20200323 Sri Krishna Caitanya Book

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

We are waiting for our technician to load up the Caitanya Book. Here we have started a quarantine, lockdown and just the internet translators are here and all others can see the class online. Since the class is staring today at 6.15, any way we try to start at 6, today we are late.

So right now, the COVID-19 pandemic is called war on the invisible enemy! But, they are fighting with bats and hospitals and nurses and doctors. And trying to keep people from getting infected by isolation. But we need to defeat this disease with an invisible weapon. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is invisible, but we can hear it. So that we should chant, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. In the purāṇas, there is a verse that says sahasra-nāmabhis tulyaṁ rāma-nāma varānane. One name of Rāma is equal to a thousand names of Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu names are like the name of God in His feature as controller, as all pervasive, all powerful etc. Rāma is a very special name. And Kṛṣṇa it says that that name is three thousand names of Viṣṇu. So, the Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rāma mantra is 16 words, are described that they destroy all the difficulties, all the pollutions, all the diseases of the Kali-yuga. So, we should all chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If someone doesn’t want to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, at least they should chant some name of God. There are 99 names in the Quran. There are names of Jesus Christ, Son of God, God the Father, in the Old Testament. There are some names like Jehovah, 7.07. There are names in the Buddhist texts of Buddha. So they should chant these holy names and this will be the invisible weapon against the visible disease, and that will quickly allow the human beings, they may find an external cure, but they say that may take a year or two. And we don’t know. By chanting the holy name together, we can slow down the virus and we can stop the virus also. So that is why, everybody should chant the mantras of Kṛṣṇa, chant the mantra of the holy name of the Lord.

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So today, Mukunda Datta, he was a great singer of Lord Caitanya’s party. But he would go here and there to different unbelievers. So in this chapter it tells how he got permission to see Lord Caitanya again. Read.

Chapter entitled as Mukunda Datta Is Given Permission to See Mahāprabhu

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.193

mahāprabhura vākya śravaṇe mukundera vicāra o khede dehatyāga-saṅkalpa—

mukunda śunaye saba bāhire thākiyānā
pāiba daraśana—śunilena ihā

Translation: Mukunda heard everything from outside. He heard that he would not get the Lord's darśana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mukunda Datta was staying outside but he heard everything that Lord Caitanya said. He heard that he would not get the darśana, the audience of Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.194

guru-uparodhe pūrve nā māniluṅ bhakti
saba jāne mahāprabhu—caitanyera śakti

Translation: “Mahāprabhu knew that I did not respect devotional service due to the advice of some guru. This is the potency of Lord Caitanya.”

“Previously, on the instructions of some sampradāya, I did not accept the supremacy of devotional service—this is well known to Mahāprabhu. Devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the energy of Śrī Caitanyadeva, the source of all energies, therefore I am an offender. The eternal propensity of a pure living entity is `bhakti.' All living entities are constitutionally situated on the platform of devotional service. If one abandons such a propensity and welcomes other propensities, he commits an offense.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mukunda Datta saw that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, knew that I may not respect devotional service, based on the advice of some guru. This is the potency of Lord Caitanya! Somehow, Mukunda, taking the advice of some other sampradāya, he did not respect the supremacy of devotional service. He thought everything was equal. So, this was well known to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Bhakti or devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the energy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mukunda thought therefore, I am an offender. The eternal propensity of the living entity is to render pure devotional service. When Sanātana Gosvāmī asked Lord Caitanya, what is my nature? Who am I? Then Lord Caitanya said, jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa'. The position of the living entity is to be the eternal servitor of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So, if I abandon devotional service and accept any other proposition, I am committing an offence. So that way Lord Caitanya had said, that sometimes he carries a straw in his teeth in humility, and sometimes he hits Me with a stick. So, we should be very careful if we want to practice devotional service, we have to be very consistent. Sometimes devotee, sometimes Māyāvādī, that will be very offensive.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.195

mane cinte mukunda paRāma bhāgavata
“e deha rākhite mora nā haya yukata

Translation: The exalted Vaiṣṇava Mukunda thought, “There is no need to continue my life.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mukunda Datta being a very exalted devotee, a mahā-bhāgavata, he thought there is no need to continue my life.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.196

aparādhī-śarīra chāḍiba āji āmi
dekhiba kateka kāle—ihā nāhi jāni”

Translation: “Today I will give up this offensive body, for I don't know when I will see Him again.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this body has committed offences. Today I will give up this body. When I will see the Lord again, that I don’t know!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.197

mukunda balena,—“śuna ṭhākura śrīvāsa
`kabhu ki dekhimu muñi' bala prabhu-pāśa?”

Translation: Mukunda said, “Listen, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, ask the Lord when I will be able to see Him.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mukunda said, “listen, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, ask the Lord, when will I be able to see Him again?”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10. 198

kāndaye mukunda hai' ajhora nayane
mukundera duḥkhe kānde bhāgavata-gaṇe

Translation: Mukunda then shed incessant tears, and all the devotees also began to cry on seeing Mukunda's distress.

After hearing the words of Mahāprabhu, Mukunda understood that the Lord was extremely unhappy with him and would not give him darśana. Therefore, Mukunda said to Śrīvāsa, “How long will it be before I'm qualified to go before Mahāprabhu?” After saying this, Mukunda began to cry profusely in distress.

Jayapatākā Swami: Then Mukunda, he started to incessantly cry. Seeing the suffering of Mukunda, all the devotees also cried. So Mukunda, he heard the words of Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he would not gain the audience of the Lord. So, he asked Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, please ask how long will it take before I will be qualified to go before Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. After saying this Mukunda began to cry profusely in distress.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.199

prabhu bale,—“āra yadi koṭi janma haya
tabe mora daraśana pāibe niścaya”

Translation: The Lord said, “After millions of births he will certainly get My darśana.”

In answer, the Lord said, “After millions of births, Mukunda will be fortunate enough to get My darśana.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord said,” after ten million births, certainly he will get My audience again.” So, in reply Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu said that after ten millions of births, he will be fortunate enough to get My audience again!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.200

śunila niścaya-prāpti prabhura śrī-mukhe
mukunda siñcita hailā parānanda-sukhe

Translation: As soon as Mukunda heard from the Lord that he would certainly attain Him, he became immersed in spiritual happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: When he heard that he will certainly achieve the Lord’s audience again, from the Lord’s own mouth, Mukunda, he was immersed in transcendental happiness.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10. 201

“pāiba, pāiba” bali' kare mahā-nṛtya
premete vihvala hailā caitanyera bhṛtya

Translation: He began to enthusiastically dance while exclaiming, “I will attain Him! I will attain Him!” In this way Lord Caitanya's servant became overwhelmed in ecstasy.

On hearing from the Lord that he would attain devotional service and the Lord's darśana after millions of lifetimes, Mukunda became jubilant. Since according to the consideration of the Lord's devotees the Māyāvādīs commit spiritual suicide and are never eligible to attain devotional service to the Lord, Mukunda was most jubilant to know that he was not subject to such a situation. Devotional service, which is the eternal function of the living entities, is vanquished forever when one attains the result of cultivating Brahman realization. It is stated in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:

siddhā brahma-sukhe magnā  
daityāś ca hariṇā hatāḥ

“The Siddhas reside there, absorbed in the bliss of Brahman. Demons killed by the Lord also attain that realm.” And for disrespecting mahā-prasāda:

brahmavan-nirvikāram hi  
yathā viṣṇus tathaiva tat
vikāraṁ ye prakurvanti  
bhakṣaṇe tad dvijātayaḥ

kuṣṭha-vyādhi-samāyuktāḥ
putradāra-vivarjitāḥ
nirayaṁ yānti te viprās
tasmān-nāvartate punaḥ

“O brāhmaṇas, the offerings to Śrī Hari are transcendental, incorruptible, and nondifferent from Viṣṇu. Those with perverted mentality who think them to be material will develop leprosy, will be devoid of children, wife, and family, and will go to the deepest darkest regions of hell from which they will never return.” (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.404, 405) It is also stated:

yo vyakti nyāya rahitam
anyāyena śṛṇoti yaḥtāv
ubhau narakaṁ ghoraṁ
vrajataḥ kālam akṣayam

“One who assumes the dress and position of an ācārya, who speaks against the conclusions of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and other scriptures, and who performs kīrtana opposed to the proper glorification of Śrī Kṛṣṇa certainly goes to hell for countless lifetimes along with his disciples and whoever else hears such nondevotional talks and kīrtanas.” (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 1.101) Since the conclusions of such verses manifested in the waves of Mukunda's thoughts and, as a result, feelings of hopelessness arose in him, Mukunda became extremely happy when delivered from that condition by the assuring words, “After millions of births, he will attain devotional service.” He remembered the unlimited mercy of Śrī Caitanya, became overwhelmed with love of God, and began to dance enthusiastically. One day he would obtain the Lord's darśana—this was the cause of Mukunda's jubilation.

Jayapatākā Swami: “I WILL ATTAIN HIM! I WILL ATTAIN HIM!” said Mukunda and he began to dance enthusiastically, in love of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s servant became filled with ecstasy. Mukunda was so hopeless, he thought he will never see Lord Caitanya again. When he heard that he will certainly see Him after ten million births, he was saying, “I get to see Him!” This is how we should feel. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if we engage in devotional service, we will get Lord Caitanya’s darśana. Ha! Ha! Not necessarily it will take ten million births. We will certainly get. But Mukunda, when he heard that he would see Him after ten million births, he started dancing, “I WILL GET HIM! I WILL GET HIM!” So Mukunda thought he had committed a spiritual suicide, by having heard the Māyāvādīs and impersonalists. So he was so jubilant to know that there was hope, that he would see the mercy of the Lord some time. So devotional service is the eternal nature of the spirit soul. But if we want to merge in the brahma-jyoti, then we lose that propensity. That is mentioned in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:

siddhā brahma-sukhe magnā  
daityāś ca hariṇā hatāḥ

“The Siddhas reside there, absorbed in the bliss of Brahman. Demons killed by the Lord also attain that realm.” And for disrespecting mahā-prasāda:

brahmavan-nirvikāram hi  
yathā viṣṇus tathaiva tat
vikāraṁ ye prakurvanti  
bhakṣaṇe tad dvijātayaḥ

kuṣṭha-vyādhi-samāyuktāḥ
putradāra-vivarjitāḥ
nirayaṁ yānti te viprās
tasmān-nāvartate punaḥ

“O brāhmaṇas, the offerings to Śrī Hari are transcendental, incorruptible, and nondifferent from Viṣṇu. Those with perverted mentality who think them to be material will develop leprosy, will be devoid of children, wife, and family, and will go to the deepest darkest regions of hell from which they will never return.” (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.404, 405) It is also stated.

Basically, if one opts for the merging in the jyoti, the brahma-jyoti, he loses all his devotional credits. And so, the devotees are very anxious to cross over the brahma-jyoti and reach the planets, the abodes of the Lord. So Mukunda was very frustrated. So, he thought he will never achieve the Lord. But then when he heard from the Lord’s mouth, that he will achieve after ten million births, he became jubilant and started to dance in ecstasy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.202

mahānande mukunda nācaye seikhāne
`dekhibena' hena vākya śuniyāśravaṇe

Translation: On hearing the statement, “He will see Me,” Mukunda began to dance there in great happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in great transcendental joy, Mukunda was dancing there. “He will see me! He will see me!” was heard by the Lord, as Mukunda was dancing in great happiness.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.203

bhaktavaśa bhagavānera bhaktasevāvaśe nija saṅkala-parivartana—

mukunde dekhiyā prabhu hāse viśvambhara
ājñā haila,—“mukundere ānaha satvara”

Translation: On seeing Mukunda, Lord Viśvambhara smiled and ordered, “Bring Mukunda at once.”

Jayapatākā Swami: On seeing Mukunda dancing in this way, Lord Viśvambhara smiled and He ordered, “bring Mukunda at once!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.204

sakala vaiṣṇava ḍāke “āisaha mukunda”
nā jāne mukunda kichu pāiyā ānanda

Translation: All the Vaiṣṇavas called, “Come, Mukunda,” but Mukunda was so happy that he did not know what was happening.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Vaiṣṇavas called Mukunda, “come on, come Mukunda!” But, Mukunda was so happy, he did not know what was going on.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.205

prabhu bale,—“mukunda, ghucila aparādha
āisa, āmāre dekha, dharaha prasāda”

Translation: The Lord said, “O Mukunda, you are freed from your offenses. Come see Me and take My mercy.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Gaurāṅga said, “Mukunda, you are free from your offences. Come, see Me! Take My mercy!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.206

prabhura ājñāya sabe ānila dhariyāpaḍila
mukunda mahā-puruṣa dekhiyā

Translation: By the order of the Lord, all the devotees brought Mukunda, who fell to the ground on seeing the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: By the order of Lord Gaurāṅga, all the devotees brought Mukunda, holding him. When Mukunda saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he fell to the ground.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.207

prabhu bale,—“uṭha uṭha mukunda āmāra
tilārdheka aparādha nāhika tomāra

Translation: The Lord said, “Get up! Get up, My dear Mukunda! You do not have even a fraction of offense.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord said, “get up, get up, Mukunda, My dear devotee! You do not have even a fraction of any offense!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.208

saṅga-doṣa tomāra sakala haila kṣaya
tora sthāne āmāra haila parājaya

Translation: “The faults of your bad association are vanquished. I have been defeated by you.

The Supreme Lord is controlled by love. A devotee is able to control the Lord with love in such a way that he is always capable of even changing the Lord's will. Mahāprabhu said, “O Mukunda, My extraordinary power has been defeated by your loving service. Forgetting your position as an eternal servant of the Lord, you forgot your constitutional duties as a result of the bad association you had at that time. Therefore, you were affected by bad association. By the influence of the Lord's eternal devotees' association your temporary taste for the nondevotional path has been converted into eternal taste. Therefore, aversion to the Lord cannot be present in you. I gave you the benediction that you would achieve devotional service to the Lord. But according to the degree of your offense, I ascertained that your reinstatement in devotional service would take millions of births. Due to your intense eagerness for devotional service, you have surpassed the time determined by Me in a moment. My potency has been defeated by your potency.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “The faults of your bad association are vanquished, are destroyed! I have been defeated by you,” said Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. So, the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead He is controlled by His devotees’ love. Since Mukunda Datta had so much love for Lord Caitanya, that in one minute he thought, I will never see Lord Caitanya, and then he heard that he will see him after ten million births, he thought, “I WILL GET HIM! I WILL ATTAIN HIM AGAIN!” So that defeated the Lord. He was conquered by the love of Mukunda. So, Lord Caitanya has extraordinary power but Mukunda’s love has conquered that. You see, by bad association he had forgotten his position as Kṛṣṇa’s servitor, and he became offensive by listening to the Māyāvādīs. Lord Caitanya said that you are affected by bad association. By the good association of the Lord’s pure devotees, the temporary taste of the non-devotional path has been defeated. And then converted into eternal taste. So therefore, aversion to the Lord cannot be present in you. So. by his offence, the Lord thought it may take him some millions of births to get His audience again, but due to his intense eagerness to see Lord Caitanya, that surpassed the unlimited power of the Lord. He was melted by the pure love of Mukunda Datta! Ha! Ha! Ha! So, Lord Gaurāṅga had determined that He could not see Him again for millions of births, but that was defeated when Mukunda, he had such an intense desire to see the Lord, that even after millions of births, he could see the Lord, that was so - He was very jubilant. So, this defeated Lord Caitanya! Ha! Ha! Haribol!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.209

`koṭi janme pāibā' hena balilāma āmi
tilārdheke saba tāhā ghucāile tumi

Translation: “I declared that you would achieve Me after millions of births, but you have become freed from them within a moment.

Jayapatākā Swami: I had determined, I declared that you would not achieve Me up to ten million births, but you have become freed from that offense within a moment.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.210

avyartha āmāra vākya—tumi se jānilātumi
āmā sarva-kāla hṛdaye bāndhilā

Translation: “You were confident that My words are infallible. Thus, you have captured Me in your heart forever.

“Since the degree of your devotional service is so great, you accepted My words on your head and believed that your devotional propensity would again be revived. But at that time, you were convinced that you would attain devotional service after millions of births. Because you have eternally captured Me in your heart and placed firm faith in My words, I can never actually become averse to you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “So, you were confident that My words were infallible. So, your expression of love has captured My heart and you remain in My heart, you have captured Me in your heart forever.” So, Lord Caitanya had said that Mukunda will not see Him for ten million births but Mukunda was so eager to see the Lord that first he thought I will never see the Lord again, I will never see Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu again. But when he heard that he would see Him after ten million births, time was not important, but he would see Him again, that was all that was important. By that, he captured Kṛṣṇa in his heart, he captured Lord Caitanya in his heart. So, Lord Caitanya declared that “I cannot become adverse to you! You have such a faith in Me!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.211

āmāra gāyana tumi, thāka āmā-saṅge
parihāsa-pātra-saṅge āmi kaila raṅge

Translation: “You are My singer, and you always reside with Me. I was joking with you because you were a proper candidate.

“You always sing the glories of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, you always reside with Me. So, when I said that you would see Me after millions of births, you should know that this was simply a joke. You are most dear to Me, so it is My nature to joke with you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “You are My singer, you always stay with Me. I was joking with you. Because I thought this will be good, you set yourself up, for joking with you.” So Mukunda, he would always sing the glories of the Lord, he was a great singer. So, Lord Gaurāṅga said, “when I said you would see Me after millions of births, you should have known I was joking. You are very dear to Me. It is My nature to joke with you.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.212

satya yadi tumi koṭi aparādha kara
se-sakala mithyā, tumi mora priya dṛḍha

Translation: “If you actually committed millions of offenses, they wouldn't be considered offenses because you are so dear to Me.

“Eternal devotees and experienced devotees never commit any offenses. Even if they manifest something similar to an offense, they are never subjected to any punishment for that offense. If a devotee like you commits millions of offenses, those offenses cannot remain in you because of your determination and love.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “If you really committed millions of offences, I would not consider them as offences. Because you are so dear to Me.” So, if Lord Caitanya was teaching that a pure devotee, even if he manifests something like an offence, they are not subject to punishment, because they have so much love, but those offences could not remain in a devotee, who has your determination and love.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.213

bhakti-maya tomāra śarīra—mora dāsa
tomāra jihvāya mora nirantara vāsa”

Translation: “You are My servant, and your body is filled with devotional service. I constantly reside on your tongue.”

The bodily limbs of the Lord's devotees are always inclined towards the service of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Gaurasundara is nondifferent from His holy names. Therefore, He constantly resides on the tongue of Mukunda. In the eternal realization of Kṛṣṇa's servants the propensity for service is always present. Therefore, the Supreme Lord is obliged to constantly reside on the tongue of the devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: “You are My servant, and your body is filled with devotion. I am your tongue. I reside on your tongue constantly as a chant.” So, the Lord is not different from His holy names, and since Mukunda was constantly chanting the Lord’s holy names, He was residing on the tongue of Mukunda. So therefore, the Supreme Lord, He was obliged to constantly reside on the tongue of His devotees.

So, then I think, how is that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so heavy with Mukunda. But He was saying actually, He cannot be heavy with Mukunda because Mukunda is so dear to Him. But He was joking with Mukunda. But since Mukunda took everything the Lord said seriously, he thought he committed a great offence, he would never see the Lord again. And when the Lord said you will see Me after ten births! Ha! Ha! He started chanting and dancing! I will attain Him! I will attain Him! And that defeated Lord Caitanya! Ha! Ha! So, we should understand how the Lord is ajita, He is undefeatable, but He is defeated by pure love.

Thus ends the Chapter -
Mukunda Datta Is Given Permission to See Mahāprabhu

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Hare Kṛṣṇa! Any questions?

Keep your social distancing, one meter apart!

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO, I was reading your biography on your Facebook today. I have to translate it into Chinese. Please kindly clear my doubts.

Question 1: It is said that when he first arrived in Mayapur, understanding that he was in the holy land, he offered his obeisances and then dipped his head into the cool Ganges mud to get the blessings. Please kindly confirm that you dipped your head into the cool Ganges mud instead of the Ganges water?

Jayapatākā Swami: When I came to Māyāpur the first time, I came from Svarūpagañj by the ferry from…. to Hulurghāṭa. At that time there was no, where the ferry is today it was not there. I crossed over I bowed my head down in the mud. It was not actually the Ganges, Jalaṅgī, Ganges! I saw the mud and I saw the ground, I just thought this is the holy land of Lord Caitanya, and I immediately offered my obeisances!

Question 2: March 1974 the first Gaura Pūrṇimā festival was held, and so it was 1974 and not 1972? Your spiritual daughter, Jalaṅgī devī dāsī, Māyāpur.

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually, let us say the first internationally well attended festival was 1974. But actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda came there and stayed in the grass hut in 1972. He called all his god brothers and disciples of his god brothers. And he laid the foundation stone, the Anantaśeṣa for the whole project. So actually, I always consider that 1972 was the first Gaura Pūrṇimā festival. Maybe it was not a big international affair, very few devotees came, but it was observed as Gaura Pūrṇimā. I don’t know how they said 1974.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO, how can one be free from sinful activities developing devotional life? Your sheltered disciple, Jisnu Sen.

Jayapatākā Swami: By staying in good association, one can get freed from sinful activities. When we stay with bad association, then they break regulative principles and their bad association can take us down. So by good association, we can increase our devotional service. Also by living in the holy dhāma. There are five things which are very beneficial for our giving up sinful activities and starting to perform devotional service. These are mentioned in the Nectar of Devotion.

Question: Dear Gurudeva, PAMRO. We see in Mahāprabhu’s līlā that the Lord is sometimes very heavy with Choṭa Haridāsa, and very mercifully accepted Mukunda. Gurudeva, is there any difference between the attitude of both of them? Your spiritual son, Nitaicandra Nimāi dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: You see Lord Caitanya appreciated people being very straightforward and simple. So somehow Choṭa Haridāsa, he went to a Vaiṣṇavī and in his mind were some bad thoughts. So Lord Caitanya made an example in him because He didn’t want people to be acting like a vairāgī, like a person in the renounced order, and then approaching women in some wrong way. But to be honest, He accepted many gṛhasthas. If you are a vairāgī, you should not singly meet with women or. So that was the difference. But Mukunda was very honest. He took Lord Caitanya’s words as infallible. And Lord Caitanya said you cannot see Me again. He cannot come in. So he asked the Lord when can I see You? How many births will it take? Then he heard that He could see the Lord after ten million births. He became very jubilant! So his only offence that he had been contaminated with bad association, by going to some other sampradāyas’ class. Lord Caitanya did not want him to do that. So that is the difference. And actually, Choṭa Haridas, although the Lord made him an example there, it is said he attained eternal shelter of Lord Caitanya.

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO, AGTSP! (Guru Mahārāja said: Jaya!) If we do not have tulasī plant at home in the UK, and we do tulasī-pūjā to a picture of tulasī devī, is the spiritual benefit the same, as when we do pūjā to the actual tulasī plant? Taruṇī Rādhikā devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Why not? I saw that in Poland and Sweden where it is even colder than in the UK, people kept ultraviolet lights and kept tulasī devī. It is possible to have tulasī in the UK, even though it is very cold, you have to have a special room. But anyway, if you cannot have tulasī, if you have a picture of tulasī, and you meditate on tulasī, then the Lord should accept.

Question based on yesterday’s class: What does it mean in us who live in the West, association with impersonalists? Your servant, Yamunā Līlāvatī devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there are karmis, jñānīs, yogis, ascetics and there are bhakti-yogis. So associating with jñānīs and māyāvādīs, yogis, this is a break in our devotional service. We don’t want to go to associate with them. We may go to give them association. Like Śrīla Prabhupāda went to the Kumbha-melā, it was not particularly interested to take the association of all these mayawadis. In fact, one of the impersonalists was riding on an elephant in a big procession and babas were dancing in front of him, and he was said to be a lac and eight, some Jagatguru. So Śrīla Prabhupāda said we would take Rādhā Kṛṣṇa on the elephant and walk-in front! We wouldn’t ride on the elephant! So, what Śrīla Prabhupāda meant that in Kumbha-melā, there were many māyāvādīs there. But he didn’t go and listen to māyāvādīs speaking. He went there, he appreciated they are also transcendtalists, but he went there to give association. Because of his association many people got a chance to take devotional service. Māyāvādīs they want to merge in the brahma-jyoti, they want to become one with God but the devotees want to render service to the Lord.

Question in Bengali: Hare Kṛṣṇa Gurudeva: If we don’t take initiation, and we offer bhoga to the Lord, does He accept? Vṛṣabhānu dularī Rādhe devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Vṛṣabhānu dularī Rādhe, If one avoids taking initiation out of false ego then maybe there is a problem. But if one is in the process, but they are not quite there yet, if they have permission of the guru or if they are authorized, they can take the bhoga. I was thinking how this pandemic of the corona virus, many people, they may not know the mantras and the process of offering food. But if they put the food, bhoga, which is pure vegetarian, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa over that, in one sense that becomes blessed. So, installed deity we would like to have initiated devotees. Otherwise, the offering of the bhoga to Kṛṣṇa – there are some ways of doing that.

Last question.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja. PAMRO. How is it that Mukunda Datta who was such a great devotee, committed offence by being in māyāvādī association? And how does one become dear to Lord Caitanya, following in the footsteps of Mukunda Datta? Your humble servant, Nandapriyā Niveditā devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mukunda Datta sometimes associated with the māyāvādīs, based on some bad advice of some so-called gurus. Sometimes someone as śikṣā-guru or something but they are not actually sanctioned by the dīkṣā-guru. And in this case some guru gave advice to Mukunda that he could go to any class, it is alright. Just like in India, some people say, yata mat tato path, any path is the same. So on one hand, Lord Caitanya wanted to use Mukunda as an example, that he should be more careful, not to listen to Māyāvādīs. But the other thing was that Mukunda was always chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, he was rendering devotional service, and so that is how he became dear to Lord Caitanya. And his love, when he thought that Lord Caitanya said, you will not see Me again, he was ready to commit suicide. Then he asked Śrīvas, when can I see the Lord again? And the Lord said, koṭi janma pare, Mukunda thought He was serious. That after ten million births! He started dancing and rejoicing I will see the Lord again, after ten million births again! So his love for Lord Caitanya, if you were told you could not see Lord Caitanya again for ten million births? How would you feel? Oh! I will go back in māyā! But he was so anxious that when he heard I will see you again, you cannot compare. Mukunda Datta’s love was so great. So that is why Lord Caitanya said I was defeated by your love.

So thank you all very much! Remember, fight the invisible enemy with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra – Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare! Haribol!

Are you satisfied Jalaṅgī? (Guru Mahārāja asked Jalaṅgī devī dāsī, the Chinese translator.)