SB 2.2.18 – Saranagati

Giriraj Swami: 

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

So, we will read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Two,

TEXT 18

paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tad
yan neti netīty atad utsisṛkṣavaḥ
visṛjya daurātmyam ananya-sauhṛdā
hṛdopaguhyārha-padaṁ pade pade

TRANSLATION

The transcendentalists desire to avoid everything godless, for they know that supreme situation in which everything is related with the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore a pure devotee who is in absolute harmony with the Lord does not create perplexities, but worships the lotus feet of the Lord at every moment, taking them into his heart.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

In the Bhagavad-gītā, mad-dhāma (“My abode”) is mentioned several times, and according to the version of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa there exists the unlimited spiritual sky, wherein the planets are called Vaikuṇṭhas, or the abode of the Personality of Godhead.

COMMENT

So, this purport reminds me of something that Srila Prabhupada said, which is that we will not say that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in only one purport but we will say that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every purport. And he does so in this purport. So now let us go back to the purport.

So, yes, Vaikuntha, Kuntha means ‘anxiety’ and Vaikuntha means ‘without anxiety’ so the Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual sky are without anxiety.

PURPORT (continued)

In that sky, which is far, far beyond the material sky and its sevenfold coverings, there is no need of the sun or the moon, nor is there necessity of electricity for illumination, because the planets are self-illuminating and more brilliant than the material suns. 

COMMENT

So, here Srila Prabhupada is paraphrasing a verse from the Bhagavad-gītā where he says there is no need of the sun or the moon or electricity. And if we consider Srila Prabhupada’s purport, either directly or indirectly, he is referring to shastra and here without saying so explicitly he is referring to a verse in the Bhagavad-gītā which says that, in the planets in the spiritual sky, there is no need of sunlight or moonlight or even electricity.

PURPORT (continued)

Pure devotees of the Lord are absolutely in harmony with the Personality of Godhead, or in other words, they always think of the Lord as their only dependable friend and well-wisher.

COMMENT

So, this statement, “Pure devotees of the Lord are absolutely in harmony with the Personality of Godhead,” in other words, they always think of the Lord as their only dependable friend and well-wisher; it reminds me of the definition of Śaraṇāgati which is very instructive. And so I will read that because it is really very important for all devotees to understand what surrender is and how to do it. So, this verse is quoted in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twenty-two,

TEXT 100

ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ
prātikūlyasya varjanam
rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso
goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā
ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye
ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ

TRANSLATION

“ ‘The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.’”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

One who is fully surrendered is qualified with the six following characteristics: (1) The devotee has to accept everything that is favorable for the rendering of transcendental loving service to the Lord. (2) He must reject everything unfavorable to the Lord’s service. This is also called renunciation. (3) A devotee must be firmly convinced that Kṛṣṇa will give him protection. No one else can actually give one protection, and being firmly convinced of this is called faith. This kind of faith is different from the faith of an impersonalist who wants to merge into the Brahman effulgence in order to benefit by cessation of repeated birth and death. A devotee wants to remain always in the Lord’s service. In this way, Kṛṣṇa is merciful to His devotee and gives him all protection from the dangers found on the path of devotional service. (4) The devotee should accept Kṛṣṇa as his supreme maintainer and master. He should not think that he is being protected by a demigod. He should depend only on Kṛṣṇa, considering Him the only protector.

COMMENT

And we see Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, how He protected His devotee, Prahlada.

PURPORT (continued)

He should depend only on Kṛṣṇa, considering Him the only protector. The devotee must be firmly convinced that within the three worlds he has no protector or maintainer other than Kṛṣṇa. (5) Self-surrender means remembering that one’s activities and desires are not independent. The devotee is completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa, and he acts and thinks as Kṛṣṇa desires. (6) The devotee is meek and humble.

Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15):

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” Situated in everyone’s heart, Kṛṣṇa deals differently according to the living entity’s position. The living entity’s position is to be under the protection of the illusory energy or under Kṛṣṇa’s personal protection. When a living entity is fully surrendered, he is under the direct protection of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa gives him all intelligence by which he can advance in spiritual realization.

COMMENT

Yes, this is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā 10.10, where Krishna says,

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give them the intelligence by which they can come to Me.

PURPORT (continued)

The nondevotee, however, being under the protection of the illusory energy, increasingly forgets his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes it is asked how Kṛṣṇa causes one to forget. Kṛṣṇa personally causes His devotee to forget material activities, and through the agency of māyā Kṛṣṇa causes the nondevotee to forget his devotional service to the Lord. This is called apohana.

COMMENT 

So, my dear devotees, this is a bit of an elaboration. So now, we have finished that part. Now we will go back to today’s verse and purport.

PURPORT (SB 2.2.18 continued)

Pure devotees of the Lord are absolutely in harmony with the Personality of Godhead, or in other words, they always think of the Lord as their only dependable friend and well-wisher.

They do not care for any mundane creature, up to the status of Brahmā, the lord of the universe. Only they can definitely have a clear vision of the Vaikuṇṭha planets. Such pure devotees, being perfectly directed by the Supreme Lord, do not create any artificial perplexity in the matter of transcendental understanding by wasting time in discussing what is Brahman and what is non-Brahman, or māyā, nor do they falsely think of themselves as one with the Lord, or argue that there is no existence of the Lord separately, or that there is no God at all, or that living beings are themselves God, or that when God incarnates Himself He assumes a material body.

COMMENT

So here, Srila Prabhupada is elaborating on the idea that devotees have nothing to do with godlessness. These are different varieties of godlessness in different forms or shapes, and devotees avoid all of them.

PURPORT (continued)

Apart from the class of impersonalists or nondevotees, there are also classes who pose themselves as devotees of the Lord but at heart maintain the idea of salvation by becoming one with the impersonal Brahman.

COMMENT

Yes, this is called by Srila Prabhupada as “Chaitanya’s path and Shankara’s math.” In other words, they follow Chaitanya’s path, they follow the process of bhakti-yoga, but they accept Shankara’s math, which is one plus one equals one, that we become one with the impersonal Brahman.

PURPORT (continued)

Apart from the class of impersonalists or nondevotees, there are also classes who pose themselves as devotees of the Lord but at heart maintain the idea of salvation by becoming one with the impersonal Brahman.

COMMENT

Yes, Chaitanya’s path and Shankara’s math.

PURPORT (continued)

They wrongly manufacture their own way of devotional service by open debauchery and mislead others who are simpletons or debauchees like themselves. All these nondevotees and debauchees are, according to Viśvanātha Cakravartī, durātmās, or crooked souls in the dress of mahātmās, or great souls. Such nondevotees and debauchees are completely excluded from the list of transcendentalists by the presentation of this particular verse by Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

COMMENT

So yes, mahatmas, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. Mahatmas are defined in Bhagavad-gītā by Lord Krishna, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, they are always the under the shelter of divine energy. And it is important to know, who an actual mahatma is, because as Srila Prabhupada says that there are durātmā, who pose themselves as mahatmas. So the actual description or definition of mahatma is given in Bhagavad-gītā 9.13:

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

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

Once when we were with Srila Prabhupada in Bombay, because there was the complication with Juhu land. So, Srila Prabhupada was staying in apartment in Sea-Face Park as guest of Kartikeya Mahadavia. He is a very good friend and supporter of devotees and Srila Prabhupada. And during that period, Srila Prabhupada would speak on The Nectar of Devotion. But someone happened to hear that Srila Prabhupada was speaking and came upstairs to the apartment. Srila Prabhupada would change the level of discourse of The Nectar of Devotion to Bhagavad-gītā. So, one time, a prominent Hindu came up and he asked Srila Prabhupada that, “India is a land of mahatmas. There are so many mahatmas in India but there are so many problems. Why should India have so many problems in the presence of so many mahatmas? And Srila Prabhupada replied, “The reason that India has so many problems, the reason you have so many problems is that you cannot distinguish who is a mahatma and who is not a mahatma.” And then Srila Prabhupada went on to explain who a mahatma is, as stated in this verse. Mahatma is also mentioned in another verse:

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

Which means, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, after many births and death, one who is wise surrenders to Krishna, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ, such a mahātmā is very rare. So, that is mahatma. And with all respect, Srila Prabhupada was saying directly or indirectly that Mahatma Gandhi, with all due respect, is not a mahatma by the definition given in the Bhagavad-gītā by Sri Krishna. Let us go back to verse and purport.

PURPORT (continued)

So the Vaikuṇṭha planets are factually the supreme residential places called the paraṁ padam.

COMMENT

This reminds me a beautiful verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one of my favorites. The Sanskrit is beautiful and the meaning is also beautiful. And I will recite that. Actually, we used to recite that early in the morning in the old Boston Temple. I know it by heart, but still, I will get the proper translation. Yes, this is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.58:

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

“For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁ padaṁ, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.”

And a more literal translation or a more concise translation would be that, “For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord,” now this mahat-padaṁ has two meanings, as you can see in the synonyms, is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation, he is also the shelter of the great souls, Lord known as Mahata. So yes, “For those who accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and of the great souls, and as famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world shrinks and becomes just like the water contained in the puddle of a calf’s hoof print. Although there is danger at every step, they cross right over it.” So I guess it is beautiful, it is wonderful.

So now we can go back to the verse and purport.

PURPORT (continued)

So the Vaikuṇṭha planets are factually the supreme residential places called the paraṁ padam.

COMMENT

padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

PURPORT (continued)

So the Vaikuṇṭha planets are factually the supreme residential places called the paraṁ padam. The impersonal brahmajyoti is also called the paraṁ padam due to its being the rays of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, as the sun rays are the rays of the sun. In the Bhagavad-gītā (14.27) it is clearly said that the impersonal brahmajyoti rests on the person of the Lord,

COMMENT

So, that is also true. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā:

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham
amṛtasyāvyayasya ca
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikāntikasya ca

“And I am the basis of the impersonal brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.”

So yes, wonderful. Our hosts are really on top of the verses and providing them as required.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Bhagavad-gītā (14.27) it is clearly said that the impersonal brahmajyoti rests on the person of the Lord, and because everything rests on the brahmajyoti directly and indirectly, everything is generated from the Lord, everything rests on Him, and after annihilation, everything is merged in Him only. Therefore, nothing is independent of Him. A pure devotee of the Lord no longer wastes valuable time in discriminating the Brahman from non-Brahman because he knows perfectly well that the Lord Parabrahman, by His Brahman energy, is interwoven in everything, and thus everything is looked upon by a devotee as the property of the Lord. The devotee tries to engage everything in His service and does not create perplexities by falsely lording it over the creation of the Lord. He is so faithful that he engages himself, as well as everything else, in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

COMMENT

So yes, this is the principle of yukta-vairāgya, which is very important in devotional service. And that yukta-vairāgya is discussed or defined by Srila Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. And I will read that verse. And it is read with another verse that describes what we can call false renunciation. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255. anāsaktasya viṣayān, that the first condition – without being attached to the objects of the senses.

anāsaktasya viṣayān
yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

“For when one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts anything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness.” So, that is called yukta-vairāgya, appropriate renunciation. And then as opposed to that is false renunciation.

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā
hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo
phalgu vairāgyaṁ kathyate

“On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation.”

So yes, we should not reject things as material if they can be used in Krishna’s service and seeing their connection with Krishna and engaging them in Krishna’s service is yukta-vairāgya, or appropriate renunciation. And that is a basic principle that as devotees, especially as followers of Srila Prabhupada, we follow because Srila Prabhupada is most expert in yukta-vairāgya, using everything in Krishna’s service. If you said about the dictaphone, that the person who invented the dictaphone never imagined that it would be used for dictating transcendental literature, but Srila Prabhupada used the dictaphone to do so. So, he used anything and everything that he could to engage in devotional service and further the Krishna consciousness movement.

PURPORT (continued)

The devotee tries to engage everything in His service and does not create perplexities by falsely lording it over the creation of the Lord. He is so faithful that he engages himself, as well as everything else, in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

In everything, the devotee sees the Lord, and he sees everything in the Lord.

COMMENT

This is perfect Krishna consciousness.

PURPORT (continued)

The specific disturbance created by a durātmā, or crooked soul, is due to his maintaining that the transcendental form of the Lord is something material.

COMMENT

So yes, we have mahatmas and we have durātmās. And the durātmās create disturbances because they don’t recognize the transcendental position of Krishna. They think that he has a material form; so many different varieties of misconceptions durātmās have. But devotees have nothing to do with anything godless, including the misconceptions of the durātmās. And they use every moment as far as possible in devotional service. In one talk in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada said, “If you have time, chant Hare Krishna. Don’t speak nonsense; chant Hare Krishna.” And that is what we should do. Be constantly engaged, by chanting, hearing, or engaging in one of the kinds of devotional service.

In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami enumerates sixty-four items of devotional service. And he says that of the sixty-four, five are most potent. And then by even a slight association with any one of them, one can awaken dormant love for Krishna. And those five are sādhu-saṅga, well, I think you know the meaning but specifically means to associate with advanced devotees. But sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa, mathurā-vāsa, and mūrtira śraddhāya sevana. So sādhu-saṅga—associating with advanced devotees, nāma-kīrtana—chanting the holy name, bhāgavata-śravaṇa—hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, mathurā-vāsa – residing in the holy places such as Mathura, Vrindavan, Mayapur, and mūrtira śraddhāya sevana—serving the deity with faith and veneration. And even a slight performance of any one of these five will awaken dormant love for Krishna. So, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Prabhupada, and our whole paramparā have given us a wonderful process, and we should adopt it fully with heart and soul, and as far as possible, always chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

And be happy in Krishna consciousness. So now, my dear devotees, if any of you have any questions or comments, you can raise your hands, your physical hand or your virtual hand, and we will discuss further. Hare Krishna. All right.

Host: Hare Krishna, thank you so much, Maharaja, as always, very, very beautiful. Well, I have a question, but we will go Bhakta Hassan first, and then I may ask my question.

Devotee: Hare Krishna guru Maharaja. Please kindly accept my humble obeisances at your beautiful lotus feet. All glories to Gurudeva, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to the assembled devotees. Maharaja, my question is on the other page, you were reading about Krishna, how He causes devotees to forget about material and remember Him. And in other hand, He causes non-devotees to forget devotional service. So, if Krishna Himself causes non-devotees to forget their devotional service, what will become of them? Because I think, Krishna, He loved us and He wants us all to come back to Him. So if He Himself causes non-devotees to forget their devotional service, what will become of them? What will become of them if since Krishna Himself is causing them to forget their devotional service? This is my question Maharaja. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, Krishna fulfills the desires of every living entity. And so, if the living entity wants to forget Him, Krishna will fulfill his desire, and apohanaṁ, and arrange for him to forget Him. But what hope do such people have? The hope they have is the association of devotees. If they can get the association of a devotee, the devotee will instruct the person what is his actual identity. He is not the body, but he is the soul within the body. And what is his function as a soul? jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’. The constitutional position of the living entities is he is the eternal servant of Krishna. And when that forgetful living entity is educated and enlightened by the grace of the devotee, then he can come to the path of devotional service and eventually go back home back to Godhead, which is Krishna’s desire.

Devotee: Oh, okay, thank you so much. So that means if Krishna causes non-devotees forget their devotional service and they have association with devotees, then Krishna can still saves them.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Devotee: Oh, okay, Hare Krishna, thank you so much.

Host: All right, Hare Krishna, thank you for the question, and Maharaja, thank you for the answer. Dear devotees, if anyone has something to say, a question to ask, or realizations to share, please speak. Shimarara Prabhu, please, unmute.

Devotee: Please accept my obeisances Maharaja. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja, I want a clarification on this point that the nitya-siddhas can become conditioned souls, and that just as conditioned souls can become nitya-siddhas. Is this true? Please, Maharaja, you can clarify for us.

Giriraj Swami: A nitya-siddha means eternally perfect, and one who is nitya-siddha will not become a conditioned soul. But a conditioned soul can become siddha, perfect, by the practice of bhakti-yoga and the mercy of the guru and Krishna. But nitya-siddha, by definition, is eternally perfect, eternally liberated, and will not become a conditioned soul. A nitya-siddha may come into the material world and preach, but he is never perceived as conditioned.

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja. Very grateful. Hare Krishna.

Host: Thank you Shimarara Prabhu. Anyone else with any questions or comments? Champakalata devi, can you please unmute?

Devotee: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Thank you for such a wonderful class. I appreciate it. It was very nice to hear. Please accept my humble obeisances. I have a question that, I have heard that at the time of initiation, the guru takes away all the karma, like millions and millions of births of time, whatever sins we have accumulated, the spiritual master takes away all that. And devotional service has the power to burn up all the sinful reactions. So, I always wonder, once the devotee takes initiation, why does he still suffer, maybe from health situations, maybe from material problems, or so many things, even after taking initiation?

Giriraj Swami: Well, what you said is true. At the time of initiation, the spiritual master accepts the karma of the disciple. But still, even after initiation, the disciple will suffer. And Srila Prabhupada has explained this phenomenon very nicely. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

If you surrender to Krishna, Krishna free us from all sinful reactions. Srila Prabhupada also explains that the spiritual master is the representative of Krishna. And so, when a disciple surrenders to the spiritual master, the spiritual master, on behalf of Krishna, accepts the sinful reactions. But as Srila Prabhupada further elaborates, the sinful reactions do not exactly disappear. But as Srila Prabhupada says, Krishna holds those sinful reactions in reserve, and then He releases the sinful reactions in such a way and at such a time that they will benefit the disciple the most. So, of course, even after initiation, devotees suffer. But they also take that suffering as Krishna’s mercy, that it has been minimized by Krishna’s grace. There are some very good verses and purports on the subject. The actual verse is in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But the verse I was going to quote is mentioned by Srila Prabhupada in The Nectar of Devotion, under the item, “Always Expecting the Lord’s Mercy.” And this is the verse. It is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.8, “Lord Brahma’s prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

TEXT 8

tat te ‘nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

COMMENT

And then The Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada says, “This should be the guide of all devotees.”

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.

COMMENT

So, there is a beautiful purport to this. In fact, maybe I will read it because it really addresses your point. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.8. So, it is really a beautiful purport.

PURPORT

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains in his commentary that just as a legitimate son has to simply remain alive to gain an inheritance from his father, one who simply remains alive in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, automatically becomes eligible to receive the mercy of the Personality of Godhead. In other words, he will be promoted to the kingdom of God.

The word su-samīkṣamāṇa indicates that a devotee earnestly awaits the mercy of the Supreme Lord even while suffering the painful effects of previous sinful activities. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā that a devotee who fully surrenders unto Him is no longer liable to suffer the reactions of his previous karma.

COMMENT

As we discussed,

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

PURPORT (continued)

However, because in his mind a devotee may still maintain the remnants of his previous sinful mentality, the Lord removes the last vestiges of the enjoying spirit by giving His devotee punishments that may sometimes resemble sinful reactions. The purpose of the entire creation of God is to rectify the living entity’s tendency to enjoy without the Lord, and therefore the particular punishment given for a sinful activity is specifically designed to curtail the mentality that produced the activity. Although a devotee has surrendered to the Lord’s devotional service, until he is completely perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he may maintain a slight inclination to enjoy the false happiness of this world. The Lord therefore creates a particular situation to eradicate this remaining enjoying spirit. This unhappiness suffered by a sincere devotee is not technically a karmic reaction; it is rather the Lord’s special mercy for inducing His devotee to completely let go of the material world and return home, back to Godhead.

A sincere devotee earnestly desires to go back to the Lord’s abode. Therefore he willingly accepts the Lord’s merciful punishment and continues offering respects and obeisances to the Lord with his heart, words and body. Such a bona fide servant of the Lord, considering all hardship a small price to pay for gaining the personal association of the Lord, certainly becomes a legitimate son of God, as indicated here by the words dāya-bhāk. Just as one cannot approach the sun without becoming fire, one cannot approach the supreme pure, Lord Kṛṣṇa, without undergoing a rigid purificatory process, which may appear like suffering but which is in fact a curative treatment administered by the personal hand of the Lord.

Sri Krishna Bhagavān ki jaya!

Hare Krishna.

So, I hope that answers your question. It is very clear.

Devotee: Thank you so much, Maharaja. It is very clear. I always wondered this, and especially when a little bit of health problem comes, then I sometimes feel that japa or maintaining sadhana becomes so difficult when health is not well. Like right now, my husband is not well. He has some health issues going on. But then I always wonder if everybody is performing devotional service, doing something, then why suffering? But this is a perfect answer Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, it is also Krishna’s mercy.

Devotee: Thank you so much, Maharaja. I am very grateful to you. And Maharaja, we have never taken your darshan in person ever. So we are hoping that we can make it to sādhu-saṅga this time If my husband’s health is okay. We really, really, really are coming there to take your darshan in person.

Giriraj Swami: I hope you can make it. I would love to meet you in person.

Devotee: We always see you giving class from this settlement, and you have a beautiful picture with His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja behind, and we are actually his disciples. So, my husband and I, we both are very eagerly looking forward to that, one day, hopefully on sādhu-saṅga, we can take your darshan.

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful. Beautiful. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Thank you so much, Maharaja. Is it okay if I ask one more question if it is not getting late?

Giriraj Swami: It is fine with me.

Devotee: It is okay, Maharaja. I chant my japa. I know the importance of chanting, but I feel I don’t have any taste for japa. I try so many times to hear my chanting, but majority of time my mind goes away. I really don’t focus on hearing. And waking up 3:30, 4:00, 4:30 is very, very out of question for me. I have tried many times; it doesn’t work out. But close to six, I am up and I try to chant at least before 7:15. I finish my ten rounds and then after children go to school, then rest five-six rounds I cover. But I feel I have no taste for chanting. I just chant because I know I must chant. I have to chant, and that is it.

Giriraj Swami: All right, well, the first thing, I don’t know the reason, but it would definitely help if you could get up earlier. Srila Prabhupada also used to quote Benjamin Franklin, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” And definitely chanting early in the morning, during the Brahma-Muhūrta hours is very favorable for spiritual practices. And, even otherwise, according to Ayurveda, one should not sleep through sunrise. One should not sleep through that Sandhya because if one does, one becomes influenced by tama-guṇa, by the mode of ignorance. Of course, by chanting, you can work to dispel the influence of tama-guṇa. But it is considered very inauspicious to sleep through the sunrise with that whole Sandhya around sunrise.

And, Srila Rupa Gosvami in Upadeśāmṛta give the example that someone who is suffering from jaundice, does not taste sweet things as being sweet, but he tastes them as being bitter. I have jaundice in India and that is true. But the Ayurvedic cure for jaundice is rock candy. So, one takes it even though it tastes bitter as a medicine. But then, as one regains one’s health, that bitter rock candy, which is actually sweet, becomes sweeter and sweeter. And then, when one is completely cured of that disease of avidya or ignorance, then one can taste the rock candy as it is, which is sweet like nectar. So in the same way, we take the medicine of chanting, even if it is bitter. But eventually, the chanting will have its effect, and our jaundice or the avidya will be removed and we will be able to relish the chanting as it is, which is just sweet like nectar. So we have to practice. Srila Prabhupada says, “Practice makes perfect,” even in spiritual life. And there are some very good books about japa. Bhurijana Prabhu has written a book called Japa. And I think, His Holiness Sacinandana Swami’s also has written books, and I think those books could help you. But as Bhurijana Prabhu says about the mind wandering, it is a battle, but that battle must be fought. You can’t just surrender to the mind and let it go all over the place. Yes, it is a battle, but that battle must be won.

Devotee: Sure, thank you so much. Thank you. I really appreciate it for your association. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna

Host: Thank you so much, Maharaja, for the answers. I just wanted to bring to your attention, Maharaja, and devotees on the forum that we have His Holiness Bhakti Dhir Damodara Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Oh.

Host: Yes. Maharaja, if you have something to share, please. You can unmute and do so. Hare Krishna.

Holiness Bhakti Dhir Damodara Maharaja: Humble obeisances your Holiness. Maharaja, tomorrow Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva has appeared, so if you would like to help us and what should be on the mood of our consciousness, dwell on the same idea tomorrow so we can have His protection.

Giriraj Swami: Oh. It is a very auspicious day. Actually, earlier we discussed Śaraṇāgati and the six divisions of surrender. And one of the items is to think of the Lord as one’s protector and that no one else can protect him. And certainly, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is our protector. And of course, Prahlada Maharaja has spoken very beautiful prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva as described in the Seventh Canto. And also in the Fifth Canto, there is a description of our different planets. And there is also the description of the planet where Prahlada and other devotees offer prayers to the Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. And Prahlada prays, “Lord, please, may all envious persons be pacified.” It is a really wonderful prayer. And also, we may have some little demon-like tendencies in our hearts. So, we can pray to the Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva to remove those anarthas, aparādha. And I am sure you could give some good advice to yourself. You are eminently qualified.

Holiness Bhakti Dhir Damodara Maharaja: Thank you very much. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you for blessing us with your presence.

Host: Hare Krishna Maharaja. Anyone else with any questions? Comment?

Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. I have a question and one request. And I think I will first go with the question. And the question is, I understand that from the scriptures, whenever one sees a devotee, one should become very happy. But when I see a devotee and he does not become happy, it is an offense. And there are many devotees that, unfortunately, I have come across, but there are three great personalities that I love to see. I love to hear them. I love to have their association. Yet, I do not want to see them. And there are a few mainly, but primarily three people. One is yourself, Maharaja; Second is Bhakti Charu Maharaja; and third is Sharada Nath Maharaja. Because I love to hear from all three of you. But each time I see you, each time I hear you, you remind me of my Gurudeva, and it is very difficult. As such I am torn between seeing you, hearing from you, having your association. Maharaja, I strongly believe that I love to hear you, I love to see you but it is difficult because. . .

Devotee: Did you understand his question?

Giriraj Swami: I do.

Devotee: Whenever we hear you, he remembers his guru His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. So he misses his guru when he hears you. Because of that, he doesn’t want to listen to you. Yes, so you can just give an answer to that, what he should do.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Devotee: Sorry about that.

Giriraj Swami: Well, it is natural to feel separation from your guru Maharaja and miss him but you also have to learn to be happy in separation. As Srila Prabhupada wrote in his dedication to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, “My eternal spiritual master, he lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him.” So by following your guru Maharaja’s instructions, His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja’s instruction, you should feel his presence and experience his reciprocation.

I wrote a book called Many Moons: Reflections on Departed Vaishnavas. And one is His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaja. There are many nice, let us say, remembrances of him and appreciations of him. And I think he would want you to be happy, and two, He would want you to feel comfortable with his godbrothers, dear godbrothers. Be happy to have their association, which you are. You are, but there is this little bit of complication added to it. I will pray that will go away, so you can embrace the association fully and feel your guru Maharaja’s presence at the same time.

Devotee: Thank you so much Maharaja. I am happy you are going to be praying for me because my Gurudeva left the planet in 2005. Up until 2006, I felt like nothing happened. And then from 2006 to 2020, so fourteen years, I could not read his books. I could not listen to his tapes. And I called my dear-most big godbrother, His Holiness Bhakti Dhir Damodara Maharaja, and His Grace Srivas Vanachari, and I told them my predicament because I needed to hear my Gurudeva. But they prayed for me, which helped. Their prayers helped me a lot so that now I am able to hear his tapes, I am able to watch his videos. But when I see and hear people like your humble self, the love you give out, it reminds me so much of my Gurudeva, and that is why I was asking that question. And I was actually going to request from you also for prayers and thank you. You are already going to be praying for me, but there is a second thing I wanted to say which is a request because I chanced upon your Juhu project, where Srila Prabhupada was saying that he actually prayed to Krishna that, “Krishna, you have been brought here, you have established here. If we lose this land and you are no more here, it will become like a disgrace.” Not exactly, I am just paraphrasing.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, he said it would be an insult.

Devotee: It would be an insult. Thank you, Maharaja, it will be an insult. Yes, thank you. And so, he said he prayed and Krishna answered his prayers. So, I am also, humbly on behalf of a few of my godbrothers who are requesting you, we have a similar situation, ISKCON Land in Ghana where somebody wants to encroach on the land. But we are fighting to have it back in the name of ISKCON. But it is now with the court. So we are requesting, definitely ISKCON is going to win, but we are requesting your prayers for a speed up in the ruling so that it will become clearly evident that yes, this is our property so that Krishna will not be evicted from the property. So this is my other request.

Giriraj Swami: Wow. I will certainly pray. Yes, it is very much in the line of the Juhu episode. Yes, we pray. Hare Krishna.

Host: Since there is a question here, there is a question in the chatroom, Maharaja from Malati devi. She says, I have a reflection on the question in relation with Sadio Prabhu’s question that seeing your holiness, I am reminded of my guru Maharaja. But it does so to us too; it does so to them too. But my feelings are different that when you see your divine grace, I see guru Maharaja and feel much more blissful and feel his presence. So please let us know guru Maharaja, this could be one way of seeing. Well, I think it is actually to me. Thank you, Malati devi, continue to pray for me.

I am not alone though because there are lots of my godbrothers and godsisters who have the same feeling with certain godbrothers and godsisters to our Gurudeva. Those who were very close to him, when we see them, we get reminded of our Gurudeva and it is so sweet. And at the same time, when you are reminded, it brings about some pain. So, thank you Malati devi and thank you Maharaja as always.

Giriraj Swami: My pleasure.

Host: Thank you. I believe we may bring this to a close. And Maharaja, we thank you enough for your fatherly and transcendental love and affection you have for us all the time, coming to speak to us, encouraging us, and guiding us. If anybody, especially senior devotees, is there somebody who wants to say something before we bring this to a final close, you may do that. Otherwise, we are going to have to request all the devotees to unmute and then we all chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra and express appreciation for Maharaja’s presence and guidance and love. 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca 

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Can you unmute yourself please? Okay, it is muted. Are you saying something?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, some devotees were doing it on their own, but if we are going to end with Vaishnava-Praṇāma.

“Let us offer our respectful obeisances to all Vaishnavas devotees of Lord who are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone and who are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.”

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca 

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Ananta koti vaishnava-vrinda ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Devotee: His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!