The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on September 12th, 1981 in Miami Florida. The class begins with a reading from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1, Chapter 8, Text 9.

Jayapataka Swami:

oṁ ajṣāna-timirāndhasya

jṣānāṣjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe

nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne

gaura-tviṣe namo-namaḥ

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho

dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta

rādhā-kānta namo ’stu te

tapta-kāṣcana-gaurāṅgi

rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi

praṇamāmi hari-priye

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

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Jayapataka Swami: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Jayapataka Swami: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Jayapataka Swami:

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya

naraṁ caiva narottamam

devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ

tato jayam udīrayet

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

[Break]

uttarovāca

Devotees: uttarovāca

Jayapataka Swami: pāhi pāhi mahā-yogin

Devotees: pāhi pāhi mahā-yogin

Jayapataka Swami: deva-deva jagat-pate

Devotees:  deva-deva jagat-pate

Jayapataka Swami: nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁ paśye

Devotees: nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁ paśye

Jayapataka Swami: yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam

Devotees: yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam

[Break]

Jayapataka Swami: uttarā uvāca

Devotees: uttarā uvāca

Jayapataka Swami: Uttarā said

Devotees: Uttarā said

Jayapataka Swami: pāhi pāhi

Devotees: pāhi pāhi

Jayapataka Swami: protect, protect;

Devotees: protect, protect;

Jayapataka Swami: mahā-yogin

Devotees: mahā-yogin

Jayapataka Swami: the greatest mystic

Devotees: the greatest mystic

Jayapataka Swami: deva-deva

Devotees: deva-deva

Jayapataka Swami: the worshipable of the worshiped

Devotees: the worshipable of the worshiped

Jayapataka Swami: jagat-pate

Devotees: jagat-pate

Jayapataka Swami: O Lord of the universe

Devotees: O Lord of the universe

Jayapataka Swami: na

Devotees: na

Jayapataka Swami: not

Devotees: not

Jayapataka Swami: anyam

Devotees: anyam

Jayapataka Swami: anyone else

Devotees: anyone else

Jayapataka Swami: tvat

Devotees: tvat

Jayapataka Swami: than You

Devotees: than You

Jayapataka Swami: abhayam

Devotees: abhayam

Jayapataka Swami: fearlessness

Devotees: fearlessness

Jayapataka Swami: paśye

Devotees: paśye

Jayapataka Swami: do I see

Devotees: do I see

Jayapataka Swami: yatra

Devotees: yatra

Jayapataka Swami: where there is

Devotees: where there is

Jayapataka Swami: mṛtyuḥ

Devotees: mṛtyuḥ

Jayapataka Swami: death

Devotees: death

Jayapataka Swami: parasparam

Devotees: parasparam

Jayapataka Swami: in the world of duality.

Devotees: in the world of duality.

Jayapataka Swami:

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

This material world is the world of duality, in contrast with the oneness of the absolute realm. The world of duality is composed of matter and spirit, whereas the absolute world is complete spirit without any tinge of the material qualities. In the dual world everyone is falsely trying to become the master of the world, whereas in the absolute world the Lord is the absolute Lord, and all others are His absolute servitors. In the world of duality everyone is envious of all others, and death is inevitable due to that dual existence of matter and spirit. The Lord is the only shelter of fearlessness for the surrendered soul. One cannot save himself from the cruel hands of death in the material world without having surrendered himself at the lotus feet of the Lord.

[Break]

Thus end the Purport by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Uttara, the widow of the son of Arjuna was approaching the protector of the Pandavas, Bhagavan Sri Krsna, because Maharaja Pariksit in her womb was being threatened or attacked by Brahmastra weapon. The Pandavas were completely surrendered unto Krsna, they were completely dependent upon Krsna; therefore Krsna took a special care of them.

Srila Prabhupada here in the purports, he very clearly explains that the Lord is equal to everyone. He takes care of everyone, but that devotee who completely depends upon Him, He takes a special care. Just like a father takes care of all the children but the little childre… a child who completely depends upon the father actually he takes a special attention. So here is the secret for our success, that we should be so simple like a like a little child, simply depending upon Krsna.

Although this statement may appear very simple, but actually we can see that this is one of the great secrets of devotional service, one of the great mysteries. Because, by that simple attitude of faith and dependence, along with that dependence that… dependence means one is having faith. You can't depend on someone unless you have faith in him. So that dependence means that they have complete faith in faith in Krsna. And because they have complete faith in Krsna, Krsna never lets them down. He always protects them.

Sometimes those devotees who are going out and preaching in the field, they want to know how to increase their preaching effectiveness or how they can become more Krsna conscious in their service. Here we see the secret is given by Uttara Devi as explained by Srila Prabhupada; that is to completely depend upon Krsna. Not that we depend on our false ego or we depend upon some apparent material ability. The real quality is to depend upon Krsna, to reach the heart… every person we speak to in this material world, Krsna is there in the heart. Why only the people we speak to? He is even in the heart of the snakes, of the animals, of the birds, of every creature.

When Haridasa Thakura was sitting in the cave, the Guha, at Phulia, just by the side of the Ganges in Nadia District, and the devotees would come to visit him, there was a big snake there. And they were always very frightened about this snake, because going for a darshan when you have a snake… not ordinary snake but a man eating python about twenty, thirty feet long. Just while you are having darshan they were on the one side there is a python. So naturally one could get a bit nervous under such a situation. So this was the exact position of those devotees or brahmanas who were coming to see Haridasa Thakura.

So they were requesting him, "Don't stay here. It’s a bit dangerous place." He said, "There is nothing to worry about." But they were always feeling a bit nervous. So one day he decided, "Let me go out, so that these people coming may not be disturbed." As soon as he decided to leave that cave, the Snake got up and left. Why? Because Krsna was in his heart, didn't want his devotee to go through the difficulty of leaving. He just told the snake, "Go on out." Generally Krsna doesn't interfere, but sometimes, to please a devotee, then Krsna takes some special care.

When Haridas Thakur was beaten in 21 market places by those demons, Lord Caitanya revealed to Haridasa Thakura during His Maha-prakash Lila, "I personally came there with my Sudarsana-cakra to cut off their heads but when you were wishing them all good you were wishing them all benediction, how could I cut off their heads?" So instead Lord Caitanya took the beating from those demons. So similarly when the devotee is preaching and is meeting a person, Krsna in that person's heart, by the blessings by the goodwill, by the complete dependence and surrender of that devotee, that person's heart can be touched by Krsna as a special mercy, and for the preacher to feel that it is Krsna's mercy, only that someone's heart was touched is the real understanding, free from all type of dangers of illusion.

We can see how this mother Uttara was completely sinless, you see; how she was completely unassuming. She simply wanted to take the shelter of Krsna. Krsna doesn't turn away surrendered souls. In this material world if someone wants to surrender there is ever the chance that the person will not accept that service because it does not suit His interest. Therefore there are so many deserted partners from marriage; there are so many lost lovers, so many unemployed people, because everything even the so-called love of this material world is on a business level. But the relationship between the devotee and Krsna is on the level of Krsna-prema, on level of pure love and affection. Therefore Krsna, He doesn't refuse the service of a pure devotee, someone who is simply giving that service to please Krsna.

Haridasa Thakura was asked by one lady devotee, "What is the best way of chanting? There are different opinions. Some say chant loudly, some say chant softly, some say chant mentally. What is the best way?" So Haridasa Thakura revealed that the best way of chanting is loudly. That loud chanting is 100 times more effective than soft chanting. Because by loud chanting, so many other living entities are benefitted by hearing the Harinama.

Hearing the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, animals, birds, beasts, even micro-organisms they are all benefited. So by serving others by bringing them closer to Krsna–Krsna is especially merciful– and one gets forgiven for offenses. When one gets forgiven for offenses the path of devotional service becomes very easy and one advances most quickly. Therefore loud chanting is more effective. Similarly, from this we can understand that that service which is bringing more people to Krsna consciousness, that service which is bringing more people into the service of Krsna, frees one from offenses and that’s why it is more effective. It is more purifying.

If one dedicates his life for preaching Krsna consciousness, for distributing Srila Prabhupad's books, for establishing the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the world, then by broadcasting that message, just like loud chanting by loud broadcasting one is getting purified of the offences that means that one’s chanting, one’s devotional service will get special shelter by Lord Sri Krsna. It will be more effective.

So we should take these very secret and wonderful lessons to heart. If one wants to make a special advancement, very quick return back to the spiritual perfectional platform then one needs to take all the advantages that are at our… that are available. So this loud broadcasting of the Hari naam preaching of Krsna consciousness, this is how we can advance more efficiently, more rapidly.

Sometimes devotees think, "First, let me read a lot or do a lot of preliminary work, then I will begin my preaching career." But after we have a basic understanding of Krsna Consciousness, actually it’s the preaching which makes us more purified quicker. Because it's not a scholastic exercise that we understand Krsna consciousness; otherwise these big scholars they'd all be realized souls. But in spite of reading the books of Caitanya Mahaprabhu or Krsna they don’t understand. Because Krsna keeps Himself covered by yogamaya, except to His devotee. Na me… bhaktyā mām abhijānāti Except for the devotee no one can know Him. So therefore simply by scholastic endeavor or other type of external endeavor, because of so many subtle offences that we are liable to commit, this will not be as effective. It will be much slower than engaging ourselves in actively distributing the mercy of Lord Nitai Gaura.

Why the Krsna conscious movement has expanded so quickly? Because the devotees have become purified. Purity is our force and preaching is the essence. Because they preach therefore that helps the purity internally. But here we can see the danger. If we lose our dependence on Krsna, then naturally Krsna, He will not protect us to that same extent, because we are not asking always in our heart of heart for that protection. We are thinking that “I know how to do. I am very expert.” Then what happens is, we miss out from Lord Caitanya's mercy. So very intensely we have to maintain always our complete dependence and faith on Krsna.

In this material world to be dependent on someone means to be weak, because ultimately anyone in this material world can let us down. Because they are all subject to the influence of the senses, no matter how faithful the wife, how faithful the husband, how faithful a friend, when it comes to the attachment to the senses and different allurements of the senses, there is every possibility of fall down and other considerations are forgotten… They fall prey to the senses, when different allurement comes or they become angry. Even Lord Brahma was running after his daughter at one point. So these senses are so strong that if we depend on another conditioned soul in this material world, naturally we will be let down sooner or later. Therefore it's a weakness. But to depend on Krsna because Krsna is never under the influence of this material world; He is always transcendental. This was even accepted by Sankaracharya. Narayana paro vyaktat. Because Sri Krsna has a transcendental form, which is above the contact of this material world:

kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

Krsna is like the Sun and nescience is like darkness. Wherever there is Krsna there is no nescience. Darkness cannot stand before the light of Krsna. Last night it was pitch black because there were rain clouds in the sky. But as soon as the sun started to come even before it came there was illumination. Similarly, for the devotee who is preaching, the devotee who is dedicating and depending on Krsna even before Krsna is fully visible, just like the sun rising in the east, already the sky becomes illuminated. Already the person's consciousness becomes illuminated and becomes inspired with Krsna Consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada very proudly would tell the people in India how the Christian priests were commenting that “Your boys and girls of your Hare Krsna Movement their faces are very bright. How do they get this effulgence or brightness in their face?” He was very proud of that. Because even they may not have all realized Krsna directly or may not have realized Krsna face to face but even in the preliminary stages, as Krsna is coming closer to the devotee who is depending on Him, already there is illumination. Already there is… the light taking away the darkness. And one can see things as they are; who is happy in this material world and who is not happy.

Therefore those who say that one should spend so much time studying or so much time preparing, after one has the basic understanding, basic preparation, there is no need to wait until one becomes fully Krsna-realized, then one should preach. No. Because we have so many offences we need to preach as soon as we are strong enough to do so to get rid of those offenses. That will bring us close to Krsna. That will attract Krsna to us, because we depend on Him.

Why? Krsna was immediately attracted when Uttara ran up and said "Pahi Pahi Maha Yogin...."deva deva jagat pate? nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁ paśye yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam. Nanyam. No one else! Tvam, Except for you. No one else is there to protect me except for you. And not even that she wants her own protection, but she is praying for the protection of the embryo in her womb. Similarly, the devotee praying for the deliverance of the foolish people who may show some little attraction for Krsna… they are stopping, they are hearing, they are showing some attraction.

Yesterday in the Miami airport we were sitting down, you see and there right next to us there was one 60, 70-year-old lady who was reading the science of self-realization in Spanish. Very much absorbed in Srila Prabhupada's literature. Very enlivening to the heart to see how the people, they like Srila Prabhupada's literature. That means that they are having some attachment, some attraction to Krsna. And the devotee praying to Krsna for their deliverance, praying for their mercy, depending on Krsna, those who are little bit attached, naturally, they will be able to get the mercy. So this is the perfect platform to attract Krsna to us.

Srila Prabhupada said "Do not try to see Krsna, act in such a way that Krsna'll want to see you". So in this way just as she was crying to Krsna for protecting the embryo dependent, this whole world is dependent on the preachers of the Krsna Consciousness. There is no other hope. Who else is preaching pure God Consciousness in this world?

In the Western world there is not even a trace, there is not even a resemblance. So therefore that means that these people who are… just like in the Bhagavad-gita describes one of the stages is like womb… embryo in the womb that is considered to be very covered up, and other is like fire in the smoke... Fire covered by smoke. So there may be some people who are like fire covered by smoke but the animals, they are considered like the embryo covered by the womb.

So practically we can see that in the Western countries many of the people, they are completely absorbed, although human beings, they fit the description that Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other great saints. They are animals without horns and without tail. They don’t have any spiritual concept at all. They’re simply acting on the basis of the senses. So even if they are at the stage where they are an embryo covered by the womb, then the devotee out of compassion… just like Uttara out of compassion for her embryo on her womb and see that there is no other person to help, and the Brahmastra, the deadly weapon of death, is approaching them very soon, much sooner than they expect; it may only be moments away; therefore, the devotee is praying to give these souls the mercy.

Because Nitai Gaur is so merciful. They want, Papi tapi jata chilo Harinama uddharilo, every fallen soul to get this mercy. Therefore they hear these sincere prayers and therefore people take these transcendental literatures and they are benefited. The preacher is benefitted. He is being forgiven by so many offenses. He is attracting Krsna. He is learning to depend on Krsna. He is being purified. And the person is being actually saved. He is being saved from the indestructible hand of death.

Simply by even reading one word in a transcendental literature Srila Prabhupada explained, that begins one’s spiritual life. Each word describes in the Bhagavatam "Janatagha viplavo" It's like a revolution in the sinful life of the people. Even if they read one word that is the beginning. That has begun their connection with Krsna. That has given them the first spiritual step.

Then again they will be inclined to read more to do some more service to have some more contact. Gradually build up the spiritual bank balance. Their spiritual credits. When they have enough sukriti then they will be eligible also to engage directly in pure devotional service for Krsna. It is simply a matter of time. The more intensely that one can engage, the more rapidly one can reach pure devotional service. But there has to be a beginning somewhere.

That someone has come in the movement and is distributing the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu means that he has got some special mercy. In previous lives or in this life from devotees of the Lord. What a greater, what a wonderful engagement and to give that same mercy to others? Begin or help their spiritual life along? The more mercy they are getting that way. As long as this is given in such a way that they are not inimical. They don’t become resentful of getting that mercy. Then they make a pure advancement without any inebriation… any inebriety.

So we can take a very nice instruction from this sloka. Feeling compassion like Uttara felt compassion for embryo, for the people in this material world, who are covered like an embryo in the womb with so many materialistic desires, but somehow or another if their mind becomes attracted to Krsna or engage in Krsna's service, hearing, remembering, chanting: These are all services to Krsna.

When they read, that’s a Kirtana, it's also a sravana: a hearing, a chanting. And when they try to understand when they try remember that… this is all part of remembering. In this way they are engaging in different services. By engaging in these nine practices of devotional service, they become connected with Krsna. Then they are further purified as Friends of Krsna, as devotees, as preachers. In this way, all good fortune is achieved.

Yesterday we read that the witch Maya, practically speaking, ghostly haunts the materialists; therefore, they are very nervous. But when someone who is haunted by this witch Maya meets a pure saint, pure devotee of Krsna, who is representing Krsna for the purpose of delivering fallen souls, and when that empowered devotee speaks Krsna Consciousness, sings various songs, that drives away that witch Maya. And frees that person from the illusion; therefore, it is essential that devotees give their association to the innocent people and free them from the clutches of Maya.

Without that association, without hearing Krsna consciousness, without getting the transcendental literatures which give that same association, then they are always running away from Krsna. And as long as they are running away from Krsna, keeping their face away from Krsna, being under the clutches of Maya, then Maya kicks them.

kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha

ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha

They are given the miseries of this material world. They are being kicked; ultimately they are being killed. So be compassionate. Help the fallen souls. Take responsibility, because no one else is taking responsibility. It was a desire of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that everyone should get this mercy. Therefore it is the devotees who have to take the compassion.

Uttara, she should have simply joined her husband in the fire but she is protecting her womb, her embryo, her baby; because that responsibility there is no one else to do it. She must do it. Even other she would rather joined her husband and jumped into the fire. Similarly, the spiritual master may be present or may not be present but the fallen souls who are in this ignorant dependent situation, dependent only on the other devotees to give them spiritual knowledge, there is no one else to give it to them. Even though they like to simply like to go with the spiritual master they know that it is the responsibility to take care of the dependents, bring them up to spiritual knowledge and then in due course when they also can take the responsibility, when they become advanced, then one will also join the spiritual master. Until that time one has to take that compassion and that responsibility.

So we can see here in this sloka, many correlations between our situation and how we should be dedicated to giving the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to taking this responsibility, even though might be something we like to do better, even though we are feeling some separation from our spiritual master, still this responsibility is far more dear to the spiritual master and it is our duty to perform it, even though it may seem an impossible task, just like it was impossible for a simple woman to defend herself against an atomic weapon which was set against her to kill her embryo. Similarly Maya sends so many different type of high-powered weapons to bring the materialistic mind away from Krsna. But when the devotee is purely depending on Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then Lord Caitanya sends, just like Krsna sends His Sudarsana-cakra, He sends His mercy and that mercy protects the conditioned soul against Maya. Because of the intervention and the prayers of the pure devotees who are preaching Krsna consciousness.

Glories to mercy of

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya.

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami:

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Are there any questions? Yes?

Question: One doesn’t have enthusiasm to go out to distribute, is it just lack of hearing and by going out you become enthusiastic?

Jayapataka Swami: It's lack of understanding. Uttara, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child? She knew that this was her responsibility. She saw the connection between her and the child. The child was given to her by the husband. It was her ward. She had responsible because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness.

Selfish means not the real self-interest but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments. It won't actually seize the connection that the spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver. He’s given them. They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present we could commit suicide and leave our body. Why live in this world without our spiritual master? Or why be somewhere without him? We can just go wherever he is, you see. But we have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us. If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help being enthusiastic to go and preach up to our full capacity? But we don't see that connection.

If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard? We just chant Hare Krsna, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to either get heavenly planets or to get Vaikuntha get some liberation, somehow or the other we will stick it out we will get back to Godhead. So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master we are just… so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition. Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.

That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service. This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Krsna, serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come? It must come. Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by Bhukti, Mukti, Sprha that we become disturbed in our mind. Krsna bhakta nishkam ataeva shanta. Because a devotee doesn’t have, the Krsna devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the guru-parampara; therefore, he is peaceful, but the others those desiring bhukti, bhokti, siddhi kami liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they are all disturbed in their mind. And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach. For a short time, one can do it. So the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in a mood of pure devotion. That will attract Krsna, that will bring us to the goal. Could you follow?

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Nitai Gaur Guru Gaurangadeva ki

Devotees: Jaya!

Devotee: Srila Acaryapada ki Jaya!

Devotees: Jaya!

Transcribed by : Rasbihari Madhav Das (Rajesh Raghavendran),

Navi Mumbai. Date: 24-Jul-2013

Revised by Jagannatha dasa Brahmacari