SB 1.17.43–44

Giriraj Swami: So, we shall be reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto One, Chapter Seventeen, “Punishment and Reward of Kali,” Text Forty-three and Forty-four.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXTS 43–44

sa eṣa etarhy adhyāsta
āsanaṁ pārthivocitam
pitāmahenopanyastaṁ
rājñāraṇyaṁ vivikṣatā

āste ‘dhunā sa rājarṣiḥ
kauravendra-śriyollasan
gajāhvaye mahā-bhāgaś
cakravartī bṛhac-chravāḥ

TRANSLATION

The most fortunate emperor Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was entrusted with the kingdom of Hastināpura by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira when he desired to retire to the forest, is now ruling the world with great success due to his being glorified by the deeds of the kings of the Kuru dynasty.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The prolonged sacrificial ceremonies undertaken by the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya were begun shortly after the demise of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The sacrifice was to continue for one thousand years, and it is understood that in the beginning some of the contemporaries of Baladeva, the elder brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa, also visited the sacrificial place. According to some authorities, the present tense is also used to indicate the nearest margin of time from the past. In that sense, the present tense is applied to the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit here. For a continuous fact, also, present tense can be used. The principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit can be still continued, and human society can still be improved if there is determination by the authorities.

COMMENT

So, the world is in great need of good government. Most of the world leaders, in Srila Prabhupada’s words, are rogues and rascals, and therefore, the world is in a state of chaos and confusion. No one is really happy, everyone is in anxiety because of the lack of good, saintly, competent leaders. So, Maharaja Yudhisthira was a saintly, competent leader, and his grandson, Maharaja Parīkṣit was also a competent, saintly leader. And Maharaja Parīkṣit handed. . . Excuse me, Maharaja Yudhisthira handed over the kingdom to Maharaja Parīkṣit. Nowadays, most political leaders try to stay in power until the end, but Maharaja Yudhisthira wanted to leave the kingdom and proceed to the Himalayas, for spiritual perfection. And thus, the kingdom was entrusted to the hands of Maharaja Parīkṣit, who was a worthy successor to Maharaja Yudhisthira. So, now we will go back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

The principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit can be still continued, and human society can still be improved if there is determination by the authorities. We can still purge out from the state all the activities of immorality introduced by the personality of Kali if we are determined to take action like Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

COMMENT

So, the history is that when Maharaja Parīkṣit was touring his kingdom, he found the personality of Kali beating a cow. And the King, being the protector of all of the prajā, the citizens, and Srila Prabhupada often made the point that the animals also count as prajā and they should also be protected by the King or the leader. So, Maharaja Parīkṣit was such a competent leader, that when he saw Kali engaged in his various activities, he intervened and stopped him. And Kali then surrendered to Maharaja Parīkṣit and asked for some place in his kingdom. And Maharaja Parīkṣit said that he could stay where there is gambling, intoxication, illicit sex, and meat eating. But Kali said that, “We do not find any of these things in your kingdom. So, there will be no place where I can stay.” Then, Maharaja Parīkṣit said, “All right, then you can stay where there is hoarding of gold.” So, Kali was happy that he had a place to stay in Maharaja Parīkṣit is kingdom. So, let us go back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

He allotted some place for Kali, but in fact Kali could not find such places in the world at all because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was strictly vigilant to see that there were no places for gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter. Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state.

COMMENT

So, here Srila Prabhupada is pointing out both the ignorance of the administrators, and the hypocrisy of the administrators. Kali-yuga, of course, Kali literally means quarrel, so Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel, but it is also the age of hypocrisy. And so, the leaders are hypocritical because they say they want to banish corruption from the state, but they allow the four principles of sinful life where Kali was given a place to reside, namely where there is meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling. So, if the leaders want to have peace and prosperity domain. . . eliminate or at least curb these sinful activities where Kali is present, where there is meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling. So, now we go back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state. They want the kingdom of God without God consciousness. How can it be possible to adjust two contradictory matters? If we want to drive out corruption from the state, we must first of all organize society to accept the principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, and to make the condition favorable we must close all places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and falsity.

COMMENT

So, these principles of religion, and we want to keep the purport here on the screen, in the austerity, cleanliness, mercy, and truthfulness, are just the opposite numbers of gambling, drinking, prostitution, and falsity. For example, mercy. Where there is mercy, there can be no animal killing or slaughter. And yes, that is one example how these four items; austerity, cleanliness, mercy, and truthfulness are the opposite numbers of gambling, drinking, prostitution, and falsity.

PURPORT (continued)

These are some of the practical lessons from the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

COMMENT

So, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the perfect scripture, Srila Rupa Gosvami has said that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the highest evidence. And Srila Prabhupada has really glorified Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because it gives perfect guidance and direction, or the welfare of human society, both spiritually and materially. And in the mood of glorifying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I will read some verses and translations from the Bhāgavatam itself, that establishes the glories of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The second verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

TEXT 2

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ

vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam

śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ

sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ‘tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt

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

Then the next verse.

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

And 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

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.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

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, my dear devotees, we are blessed by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the sound representation of Lord Krishna, compiled by the empowered incarnation of Lord Krishna, mercifully translated by Srila Prabhupada for us with his purports, so that we can live peacefully and happily in this world, and in the end, go back home, back to Godhead. So, thank you for joining me. The devotees who are on Zoom, as far as possible, please put on your cameras so we can see your moon-like faces, and it will be more personal. And now, if any of you have any questions or comments or reflections, you can raise your hand; your physical hand or your virtual hand, and speak.

Host: Hare Krishna. Thank you so much Maharaja, for the class. Lots of verses from the same Bhāgavatam proving itself its superiority over all other forms of scriptures. So, like Maharaja said at this point, whoever has a question, please indicate that by either using your physical hand or your virtual hand, hand emoji, and you will be asked to unmute. At this point everybody is muted, but if you do show up your hand, you will be unmuted so you may ask your question. Hare Krishna.

Maharaja, I have a first question. Like I said, it is always blissful to have your association. I am not happy that Covid came and has taken so many lives, but at the same time, I am thankful that because of Covid, we now have the opportunity to have the association of amazing devotees like you, because I don’t think I could have had your association without the Covid. But I remember some time ago, when I was writing my offering, Vyasa-puja offering to. . . Devotees in ISKCON are most fortunate because we have the Bhāgavatam like your reference, we have everything we need to know what to do to go back home, back to Godhead. So, my question is, what can we do to do the very things we know we need to do, so that we can go back home, back to Godhead? Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Well, you can do them. Just do it, there is a saying, ‘Just Do It.’ Of course, Srila Prabhupada also said that 90 percent of Krishna consciousness is association. And so, if you associate with advanced devotees, sincere devotees, experienced devotees, then it will be easier for you. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami has enumerated sixty-four items of devotional service. And out of the sixty-four. . . And he says that even a slight. . . Any one of the five is sufficient to awaken dormant love of Godhead. And one of the five is sādhu-saṅga. The five is sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa. . .So, sādhu-saṅga, associating with devotees, but I will give you the exact definition. But generally, sādhu-saṅga, associating with devotees, bhāgavata-śravaṇa, hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nāma-kīrtana, chanting the holy names, mathurā-vāsa, living in a holy place such as Mathura, Vrindavan, Mayapur, (and Srila Prabhupada has also said that our temples are holy places), and mūrtira śraddhāya sevana, faith and veneration. So, these are the five most potent items of devotional service. And Srila Rupa Gosvami said there is even a slight performance of any one of the five is sufficient to awaken dormant love of Krishna.

So now, coming to the definition of sādhu-saṅga, Rupa Gosvami says sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare. So, sajātīyā means, in a literal sense, from the same community, and in our case, it would mean specifically followers of Srila Prabhupada. Sajātīyāśaye snigdhe means affection, and Srila Prabhupada has translated the verse that ‘who has a similar affection for the Lord,’ but snigdhe can also be taken to mean that the sadhu should be affectionate to you, which is also true. Sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare, and svato vare means he should be more advanced than you are. So, if we have that kind of sādhu-saṅga, then it will be much easier for us to do what we know we should do.

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja, thank you for the answer. Ethika Mata please unmute. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Wishing you and all the Vaishnavas here a very prosperous Diwali and dāmodara-līlā today.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Devotee: Maharaja, you mentioned the five points, and I have always had a question about one of them where Srila Rupa Gosvami states, “Residing in a holy dhāma, Mathura or Vrindavan.” But we are a preaching mission, so if all of us have such a strong desire to live in the dhāma and permanently settle there, then who would be preaching all over the world?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. I remember one year we were in Mayapur with Srila Prabhupada, walking with him on his roof, and Pancha Dravida Swami said to Srila Prabhupada that he really liked Mayapur and he didn’t feel like leaving. And Srila Prabhupada replied, “You should make the whole world like Mayapur.” So yes, we do need to go out and preach. Srila Prabhupada showed by his own example; he left Vrindavan at an elderly age, and he came to the West to preach in pursuits of the order of his spiritual master and the desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So yes, you are absolutely right. And as Srila Prabhupada said, his temples are also holy places, so we do get that as well. And of course, the main thing is the consciousness.

One year, His Holiness Gaura Govinda Swami Maharaja visited Mauritius, and we were at ISKCON Vedic Farm in Mauritius, and after the program, we were walking, and I mentioned to him about these five most potent items of devotional service and I mentioned mathurā-vāsa, and he looked at me in the eyes and said, “Kamsa also lived in Mathura.” [laughter] So, it is not enough just to live in Mathura, but we have to have the mood of a devoted servant of Lord Krishna.

Host: [laughter] Thank you so much, Maharaja, for that answer, “Kamsa also lived in Mathura.” [laughter] So, at this point, we go to Govinda Prabhu, please unmute.

Govinda Prabhu: Hare Krishna. Maharaja, please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you, Maharaja. And thank you for your loving association. Maharaja, I don’t know if I can put this question correctly for your understanding so you can help me understand this question.

Just as you just said, you quoted somewhere from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and by that reading, we clearly understand how fortunate we are to have Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam give us the keys to unlock the gates for entering into the spiritual world, into Krishnaloka. But he also gave a condition in your reading, and the condition was that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has to be recited by a self-realized person. A self-realized person has to explain Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now, there are some medicines that are very, very bitter, and because of the bitterness of the medicine, it has been sugar coated, that when you have it in your mouth, you think it is so sweet, but the real thing is inside, behind the sweetness. And so also, my understanding to what you just read was that the import of the Bhāgavatam is revealed by a pure devotee. A pure devotee should read and explain. So, those of us who are not on this platform of purity, of self-realization, those of us who are not self-realized, how do we read Bhāgavatam and understand the import of it, since we are not self-realized? And if someone who is not realized also read the Bhāgavatam and try to explain, what will be the implication?

Giriraj Swami: Well, Srila Prabhupada was self-realized, and we have his purports to explain the verses. And the main qualification for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is nirmat-saranam, one should be free from envy. And Srila Prabhupada. . . In fact, it was one of the last purports that he dictated when he was in Vrindavan in his last days, and he said, “Read or discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily, as much as possible. Every verse is transcendental. It was compiled by Vyasadeva in his maturity, mahāmuni-kṛte, and the more you discuss, the more the subject will become clarified.”

So, Srila Prabhupada wanted us to discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam among ourselves. And yes, by such discussions, our hearts become purified.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām

Hearing the messages of Godhead are themselves virtuous, and they cleanse the heart of inauspicious things. So yes, we need to have association with one another so we can chant and hear about Krishna. We may not be perfectly self-realized, but yes, in broad terms we know, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ - we are eternal servants Krishna. And reading and discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with devotees is very effective. Srila Prabhupada asked us to give Bhāgavatam class every morning. He didn’t put a condition that, “Oh, you have to be perfectly self-realized to speak on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.” And yes, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will reveal itself, Krishna will reveal Himself to us if we chant and hear in the association of devotees.

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja, for that beautiful answer. I am very happy with that answer because I like to hear and speak about Bhāgavatam, and I know I am impure, but at least from your answer, by constantly trying to hear and speak the Bhāgavatam, I may one day become pure. Thank you for the answer. Malati devi, please unmute.

Malati devi: Hare Krishna, guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. [Unintelligible 01:05:00] All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to divine grace.

Host: Malati devi, excuse me, there is some noise at the background. Can you check? And if you can increase your volume level.

Malati devi: Yes, I can. Okay.

Giriraj Swami: Is it fireworks on Diwali, is that what is happening?

Malati devi: Yes, yes. [laughter]

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Malati devi: Guru Maharaja, you were speaking about Kali-yuga, and we see so many disqualifications, that it becomes difficult for us to imbibe good qualities. And I see myself, it has been so many years, and today I feel the holy name is the goal, but still, I am working on it after so many years being in ISKCON. We had that goal where every one of you all were there in front of us, blessing us and openly giving us your association. But today it becomes difficult for others to imbibe those qualities so soon and accept this ISKCON movement so easily. So, how do we make them understand? Because Kali-yuga is also increasing and degrading much more than before, so it becomes so difficult for us to explain to them that, “Yes, this is it, this is the movement, which will give you happiness and everything.” So, what is the main points we can speak to them that this will help them out, guru Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Well, when we speak according to our realization, our words have more effect. And so, if you speak theory, it is okay, it is not bad, it is good also, but if you speak from your realization, it will have more effect. And when they feel your heartfelt appeal to them, based on your own realization, they should respond. And we always have our, as Srila Prabhupada said, our secret weapon, which is kṛṣṇa-prasāda, so you can always give them prasāda, that will clear the way for them to make further progress.

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja, and thank you for the question, Malati devi. So, we go to Vrishabhanu Nandini. Sorry, please unmute.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your Divine Grace, all glories to Srila Prabhupada and to all the devotees. In my family, we are reading Kṛṣṇa book, the big book. And once, I heard that if we read off for this book, it is the same like we are reading all the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verses, songs. Yes? It is right, or it is not so? Because my little Damodar, he told me that it is more easily to read one big book and to go back to the God. And he hopes to do this, to reach this after we will finish this book. I just want to clarify. It is the same powerful, to read step by step, or from one song to the end, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Giriraj Swami: Well, of course, Kṛṣṇa book is Srila Prabhupada’s summary study of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But there is a lot of philosophy in Kṛṣṇa book. Once, when I was with Srila Prabhupada in his room in Madras, we were staying with the one Mr. Balu at his home, and in his room, Srila Prabhupada gave a brief description of his books, each of his books. And for Kṛṣṇa book, he said that Kṛṣṇa book is pastimes and philosophy, but the philosophy is so woven into the pastimes, that you don’t even realize that you are getting the philosophy. And I hear Kṛṣṇa book every day when I take prasāda, Narottama Vilas dasa reads Kṛṣṇa book to me. And what Srila Prabhupada said is true. There is pastimes, there is a lot of philosophy woven into it, but in such a way that you don’t feel that the pastimes are being interrupted with the philosophy. So, that is good. So, is that Damodara on the screen? He is definitely on the way back home, back to Godhead. Hare Krishna, Damodara.

Host: You may unmute. Maharaja is saying Hare Krishna to Damodara Prabhu.

Damodara Prabhu: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Thank you very much, guru Maharaja. I have also the second question, a short one, about the games. Today children sometimes, also with the adults, we are playing so-called board games or teach games, and it is also just as sinful or not? Do you understand my question?

Giriraj Swami: So, what kind of game?

Devotee: Table games, table games. We are playing with the children, and they, I don’t know, they have some reason to earn money on something like that and to earn some stars and something like this. And I thought that it is also such sinful games, maybe I am not right. But in this world, we have a lot of teach games, and if we are free of our time, we can play with the children, with them, and I am scared that it is also sinful games to be. . .

Giriraj Swami: Yes, I don’t know if I understand what you mean.

Host: Maharaja, Maharaja, what she is trying to say is. . . Well, I don’t think you may know because it is a mundane thing that goes on, but there are lots of games that children play online.

Devotee: Not online, I mean. . .

Host: Not online.

Devotee: In the house, it is called teach games. For example, where in the family, we can play with the cards, something to earn, some points, something like this, just like Monopoly or something like that. And it is also such sinful games or not? I don’t know, that is why I just want to be sure if it is possible to protect the children from these sinful games?

Host: Do you reward physical money?

Devotee: No, only. . .

Host: Okay. So, it is very similar to what is done online. Now, children will play games, and when they win, they are given a star, or given money, but it is not physical money. So, she wants to find out if such games are appropriate for devotees, because part of her understanding, our consciousness is that she thinks it is not good for people to be playing games that reward with money and stars like that.

Giriraj Swami: Well, I think there are some Krishna conscious board games. There was a devotee visiting here in Vrindavan from Mumbai, and she has some really good ideas for board games, Krishna conscious board games. So, I don’t know, I think I would trust your intuition. If you think it is bad, then don’t do it. And if you think it is all right, then you can do it. Yes, I am sure that Krishna will give you the intelligence what to do and what not to do.

Devotee: Okay. Thank you very much, Hare Krishna.

Host: Hare Krishna. Thank you, Maharaja. So, we will go to Krishna Jivani devi, please unmute.

Krishna Jivani devi dasi: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and Srila Prabhupada. Hare Krishna, devotees, for giving this opportunity.

Maharaja, is not so much a question, but I just wanted to share something, when you mentioned the five aspects that Rupa Gosvami said about bhakti. In the Thirteenth Chapter, in the First Canto, Maharaja Yudhisthira tells Vidura that, “Pure devotees like you are verily holy places personified.” And Srila Prabhupada makes the point that not only should we be seeking out holy people in holy places, but also become pure devotees ourselves. And thank you, Maharaja, we feel that when we are in your physical presence and in your virtual presence. And so, thank you for setting that example for us. And then I was thinking that of all the five processes, if we start with bhāgavata-śravaṇa, then all the other four might fall into place. And no matter how busy we are, no matter how geographically distant we are from Vrindavan, Mathura, and Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada has made it so simple, we can go on Vedabase, we can listen in our car to the purport. The ISKCON movement cannot make it any easier for us to read the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And if we latch on to that, perhaps the rest would follow. And I had those realizations as I was listening to your class. So thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Nice, very nice. Jaya!

Host: Thank you so much, Krishna Jivani devi. Hare Krishna. Anyone else with any question? Maharaja, are you in India? I believe you are in India.

Giriraj Swami: I am in Vrindavan.

Host: Vrindavan. So, we are also putting in the time factor, because it is quite late at your end. So, devotees, anyone with any question, please? Let us try to be quick so Maharaja can go. [laughter]

Maharaja, I have a personal question, and that is, we were reading from Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, and we were reading about how. . . I think that is the Sixth Chapter of Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta. It talks about how one time, there was a big pandal held in India. That was the first time ever, and Srila Prabhupada made you the person to raise funds, and made Shyamasundara Prabhu the head of publicity, Madhu-dvisah Prabhu, the one in charge of, I think, the play or things like that. Now, I wanted to find out from you, Maharaja, how difficult, I believe it was difficult because bodily wise, you were born in U.S, and now this program is being held in India, and you have to raise funds. How difficult was it, and how do you encourage us, from your personal experience, to try to fulfill the instructions of the guru, no matter how difficult it may seem? That is my question, Maharaja, Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. I felt very at home in India. After maybe two or three days, I felt completely at home in India, and I liked the people I was meeting and approaching to give donations or advertisements for our souvenir book or become life members. And Srila Prabhupada later said that, “Giriraj can make friends with any man, become his son, and take his money.” [laughter] So, I guess that is the way I did it. [laughter]

Host: All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you so much, Maharaja. It is always so beautiful hearing from those of you who were in direct association with Srila Prabhupada and how dynamic Srila Prabhupada was.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Host: Thank you so much. I think from that same līlā too, I think it was either you or somebody else, you were concerned about how sometimes devotees will try to force Krishna consciousness on people. And I was shocked to hear, Prabhupada said, “Well, you can cheat a little bit.” And he explained what he meant by cheating, and it is not like. . .

Giriraj Swami: Not cheating. No, no, not cheating, tricking.

Host: Okay, tricking, okay. Thank you for the correction. Yes, tricking. So, he used different scenarios, like somebody who is not interested in arithmetic, you put one plus one, he said no. And then he says, okay, now just bring a cow, and then it doesn’t feel bread. So, that is what he was saying. So, thank you so much, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Host: It is beautiful. So, I think at this point we may have to bring the class to a close.