BG 3.10

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Krishna dasa: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Thank you so much for joining us, giving your valuable time and association. Madhupati Prabhu, Devakinandan Prabhu, I would like to introduce.

Giriraj Swami: Meanwhile, I would like to request the participants on Zoom to put on their cameras so we can see you.

Krishna dasa: Okay, I will go ahead with the introduction, maybe they are busy or on mute.

Giriraj Swami was born as Glenn Phillip Teton. Maharaja has narrated this pastime later on, Prabhupada understanding the greatness of Teton Mountains, so Prabhupada has aptly given the name Giriraj, Govardhanaa’s name to Maharaja. The only son of a respected Chicago lawyer who was later appointed judge. In April 1969, while studying at Brandeis University in Boston, he met His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, from whom, he felt, he learned more in one brief exchange than he had learned in his many years of academic education. After graduating from the university, he accepted formal initiation from Srila Prabhupada and received the spiritual name Giriraj dasa. Giriraj quickly became a leading member of Boston Center and was soon given the opportunity to go to India with Srila Prabhupada and helped establish his mission there.

In 1972, Prabhupada appointed Giriraj the president of ISKCON Bombay and trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Since then, he has made many significant contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, most notably overseeing all aspects of the development of Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, Bombay. He was instrumental in the acquisition and development of Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Govardhana and led the development of the Kirtan Ashram for Women, the Bhaktivedanta Hospice, and the Vrindavan Institute of Palliative Care, all in Vrindavan. 

In the year following Prabhupada’s departure in 1977, Giriraj was awarded the renounced order of life and appointed president of ISKCON’s board of trustees in India. In 1982, he was appointed to ISKCON’s GBC, and he went on to oversee the Society’s activities in Bombay, Mauritius, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. And Maharaja also taught at the VIHE, Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education, and continues to lecture and to give presentations at japa retreats and workshops around the world. Presently, Maharaja is in California.

So, thank you so much, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

Giriraj Swami: Shall I begin?

Speaker: Yes, Maharaja, please.

Giriraj Swami: First, I will sing the maṅgala-ācaraṇa prayers and lead a short kirtan, and then I will speak on today’s verse from the Bhagavad-gītā.

[Prayers and kirtan]

Hare Krishna. So, we shall read from Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Chapter Three: “Karma-yoga,” Text Ten.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXT 10

saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā

purovāca prajāpatiḥ

anena prasaviṣyadhvam

eṣa vo ‘stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk

TRANSLATION

In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The material creation by the Lord of creatures (Viṣṇu) is a chance offered to the conditioned souls to come back home – back to Godhead. All living entities within the material creation are conditioned by material nature because of their forgetfulness of their relationship to Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Vedic principles are to help us understand this eternal relation, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. The Lord says that the purpose of the Vedas is to understand Him. In the Vedic hymns it is said: patiṁ viśvasyātmeśvaram. Therefore, the Lord of all  living entities is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

COMMENT

So, the first point, although it is not mentioned explicitly, but the Lord of all creatures is Vishnu, or Krishna, and this verse tells us how we can get everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation. And what more could we want? That we live happily in this present life and then we attain liberation. So, it is a perfect formula to give all of us what we want, ultimately. “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.” So, in the verse, it is said prajā-patiḥ, the Lord of creatures, and as Srila Prabhupada explains further in the purport. . .

PURPORT (continued)

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also (2.4.20) Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes the Lord as pati in so many ways:

śriyaḥ patir yajña-patiḥ prajā-patir

dhiyāṁ patir loka-patir dharā-patiḥ

patir gatiś cāndhaka-vṛṣṇi-sātvatāṁ

prasīdatāṁ me bhagavān satāṁ patiḥ

The prajā-pati is Lord Viṣṇu, and He is the Lord of all living creatures, all worlds, and all beauties, and the protector of everyone. The Lord created this material world to enable the conditioned souls to learn how to perform yajñas (sacrifices) for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu, so that while in the material world they can live very comfortably without anxiety. . .

COMMENT

Which we all want.

PURPORT (continued)

. . .and after finishing the present material body they can enter into the kingdom of God.

COMMENT

Which we all want.

PURPORT (continued)

That is the whole program for the conditioned soul.

COMMENT

That’s our whole program right here.

PURPORT (continued)

By performance of yajña, the conditioned souls gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious and become godly in all respects.

COMMENT

Now, how can we perform yajña? As you know, there are four ages, which repeat in cycles, like the four seasons. And in Satya-yuga, the recommended process of self-realization, or God realization, was meditation. In Treta-yuga, the recommended process was performance of Vedic sacrifices, yajña. In Dvapara-yuga, the recommended process was temple worship. And in the present age of Kali-yuga, the recommended process is saṅkīrtana. So, how can we, in Kali-yuga, perform yajña, as described in the verse? Srila Prabhupada explains.  

PURPORT (continued)

By performance of yajña, the conditioned souls gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious and become godly in all respects. In the Age of Kali. . .

COMMENT

Which we are in now.

PURPORT (continued)

. . .the saṅkīrtana-yajña (the chanting of the names of God) is recommended by the scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by. . .

Giriraj Swami: Who was it introduced by? This transcendental system. Sripada Madhavacarya, do you know the answer?

Sripada Madhavacarya: Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, yes. Very good.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Age of Kali, the saṅkīrtana-yajña (the chanting of the names of God) is recommended by the Vedic scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Caitanya for the deliverance of all men in this age. Saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa consciousness go well together.

COMMENT

Indeed, saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa consciousness go well together because by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña, one becomes Krishna conscious. And if one is Krishna conscious, one will want to engage in saṅkīrtana.

PURPORT (continued)

Lord Kṛṣṇa in His devotional form (as Lord Caitanya) is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32) as follows, with special reference to the saṅkīrtana-yajña:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

“In this Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.”

COMMENT

So, this verse, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32), has many important words, and I will explain this very deep and pertinent verse.

Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ. So, kṛṣṇa means Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Varṇam has two meanings. One meaning is category, like we have the four várṇas. So, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ means that He is in the same category as Krishna, which in effect means He is Krishna. And várṇayati means to describe. So, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ also means that He is always describing Krishna, or glorifying Krishna.

Tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ. Tviṣā means color, and kṛṣṇa means black, and akṛṣṇam means not black. So, although He is Krishna, but His color is not kṛṣṇa, it’s not black.

Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. So, saṅga means associated with, associates. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra. Astra means weapons. So, His pārṣadam, His associates, in a way, are His weapons who kill the influence of Kali.

Yajñaiḥ, by performance of yajña.

Saṅkīrtana-prāyair, they performed saṅkīrtana-yajña.

Intelligent people—su-medhasaḥ. Yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ—He is worshiped by intelligent people, su-medhasaḥ.

And we find the other word, opposite, alpá-medhasaḥ, which means small intelligence. Alpá-medhasaḥ, men of small intelligence worship the demigods, but they do not know that they are worshiping in the wrong way, avidhi-pūrvakam, and that such worship is meant for Krishna alone.

Well, it’s a very deep and encouraging prayer.

PURPORT (continued)

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

“In the Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.”

COMMENT

So, you all with us today, are su-medhasaḥ, who are very intelligent. Did you know that? Well, it is certified and confirmed here that you all are very intelligent, su-medhasaḥ. And if anyone accuses you of being dumb or stupid, you can say, “No, I am su-medhasaḥ, I am very intelligent because I am worshiping Lord Chaitanya by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.”

PURPORT (continued)

Other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literatures are not easy to perform in this Age of Kali, but the saṅkīrtana-yajña is easy and sublime for all purposes, as recommended in Bhagavad-gītā also (9.14).

COMMENT

So, many of you know this verse, Bhagavad-gītā (9.14), but since Srila Prabhupada drew our special attention to it in the purport, I will read that also because it will encourage us in this performance of saṅkīrtana.

TEXT 14

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ

yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ

namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā

nitya-yuktā upāsate

TRANSLATION

Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The mahatma. . .

COMMENT

Because the previous verse described mahatmas.

TEXT 13

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

TRANSLATION

On son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible. 

COMMENT

And then, the next verse continues.

TEXT 14

Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The mahātmā cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: a mahātmā is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business. He is always engaged in the glorification of the Lord. In other words, he is not an impersonalist. When the question of glorification is there, one has to glorify the Supreme Lord, praising His holy name, His eternal form, His transcendental qualities and His uncommon pastimes. One has to glorify all these things; therefore a mahātmā is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

COMMENT

So, once, when Srila Prabhupada was in Bombay, he and some of his disciples were staying at Sea Face Park in South Bombay. And every evening, Srila Prabhupada would speak to us about The Nectar of Devotion, which was very relishable for us. But sometimes people heard that Srila Prabhupada was speaking, and they would find their way up to the room to join the class. And when they did, Srila Prabhupada changed the level of discussion from The Nectar of Devotion to the Bhagavad-gītā, because The Nectar of Devotion is really for devotees.

So, one evening, a very prominent Hindu named B.M Kandar found his way up to the class, and he asked Srila Prabhupada, “India has so many mahatmas, but still, India has so many problems. How could that be? Because in the presence of mahatmas, there should be no such problems.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “The reason there are so many problems is that you do not know who is a mahatma and who is not a mahatma. That’s the problem.” And then he quoted these verses, went on to explain who is a mahatma and who is not a mahatma, even though the person might be called mahatma. And it was a very interesting discussion. And we have to know who is a mahatma and who is not.

PURPORT (continued)

One who is attached to the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, the brahma-jyotir, is not described as mahātmā in the Bhagavad-gītā. He is described in a different way in the next verse. The mahātmā is always engaged in different activities of devotional service, as described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, not a demigod or human being. That is devotion: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ and smaraṇam, remembering Him. Such a mahātmā has firm determination to achieve at the ultimate end the association of the Supreme Lord in any one of the five transcendental rāsas.

COMMENT

What are the five transcendental rāsas? Please raise your hand or speak up. Don’t be shy.

Krishna dasa: Śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, and can you translate this Sanskrit into English?

Krishna dasa: Neutrality is śānta, dāsya is servant, sākhya is friendship, vātsalya is parental, and conjugal loving relationship is mādhurya.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, very good.

PURPORT (continued)

Such a mahātmā has firm determination to achieve at the ultimate end the association of the Supreme Lord in any one of the five transcendental rasas. To achieve that success, he engages all activities – mental, bodily and vocal, everything – in the service of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That is called full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In devotional service there are certain activities which are called determined. . .

COMMENT

Dṛḍha-vratāḥ, as we read in the verse.

PURPORT (continued)

. . .such as fasting on certain days, like the eleventh day of the moon, Ekādaśī. . .

COMMENT

Today is Ekādaśī, so we are fasting, at least from grains and beans.

PURPORT (continued)

. . .and on the appearance day of the Lord. All these rules and regulations are offered by the great ācāryas for those who are actually interested in getting admission into the association of the Supreme Lord in the transcendental world.

Giriraj Swami: So, are you interested in getting admittance into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world?

Syama Vallabha dasa: Yes.

Giriraj Swami: Of course, that’s why you are here.

PURPORT (continued)

The mahātmās, great souls, strictly observe all these rules and regulations, and therefore they are sure to achieve the desired result.

COMMENT

It’s guaranteed.

PURPORT (continued)

As described in the second verse of this chapter, not only is this devotional service easy, but it can be performed in a happy mood. One does not need to undergo any severe penance and austerity. He can live this life in devotional service, guided by an expert spiritual master, and in any position, either as a householder or a sannyāsī or a brahmacārī; in any position and anywhere in the world, he can perform this devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become actually mahātmā, a great soul.

COMMENT

So, this is very encouraging. There is another verse in the Bhagavad-gītā that describes a mahatma.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

That means after many births and deaths, one who is actually wise, surrenders unto Krishna. And such a great soul is very, very rare.

So, when we had our first big pandal program in Calcutta in 1971, perhaps October of 1971, I published a souvenir book, because we would collect ads for the souvenir book. And by receiving the money for the ads, we were able to finance the pandal program. And I didn’t like to compete against other devotees, it just didn’t seem to suit me. But I came across a souvenir book of Swami Chinmayananda, and I resolved that I will go to everyone who gave an ad in his souvenir book, and get a bigger ad for our souvenir book. So, it was a sort of competition, in a way, and I was quite successful.

The first Bombay pandal was a great success, and afterwards, Srila Prabhupada sent Tamal Krishna Goswami and me to Calcutta to put on a pandal program there. And Tamal Krishna Goswami told me, “You collect the money, and I will spend the money.” So, “Okay, sure.” [laughter] So, that’s how we did it, and with this determination, in a way, to defeat Swami Chinmayananda’s collection of ads for his souvenir book, we actually did collect quite a bit.

Srila Prabhupada did say one thing about chanting, and it sort of goes along with what we’ve been reading, this determination, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. He said that chanting is easy, but the determination to chant is not so easy. The actual process of chanting is very easy, but the determination to chant and to keep up the chanting, even in the face of so many distractions that may come up, is not so easy. But Srila Prabhupada also said that Krishna consciousness is 90 percent association. So, when we associate with devotees, then in their association, we feel encouraged to chant and perform all the different varieties of devotional service according to our capacity.

But coming back to today’s verse, I’ll just read the translation again because it’s such a great benediction.

TEXT 10

In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”

COMMENT

And that yajña for us is the saṅkīrtana-yajña. And by performing saṅkīrtana-yajña, we will achieve everything desirable for living happily, and ultimately, achieving liberation. So, we should take every opportunity to chant. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

So, if there are, we can have questions and comments. Oh, I see a hand up.

Sita Thakurani dasi: Hare Kirshna, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Sita Thakurani dasi: Guru Maharaja, In spite of conscious efforts, chanting is more of thinking japa. I try to hear and I can hear, but still, the mind is not on the Lord, it is always wandering. It becomes a thinking time.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Well, you mentioned it becomes a thinking time. Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, Gopal Bhatta dasa, who has tremendous responsibility in ISKCON and also has a huge business, he told me that one thing he does for his japa, and he gets up very early every morning to chant. So, that also helps, to get up early and chant during the brāhma-muhūrta, which begins an hour and thirty-two minutes before sunrise. But he said that one thing he does to help his japa is he makes lists of things he has to do, to-do lists. Because one of the things that our mind can choose to do during japa, instead of hearing the holy name, is to think of all the things we have to do. So, by making his to-do list the night before, I’m sure it’s an ongoing process that continues, he doesn’t have to use his japa time to think about all the things he has to do, which is a common distraction during japa.

So, as the Bhagavad-gītā says, that whenever and from wherever the mind wanders, one must bring it back to the self. So, we have to do that, that is our duty while we are chanting, that if our mind wanders, we bring it back gently. And as His Grace Bhurijana Prabhu sometimes says, “That battle must be fought.” We can’t just surrender and give in to the mind and let it go wherever it wants, but we have to fight that battle and bring the mind to the sound of the holy names. And Krishna will help. We pray to Krishna to be able to hear His holy name, pray to the holy name. And of course, it’s beneficial to chant in front of the Deities, chant in front of Tulasi-devi, chant early in the morning, but it’s beneficial to chant at any time. But if one can, it is good to chant during brāhma-muhūrta.

One of our devotees on this meeting named Priti Radhika dasi has a sister in Mumbai named Priya Gopika. And Priya Gopika told Priti Radhika, her sister, that she should chant at least one round before sunrise. And that is very good advice. Of course, it’s good to chant more, but it struck me, that was a good suggestion from one devotee sister to another devotee sister. So, we should try to chant early, as far as possible. But again, chanting is always good, any time of day. I’m sure you’ll hear better. [Unintelligible 01:50:20]

Syama Vallabha dasa: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Syama Vallabha dasa:  Always wonderful to see you.

Giriraj Swami: Good to see you too.

Syama Vallabha dasa: So, since today is Ekādaśī, reading through Ekādaśī stories, every Ekādaśī day, there is a lot of additional regulations or things that are suggested to be done on Ekādaśī besides just the fasting. What did Srila Prabhupada say about that? There are some regulations about staying up overnight and having this particular thing to offer and this particular thing to offer. There are a lot of devotees that are unable to do everything that’s required. So, besides the fasting, what should we stress upon beside the fasting and the chanting on Ekādaśī?

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada writes in Nectar of Devotion that the idea of fasting is to focus on chanting and hearing, and he does say that devotees stay up through the night chanting the glories of the Lord. Well, that’s good.

And there was a time when many of us; Tamal Krishna Goswami, Bhakti Charu Swami, myself, we would follow that strict Ekādaśī. It would be Nirjala, we wouldn’t have any water, and we would stay up throughout the night, and then we would break the fast only at the appointed time. And it was very potent. I remember doing it in Durban, South Africa, with disciples there.

So, if we can, why not? But it depends what you have to do the next day. We were all sannyasis or full-time temple devotees and we didn’t have to go to work the next day, for example. But yeah, chant, chant, chant. But although it is often said that we should chant twenty-five rounds on Ekādaśī, but researching what Srila Prabhupada said on the topic, he didn’t actually say that. There was a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami, and Tamal Krishna Goswami was sort of trying to get Srila Prabhupada to say that on Ekādaśī, we should chant minimum twenty-five rounds, and Srila Prabhupada said, “Our minimum is sixteen.” But many devotees, at the time of initiation, for example, they may vow to chant twenty-five rounds on Ekādaśī, which is good. Why only twenty-five? Why not more? So yeah, the more the merrier.

Syama Vallabha dasa: Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

Chandrika Priya dasi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. So, this question is from another devotee who was not able to be on this call, but it was a question not directly related to the class. Is it okay to ask?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Chandrika Priya dasi: Thank you, Guru Maharaja. So, he is asking, “If we help a materialistic person, then the door to hell is opened.” And he mentioned that he heard this on the day that the book was launched. So, he is asking, “Does this mean not giving any legitimate help, or any kind of help? Thank you.”

Giriraj Swami: Yes, the verse in the Third Canto says that every learned person knows that attachment to the material is the greatest bondage of the spirit soul. But the same attachment, when transferred to the self-realized devotees of the Lord, opens the door to liberation.

So, as a general rule, one takes on the qualities of the person whom one is serving. I remember the first time His Holiness Niranjan Swami came to stay with me here in Carpinteria, I was very happy, I thought, I’ll get to serve him, and by serving him, I’ll get his good qualities. And specifically then, I was thinking of his attachment to the holy name.

But it’s also true that if we serve materialistic people, which we shouldn’t, I mean, as devotees, but there can be exceptions which I’ll describe. But if one serves materialistic people, then one will become materialistic, one will take on their qualities.

Now, the example that I will give as an exception is when we do it for a higher cause, when we do it for Krishna consciousness. And once in Mayapur, a visitor noticed that devotees were giving preferential treatment to rich people who visited. And the man was sort of criticizing the devotees, or accusing the devotees. And Srila Prabhupada replied by telling the story of a woman whose husband wanted to enjoy with a famous and expensive prostitute, and there was no way that the husband could afford her. So, the wife became a servant of the prostitute to make money so that her husband could spend the night with the prostitute. And eventually, she was successful. So, Srila Prabhupada said that one may say that the wife was foolish, serving a prostitute. But she was doing it for a higher cause, to serve her husband.

And so, Srila Prabhupada said that we may serve materialistic people, but the ultimate goal is to please Krishna by engaging these materialistic people in Krishna’s service. So, in that sense, one may serve materialistic people for a higher cause, but otherwise, in general, we should avoid materialistic people unless we are able to preach to them and engage them in devotional service. So, I hope this will answer your friend’s question.

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

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Amritananda dasa: [Unintelligible 02:01:15] Hare Krishna, Maharaja, thank you very much. I’d first of all like to express my gratitude, Maharaja. Many months ago, on this CNJ forum, a very simple instruction of yours, to turn on the camera on Zoom meetings, and you had explained then that our entire Krishna conscious philosophy is based on the personal concept. Personally, to me, I’ve been doing that ever since, either in your class or any other Zoom forum, and what I’ve realized is that when the camera was off, I personally, perhaps would be lying down reclining. At least when the camera is on, you know that others are watching, so you sit up straight. And I notice that it has helped me pay a little bit more attention than just being an anonymous black screen. So, that instruction was very helpful to me. Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Good.

Amritananda dasa: Taking this particular instruction further, what is it that we can do? When the camera is on, we are kind of conscious and we become a little bit more disciplined and careful, but when the camera is off, then there are so many temptations either at work, or you come back from work, you want to catch the news or maybe some Netflix or something like that. So, what is it that we can have in our mind, like a camera, that will say that, Hey.” So, if you could instruct, Maharaja. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Well, that’s our conscience. As far as the news, I think of a very nice statement that Vaisesika Prabhu from ISD made, “Breaking news, no more watching breaking news.” And after that, I found a quotation from Srila Prabhupada in which he spoke about the same thing, that there is really no need to tune into the news, because basically, it’s always the same anyway, in a different form. But sometimes Prabhupada also did say there is no prohibition against reading the ordinary news, or as nowadays, we have seen the broadcasts.

During 1977, when Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu, he was quite fascinated by the downfall of Indira Gandhi, and occasionally, he would ask the disciples to read from the newspaper.

So, occasionally, he would have a disciple read to him from the newspaper, especially about Indira Gandhi’s downfall. But then once afterwards, he said, “What the fools and rascals are saying, that is newspaper.” Then once, he caught his disciple, Shyamasundara, who was his secretary for many years, with a Time magazine in his hand. And Srila Prabhupada said, “The people in this magazine are so sinful, that just by looking at their faces, you lose your pious credits.”

So, we talk about associating with materialistic people and how harmful it can be, but as we know, association can be physical, vapuḥ, or by words, by vāṇī. So, anyway, basically, we want to save time for Krishna consciousness, that’s the basic idea. Netflix, what can I say about Netflix? But we have a lot of Krishna conscious videos. I mean, Yadubara Prabhu’s series, “Following Srila Prabhupada,” is wonderful. I think it’s something like eighteen cassettes, you can spend a lot of time with that.

There was a period when I would invite my aged mother, this was when I moved to California, Carpinteria, and my mother was staying with my sister nearby in Santa Barbara. So, once a week, whatever the day was, we would invite my mother for dinner, and she would get prasāda, she liked it, and then afterwards, we would watch something. And we began by watching all the videos about Srila Prabhupada, and she really liked them. But then, after we finished all of them, I didn’t know what to show her. So, I thought of, because Nrisngananda Prabhu from ITV has taken what they call Indian mythological movies and made subtitles in English. So, there is one “Sita Swayamvar – Sita’s wedding,” but that was too foreign for my mother to relate to. So, then we started watching, it didn’t go on for that long, but we started watching religious movies, for example, the Ten Commandments, which was pretty good, there is nothing bad about it, and it had a Biblical message. So, we should try to be careful.

I remember once, Tamal Krishna Goswami said that the problem with movies is that they almost all have some romantic angle. I guess he might have felt it more as a sannyasi that it wasn’t, but it’s not really that good to watch that. And I’m thinking of a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on which I spoke recently.

āyur harati vai puṁsām
udyann astaṁ ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta
uttama-śloka-vārtayā

COMMENT

The rising and the setting of 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. Now, how is that? We can understand that by rising and setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, that we can understand easily. But except for those who utilize the time in discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead? Yes. Because if we use our time in that way, we develop our eternal life. We come to our eternal life. So, our duration of life is not being decreased, but rather, it’s being increased unlimitedly by realizing our eternal life with Krishna. So, taking all these factors into consideration, it’s better not to waste time. So, is that okay?

Amritananda dasa: Maharaja, if I am permitted to follow up on one of the answers you gave, Maharaja, please.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, yes.

Amritananda dasa: Maharaja, conscience is there, it tells you in your mind, “Listen, don’t waste your time,” if you are going to the news or something. So, how should we obey the conscience? Because sometimes you follow through with the conscience, and sometimes you say, “Okay, I need a break, I’ve done enough of Krishna consciousness for the day, I need a breather,” or something like that. And there are times when you can obey the conscience and listen to your conscience, and times when you kind of fool yourself. So, when that voice talks to you, what suggestions put you?

Giriraj Swami: Well, one version of a camera could be the people around you. I don’t know how you would feel about that, but tell the people around you, “I don’t want to watch TV, I want to watch movies, but sometimes I’m tempted. So, if you see me going in that direction, you can remind me of what my determination was.” That would be like a camera.

I remember the first night. . . Anyway, there is a context to it which is not relevant to the point, but the first night Jayadvaita Swami and I spent the night together in Spain, at a sort of castle at New Vraja Mandala. So, he said, “I want to wake up at such and such time. And when you try to wake me up at that time, if I ask you to let me sleep longer, don’t listen to me what I’m saying then, but listen to me what I’m saying now. I want you to force me to get up. And if nothing else works, you can put water on my face.”

Amritananda dasa: Thank you, Maharaja, thank you very much.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Taruni Radha dasi: Hare Krishna, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Taruni Radha dasi: Thank you so much for teaching us to be so personal. Every time you come to our ISKCON CNJ calls, I make it a point that I never miss it. Thank you so much for your teachings. Today, Maharaja, my question was, you were mentioning how chanting is easy but the determination to chant is not. So, please, could you explain how can I enhance my own determination, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Okay. Well, from your name, it appears that you are an initiated devotee, so you have already vowed to chant a minimum of sixteen rounds, which you are doing?

Taruni Radha dasi: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. But then, there is a question of the quality. And so, one could say that the determination to chant with attention may not be so easy, but as we’ve discussed, rising early in the morning, chanting during brāhma-muhūrta, chanting in front of Deities, chanting in front of Tulsi-devi, chanting with others who are serious about japa, all of these can help improve the quality. And yeah, we want to do that.

Taruni Radha dasi: These are things which I’m already doing, Maharaja, but when I think how I can better my chanting, so on those lines, I’m asking that.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, maybe chant more.

Taruni Radha dasi: Okay, Maharaja. So, by having a sankalpa to chant more, that way, I’m going to be increasing my determination, is that what you are saying, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah, if you are determined to stick to your sankalpa, then yes, it would help your determination, it would help your japa.

Taruni Radha dasi: Thank you so much, Maharaja. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Prema Manjari dasi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. Guru Maharaja, regarding chanting, my experiences, like yesterday when we had attended the saṅkīrtana and chanting in the Gopinatha temple and in association with so many wonderful devotees; Madhava Prabhu and Radhika Mataji. Maharaja, we were just sitting in one place and so focused, and everything we were experiencing, all of us, tears were rolling and hair was standing and the mind wouldn’t go anywhere but to Krishna’s thoughts. And so, what I wanted to ask is that, saṅkīrtana chanting is more important, I feel, and it is because that’s what Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given us. But the same thing when we do on our own, how do we bring the same mood? Even if you wake up early and some things that has your advice, but the same kind of that feeling of trance and all, it doesn’t happen. Maybe we are not so pure to chant alone?

Giriraj Swami: Well, Srila Jiva Gosvami says that kirtan has a special potency to awaken spiritual emotions. And you experience that, and it’s especially true with such kirtan leaders as Madhava Prabhu and Radhika Mataji. And that is an experience that many of us have, that when we chant in kirtan with someone who is very deeply absorbed in the kirtan, then we also become more absorbed in the kirtan and more affected by the kirtan. And as far as japa, I mean, it really helps to chant with sincere chanters, I could actually feel the difference.

At one time, we had all three, Ṛtadhvaja Swami, Giridhari Swami, and Jayadvaita Swami were all staying with me in Carpinteria. So, I was chanting japa in my temple room, and Ṛtadhvaja Swami joined me, and I could immediately feel that my consciousness was uplifted. And he and I were chanting for a while, then Giridhari Swami came in, and both Ṛtadhvaja Swami and I could both feel that our consciousness was elevated. And then, His Holiness Jayadvaita Swami came in, and the other three of us could feel our consciousness be elevated. So, the presence of elevated devotees, I mean, in general, but specifically, we are talking about while chanting japa, that will elevate our consciousness while we are chanting. I mean, we don’t always get that chance.

I remember you mentioned Chowpatty. I remember when I would spend the night there, and in the morning, the atmosphere of japa in the temple was so intense, it really brought you into that mood of japa. And His Holiness Radhanath Swami would have the devotees sit in circles, maybe six or eight people, and they would monitor each other, coming back to the camera, they would monitor each other, and if someone was dozing off or looked distracted, they would call the person’s attention to the defect. And it was powerful japa then.

Prema Manjari dasi: Thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Krishna dasa: It is 9:30, so we will take Malati Mataji, and then maybe we have to look for the next opportunity. Is that okay, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. I mean, what about staying up throughout the night chanting the glories of the Lord on Ekādaśī? But no, we’ll leave that to the individuals.

Krishna dasa: Yes.

Malati dasi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances, Maharaja. I just want to clear my point. Actually, I’m always surrounded by materialist people, but earlier, I thought I would engage them in Krishna consciousness some or the other way, but then when I engaged them, they got close to devotees, then they started blaspheming. That was a double attack on me, I couldn’t bear that at least. Then I thought about myself that it’s better to save myself because I am also drowning. So, am I acting selfish now? As I feel that it’s important for me to go over this material nature, and I pray for them, I just do one thing, pray for them, and just do my duties towards them and engage myself fully in Krishna consciousness. That’s the way I deal with my closest materialist people around. So, I want to know if I’m doing right, or should I change my perspective? Please, Guru Maharaja, guide me.

Giriraj Swami: No, what you are doing is perfect. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā. Prema, we give our love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Maitrī, we make friends with devotees. Kṛpā, we give mercy to the innocent and we preach to the innocent. And upekṣāḥ, we neglect the envious. So, it sounds like you are describing envious people, so you should neglect them. But in his commentary on this verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that although one neglects them, one can still pray for them, which you are doing. So, what you are doing is 100 percent perfect.

Malati dasi: Thank you, Maharaja. Can I ask one more question? It’s a small one. As you said, Maharaja, Krishna consciousness is fully dependent on 90 percent of association. But I have seen that sometimes when we take more of association, we get closer to devotees, and we tend to see the negatives rather than positives. So, I just want to clear my mind because I’ve seen so many, that they start blaspheming devotees. You get close to devotees, better to stay far off, it’s better to stay at home because nowadays, it’s so technological that you can hear, it’s better to take Prabhupada’s association by reading his books and hearing lectures. So, I just want to be clear. So, what is the importance of association at this very point of time?

Giriraj Swami: Yeah. But as we mentioned, there are two types of association; vāṇī and vapuḥ. And taking Srila Prabhupada’s association by vāṇī, that’s also association. It’s not that you have to be in the room with someone, but one can associate through vāṇī also, and in a way, you can be more sure of the association.

Malati dasi: Okay, Maharaja. But, Maharaja, when we read, every individual has a different perspective of understanding the books of Srila Prabhupada. So, is it better to hear more, or read more?

Giriraj Swami: Prabhupada wanted us to read his books. But hearing also, I mean, Prabhupada spoke every day so we could hear him. The Bhāgavatam class, Gītā class, he would discuss on his morning walks, he would have room conversations. So, we should hear Srila Prabhupada. But it is also very important to read his books.

Malati dasi: Okay. Thank you so much, Maharaja.

Krishna dasa: With that, I think we will close the questions-answers session. The time is already late. [Unintelligible 02:29:06] Madhupati Prabhu, Devakinandan Prabhu.

Madhupati dasa: We just want to extend our gratitude. Maharaja, it was a wonderful session, and whenever you give class, you give so in depth. It makes us wonder on all the wonderful points which you are making, which we can imbibe in our Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: My pleasure.