāda took so much sacrifice, took so much trouble

to bring Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the West.

So we owe Śrīla Prabhupāda, unlimitedly.

So whatever he asked me to do,

or instructed me to do,

I am trying to do that.

I don’t say that I have done it,

but I am trying to do it.

Seven days before his departure,

he established the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust,

and he made me the lifetime chairman.

That meant that my lifetime service

was to see the fulfillment of this Trust objective.

So it is basically to develop Navadvip dhāma,

develop Gaura-maṇḍala-bhūmi,

and also to unite the Saraswat disciplic family.

So we have established the Sārasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Association,

and many Gauḍīya members are members of this organization.

Some people, they keep separate.

But we are trying to work on it.

And Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the BSCT,

he had established two of his god brothers

and 5 ISKCON devotes.

So now the god brother are no longer there,

so we are having the disciples of those god brothers.

So like that there are many different services.

We would like to see the completion of the TOVP.

I have a minor role, maybe.

Ambarīśa Prabhu is doing the major thing.

I am overseeing the Western wing,

which is the planetarium and exhibitions.

So we are trying to do what Śrīla Prabhupāda desired. [paragraph

It is very interesting to be serving Śrīla Prabhupāda.

I hope that the generations that follow will continue this service.

Bhakti Cāru Swami, he wanted that his followers would

also serve Śrīla Prabhupāda.

In fact, he saw the whole ISKCON family as one.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Śrīla Prabhupāda has done impossible deeds. And Caitanya Candra Caraṇa Prabhu told that the perfection in success is to do whatever is possible and little more. Can you please elaborate on the heroism in devotional service? What is the heroism in devotional service in this perspective?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-05

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said to publish the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.

Then Rāmeśvara Prabhu said, that is impossible.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said impossible is a word in the fool’s dictionary.

They had a marathon and published all the volumes of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.

Some devotees went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said I distributed so many books – say ten thousand!

Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, very good!

Now double it next year!

So, if you want to do a little more you can double it.

We should try to do as best we can do.

A little better!

So, we were distributing for Bhādra Pūrṇimā previously 6,000 sets.

In 2020 we did 25,000 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets.

in 2021 we did 35,000.

So Vaiśeṣika Prabhu said that by 2026 we should distribute 100,000 sets.

That means every year increasing by 23%.

This year we should distribute at least 43,000 sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Every year we should increase minimum 23%.

So if you can give me how many sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītās you can distribute. Each person.

You may not know Bengali but just by being friendly you can capture their heart!

Ladies can embrace the other ladies!

Wow! They will never forget! I was embraced by a Russian lady!

Link: 20220801 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.33.39

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

Śrīla Prabhupāda has done impossible deeds. And Caitanya Candra Caraṇa Prabhu told that the perfection in success is to do whatever is possible and little more. Can you please elaborate on the heroism in devotional service? What is the heroism in devotional service in this perspective?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-05

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said to publish the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.

Then Rāmeśvara Prabhu said, that is impossible.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said impossible is a word in the fool’s dictionary.

They had a marathon and published all the volumes of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in two months.

Some devotees went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and said I distributed so many books – say ten thousand!

Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, very good!

Now double it next year!

So, if you want to do a little more you can double it.

We should try to do as best we can do.

A little better!

So, we were distributing for Bhādra Pūrṇimā previously 6,000 sets.

In 2020 we did 25,000 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets.

in 2021 we did 35,000.

So Vaiśeṣika Prabhu said that by 2026 we should distribute 100,000 sets.

That means every year increasing by 23%.

This year we should distribute at least 43,000 sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Every year we should increase minimum 23%.

So if you can give me how many sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītās you can distribute. Each person.

You may not know Bengali but just by being friendly you can capture their heart!

Ladies can embrace the other ladies!

Wow! They will never forget! I was embraced by a Russian lady!

Link: 20220801 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.33.39

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

Śrīla Prabhupāda said Kṛṣṇa consciousness can happen in one minute. Can you please let us more about it?

Questioner: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Satyamedha Gaurāṅga dāsa!

Haribol!

Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that if we had a strong desire

then Kṛṣṇa consciousness would manifest suddenly.

Just like a baby is crying,

if the baby is like half-crying,

the mother may ignore

but if the baby really cries,

aaaaahhhh, the mother will run, what happened?

If we desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious very intensely,

then Kṛṣṇa will help you to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in a minute.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead)], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

Śrīla Prabhupāda said that a lot of preaching has to happen on the moon. Can you share that pastime with us?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I heard from Dāmodara Mahārāja, one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Godbrothers,

one-time Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was walking in the evening,

and suddenly he started gazing at the moon

and everyone was looking at him and he was looking at the moon.

After a long time,

he said the people on the moon have become materialistic,

they have become bahir-mukha,

they need preaching.

So next trip to the moon, send some preachers!

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

Śrīla Prabhupāda says that his purport are his ecstasies. Where to find the best of Jayapatākā Swami?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-07-07

Jayapatākā Swami: First we should read all the translations and purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

They are what inspires me.

And what I know, is simply by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

Śrīla Prabhupāda says that his purport are his ecstasies. Where to find the best of Jayapatākā Swami?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-07-07

Jayapatākā Swami: First we should read all the translations and purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

They are what inspires me.

And what I know, is simply by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Guru (Spiritual Master)]

Śrīla Prabhupāda says that spiritual life is as sharp as a knife. What does that mean?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: To the guru you should pay respectful obeisances and to other godbrothers and godsisters pay humble obeisances. So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is quite simple. But you have to practice it very sincerely. That way, a slight deviation may be very significant. That is why he says that it is like a knife edge.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

Śrīla Prabhupāda, what prasāda did he like to eat and you Guru Mahārāja what prasāda did you cook for Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Śāśvatī Sudhārāṇī devī dāsī

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I remember that Śrīla Prabhupāda liked kacaurīs.

And that is why sometimes he would have kacaurīs.

I am not one who cooked for Śrīla Prabhupāda,

so I don’t know all the things he liked.

One time I saw he had dysentery

and his sister prepared hot purīs with salt.

So she sprinkled salt on the purī and the purī was hot.

I didn’t think that it would cure dysentery, but somehow it cured him!

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

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

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I hope they are serving Śrīla Prabhupāda enthusiastically

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

And that depends on their sincerity.

If they are sincere they will do that.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

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

We have seen that in many letters Śrīla Prabhupāda has warned us not to associate closely with the other Gauḍīya Maṭha devotees, but at the same time he also said we have to cooperate with them. How do we balance and understand this?

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.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Gauḍīya maṭḥa], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Technicalities], [Vaiṣṇava Dealings / Association (Sādhu-saṅga)]

We see so many amazing orators in ISKCON, doing preaching service. Everyone wants mercy. And Lord Caitanya can give us mercy easily if we preach. So I also want the mercy but I see that my voice is not empowered. So could you please tell that how can we preach so that it penetrates the hearts of people?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-02

Jayapatākā Swami: Acintya Caitanya dāsa here was telling me

how when he visited Kethuri-grāma

and heard how Lord Caitanya left love for Godhead in the Padmā river for Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,

and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura bathed in the Padmā, he came out changed.

But then he said Lord Caitanya had left His ecstasy in the Padmā river.

But Śrīla Prabhupāda said that his books are his personal ecstasies,

so if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books,

we can get love for Kṛṣṇa.

And naturally if you read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and then you just be sincere to repeat what you have heard in your own words -

I pray for the mercy of guru, Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa before giving every class

and by Their mercy I give what I give.

But these two things - reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and praying for Their mercy,

that is what I know.

Don’t be self-conscious.

Think of Kṛṣṇa,

and try to say Kṛṣṇa’s message.

Kṛṣṇa ordered everybody yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa - that is the secret.

One time in this Kārtika month, we had a function in the town hall in South America, Ecuador, in Cuenca.

There one civil contractor, he was a labor contractor (from Delhi?), he was not very educated.

But he spoke, he was so sincere.

Everybody was moved! Everybody there they were Christians, and they came and offered candles to Yaśoda and Kṛṣṇa.

Haribol!

If you are sincere, that is what changes peoples’ hearts!

Link: 20221022 Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.25.1

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Mercy], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

We see you are so attached to Śrīla Prabhupāda and feel eternally indebted to him, ready to even give your life and soul to fulfill his instructions. How can we imbibe a similar spirit and give up desires for enjoyment in this world?

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.

Link: 20220506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

We see you are so attached to Śrīla Prabhupāda and feel eternally indebted to him, ready to even give your life and soul to fulfill his instructions. How can we imbibe a similar spirit and give up desires for enjoyment in this world?

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.

Link: 20220506 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions], [Material Sufferings], [Karma / Desires], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

What can we, as parents, do to make our children determined devotees like Dhruva Mahārāja?

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]

What does 'dīkṣā' mean?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-23

So dīkṣā means…

Once they surrender to Kṛṣṇa and say, “Kṛṣṇa my life is Yours.

I want to serve You eternally.”

The way that one does that is through Kṛṣṇa’s pure devotee.

One has to surrender to a devotee of Kṛṣṇa as a spiritual master,

and accept initiation, and serve that spiritual master following his instruction as being the absolute representative of Kṛṣṇa.

So, initiation we give normally after a devotee is in the temple for six months.

A devotee can cook, means he can prepare the thing like cutting vegetables, rolling the chapāti, or making the batter and things like that.

But actually, fire work the putting the thing on the fire, and the final action that should be done by people who are initiated,

when you are offering it to the Deities.

Because this is the [pañca-tantrika] pañcarātrika ruling is there that the someone who is initiated they are able to serve Kṛṣṇa.

They are… there Kṛṣṇa says, “I accept someone who is initiated on My same spiritual level.”

We can’t approach Kṛṣṇa.

We are born human being.

Human being means that’s a material position.

Kṛṣṇa is not human.

He is on transcendental platform.

When we accept dīkṣā that means we accept a new birth, dvijatva.

Second birth means that mother is śāstra, and father is guru.

You see.

Then Kṛṣṇa accepts us that now you are on a spiritual platform.

That time we accept that we are not the body, we are the soul.

Body is only our vehicle, and we are serving in this way.

So all these thing are many implications for dīkṣā.

Dīkṣā also means to become a śiṣya.

Śiṣya means to follow the discipline of the guru.

Link: 19840720 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.10.7

Category: [Dīkṣā (Initiation)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

What happens to one who leaves his body thinking of the spiritual master?

Questioner: Golokapriya Gaurāṅgī devī dāsī

Date: 2023-07-07

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the guru is a pure devotee, always thinking of his guru and Kṛṣṇa,

therefore by thinking of the spiritual master,

one can also achieve Kṛṣṇa.

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Material Sufferings / Death], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

What happens when a devotee is not attached to their spiritual master’s instructions?

Questioner: Kackulī Rāṇī

Date: 2022-09-21

Jayapatākā Swami: It depends on how bad he is

and if he is slightly offensive or fully offensive.

We don’t want liberation by the impersonal method,

and that is something we reject.

I don’t know what type of liberation that person gets.

So the guru is giving instructions to help us

so that we can achieve the spiritual perfection

and we should appreciate what the spiritual master tells us.

Link: 20220305 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Aparādha (Offenses) / Vaiṣṇava-aparādha], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship]

What is character? How to build a character? Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to face real problems of life and challenges. How to overcome that?

Questioner: IYF Māyāpur

Date: 2022-08-03

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, devotees always depend on Kṛṣṇa.

When we face some challenge,

we have to learn how to depend on Kṛṣṇa.

He is in our heart

and He knows what we are facing.

So if we say, Kṛṣṇa, what should I do in this case?

He can give us intelligence,

how to face the problem.

And He mentioned that in the Bhagavad-gītā.

For His devotees, He gives the intelligence by which to serve Him.

Link: 20201018 Zoom Session with Mayapur IYF Youths

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Sādhanā]

What is real compassion? What pleases you the most?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2022-09-22

Jayapatākā Swami: What is real compassion?

You know, the mercy given out

which actually regenerates the relationship with Kṛṣṇa,

that is really the highest compassion.

Because we read how different Purāṇas,

someone does some particular sacrifice

(isn’t tomorrow Ekādaśī?)

Pāpamocani Ekādaśī.

So by observing Ekādaśī, by doing some penance,

one may get freed of all the sinful reactions.

So, if someone they worship some devas,

they go to svarga

but for a devotee

svarga is like a ghoḍa-dīm – horse’s egg.

Horse doesn’t produce egg!!

So a kind of an ākāśa-puṣpa,

a flower in the sky

that one is in the heavenly planet for some years

and then one comes down.

So that is not kind of permanent benediction.

So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

tells us about the permanent relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

And that allows us to have an eternal life.

And what pleases me the most?

I am most pleased

when devotees develop pure love for Kṛṣṇa.

Haribol!

Link: 20220327 Question and Answer Session

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

What is required for book distribution?

Questioner: Anon

Date: 2022-08-01

Jayapatākā Swami: The desire to serve the Lord.

Mercy on the conditioned souls.

When you distribute books to someone, pray to the Lord that He bestows His mercy on them.

This way the Lord if He bestows His mercy on that person, they may take the books.

One devotee in New Orleans airport, was trying to distribute books the whole day but no one took any.

Then he prayed to the Lord requesting that someone come and take some book.

At that time a plane landed, and many passengers alighted and left.

He went up to one such passenger and showed him a book and asked him to take it.

He said that today was my worst day! Worst day!

I will not see anything.

The devotee said, sir, when one has the worst day, I have come to help such a person.

Why was it the worst day for you?

He said, “Why did I study, why did I go to university?

Why did I get married?

Why did I take up a job?

Everything for pleasing my mother.

And today my mother died! My worst day!”

The devotee said, “Sir, your mother did not die.

Here is the Bhagavad-gītā, it says that the soul is eternal, and body dies.

Soul does not die.

Your mother is still there.”

The man said, “She is?

Can I take this book?”

“Sure”, the devotee said.

He said, “I only have 20 dollars, is that okay?”

The devotee said, “That is okay, give whatever you have.”

This way, if we pray to the Lord, what can not happen?

Link: 20201007 Zoom Address to Bangladesh Book Distribution

Category: [Sādhanā / Preaching], [Sādhanā / Book distribution], [Emotions / Enthusiasm]

What is the best way to express our gratitude to Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-10-29

Jayapatākā Swami: By reading his books

and carrying out his instructions.

He wants you to free yourself from the clutches of māyā

and go back home back to Godhead.

Link: 20230625 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]

What is the mood to observe the disappearance tithi of a great ācārya like Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Combination of separation when we miss the devotee,

and because they went back to Godhead, so

some feeling of bliss.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

What is the process of atonement when a disciple commits an offense towards guru? Also, how to rid ourselves of such offenses?

Questioner: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī

Date: 2022-10-04

Jayapatākā Swami: That is why we offer daily guru-pūjā

and on the Vyāsa-pūjā we offer the puṣpāñjali three times.

That way we pray that we may be forgiven for any knowing or unknowing offences.

Link: 20200814 Question and Answer Session

Category: [Aparādha (Offenses)], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru Disciple Relationship], [Sādhanā / Technicalities]

What is your most fond, personal interaction with Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: If you ask what is my most favorite this and that

how can I say?

Tell us one of your favorite,

I can do that,

say that whatever comes to mind.

Someone told me when you see the spiritual master

you should humble yourself,

praise him ask for blessings.

Whenever I went, I used to do that.

One day I said, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are very merciful,

I offered praise and then I said I am a fool and I humbled myself.

Before I could say something else,

he spoke out, yes! Ha!

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

What keeps you motivated to preach despite of all impediments ?

Questioner: Akshay, Vadodara

Date: 2022-10-15

I feel very grateful for all that Śrīla Prabhupāda did for me

and so to repay him I try to preach.

And in 2008 I had a stroke.

And the right side of my body is not paralyzed fully but paresis, partially paralyzed.

And the left side of my face.

But the teachings of Lord Caitanya are very blissful.

It says that normal people if they eat grains and milk, you get strong,

but for devotees even if you have one drop of nectar

then you feel so much energy.

Lord Caitanya gives this nectar.

We hope that your visit to Māyāpur was very nice.

This is known as audārya-dhāma,

the merciful dhāma.

Vṛndāvana is mādhurya-dhāma, very sweet.

Jagannātha Purī and Dvārakā are aiśvarya-dhāmas,

very opulent.

This is the place to have mercy

and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa but He is in the mood of devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

So that is why it is the special mercy we get

and we want to serve Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

What keeps you motivated to preach despite of all impediments ?

Questioner: Akshay, Vadodara

Date: 2022-10-15

I feel very grateful for all that Śrīla Prabhupāda did for me

and so to repay him I try to preach.

And in 2008 I had a stroke.

And the right side of my body is not paralyzed fully but paresis, partially paralyzed.

And the left side of my face.

But the teachings of Lord Caitanya are very blissful.

It says that normal people if they eat grains and milk, you get strong,

but for devotees even if you have one drop of nectar

then you feel so much energy.

Lord Caitanya gives this nectar.

We hope that your visit to Māyāpur was very nice.

This is known as audārya-dhāma,

the merciful dhāma.

Vṛndāvana is mādhurya-dhāma, very sweet.

Jagannātha Purī and Dvārakā are aiśvarya-dhāmas,

very opulent.

This is the place to have mercy

and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa but He is in the mood of devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

So that is why it is the special mercy we get

and we want to serve Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Emotions / Enthusiasm], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Preaching]

What pleases you the most?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-03-15

Jayapatākā Swami: What pleases me the most? Pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda! Ha! Ha!

He asked me to distribute books,

expand the congregation,

to expand Kṛṣṇa consciousness pracāra unlimitedly,

to develop Māyāpur Dhām,

to unite the Saraswat family,

to develop Navadvīpa-dhāma,

to develop Gaura Maṇḍala Bhūmī,

and many other things.

So you can do any of these things,

which one will you do?

Link: 20200424 Zoom Session to Kanhaiyādeśa

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

What qualities are we to learn from Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Questioner: ISKCON Kurnool

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t think there is any limit.

All the qualities of a pure devotee we can see in Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]

What qualities of yourself Guru Mahārāja that Śrīla Prabhupāda liked the most?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: I don’t know.

Attend the JSSS programs!

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda]

What should be our mood while serving you, my dear spiritual master? How should we develop feeling of gratitude and humility?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: Naturally, we should serve the spiritual master as the representative of his guru, the guru-paramparā and Kṛṣṇa.

So, in this way Kṛṣṇa is watching

and how we satisfy our spiritual master

that Kṛṣṇa sees.

He blesses accordingly.

Now how to develop proper attitude.

It happens naturally as we progress in our spiritual life.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Category: [Emotions / Humility], [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Sādhanā / Sevā]

What was the advice given by Śrīla Prabhupāda to you that you would like to give us?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Well he gave me many advices.

But the main thing was that I should always engage in serving Kṛṣṇa.

And try to help others to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

He told me to expand the Nāmahaṭṭa and congregational preaching.

He told me to distribute, I have to distribute at least ten thousand big books, every month and 100 thousand small books, every month.

We were discussing this morning possibility of selling packets of books at discounted price.

He told me to travel and preach.

So I used to travel five or six times around the world in a year.

Now I am not able to do that, you see I am physically challenged.

I only travel around the world twice a year. I need help!

I need the senior devotees to help travel and preach.

Anyway, there are many other questions.

You can see the Jayapatākā Swami App, which you can download on Android or Apple Play where they have listed all the instructions that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me.

I pay all the expenses, you don’t have to pay anything!

* * * *

Link: 20221029 Śrīla Prabhupāda Disappearance Day Question and Answer Session

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Sādhanā], [Sādhanā / Philosophical questions]

What was your mood when you heard about Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance?

Questioner: Kṛṣṇa Karuṇāmṛta dāsa

Date: 2023-03-13

Jayapatākā Swami: Crying!

Category: [Gauḍīya History / Śrīla Prabhupāda], [Kṛṣṇa (Godhead) / Pastimes]

What were the events leading to your sannyāsa?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Śrīla Prabhupāda called me to LA,

at that time I was in Toronto,

and he told me that he would send me to India

as soon as Acyutānanda had his own place.

I went and opened up the Chicago temple,

along with Bhagavān dāsa.

Then I was called up and Śrīla Prabhupāda told me to go to India.

I flew to London

and then I went to India.

I arrived in Calcutta,

but Acyutānanda did not have his own place.

So for some time, we were staying in the Gauḍīya Maṭha.

And then we found our own place.

Śrīla Prabhupāda flew in from Japan

and he went to that place in South Calcutta.

After a while Śrīla Prabhupāda said he had given sannyāsa to nine devotees in LA.

He asked Acyutānanda and myself, if we wanted to take sannyāsa.

At that time, I thought it was a very glorious thing!

I still think

but I see it is very difficult to be a sannyāsī in the West.

I was fortunate that I was in India!

Where it was not so difficult.

Anyway on Rādhāṣṭamī day Śrīla Prabhupāda gave Acyutānanda and myself sannyāsa.

He said Acyutānanda was the 10th sannyāsī and I was the 11th.

Now I think I am the oldest sannyāsī still alive.

Basically, that is what happened.

Link: 20200912 Zoom Session with Houston Devotees

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]

What were the events leading to your sannyāsa?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2024-02-19

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Śrīla Prabhupāda called me to LA,

at that time I was in Toronto,

and he told me that he would send me to India

as soon as Acyutānanda had his own place.

I went and opened up the Chicago temple,

along with Bhagavān dāsa.

Then I was called up and Śrīla Prabhupāda told me to go to India.

I flew to London

and then I went to India.

I arrived in Calcutta,

but Acyutānanda did not have his own place.

So for some time, we were staying in the Gauḍīya Maṭha.

And then we found our own place.

Śrīla Prabhupāda flew in from Japan

and he went to that place in South Calcutta.

After a while Śrīla Prabhupāda said he had given sannyāsa to nine devotees in LA.

He asked Acyutānanda and myself, if we wanted to take sannyāsa.

At that time, I thought it was a very glorious thing!

I still think

but I see it is very difficult to be a sannyāsī in the West.

I was fortunate that I was in India!

Where it was not so difficult.

Anyway on Rādhāṣṭamī day Śrīla Prabhupāda gave Acyutānanda and myself sannyāsa.

He said Acyutānanda was the 10th sannyāsī and I was the 11th.

Now I think I am the oldest sannyāsī still alive.

Basically, that is what happened.

Link: 20200912 Zoom Session with Houston Devotees

Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master)], [Varṇāśrama / Sannyāsī]

What were your thoughts when you saw Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time?

Questioner: Devotee

Date: 2023-01-20

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, I heard about Śrīla Prabhupāda first.

And I heard great things!

Then I went to Montreal to see Śrīla Prabhupāda.

At that time, I could see auras around people.

When I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda his aura filled up the whole room, yellow!

So what was the first thing I thought when I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda – WOW!

And he said, “Who is that?” Pointing to me.

I was shaved up and there were not so many devotees there.

Garga Muni who was there from San Francisco, he said, he is a bhakta.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Bring him for lunch tomorrow!”