SB 2.3.17

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Dear devotees, thank you all for joining. So, we are very, very blessed, and very fortunate today to have His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja with us. It is our dream come true, and what we are receiving is an extraordinary mercy of Maharaja, because we are getting his association at the beginning of the new year. On behalf of the Hare Krishna Temple of Austin, Maharaja, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for giving your holy association today. With that, I would like to give a very brief introduction of Maharaja. His glories are unlimited, in the interest of time, I just want to give a short one. 

Maharaja was born Glenn Phillip Teton, the only son of a respected Chicago lawyer who was appointed as judge later. You all may be aware of Maharaja’s parents meeting Srila Prabhupada in 1971 in Calcutta. Very beautiful, sweet pastime and loving exchange between Srila Prabhupada and Maharaja’s parents. It’s an amazing pastime, you can read about it in the Watering the Seed book that Maharaja wrote. In 1969, while studying at Brandeis University in Boston, Maharaja met Srila Prabhupada, and then in that very brief meeting with Srila Prabhupada, Maharaja felt he learned more in one brief exchange than he had learned in his many years of academic education. Then, after graduating from the university, Maharaja accepted formal initiation from Srila Prabhupada and received the spiritual name, His Grace Giriraj dasa, at that time. 

Quickly after that, Maharaja became a member of Boston Center, then Maharaja was given the opportunity to go to India with Srila Prabhupada and help in establishing Srila Prabhupada’s mission in India. In 1972, Prabhupada appointed Maharaja as president of ISKCON Bombay, and trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Since then, Maharaja has made many significant contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, and most notably, the development of Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, Bombay. So, if you go to Juhu, you can see the wonder. Maharaja is the pillar of support of Juhu Temple; he developed the old temple from scratch. 

Maharaja also had taken active part in the famous Cross Maidan festival along with His Holiness Tamal Krishna Maharaja, and they made very prominent life members in Juhu, and connected them to our movement. As I said, during one of our Sunday Feasts before, the great spiritual foundation we see in Bombay now, thousands and thousands of people taking up Krishna consciousness and living the life of bhakti, the seed was planted by His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja. So, we are reaping the fruits now, and the Juhu Temple has become one of the famous attractions in India, people all over the world come to Juhu Temple. And also, Maharaja was instrumental in the acquisition and development of Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Govardhana, and he led the Kirtan Ashram for women. He also established Bhaktivedanta Hospice and Vrindavan Institute of Palliative Care. All these are in Vrindavan, the holy dhāma, Vrindavan. 

So, we can see Maharaja has done a tremendous and great work in the holy dhāma, especially for those devotees who have been practicing for many, many years. And the Bhaktivedanta Hospice is for devotees who dedicated their entire life in service of Srila Prabhupada’s mission, and at the time of their leaving the body, they have been offered a great care in the Bhaktivedanta Hospice. And the Bhaktivedanta Ashram has become the sanctuary for the pure devotees, coming together and studying Srila Prabhupada’s books in a deeper manner. So, through his efforts, Maharaja has become renowned for the austerities, his loyalty and dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Also, for his ability to raise funds and cultivate important members of our society. In the following year, after Srila Prabhupada’s departure in 1977, Maharaja was awarded the renounced order of life, the sannyasa order, and appointed president of ISKCON’s board of trustees in India. 

In 1982, he was appointed to ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission, 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 at the Vrindavan Institute of Higher Education and continues to lecture and give presentations at japa retreats and workshops around the world. 

Presently, Maharaja is based in Carpinteria, it’s a beautiful ashram in California. He is now focusing on one of the main personal instructions that he received from Srila Prabhupada, which is to write. So, you may have read in the Watering the Seed book that the tug of war situation Maharaja faced, that is whether to do services or to write. Now, Maharaja is focusing on writing many transcendental gems. Books are coming out, such as Watering the Seed, Many Moons, Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective,” and recently, Maharaja completed the much-awaited book about Srila Prabhupada’s monumental efforts in Bombay, the book titled I Will Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story. Maharaja is also working on books about his search for a spiritual master, on his early days in the Boston Temple, his travels with Srila Prabhupada in India, and Vaishnava holy days. 

So, with that, now let’s welcome His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja to Hare Krishna Temple of Austin by loudly chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra one time: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja ki jaya! Over to you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: So, I will begin by singing the maṅgala-ācaraṇa prayers and leading a short kirtan, and then I will speak on a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with the new year.

[Prayers]

Nice kirtan. So, I will read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Three: “Pure Devotional Service,” Text Seventeen. 

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXT 17

āyur harati vai puṁsām

udyann astaṁ ca yann asau

tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta

uttama-śloka-vārtayā

TRANSLATION

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. 

COMMENT

So, there are eight million four hundred thousand species of life, but only in the human form of life can we realize our eternal relationship with God. And those of you who have joined us for today’s program are engaged in devotional service. Devotional service begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ, hearing and chanting about Krishna. So, you are hearing about Krishna, so you are engaged in devotional service. But here, the first sentence says, “This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service.” The word ‘accelerate’ means to go faster. Like in an automobile, there is a foot pedal called the accelerator, and when you step on the accelerator, the car goes faster. So, in terms of our devotional service, we want to step on it, we want to go faster because time is passing. The clock is ticking, and we don’t know how much time we have. And so, whatever time we do have, we want to utilize fully in the best way, to progress in Krishna consciousness. 

PURPORT (continued)

Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. 

COMMENT

So, we, the living entity, are spiritual souls. And we are inhabiting a material body, but we are not the body. We are the soul, or ātmā, or jīvātmā, within the body. So, everyone is interested in his self-interest, which is natural, but to determine our self-interest, we have to know who our self is. Are we the body, or are we something else? Are we the soul within the body? And Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if you are performing a mathematical calculation and you make a mistake in the first step, then even if you perform all the other functions perfectly, you may get further and further away from the actual solution, from the right answer. So, if we make a mistake in the first step, in other words, if we identify ourselves as being the body rather than the soul, even if we do everything perfectly for the sake of the body, we will get further and further away from the actual happiness that we seek. 

Once, someone gave me a book written by a Harvard psychologist or sociologist called Stumbling on Happiness. And later, actually, I saw that my godbrother, Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, very learned and scholarly and intelligent godbrother, he’d also come across that book and he wrote a little article about it for Back to Godhead. Anyway, someone gave me this book, Stumbling on Happiness, and the premise is that we, human beings, are very poor at predicting what will make us happy. And, therefore, the title, Stumbling on Happiness, if you find happiness, you just sort of stumble on it because you don’t find it where you are looking for it, or where you would expect to find it. So, fortunately, we have stumbled on Krishna consciousness, and through Krishna consciousness, we are able to experience actual happiness. The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu by Srila Rupa Gosvami, which Srila Prabhupada has given us as The Nectar of Devotion, explains the general characteristics of devotional service. There are six. And two begin in sādhana-bhakti, and two in bhāva-bhakti, and two in prema-bhakti. And the two in sādhana-bhakti are devotional service brings all-auspiciousness, and devotional service brings relief from material distress. 

And under all-auspiciousness, there are a few items, and one of them is happiness. So, even from the stage of sādhana-bhakti, where we all begin, one can experience happiness. And we are experiencing happiness. Otherwise, we wouldn’t continue doing what we are doing.

PURPORT (continued)

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. 

COMMENT

So, this is practical. At the time of death, if you want to extend the duration of your life by even one minute and are ready to spend any amount of money, you cannot do it. That means that you cannot put a price tag on the time that comprises your life. Our life is actually made of time. How we spend our time really means how we spend our life. So, right now, let us say, it’s about eleven o’clock California time, which would be, say, one o’clock in Texas. So, this moment, actually, it’s 10:59 here, so that would be 12:59 there, we cannot get this back by spending any amount of money. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So, with whatever time we have, we must engage in devotional service, because otherwise, that time is gone and we can never get it back. Even if we are ready to spend any amount of money, we can never get it back. We should be very attentive to this point, about how we spend our time. 

PURPORT (continued)

Human life is simply awarded to a living entity, (jīva), so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. 

COMMENT

So, the two go together; realizing our spiritual identities and our permanent source of happiness. Because when we realize our spiritual identity, then we know that our permanent source of happiness will be spiritual. Certainly, not material. 

PURPORT (continued)

Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jīva).

COMMENT

It’s the only reason we’ve been awarded the human form of life.

PURPORT (continued)

The human form of life is simply awarded to a living entity (jīva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. 

COMMENT

So, yes, the Lord is sac-cid-ānanda, and we, being parts and parcels of the Lord, are also by nature sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, chit means conscious, and ānanda means blissful. So, by nature, we are blissful. But because of being covered by the material body, and more so by material consciousness, we do not experience our innate happiness. But we want to be happy, and so we are seeking happiness. But in most cases, we don’t know where to find real happiness. 

PURPORT (continued)

A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. 

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada gave the example of a fish out of water. If you take a fish out of water, even if you put it in a golden bowl and fill that bowl with precious gems and jewels, and light incense, and spray perfumes, and create all the facilities that are meant for creating a happy environment or pleasurable environment, but even then, the fish won’t be happy, because the fish is a creature of the water, and the fish can be happy only in water. So, similarly, we are creatures of the spirit, and we can be happy only in the spiritual atmosphere, not otherwise.

PURPORT (continued)

A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. 

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada is so kind, actually, he is telling us how to be happy. That was what he wanted; he wanted us to be happy, he wanted people to be happy. 

PURPORT (continued)

A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he’s vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, qualities, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. 

COMMENT

So, we’ve already discussed that we are not the body, we are the soul within the body. And as spiritual souls, we can be happy only in spiritual activities and in a spiritual atmosphere. And the Supreme Spirit is Krishna, and our constitutional position is that we are eternal servants of Krishna, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya—kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa. So, we can be happy only when we are established in our constitutional positions as eternal servants of Krishna, it’s that simple. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Mukti, or liberation, means to be re-established in one’s svarūpa, in one’s constitutional position. This is what we want, and we can achieve it easily. Actually, we can achieve it easily by following the standard process of bhakti-yoga, as given to us by Srila Prabhupada and the shastras and previous acharyas. 

That situation of happiness comes when we connect with Krishna. And how do we connect with Krishna? It’s very easy because there is His name, His forms, His qualities, His pastimes, His entourage, which means His pure devotees, His personality; They are all Krishna. And we can connect with any one of those easily through the process of bhakti-yoga. So, we don’t have to be drying up in this desert of material existence, but we can come to the Oasis of Krishna consciousness very easily. 

PURPORT (continued)

Once a person comes into contact with anyone of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words.

COMMENT

So now, what’s the benefit if we do come in contact with the Lord?

PURPORT (continued)

“Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.” 

COMMENT

So, this is another beautiful quality of devotional service, that it is never lost. Whatever we achieve materially is lost at the time of death. For example, if I’ve mastered many languages in this life, but when I leave this body and take birth again, I don’t know any language. It’s just, “Ga, ga, ga, ga,” just like any baby, doesn’t know how to speak. So, materially, whatever we achieve in this life is lost at the time of death. But spiritually, whatever we achieve is not lost. For example, if we progress only 1 percent in Krishna consciousness in this life, then in the next life, we begin from 2 percent. It’s not lost. If we progress 50 percent in this life, then in the next life, we begin from 51 percent, it continues. And therefore, Srila Prabhupada cited this verse, Bhagavad-gītā (2.40), which says that in this endeavor, there is no loss or diminution. And in one beautiful purport in The Nectar of Instruction, Srila Prabhupada says that Krishna consciousness is so pure and perfect, that one will be forcibly dragged to ultimate success. 

So, we are on our way, we are going back home, back to Godhead, and we will reach the destination, it’s guaranteed. Of course, if we commit offenses, especially vaiṣṇava-aparādha, then that could take some time to recover from. So, we should be very careful about that one in particular. In fact, the first offense against the holy name is sādhu-nindā, to blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives to propagate the holy name of the Lord. So, we should be careful about that, we should not criticize devotees, and if we avoid that, then our path is clear. 

PURPORT (continued)

As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear by the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. 

COMMENT

This is a very nice example. If you get an injection, say, in your arm, or wherever, that medicine will immediately circulate throughout your whole body. And similarly, if you receive the messages of the Lord, uttama-śloka-vārtayā, through the ear, it will act very efficiently. 

PURPORT (continued)

As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear by the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural reception. . .

COMMENT

That’s a-u-r-a-l, it means through the ear.

PURPORT (continued)

Aural reception of the transcendental message implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. 

COMMENT

So, yes, it comes into the ear in the form of sound, uttama-śloka-vārtayā, but the realization becomes complete. The Lord’s name, form, qualities, pastimes, and so on, as we read, which is what we want and what will make us happy. 

PURPORT (continued)

Aural realization of the transcendental message implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, prepares one’s complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. 

COMMENT

So, by engaging in the process of bhakti-yoga, the rising and setting of the sun are not robbing us of our duration of life, but rather, we are preparing ourselves for our eternal life with Krishna. So, it seems like a very striking statement, “Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good personality of Godhead.” Well, how is that? By the rising and the setting of the sun, is not the duration of life of even the devotees decreased? But in a way, no, because the devotee, by engaging in such topics, is approaching his eternal life. So, his duration of life is not being decreased, but rather, he is realizing his eternal life. 

PURPORT (continued)

Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.

The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras, as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa (without brahminical qualification), the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedasa) it is returned by unlimited multiplication. 

COMMENT

So, everything in the material world is limited, and therefore, to get an unlimited return, one will have to go to the spiritual world to get it, and one will go to the spiritual world because it is guaranteed by this process, and also, by this logic. 

PURPORT (continued)

If the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one has factually realized the path of the Vedas) it is returned by unlimited multiplication. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ). There is a guarantee of money’s being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion.

COMMENT

That’s a fact.

PURPORT (continued)

Similarly, a moment passed. . .

COMMENT

Just a moment.

PURPORT (continued)

Similarly, a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee. . .

COMMENT

Yes, a moment. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says ‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga — sarva-śāstre kaya- lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya. Lava-mātra is described to be one eleventh of a second. That’s how little time it takes. ‘Sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga — sarva-śāstre kaya, all the scriptures state that by associating with a devotee for even a moment, sarva-siddhi haya, one can attain all perfection. Because in that moment, the devotee can tell you about devotional service or engage you in devotional service, and by devotional service, you attain all perfection. 

PURPORT (continued)

A moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate.  

COMMENT

It’s a line from the Bhagavad-gītā, in which Lord Krishna says that one who attains to His abode never takes birth again. 

PURPORT (continued)

In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life. 

COMMENT

So, usually, we don’t want disease or old age, and naturally, of course, we don’t want disease or old age, but disease and old age can be an impetus for us to accelerate our devotional service, which will bring us closer to our eternal life with Krishna, sooner. So, “A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life” because they make us realize that this physical body is not a happy place, that the material world is not a happy place. And so, to realize the happiness that we want, we should go back home, back to Godhead. And to go back home, back to Godhead, we need to engage in devotional service, bhakti-yoga. And because we don’t know how much time we have, we want to accelerate, we want to step on it, so that we can realize our goal in life in this very lifetime and realize the happiness that we all are seeking. Hare Krishna.

Satya Sara dasa: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Maharaja, would you like to take questions? 

Giriraj Swami: Yes, I can. 

Satya Sara dasa: Would you like to take it directly, or should I moderate it for you? 

Giriraj Swami: Directly. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay. Dear devotees, please ask questions to Maharaja directly. You may raise your hand so we can know that you are questioning. Lalita Prasad Prabhu?

Lalita Prasad dasa: Hare Krishna, Maharaja, thank you so much for your lecture. I have a question regarding pain. We have heard many times that pure devotees don’t feel pain, and my understanding is that I’ve witnessed Prabhupada when I was there in 1977, when Prabhupada was in his later days on this planet, and I used to have direct view of his veranda where he would lay in the late afternoons, and I could see the discomfort that he experienced. And when the other devotees tell me that Prabhupada did not feel pain, I get upset because I know he felt pain. And of course, the pain of Jesus Christ is not the same pain that I suffered due to my karma, the pain of the pure devotee is due to the sinful activities. And early in ISKCON, we used to be told to be mindful of our sinful activities because they will cause disease in our spiritual master. 

So, when the example of Haridasa Thakura. . . And many devotees, when they give lectures, they say, “This individual did not feel pain,” or “The pure devotees do not feel pain.” I don’t understand how they can say that they don’t feel pain. And it’s confusing, and I sometimes find myself getting upset. And others come and say, “A pure devotee does not feel pain.” My spiritual master, our spiritual father, I know he felt pain. And if someone tells me that he didn’t feel pain, I really question their comments. So, maybe you can clarify that a little bit for me. Thank you. 

Giriraj Swami: Of course, devotees do feel pain. Even a pure devotee will feel pain in the body, but his experience of the pain is different because he doesn’t identify with the body. And so, the pain is there, but he is somewhat detached from it. And it’s also a matter of focus or concentration. Even we, ordinary devotees, have experience. We might have some pain, a headache or whatever, but if we get involved in kṛṣṇa-kathā, we forget the pain. So, in a way, the pain is still there, but in a way, it’s not there because we are not feeling it because our mind is somewhere else. 

Srila Prabhupada gave the example of Stalin. He had such control of his mind that I think he underwent some operation, he didn’t take anesthesia because he had such control over his mind that he didn’t focus on it. But it would be incorrect to say that a pure devotee doesn’t experience pain, but he will experience it in a different way than an ordinary person because of his Krishna consciousness. 

Lalita Prasad dasa: Thank you, Maharaja.

Satya Sara dasa: Umesh Prabhu, you raised your hand. Could you please ask your question? 

Umesh Prabhu: Yes. Hare Krishna, Prabhu. Thanks for taking time in giving us the class, especially on time and how we should utilize it. I wanted to ask this question. We are beginning to be on our path to be Krishna conscious, and we are all human beings, we come with good and bad habits. Some of the habits that are in the material world of superiority complex, or the common habit in human beings, to compete. So, how do we guard ourselves that when we come to the spiritual world, we are not bringing the common bad habits of humans, wherein we kind of create a competition in the spiritual world as well, “I do x rounds more than you, so I’m more superior,” or, “I do y service more than you, so I’m more superior.” How do we guard against that? Because it’s very difficult to not bring the material world ego or superiority to the spiritual world. 

Giriraj Swami: Well, as Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, “Nothing is good or bad. Good and bad are mental concoctions.” Otherwise, the material world is all bad, but if something can be used in Krishna consciousness, then it can be good. So, competition is part of life. And in fact, Srila Prabhupada encouraged transcendental competition in book distribution, for example. But there is a difference between transcendental competition and material competition. In transcendental competition, what admits the good qualities or service of the other, but still, one wants to excel it to please Krishna more. Whereas in a mundane competition, there is often envy in which the person does not admit the good qualities or service of the competitor. 

I’ll give an example of my own, it’s a little different, but how competition can be used in Krishna’s service. After the success of the first Bombay pandal, Srila Prabhupada sent Tamal Krishna Goswami and me to Calcutta to arrange a pandal program there. And I was new to Calcutta, I didn’t really know people. But somehow, I got hold of a souvenir book. At these programs, they publish a souvenir book with advertisements, and that’s how they raise funds for the program. So, somehow, I got a souvenir book, well, I will say the name, of Swami Chinmayananda. And I was determined that I will go to every single person who gave an ad for Swami Chinmayananda and get an ad for our souvenir book, for Srila Prabhupada, and get a bigger ad. So, that was a sort of competition, but it was healthy. I mean, it didn’t have any bad effects on any devotees. So, everything can be dovetailed, but it’s a matter of how to dovetail it in a favorable way. But being competitive, or any of the things you mentioned, are not bad in and of themselves, they can be dovetailed in Krishna consciousness. 

Satya Sara dasa: Another person. Arjun Luthra, can you please unmute? 

Arjun Luthra: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. I had a question. You had mentioned how it’s so valuable to spend a moment with a pure devotee. And my question is, how can we always experience the presence of the devotees even when they are not physically present during our day-to-day life. If they are not physically with us, how can we remember them every single moment? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, I’m sure you’ve heard, there are two methods of association. One is called vāṇī, which means transcendental sound, or words, and the other is vapuḥ, which means physical presence, or body. And the physical presence may or may not be there, but the vāṇī, the words, the instructions are always there. And by following the instructions, we can experience the person’s presence. As Srila Prabhupada dedicated his Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to his spiritual master, “He lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him.” So, by following the instructions, you live with the guru or sadhu. So, that’s very encouraging, by serving them, we can feel their presence. 

Satya Sara dasa: Maharaja, Rasikendra Prabhu has a question. Rasikendra Prabhu, please unmute. 

Rasikendra dasa: Hare Krishna, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Rasikendra dasa: Finally, this has happened, we are very happy, Maharaja. I’m amazed by the number of devotees who showed up here. There are another thirty or forty on YouTube and Facebook, so wonderful.

Back to the question of Lalita Prasad Prabhu, sometimes we see when great personalities, even Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he said that we hear the description that he feigned paralysis. That means it was almost not real, it was something like a līlā. So, sometimes I struggle with that. When you say that you kind of minimize the difficulties that devotees go through in their lives to serve Krishna, even in the time of their departure, if you say it’s like līlā, then it kind of says they’re not really suffering, but, actually, the suffering or the pain of a devotee actually glorifies the devotee even further, I feel. Because they’re taking so much pain to set an example for us how to leave the body. We saw that in Mother Kirtida. I cannot deny, I mean, I saw that she was going through tremendous discomfort. It’s kind of a little difficult for me to reconcile that. We call that a līlā, definitely the activities of a pure devotee is līlā. But the fact that we say that they don’t feel pain, or they feigning the pain kind of minimizes, I feel, the devotee’s glories. Could you please throw light on that, Maharaja? 

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Pure devotees feel pain, and the fact that they accept the pain and tolerate the pain for our sake is testimony to their glories, that they’re willing to take that trouble for our sake, to give us Krishna consciousness. I’ve often felt uncomfortable with using the word ‘pastime’ in relation to Srila Prabhupada because it’s different. I mean, Krishna’s līlā is different. I mean, that’s definitely līlā, whereas. . . I mean, I’ve sort of gotten used to when devotees say, “Srila Prabhupada’s pastime” in a way, but it shouldn’t detract from the reality of the experience that Srila Prabhupada had, struggling in the material world for Krishna. What makes him or anyone a pure devotee is that it’s all for Krishna. But the fact that it’s for Krishna doesn’t mean that it doesn’t involve pain, or suffering, or difficulty, not at all. It’s just a fact. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Maharaja. Maharaja, Satyarupa Gauranga Prabhu has a question for you. Satyarupa Prabhu, please unmute.

Satyarupa Gauranga dasa: Hare Krishna, Maharaja, thanks for the wonderful lecture. Maharaja, often, I have a question. Whenever I do some specific tasks related to work or executing anything, that week, I’m thinking fully on that. So, I will get it in the dream in one or the other form of that. But why do I never get Krishna’s things? I never see Krishna in the dream. So, I am not evolving? Or how to understand that? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, do you get devotees in dreams? 

Satyarupa Gauranga dasa: Never, I didn’t get devotees in a dream. 

Giriraj Swami: Do you ever get preaching or doing service in your dream? 

Satyarupa Gauranga dasa: No, Maharaja. Frankly, I’m accepting. 

Giriraj Swami: Okay. Anyway, Srila Prabhupada said we shouldn’t take dreams too seriously. But if it will make you happy, I will pray that you get more spiritual dreams. 

Satyarupa Gauranga dasa: Thank you, Maharaja. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Prabhu. Maharaja, a teenager, his name is Kirtan; he has a question for you. Kirtan, please unmute. 

Kirtan Nagavar Apu: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. My question, Maharaja, was that I’ve heard many times in lectures that all we need in life is one eleventh of a second of association with the devotee to be fully in Krishna consciousness, or at least accept that that’s the reality. But as I see, I have so much association; my parents, congregation, Satya Sara Prabhu and so many people, but I still can’t take it as seriously as I’m supposed to. I mean, I have so much more than one eleventh of a second, so if you could add to that, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: Well, as you yourself said, it’s not the quantity of time, but maybe a question of the quality. But you should not take Krishna consciousness for granted. One devotee in London has a son who was basically born into Krishna consciousness, and the father was explaining to him that he really went through a lot to find Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON, to find a bona fide spiritual master. And he was warning his son not to take it for granted, “Okay, you are born in it and everything is there, you haven’t had to struggle and search to find it, but you shouldn’t take it for granted.” And yeah, devotional service is a privilege, the association of devotees is a privilege, and if we take it for granted and don’t appreciate it, then Krishna may take it away from us, at least temporarily, to bring us to the point of appreciating what we had, which we took for granted. And when we realize how valuable it is, then we’ll want to take the best advantage of it, because now we know the value of it. 

And then I would recommend attentive chanting. Attentive chanting really cleanses the heart, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, and it makes us aware of our weaknesses when we see how we are distracted by petty things. So, it makes us humble, and then we have to cry out for mercy to be able to chant with attention. Like Srila Prabhupada said, “Chanting is easy, but the determination to chant is not so easy.” So, but I think if you really work on attentive chanting. . . Do you chant a certain number of rounds per day? Do you mind telling us how many? 

Kirtan Nagavar Apu: Yes, Maharaja. It’s eight rounds a day, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: And what time of day do you chant your rounds? 

Kirtan Nagavar Apu: There is no set time, just whenever I’m able. 

Giriraj Swami: Well, it’s good if you get up early, that makes a big difference, and chant during brāhma-muhūrta, which begins an hour and thirty-two minutes before sunrise, if you can. Because I always think of this for some reason, but there are two devotee sisters. One is near Sacramento, California; and one is in Mumbai, India. So, the sister in Mumbai told her sister in Galt that she should chant at least one round before sunrise. So, somehow, we can adjust our schedule to get up early. And my godbrother, Kalakantha Prabhu, of Krishna House in Gainesville, Florida; he often says that the best advice that he can give any devotee for advancing in Krishna consciousness is to take rest early. The idea being, if you take rest early, you can get up early, and then, the value of your spiritual practices is enhanced in the early hours.

Kirtan Nagavar Apu: Thank you so much, Maharaja. Hare Krishna. 

Satya Sara dasa: Maharaja, we have four more questions; four more devotees have raised their hands. Do you have time to take four questions? 

Giriraj Swami: Yes. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay, Maharaja. Chandrika Priya Mataji, please unmute and ask. 

Chandrika Priya dasi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you. Thank you, Guru Maharaja, for the wonderful class. I just had a question regarding how it was mentioned that in the next life, a devotee takes off from where they stopped. If they do 1 percent, and if they can increase 1 percent, then it becomes 2 percent, and it’s never lost. I was just wondering, because maya is so strong, would it be possible that in the next life, they don’t progress? Because it’s been predicted that as we go more into Kali-yuga, things will get worse. But is it possible that somebody, even if they have 1 percent, but then if they take next birth, that they don’t progress? Then, if that happens, will they still get a human birth? The birth after that, do they still get more chances to progress? 

Giriraj Swami: Why are you asking this question? 

Chandrika Priya dasi: I was just curious, Maharaja. Well, I had some discussion with devotees previously, regarding it. One of my very dear devotee friends is in prasādam distribution, and I don’t know, she started to have doubts. Because she distributes a lot of prasādam, but people take time to come to Krishna consciousness, some come immediately but some take time. So, she was just wondering as to how useful. Because we know that if you give a book to someone, even if they read one page, one paragraph, one line, Prabhupada had said they can get human form and next life, and same with the prasādam distribution. She was just having doubts on that, and we were just having these kinds of discussions. 

Giriraj Swami: Well, yes, if one engages in devotional service, one will get a human birth, as we read in Bhagavad-gītā 2.40. And then in the next life, it’s expected that they will continue where they left off. Even though Kali-yuga is getting worse, but still, that’s no impediment to continuing in Krishna consciousness. So, if they do 1 percent, then in their next life, they can start from 2 percent and continue to make progress. So, keep distributing books, keep distributing prasādam. 

Chandrika Priya dasi: Thank you, Guru Maharaja. Thank you. Hare Krishna. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay, Mataji. The next question is Shikha Mataji; you have a question, please unmute and ask. 

Shikha Mataji: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. All obeisances to you, and thank you for your grace and mercy today. Maharaja, I would like to take you to an early part of your life when you were new in Krishna consciousness, at least in this birth. What kept you steady on the path? Because I’m sure every time it was not easy for all the things which you were doing. So, my question is, what kept you steady on this path, and maybe through your experience, I will learn as well. Hare Krishna, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: I guess that what kept me steady was Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. I wanted to serve him and please him, and I had already seen that material facility doesn’t make someone happy. I grew up in an affluent suburb of Chicago, and I could see in my own home and in the homes of my schoolmates and friends that the material wealth was not making their parents happy. So, that was not an illusion that I would care to pursue. Otherwise, I was just so inspired by Srila Prabhupada, so moved by him. But there was probably some continuation from the past life, because I was looking for a guru already, before I met Srila Prabhupada, and that thirst for spiritual knowledge and spiritual development was there. 

My dear godbrother, His Holiness Niranjana Swami, he doesn’t like to take any credit for anything of his spiritual life because he wants to give all the credit to Srila Prabhupada. But The Nectar of Devotion does say that Krishna consciousness is a continuation from one life to the next, and if someone has a natural taste for Krishna consciousness, it’s very likely that he had made progress in his past life, but somehow, he didn’t complete the full course, and therefore, he is continuing in the present life. And The Nectar of Devotion also says that the reason for not completing the whole course was likely an offense at the lotus feet of the devotee. So, again, we have to be very careful about that. I hope that helps. 

Shikha Mataji: Thank you, Prabhu. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Mataji. Next question, Maharaja, is from Rasikendra Prabhu’s friend, Stant Venkat. Prabu, please unmute and ask. 

Stanunathan Venkat: Actually, it’s Stanunathan. Anyway, Hare Krishna, Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances, and all glories to Srila Prabhupada. You had so much personal association with Srila Prabhupada. I mean, you are so fortunate. But I was just curious if you could relate one incident, which was very sweet and which is very dear to your heart, and which you will never forget and that will give us an insight into Srila Prabhupada, as some of his early disciples knew him.  

Giriraj Swami: Well, the one that comes to mind first, of course, there are so many, but the one that came to mind first was when I first met him and I realized that he was my perfect master, and I surrendered to him. But I think it might be instructive to share a story of an incident with Srila Prabhupada that I didn’t much appreciate.

So, the history is that I was in Calcutta, and Srila Prabhupada had just gotten the Juhu Land in Bombay. And in a way, this story begins a little before that, at the Mayapur festival. At the time, Srila Prabhupada was in that small hut near the entrance to the property, and he said to me, “During the British rule, there were three states; Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Which do you want?” I said, “Srila Prabhupada, I will do whatever you want me to do. Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.” And he said, “No, no. I want you to decide.” And I realized that he was forcing me to come to a higher level of surrender. Because it’s said that there are three categories of disciples: the lowest receives an instruction from the spiritual master and forgets it or does it but begrudgingly. Second category receives an instruction from the spiritual master and executes it perfectly. And the first category anticipates what the spiritual master wants and does it without even being asked. 

So, all right, this was in Mayapur, then from Mayapur, we went to Calcutta. And I was chanting, I was praying to the Deities, “What should I do? What would please Srila Prabhupada?” But I couldn’t get an answer. So, one day, I went into Srila Prabhupada’s room with a plan to trick him into revealing what he wanted me to do. So, I said, “Srila Prabhupada, I’ve been thinking that maybe I should stay in Calcutta,” and then I gave all the reasons why I should stay in Calcutta. And without any change of expression or voice, he says, “Yes, you can stay in Calcutta.” But then I said, “But then again, I was thinking maybe I should go back to Madras.” And then I gave the reasons why I should go back to Madras. And same tone of voice, same expression, “Yes, you can go to Madras.” So, by then, I started to get a feeling that my plan was not going to work, but I was already invested in it, so I played it out to the end, and I said, “But then again, I was thinking I should go to Bombay,” and then I gave the reasons for that. With the same expression, same tone of voice, “Yes, you can go to Bombay.” 

So, then I realized my plan to trick Srila Prabhupada into revealing what he wanted me to do had failed, but I was also glad that my spiritual master was so wise and intelligent that he couldn’t be tricked by a silly disciple. So, then I went back to my chanting and praying to the Deities, and then Srila Prabhupada left, and I still didn’t have an answer. Then one day, somehow, I got an insight, maybe Krishna gave me the intelligence, that our main program in India was life membership. In fact, Srila Prabhupada said, “If you just give me three life numbers a day,” means to us collectively, “If you just give me three life members a day, I’ll do everything else.” 

So, I reasoned that life membership was the most important program. And I had experience that if we take care of our life members, they themselves will make other members for us. And if we don’t take care of them, then even if we personally go to try to enlist someone as a life member, he may not join because he has heard that we don’t keep our promises to our life members. And Bombay was the head office, so I thought I should come to Bombay and become the life membership secretary, and that would be my best contribution. So, I wrote Srila Prabhupada that I decided in favor of Bombay, and so he said, “Yes, come to Bombay immediately.” 

So, I went to Bombay and Srila Prabhupada greeted me very warmly and he personally took me around the property and pointed out all the palm trees. And so, it was all very nice. And then, maybe a couple of days later, he called a meeting to discuss who should take charge of the project. And the senior devotees went into Srila Prabhupada’s room. It was quite tense, nobody knew what was going to happen. And then suddenly, Srila Prabhupada said to me, “So, Giriraj, you will take charge?” And within myself, I was almost devastated because that was not at all my intention in coming to Juhu. My intention was to be something like the life membership secretary, and I didn’t think that I was so suited to management, and Juhu was a huge project. So, he said, “So, Giriraj, you will take charge?” My mind was reeling, but I was convinced, intellectually and philosophically, that the secret of success in spiritual life was to follow the instructions of the spiritual master. So, I said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada, if that’s what you want, I will do it.” 

And then, Srila Prabhupada smiled, he sort of chuckled, and then he said, “So, now the whole responsibility is on you.” And then, my mind was just rebelling, I mean, it was rebelling and I was thinking. But I didn’t identify with those thoughts, but the thoughts that were coming through my mind were, “Why is Srila Prabhupada doing that? Can’t he see how difficult this is for me? And now he is rubbing it in by saying, ‘Now the whole responsibility is on you.’” But I also heard that when the spiritual master gives an instruction, he also gives the potency to execute it. So, in retrospect, I mean, I knew Srila Prabhupada knew what was best for everyone. I didn’t like it at the time, but I had faith in Srila Prabhupada. Then he left Bombay. But that was his mercy that he engaged me. 

Stanunathan Venkat: Thank you very much, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, that was a good question. 

Stanunathan Venkat: Hare Krishna.

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Prabhu. So, the next question is from Prashanth Prabhu. He is a very new devotee from the University of Austin preaching program. Prashanth Prabhu, please unmute and ask.

Prashanth Prabhu: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Thank you for sharing your association, please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja, my question was, as we begin the journey, personally, I feel I have some days where I have a lot of clarity, things are done with Krishna in mind, and then there are other days where the material thing that I’m working on, work or whatever it is, has sort of taken over. How does one manage, Maharaja, especially, I guess, in this time where we are just at home due to COVID and in one place and without physical association, without being able to go to temple or otherwise. How does one balance and keep going every day? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, balance is the key; you need a schedule that includes enough time for Krishna consciousness. And you should try to arrange the schedule in such a way that the early hours are reserved for bhakti-yoga. In every tradition, there is an appreciation of the value of the early hours, especially before sunrise. When I was based in Juhu, I made friends with some Ahmadiyya Muslims, and they told me that in their tradition, Allah hears the prayers of worshipers more before sunrise. And these Muslim friends would actually come to Juhu and do their prayers in the early hours of the morning because we all got up early, well before sunrise. So, what you said about balance is crucial, and that will ensure that you don’t get too carried away with other pursuits at the cost of Krishna consciousness. 

Prashanth Prabhu: Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you Prashanth Prabu. Next question, Maharaja, from Pushpanjali Mataji. Pushpanjali Mataji, please unmute and ask.

Pushpanjali Mataji: Hare Krishna, Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you. I’m asking a question from a member from the south program. She is a new member, her name is Chandrika Vashisht, and she is asking, “What is the next step for the soul after realizing that Krishna is the source of our happiness?” It would be great if you could directly address her question. Thank you, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: Well, the natural conclusion if we understand that Krishna is the source of our happiness is to work on our relationship with Krishna, to work on our connection with Krishna. And that means to engage in devotional service, bhakti-yoga, because in the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, that only by devotional service can He be known. I mentioned that even in the earlier stages of sādhana-bhakti, one can experience happiness in Krishna consciousness, which is what we want, and then it just gets better and better. 

Pushpanjali Mataji: Thank you so much, Maharaja. And personally, I really want to thank you for uplifting us in this New Year. We are all drowning because of this COVID situation, your association in more than the one eleventh, it really has helped me. And really, very grateful for your time and your patience and your discourse. Thank you so much Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. 

Pushpanjali Mataji: Hare Krishna. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Pushpanjali. Maharaja, there is a question from Mital Shah, she is a dentist and a very nice devotee, she started practicing devotional service. Mital Shah Mataji, please unmute and ask. 

Mital Shah: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Actually, I am Mital´s husband. I have a good question. Maharaja, either when I’m doing materialistic work or. . .

Giriraj Swami: Wait, wait. Can we see you? All we are seeing is the ceiling.

Mital Shah: Oh. 

Giriraj Swami: Can you adjust the. . .? 

Mital Shah: Can you see me? Sorry. 

Satya Sara dasa: Maybe put lighting please, if possible. 

Mital Shah: Maharaja, can you see me?

Giriraj Swami: No. I caught a glimpse of your arm.

Mital Shah: Okay. Okay. Let me see if I can ask the question and I’ll try to adjust this, put some light on here. 

Giriraj Swami: Okay, okay. 

Mital Shah: So, my question was that when I’m doing either God’s work, spiritual work, like overseeing something in a temple or either materialistic world, I tend to get overwhelmed quite often, I feel like responsibility is taking a lot of burden on me. How do I overcome that? Any guidance? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, you have to understand that you are not the doer, and that ultimately, Krishna is there. Just surrender to Krishna and beg Him to empower you, enlighten you, guide you. And don’t take it that you are alone, because you are not alone. Don’t take it that you are the doer. And then, if you know that Krishna is your partner, so to speak, then you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed because it’s not all on you. Hare Krishna. 

Mital Shah: Thank you, Maharaja. Hare Krishna. 

Satya Sara dasa: Maharaja, is it okay? Somebody wrote a question in WhatsApp, may I read it out for you? 

Giriraj Swami: Yes. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay. So, the question is from one of the congregation members. “We know that Krishna’s mercy is always there, it is just that we are not taking those mercy easily available. We also hear that to make progress, we need to get devotees’ mercy. How do we understand this?”

Giriraj Swami: Well, generally, it is said that Krishna’s mercy follows the devotee’s mercy. Although the two go together, brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja, “By the mercy of guru, one gets Krishna.” Well, actually, by the mercy of Krishna, one gets guru, and then by the mercy of guru, one gets Krishna. But yeah, generally, the mercy of Krishna follows the mercy of the devotee. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, in his Mādhurya-kādambinī, has given a brilliant analysis of how someone gets bhakti. And he says that someone could argue that one gets bhakti due to the mercy of the Lord, the unbounded, causeless mercy of the Lord. But he says that cannot be the answer because some get it and some don’t. And the Lord, being the Supreme Father of every living entity, must be equal to all of His children. So, if He is equal to all of His children, then how is it that some get it and some don’t? So, the answer cannot be the mercy of the Lord. 

So, then he proposes the answer could be the mercy of a devotee, and he says that there too the objection could be raised that a devotee also cannot be partial. But he refutes that argument by citing the qualifications of a madhyam bhakta, who is a preacher. In principle, the uttamā bhakta, the mahā-bhāgavata, does not preach because he sees that everyone is already engaged in Krishna’s service. So, the madhyam bhakta is the preacher, and he makes distinctions by definition. Prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ. So, prema, he gives his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maitrī, he makes friendship with devotees; kṛpā, he gives mercy to the innocent; and upekṣāḥ, he neglects the envious. 

So, for a preacher, a madhyam bhakta, to show mercy to the innocent is not a lack of impartiality, but it is the nature of the madhyam bhakta. So, he says that the cause of bhakti is the mercy of the madhyam bhakta, and of course, we know that sometimes an uttamā bhakta, for the sake of preaching, will adopt the mood of madhyam bhakta. 

And then, when that living entity receives the mercy of the devotee, then Krishna gives His mercy, because Krishna is partial to His devotees. And Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, “Well, someone might complain that Krishna is supposed to be equal to everyone, why should He be partial to His devotees?” And Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that this is Krishna’s quality of bhakta-vatsala, being especially affectionate to His devotees.” And this is not a dūṣaṇam, not a fault, but it is a bhūṣaṇām, and an ornament in Krishna’s character. So, the conclusion is that one gets bhakti by the mercy of a devotee, and the devotee’s mercy is followed by Krishna’s mercy. Hare Krishna.

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you very much, Maharaja. And there is one more question. I want to be cognizant of your time because it’s lunch time for you. Do you have some more time? 

Giriraj Swami: Yes. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay, this question is, again, from one of the congregation members, “How can we remain helpless, meaning depend on Krishna for everything, yet enthusiastic and determined to do services to please Srila Prabhupada?” 

Giriraj Swami: But that person is not available to come on the screen? 

Satya Sara dasa: It was sent to us through YouTube live.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, okay. Okay, so, I’m sorry, can you repeat the question? 

Satya Sara dasa: The question is, “How can we remain helpless, meaning depend on Krishna, yet enthusiastic and determined to do services to please Srila Prabhupada?” 

Giriraj Swami: Well, the two go together. We want to be determined, enthusiastic to please Srila Prabhupada, but we know that we cannot be successful independently, that we need help to be successful. So, in that sense, we are helpless, we should have the mood of helplessness, that without the help of the previous acharyas, we cannot be successful. There is a very beautiful talk that Srila Prabhupada gave in England in which he discusses the mood of the devotee or the preacher. I could paraphrase it pretty accurately, but maybe I’ll just read it because it’s so nice. I think I could find it, just one moment. 

Well, I’m not finding it, maybe because I changed computers, but I can give the basic idea. So, the basic idea is that Arjuna. . . I’m just going to make one more attempt because it’s just such a nice way. 

Okay I’m surrendering. So, what Srila Prabhupada said in this talk in London is that Arjuna had decorated his chariot with the flag of Hanuman, and his thought was, Hanuman, you are the acharya in fighting for your master, Lord Ramachandra. So, please help me in fighting for my master, for Lord Krishna. And Srila Prabhupada said that in every activity of the Vaishnava, he always feels helpless and is praying for the help of the previous acharyas. And then he gave the example of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, who is the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He said, “In every line, in every word, he is praying for the help of the previous acharyas.” Practically every chapter, he ends, rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa. So, Srila Prabhupada was saying, “In every line, every word, he is praying to the previous acharyas, Rupa and Raghunatha, to help him.” He was saying, “That’s the mood of the Vaishnava, that he is helpless and he is always praying for the help of the previous acharyas.” 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you very much, Maharaja, it was wonderful. And Maharaja, that’s all the questions we have. So, with that, we would like to give you a word of thanks. He is a very senior devotee of our congregation, he has some connection with you, and he would like to give a word of thanks. Is it okay for you? 

Giriraj Swami: Okay. 

Satya Sara dasa: Okay. Vamana Hari Prabhu, please unmute and proceed. 

Vamana Hari Prabhu: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glorious to you and all glories to Srila Prabhupada. I got this great fortune of expressing my gratitude and giving a word of thanks on the request of Satya Sara Prabhu. I have very fun memories of attending several of your classes in person, especially one over ten years ago in Dallas in a home program, when my mother received your blessings in the form of mahā garland. And a year later, she left this world amidst devotees. It’s very inspiring, Maharaja, to read about your services to Srila Prabhupada in establishing Juhu temple, especially watching these episodes in the Abhay Charan series of the video cassettes, which I have watched. Maharaja, in your class, you have explained nicely about the time, how to utilize it, and self-interest, and there is no price tag for the time, and realizing our spiritual identity and a permanent source of happiness. 

Then, the next thing you addressed, we have to follow a standard process of bhakti-yoga, as given by Srila Prabhupada and shastras, and devotional service is never lost. Messages of the Lord should be received through ears, and it will have a very potent effect, just like a medicine injected through the vein. Lastly, for devotees, the rising and setting of the sun does not reduce life, but it gets closer to the eternal life. Taking these points to heart with your blessings, we hope to implement this in our practice and pray to you for you to bless us again and again with your association in the future. Hare Krishna, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: Jaya, that was very nice, better than what I said. Thank you. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you very much, Maharaja. I just wanted to conclude the program saying we are very grateful for your association today. Now we pray that you bless us with more of your association in the near future. And one humble request, we want to bless it, we would like to do your book signing event in Austin. So, could you please tell us how we should do it? We would like to do it in a grand way. 

Giriraj Swami: Oh, that’s wonderful. Well, let the book come. And also, we are dealing with this coronavirus pandemic, so we are not traveling now. But that’s very nice of you to offer, I would love to do that in the time. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you very much, Maharaja. 

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, thank you. Thank you for that invitation. 

Satya Sara dasa: Thank you, Maharaja. Devotees, if you’d like to get a copy of Maharaja, any of his books, please contact Jay Subadra devi dasi, or Satya Rupa Gauranga Prabhu, they will be able to provide you a copy. So, with that, Maharaja, thank you again, one more time, at your lotus feet. 

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. 

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotees: Srila Giriraj Maharaja ki jaya!