The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on September 7th, 1981 in London, England. The class begins with a reading from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1, Chapter 11, text 10, and was recorded on the auspicious appearance day of Srimati Radharani.

Jayapataka Swami:

prasanna-dṛṣṭyākhila-tāpa-śoṣaṇam

Devotees: prasanna-dṛṣṭyākhila-tāpa-śoṣaṇam

Jayapataka Swami: jīvema te sundara-hāsa-śobhitam

Devotees: jīvema te sundara-hāsa-śobhitam

Jayapataka Swami: apaśyamānā vadanaṁ manoharam

Devotees: apaśyamānā vadanaṁ manoharam

Jayapataka Swami: iti codīritā vācaḥ

Devotees: iti codīritā vācaḥ

Jayapataka Swami: prajānāṁ bhakta-vatsalaḥ

Devotees: prajānāṁ bhakta-vatsalaḥ

Jayapataka Swami: śṛṇvāno ’nugrahaṁ dṛṣṭyā

Devotees: śṛṇvāno ’nugrahaṁ dṛṣṭyā

Jayapataka Swami: vitanvan prāviśat puram

Devotees: vitanvan prāviśat puram

Jayapataka Swami: kathaṁ vayaṁ nātha ciroṣite tvayi

Devotees: kathaṁ vayaṁ nātha ciroṣite tvayi

Jayapataka Swami: prasanna-dṛṣṭyākhila-tāpa-śoṣaṇam

Devotees: prasanna-dṛṣṭyākhila-tāpa-śoṣaṇam

Jayapataka Swami: jīvema te sundara-hāsa-śobhitam

Devotees: jīvema te sundara-hāsa-śobhitam

Jayapataka Swami: apaśyamānā vadanaṁ manoharam

Devotees: apaśyamānā vadanaṁ manoharam

Jayapataka Swami: iti codīritā vācaḥ

Devotees: iti codīritā vācaḥ

Jayapataka Swami: prajānāṁ bhakta-vatsalaḥ

Devotees: prajānāṁ bhakta-vatsalaḥ

Jayapataka Swami: śṛṇvāno ’nugrahaṁ dṛṣṭyā

Devotees: śṛṇvāno ’nugrahaṁ dṛṣṭyā

Jayapataka Swami: vitanvan prāviśat puram

Devotees: vitanvan prāviśat puram

Jayapataka Swami: O master,

Devotees: O master,

Jayapataka Swami: if You live abroad all the time,

Devotees: if You live abroad all the time,

Jayapataka Swami: then we cannot look

Devotees: then we cannot look

Jayapataka Swami: at Your attractive face,

Devotees: at Your attractive face,

Jayapataka Swami: whose smiles

Devotees: whose smiles

Jayapataka Swami: vanquish all our sufferings.

Devotees: vanquish all our sufferings.

Jayapataka Swami: How can we exist

Devotees: How can we exist

Jayapataka Swami: without Your presence?

Devotees: without Your presence?

[Break]

Jayapataka Swami: the Lord,

Devotees: the Lord,

Jayapataka Swami: who is very kind

Devotees: who is very kind

Jayapataka Swami: to the citizens and the devotees,

Devotees: to the citizens and the devotees,

Jayapataka Swami: entered the city of Dvārakā

Devotees: entered the city of Dvārakā

Jayapataka Swami: and acknowledged all their greetings

Devotees: and acknowledged all their greetings

Jayapataka Swami: by casting

Devotees: by casting

Jayapataka Swami: His transcendental glance over them.

Devotees: His transcendental glance over them.

Purport by His Divine Grace, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

[break]

…realize what is the solution to our problem, and if we take the necessary steps, then immediately all the problems are over. Actually, these devotees absorbed in presence or in the separation of Krishna, are not aware or conscious of all the sufferings of this material world. Such is the quality of Krishna that someone who has developed some attachment for Krishna, who has once been attracted by Krishna, he can’t forget Krishna. And for that person so-called happiness and distress in this material world is not a very significant thing. That is how powerful is the attachment to Krishna, because actually this material world is nothing but a reflection.

The sunlight is very intense illuminating, but the reflection of that through a colored, and even irregular imperfect lence or reflective surface, cannot compare to the original brilliance of the sun. Just like, every day in England, the sunrise… more often than not, they have cloud-filled skies, so the sunlight reflected off the clouds somehow another a little bit gets through, but nobody takes that to be a replacement for the direct sunlight. They won’t say that sunlight and the sunny day is the same, just like today is a lousy day. No sun. Overcast. Gloomy. And when the bright sunlight comes through, they say, "Oh today is a very nice day!" And everyone will feel very encouraged.

So if you've never seen the sun, then of course you might think that, "Well, it's all right." But once you've seen the sun, then no matter how many times you see relative overcast, partly overcast, extremely overcast, you might see some difference. But it does not replace… you're always hankering when we’ll have a nice sunny day. So like that, this material world is covered by Maya. Whatever we see nice in this world, is just a little bit of Krishna’s quality coming through, but only a fraction.

When the Maya is removed, when the cloud is removed, then we see the full beauty. Then we see the full perfection, which we are hankering for. Someone would like us to believe that there is no such thing as a sunny day. Overcast is a eternal quality. There is no such thing as Supreme Absolute Truth, no such thing as the supreme person, supreme beauty, supreme perfection. Whatever we see, that's it.

So that's all right for those who never open their eyes to see more. But why someone has his eyes even slightly open, even if he gets a glimpse, even a ray of that pure illumination, how can he be satisfied? How can that person be satisfied with this material changing world as the summum bonum. So we can make the best use of a bad bargain. Just like these residents of Dvaraka. How fortunate they were!

Krishna came down to show that devotees can live with Him, that they can have perfection with HIs association and various types of pastimes, various type of tastes, mellows, relationships. Just like the residents of Dvaraka, they were able to become Krishna conscious. They were doing so many things in Dvaraka. That means that Krishna consciousness is not limited to anyone.

It is described that in the village Kalindi… Kulina grama. In kulina gram Ramacandra khan… maybe another Ramacandra, and Haridas Thakura, he was always favoring the Kulinavasis There even a people who were moving the pigs around here and there, even they were chanting Hare Krishna; even they were appreciating Krishna’s quality. So in other words, anyone can become Krishna conscious.

This is Krishna’s promise: striya vaisyas tatha sudra. Those who are ordinarily unfortunate, not very attuned to high philosophical understanding, businessman, laborers, simple women– they are not very attuned to all the great philosophical speculations and understanding, but they get the special mercy also, everyone! What to speak of those who are more intelligent, if they also surrender to Krishna, then very easily they can achieve.

So this covering of Maya is separating. Maya means that which is not… that which is not. So the Maya, you see that which is ma means not, ya to go to Krishna. That was stopping us to going to Krishna, stopping us to seeing Krishna, stopping us to understand Krishna. Maya: You can’t go. Just like I was mentioning one Indian family, I encouraged their son very much to come to our temple and chant and pray to Krishna for his material benefit. Of course, getting good exams in his college so on and so forth. Because at least in India the people believe in dharma, religiosity. But generally for getting artha, forgetting economic development kama, sense gratification. But the boy was very intelligent so after little bit few months of visiting, started chanting 16 rounds. He finally decided, "What is the use of going? He’s only a freshman. What is the use, at this point, of entering into or completing the whole educational field?"

He got the idea, "Well, let me enter the Varnasrama College and study completely Krishna consciousness, become a preacher.” His father felt that in the family he was the black sheep. All the other cousins they were very high position, officers and executives, military man. He was a more humble professional man. He wanted his son to complete his university, go to America, get a job and then he could come back from there, tell him son and he can show off to everybody, "I made it." Therefore his father would save face.

Suddenly the son said no I am not interested going to the West. I am interested in going back to Godhead. Father became furious. He came in, yelling at the devotees. Before, he was all praise, “Wonderful program you’re doing doing the real work of Vedic culture.” He came and yelling. “You ruined my son. You’ve brainwashed him. You’re spies.” This and that. So many things. Because this is Maya. Maya, yes, we can even be a little religious. But only that God will supply your meal. “O Lord give us this day, our daily bread.” that’s all right. That also… because that is within Maya's domain.

Just like we phone up, right? You say, "Just want to order a pizza. Plain. O Lord! Give us our pizza, bread every day." Right? So what's the difference? Only with God we're not paying anything. Pizza man we have to pay. Even that's not bad. At least there's some relationship. Something is better than nothing. We're not criticizing. Something is better than nothing. Better than no relationship.

Those who are in modes of ignorance and passion, they have two kinds of relationships: no relationship, God is dead, or God is our order supplier. He will give us... Just like in Russia, after the revolution, then people were… the Government cut off the bread; cut off the supply of food. The people were starving. Then they approached the people, said, "Well, are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Do you have bread?"

"No."

"Why don’t you pray to God? Go to churches. Pray. Go to church, pray.”

Then they go and pray, "God, give us some bread." They come out.

Said, "Did God give you any bread?"

Said, "Not yet.”

"You pray to us for bread.”

“Give us some bread.”

“Bring in the trucks! Bring in the (inaudible) Give them bread! What is the meaning of your God? He didn’t give you bread. We gave you bread. We are God, The Party." This is their system. Of course, they can't produce the bread without Krishna providing rain, without Krishna providing sunlight. Just like today, there’s insufficient rain, so they have to purchase wheat from America. Why don’t they just produce? Because Krishna didn’t give them any rain; so they're in a difficult situation.

So, this is of course the materialistic view. But people’s faith is that either they don’t believe in God or if they believe in God, He supplies. If the supply isn't enough… just like the government; not giving enough facility, not enough chicken in every pot, all right, kick it out. So it is becoming like that. "Oh, God is not supplying us; kick Him out." They don’t… "God is dead."

Even the word God, just to say it as a dogmatic type of context the way that it’s puckered around. Therefore we say, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” It’s a great concept. But actually just like the sun is supporting this whole universe and there are millions of universes greater than, millions and millions of times greater than this universe, they're all being supported: eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān, by one original source who is ultimately intelligent, filled with imperishable quality.

We can become contacted immediately very easily and the real goal of life is not simply to have a hotline with Him to provide our bread. That He is already doing. He has provided… Of course, we can pray like that. We will also take a personal interest, depending on our activities also, but the real thing is that we actually rather cultivate our consciousness to realize His real nature.

To develop an attraction is not difficult. It automatically develops. When we hear about Krishna, when we see Krishna, naturally attraction develops if someone is not very offensive, who hasn’t committed violence or something to devotees. Generally speaking, just by a little contact with Krishna, a little taste of Krishna prasadam, or seeing the Deity or hearing the kirtan, a person becomes attracted.

And the more that one allows himself, allows the mind to be attracted by Krishna, doesn't try to impede it… the tendency is to forcibly actually stem the attraction. When I first became a devotee, Montreal, my brother came up. He is five years younger than me. He was living in the temple, taking prasadam. One day he came and said, "Now I have to go."

I said, "Why?"

He said, "Because I am becoming very attracted. I like prasadam. I like the chanting. If I stay hear any longer, then when I go home, how I’ll eat? No one will be able to cook vegetarian food. I better get out quick, before it is too late.” This is materialistic. Actually people are avoiding Krishna. They avoid. They try to appear cool, but with the conscious effort to avoid anything in connection with Supreme Person. Many people are like that.

Then there are many innocent people. They are not particularly avoiding; neither they are particularly… they have no association. They are also discouraged, because there are many who actually appear… like to appear to be very conscious of God but their actual intention is to get some material facility out of that. There is no actual real attraction to Krishna’s qualities.

This Krishna conscious movement is described here in the Bhagavatam, as the pure akapat as the concept, which is free from cheating. It discarded all types of cheating religions. Cheating religion has been described as something which has the result other than the eternal Absolute Truth. If religion is being used as an instrument to obtain something else, then it's not pure.

If the goal and the means are the same then it's perfect because then it is eternal. But if the goal is different than the process, then it's not perfect. Therefore, there will always be at one point, hypocrisy. So this Krishna conscious movement is based upon that unity in diversity that the goal and the means is the same, which is unique.

So here, these devotees, they are offering their prayers; they simply love Krishna for Krishna's sake. They’re not saying that, "Krishna, we want to see your smile because by your smile, this will increase the bank balance or anything else. Although no doubt that by Krishna’s presence they are getting all good fortune, but actually, they are loving Krishna just for Krishna's sake. They love to see his smiling face. For them it is the greatest festival.

In Vrndavana when Krishna would come back with the cows, just in the evening… In fact, because of Krishna coming back at that time of day with the cows from the field, and then the cows foot… hoofs kick up dust and make the whole area filled with the dust from the cows, like a little cloud of dust comes up. So that time, the time before sunset, when the light of the sun starts to diminish, but it's still not sunset. Not the twilight. That is called godhuli. Go means cow, dhuli means dust–the time of cow-dust. So that is considered one type of baths. Actually that is purifying. That even one goes in that bath, he's not contaminated; that’s rather purifying. But the residents of Vrindavan, they awaited that time, not particularly because they wanted to be purified by the cow-dust, but because they wanted to see Krishna’s lotus face. For them that was the greatest festival: to see Krishna with his associates, with the cows coming in, nitya mahotsava.

A festival is called utsav. Ut means to uplift, to lift up everyone, all the consciousness. Utsah, enthusiasm. Utsava: It increases our enthusiasm, our enlightenment, our joy, our happiness, that is the meaning of festival. And mahat means great. Mahotsava: a great festival. So the Bhagavatam describes that Krishna's coming back with cows, all the residents of Vrndavana running out of their house to see Krishna. That was a mahotsava, a great source of joy, inspiration, and enthusiasm for all of the residents of Vrndavan. It was a festival. Similarly, these residents of Dvaraka, for them, to see Krishna was the greatest festival.

So if one develops pure attraction and affection for Krishna. Which isn’t conditioned by, "What Krishna will do to me. What is in it for me. Naturally of course, now we think, "I should worship Krishna because I want to get out of birth and death. I want to realize my eternal spiritual self.” or “I want to get of this miserable condition.” or “I want to understand what is the ultimate reality.” Or we may have so many objectives initially, but this is the perfectional stage that these residents of Dvaraka had. They have transcended all type of other considerations. They are simply purely satisfied and desirous of seeing Krishna for Krishna’s sake. They have no other objective. And what does it say? "Whose smile vanquished all obstacles." That means that when they see Krishna, then there’s no suffering. When they're not seeing Krishna, that’s their suffering. In other words, if we are always seeing Krishna, where is the question of suffering?

Someone else may like… Just like in the airport we see so many people. Of course, now we don’t see it so much in America, because personal relationships are not as thick as in other places, although we do see it sometimes. But especially in the orient, in India and Bangladesh, sometimes we see that fifty people come and see off a person at the airport. And as they're going, they're crying, going for a two-week touring or something. Crying, you know, hugging each other, and the kid’s waiving, and just on and on. And when they came back, you know, it’s a big reunion.

Just like I was at a wedding of a disciple in Orissa, so they had to get… they got married in the village. The custom is that the girl’s family conducts the marriage, they sponsor all the expenses and everything. So they held it there to please all the family members. The custom there is that the mother-in-law, that means the mother of the girl, because they’re losing their daughter, daughter’s gonna go with the husband. She cries. This mother, the way she cried, one would think that it wasn’t a question that the daughter was going, but she’s already dead!

She cried so intensely that at one point, she fell down and started rolling on the ground. Everyone just looked at each other, “What to do?" So it got so intense that even the daughter started crying. Very soon, you know, half the woman were all bawling, and a few of the men also. Their feeling… so that can be a very strong type of sentiment, but actually then, after a month, the daughter-in-law will come back or the daughter will come back because… So there'll be a big, you know… or they come off the plane, they'll be very happy, they'll… then after about two hours, it's all right back to normal. But here we see that this is actually for them is a daily festival.

With Krishna there's no satiation. The attachment or the sentiment we see in this world is simply a very dim reflection. But the pure…

And no one can say that, "Oh, because of seeing you, all the miseries all the problems are vanquished. All the suffering is gone.” Simply that suffering, that that person has come back; that much suffering is gone. But after half an hour, then all the suffer... No, they are seeing Krishna. All their suffering is gone. So, someone who can see Krishna, of course, his faith is unshakable. We can start to see Krishna by chanting.

Krishna is non-different from his name. If we chant

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

We can see Krishna through our ears, and we can develop that spontaneous faith. Spontaneous faith… there’s one kind of intellectual faith, developed by knowledge, by understanding. Then of course, there's the blind faith. So we do not advocate blind faith.

First of all one should understand by his intellect. Understand the philosophy, study it, be satisfied… Then one should apply it. By applying, then one will have a realized faith. Just like we can read that oxygen and hydrogen, when you combine them by combustion, you get H2O, you get water,

“Sounds good.”

But then when you ignite some hydrogen take some oxygen, then you get water vapor, it’s a very simple scientific experiment they do in every high school chemistry class. Then you get water vapor, "Oh, yes. This is the proof." The whole modern-day empirical science is based on it. First understand a theory, then do an experiment, and see if it works. So… of course, the difference is I can ignite the hydrogen and you can see the water. But in chanting Hare Krishna I can chant Hare Krishna, but you may not see what is going on by chanting Hare Krishna, but I would be able to experience, because seeing is also material. All these different… are material, but our experience is on the spiritual platform. So with spiritual awakened senses, from spiritual intelligence, we can experience. So that's also… there’s an experiment. You take someone to… you come and say, “Well this doesn’t make any sense. Not very scientific.” But just like someone says, "This is a very good restaurant. Come and eat there.” The person eating the food and everything, “Great.” makes a few smiles. So then that won’t really convince you. You may believe that, "Well this tasted pretty good." But when you actually taste the food yourself, then you will able to say. So, its not very scientific to just rely on the other person. He must eat, himself. So that system is there. In spiritual life, we should practice. Then by having the intellectual developed faith, realized faith, then the spontaneous faith comes. Then we go on advancing more and more. So then we have faith to accept spiritual master, we have faith to accept devotional the service of Krishna, irrevocably… irrevocably. It tells us… Now, the Bhagavatam advises that we should perform devotional service:

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jṣānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati.

Suprasīdati, for complete satisfaction… for complete satisfaction, ahaituky apratihatā causeless, ahaituki means causeless; unmotivated. Apratihatā means unbroken. “Today, I believe in Krishna, tomorrow I don’t believe in Krishna.” Day after day, I believe it… The faith, the connection, and the practice has to be developed to the point where it's unbroken.

Unbroken means every day we chant, at every movement we may not be able to simply meditate on Krishna at the beginning stage. We have so many works, we have so many things. But daily, we’re thinking of Krishna, practically every spare movement, we're thinking of Krishna, and then in remaining time, we are doing different services for Krishna, or we’re maintaining our body and soul together for the purpose of developing our Krishna consciousness. That is the ultimate goal. So that is also not unrelated. Apratihata.

But then if we divert our attention to other goals, or if we are serving Krishna to obtain some other purpose, which is temporary, limited, imperfect, then our practice becomes no longer able to suprasīdati complete satisfaction. Yayātmā. Atma means soul, the spirit living force, which is active principle, vital principle in the body. Atma also means the mind, intelligence. Atma also means the body. So Yayātmā suprasīdati means that when we are Krishna conscious, which is the sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo, the perfection of all occupational duties, of all religious practice, of all yoga.

Then not only simply some spiritual… maybe someone will think it's efemeral, some type of spiritual satisfaction; but simultaneously, the spiritual, which is of course the most… which is the essential satisfaction, but simultaneously our mind, and our body becomes satisfied, becomes happy. Otherwise, how devotees can maintain regulative principles, how they can lead a… sometimes accept austerity if they are not actually appeased, not only in their… some spiritual way, but spiritually, mentally, and physically – in all respects, one gets completely satisfied. The senses stop agitating, the mind stops jittering as we develop our spiritual consciousness, our Krishna consciousness. Such a faith develops in the Lord that no other consideration is anymore prominent.

Just like for instance, our Panchtattva great devotee, Srivasa, he and his good wife Malini were of course purest of devotees. So Lord Nityananda, he used to visit their house; practically every day, he was in Navadvipa. And Nityananda Prabhu, He known as avadhuta, because He is beyond the varnasrama, He is beyond different types of system. He's actually… Of course He is the Supreme Lord, and He doesn't… He is not restricted to any kind of materialistic regulative principles.

He was… had a particular affection to Malini, just like she was His mother. And so when He would go to Srivasa's house, He became in the mood just like a small five-year-old boy, although he was fully grown. He wouldn’t eat with his own hand. He would just there, like a little baby 2, 3 years old, they don’t eat, the mother has to feed, and Malini would take the food and feed Him. It was a unique relationship. So, in this way, Lord Nityananda, He sometimes became absorbed in this, and then Malini became absorbed in vatsalya. She was thinking, "Nityananda is just like my son," or just saw in that vision as her son, and her affection from that Vatsalya, parental relationship was completely manifest, as was srivasa's towards Nityananda. And these, especially on these occasions.

So one day Lord Caitanya, he decided to test Srivas. So, He told Srivas, "Srivasa, why you are keeping Nityananda in your house? He is an avadhuta; He is just doing this and that without any consideration of Vedic principles. You don’t know what is His caste, what is His family tradition. Like a nondescript, He wanders here and there. Why you are keeping Him in the house? He may ruin your whole family in this way. You should immediately kick Him out; don’t keep Him in your house. Why do you want to keep Him in your house? Throw Him out and save your family."

Visvambhara, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He spoke very strong like that to Srivasa. Srivasa paid his obeisances and said, "Lord, I am Your eternal devotee. That You are trying to test me like this is not very appropriate. I know that Nityananda and You, there is no difference. There’s a difference… There’s no difference between Nityananda Prabhu’s body and Your body– they're transcendental. Even if Nityananda were today to go with some drunken yauvani… that means, drunken you can say low-caste girl, means like a meat eater, just like white aborigine… “Even if he wants to go with some drunken prostitute or something, still I wouldn’t in any way forsake Him. Even if by His being in my house my whole dynasty, my whole family, everything my wealth my good name, it all gets destroyed, I don’t care. I'll never… I'll never give up the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. Whatever He does or doesn’t do, that I'm not going to see, because I know that actually, He is on the transcendental platform. Therefore he can do anything to my vision and, will not affect my faith.”

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this and He started jumping, "Haribol, Haribol, Haribol!" jumping up and down, He was dancing. "Your faith is so strong! This is a great source of joy to Me.” because actually Srivasa, he was very hurt even that this test was being done and when he spoke it, there were tears in his eyes. He very was very intensely speaking it. There was no doubt that he meant it from the core of his heart.

Lord Caitanya said, "For your faith, I am going to give you a special boon, a special blessing. Anyone who resides in your house, even the cats and dogs, the animals that somehow or another are residing in your house– all of them will have indestructible, permanent, pure, devotional service, prema bhakti! Simply by residing in your house, and because of your faith, that even you’ll sacrifice family life, everything, even if Laksmi Devi who is always residing on the chest of Narayana, who is the goddess of fortune– all the wealth, everything is coming from her– even if somehow or other, she loses her fortune and she becomes a beggar, going from house to house begging, but there will never be any abhava, there will never be any want in your house. There will never be any want. There will never be any shortage or insufficiency; you will always have enough to perform devotional service and to do all the necessary... You’ll never have any shortage. These are my blessings."

Even sometimes Krishna, He tests the devotee. Just like Narada Muni told Dhruva Maharaja, "Go back. Go back to your kingdom. What is the use of your coming out here and looking for God? You just go back and don’t take all the riska of being here in the jungle with the animals, and the tigers and lions, and snakes, they may devour you." Dhruva Maharaj said, "Thank you very much for your kind instruction Narada Muni, but I beg your pardon, because I cannot accept. I had come here with determination to find God; if you can help me to find Bhagavan, then I'm glad to take…

[Break]

…nothing to do with the material world. Therefore we have to be careful not to allow material austerity, material penance, material pious activity, to creep in, ordinarily, these things are considered to be very great religious. We don’t even allow them to come in… What to speak of sinful activity? Far away! So by serving with a mind focused on Radha Krishna, constantly bring your mind back automatically by the mercy of Nitai Gaura, we’re purified. We gain this highest perfection of life.

So Krishna has many energies but it described of all the energies he has many pleasure potencies. His pleasure potency is very vast. But the prema, that is the crest jewel. So that personification of prema, pure love, is Srimati Radharani; she alone possesses the highest, complete manifestation of pure love– She is embodiment of that pure love. So it's not possible to discuss or understand, until one gets the siddha deha; then he can begin to appreciate Radha Krishna.

Before then, we can get just like a drop from the ocean; even that drop is overwhelming. But it is very difficult to understand. So therefore we should first of all understand our position in this material world, as was so nicely explained that we are wandering from body to body. How our different desires… Now, if we purify our desires, follow in the footsteps of the pure Vrndavana devotees, then we can achieve the highest perfection of life.

It's one of the goals to able to understand what is the real meaning of Radha Krishna worship. What is the real meaning of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lila. It's not something that can be academically immediately understood. Even the descriptions are not equivalent to the full understanding. They’re an explanation to give indication, what is the purpose, what is the meaning. But the actual understanding is only realized… It's not something which we can contain in words, or in our minds, it is something which is realized by pure fully developed soul. Just like Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya discussing… So many scholars!

We gave… in India and there was one Christian priest who wanted to write a review on Caitanya Catritamrit.. actually what happened was, we wanted to get Caitanya-Caritamrta reviewed. We gave it to the biggest newspaper there. So they did a… they thought they were doing a funny business. So what they did was, they said, "Alright." They called the biggest Christian scholar and said, "We would like to review this book." So then he gave him the Adi-Lila one, and Antya-Lila five to review. He read the book five times in three months. And he said that, “I can't review it. This goes into something which is beyond me.” And he said… there are other things. But practically he was transformed to some extent to a devotee, but it was actually just beyond him. That, if he explained… if he gave the review, it would be an expose on other religions. That was his point. What this was discussing goes so far beyond, that as a Christian priest, if he were to give a proper review, he would be excommunicated. That was the basic thing that he was… So the point is that we have to understand our position very carefully, serve, and develop this consciousness.

Actually, I am still recovering from my very big shock I got yesterday. I very innocently thought that today being Radharani’s appearance day, that yesterday was… the day before, customarily there is a some function. All right, so In Caitanya lila Radha came as Gadadhra, and Vrishbhanu came as Pundarika Vidyanidhi; So l described how they first met, how it was very wonderful that Pundarika, who was Vrishbhanu, became the guru of Radharani, of Gadadhra in Caitanya lila. I simply explained that Lord Caitanya was a co… Radha Krishna combined, to become Lord Caitanya… well, and HIs esoteric purpose of coming. Then some devotee, with the second… with the brahman thread on, at the end of the class, he said "if Krishna is the Paramatma, then why does He have to become… then why does He have to take the mood of a devotee to understand what the devotee is thinking? To understand what Radharani is thinking?” And that question is so far off, that question has got so many aparadhas and rasabhasas in it that I still haven't recovered. That how a devotee… it was an innocent question, no doubt, but it's just completely… Because first of all, we are discussing Radharani, who's got nothing to do … first of all, "If Krishna is the Paramatma…” Was completely… “If Krishna was the Paramatma.” Why if? You're doubting that Krishna is the Parmatma.

It's one thing if it's some other person. You first said, "If Krishna was the Parmatma." The Krishna-aparadha. Then the second thing was, "Why does He have to take the mood of Radharani to understand what her mind is? Paramatma is in the conditional souls’ heart. That equated Radharani to a conditional soul, having a material body, and that "Krishna was her Parmatma, then why Krishna can’t know her mind?" That was another aparadha. And the whole thing was a rasabhasa. Then I thought. “I can’t… you know, this has taught me that I should never explain anymore anything that's a little bit esoteric, because then some devotee very innocently, you know, would just get involved in some kind of doubt and then commit offenses.”

Krishna in Vaikuntha, He is the Superme Narayana. There He knows everything that's going on, but He takes a different mood in Goloka. That is His opulence. Just like in the court room, the high court judge is completely in control of everything; but when he goes home he allows his wife to control him. That doesn't mean that he is any less. Radharani is expansion of Krishna’s pleasure potency. She has all the transcendental qualities, but she is attracted by Krishna. Therefore, she's defeated by Krishna. Krishna, He also allows himself to be defeated by her. And this goes on in His… the eternal pastime, which is beyond our ability to understand.

So somehow, as expansion Lord Caitanya come down. It’s very impossible to us understand. Still great devotees like Krsnadas Kaviraja, Rupa and Sanatana, they're so kind to give some explanation, just so that we can know. But then we should understand that how far removed is Paramatma from Krishna and what is the position of Radharani. A devotee should be very careful, as I said, worshiping Radha Krishna, even discussing Radha Krishna; very deep waters. You have to be very careful. Then I was trying to explain and I thought… I saw that belligerent attitude was there. So therefore I didn’t want to get too much deep into any more thick water.

We should understand what is the position of Radharani. She is not a conditioned soul; she doesn’t have a Supersoul Visnu in her heart. She is Krishna, non-different energy–- you saw that picture of Krishna; They are completely one. But Somehow they become two, and we'll never really understand until we follow in the footsteps of a pure devotee. All we can understand, all that we can just explain is just to understand this point that this is the topmost. This is the ultimate summum bonum of life. Not that we can understand by discussing it, by having joint meeting, or private discussing… It's not possible. But by first of all understanding, in a relative way, by our limited intelligence, that actually, there's no higher concept than that; it encompasses everything. Now, follow in their footsteps, follow in the footsteps. Become a pure devotee. Surrender yourself. Give up desire for personal sense gratification. Simply serve the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Chant constantly Hare Krishna. Always remember.

Then what is guaranteed here if one is always remembering, and chanting and serving Radha Krishna, serving the Lord? Then one attains to their direct service in the future. What more can one desire? At that time, then we can understand. Actually all these details; actually even before then, gradually more and more is revealed. What we're… now the discussion is just that one can be convinced, "Yes, there is nothing more complete understanding of absolute truth than that." This encompasses everything. Now I have to really understand it, by realization. We believe in realization. We are not academic. We realize by realization. Knowledge is there, and the realization of that comes through the practice. Even a sadhana siddhi, even someone who is practicing sadhana, the daily practice of rules and regulations, if he sticks to it, develops this mood, follows in the footsteps of the pure devotee, then he achieves the same success as the eternally liberated soul.

So in spite of it being Kali yuga with so many deficiencies, with so many obstacles, by the mercy of Radha and Krishna, They’ve come down as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to give us this mercy to lift us up. Somehow and another that are people present here today, they are most fortunate– favorite of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna, Gokulananda and their devotees… Somehow or another they’ve been brought to the association of devotees, with a little endeavor, just by changing the mental attitude from personal sense gratification to Krishna consciousness. Because Krishna is summum bonum, He is like a root of everything, when we satisfy him, we automatically become satisfied.

If one just changes his mentality, following, developing that mood, and serves with that new mentality, immediately he can feel transcendental bliss. Once he achieves that transcendental bliss, then it's very easy to forget about sense gratification. But without changing our mentality, if we think that we are going to get transcendental bl... it's very difficult. We can get for a moment, then it goes away. So that is an essential thing now– to change your mentality from one of being an enjoyer, one of being controller, to one of being a servant, one of being enjoyed by the Lord.

That’s why Narrotama das Thakura, "bisaya chairya kabe tuccha habe mana? When will I give up this desire to Lord it over, to enjoy? When will I have the desire simply to be enjoyed, to be a servant, and give up this false material position?" This can happen very easily by the mercy of Srimati Radharani. She has reached the topmost position.

Laksmi, Mahalaksmi, is performing tapasya to try to achieve the standard of purity and chastity of Srimati Radharani, but she was refused even admittance into the rasa dance. Gauri, she also wants to achieve that highest standard of chastity. What is to speak the consorts of Indra, Vasistha and other great… they are always hankering, but they… She's the crest jewel. Take it that the mercy is the embodyment of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I heard that has mercy given down through Nitai Gaura, six Gosvamis. through the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas. Somehow we should get that mercy, whatever we can. And get the special favor of Srimati Radharani and go back to home, back to godhead. Wherever they like we can go in their transcendental service.

Jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare/

hare rāma hare rāma

rāma rāma hare hare

Srimati Radharani ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: Sri Sri Radhastami-mahotsava ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: Jaya Srila Prabhupada ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami:Jaya Sri Tirthapada ki.

Devotees: Jaya!

[Break]

Golden color, like molten gold. How it is possible? Exactly. She doesn't have a material form. This is the description of Caitanya-Caritamrta but we can't exactly understand. Krishna is so attractive He attracts even the cupid. But Radharani is so attractive, she attracts Krishna, but she doesn’t try to attract anyone else neither does she to be attracted by anyone else; her only purpose is to be attracted by Krishna. Not conscious of anyone else.

Question: (inaudible)

Jayapataka Swami: When one hears and is not agitated by sex desire or is reminded about material sex activity, that is one of the qualifications that was mentioned in the sastra. One hears the pastimes of Krishna and gopis and becomes materially agitated, so then definitely one shouldn’t listen. The other qualification is… Prabhupada said one should understand the first nine cantos of the Bhagavtam and then go on to the tenth, the most confidential subject matters: Radha Krishna… gopis and Krishna's pastime.

Question: (inaudible)

Jayaptaka Swami: Pardon? Why not, when all the energies are there, why not? Tulasi also… She is one of the principal manjaris. Tulasi is Vrindadevi.

Question: (inaudible)

Jayapataka Swami: If we are chanting and we're not… our hearts are not melting, that means that we have the effect of sinful activities and apradhas, you see. But because we're chanting, we may be getting some shelter. But if our chanting is completely offenceless, then we'll directly perceive Krishna is non-different from His name. We’ll have a complete realization of Krishna through chanting. Just like Haridasa Thakura and another devotee achieved. So, we can take it that definitely we have offences. So all we can do now is try to avoid more offences and then serve very carefully to eradicate what offences we have now.

It may be that now we're just cleansing; we don't have any great, pretty big offences. But if we're careless, then it is further… Sometimes devotees, they seem to make rapid advancement, then they get stuck. They even have decrease sometimes, due to seeing other devotee in a materialistic way and committing offences.

Prabhupada said that we have to be careful not to think… we may think that, “Oh, Prabhupada was a pure devotee and when we were… Godbrothers were all present sometimes we would think of eachother maybe in some other vision, but he was saying that you have to see eachother as Vaisnavas. "All my followers are pure devotees.” Don’t offend anyone. Krishna will be displeased.

In preaching sometimes one has to protect. If some other… Like Prabhupada would sometimes protect us from other borderline activities which were not very favorable to ISKCON, but were performed by other Vaisnavas, he had to criticize to protect us. Even then, he would ask for forgiveness and explain that for preaching, sometimes it’s necessary, but we should just take the attitude of being very careful not to offend any devotees, or the holy name, or the Deities.

Definitely, we are suffering from different type of offences; otherwise we would not be not in complete spontaneous devotional service after chanting for some time.

Transcribed by :

H.G. Subhara Shubhangi Devidasi - Damodardesh, Dubai Date : 1 October 2014

Revised by:

H.G. Jagannatha dasa Brahmacari