Facebook live QA 2

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna. Am I audible to you? Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna.

Okay. Yes. So, we'll start with the questions.

So, the first question is that why are there so many sections in the Bhagavatam that are not directly glorifying the Lord? Such as, say, in the fifth canto, there are chapters which focus on the description of Jambudvipa. So, why are these details given which are not directly glorifying the Lord? Actually, if we look at the point of those descriptions, the point is to describe how people all over the world, all over the universe in fact, are following dharma and are following bhakti. Even if we look at Jambudvipa, the description in Jambudvipa is, description of Jambudvipa is given primarily so that people can, we on earth can know how people there also are glorifying the Lord.

So, the point is to see and show how dharma and bhakti pervade the whole universe. And the specific details of the cosmology that are given, they are incidental. They are not primary in the Bhagavatam.

The primary thing is, if we look at the start and the end of the two sections, then there we can find out what is primary. And we will find that the primary thing is the glorification of the Lord. In fact, even if we look at the specific details, the point that is given is, at the end is this universe is so vast that ultimately nobody can understand its glories.

But the point is that by seeing how great the universe is and how everything is pervaded by the glory, by people who are devoted to God, our inspiration to glorify the Lord can also increase. So, in that sense, the information about the universe is the setting to reveal how all over the universe there are glories of the Lord which are being broadcast, which are being heard, which are being cherished. Thank you.

Does that answer your question? Are there any other questions? So, how can we chant without distractions? Yeah. Firstly, we have to learn to be realistic. When we try to practise bhakti, Krishna himself tells this in 5.26 when he states that, yato yato nishchalati manas chanchalam asthiram tatas tatho niyam yaitad atmanye vasham net wherever and whenever the mind wanders, bring it back under the control of the self.

So, the mind has a particular nature, that is to be distracted. And Krishna doesn't tell us that the distraction will go away just because we are practising bhakti. He says anticipate the distraction and prepare for the distraction.

Just like a mother and a child. A child is going to naturally not be steady. Mother tells the child, study.

Child is not likely to just sit and study peacefully. The mother has to keep a watch. And when the child starts doing something else, mother gets the child back to studies.

So, our mind is like the child. Krishna uses the word chanchala to describe the mind. yato yato nishchalati manas chanchalam asthiram So, the mind is going to be chanchala.

We have to be like a mother. We have to become mature. And a further development of this point is, suppose there is a child who has got some learning disability.

Say the child has got dyslexia. Then the child may want to learn, but the disability makes it very difficult for the child to learn. Now the mother cannot get fed up with the child, thinking the child will never learn.

Nor can the mother beat up the child, saying why are you not learning. The mother has to learn how to help the child to learn Within the specific limitations that are there because of the dyslexia, there are still certain ways. Some children can see letters better.

Some children can see paint better. Whatever it is. So like that, we need to treat our mind like a slow learner.

And when we recognise the mind is a slow learner, then based on that, we have to find out how it learns the best. That means we have to learn how we can make the mind learn. That means while we are trying to practise bhakti, while we are trying to chant, while we are trying to focus on Krishna, when the mind gets distracted, we find how we can help to focus the mind.

What can we do? Some of us may find that having a picture of the divine couple in front of us, that may help our mind to focus. Some of us may find having the letters of the Hare Krishna Mahamant written out, that may help us to focus. Some of us may find that taking a few deep breaths between our chanting, between our rounds, that may help.

Some of us may find that reciting some verses about the glories of the holy name in between chanting, in between our rounds, that may help. So we recite the Shikshashtakam one verse between our rounds. So whatever it is, we find we have to learn how we can help the mind to learn.

And by taking responsibility for focussing the mind, we will be able to gradually deal with the distractions and increase our concentration during japa. Thank you. Hare Krishna.

Question. How many people were able to hear the Bhagavad Gita? Why did Krishna allow Sanjay and Dhritarashtra to listen to it specifically? Answer. Yes, the Bhagavad Gita was spoken in public.

That means it was in public view. Prabhupada explains in one of the purports of the first two chapters that the fact the Bhagavad Gita was spoken in public, it means that it was meant for everyone. However, at the same time, on the war field, in 1.21, Arjuna tells Krishna, bring the chariot in between the two armies.

So they were at a substantial distance, the two armies. And when Arjuna came in between, they had a conversation at a normal voice. So the remaining soldiers and warriors, they could see that some serious discussion is happening between these two people and Bhishma signalled, Bhishma was the commander of the Kauravas and Bhishma signalled, stop, don't attack right now.

And they all stopped out of respect and as per the war codes. When the commander told them to stop, they stopped. And now specifically, so only on the war field, it was only Arjuna who was able to hear Krishna's message.

And before the start of the war, Dhritarashtra, Vyasadev had come to meet Dhritarashtra to try to give him good counsel. And when Dhritarashtra felt that I cannot do anything to change Duryodhana's mind, then Vyasadev told him, then war is inevitable. And Vyasadev asked him, if you want to see the war, I will give you the eyes to see it.

And at that time, Dhritarashtra said that no, he had this stinking fear, he had this stifling fear, chilling fear that actually his sons will die. So, he said, I was never able to see my sons alive. I don't want to see them die.

But I want to know what is happening in the war. Then at that time, his assistant Sanjay was there and Vyasadev told him, I will give him the mystic vision by which he will be able to see and he will be able to hear and he will be able to tell you. So, it was Krishna who arranged through Vyasadev for Dhritarashtra to hear through Sanjay.

Now, this arrangement was made because Dhritarashtra, although he was attached to someone who was evil, Dhritarashtra himself was not as evil as was Duryodhana. And Krishna wanted to give a chance to Dhritarashtra to recover. And that recovery, that freedom from attachment of Dhritarashtra eventually happened when Vidura came and instructed him.

So, this opportunity for Sanjay and Dhritarashtra to hear was a chance for Dhritarashtra to redeem himself that Krishna offered him. Thank you. So, is it okay to chant when we are travelling in a cab or train or while we are walking? Yes, certainly.

Chanting Kirtanya Sada Hari. You should chant all the time. Now, at that time, whether that chanting can be a part of our prescribed 16 rounds or not, that we have to see ourselves based on how well we are able to concentrate.

So, if we are able to concentrate, then we should, we can chant at that time also. It's best if we can chant without distraction, sitting at one place and focussing. But then we have to see our schedules, we have to see what is practical for us.

And we certainly should try to be as attentive as possible. And if we are going through a place where we are getting distracted, then we can see how we can minimise the distractions. Maybe put some earplugs if we are travelling in a, if we are in a cab or something.

Or if we are walking, then it's best to walk in a familiar area where we won't have too many sights to distract us. So, instead of going for a long walk for japa, we can go for a short walk. That means walk or a short area for a long time where there will not be so much distractions.

So, basically, the important principle is concentration. And how we can concentrate best within our specific circumstances that each of us can find according to our own situations. Thank you.

So, now, can I speak something about the Devi Bhagavatam? Yeah. Actually, the list of 18 Puranas don't mention the Devi Bhagavatam. They just mention the Bhagavatam.

And that Bhagavatam clearly refers to the Vishnu Krishna Bhagavatam. Because the Bhagavatam itself is the, so there are basically, the Devi Bhagavatam also claims to be the Bhagavatam. And Baldevidya Bhushan in one of his books called the Siddhanta Darpana.

He describes over there that the Devi Bhagavatam is a later book which is not accepted as a Purani book by the Acharyas. So, if we see the Devi Bhagavatam, the Bhagavatam itself is existing, the Srimad Bhagavatam is existing in its own glory, self-evident glory. Whereas Devi Bhagavatam is actually aware of the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Devi Bhagavatam itself contains verses which tries to say that Oh, this Srimad Bhagavatam, this Vishnu Bhagavatam is not the real Bhagavatam.

This what we are speaking, this is the real Bhagavatam. So, what has happened is that there are two distinct things. There is the worship of the goddess which is a part of the Vedic literature.

And which is a part of the broad process of aradhana, upasana that is given in the Vedas. And many of the pastimes about the goddess are also valid. They are also glorious.

Now, these are compiled together in a way that is not exactly belonging to the puranic genre in the Devi Bhagavatam. So, Devi Bhagavatam is a later book which is attempt by some of the worshippers of the Devi to try to usurp the position of the Srimad Bhagavatam and try to arrogate to the Devi the position that is supreme. So, we accept the worship of the Devi as a part of the goddess as a part of the overall Vedic canon.

It is one level on the progress towards the worship of the Supreme Lord. At the same time the specific aspects of the Devi Bhagavatam wherein it tries to usurp the position of the Srimad Bhagavatam, wherein it tries to prove that the goddess is the supreme, those things are not accepted by our acharyas. Thank you.

So, what is the significance of having the darshan of Radharani's lotus feet on Radhashtami day? Yes, normally we see Radharani as the consort of the Lord. Now, Radharani has we could say two distinct roles. One is that she is the most intimate devotee of Krishna and she does everything for serving Krishna.

She wholeheartedly devotes herself to the service of Krishna. And she is, in that sense, she is the one who gives pleasure to Krishna. So, along with Radharani, Radharani is the Ladini Shakti.

Ladini karaye krishna ananda aswadan, ladini dwara krishna kare bhakte raposhan. Ladini Shakti, Radharani has two functions. She satisfies Krishna and she nourishes the devotees.

So, normally we focus on Radharani as the one who gives pleasure to Krishna. On special days like her appearance day, at that time she is especially merciful. And when she is merciful, we approach her to beseech her mercy.

And one way she bestows her mercy is by giving us darshan of her lotus feet. So, normally we understand that Radharani, she is completely meant for Krishna's enjoyment. And we see her as a worshipful goddess.

But on this particular day when she gives a special mercy because it's her appearance. So, at that time we get darshan of her lotus feet also. And that is the day we can get special mercy of Srimati Radharani.

Thank you. So, question. Why is the Bhagavatam called the Amalapurana? Yeah, because it conclusively focusses on the glories of Krishna.

See, the Bhagavatam, if we see, it begins and ends with exclusive devotion to Krishna. Dharma projehita kaitavotra paramo nirmatsaranaam sataam. That dharma projehita, that it gives up all other forms of dharma and focusses on parabhakti.

And this is the beginning of the Bhagavatam, this is the end of the Bhagavatam, where Bhagavatam says, naam sankirtanam yasya sarvapavapranashinam. That pranamo dukkha samanas tam namami harim param. That just the glorification of the Lord, that is the perfection of life, that will free one from all sins.

So, in this way, the Bhagavatam in the beginning and the end, it focusses purely on the glories of the Lord. Now, in between it gives different pastimes where how the glory of the Lord is revealed, that may vary according to time, place, circumstance. So, that we need to understand according to our specific situations.

So, not our specific situations, actually the specific situation or the context of the pastime in the Bhagavatam at that particular place. So, how the, for example, the fifth canto cosmology glorifies the Lord, that we have to understand according to the context of the Bhagavatam. And that we can ask specific senior devotees, but it's Amala Purana in the sense that in the conclusion, in essence, in the beginning, in the end, it focusses on pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

So, question, some devotees take a vow to chant say 32 rounds or 24 rounds or some extra rounds and thus, they spend all day with their mala. And we are doing their daily work just to complete. Now, actually, there are different devotees who may be inspired by different things in bhakti.

And some devotees may be inspired by practical services. Some devotees may like to go and distribute books. Some devotees may go and like to preach.

Some devotees may like to worship the deities. Now, whatever we are inspired by, we can try to do it and do it as much as possible. So, how, what one prioritises in one's spiritual life and how one balances the other commitments in one's life with one's prioritisation of a particular limb of bhakti, that is something which has to be done according to deshe kalapatra.

According to individual circumstances, time. So, for example, during Karthik which is going on, some devotees may want to do some intense or extra bhakti activities. That is fine.

But we shouldn't use extra chanting as an excuse for not being responsible in whatever services or whatever commitments we have. Now, whatever commitments we have, we do them and then we can also chant extra along with that. Or if we want to chant extra, then we should make proper arrangements so that those commitments are taken care of in some other way.

Maybe by delegating to someone else, maybe by entrusting to, passing on the responsibility to someone else. But it shouldn't be that in the name of extra chanting, we don't do what is expected for us to do. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't chant extra.

Certainly, if we can absorb ourselves in the holy name, then chanting extra is wonderful. But the point is, it is not just chanting extra. It is that we should be able to connect with Krishna, absorb ourselves in Krishna through chanting.

When that is happening, then that is good. And different devotees can find different ways in which they will be able to best absorb themselves in Krishna. So, we don't have to make a mandate or an absolute judgement that those who chant extra are more advanced or those who chant extra, you know, they are sahajiyas.

We don't have to make any absolute judgement like that. Either way, pro or against. We have to see that different devotees can be inspired by different things in bhakti.

And whatever they are inspired by, they can do that. But they do it in a way that doesn't neglect their other responsibilities. That other things can also be managed and they can take it onwards in the, they can do that extra as well as manage their other things.

So, how can one obtain true peace? Actually, peace is not so much a state of affairs around us. Not even is it simply a state of mind. It is actually a state of the heart.

State of affairs around us means that when we are in a very peaceful setting. Now, we may go to some hill station, some river, some setting near nature and we may feel peaceful at that. Yes, that is definitely one level of peacefulness.

But the circumstances around us are not going to be always peaceful. Even in a forest, sometimes a predator, animals may come or some danger may come there also. So, we can't bank only on peaceful circumstances for peace.

Now, then is peace an internal state? Yes, it's internal. But even in internal, actually it's not just a state of the mind. Our existence is three level.

There is the body, there is the mind and there is the soul. So, peace at the level of the body is not always possible. Peace even at the level of the mind is not always possible.

Because sometimes we have anxieties, because we have certain responsibilities. You know, if we don't do our responsibilities, then we are being irresponsible. And doing responsibility itself means to some extent taking up anxieties.

So, just avoiding all agitating stimuli, that itself is not the way to peace. Yes, if something agitates us too much, then we have to balance. So, we have to take up responsibilities, but we have to take up responsibilities also according to what is manageable for us.

Just like when somebody lifts weights while doing some workouts. Now, they lift up weights according to their capacity or slightly more than their capacity. Like that, we can take responsibilities according to what is our capacity or what is slightly more than our capacity.

If we take too much responsibilities, then we go into panic zone. And that time we lose our peace. But if we think that just for having peace, I will not take up any responsibility, then that is, we won't have peace because then the mind will find out some other things to do and it will create anxieties on its own.

That means, when the mind is idle, the mind will find something else to get attached to and that attachment will again create agitation. So, Krishna says that, that Shanti, peace comes by detachment. And detachment doesn't mean becoming irresponsible.

The Bhagavad Gita tells us that the best way to become detached is by becoming attached to Krishna. So, when we become attached to Krishna, then that connection with Krishna gives us higher satisfaction, that gives us higher peace. And when we have that higher peace because we understand that Krishna is always with me, that Krishna will always protect me, when that conviction is there inside us, then whatever be the problem that we face in our life, that problem won't trouble us that much because we will be connected with Krishna, because we will be absorbed in Krishna and by that we will be able to get real peace.

So, Krishna tells in 5.29 in the Bhagavad Gita, Real peace comes when by devotion we connect with Krishna, understanding that everything belongs to Krishna, that Krishna is my greatest well-wisher and everything that I have is meant for the service of Krishna. When our consciousness becomes filled with Krishna like that, then even if there are disturbing situations externally or even if there are disturbing things in our mind, still we will have peace by our connection with Krishna. So, it is said that when we face disturbing situations, don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big God is.

When we become more conscious of God's greatness, then whatever is disturbing us, then we will see that to be small and then we will be able to be peaceful while dealing even with the disturbing situations. So, if Vyasdev wrote the Bhagavatam, then how did that come in the Bhagavatam? Yeah, actually we have to understand that there are two different things going on over here. One is that there is in the Bhagavatam chapters 4, 5 and 6 of the first canto, there is a Vyasa Narada Samvad in which it is described how Vyasadev was instructed by Narada Muni and then in the seventh chapter it is described he had the vision by which it is that he saw, by which he got the vision, by which he later on narrated the Bhagavatam.

That means he understood the essential message of the Bhagavatam, what is it and then he narrated the Bhagavatam based on that. But after that was done, then within that narration, there is a narration of Shukadeva Goswami and Parikshit Maharaj and then outside that narration is the narration of Suta Goswami and the Saunakadi Rishis. So then Vyasadev later on put that conversation in written form.

So that means the Bhagavatam is like an evolving book. So first it was Bhagavatam, the essence of the Bhagavatam was revealed by the Supreme Lord to Brahma, that is described in the later canto of the Bhagavatam. But in the context of Vyasadev, Vyasadev gave the essence of the Bhagavatam to Shukadeva Goswami.

Shukadeva Goswami spoke that to Parikshit Maharaj and among the audience was Suta Goswami. Suta Goswami spoke that to the sages of Naimisharanya and that conversation was written down by Vyasadev. So the Bhagavatam that we have has Vyasadev as a character because the Bhagavatam evolved or was revealed in different ways at different times and one particular iteration in that revelation that was put down by Vyasadev in written form and that iteration contains Vyasadev's own understanding of the essence of the Bhagavatam and that contains also Suta Goswami and Saunakadi Rishis conversation.

That's how Vyasadev himself is a character in the Bhagavatam. Thank you. So in the Mahabharata, why did Balram have a soft heart and favour the evil Duryodhana? Balram serves the Lord in different ways and one of the ways in which he serves is by creating obstacles in Krishna's service.

So this is one way in which Balram increases the excitement in Krishna Leela. So there are different devotees who serve the Lord in different ways and just like in Krishna, in the Leela of Radha and Krishna, there are some characters like Jatila and Kutila who obstruct the meeting of Radha and Krishna and that's how they increase the excitement in that pastime. Similarly, Balram, he takes this Viparita Bhav, he takes this role of doing something opposite to what Krishna is doing.

In that way, he increases the Rasa of the pastimes of Krishna. Just like there is also the concept of Maushala Rasa. When the Lord wants to enjoy fighting, at that time his own associates Jaya and Vijaya, they descend from the world and they take the role of demons and then they fight with the Lord.

So Balram's favouring Duryodhana is simply a part of the Lord's Leela in which the Lord wants somebody very powerful to oppose him and that increases the excitement in his pastimes. Thank you. So, how can we cultivate humility and avoid pride in our devotional service? The humility has many different aspects to it.

Srila Prabhupada defines humility in the 13th chapter, 8 to 12 purport. That is, humility means to not be anxious, to have the satisfaction of being honoured by others. So, humility simply means that we do our service to Krishna and we are not very anxious, how many people praise me.

If people honour us, we accept that honour, but we don't expect that honour. Humility doesn't mean that we are always saying, I am good for nothing, I am fallen, I can't do anything. That itself is not humility.

That can just be simply negative self-centredness. Humility means we understand that actually I am a servant of Krishna, let me serve Krishna. So, if our thoughts are focused on service to Krishna, then we can actually avoid pride.

Even if we are doing valuable services, even if we are doing services which are praiseworthy, if we remember that my abilities are coming from Krishna and they are meant for the service of Krishna, then we can avoid pride by remembering that this is a gift from Krishna and I am using this in Krishna's service. So, what we have is Krishna's gift to us. What we become is our gift to Krishna.

And if we see our service as an offering to Krishna based on what he has given to us, then we won't become proud. And in terms of interpersonal relationship with others, one simple way in which we can judge whether we are humble is humility means that we are as interested in the other person as we are in ourselves. Now, if we meet someone and we are always talking about, oh, I did this and I went here and I, I, I, I, I, then that indicates that we can see the fair indicator of pride.

But if you are interested in the other person and okay, we want to know what they are doing, how they are, what is going on in their lives and also interested in other person also means we are interested in how we can benefit them, how we can connect them with Krishna. So, we try to understand their situation. So, somebody might be in the position of authority or guide and somebody might be in the position of subordinate.

But even the person who is in the position of authority, they can be humble if they are genuinely interested in their subordinate and are trying to do, trying to understand how they can best benefit their subordinate. So, humility is not just in terms of simply in the position that who is higher and who is external in the higher position and who is in lower position. Somebody may be in higher position, but they may actually be having humility if they are thinking that this higher position is simply a means by which I can serve Krishna.

So, by remembering that our gifts are coming from Krishna and by interacting with others, being interested in other people, not just being interested in talking about ourselves and what we are doing, that way we can cultivate humility. Thank you. Last question we will take.

What are the duties of a modern woman who is trying to practise bhakti? Answer. Sri Prabhupada was pragmatic. Pragmatic means he was wisely practical.

So, we have to see according to time, place, circumstance, what is the best way we can serve Krishna. Now, Prabhupada in his books talks about sthri dharma and he talks about how a woman's primary duty is that the whole responsibility of the house is on her. She is like the queen of the house and she has to take care of everything in the home.

So, Prabhupada in his books primarily talks about a woman as a homemaker and that is indeed the primary responsibility. But the way Prabhupada dealt with women was he did not impose this on them. He encouraged them to serve Krishna and whatever way they could best serve Krishna, he facilitated that.

So, there is an acharya's words and there is an acharya's actions. So, in terms of his words, he has given certain instructions in his books, in terms of actions. He has focused on whatever is the best way that everyone including women they can serve, they can be facilitated for that.

So, the principle is that we have our horizontal duties which is to our family, to our society, maybe to our profession if we have a profession and we have a vertical duty. That is our relationship with Krishna. So, now how we can balance this? That is something which is flexible that we can adapt according to time, place, circumstance.

The principle is that we all should be engaged in activities which are fulfilling for us. So, how that will work out according to time, place, circumstance? That will vary according to individual nature. So, the spiritual side of our duty that is our relationship with Krishna or practise of sadhana bhakti that is something which is universal, that is something which everyone has to do, whether male, female, modern, traditional, everybody has to do that.

But with respect to the interaction in the material world, whether one works in a particular environment, whether one has a job or focusses on home, all this is something which is flexible. This is something which will vary according to time, place, circumstance. So, Srila Prabhupada was pragmatic as I said.

He encouraged people, everyone to practise bhakti in whatever way was best suited according to their nature, according to their circumstance. So, the spiritual is universal, the material is often contextual. And so, just for example now, even for brahmacharis and sannyasis, we cannot live entirely the way we are living traditionally.

Traditional brahmacharis would not be giving classes on Facebook. Nor would traditional sannyasis be travelling in planes. So, nobody can rigidly stick to the tradition.

But that doesn't mean that everything in the tradition is just contextual and it has to be rejected. No, there are certain principles which are to be followed and are followed strictly. So, there has to be this dance of balance between the contemporary and the traditional.

And that is something which we can consult our spiritual guides, use our own intelligence. It comes from the practise of bhakti. Tadami buddhi yogam tam yena mam upayanti te.

Krishna gives the intelligence. And based on that, based on guidance and intelligence, we can adjust our material responsibilities, material duties in such a way that we are fulfilled and we can progress in our bhakti also. So, thank you all very much for your thoughtful questions.

And we will have similar sessions in future and when we will have them, we will inform you about them.