Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.29.16. Culture of Respect
Bhakti Vijnana Goswami · Israel · 2014
Chapters
Prayers and invocation
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudevāya te. Nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya. Naraṁ caiva narottamaṁ devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā.
Bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Taṁ kiṁkaradāṁ patiṁ prajā tam anupetam apekṣya kṛtyayā. Dvayena virahākatarā juhauva. Utretitam ayatayātarobindus. Taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim ānato 'smi.
Hare Krishna Krishna. Tamsarvabu tahridayam, munimanatos me Hare Krishna Krishna. I am very happy and honor to be here and to speak in front of all of you.
Uh initially I was asked to give lecture on a different topic, which I many many years back gave in Radadesh and Bhakti Ram somehow rather remembered it.
But now during our short conversation with Gunavatar Prabhu in Varsavanavataj, I mentioned something about the seminar which I just gave, uh which is entitled The Culture of Respect.
And uh Uh they said that I may speak on this topic as well. I will read the The sixth ver sixteenth verse of the twenty-ninth chapter of the third Kento of Srimad Bhagavatam
Explanation of Devotional Service and then tell a little bit from my studies of this chapter, which is very essential in my understanding to everyone of practicing devotees.
So the sixteenth verse reads Madhisya Darshanas Parsa Pujas Tut Abhivandanah Budeshu Mat Bhavanaya Satvinasangamenacha
Translation The Devotee should regularly see my status in the temple, touch my lotus feet and offer worshipable profernalia and prayer.
Distinctions between neophyte and advanced worship
He should see in the spirit of renunciation from the mode of goodness and see every living entity as spiritual purport. Temple worship is one of the duties of a devotee.
It is especially recommended for neophytes, but those who are advanced should not refrain from temple worship.
There is a distinction in the manner a neophyte and an advanced devotee appreciate the Lord's presence in the temple.
A Neophyte considers the Archae Vigraha, the statue of the Lord, to be different from the original personality of Godhead. He considers it a representation of the Supreme Lord in the form of a deity.
But an advanced devotee accepts the deity in the temple as the supreme personality of Godhead.
He does not see any difference between the original form of the Lord and the statue or arcā-vigraha form of the Lord in the temple.
This is the vision of a devotee whose devotional service is in the highest state of bhāva, love of Godhead. Whereas a neophyte's worship in the temple is a matter of routine duty.
Temple deity worship is one of the functions of a devotee.
He goes regularly to see the deity nicely decorated and with veneration and respect he touches the lotus feet of the Lord and presents offerings of worship such as fruits, flowers and prayers.
At the same time to advance the devotional service a devotee should see other living entities as spiritual sparks, parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord.
A devotee is to offer respect to every entity that has a relationship with the Lord. Because every living entity originally has a relationship with the Lord as part and parcel.
A devotee should try to see all living entities on the same equal level of spiritual existence.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, a paṇḍita, one who is learned, sees equally a very learned brāhmaṇa, a śūdra, a hawk, a dog, and a cow. He does not see the body, which is only an outward dress.
He does not see the dress of a brāhmaṇa or that of a cow or that of a hog. He sees the spiritual spark part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
If a devotee does not see every living entity as a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he is considered prākṛta-bhakta, a materialistic devotee. He is not completely situated on the spiritual platform.
Rather, he is in the lowest stage of devotion. He does however show all respect to the deity.
Associating with devotees and offering respect
Although a devotee sees all living entities on the level of spiritual existence, he is not interested in associating with everyone.
Simply because a tiger is a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord does not mean that we embrace him because of his spiritual relationship with the Supreme Lord.
We must associate only with persons who have developed Krishna consciousness. We should befriend and offer special respect to persons who are developed in Krishna consciousness.
Other living entities are undoubtedly part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but because their consciousness is still covered and not developed in Krishna consciousness, we should renounce their association.
It is said by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura that even if one is a vaiṣṇava, if he doesn't if he is not a good character, his company should be avoided. Although he may be offered the respect of a Vaishnava.
Anyone who accepts Vishnu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is accepted as a Vaishnava, but a Vaishnava is expected to develop all good qualities of the demigods.
Such exact mean the exact meaning of the word Sattva is given by Sridharaswamy as being synonymous with Dairiana or patience. One must perform devotional service with great patience.
One should not give up the execution of devotional service because one or two attempts have not been successful. One must continue.
Sri Rupa Gaswami also confirms that one should be very enthusiastic and execute devotional service with patience and confidence.
Patience is necessary for developing the confidence that Krishna will certainly accept me because I am engaging in devotional service.
One has only to execute service according to the rules and regulations to ensure success.
Madhisnada Sanas Parsa Pujas Tutya Bivandanaik Buddhishu Mat Bhavanaya Satvanasangame Chada devotees should regularly see my status in the temple, touch my lotus feet and offer worshipable periphernality and prayer.
He should see in the spirit of renunciation from the mood of goodness and see every living entity as spirituality.
Na mam Vishnu Padaya Krishna Praishtaya Bhutale Srimati Bhaktivinanda Swami Dinami, Namaste Saraswati Devi Gurava Nibraini, Nirvi Sha Shwinavadi Pasha de Sha Tari Vanchakopadaru Bia Shah Kripa Sindhubi Vacha Patianam Pavana Byovishnava Byownamonamha J Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhunitananda Sri Dwight Hara Srivasadhi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare I
will try to say a few words about this subject matter Which is a very important subject.
I thought of giving this seminar of the culture of respect in Israel because I know that the general mood in the society in Israel is kind of to diminish diminish this notion of respect.
Respect is not a very popular world in the modern society. This notion of respect, especially respect of an authority, is something really old fashioned. Something really not very modern, progressive, advanced. It's backwards according to the modern understanding.
But unfortunately, subscribing to such views and not understanding the importance of respect deprives one of many important things. Deprives one of very deep relationship because respect is the foundation of any relationship.
If you want to build a deep and meaningful relationship, the respect should be there.
It doesn't matter between whom and whom the relationships are, between father and son or children and parents, between husband and wife, between disciple and the teacher. The respect should be there.
And in my seminar I gave many, many implications of this notion of respect and consequences, what happens with someone with the heart of the people who don't follow this principle of respect.
Actually, respect is the sign of civilized society. Civilized society means respectful society.
Śrīla Prabhupāda quotes in this purport the verse from Bhagavad-gītā, Vidyavinaya sampannaṁ brāhmaṇe gavi hastini. And this very important verse from Bhagavad-gītā about the equal vision starts with Vidyavinaya.
And vinaya means actually respect. Vidya or knowledge should bring within our heart, this emotion of respectful attitude towards everything which we see around us.
And Vinaya also means gentleness, vinaya means humility, vinaya means so many other things, but it also means respect.
And if respect is not there, then unfortunately, the very grave consequences of this understanding of this culture of non-respect is that the society becomes not spiritual. Spirituality is not present.
The very uh subtle sentiment of uh religious spirituality is being evaporated from the society. Anyway, that's the reason why I initially thought it would be an important topic.
And of course, this whole 29th chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is extremely important for all of us to understand.
Context of Kapiladeva's instructions to Devahuti
Because in this 29th chapter, Kapiladev explains
the problems of any neophyte devotee and gives the remedy. He explains the problems of practically anyone who tries to tread the spiritual path and he explains why, even though so many people try to follow this path.
Not so many people reach the ultimate goal.
I will explain a little bit about the whole architectural design of this chapter of his teaching and, then say a few little words because naturally I will not be able to say too much.
The seminar which I gave was around six hours, and I have maybe half an hour left for our discussion, but still I will try to say a few important words in this regard.
So Kapila Deva in this 29th chapter first of all introduces the understanding that bhakti may be practiced in the modes of material nature. In Tamagun, surprisingly enough, he says that there is tamastic bhakti,
there is rajasic bhakti, bhakti in the mode of ignorance, the bhakti in the mode of rajas, passion, and the bhakti in the mode of sattva, goodness.
Of course, we should understand that bhakti cannot be in the mode of Tamas. Bhakti means the highest knowledge, bhakti is the energy of the Lord, Supreme
Lord, but what He wants to say is that when somebody who is in the mode of ignorance, an ignorant person starts
practicing bhakti, is bhakti, which he calls bhakti, which is not really bhakti, takes the shape of this mode of ignorance. And this is the case of all of us. We start somewhere according to our conditioning.
Every one of us has this particular nature, particular mental nature or svabhava, according to the modes of nature, according to the association with modes of nature.
And when initially we start practicing bhakti, our bhakti will be inevitably faulty.
And he explains that this influence of the modes of material nature, gunas of material nature, ignorance, passion and goodness manifest in the motivation.
He says that if somebody practices bhakti externally by form it is bhakti. He chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. But at the same time, at the heart, in the heart, his motivation is dhamba.
He says dambha means dambha means pride, dambha means hypocrisy. Or his motivation is revenge. He wants to really bring harm to other living entities. Sometimes it happens.
You know, I know people, I'm from Russia, so I know perfectly well how you can practice bhakti with strange motivations.
I will, I will just chant this mantra and you will be finished, you know, it's, uh, it may sound ridiculous, but that's the state of our consciousness. We have this motivation, it's very... Or
uh sometimes, and that's much more often, people practice bhakti because they want honor and respect because they want money. It happens.
You know, people get honor and respect uh while practicing bhakti. In fact, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in Mādhurya-kadambinī, he explains that there are certain anarthas which come, unwanted things, false problems in our mentality which come because of the practice of bhakti. If I am practicing bhakti incorrectly, with improper motivation,
with strange motivations, then instead of giving me uh highest possible sentiment of love of God, Bhakti will bring very strange things to me. It may even uh worsen my position in in this world, unfortunately.
And therefore this topic is very important. He explains that uh sometimes, and this is even more often, people practice bhakti with the motivation of mode of goodness.
And that's even more dangerous because it's very difficult to distinguish between pure bhakti and mode of goodness. Very often I can I see it.
People think they practice bhakti, but their motivation is to get liberation from the sufferings. They don't want bhakti. Bhakti is a bhakti, it means you have to work hard.
But so many people, they actually just want liberation. And that's the main motivation within their heart. Today I met with one such practitioner.
He's a beginner devotee, but he he just he just sick and tired of this material world, and he just wants some liberation. And if chanting Hare Krishna gives it, fine, I will do it. No problem.
So Kapila Dev explains this understanding that initially inevitably, and there is nothing wrong with it. Actually there is nothing wrong with it. We have to start somewhere.
Initially, we start our practice of bhakti uh in a in a wrong platform.
Definition and symptoms of pure devotion
We start where we can start according to the condition of our heart. And then he explains what is pure bhakti, which is very important for us to understand.
He says that pure bhakti, he gives a very beautiful description or definition of pure bhakti. He says that the pure bhakti is a certain state of consciousness, state of the heart.
When our heart mat guna shruti Matrina May Sarva Guhashay Manogatir Avichina Yatha Gangamba som budho.
He says that as soon as Madguna Shruti Matrina, as soon as somebody whose heart is completely pure, whose heart is really imbibed with
love, as soon as he hears Madguna about the qualities of the Supreme Lord, Shruti Matrina. Shruti Matrina means just a little bit.
As soon as one hears about the Lord, then my sarva guhashay then his whole heart, Sarva Guhasha, Guhasha means heart, his whole heart and his might, Manogatirav, immediately immediately runs towards the Lord.
Without any break and he stresses it in the in the next verse Lakshanam Bhakti Yogasya Nirgunasya Hyudakritam Ahaitu kya via wahita yobhaktaih Purushottami.
He says that this bhakti, Yo Bhakti Purushotami, this bhakti towards the Supreme Person is a certain state of heart when one is totally completely selfless. He doesn't want anything else, any reward for this.
And Avichiya, Avya Vahita, there is no uh how you say this? no hindrances on his path. He says like Ganga like a big river streams towards the ocean and nothing can stop this river.
In the same way, the consciousness which is pure runs towards the Lord. And nothing can stop this consciousness. This is the pure heart.
When the heart is pure, it's always connected with the Lord. It's always in this intimate connection with the Lord.
And this particular Particular word avyavahita, no break or no hindrance is very very important. Important for our consideration.
Because unfortunately in the beginning stages, when we just start our practice of devotional service, there are hindrances. And this hindrances, as we know, is called a fence or parade.
And this whole description in the 29th chapter of Kapila Dev is how to overcome this hindrance. This is the initial stage, we start somewhere with all our problems. Inevitably our practice will not be perfect.
But what we should do to make our practice perfect and to make our practice to make our progress more smooth.
And what we should not do uh uh again, to make our progress or our advancement in the spiritual path more harmonious. How to get rid of this problem of offense.
Worshiping the deity while respecting all beings
And this is the subject matter because later on, Kapiladef in this verse which I read and in many other verses, in a few other verses, he explains what one should what what uh what one should do.
And then he explains in a series of verses, I think it's five, six, or maybe even seven verses, he repeats the same thing again and again and again. He says, if somebody practices bhakti, comes to the temple, sees the deity, which is of course a very strange concept in Israel, very unusual and peculiar, but still, that's a different topic.
I will not touch this topic, especially because it's so sensitive. But he says that one should come to the temple, one should worship the deity, one should worship the supreme Lord.
But he again and again says one thing, again and again repeats the same thing.
He says, but if one does not understand that the Supreme Lord is present in the heart of every living entity, his worship is in the temple is useless. Zero.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explaining these verses or commenting on these verses, he says that Kapila Dev speaks this in a very angry mood. And he says, you know, if somebody worships me, chants my holy
name, does this, but does not recognize that I am present in the heart of every living entity, does not understand that every living entity is connected with me, he commits a aparadha offenses.
Actually this culture of respect, which is the main topic of my discussion in general is how to avoid this inevitable problem which every one of us has, some sort of envy, which is deeply rooted within our heart.
One thing we have to understand from the very beginning is that envy and love are totally incompatible with each other. If we want to develop love, we have to get rid of the envy within the heart.
We know that there are six enemies within our hearts starting with kama, krodha, lobha.
And Narottama Dasa Thakura explains that you can use kama, lust, in your devotional service. You can use anger in your devotional service. He says Hanumān used anger.
He was very angry at Rāvaṇa and he very successfully employed his anger in his devotional service. Even lust, you know.
If you have very strong lusty desires, use it in devotional service by acquiring more and more Krishna Katha. Let your lust will manifest in this form. And he gives different recipes how to use these enemies.
But he says, you cannot employ envy. One thing you cannot employ. One thing which is totally, completely opposite and different with the love is this envy, matsarya. This competitive spirit.
This spirit of hatred towards other living entities. So this is the main problem which we all have. This is a universal problem. You know it's it's the problem, it's the disease of the material world.
And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam starts with this notion, Paraṁ nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ, that you can only understand Bhagavatam, you can only understand God.
You can only understand and enter into relationship with God if your heart is completely pure and free from envy. If your heart is still contaminated with envy, your practice of devotion will be
at best the shadow of devotion at best just dim reflection of devotion. We'll try, but God will not really sit within the heart which is contaminated by envy.
Four subtle stages of envious behavior
And therefore Kapiladev explains this and he explains it in a very beautiful way that this hatred or envy was in the heart.
Actually, this is not only Kapila Dev, this is the problem, you know, if you know yoga, the philosophy of yoga. Patanjali Muni also says this.
He says that there are pancha klashes, five klashes, five problems within our heart. Avidya smita, raga dvesh, abni ves. Raga and dvesh. Dvesh means hatred. Dvesh means envy.
It all comes, originates from a vidya, from the ignorance within the heart. And it all and ultimately, ignorance, what is ignorance? Ignorance is identification with the body. I am the body.
Because I identify myself with the body, and I think that this whole world is for my enjoyment. This is for me. For me to enjoy it. Very natural kind of bava that every living entity in this material world has.
This is world for me, then inevitably, because this whole world, because I think this whole world is for my enjoyment, I will hate others because others think the same.
I want to enjoy, others want to enjoy, and then inevitably we will clash. You know, Jews want to enjoy, Arabs want to enjoy, let's fight. You know this, this class is there everywhere.
Now Ukraine and Russia, you know, this crazy thing. You know, but because of the hatred. And this hatred is in everyone because of the manifestation because of the ignorance.
Original ignorance is there, and now heart, this identification with the body, and because we identify with the body uh hatred will come in our heart in more gross on most or most subtle ways and this is our greatest enemy because uh
if we practice bhakti but at the same time are not aware of this hatred and give it the way, manifest our hatred one way or another towards other living entities,
we will commit offences aparadha, which is totally different of our practice of bhakti.
Aparadha, the Sanskrit word aparadha means radha means to worship rad, the coding, the the root, the verbal root, Sanskrit root, rad means worship, love. Apa means opposite means to be completely opposite.
It will take us away from love. So therefore, we have to do something about this problem. And Kapiladev very interestingly, and very relevantly for every one of us explains how this original hatred manifests.
It manifests in a gross way, but not often. Much more often it manifest, it manifests in a very subtle way. And we may think that it's a little innocent. But Kapiladev says, no, it's not innocent.
He says, and this is very interesting, please listen carefully. He He says that there are four ways this envy may manifest in our heart. Avagya, upeksha. Then Dvesha and then Ninda, and
in the verses of this chapter he explains these four ways, starting with the 21st verse. In the 21st verse he speaks about Avagya, and I will explain what it means.
Then he speaks about Upeksa, and 22nd verse, then he speaks about Dvesha and then he speaks about Ninda and he says this is the four grades of manifestation of this original problem problem.
As it is said in the Bible, the original sin of every living entity. Our original sin is hatred. And ultimately hatred towards God. Which manifests as hatred towards other living entities,
Complex of superiority and contempt for others
as jealousy, envy, and so many other things. So he says the first is avagya, and avagya is a very subtle manifestation of this envy, original envy. Avagya means, basically, avagya means disrespect or disregard.
Avagya means the feeling that I am better than others. I look at other people and I feel I am I'm a little better. No, actually I am much better. I am much better. Avagy means contempt. I look little down.
And we all look at everyone from little up, little down, you know, all these poor living entities, you know, you know, they need me. Avagya means, uh, this a little and very subtle
superiority complex, and every single one of us has it on an individual level, on a collective level, on the level of our nation, of the level of you know whatever we can say so many things about it, you know.
Every Every nation has this superiority complex. We are special. Russians are special because they have a special Russian soul. Everyone knows about this mysterious Russian soul which likes vodka very much.
This is, yeah, special Russian soul. And of course we know Jewish soul is also there. This is this is very special and so many other things, you know. And you you you take anyone, Americans have very special souls.
Absolutely you know, if you see how they behave, you know you will immediately understand they're very special. And And every one of us. And this is the hatred.
We have to really understand that this is the very subtle manifestation of envy or hatred within the heart. This superiority complex. Avagya, the contempt when we look down at other living entities.
Ultimately, you know, until and unless we get rid of this problem within our heart, we will not be able to practice bhakti. This is the beginning.
Then he says, then the next stage when we develop this attitude, this envious attitude towards other living entities, towards other human beings who surround us, who with whom we interact.
Sometimes we really develop really stronger feelings of, you know, pishi and that means Upeksha. Upeksha means that we don't want to have anything to do with him or with her.
You know I you know how one can be such a such a strange you know it starts with
this but then it progresses and And uh, you know, sometimes people they justify it. They say, I don't want to have anything to do with this, I just keep my distance, I avoid this, I don't want to see, I don't want to hear, and you know I I wish I wish her or him the best, but from a very big distance.
And if he comes close by, you know let him not do it otherwise he will see. So uh you know sometimes we avoid, we want to avoid some other people, and this is even stronger manifestation.
Lord Kapiladeva in 22nd verse he explains this upekṣā and in 22nd verse he says if somebody practices bhakti, but he has upekṣā, he has this attitude towards any living entity.
Not understanding that he is connected with the Lord, that the Lord is present, that He is part and parcel of the Lord. If He has this attitude towards Him, His worship of me in the temple,
he says, is the same as pouring Ghee in the ashes. He gives this example because this is a very common example in Vedic culture. In Vedic culture, this sacrifice is very common when you pour ghee in the fire.
Because when you pour ghee in the fire, the fire is supposed to be the messenger of the gods. And well, when you pour ghee in the fire and chant certain mantras,
then immediately you know it's not it's a very scientific process because the fire it's very quick. You know it it it goes with the speed of light, right? It's fire.
With the speed of light, he takes this information with the mantras addressed to certain gods and it takes this to the to the gods to whom this sacrifice is there.
So, and Kapila Deva says that, but if you pour ghee in ashes, let's say you're a little silly, you want to do sacrifice and you take ghee, nice ghee, and you put it in the ashes. It's just you're wasting ghee.
It's a very powerful process if you do it properly, but if you pour it in the ashes, it's useless.
And Kapila Deva says: the same way you chant mantra, you chant Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. It's a powerful process.
But if you do it and your heart is not in the right place, If in your heart and there is no respect and there is no real proper benevolent attitude towards other living entities, with the understanding that they are connected with God, it's not going to be effective.
Harms of hatred and harsh speech
Because you will commit offenses. And then he says, then the next is dveṣa. Dveṣa when uh this is the next stage. Dveṣa means hatred. Dveṣa means you know.
Upekṣā means you avoid somebody. Dveṣa means you actively hate somebody, but you don't speak yet. You just hate him within the heart or her within the heart and you have this bad feeling about him.
And he says that the worst of all is Ninda. Ninda when you speak, when you give the way to this hatred and you speak out. And this is the full-fledged offense. And we know this, you know, it's so painful to the heart.
We hear it again and again and again. But you know, in Russian there is a very nice internet site. This internet site has a very attractive name, Harikatha.
I don't know why it is called Hari Katha because it's Hariaparatha. You know the whole site is about offenses.
And there are so many in this internet, there are so many of this stuff, you know, people are speaking so harshly. Kapila Dev says that if you speak harsh words, which is totally against bhakti, this is worst,
uh this is the worst thing because uh Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura commenting on this verse he says he quotes the verse from the 11th canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
He says if somebody uh is speaking harsh words towards other living entity. This is worse than shooting arrows.
You can shoot arrows at somebody you know and then you you pluck out the arrow and then put some healing balm on it and it will be gone. And very soon, after a few days, you will not remember about this.
But if somebody speaks very harsh words to you, and these words goes right to your heart. You will remember it 10 years, 20 years. You will be dying and you will remember these words. So painful it is. It's Bhagavatam.
In the Bhagavatam it is said, in the Bhagavatam itself it is said that the harsh words, the offenses against other living entities. It's very bad because it creates much stronger pain. Mental pain is much stronger.
If you have physical pain you can take some painkiller. And you will not feel the physical pain. But if you have mental pain, there is no painkiller.
You can of course, you know, you can if you sleep you forget for some time. But even in the sleep you may remember it. Sometimes. It's so bad. Therefore, he says, this is the worst thing.
This is the four four kinds of manifestation of this attitude, this dvesh, this hatred within the heart, this envy within the heart.
Daily practice of respecting all entities
And he says that ultimately, and he gives a very simple remedy. Simple but powerful remedy which we all have to remember.
That actually the practice which we should do, this should be our daily practice, our sadhana, is to remember that other living entities are connected with the Lord, that they are parts and parcels of the Lord, and uh uh form or develop attitude towards them accordingly.
I respect them. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that respecting them maybe from a distance.
It doesn't mean he says, you know, if if tiger is a is a part and parcel of the Lord. It doesn't mean that you embrace him, my dear friend Tiger. You know you're so nice. You know.
Tiger may not understand your sentiment and the heart. You know if a devotee, he says, if a devotee has a bad character, you may be on a distance from him. But still you respect him from a distance.
Distance is not a problem. Distance itself is not a problem. The problem is the attitude within the heart.
The attitude within the heart, we should establish very firmly within our heart that we wish well to all living entities.
And we understand they are part and parcel of the Lord, and even if they do something wrong to me, I still have to respect them.
And if we practice this culture, and this is culture, the culture means something which we do every day, something which we will establish within the heart. Basically, that will solve one most important problem which we all have.
Our most important problem is that Because of our indifference towards God, we don't see. God is everywhere. Krishna Himself says that I am the taste of water. I am within this world. In fact, this world is made of me.
Everything which you see here, so beautiful, m which your heart is naturally attracted is me. And somebody who has this bhāva, that this Lord, this world is the Lord, can see the Lord.
Actually, if this bhāva is there, this bhāva is in the heart, we will see the Lord within our heart, we will see the Lord outside, we will associate with Him.
Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti, if our eyes are uh smeared with the balm of love, we will see the Lord. He is there, he's available. We will hear the Lord.
We will understand that the Lord is in His holy name. We will understand that He is in the deity.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this in this purport. That people with different bhāva they see the deity differently. For the beginners it's just a routine duty. He's just coming and he says, yeah yeah yeah Hare Krishna yeah.
You have your business, I have my business. But I'm here, yeah, just in case you're there. But but if you have this bhāva, you will understand. This is the Lord. He's there. He is there.
So this is the problem which we have to address, and this problem we have to address by explaining to ourselves by practicing that he is in the heart of every living entity and I have to respect him, every living entity, just because he is the part and parcel of the world.
And especially I have to respect human beings, especially I have to respect those who are superior to me, and especially I have to respect those who give me knowledge, and especially I have to respect those who give me spiritual knowledge?
There is the whole gradation of respect, and uh Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that there are four uh eight uh different gradations of respect, how we should offer respect, the different ways of offer respect, but ultimately we have to really establish very firmly in the heart that Lord is there in every living entity.
And therefore, I should not hate him. Nobody. Nobody is the target of my hatred. No matter what he is. He may have his problems, he has his problems, no problem.
You know I'm trying to become a devotee, and it means that I have uh to respect him just because he's he's a human being. Just because he's connected with the Lord.
And ultimately for me, what is most important is this connection. And if I show it in my behavior in my uh attitude that I I actually respect uh everyone, every living entity.
Disrespect as a sign of weak faith
It will be very endearing to the Lord. The Lord will appreciate our endeavors. This is our endeavors, this is our practice.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī again explaining these verses, he says that That uh when our practice becomes little advanced, when this phase is becoming established within our heart that the Lord is there.
And the Lord is present in this world and I can interact with Him, then we will feel this presence.
He says, actually he says a very amazing thing. He says that all our manifestations of disrespect, envy, hatred towards others is just manifestation of one thing, lack of faith.
Because we don't have this Shastriya Shradha, real Shradha, real faith in the heart. Therefore, we manifest this attitude towards others. But when this faith is established firmly, we will feel the presence of the Lord.
We will understand that the Lord is present there. And you don't have to follow these rules of respect. The rules of respect are for those who don't understand this, who don't feel the presence of the Lord.
And therefore, Kapiladev he repeats this.
And then at the end of this chapter, he gives the very long gradation of development of consciousness. Very important and interesting evolution of consciousness, how the consciousness is being evolved through different species of life.
And ultimately he says that the utmost object of our respect. Yes, we have to respect every living entity, but not every living entity on the same level, and therefore the respect should be different.
And he says, but the utmost level of respect which we should manifest should be towards those living entities who are completely selfless and who are fully developed in their devotional service.
When this development of devotional service culminates within the heart. They should be the objects of our respect, utmost respect, and our respect should be respect towards everyone should be very strong.
But respect towards them should be very pronounced, and we should avoid offenses as much as possible. And there are so many interesting aspects. I described some of them to Guna Vataran Varsaban Mataj.
I will not touch this probably anyway. Let's see. But one thing I want to say.
Modern challenges in offering genuine respect
Again I'm just giving the very gist uh the very short synopsis of what we can say on this topic. But one thing I want to say is that for Western people this understanding of respect is very difficult.
Because they think that we can only respect those who are completely faultless. Faultless. Only those people they are worthy. Like recently I spoke with Niranjan Maharaj and he told me a very interesting story.
He told me that many years ago when he started coming to Russia, he
spoke with the mother of one lady devotee, a young girl. And this mother she was very sympathetic. She came and she saw the level of respect and worship which devotees pay to him.
And she said, Can I say to you something very confidential? He says, Yes, please tell me something confidential. And she said, you know, they worship you now. They respect you.
But if you do one small little mistake, they will hate you and they will trample over you. I just want to give you little warning. Be careful with these people. I know them. And this is mentality.
This is actually mentality in the material world. People they worship, they're ready to worship. Oh yeah, yeah, Guru Maharaj. But then you do little mistake. Chita bogos. So this is totally Western mentality.
Actually, uh, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains this, and I explained it in the seminar. He explains a very beautiful thing. He explains this notion of respect.
He explains that uh one should respect respect superiors, people who are in a position of superiors. And then he says it doesn't mean that you have to follow their orders. It doesn't mean.
If they are wrong, if uh they give you some stupid orders, you don't have to do it, you don't have to follow.
It doesn't mean that you uh should not correct them, but if you want to correct them, do it in a very gentle way, with sweet words, in appropriate time.
He gives a very interesting thing which is very difficult for Western people to follow because Western people they are very their consciousness and their understanding is very black and white.
You know, respect, yes, we can respect, but you know. He has to be there. If he is there, okay, we will respect him. If he is there, yeah. Let's manifest our nature. Same.
He says no. If somebody is respectable, he is respectable no matter what he does. Even if he does a mistake, he is still respectable. And we have to relate to him in a very respectable manner.
The example, many examples are there, but one example is very striking. Durvasa Muni in the ninth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Durvasa Muni did huge blunder.
You know, he offended the devotee, he offended Ambarīṣa Mahārāja without any reason. You know, he runs all over the place. Chakra is chasing him. Ultimately, he comes to Vaikuntha, he comes to Supreme Lord.
You're very wrong. But he tells him this in a very respectful manner. He says, oh great brāhmaṇa, you are wrong. Oh great powerful muni, you're a fool. He addresses him in a very nice manner.
He gives him due respect to his position. He addresses his problems as well.
In a very gentle manner, he says, you know, what can I do? You offended my devotee, you have to go there, you have to beg forgiveness from him. This is what you have to do. But he does it in a proper manner.
And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he expects, he explains this. If somebody is in a position of being superior to us, whether he is superior by age or superior by knowledge or superior by his position in the society or whatever superiority, we have to give him due respect, even though he may not be perfect.
And by giving him due respect, uh we may change his heart, actually, his heart. Prabhupada was very emphatic.
You know I I explained one nice story when there was the first initiation and Brahmananda Prabhu was being initiated. His mother came, and his mother was Jewish, and she didn't like it at all. She didn't like anything.
And you know, his younger brother came and she was he he dropped his college and you know she was you know and then she was sitting there with a stoned face and she was saying you know this Indian religion, you know, what's wrong with Jewish faith? And you know, she was saying this.
Prabhupada, first thing which he said, before the initiation, he said to Brahmananda Prabhu, go to your mother and bow down to her. Bow down to her. And she actually ultimately she changed her heart.
Ultimately, I want to I want to make this point that if we behave ourselves uh in a very respectful manner, uh which is difficult, but uh because you know I'm not I just realized that I may touch some sensitive point here. I I I didn't intend to do this.
I don't have any motivation of this. I'm just speaking about this principle that this respect is there, and respect is actually the way to change people's hearts.
Respect is a very important preaching tool and the very important preaching instrument which we have in our in our uh possession in our uh in us.
Uh besides uh following the command of uh Kapiladev, who is very emphatic and who says this that we have to establish this respect.
And if uh and if this respect is actually established firmly in the society, it's it's very important.
The society which nurtures the respect, teaches how to respect and how to how to show respect, manifest respect is a very nice society to be in. It's a very it's a very uh very progressive society. Not backwards society.
It's a very nurturing society because this society will help us on our difficult path to bhakti. Bhakti is not an easy thing to do. And respect established in the society is a very important element of our daily practice.
Anyway that's in just in a few words. Thank you very much please.
Resolving interpersonal hurt and conflict
Okay. So maybe there are some questions. Yes. Thank you so much. I just want to thank you for choosing to speak about this uh one thing.
Um I don't really have a question, I just want to thank you and say I will try to take this uh what you said with me tomorrow also and the coming wait when when I meet people I want to remember to have this faith and be expect from the Can
you give some practical um teacher advice so when um associated with devotees sometimes uh uh they They people can press on some like sensitive points. So when these points are pressed, what practical things we can do to uh go back to the consciousness that you were speaking about?
Okay. Yeah, thank you. Very much. Very nice question. Very nice question. Because inevitably because of us being a little gross and this little insensitive or sometimes even a little envious. It's there, it's in the heart.
We will consciously or unconsciously, willingly or unwillingly, and we have to deal with this because if this pain is being accumulated it will ultimately destroy many things.
Destroy our relationship, destroy other things, and we definitely have to deal with it. So the advice which I can give in this regard is that first of all we should not keep it within.
One mistake which people always do or very often do is that to keep the relationship going they oh, okay, let me swallow it. This is a mistake, but because ultimately the pain will be there and this pain will rot inside and will poison your heart.
And especially if it's being accumulated, if nothing has been done about it, then another pain will be inflicted, another pain will be inflicted, and ultimately it will reach certain level when it's just impossible, and then inevitably you will feel some ill feelings towards such people.
So, one thing is that we have to learn how to give open feedback to other people when they do this to us. And a few practical tips which one can follow.
First of all, you should definitely not do it immediately when it is done because inevitably you will do it in the wrong way.
You will try to man- you will manifest your anger or your hatred towards this person and that will only aggravate the whole thing. So wait a little bit. And then, but definitely tell this to the person.
But there is a very nice formula how to tell this to the person. Most often people use the wrong formula.
When they want to say something to other person, they start judging him on labeling him or saying, "You're like this, therefore you did this to me. Because we may interpret it wrongly.
And quite often this interpretation of the motivations of other people are wrong, which we have. So what we have to say, if this happens, we have to say to the person something like this.
You said this, or you did this, and when you said this or did this, I felt pain within my heart. And nobody can deny this. You're not judging other per person. You're not ascribing some motivation to him.
You're not saying you're this, therefore you did this to me. You're not even saying you did this to me. You're just speaking about your perception. I felt pain.
And when you say this in a very sincere way, immediately, other person, if he is a little sensitive, he will understand this and he will beg forgiveness very in a very sincere way from you.
And this is a very simple formula. Very simple, very straightforward thing. When we start to explain to other people their behaviour, they may be insecure and they may try to fight with you.
Because there is some subtle aggression when you say you're like this, you know, this is aggression from your side.
So try not to manifest this, just uh explain that this was your perception, and this perception was painful and it's uh it's very easy for other people.
Somebody will not say to you, no, you didn't feel pain. I know better. No. You will admit, yeah, oh, I'm really sorry. You know, you felt pain now, I understood this. And then it will be gone.
You know, it's a simple formula to speak from your heart sincerely, and you know it requires a little humility from our side to say this. Yes, I felt pain, because we want to really, we really want to fight back.
We really want, ah, you did this, I'll you did pain to me, I will, you know, eye for eye, yes? This is the Bible, right? No, but this is not the proper formula.
The proper formula, you know, be humble and try to explain what you felt. And if somebody is sensitive, he will very easily say, yes, please forgive me, I now I understand, I will not do this.
And you explain this and he will explain he will probably explain why he said this.
And when he will explain why he said this or did this, uh you will understand that maybe it's not that bad. Maybe he didn't mean so bad and uh it will be easier also to forget it and you know it will be water under the bridge. It will be gone.
Preserving spiritual principles in modern times
So, a few tips. Thank you. Yes, gonna have Assume that society was previously much more religious and that there was a knowledge of respect for when left religious but some or other with the progress of Kal yuga, it's gone.
So now seems to me like the the instructions of Kapiladev is religious or knowledge instructions and how can we ensure that such instructions are relevant to our practice of Krishna consciousness?
And they they will have actually uh positive effect and not just dwindling over time.
Um can you explain again what exactly your question that uh I I can see that that uh this the the so many good qualities were there in the past gradually they are diminishing so but now as as it's a Krishna consciousness movement we want to raise to uh good qualities that can enhance our Krishna consciousness.
So how is your contribution is different from the other religions or previous religions that there was there but gradually diminished for the interval Well um
this process of diminishing uh of religiosity or spirituality in the society is a natural process. Dharma glāni, Krishna himself speaks about this in Bhagavad Gita that Dharma is being corrupted.
But But in my understanding the religion is vital when it has the living examples of the ideal of this religion it becomes a mere formality or just
death uh ritualistic traditional religion when there is no uh vibrant very Very, you know, glaring examples of the ideals of this religion.
And the ideal of our religion is described very beautifully and succinctly in the third verse of Śikṣāṣṭakam. Tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. one without expecting a manina respect towards yourself and be humble.
You know the the religion will be dwindling there is no doubt about it. Uh it's uh it's the influence of the time. But and in fact, even you know, even Lord Chaitanya's movement uh Is not an exempt from this thing.
But as soon as people see the living example of it, it revives and gives the new wave of this same religion. And Śrīla Prabhupāda did this. He basically revived movement of Lord Chaitanya because he was a living
example of all this ideals. So was this the question or not exactly?
So So if if we see people who are who have the integrity and loyalty to their faith and to their practice and they are very vibrant examples of what they practice, uh then then it will be living.
You know, otherwise to have the spiritual movement in the material world is a very difficult thing. Once Prabhupada was asked, it's a very interesting story.
He said, What would you say about the future of Krishna consciousness movement? Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a very interesting answer.
He said spiritual movement in the material world difficult proposition. So it's it's difficult because the very nature of this world is against.
Actually Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda says that the religion which has which has the best chances to survive in this world is the religion of atheism.
This is this is this the this is the religion which has the best chances to survive in this material world. Yeah. This is the atheism Yes, uh you had you shouldn't say in English.
Dealing respectfully with faulty devotee behavior
I will translate into English 10, 20,
Very difficult question what to do if somebody uh offends others uh and especially if this somebody is a devotee and especially if this devotee is offending other devotees, what to do?
Well there are different ways uh of answering this question. One Prabhupada gave in this purport which we read.
He says if somebody is not ideal in his character, then we should respect him if he is a devotee, but respect respect him from a distance because Because too close association with him may be harmful to my Krishna consciousness.
You know it's one thing if we can correct him. But other can correct. It's actually not so often somebody can correct somebody else. It's a rare rare occasion.
If we cannot correct this other person, the best way is just to be in a little distance and to respect him and to pray for him. To pray for his well being, to pray that Krishna gives him some intelligence to stop this practice.
You know, we may give him some lecture or something like this. But usually when people listen some lecture I oftentimes think that this is about them. Rarely we freely address it to us, and this is actually
one point which Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura makes commenting these verses, but I will not speak about this.
But uh we may you know one thing which we can do. And this is actually the way how the scriptures deal with this problem. When we directly start correcting somebody usually it's unsuccessful.
It very rarely has. Only if the relationship are very close and established and really, somebody accepts your authority totally, fully, completely, he will hear you if you try to correct him directly.
But there is a way of trying to correct him indirectly, and Prabhupada he gave a very beautiful formula. He says, when the mother-in-law wants to teach her daughter-in-law, she doesn't speak to the daughter-in-law.
She addresses her own daughter. Because she can speak to the daughter, and there is a little chance that the daughter-in-law will hear this and understand this is about me. I have to correct something.
So if somebody does something wrong, then it may be a good idea to say something not directly to him but something that— And this is how shastra teaches us. The shastra explains problems of other people.
Sometimes shastra explains a story, you know.
Like Narada Muni, he came to King Pracinabarhisad and he wanted to teach him, but he said once upon a time was one king and he did these things and you know and that happened with him and then
King Pracinabarhisha said, Oh, it's about me, I understand. So sometimes you may give some sort of indirect instructions. It may work.
But if you cannot correct, then just respectfully pray for such a person so that sooner or later he will understand that he's doing something wrong. Okay, I guess it's late. Thank you very much.
Yeah, I already ate the cake. Ah, some pressure uh for to distribute for people.