SB 6.8.34–42

Giriraj Swami: So, my dear devotees who are on Zoom, I request you, as far as possible, to put on your cameras so we can see your moon-like faces, and it is more personal.

Today, we are reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; Canto Six; Chapter Eight: “The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield.” And we begin with Text Thirty-four. There are a series of texts without purports, so the tradition is that when there is no purport, we go on to the next verse.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXT 34

vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvam adhaḥ samantād
antar bahir bhagavān nārasiṁhaḥ
prahāpayaḻ loka-bhayaṁ svanena
sva-tejasā grasta-samasta-tejāḥ

TRANSLATION

Prahlāda Mahārāja loudly chanted the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. May Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, roaring for His devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja, protect us from all fear of dangers created by stalwart leaders in all directions through poison, weapons, water, fire, air, and so on. May the Lord cover their influence by His own transcendental influence. May Nṛsiṁhadeva protect us in all directions and in all corners, above, below, within, and without.

COMMENT

A very beautiful verse quoting Prahlāda Mahārāja’s prayer to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva for protection.

TEXT 35

maghavann idam ākhyātaṁ
varma nārāyaṇātmakam
vijeṣyase ‘ñjasā yena
daṁśito ‘sura-yūthapān

TRANSLATION

Viśvarūpa continued: O Indra, the mystic armor related to Lord Nārāyaṇa has been described by me to you. By putting on this protective covering, you will certainly be able to conquer the leaders of the demons.

COMMENT

So this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca shield was offered to Indra by Viśvarūpa to protect him from the demons and to ensure his success over the demons.

TEXT 36

etad dhārayamāṇas tu
yaṁ yaṁ paśyati cakṣuṣā
padā vā saṁspṛśet sadyaḥ
sādhvasāt sa vimucyate

TRANSLATION

If one employs this armor, whomever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet is immediately freed from all the above-mentioned dangers.

TEXT 37

na kutaścid bhayaṁ tasya
vidyāṁ dhārayato bhavet
rāja-dasyu-grahādibhyo
vyādhy-ādibhyaś ca karhicit

TRANSLATION

This prayer, Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, constitutes subtle knowledge transcendentally connected with Nārāyaṇa. One who employs this prayer is never disturbed or put in danger by the government, by plunderers, by evil demons or by any type of disease.

TEXT 38

imāṁ vidyāṁ purā kaścit
kauśiko dhārayan dvijaḥ
yoga-dhāraṇayā svāṅgaṁ
jahau sa maru-dhanvani

TRANSLATION

O King of heaven, a brāhmaṇa named Kauśika formerly used this armor when he purposely gave up his body in the desert by mystic power.

TEXT 39

tasyopari vimānena
gandharva-patir ekadā
yayau citrarathaḥ strībhir
vṛto yatra dvija-kṣayaḥ

TRANSLATION

Surrounded by many beautiful women, Citraratha, the King of Gandharvaloka, was once passing in his airplane over the brāhmaṇa’s body at the spot where the brāhmaṇa had died.

TEXT 40

gaganān nyapatat sadyaḥ
savimāno hy avāk-śirāḥ
sa vālikhilya-vacanād
asthīny ādāya vismitaḥ
prāsya prācī-sarasvatyāṁ
snātvā dhāma svam anvagāt

TRANSLATION

Suddenly Citraratha was forced to fall down from the sky headfirst with his airplane. Struck with wonder, he was ordered by the great sages named the Vālikhilyas to throw the brāhmaṇa’s bones in the nearby river Sarasvatī. He had to do this and bathe in the river before returning to his own abode.

TEXT 41

śrī-śuka uvāca
ya idaṁ śṛṇuyāt kāle
yo dhārayati cādṛtaḥ
taṁ namasyanti bhūtāni
mucyate sarvato bhayāt

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear Parīkṣit, one who employs this armor or hears about it with faith and veneration when afraid because of any condition in the material world is immediately freed from all dangers and is worshiped by all living entities.

TEXT 42

etāṁ vidyām adhigato
viśvarūpāc chatakratuḥ
trailokya-lakṣmīṁ bubhuje
vinirjitya mṛdhe ‘surān

TRANSLATION

King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Viśvarūpa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This mystical mantric armor given by Viśvarūpa to Indra, the King of heaven, acted powerfully, with the effect that Indra was able to conquer the asuras and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds without impediments. In this regard, Madhvācārya points out:

vidyāḥ karmāṇi ca sadā
guroḥ prāptāḥ phala-pradāḥ
anyathā naiva phaladāḥ
prasannoktāḥ phala-pradāḥ

One must receive all kinds of mantras from a bona fide spiritual master; otherwise the mantras will not be fruitful.

COMMENT

I am going to quote a verse that supports that point made by Srila Madhvacharya. This is from the Padma Purāṇa:

sampradāya vihīna ye mantras te niṣphalā mataḥ

“If one is not actually connected with a bona fide disciplic succession, whatever mantras he chants will not bring the desired result.”

So sampradāya – we know sampradāya: disciplic succession; and vihīna means without being connected. So sampradāya vihīna, without being connected to a bona fide sampradāya, or disciplic succession. Ye mantras te: ye means which: mantras means mantras; te. Those mantras: niṣphalā – fruitless. So. . .

“If one is not actually connected with a bona fide disciplic succession, whatever mantras he chants will not bring the desired result.”

So, coming back to the purport. . .

PURPORT (continued)

One must receive all kinds of mantras from a bona fide spiritual master; otherwise the mantras will not be fruitful. This is also indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.34):

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”

COMMENT

This is such an important verse quoted in the purport, and it is very relevant to the discussion in this section of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which makes the point, very strongly, that one must receive the mantra through a bona fide spiritual master in this disciplic succession. So I already read the translation, which was quoted in the purport to the section we are reading in the Bhāgavatam, and now I will read the purport to this verse in the Bhagavad-gītā.

“The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord, Himself. No one could be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession.”

So in the beginning of his Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Srila Prabhupada quotes the disciplic succession in which he is coming. He writes under the heading, The Disciplic Succession: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]: This Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is received through this disciplic succession.

1. Kṛṣṇa
2. Brahmā
3. Nārada
4. Vyāsa
5. Madhva
6. Padmanābha
7. Nṛhari
8. Mādhava
9. Akṣobhya
10. Jaya Tīrtha
11. Jñānasindhu
12. Dayānidhi
13. Vidyānidhi
14. Rājendra
15. Jayadharma
16. Puruṣottama
17. Brahmaṇya Tīrtha
18. Vyāsa Tīrtha
19. Lakṣmīpati
20. Mādhavendra Purī (whom we know very well)
21. Īśvara Purī, and also Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu
22. Lord Caitanya
23. Rūpa, Svarūpa and Sanātana
24. Raghunātha and Jīva
25. Kṛṣṇadāsa
26. Narottama
27. Viśvanātha
28. (Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana) and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
29. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
30. Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī
31. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, and
32. His Divine Grace Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

So, we have here a clear list of the disciplic succession in which Srila Prabhupada is coming. So, coming back to the purport from the verse in the Bhagavad-gītā:

PURPORT (continued)

The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. . .[Pause]. . .The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhāgavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind towards the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.

COMMENT

Just one second. . .So now we come back to the purport to the verse we are reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 6.8.42. So, again. . .

PURPORT (continued)

One must receive all kinds of mantras from a bona fide spiritual master; otherwise the mantras will not be fruitful. This is also indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.34):

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”

PURPORT (continued)

All mantras should be received through the authorized guru, and the disciple must satisfy the guru in all respects, after surrendering at his lotus feet. In the Padma Purāṇa it is also said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. There are four sampradāyas, or disciplic successions, namely the Brahmā sampradāya, the Rudra sampradāya, the Śrī sampradāya and the Kumāra sampradāya.

COMMENT

So these are the four bona fide sampradāyas that we have. And we are followers of Srila Prabhupada, are coming in the Brahmā sampradāya.

PURPORT (continued)

If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide sampradāyas; otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life.

COMMENT

So this beautiful and deep purport by Srila Prabhupada is based on the statement in the verse that King Indra received this prayer of protection from Visvarupa. Because he received it from a bona fide source, it had potency, and thus he was successful in his effort.

PURPORT (continued)

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield.

COMMENT

So, my dear devotees, thank you for joining us for this discussion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And now, if you have any questions, you can ask, or if you have any reflections, you can share your comments with us.

Host: Thank you so much. We will make a quick announcement first, and then proceed to our questions and answers.

Hare Krishna. Please accept my obeisances, dear devotees. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. If you are watching us on Zoom, please raise your hand and we will unmute you. Those who are watching us on YouTube, please feel free to use the link asiavairagi.info. The link is placed under the video. We will read your question out. Also, you can use the same link, asiavairagi.info, in order to make your donations to our wonderful guest, and we will provide you with the instructions how to do that.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Your Holiness, please accept my obeisances. I got two questions for you. If a person has not been initiated yet, but he is chanting maha-mantra, does it mean that he will intensify his pride; he will grow his pride in this way? And the second question, why Arjuna is not mentioned in the list of the disciplic succession of our teachers, although Krishna said that he is the one who belongs to the line of disciplic succession?

Giriraj Swami: So . . .the first question is, or I would say, the answer to the first question is that you can benefit by chanting the mantra, in particular we are talking about the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, even if you are not initiated. And one should not be proud when one chants. As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructs:

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One should chant the holy name in a humble state of mind, more tolerant than a tree, ready to offer all respects to others, and not expecting any respect for oneself. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name constantly.”

So we should chant the holy name in a humble state of mind, even if we are not initiated, and we should do so when we are initiated. And regarding the question of why Arjuna is not mentioned in our list of the disciplic successions: There are various disciplic successions, and as we mentioned there are four sampradāyas. And we are coming in the Brahma sampradāya. And in the Brahma sampradāya, the original spiritual master, Krishna, imparts the knowledge to Lord Brahma. And Brahma instructs Narada, Narada instructs Vyasa, and so on. But of course, we get the benefit of Krishna’s instructions to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā. But Arjuna was playing the part of a kshatriya, not an acharya, and so his name is not mentioned in the list of our disciplic succession of spiritual masters.

Translator: Yes? Would you mind clarifying the first question, please?

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, in the commentary, is saying that any mantra should be given by a bona fide spiritual master, otherwise it will not give the desired result. How should we interpret this statement? Do we receive mantra at the moment of initiation, or do we receive it otherwise in order to get the desired result?

Giriraj Swami: We can receive the mantra before initiation. In fact, to be initiated we should be chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, for at least six months or a year before we are even initiated. But we are getting the mantra from devotees, and therefore, the mantra is effective. Srila Prabhupada says in his essay on chanting the Hare Krishna mantra that the chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee. So once, someone asked Srila Prabhupada, if he or she hears the mantra from one of Prabhupada’s disciples, what about the idea of hearing it from the lips of a pure devotee? And Srila Prabhupada said, “Because you are receiving it from them, and they got it from me, so it is the same as if you got it from me.”

Devotee: In order to pass this maha-mantra to other people? Do we need to have a certain qualification?

Giriraj Swami: Well, you just have to repeat the mantra as it is. Of course, the more pure you are and the more sincere you are, the more effective your preaching will be. But you don’t need any special qualification to tell people the mantra. If they are sincere and/or fortunate, they will begin to chant.

Devotee: Thank you.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja. Please accept my most respectful obeisances. I am so glad to see you. I was feeling anxious from the past couple of days. Guru Maharaja, I have two questions. My first question is that you have said in your previous lectures also, that many times we are not able to fulfill the instructions of the spiritual master at that point of time, but we should remember the instructions and we should fulfill them whenever we can. Guru Maharaja, my question is, sometimes we receive instructions from our mentors or śikṣā-gurus or people who are regularly taking care of our sadhana, and those instructions particularly might not relate to our spiritual life, but they are related to our life like education, marriage, and job etc. So are those instructions also extremely important and we should fulfill them? Because sometimes those instructions do not resonate with our thought process and what our families or our own view of what is best for us.

Giriraj Swami: Your question is whether you have to follow their instructions. No, you don’t have to follow their instructions. In fact, you don’t even have to follow Krishna’s instructions. At the end of the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says to Arjuna, “Now you have heard everything I have said,” yathecchasi tathā kuru. “Now you do as you like.” So Krishna does not interfere with the minute independence of the living entity. Yes, so he says to Arjuna (Bg. 18.63):

iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhya-taraṁ mayā
vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa
yathecchasi tathā kuru

“Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.”

And then, Arjuna replied (Bg. 18.73):

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā
tvat-prasādān mayācyuta
sthito ‘smi gata-sandehaḥ
kariṣye vacanaṁ tava

Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava.

So, yes, you don’t have to follow anyone’s instructions. But of course, we should follow the instructions of Krishna, or Krishna’s representative for our own benefit. But as far as different people offering different kinds of advice about different aspects of life, I would say, deliberate on this fully and then do what you wish to do. Of course, if you don’t do what they say, they might get upset, so you have to weigh how important it is not to upset them. But of course, we have our principles, and we can’t break our principles for the sake of pleasing someone.

Yes, as Srila Prabhupada said, “The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. Therefore, it behooves one to approach the bona fide spiritual master.”

Brajamani: Please accept my obeisances, dear Maharaja. Thank you so much for the lecture. My question is similar to the one which has already been asked about Arjuna who is not mentioned in the list of paramparā. How come Śukadeva Gosvami is not mentioned there? He is the narrator of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Giriraj Swami: Well, in a way, he is included in Vyasadeva. Of course, he was the son of Vyasadeva, and he originally heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Vyasadeva. But this paramparā that we are referring to is the paramparā for the Bhagavad-gītā. There could be a different paramparā for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Śukadeva Gosvami would figure in that paramparā.

Radha-preya: Hare Krishna! Thank you very much. It is a very interesting point about following our principles and deliberating on the instructions and not just blindly following but being reasonable. So I wanted to ask, if we have some particular nature and some particular desires which we want to engage in Krishna’s service, but at the same time, we don’t have such kind of service now. So would it be a manifestation of submissiveness to search for such service where we could realize our desires in Krishna consciousness?

Giriraj Swami: In general, devotees are happy if they are engaged according to their propensities and abilities, but sometimes the demands of the situation may require them to do service that is not according to their nature or propensity. For example, my propensity was more to preach and not to manage, but Srila Prabhupada made me the temple president of the Juhu Project which involved management. But I did it in the mood of surrender and service to the spiritual master. But, as the circumstances evolved, I was able to do more preaching and less managing. So the real question is what does Krishna want you to do? But, all other factors being equal, if you have a chance to serve according to your nature and your propensity, that is very nice. [Pause] But, was there a part of your question that I didn’t answer, or?

Radha-preya: Yes, thank you.

Valentina: Hare Krishna, please accept my obeisances, dear Giriraj Swami Maharaja. You have mentioned, you have cited the verse from Bhagavad-gītā, today, 4.34, and the purports given by Srila Prabhupada is saying that we should approach a bona fide spiritual master and inquire him submissively. And you also mentioned about the spiritual master –

[Break 01:20:39]

Host: Because of the internet.

Translator: Are we back?

Host: Yes.

Translator: Have you heard the question, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: You translated the question?

Translator: Yes, I have. Have you heard?

Giriraj Swami: What is the question?

Translator: You have mentioned that a disciple, an aspiring disciple should approach a bona fide spiritual master and inquire him submissively. And a spiritual master may test his aspiring disciples. If a disciple is chanting praṇāma mantra, how should he understand that he is being tested by his spiritual master? Maybe he should check whether he is following his instructions or maybe he should pay more attention to his mindset, the mindset or the attitude or mood of a spiritual master.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, those are all good ideas to implement. Yes, the purport says one must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master. And when the spiritual master is satisfied that the disciple has passed the test, then the spiritual master will bless the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. But the basic test is exactly what you said, which is, am I following the instructions of the spiritual master? If you are following the instructions of the spiritual master, then he will be pleased and he will bless you with spiritual understanding. But there is also a consideration of one’s mood when one is executing the order of the spiritual master.

Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami describes an incident that took place between him and Srila Prabhupada when Satsvarupa was first coming to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was giving Satsvarupa audio cassettes with his dictation, and Satsvarupa was transcribing the tapes very dutifully, and every day he would bring Srila Prabhupada the typed manuscript from the transcription. But one day, Srila Prabhupada said to Satsvarupa, “It is not automatic, but if you love me, I will love you.” And Srila Prabhupada’s statement had a profound effect on Satsvarupa. As he describes it, it broke up so many dirty things within his heart. So, the first principle is to follow the instruction. And beyond that, if one can follow the instruction in a mood of love and devotion, so much the better.

Isvara Krishna: Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances dear Giriraj Swami Maharaja and all the devotees. My question is, in order to be connected, linked with the guru-paramparā, is it sufficient to get hari-nāma initiation or do we need another dīkṣā in order to be linked, connected with the paramparā?

Giriraj Swami: Well, just by receiving hari-nāma initiation, you are connected. And hari-nāma is the main process. But to further the relationship with the spiritual master, one can take the second initiation into Gayatri. And that initiation into Gayatri is called upanayana. And upanayana means that process that brings one closer to the spiritual master. Yes, as Srila Prabhupada explained that when he gave me second initiation. So yes, upanaya means bringing the disciple nearer to the spiritual master.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, please accept my obeisances, Your Holiness. Thank you so much for the lecture. You have already received partially the answer to my question, but still, you have mentioned how important spiritual master is in the spiritual life of his disciple. However, sometimes we can hear from senior devotees that it is very important to accept a certain spiritual master within your heart before the initiation. Would you mind commenting on this? How important is it to accept the spiritual master before the initiation?

Giriraj Swami: Well, yes. One should develop a relationship with the spiritual master before initiation. The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa mentions a mutual testing period, which is also discussed in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that for at least six months or a year, the disciple should examine the spiritual master and be assured of his position, and a spiritual master should examine the prospective disciple to be assured of his position. And then, after you have accepted the spiritual master in your heart and you have been chanting sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles for six months or a year, at least, you can be initiated.

In one letter, Srila Prabhupada wrote that the eternal relation with the spiritual master begins from the time the disciple hears. And he gave his example that at his first meeting with his spiritual master, his spiritual master told him to preach the message of Lord Chaitanya in the English language in the Western countries. And Srila Prabhupada said, “Now it has come to fact.”

Devotee: Hare Krishna, dear guru Maharaja; dear devotees. My question is, are there any differences between the knowledge in the knowledge that different sampradāyas share? If a person accepts another sampradāya, will he get the same result? Because it is said that the source is one, that is Krishna, and all the sampradāyas are given by that single source.

Giriraj Swami: That is true. But we are coming in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and that is a very special facility that we have been given. The ultimate goal in all of the sampradāyas will be Krishna or Vishnu, but because we are coming in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, our goal and ultimate destination is Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan. And that is not there in all the other three sampradāyas.

Devotee: [Inaudible]

Host: We can’t hear you.

Devotee: Hare Krishna?

Giriraj Swami: It is still soft. I don’t know why it is so soft. I mean, we can hear what you are saying, but it is not very clear.

Devotee: Hare Krishna? Now it is okay?

Translator: It is better.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. We will do with that.

Devotee: Guru Maharaja, when we get a service and you feel you are incapable to perform that service, but you know, when you get a service you are empowered by your spiritual master, and you can do it. But sometimes, due to your weak sadhana, you have not been able to perform that service. How to get back in that mood of surrender? And you can understand the empowerment is still there, and we have to just put our efforts and the mercy would flow.

Giriraj Swami: In one letter, Srila Prabhupada wrote that Krishna consciousness should always be a challenge. And in order to execute my service, I have to rise to a good standard of sadhana. And the good standard of sadhana will help us to execute our service. So, the two go together: a strong sadhana and a good service. So, we need both.

Translator: A question on YouTube.

Gautama Ṛṣi Prabhu is asking: If a person was initiated but he is not following the instructions of his spiritual master, does it mean that his connection, his bond, with spiritual master is broken?

Giriraj Swami: No . . . I mean. . .Yes, he can seek good association and read Srila Prabhupada’s books and try to regain his standing in devotional service, but just the fact that he has fallen from the standard does not mean that the eternal bond with the spiritual master is broken, no.

Translator: Karuna Chaitanya Prabhu is asking: Hare Krishna. How can I get rid of the feeling of the mindset, of idea that I am desperate in my attempts to purely chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra? He is thinking that, or someone thinks that, he is desperate – He will never attain that level of pure chanting. What he should do with this?

Giriraj Swami: I don’t know if I have understood the question properly, but to be desperate to want to chant purely is good. We should be desperate, but not hopeless. In the Nectar of Instruction, the Upadeśāmṛta, Srila Rupa Gosvami advises: utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt. Utsāhāt means enthusiasm; niścayāt means confidence and dhairyāt means patience. So one should have enthusiasm, confidence that one will be successful in the end and patience. [To Translator:] But, one thing is you didn’t translate enthusiasm, you just said in English, enthusiasm. You didn’t translate the word enthusiasm in English, you said enthusiasm.

Translator: [Translates in Russian] [Chuckles]

Giriraj Swami: That is the same in Russian, also? [Chuckles]

Translator: [Translates in Russian] [Both Laughing] Yes, it is the same: enthusiasm.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. Excuse me.

Vrajarāṇī: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. You have mentioned that there should be a balance of a strong sadhana. By saying strong sadhana, what do you mean? Is it the standard given by Srila Prabhupada that we should rise early, do maṅgala-ārotika, read books, etc.?

Giriraj Swami: Those are all elements of strong sadhana. Certainly, arising early is important, and chanting minimum sixteen rounds, following the four regulated principles, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books: Those are the most essential items. But all of it is valuable. Every part of the morning program; as far as we can follow. But I would say the minimum is chanting sixteen rounds, following the regulated principles and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books – some, every day.

Kamala-sundari: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glorious to Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaja, my question is, how do we identify the test of the spiritual master? And how do we know that we are passing those tests?

Giriraj Swami: As I mentioned earlier, the test is, are you following the instructions of the spiritual master? The basic principle of vaidhi-sādhana-bhakti is to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. So in one sense the test is: Am I going to remember Krishna in some situation, or am I going to forget Him? And the final test is the time of death. Am I going to remember Krishna at the time of death? And leading up to the final exam, we have so many tests; every day we have tests. Am I going to take shelter of Krishna or am I going to look for shelter somewhere else? [Pause] Hare Krishna!

Host: Last question. [Unintelligible]

Devotee: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja. Please accept my most respectful obeisances. Guru Maharaja, my question is that in one of the answers, you mentioned that the more pure we are, the more our preaching efforts are successful. So my question is, as an aspiring disciple, like I am an aspiring disciple of you, so should I try to share the knowledge that I have learned by Srila Prabhupada?

Giriraj Swami: Certainly, you should share the knowledge you have gotten from Srila Prabhupada with others. And that will also purify you. By repeating the message of Krishna, you become purified. So certainly you should do that.

Host: Thank you so much dear, Your Holiness for wonderful topic, for a wonderful class in kathā about holy name. You have mentioned we belong to a genuine sampradāya where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came and gave us Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and there are no strict rules that we should follow while chanting this mantra. However, in the purport Srila Prabhupada is saying that if you want to get the desired result in the form of prema-bhakti or śuddha-nāma, we should approach a spiritual master and serve him in order to get what we want in order to avoid the obstacles on this path.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, that is a comment he is making. . .

Host: The commentary: Yes, I am kind of summarizing what I have heard today. Because I was the one who was asking the question. Thank you so much. We can finish our class, then.