SB 2.3.17 – With Radhanath Swami

Host: Hare Krishna, everyone. Welcome to this Wednesday evening program. With our good fortune, we have with us here His Holiness Radhanath Swami and His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja. Please turn off all cell phones and all interruptions and give your upmost attention to our wonderful guests tonight on Wednesday. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna, my dear devotees. I will begin by singing the maṅgala-ācaraṇa prayers and leading a short kirtan, and then I will speak on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

[Prayers and kirtan]

So, my dear devotees, we shall read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Three, “Pure Devotional Service,” Text Seventeen.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXT 17

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

TRANSLATION

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service.

COMMENT

So we are engaged in devotional service, but we don’t know how much time we have, and therefore, in the purport, Srila Prabhupada uses the phrase “acceleration of devotional service,” which means to go faster. If you are driving a car and you want to go faster, you step on the accelerator.

PURPORT (continued)

Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold.

COMMENT

Yes, at the time of death, we may be willing to spend any amount of money to increase our duration of life. But no matter how much we are able or willing to spend, we cannot increase our duration of life beyond what it is destined to be. So we should appreciate how valuable our time is and use it for the best purpose, which is uttama-śloka-vārtayā, discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada had a friend in Bombay named Sri Brijratan Motta. And Srila Prabhupada was very expert in speaking in the language of his audience. And he said to Mr. Motta, who’s a businessman, and I visited his office and he kept very careful accounts. So Srila Prabhupada said to him, “In the ledger of your life, all time used in Krishna consciousness is profit, and all time used outside of Krishna consciousness is loss.” So any businessman or anyone would want to maximize his profits and minimize his losses, and so Srila Prabhupada said that any time utilized in Krishna consciousness is profit, and any time spent outside of Krishna consciousness is loss.

PURPORT (continued)

Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jiva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities.

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada gives the example of taking a fish out of water. The fish can be happy only in water. If you take the fish out of the water, even if you put it in a beautiful golden bowl and fill it with jewels and gems, the fish will not be happy, because the fish is a creature of the sea. So in the same way, we are creatures of the spirit., and if we are taken out of the spiritual atmosphere, no matter how we try to pamper ourselves with material amenities, we will not be happy, because we are spiritual beings, and we are meant to enjoy life with Krishna in the spiritual atmosphere.

PURPORT (continued)

The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: “Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.”

COMMENT

So yes, this important verse from the Bhagavad-gītā 2.40 says that if one makes a little advancement on the path of devotional service, one will be saved from the greatest fear, which is that one will descend into a lower species of life. And in a purport in the Nectar of Instruction, Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Upadeśāmṛta, Srila Prabhupada says that devotional service is so perfect and pure that one is forcibly dragged to ultimate success. So once we have begun the process, we will continue until ultimately we reach perfection. Anything material is lost at the end of this body. For example, I may be an expert linguist. I may know so many languages. But after leaving the body and taking birth again, I don’t know any languages. I just know “gaga, gaga,” just like any baby. But whatever progress we make spiritually continues in the next life. So if I make 1 percent advancement in this life, then I begin from 2 percent in the next life. So that is the beauty of devotional service.

PURPORT (continued)

As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear by the pure devotee. . .

COMMENT

And it says “of the pure devotee,” but I did clarify it with Dravida Prabhu who edits Prabhupada’s books. He said it should be “through the ear by the pure devotee.”

PURPORT (continued)

. . . the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear by the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī prepares one’s complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age, and disease.

COMMENT

So yes, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna describes the process of knowledge, and one of the items of knowledge is janma-mṛtyu jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, to be aware of the faults of repeated birth, death, old age, and disease. That is part of the process of knowledge.

PURPORT (continued)

The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times,

COMMENT

So if you are looking for a good investment, this would be a very good one.

PURPORT (continued)

and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ). [Bg. 15.15]).

COMMENT

So, if the money is given to a veda-pāraga, one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas, such as Srila Prabhupada, it is returned by unlimited multiplication. Now, everything in the material world is limited, so the return by unlimited multiplication must take place in the spiritual world. Once Srila Prabhupada visited Hong Kong, and he was received at the airport in a Rolls-Royce limousine, and then he was taken to the penthouse suite—the fanciest suite in the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel—for a press conference. And one of the reporters asked Srila Prabhupada, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person, why were you riding in a Rolls-Royce limousine?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Actually, I am a resident of the spiritual world, and in the spiritual world, everything is made of cintāmaṇi gems. So even if they had picked me up in a solid gold Rolls-Royce or a solid diamond Rolls-Royce, it would not have been good enough. So, you asked, ‘I am a spiritual person, why am I riding in a Rose Royce limousine?’ Well, that was the best they could offer, so I had to accept it.” So yes, unlimited multiplication.

“If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ).” [Bg. 15.15]). By all of the Vedas He is to be known. Actually, once Srila Prabhupada said that, “I will not say that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in one purport. I will say that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every purport.” And this is an example.

PURPORT (continued)

There is a guarantee of money’s being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion. Similarly, a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate.

COMMENT

I will read that again. It is so beautiful and powerful. 

“a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate.”

This is a line spoken by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gītā, that one who attains to His abode never has to take birth again.

PURPORT (continued)

In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

COMMENT

Because a devotee’s old age or disease remind him that the physical body is not a happy place, and in fact, the material world is not a happy place, as Krishna says, dukalayam asasvatam. It is a place of misery, and temporary. So disease and old age remind us of how precarious our position is in the material world, and how we should make arrangements to leave the material world and get a spiritual body in which there will no longer be birth, death, old age, or disease and enjoy the happiness that we are always seeking in Krishna consciousness with Krishna. And along with hearing these topics, uttama-śloka-vārtayā, we always, as far as possible, chant the holy names.

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

In one talk in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada said, “If you have time, chant Hare Krishna. Don’t waste time. Don’t speak nonsense. Chant Hare Krishna.” So that is what we should do, chant the holy names of the Lord and hear, uttama-śloka-vārtayā, topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead, and that will prepare us for our eternal life with Krishna. So, my dear devotees, thank you for listening so patiently and attentively. Your Holiness, would you like to add something?

Radhanath Swami: If it is your order, Maharaja, I will.

Giriraj Swami: It is my humble request. 

Radhanath Swami: I will take that as my mission in life. Let us offer our sincerest gratitude to His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja.

Devotees: HARIBOL!

Radhanath Swami: You have given us the essence of what we truly need to hear. Durlabha mānava-janama labhiya saṁsāre. This human life is very rare, and the rarest thing in human life is the association of those who love Krishna. And each moment is an opportunity to either enrich our life with the wealth of Krishna’s grace or to lose that precious moment. I am just looking at this beautiful painting on the wall where this simple fruit vendor is filling Krishna’s arms with fruits. And for those who were here yesterday, we were discussing Lord Chaitanya distributing His love in the form of mango fruits to the devotees. And this particular pastime of Krishna is like an extension of that same story.

His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja was, from his heart of heart on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, emphasizing what is of real value. Material things have no actual value if they are disconnected from Krishna, because they will all culminate in loss. Srila Prabhupada described that material accomplishments, material acquisitions are like zeros, and some people just have one or two zeros. They are struggling to get by. And some people have hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, billions, trillions of zeros. And if you add them all up, what do they equal?

Devotees: Zero.

Radhanath Swami: But if you put one in front, then everything we do in this world increases the value of our life; ten, hundred, thousand, hundred thousand, million, billion, trillion, quadrillion, and I don’t even know the words after that. Limitless. That means this world has unlimited value when we perceive how our body, the people we are with, our abilities, our intelligence, and the resources, if we could utilize them in the service of Krishna, utilize them to glorify Krishna, which actually begins when we develop a taste for hearing about Krishna, and naturally we develop a taste for glorifying Krishna and utilizing everything for Krishna. Then actually every moment has infinite value. There is really nothing more precious than using a moment in the loving service of the Lord.

This story told as by Śukadeva Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami brings us deeper into the lessons. Krishna is a small child, maybe three years old. He is living in Gokula. This is before they moved to the Vrindavan forest; the Mahavan, and in the forest around the village of Gokula, this lady, she was a denizen of the forest. She had no education. She really had no status in the varna and ashram system. She was just a simple, uneducated lady living in the forest. She made a living by collecting the wild fruits of the forest and bringing them to the villages to sell. And in those days, people didn’t use money. They did exchange, the barter process. So she had a basket of these forest fruits. She came to the village and called out, “I have fruits. If anyone wants to buy my fruits.” Gopal heard her, and in His causeless mercy and His playful, childlike way, He ran home and He used to see His mother, Yasodamayi, she would buy things by giving grains. So he filled his little, tiny hand with some wheat berry grains. And as he was running very excited, they were falling out from between his fingers and from the sides of his hands. And finally, he came to the fruit selling lady and said, “Here, give me fruits.” And there was hardly a few little grains in his tiny hand. She looked at Krishna’s beautiful, lotus-like eyes, His moon-like face, His smile. She was so charmed. She fell in love with Krishna. She simply wanted to please him. There was nothing more valuable. It wasn’t about getting some material profit; saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam, the perfection of everything we do in life is to please Krishna. She wanted to make this little boy happy. She filled his hands with as much fruit as he could hold. And then he held his arms out, and she piled up fruits in his arms. Krishna was so happy. He smiled.

Sri Sri Radha-Nilamadhava ki jaya!

And then Krishna ran home with the fruits. She was thinking there is nothing, nothing more valuable in life than making Krishna smile. That was the ultimate wealth. She picked up her basket. What she didn’t know is when she turned around, her basket was filled up. In fact, overflowing with the most valuable jewels, as Giriraj Swami Maharaja was describing: diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, but not just the jewels of this world. They were Celestial jewels. In her basket was probably billions of dollars’ worth of jewels by our calculation. But she didn’t even notice there was anything in the basket. She was so enthusiastic to get more fruits to bring back and give to Krishna to make Him happy. So she picked up the basket, she ran into the forest, she didn’t even notice what was in it. She collected more fruits. When she went to put the fruits in the basket, she saw it was filled with priceless jewels. She dumped them all on the ground, because they were occupying the space that she could get fruits for Krishna. She filled it with fruits and ran back to Gokula and cried out, ‘Krishna, I have, I have, Gopal, I have more fruits for you.’ And He came running back, and she filled His arms with fruits. And Krishna, in exchange, gave her the puruṣārtha-śiromaṇi, the crest jewel of all treasures. He gave her prema, premā pumartho mahān, ecstatic love for Him.

Krishna went back with the fruits given by her. Now, these were fruits of his devotee’s love. They seemed like just the ordinary fruits that she would collect every day from the forest, but for Krishna, each one of those fruits was more precious than an entire universe. Why? Because they were offered with love; patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayachchhati. Even a leaf, a flower a fruit or some water offered with love and devotion, Krishna accepts it. There are so many stories of how Krishna has—He is the husband of the Goddess of Fortune. He really doesn’t care about the riches that we think are valuable. But He is purchased by devotion, and He purchases us when He reciprocates with our devotion. So Krishna said to Yasodamayi—He had these fruits, the fruits of this simple lady’s love. He wanted to share them with his devotees, the vrajavāsīs. He wanted to give them the best thing there is, the love of His devotees. So He said to Yasodamayi, “Let us give these fruits to the vrajavāsīs.” Now, from His small arms, there wasn’t that many fruits. Yasodamayi called the residents of Vrindavan, and one by one, they were coming, and He would give her a fruit, and she would give to them. Maybe it was ten or fifteen fruits. He kept giving her more and more fruits. Thousands of vrajavāsīs He kept giving fruits, and she is looking at Krishna, and He still just has a few that He keeps giving to her. And Krishna is so happy because for Krishna, the fruits of the love of His devotee, not only is unlimited in its value, but He makes it even unlimited in its quantity. And all the vrajavāsīs were getting the fruits. Krishna was giving the love of His devotee, which is the most precious thing He has, for the pleasure of His devotees.

When Lord Chaitanya posed Himself as a gardener, He said, “I have all these fruits of love of God. How many can I distribute with my two hands? Whoever is My devotee, please assist Me in distributing these fruits. That are most dear to Me.” Srila Prabhupada brought these fruits of ecstatic love of God from Vrindavan in the form of the holy name, in the form of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Krishna, through paramparā, is giving him these fruits, the most valuable treasure in all of existence. And through Srila Prabhupada’s divine grace, he is distributing those fruits. And he traveled around the world twelve times distributing those fruits. His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja, he personally, for so many years, saw thousands and thousands of pastimes of how Srila Prabhupada was distributing these fruits. In fact, his book Let There Be Temple is how Srila Prabhupada struggled because he understood the value of the fruits of devotion and how Krishna empowered him to distribute those fruits. And from a material perspective, as far as wealth, he was kind of like that fruit vendor. He didn’t have anything. But he pleased Krishna, so he was given limitless fruits to distribute to us. And now His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja in his next book, Dancing White Elephants, he is giving us such a priceless precious view of the priceless precious time that he traveled throughout India with His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada, not only watching Srila Prabhupada distribute the fruits of Krishna consciousness, but also allowing him and others to assist him.

In this world, people like to take things, and the more they have, the more they consider they are wealthy and powerful. But Srila Prabhupada, he wanted simply to give us the fruits of love of God, of love for Krishna, to assist him in the service of his guru Maharaja in distributing. And for Srila Prabhupada, that is the supreme wealth, because that is what pleases Krishna the most. So in this particular day and age where we are living today, and for that matter, for every day and age throughout history of past, present, or future, the sun with every rising and setting is stealing away our life. Sometimes we think, Oh, how beautiful is this sunset. It is beautiful, it is Krishna’s creation. But if we look at it from a very realistic perspective, every time that beautiful sun sets, we are one day closer to death. Haribol. Who can argue this? But for one who utilizes one’s time to remember Krishna, to hear about, glorify Krishna, and please Krishna in the process, with every rising and setting of the sun, we are one day closer to eternal life.

Srila Prabhupada cited Maharaja Parīkṣit. He had a maximum seven days to live, and he utilized that time with such a grateful heart to hear about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada said, there is not a single person on this planet that knows for sure that they have even seven minutes to live padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. Yamaraja is really an authority on this subject. He decides he disguises himself and inquired from his son, Yudhisthira, “What is the most wondrous thing of this world?” And Yudhisthira Maharaja said, “Everyone is seeing and hearing how everyone is dying, and yet we think it is not going to happen to me now,” but it will. How precious is time? Srila Rupa Gosvami describes a symptom of real devotion is not to waste time. sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Everything is Krishna’s property. Our body is Krishna’s property. Our wealth is Krishna’s property. All of our loved ones and all living beings are Krishna’s children. And Krishna says in Bhagavad-gītā, “Time, I am devouring everything.” The time that we have, moment after moment after moment—every moment belongs to Krishna. It is entrusted in our care. It is very ungrateful when somebody gives us something so precious as some time to live in this world and all the resources connected to it, and not understand that actually my time belongs to God. It is entrusted to me to please Krishna and to assist Him in His mission to make others happy by understanding the limitless value of what we have been given between every sunrise and sunset.

Thank you, His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you for that beautiful, eloquent, inspiring talk.

Radhanath Swami: Haribol. We are very intoxicated by the fruits that you have distributed to us. But that is all we know what to do, is just give the fruits of Radharani’s love for Krishna that Prabhupada has been entrusted with, to assist. And how fortunate are we? We could be a part of this pastime today. Thank you very much.

Giriraj Swami: So, my dear devotees, if any of you have any questions or comments or reflections, you can raise your hands. Yes.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Prabhu. We are very grateful to both of you for your wonderful discourses. As a student of Gītā, I have a question. If all the good people went straight to heaven, who would be left here to teach us mortals about the things that we are supposed to do?

Radhanath Swami: Srila Prabhupada was asked the same question, and he said, “Don’t worry about it, because not everyone wants to go to heaven. There will always be people left here.” And Haridasa Thakura and Lord Chaitanya, in one conversation they had, Haridasa Thakura said that, “Because you have incarnated in this world and you are chanting and dancing in this world and distributing hari-nāma, everyone in the universe is going to go back to Godhead.” But still, because there are limitless living entities in limitless universes, it will again fill up with other conditioned souls. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes again and again and again throughout the ages, Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, Kali-yuga. In every situation, He keeps coming to invite us to come back home, back to Godhead. But the nature of this material universe: It will always be filled with conditioned souls who choose to enjoy separately from the Lord. And yes, we want everyone, every living entity of every specie of life to be ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ, experiencing the happiness of being with Krishna in the spiritual world. But I don’t think you have to worry about the universe being empty. Our worry is there are limitless beings who are in forgetfulness, and they need us.

Giriraj Swami: Asked Srila Prabhupada a similar question at the Ardh Khumba-mela, in Allahabad in that, “What if everyone becomes Krishna conscious, who will do the work?” And Prabhupada replied, “It is like asking if everyone becomes rich, who will be the chauffeur? Is anyone not going to try to become rich because they are worried that if everyone becomes rich, who will be the drivers?” And then Srila Prabhupada said, very much like His Holiness Radhanath Swami said, “The problem is not that too many people will become Krishna conscious, the problem is that not enough people will become Krishna conscious.” Yes?

Radhanath Swami: I am so grateful to see in life my very esteemed godbrother, Vatsala Prabhu.

Devotees: Haribol! 

Radhanath Swami: He has surrendered his life and soul in Srila Prabhupada’s loving service. Thank you. Yes, Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja’s. Thank you so much for your wonderful association and realizations. So, in the purport, Prabhupada mentioned 2.40 of Bhagavad-gītā, nehābhikrama-nāśho ‘sti pratyavāyo na vidyate. There is no loss or diminution in the part of devotional service, and it can protect us from our greatest fear. So, my question, I was actually—a couple of these devotees discussing with a friend about what is the meaning of, in this case, doing a single step in devotional service. What is included? For example, imagine someone is not exposed to bhakti, but is trying to develop love for God in some way. Is this still included in this percentage that is counting, or what is it referring, Prabhupada in the purport – or Krishna in the verse?

Radhanath Swami: It is your turn, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Well, everything counts. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that if you put one cent in the box, one cent, one cent, you can’t do much with one cent. But if you keep putting one cent, one cent, one cent, it all adds up, and then you can do something. So, these little acts of service, which we might call ajñāta-sukṛti, like a pious activity done unknowingly, it adds up. And it might not be much in the beginning, but it adds up, and then it becomes something substantial. And then, a little progress on the path never goes in vain and it saves one from the most dangerous fear, the fear of descending into a lower species. We are protected from that.

Devotee: I want to share a very sad story, which we experienced last week. My brother lost his forty-five-day-old son, and we have been grieving his death. So, my question to you is that what do you think would be Krishna’s purpose to bring the soul for forty-five days on this Earth and give us this experience?

Radhanath Swami: Oh, I am very sorry to hear this, and my prayers for your whole family and the departed soul. In this ever-changing material world, where one thing is certain, as soon as someone is born of any specie, is that death will come. We may or may not know exactly when, but it is inevitable. Śukadeva Gosvami declared, “Better one moment of Krishna consciousness than a long, long, long life wasted in forgetfulness, because we do need to see from the perspective of the eternal soul. Although the physical medium of the relationships we have in this world are naturally very dear to us, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre, the soul is eternal. There really is no such thing as death. So, why the tragedy of a small, innocent child’s death in this world? We may not understand, but there is something we can do. There is a way through offering our puja, offering our chanting, offering our prayers to Krishna for the blessing upon the soul of our lost ones. We know for sure, Krishna within our heart and Krishna within that child’s heart hears our prayers. And there is something, as sad as it may be, we can show our love by blessing that soul through chanting the holy names, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rendering devotional service, making offerings to Sri Sri Radha-Nilamadhava or our Deities, cooking and making offerings. And with the thought of blessing that child, we can still give priceless blessings to the soul of that child.

We may not understand exactly why things happen, but still, we can seek shelter and give shelter with the gift of bhakti that we have received. Sometimes in this world, things happen that are heartbreaking and sad. And of course, this child is very dear to you. When we extend our vision, how many people are suffering in this world due to the death of loved ones, due to miseries of their own body and mind? ādhyātmika, ādhidaivika, ādhibhautika. But with the time that we have, we can extend blessings upon all of our loved ones and all beings by our devotion to Krishna. So, although there is a great loss, there is also a great opportunity to give something priceless. Maharaja, will you please speak on this subject?

Giriraj Swami:  Yes, I am also sorry to hear about your loss; your brother’s loss. And by praying for that soul, the soul will benefit. And by offering devotional service to Krishna, the soul will benefit. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the example that if you feed the stomach, all the nourishment is given to all the other parts of the body. And if you pour water on the root of a tree, then the benefit is distributed to all the branches and leaves. So, similarly, by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the benefit is distributed to all living entities, which, of course, would include your brother and your little nephew who departed. We don’t know what karma your nephew had, but by departing after such a short time, he has definitely, you could say, become freed from some bad karma and will be able to have a better life the next time. So yes, it is heartbreaking in a way, but there is hope for him and for you, for your brother, for the whole family, and the hope is Krishna’s mercy. Hare Krishna.

Devotee: I was just wondering, is the wolf ever mentioned in the dharmic tradition? And if it is, what is the symbolism behind it?

Giriraj Swami: Wolf, I never heard of it in the tradition. Of course, we have the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and that can happen. Our Mr. Nair in Bombay is sort of like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Do you have anything to say about wolves?

Radhanath Swami: Does not sound like I am supposed to say anything else.

Devotee: I was asking because in Norse mythology, the wolf is symbolic of fate. That is why I was curious, if it had any correlation, that is all.

Giriraj Swami: Never heard of that in the native tradition. Sarvabhauma Prabhu.

Sarvabhauma Prabhu: I have heard about an unusual Muslim Emperor named Akbar who was quite favorable to the Vaishnavas, but I don’t know much. Can either of you say anything about Akbar, the emperor? Do you understand?

Giriraj Swami: To say something about Emperor Akbar?

Sarvabhauma Prabhu: Yes, I heard he was very favorable to devotees, although he was a Muslim, and I don’t know how much the stories about him are true; I just wondered more about it that question.

Radhanath Swami: In Vrindavan, according to the oral history and certain things that are documented, he was very transformed by the example and the teachings of Srila Jiva Gosvami and the Govindaji Temple. One of his generals, Man Singh, with Akbar’s facilitation and his support, built Govindaji Temple. He actually built beautiful temples in Vrindavan. So, the association of just hearing about the lives and the glories of the devotees, although he never converted or anything, he is very much appreciated in Vrindavan culture as such a well-wisher who helped to facilitate the development of Vrindavan.

Giriraj Swami: I heard a story that there is a singer named Tansen who sang beautifully, and Akbar wanted to hear him sing. But Tansen would sing only for the Lord; he would not sing for an emperor. So, Akbar disguised himself as an ordinary person, and went to hear Tansen sing. And he was so moved and inspired by his devotional singing that he wanted to offer some service. So, Tansen said, “Well, you can improve the steps of the bathing ghat at the Yamuna.” And Emperor Akbar thought, “Well, that is not much.” So, he went to the Yamuna, and I guess by the mercy of Tansen, he got spiritual vision, and he saw that the bank of the river, it was all precious gems and jewels. And Emperor Akbar thought, With all the wealth in my kingdom, I can’t improve upon this bathing ghat. So yes, he was very fortunate soul, a Muslim, but he had great appreciation for Vaishnavas, and he rendered service to devotees.

Sarvabhauma Prabhu: Thank you.

Child Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Daṇḍavat praṇāma. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva. Please accept my humble obeisances. I have a question that I heard that we should always utilize our time for Lord Krishna, and we should not waste it. And we also go to different places, except Krishna consciousness, like outside and everywhere. So, we are wasting our time in those places. So, should we go there because it is also fun for us? So, should we still go there, or should we just do 24/7 Krishna consciousness? 

Radhanath Swami: We entrust the answer to that question to your mother and father. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: But I would say when you are having fun, you can still remember Krishna. The one does not have to exclude the other.

Radhanath Swami: Perfect, Maharaja, perfect. Haribol. I could not hear; where did you say you like to go?

Child Devotee: Outside Krishna consciousness, maybe like nature places or like science or museums or, places like those.

Radhanath Swami: Yes, actually, the whole creation and all of nature belongs to Krishna. By chanting Krishna’s names and hearing about Krishna, we learn to appreciate Krishna and remember Krishna when we learn. Science, its origin, is to appreciate and glorify how God is creating and maintaining. So, Giriraj Swami gave a good answer. Just try to remember how Krishna is the artist behind nature, He is the ability in all people, He is the intelligence of all intelligence, and He is also the most fun.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Radhanath Swami: I am quoting you, Maharaja.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Thank you so much for your service and my humble obeisances. All-glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you, Radhanath Maharaja, for your humble and very informative information. I have one question. When one is detaching from the material world, how can one refrain from developing an impersonal relationship with themselves while trying to develop a personalized relationship with the Lord Sri Krishna?

Radhanath Swami: Thank you for such insightful and wonderful question. On the path of bhakti, in the path of devotional service, the purpose of detachment is to increase our attachment to Krishna. We don’t simply want to be detached from things. The only reason we want to be detached from the temporary things of this world is so that we can focus more and more of our consciousness in attachment to Krishna. In attachment to Krishna, we hear in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the great devotees of the Lord. Krishna explains the process of becoming attached to Him in Bhagavad-gītā. But then we find examples. Prahlada Maharaja was actually really detached from egoistic, selfish enjoyment, but he had the softest, most tender heart of compassion for all living beings. Haridasa Thakura, who followed that same example, he really didn’t have any clothes except a kaupin. He lived in caves, and it is not like he owned the property where the cave was. He actually had nothing materially, and he didn’t want anything. But yet, he was willing to risk his life constantly because he felt the pain, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He felt the pains of others, and he wanted to give them the happiness of Krishna.

The more we actually are attached to Krishna, the more we feel compassion for other living beings. So, in bhakti, in Krishna consciousness, detachment really means detachment from our false ego that wants to consider ourselves superior to others; that separates us from the spiritual nature of Krishna and others. So, if we are really becoming detached, we are actually going to care more about the spiritual well-being and happiness of others. That is the test of true detachment – love for Krishna and compassion for others. When Srila Prabhupada was on Jaladuta, he was in a completely detached condition. He left everything, he left Vrindavan. He was risking his life with nothing and no one. But yet he is praying to Krishna, “Give me the words to make all of these people happy.” That is detachment. Yes?

Devotee: Will one suffer if they are showing compassion to others in constant service to the Lord?

Radhanath Swami: What is your name?

Devotee: Camilla, Maharaja.

Radhanath Swami: Okay, Camilla. One is going to suffer no matter what you do, that is the nature of this world. But to endure suffering for the well-being of others, so much of the heart of Christianity is Jesus suffering for others. And Srila Prabhupada praised that so much. Haridasa Thakura suffered for others. Nityananda Prabhu, when he went to Jagai and Madhai, he suffered for them. Vasudeva Datta, he prayed to Lord Chaitanya, “I have never asked anything except to serve You. But I do ask now one benediction: Let all the sinful reactions of every living being in the universe fall on my head and allow me to suffer perpetually so they can enjoy with You.” When Lord Chaitanya heard him say that, Lord Chaitanya began to cry. The Supreme Controller of all controllers, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He became choked up, it took Him some time before He could even speak. Lord Chaitanya praised him, and Lord Chaitanya would often say, “I belong to Vasudeva Datta. I am simply Vasudeva Datta’s man. If he wants to give Me away, I am given. If he wants to sell Me, I am sold. I belong to Vasudeva Datta.” Because he was willing to suffer to help others to be happy. But we can’t really do that unless, in our own sadhana, and in our own relationship with Krishna, we find happiness in our serving and pleasing the Vaishnavas, our gurus, and Krishna.

Actually, when we are really in Krishna consciousness, and we are willing to endure suffering to help others to be happy with Krishna, that suffering is inconceivably and enormously more pleasurable to the heart and soul than any type of material enjoyment. So, it is very important that if we want to give something to someone, we have to have. We chant japa every day, we are filling our hearts with the presence, the supreme purifying presence of Radha and Krishna, and we are having kirtan with devotees, and we are actually giving each other happiness within the community of devotees. And then we are willing to suffer if that is what is required to give the happiness that we have been given. Is a loving mother happier staying up all night for the child or going to sleep and knowing the child is suffering? You don’t have to—we all know the answer to that. That is the nature of love. The time we have in this life is so precious. We should not let maya control our false ego to waste that precious time with all sorts of gossip and unnecessary criticism and creating so many divisions, especially among devotees. We need to unite in our own hearts with Srila Prabhupada, our gurus, and Krishna in such a way that we can rise above all of the time-wasting of influences of Kali-yuga and utilize our precious time for the highest purposes of sharing Krishna and receiving Krishna. Sometimes, to be good in this world, you have to suffer. But if it makes Krishna happy, that is our happiness.

Giriraj Swami: Just on that point of love and detachment, just after the Juhu Temple opened in 1978, one man came, R.K. Maheshvari—was later initiated as Mahaprabhu dasa, and I showed him some footage of Srila Prabhupada, and Mahaprabhu dasa’s response was, “My God, I have never seen anyone like him. He is so full of love, but he is so detached.” Usually, if someone has love, they also have attachment. Or if someone is detached, they don’t have love. But he could see in Srila Prabhupada, that he has so much love, but at the same time, he is so detached. And of course, his detachment in the material sense was a result of his attachment to Krishna and Krishna’s service. He saw that apparent contradiction in Srila Prabhupada. It is a nice observation.

Radhanath Swami: And actually, when we read about Srila Prabhupada, how he had heart attacks and how he had sea sickness and all of those things, he did it for us. That is the testimony of great love, and Giriraj Swami is eyewitness to that love.

Giriraj Swami: I think of one time in Calcutta, the temple was in quite a bad state. The temple president became absorbed in doing business to raise money for the temple, but he wasn’t paying much attention to the devotees. And when Srila Prabhupada came, the devotees were very eager to tell him about the state of affairs in the temple. So, he called a meeting of all the devotees, and he listened very patiently and sympathetically. And he formed a little management committee, and he said that they every week should meet and discuss all the problems, and whatever they decide, they should write in a minute book. And then they should follow what they decide. But then after a while, his mood seemed to change, and he said that if we become too absorbed in the problems, we will get diverted from our real business, which is Krishna consciousness. And instead of speaking about Krishna, we will just be talking about our problems. And then he said that he suffered in so many ways. He had two heart attacks at sea. And he said when he got to New York, he also suffered physically in many ways, which he said, “I do not wish to discuss in detail.” But then he said, “But I never complained because my motto was always, ‘Everything for Krishna and nothing for myself.’” And because my motto was always, “Everything for Krishna and nothing for myself,” I never complained. That was very instructive.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Radhanath Swami: That is really a good place to end the class, actually.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. All right, so we will conclude with Vaishnava praṇāma.

Everyone: vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ.

Ananta-kotivaisnava-vrinda ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!

Radhanath Swami Maharaja ki jaya!