19900105 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.13 [Appearance Of Lord Varāha]

vande 'haḿ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaḿ śrī-gurun vaiṣṇavāḿś ca
śrī-rūpaḿ sāgrajātaḿ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaḿ taḿ sa jīvam
sādvaitaḿ sāvadhūtaḿ parijana-sahitaḿ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaḿ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā- śrī-viśākhānvitāḿś ca

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on January 5^th 1990 in Lawrence Louisiana. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3rd canto chapter 13 and it's about the appearance of Lord Varāha.

One side he was creating the universe, he is creating different planets so different systems and other side it sunk down. So then He thought that I should let the almighty Lord to direct us. The devotee is always depending upon the mercy of the Lord; this is the difference between a devotee and a non- devotee.

The non-devotee wants to do everything simply by the false ego. He sees some problem and think, ok this is the solution. And then create some concoction but although it’s very subtle like Brahmā he is just thinking that I have to take advice from the Lord.

Brahmā has the ability to go to the side of the Svetadvīpa, it's is surrounded by the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu’s ocean, sindhu. He can go there in meditation and communicate with Viṣṇu, the super soul and get advice, what to be done. And this time he didn't have to be just thought let me take advice from the Lord and immediately the Lord gave him some help as coming as Varāha which will be revealed.  But this is the difference you see that Yudhiṣṭhira when he was in difficulty many times, he approached Krsna what to be done. And then Krsna was personally present so they could go and take His guidance. Similarly different devotees throughout history went through some difficulties naturally go to the Lord and request. 

At the present time when we are not so easily able to communicate with Krsna and we, of course a devotee can communicate by a prayer praying to the lord to reveal what is to be done. But the easiest way is the course of spiritual master’s presence, one approaches the spiritual master, who is the representative of the Personality of the Godhead.

In this way even though there is some problem they can solve it. Here it says the devotees of the Lord who are all confident servitors in the discharge of the devotional service of their respective duties but they are never discouraged. Even a perplex means really don't know what to do at that moment. What is the exact right thing to do.

Some time you can consult with the Vaiṣṇavas you can pray to the Lord to see what is the solution. The spiritual master is present, then we can directly approach spiritual master. In this case, Brahmā is like a spiritual master for Manu. Manu is going he is perplexed what to do he goes to Brahmā. Then Brahmā he doesn't have immediately answer how to lift out the earth he is thinking, and he is thinking let me ask to Kṛṣṇa. This is like paramparā system.

The server think because some time devotees wonder, like they think get sentimental idea that in devotional service there is never going to be any difficulty. Everything Is automatically is supposed to go smooth. Especially for neophyte devotees they have an idea, once I turn to Krsna there is never going to be any problem. There isn't any problems actually. But not the way they think, problems will come, perplexity will come, what to do? But there is no problem because the devotee has his faith that Krsna will help. He has his spiritual master so he can consult.

In this way there is no reason to be discouraged. The neophytes, they very easily become discouraged. Some perplexity is there, they may think oh how could this happen. So what to do, [Not Clear 05:05] that means become discouraged; this is the symptom of kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. When some difficulty comes, they become not only perplexed but they become discouraged. The madhyama-adhikārī, although there may be cause of perplexity, what to be done? They don’t lose their faith in Kṛṣṇa and Guru. They know that alright, even though I don't know the solution right now, but surely there is a solution that Kṛṣṇa has in mind. So they are not discouraged.

Discouragement can lead one to lack of faith even abandoning the path of devotional service. So, this discouragement is very serious matter. Sometimes they do excess of criticism, due to speculating on philosophical matters. So solutions that are given are like there's no …. So, one become discouraged from continuing on with devotional service and as a result they give up their discharge of their respective duties.

We find that there is a phenomenal that, many devotees took shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda and in their discharge of their devotional service, when Śrīla Prabhupāda was present. They are very enthusiastic many of them. But then due to various changes in attitude, they started to put their material situations in a priority. And then direct devotional service started to put in lower and lower level of priority.

So, then as a result, these gradually started to abandon or discouragement to the direct devotional service. Some of them are favorably and still practicing some degree of devotional service, some of them are totally out of touch. Now, those who are doing some devotional service, they are trying to explain why this is happening, why it's alright, why it’s reasonable.

The actual point is, when we take spiritual vows, that's actually very serious matter. And in India, in Vedic Tradition, when someone takes spiritual vows, that means it's a Vow is like we don't swear, even like constitutional court. Swear we only do before God. But when we take a Vow, that means like a swear before God, that we are going to do something, then we better well do it. It's so important, there is nothing more serious than that.

 Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said it's more important than even our life, is to carry out the orders of the Guru. So someone takes the Vow to follow the four regulative principles, chant 16 rounds, perform devotional service. That's not a light thing, it's very heavy. So, right now even the GBC says, don't do it in six months, then wait a year at least or even more but be very sure that this is what you want to do.

Now when we take a vow before Kṛṣṇa also that brings us close to the Kṛṣṇa, that gives us an opportunity to surrender in a more deep way. That begins a very deep reciprocation, the difficulty comes that somehow due to carelessness, little cause of perplexity may come. And then the devotee immediately without really consulting with the spiritual master, what are the possible alternatives, they just take out. Some lose their devotional service which is actually like practically breaking their vows. And to substantiate they may create various types of philosophies. So you find somebody like some philosophies going around. Where actually, like Śrīla Prabhupāda he didn't take initiation for 11 years. Because he was afraid of this very thing, if I take a vow, I have to follow very strictly. Maybe I won't follow. May be something will happen. So, he didn't want to take a vow and not follow that. Actually, he was following everything, but he was so serious about the significance of a vow. Even I met one devotee, after taking Initiation and everything and said, “Why you are not following”. I made a promise and I broke the promise, so what?

I made so many promises and I broke so many. It was as simple as that *snap*. It doesn't matter. I promise to go, to meet my friend at the super market, I didn't go, I broke the promise, so what? I promise to follow the orders of Guru, I broke it. This is like mleccha culture, like lack of culture, commitment.  So this make it very dangerous in the age of Kali to be a Spiritual master.

Very dangerous. Because Guru, he's responsible he may take the vow, he cannot tell Kṛṣṇa, “Now you know”. Of course if someone is like so obviously just say, I broke my promise, I have no connection anyway. They are very open about it. Well, maybe the Guru can reject such a bogus disciple and just forget about it. But normally that's not the situation of course. But the Guru has to take the responsibility and the disciple after taking a vow like that and then discarding it. It's very hard for them to develop such a determination again. Once you have quitted, it is very difficult to develop that strong determination to stick in there and struggle against māyā.

So actually, this is perplexing, this is perplexing. This is like the Brahma deva is perplexed, how to pick up the earth that had fallen in to the water. It is perplexing how to pick-up devotees who have fallen into māyā. When they don’t take it very seriously the vows they have taken, the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Although at one point they appeared to be very sincere very dedicated yet somehow, they turned it off so easy. See this is perplexing for the preachers how to deal with this. You see, Lack of mercy, lack of honesty. So still we don’t get discouraged on one hand, although it is perplexing because there are some devotees who do take it seriously and they’re pushing out. You see, If everybody was like that then it would be very discouraging actually. But at least by Kṛṣṇas mercy some devotees are still taking their vows seriously they’re trying to continue their devotional service.

So, there is hope. You can see that Kṛṣṇa is working. But here we have to be very careful because people do not take it very seriously. Even I found that in South America or in India if somebody leaves, they don’t really leave they always stay connected. Even after 5-6 years I met one disciple one girl –who had she had been drafted by the army in Chile but then she went AWOL or something I don’t know what happened she left and she got married. Bonne soirees I was walking down the street and all of a sudden, I saw her there she is carrying a baby in her arms.

She immediately came to the temple, she heard I was there. She is crying - actually I am still trying to practice everything, I am very sorry. Now I am associating with the temple again I am chanting 16 rounds. After 5-6 years still some connection was there, I felt like I have a duty, I took a vow I have a duty, I failed but I am still trying to recuperate myself. You find this at least in India also that people once they take a vow, they consider this is a very serious matter. Maybe this is why there is less divorce rate still in India than in the West, because they take it seriously if they take a vow, to be married.

So, like this on every level you can find various reasons to be discouraged. There are so many more serious reasons to be discouraged for the Russian devotees. But they went on preaching, I am amazed how in spite of 35 devotees being put in jail that they preached to 10,000 people in jail – they got 10,000 people or so, I don’t know, at least many thousands, to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa while they were in heavy persecution.

Here there is some mild persecution by the anti-cult group who takes us to court and makes a very difficult situation. But as far as the obstruction to go out and preach - if we want to do harināma we can go every day. If we want to distribute books, we can get permits and do it. If we want to distribute prasāda we can get permits and do it.

Everything is available, simply we need a desire and enthusiasm to go and do it, to find a way. So, for everything we want to do there’s going to be so many perplexing reasons why it is difficult to do. But if we are not discouraged and if we remain enthusiastic then we can figure out how to do it. There is always a solution. There’s a common saying that where there’s a will there’s a way.

But The devotees they know that when this is Kṛṣṇa’s desire he will provide the way he will give us the means how to serve him – as long as we remain enthusiastic. That’s why the first thing is recommended by Rūpa Gosvāmī – utsāhāt – enthusiasm. And the next is – dhairya – patience, patience because there’s many perplexing things going to happen but we have to be patient.

Vedas say if a Guru gives up on a disciple, rejects him for some  mistake without patience. What you gain, the guru does not gain anything and the disciple is completely finished he is just thrown back off into māyā, spins off into the muck.

So even though it is so difficult to trying to preach to someone who is not very surrendered but still there is no other advantage to being impatient you don’t gain anything basically we try to preach and get people to take up more responsibility to spread the Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement.

So it’s like a relay, One guru our ācāryas coming in the sampradāya he preaches, he makes disciples, he makes devotees, then he in turn trains them they take some responsibility, he hands over the responsibility to the disciples. And then he goes on to serve Kṛṣṇa either in the spiritual world or some other place on some other planet wherever Kṛṣṇa wants him to serve and then like this it goes on being handed down.

So actually, to accept initiation within the disciplic succession means to accept that this law means to take responsibility to protect the dreams of the previous ācāryas which is being handed down. Śrīla Prabhupāda didn’t say he did everything that the previous ācāryas wanted, he said he did half the other half the work is still remaining, you see. We, the disciples may not be able to do even remaining half we are trying we may do some portion hopefully at least we maintain what Prabhupāda did. And then again the grand disciples of Prabhupāda they have to continue on like this it goes on generation after generation. Eventually the objective to satisfy the desires of all the previous ācāryas.

So this requires some enthusiasm and patience and niṣcaya, conviction, some determination that whatever I am doing is going to be pleasing to Kṛṣṇa, whatever I am doing is going to bring the desired result.. You see one of the verses here mention Jīva Gosvāmī, of course he was going to face lot of opposition from other sampradāyas in the beginning of Lord Caitanyas movement. When they would start to preach so he became in his young age he became very expert in Sanskrit studied in Benaras, became one of the best, if not the best Sanskrit scholars in the whole of India. And then he went and joined Rūpa and Sanātana and using that knowledge he studied all the Vedas and he established the different, further supports in order to convince all the paṇḍitas, all the theologians of that time the philosophy, the theology of Caitanya Mahāprabhu was actually totally bona fide according to the Vedas and was the clearest and best application of Vedic wisdom for the modern age.

So like this person, if they are very young like going to gurukula or something they may try to get trained up to be able to develop some skills to use for Guru and Kṛṣṇa. If they are already knowing how to, they are already bigger than that age then they may use whatever skills they have, try to develop whatever abilities they have. Whatever they need Kṛṣṇa will provide. If someone is enthusiastic, patient and determined, they follow the principles, associate with the devotees and they are straight forward in their dealings then there is nothing that they can’t do by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.

The devotee tries to do what best he can, the managers they themself they may consider well he is trying hard but actually it is too difficult for him it’s not very useful so they may ask to do another service. But a devotee willing to try can express his limitations but if they still think of giving it a try, then of course on trying. Maybe he develops unknown skills he has, maybe Kṛṣṇa provides or maybe he does whatever he can, but then he is assigned another service. For us we have to go on doing service this is our link with Kṛṣṇa to remain in devotional service. So we don’t want to break that link we want to remain continuously fixed in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

So Brahmā dev he may get perplexed but he doesn’t become discouraged. He knows I will go to Kṛṣṇa, so one-time Prabhupāda was talking there was one devotee he was very discouraged he said, “Why are you discouraged?”

Maybe if the Guru is not personally present that is the cause to be discouraged. But I am here, so when I am here if you have any problem you just tell me I can solve it. So in the presence of the Guru there is no cause to be discouraged at all. He said, “I order you to be happy, (laughter) you must smile, this is my order you must be happy”. Devotee I think the problem he became offensive, due to offences devotees lose their faith and enthusiasm.

I was very surprised how Prabhupāda was instructing him but it was very practical. It’s true Prabhupāda was their after that any difficulty I would go to Prabhupāda. If I couldn’t solve it with my GBC, others I would go to Prabhupāda. In the local GBC I was the president but they were frustrated with me because if they said something and if I didn’t think it was right then I had a direct line and I just go to Prabhupāda and ask, if he confirmed it then I would follow them and if he didn’t confirm it, then I wouldn’t follow. So in that way they didn’t, they knew that I was proving that I was conditionally submissive and they had to convince me that it was something really that Prabhupāda wanted it and if I wasn’t convinced I would go ahead and ask Prabhupāda .

He wasn’t inaccessible to me anytime I could write him a letter, I had direct contact. It’s actually like Prabhupāda was our GBC in India and the GBC were like regional secretaries so we had a direct link with Prabhupāda more than any other places. 

It’s when Prabhupāda left for us, it was the biggest shock actually in India because we were really enjoying his special patronage.  He was providing the money for the projects, personal guidance, spending months.  So, after that we didn’t have anyone who was taking such a personal interest.  The GBC body now is taking much more interest than even before at that beginning we didn’t they were not so.  They were just concerned about preserving ISKCON at that time. 

Indian projects were important but we didn’t feel that tender care that we got from Prabhupāda. Although they were very sincere about helping in but to a certain degree.   But still it wasn't the same as the way with Prabhupāda.  So that way we had to suffer a lot of kind of separation from Prabhupāda’s tender care.   So, this way we can understand that if the spiritual master is present, if there is some confusion or there is some perplex cause of perplexities, still we can approach him and we can get some advice.  You see.   If the spiritual master doesn’t know how to answer even in a particular situation now, well even he can bring it up to the whole GBC body to take their opinion.   You see you can take an opinion of all the senior Vaiṣṇavas about what is the correct interpretation of Prabhupāda’s instructions in a particular thing and how should we apply it.   In case there is some little perplexity, there is some confusion about our duty, Prabhupāda wanted that we should work in a cooperative way you see. 

Some things are very clear or somethings are a certain license is there that the spiritual master has a particular mood of devotional service. Has a particular vibration of dedication and surrender to guru and Kṛṣṇa.  So that is to be acquired by the disciple. You see.  That may vary from one person to next, that difference will be there.  It is a personal movement.  At the same time in an overall greater sense, these are there may be minor variations but in general we are all part of the same family.  We are all part of the same inspiration that is coming down from Lord Caitanya, from guru-paramparā, from Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda is finally giving all of us shelter. 

We are all dedicated to following his blueprint for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.  So, it’s very difficult to manage a spiritual movement.  We see that how even Prabhupāda he would sometimes in his room in my Māyāpur, he will be holding his head and he said “You don’t know what it is to run a worldwide spiritual moment”.  He would literally have a headache.  He would sometimes get perplexed how a big GBC or somebody they would just lead.  It happened to him, Śrīla Prabhupāda sometimes.  It would perplex him that how we are depending so much on these devotees, they are serving and all of a sudden, they just don’t care anymore about their responsibilities and about their.  Somehow māyā just gets them. So, it will be perplexing but then he would adjust.  He would make a way to go on. So, when there is a battle, you are bound to have a few casualties.

We forget that actually we are at war with māyā. While we are under this protection of ISKCON, protection of spiritual master, protection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should build up our spiritual strength so to be able to overcome all the obstacles put up by māyā.  She will perplex us.  We have to be strong enough to remain enlivened and enthusiastic and then take the help that’s available from guru, from Vaiṣṇava, from śāstra and solve whatever the perplexity that’s there. Or by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy it may be solved.  We go on with our devotional service.  

So, this is actually a practical way the devotee learns to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, learns to the reciprocation that Kṛṣṇa gives to his devotees.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Is there any question (24:00 Inaudible - a question by mātāji)

Question: …....and then, he told the temple president to say something and then later on we find that the spiritual master may be in a hurry so it's you know, being here practically can get discouraging. When you're trying to do something and trying to go through the appropriate channels and it's not there. You can try to write a letter but it's hard to even put it into a letter it seems. Then when you do this and that, I mean, the only thing I noticed is to just have to have faith in Kṛṣṇa to make the arrangement. That you know, maybe not this lifetime, but it will come together at the proper time to come. The answer will be there. Just hang on, Does it add up???

Jayapatākā Swami: What you're basically raising is that there's a problem or some practical problem comes up in communicating. You want to communicate to the spiritual master but due to various circumstantial situations, sometimes it's difficult make that connection or communicate. You gave a few practical examples. This may sometimes happen.

Maybe the priority of an individual’s problems at that moment maybe less than the, there may be some other big problem coming up, or somehow maybe just some circumstances, that led to that you know... In this way also the same thing. If there's a problem and we need guidance of the spiritual master and he's the only one that can actually solve the particular problem. You can continue following Rūpa Gosvāmī's formula of being enthusiastic, patient, determined you know.

I was sitting in the Portland Airport waiting for my connection here to New Orleans and my flight was delayed so I switched to Atlanta. And I remember that I could over hear that a lady was announcing from the airlines calling skycap. Immediately, you know, bring a wheelchair for the passenger, such and such gate, first call... second call... third call... went up to the fifth call. Fifth call. This is the fifth call. Then after that the skycap must have got there, I didn't hear any more. It went up to fifth call. Maybe someone has to write five letters. One has to go on writing every week a letter. Eventually one will get through.

Sometimes you find that... I got a letter from one devotee, she said that I gave one letter by hand to someone, actually that one never got to me. Then gave another letter, mailed it. That one got... but then in the letter it said something like "I want to see you". But actually, the person, by the time that I was there, they had already left. So then, they were counting all these as different... But then again, they sent some letter which never got there and there was no copy. Maybe 3-4 letters they actually wrote but due to various reasons they never really connected. But this was actually over a period of may be 4 years but then then they held it...

I would send letters even every week to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

In fact, if I didn't write a letter sometimes, he would send me a letter, "Why you haven’t written me in two weeks’ time? I haven't got a letter." Maybe sometimes, if something's very urgent you can go on send me, maybe one will get a hit. You know... at least that way they'll know that there's different ways of getting the message across.

Even Lord Brahmā sometimes he has to wait there for a long time, for a while. It doesn't mean he may send the message to Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, it doesn't.... the answer doesn't... it may come, it may take some time, he's there all waiting. All of a sudden... in his heart Supersoul starts giving the message. Ok, this is what's going to happen. If we were on the level of Lord Brahmā we would get, Prabhupāda said that, some pure devotees will directly get the dictation from Kṛṣṇa face to face. We can pray to Kṛṣṇa in the heart that's the caitya-guru, he gives some guidance, but then we want to confirm with the guru, to be sure it's correct.

I got some letters that took one month for letters to reach me, even now, to the post office box. I think that because of Christmas, maybe there's internationally a lot of mail. I don't know how the letter goes to America, maybe it has to go through local post office, international, maybe goes through London. I don't know exact system, I don't know how the mails go but a letter that was sent on December 2nd was reached on the 28th or 26th of December, almost one month.

So sometimes it takes time. Now we have the fax. Someone sent me a fax and my secretary lost it.  He looked all over the office the here, that I can’t find. He said but the fax is that one devotee is very ill. you must bring some medicine but I can bring but what is the illness I can't remember it was a complicated name. Why you didn’t read it, I didn’t read it so you see so we are dealing you know with various obstacles. Not efficient like team work yet idea for all this type of extra instructions. But now things are improving in the sense that there is a fax may be four or five faxes reach may be one doesn’t reach.

So now we have a chief designer in Italy we are sending him a fax every day from India. He said I get your faxes but you don’t get mine. When he sends to India it takes four five days to deliver.

Communication is a biggest problem specially of course when you are dealing between you know in America it’s like a better because you have overnight mail with good front system. But if you are dealing internationally there is a problem you see all these things can be considered. There is at least some you know there is some ability to communicate there is some ability, it can be done by various means of communication overnight. It was 10 dollars 75 cents send an overnight express letter to India guaranteed delivery within 72 hours (laughing) 72 hours. So it is not bad may be because 2 dollars sends a regular post then send it by express mail, 10 dollars better and cheaper than the fax so it is a multipage fax. So, this is a practical thing you know we have to be more determined and at the same time patient, this may be situation and not the only problem. But has to be done with may be their situation that someone's guru's offers many responsibilities and he is very busy at the moment.

So there are something you now adays sometimes you want to go to the hospital sometimes you have to wait for six months. Means this is the practical this is the world we are living in if it is really serious you know may be something. If it is very serious may be if someone starts Breaking down or something then you know everything stops you like really became small signals, red flags .... but then it should be you know considering some other problems coming up they are dealing with if it is that not that serious.

You know, whether I should do this or do that.  next Six months, I should buy a ticket in British Air........and I should bring you, it’s a minor thing, it could wait.  Maybe it is shattering. One devotee came up to me and said, I bow down and I need your blessings. Sometimes you are off to it for interview and someone in the hallway say How are you doing?

Ok, Then later you find that they were having some problem or something really sometimes informally.... you can write to the point. One devotee came, bow down, please give me blessings why? I am going for operation what where are you going? I am going this hospital. It is the worst hospital of India nobody comes out of that hospital cured they go sick more than when they go in. Suddenly I said, no no you can’t go there we have other. Then I have someone to deal with it and we send him to specialist in Kolkata and he did the operation very successfully.

He has cut his finger in printing press completely smashed the finger. They operated in a week did the whole thing and he is ok now. Then that hospital, I don’t know what would have helped they had or something, very bad Hospital. So sometime just like that least he came and took blessings or otherwise if would have not come by who knows, what would have happened, how they communicate. Communication is a problem even that you find Parīkṣit Mahārāja became perplexed, sage is in meditation. May be someone few disciples, but samādhī they don’t come out for 10 years (laughing).