19820509-How-to-Expand-the-Preaching-Toronto-Canada-Literal-Version

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on May 9th, 1982 in Toronto, Canada.

Jayapataka Swami: …and their profits for the expansion of the movement, so Prabhupada, he had to build up brahmanas. He said, “I need brahmanas. I need people to teach the society.” So, he said half of the job is done. You see, he has made brahamanas other half was to do varnasram. What about the others the vaisyas, the ksatriyas who has going to be in the society , who are going to work outside but they are going to chant hare Krsna in their home and they are going to contribute money. They are going to do other type of service. They are going to preach and more devotees will be able to come.

So of course nonetheless we have to go on making more devotees and seeing who is ready to be called by Lord Caitanya. At the same time I see that the problems in maintaining the temples will be greatly reduced as the congregation is increased and as the people feel that they are benefitting by Krsna consciousness they willing like to give something to help the preaching of the Krsna consciousness movement so that preachers do… have to do less preaching less sankirtan based on paraphernalias and other things and they can do more preaching based upon simply giving out books and giving out spiritual instruction, but this is a long range program. Its going to be a gradual… because first of all as soon as a person becomes attached to the temple becomes… he’s not immediately going to give out so much finance. As they start to benefit and start to see spiritually how the temple is helping them more and more they’ll be encouraged to give.

We find that in… for instance like in Calcutta or India the big big rich people who are the big influential Indians, they become a life members but they hardly ever come to temple. They gave one time money after that it’s very hard to approach them. But the middle people who are coming and they are regularly chanting and they are taking part, they’er part of the namahatta program or Friends of Lord Krsna program, the vaishya rishi program, those people because they are regularly chanting they are associating with devotees some of them are taking initiation, they give a huge percentage of their time and if they are making money even of their money to the Krsna consciousness movement because they actually have realized… they are devotees they have realized that this is a very good thing but they don't leave their families, they don't leave their businesses they work outside but they very intimately connected. But it takes a while… it takes sometime for them… even Indian people like that to come up to that level. What to speak of in the West it would take some time of cultivating and… I know that for instance, I started the program… or encouraged them to start it in South America where I am a guru and there was one boy in Peru. I convinced him to start to chant and he started 2 rounds a day I came back 6 months later and then he said that now he is chanting 4 rounds and he’s stopped eating meat, fish and eggs. I came back 6 months later, that was after a year and he was saying that now he is chanting 6 to 8 rounds and he was stopping taking all type of alcohol and marijuana and things. Then again after year and half I came and he said now he had given up… he was chanting 12 to 16 rounds, and he given up smoking and he was following all the principles at that time, and so then I encouraged him “Now you should steadily chant 16 rounds.” So its going on for 2 years like that gradually gradually but he is also… the temple said that he regularly gives donations he sometimes gives 10,000 soles 20,000 soles of their currency. And sometimes he gave what? Some high-fi stereo, you know, he is a very favourable person but he was a bit atta… I mean he just couldn’t, all of a sudden but devotees encouraged him and he was able to from his own position to gradually advance.

So of course for ordinary sankirtana devotees who are you know used to go out with bag of books and you come back you know with that much result or for other type of bhakta leaders and that it might be a little slower, but it doesn't… we need only… it needs maybe one person to concentrate in an area and other people to now and then preach and assist. And I have firm conviction and faith that by the mercy of Lord Caitanya you will find many many people out in the material world who will practice Krsna consciousness and as you build up their ranks, then gradually over the period of the years they will supply a very strong base from which we can expand Krsna consciousness in another whole dimension. And then when you also have this strong base especially in these Western countries which are all democratic if you have thousands of followers then they have to give you more facility for preaching because they are afraid of losing votes.

If the Catholic Church wants to set up a booth in the airport they could do it. No one is going to object. They could do whatever legislation because in Quebec everyone is a Catholic more or less. But of course They don't have to so they don't bother to do that. Similarly if we have a big following then we can get more and more facility. Now if you want to do preaching on Catherine Street probably it’s very hard to get permission, but if you have 50,000 voters in Hare Krsna then they are going to make some arrangement. Otherwise there are going to be few aldermen or people then not going to get elected next time.

You see it works like that. In New Vrindavana because they have their own little area there. Bhaktipada was saying that every time the commissioner comes out during the vote time and says please vote for us and they fix up the roads and they do whatever they want because they hold the majority of votes. So we are not directly into politics or anything but the point is that these are another side benefits that at least for our preaching it would also… people would give us more facility the government and other people although they are not unfavorable they co-operate, but if they really knew that we had a broad base it would be so much more easy to get different facilities, so there’s many many different ways you can see it, and is this definitely is one direction that we have to take.

When we calculate how many books we distributed then we want to see that from that how many people are chanting Hare Krsna. Thats the natural next thing we want to see. So some senior devotee who is able to patiently cultivate people and bring them up from one step to the next you see, he might be encouraged to do that kind of a preaching to recognize the devotees… who is more serious and others there is basically few stages that seem to be popular in England and South America they call like the associate member. Amigo de Krsna in South America, Friends of Lord Krsna in England. I don’t know what is in French. In Italian it is Amichi de Krsna and so first is just one is someone is a little bit favorable his name is on the mailing list. Then the next is they chant one round per day.

In Peru I called… we had a meeting in the National Library and 500 people came there, and in India you know we have these big pandal programs and I request all the people to chant Hare Krsna and to promise to chant everyday 108 times minimum which only takes 5, 7 minutes. I asked the people “How many of you can give 7 minutes a day to make yourself completely happy and peaceful? Is there anyone who doesn't have 7 minutes a day raise your hand. All those who want to be happy raise your hand. Anyone in the room wants to be happy raise your hand.” You see. “Everyone that wants to see whole world happy raise your hand. Everyone wants to see likes the movement of Caitanya mahaprabhu to make everyone happy raise your hand.” You see like this then you say, “How many can give 7 minutes to do it raise your hand.” (devotees laugh). So then we say how we, “Our request that you should chant Hare Krsna 7 minutes a day at least. 108 times you see.” So I do that… India we get 500,000 people they all sign up and we cultivate them and we deal… So then I told them in South America the same thing will work.

But they said “No, no no. Here the people you know they are little bit different.”

So then at National Library I had four… I had 250 cards from Calcutta, even it was the wrong language, in English. Everyone speaks Spanish. I gave the same appeal and the 400 people lined up to sign. I only had 200 cards. Other people they signed their name and address on a paper that when you get the card you send to me. We will daily chant. You see, so maybe it is a different percentage of people in different places will do it, but if we have a nice program if you just appeal to the people “Why don't you try chanting? Doing a transcendental meditation. And then try chanting. See if you benefit. For one month, try it. For one year, 5 or 10 minutes a day. If you can… then if you like it then you can go on increasing.” In this way more and more people as they start to chant you see that the whole atmosphere will change. People will start to become happy.

Yes?

Devotee: Maharaja I’d like to thank you for coming here. I always look forward to when you come. I’d like to ask you can you give a translation of Navadvipa Mahatmya. I can’t find the volume anywhere.

Jayapataka Swami: No. When I go back, I’m going to finish that.

Devotee: But how will that be available to find?

Jayapataka Swami: Thats gonna be published by BBT. The rough copy has been done, but the final thing… of course, it’s going to be a BBT publication so has to be you know as, perfect. So therefore have to go for final editing of it. We finished about… We finished a good part of it. The whole thing is done, rough, but now the final. Yes?

Devotee: (French)

Translator: Authorities in Krishna consciousness, do they have a direct link with Krsna?

Jayapataka Swami: Yes, through the guru-parampara. But that… that is a direct link just like if you see the wire from here and if you take the wire right now and I rip it down and I say that you touch the end of the wire and grab it. You have the direct link to the power house. No? Will you explain him?

Translator: (French)

Jayapataka Swami: So in the same way the direct power if its not coming down and how the devotees are able to work and chant Hare Krsna and be so happy? You can explain?

Translator: (French)

Jayapataka Swami: You see just like if you want to go to a doctor you want to see if he can cure your disease, by coming in contact with the leaders of this movement if you follow their instruction and advice when you get transcendental happiness then you can know that they are in touch with Krsna and they can give you Krsna.

Translator: (French)

Jayapataka Swami: You see, Krsna consciousness is not meant to give up everything. But it means that everything is done in a spiritual way. We have spiritual eating, spiritual resting we even have spiritual families. We have so many spiritual activities. Everything is done in a spiritual way. In a Krsna conscious way. Nothing is missing. Everything is complete.

Guest: Thank you.

Jayapataka Swami: Hare Krsna. Yes?

Guest: Sometimes people are chanting, and they are not feeling happy, because they are not really…

Jayapataka Swami: That means that they must be committing some offence.

Guest: So in the next stage, their chanting must be…

Jayapataka Swami: So they should start to chant more seriously in a more humble way. They must be developing either some other desires are there, so instead of tasting the holy name they are building up other desires. Fame. Prestige, breaking some regulative principles, doing some offence. If you follow the system properly it will definitely melt your heart.

Devotee: Sometimes we come in contact with people who are… come to Krsna consciousness but they don't want to belong to any kind of ritual, or any identification with a particular group. So how can we encourage them to chant the mahamantra and… so that they don't feel that they’re being… dragged in this sect?

Jayapataka Swami: They can chant in their own house. They don't have to belong to the group. We don’t say that you have belong to the group.

Devotee: But why this mantra in particular?

Jayapataka Swami: huh?

Devotee: Why this mantra?

Jayapataka Swami: This mantra is recommended in all of the Vedas. Just like it says in kali-santarana upanishad

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma

rāma rāma hare hare

iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ

kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanaṁ

nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ

sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate

iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ, these 16 names, kali-kalmaṣa vināśanaṁ It takes out… destroys all of the contaminations and dirts and evils of kali yuga, nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ, there is no other superior alternative. There is no other positive alternative than this. nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ, sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate- this is the conclusion of all the vedas.

In the Narada Pancaratra, it says that all of the powerful Vedic mantras if you condense them and put them together into eight words that is Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare…

(devotees continue chanting) “Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”

Jayapataka Swami: Eight words. (devotees laugh)

Devotee: So can we encourage people to chant like other names of God.

Jayapataka Swami: If they don't have faith in Krsna, we are not parochial. They can chant another name of God.

Devotee: And they’d be gradually purified to accept it.

Jayapataka Swami: That they can... We know that by chanting hare Krsna we get the benefit. And that if you chant similarly follow the similar process we are doing, if we chant any bona fide name of God then you can also achieve benefit, the same way. you see but there is no name as merciful as Krsna. If you know that there is only one common God for everyone, then thats the basis, where is the harm if you chant His name in English or in Hebrew or in Sanskrit or in Chinese or whatever, you see. The point is that each name if is the proper name… in Sanskrit Krsna means “all attractive, the reservoir of all pleasure” its a very merciful name, very powerful name. The word God is a very vague thing. Dios, Deus, in Spanish it is Dios. So its a very vague thing. Means creator or great or something. It’s not very definitive. You see so like that but if any bonafide name you can chant it. But according to the meaning of that name you get a certain reciprocation. So this name Krsna is some very special name because it touches a very intimate point in Krsna's heart.

Devotee: Asking question. What is meant when Lord Chatianya said that there is no hard and fast rules for chanting, when as we go on we say there are so many offenses, and so on?

Jayapataka Swami: you can chant any time any place. You can chant it on the roof, in the street. You can chant while you lying down, while you standing up, while you standing on your head, while you are in the bathroom. You can chant at while you are eating. You can chant at anytime. There is no hard and fast rule for when and where who can chant? Anyone can chant.

Devotee: But if one commits offenses in chanting, he doesn’t get the…

Jayapataka Swami: But its still better to chant even if you commit offense. But if you commit an offense in the holy name, the only way to get over that offense is by chanting more holy names. Just like if you commit an offense to a vaishnava how do you get forgiven for that?

Reply: By begging.

Jayapataka Swami: You have to go to the Vaisnava. If you commit an offense to the holy name, then how do you get forgiven for that. You can only get forgiven by chanting and praying to the holy name for forgiveness. There is no other way, you see. The holy name is the only competent authority to forgive offense against the holy name. And even the demons… of course that were fully Krsna consciousness in a demonic way, they got liberation. As better to be an offender… chant the holy name offensively than not to chant at all. But its best not to be an offender of the holy name and chant offenselessly. So one should strive for that.

Devotee: So what happens if somebody comes to the temple often or periodically but don’t want to chant it?

Jayapataka Swami: Well, Prabhupada said even if they hear thats also good. By hearing gradually , this thing like say many of the devotees in our temple, they may have been practicing several births before. They might have been coming to the temple like that and hearing it for one birth. Then they in the next birth now they are living in the temple as a devotee, you see. As long as they don't disturb anything alright, we want the people immediately… we can engaged in service. Some of those people sometimes if you just know “Alright. He’s a tough not. He is not going to chant. He is not going to become a devotee right now, alright. But engage him in some service.”

Devotee: Eat prasada.

Jayapataka Swami: Eat prasada… No. You have… before they eat prasada, you can also get them to pick up buckets and do things like that. A lot of times, these people will do some service. They don't mind working. They mind less working, than they they do chanting, some people. (devotees laugh). And by serving they gradually, they’ll get purified also.

Devotee: Will you tell us the importance and the impact of the harinam when we go in the street we are in front of people, when we go out the use of what is going on. What is the benefit of the harinam?

Jayapataka Swami: Unlimited benefit. You see they are able to hear the holy name. That’s entering into the heart they are destroying so many… so many of their sinful reactions and they may be afraid or they may laugh in the beginning. When Haridasa Thakura used to loudly chant. Sometimes people would criticize. Go, “Oh, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, ha ha.” (laughter) he would look very grave. So that why they would think that “Oh we are successfully agitating his mind.” And they would chant out loudly “Ha ha ha, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna!” group, you see and then that way inside he was very happy that they are chanting hare krsna more and more. (laughter). The more they chant Hare Krsna the more that they will be Krsna conscious, the more they will benefit.

So many devotees, they see devotees they chanting at that time they dont know what it is. There is a devotee that in Toronto now. He can remember seeing devotees chanting in McGill in 1968-69, but he didn’t know anything it is walked by, “What’s this?” And now he is a devotee. That chanting plants seeds in the heart.

Devotee: What about people who come to the temple and sometimes there are children, and say they come and chant, or whatever but you know they steal things, like that? You want to encourage them, because they’re making spiritual advancement, yet they’re committing offenses by doing those things, so how do you deal with that? Do you let them still come, or?

Jayapataka Swami: No. Well, if you can’t… In India we have everything in such a way that you can’t steal anything because there’s nothing around there, but if they still find a way to steal then, we throw them out, because that’s not sincere. Unless they can come sincerely… to come to Caitanya Mahaprabhu for some material reason or something…

Devotee: Let them be benefitted by that (inaudible)

Jayapataka Swami: No they can.

Devotee: On the streets, (inaudible) What is…

Jayapataka Swami: I know that in Africa and some places there are lot of theft is there, they just keep everything out of reach. Here people are more honest. So they don't worry so much about theft, but still it happens. So then if things are kept out of reach maybe then they can come and if its not there then… (inaudible)

Devotee : So we should not allow these… sometimes there are so many crazy people that come in and do nonsense.

Jayapataka Swami: No. We’re not… we have to be practical. Chanting the harinama is… one can do that. But still we don’t… people should commit the offenses before the Deity or steal the Deity, then we know its better that they chant Hare Krsna outside. They’re not ready to come to the temple. Unless they can at least keep some minimum standards.

Devotee: You were talking about this devotee would go to a place and gradually cultivate people, had this expertise, of gradually bringing people forward on the path of devotional service

Jayapataka Swami: whatever he does you encourage him.

Devotee: So is there a set method of reading of books, making cards before chanting, and chanting in forms… Jayapataka Swami: No, you can see different people are doing in different ways in different places. In terms of preaching so how was it kala desa patra time place and circumstance. Some people become Krsna conscious by going to cooking lessons and associating with devotees and learning how to cook and chanting. Some people become just by friendship with devotees. That’s the main reason why many people come because they make friendship with a devotee. Some one has to be a friend with these people but not on another level but in a Krsna conscious level. Whatever they do in Krsna consciousness you encourage them.

“Oh, wow you are chanting two rounds? Very good. Then you know you can try to increase.” encouraging. Not that “Oh you only do two? You are not advanced. You are not good.” Then they feel discouraged. Sometimes devotees… like some one says “Oh I’m chanting eight rounds.”

And then the person, “Oh you are not chanting sixteen rounds.” Then they lose their enthusiasm. They lose… Because they are not so advanced, so that type, they need to be encouraged.

“Oh you are doing very well. How much nicer if you could do better?” You know in a positive way. Positive alternative. Encouraging them. Whatever they’re doing, its good. “Try to do more.” So how if they’ll listen… the closer it is to taking the… our standard program, the better. You know, in the slight variations you know it can be cooking. It can be festivals. It can be so many other little things. Whatever… it can be music, it can be drama, whatever you can engage them in yena tena prakarena. whatever means you can get them to have more faith in Krsna. The devotee has to agree… has to be careful not to associate another level you see too much. Not that he becomes like them. But they should become like him. They should become more advanced. Any mothers? Devotee: Yes, so um what about seeing parampara when you try to make friends with a karmis? Sometimes you have to do so much (French)

Devotees: Compromise.

Devotee: So that the thing that you can’t even see parampara because the parampara is so strict, you know?

Jayapataka Swami: You mean in the preaching?

Devotee: Yes when you’re preaching to someone sometimes has to compromise so much to accommodate them to sort of…

Jayapataka Swami: You dont have to compromise. Its just a question of knowing how to present it. Thats why I find it to do this type of preaching when a new devotee can do it requires some one who has such a broad understanding of the philosophy that he can present it to the people without compromising it.

Devotee: I give you an example. There was a guest here on one Sunday, and the woman came running to me, “Please please come and preach to my husband. He doesn't want to listen. We are trying to convince him about reincarnation, and this and that. Some devotees trying to speak to him, but he is preaching to them. So I was a little reluctant to go because that I thought that, “Well, if he won’t listen, what’s the use? Let him take prasada, have a little association and he may come back. So… But the experience was that the devotees that spoke to him are young devotees. So they didn’t quite know how to approach him and just ended up… it ended up he was still pretty much cool headed and controlled in his misconceptions, in some ways. And the devotees left completely fried out and frustrated.

[break]

Jayapataka Swami: In the congregational program this is a little bit different, maybe… in the temple of things, but the same principle is there. Prabhupada said we can keep cows in the barn if they give milk. You see, so we can spend time with a person as long as they are actually taking the association and appear to be benefiting by it. If the person seems to… Prabhupada said, “How do you know if a person is sincere? When you speak to them and they listen.” If you speak to them and they don’t listen… they just immediately give another question or they don't seem to be listening you know, then you know they’re not very sincere yet.

If a person would listen then the more association you give the more it will start having effect. If they don't listen to you, if they’re not actually listening then of course they are not sincere. So then you just put him on a mailing list, and then gradually they may become sincere later. So how much time you give to a person will depend on how sincerely they’ll listen. And then when they listen then how they actually you know try to practice.

So it may be a gradual thing. But if they are listening and they are trying so then you give a little time, little time and you spread it out, and then a person is not really listening or just wants to waste time, so you be friendly. So you don't bore the person but encourage them but you don't waste so much time on that person until there is little more ser... you just keep a friendship and they’ll start… keep coming. That means they’re not yet ready yet. They have not keep them yet by Maya. so you just keep them friends. You know no reason to his burn them out because they are not that sincere then you spend more time with those who are more… proportionally more interested. And then as you train up other people like that they would be able to go and preach to these people because they are little more on their level. They can waste more time with them. (laughter) They have more time to spend you know and then they can cultivate people like that and bring them up to the next level.

Many times you find people dont follow regulative principles. They had been many times devotees to the temple. But they themselves dont become devotees, fully. Because they just have some… They like Krsna consciousness but they just have some attachment. They have some lack of faith themselves. So that was described even in the Caitanya-caritamrita some have pracara and some have acara. To have both acara and pracara is very rare.

Some can do some little preaching. Some can do some practicing. But to be perfect in practicing and preaching that is more rare. So you can even have a person, he may not be fully you know pure, but he may be able to give out a few books out to do some kind of little… to bring his friends to the temple and that way that’s also a preaching.

In India we have agents who distribute books. We have 50 members of the nama-hatta who take 20 books every two weeks and give them out. And one man he gave out… he almost sold 6,000 literatures last year. So we see that in the long run this way many books to be able to be distributed. Say you have 1000 active Friends of Krsna in a congregation of say 10,000. So the active people you give them some quota “You give out 5 books you give out 10 books, you give out 20 books. You sell to your friend or you pay for it or your own thing you give them out. However but your responsibility that 10 books go out this month or 5 you know.” So this way… or 20 for another person say average 10 if you have 1,000 that’s 10,000 books a month. With the devotees then only one man is distributing 10,000, one man through all these people.

So now we just… every month we pack them up and we mail them to them. Some of them are living far away from Mayapur. We just send you know like… in the distant towns. We send them the 10, 20 books and they distribute and then they send back the money and then we send them the next set. So there’s so many ways are there like people can be engaged in some preaching. When the travelling parties go they stay in their houses and preach to them. That’s how this one devotee my disciple in Toronto who used to be Sankara, now he is Vraja Jivana. He… the devotees used to always go to his house and stay there on sankirtana. And he let them use this house for a sankirtana base in Waterloo, and as a result he became… from the association of the devotees he got great faith. And slowly he is following 16 rounds of chanting and all the principles. He wanted initiation. Yes

Devotee: I was wondering it seems sometimes devotees are real busy. There are people in towns where maybe there isn’t a temple where maybe devotees are travelling through… like you know one person in particular I know really relishes the association of devotees and sometimes I know that devotees are going to be going through that town, so I give the address of this particular person asking them to just maybe drop by and give them a little prasadam or whatever, but it seems sometimes devotees are so busy that they can’t afford to even spend 10 minutes, a half an hour or things like this, where I was thinking that maybe if we do you know, little things like this, it would encourage these people like this to even respond or serve more. Because like I know this particular person, if a box of BTGs or books etc. were dropped off there, this person would make sure they were actually given out. But it seems sometimes that even if you approach devotees with this.

Devotee: It has to come from the top.

Jayapataka Swami: It has to come from the top. We have to organize like that. If they can… if it comes from the leaders then the people they can do a program in the person's house like once on a two weeks or once a month. He can invite his friends and you know even the grihasta couple can go and the wife can teach the… his wife, if he’s married, how to cook. You know they can bring over the people. They have a whole little cultural thing. You do a kirtan. You have a little short class. Play some of the new, you know recordings of Krsna rock, or whatever the depending on the kind… (laughter) or you show the video show.

Devotee: There’s so much preaching to do.

Jayapataka Swami: And the now there’s 27 videos, or something right? 27 or 29 I heard. So I mean, there’s so many shows and then there’s slide shows. So you can… it can be a little lively. It doesn't have to be… Even in india everywhere we go we have our slide projectors we have our cinema projectors and we show… thats the main thing. Everything is audio video.

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: So what to speak of the West where they’re already used to multimedia? Yes?

Devotee: I was just wondering how all this preaching in Bengal, how is it affecting Communism?

Jayapataka Swami: Many Communists are becoming Krsna consciousness.

Devotee: I heard there’s a lot of Communists. Is that right?

Jayapataka Swami: Well it’s just… you know it comes in waves. The previous political party didn’t make the people happy so the Communists said “We will make you happy.” Right? Now the Communists are in power. Now the people are becoming frustrated. Maybe this term or next term, they’ll probably get kicked out. This is… you know they’re are same cheating and the same everything as anywhere, you know. So they complain that “You see this is because we are Communists in a Capitalistic system. So we have to do is have…” but everyone can see that they are cheating also.

Just like in Quebec when I was in 1968-69, then there was a different party. Then came the Quebec Party. After I left they came in power. But now already I heard people are getting frustrated because economic situation is bad. This always happens in this world changing. First in America, there’s Republican then the Democrat, then Republican then the Democrat. But Srila Prabhupada said that only cure for Communism… atheistic Communism is Krsna consciousness. That is the actual solution.

Devotee: The book is published now?

Jayapataka Swami: Yes. It’s been published soft back now we’re also publishing in hard back.

Devotee: In Russian?

Jayapataka Swami: Bengali he asked.

Devotee: Do you have a Gita in Russian?

Jayapataka Swami: I don’t know. I don't think so. In Polish they have now. We have to get special computers to publish these languages Polish, Yugoslavia, Russia. These are very complex languages. To try to write Sanskrit in Russian...

Devotee: There’s not many sounds. There are a lot of sounds there’s no (inaudible) whatsoever, in Russian.

Jayapataka Swami: Srila Harikesa Swami is a great problem for doing these things, but he’s made the computer program himself, personally.

Devotee: When we want to become a preacher when we want to preach, how can we be a perfect instrument you know that the way we speak the way we move, it’s right on, you know? (laughter). How can we be powerful in our preaching? Sometimes we preach, we will repeat the words and all that, but it seems to miss the power, the sakti? Jayapataka Swami: You see the point is we do not make holy name our servant. We become the servant of the holy name. Its not that now when we say, “Now I’m going to chant and I am going to become ecstatic!

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna

Rama Rama Rama Rama!

(laughter) Why I’m not ecstatic?”

or that “Alright, now I’m going to preach here I am a great preacher now I’m going to preach. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Why everyone is not surrendering to Krsna? I m preaching. Me. The great, you see. Alexander. We cannot force the holy name. Its not our servant. We are surrendering to the holy name. (Child crying) That we are your instrument of holy name. We are the medium.

[aside]

Is there cookies or something to give out?

We are the medium.

Devotee: (inaudible)

Jayapataka Swami: No? Therefore we chant and we absorb ourself in that consciousness we absorb ourself in sankirtan as a servant of Krsna, as a servant of Lord Caitanya , as the servant of the holy name. Let the holy name engage us. When want to say something, pray to our spiritual master, pray to the holy name to purify consciousness to engage ourselves in the service. Unless the Lord gives some mercy its not possible to preach. Its not possible to experience this. It happens by the Lord's mercy. It is not a mechanical thing.

It is something that is a descending mercy and therefore as soon as you get a little proud you think that “Now I know how to do it. I’ll go out and do it.” You can fall on your face. Because that mercy will be… as you say even you become more and more expert but never forget for a moment that “Unless the Lord gives his mercy I won’t be able to do it.” Therefore, before we speak we always offers respects… our prayers to the spiritual master, Lord Caitanya, Krsna to get their mercy. Then we can preach. Then we can touch people's hearts. By His mercy.

If it touches someone's heart thats the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna. The preacher doesn't think that… No. That, “Somehow or another by my greatness it’s touching their hearts.”

“Somehow another by their mercy I’ve been able to be instrumental in touching their hearts. By their mercy.”

If I some how thinks that only due to me or something like that then the mercy may be cut off and I won’t be able to preach properly anymore. The more we can surrender in that way, the more we actually transcend material conditioning.

You have any question?

You are liking Hare Krsna movement?

Guest: Very much.

Jayapataka Swami: Oh, thank you. You are having any question, with the Bhagavad-gita in the hand?

Devotee: No. (laughter)

Jayapataka Swami: What’s his name?

Devotee: (inaudible) dasa.

Devotee: He’s been in the movement 11 or 12 years.

Devotee: I’ll be alright. (laughter)

Devotee: It’s hard to tell these days.

Jayaptaka Swami: Incognito.

Devotee: Secret weapon. (French) We must make an apology that there’s not enough prasada. Are there some predictions of when the actual prediction of Lord Caitanya will happen and everyone will be chanting congregationally?

Jayapataka Swami: its happening.

Devotee: There’s supposed to be a flood, a big flood, where everyone drowns.

Jayapataka Swami: Just don’t turn off the socket. Don’t dam it up. The flood waters are already there. Its only the devotees’ lethargy that can stop it… can delay it, and then the flood will have to find some other route. So you surrender and be the instrument and the flood waters will be running over you. And if you hesitate long enough then the waters will have to break in through some other place.

Devotee: That’s nice.

Jayapataka Swami: Krsna consciousness cannot rest at all. We are the Krsna consciousness movement. Therefore we are the only ones who can give Krsna.

Devotee: Yeah.

Jayapataka Swami: We are the instruments now if we humbly dedicate ourselves and carry out the orders of Prabhupada, then we will be the instruments. But If we get puffed up, and don't surrender to Srila Prabhupada's desires then Krsna Caitanya will make some other alternative.

Devotee: (chants japa) As long as there’s one pure devotee… (inaudible) Srila Prabhupada…

Jayapataka Swami: That’s what we are following and that’s why Krsna consciousness movement is spreading very very rapidly, it is practically flooding. In whole world so many people are chanting more and more, day by day. We find that in North America it started first. Therefore North America has to lead the world in some new program.

Just like you know there’s different… and sometimes people were doing one type of sankirtan then it slightly changed: a whole nother, nother, but in terms of the preaching in North America you find people have this idea that its not going fast enough, this that, it’s a fact. But it is going very rapidly in all other parts of the world. It’s also gradually expanding here. But obviously if the devotees instead of thinking how is not exapanding, if they think how to expand it, and they go on working it, with that enthusiasm like Prabhupada did when he came to the West, Krsna will inspire you in so many ways for expanding the preaching. Sometimes Krsna makes it a little hard so that one is forced to think of new ways to preach. It is said that difficulty is the stepping stone to success. So now it means that you just have to use your transcendental intelligence how to expand the preaching.

Transcribed by Vaishnavi, Februrary 22, 2013

Revised by Jagannatha dasa Brahmacari