20251207 Bhagavad-gītā 5.13 | Sunday Evening

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

Jayapatākā Swami:

Bhagavad-gītā 5.13

sarva-karmāṇi manasā
sannyasyāste sukhaṁ vaśī
nava-dvāre pure dehī
naiva kurvan na kārayan

Translation: When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

Purport: The embodied soul lives in the city of nine gates. The activities of the body, or the figurative city of body, are conducted automatically by its particular modes of nature. The soul, although subjecting himself to the conditions of the body, can be beyond those conditions, if he so desires. Owing only to forgetfulness of his superior nature, he identifies with the material body, and therefore suffers. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can revive his real position and thus come out of his embodiment. Therefore, when one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one at once becomes completely aloof from bodily activities. In such a controlled life, in which his deliberations are changed, he lives happily within the city of nine gates. The nine gates are mentioned as follows:

nava-dvāre pure dehī
haṁso lelāyate bahiḥ
vaśī sarvasya lokasya
sthāvarasya carasya ca

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the body of a living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the universe. The body consists of nine gates [two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, the anus and the genitals]. The living entity in his conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord, even while in the body.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.18)

Therefore, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is free from both the outer and inner activities of the material body.

* * *

Jayapatākā Swami: Now this Bhagavad-gītā śloka gives us a very good idea. You see, if we follow material desires then we get entangled in the cycle of life and birth. But if we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, we love and serve Kṛṣṇa, then we do not get entangled in the karma cycle. This parikramā path around in this temple there are various pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. On the left is Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and right is Lord Rāma’s. So it is very easy to appreciate the pastimes of the Lord. It is very easy to think of His pastimes and do service then our goal of kṛṣṇa-bhakti will be achieved.

Most people are entangled in material things, desires and get entangled in karma-bandhana. But devotees who do service to Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa then they are never entangled in this karma cycle. Normally, attachment to the Lord was very difficult, but there were many sages who came to Lord Rāma and asked Him to accept them as His servants. But Lord Rāma had taken a vrata of eka-patnī, He told the ṛṣis that He would come as Lord Kṛṣṇa avatāra and then He would take unlimited dāsīs. This means that Lord Kṛṣṇa is original Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the others are His expansions. There are many types of yogīs in this material world.

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali ‘aśānta’
[Cc. Madhya 19.149]

Those who want material happiness, they can go to Svargaloka and stay there only till their good karma last. Then they fall down in the material world. They become to Bhūloka or Bhuvarloka. Then they go up either up or down. So there is no peace for them. Those who want liberation by merging in the impersonal brahma-jyoti, they don’t also have peace. But we are all active. We know the impersonal truth, that this brahma-jyoti there is not much happening. There is some happiness and some material suffering, but they are not active there because don’t know about Lord Kṛṣṇa. So they come back to the material world. So the people who do aṣṭāṅga-yoga, haṭha-yoga, they want to achieve some super powers or mystic powers. These are material strengths. All the scientists are trying to duplicate those things.

Anyway, most people who are siddhi-kāmīs they also do not have peace. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’ – we are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa so we are all peaceful. We want all of you to be kṛṣṇa-bhaktas. How many of you want to be devotees of the Lord? To get the mercy of Lord Nitāi is very easy. Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda!

Lord Caitanya came down to give all of us the mercy. And He predicted that His movement will spread in every town and village of the world! Like chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra cleanses your heart. And you become very happy! And Lord Caitanya, He taught us to have separation from Kṛṣṇa which gives us transcendental pleasure.

Sometimes Lord Caitanya used to be in very ecstatic situations. When He first saw Lord Jagannātha in Purī, He fainted, and the security wanted to throw Him out of the temple thinking Him to be mad. But Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya stopped the security and said he would take Him. So he had Him lifted and taken to his house. He saw that Lord Caitanya, looked like He was not breathing. Then he took a piece of cotton and brought it near His nose, but he saw that the cotton was slightly moving. He understood that Lord Caitanya was in some kind of deep samādhi. And then the devotees, Lord Nityānanda and the others were called for. They offered to bring Lord Caitanya back to consciousness. They devotees surrounded Him and started to do kīrtana:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

So, after sometime, Lord Caitanya, He returned to external consciousness. So, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was teaching even sannyāsīs, many people, Śaṅkarācārya’s Śārīraka-bhāṣya. So, he told Lord Caitanya, “You are very young and I will teach You the Vedānta-sūtra. Lord Caitanya said, “Alright!” And then He started hearing from Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. So He attended the classes but did not say anything. Many days went like this. Did not say anything. So Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya asked Him, “You are not saying anything. You don’t understand what I am teaching?” Lord Caitanya said, “I understand the śloka as is written, but I don’t understand what you are saying.” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya asked, “You know what is spoken?” Lord Caitanya said that, “Vyāsadeva’s description was very nice. But the commentaries by Śaṅkarācārya did not convey the real meaning.” Somehow, He was giving the commentary on the “ātmārāma” śloka. He asked Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya to give his interpretation first. So, he gave nine explanations. Then Lord Caitanya explained the “ātmārāma” verse like I forget, 61-times or so, but he did not touch the nine of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya! So Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s brother-in-law, Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka told him that, “Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa!” but Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya did not believe him. But when Lord Caitanya started explaining the ātmārāma verses in so many different ways, then he understand that He was not an ordinary person. Then Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya asked Lord Caitanya, “Who are You? You are not an ordinary person.” Then Lord Caitanya showed him His ṣad-bhuja form. Ṣaḍ-bhuja like in this temple. Lord Caitanya has two arms, two arms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, holding the flute and two arms of Lord Rāma, holding the arrow and bow. He said that He was actually Lord Kṛṣṇa! Gaurāṅga!

So Lord Caitanya stayed in Jagannātha Purī for eighteen years. And one day Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya called Him home. Lord Caitanya said, “I am a sannyāsī and I should not be coming to your home.” But Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya made a very big feast for Him! So many preparations! Some of them were Lord Jagannātha prasāda and others prepared by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. There was special room, and Lord Caitanya was taken there and there was a door leading to the kitchen. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had a daughter who married a person called Amogha. His nature was critical. Lord Caitanya when He sat down to honor prasāda, then he snuck into the door and saw Lord Caitanya eating and criticized Him saying He was a sannyāsī and that ten people could eat the prasāda He was going to honor! So, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he saw him and was angry, he wanted to chase him with a stick. But Amogha ran away being a youth. But Lord Caitanya said that, “What is the fault? Amogha is saying the truth!” Anyway, Lord Caitanya had the prasāda and went home.

He asked about Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and his family. It was reported that how Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and his wife were very unhappy and fasting how their son-in-law offended Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya asked about Amogha, and they told Him that, “He had cholera, and he was going to die.” Lord Caitanya said, “No!” And he immediately left for Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s home. He placed His lotus hands on Amogha’s chest. Lord Caitanya told Amogha that a brāhmaṇa should be sattvika and how he got these defects. He asked him to get up and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa! When He did this, Amogha got up and started chanting:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

Amogha was chanting in ecstasy and dancing and crying. Haribol! Then Lord Caitanya went into the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Why did You save our son-in-law, he was an offender!” Lord Caitanya said that, “You are dear to Me! And anyone, even the dog in your house is dear to Me! What to speak of your son-in-law, now he is a Vaiṣṇava and his heart is purified.” So these were the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu! And he insisted that Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had to take prasāda, no more fasting!

The devotees of Kṛṣṇa are very special. And previously Kṛṣṇa had brought the storehouse of kṛṣṇa-prema. But He only gave it to them very carefully to those who surrendered completely to Him. But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu unlocked the kṛṣṇa-prema storehouse and looted it! Looted it! Wants to give it to all of you! Who wants kṛṣṇa-prema? So this was Lord Caitanya’s special mercy!

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me many instructions and one of those instructions was to expand the preaching unlimitedly! But I am invalid on a wheelchair, and not able to do it, I need help, HELP, HELP! I need help to distribute books, to give the message of Lord Kṛṣṇa to everyone. Who is ready to help me? I mean, His Holiness Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, how many temples did he make? 17! In Mumbai, how many – six. He started with three and now six. Anyway, like that, we are doing but His Holiness Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami Mahārāja’s preaching was amazing!

I was sent to India in 1970. I eventually became part of the East Indian and South Indian zones. His Holiness Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami Mahārāja was in charge of North and West India. He was my dear friend! And he was a sannyāsī from Kīrtanānanda Swami, who is not in ISKCON now, then he took sannyāsa from me later. He came every year to Māyāpur to observe the Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī. Until New Delhi established the Nṛsiṁha Deity. So he wanted to make the temple a glorious temple. We want to see every devotee glorious here!

Any questions?

Question: How can I reciprocate with you Guru Mahārāja? It is my desire to serve you! Please bless me.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, I told you that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me many instructions. You can help me fulfil these instructions. Like, how Śrīla Prabhupāda had told me to develop the Gaura-maṇḍala-bhūmī. And he made the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust and made me the Lifetime Chairman. Now, Chennai temple is financing the renovation of the birthplace of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. So, what places does Kharghar temple want to help with the development of Lord Caitanya or His associates pīṭhas?

I just want to tell you that Śrīla Prabhupāda asked me to preach unlimitedly. How His Holiness Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami will be very happy and so will Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and our guru-paramparā! Thank you! Last question.

Question: I am in the material world and not able to practice spiritual practice, I am confused. Please bless me.

Jayapatākā Swami: I could have spoken in Bengali, but many people may not understand it here. How many devotees here are gṛhasthas? Looks like there are many like you. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted his devotees to be paramahaṁsas, in his lecture. So just do everything for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa then definitely you can become paramahaṁsas. Sometimes, like I was present when one gṛhastha devotee was called by Śrīla Prabhupāda. He was accused of visiting a prostitute. So Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Why did you do that? You are a gṛhastha, you can have sex with your wife. That is not sinful. But if you go to a prostitute that is sinful.” “And that is only for procreation. I could not have sex more, so I went to a prostitute.” Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “That is sinful. But with your wife it is not sinful.”

The fifth canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that the relation between husband and wife is celibacy. But somehow or another, we have to serve Kṛṣṇa. The best is that we have relations for having Kṛṣṇa conscious children, but if we do for some other reason with the wife that is not sinful.

I saw a drama in Chennai where there were Yamadūtas who were complaining to Yamarāja that, “These Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees are having a temple at home, the wife offers ārati, offer bhoga and eat prasāda, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa! We cannot do anything!” The Yamadūtas were like, “Our job is at stake!” Do you want to be customers of all the Yamadūtas or be away from them? Lord Caitanya said, gṛhe thāko vane thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko. So like that, in the saṁsāra, in material world, you have to make Kṛṣṇa the focus. And we want to please Kṛṣṇa! And so by having this spiritual environment in your house, the Yamadūtas cannot enter. And you will go back to Kṛṣṇa! Haribol!

Alright, thank you very much!