pañca-śīrṣāhinā guptāṁ

pratīhāreṇa sarvataḥ

anveṣamāṇām ṛṣabham

aprauḍhāṁ kāma-rūpiṇīm

Synonyms

pañca — five; śīrṣa — heads; ahinā — by a snake; guptām — protected; pratīhāreṇa — by a bodyguard; sarvataḥ — all around; anveṣamāṇām — one who is searching after; ṛṣabham — a husband; aprauḍhām — not very old; kāma-rūpiṇīm — very attractive to fulfill lusty desires.

Translation and purport by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada

Translation

The woman was protected on all sides by a five-hooded snake. She was very beautiful and young, and she appeared very anxious to find a suitable husband.

Purport

The vital force of a living entity includes the five kinds of air working within the body, which are known as prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna. The vital force is compared to a serpent because a serpent can live by simply drinking air. The vital force carried by the air is described as the pratīhāra, or the bodyguard. Without the vital force one cannot live for a moment. Indeed, all the senses are working under the protection of the vital force.

The woman, who represents intelligence, was searching after a husband. This indicates that intelligence cannot act without consciousness. A beautiful woman is useless unless protected by the proper husband. Intelligence must always be very fresh; therefore the word aprauḍhām, “very young,” is used here. Material enjoyment means utilizing the intelligence for the sake of rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda and sparśa, or form, taste, smell, sound and touch.

vande ’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-

kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-

raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-

sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-

lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

So, this is a simile. As Palabhata explains, the woman represents intelligence and the man represents consciousness. So in other words, you can't have intelligence without consciousness. Consciousness a symptom of the soul. So wherever the soul is present, there is consciousness. And once there is consciousness, then you have intelligence, you have the mind, you have senses, either spiritual or material, it's not senseless. So it all rests on consciousness. Now the modern day scientists, they want to negate consciousness. They say there's really nothing there, just a combination of chemicals. They foolishly try to negate consciousness. The irony of it is this, with their consciousness they're negating consciousness. So, it's very contradictory situation of the modern day scientists. So, we don't take the instructions from those who contradict themselves, we take instructions from those who actually confirm scientifically and philosophically and logically confirm what they're saying. That's who we take our instructions from.

It also mentions here the vital force, how the air is the vital force, and we certainly can see that. It's like, how many of you can dream without drinking water for a while? We can do that. Without eating for a while. But how long can you live without air? Air is the most vital thing we're consuming every minute. Breathing, exhaling. Air is the most vital thing of all. So, without air we're really in bad shape. We suffocate very quickly without air. You can go for water for many days and not die. Without food for many days and not die. With water you cannot go very long. With air you cannot go very long without it. It's very important to have air to breathe. So, as far as the actual points are being made here, a beautiful woman is useless, unless protected by a proper husband. Sometimes we see the husbands are rascals, they don't get proper protection. The wife may be beautiful, but the husband is actually ugly, ugly consciousness. So, does that mean the woman is now useless because her husband is not protecting? No, if the woman is protected by the bona fide spiritual master and by Krishna, it's not that she becomes useless if her husband's a rascal.

So the real thing is taking shelter of Krishna. Of course, in Vedic, in the civilized civilization, or actually if it's not civilized, it's not civilization, it's animalization. In a civilization, actually, the women are protected by the men, because a woman can be raped, but men don't become raped, you see. So women are weaker, they require, they're taken advantage of by unscrupulous men. Therefore women are meant to be protected by proper men. That's in the Vedic culture. Sometimes they say women are less intelligent. Somebody has wrote me about that. One of my disciples wrote me about women being less intelligent. I said, actually if a woman is Krishna conscious, she's the most intelligent. If she thinks she's a woman, then she's less intelligent. So the whole point is we have to get free of this bodily consciousness. Bodily consciousness, anyone who is bodily conscious, they're a fool and a rascal, number 1. Anybody who realizes they're a spiritual being, they're actually the most intelligent person. So it's very important that we cultivate this what's known as Krishna consciousness, this divine love consciousness, awaken our actual spiritual natures, our identities, is a very important thing. Here we are in Vrindavan now, it's a very special facility to awaken our Krishna consciousness. Actually, Rupa Goswami has described in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, 5 different potent types of devotional service. And the first 1 is to live in Vrindavan, Mahayapur Vrindavan, it's the first 1. And the second 1 is to worship the deities. The third 1 is to, let's see, worship the deities. The third 1 is to, I'm forgetting 1 of them now, is living in a holy place, living in... Oh yeah! Second 1 is to worship the deities. Here we have Radha-Damodar. And we have Krishna-Balaram. Third 1 is Bhagavatam. Reciting Bhagavatam also means hearing the Bhagavatam. So, Living in Vrindavan or Mayapur, worshipping deities, Bhagavatam, serving the devotees. If you have a chance to serve a devotee called Vaishnava seva, it's a great opportunity. If you have an opportunity to serve a Vaishnava, take it. And the fifth item, what is that? Chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

So, the amazing thing that Rupa Goswami says is this. He says, even if you have a slight attachment for any of these 5 things, a slight attachment for any of these things, spiritual ecstasy can be aroused within even a neophyte devotee. Spiritual ecstasy can be aroused even by the slight attachment for any 1 of these 5 items. So you can analyze yourself, my dear devotees, well, am I relishing being in Vrindavan? Or am I relishing the deity worship? Or I like to speak or hear Bhagavatam, I like to serve devotees, I like chanting Hare Krishna. If you can do all 5, you're in pretty good shape. Even 1 of them, if you're attached to any 1 of them, that 1 will expand into all 5 of them. So, and sometimes we see devotees, we say, are you ecstatic? They say, well, I say, you know, you really look like you're miserable. And they say, no, I'm okay. But the thing is, being, Krishna consciousness doesn't mean being okay. Krishna consciousness means being ecstatic, you see. That's what it means to be Krishna conscious.

Somebody says, how are you doing today? Okay. I'm feeling okay. Actually, it's a cover-up. Somebody is miserable, they want to admit it. I remember when I was in college, college student, I was really depressed in those days, before I found Krishna Consciousness. So 1 of the co-students in the hall said, How are you today? He said, miserable. I said, depressed. He said, Don't say that. So in the material society it's considered not very proper to admit that you're suffering. You're supposed to not admit that you're suffering. You say, I'm okay. How are you doing? Okay. Okay actually means you're miserable. That's what it really means. Someone says, I'm okay, that means you're miserable. The real thing is, I'm blissing out. I'm blissing out in the Holy Name. People ask me how I'm doing, even non-devotees. I say, well, because I'm chanting Hare Krishna, I'm pretty blissful. That's the actual position. To be Krishna conscious means to be blissful, not to be okay. So to be okay is not really okay. It's not me. They say I'm okay, but they're not really okay. To be actually okay means to be Krishna conscious, relishing the holy place, the deities, the Bhagavatam, serving Vaishnavas, the holy names, the Prasadam, all these wonderful things that Prabhupada has blessed us with, you see. They actually arouse devotional ecstasy, even for a neophyte. Of course, Prabhupada does say at the end of the chapter, These might be exaggerations, they may not apply to everyone, he mentions at the end of the chapter. But they are still possible for everybody, so we should take advantage of this. Even if we are sick. Of course, we are not sick, the body is sick. So even if the body is sick, if you're Krishna conscious, you can be in a state of bliss. You don't misidentify with the body. Just imagine Prabhupāda in his deathbed, he was very sick, but within his heart he was in a state of pure bliss. Because he was connected with Kṛṣṇa.

(in the background - Gurumataji : The audio is off.

Someone from the audience : No, it's breaking.

Gurumataji : The audio is on, but breaking. Maybe Gurudev is coughing and all that.)

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Maybe my coughing is breaking it. Every cough breaks it. I have to stop coughing to get some cough syrup today. (Gurudev coughs)

So anyway, I always say many times this process works if you work the process. It's really an amazing thing, actually, if you consider Krishna consciousness. Very amazing thing. Just like you consider this poetry by Rūpa Goswāmī. It's amazing, amazing poetry. Very, very nice poetry. The English translation is this very enlivening thing. It's actually, it's called negative reverse psychology. One gopī is telling her gopī friend, she's says my dear friend, If you have any desire to enjoy society, friendship and love, when you're in this material world, then do not go to the bank of Yamuna to see Krishna at Keshi Ghat. Do not go. He has a very enchanting smile. He has a peacock feather, and he's wearing a peacock feather on his head, he's playing the flute very enchantingly, and his body is glowing in the moonlit night, so don't go there. So, here were all the gopis running, oh, who is this boy Govinda, with the body glowing in the moonlit night, playing the flute with a peacock feather in his head, an enchanting smile. Let me check him out. (coughs and drinks water) So, we're just hoping for that day when the whole world can shake it up. I was just thinking this morning, we say,

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

Prabhupada is delivering the Western countries. We pray every morning, you're delivering the Western countries. So Prabhupada is not physically here, that means we as Prabhupada's agents have to see that the Western countries are being delivered. That's our duty as Prabhupada anugas to carry out his mission of delivering the Western countries. Why that? Because Western countries deliver, the whole world will follow. Right now, they're following India, they're following the West. So it's our duty to deliver the Western countries. I was thinking, what will be the symptom of our delivering the Western countries? Well I think when the US president is Krishna conscious then we can know we delivered the country, the Western countries are in good shape. And we have devotees wearing Vaishnava tilak in the White House. He was the President of the United States. Let me know we made some progress in delivering in the Western countries.

So we have our work cut out for us.(coughs) The more we can progress within, the more we'll progress without, not automatically. But hearing this thing or hearing that thing, they're related to each other. So we have to go through these stages all the way up to that raga-bhakti. There's a vaidhi bhakti following the rules and regulations. We have to work our way up through all these different stages and then actually come to raga-bhakti. We actually become awakened in pure love of God. So, the more we actually can awaken pure love of God within ourselves, the more we can get rid of all these anarthas, the lust, the anger, the greed, the madness, illusion, and envy, the more we can weed out all this garbage polluting our consciousness. Then we can actually have a powerful uplifting impact on the entire universe, the entire material existence.(coughs) I'm sorry, y'all. What can I do? This body's not behaving well. All the mucus in the lungs is stuck. It's trying to come out. So anyway, we have any questions so far? Any arguments?

Gurumataji : You said something about consciousness, about modern philosophy.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Yeah..

Gurumataji : But they know that when one is unconscious, they will say, that person is unconscious. How can we understand this, that they don't know about consciousness?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Well, to them, consciousness is just the... They think it's an activity on the material plane, some energy going through the brain. They don't understand the consciousness beyond the body. (coughs) They take the consciousness as something going on within the physical body, the brain.

Gurumataji : Yeah.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Some electricity in the brain. They don't understand it's beyond the body. Then when the body is dead, the consciousness is dead. They don't realize consciousness, one who takes one's consciousness, when he leaves the body, they don't realize that. See, the body may die, but your consciousness is an eternal symptom of the soul. So since you're going to have your consciousness eternally, why not perfect it? It's like you have something, why not perfect it? Let's say you got an inheritance of a piano. (drimks water) You got an inheritance from your uncle. You have a very nice piano, a beautiful piano, just sitting there. They call it a grand piano. And you're talking about, just sitting there, what are you going to do with it? Oh, learn how to play it. You got it, why not make it... It's a beautiful piano sitting in your living room, why not learn how to play it? So you can get some beautiful music out of it. So... we have consciousness, Why not learn how to utilize it properly? You have a beautiful gift called consciousness. Why not try to utilize it, learn how to utilize it properly? By connecting the individual consciousness with the supreme consciousness, that's the key. That connecting process is called bhakti or devotion. Otherwise it's like using a beautiful piano just to, you know, when you cook you put your pots on the… Where do I put this? I have this hot pot, where should I put it? Stick it on the piano. You ruin the piano, you see. Take a hot pot off the stove, look for a place to put it, stick it on the piano. You ruin the piano, you see. So we ruin our consciousness by polluting it with lust, with anger, greed, madness, illusion and envy. So instead of spoiling our consciousness, we should perfect our consciousness. That's the process of Krishna consciousness.

So we understand the great science coming down from great Acharyas,

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam

imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ

There's a great science coming down from great realized personalities how to protect consciousness. So wouldn't it be intelligent to take advantage of their help? Wouldn't that be an intelligent thing to do? They go, well, no, I'm not interested. See, that's the modern day, they say, oh, I'm not interested. I just want to know where can I eat, where can I have sex, where can I get some money, that's all they care about? They're so fools, they're so rascals, they've come to love all the monkeys. We saw the monkeys yesterday in the forest over here. They were just running around, playing. All they could do is eat, sleep, mate and defend. That's all they knew about. And nothing besides that.

So, we just want to eat, sleep, mate and defend. We're just like monkeys. But there's even a saying in America called monkey business. It means nonsense. It's a bunch of monkey business. A bunch of nonsense. (coughs)So, these activities of eating, sleeping, mating, defending, that's simply monkey business, that's all nonsense. However, we can take these things and perfect them by offering them in Krishna's service. We can eat Krishna Pashadam, we can sleep, whatever is required to do our service nicely, we can mate to have Krishna conscious children, and we defend ourselves from the attacks of the demons. Just like that happened in our Miami temple, the demons came, but We protected them. We used a gun and actually scared them away with a gun. They came to rob the temple. So we can use defense in Krishna's service. Everything can be utilized for Krishna. Even the atom bomb can be used in Krishna's service. The nuclear bomb can be used in Krishna's service to defeat the demons, who are trying to conquer the godly civilization that we're establishing.

So let's see if we have any chats coming in here. If I know how to use the chat. If you have any questions in the chat window. Yeah, we do here. Okay.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : (reads from the chat) : Tarun Krishna. Why Rupa, Rasas, sense objects appear more attractive than Krishna? Why these sense objects appear more attractive than Krishna? Why are we more attracted to sense objects than we are to Krishna? That's the question.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari :(answers) You know, some beautiful woman or some really looking good food, or why are we more attracted to these things than we are to Krishna? That's the question. It's because we're lacking intelligence. We don't realize that these things are attractive. A beautiful woman is attractive, there's no doubt about it. A nice-looking plate of food is attractive, there's no doubt. So why are we attracted to these things more than to Krishna? There's Rishikesa, master of the senses, and there's the objects of the senses. We're going after the objects of the senses instead of the master of the senses. That's the problem. So, if we're intelligent, we'll see where all these attractive things come from. What is the source? That's why Krishna's called all attractive, you see. Food is very attractive, a woman's very attractive, these things are attractive, but our nature is to be attractive, you see. We have a nature to be attractive. But let's find out, let's find the source of all attraction, you see. You can get some satisfaction from a beautiful woman, for some food, you can get some satisfaction, But how much satisfaction you can get? There's always a limit to it. It's always a little satisfaction and then cut. Why not find that place where I can get unlimited satisfaction? That is Krishna, the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. By learning how to relish that experience of Krishna consciousness, I get unlimited happiness. There's no cessation. So, do you want limited happiness or unlimited happiness? That's your choice.

Gurumataji : Can I say something on this?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Absolutely.

Gurumataji : Everything is emanating from Krishna, so everything is attractive. It depends on your own consciousness. Even the shadowy material world is very attractive. That's why we are here. Did you get that, Tarun Krishna?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : But The source of all the attractive things is the most attractive.

Gurumataji : Yes.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : It's by his potency that anything is attractive. Even the material energy is attracted by his potency. Yes. So, when I find the source of all attraction, That's the most attractive thing. Little attraction here, little attraction there. Find out where all the attraction is coming from and get connected there and you'll find unlimited satisfaction. That's the point.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : (Reads next question from chat box) Okay, Hare Krishna das : What is the significant, what is a significant, the time of death, which is a significant occurrence in life. Is that a complete question? What, which... No, there's no complete question yet. The time of death, which is the significant occurrence in life. You have to finish the sentence.

Gurumataji : Oh, he is asking that question. What is significance at the time of leaving the body? That you remember Krishna, that will be the most significant.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Okay. He says the question is cut. I mean, according to the way he has written here, he's literally saying, you can take it in that way, but according to what he's written, death is a significant occurrence in life. Death, which is a significant occurrence in life. The question hasn't finished, he hasn't finished writing it.

[Gurumataji (in the background) Can you move this and then move out that thing?]

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : It was before Krishna's… Ah, okay, there it is. (reads from the chatbox) It was written before, I see. When minor occurrences happen, if one forgets to chant the names, how could one expect to chant at the time of death?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari (answer) : It's not very likely. That's a fact, Hare Krishna. When there's some minor difficulty, you forget to chant. How can I expect to chant at the time of death, that's a major difficulty. That's a fact. If a minor difficulty comes, like I stub my toe or I bang my head, you know, if I say, damn, instead of Hare Krishna, then what's the hope of the time of death? That's a very good point. We have to learn how to not, instead of getting frustrated and say some swear word or just, you know, we have to learn how to always take shelter of Krishna, take shelter of Krishna in every situation. Oh, Krishna. Always taking shelter of Krishna at every minute, that's the fact. Otherwise, the time of death, a very, very painful situation. Even a minor pain, I don't remember Krishna. How can I remember Krishna under the major pain?

Gurumataji : That's the point. That's why you have to become Krishna conscious, so that you can remember Krishna all the time.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That's the point I'm making. We have to train ourselves to remember Krishna.

Gurumataji : I didn't understand.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Yeah, you didn't understand my point.

Gurumataji : Yeah.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That was the point I was making. At every step of it, we have to be Krishna conscious.

yato yato niścalati

manaś cañcalam asthiram

tatas tato niyamyaitad

ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

'From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.'

And then Krishna says,

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

'To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.'

What does constantly mean? 24 hours a day, at every nanosecond. Constantly means no breaks. 24 hours a day, no breaks. Even when you're sleeping. To those who... You should be so much Krishna conscious in the day, you have Krishna conscious dreams every night. If your dreams are not Krishna conscious, that means you're not Krishna conscious during the day. If I am fully Krishna conscious during the day, I will have Krishna conscious dreams also. Because my dreams are maya, that means I am in maya during the day also. We have to be so Krishna conscious that at the time we are going to sleep, Krishna consciousness remains. Because death is the ultimate sleep. So We have to be so Krishna conscious that at the time of going to sleep, Krishna conscious remains because death is the ultimate sleep. So we have to be so Krishna conscious, every dream we have is Krishna conscious. Then at the time of death we'll be Krishna conscious automatically. We train ourselves.

Gurumataji : If that is the symptom, then if somebody does not have any dream of Krishna or any dream...?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Well, that's a state called unconsciousness. There is a dream state, and then there's a time you don't even have a dream. It happens also. But you have to be Krishna conscious before you go into that state. The point is you have to be Krishna conscious. My point is, if you have… Having Krishna's order is twenty-four hours a day. So we have to come to the point where we can have Krishna conscious dreams also, that's the point. We have to come to that point. If I'm still having nonsense dreams, that means I still got nonsense in my heart. That's causing the nonsense dreams.

Gurumataji : I was saying that if somebody has no dreams, nonsense dreams or Krishna conscious dreams...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : I already mentioned them. Okay. If you dream about Krishna at night you think of Krishna all day long, and at night there's no dreams at all, and there's no maya there, then... There's no dreams at all. Does that really... The point is, does that really happen?

Gurumataji : If Krishna... one is Krishna consciousness...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Does that really happen? Does anybody have... Is that actually a... Is that actually a practical question? If somebody has no dreams at all, does that happen?

Gurumataji : Me.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Ah!!

Gurumataji : I have no dreams.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Does that mean you're a Buddhist? No. Well, that's nice if somebody has no dreams at all, no maya in their brain, going in their brain. It's very good. Gurumataji says she has no dreams at night. That means she's pretty Kṛṣṇa conscious. No garbage, that she, has no garbage in her brain that she's hiding with during the night. That's a good, that's a good sign. That's a good sign. Gurumataji is an advanced devotee, a very advanced devotee.

Okay, anything else? Something is coming in, let's see here. Okay, that's it on that side. Anybody from you, Do you have any questions?

Devotee (Vinit) : Is it important, like, there is a confusion between if we are not chanting and if we are remembering God? Because a lot of old saints, they were more...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : If you can remember Krishna 24 hours a day without chanting, you don't need to chant. But the fact is, you're not on that level. That's not enough, we need the chant. It says, I'm so Krishna conscious, I'm always absorbed in Krishna, I don't need a chant. That's true, you wouldn't need to. But we're not on that level, so we need to. You understand? A fully self-realized soul doesn't require to chant japa. When you get to the states of, you know, asakti, bhava and prema, Regulative principles are not required anymore, because you're already awakened. But we're not on that level yet. We have to chant, follow the principles. You come to the asakti stage, You don't need to follow any rules and regulations anymore. But you'll do it to set an example for those of us who are struggling on this level of sadhana bhakti. The great acharyas set the example even though they don't need to follow the rules and regulations. They set the example for us who do need to follow the rules and regulations.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Sometimes we are feeling Krishna is present with us, He is talking to us. Like sometimes we feel that everything is blissful, like you said, everything we have to feel.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Sometimes, but not sometime. It has to be. Well, that's called ācāpala-sukha. For somebody who is actually Krishna conscious, in the ecstasy of Krishna consciousness, they go on 24 hours a day. A happiness in the mode of goodness, See, that's up and down. If you're actually in the Transcendental Platform, your happiness will be undisturbed. You'll always be happy. But if my happiness is tinged by material consciousness, it'll be up and down. So, if you're up and down, that means you're happy, you're not pure yet, you're still in contamination. When you're completely pure, there'll unlimited, ever increasing happiness at every minute.

Gurumataji : But when we are pure or not pure, aren't we supposed to because this is Lord Caitanya's instructions?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Lord Caitanya's instruction is to chant Hare Krishna.

Gurumataji : Yes. And we're supposed to follow that?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : He was talking about that will automatically be done by a Self-realized Self.

Gurumataji : They will chant. Automatically they will chant.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : They will chant, they'll read, they'll write, so many things. They'll bow down to all the different activities.

Gurumataji : Exactly.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : The Self-Realized Self was the example for those neophytes who are struggling. They don't have to though. They don't require to. They don't require to follow any rules and regulations, to describe number of rounds or whatever. They don't require it.

Gurumataji : A devotee will constantly chant anyway, Like Haridas Thakur.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Yeah.

Gurumataji : They constantly chant. They are not in the...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Yeah, but others didn't... He was doing that, others were doing different things too. Yeah. It's like Arjuna wasn't chanting japa. Arjuna wasn't chanting japa. Arjuna... He wasn't chanting japa. But he was purely in devotional service.

Gurumataji : Are we on the level of Arjuna. Sorry.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : I'm not telling you I was on that level. I'm just saying, amongst the fully-self realized soul, there's different leelas, or different pastimes. Some are chanting, some are serving. But for us, we require to follow the sadhana-bhakti principles.

Gurumataji : We are Kali-yugaists. Arjuna was not Kali-yugaist. And this is the instruction, if you want to get over, you have to chant the holy name of Hare Krishna Mahamantra. We cannot compare ourselves with Arjuna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : I didn't say ourselves, I'm talking about different Self-realized souls, not us.

Gurumataji : Self-realized souls, Haridas Thakur and these 6 Goswamis were self-realized and...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : I mean, Prabhupada wasn't chanting Japa 24 hours a day. He wasn't chanting japa 24 hours a day. He was writing books. He was giving lectures. You understand? It doesn't require to go on chanting much for 24 hours a day, for a self-realized soul. So, they can... Prabhupāda was chanting japa, he was giving lectures, he was giving, having conversations. Yeah, that chanting in that sense, yeah. That sense. He was constantly glorifying Krishna. I'm talking about literally chanting japa is what I'm talking about.

Gurumataji : That's why He has given us also 16 malas. We have to chant.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Absolutely, but I'm saying, as a self-realized soul, he may... Prabhupada didn't have to chant 16 rounds, for example, but He did chant Japa everyday.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Some moments in the day, it's like, we were talking, He's present with you, sometimes, you know, if you feel that He's... Is it equivalent to chanting?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : What is it?

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Sometimes in a day, you know, you feel like He's blessing you, and you're happy, you're talking to me, bad times, even I'm alone. So I feel that he's there, he's... I'm in the feeling of just thinking about him. Is it equivalent to chanting or...?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : For us it's not. No. If you're properly thinking about Krishna, you'll follow His instructions. You can't say, I'm thinking about Krishna, so I don't need to chant. No. Because Krishna says, constantly chanting. That's His order. So I'm actually thinking about Krishna, I'll do my duty and chant at least 16 rounds of japa every day. (pause) Are you chanting 16 rounds?

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Yes I am. But before coming here, I used to, in Delhi also, I used to come here after 3 months, 4 months, though I was not stable here, but, you know, I feel like He's calling me and these kind of feelings come sometimes in my dream, meaning that He's... Even if I'm here...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Krishna is calling you at every minute. Krishna is constantly calling you to chant His name and surrender to Him fully.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Like I'll tell you one instance. After two days I had to move to Delhi and my people were coming to take me from there. So, last week I just met, I connected with and I came here and now I don't feel like going. I spoke to my mom last night and she said, Krishna is speaking to you and He doesn't want to go back because he wants you to attend the lectures and you know, so something like connection happens with me.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That's good, you feel the attachment for the holy dham. You don't want to leave Vrindavan.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : I don't care what people are doing in Delhi, what is happening in Delhi, I just feel very connected.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That's very good, that's good to be attached to the holy dham, it's very good. Even one day in the holy dham can change your life forever.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Even when I listen to any music on Krishna, I start weeping, I start crying.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That's nice your sentiments are being awakened. Now you have to purify it to get free from egotism and laziness and craziness. You have to purify it completely by chanting the japa, taking shelter of the bona fide spiritual master, becoming initiated disciple, and thus by purifying it, make it right. You're getting some nice sentiments? That's very good. I've been in the movement for over 50 years. I've seen many people have the sentiments, they come and they go. I've seen them come and go for over the last 5 decades. And then you have the sentiments like you're having now, but unless you actually embrace the instructions of the spiritual master.

Gurumataji : He is taking the instructions from me and he is embracing it please.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : My father he does seva he we have a seva since 500 years, but I do not do because I was I was engrossed with I went to Australia at 18 for hotel management then I started drinking I mean I went into all those discos and everything. The only thing is now I don't feel pacified over there. People come to me and tell me they say we want to be with you, you give us life. But I am leaving those And I feel more happier when I listen to YouTube and I cry in the night. And listen, I see, visualize Krishna and I start crying, crying, crying.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari :  You chant 16 rounds a day, yeah?

Same Devotee (Vinit) :  Yes. I get up at 6... And the miracle, what is happening since Guru Mataji told me, I used to get up at 9 o'clock every day. Since I am here in Vrindavan since last 1 and a half month, more than that, it is almost 2 months. So, I just used to get up in twice or thrice I used to go to either Bihariji's temple, but now at 6.30 my eyes get automatically I get up and I start I mean I do all those things, I chant and then I come here also, so that is things are happening.

Gurumataji : Continue that, just continue and then become stable.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : And I was about to leave and my parents did want me to come back, because they knew that because my father has given me a huge 4 floor building just because and the friends come there they just come there to have fun and my mom wanted that you should stay here. So I don't know miracle happened that Krishna actually something happened like I came automatically I was just about to leave my luggage was packed but today I am going and I am like calls are coming, I am finding a new house, so I want to stay here for some more time. I feel more comfortable without alcohol, without any intoxications, I am feeling so happy since last 1 and a half months. I don't know what happens but the best thing what I feel is when I am crying in front of, I cry like my eyes are like, I wear contact lenses and sometimes contact lenses also, you know, that thing happens sometimes.

Gurumataji : Don't worry about all these things, just keep chanting and take prasadam. That's the beginning. Don't worry about all these emotions and all that. That will, Krishna's time will come and Krishna will make another.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : There is one situation where people are calling what are you doing there come back to Delhi let's have even on 31st there was my building was whole lighted. So, they were showing me on video that this is come back, come back let's have and even people called me they said we are getting 2 bottles of wine. I mean that's the kind of… But I feel so powerful, let me be very honest with you, I feel so powerful. First time in my life it's my break for around 2 months that I am leaving and I am coming in the morning 6.30 and I am very happy. I am on the way. I am running like Guru Ma will be saying that I am getting late. So I am so happy.

Gurumataji : I am happy that you came on time today.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : This is something which is happening

.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Is he leaving?

Gurumataji : No, no, no. Now he is not leaving, he is just looking and we are helping him to find the place so he can continue this sadhana that he has started.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Very good.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : The Padmini, I don't know Padmini you call.

Gurumataji : Yeah, PadmaMalini.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Padma Malini was my colleague, she was working with me 10 years back. So, she was like all this hippie life, she was also in that hippie life and I took her once upon a time I said you have to come, I took 4 people and we came to Vrindavan. Then she says that Vinit you were the first person, but you actually you got me here, but you are again not in the direction of Krishna. So now she is helping me out to connect and get connected to you so that I have to...

Gurumataji : Yes, she connected him with me and I have given him certain instructions that he is doing it. So he should continue. The longer he remains fixed, that will tell you that you are really Krishna conscious.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : I want to be, because I had a miserable life. So if you...

Gurumataji : Don't talk too much, continue, read Bhagavad Gita, change your japa and less talking so that will be help you.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : Just my questions.

Gurumataji : Okay, what is your question? You are doing now, so do it.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : My life was at last moment, 2 months back like my friend collapsed because of liver damage and my condition was like I was whole yellow, since now my face has changed, since I am in Vrindavan, I am consuming milk, I am consuming all milk.

Gurumataji : Don't remember the past, look for future.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : My condition was like that, I was like that and my mom had told that he is gone.

Gurumataji : Now you have improved, now you have improved, do that. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said, let the past sleep, don't look for future, live the life that is with you right now.

Same Devotee (Vinit) : But I don't know, I feel, in this ambience I feel very...

Gurumataji : Yes, continue and remain fixed.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Here's another question.

Gurumataji : We have time, we shall go after that.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : This is the last question.

Gurumataji : Okay.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : Okay. (reads from the chatbox) I'm aware that death can happen any time. I don't practice bhakti to the fullest extent possible. Why is that?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari (answers) : Because you're foolish. You're foolish. That's why. You're a foolish rascal. That's why all of us are foolish rascals. We don't practice bhakti to the fullest extent. Because we still think we can enjoy the material world. That's our foolishness. So we have to stop thinking we can get some enjoyment here in the material world. We have to kick out that false idea that the material world offers something to us. Anything else? Any other questions?

Gurumataji : That's far beyond.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari :  No, but if there's any more questions we can take them. Any more questions?

Mahaprabhu Kripa Devi Dasi : If somebody asks to a devotee, how are you? What should be the actual response by a devotee to that person?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : I tell them, because I'm chanting Hare Krishna, I'm feeling pretty good. That's what I tell them, so I can preach. That's my opinion that I do. I bring Krishna consciousness into them. I just say, fine, no. Because I'm chanting this one little mantra. Have you heard this mantra before? Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Use it for a chance to preach. Because I'm practicing Krishna consciousness, I'm having a wonderful day today. You've heard about Krishna consciousness ? Use it as a chance to preach. Use everything as a chance to preach. Yes?

Lila Manjari Devi Dasi : In our purport, there is a statement that intelligence must always be very fresh. What does it refer to?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari : That means Krishna conscious. If you are Krishna conscious, you have a very fresh intelligence. If you're absorbed in sense gratification, your consciousness becomes dirty and stagnant. It's like stagnant water and flowing water. If your intelligence is being used in Krishna's service, it's always fresh. If it's being used for sense enjoyment, it becomes very stagnant and filthy. Anything else? Anything else here? Okay, we'll stop here. We thank everybody for tuning in.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.