CONTENTS:
- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH GURU MAHARAJA
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH GURU MAHARAJA
Q: In the beginning of Krishna consciousness and Srila Prabhupada coming so many devotees were coming from America was this also a drama or was there another reason?
A: Ultimate sense we have to see its Krishna’s arrangement but in the material nature Krishna sets up one system and that is guna and karma. In the material nature Krishna actually doesn’t get involved. Every individual in the material nature is subjected to the modes of material nature and the reactions of his karma. Another way to look at it is that in the age of Kali people are atheistic and demoniac and there is conflict between the devotees and the demons. The bottom line is the ultimate, the end or outcome. You can see spiritual is glorious. Most of them are now under the ground but Krishna consciousness has expanded. You can see in difficulties Krishna actually comes and helps His devotees. Nrsinghadeva comes to help His devotees. In Germany devotees used to go out chanting at night. There is a city called Hamburg which is a notorious area, St Paul’s, a red-light district and all kinds of drunkards and what not. But the devotees used to go there to chant trying to distribute the holy name to the most fallen. One day the devotees were chanting, there was a big man who came charging to them. Devotees were thinking what to do. One devotee thought he would take the cartels and swing it but the leader said, “Just chant Namaste Narasimhaya”. As they started to chant Namaste Narasimhaya, all of a sudden, they saw this person’s body went up and fell down. And the paramedics came and said he had a massive heart attack. What was the massive heart attack? Nrsinghadeva attacked.
Another time I heard from my God-sister she was distributing books door to door in a quiet neighborhood and she saw a man following her, she could anticipate what this man would do and she started to chant Namaste Narasimhaya and the man just turned around and walked away.
So, this is how the Lord protects. Devotees don’t need to worry about anything Krishna will take care.
Q: I wanted to know Nilachala Mountain is this Jagannatha Puri on top of that?
A: The Jagannatha temple is on top and if you dig deep enough you will see Nilachala Mountain.
Q: We are having a wonderful parikrama and we are seeing beautiful aspects of the Lord and such wonderful darshan. I wanted to know how do we always keep this in our mind and heart and never forget it even when we go home.
A: It’s up to you how you want to preserve it in your memory. The way to do that is: sweet recollections are always memorable. Like, just carry all the wonderful experiences that you are having and go back and dwell on it. The real purpose of this parikrama or pilgrimage will be experienced when you go back then only will those sweet memories come in your recollection.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
Srila Prsbhupada had made this wonderful family ISKCON, where you have your father, uncles, brothers, cousins, everyone. Thus, you are never alone.
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
Prabhupada didn’t encourage us to go to Radhakund and live there, Prabhupada didn’t encourage us to live in Vrindavan. Prabhupada wanted us to go to Vrindavan but Prabhupada wanted us to go stay wherever we are and preach Krishna consciousness that’s the most important thing. Mahaprabhu wanted Krishna conscious movement to spread. Now if everybody lives in Mathura and Radhakund and Vrindavan and Barsana then what will happen to this world? Who will preach Krishna consciousness? Therefore, for the sake of Mahaprabhu’s pleasure we don’t care for our spiritual advancement, like Vasudevdhatta, let me take all the sinful reactions of everybody and go to hell but let everybody get delivered. That is the attitude of an advanced devotee that is the mood that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to accept. We are prepared to go anywhere that’s why we are prepared to go to a place called America which is no different from hell. But we dare to go there, everyone is saying, “Maharaja, why you going there? Why you going there?” I know that place is hellish but we have to go there to preach. And other devotees are there preaching and if I stay in Ujjain because there are some problems, corona virus then will that be appropriate? As their leader I am hiding and they are fighting the battle in the forefront. No! As a leader I should be there with them that’s why I am going.
(Excerpt from Lecture given in Ujjain on in Uddhava Gita seminar)
(The content of this E-magazine is based a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami on 10 December 2019 an evening class at Jagannatha Puri during the 2019 Divine Pilgrimage)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)