20180506 Evening Darśana Śrīla Prabhupāda Kathā

Guru Maharaj evening darshan 6 May 2018, addressing Penang, Malaysia, Sunday Feast on Skype from Chennai, India

Srila Prabhupad, everywhere he went he was preaching. He said that we are not the body, this is the ABC of spiritual life. To understand that we are not the body. Most people think that they are this body. The body is sometimes happy and sometimes sad. Sometimes mixed. So on one side there is the bodily existence and on the other side there is our eternal spiritual existence. So we have to understand that we are not the material body. We have a body and we have to take care of our body but what is more important is that we know that we are the eternal spirit soul. Just like in a car the car takes diesel or petrol but the driver eats Durian. Ha! So, side by side, we take care of our bodies and ourselves. Prabhupad went all over the world to spread the message of Lord Caitanya. At first he had the order of his guru to preach outside of India. But we heard that the deities in Los Angeles also ordered him to preach in India. So he went to preach in India as well. But initially he was preaching outside of India. He was preaching outside India and he told the Americans you are not American; I am not Indian. But they did not understand. They said, look, we have an American passport. That is external but the eternal spirit soul is not the body. So like this Prabhupad wanted to change the way that people thought. He wanted to make them aware of who they really are. 

So Lord Caitanya taught how we should really appreciate Krishna. We are very fortunate because we get to serve the Lord directly. And we serve the Lord’s pure devotee. So in this way our life becomes auspicious, we get to intimately associate with the Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupad said that any religion that teaches  love of  Godhead is positive. So how do you love someone if you do not know how that person is like? I love my friend, he is so nice, but what does he do? It is a mystery. But you should love him and he is so lovable. Well, what does he look like? Mystery! Like that everything is a mystery. But in Krishna consciousness you get not only to see the Lord but get to associate with His devotees. Srila Prabhupad was so kind that he gave us a glimpse into the spiritual world. And he took the time to tell us about spiritual life. 

I walked into the room in Mayapur and he was talking to my mother. He told her, you are the living force in the body. When the living force leaves, the body is dead. He would take such care. I do not know how much my mother understood. She knew how to grow roses. So he would have her make a bouquet of roses every day. Prabhupad was so merciful! To actually do some service to Krishna is so auspicious. But most people do not do anything. Most people are very selfish. But our process is chanting, singing, dancing, feasting and that is not difficult. That is what people do when they go on vacation! So Prabhupad had taught this process of self-realization. But in due course one learns to be attached to Lord Caitanya and Krishna. Although He is the source of the Ananta koti brahmandas, He is also having a personal relationship with everyone. Someone in Malaysia asked me, does Krishna know Tamil? I said, sure. He could even talk to the animals. So we should read the books about Lord Krishna. 

Yesterday they released Caitanya Caritamrita in Tamil language. Thousands of sets were distributed. So I hope that Malaysia will also snatch up the Caitanya Caritamritas in Tamil. 

How the Lord engages us in such auspicious activities. There is a song by a previous acharya, maybe you know it by heart – Parama Koruna bhu dui jona Nitai Gaura Chandra…

So Lord Caitanya, He actually made the birds and beasts chant in the Jharikand jungle and He melted the stone in Allalanath near Jagannath Puri. So He gave out love of Krishna without seeing if someone was qualified to get it or not. Of all the avatars, He is the crown jewel. Because he gave out the mercy freely. Even Jagai and Madhai had done such evil acts. Once they surrendered, He told the devotees that if you remember sinful acts then that is offensive. So Lord Caitanya was so merciful. 

Srila Prabhupad said that chanting Pancha Tattva was a thousand times more than chanting Hare Krishna. So then you may think I can just chant Pancha Tattva. But it is to get the mercy when you chant Hare Krishna. So it is very nice to see the devotees in Malaysia. If you have some questions, I can try to answer. Any questions?

Question: How do we not fear death?

Guru Maharaj: We know from the Bhagavad Gita that we do not die. We change bodies. When the existing body is somewhat ineffective, we get a new body and if we remember Krishna then we go back to Krishna. So death can be an opportunity to return to Krishna. So rather than fear death, we live our lives in this body and then when this body is old or diseased, we get a new body either in the spiritual world or material world. So what is there to be afraid of? Coming up on the 15th is the Purushottam month. And during that month there is special mercy to get back to Krishna. It is not a good month for karma but it is very good for getting back to Krishna. So take advantage of this and there is nothing to fear. 

Question: How did Vyasadev receive the exact words that Krishna spoke to Arjuna?

Guru Maharaj: Sanjay was a disciple of Vyasadev. He was able to see what was going in the battlefield. So he told that to king Dhritarashtra. Simultaneously Vyasadev knew all the things that were going on because he is an empowered incarnation.

Question: How to make Bhakti Vriksha more effective in Malaysia, gurudev?

Guru Maharaj: Some places are more effective than others. I would have to hear what you are doing and they are doing. Some people say they are doing Bhakti Vriksha but it is not so. Malaysia has many namahattas and it remains to be seen whether namahatta or bhakti vriksha is most well suited. Some devotes as I said, are successful in bhakti vriksha. So send me an email telling me what you are doing and later I can think how to improve it. 

Question: Hare Krishna guru maharaj. For Purushottam month what type of vratha are we supposed to do? Some have been suggesting Ekadasi, once a day. What is actually recommended?

Guru Maharaj: Since we have about ten days to go, so I have a draft ready and should publish it, regarding what shaastra says about the Purushottam month. Hopefully that will be ready tomorrow.

Question: How can we be equipoised in odd situations?

Guru Maharaj: Is this questions related to this class?

Question: Gurudev, how do we chant effectively thinking of Hari’s names?

Guru Maharaj: Listening to the names. The more that you remember Krishna when you chant, the more powerful the chanting is. When the Pandavas suggested that Krishna get the first offering of the Rajasuya yagna, Shishupal stood up and was criticizing Krishna. That caused Bhīma and others to rise and draw up their swords. But Krishna said, be cool, or something like that! Krishna had promised Shishupal’s mother that he would not punish Shishupal until he had made a 100 offences. So he was just about there. 97, 98, Bhima was having hot tears, he just could not take it. 99,100 offences. And he let the Sudarshan chakra cut of his head and no spilling of blood. And then Shishupal’s atma raised in the air and then in front of everybody merged into Krishna. So the Rajasuya yagna was undisturbed. Ha! So Bhima showed how one should chant in the most difficult situation. 

Hare Krishna! Very nice to see you all! Hare Krishna!

7 May 201