Katyayani vrata: Questions and Answers
There is a difference between help for the body, and help for the soul. Do you understand this? You hear this, but you do not realize. There is a subtle body, and also a gross body. The gross body is made of the five material elements, and the subtle body is made of the mind, intelligence, false ego, and the heart. The soul has these two coverings. You have heard all this, but you have no realization. Everyone has a body made of the five elements. Animals, trees, plants, or human beings—they all have bodies made of the five elements. To maintain them, Durgā is the jailer. She maintains these things. Inside this jail, she is the warden who cares for all the prisoners, and who trains them how to get out of the jail. She tells them, “When you leave jail, you should not do anything wrong. You did wrong, therefore you came here. Now that you are in jail, I will teach you how to get out, and how to stay out.” This is Mahāmāya.
In this material world we have these material bodies. Mahāmāyā teaches that to serve, enjoy, and be attached to this body or the body of others is not good. This body is not permanent. In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says:
nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
Bhāgavad-gītā 2.23
[The jīvātmā can never be pierced by any weapon, burned by fire, moistened by water nor dried by the wind.]
acchedyo ’yam adāhyo ’yam
akledyo ’śoṣya eva ca
nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
acalo ’yaṁ sanātanaḥavyakto ’yam acintyo ’yam
avikāryo ’yam ucyate
tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ
nānuśocitum arhasi
Bhāgavad-gītā 2.24-25
[The jīvātmā is indivisible, insoluble and cannot be burned or dried. He is eternal, all-pervasive, permanent, non-moving and ever-existing. He is imperceptible, inconceivable and, being free from the six types of transformations such as birth and death, is immutable. After understanding the ātmā in this way, it is not proper for you to lament.]
Kṛṣṇa gives knowledge of the soul in the second chapter of Bhāgavad-gītā.
Māyā-devī teaches that this body is not permanent, and it is obtained by our karma. Whether it is in 10, 15, 50, or 100 years, we must leave this body. It will not remain with us. Anything we do for our body is karma, and the result will come to us. We will receive the fruit of our karma. What we do for the soul, however, will not give a fruitive result. It will be sevā, service, and the result will not be detrimental to our soul’s progress. When souls serve the Supreme Soul, supreme results will come. This is not karma, kuṭa, pāpa, bīja, avidya, asmita, rāga, dveśa, abhiniveśa, svarūpa-bhrama, asat-tṛṣṇā, or aparādha. It is not utsāhamayī, ghanataralā vyūḍha-vikalpā, or any of these things. Anything done for the material body is karma and is known as naimittika dharma.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explained this in the Jaiva-dharma. How can we cross this naimittika-dharma, and follow our nitya-dharma? Kṛṣṇa Himself manifested bahiraṅga-śakti, Durgā. He manifested this Martya-loka, the world of death. People come to this world to be born and to die—to suffer. They come to learn, and be trained how to be emancipated from this material existence. Who helps them? Bahiraṅga-śakti, Māyā-devī. When she sees that we are ready to progress, she will send us further to a higher potency. And if we do not follow her lessons, she will give us punishment. Then by this she will try to free us from our attachment to the body. She will give us diseases. And when we are feeling so much pain, we will think that mercy-death is good. But what do you do after you have received euthanasia? Your karma is not finished by suicide. Your karma goes with you, because you have material desires, and this is your disease. Who will give you liberation from this disease? How can you be free from this?
Māyā-devī therefore gives lessons so that we can be detached from our material life. Māyā-devī invites sādhus, sages, and incarnations of God to help the conditioned souls. They all come within Martya-loka, the world of death, to help the conditioned souls. Kṛṣṇa comes in many forms to help. Lord Viṣṇu does not go to brahmā-loka to teach, He comes to this world, to Martya-loka. Why? Because this is the training center where the jīvas can perform meditation, and when they realize their self, and receive willpower, and good intelligence, the conditioned souls will pray:
kuladevī yogamāyā more kṛpā kori’
āvaraṇa sambaribe kabe viśvodarī
[O Yogamāyā! When will you show mercy to me by lifting up the curtain of illusion with which you cover the universe in your external form of Mahāmāyā? You are known as Kuladevī, the traditional worshipful goddess of all the Vaiṣṇavas dynasties.]
You will pray, “Āmāra samāna hīna nāhi e saṁsāre¬—There is no one so fallen as me in this material existence. Please help me!”
He will pray:
āmāra jīvana sadā pāpe rata
nāhiko puṇyera leśa
parere udvega diyāchi je kato
diyāchi jīvere kleśa
“I am so sinful. I’m always engaged in bad activities and desire the suffering of others.”
Then she will take us in her lap like a mother, will bathe us, will decorate and dress us, and will offer us to our Supreme Father. She will liberate us from her jail, and will offer us to Yogamāyā, who is mahā-yogiṇī.
When the owner is respected in a place, you should not disrespect everyone else. For example, Jaya and Vijaya were the guards of Vaikuṇṭha. The Four Kumāras went to them and thought, “We will cross past them without receiving their permission. Jaya and Vijaya only requested them to wait a moment, and the Four Kumāras became so angry. Was Viṣṇu pleased with them? He was not happy with them.
Lord Nārāyaṇa took the side of Jaya and Vijaya, but not the side of the Four Kumāras. He said, “Oh, the fault of My servants is My fault. Please forgive Me, and forgive them.” How painful must this to hear for the Four Kumāras?
Sītā-devī, Lakṣmī, Rukmiṇī, and all Rādhārānī’s expansions come to this world, where the jailer is Durgā-devi. If we want to avoid her, to neglect her, and go directly to Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible:
ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
Srīmād-Bhāgavatam 10.2.32
[O lotus eyed one! Those who are not your devotees may consider themselves to be liberated by their performance of sense-control and severe sādhana, but their intelligence is not pure because they are devoid of the sentiments of unalloyed devotion towards You. As a result of neglecting Your lotus feet, which are the only shelter, they again fall down to a degraded condition.]
One may think, “Who is a Vaiṣṇava? This person came only yesterday. How can he be a Vaiṣṇava?” Thus, one is careless, and neglects everyone, thinking to go directly to meet with Kṛṣṇa and receive prema-bhakti. This, however, is impossible.
How do we understand and pray to Māyā-devī?
ṛte ’rthaṁ yat pratīyeta
na pratīyeta cātmani
tad vidyād ātmano māyāṁ
yathābhāso yathā tamaḥ
Śrimad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.34
[The Supreme Absolute Truth (parama-tattva or svarūpa-tattva) is the only real truth. One should understand that which is seen to be separate from this truth, or not existing within it, to be the product of the Supreme Absolute Truth’s deluding potency (māyā). The following example demonstrates this. Parama-tattva can be compared to the sun, which is an object consisting of light. The sun is experienced in two other forms, namely its reflection and darkness. Similarly, in regards to the Absolute Truth, reflection pertains to the living entities (jīva-śakti) and darkness to the material world (māyā-śakti).]
The Catuḥ-śloki Bhāgavatam describes the meaning of māyā. Does God have māyā, or does māyā have God? Without God, māyā has no śakti. Material nature has no potency without the higher potency. A conditioned soul that thinks he is liberated and can neglect māyā and go directly to the Internal Potency, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, and Kṛṣṇa Himself, is foolish. If we are not recommended by Durgā-devī, and given a certificate by her, we are not accepted into the higher realm.
Kaṁsa went directly to Gokula Mahāvana, and thought that he could find Kṛṣṇa and kill Him, but the gatekeeper caught him, and threw him inside a kuṇḍa. When Kaṁsa came out of the water, he was an old lady, without teeth, and with a croaky voice. He looked at his white hair, and white cloth. Then Paurṇamāsī gave him a large nose ring, attached a rope to it, and tied him to a tree. She told all the Vrajavāsīs that when they left Vraja, they should give a slap to him on each cheek. Also, when they come into Vraja, they should give him a hard kick. His food was to be potato peels, wilted cabbage leaves, or old capatis and rotten vegetables.
Kaṁsa was afraid whenever anyone came, for he knew they would follow Paurṇamāsī’s order and slap him. He tried to cross māyā and go to Kṛṣṇa. But that is not possible.
Then, how did Pūtanā go? Pūtanā had a desire in her past life to be the Lord’s mother. Pūtanā thought, “I have a big breast, and so much love. I will go.” She thought she would take Kṛṣṇa in her lap, and fly with Him to Kaṁsa. However, she could not cross māyā. Her body was made with māyā, and she wanted only māyā. Kṛṣṇa removed this māyā and accepted her.
When someone wants to cross this world, he cannot do so without the permission of Māyā-devī. People think, “I am great. I’m wearing tilaka, mālā, and a śikhā, and chanting mantras.” But they neglect everyone, saying, “Who is this Candi? Who is this Durgā? Who is Bhairavi?”
Mahāprabhu said:
kāhāre nā kare nindā ‘kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa’ bole
ajaya caitanya sei jinibe khele
Caitanya-Bhāgvata 10.312
[One who chants the names of Kṛṣṇa without blaspheming anyone will easily conquer the unconquerable Lord Caitanya.]
“Do not criticize anyone. Do not criticize the demigods, or ordinary people. That is not your duty. You are a very small spark, a very insignificant living entity. Why are you proud? Where did this anartha come from? Why don’t you respect others? Everyone is the servant of God. God gives them qualification to serve. Everyone is following their own responsibility. You should not disrespect them.”
Bahiraṅga-śakti is Durgā, the jailer. Without the jailer’s permission, we cannot escape the jail. We come in the jail because of our karma. Sītā-devī and Rukmiṇī-devī also respected Durgā. When there is a guard or gatekeeper of the house, the master gives them food, cloth, money, and a residence. They are there by will of the master, performing their duty. Everyone has his own responsibility. If you think you can easily cross over everything, you will be unable to do so.
At Laṅkā, Laṇkiṇī was present. She asked Śiva Ṭhākura, “When shall I be liberated from this place?”
Śiva Ṭhākura said, “One day in the future, a monkey will come and beat you. He will kick you, and you will understand your own faults and attachments. At that time, you will be freed.”
Gaurahari Prabhu: I have heard that the gopīs had vastu-siddhi; they were already liberated in Vraja. Mahāprabhu told Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “You are liberated. You do not need to chant so many rounds,” and māyā herself came to test him, and took shelter of him. So why did the gopīs have to follow this vrata? What is the difference between our position and the gopīs position?
Premānanda Prabhu: Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a mahā-bhāgavata, but he was beaten throughout the 22 marketplaces by the Muslim rulers.
Gaura-hari: Is this just a līlā?
Premānanda Prabhu: The Kazi and other rulers had so much anger and so many anarthas. They gave everything to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura had the power to accept it, and he purified them. Afterwards, they prayed to Haridāsa Ṭhākura with a humble mood, and said, “You are not ordinary.” They could no longer beat him. All their anger fire, anarthas, and their tāmāsika natures were already offered to him. Only Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the great mahā-bhāgavata, had power to accept all of this. You or I could not accept this. If I give you one slap today, you would never come near me again. You would say, “Premānanda is a rascal. He is only using the temple as a business place.”
However, Haridāsa Ṭhākura did not say this. He accepted whatever was offered to him by the Muslims, and then made them free from anarthas. They took shelter of him and said, “You are a liberated soul. You are equal to God.”
The Kazi and everyone came and respected him. Everyone took shelter of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. This kind of incident is possible for someone like him. He is not present in this world. He is Brahmā Haridāsa, and also Prahlada Haridāsa. This example is not for us.
Also, the Vraja-gopīs who performed this vrata were before the personified śruti-cārī, veda-cari, and upaniṣada-caris, and they all came to Vraja-maṇḍala. They came here, to this Bhauma Vṛndāvana, or Vṛndāvana that is present in this world. Externally, persons likened to dogs, crow, eagles, and other dangerous beasts, are present all around. They wait to enjoy others. We came here to Vṛndāvana for bhajana. If we are not protected by Gurudeva, and we do not have a guardian, then many eagles, dogs, crows, and those controlled by the modes of nature, will try to make us their food for sense enjoyment. These people are like Pūtanā who took babies and turned them into pickle, halavā, or chutney, and offered them to Kaṁsa.
The sādhana-siddha gopīs took birth in Vraja. They were allowed entrance with their gunamayi-deha. Then, how could they cross this gunamayi-deha? How could they go to the nitya-siddhas and make relation with them? By doing so, they would be the nearest and dearest of Kṛṣṇa. They wanted this, but did not know any process. By the desire of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārānī, and Their dear associates, Vṛndā-devī came to those small gopīs and gave them this siddha-mantra. She said, “I have siddhi in this mantra.”
Kātyāyanī-devī protected the gopīs from outside people. This body or physical structure disturbs us, and has so much desire for sense objects. We must be in a favorable place. We must be in the association of those who are like-minded. Then we can follow proper bhakti.
Vatsāsura came amongst Kṛṣṇa’s sakhās. Ariṣṭāsura came in a similar way, in the guise of Kṛṣṇa’s associate. How can we understand who is a bhakta, and who is a badmāś. We are here, having come for bhajana. A badmaś may come here with tilaka, mālā, and serve us, giving us money, food, and everything, but why did he come? Only for body business. Who will protect us from this? The gopīs were small kids. Who would protect them? They feared it was an only a matter of time until their family members married them off and sent them out of Vraja-maṇḍala.
The gopīs did not want to leave Vraja-maṇḍala. They did not want to lose their service of Kṛṣṇa. They did not want any sense enjoyment or recreation. This was already available to them in millions of previous lives. When young-blood comes, the mind becomes restless. Who will protect them from this?
These gopīs were therefore given the siddha mantra, and the end result was Kṛṣṇa coming to them and saying, “Do not worry. Na mayy āveśita-dhiyāṁ kāmaḥ kāmāya kalpate—by thinking of Me, the seed of material desire, and relation with the body, is completely destroyed. Now, you will be with Me in your spiritual bodies.”
Kṛṣṇa said this, and then the gopīs received vastu-siddhi, and their eternal spiritual forms.
The process of this vrata is to first give proper respect to all:
je jena vaisnava ciniya loiya
adara koribo jabe
vaisnavera krpa, jahe sarva-siddhi
avasya paibo tabe
[When I learn to properly honor such a pure devotee, recognizing his real quality, then I will certainly achieve all spiritual perfection by his mercy.]
You should respect everyone according to their own position. Everyone’s due level of respect is not the same. The gatekeeper should be given respect according to his post. When someone who is a higher authority comes, he should be given an even higher level of respect. Who gives the ability to do this? Guru gives this knowledge.
Vṛndā-devī gave this knowledge to the gopīs. It looked as though they were worshiping Kātyāyanī, but they did not worship her. They prayed to her to help them, and then they prayed to mahāyogiṇī, Yogamāyā. Nanda-gopa-sūta—this is not the noun, or the subject of the mantra. They prayed to Devī, Rādhārānī, that She accept them. This is the real meaning of the mantra—may that Devī accept us.
Then, the effulgent Devī, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, gave them shelter. This is the purpose of Kātyāyanī-vrata. Patiṁ me kuru te namaḥ—only shelter is not enough. May She take care of us. Pati means the pālan-kartā, one who takes care of another. “May Rādhārānī will always take care of us.” They prayed like this.
The gopīs did not go to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa went to Mathurā, but the gopīs stayed with Rādhārānī. The mantra-devatā arranged this. They were always with the mantra-devatā, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī Herself. They stayed with the palyadāsis, the mañjarīs of Rādhārānī. They respect Kṛṣṇa, because Rādhārānī likes Kṛṣṇa, but everything they had was for Rādhārānī. This is their upāsanā, or worship. Their guru, Vṛndā-devī, gave this to them.
Some people think, “We are very high, and should not respect anyone.” But really, we should not neglect anyone. That is not the symptom of being a high authority. You are high when you have respect and love for everyone. If you think, “I am beyond everything,” you are mistaken.
Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī said:
api tyaktvā lakṣmī-pati-ratim ito vyoma-nayanīm
Manaḥ-śikṣā 4
[Please abandon even the attachment to Lakṣmīpati Śrī Nārāyaṇa, which leads to Vaikuṇṭha.]
We are very greedy for material things. When we go and collect material things from the demigods, we will not get true welfare. A brāhmaṇa to Sanātana Gosvāmī and asked him for money, but then later said:
ye dhane haiya dhani mani rena mana mani
se dhaner adhika khani deha amare
The brāhmaṇa said, “You must be so rich. You threw a touchstone in the garbage. You must be very wealthy. This touchstone will be the cause of my death. It is very poisonous. People will catch and kill me if I take it with me anywhere. But you have thrown this touchstone in the garbage. What wealth is it that you have? What wealth is it that you have for which you have thrown this in the garbage as very insignificant?
People do not understand reality. First, God sends all living entities to Māyā-devī, for she is the mother, and will help us. She will purify us, and teach us. A mother had two sons. She gave laḍḍus to one son, and bitter neem juice to another. Why was this? The second son was ill. When he would be cured of his disease, she would give him laḍḍus also.
Similarly:
sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā
chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā
icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
[The external potency, māyā, who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit-śakti, is worshiped by all people as Durgā, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durgā conducts herself.]
This Durgā or bahiraṅga-śakti is in this Martya-loka to help the conditioned souls. During the time of our sādhana, we should respect her, and should pray to her to help us cross beyond the prison-house of material existence. Do not pray to her with any material desires.
But, we should not worship her more than Rādhārānī or Kṛṣṇa. We respect her according to her position. And, if you do not respect her, due to your pride and false ego, you will remain fallen in material existence.
In Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explained all things very clearly. We should study these books, and then we can understand the truth.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura clearly described the five types of consciousness that the jīvas have. When one crosses māyā, he can have realization, and while in māyā, he is in a very degraded and difficult condition.
Some things are told for ordinary people. In some places, Jīva Gosvāmī wrote about and appeared to give prominence to svakīya-līlā. One thing is direct and clear, and one is indirect. Parakīya-bhāva is always indirect. To understand these meanings, you must pray to Viśvanātha Cakravarti Ṭhākura, and then you can understand the reality.
Jaga-mohan Prabhu: Yesterday we were discussing about taking śikṣā, and you explained very nicely how Svāmī Mahārāja told everyone to take shelter of Śrīla Gurudeva. He also mentioned that Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja could help others. So you are saying that Gurudeva did not mention any specific name of who to take shelter of. In one class in Australia, in the year 2002, Gurudeva said, “Do not think, ‘My godbrother has some faults, but I will stay and listen to him. I should not go outside my group, even if there is a mahā-bhāgavata. I should not go to that mahā-bhāgavata. I should stay with my godbrother even if he has one or two faults.’”
Premānanda Prabhu: Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke the Bhāgavatam for seven days and nights. After he left, Parikṣit Mahārāja was still present there. At that time, a brāhmaṇa came. The brāhmaṇa said, “Seven days have passed. I will give you a fruit. You have not eaten for seven days and nights. Take this.”
“Yes, give it if you like,” said Parikṣit Mahāraja. Examining the fruit, he saw that there was a hole, and in the hole, was a small worm. He said, “Oh, you have come? How can you bite me without my permission? This is what you are waiting for. Yes, come and bite me. Do your duty. If you do not, the curse of the brāhmaṇa will be disrespected.”
Thus receiving permission, the worm came out of the apple and assumed a large body. He was Takṣaka, the great winged snake. He bit Parikṣit Mahārāja, whose body erupted in flame and ash in a moment, and then the snake flew away into the sky.
How could the snake bite Parikṣit Mahārāja, a liberated personality? After hearing the Bhāgavatam, he was liberated. Janamejaya started a yajña to kill all snakes including Takṣaka, but his yajña was not completed. Why did this happen to Parikṣit Mahārāja after he heard the Bhāgavatam? Our family, our brothers and sisters—if they do anything wrong, who will give them punishment? The son of the king will receive punishment from the king if he does anything wrong. People outside cannot punish him. If they do so, the king would punish them. The king will punish his son. Don’t think you have the right to punish your godbrother.
api cet su-durācāro
bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ
samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Bhāgavad-gītā 9.30
Kṛṣṇa says, “Even if my followers are most sinful, do not look at their sinfulness. Understand that they are one pointed to me? If you look at their sin, you are sinful, and if you look at how they are devoted to me, then you are my devotees. You will quickly be dharmātmā:
kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
Bhāgavad-gītā 9.31
[That person quickly becomes virtuous and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare it boldly that My bhakta never perishes.]
If you think of his durācāra, then you will be a fallen durācārī yourself. You think about durācāra day and night, and do not think of Kṛṣṇa, bhakti, and do not chant harināma or anything. You only think about durācāra. Durācāra, durācāra, durācāra—this is your japa.
God protects those in His family. He purifies His own followers. It is not our duty to do so. It may seem that someone is bad and useless but it is not your duty to chastise. Amongst brothers, if one brother is sick, we should give him treatment instead of rejecting him. Will the parents be happy if we reject our brother? We are all godbrothers and godsisters. When a godbrother acts wrongly, should we think, “He is a stupid rascal. Let’s beat him and kick him out.” Do you have any sympathy for him, or are you simply cruel? Who will like us if we cause so much pain like this to others?
In the lifetime of Prabhupāda, many disciples acted in wrong ways. But Param Gurudeva brought them all back. Even in front of Param Gurudeva, two disciples were fighting with iron rods.
Śrīla Gurudeva went to Param Gurudeva and asked, “Why aren’t you kicking them out of the temple?”
Later, Gurudeva asked forgiveness for questioning Param Gurudeva.
One day they act wrongly, but the next day, they will change. If we throw them out, then how can they ever be purified? We should protect and help our godbrothers and godsisters. If we do not do so, we are fallen souls. We will be very hard, like rocks, and we will lose our bhakti. This position can come to anyone.
Today I’m speaking to you, but tomorrow, what may happen? Who will help me then? People do not think about this. They only look at badness. They think that everything is bad and only they are good. But if you cannot make anyone good, how can you yourself be good? If you make everyone good, if you clean or help them, then you are good. If you reject them, and think that they are bad association, then you are not good. Stool and urine are also in your stomach, as well as blood, semen, and anger. Have you thrown these things out? Why don’t you cut your own neck? Why do you look at others’ faults? You are full of faults, therefore you look at others faults. When you go to pass stool, afterwards you clean yourself as well as the toilet, so that a bad smell does not linger. People have bad smells. You should help purify them. If you do not do so, a bad smell will come to you as well.
If someone in our society did wrong, all the society should help that person. If thousands of people try to help one person, how can he remain bad? And if thousands of people beat and kick him out, how can he ever become good? Our society will be finished if we kick out everyone with faults. Everyone has some fault. The conditioned souls come to purify themselves by practicing sādhana. Everyone has faults. If our faults come into the open, it is God’s mercy, and a big operation for our benefit. But 99% of people’s faults are hidden. They have more poison within them. God does not give them operation. One who has an operation will be good tomorrow.
Yamarāja is ready to punish us if we are always collecting others’ faults. We must have chemotherapy for this nature. We collect faults every day. We do not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We do not chant the names of Gurudeva. We only chant the names of ‘rascals’ and we make posts on Facebook. Is this our japa and sādhana? We show our own faces, and what our bhajana is. Our bhajana is insulting others and announcing their faults on the internet.
Jaga-mohan Prabhu: When people drink, take intoxicants, gamble, eat meat, and do these bad things in society, they are not so much criticized, but if someone who is a policeman, a teacher, or someone in the church does sinful behavior, it is a double standard for him, and everyone abuses him.
Premānanda Prabhu: Vaiṣṇavism is not like that. Nityānanda Prabhu said:
ye yata patita haya tava dayā tata tāya
[The more fallen someone is, the more mercy is available for him.]
We should help the most fallen souls. When we are pure, God will bless us, and we will realize how kind Gurudeva is for us.
Jaga-mohan Prabhu: in the West, and our pure bhakti-yoga society, they have this concept of transparency, that everyone should be clear and not hiding anything. That when someone tries to hide their faults, it is more poisonous.
Premānanda Prabhu: God makes this shown. If God likes someone, He will perform an immediate operation.
Jaga-mohan Prabhu: People think we should be transparent. When a certain disciple of Gurudeva saw that the society was growing, he said, “Gurudeva, you should be transparent with your financial accounts.” Gurudeva said, “I think you should be clear with your accounts.” In society in general, should we have transparency or not?
Premānanda Prabhu: Mundane nature and desires have no connection with bhakti. Their ideas and our ideas are very different. Where is bhakti, and where is mundane speculation and politics?
Jaga-mohana Prabhu: They say, we follow vox populi, the opinion of the masses. So now, they vote on things.
Premānanda Prabhu: Voting is nothing. Wherever there is bhakti, there is śakti, and there is everyone. There is no need of elections and voting. What elections can mundane people do? How do they know who a sādhu is? They themselves are not sādhu, so how can they understand who a sādhu is? There is no need of the popular vote and elections. Wherever there is bhakti, all śakti will be there, and everyone will go there. Gurudeva did not announce that he was ācārya. He performed his bhajana. He served Svāmījī, Param Gurudeva, the Guru-varga, and everyone came to him.
Yesterday I told you, if you follow Gurudeva and bhakti, everyone will come to you. No one will leave you. If you are connected with Gurudeva, related with Gurudeva, then everyone will come to you, without invitation.
āpana bhajana-kathā nā kahiba jathā tathā
ihāte haiba sābadhāna
nā kariha keha roṣa nā laiha mora doṣa
praṇāmaha bhaktera caraṇe
Bhajana is very secret and hidden. You should not disclose your love for God openly. Then your love will increase, and you will discuss and stay with those who are sa-jatiya, of the same mood. The gopīs were very hidden about their love for Kṛṣṇa. They did not speak about it openly. Vṛndā-devī understood their hearts and gave advice to them.
Whoever has deep and earnest desire for bhakti and bhajana will be helped automatically by Kṛṣṇa. Then they will very easily progress in this line.
In Mathurā, before, Rādhāṣṭamī was not celebrated with great pomp. In Param Gurudeva’s time, it slowly began. Śrīla Gurudeva began very large festivals on Rādhāṣṭamī in Mathurā. Mathurā is the center of Kaṁsa. His wrestling arena is right next to the temple.
Śrīla Gurudeva began huge festivals for Rādhārānī in Mathurā, and many thousands would come and attend. Many would not go to Varsānā on that day then. Was Gurudeva against Rādhārānī, or Varsānā? One should start the program of bhakti. Who will stop you? The Guru-varga are eternal, and their program is eternal. When someone follows even a little bit, they will benefit immensely, and will never become hopeless. Try to follow, and then Gurudeva will give you his mercy. Faith is essential.
[CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav]
