The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on May 13, 1980 in St Louis. The class begins with a reading from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3, Chapter 3, Text 3.

Jayapataka Swami:

Translation by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Ki,

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: Attracted by the beauty and fortune of Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhismaka, many great princes and kings assembled to marry her. But Lord Krsna, stepping over the other hopeful candidates, carried her away as His own share, as Garuda carried away nectar.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada:

Princess Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhismaka, was actually as attractive as fortune itself because she was as valuable as gold both in color and value. Since the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is the property of the Supreme Lord, Rukmini was actually meant for Lord Krsna. But Sisupala was selected as her bridegroom by Rukmini's elder brother, although King Bhismaka wanted his daughter to be married to Krsna. Rukmini invited Krsna to take her away from the clutches of Sisupala, so when the bridegroom, Sisupala, came there wi… with his party with the desire to marry Rukmini, Krsna, all of a sudden swept her from the scene, stepping over the heads of all the princes there, just as Garuḍa carried away nectar from the hands of the demons. This incident will be clearly explained in the Tenth Canto.

Thus ends the Purport by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

So, here are the brief pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna that He performed outside of Vrindavan. We see that the demons… the demons and materialists - they want Laksmi. They want to enjoy Laksmi. But they are not the rightful enjoyer of Laksmi. The actual husband of Laksmi is Krishna. So when they are trying to enjoy Laksmi in the form of Rukmini, Krishna came and He stole all… her away from all of them, from all of them. And Krishna, taking Rukmini, His rightful queen back to his own dhama in Dvaraka, showed them actually what is their position. They are insignificant compared to Krishna. In this way, Krishna in other avataras, He also showed, just like in Rama avatara.

At that place, Ravana he also stole Laksmi in the form of Sita Devi and his idea was he was going to enjoy Sita, but Sita is only to be enjoyed by Ramacandra prabhu. No one else is a fit person to be her master. So, Ravana was cursed that if he were to dare touch a woman unwillingly, then his head would explode, his ten heads would explode. So he would have to seduce the women he would abduct until they willingly agreed to accept him. But Sita never agreed to accept Ravana. Even he tried mystic power. He took a false head of Rama, threw it at her feet and said “Just see I have killed Rama. Now you should accept me.” and she spit and said “You are a dog.” and so many other words. “You are a crow compared to my Ramacandra. This is all some trick.”

So, therefore it is said that of all the chaste wives even of the king of heaven Indra, no one compares to the chastity of Laksmi. Of course compared to the chastity of Laksmi, actually she is doing tapasya to be elevated to the position of the gopis of Vrindavan and of them of course, the queen is Srimati Radharani. So the materialists, they are always trying to enjoy the Lord’s energy. Therefore their mentality is the mentality of demons. And therefore although they try to enjoy continuously, it’s being taken away. They are not able to maintain that status. And it’s being taken away by Maya, by the cruel hand of death.

The devotees, they are like representatives of Hanuman. They are also trying to take the Laksmi away from the demons and return the Laksmi back into Narayana’s service. Just like Hanuman. Hanuman went all the way to Sri Lanka and he was captured in the garden giving a message from Ramacandra to Sita. Hanuman is monkey devotee of Ramachandra - very powerful. He is the son of the wind god Vayu, so he is able to fly. He also has many mystic powers. So, when they bound him up by ropes then Ravana said “Now you light up his tail with fire. We will incinerate him”. How do you say that exhume him. So they tied to his tail a rag of oil and set it on fire. And then Hanuman, he reduced his size. Reducing his size, all ropes came loose and he got out then he expanded his size to a huge size and then he flew throughout the whole city of Lanka and he set every house on fire. And he left the city of Lanka on fire and he jumped back to Ramacandra across the ocean. So, devotees they are not afraid of the demons and whatever the risks, they are determined to save Laksmi from the hands of the demons.

Actually Ravana was considered to be a great devotee of demigods. He was considered to have so many great qualities, but because ultimately he is envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is considered to be a demon. But he was very powerful. He was very handsome. He had so many good qualities. He used to always give charity to the Brahmanas. He showed so many good qualities, but ultimately he was envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ultimately he was envious of everyone. When the whole Lanka was set on fire, his brother Vibhisana went to him and said “My dear elder brother Ravana, Laksmi has gone away from your temple now all Lanka is set on fire. Give back Sita, Give her back. You are causing the ruin of Sri Lanka, our happy kingdom”. And Ravana he thought “Oh you rascal, you are telling me what to do?”, and drove Vibhisana out of his kingdom so Vibhisana went and joined Ramacandra to fight against Ravana. This is the problem. Good counselling given to a demon - he will never accept.

Those who are down head demons even the greatest counsel is given he thinks that, “Oh this person is envious of me.” So, one has to be very careful that this demoniac mentality does not enter. It’s so dangerous. Vibhisana when he went to see Sri Ramacandra, they thought he is a big asura flying, immediately Laksmana says “Kill him.”, and Ramacandra said “No”

He identified himself that “I am your devotee”. So then Ramacandra tested him and then accepted. So the battle of course is amazing because by the power of Krishna and his energy:

prakrte kriyamanani

gunaih karmani sarvasah

ahamkara-vimudhatma

kartaham iti manyate

Everyone thinks they are the doer. All the followers of Ravana, they were so dedicated to Ravana because he had given them sense gratification. Simply on a purely demoniac level but they were so dedicated. They were willing to give their lives for Ravana. One by one when Ramacandra attacked with his hordes of monkeys, he sent out his great warriors. He sent out Indrajit. He sent out so many of his many warriors. One by one, they were defeated. They will say “How can we fight with these monkeys. They are taking the tops of mountains and throwing them on our heads. How you can fight against the mountains. They are flying, smashing on you. Alright if they took ordinary weapons, how you can fight mountains flying at you? They pick up mountains and throw it at them”. He said “You are afraid?” They said “No I am demon”. Get out and fight then. One by one they were all being killed.

When they would leave the uh, the fortress of Sri Lanka, because what happened was they wouldn’t go out and fight against monkeys. They would say this is beneath our honor to fight against them. But then they’d put in siege put in whole of Sri Lanka city so eventually it was becoming so difficult, they had to go out and fight. When they go out there such inauspicious omens on Ravana’s forces that as the general would leave then hyenas would vomit blood on their horses and vultures would fly over and pass right on their head. And there’s just so many. From the sky, blood and puss would rain on them. These were the auspicious omens when they were leaving. There’d be a big fanfare. Queens and everyone would blow conch shells as they leave, try to make some auspicious signs. You know hit kettle drums. And then they go out and the vultures would you know pass stool on their head and then blood and puss would rain from the sky. Their flag would fall down off their chariot without any cause. They would… Horses would trip.

Every inauspicious possible sign would be there. Still they went out and fought and they were killed one by one. So, it is amazing to see how the demons they are also going out and fighting with extreme valor. And the devotees, all the monkeys all the associates of Ramacandra they are also fighting and everyone is filled with courage. But one is rightly situated, and one is in illusion. This is the amazing thing. The demons they think I am rightly situated. They don’t have the sense to see. So we see in this world today that there are few demons and most of the people are innocent and they are being misled by these demons. And because the demons are showing such a determination, they are thinking “Oh yes they are right”. But if someone looks and sees what is the basis of their statement, they see that it’s all simply for sense gratification. There’s not a bit of Absolute Truth in their statements. They are all wanting to exploit Laksmi for their sense gratification. Not giving any tribute to the real owner of the Goddess of fortune, the Supreme Lord. This is a very unfortunate situation. So Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he recommended everyone should study sastras very carefully. Don’t be lazy when it comes to reading the scriptures. If everyone studies the sastras then they can start to see what is the actual situation.

Bhismadevaa who was the brother of Pandu… Pandu’s father. He is actually lifelong brahmachari. His father wanted to marry a very young girl although he was quite old. And the king of the young girl said “No you can’t marry her because if you marry her, what is the use, your own son is already full grown. He will marry and his son will be the king. So why should I marry my daughter to you when you are already in middle age and your son won’t be the king because you are, by her, because you are already grown son is here”. So then Bhismadeva is studying the situation. Saw his father was very anxious to get married again so he said “No don’t worry for me. I will never get married. Just to satisfy his father - He was so austere. He accepted a lifelong brahmachari. “I won’t get married. Are you satisfied?” He said “Alright”. Then he gave his daughter in marriage to the king, the father of Bhismadeva. So Bhismadeva had taken an oath in front of fire that he would never marry.

So his guru in military science was Parasurama. And Parasurama told him at one point “You should get married you know Bhismadeva. I think it would be good for you to get a wife”. And when he said this Bhismadeva was so astonished. He said “On what basis can you say this? This is fully against the scripture. I made an oath to Krishna that I will never take a wife and now you are advising yes you should get married. This is my order”. Then he said:

Ekaj ekaj janata

guru tyajam vidhiyate

[Editor’s note: The intended verse is

guror apy avaliptasya

karyakaryam ajanatah

utpatha-pratipannasya

parityago vidhiyate

Cf. Mahabharata Santi Parva 57.7]

Even a Guru who doesn’t know what to do and not to do, I give him up. You are no longer Guru. You are not representing Krishna. I renounce you. And then there was a huge battle. Parasurama attacked him immediately and then Bhismadeva they fought for days and days they were fighting just out of complete to the last straw type of fight. After he renounced Parasuma. Finally Parasuma was satisfied. He said “Alright”. He was very satisfied with the fight and said, “Alright you don’t have to get married.” (devotees laugh) So Bhismadeva of course he stayed brahmachari his whole life. He got a blessing that he could die at his free will. Unless he desires he won’t have to leave his body. No one could force him to die. Even they peppered him filled him with arrows from top to bottom. He was lying like a pin cushion filled with arrows, he wouldn’t leave his body. He was waiting for the exact opportune moment. That was the special boon he had. And then of course, Krishna personally stood before him and glancing upon Krishna with full darsana at that moment as the sun was in the northern side then he left his body. You see. But, that is the point. These people went out to fight trying to steal Laksmi. They are fortunate to die at that hand of Krishna. Therefore they get liberation. But it’s not recommended we should go out and fight Krishna. And think of Krishna in that way like our enemy.

Rather we should always look to Krishna in a very humble and serving attitude. Carrying out his order even the odds appear to be unlimited. What are the odds of an army of monkeys fighting against the highly powerful asuras who had mystic power, who are great warriors, who have all uh, special types of weapons, Yet they defeated them. The monkeys they defeated the demons because they are empowered by Ramacandra. The demons are always trying to keep Laksmi for their own enjoyment and the devotees are trying to save Laksmi, and engage Laksmi in the service of the Krishna. Save the goddess of fortune from the hands of the demons and engage in service of Krishna. Of course, Lord Caitanya he tried to change the demoniac mentality of people so that they will use Laksmi in Krishna’s service. They will all, of their own accord offer Laksmi to Krishna. That is a very transcendental potency that Lord Caitanya gives that He can even induce demons to become devotees and to engage Laksmi in Krishna’s service. This is a special qualification of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But here we see that Krishna has stolen away Rukmini from the hands of the non-devotees. Krishna can steal anyone away. He can steal away the pure soul even in the midst of the demoniac mentality. That is why one of his names is Hari. Hari means who can steal away.

Because Rukmini was desirous “I want to go with Krishna”. Inspite of so many obstacles he came and easily took her away. Simply if we desire “I want to serve Krishna”. Even if we have so many disqualifications. Even so many obstacles are there, Krishna can easily can come and take us away. Take our pure soul and leave all the garbage behind. But we have to cultivate the desire to serve Krishna. If we don’t have desire, we may put on so much show “I am a great devotee. I am a great soul”. But if we don’t have the desire to serve Krishna then we are all bluff. Inside it’ll be dry like a dry twig. There’ll be no juice. And even if there is some obstacles, even if there is some defect if we cultivate the desire to serve Krishna to manifest to fulfil his desire then every becomes juicy. And Krishna he easily takes away that pure spirit soul and all the uh, demons are destroyed. Murari means who can kill all the demons. The killer of the demon Murari… Mura. So just like Krishna killed so many demons, he can kill the demons in our mind that are causing us to desire sense gratification, prestige, distinction, adoration. He can easily kill all these demons. The Srimad-Bhagvatam is giving pure… pure science of Krishna Consciousness. There are so many scriptures in the world even Vedic scriptures and it has been described that those literatures which do not glorify the pastimes and pure devotion of Krishna they are compared to as pilgrimage of the crows,

vayasam tirtham usanti manasa

na yatra hamsa

Just like the pilgrimage of the crows where no swan like personality will go. No pure spirit will visit such a place. They won’t indulge in such literatures. So, this Krishna Conscious movement is meant to distribute literatures which are meant to revolutionize, to create a revolution in the sinful mind of the fallen souls.

janatagha-samplavo  yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api

To create a revolution in the mind of the sinful people. Every sloka is filled with transcendental

yaso ’nkitani yat  srnvanti gayanti grnanti sadhavah

Which are heard, remembered and sung by those who are perfectly honest. One who is perfectly honest he can accept, he can hear and he can glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. So this Krishna Consciousness movement is meant to find out where are these honest people. Someone even with a spark of sincerity and to fan that spark, to fan it and to make it into a bonfire, make it into a blaze. Even if a person doesn’t have a spark but at least a little dry, doesn’t have a lot of garbage and pus and things in the heart, a little bit, a little fertile ground. Then the devotee ignites that wood, ignites it and creates a little spark, and then gradually fans the spark and gradually that spark increases in its combustibility until finally it becomes a full fire and then it becomes completely uh, transcendentally situated.

The opportunity to represent Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is given to only the most fortunate people. Those who are the most intelligent they are going to accept Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But out of their magnanimity they are trying to and giving everyone the chance to make everyone fortunate.

I remember that one time a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada that Srila Prabhupada, according to the scriptures it says that one who has performed so many pious activities in the previous lives they are able to become situated in devotional service, but I understand from my previous life before becoming a devotee that I committed so many sinful activities. How is it possible that I am having result of pious activities in my life? I cannot understand that how by my own fortune I came to this status.

Srila Prabhupada replied “Yes, I made your good fortune. I have brought you your good fortune”. Srila Prabhupada, he brought the good fortune of Mahaprabhu over even, people did not any previous advantage. Prabhupada had the power to give that good fortune. Anyone who is purely representing Srila Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he can be empowered to deliver that mercy, to make a person fortunate who is spiritually bankrupt. That is the special advantage of this Kali yuga that Lord Caitanya’s devotees are here giving out the mercy. Otherwise there will be no hope at all, and because of the devotees of Lord Caitanya there is a very great hope.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he was touring India simply by hearing his chanting a devotee will become filled with love of Godhead would go back to his village and tell the villagers about the chanting, induce them to chant and they will become filled with love of Godhead and then another person will go to another village and like this… anyone who came in contact with Lord Caitanya, his devotee or person that came in contact with his devotee they all became empowered. Someone who is thus imbibed with the potency of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu he can deliver the whole three worlds, all the planetary systems.

What is holding us back? Simply sinful life. The sinful life can be easily destroyed by Lord Caitanya. So, one name of Krishna chanted without offence can destroy more sins than one can commit. Even if you try hard as you can to commit for one lifetime of Brahma only sinful activities that still you can’t commit enough sin that one harinama can’t destroy. So nobody should try however to test that by committing lot of sin. That is not the instruction. The instruction is to chant the name of Sri Krishna Caitanya, chant:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

And no matter how fallen a person may be if he sticks very strict with chanting and hearing, trying to avoid all the offences then there is nothing that can stand in his progress. The Ganges is flowing down to the sea, what can stop the Ganges from reaching the sea? The water flows, it finally reaches the sea, nothing can stop it. Even if they can build a dam which can stop a river but there is no dam that can stop the flow of pure devotion to the ocean of Krishna consciousness.

A pure devotee, a person who wants to be a pure devotee, there is hardly any difference. Nothing can stop the flow of his devotion. There may be obstacles. There may be impediments. These are smashed away. Only danger is if gives up the pure devotional mentality if he starts to relate with other impetuses; fame, distinction, adoration, sense gratification, karma, jnana, empirical knowledge, speculative knowledge, fruitive activities, mystic powers. These are like weeds.

Just like the seed of devotion is planted in the heart as we are watering that devotional plant at the same time around it other weeds can grow up. Have you ever seen a rice paddy? You’ve seen? Surdas? (Devotees laughter) You know that when you water the rice paddy and throw the fertiliser and the manure then alongside grows shyama grass. Did you know that? (devotees laughing) Shyama grass and rice they don’t at all look different. Exactly looks the same to a novice. Exactly the same.

Just see when you plant one rice plant from the root come out about ten tillers and it makes a big bunch. Similarly the shyama grass you plant it the one seed is there in the soil and from the root comes out so many and it becomes a bunch. When you transplant rice you just put two plants in one place. After fifteen days, it will be 25 plants there. This is Krishna’s wonder. Otherwise how by one seed can you get so many seeds. If one seed makes ten plants, each plant makes two hundred seeds. From one seed you get 2,000 seeds.

So when you plant rice if we don’t weed the rice plant, even you weed you’ll find that after 60 days when finally the rice grains come out from the inside of the plant the seed comes out then you see that there amidst the rice there is a shyama grass. When instead of rice coming out comes out some grass seeds and if you don’t pull the grass seeds then they flower first and then they drop more seeds and then they whole field eventually becomes filled with shyama grass and the rice gets smothered and you get real bad crop or even the rice may die. The shyama grass can take all the nourishment.

It’s very powerful. So one must be expert in distinguishing what is rice, what is paddy and what is shyama grass, what is the weed? Then pull out the weed even if it looks similar. One has to be so expert. This is not rice. These are few fine distinguishing marks. Shyama grass has hairs at the bottom of the leaf and rice doesn’t. Like that there a few you have to be very careful to see, “Oh this rascal shyama throw him out.” Just like that a devotee he may be chanting and serving but inside along with his pure devotional plant the bhakti lata there can be growing so many weeds, prajalpa, gossip, unnecessary criticism, laziness, whatever.

So many things can start coming up fame, distinction, adoration and this may appear to be a uh, same thing as devotional service because it may even give an impetus to serve. Just like there was one very nice singer singing in kirtan and all devotees are appreciating. But Prabhupada could understand his mood and said “what is this rakshasa singing. He is singing for himself. Just to hear his own voice.” You see. Prabhupada could understand of course we couldn’t see so clearly. When he pointed it out then we all said yes “there is a rakshasa”. (Devotees laugh) But Prabhupada was very expert. When on sings, one must be careful one is singing for Krishna, singing for the Spiritual Master. Even somebody may think “Oh I am very good”. The danger is there. So what can a devotee do? He just has to discipline his mind. When he sees his mind assuming so many different things he has to cut it out.

That “No, simply singing for Srila Prabhupada, simply singing for my Spritual Master, simply singing for the pleasure of Lord Sri Sri Nitai-Gaura.” In so many ways maya will try to entice us, you see. It is described just like dacoits, armed robbers sometimes maya force we are sitting and we are discussing things not related to our service and like dacoits Krishna’s agents, maya’s agents comes and steal away the jewel of devotional service.

Our desire for sense gratification, just like a ferocious tiger comes and devours and pulls out our heart of devotion. In this way there are so many dangers in the jungle. So we have to be very careful. Once we get this precious jewel of devotional service that no one usurps it, no one steals it, no one devours or it that we don’t allow the tree of devotional service to be smothered by the weeds.

It’s amazing if one does not weed his rice crop then he will get not even one half. He will get 10 % even material life, he gets only 10 % of his rice. So grass is able, weed is able to grow much faster than the cultivated crop. But if one keeps his paddy field clean then it grows… you see very quickly.

When one harvests the rice then if you find that one didn’t properly tend his rice crop. What happens is instead of getting rice you get what is known as chitta, you know chitta? That is chaff - rice seed that has no grain inside so that you can have a huge pile of rice husks and inside there is nothing – just a little fine grain, that has no substance. So, sometimes people mistake that “oh this is rice but it’s actually only chaff, only empty holes”.

So we have to know what is the actual rice, what is the real substance and accept that and we have to separate what is the useless chaff and throw it away. So this continual process of separation, of refining, becoming more and more grave and serious in our devotional service. This is essential. Because the more we can be fixed up in pure devotional service the more that nothing can impede our progress and the impetus is how much we desire.

If we desire that “yes I want to obtain the ultimate truth, want to obtain the supreme personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. I want to actually be happy. I don’t want to cheat myself”, then we make quick progress. And if we are not true to ourselves that, “What do I want?”, then you see we cheat. Who do we cheat? We ultimately cheat ourselves. In this way there is so many cheaters ready to satisfy the will of the people who want to cheat themselves.

It’s said in treta-yuga there was mediation… excuse me in the satya-yuga there was meditation. In Treta yuga, there was sacrificial fire. In the dvapara-yuga there was worship in the temple. Satya yuga means the golden age which was millions of years ago. After that came the silver age then the bronze age. Now we are in the iron age, iron age of kali. In the iron age of kali the other systems they don’t work. Doesn’t mean they are not bona fide systems.

Just like if you go to drugstore and ask the druggist “Please give me some medicine. Please give me a drug”. What drug do you want? Give me a good drug. All our drugs are good. No, I want a drug. Somebody says “What’s wrong with you kid?” So never mind I just want something to take, medicine. You know they’ll just throw the guy out on his ear, a nut. In this way people are giving yoga. When yoga is practiced a million years ago, sitting down and meditating that’s how you practice yoga and for fifteen minutes someone will practice meditation and think now I have become great yogi.

Or some will try to read some books and follow this jnana-marga this is simply enticing them. Those who actually if we read Bhagavad-gita, will try system of mediation they have to go in a forest, sit on grass, wearing bark from a tree, on a deer skin, facing to the north some kusa grass, eating some dry leaves and fallen fruit from the forest and sitting down meditating all day just getting up to taking a bath and then sitting down until finally by pranayama he stops all eating, all sleeping and simply absorb in meditation. It’s very easy to do in previously any yogi could do it after 100 years or 2. Even some after twelve years it is said they were able to get a little success but generally speaking it takes about hundred, two hundred, thousand even up to sixty thousand years it has taken some. And nowadays even the great hatta yogis they can’t sit still for more than a few hours or a few days what to speak of year, day after day, month after month, year after year and even who gets the ultimately… ability to control his eating and sleeping still no guarantee he reaches Krishna. Where is the time? In the previous ages one didn’t have to eat. He could maintain just by breathing. The air was so healthy. Now if you breathe you die. You fly over the big cities you don’t see land. All you see is yellow haze of smog. So in this very terrible age of iron it is recommended one should simply chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

The holy name Hare Krishna, the holy name Hare Krishna,harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam – is the only way. Kevalam means is the only ultimate way. nasty eva nasty eva nasty gatir anyatha - anyatha means other way. Nasty eva means no other, no other, no other alternative in this age of Kali. Kaleva this age of kali.

So we are not saying that other process is not bona fide. They may be bona fide medicine but if I have got a belly ache if I take a uh, some skin ointment for ringworm it’s not going to solve the problem. People who are giving medicine which is for an altogether different time and different disease. Naturally it’s going to have little or no effect. A friend of mine he was a professional faith healer, uh, set-up man. Whenever the faith healers would have their big meetings he would be paid $20 to walk up and pull off his hearing aid. In this way he made his living. Some days he will take off his hearing aid some days he will throw his clutches… crutches. It’s a big business.

So, all different kinds of people are trying to get the followers. Even they may be little sincere. Even someone may sincerely be selling uh, you see, uh… ringworm ointment to cure belly ache, but the guy isn’t going to cure anybody’s stomach ache. Even someone may sincerely believe that yes doing meditation is the force, doing meditation is the best thing ultimately kali yuga we have such intense desire for enjoyment that it doesn’t replace that desire, the desire stays there.

We have to teach nectar right away. Prabhupada gave a nice explanation that when you give a big feast all the kids they all want to have the dessert first. They can’t wait till you know till the main courses. They want to first of all take the dessert. The Kali yuga is like that. First of all Yena tena prakarena. By any means you get them to taste of nectar of Krishna. After they have tasted the nectar of Krishna then gradually you introduce following rules and regulations so that they can maintain that taste.

So Lord Caitanya first he gives the nectar. He gives the nectar first and then automatically people they lose their desire for material taste. The other systems so much difficult to practice. If one doesn’t ultimately lose his taste for material enjoyment then no progress in yoga. Yoga means to get a higher taste. So this Krishna Conscious movement gives immediately higher taste.

So that’s why the devotees they are taking the mood of Lord Caitanya. He wants to give this mercy. He wants to distribute the nectar. Therefore the devotees they take all kinds of difficulties to go out, to deliver the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and to engage Laksmi in Narayana’s service.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: Are there any questions?

[Break]

Jayapataka Swami: For a particular age there is a particular path which is going to be able to take one all the way because the basic intelligence is, the basic defect of a given age are the same so what could take one to the ultimate perfection in one age cannot get one even up to the first floor in another age.

Anyway if someone tries that at least he is making an attempt but he can’t reach the ultimate goal. In this particular age, people have an intense desire to enjoy. They are very agitated. They are very impatient. And still there are some very intelligent people and they can understand that ultimately they have to become happy and that happiness has to come from within. That externally the happiness we perceive never satisfies us. So Krishna Consciousness is actually meant for this age.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann

asti hy eko mahan gunah

kirtanad eva krsnasya

mukta-sangah param vrajet

There is a whole volume of a book simply to describing all the defects of this present age. They say that people will grow long hair and think themselves beautiful by the length of their hair. It says that people will gradually lose quality of mercy and not only kill animals but eventually they will become cannibals.

It gives so many descriptions that how the members of the family they will live separately. Families will break up. Marriages won’t last. Eventually there will be no formal marriage before God but simply by agreement people will live together. These things were unheard of when these literatures were written and of course now they are daily happenings. Even New York City I understand they are selling human flesh in black market.

So after this whole description is given, how gradually people become reduced in their lifespan then it says “What’s the use of saying all these defects?” kaler dosa-nidhe rajann, it’s an ocean of defects. asti hy eko mahan gunah, there’s one good quality kirtanad eva krsnasya, Krishna kirtana, chanting of the holy name of Krishna. Mukta-sangah param vrajet, one becomes liberated from attachment to this material world and he reaches the supreme destination. In every age there is a door to get out of this material life and ultimately all paths are leading to the same path. Actually meditation and different paths that are there they are considered to be on a much less difficult platform in the way of dedication. One can meditate does not require so much of a commitment emotionally and intellectually. It means a physical commitment of sitting down and simply just sitting there and uh, being very austere for a long time. So in the Kali-yuga these external systems are not powerful enough to work.

So externally it’s very easy one doesn’t have to control his diet except to eat Krishna-prasada. You can eat very nice Krishna-prasada. He can sleep. He can do everything is there but it simply has to be a little regulated so it doesn’t become too disturbing. Externally there’s not so many uh, restrictions although maybe by Western standards it is considered to be a restriction but considering the other yoga practices it it’s actually to be followed there’s not so many restrictions.

One can be married, can have children and still become a perfect yogi. Because the process is on a more subtle platform. It is on the internal platform. Whilst internally he accepts the desire while actually you want to become absolutely pure.

I want to actually surrender to Krishna. I want Krishna to take me out of this material world. So yes those processes are there but those processes cannot take one to the goal in this age. They are not powerful enough. They don’t go deep enough. And nobody practices them practically the way they are supposed to be practiced anyway. And even if they try we don’t see it 99.9 % they don’t practice very properly especially there is no way you can practice it in America in the middle of a city any of these other systems.

All the other systems means you have first of all there is no other system of yoga except by bhakti yoga where actually you can be married and do it. If you see all the people who have become liberated by process they were all sannyasis who completely gave up all connection with family life, who gave up all connection with social life yet their so called followers are trying to popularize it amongst the western people that you can do anything and still become a perfect yogi by doing hatha-yoga. It’s not a fact, doesn’t go deep enough.

But bhakti-yoga means because you are developing internally a higher taste that superficially you can regulate things and that’s enough because you are getting a higher taste. Their premise is that there is not a higher taste until you become completely pure until you stop all external and anything short of that is a compromise on your part; it is simply cheating to get cheap followers.

So the answer is yes. The other processes but those mentalities actually people don’t possess. Mentality people do possess in this age is suitable for bhakti-yoga. And anyway anyone who is intelligent enough that he wants, she wants to actually become perfect in this life, they can understand that this is the system which goes deep to the actual root cause of the problem. So yes, one who is very intelligent it is said yajanti hi sumedhasa - Sumdeha – medha means intelligent. Sumedha means very intelligent. Someone who is very intelligent he will accept Krishna consciousness. So we don’t expect everyone will fully accept. Only those who are the most intelligent. Those who want to be successful and actually get the goal of the yoga not just is practice it just for the sake of doing something like a hobby. Don’t you want to get the ultimate goal?

So then you should see what will take you to the goal. What will work in this age? What will cause a change of heart? What will give a higher taste? We desire, we want that you should taste nectar. You want to taste nectar? You know meaning of nectar?

Nectar means that which is transcendental and gives eternal life. That is nectar. So, by chanting Hare Krishna one tastes nectar. We are in the nectar business. We are simply giving out nectar. And people say that in New York Harikesa Maharaja was saying that said to him down in the subway and said “You know my daughter is in college and I’m having trouble at the house, I think of getting a little bit in the spiritual life. So I was thinking of going down to the meditation class but they charge 135 bucks so then I thought well maybe I should get in the Hare Krishna because its free. But I mean why is it free ? But why is free? Is it free because it’s just free, or you know actually it’s kind of not worth anything?”

This is the way people were thinking. Of course this is what happens. Because it’s being given out free people think if you go and tell someone here is a diamond. Giving away your diamond. Just like there used to be a television show something about a guy walk up and give a person a million dollar check. First reaction was it must be a rip off. Someone must be kidding me. You come up and give someone a diamond. He thinks - What is this, joke? If you come up and give someone a piece of glass so beautiful.

Or if you come up in our restaurant we were saying that free prasadam no one would come if we charge a buck fifty, its packed up everyday. Laughter Because it’s free. Free means it’s not worth anything must be useless you know. But if you charge something then you give it a value. This is the mentality. But we can’t it’s against our principles. We can’t charge for Krishna consciousness. If you want to give something ask another thing. But the system is that nobody can take any material benefit. Whatever, we have to pay for books, beads that’s another thing. Actually in Krishna conscious philosophy no one can. If you make a business out of it, then it is not proper. It’s forbidden. So people think they charge so much to get a yoga lesson and at a Hare Krishna temple they don’t charge me anything. It must not be worth anything. So therefore it takes a more intelligent person to understand, “Oh this is the real thing.”

So we are just simply requesting everyone read our books, chant Hare Krishna you don’t have to chant here only you can chant here, you can chant in your house, and you can chant in your train, you can chant on the bus, you can chant on the plane, and you can lock yourself in the closet and chant. If you’re… you can go out in woods, sit down and chant then you will realize, “aham brahmasmi”, “I am a spirit soul”. “I am eternal. I am Krishna dasanudasanudasa, and that there is ultimately a Supreme Spirit, a Supreme Living Being and I have a relationship with that Supreme Being and that is of deep intense love. And all these days, all these births, birth after birth after birth I have forgotten Him and therefore I have been suffering because my real friend I have neglected.” And Krishna is simply waiting, “When will this soul look to me? When will he give up this forgetful mood?” So all this comes spontaneously simply by chanting. One feels Krishna. We can speak here until we turn blue in the face. But ultimately is someone simply chants and simply renders some service then he can taste one drop of that ocean of nectar and understand, “Yes Krishna is there.” He can understand that Krishna is very kind and that the spiritual nectar of Krishna consciousness makes everything else look bland and vacuum.

Thank you.

Do you have any other question?

Devotee: Srila Acaryapada, ki,

Devotees: Jaya!

Devotee: Srila Acaryapada, ki,

Devotees: Jaya!

Tags : chanting, devotional service, bhakti

Transcribed by:

Ushati Chitra Devi Dasi

25th February 2014