CONTENTS:
- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH GURU MAHARAJA
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH GURU MAHARAJA
Q: What was the secret of Narada Muni’s mother remembering Krishna was it her service to the devotees?
A: She had faith in Krishna that is the Indian culture even a maid servant knows about Krishna. Even a cobbler or candela knows about Krishna and they can very well remember Krishna at the time of death. They know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by remembering Krishna one can become free from all difficulties. This is the Vedic culture everybody knows about Krishna and in order to have that faith in Krishna one does not have to be a big scholar or Brahmana pundit. It is not only that the Brahmanas knew about Krishna, in Vedic culture everybody knows about Krishna and that is the advantage of being born in Krishna consciousness. It is the faith that makes one remember Krishna. She had faith in Krishna; Krishna is God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anta Narayana smiti at the time of death I must remember Narayana. She did that. Anybody can do that provided he or she has the faith.
Q: When I am chanting at home or work sometimes, I am not satisfied because I cannot finish chanting my 16 rounds.
A: Chant your 16 rounds that you have to do. At least tell Krishna you are sorry you cannot finish your rounds. Appeal to Srila Prabhupada and He will help. Try to chant 16 rounds. Of course, I do not know your condition but generally you know what I say? You may be very busy but do you get time to eat? You are very busy do you get time to sleep? But still try to chant 16 rounds.
Q: The prisons have done something that is why we are here in the material world. These are the masses of people. So, what is the sin that was committed?
A: When you go to a prison house the number of prisoners is more than the government officials or less? The number of prisoners is more but when you go outside you see there are more people than in the prison. You are in the prison house and you are counting how many officials are there and that is not the way to do it. You realize that here everyone is a prisoner whether you like to hear it or not. You said what is our crime? Our crime is that we rejected Krishna. At what point? Since time immemorial do you remember when exactly you rejected Krishna? You don't so no harm if you don't remember when you rejected Krishna now that you have realized it you surrender to Krishna. Now that you know your crime what should you do? Surrender to Krishna. When we revolted against Krishna, we can't remember it was so many lifetimes back do we remember our previous life? No. We have been entangled in this material nature for millions and zillions of lifetimes but that doesn't matter. What our crime is that is not really important the important thing is now that we got the opportunity to surrender to the King don't let it go just surrender. Then what will happen all your prison sentences will be gone and you will become a free man. Is it nice to be in a prison? You are already in one and how do you like it here. Practically no one here has gone to prison but we know what it is like in the prison don't we? Just consider yourself locked up and you can't go out at your own will and you are going to suffer by being punished. Do you think it is going to be a nice situation? Obviously not we don't have to go to the prison to figure out what's it like to be a prisoner.
Q: What's happening to people who are chanting Hare Krishna?
A: You won't understand what happens when one chants unless you yourself try it out. What is happening to others you will never be able to understand? You chant and then you will see what happens. For example, when you are hungry if somebody else eats will your stomach be full will you feel satisfied? No. The one who eats the food he feels satisfied. Similarly, to understand what happens when you are chanting the holy name you have to chant yourself. Do you chant? Ok you don't. From now on chant and you will see yourself. That is all we can suggest like if we see someone is hungry, we can bring the food to him but he will have to eat it himself. Similarly, we are appealing to everyone please chant and see it for yourself. Unless and until you eat you will not understand what food means what happens when you eat.
Q: Chanting the holy name is that dharma for this age?
A: Yes, for this age. Chanting is the yuga dharma. There are 4 different ages Satya yuga, Tetra yuga, Dwapar yuga and Kali yuga. For the 4 different ages there are 4 different yuga dharmas. Yuga dharma for Satya yuga is meditation, the yuga dharma for Tetra yuga is sacrifice, the yuga dharma for Dwapar yuga is worshipping the Lord in the temple and the yuga dharma for Kali yuga is chanting the holy name of the Lord. It is the yuga dharma you have to do. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyata. In the age of Kali there is no other way besides chanting of the holy name of the Lord. We must chant the holy name. What is your name? Narayana, see you are making everyone else chant the holy name so you are doing the second half now you have to do the first half yourself. Now you chant also alright. Hare Krishna.
Q: When intelligence is taken over by your mind does it mean that one does not chant seriously?
A: Yes. When you chant you should chant attentively. Attentively means putting the mind in it. How do you put your mind in it? You put your entire mind into your ears right and when you are chanting you just hear. It is not proper to chant when your mind is somewhere else it is an offense. You know that there are 10 offenses to the holy name? Of all of them this is the basic one chanting inattentively so chant attentively.
Q: If you don't chant attentively then?
A: No try to. Even if your mind is going somewhere else still chant but when you realize the mind is gone somewhere else grab the mind and bring it back, okay. And where will you put the mind? In the ears very good.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
I saw Srila Prabhupada just as he appeared in my dream after I had been reading The Nectar of Devotion; he was as brilliant as the sun, sitting on a Vyas asana that looked like a throne. He sat upright in a lotus position, with a flower garland around his neck. His chin was slightly raised as he looked over the crowd - a transcendental aristocrat, fully confident in the knowledge of Krishna that he was about to share.
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
As you develop your love for Krishna, He will inspire you to do things. When you become an instrument in Krishna's hands, there is no way of knowing how much Krishna will do through you. (Gm quotes)
The content of this E-Magazine is based on various questions with HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)