Q&A session

Opening prayers and introduction

0:00Vishnu Pada Krishna Prashtaya Vutale Srimate Bhaktividanta Swami Dinami Namaste Saraswati Devi Goravani Prachari Nirvi Sasipaschatyadesarine Mancha Kalpataruviascha Kripa Sinduby Vacha Patitanampavaneby Vaishnava mo Namaha Jai Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhunitananda Sri Advaita Gadatara Sivasadigura Bhaktavrinda Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishnaare Hare Hare Ramahare Rama Rama Ramahare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Rama Yantah pravishya mamavachamprasupam sandjivaya takila shapti dharaswadamshahastacharana sravanatva Gadim, Prananda Bhagavate, Puruchayatudim Swasyastu Vishwasia Kalah pra Setam, Drian Du Bhutani, Sivamit Vudya, Manachababhadram Bhajata Dokshaja Adesha damnate atya hai to ki. Yes, thank you very much for being present for this second talk.

1:53Regarding success, Krishna teaches us in Bhagavad-gītā that we should become the same in success and failure. It's a very difficult instruction because Because naturally we want success and everything good.

2:18But ultimately it doesn't belong to us, it's not up to us what is happening in our life.

2:28And uh only if we become uh equipoised, not too much concerned with the external circumstances, we will be able to find the peace within ourself. And this is what we are looking for. We are looking for peace.

3:00We are looking for peace. And as Krishna says, Ashantasya Gudaksu come, there is no question of happiness without peace. So whatever it is, I'm here and

3:19uh uh yes, if I can be of some help uh I'll be very happy to uh yeah to serve you and to inspire you.

Awakening each other through spiritual association

3:36Ultimately that's the main purpose of our association. Again Krishna says in Bhagavad-gītā that when devotees come, Bodyanas paramaspar kathayantas chamam nityam tushyanticharamanti cham.

3:59When they start awakening each other, Bodhayantas parasparam basically means saying to each other, get up, enough of this sleeping. Just become awakened to the eternal nature of the reality.

4:24Kathayantas ca mam nityam, they start talking about Krishna, Nityam, all the time from different angles of vision, tu santusyati tuṣyati. In this way they initially feel satisfaction. That's the first stage of spiritual experience.

4:51And the second stage, desirable stage of spiritual experience, ramayanti ca, they become extremely positively happy, not just satisfied. So, anyway, whatever it is, I'm here.

5:11And uh yeah let's start with your questions about this uh difficult subject matter which you are discussing.

5:26Yes thank you so much for your kind association and my question is a question I wrote down few months ago and I said yeah I need to ask this question to Bhaktividyana Maharaj and uh I just read it now and uh it's about the story of um Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī who left his brother because he offended Minaketana Rāmadāsa, a devotee of Lord Nityānanda, and the Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī makes a statement saying that it's better to reject both Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda than to accept Lord Caitanya and reject Lord Nityananda. And I would like to know your perspective on this I

6:17will you listen your uh answer from the kitchen I have to go so uh I I will not be present at the time at the time o. Thank you, Abhirāma Ṭhākura Prabhu. Well, it's uh indeed very enigmatic statement.

6:36It's better to reject both than to reject Lord Nityananda [and] accept Lord Chaitanya. So, in the light of the topic which we are discussing,

6:49Lord Nityānanda is the original spiritual master, ākiñcana guru Tattva, he is the uh root cause of our spiritual life. He is the original cause of this mood of service.

7:21The whole point of spiritual life is to change bhoga-vṛtti, the predominant mood of enjoyment which is very prominent in this material world and which is basically you know 100% of population of this material world subscribe to and to switch to sevā-vṛtti, to the mood of service.

7:56So Lord Chaitanya is teaching, Lord Nityananda is teaching this and by uh adopting this teaching, by uh assimilating these teachings of uh Lord Nityananda we will be able to understand Lord Chaitanya.

8:15So I believe that the meaning of this statement is that if we reject Lord Nityānanda and still accept Lord Chaitanya, we will remain offensive in this relationship with Lord Chaitanya. And offenses against the Lord is a very dangerous position.

8:48It may bring complete ruination. So only the proper mood of service in the relationship can make relationship work and can make relationship really successful.

9:06So I believe that the meaning of this statement is that it's better not to have anything to do with the spiritual life than to become offensive in the spiritual life,

9:24which is almost inevitable if we reject Lord Nityānanda. So I think that's the implication behind this indeed very paradoxical statement of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami.

9:54Um I uh dear devotees, I just one uh housekeeping item. Please when you come into the Zoom, uh make sure that you mute your microphones yourself. Otherwise it's it's it's yeah, it's background noises and it's uh annoying. Thank you.

Free will and destiny in choosing a guru

10:08Uh Shabrash Prabhu. Um Um uh very um uh academic question uh Maharaj.

10:24Um in terms of uh when it comes to the um spiritual master, the choice of spiritual master, there are lots of instructions given within the Iskone community. Now in my I'm convinced in terms of a spiritual master.

10:41But in terms of there are discussions around uh four things in play. There is free will, the endeavour. This is from the spiritual seeker perspective.

10:52There is free will, uh there is endeavour, uh but there is also destiny and God, the Lord Himself in play in this. Okay.

11:01Our eternal position is that of Tasa and uh we go and serve with our God brothers and sisters under the instruction of Master Kandas. But then why is this stress on we need to choose a spiritual master?

11:15Because it's destiny, it's it's it's our eternal position of servant and it's almost by destiny, by God's will. It is we'll be taken to that.

11:25So in that case, how do we balance the statement that there is endeavor that is required and there's a sense of free will to choose somebody, whereas it's already destined?

11:38Well uh when it comes to this question about the free will and destiny usually people they overemphasize either predestination or complete absence of free will, or vice versa, they overemphasize the uh the level of our free will.

12:09So the there should be proper balance. Both play a very important role. But if it was all predestined then there would not be a point of uh giving any instructions.

12:31This is actually the argument which is given by our Acharyas in favor of free will. What would be the use of all the instructions in Shastra in teachings if everything is anyway predestined.

12:49But the instructions are given, and the instructions are given for a specific reason, the instructions when we read these instructions and try to understand this instruction, they develop our intelligence, and the more our intelligence developed, and by the way, sincerity is a function of intelligence.

13:17Because what is sincerity? Sincerity is the ability to introspect, to analyze our motives and everything else. And that's only possible when our intelligence is developed.

13:31And our intelligence or ability to self-analysis is not developed, is underdeveloped, then definitely the our destiny plays much more important role in our life.

13:52So all these instructions are given to help us to develop intelligence, and the more our intelligence is developed.

14:02In other words, the more conscious we are, the more yeah, the more conscious we are in our actions, uh the lesser role of uh destiny uh the lesser uh role of destiny plays uh in our life.

14:30So basically in the uh The instructions are there to help us develop intelligence. And when the intelligence is developed, then the free will takes precedence over the predestination or whatever else is there.

14:59So we should not neglect this instruction and we should not become lazy. This is actually the statement of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami.

15:10We should never become lazy in our intelligence and in discussing Siddhanta and the qualification of spiritual master, and this very important choice which we are making by accepting spiritual master is a part of Siddhanta.

15:33So we should not be lazy in discussing siddhanta because it strengthens our intelligence, su-dṛḍha-manas, our mind will become very strong and we will be able to remember about Krishna. So I hope I answered your question.

15:59It's actually that you know when people too much emphasize the uh destiny, uh it's a sign of kind of lazy intelligence. It's anyway, it's anyway all predestined, so what do I have what role do I have to play?

16:24So and uh Shastra inspires us not to become lazy. Okay. Uh thank you Guru Maharaj. So uh anyone would like to ask a question now here? Because if not then we turn to the online audience. Okay. Uh so you want?

Humility of Lord Chaitanya before his guru

16:56So uh okay Yamuna Keli, uh you were the first one with the hand raised, so maybe you should uh ask the question now.

17:05Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaj, I have a question from Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Uh There is an episode with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and his disciples when Caitanya said that his master, his guru Maharaj said to him that he is a fool, and so on. But when we read Caitanya Bhāgavata, we see that Īśvara Purī was highly polite with Lord Caitanya in Gayā. So we have not such an episode to write it in any scriptures. Is it a real episode of imagination for propagate for preaching?

17:49No, no, it's not.

17:50it's not for preaching, it's the perception of Lord Caitanya because the disciple is supposed to feel like a fool in front of Spiritual Master no matter what the Spiritual Master says. If Spiritual Master praises you, you still should feel like a fool.

18:14So, Īśvara Purī might have been very uh polite and delicate with Lord Chaitanya, but Lord Chaitanya still felt I am a fool in front of my spiritual master, and therefore when, he recalls this episode in his conversation with Prakashananda Saraswati, he speaks these words.

18:39So that's how he felt, and that's how we are supposed to feel. No matter, you know, our spiritual master can be very kind and very polite and very encouraging.

18:53Still, the internal feeling of a disciple should be it's just because you know I'm such a fool that I can only accept this kind of treatment from a spiritual master. So that's that's the idea behind it.

19:14And therefore, still, you know, when we're remembering our interaction, I actually I remember one interaction with my spiritual master when he was very polite.

19:27But my internal feeling of his politeness was he's saying I'm a fool. And it was it was a fact. So I'm such a fool that I didn't even deserve to be called a fool by spiritual master, thank you.

Balancing detachment and disgust for material enjoyment

19:59Uh, so Balaram Prabhupada, you are next. Hare Krishna to everyone, Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj, please accept my humble obeisances.

20:12I have a question since I think the last meeting, but first of all, I just want to say something else, and I hope it's proper here in the presence of everyone, but I would just make myself a fool, I guess.

20:26Um, next Friday is our vivaha, Guru Maharaj, for Rita and myself.

20:32So we kindly ask you to bestow all your blessings upon us, that it becomes an auspicious day and that our entering our gṛhastha-āśrama will be dedicated to your pleasure. So please keep us in your prayers. Okay.

20:47Prayers are there. Because family life definitely requires a lot of prayers. Without prayers it's a very hopeless endeavor, but with prayers it can become successful. Thank you.

21:21Okay, I don't know if that helped me to become less nervous or not, but something, um...

21:30Guru Maharaj, there is a verse, um, there are two verses which may, at first thought, appear contradictory, and they are both from the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

21:45The first one, I think you taught us in Daśa-mūla-tattva, is yadṛcchayā mat-kathā-vāt-jāta-śrīr mat-parāṅmukhaḥ, and the significant part for me is na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto: is that one should neither be disgusted by this material world nor too attached.

22:07But then there is another verse you're quoting also from the Eleventh Canto spoken by Krishna. I think you're quoting it in Healing Prayers.

22:16Um, I can't even paraphrase it properly, but I think it also starts with yadṛcchayā. And it is said that one should be disgusted by the sense enjoyment or sense gratification in the material world.

22:32So, like, there are those two things, that one should be disgusted by sense enjoyment, but not by the material world. But our understanding is the material world is actually there for sense enjoyment.

22:49So how are we supposed to not be disgusted by it, especially by seeing all those, sorry to say, disgusting things happening in the world?

23:00Na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto: one should not be too much disgusted with the material world in the sense that when we are only disgusted with the material world, we only see the negative side of the material world, when we only see the sufferings and the problems in the material world, then it's very difficult to interact with Krishna within the material world.

23:37And we are in the material world. Bhakti means that we are already interacting with Krishna now. Bhakti is not something which is supposed to happen when we die.

23:55Bhakti should take place now in our day-to-day interaction with other people, with this world.

24:06And if we are only stressing the negative part of this world, it will be very difficult to see how Krishna manifests himself in this material world.

24:19But we should be disgusted with material enjoyment and with our tendency again and again and again to enjoy despite the fact

24:30that we know that it's duḥkhātmakam, that it is a source of misery, duḥkhātmakam. In this verse it is said uh actually this verse is is Krishna's own purport to the first verse where he says that the

24:54devotee who has śraddhā, who has faith in kṛṣṇa-kathā, he knows that the material enjoyment is a futile endeavor, but despite of knowing this, he again and again and again makes the same mistake.

25:13He again and again thinks that he will become happy by this. These totally futile endeavors to become happy.

25:27So he is not too much disgusted with the material world, he is disgusted with his own foolishness, with his own nature of being prone to accept at the face value the pleasures and happiness of the material world.

25:51So that's the difference. To be too much disgusted with the material world basically means to want liberation.

26:02Because when we are too much disgusted with the material world, we are ultimately disgusted with Krishna as well. Because it's his world.

26:13So there is no question of loving interaction with Krishna in this completely disgusting and terrible world which is full of only sufferings.

26:27But we should be disgusted with our constant and foolish endeavors, or without total, when we're enamored by this material world. So that's that's the difference. I hope I explained it to you. Okay, thank you.

26:58Dāmodara Priya Mātājī, you're next. And then we will ask somebody from the audience here, to be fair. Okay. Yeah, sure. Yes, you're very audible. Thank you. Um thank you very much for this opportunity.

27:27Uh yesterday we have a tiny yesapuja of yours and the devotees who go there they are also very grateful to you for your classes and for

27:38your assistance devotees and also I want to congratulate you with your upcoming birthday and uh wish you happy disciples, eager to satisfy you in all respects by their service.

27:54And uh my question is my uh you want to say something?

Maintaining proper distance in guru-disciple relationships

28:00No, no, no, please, please. Uh my question is uh about um this uh aspect of relationship with spiritual master as viśrambha.

28:10I'm now reading Govinda Dasi's book about Śrīla Prabhupāda, and uh I can see that the disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda, especially those first time with Śrīla Prabhupāda, it seems uh that they were quite sentimental, that he was for them like a father, a grandfather, like a a really loving person who they simply loved very much.

28:36At the same time, I heard that a spiritual master is the is a person whom you are sure about that this person can bring you back to Krishna.

28:47And when I hear and read their remembrances, it doesn't seem like they were sure that this person will bring it to Krishna. They just fell in love with him.

29:00So So is it Vishramba also and uh what is the place of those sentimental feelings in relationship with spiritual master and and also with in our relationship with the spiritual master and with Śrīla Prabhupāda.

29:19See the the word viśrambha uh Means basically means proper distance. Sometimes viśrambha is translated as reverence and sometimes viśrambha is translated as intimate closeness in relationship.

29:54So for us who have very black and white mentality, these two translations of the same words seem to be contradictory.

30:08Because we think if the intimacy is there, that there is no veneration and proper respect. Or vice versa. But ultimately the word viśrambha means the appropriate distance in the relationship.

30:30When we know what is the distance between us and the person with whom we associating with. And that's the secret of success in relationship.

30:44We should not become too close because being too close would ultimately translate into familiarity and familiarity, as we know, breeds contempt.

31:00And we should not be too distant. And actually, Chanakya Pandit gives a very beautiful comparison in this regard. He says that spiritual master is like a fire.

31:16If you're too close to fire, it will burn you. And if you are too far from fire, it will not give you any benefit.

31:25So you have to be uh to choose the proper distance between you and fire, not to be burned and not to be, you know, not to be deprived of the benefits of the fire.

31:43So when it comes to all this descriptions of Govinda Dasi, very, very intimate disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, she had her relationship with Śrīla Prabhupāda, and we should not imitate this kind of relationship.

32:04We should admire that somebody was so close and was so intimate with Śrīla Prabhupāda, but you know that's her particular position and that's fine.

32:24It doesn't mean that we should try to imitate her relationship or strive to have the similar relationship. Relationship is a very individual thing and there is no standard formula for relationship.

32:42It's not like cooking recipe, you know, you take 120 grams of this and 50 grams of this and mix it. It's a different formula for everyone and therefore

33:01we should again admire the relationship of, uh, these disciples, but you know also know that there were many other disciples who were not that close with Śrīla Prabhupāda and still received a lot of benefit, uh, by being in his association and by you know, expressing the sincere reverence towards

Internal resistance on the razor-edge path

33:27him. So from here, We will take one question from here. can you please identify? Yesterday you mentioned that the path is like a razor's edge?

33:56edge? In what context we say that the path is a razor's edge? Like when there is any mistake, it cuts and there is a severe reaction.

34:07And why is the path... Thank you very much for this question. Did you hear the question? no, you have to repeat the question. For zoomers.

34:30The question was, yesterday I quoted from Kaṭha Upaniṣad where it is said that the past, spiritual path is like a razor's edge. In which sense it is like a razor's edge and why it is so, why, uh, the spiritual path is so narrow and dangerous. And in which sense it is uh razor's edge? Does it mean that uh if we make a mistake it will cut us. Well yes, it is.

35:06And why it becomes more and more narrow, uh it's a very important question and thank you for asking it again.

35:16It is because the further we go in the spiritual path and the deeper levels of our consciousness are being affected. And there is a lot of resistance on the deeper levels of our consciousness to surrender completely to the Lord. And we should not underestimate this resistance.

35:44In the beginning, it's all nice, yeah, happy, yes, yes, yes, right. Spiritual life is like an eternal festival, especially when there is good prasāda and it's fantastic.

35:59And yeah, spiritual life is especially pleasant on Sundays because of special prasāda. But uh in the beginning we're not really conscious about the internal resistance which is there.

36:22But it's there, subconsciously we have this resistance and we have doubts also.

36:33Krishna in the at the end of the fourth chapter of Bhagavad-gītā says that that doubts are very deep, and therefore, he says you cut these doubts with the sword of knowledge. He uses a very dramatic kind of language.

36:56You take the sword of knowledge, and the sword means you know something very strong cutting instrument. And you should cut these doubts because the doubts are like very tight knot within our heart.

37:15That's why you need really strong sword of knowledge and you need the spiritual master, according to the analogy from the seventh canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, who will help you to hold this sword of knowledge.

37:33Because we know the sword is a weapon and it needs a lot of strength to use this weapon. So even to lift uh the sword you need some strength.

37:48So it is said in the 7th canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the spiritual master is the source.

37:58Jñānāsinā, there is this sword of knowledge and the spiritual master gives you bala, the strength to lift up this sword of knowledge.

38:09And then, with the sword of knowledge, what you should do? You should do the surgical operation on your heart.

38:17So that's the whole language of this metaphor is quite strong to give you the sense that there is some internal resistance in the form of doubts.

38:35And doubts are there to justify our non-participation in the spiritual life or non-surrender. Why doubts are there?

38:47Doubts they just, you know, they give us justification. That I you know why should I surrender? So they they serve the purpose. And therefore it's not easy to get rid of these

39:05doubts and you need a lot of knowledge and the proper association to use this knowledge properly.

39:15When it is said that the spiritual master gives you the strength to use the sword of knowledge, it basically means that he helps you to apply knowledge in your life.

39:30And in this way to cut uh this because again the tendency to enjoy independently of God is very, very strong. We should not uh underestimate the you know this tendency. All right. So who is next? Hare Krishna? Yes.

Feeling the spiritual master presence through instructions

40:00Hare Krishna devotee. My question is how can we establish a strong relationship and serve our guru through his vani. And how do you know you have your guru's mercy from far away?

40:24So when we are talking about relationship the closeness does not have anything to do with the material distance.

40:39Because we are programmed by the modern science, we think in terms of distance, material distance, in terms of kilometers and miles between us and the spiritual master.

40:58But when it comes to relationship, you can be in physical proximity with somebody and still very distant from him. Or vice versa you can be very far away from somebody and still feel the closeness.

41:20Actually when Krishna left the inhabitants of Vrindavan they felt his presence much more strongly than when he was there.

41:34That's Jīva Gosvāmī goes into great length to explain that so-called separation which they felt was actually a very special kind of meeting and that's why separation is called viraha. Viraha means special kind of meeting, secret meeting.

42:02Viraha or separation means secret meeting with the object of our love. And Krishna was in reality closer to the inhabitants of Vrindavan when he left them. When he was there present, they were not that intimate.

42:23And that's why they became very You know, all these very negative expressions. They started chastising Krishna when he is away. You know, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is heavily chastising Krishna in Brahma Gita.

42:50She would never chastise him so heavily when he was present. And the very fact that she is chastising him so heavily means that she's much more intimate with him at this moment of time.

43:08So, anyway, I was carried away by by this question. It doesn't mean that you should chastise your spiritual master to feel the closeness with him. Please don't take me wrong. So it basically means that no

43:32matter how n physically distant we are from spiritual master, we still can feel his approval and his support. If we meditate on his instructions and we are acting according to his instructions.

43:51We feel that he is there, he is present in our life. And actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda said this thing, you know, when his godbrothers criticized him that he very

44:07rarely visits samadhi of his spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, which was actually very short distance away from Caitanya-candradaya Mandir, the property which Śrīla Prabhupāda acquired in Māyāpur, Śrīla Prabhupāda became very offended.

44:27And he said, these fools they don't understand.

44:31I I I'm not sure if he whether he used this strong language or not, but he was very, very disgusted with these accusations, and he said they don't understand that I feel the presence of my the living presence of my spiritual master all the time.

44:50I may not, you know, visit ceremonially his samadhi, but I still feel his presence in my life because I'm serving his instructions and I'm fulfilling his mission.

45:05And that's how Śrīla Prabhupāda himself showed that's what you need to do to feel the presence of the spiritual master in your life. Just understand what he wants, fulfill his will and do more.

45:25You know that's the secret in the spiritual life. To meditate constantly on the instructions and try to do what he wants you to do. Thank you so much. Anything health? Yes. Rather promote Prabhu. If nothing. Okay.

Humility in the example of Prithu Maharaj

45:53Please accept my humble obeisances as my own obeisance is to you, Hare Krishna, Maharaj. We see that Prithu Maharaj was taking instructions from Kumaras, and then he goes to the spiritual world.

46:08But Kumaras, they did not, uh, after that, this is in, uh, Svāyambhuva Manvantara, and after that we see that Kumaras are going to Vaikuṇṭha.

46:18So they are, he's taking instructions from Guru, but before Guru only, uh, Prithu Maharaj looks that is more, uh, elevated than Kumaras is performing bhakti, at there still in the jñāna platform.

46:32So how, how to understand that? Gopal Krishna Maharaj told me a very intimate story. He was visiting one community, famous community, after Śrīla Prabhupāda's departure.

47:03And while he was leaving this community, the leader of this community approached him and whispered into his ears, Gopal, don't think that the disciple can be more advanced than the spiritual master.

47:22Prabhupāda... Gopal Krishna Maharaj told me this episode. And he was kind of shocked by this statement.

47:35So, uh, despite all these instructions and all these descriptions in our śāstra, you know, whatever the position of spiritual master is, spiritual master is playing a very important role in the life of disciple.

48:03And yes, Kumaras may not go to Vaikuṇṭha because they have a certain role to fulfill here in this material world, but the very fact that Prithu Maharaj accepts them as his spiritual masters should be the ultimate verdict for us.

48:32We should not judge them, we should not try to do this, you know. This is, uh, he, he is, you know, fulfilling the role of uh, obedient disciple, and we should try to follow his example.

48:48And whatever happens with the spiritual master, whatever happens with the disciple, is actually it's up to Krishna.

48:56But we should very clearly understand that our role as disciple is to remain humble in front of spiritual master. And that will please, will please Krishna. That's how Krishna will be pleased.

49:18Because otherwise, you know, as I explained yesterday or tried to explain yesterday. Bhakti is the science of relationship. And if you don't accept somebody in the capacity of guru. And uh please mute your microphones.

49:58Somebody is probably talking something very important, but it disturbs others. So why do we need spiritual master? Because bhakti is a science of relationship and ultimately relationship with God.

50:17And we should prove to God that we're ready to enter into relationship with Him by properly establishing our relationship with guru. So that's why it is so important.

50:34Otherwise we will be just an illusion that yes, yes, I'm I'm such a surrendered soul. We actually can only measure our surrender in real relationship, not in imaginary relationship.

50:53In imaginary relationship we are always very surrendered. But whether it is like this or not will be proven in real relationship. And therefore, Prithu Maharaj is extremely surrendered to Kumaras.

51:10Kumaras give him the instructions of bhakti. Very beautiful instructions. What was this verse the famous verse? Yatpada Pankaja palasya vilasya bhaktia.

51:32Then they explain that only by bhakti you can stop your mind, whereas other people who are trying to empty their mind, rikta Matayo, they still remain in this material world. Sotaga Nastadharanam Bajavasudam.

51:56So you should be in this playful uh playful uh flow of bhakti and uh always engaged in the interaction with the lotus feet of the Lord. Otherwise, you will never be able to stop the karma.

52:21So that's the instructions which uh Kumaras are giving to uh faithful and uh he accepts these instructions very seriously. Yah, yeah, Padapankajapala Sadila Sabhatya.

The Kumara visit to the gates of Vaikuntha

52:43Um Guruma Raj we have uh a few devotees here, so uh if they can ask uh question uh yes sure yes please please please you have the first right and um

53:00thank you again for being here even if you are so far physically we feel your presence and the benefit of your and we hope that you will come also physically future.

53:18My question is connected with the last question because we are studying since we the Jai Vijay chapters about the Kumara going to Vaikuṇṭha and and so in some parts of the history We feel that we are in Vaikuṇṭha and everything is happening there. Then at the end of the chapter, it is explained that everything happened at the doors of Vaikuṇṭha and so how can we interpret it in the in the right way?

54:01So where Jaya and Vijaya will stay, are they residents of Vaikuṇṭha or they they stay on the door, you know, it's difficult to understand from a logical point of view.

54:13So I because we are studying this history since weeks, for me is important to have the right interpretation, please, if you can answer this question. Thank you again.

54:37See our presence in a particular place very much depends on the frame of mind. Again, it's not that the physical presence which is important, but our mind, where our mind is present. So you may be physically,

55:08I don't know if it's possible to be physically in Vaikuṇṭha because there is no physical bodies in Vaikuṇṭha or material bodies in Vaikuṇṭha. But uh again the point is that uh where your mind is uh this is more important.

55:26And yes, they they entered the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭha, the Kumāras, and that's why such a beautiful description is there of Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere.

55:47But at the same time, their mentality uh was not uh fully suitable uh to Vaikuṇṭha and therefore this whole description is is there that they uh they were not able to enter into the innermost part

56:08of it, and Jaya and Vijaya were guarding it. In any case, Jaya and Vijaya, they're definitely in Vaikuṇṭha, there is no doubt about it. Even after the so-called fall down into material world,

56:26there is a description in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other places of Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam that while they were there in taking incarnations of Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu or Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa or Shishupal and Danta Vakra, they were

56:50still Jaya and Vijaya were in Vaikuṇṭha. So it's just some projection of their or whatever,

57:00you know, the there was some līlā performed in this material world, but Jaya and Vijaya are the residents of Vaikuṇṭha. But Kumāras were not completely in sync with this atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭha. That's the point.

57:24Thank you. Okay.

Criteria for recognizing and choosing a spiritual master

57:30Yeah.

57:32Yes. And uh my question we were talking here with uh Madam Ananda Prabhu about uh the the choosing of the spiritual master that we do we shouldn't be influenced by uh external uh circumstances like family or society or even the success of the guru.

57:56So I was um I was um I would like to ask you how should we um choose it uh and uh what uh what should be the feeling uh uh that we should have uh uh to see that uh is the right word thank you and right mood actually i have a another right mood you're asking about right mood

58:22what was the last word Yes, um how uh is the feeling uh how can we recognize that uh um the person that we have in front of us is uh our master so which is the right feeling uh doctor we should uh uh bring up nine.

58:40So I often hear this question and in my humble opinion uh this is a very artificial question. How should we recognize our spiritual master? Should there be you know lightning and thunderbolt when he appears in front of us?

59:01Or should we feel complete shaking within our you know guts uh when he opens his mouths uh or shoot our right eye or left eye. What are the special signs of this? How we should recognize this. It's uh it's very simple.

59:30You know, we hear somebody and we feel that we uh are ready to follow what he says, that we understand uh the way he teaches and we're ready to do what he tells us to do.

59:49And if this feeling is there yes this is your spiritual master. Spiritual master is somebody who teaches you and you're ready to follow his instructions.

1:00:03If you feel this in regard to a particular person, that yes, this is something which makes sense and I'm ready to do this and I have inspiration and enthusiasm to do what he tells me to do, that's the sure sign that it's somebody.

1:00:28And besides all other criteria, I'm sure Madhavananda Prabhu explained other criteria, but we should choose our spiritual master by our ears. This is how it should take place.

1:00:48We hear and we feel the response from our heart that yeah, this is something which makes sense and I'm ready to do what he tells me to do? Simple. No lightning, no thunderbolt, no earthquake. Everything is just Thank you.

Transcending suffering by overcoming bodily identification

1:01:16Uh I'm again here uh with uh the question uh uh uh of uh uh devotee. So um sorry that's okay. When despite all the help in spiritual life, we still fail to transform suffering and difficulties into opportunities.

1:01:40And you feel that you can only uh fall low where because you will always get stuck on the same issues? What is left for us to do? Thank you. I didn't understand exactly the question.

1:01:53Can you repeat it maybe in your own words? Yes, okay.

1:02:00I think that the point of visibility was like that she she has some difficulties to overcome some problems and she probably think they are anovercome she won't overcome them so easily, so she feels like she doesn't have any possibility to make them into good opportunities to learn from.

1:02:26So how can this person overcome the suffering that she has from this situation despite all the help from the spiritual life as she has. We have to understand the root cause of our sufferings.

1:02:57The root cause of our sufferings is identification with the body and the mind. And until and unless, until we closely identify with the body and with the mind, the suffering will continue.

1:03:19Because that's the nature of the body and the mind. The mind is always in turmoil and the body always something is wrong with the body.

1:03:31So And when we come to spiritual life, we have this uh very sentimental and uh foolish idea that all the sufferings should disappear by the movement of the magic band. You know, all of a sudden I should feel completely blissed out.

1:04:05It only happens when your consciousness is withdrawn. What is the cause, the root cause of our sufferings is because we're stuck in matter.

1:04:16Our consciousness is stuck in matter, and because the consciousness and matter they are diametrically opposed to each other. They have different nature.

1:04:28The consciousness is eternal, the consciousness has knowledge, the consciousness is blissful, and the matter is temporary, the matter is dull and the matter is miserable.

1:04:45No matter which matter it is, it may be subtle matter or gross matter.

1:04:52So when our consciousness is stuck in the matter, when we are stubbornly insisting in being or identifying with the subtle or gross matter, then we will continue suffering.

1:05:09And sometimes the suffering will be less, sometimes the suffering will be more. When our mind is relatively more peaceful and then it's less.

1:05:21So the preliminary what we should do, the preliminary discipline of spiritual life is to calm down your mind. To make your mind more peaceful and to make your body less sick.

1:05:42Because when we're suffering too much, it's very difficult to distance ourselves from body and the mind.

1:05:54And yes, when we start spiritual life, we feel the diminishing of the sufferings because of the nature of the discipline which we follow. But again, it's not a miraculous effect.

1:06:13It's not something which we should expect that miraculously all the sufferings will disappear.

1:06:19No, the karma goes on, and it's our systematic endeavors to stop identifying with the body and the mind, which brings the real experience of happiness.

1:06:40And if we need in the beginning some sort of treatment to make our mind less painful, then we should take this treatment. You know, nowadays people are so messed up. Their psychology is so messed up.

1:07:04They didn't have proper loving relationship when they were children. The parents mistreated them and there is a lot of trauma.

1:07:17And when they come to spiritual life with all these traumas, it's very difficult for them to practice spiritual life properly because the mind is suffering too much.

1:07:31So if you need some preliminary cure from the diseases of your mind and your body, it's very much advisable to take all these preliminary cures to help you to distance yourself from the body and the mind.

1:07:55But until you do this, until you find your real happiness, and it's not so difficult actually because by nature uh we have this uh at least little tiny atom of happiness because by nature the soul is also such ananda. Yes, it's it's a very atomic particle of ananda, and we only experience real ananda when we enter into relationship with the source of all Ananda but still the Ananda is there and when when our mind is peaceful of when when we're not too much complicated in our mind and in our external circumstances.

1:08:48We can feel this bliss. You know, I'm living here in Govardhan and it's a poor environment, poor village, poor people. But sometimes they're so blissful and you wonder how dare they be so blissful.

1:09:08It's just because it's just natural bliss which goes despite of all these circumstances.

Continuation of guru disciple relationship across lifetimes

1:09:18Yes, I I guess we should ask Keshava Priy because she's there and maybe uh Harinamchiran and then

1:09:29we will stop this question and answer session because, Maharaja, yes, Gurudeva is the first Maharaja. Maharaja, we are taking initiation from a guru Maharaja, and if we leave our body and

1:09:42from a guru Maharaj and um if we leave our body and we just continue our spiritual journey. Will we make the same guru in our next lifetime? Or it is just a tattva and we'll be given support from some other because

1:10:00we say when we take initiation, they say the guru, it's a guru who will deliver us till we leave this world, Maharaja. How to understand the statement, Maharaja?

1:10:13Prabhupada said that don't force your guru to come again to deliver you. No, it's not necessarily the same guru. But the principle is the same, Guru Tattva is the same Guru Tattva is acting. It can be acting through different people. It is already acting through different people in our life. We can feel that the principle of Guru is manifested in our life.

1:10:45So it's not necessarily that we have to, you know, force our Guru to come again to give us initiation again and so it would be very unfair. At least I really hope that my answer is correct. Yes, yes. Yes. Thank you.

1:11:19Thank you so much. Harinamcharan. So that's to be the last question. Yes, Harinamcharan Prabhu. Hare Krishna, Prabhu Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances.

1:11:33Guru Maharaja, I have one question that's actually confused me a little bit in a couple years.

1:11:40Uh I, because of my uh practical service many years I was always listening in lectures, a lot of lectures. I get them benefit and speaking with people.

1:11:53Uh but the couple of years I feel in whatever I listen, I do not remember actually. I I don't know, looks like my memory is gone a lot. Of course I get something inside confirming so whatever this is entering.

1:12:12But it's giving me some difficulty when people ask me, trust me to give class or something.

1:12:19I'm hesitating because when I sit there to speak I feel is I do not have to speak I mean I don't uh I don't have a uh how to say shastric knowledge to give, I just give my experience, whatever I have experienced.

1:12:38I I don't I am not happy in this case. And also when I read I do not remember what I read. So what you recommending it is.

1:12:51Once we went with one devotee to an Ayurvedic doctor, and the devotee started complaining to this Ayurvedic doctor, "I don't remember anything, my memory is very bad.

1:13:05And the doctor looked at him very strongly and sternly and said, "Do you remember Hare Krishna mantra?" And the devotee said, yes, I do. So he said, what else do you need to remember?

1:13:26If your experience is based on shastra, and if you at least try to be faithful to uh shastra and to explain something from the Shastra, not from your own mind only.

1:13:45But if your experience is based on the instructions of the Shastra, then it's it's good enough.

1:13:53Regarding the technical memory, uh I I you know sometimes people ask me some questions, "15 years back in one lecture you said this," and uh and and I see uh did I say this?

1:14:12Of course I I don't remember everything which I said and I don't remember all the technical details.

1:14:20Uh sometimes sometimes I I you know I give some technical details and we may not remember this, that's not that necessary. What is necessary is to understand Siddhanta, the framework of Siddhanta.

1:14:44And having this uh precise uh but still quite uh general framework of Siddhanta,

1:14:56but very precise who is God, how He is the source of all energies, how He is the source of Rasa and relationship, and what is living entity, how the living entity relates to the Supreme Lord, and what are the different statuses of living entities.

1:15:23If you know this Dashamula Tattva, the general kind of siddhanta, that's what we should have.

1:15:33Details we may forget but the mm if the basic knowledge is there and if our practice is according to the instructions which we received, then we don't have to worry.

1:15:48And that's why he said if you remember Hare Krishna mantra, that's enough. At least one sloka you know. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma

1:16:02Hari Hari. Ah that's enough to remember at the time of death. So I guess uh that uh that's what it is. Thank you, Maharaj. Thank you. Okay Okay.. Okay Maharaj, thank you so much for joining us today.

1:16:33So um yeah he's holding the Śrīla Prabhupāda kīr-tana. prabhupāda-kīrtana. Thank you very much for all your time and attention and kindness. Thank you.