19820505 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.24

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 5, 1982 – in Boston, USA. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.24.

Rajdeh my gana tamil sadakaya asma vishna prisanto swami namah namaste. Namaste. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namagaya omaya devasude Māyā reduced to much weakness by the influence of time. By the influence of time. Surah adored by the demigod translation by this divine grace mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which is adored even by the demigods. Mother. Translation of mother, you are the reservoir you are the reservoir of all riches. Of all riches. Please inform me please inform me of the root cause of your tribulation. Of your tribulations, by which you have been reduced to such a weak state.

I think that the powerful influence of time I think that the powerful influence of time which conquers the most powerful, which accompanies the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, all your fortune, which was adored, even by the demigods. Even by the demigods. By the grace of the Lord, each and every planet is created fully equipped. So not only is this earth fully equipped with all the riches for the maintenance of its inhabitants, but also, when the Lord descends on the earth, the whole earth becomes so enriched with all kinds of opulences that even the denizens of heaven worship it with all affection. But by the will of the Lord, the whole earth can at once be changed. He can do and undo a thing by his sweet will.

Therefore, no one should consider himself to be self sufficient or independence of the Lord. Thus end the Bhati Vedānta purport text 24 no one should consider himself to be self sufficient or independent of the Lord. This is very important to understand. The Lord is always independent, and in his independent position, he decides and sanctions what will happen to every individual soul to his param ātmā feature, sometimes allowing the laws of karma to take place, allowing the person’s desires to be fulfilled, and sometimes not. Therefore, only Kṛṣṇa is independent. Everyone else is dependent. Even a relative independence that people seek in this world is in itself not the real independence. Therefore, there’s never any satisfaction. Except for a moment. Everyone wants to get further independence.

They vote in the government less federal structure, this that, but everyone is bound by so many limitations that no one can ultimately free one, except for some marginal relative, more or less. But it’s actually all completely dependent. Even a devotee cannot take the mercy of the Lord for granted. The devotee cannot compel Kṛṣṇa that he must deliver me or that he must associate or must anything. One is recommended to always remain in a humble state of mind to pray unto the Lord. Even if one is offensive to the Lord, he will forgive the offenses. The holy name will forgive the offenses if we continue to chant and request the holy name to forgive us for making the offenses to him. But it’s not a mechanical process that he’s obligated.

You put in twenty five cents and you get out your bar of candy, you put in 25,000 hare Kṛṣṇa mantras, and you get out your bhakti. No, if you don’t want it, if you don’t have Allah, if you don’t have a desire, and if Fisher doesn’t give his mercy, then there’s nothing that can change that, nothing that can force it. Of course, the Lord even change his mind any moment, and he’s the most merciful. Nonetheless, it is not simply a mechanical process. So then it’s his compassion that delivers. He may deliver sooner than we deserve, or he may decide to keep the devotee waiting intense, enthusiastic desire, relishing the devotees intense desire to serve his holy spirit. That is the Kṛṣṇa, that is Ka’s own independence, free will that he can do worthy. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so powerful.

We discussed last night how one has to avoid the offenses to the holy name. Just like when someone commits an offense to a devotee, then touching the lotus feet of the devotee, request the devotees forgiveness. He gets absalom by asking the devotee, just as Duravasa, he had to come all the way back to seek Ambarish Maharaj to get forgiven for his offenses. So similarly, if we commit offenses to the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the only way to get absolved of those offenses by chanting hare Kṛṣṇa. By chanting hare Kṛṣṇa and request in your holy name to forgive us for the offenses. And this way one becomes purified. But with offenses, one will not be able to feel transcendental ecstasy. Offenses obstruct one’s natural feeling of attachment, taste ecstasy for chanting the holy name.

But Chaitan Mahbub, when he was having his ready extended Kiritans, he would only have the devotees present in front of non devotees because they would tend to consider it in some other way. He would not initially manifest those private kiritons. So at one time there was an intruder. Śrīvas’s mother in law. India mother in laws are very respected people, just like one’s mother practically. Aren’t they any different? Some cases maybe more. Especially if it’s the boys mother in law, depending on the family relationship. But it’s a very respectable relationship, naturally. So Śrīvast’s mother in law, without telling anyone, she hid in a basket. She thought, I am going to see. So lo Chaitanya came. Everyone assembled. They started chanting. Lor Chetanya was chanting. Suddenly it turned. He stopped at Kirito. He said, I am not feeling any ecstasy. Who is it, Paul?

Immediately all the devotees, they felt completely petrified, thinking maybe I committed some offense, maybe I am the cause. They started looking at each other, being a bit nervous. And then God Sheikha then said, there must be some outsider here creating a type of non devotional mood which is obstructing our natural ecstasy. Actually, the ecstasy is not something that’s borged. We’re servants of the holy name. We’re not the master of the name. The chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa machine. And then I am going to immediately force the ecstasies to come. It’s not like you’re the servant of the holy name. Lord Caitanya, when he was telling other people, how about his chanting? He would say, by chanting, I cannot help myself. The chanting makes me laugh, makes me dance, makes me cry. This is not. This is simply the holy names effect.

There’s nothing to do with me. So we are the servants of the holy name. We chant hare Kṛṣṇa. And then the holy name makes us feel like dancing. This is all the Allamani Shakti or the spiritual potency, pleasure potency coming from the spiritual platform, the spiritual world that gives us that enthusiasm. So Lord Caitanya was chanting. He wasn’t getting any ecstasy. The holy name wasn’t giving any ecstasy because there was no material is intruder. Even so, Śrīvast and everyone else, they started searching the place around, looking. They couldn’t find anything, didn’t see anyone. So then again they started. The Kirta hare, Khalid hare Ram hare. Ram Ram hare hare. Krita was going on. Lord Chaitanya wasn’t looking. Very blissful. Stop the kid. Still no ecstasy is coming. Why is it? Who is it, father? So then immediately devotees, they became again very anxious.

Each one thinking that maybe I committed some offense to God Chetanya. Then Śrīvasti became determined. I am going to search very thoroughly. If there’s no intruder. There must be some intruder here. So he searches and searched. And there, under the bamboo basket. Where is his mother in law? But at that time, he was so anxious to please Chetani Mahāprabhu that he didn’t consider any material. Any material consideration at all. Although he knew that this was his mother in law, how could he not know? He knew immediately. Seeing her butt, he treated her just like a stranger. He said, what are you doing here? Grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out. And threw out the fresh gown. Laughed the dork behind him. Even though undoubtedly there would be repercussions in the future of one sort or another. But anyway, he didn’t pay any attention.

He wasn’t at all concerned. Anything else, Kalwa may. He wanted to simply please Chetani Mahabrabhu here was an intruder. He was very angry that this was an offensive thing. Trying to sneak in on the Lord’s private Shankirta party. They threw her right out. No one else recognized the lady that he threw out the nora. Everyone and everything he knew. So he wasn’t going to let this one pass. After the door was shut, Shiva said, all right, now the intruders are gone. Lord Shaitanya couldn’t resist in telling everyone that you know who he is. Throughout that was his mother in law. And he embraced three vas and said that you are in fact a real, true devotee. So the holy name is a great benediction for us. Because Lord Shaitan is so kind. He’s allowing us to take part in the sankiritan part.

We have to keep faith in the words of the spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa. Without a spiritual master, then a person is just like a ship lost at sea. Without a captain, without a rudder. Then one is in a very dangerous position. One has to approach spiritual master, inquire from him, submissively serve the spiritual master and take up the instructions and gifts. In this way, Kṛṣṇa himself showed the example. He did whatever his spiritual master asked. Kṛṣṇa accepted sandra pain as a spiritual master. Even though Kṛṣṇa himself is the spiritual master of the whole world. Because Kṛṣṇa explained so in Kṛṣṇa, whatever he does, everyone is going to try to follow. So if he accepts spiritual master, others will follow. He says, I know he has. Well, Kṛṣṇa, why should we? Although Kṛṣṇa himself is not to be imitated.

He did so many things that no one else can do. Like lifting over downhill at the age of seven. Expanding himself into 16,000 forms and dwaraka and millions of forms and Vrindavana. So many other inconceivable activities like leaving a material world. Going to the planet of Mahavishmalajuna and so many things, obviously no one can imitate. Yet still Vishnu, generally, he tries to lead his activities in such a way that they, people in general, may benefit from them. So one of his pastimes was the acceptance spiritual master. He did even menial service from carrying out the firewood or collecting the firewood from the forest and other services. Similarly, it is essential that we have a spiritual master.

When one finds a spiritual master, bona fide, following in the footsteps of previous spiritual masters, then what carries out the instructions of the spiritual master and the supreme personality? Guided with implicit faith. In this way, one makes rapid advancement in spiritual life. So one chants the holy name, and this is a special mercy. By chanting the holy name, by avoiding offenses to the holy name, then what naturally develops spontaneous love, spontaneous devotion, spontaneously shades the highest liberation, all types of material delusions and material conditions. So sometimes people think that because of their austerities, they are very immense. They think that just by my being very austere or by being very learned, that’s enough. But devotion is a very subtle, very specific, at the same time thing which we must assimilate to actually achieve the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

No other extraneous qualification, be it learning or be it austerity, or being very active alone, will not help, will not ultimately itself be not. One has to have devotion. There was once a very austere Brahmachary who I believe would only lead you so austere. He knew the scriptures quite well, but he wasn’t a devotee. He was very proud of his learning, of his austerity. But he was well known in Abaddon. He also, when they approached Jivas, just sit in the house and watch the Sankirta narrative. So Śrīvasti agreed, picking well, he said, namachana. So he was sitting in the house again, Lord Chaitaniki, and this was some time later, apparently, Sivasa, this would be another situation. So Lord Chetanya started these Sankirtan, they all started.

The dramas were beating the cartels, playing the quan, shells and bugles, blowing different jads, whompers and other instruments, or chaitanya, his ankle belts angling, his garland moving from one side to the next, his arms raised up. But again he says, I am not getting any ecstasies. Why? There’s no ecstasy in this chanting today. Every day we’re chanting, we’re getting ecstasy today. Why there is no ecstasy? What is the cause? Who is the reason for this? Of course, everyone immediately felt petrified with fear. But śrīvast this time he immediately owned up. But she, Tanya, I must admit that I brought one very austere, Brahmachari, very learned in the scripture. I brought him here and he wanted to see the Sankirtan. So I thought it was all right. He was in my house. Who is this Brahmacharya?

He looked at it, he brought him out, he said, here’s our devotee. And he started chastising him. You are so proud of your austerity, of your learning. What is the use of simply austerity of learning if you do not have your devotion? Kṛṣṇa is simply a false pride. We are not impressed by these things. We want to see. Surrender unto the Lord. You take him out. He cannot be part of the sanctuary time. So the devotee, that Prometheus was taken out, and he felt greatly humbled by Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instruction. And he was thinking that somehow or other, even for a few moments, I was able to see Lord Chetanya Sankhutan. I was able to see that pastime that I am so fortunate, I nana devotee. But somehow I was allowed that opportunity to see Chetanya, Mahabharata and Kīrtana with all of the associates.

That pastime, even for a few moments, in this way, he was absorbed, thinking that although I am so unqualified, somehow I got this special mercy. And Lord Caitanya being in everyone’s heart, when he could recognize the sincere sentiment of the Brahmachari, he sent someone out, bring him back in. And then Mahatma gave his special mercy to the Brahmachari, and he was made into a pure devotee, and he was admitted into the Sankirtan party.

(Side B of the Cassette)

So all the great devotees of Lord Caitanya, they pray to Lord Caitania that there are certain class of preaching devotees, special devotee of Lord Caitanya. They pray that wherever you go, Lord Caitanya, Nikki Nanda, and have your transcendental Sankirtan pastimes, in whatever universe and whatever place, may we always be able to go and be associated with your transcendental devotees and your transcendental pastimes. They don’t care for liberation into the spiritual world. They’re satisfied going wherever Lord Caitanya’s parish times are, even there in the material world. If they can assist in those transcendental pastimes, that is fully satisfying for those devotees. So actually, this planet ordinarily is not as opulent as the spiritual sky, as the heavenly planets, the upper planetary system.

But when Lord Kṛṣṇa came, then of course the planet became so opulent that even the denizens of the heavenly planets were interested in coming. Similarly, when Lord Caitanya Mahabrabhu came, the denizens of the heavenly planets wanted to come because they could recognize that in a short lifetime, if we can simply pass participate in the past times of Caitanya Mahabharabu, we can completely achieve the highest perfection of life in just 50, 60 short years. How long the human being is living in this material world? During the Kali yuga, not very long. Even 29 year old people, 18 year old people, some of them are just dying in their sleep. Cardiac arrest. See, Yamaraj has made his arrest. When the time is up, then they come and make their arrest. The yamadujas. No one can live even one breath longer than the time allotted.

So we shouldn’t waste any breaths. So many breaths are wasted in so many material pursuits. We shouldn’t waste any breath. Every breath should be used to glorify Kṛṣṇa in the service of Kṛṣṇa. This is our real shelter. Follow in the footsteps of Sichetanya Mahabudu. In this short lifetime, we can fulfill that which even the demigods cannot achieve in their lifetime of thousands and thousands of years. We should take a special consideration of the mercy Nithai war. They’re coming down, giving us the understanding and the pure devotion to Sisi so that we can perfect ourselves even though we are otherwise unqualified. This is called cause this mercy because there’s no cause. There’s no way that you can force Lord Shaitanya’s hand. There’s no reason that I should get that special mercy because of this or that reason.

The only reason ultimately is to cause this mercy. There’s no compilation. He may give or not. No matter what you do, he can withhold it if he wants. That means he’s the ultimate authority. Just like a policeman arrests you have got certain rights under the fifth amendment. If he doesn’t do that according to the law, if he doesn’t arrest you properly, then, or if he frees you improv, then you can always take some other new course. You can force the hand, whatever. You can force yourself free to get the love of Shaitani Mahabharata, to get the love of Kṛṣṇa. It’s nothing that can be forced. You can’t plead the fifth Amendment or any other amendment. All you can plead is for granted. But one can put himself in a very favorable position to get that resting.

By constantly chanting, by constantly showing the desire, he will reciprocate. There’s no doubt about that. Is there a question? Yes. Why is it the Lord Chitanya said that he couldn’t be like many of us and thousands of people present was having the pastimes where he didn’t want any non devotee to be present. We cannot forget that Lord Caitanya not feeling ecstasy was just a manifestation that he knew the person was there. He’s the paramount when he knows everything that’s going on. So he knew the person was trying to do a sticky pizza, what do you call it? Window peeker, kicking Tom act.

And just to teach the devotees a lesson not to show ecstatic symptoms before non devotees, Lord Caitanya gave these instructions as well as what was the position of a devotee when he made the particular rule that non devotees at that particular time wouldn’t come inside the Krampal lord Shaitanya, he can feel ecstasy anytime, anywhere. But he chose to show his pastime in that way, knowing that there were the is there. Later, when he was in his juggernaut courier, other pastimes. Sometimes he went into what was known as Antar. When he became fixed in an internal consciousness where he became completely unaware of what was going outside, he became completely absorbed in the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa.

That was a very special pastime that was described by Kṛṣṇadas, Kavira, Chetanya, Chara Navita, that as Lord Caitanya’s pastimes progressed the latter part of his life, then he was absorbed not so much in teaching his followers and spreading the Sankirtan movement then, but at that time he was engaged in relishing the inner purpose of his pastime. Relishing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in association with some very intimate devotees. So there are different periods of Lord Shaita in his pastimes, when he performed various different types of activities. We can understand this activity was performed to give us some specific teaching. Just like Kṛṣṇa, he may have accepted a guru, Sandapani muni, yet he is the guru of everyone. And he admitted that when he spoke to Arjuna. So sometimes Kṛṣṇa, he may do one thing to give an example.

Then someone will say, well, since he has to have a guru, then why should we accept him to be the supreme person? That type of logic would not be appropriate. There are so many other proofs that he’s the supreme person and he’s accepting guru, or he’s following different behavioral norms just to show us what is the standard, since he’s playing as an actor, basically, some pastimes, like human beings. So simultaneously, within the pastimes, you will find this variegatedness, and one has to understand it from the vision of the realized devotees. Any other question? When we read the Chetanya chart in retail, hundreds and thousands and maybe millions of followers following around. So is this life recorded in, like, Monday history? Sure. You never hear about this part of it. Sure.

There’s a lot of people we don’t hear from western in the history books of indian national history. You hear about it in America. They don’t know anything outside of America. Maybe Napoleon and a few people, but in America, you know, Thomas Jefferson and this one and that one. But whoever heard of half the people you got on your dollar bills? So Lord Caitanya, because he was preaching within Hindi at that time, and until now, his message did not go outside. Actually, the indian people will be more acquainted with him than the people outside. Now, people know Lord Caitanya all over the world. It wasn’t until 400 years after Jesus Christ that Christianity became established in the time of Constantinople that he became a Christian. And after that time, Christianity actually gained a foothold in the world.

Historically, it’s not unusual that a spiritual movement takes an international foothold even hundreds of years after the person performed his own pastimes and left his own teachings point. The difference, of course, is that the scriptures left by Lord Caitanya are still intact. There’s been no constant noble convention where they have been edited india. The materialists, they call Lord Caitanya the first civil, disobedient practitioner, great social reformer. They have all their materialistic vision of it. He overcome the caste system. He accepted people from all different parts of the society. They have their vision like that in the history books. The materialists. Even the communist history books have to include on Chitanya that they want accept him as the personality of God, although they usually make reference to it that he’s accepted as the incarnation of God passage.

And materialists, they don’t know even what his God is, so how can they understand it?