19970816 Bhagavad-gītā 18.1

The following is the class given by HH Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 16th,1997 in Poland. The class begins with the reading from the Bhagavad-gītā 18th Chapter verse 1.

Jayapatākā Swami:  So in this verse so much is described about Bhagavad-gītā, gives us an overview of the whole Bhagavad-gītā.  How many of you have read some of the Bhagavad-gītā? How many have read all this once whole Bhagavad-gītā? Very good. So we can see here that when we read Bhagavad-gītā everytime again and again we get more information. Bhagavad-gītā is directly spoken by Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa because it's the transcendental vibration coming from His lotus lips. Therefore it is purifying just to chant and hear  the mantras and to hear and read it. If we take a bath in the Ganges, we get purified because the Ganges touch the lotus feet of the lord. So then what to speak of reading Bhagavad-gītā which touched His lotus lips. So this Bhagavad-gītā is very purifying. Even if you read one chapter of Bhagavad-gītā that's enough also to deliver you.That's why some devotees say read every day one of the chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. Simply by reading one chapter they got delivered. So in every chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, Prabhupāda explains devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is promoted. That this is the ultimate goal and purpose of life. Many different people say different things are the purpose of life. Sense gratifiers say sense gratification is the purpose of life. Some people say money, money is the purpose of life, Some people say that you know anything and they may say anything is the purpose of life. Last time we came to [ Not clear] they are having the beer festival in the park and they were saying vodka is the purpose of life...What was the word they said...Little Vodka...Something like that goal of life to burn out your liver with Vodka...One day there was a book distributor in America in the airport  distributing books and gave one businessman a Bhagavad-gītā and he started to yell at her..You are all cheaters, you are cheaters, this all false, all false… Why don't you give something real? So one senior devotee was there, senior disciple of Prabhupāda so he went over and asked what's the problem, why are you troubling and yelling at this young lady here? They are all cheating and giving all false things. So he asked. What is real? In your opinion, what is real? So the man picked out from his pocket one. He said,  candy bar. You see this? This is real? Bliss Bar.....Oh man its raisins, nuts made in New Barsana, this is real...There was one of the devotees make this Bliss Bar in America... Prasādam they are making ...So he was still being  like...This is real, this is natural. The senior devotee couldn't help and become a little happy...You know who makes this? ..New Barsana…That's us.. We make this? We believe in  pure life, pure food. You like that? Yes. is it good? Yes , so then the makers of that must also be good? I am very sorry,  you people must be ok.. Nitāi-Gaura Premānande!!! Hari HariBol!!!!

So many people they have  different  ideas of what’s the goal of life. Some people they say money that's what we have. Others say money can buy happiness. So one can't get happiness and satisfaction. But what Bhagavad-gītā tells us because we are part of Kṛṣṇa we are by nature spiritual energy, we are the living force in the body. When we leave the body, body is there? Body has no value. So what's really important is this living force. But the living force remains bound by the material modes of nature when we use our life energy to satisfy our material desires. But when we use this body and this mind and these senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa, we transcend the three modes of material nature (mām ca yo 'avyabhicāreṇa) ….. Kṛṣṇa says when we engage our activities in devotional service of Bhakti-yoga we transcend the three modes. We come to the Brahma Bhūta level, the spiritual platform, we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa , we also feel transcendental happiness. Because we are using our body, mind everything in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Even one may not have any qualification but simply by chanting they can feel spiritual happiness. So the goal of life is to be in total oneness with Kṛṣṇa through devotional service to use our mind and senses and our words in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then the living force becomes liberated. So it's not so difficult, singing Hare Krshna, feasting out some Kṛṣṇa prasādam, dancing in ecstasy and hearing some of the glories of Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Now Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original personality of Godhead and His immediate first expansion is Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa is known as Svayam-bhagavān, original form of Godhead. Balarāma is known as Svayam-prakāśa, the original expansion. Tomorrow is Balarāma’s appearance day. Balarāma is also the original guru.  Guru is to bring one to Kṛṣṇa. So Balarāma would bring people to Kṛṣṇa. So from here all the guru talks begin. Lord Nityānanda prabhu and all other guru expansions. So today is the day before His appearance so we can remember him in preparation for His wonderful appearance. So without the mercy of Balarāma one does not get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Rādhā Kṛṣṇa nahi anya..

Balarāma hailo Nitāi

So Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is united as Lord Caitanya and Balarāma came as Nityānanda prabhu.

So Lord Nityānanda went to Vṛndāvana, all the Vrajavāsīs were very happy. All the residents of Vṛndāvana were very very happy, Even the deers came and licked His lotus feet. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be a deer licking the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda. The cows came and also smelled lord Nityānanda, licked His body because they could recognize in their heart that this is Lord Balarāma. So we are very fortunate to be in this saṅkīrtana movement of Nitāi-Gaura where Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma personally were present. They founded the movement so that everybody could get an opportunity to serve them. When Kṛṣṇa was present, He lifted Govardhana hill. Balarāma took the whole city of Hastinapur and pulled it with his plough. Balarāma is sustaining all the unlimited universes with the fraction of His power. They want they can deliver the world very easily. But they wanted to give us all the opportunity to help them. To help them by spreading this saṅkīrtana movement. How many of you would like to help Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa and Nitāi and Gaura??. Gaurāṅga!!!  Gaurāṅga Nityānanda ..Nityānanda !! Nārada Muni after inviting Lord Caitanya to come from the spiritual world. Lord Caitanya said i am coming, i want to flood the whole world with Kṛṣṇa-prema.  I am personally going to preach in India. And for people the are living in distant countries, western countries, I am going to send my senāpati-bhakta, i am going to send my commanding general devotee to  bring the Holy name to the rest of the world. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jai!!! So how many would like to help Śrīla Prabhupāda?? Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jai!!!..

So Prabhupāda, He said, He laid the foundation but he wants his followers to build it and finish it. I think there are still a few people who haven’t gotten the mercy. Sometimes people ask me how  to convince others. That's very difficult to say. Some Lord Caitanya convinced Chand Kazi by appearing in his dreams as Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. It was very funny as once Lord Caitanya convinced the sannyāsīs in Banaras by being very humble and very erudite, very learned showing a lot of brahma-jyoti. Since they were impressed and liked to see the jyoti. You see Lord Caitanya, He simply won people by his mercy and beauty Some people began to criticise him but in the end some people say no it's actually very good… Bhalo Bhalo...So one of my disciples from South America just flew to South America because her father went into Koma. Her family was not very inclined.. They were very strict Catholics means strict means not any special but they were catholics. They didn't like as she became Hare Kṛṣṇa but her father, He was there unconscious...His horrible face , so much pain and then they say why have you come? What will you do for your father? She said .no i will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa for him… What will your chanting do for him..Now look at him..Anyway we will see. So she started to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in his ear..

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

And his face which was like...a Big smile. Everyone was amazed, we haven't seen him smile in 10 years. He never smiles. What was he smiling about? So they were really amazed. Wow, He looks really happy you must have done something? So she said, why don't you read this book in his ear that's so helpful. So they started reading Bhagavad-gītā in his ear and he looks very happy and he was smiling. He was getting so much purification just by someone reading in his ear. He was very old, he did die but when his soul passed away, He still had that smile on his face..She sent me a message and i saw this sprinkled Ganges water on him  and she sprinkled Ganges water and Tulasī and everything. Tulasī prasādam. Every devotee should know what to do  in case somebody  is dying as how to help them to go back to Godhead. Just to touch with the holy things like the garlands from the deities, caraṇāmṛta, Ganges water all these things are very powerful. And ofcourse chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in the ear, reading Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam. Many people have been saved because their sons and daughters are helping them like that. So there is another way, in every hospital, Hare Kṛṣṇa priest name should be recorded, so if anybody wants they  can go there, help them. You have the power to help people like nobody else but people don't understand what’s the purpose of life. Because when someone dies and they become really submissive, very renounced sometimes, what's the use of living, what's the use of this world but then that illusion engages them again and again and soon they forget that. Devotees can actually help the people who are dying or people who have departed, i have told you the glories of Ganges water. Couple of years ago..Anybody remember?, only one.This is from Padma Purāṇa. Prabhupāda said to have that translated. There was a devotee, a brāhmaṇa would everyday go and bathe in the Ganges river, He took the water of Ganges in hand offer back to the Gaṅgā He will offer prayers , offer some worship, took his bathe, paid his obeisances. Took a bucket of water back for his wife.  On the road, near a river there was another man who was born in a brāhmaṇa family but he didn't live like a brāhmaṇa . He was working in a politics, and as a  politician he lost so many good qualities. He was having so many bad habits, very sinful man and very angry by nature. There was a big bull lying on the road. He said what is this, lazy bull lying blocking the road for?. Nonsense bull. He said get off the road so that people walk by in peace so he found there was a stick by the side of the roadHe picked that up and started. He beated the bull start hitting the bull. You lazy bull, the bull woke up became very angry. Why this man is beating me, why is he waking me up.. He started kicking. Then he charged and with his horn and got that man right in the heart and threw him in the air. His body fell down on the road, dead ,heart was exposed right on the hand...and the bull went off...Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that you should be aware of the animals with horns, things and claws, They may use them... So then the brāhmaṇa came by with the Ganges water, So he saw what is this dead brāhmaṇa on the road with open heart, he took some Ganges water and sprinkled it over and then he went on walking home. Then he saw an amazing sight. Somehow he was able to see the astro plane and he could see all kinds of subtle entities. Specifically,  he saw Yamadūtas , messenger of death , the judge for our karmas in Yamaloka. He has a subtle messengers who come and bring people in front of Judge. Then they are given next birth or they are given some rehabilitation program. So he saw that His yamadūtas are bleeding, their armour were missing, some carrying dead bodies. What happened to you, why you all like this? You don't know? No, i don't know. You are the cause of it? What do you mean? You remember that man was lying there on the road? Yes, well he was a very sinful man. As soon as he died we came in, a big group of us from Yamaloka, from the hellish planet to drag him back to be punished. He was a very sinful man but as soon as you sprinkled Ganges water on his body, the messengers of Viṣṇu appeared..We want to take the soul out from his body they stopped us. They said no you can't take him. Why not? He belonged to us, he was a sinner. He was touched by Ganges water, now he is pure. Oh, come on, this man, he made some women pregnant had to had abortion, he killed one man , cut his body in little pieces. He did all kinds of sins, he belongs to us. We are going to turn and burn him, we are going to make him suffer for his bad karmas. He should be in a barbeque. I am sorry everything you said is correct. Ok,  Padma Purāṇa didn't say Barbeque. But It did say burn and punish him...The Visṇudūtas said i am sorry. But whatever you said is alright. He did so many bad karmas but he was touched by the water of Ganges and that has purified him from all that karmas. Now he goes back with us. But whoever was leading of the Yamadūtas, they were not so experienced. They said no, we are going to take him. He belongs to us and they start aggressively moving forward on the Viṣṇudūtas. Viṣṇudūtas were messengers of God ,they were very surprised. They said you are offending the holy river Ganges whose water is carrying the foot dust of Lord Viṣṇu. So you are offending a devotee, you are doubting the glories of her moreover you are approaching us too. You give us no other choice..Chakraaaa.. The sudarśana cakra that they were carrying got activated and the disc start flying from their hands, cutting the yamadūtas *sfx* Yamadūtas the were seeing chakra everywhere left right front backward, chakra everywhere they couldn't defend themselves. Immediately they realised there was no match for sudarśaṇa-cakras, they ran grabbing their dead friends and injured friends. They said what you did my dear brāhmaṇa you just sprinkled  the little ganges water. Look what it did to all of us.  Of course it's our fault that we challenged the Viṣṇudūtas. But you don't know how powerful your Ganges water was. Now we have realised. So then that brāhmaṇa realsoed, he stopped and looked. Immediately he turned back went back to the Ganges, paid his obeisances many times and he prayed again and again to the Ganges offered prayers. This time he was so intensively, his faith had increased so much by this experience. This is a true story. Of course, for some people, they may say well how can all these things be possible?  Nothing can be impossible. And he offered his worship so nicely that the personified Ganges deity came out from the water. Her personal carrier is a gigantic crocodile. And she is wearing a wool like cloth, she is very white carrying a lotus and a conch shell. What i can remember, i am not 100 percent sure and so she said you pleased me very much, what blessing do you want? he said i want the blessing of pure devotional service for Lord Kṛṣṇa. Haribol!!!  Haribol!! And also want that when i leave my body, if i can be touching your water. Fair Enough. So she said yes you can have that. So one who has faith in Kṛṣṇa, His holy name, in Kṛṣṇa’s devotees, in the brāhmaṇas who are engaged in the spiritual activities, in Kṛṣṇa prasādam, they are very fortunate. They don’t have a small faith, their faith is very significant. Be very careful to respect all those things connected to Kṛṣṇa. The Ganges is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, all these holy books and things , anything has got Kṛṣṇa we should take big care. Mundane logic can be what is special about this water and that water. Even scientists have recognised that if you take Ganges water and keep it, it's antiseptic and  it’ sown it purifies all the bacterias from the water. We took some regular water and we took some Ganges water and did a test and after 10 days the regular water had become more filled with bacteria but the Ganges water had come down to nothing. In Māyāpur, we are going to have Ganges water as our drinking water. We just have to keep it for so many days to let it purify. Well there are many special things about the Ganges, but those who don't believe in the things beyond vision then they may not understand all these points but if you take all these things in active to Kṛṣṇa they are very powerful. That's why we always surround ourselves with Kṛṣṇa’s prasādam. Not only the food prasādam but others flower prasādam, cloth prasādam. Uddhava used to always wear Kṛṣṇa’s old cloth or Kṛṣṇa’s used garland, the things that Kṛṣṇa had touched. So that's why, here this garland was a prasādam from the deities. I will pass it around. You can touch. I will give it to you, pass it around. Half for the mothers, half for the brothers. So when we are together we should learn to appreciate that all the devotees here, they are all very dear to the Lord. Every devotee is a dear servitor of the Lord. And if we think in that way then we should not underestimate that how dear are the devotee to Kṛṣṇa. Even a new devotee is so dear to Kṛṣṇa. So want to help everyone to advance in their devotional service because devotional service is the ultimate goal of life.

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

If the pūjārī utters the mantra properly and calls the Ganges and other Holy rivers and Ganges can appear then. That can also be used in case you don't have other Ganges water. The caraṇāmṛta of the deities is also held like this so that can be put also. In fact that can cause a man to not die untimely. You can go to  your Godfather and get him some caraṇāmṛta if you want or give him some Ganges water. May be if you ask him to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa maybe he doesn't want to chant who knows. He might have offend the Holy name but still you can ask him because Lord Caitanya gave us the permission to ask everyone. He may accept to chant. Sometimes we ask people to chant. Once a daughter, son asked a mother to chant. The doctor said that she is about to die...Mother please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Oh , i don't have any strength, i can't say all those words, i am very sorry it's very difficult for me to say that. I can't say it No, i can’t i can’t i can’t. Prabhupāda said if instead of can’t can’t can’t if she just say one time i can't say Hare Kṛṣṇa she will get purified, said so many words,Some people are stubborn they won't say Kṛṣṇa’s name but it doesn't hurt to try. Anyways you can always here is some you can put a sponge on his head and he may not know it’s Ganges water.. So that way you can help him, if he agrees to chant that will be very nice.

One devotee once went to see his father when he was dying. Everybody was crying. He said don't worry everything will be alright. Don't leave us.. So he was all shukaa..So son went in and said let me have 5 minutes alone with my father my last chance. He told the father look you are about to die. I want to tell you some essential truth. You are not this body. You are the living force in the body. You will never die but you leave this body. If you chant this mantra with me now, it will help you to go to a very good destination. So he got him to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Immediately, he became peaceful. He became like peaceful and relief, then all the relatives got worried. Maybe he gave the sign on will or something. Then they opened the door and again they came back. Don't leave us . Then he got all in anxiety, but that devotee told me atleast for a minute he was peaceful and that have helped him. So you can try it out. So that's the meaning of a putra or putri. Pu means ‘help’ Tra means ‘to deliver’. So putra or putri means the daughter who can deliver the father or mother from the hellish existence. If you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa then your mother, father, godfather like 14 generations all get delivered. So what's really important is that we remain Kṛṣṇa Conscious so we can help so many people.