NOI 3 – How to Maintain Enthusiasm Even in Difficult Situations

Host: I can make a small presentation like this about yourself and then start the lecture. Is it okay with you?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Host: [Introduction in foreign Language] Okay, Guru Maharaja, please. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: So, I have been asked to speak on the subject of enthusiasm. And on numerous occasions, Srila Prabhupada has given the formula for enthusiasm, which is to follow all the regulative principles strictly; to chant our minimum sixteen rounds, to follow the four restrictive principles, and to engage in all of the activities that we are instructed.

So, that is the way to become enthusiastic and to maintain one’s enthusiasm. But Nityananda Prabhu added to the subject, how to maintain one’s enthusiasm even in difficult situations. But actually, the circumstances should not affect our enthusiasm. The circumstances might affect our enthusiasm temporarily, but not for long.

When Srila Prabhupada was staying at this Scindia Colony in Andheri, in Bombay, and he was trying to get his different formalities, p-forms for going to America, some days, he just was not successful. And one of Sumati Morarji’s secretaries was staying in that same building, and he saw that temporarily, Srila Prabhupada became discouraged, and then he would bounce back, and then he would say, “Anyway, tomorrow’s another day. Maybe I’ll be successful tomorrow.” But otherwise, a devotee doesn’t really see problems as such.

Once, Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Swami, I mean, at the time, he was Svarupa Damodara dasa, said to Srila Prabhupada, “I have only one department, the Bhaktivedanta Institute, BI, and I have so many problems. And you have the whole worldwide movement to manage, I cannot even imagine how many problems you have to deal with.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Problems? I don’t see any problems. I see only service to my Guru Maharaja.” So, when we see everything as service, then there’s no question of becoming discouraged or losing enthusiasm. And again, even if temporarily, we feel discouraged, we bounce back and we see hope.

Another example of Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu, Bombay, when we weren’t getting the permission to build the temple. So, at one stage, he said, “Well, never mind if we don’t get the permission. We’ll turn Hare Krishna Land into a bus stop. We’ll have buses, and we’ll fill up the buses with devotees and books and send the buses out for book distribution, and we’ll make Hare Krishna Land a bus stop.” So, he always saw how to utilize every situation in Guru and Krishna’s service.

So, now I will read about enthusiasm from the book, The Nectar of Instruction, Text Three. And the first word is utsāhāt, which means ‘by enthusiasm.’ This verse describes the six principles that make us successful in devotional service.

NOI 3

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

TRANSLATION

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam – hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Devotional service is not a matter of sentimental speculation or imaginative ecstasy. Its substance is practical activity. Bhakti is a sort of cultivation. As soon as we say “cultivation,” we must refer to activity.

COMMENT

Then, Srila Prabhupada explains about the process of devotional service in broad terms, and then he comes to enthusiasm.

PURPORT (continued)

When by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service. Such an opportunity is offered to a person who is sincere. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is giving such a chance to humanity at large. If by fortune one takes advantage of this opportunity to engage in devotional service, the path of liberation immediately opens.

Host: Guru Maharaja, I can’t find where you are reading.

Giriraj Swami: Alright, don’t worry about that. Well, it’s covered in the next paragraph. I’ll read from there because that discusses enthusiasm.

PURPORT (continued)

One should accept this opportunity to return home, back to Godhead, very enthusiastically. Without enthusiasm, one cannot be successful.

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada was unlimitedly enthusiastic. And therefore, he hardly slept at night. He was so enthusiastic to translate his books, to write his books. So, he would rest at about ten and sleep only two hours, and then get up at midnight and translate. That was his enthusiasm. And we should reciprocate with his superhuman effort in presenting the books by reading the books.

PURPORT (continued)

Even in the material world one has to be very enthusiastic in his particular field of activity in order to become successful. A student, businessman, artist or anyone else who wants success in his line must be enthusiastic. Similarly, one has to be very enthusiastic in devotional service. Enthusiasm means action, but action for whom? The answer is that one should always act for Kṛṣṇa – kṛṣṇārthākhila-ceṣṭā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu).

In all phases of life one has to perform devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga. It is not that one has to confine or narrow one’s activities. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Therefore nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa.

COMMENT

So, everything is either Krishna, or Krishna’s energy. And Krishna’s energy should be used in Krishna’s service. Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati prays that he’s very happy in the material world. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says that the material world is duḥkhālayam, a place of misery. So, why does Prabodhananda Sarasvati say viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate, that he sees the world as full of happiness? And the answer is that he sees the world full of happy opportunities to serve Krishna. So, viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate, he sees the world as full of happiness even though Krishna says the world is a place of misery. And then, Srila Prabhupada speaks about how we can use so-called material things in Krishna consciousness, and thus they become spiritualized.

For example, now we are using computers and the internet for our meeting. So, the people who invented the internet and the people who invented Zoom, they had no idea that those facilities would be used for glorifying Krishna. We’re using the internet and Zoom and Facebook and YouTube in Krishna’s service. So, yeah, we don’t need to exclude anything. Srila Prabhupada continues.

PURPORT (continued)

Endeavor executed with intelligence in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called utsāha, or enthusiasm. The devotees find the correct means by which everything can be utilized in the service of the Lord (nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate). The execution of devotional service is not a matter of idle meditation but practical action in the foreground of spiritual life.

COMMENT

So, like anything, enthusiasm needs to be balanced with patience. And Srila Prabhupada says that enthusiasm without patience can lead to a desire to control, “I’m enthusiastic, I want to do this thing but I’m not patient. So, I just want to control things so it happens the way I want, when I want.” And patience without enthusiasm can lead to lethargy, “I’m patient, I can wait to distribute books.” So, like that, day by day can pass and no book distribution. It’s just lethargy, just laziness. Patience without enthusiasm can become lethargy or laziness. So, we need both. And another element, which is mentioned in this verse of The Nectar of Instruction, is confidence. This is sort of down in this paragraph.

PURPORT (continued)

The successful execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities requires both patience and confidence. A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. The devotee thinks, avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa: “Kṛṣṇa will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service.”

COMMENT

And then, just to conclude. . . Basically, Srila Prabhupada says that devotional service is so pure and perfect that one will ultimately be dragged to success. And we should utilize our time for chanting, hearing, remembering, serving, and we should not waste time. As Srila Prabhupada said in one talk in Los Angeles, “If you’ve got time, chant Hare Krishna. Don’t waste time, don’t speak nonsense. If you’ve got time, chant Hare Krishna.”

So, today we were reading some of the six items that ensure the success of bhakti-yoga, ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. But there are six other items that destroy, or spoil, one’s devotional service, ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati. And one of those six items is prajalpaḥ. Relating it to what Srila Prabhupada said, it means speaking nonsense, idle talks, useless talks. And of all kinds of prajalpaḥ, the worst is sādhu-nindā or criticizing devotees. So, we should avoid that at any cost. And if we follow these principles, we will be successful by the mercy of Guru and Krishna. Success always depends on two elements; pariśrama, which means our hard endeavor, and kṛṣṇa-kṛpā, which means Krishna’s mercy.

When Mother Yasoda was trying to bind Krishna, the ropes were always two fingers too short. No matter how many ropes she put together, and she had a lot of ropes, being in a cowherd community, but always two inches or two fingers too short. But when Krishna saw her hard labor, He became compassionate and gave her His mercy. And the acharyas explain that the two fingers were overcome; one finger was overcome by pariśrama, by Mother Yasoda’s hard labor, and the other finger was overcome by kṛṣṇa-kṛpā, by Krishna’s mercy.

So, pretty much our success always depends on these two elements—our own efforts and Krishna’s mercy. And how to make our own effort is described in this verse, and the first item is utsāhāt, by enthusiasm. If we lose enthusiasm, we cannot be successful. And to maintain our enthusiasm, we follow the practices of bhakti-yoga; chanting our rounds, following the four rules, and everything else that is prescribed.

Alright. So, thank you very much. Now, do any of you have any questions or comments? If so, you can raise your hand.

Host (translating a devotee’s question): “So, to be enthusiastic, we need to be grateful?”

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, I think the two go together. If we’re not grateful, then we feel we should be getting more than we’re getting. So, we might become resentful, “Why am I not getting what I deserve?” But if you’re filled with gratitude, then you’re enthusiastic, “I want to serve this person to whom I feel so grateful.” But even if you’re not grateful, you can still be enthusiastic because you feel, “I deserve more, I deserve better, I’m not grateful.” But you can still be enthusiastic, “Okay, I’m going to act in such a way that I will get more than what I’ve been getting.” Hare Krishna.

Gaurakisora dasa: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Gaurakisora dasa: Maharaja, this is Gaurakisora dasa.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, Gaurakisora Prabhu?

Gaurakisora dasa: I am in Porto right now, and I just want to offer you my humble obeisances, Maharaja. Please accept them. And thank you for these very enlightening moments. This is priceless, Maharaja. Thank you so very much.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, thank you.

Gaurakisora dasa: I just want to say this.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, that means a lot to me coming from you.

Host: Anyone else has some questions?

Paramgati dasa: Hare Krishna. I just would like to thank very, very much Giriraj Swami Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Jaya!

Paramgati dasa: Great pleasure. I heard everything.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Paramgati dasa: Thank you very much. I’m in Portugal now. Grateful you allowed me to stay in your house in Vrindavan.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, I’m so happy to see you. I saw the name Paramgati, and you’re the only Paramgati I know, but I still wasn’t completely sure, but now seeing your face, I know it’s the same.

Paramgati dasa: Thank you very much. Maharaja, we are waiting for your new book.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, it’s very close to finished.

Paramgati dasa: Yeah, thank you, Maharaja. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: [Foreign Language]. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. Thank you. Gracias. How do you say that in Portuguese?

Devotee: Obrigado.

Giriraj Swami: Obrigado.

Devotee: It means I feel obliged to you.

Giriraj Swami: Obrigado.

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Thank you very much for an inspiring lecture, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Can we see you, also?

Devotee: Oh! Unfortunately, my phone’s camera is broken, so I cannot.

Giriraj Swami: Okay, okay, okay.

Devotee: I would like to ask how we balance our own needs with our devotional service without feeling the guilt? Because sometimes this guilt is coming, “I don’t do enough, I don’t do enough for Krishna, I don’t do enough for devotees.” But at the same time, sometimes I feel that this feeling is not very good and it’s not bringing enthusiasm. On the contrary, sometimes I feel more down. So, how do we find balance? And is this guilty feeling healthy, or should we somehow work it out not to feel it and accept our level? Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, that’s a very good question. Well, we have to keep our body and soul together. Otherwise, we can’t do service. So, we do have physical requirements. As Krishna says, one should be temperate in his eating and sleeping and recreation, but we should not, of course, indulge excessively in taking care of the body or the mind. But as far as possible, we should save time and energy for Krishna consciousness.

I mean, wanting to do more for Krishna and for the devotees in principle is good to want to do more, and it should serve as an impetus to do more. But if you become discouraged, “I’m not doing enough. I’m so fallen, I’m so useless, I’m so worthless,” and then you lose whatever enthusiasm you had, of course, that’s not good, and that’s where patience may be required. You want to do more and that’s good, but you might have to be patient until the circumstances allow you to do more. Is that alright?

Devotee: Yes, thank you very much. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Obrigado.

Host: There’s a question, Guru Maharaja, what about the false enthusiasm. . .

Giriraj Swami: Wait, where is she?

Host: She’s somewhere. She’s here.

Giriraj Swami: So now, what’s the question?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:12:08] False enthusiasm?

Giriraj Swami: Oh, false enthusiasm.

Devotee: How to recognize when there is false enthusiasm?

Giriraj Swami: Utsaha-mayi, that’s a term used by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura to describe a student, he becomes very enthusiastic about his studies, but then very quickly, he loses interest. But if we follow these principles of Rupa Gosvami, then we can have real enthusiasm and patience and confidence.

Another manifestation of false enthusiasm could be when one is enthusiastic not to serve Krishna or please Krishna, but to get some recognition, some name and fame. For example, one might distribute books, but not for the sake of giving transcendental knowledge to the needy conditioned souls and not for the sake of pleasing Srila Prabhupada, but for the name and fame that people will say, “So and so distributed so many books,” and maybe they’ll get some special benefit like a plate of mahā-prasāda. So, if one’s enthusiastic for the wrong reasons, then if he doesn’t get recognition, then he won’t feel enthusiastic, he’ll lose his enthusiasm and feel discouraged and lose his enthusiasm.

There was a time in Bombay when every evening, I would come back and give a report to Srila Prabhupada about my preaching activities during the day. And usually, I was quite successful, but one day, nobody gave anything. I met so many people and not one person. . . I would begin by asking them to become a life member, and then if they wouldn’t become a life member, I’d ask them to buy a set of books. And if they didn’t buy a set of books, I’d ask them to buy a few. Whatever it is, nobody gave anything, for any reason. And Srila Prabhupada instructed me, “If you sincerely try your best to please Krishna, Krishna will be satisfied even if others are not.”

In other words, others may not be satisfied. The people I approached, they may not be satisfied, and therefore, they didn’t give anything. And even the other devotees might not be satisfied because they might have wanted me to be bringing back some Lakshmi. But if we sincerely try our best to serve Krishna, Krishna will be satisfied even if others are not. And that is our mission, that is bhakti, to please Krishna.

Host: Kamala Kanta Prabhu has a question. Let us see where he is.

Rasa Sundari dasi: I have a question. We have to make some arrangements here because the neighbor has some dogs and they’re bringing the goats and other dogs. They’re crazy. Hare Krishna again. Can I speak?

Host: Please.

Rasa Sundari dasi: Guru Maharaja, Hare Krishna again. Nice to see you again. What would be the point, or what would be the formula for someone who loses his enthusiasm completely? How could he get himself up again and keep going once his enthusiasm is completely lost? What would be the formula for a devotee like this?

Giriraj Swami: Associating with pure devotees. So, Kamala Kanta?

Kamala Kanta: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Myself and my wife, we are sending our humble obeisances to you. This is a very wonderful class to listen to, and also very good questions and answers. And we request you that maybe every month or every week, we can listen to you. It was very good to hear from you about the enthusiasm in Krishna consciousness. Thank you so much. Hare Krishna.

Host: Actually, Kamala Kanta Prabhu, Ramragav Prabhu, [Unintelligible 01:22:25], Vishakha Mataji, they are the ones that are maintaining the project in Lisbon, although they have so many responsibilities, like Kamala Kanta and Vishakha Mataji also, they have restaurants to run, but still, Kamala Kanta and his wife, of course, they both always spare time for serving Lord Krishna in Prabhupada’s mission also.

Giriraj Swami: Obrigado. I mean, I am doing a number of programs, so you can. . . Or we could add him to my mailing list, or else you can just forward him the programs, and he can join them.

Host: Yeah, we can do that. Cristina has a question also, Guru Maharaja.

Christina Mataji: Yes. I have to show my face, right? Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Christina Mataji: So, I wrote the question because I’m a bit nervous. I’m sorry. So, in several ways and in some amount, our enthusiasm depends on the inspiration that comes from others. So, my question is, is it wrong to depend on others for this, we should be totally detached and be able to get these strengths from ourselves, or we should, on the other hand, feel more responsible for our attitudes knowing that others are depending on us to be inspired and enthusiastic?

Giriraj Swami: Well, it’s natural for our enthusiasm to increase by the enthusiasm of others. When we were with Srila Prabhupada in Wardah, a place in India, he said that when he sees his devotees distributing his books, he becomes more enthusiastic. And Srila Prabhupada had a disciple named Vishnujana Swami, and he and Tamal Krishna Goswami made a team in the Radha-Damodar party, and Vishnujana Swami was known for being very enthusiastic. So, someone asked him how he could always be enthusiastic all the time, and he replied that sometimes if he doesn’t feel enthusiastic, he still acts as if he was enthusiastic. And then, when the other devotees see his pretended enthusiasm, they become enthusiastic. And when he sees their genuine enthusiasm, then he genuinely feels enthusiastic.

Host: Christina is our technician here on this Zoom.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Host: Although she has two small children, she still has some time to be our technician for all these courses.

Christina Mataji: The enthusiasm that comes from their enthusiasm makes me enthusiastic.

Host: There’s [Unintelligible 01:29:12] and is making a comment. Can I translate, Guru Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Well, can we see her?

Host: I think she’s working, Guru Maharaja. She’s working in the restaurant. She and Radha Damodar Prahu are both working.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Host: She is saying that she’s in the kitchen of the restaurant that is open. Therefore, both of them are listening on a mobile phone, but they cannot speak.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Host: So, her question is, “According to our experience, the enthusiasm comes from the determination in following the orders of the spiritual master. So, is that true?”

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, it’s similar to what Srila Prabhupada said, that enthusiasm comes by following all the regulated principles, all the practices which are coming through the instructions of the spiritual master. That’s nice, a nice thought.

Alright. Well, I have another program coming up soon and I have to do a couple of things before that. So, thank you, Nityananda Prabhu. This was a wonderful idea to have a special meeting with the Portuguese devotees. And so, I think we can end with offering Vaishnava praṇāmas.

[Prayers]