20220224 Question and Answer Session

Phaneśvarī Lakṣmī devī dāsī, USA: Sometimes devotees preach very harshly and condemn others particularly Indians who don’t completely understand the position of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They approach me and ask how come they speak so cuttingly and harshly. This turns them away. How do we respond without condemning and blaspheming the devotee who spoke harshly, and at the same time encourage the person to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not feel hurt by such harsh words and turn away from Kṛṣṇa because of this interaction?

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, if we follow the advice of Śrīla Prabhupāda in these verses, he said that just like Lord Caitanya spoke very sweetly, we should also speak very sweetly. Maybe you could talk to the devotee who spoke harshly and show him the purport. And the person who is being preached who turned away. How you can pacify the person would depend on each person. I am sure you can do that.

Shreya (Aspiring disciple): How to increase dependency on Kṛṣṇa more?

Jayapatākā Swami: This is something that you have to learn. Just like a little child depends on the parents, similarly we have to depend on Kṛṣṇa. A person who was spoken to harshly could be told that he was addressing the philosophy, and not you. And if you are talking to anyone then you have to consciously think how Kṛṣṇa can help you. And sometimes we pray to Kṛṣṇa who is situated in the heart as the Supersoul, to have mercy on that person.

Amit Biswas, Bhopal: As I go for book distribution I feel afraid to approach new people to take Bhagavad-gītā. How to overcome this fear Guru Mahārāja? And please suggest me what should be my mood while approaching and how to start this conversation?

Jayapatākā Swami: Last night the GBC heard a presentation on book distribution, and it is natural to feel some fear. That is how we can take shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And there are different techniques for distributing books and you can learn from those who are experienced and expert. But in principle you want people to hold the Bhagavad-gītā, take the Bhagavad-gītā and thus develop some attachment to the Bhagavad-gītā. So people are looking for some answers, and the answers are available in the Bhagavad-gītā. So we want people to have their questions answered.

Gīteśvarī Viṣṇupriyā devī dāsī: Kindly experience the acintya-bedhābedha-tattva with easy to understand example.

Jayapatākā Swami: Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, I don’t know offhand what the easiest way of explaining this. Acintya is inconceivable. And this tattva is not fully understandable. Bhedābheda, that it is simultaneously not different and is different. The idea is that the energies of Kṛṣṇa are not different from Kṛṣṇa. We have the same quality but different quantity. So Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva is the truth.

Abhay Caraṇa Nimāi dāsa, Māyāpur: There is a quote in Bengali which means, if you take food from a materialist then your mind may get polluted which could affect your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Does this apply to gifts as well?

Jayapatākā Swami: Particularly, viśayanna is materialistic food. Since we take the food it may affect our consciousness. The gifts, I don’t know what gifts, but I guess will not necessarily have the same effect as food. That is why in principle, we like to take food from Vaiṣṇavas. Not from non-devotees.

Alright!