SB 1.8.25–26 – Prayers by Queen Kunti

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna Radheshyam Prabhu.

Radheshyam dasa: Maharaja, can I just take a minute to just briefly introduce you?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Radheshyam dasa: Yes Maharaja. So, all the devotees. We are very blessed and very fortunate today to have HH Giriraj Swami Maharaja with us. A couple of years ago Maharaja came to Pune and he met our fundraising team, as well as brahmacharis and congregation, and everybody was tremendously inspired, and there were repeated requests from all devotees to invite Maharaja again. So, then I wrote a letter to Maharaja, and Maharaja said “definitely, I can try coming whenever I come to India, once in a year at least I can try to come to Pune.” And, Maharaja kindly agreed. So, now at least we could get Maharaja online today. I’m just giving you all a brief introduction here about Maharaja.

Maharaja was born Glenn Phillip Teton. He is the only son of a respected Chicago lawyer, who was appointed as a judge later. And, you all may be aware of Maharaja’s parents meeting Prabhupada, very sweet exchange of pastimes is available in the Watering the Seed book. You might have read it, such a very amazing pastimes. And, in 1969, while studying at Brandeis University in Boston, Maharaja met Srila Prabhupada. And then, he, Maharaja felt actually, that he learned more in just one brief exchange with Prabhupada, after several years of learning academic education. The impact of Prabhupada’s meeting was great, even just one brief meeting.

Then, after graduating from the university, Maharaja accepted formal initiation from Srila Prabhupada, and he received the name HG Giriraj dasa, at that time. And, quickly Maharaja became a leading member of the Boston Center. I came to know this when I went to Boston, I was so happy because these days I am going to Boston also, recently last one year. The devotees told me about Maharaja also.

So, Maharaja was then given opportunity to go to India with Srila Prabhupada, and help in establishing the mission of Prabhupada in India. So, in 1972 he was appointed by Prabhupada to be the president of ISKCON Bombay and trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Since then, Maharaja made many significant contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s mission and most notably, the development of Hare Krishna land in Juhu, Bombay.

Now, when I go to Juhu Bombay temple, many senior devotees there say that HH Giriraj Swami Maharaja is like the building, foundation or like the pillar of the Juhu temple. Since, very early days, in his brahmachari days, Maharaja lived there, and from the scratch, he developed the whole temple. And, he has also taken active path in the Cross Maidan festival, he and HH Tamal Krishna Maharaja, and making many of the prominent life members in Juhu, and connecting them. Today, what you see, the great spiritual edifice in Juhu, thousands and thousands of people, members and devotees, the foundation seed was laid by Maharaja there, HH Giriraj Maharaja. We are reaping the fruits now, and benefiting. And, Juhu is actually the headquarters for the whole of India’s financial board. And, Juhu has become a very attractive temple for everybody, all over the world come there.

So, Maharaja was in the early days there. Also, Maharaja was instrumental in acquiring and developing Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Govardhana, and led the development of Kirtan Ashram for the women, and the Bhaktivedanta hospice. as well VIHE; The Vrindavan Institute of Palliative Care, all of them in Vrindavan.

So, in the holy place, Maharaja has done a lot of good work. Especially, for those devotees who have been practicing for many years. Bhaktivedanta hospice, you might be aware, people who, devotees who are leaving the body, they have been offered a very great care in Bhaktivedanta hospice. Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Govardhana has become a sanctuary for pure devotees coming together and studying Prabhupada’s books together, and a very holy place.

So, through the efforts, Maharaja has become renowned for his austerities and his loyalty and dedication to Prabhupada’s mission. Gauranga prabhu, always tells me, that he interviewed Maharaja several times on Prabhupada’s past times. And Gauranga prabhu said “He is unfathomable, he has ocean of pastimes of Prabhupada.” And he always advised me, when Gauranga prabhu talks to me, he says that “How he remembers such a minutest detail, the year and every moment of Prabhupada, he is just absorbed in Prabhupada.”

So, we are very fortunate to have him with us here. And also his ability to raise funds and cultivate important members. And, the following year, after the departure of Prabhupada in 1977, Maharaja was awarded renounced order, and appointed the president of ISKCON’s Board of Trustees in India. And, in 1982, he was appointed by ISKCON GBC, appointed to ISKCON GBC, and he went on to oversee the Society’s activities in Bombay, Mauritius, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Also, Maharaja has taught in VIHE. I have heard some of his lectures on Nectar of Devotion, very thrilling and such a depth of Nectar of Devotion about all the different characteristics of devotional service. Maharaja speaks very amazingly on vaidhī-bhakti vs rāgānugā-bhakti also. I heard him speak in our yatras, in Vrindavan. Always Radhanath Maharaja will invite him, whenever he is available, and he has given very wonderful lectures. And presently based in California, Maharaja is now focusing on one of the main personal instructions that he received from Srila Prabhupada, which is to write. You might be aware in the Watering the Seeds, Maharaja says the tug of war he faced; whether to do services or to write.

So, now he has got the full focus on writing and many transcendental gem like books are coming out, like Watering the Seed and also Many Moons, many of you might have read. So, we are also looking forward to receiving more such gifts from Maharaja in the times to come. And, also one more book, Life’s final exam: Death and Dying from a Vedic Perspective, and many such publications. Radha Pallavi Mataji from Pune has been very instrumental in helping us get Maharaja’s books in the early stage.

Now, many devotees have read and are deeply appreciating Maharaja’s books, and including books about your search for a spiritual master, and his early days in the Boston temple. Oh, it’s going to be a very very great welcome book for all of us. And his travels with Prabhupada in India, and Srila Prabhupada’s monumental efforts in Bombay and Vaishnava holidays. I used to always think Maharaja should write a very exhaustive book like Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta because Maharaja knows so much, in his interactions with Srila Prabhupada.

So, let us welcome Maharaja to Pune, Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra and Sri Sri Radhe Kunjbihari temple with the three loud Haribol. HH Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya.

Giriraj Swami: Well, thank you for that introduction. I will begin by singing the maṅgala-ācaraṇa prayers, and then leading a short kirtan, and then we will discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

[Prayers]

Giriraj Swami: Just a personal request before I begin. As far as possible, I like the participants to have their videos on, so I can see them, and it’s more personal. So, we shall read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto One, Chapter Eight, Text Twenty-Six. No, we’ll start with Twenty-Five, and then plan to move on to Twenty-Six.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

So, again, Canto One, Chapter Eight, Prayers by Queen Kunti, Text Twenty-Five,

TEXT 25

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
apunar bhava-darśanam

Translation and purport by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya.

TRANSLATION

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Generally the distressed, the needy, the intelligent and the inquisitive, who have performed some pious activities, worship or begin to worship the Lord.

COMMENT

Yes, chatur-vidhā bhajante, here Srila Prabhupada is referring indirectly to two verses from the Bhagavad-gītā. One describing the pious souls,chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ

, who engage in devotional service or begin to engage in devotional service. And then the other four categories who never surrender to Krishna; na mam dushkṛitino muḍhaḥ

PURPORT (continued)

Others, who are thriving on misdeeds only, regardless of status, cannot approach the Supreme due to being misled by the illusory energy. Therefore, for a pious person, if there is some calamity there is no other alternative than to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.

COMMENT

During this period of the Coronavirus pandemic, and I’m sure there are different calamities in different places; now in California there are wildfires. I mean, we are not affected here fortunately by the grace of the Lord, but there are calamities, and we’ve experienced them, or we know people who have been subject to calamities. But here, Kunti devi is setting the example of taking the calamities as an opportunity to be more Krishna conscious. And, therefore, she is praying, nobody prays like that, she is praying, “Let the calamities come again and again.” So,

PURPORT (continued)

Therefore, for a pious person, if there is some calamity there is no other alternative than to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Constantly remembering the lotus feet of the Lord means preparing for liberation from birth and death. Therefore, even though there are so-called calamities, they are welcome because they give us an opportunity to remember the Lord, which means liberation.

One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are accepted as the most suitable boat for crossing the ocean of nescience, can achieve liberation as easily as one leaps over the holes made by the hoofs of a calf. Such persons are meant to reside in the abode of the Lord, and they have nothing to do with a place where there is danger at every step.

COMMENT

So, in this paragraph Srila Prabhupada is paraphrasing a beautiful verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Fourteen, Text Fifty-Eight. It’s beautiful in terms of the Sanskrit and it’s also beautiful in terms of its meaning. And, in the old Boston temple we used to sing this song every morning. I’ve never encountered that practice anywhere else, but I will sing it now.

TEXT 58

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

COMMENT

So, the translation is basically what Srila Prabhupada wrote in the purport, but there are some very significant words in this verse.

So, this word vipadāṁ in the verse I just sang, and which Srila Prabhupada mentioned indirectly in his purport is the same word vipadāṁ in Kunti’s prayer.

TRANSLATION

For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Although there is danger at every step the devotee crosses right over it.

COMMENT

So, a part of the instruction of this verse is that we should not be afraid of dangers, because the Lord is always there with the devotee. So many devotees in the history have faced difficulties, and this is also an indication to us that we should not think that because we’ve become devotees, we will not have to face difficulties. We may, but those difficulties are opportunities for us to remember the Lord, to advance in Krishna consciousness. And that is the goal of the devotee, to take more shelter of the Lord and to make more progress in Krishna consciousness. And therefore, if a calamity can serve as an impetus for taking more shelter of the Lord and depending more fully on Him, then the devotee welcomes that so-called calamity.

PURPORT (continued)

This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā as a dangerous place full of calamities.

COMMENT

Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam; It is a place of misery and temporary.

PURPORT (continued)

Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities.

COMMENT

As Srila Prabhupada says, they want to make the

duḥkhālayam into sukhālayam, which is not possible.

PURPORT (continued)

They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of bliss and without trace of calamity.

COMMENT

In other words, we don’t want calamities, and we actually belong to the spiritual world, where there are no calamities. But we shouldn’t try to make the material world a place where there are no calamities because duḥkhālayam, it is a place of misery, but we should focus our attention on attaining the supreme abode Vaikuntha, where there is no anxiety. Vaikuntha means literally the place of no anxiety.

PURPORT (continued)

The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances. Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life.

COMMENT

Here, I call to mind the last Bombay pandal held in Azad Maidan in 1977. In fact, it was Srila Prabhupada’s last major public preaching program, and the chief guest on the main day was to be Sri S.B. Chavan, who was then the chief minister of the state of Maharashtra. But, there was political upheaval, and we didn’t know if he was going to be the prime, the chief minister when it was time for him to come for the pandal program. We didn’t even know if he would come to the pandal program because of all the turmoil, but he did come, and he was the chief minister.

And when Srila Prabhupada addressed him generally, Srila Prabhupada would have the chief guest speak, and then he would speak, and in his talk, Srila Prabhupada would address in particular, the chief guest speaker. And, Srila Prabhupada advised the chief minister exactly as he is advising us here in his purport, that in the material world there will always be upheavals, so we should tolerate them and go on with our main duty, which is devotional service to Krishna. And that’s the example of Queen Kunti, in spite of all trials and tribulations, she was fixed in devotion to Krishna.

That is the example of Prahlada Maharaja, he was also subjected to terrible trials and tribulations, but he was always fixed in his remembrance of Krishna and in his faith in Krishna’s protection. Nāmācārya Srila Haridasa Thakura was also subjected to severe trials and tribulations. He was beaten, and bāīs bazaar twenty-two marketplaces, and generally being beaten as he was in three or four marketplaces would be enough to kill a man, but he remained fixed in his remembrance of Krishna, as Sri Krishna Chaitanya, and he was protected.

So, we should, in the face of calamity, take the opportunity to take more shelter of Krishna, which ultimately guarantees our liberation. Punar bhava means “Repeated birth and death” and the prefix “a” means “not,” so apunar bhava means “No more repetition of birth and death.”

PURPORT (continued)

The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances. Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life. The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false. A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams. In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams.

COMMENT

So, when we suffer some calamity in a dream, it feels very real but when we wake up, we realize it was just a dream, and this whole material existence is also like a dream. There was a time when Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu, and he was regularly speaking on this topic, of that during the night we dream, and then, when we wake up, we are also dreaming. A dream is temporary, and our existence in this world is temporary, like a dream. So, we should not be very disturbed about the calamities in a dream.

PURPORT (continued)

In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams. If someone is lucky enough to get in contact with the Lord by devotional service, it is all gain. Contact with the Lord by any one of the nine devotional services.

COMMENT

The nine devotional services are enumerated by Prahlada Maharaja: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

and one can attain perfection by any one or two or three or all of those nine processes. But here, Srila Prabhupada says, in conclusion:

PURPORT (continued)

Contact with the Lord by any one of the nine devotional services is always a step forward on the path going back to Godhead. 

COMMENT

So, yeah, that’s our goal, param padam, the supreme abode. And we can reach that goal by devotional service, or by remembering Krishna, as Kunti devi states in this verse.

So, I’ll read the next verse, we won’t have time to discuss too much, but the next verse is also important, and, It explains how we can chant the holy name in a proper mood to get the real benefit. Because our main process is chanting, but how we chant? The mood in which we chant determines a lot about what benefit we will get from the chanting. So, yeah Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto One, Chapter Eight, Text Twenty-Six.

TEXT 26

janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir
edhamāna-madaḥ pumān
naivārhaty abhidhātuṁ vai
tvām akiñcana-gocaram

TRANSLATION

My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.

COMMENT

So, one important word in this verse is madaḥ, which means intoxication. Generally, if someone has high birth, great opulence, high education, bodily beauty, they become intoxicated with their assets. And an intoxicated person is not in touch with reality, and cannot properly take shelter of Krishna or of Krishna’s holy name.

So, these assets may appear to be very good materially, but spiritually they are not necessarily assets, they can actually be obstacles. And, Srila Prabhupada gave a beautiful example that everything without Krishna is zero. So,janma—respectable parentage is zero; and iśvarya—great opulence is another zero; and śruta—high education, another zero; and śrī—bodily beauty, another zero, so they are all just zeros. But if you put a one in front of all those zeros you get ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million.

So, these assets are obstacles only when we are intoxicated by them and think that we can enjoy the world on account of our assets. But, if we utilize those assets in devotional service, if we put a one in front of all those zeros, we get a million, and that one is Krishna. If you have these assets, don’t worry about it, just utilize them for Krishna and everything will be auspicious and beautiful. So, yes, purport by Srila Prabhupada.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Being materially advanced means taking birth in an aristocratic family and possessing great wealth, an education and attractive personal beauty. All materialistic men are mad after possessing all these material opulences, and this is known as the advancement of material civilization. But the result is that by possessing all these material assets one becomes artificially puffed up, intoxicated by such temporary possessions.

COMMENT

And, therefore, in the Tenth Canto, Lord Krishna says—yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ; that when I’m especially mercifully inclined to a devotee who is sincere, and wants to make spiritual progress, but at the same time is being held back by material attachments. So Krishna says yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ; the first installment of His special mercy to the devotee is He takes away the devotees material assets.

Srila Prabhupada had a nice Indian young man in Delhi who was translating his books into Hindi, and, so the young man and his father came to visit Srila Prabhupada. And, the father had a vice that he was addicted to smoking. So when the young man and his father came to visit Srila Prabhupada in New Delhi, Srila Prabhupada asked the father whether he was still smoking, and the father admitted. Yes, he was. Then the father said “Can’t I get some special mercy?” And, Srila Prabhupada replied “Yes, special mercy, there is such a thing, a special mercy—yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ; When Krishna gives you the special mercy, He takes everything away from you. Yes, there is special mercy; do you want special work mercy?” And the man said “No, no, Prabhupada. I’ll do it myself, I’ll do it myself.” So. . .

PURPORT (continued)

By possessing all these material assets one becomes artificially puffed up, intoxicated by such temporary possessions. Consequently, such materially puffed up persons are incapable of uttering the holy name of the Lord by addressing Him feelingly, “O Govinda, O Kṛṣṇa.” It is said in the śāstras that by once uttering the holy name of the Lord, the sinner gets rid of a quantity of sins that he is unable to commit.

COMMENT

Just by once uttering the holy name, you can eradicate the more sinful reactions, or more reactions to sins than you are able to commit. That’s how potent chanting one name is, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta also glorifies that, ekanam, the effects of chanting just one name, ekanam.

PURPORT (continued)

It is said in the śāstras that by once uttering the holy name of the Lord, the sinner gets rid of a quantity of sins that he is unable to commit. Such is the power of uttering the holy name of the Lord. There is not the least exaggeration in this statement. Actually the Lord’s holy name has such powerful potency. But there is a quality to such utterances also. It depends on the quality of feeling.

COMMENT

So, my dear devotees, we are all chanting the holy names, so pay attention to this advice: there is a quality to such utterances also, it depends on the quality of feeling.

PURPORT (continued)

A helpless man can feelingly utter the holy name of the Lord, whereas a man who utters the same holy name in great material satisfaction cannot be so sincere. A materially puffed up person may utter the holy name of the Lord occasionally, but he is incapable of uttering the name in quality. Therefore, the four principles of material advancement, namely (1) high parentage, (2) good wealth, (3) high education and (4) attractive beauty, are, so to speak, disqualifications for progress on the path of spiritual advancement. The material covering of the pure spirit soul is an external feature, as much as fever is an external feature of the unhealthy body. The general process is to decrease the degree of the fever and not to aggravate it by maltreatment. Sometimes it is seen that spiritually advanced persons become materially impoverished. This is no discouragement. On the other hand, such impoverishment is a good sign as much as the falling of temperature is a good sign. The principle of life should be to decrease the degree of material intoxication which leads one to be more and more illusioned about the aim of life. Grossly illusioned persons are quite unfit for entrance into the kingdom of God.

COMMENT

And, that is our goal, to enter the kingdom of God, where there is no anxiety and no calamity.

So, I wanted to leave sufficient time for questions and comments, but thank you for joining me in such large numbers, and if you have any questions or comments, I guess you can raise your hand or send something in the chat, and we will churn the nectar more, churn the nectar more.

Host: Maharaja, we have received some questions in chat, shall I read them for you?

Giriraj Swami: Well, first Siddhi-lalasa raised her hand, and she is live on the Zoom. So, let’s start with her because she is here. Can you unmute yourself, Siddhi-lalasa? Unmute yourself. There is a little red icon with a line through it. Yes.

Siddhi-lalasa: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja. I was thinking that, and from both these verses, that the real problem is not the material world, but it’s the anarthas, that’s the obstacle to come out of this material world. And it’s taking a long, long time.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, we are in the material world, but we can—as Srila Prabhupada said “Make the best use of a bad bargain,” and making the best use of a bad bargain means to utilize our lives, and our assets, and every situation to become Krishna conscious.

So, yeah, our anarthas; artha means that which is required, and anartha the opposite, something which is not required, not wanted. So, yeah, yes, the problem is our anarthas. But did you want to ask anything more? Or say any further?

Siddhi-lalasa: Some say it takes a long time.

Giriraj Swami: Well, as Srila Prabhupada said in one talk in Australia. A devotee asked “How long does it take to become Krishna conscious?” Srila Prabhupada became very stern, he said “One moment! Have you not read Bhagavad-gītā? One moment!” But yes, practically speaking, it is a gradual process. And therefore, Rupa Gosvami advises—utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt; utsāhān means enthusiasm, we have to be enthusiastic. But dhairyāt, we also have to be patient.

So, I think given the way you phrased your question, that would be a good verse and purport for you to read. Should be enthusiastic, confident of success, but also patient.

Okay, thank you. Any other questions or comments.

Is it Pravin Gupta?

Pravin Gupta: Hare Krishna. Maharaja, my question is relating to [Inaudible 1:09:15–1:09:54]. I think the COVID has done in a way lot of good to us, although, some people have unfortunately lost their lives. But in the present times, in the last five months, we have been traveling less, we have been meeting less and we have been spending less. So, I feel that should it continue or should it stop now, and we should find a solution to this pandemic. That’s my question Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: There is a little disturbance on the line, but I think you said that due to COVID, you are traveling less and spending less, and so you are thinking that if you have occurred after the pandemic, you should travel less and spend less [Inaudible 1:10:24]. Well, I mean, that could be a good [Inaudible 1:10:33].

Vishwarup dasa: Pravin Gupta should mute up. Mute up, please. Yeah.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, so, just because there was a little disturbance in the broadcast. He is saying that during the pandemic, he is traveling less and spending less, and so he is thinking that even after the pandemic ends he should travel less and spend less. And that’s fine, if you’ve developed some good habits during the pandemic, and you want to maintain those good habits after the pandemic, that’s well and good. But I don’t see that the pandemic is going to end anytime soon. There is no indication. But if it does end, or when it does end, and you, if you want to travel less and spend less, and if your other family members agree, then that’s a good idea. Hare Krishna.

ISKCON Puri Camp Devotee: [Inaudible1:12:00–1:12:23] Is being materially exhausted, one shall attain Krishna’s service. . . [Inaudible1:12:00–1:12:23] If yes, then why Kunti devi in scriptures emphasize on material exhaustion for which normally people are not ready?

Giriraj Swami: I don’t know why there was that disturbance. Can you try repeating your question?

ISKCON Puri Camp Devotee: Yes Maharaja, I will speak again. Is being materially exhausted and engaging material opulence in Krishna’s service, are both equally [Inaudible1:12:49–1:13:05] If yes, then why Kunti devi in scriptures emphasize about material exhaustion for Krishna, for which normally people are not ready.

Radheshyam dasa: Yugal Shyam prabhu it is not clear. You can put it in chat, we can tell him.

Giriraj Swami:Yes

Radheshyam dasa: So, those who are asking questions should keep the mic a little away.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, it says two participants raised hands.

Radheshyam dasa: Maharaja, can I ask you a question, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Radheshyam dasa: I’m Radheshyam dasa. Maharaja, all the sadhana bhakta devotees have a common question, that after we become initiated, we get initiation from the spiritual master. So, for progressively developing our Krishna consciousness besides enduring the sufferings as is said in this verse.

So, what kind of items would you prescribe that we should take in or we should engage in a way that, like you yourself, so beautifully developed your Krishna consciousness over the years, right from your early days up till now. So, how do we make sure that our engagements, and our activities, and our thought process, our reading and everything, is good? Because nowadays we have lot of books available to read, a lot of engagements. So it would be very valuable for us to hear from you.

Giriraj Swami: Well, when I joined, I was aware of so many different processes of devotional service, and I considered them more or less equal. And, I tried to engage in all of them and execute all of them nicely. But one day in Calcutta, late at night, when all the other devotees were asleep on the balcony of the temple, I had a very significant talk with His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. And in that talk he told me that the essence of spiritual life is service to the spiritual master, and thereafter, all the other processes of devotional service were seen by me or executed by me, in the mood of service to Srila Prabhupada, to the spiritual master. And whatever I did, I just knew that, as it’s said, accepting the order of the spiritual master as one’s life and soul is the secret of success.

And once Gauranga Prabhu visited me here at my ashram in Carpinteria, and we were discussing my service to Srila Prabhupada, and I recounted some incidents in which I was in a situation that I would never be in, I would never want to be in, other than to serve my spiritual master. And so, there is no question of any other benefit, so to speak. Sometimes we can be in a materially pleasant situation, and we can enjoy being in that situation, with or without Krishna consciousness. But in the situations, when I felt the happiest, I was in no position to get any happiness out of this situation, other than that is engage in service to Srila Prabhupada.

One night I had gone to the printer, in very far north Calcutta, because, yeah I was printing the first Bengali Back to Godhead magazine. And on the way, we didn’t own any motor vehicles then or anything, and on the way back, it was pouring rain. I was just walking in the rain, I couldn’t get a rickshaw, I couldn’t get a taxi. Usually we preferred rickshaws because they were cheaper. I couldn’t get a rickshaw, I couldn’t get a taxi, I couldn’t get anything. And, at least in those days in Calcutta, in some sections there was no drainage. So, the water just kept rising and rising and I was wading through this water, getting drenched in the pouring rain with no end in sight. But I was in complete bliss, because I was on a mission for my spiritual master. There is no reason that I would have been in that situation other than for his service.

So, sometimes we can relish the greatest happiness when we are in a situation that brings us no material comfort, no material pleasure, but we are there only for the sake of service to the guru, and that is our full satisfaction, inner satisfaction.

So, and that service, yeah, I mean, I was printing, I was printing the Bengali magazine, but in a larger sense that service was part of spreading Krishna consciousness. And so, our general rule is to taste Krishna consciousness and to distribute Krishna consciousness, and when we do those two things, the spiritual master is pleased and we make progress. So. . .

Radheshyam dasa: Yes Maharaja, it was very nice, Maharaja in your case, in Prabhupada’s times, Prabhupada was offering many of you very personal touch and personal association, and we have read many pastimes of you with Prabhupada. And these days, times have changed, many of the disciples don’t get an opportunity to interact with the spiritual master personally one-on-one, like that. And quite often they get associated with multiple spiritual masters, some of them give personal time and some of them are not able to give personal time. And they are also hearing from the next generation, many many devotees.

So, in such a diverse situation, how can a disciple who is pretty far away from direct access to guru—How you would suggest them that they should be able to do what you said just now, what one should do with the spiritual master best, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Well, the basic connection with the spiritual master comes from following the instructions. Srila Prabhupada had very little personal association with his spiritual master, but he took the orders of his spiritual master as his life and soul, and he gave himself fully to executing the order of the spiritual master. And that, yeah on the basis of executing the order, he felt personal reciprocation from the spiritual master, not in any physical or external way, but internally.

That’s a universal principle, I mean, there was a—I mean, I could elaborate but I see that Vishwarup was about to raise his hand and I’m so eager to hear what he has to say that I won’t say what I was going to say. Unmute Vishwarup Prabhu.

Vishwarup dasa: You discussed about getting intoxicated with money and high birth and education, but in current situation, corona, people have lost so much of wealth and they are facing the other difficulty of what to do without the wealth. So, that’s a common difficulty with most of the people, except the richest guys in the world. So, how do you guide us to manage this situation when there is no question of intoxication, there is no wealth only?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I don’t know what you mean by manage the situation, but our idea is to take shelter of Krishna in any situation. Srila Prabhupada said that religion is the front side of God, and irreligion is the backside of God. And he applied that concept to the principle that happiness, you could say, is the front side of God and calamity is the backside of God. But both are coming from God, and a devotee doesn’t distinguish that he likes this feature of God and he doesn’t like that feature of God, he takes them all as the Lord’s mercy and as opportunities to serve the Lord.

But I’m pretty sure—I mean, yes, definitely many people are suffering financial losses, but I’m quite confident that no devotee will starve. I’ve never heard of any devotee starving. In fact, once I asked the senior godbrother, this is many many years ago, but I asked a senior godbrother, “The senior God words are what is our- We go to people’s houses and they treat us so nicely, it seems like there is no austerity.” And he said “Our austerity is that we have to eat so much,” even if we don’t want to, we still have to eat so much because we have to please our hosts.

So, yeah Srila Prabhupada has spoken about the plague in Calcutta and different calamities like that, but he said that the devotees somehow or other in the midst of all the calamities, they were able to survive.

Thank you, that was a very good question. Yes, Chandni Doshi raised her hand. Please unmute, yes.

Chandni Doshi: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. Thank you for the wonderful class Guru Maharaja. I actually was remembering that Sudama Vipra, and he was a brahman, and externally he was very poor but he was filled with devotion. And I heard that in the līlā of Lord Chaitanya, he was Kholavecha Sridhara, and in both.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah.

Chandni Doshi: he was impoverished, is this why he wanted to be that way? Because even though his wife asked him to go to Lord Krishna and ask, but he didn’t. He went there because he could see the Lord, but he, not to ask him for anything.

Giriraj Swami: That’s true. When Sudama Vipra visited his friend Krishna in Dwarka, he didn’t ask for anything, and Krishna didn’t offer him anything. But when Sudama Vipra returned home, he found that his humble dwelling had become a palace and there were so many servants and all sorts of facilities, but his main concern was that he didn’t want to forget Krishna. But Krishna assured him that even in the midst of the opulence, you will always remember me. And that’s the devotee’s main concern, to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. And if the Lord puts him in a poverty stricken condition, that’s okay. And if he is in an opulent position, that’s okay. He can use that opulence to serve Krishna.

But the main thing is, he doesn’t want to forget Krishna in any circumstance. Srila Prabhupada said of himself that “in the beginning Krishna tested me by taking everything away from me, and then Krishna tested me by giving me everything,” so that’s always the test, and Srila Prabhupada thought of that same verse—yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ

in relation to his own situation. That everything was going wrong with his business and his family, life, everything was going wrong. So, he also consulted his older godbrother Srila B.R Sridhara Maharaja that this verse—yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ,could this be happening to me?” and Srila Sridhara Maharaja said “Yes, it could be.” But then again, Krishna also can give opulence, if that’s favorable.

So the devotee has faith that whatever it is, it’s Kirshna’s mercy and it’s a test, to lose everything. Are you going to try to capture what you lost or are you going to hold on to Krishna’s lotus feet. Or if Krishna gives you opulence, are you going to try to enjoy that opulence or are you going to stay fixed on Krishna’s legacy?

So, Srila Prabhupada is the example of both cases, as he said “First Krishna tested me by taking everything away, and then He tested me by giving me everything.”

Chandni Doshi: Thank you very much. Actually, I also had one more question, but I don’t know, if somebody else has a question I could go later.

Giriraj Swami: Well, we’ll give someone else a chance and then we’ll come back.

Chandni Doshi: yes Guru Maharaja. Thank you, Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Bhakti Vabhav dasa: Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: oh, Anjan? Oh no, Bhakti Vabhav.

Bhakti Vabhav dasa: Hare Krishna Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Bhakti Vabhav dasa: Maharaja, as Prabhupada said in this purport, we have to chant, the quality of chanting, and also about chanting feelingly. So can you suggest some ways, how we can develop, improve the quality of chanting and come to the stage of chanting feelingly?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. We should always be aware of how vulnerable we are. I mean, that was—Kunti, she was feeling how vulnerable she was, that Krishna was leaving. And, we are in a vulnerable position. When I first heard the kirtans of Madhava dasa from Mauritius’ famous kirtan leader. He could sit and chant for hours the same tune with complete absorption. And I heard that someone asked him how does he do it, and he replied that every mantra he chants, he thinks it could be the last mantra of his life. So imagine you have one mantra left to chant, you put everything into that. So if we can chant with that mentality. The basic rule, of course, is to articulate each word clearly and, and try to hear attentively.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that by attentive chanting and hearing you destroy all the other offenses, and if you are inattentive while chanting, then the other offenses flourish. So that’s the main, and of course, so many—chanting early in the morning, chanting in front of Tulasi-devi, chanting in front of the Deities, chanting with other devotees who are sincere about chanting. These all support us in our chanting of japa. Hare Krishna.

Yes Anjan.

Anjan dasa: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Maharaja, you mentioned earlier that we should be looking forward to be in Vaikuntha, that is “Leave this material world, where there are no calamities.” Prabhupada once answered his disciple when a single question came, this disciple asked “Can I stay back in this material world, life after life?” and Prabhupada said, “No, you should return to Goloka Vrindavan after purifying yourself.” But when we are chanting, we are chanting that “Krishna, give me sevā, give me sevā,” so how can I understand this contradiction? We are asking for service and at the same time, after this life, we are asked to return to Godhead. Does it mean that service in Goloka Vrindavan is better than serving in this material world? There are so many fallen people, unhappy people, so how do we understand this?

Giriraj Swami: Well, service is service, whether it’s here or there. And Srila Prabhupada gave one disciple, famous disciple, he gave the name Bhavananda; bhāva means the material world. Kunti devi uses that phrase—apunar bhava-darśanam, not Bhavananda, bhāva would mean; ecstasy, ecstatic love f Godhead, but bhāva The bliss of the material world.

So, after the initiation, the disciple was concerned what Srila Prabhupada was trying to tell him by giving him the name “The bliss of the material world,” he was thinking maybe there was something wrong with him. So, he went to Srila Prabhupada, and Srila Prabhupada said that a devotee’s happiness lies in Krishna’s happiness, a devotee has no other way of perceiving happiness other than Krishna’s happiness, and Krishna is most pleased when we preach and bring new people to Him. And that you can do only in the material world, you can’t do that in the spiritual world. So, the bliss of the material world is bringing people to Krishna, and that gives Krishna the greatest pleasure, and therefore, that it gives the devotee the greatest pleasure.

So, that should be our goal. The devotee is not interested in liberation, he only wants to serve and this is the best service. And yeah, there was a nice statement that Srila Prabhupada made about his Guru Maharaja, I could find it but I can paraphrase it pretty well; “That he came into this world with a mission and he completed that, and when he completed that mission, he left and he went on to the next place to execute the same mission.”

So, yeah I mean and very exalted devotees, they can be in the material world and in the spiritual world at the same time, but I think our, we should try to become pure devotees and not worry about where we end up. That will depend on Krishna and the paramparā. But we should be selfless servants. Good question.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Maharaja, we have around twelve questions on the chat, so you wish to take them now or maybe some other day?

Giriraj Swami: No! We are here now. Be here now!

Yugal Shyam dasa: I’m reading questions Maharaja. Respected Maharaja. . .

Giriraj Swami: Excuse me; if any of the people who put the questions on chat are available on Zoom, it’s nice to see them.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Yeah. This question is by Kadamb Kanan Prabhu. He is saying that: “Respected Maharaja, thank you very much for very profound and faith boosting class. You very nicely explain statements from Srila Prabhupada purports, about how calamities will come. A devotee takes shelter of boat of lotus feet of the Lord. Could you please explain what this boat indicates? Is it association of devotees or nine-fold devotional service? Although, Lord has given this simple process, simply to take shelter of boat, how to ensure that we don’t leave this boat at times of temptation and distraction? Maharaja, you personally have undergone so many testing times and challenges in your service to ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada. Could you please guide us, how do we remain in this boat?”

Giriraj Swami: Well, in reply, I just think of one simple and profound statement of Srila Prabhupada’s: “Spiritual life is difficult, but material life is impossible.” So, spiritual life may be difficult, we don’t deny it, but the alternative which is material life is impossible. It’s not even an alternative. So, yeah, you just have to persevere. Again, I think of that verse which I quoted to Siddhi-lalasa dasi—utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. So it may be that the question implies, or suggests some impatience. So we have to be enthusiastic and patient and confident of success. And in that purport Srila Prabhupada writes so beautifully that Krishna consciousness is so pure and perfect, that one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Maharaja, we can go for the next question.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Yugal Shyam dasa: We read about your receiving instruction to write from Srila Prabhupada in Watering the Seed book, though you couldn’t do it immediately, but you did it later, and currently doing it so profoundly. Can this instruction be taken as a generic instruction to all ISKCON devotees irrespective of their years of practice, maturity, permission from scenarios, etc.?

Giriraj Swami: You mean the instruction to write?

Yugal Shyam dasa: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Srila Prabhupada wrote me a letter; I can find it very quickly and read it because it’s for everyone. Srila Prabhupada clearly says that it is for everyone.

Oh, anyway, I remember it pretty well, I’m not finding it but Srila Prabhupada said “In the midst of your heavy duties, go on writing something glorifying the Supreme Lord and put our philosophy into writing,” writing means how one is realizing the whole philosophy. And then said “this writing is for everyone,” so yes, it is for everyone. And the first words in the midst of your heavy duties, so we may have many heavy duties, but as Srila Prabhupada said, this writing is for everyone.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Maharaja, next question.

Giriraj Swami: Bhakti Vaibhav Prabhu is raising his hand.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Ok, we can.

Bhakti Vaibhav dasa: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Regarding this question, writing is for everyone. So can, sometimes you may not get time to write so much, so can it also imply that instead of writing we can also share more and more? It’s the same thing like writing is for some others to read, but we don’t know what he will come conclusion to, or if we preach, we can talk more on that subject and elaborate more and more discussions can happen.

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, that’s good, that’s good. I mean, the thing about writing is that it can go far and wide—bṛhat-mṛdaṅga; it can go far and wide. But it’s also true what you said, that if you speak to someone face to face you can clear their doubts, you can answer their questions, so that’s also very important. It’s just another manifestation of the same effort of sharing Krishna consciousness.

Bhakti Vaibhav dasa: Yes Maharaja, basically, I asked this question especially for senior devotees, certainly, if they write. it will go far and wide. But it is for them, easier for them to preach and they can speak. Their writing may not go far and wide, so when, and they are not so realized that others will read their articles.

Is it, if the purpose of writing is for others, to give Krishna consciousness to others, so for a junior devotee it is more easy for talking. . . Because his writings may not be appreciated. But if the purpose of writing is to express what he has understood and assimilate and just for his own self, that is also one of the purposes?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, it’s for one’s own purification. I think you could do both. Srila Prabhupada wrote me-Very early, I wrote something and he liked it, and he said, “Practice makes perfect.” So, yeah. And Bhurijana Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, he said, “When you write, you discover what you really had to say.” That’s also true.

Okay, thank you. Visakha Priya, Visakha Priya dasi.

Visakha Priya dasi: Guru Maharaja, this is a sequel to the question of Anjan Prabhu, and your replied about the bliss of the material world. So I remember hearing how a disciple had told Srila Prabhupada, “that Srila Prabhupada I don’t want to go back to Godhead, I just want to stay in the material world and serve you eternally here,” something like that. And apparently, Srila Prabhupada replied, “Don’t make me come back to this material world just to save you. You should want to go back to Godhead.” Could you say something about that?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, well sometimes devotees say things with some pretension, and it’s possible that that was sort of a pretentious statement. I think of one disciple who in this, not the same context, but maybe the same mood of pretension, he said to Srila Prabhupada, “Srila Prabhupada, I’m the most fallen” and Srila Prabhupada said “You are not the most anything,” just to bring him back to reality. Srila Prabhupada did say, and this is paraphrasing the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Devotional service influences by different modes. And a devotee influenced by the mode of ignorance will think “I’m the only devotee around here. Everyone else is nonsense,” a devotee influenced by the mode of passion will think, “I want to be the best devotee. I want to be known as being the best devotee.” A devotee influenced by the mode of goodness will think, “I want to go back home, back to Godhead,” and a devotee who is transcendentally situated will think “I just want to serve Krishna and please Krishna.”

Yugal Shyam dasa: Maharaja, we can go for the next question.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Is being materially exhausted and engaging material opulence in Krishna service, both are equally potential to chant Lord’s holy names feelingly? If yes, then why Kunti devi, as scriptures emphasize about material exhaustion for which normally we are not ready?

Giriraj Swami: No. Material exhaustion means that one no longer harbor the desire or the hope to enjoy in the material world. And we have to come to that stage to chant with feeling. It’s not a question of whether one has opulence or not, akiñcana really means someone who possesses nothing, akiñcana or niṣkiñcana, someone who possess nothing. And Srila Prabhupada explains that, that can refer to someone who actually has nothing, there are some sadhus in Vraja, practically they have nothing. But Srila Prabhupada has explained in our context, especially as preachers, that akiñcana or niṣkiñcana means that we have no sense of false proprietorship, but that we see everything as Krishna’s property and meant for Krishna’s service. So that’s another meaning of akiñcana or niṣkiñcana. It’s the same thing if Krishna gives us opulence, we use it in Krishna service.

But if we are, if the opulence bewilders us and we start to want to enjoy it, then Krishna’s other mercy may come in—yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ, take it away from us. But if we really have no sense of false proprietorship, and are ready to use everything in Krishna service, He won’t need to take it away from us. In fact, He might give us more, and not for us, for His service.

Yugal Shyam dasa: Maharaja, we can go for the next question.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Yugal Shyam dasa: We know from Līlāmṛta how you came from an opulent background. How did you personally practice this quality of akiñcana-gocaram?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I mean, I pretty much left everything behind, and I was living as a simple brahmachari, doing menial service. I joined the temple about two months before I was scheduled to graduate from the university. I asked the devotees if I should finish my degree, and they said, “Yes, it could be useful in the future.” So I went back to the campus, not very much but I did go back. But, I was so enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness, whenever I’d meet my friends in the library or anywhere, I would just tell them about Krishna consciousness. And I think I wasn’t that well prepared for the exams, but it seemed that whatever answers I knew those questions only were on the exams, so I ended up doing very well.

And it’s funny, there was one question about evolution and it was an essay question. I was trying to explain evolution, and I thought “Wait a minute, there is something missing here,” and I was really worried that I didn’t know the answer, I didn’t give the proper response. But then I got a good grade on it. And, then I realized: actually, the fault was in the theory of evolution itself. The theory of evolution itself was defective, and that’s why when I was writing the essay, I was saying “Wait a minute, something doesn’t make sense here.” But I thought it was a defect in my understanding.

So I joined the temple and my parents came from my graduation. And, at the time, in the temple, I was peeling potatoes in the kitchen and my father said “I spent so many thousands of dollars on your education, and now you are peeling potatoes.” So, yeah, it was hard for them to adjust. It wasn’t hard for me to adjust, for me it was very easy, sleeping on the floor and cold shower. It was all fine for me.

So, and once I literally, I mean, it would be a bit of a digression, but once I literally had no money. I was in Colombo, and, but anyway I took that that was Krishna’s test or instruction, to feel what it was like to literally have no money. I don’t even remember how I got out of that situation, didn’t last that long. Yes, it wasn’t hard for me.