SB 1.3.40 – The Importance of Srimad-Bhagavatam

Giriraj Swami: Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu has enumerated the five most potent items in devotional service, and one of the five is hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Rupa Gosvami says that even by a slight association with any of these five most potent items of devotional service, one can awaken dormant love for Krishna.

So the reading of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the discussion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is most important. And the Bhāgavatam itself explains the exalted position of the Bhāgavatam.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.13.13 states:

TRANSLATION

If on the full moon day of the month of Bhādra one places Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.

PURPORT

One should place Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam on a golden throne because it is the king of all literature. Thus one may unreservedly worship Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the supreme divine scripture.

COMMENT

Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.2 says,

TRANSLATION

Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.

COMMENT

And the next verse, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.3 is also beautiful.

TEXT 3

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ

śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam

pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam

muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

TRANSLATION

O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.

COMMENT

Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.43

TEXT 43

kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate

dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha

kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa

purāṇārko ‘dhunoditaḥ

TRANSLATION

This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.

COMMENT

And then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.40

TEXT 40

idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma

purāṇaṁ brahma-sammitam

uttama-śloka-caritaṁ

cakāra bhagavān ṛṣiḥ

niḥśreyasāya lokasya

dhanyaṁ svasty-ayanaṁ mahat

TRANSLATION

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and all-perfect.

And in Srila Prabhupada’s purport he writes:

PURPORT

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless sound representation of all Vedic knowledge and history. There are selected histories of great devotees who are in direct contact with the Personality of Godhead. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and is therefore nondifferent from Him. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be worshiped as respectfully as we worship the Lord. Thereby we can derive the ultimate blessings of the Lord through its careful and patient study. As God is all light, all bliss and all perfection, so also is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We can have all the transcendental light of the Supreme Brahman, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, from the recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, provided it is received through the medium of the transparent spiritual master. Lord Caitanya’s private secretary Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī advised all intending visitors who came to see the Lord at Purī to make a study of the Bhāgavatam from the person Bhāgavatam. Person Bhāgavatam is the self-realized bona fide spiritual master, and through him only can one understand the lessons of Bhāgavatam in order to receive the desired result. One can derive from the study of the Bhāgavatam all benefits that are possible to be derived from the personal presence of the Lord. It carries with it all the transcendental blessings of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa that we can expect from His personal contact.

COMMENT

So, in kṛṣṇa-līlā-stava 4.12 through 4.16, Srila Sanatana Gosvami prays,

“Oh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam! O nectar churned from the ocean of all the Vedic scriptures! O most prominent transcendental fruit of the Vedas! O you, who are enriched with the jewels of all spiritual philosophical conclusions! O you, who grant spiritual vision to all the people of the world! O life-breath of the Vaishnava devotees! O Lord you are the Sun which has arisen to dispel the darkness of Kali-yuga! You are actually Lord Krishna who has returned among us.

“O Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam I offer respectful obeisances unto you! By reading you, one attains transcendental bliss because your syllables reign pure love of God upon the reader. You are always to be served by everyone because you are the incarnation of Krishna.

“O Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam! O my only friend! O, my companion! Oh, my teacher! O my great wealth and deliverer! Oh, my good fortune! Oh my bliss! I offer respectful obeisances unto you.

“O Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam! Oh, bestower of saintliness to the unsaintly! Oh, uplifter of the most fallen! Please never leave me! Please manifest upon my heart and my throat, accompanied by the pure love of Kṛṣṇa”

And Srila Prabhupada has spoken beautifully about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in talks. In one talk he said, “Each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of volumes of explanation.” This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhih—one’s learning will be understood when he is able to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vidyā means learning. If one can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in true perspective, then he is understood to have finished his all educational advancement. Āvadhih means this is the limit of education, vidyā bhāgavatāvadhih.

And in another talk, Srila Prabhupada said, “This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vyasadeva has written eighteen thousand verses. And in this Purana, you will find eighteen thousand verses, and in each and every word is so meaningful that you study throughout your whole life, still you will feel it fresh.”

And in another talk, he said in a similar way, “This Bhāgavata is such exalted transcendental knowledge, if you analyze each verse, each word, you will get great transcendental information. There is no comparison with this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

There are two or three more but again, I need to leave for a minute and I will be right back.

Sundar Nityananada dasa [Edited]: Hare Krishna. So I think all the devotees can understand how very significant the book Bhāgavatam is in our life. And one of the very good aspects we can see is that Maharaja is not saying anything by himself but is saying by the quotations of Prabhupada, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and different scriptures.

So, this is one of the perfect Guru and Acharya. Guru and acharya should not speak mental speculation. They should speak from different scriptures and the previous acharyas, only then will we get real conclusion and understanding; what really is helpful in understanding the spiritual wisdom. This is what we have to understand.

Another thing that I am seeing is how Maharaja is so humble. When he was just uttering the sound of the slokas of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, He was folding his hands. So we have to understand that when we read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam slokas, we should understand that we are speaking to Krishna. This is why he is folding his hands and chanting the mantra. 

That is why we have to give respect. That is why, in the beginning he said, that this is one of the most respectable books. And I am seeing that when Maharaja is giving class, he is so humble. When he is uttering the sound of every sloka, he is folding hand. So, his personal appearance is showing respect. So, you can learn from the Maharaja, that their appearance, notions, actions, speech, emotions, everything is giving spiritual wisdom. So please learn and understand that.

Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: So, I will read a few more quotations from our beloved spiritual master and Founder Acharya, Srila Prabhupada. This is from a talk which he gave in Los Angeles.

“This is the Bhagavat. There is no comparison. There are no literatures in the universe like the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of the human society, every word, each and every word. Therefore, we stress so much on the book distribution. And if someone reads one sloka, his life will be a success; if he reads one sloka, one word. This is such a nice thing. Therefore, we are stressing so much. Please distribute books, distribute books, distribute books. A bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. We are chanting, playing our mridanga. It is heard within this room or a little more but this bṛhad-mṛdaṅga will go home to home, country to country, community to community.”

And this next quotation mentions Dhaka. He says,

“Actually, to understand one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam requires seven months.” 

The first verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is, janmādy asya yato ‘nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ.

And, Srila Prabhupada said that, “My Guru Maharaja spoke on this verse in Dhaka for three months. It is so important. So we must be very serious to understand Bhāgavatam. If we can understand even one line, one verse, our life becomes sublime. It is so nice. There is no comparison.”

And in other talk in Honolulu, Hawaii,

“So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sri means very beautiful. So every sloka you will find very, very beautiful. These verses were written five thousand years ago. Nobody can write such verses even up to date. There is no comparison.”

And I will conclude by reading one of the last purports in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Srila Prabhupada dictated, shortly before he departed from our vision. It is a very important instruction for all of us. 

In his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.13.54, he said:

PURPORT

We should discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily as much as possible, and then everything will be clarified, for Bhāgavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature (nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam). It was written by Vyāsadeva (mahā-muni-kṛte) when he was self-realized. Thus the more we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the more its knowledge becomes clear. Each and every verse is transcendental.

COMMENT

Grantha Raja Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

So now my dear devotees, if you wish you can ask any questions or share any reflections, offer any comments.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: So I request all the devotees, those who want to ask any questions, please raise your hands. If you have any comments, also raise your hands. So, I will first request Nilashri Mataji. Maybe she wants to ask or comment or whatever. Yes Mataji, unmute yourself

Nilashri Mataji: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Praṇāma. And Praṇāma Prabhu.

Maharaja, when you were chanting in the beginning, I felt that Prabhupada is present in our Zoom because your sound is like that. You did the tune just like Prabhupada. Thank you so much Maharaja that you are giving such a nice transcendental association to us.

I have a question. Maharaja, you said that when you read the Bhāgavatam, you should be very careful. So I don’t understand the meaning of the word ‘careful’. How can we be careful?

Giriraj Swami: Well, we should read it carefully. That means we should not try to go very quickly but we should stop and think about what we read. That is what it means to read it carefully. And if we have any questions while reading, we should note them down, and we can ask some senior devotee what the meaning is, because as Prabhupada said each and every word is transcendental. So if we do not understand something we should make note and try to clarify with some senior devotee.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you Mataji 

Nilashri Mataji: Thank you Maharaja. Please bless me Maharaja that I can read the Bhāgavatam and understand it. Thank you so much Maharaja.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you Mataji. Anila Mataji. Yes, Mataji. Please unmute and ask your question. Anila Mataji. Now you unmute. Yes, please.

Anila Mataji: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to You. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you very much for this wonderful presentation.

Being a beginner and having very little attraction to the scriptures especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I struggle with understanding things at my level, because in the very beginning, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam completely dismisses the four puruṣārthas—dharma, artha, kāma, and moksha, and then there are several false stutis, at the end of important episodes, which seems to offer some of those things. That is one of the questions, Guru Maharaja.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: One by one Mataji. Then it will be nice for Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: So, yes Bhāgavatam—dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra nirmatsarāṇāṁ. It rejects everything short of devotional service but not all the readers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are without material desires. And therefore, we do find false stutis that offer apparently material benefits. And even if one is a pure devotee, when he gets such material benedictions, he uses them in Krishna’s service.

Second question. . .

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Yes Mataji, your next question. 

Anila Mataji: Guru Maharaja, some sections are very uplifting and enlivening to the heart but other sections, especially creation, from different perspectives and different cantos. So how do we at least theoretically approach that and stay focused?

Giriraj Swami: In one sense, the details about the process of creation may not be so important, but we are in the material world and it is good to know how this material creation took place. And it is all for the glory of God, who has created this universe, and it is also for the glories of His devotees who have helped Him in the process of creation. 

One sadhu told me that when Śukadeva Gosvami was describing the creation, Maharaja Parīkṣit slept through it. But he said, “We should not say that,” but he can say that because he can prove it.

Anila Mataji: Thank you Guru Maharaja.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you Mataji. Now, I will go to Nandita Mataji. Yes.

Devotee [Edited]: When in our Zoom, when you discuss Srila Prabhupada’s purport, with all the devotees who are trying to realize Krishna, we are really, according to your speech, how valuable all of this speech, slokas, and lines are in our life. Sundar Nityananda Prabhu tried to explain how we are really inspired to hear that.

So Maharaja, my question is that, in Bhagavad-gītā, in the Fourth Chapter, in the purport, Prabhupada is saying that if you read the Bhagavad-gītā, you do not need to read any other book. But in some other places, it is written that if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then you don’t need to read any other book.

So, when we go to villages to preach, how do we convince the devotees to read Bhagavad-gītā?

Giriraj Swami: Well, Bhagavad-gītā is preliminary. It is the beginning and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is more advanced. But the Bhagavad-gītā is Krishna and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Krishna. And by coming to Krishna, we get everything. We don’t need anything else. So, I did not catch the point about the villages.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Maharaja, these Prabhuji and Mataji are going to villages to preach. So when they were preaching, they read the Bhagavad-gītā. They are from Bangladesh. So, Bangladesh people are very poor. So one set of Bhāgavatam is 15,000 taaka. One Bhagavad-gītā is 500 taaka. It is very huge. It is like $200, one set. So, it is very difficult for them to purchase.

But, when they read Bhagavad-gītā, that there is so much glory about Bhāgavatam, they think about how they can purchase it, and if we read Bhagavad-gītā, we can get the same benefit. So how can we explain?

Giriraj Swami: It is true that Srila Prabhupada’s purports in the Bhagavad-gītā refer to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and glorify it, and it would be nice if they could also have Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I don’t know if they can pay somehow by instalments because it is a big amount, as you said, but if they could pay by instalments they can get it. Yes, I think that would be better than trying to convince them that they do not need it.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you so much Mataji and Prabhuji.

Now, Ruma Mataji. She is from the UK, Maharaja.

Ruma Mataji: Daṇḍavat praṇāma Maharaja on your lotus feet. Maharaja, my question is that you said we should read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam everyday but my problem is that I have a small baby. So I would like to read, but I don’t have much time. In this situation, what should I do, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Prabhupada said that each and every verse is transcendental. So if you don’t have much time, I would say at least just read one or two verses and purports, one or two pages. Something from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam every day. 

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Understood Mataji? Thank you.

Anil Prabhu. Sorry. Yes, now you can unmute.

Anil Prabhu: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna

Anil Prabhu: It was a divine pleasure to hear your voice and see you, after so many years. Please accept my humble obeisances. Your blessings are working on me and I am also getting devotees’ association. I have no words to be grateful, eternally grateful to you.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Shankar Prabhu (edited): Maharaja, I go for preaching. As you know, Bangladesh and India have different kinds of sects, different religious paths are followed. So when I go for book distribution in Bangladesh in different areas, a basic question is- What is the difference between ISKCON Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam and other Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam? So what can I say to convince them that Srila Prabhupada’s Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā are the best?

Giriraj Swami: In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna says: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam, that this knowledge is received through paramparā, and so, Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gītā is coming through paramparā. And the Gītā even has the list of the whole paramparā, beginning from Krishna and coming down to Srila Prabhupada.

I would give the same answer in relation to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, that Srila Prabhupada is coming in paramparā and therefore, his presentation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is most authentic. And as Srila Prabhupada gave the example in relation to Bhagavad-gītā, it can also be in relation to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the Bhagavad-gītā instructs that one should become a devotee of Krishna. There are so many editions of the Bhagavad-gītā but no one was becoming a devotee. But when Srila Prabhupada presented Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, so many people became devotees. So, phalena paricīyate—judge by the results. By people reading Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam, they are becoming devotees. So why not read Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam? 

Sundar Nityananda dasa: If any foreign devotees have any questions, please raise your hand.

Devotee: In verse three of the First Canto, the First Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that this is the ripened fruit of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So the quality of the person sitting on the vyāsāsana should be to follow the four regulative principles or anybody can sit on the vyāsāsana and speak about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? 

Giriraj Swami: Well generally, to sit on the vyāsāsana, one should be following the four regulative principles. But maybe she should explain why she asked this question and then I can answer it in a better way.

Devotee [Edited]: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. We are in a village. So we are sometimes even giving them to cooperate with them. But, is it right? Even the temple gave permission that they can give class. But they are not following the regulative principles. But if we don’t give them, it will be difficult to preach. So what is correct? Should we do it or stop it?

Giriraj Swami: So, if you don’t give them a chance, why will it be difficult to preach?

Devotee [Edited]: Because if you don’t give to the important leader or person, they will not come to the temple and cause many problems.

Giriraj Swami: So what does Mataji think we should do?

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Maharaja, you just skip it. It is for some temple reason. 

Devotee (edited): Hare Krishna, Maharaja. My question is that some of the episodes, at the end, tell us that one should read it in the morning like Gajendra moksha, only then can you get the full benefit. But in the morning, we heard that we have to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. So what should I do? Skip chanting and read or skip reading and chant. What should I do? How can I understand this instruction?

Giriraj Swami: I do know a few senior devotees who read first thing in the morning before japa. So it is a personal choice. But if we go by the morning program established by Srila Prabhupada, after maṅgala-ārati there is japa, and then after japa is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class. So personally, I prefer to chant japa first and then read. But as I said, there are some senior devotees who read first. Both are good but don’t waste time.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Yes, Hemagauri dasi Mataji. Please unmute and ask your valuable question.

Hemagauri dasi Mataji: Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja. Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. 

Yes, my question is actually related to what you just said, about Bhagavad-gītā being the instructions of Lord Krishna, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam being the pastimes of the Lord and His associates. So Prabhupada many times used to say in the olden times also and here also, that he would go to sleep listening to the pastimes of the Lord. And this way, in our sleep, we get good dreams. 

So, I was wondering why Prabhupada established this in all the temples, reading Bhāgavatam in the morning instead of the evening and Bhagavad-gītā in the evening instead of the morning?

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Very good question. Yes, Maharaja

Giriraj Swami: Generally, in the early morning, we have mainly devotees. So, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is appropriate for devotees, and in the evening, more new people come. So, the Bhagavad-gītā is more appropriate for them because they are relatively new. In Juhu, basically, it was the devotees who were present in the morning for the Bhāgavatam class when Prabhupada was there. And in the evening different types of people would come. So for them, Bhagavad-gītā was more appropriate.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: You understood, Mataji? I thank Paramātmā Prabhu. He is helping me a lot. Anybody have any questions?

Kamala Mataji and any foreign devotees. Yes, Hema Mataji, would you like to say something? If anybody wants to ask any question, please raise your hands. Then I can immediately recognize it. Yes, Hema Mataji you can ask. Yes, we can hear. Yes.

Thank you Maharaja.

Paramātmā Prabhu, now you unmute.

Paramātmā Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Hare Krishna Sundar Nityananda dasa. Wonderful class.

Maharaja, I just wanted to ask you a question about Caitanya-caritāmṛta. You said Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the most important book to read and it is one of the five you mentioned. So when should we read Caitanya-caritāmṛta? And also to just highlight the five, you mentioned in the beginning. Thank you Maharaja. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, the five most potent forms of devotional service- sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga has a particular definition given by Rupa Gosvami, and sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare. Sajātīyāśaye snigdhe, means ‘He has a similar affection for the Lord.’ And that is how Srila Prabhupada translates it. But it can also mean that the sadhu should be affectionate to you. So, sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare means that ‘He should be more advanced than you are.’

So those five items are sādhu-saṅga, bhāgavata-śravaṇam—hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana—worshipping the deity with love and veneration, mathurā-vāsa—residing in Mathura or Vrindavan. So did we cover all the five? 

sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa

mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtira śraddhāya sevana

“One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, reside at Mathurā and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.

sakala-sādhana-śreṣṭha ei pañca aṅga

kṛṣṇa-prema janmāya ei pāṅcera alpa saṅga

“These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kṛṣṇa.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Paramātmā Prabhu do you understood?

Maharaja, I think so Paramātmā Prabhu asked that you glorified the Bhāgavatam, but when should one read Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta?

Giriraj Swami: Well generally, in terms of advancement, Srila Prabhupada said first is Īśopaniṣad, then Bhagavad-gītā, then The Nectar of Devotion, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and then Śrī  Caitanya-caritāmṛta. But yes we should read all of them.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you Maharaja. Would you like to say more. Sorry Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Once I asked Srila Prabhupada about the order in which we should read the books, and on that occasion, he said that I can read wherever I have taste.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: So Paramātmā Prabhu is saying, “Thank you Maharaja.” 

Anybody have any other questions? Please raise your hand. Would anyone want to ask any question?

Giriraj Swami: Well, there are two hands up but I don’t know if they are from before or new.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: This is new. Anil Prabhu, would you like to say something? Yes.

Anil Prabhu: Hare Krishna Maharaja. The answer which you gave right now that you can read for the taste you have. Now, does it relate to your original constitutional position, that you will manifest the taste in relation to the original constitutional position you have with the Lord?

Giriraj Swami: Well, that could come at a later stage, the advanced stage, where one feels a specific attraction to a particular type of service to Krishna in Vrindavan. And then one will want to read about the devotees in Vrindavan, who are serving Krishna in the same mood. But that is also very nice. 

Hare Krishna.

Anil Prabhu: Hare Krishna.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Hare Krishna. Yes, Syamal Prabhu.

Syamal Prabhu: Praṇāma. The Bhāgavatam says that one should remember the different pastimes and the different instructions. So how can we remember the different pastimes or which way should we remember the different pastimes and the different instructions?

Giriraj Swami: I am not exactly understanding the question.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: His question is that, in the Bhāgavatam, it is said that we should remember the different līlās. So, he didn’t understand in which sequence we should understand the different pastimes, and how we can remember the different pastimes.

Giriraj Swami: When Srila Prabhupada established the daily program in the early days of ISKCON, he had us read Kṛṣṇa book at night. And I facilitated a japa retreat in New Vrindavan, and I made the point that if you read Kṛṣṇa book at night, then in the morning, when you chant your japa, you may remember the pastimes of Krishna from what you read the night before.

So when we are chanting japa, we should not create an artificial effort in trying to remember Krishna’s pastimes. But if we read Krishna’s pastimes the night before in Kṛṣṇa book or any other scriptures, then we may remember the pastimes when we are chanting japa in the morning.

Sundar Nityananda dasa: Thank you. I think there are no more questions. 

Yes Maharaja. . .

Giriraj Swami: Read Srila Prabhupada’s books, chant the holy name attentively, serve the devotees humbly and respectfully, and be happy in Krishna consciousness and make others happy in Krishna consciousness.

In New York, Srila Prabhupada was interviewed on the radio, and then the interviewer asked Srila Prabhupada, “Do you have any final message for the people of New York?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “yes, don’t live like cats and dogs.” I don’t have to say that to you all. So just chant and be happy.

Sundar Nityananda dasa [Edited]: Thank you Maharaja for giving us your precious time. Your face tells me that you are happy. So, very soon we will call you, specially we will call you to give us a class on how to avoid vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Next class I will invite you, please give a class on that. Most of the time we are not serious about that. So how can we avoid vaiṣṇava-aparādha in our life?

So, I will tell you through Paramātmā Prabhu, I will just take permission when you are available. So, please come and enlighten us. Thank you so much.

So all the devotees, I request you to give your obeisances to Giriraj Swami.

vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Giriraj Swami: Ananta koti vaishnav vrnda ki jaya!

Sundar Nityananda dasa [Edited]: Nitai-Gaura sitanath premānande!

Bolo Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

All the attending devotees ki jaya!

Gaura premānande! Hari Haribol!

Maharaja, we are really feeling that our Ekādaśī is successful. That is why we are requesting you to come on Ekādaśī days because the scriptures say that we should hear from the holy person on Ekādaśī; it gives many benefits. Even Prabhupada said- Ekādaśī means more hearing and more chanting.

So, you really made our day auspicious, by your speech and by your presence. Thank you, Maharaja. Thank you so much. 

If in my insignificant speech, in any way I made a mistake, please forgive me, and give me your blessing so that I can serve devotees and follow the instructions of Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.