19820824 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.2.46 (Continuation)

(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 August 24, 1982 – in Atlanta, USA. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.2.46 (Continuation).

Then you can be blissful.

If you are going out to make.

Yourself happy by getting good results.

Then.

Sometimes Kṛṣṇa doesn’t give results so that one can actually learn to be happy. That if I, I am doing this to please Kṛṣṇa, like I wouldn’t be out here for myself because it’s so miserable, everyone says no, but I am here because it’s to please my spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. And then if one cultivates that mood and then just tries to be more surrendered, then actually Kṛṣṇa will send people. Or maybe it’s a bad spot. There are some places where we’re more.

Hindu.

One way or another. Kṛṣṇa is telling you something. But. I can just say from my personal experience that the greatest obstacles which I have achieved, when I had the greatest opposition, when everything seemed to be at the most intense situation, with the greatest number of obstacles and difficulties, and when everything was pressing that I should turn back or should somehow give in, and when I completely denied that and just, you know, in a do or die effort, pushed on anyway, at those periods I felt the most intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa and my spiritual master and which I cherish those moments more. And only being in those intense situations seem to be the greatest help that I have experienced for my spiritual advancement.

And if a devotee is desiring to avoid those intense obstacles and situations, may actually be avoiding the real opportunities to make huge leaps in spiritual advancement. If it wasn’t for the intense obstacle of Prahlad Maharaj’s demonic father, he would never have met Nirsingadev face to face. Kṛṣṇa may be setting the scene for you to actually achieve higher spiritual benefit. Because unless there’s an intense test where you actually overcome that and surrender, then how can you qualify for some immediate special mercy? You can hang on and practice devotional service. And when you die, leave your body, you will get some emancipation salvation. But if you want to immediately get some special mercy, some intense experience of love for Godhead, which is very rare, and then Kṛṣṇa gives the opportunity by some intense test, some trial.

That should.

Rather not be avoided. But then one should try to see how to surrender in those circumstances that. Requires that one has to be chanting and has to be having the proper ability to think of Kṛṣṇa, knowing how to depend on Kṛṣṇa in those situations, how to depend on the spiritual master, how to depend on the previous Acharyas, the spiritual master or the spiritual master, like that when the pressure gets deep, how to completely take that humble position and say that now there’s no one that can help me but you. And then Kṛṣṇa doesn’t let his devotee down. He says, my devotee will never perish in that situation. If instead we reach out for some excuse for some complaint for some, you see, alternative, we don’t surrender. Just like Drupali, when she was being stripped naked.

And she was holding with her hand, one hand, she was holding this or the other, she was saying, Kṛṣṇa wasn’t giving this. She’s still holding with one arm. When she realized that I can’t. What am I holding on? He’s a huge warrior. He can fight a thousand elephants. I am a frail woman. And she lifted up both her arms, you see, Completely dependent. Kṛṣṇa Keshan, you’re the only one who can help them now. Her husbands, her relatives, everyone was helpless then Kṛṣṇa gave the unlimited son when she gave both the arms. We are always keeping one arm. We’re always keeping.

We don’t want to.

We want to, Kṛṣṇa. Yes, but then we’re.

We’re groping one, two.

This is the situation.

So those tests, they come.

And then if we actually. When we feel a little frustrated, then in spite of that, we somehow we surrender. Kṛṣṇa, please help me. And then even we’re maybe at the point of.

For the first time in our life, almost breaking down.

Then actually Kṛṣṇa transforms that and we cry for Kṛṣṇa or we feel some special determination to serve for Kṛṣṇa. And then that experience is more nectarine than anything that we would ordinarily achieve by just kind of sitting back or taking an ordinary course. So that way preaching puts you into those situations where sometimes you have to really depend on Kṛṣṇa. Traveling around in these airplanes, you get put in that situation. But so devotee doesn’t turn away from all these things, but takes everything as an opportunity to advance. Of course they know that’s intense. So I mean, if it gets too intense, sometimes the person just has to take it easy for one rechant, get a strong sadhana. One shouldn’t take off more than he can chew. More than one can chew. One should know one’s katharia if there’s two hours.

Not that. I am just saying that if a person.

Can face up with it and learn to depend on Kṛṣṇa at that time, then the mercy you get is unlimited. But then if a person doesn’t have that amount of faith, then we shouldn’t imitate Bhuladmara then. All right, but then you take shelter of more strong association with devotion. Build up your strength, build up your faith, then do it. Not that we go further away from.

Devotion.

But the actual thing is to try to cultivate this putting faith in the practical field, like preaching. Once you can do it if you have associated devotees, if you’re chanting, if you have the understanding and then you act on that, you actually put yourself alright, Kṛṣṇa, please, I am out here. Everyone’s saying no, but.

There must be.

A way that I can serve you. I am only here for your pleasure. Then Kṛṣṇa can open doors, he can show ways. How do you think all the new Sankirta ideas come? Failure is the stepping stone to success. They’re failing in one way. How to convince the people to accept Kanda then? Because they’re intensely thinking that what am I doing wrong? How could it be improved? Then you see, necessity is the mother of invention. Then they start to see this is because their desire is there to do something. For Kṛṣṇa it’s a trial. That’s why the preachers are making more rapid advancement because they’re constantly being put to the test while someone may be doing another service very nicely but there might be less pressure and so that because of less tests they may not be able to make as rapid advancement.

So now it’s late. Is that all right?

We do the whole Sanskrit again? Yeah, we have been. We’re such a long. Sudhi. Text 42:46 Chapter 2.

Bali says should we shut. And an intermediate or second class devotee.

Called Madhyama Alikari offers his love to the Spirit Supreme Personality of Godhead is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Translation with repetition an intermediate or second class devotee.

Called Madhyama Adhikari.

Offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord.

Shows mercy to.

Ignorant people.

Who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The continuation of the purport from where we left off yesterday. From page 152 those who are not.

Attracted to the Sankirtan movement of Śrī.

Caitanya Mahprabhu and who disrespectful the faithful.

Servants of Lord Caitanya considering their strong statements about the Saṅkīrtana movement to be obstacles to their own worship of the Lord will never be able to fix.

Their minds on Kṛṣṇa but will gradually.

Fall down from the path of devotion.

By confusing the external activities of the.

Material world with the actual worship of.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa.

Such bewilderment has been expressed by the words Bhoyam Dvitiya Bhini Vetasyat Śrīla Abhakti Siddhānta Shahashri Thakur has strongly rejected those.

Foolish persons who under a plea of mercy and equal vision, perceive that a faithless person is also a devotee of.

The Supreme Lord and who does try to thrust Harinam or holy Name of God upon such offensive people. Rla Bhakti Siddhānta has stated, when childish people think themselves Mahabhāgavatas and act in defiance of the Vaiava spiritual master, such behavior simply holds them back from receiving the mercy of the Vaishnava guru. Bewildered by false ego, these self proclaimed devotees gradually become fit to be ignored.

By pure devotees on the intermediate platform.

And are cheated by the mercy that.

Comes from the devotee’s satisfaction.

Thus they become asadhu by constantly committing offenses against the devotees who preach the.

Holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Pure devotees therefore in all circumstances display indifference to those who falsely imagine themselves.

To be Visuddha Bhaktay or pure devotees of the Lord.

This indifference is an excellent manifestation of their mercy. In other words, those who criticize the Vaishnava preachers on the second class platform.

For discriminating between those who are fit.

To receive the Lord’s mercy and those.

Who are simply envious are misunderstanding the mission of the Lord.

Kṛṣṇa himself states in Bhagavad Gītā 4 8. To deliver the epirus and to annihilate.

The miscreants as well as to re establish the principles of religion I advent.

Myself millennium after millennium. Even such a great Vaishnava as Sukhadev.

Goswami, one of the 12 mahajanas in this universe, expressed his contempt for the evil Kamsha.

Śrīla Chiva Goswami has pointed out that even though the Mahabhāgavata devotee may act on the second class platform for preaching, his rejection of the envious living entities does not obstruct his vision.

Of the Lord as all pervading.

Rather, when a first class devotee or even a second class devotee rejects the atheistic class of men, he is expressing the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A first class or second class Vaishnava never actually becomes envious of another living.

Entity, but out of intense love for the Supreme Lord, he becomes angry when the Lord is offended.

Also understanding the Lord’s mission, he discriminates according to the position of a particular living entity. To consider such a Vaiṣṇava preacher as.

An ordinary envious person or to consider.

Him sectarian because of his proclamation of.

Pure devotional service as the most exalted.

Of all methods of spiritual advancement, he.

Flex a material vision called Vaishnavai Jati Buddha or Gurushu nara mati.

Such an offense drags the offender down.

To a hellish condition of life by the laws of nature.

According to Śrīla Jīva Goswami. Although in Mahabhāgavata sees every living entity as a pure spirit soul, Sachin Mahabhāgavata still experiences special ecstasies and other symptoms upon meeting another Vaishnava. This is not contradictory to his vision.

As a topmost devotee rather it is.

A symptom of his love for Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee sees every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa and therefore expresses his love for Kṛṣṇa through love for all the expansions and creations of Kṛṣṇa. Still, Satri Mahabhāgavata feels special ecstatic love upon seeing another living entity directly from pleasing the senses of the Supreme Lord. Such feelings are manifest in the statements in the statement of Lord Shiva to the. If one by chance associates with a.

Devotee even for a fraction of a.

Moment, he no longer subject to the attraction by the results of Karma or Gana. What interest then can he have in the benedictions of the demigods who are.

Subject to the laws of birth and death? Bhagwatam 4:24 57 similarly, Lord Shiva also.

Stated Atabhāgavatayuyang Priyastha Bhagavanyata nama dikar Hichit.

Translation, you are all devotees of the.

Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the supreme personality of God in himself. I know that in this way the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I Am. Bhāgavatan 4:24 30 similarly, in the first.

Canto of the Śrīman Bhāgavatam 17:11, Śrīla.

Sukhadeva Goswami is mentioned as Nityang Vishnu Janapriya, especially dear to the pure devotees of the Lord. The wonderful loving dealings between Vaishnavas on the topmost platform are demonstrated in the past times of Caitanya Charit Amrita. In other words, although a Vaishnava sees every living entity as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, he must discriminate in his external behavior so as not to interfere with the original purpose of the Lord’s creation, which is to reform the living entities so that they can gradually come back home back to Godhead. A pure devotee does not foolishly pretend equal vision and approach envious persons. Rather, he respects the mission of the Lord as stated in Bhagavad Gītā 4:11 by the words Yehyutamanpa padyam teitangs the taiva bajaam yaham. On the other hand, if it is the Lord’s desire, a pure devotee can offer his respects to all living beings.

For example, Śrīla Jīva Goswami mentions that Uttava and other three devotees of the Lord were always prepared to offer respectful.

Obeisances even to such persons as duryodhana.

Madhyamadi kharis, however, should not imitate such uttamadhikari behavior. In this connection, the distinction between madhyama adhikari and uttamadhikari is stated by Śrīla Vishwanath Chakrabarti Thakwa as follows. A madhyamadhikari cannot at any time perceive the presence of the supreme Lord within all living beings, whereas in uttamadhikari, however he acts on the second class platform to carry out the Lord’s mission is aware that every living entity is ultimately a forgetful Kṛṣṇa conscious entity. Therefore, although a devotee may externally engage.

For different types of behavior as mentioned in this verse, namely worship of the Lord, friendship with the devotees, preaching in the innocent to the innocent, rejection of the demons, he is not necessarily on.

The second class platform, since an uttam adhikari also may exhibit these symptoms to carry out the Lord’s mission. In this regard, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswat.

Thakur mentions that it is the duty.

Of the madhyamadhikari to extend himself as the right hand of the utta madhikari, vowing to work for the benefit of the others of others, and offering to help in distributing love of Kṛṣṇa. Finally, Rla bhakti Siddhānta Sahari Thakur has given a nice explanation of the difference between archana and bhajana. Archana refers to the platform of sadhana.

Bhakti in which one serves the Lord.

To carry out the rules and regulations of the process. One who has achieved the shelter of the Lord’s holy name and is totally engaged in the attempt to serve the Lord should be considered to be on the platform of hajana, even though his external activities may sometimes be less strict than those of the neophyte engaged in archana. This apparent lack of strictness, however, refers to laxity not in the basic principles of sane behavior and renunciation of sense gratification, but rather in details of vaishnava ceremonies. Thus end. The purports by the humble servants of his divine grace. AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda in the 11th canto, second chapter 46th verse of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam entitled Maharaj Nimi meets the nine Yogendas. Maharaj nimiki sotaganki.

So. Each day we’re reading the 11th canto, the universe of spiritual inspiration is being given. We can see that how the previous.

Acharyas have taken each verse and given.

Such an intense deliberation and have explained the exact meaning and purport.

Even explaining possible misunderstandings one might have while reading.

The verse and giving the proper explanation.

Bhakti Siddhānta Sahasi Thakur was one time.

Someone asked that why you are lecturing so long on the same verse? He became so angry. We heard that he lectured for one.

Month on the same verse. That every verse contains an unlimited amount of transcendental knowledge. Every ver, every word.

Contains unlimited meaning.

Why one day you can go on.

Speaking eternally one verse and not.

Find all the.

Meanings that verse. This was what Bhakti Siddhānta Saji Thakur was explaining. And every day of the month he.

Lectured on the verse.

He covered a completely different subject matter altogether.

So we find also Rla Prabhupāda sometimes.

Did the same thing where he would discussing this one section of the Bhagavad, he’d go into great depth. Now some of those dealings have been published as books like Teachings of Queen Kunti and others. So here we find and in describing.

The Madhya Malikari.

Detailed analysis has been done today. A discussion of some of the. Persons who are not attracted to the.

Sankirtan movement, how Madhyamalikari deals with them.

Have also been discussed. Actually india there are various type of philosophers. You get some of those philosophers in the west. But I can very frankly say that in terms of spiritual philosophy, there’s no.

Philosophy which is not represented india. But there may be some that are.

Not represented in the West. So there are some who are very attached to Karma Kanda. They believe that you do your religion, you do your material life. And they stress the material life that.

Everybody should have some religion.

Without religion you’re not a human.

They agree.

But then their idea is that not.

Too much.

As much religion as you.

Need to support your material activities, just to keep the proper balance, flavor. This is more like the demigod mood.

Demigods are known as Saqam.

Bhaktas, devotees with material desires.

They want to worship the Lord, but their intention is not to fully surrender.

They should worship the Lord.

O Allegiance and he should provide them.

With nice opulent material conditions. Most of the pious people in the world have this idea.

O God, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread. They want the bread, they want the money.

So india, some of those people.

They decide that worshipping Vishnu is little bit dangerous. Because in the long run he may force one to survive. So they take up worship of demigods for quick results. I think I mentioned before that the actual pūjā of Devī Mahamaya.

The demigods.

Pray for the welfare of all the.

Living entities in the universe.

From Mother Māyā, the human beings in Chandi, in the market Upanishad, there’s a part called Chandi which is read by all the shaktos, the devotees of Shakti, of Devī, the material energy. And so there. There’s one part they especially read this on the Mahalaya, some sacred day india. And that time there is a dark moon, night, I believe any form moon or dark moon.

So they sing and you can hear at 4 in the morning in Calcutta.

All the radios are. It’s only time they get up, I think all the radios are to the same station. And they have one professional, he sings this out.

So in that.

There’S one prayer and.

They’Re asking for benediction.

So they’re saying.

Give me wealth, give me fame, give me position, give me a worshipable position in society, give me power. And goes on to give me Dayam means give me. This is not fair. Not exactly pure bhakti. But they’re quite straightforward what they want. So some of these people, when the.

Proposition of Sankirtan movement comes, then they.

Feel that Sankirtan and his preacher’s strong proposal that ultimately one should simply surrender.

To God and worship him and satisfy him. They think it’s extreme.

What does he need us to worship him for?

He’s already got everything. Rather he should give us something. He doesn’t need us.

So why should we give him? This is their idea.

So.

Because of that, you see, they actually fall down from. Or they can’t achieve pure path of devotion. They don’t actually see the difference between worshipping Kṛṣṇa and material activities. As a result, they criticize sometimes the devotees or they don’t participate in the activities. So there are various type of people who don’t participate. Often to support their false conception. They have some Māyāvādī idea of spiritual life, some impersonal idea. So.

Although everybody is invited to come, if somebody is against the Sankirto movement.

Then obviously we don’t want to waste our time trying to convince them. If they’re against it, that’s their own misfortune. Rather, Lord Caitanya’s movement is so transcendentally.

Attractive that simply by chanting an ecstasy.

Sooner or later the conditioned souls, they become attracted to the whole movement. That we see that how Lord Caitanya was able to attract everyone. Just by chanting, going through all of the village. Such an attractive vision, the way he’s dancing. Actually, Rla Prabhupāda asked us to go every day in Calcutta. At one time when were living in northern Calcutta, at five in the morning, just as the sun rises, or a little before. So that’s the Oodilo Aruna time. And to sing the song Jeev Jaguar Aruna and go through all of the streets and you’d see people crack open their windows and look out from the tall buildings. This is very tall, you know, about five, six story buildings usually in Calcutta and just on the streets. So they’d hear the kīrtana going on. 20 devotees, 15 devotees.

Sometimes we go, they’d open up their windows and look out, rubbing their eye, what’s happening?

And Prabhupāda said, that’s very good.

If the first thing they hear when.

They wake up is Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Then the whole day, their day is just.

Like we say, getting out of the.

Wrong side of the bed, they get out of the right side. They had the correct beginning for their day. They started off hearing the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. And they’re actually that people appreciate when they say, oh, this is very nice kīrtana.

They appreciate.

Of course, I imagine there will be.

Some cities in the world you might.

Get a few things thrown on your head, but there they appreciate that, oh, my day has started very nice today. Maybe I will have a very fortunate day. Or there may be devotees also and just be really appreciative. So here, see, Lord Caitani is waking up the people.

So he’s saying that.

That this human life, this human body is such a rare opportunity. And how we got it that nobody can imagine, just come to us as a type of causeless mercy still.

But now, even after getting this rare human birth, if you don’t worship Yaśodā.

Sutta Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then this is the real. This is the real fall down. This is the real misfortune. He goes on to explain, when the asana is already, you see, in its.

Upraised position, that day is going by quickly. Everybody’s busy trying to use all the.

Time for all their material pursuits, as.

It’S about to set, they become very busy. Just when the sun setting, rather asto.

Means to set, they become very busy that oh, the day is already over. I have so many works to complete.

So alright now why when the sun is coming up, you’re all sleeping, you’re all wasting time.

You’re busy when night is coming.

So why are you not busy now.

When the day is coming, you see why you are neglecting to worship the Lord of your heart. So this you see is the basic problem is that people.

They have enough time.

Enough opportunity, but they don’t take it. Instead they work two jobs so they can have a better stereo, so they can have something additional. America is not like India that you have to work two jobs just to eat.

In India, some people work the whole day.

They get six rupees per day, about 75 cents.

So the husband has to work, wife.

Has to work, kids have to work.

They can’t also go to school. School may be free but they can’t.

Afford to buy the books for them in some places.

So it’s not like that.

In America and Europe people have time, but instead they make their day in such a way that they spend the whole day in material activities.

And if they take any vacation or.

Take any rest, they will play badminton, ping pong, tennis or something. Or they will play bridge or gamble or just have a cocktail or somehow they will.

Do their waste and they say I am okay.

Time for all these things.

How many people tell you in Sankirta.

I have no time for this. This is the. Everyone’s busy when the day is there.

When it’s time, they want to finish all their work.

Then they’re busy trying to enjoy their vacations.

But in spite of all their efforts, they’re not able to escape misery.

You see that also Bhakti Vinod Thakur just very nicely said.

Jeevana, Anitya, Jana, Hosaar, Tahi, Nana, Vida.

Vipodobhar that you know that life is temporary and you know that there are various kind of dangers which fill our life. I just reading yesterday in the newspaper how now the national parks have become very dangerous in America. Before Smokey the Bear, the rangers, they.

Would have to keep away people from.

Lighting forest fires and from cutting down trees and things like that. It says now because there’s very little.

Law enforcement in these parks.

The thieves have come from the cities and they hide in the parks and they break into the campers and there are many cases of rape and looting. And they just recently arrested three boys who were caught breaking into a camper. Sometimes just wanton violence. Somebody’s car was stuck in the mud.

He came out to help him.

The people were some violent people.

They pulled out a gun and shot.

Him for stopping to help him get the car out. God knows why. So now life has become very dangerous.

Even they go on vacation.

You can’t be sure that while looking at the beautiful sunset, you might not be rolled or mugged. So where is the question of actually.

Finding any peace in this world when we make the whole world on the.

Basis of dissense gratification?

Go to Sunday.

Church now, they don’t even do that. They go maybe to Easter and Christmas, maybe not even to Easter and Christmas. I know that my father, he used to send me with my mother to Christmas. But he wouldn’t go. He’d think of some excuse. I have to do Śānta Claus or something. Śānta Claus is coming.

I want to greet him.

He said, oh, I want to stay and greet him also. No, you should go with mother. So somehow or another, people are becoming more and more alienated from anything spiritual or even religious or even connected. So as a result, the world is becoming more and more degraded. So here comes Sankirtan. Sankirtan is meant to wake up people. What is the real purpose of life is to actually worship the Lord.

And it’s so diametrically opposed to the.

Conception that everyone has that it simultaneously.

Is very attractive for any sincere person.

Who really wants to have a meaningful life. At the same time, it’s a challenge even india to people who are addicted to a type of materialistic compromise with spirituality. So here it’s describing symptoms of Mah.

Bhāgavatas of middle class devotees, how they.

Deal with these situations. That middle class devotee, he deals in a conservative way, Uttamadakar may deal in the same way or may also be a little liberal.

Also, it’s explaining here how a devotee actually enjoys associating with other devotees.

Sometimes critics may be so outspoken that.

They’Re saying that you should only get happiness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

You shouldn’t be happy by associating with devotees.

They don’t know that to associate with devotees is also a type of happiness. Sometimes our mind tells us that we.

Can be happier if we’re not living with devotees. What we fail to realize is that.

As soon as we come out of the association of devotees, our mind gets a little more freedom. And with that freedom, there’s every chance.

Of falling into different Mayas in fact.

Rla Prabhupāda himself was very fanatical.

He always wanted to be an association of devotees.

He said when he came and preached.

Alone, that was a tapasya he was forced to take. He never wanted to do that again. In Calcutta, once he said, I am going to the bank. And he said he wants someone to come with him.

He said he doesn’t want to go.

Anywhere without the association of devotees. Not even to the bank or flying in a plane. Association with devotees is one of the.

Five most essential things mentioned.

One of the six main parts of devotional service mentioned also in Upadesham Rita that are favorable for our advances.

It may be that it’s austere or it’s difficult to associate with devotees in some circumstances.

But that austerity is only because, just.

Like a person in the hospital, because.

We’Re still diseased, so we’re feeling that this is a difficult situation.

Because of our disease, we’re experiencing difficulty. But for the same reason, if we leave the hospital because we’re diseased.

Then there is all the more opportunity for Māyā to catch us. To be caught up in friendship, family, love, to be caught up in various.

Kind of subtle Mayas. In many ways, just being with the.

Devotee helps us to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. So second class devotee, first class devotee, they actually enjoy the association of devotees.

We have to come up from the neophyte stage.

Where we think that association without devotees would better. Just our worship Kṛṣṇa alone. That’s a very neophyte stage. Because of a lack of surrender, there’s difficulty in associating with other devotees.

Devotees madhyamadhikari, he can associate with other.

Devotees, he makes friends with other devotees.

If a person is having difficulty associating with other devotees, that is only the lingerings of Kanishta Adhikari moods.

That are obstructing him.

A Kanishtadhikari doesn’t know how to deal.

Properly with devotees, doesn’t know how to appreciate this surrender of another devotee. Rather, they tend to pick out little.

Defects and try to use devotional service.

To create a material situation.

And then when other devotees are obstructing.

That, there’s some clashes.

But for Madhya Malikari, for one who is a middle devotee, intermediate stage.

Then.

Since their goal is very firmly fixed.

In pleasing Kṛṣṇa, association with devotees doesn’t offer any obstacle.

(Side B of the Cassette)

Devotee who is resentful of that intermediate devotees association and therefore almost uncalled for. There’s some kind of conflict. But even then the intermediate devotee, being more advanced and patient, can understand that this is simply the lack of understanding of the more neophyte devotee. And they just go on. Then they avoid that particular devotee to some extent and go on with the devotional service. So association of devotees is there, Allowing us many opportunities. One opportunity is, allows us to exchange, loving exchanges with devotees. And the Upadesha Amrita describes that there are six kinds of loving exchanges. Six kinds of loving exchanges. To offer. Food to a devotee, to accept food from a devotee, to offer. One’s mind to a devotee and to accept one’s mind from a devotee.

To offer a gift, some service, some offering to a devotee, and to accept whatever he offers, whatever that devotee offers. So in this way loving exchanges are built up. So this devotional association gives us the opportunity of exchanging, offering food to a devotee, accepting, offering our mind. We have some anxiety, we have some difficulty. We can reveal that to another sincere devotee. And thus we will be able to release many of the doubts that are just caught up within us and to actually develop a deeper type of friendship which helps us to focus our devotion more intimately with Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual master. All those opportunities we won’t find out of the association of devotees. The more we become distant from devotees, the more we fall into the Kanishta stage.

Therefore, one has to be careful that whatever amount of progress one makes, one shouldn’t take reverse steps. Rather, it’s like in the battle, they move forward, then they dig foxholes, they entrench, they don’t want to give up any area that they have captured. Beach head. Once you have made a beachhead in an intermediate platform of devotion, you don’t want to again be pushed back or pulled back by Māyā to a neophyte stage like this. One should try step by other to inch forward. But sometimes we find that devotees, they actually make progress and just due to some weak heartedness, due to some, of course, they may make so many excuses that, well, I push forward too fast or something like that. But after they have made some progress, then again, due to some erosion, they start to fall back. That should be guarded against.

Our life is so short, time is so short, life is so valuable, this human birth, that if we waste time retreating again, trying to come forward, we’re not going to finish in this life. It’s not going to be possible somehow or another, if we have been able to make forward progress, we shouldn’t make any so called tactical retreat. Come back and you see it’s very dangerous unless it’s completely authorized by the spiritual master. One should always simply try to maintain whatever progress we have and rather increase upon that. So. So many glorifications were given here of association with devotees. RLA Prabhupāda said all his followers were pure devotees. Here in the 11th cantor, we find that even to offend a neophyte devotee is dangerous. Bhakti Siddhānta gave a purport. Charadeva brought that out.

So we should be very careful about unnecessarily being critical of devotees or offending them. If we have anything to offer them and we are actually of equal or more advanced stage, then we might be able to offer something. But that should be in a very constructive way. Otherwise we should avoid getting involved in any kind of criticism unnecessarily of devotees. Even there are neophytes because that can’t help us to discuss mistakes of others in an educative way to help one to avoid the similar type of mishap that can be constructive. It’s all in the mood. If one is trying to artificially build oneself up as being more important than someone else out of some envious mood by pointing out the other’s fault, then it’s a dangerous situation.

If one’s trying to warn someone else or trying to help, even then very advanced devotees like Raghunath Das would avoid that type of critical activity because they were absorbed in a different level of devotion. If it’s unnecessary, one should avoid not that even unnecessarily we have to just start telling about others false to warrant. If it’s actually a necessary thing to think about or understand for the protection of others, then for preaching we have to do that. Otherwise we avoid unnecessarily criticizing any devotee. So this Sankirtan movement is actually Bhajana. One who has achieved the shelter of the Lord’s holy name and is totally engaged in the attempt to serve the Lord should be considered to be on the platform of Bhajan. That’s why sometimes for Sankirtan, sometimes when one is fully engaged in the preaching activity, when fully is depending.

Yesterday the question came up what happens when. No, no and so many difficulties when one actually has become very expert in learning how in these intense situations to depend on Kṛṣṇa that is considered to be the platform of Bhajan, one has already learned how to take Shelter of the Holy Name and is totally engaged in the attempt to serve the Lord. That may be through preaching, it may be in any process. But when one is totally depending on the Lord and engaging in worship is Bhajana. Just like rla Prabhupda. Once he said, well, the first class Pujari. You want to have some first class Pujaris in Māyāpur and Vrindavan. He should completely dedicate himself to the deity. Shouldn’t even do the shopping, shouldn’t go out of the temple, shouldn’t ever leave the deity.

So two such devotees we have who never leave Māyāpur, that is Janani Vas and Pankajangri Das Brahmacharis. They’re twins. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the two. Of course we know how that we know that we’re living with them all the time. We can pick up there’s a different mood. Body may be similar, but their personalities are slightly different. So from their bearing we can tell the difference. But. So they fully dedicated themselves to the worship of Rādhā Madhav and Prabhupāda Samadhi. But I remember that once Prabhupāda proposed the same thing to another devotee who was his servant in Vrindavan. Just when they started the Vrindavan temple. That you just dedicate yourself to the deity. You don’t have to go to Loy Bazaar, you don’t have to go to the market, you don’t have to go down to the rubbery shops.

Pujari should simply be dedicated for worshiping the deity. When heard that, he snuck off and got on the next plane and flew back to the States. He was so afraid that if I get once I start, I am going to have to stay the whole time. That’s too heavy, too much. Actually even deity worship Archana, it’s saying that to one who serves the Lord, they carry out the rules, regulations and the process is Aruna Bhakti or Archana. But in this case even you worship the deity. If you fully dedicate yourself to the deity, you won’t consider that to be simple Archana. That actually is already Bhajanadin. Because you have totally surrendered someone who’s doing the rules and regulations with a body, with words. But still within that he’s searched out the certain loopholes that are there. Not totally surrendered. That’s possible.

You may follow the four regular principles. You may chant 16 rounds. Still within that you can scope out a lot of independent activity. So as long as that independent mood is still there, separate mood, then it still becomes type of just on the basis of rules and regulation. When one actually totally dedicates totally is depending on the Lord, totally has taken shelter of the Holy Name, then it’s considered bhajana. So in that Bhajana there may be some minor rule and regulation which is not maintained. But for such a devotee that won’t be an obstacle. Rules and regulations more and more are given so that it helps to bring our mind to that state of total shelter. But when one already is totally taken shelter, then all the rules and minute regulations are needed because one is already absorbed. So the two levels are there.

The spiritual master, he can decide who’s on what level and accordingly the difference in duties might be there. It might be essential for one devotee to attend certain functions, while for another it may not be essential, but to show example. Sometimes the more advanced devotees or those engaged in bhajana, they’re also observing additional rules and regulations that may be necessary for them just to maintain the proper decorum and the proper standard to enthuse the other devotees who are coming up to that level. But I remember one time sometimes the thing is that the Gauḍīya Mat, of which Prabhupāda didn’t really have anything to do with, he set up his separate organization also they didn’t cooperate at all. That you can understand from the Lilamrita. They without meaning any criticism, but just as a statement of fact.

It’s a well known fact that they’re very sticky about minute rules and regulations. And you know how in the beginning sometimes people don’t eat with your left hand. Don’t you know this very every little thing? Well, they never got over that stage. I remember Śrīla Prabhupāda was once sitting in. Sitting in actually Śrīdhar Maharaj’s ashram. He went there for a visit and he had taken a bath and he was sitting there and he was about to put on tea light, but he was sitting there. So one of the secretaries came in and said that Prashada is ready. Prabhupāda said all right, I will be coming. And then although he was fired junior simply the disciple of his godbrother. But he said that oh, but you don’t have any tilak on. Which was a bit out of place to say.

All of a sudden Prabhupāda just shot back at him, I am a Paramahansa, I don’t need to wear tilaf. Retreated. This is the. What is this? That Junior? What does he have to tell whether Prabhupāda is Tilak or not? It’s not his way, you see, they probably wouldn’t put on Tilak. What is it like they will pick out something oh you didn’t. And then they will think that, you know, like it’s like a game. I got one up on him, I knew something and then this way they go. But they don’t get to the higher level because they’re always so rather Prabhupāda. He wasn’t so sticky on all the little rules and regulations, the main principle things which we need to protect us from kali yuga, the four principles. Chanting 16 he stressed these things, of course.

He told us, you take on all these rules and regulations but he laid far much more. So preaching is the essence. Because if you follow all the rules and regulations to the T but you don’t take total shelter of Kṛṣṇa then what’s the use of you won’t be able to complete in this life. But if you take total shelter of Kṛṣṇa then even you miss a few rules and regulations. You see, one time you take Prashad and you forgot to put Tilak here on this part. It’s all you know, you still somehow you will go on. So this is the difference. The Prabhupāda, he was actually bringing us up to that level of Bhajana. It requires more enthusiasm, more dedication. But similarly, one also advances much more rapidly.

The actual purpose of rules and regulations is to help us to come up to the level of bhajana. Sankirtan preaching itself, distributing the mercy of the Lord, surrendering on the Lord, learning to depend on the Lord. That is Bhajana. Not that one gives up preaching and then goes and lives in some sacred place and simply thinks that he’s already a gopī or something. That’s not bhajana. Bhajana means totally depend on the shelter of the holy Name that may be in a holy place, it may be on the street preaching that Sankirtan message of the Lord. It may be anywhere that total dependence is necessary. Not just the artificial thinking that alright, now I made it. And they avoid the actual commitment to the Lord. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So actually in this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement we have many dedicated souls. Souls, not only a few.

Practically all the devotees are fully dedicated. Maybe a few are learning to be dedicated, but there are many very seriously dedicated souls and we can take advantage by their association. We should not avoid that association. Rather at any cost we should try to keep it to help us to advance in spiritual life. Because that is a rare opportunity which even the demigods in the heavenly planets, they’re praying. If they could just have the association of the Sankirtan devotees, the dedicated devotees of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this Kali Yuga and finish up their business, go back to home, back to Godhead, achieve pure love for Kaasi Kṛṣṇa. Hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare ram hare ram ram hare. Any questions? Is that the beginning or the end? Some artists. Releasing Sam.