Inquiries into the Absolute: Digest 21

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Digest 21, January 3 2002

 

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

 

Caitanaya Mahaprabhu

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Q.1) In the introduction of Srimad Bhagavatam, Prabhupada has written that

Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa from Kesava Bharati, who was a mayavadi

sannyasi. If Mahaprabhu was very much against mayavadis, then why did he take

his sannyas initiation from Kesava Bharati?

 

Ans.

Before answering the question, I would like to make a minor comment. While

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was certainly very much against the "mayavada philosophy"

and cautioned His devotees in the strictest of terms not to associate with

mayavadis, in a broader sense He was not 'against' mayavadis per se. In certain

circumstances He exhibited His great compassion towards them; when there was

an opportunity, He delivered Krishna consciousness to Prakasananda Sarasvati

and his numerous mayavadi disciples.

 

The pastime of Lord Caitanya accepting sannyasa is described in detail in the

Caitanya Caritamrta. One of the main reasons why Lord Caitanya decided to take

sannyasa was because the non-devotees were offending Him, mistaking Him to be

an ordinary person. He took sannyasa for showing compassion to such offenders,

so that at least on account of His position as a sannyasi, they would offer Him

respect and thereby derive spiritual benefit.

 

Srila Prabhupada explains in Caitanya Caritamrta how during the time of Lord

Caitanya, the influence of Sankaracarya in society was very strong, and

consequently people in general thought that one could accept sannyasa only in

the Sankaracarya sampradaya. Since His acceptance of sannyasa was also designed

to invoke the respect of the common members of the public as well as the

brahminical community, if only due to social convention (and in this way

receive spiritual benefit by respecting him, rather that faulting Him for His

ecstatic moods of prema), Lord Caitanya, not wishing to disturb the current

social convention of His time, took the renounced order of life from Keshava

Bharati who was in the Sankaracarya sampradaya, although sannyasa order was

also sanctioned in the Vaishnava sampradaya.

 

Besides, although Keshava Bharati belonged to Sankaracarya sampradaya, he was

also a great devotee. According to some authoritative opinions, although

Keshava Bharati belonged to the Sankara-sampradaya, he had formerly been

initiated by a great Vaishnava, Srila Madhavendra Puri (see Adi lila 9.13-15

purport).

 

Devotional service

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Q.2) In SB (1.5.35) Srila Prabhupada in his purport has mentioned that "...the

neophyte devotee must render loving service (to pure devotees) physically and

mentally without reservation". Maharaja, what does 'rendering service

mentally' mean?

 

Ans.

The functions of the mind are thinking, feeling and willing and 'rendering

service mentally' means all these functions should be engaged favorably in the

service of the pure devotees. In other words, physical service should not just

be a mechanical act, but one's mental disposition should also be in a loving,

serving mood. Thinking of the glories of the devotee with great appreciation,

cultivating feelings of respect, love and gratitude and the willingness to act

for their pleasure - offering them all respects, without holding back and

without resentment: these are some of the ways one can render service mentally.

 

One practical reference is made in BG in one purport: "One should contemplate

how to spread Krishna consciousness, this is the best way of controlling the

senses." In another place it is said (I am paraphrasing) "One should

contemplate how to carry out the orders of the spiritual master, and in this

way engage the mind."

 

ISKCON

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Q.3) Why is it a general practice in ISKCON to discuss SB during morning hours

and BG during evening hours?

 

Ans.

I can only answer this question from my experience in KC'ness. In the beginning

stages of KC'ness, classes in ISKCON were in the evening, when the young

American students could attend. BG was their introduction to KC'ness. Later,

when temple ashrams formed, regular morning classes were also introduced. Since

SB was being translated at the same time in ISKCON's evolution, there was need

to have a time to hear & discuss it. Hence, morning SB class!

 

It always seemed very natural for me, and I never really inquired about the

reason behind this general ISKCON practice. There are certainly no hard and

fast rules about it.

 

Modes of material nature

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Q.4) In his purports Srila Prabhupada has called women less intelligent. If

all of us, men or women, are basically Prakrti (feminine), then why a soul with

a woman's body considered less intelligent?

Ans.

The first point that should be made here is that as soon as one is fully

self-realized in Krishna consciousness, irrespective of whether one is in the

body of a man or woman or child, one is most intelligent, as we see in the

examples of Prahlada Maharaja, Queen Kunti etc. Similarly, Srila Prabhupada

said on several occasions that these comparisons (in intelligence, for example)

no longer apply once one becomes fixed in devotion to Krishna.

 

To directly respond to your question, Srila Prabhupada does not identify the

soul of a woman to be 'less intelligent'. The soul is full of knowledge.

However, in the conditioned state, one's innate qualities are covered by a

conditioned nature, which is based on the particular body. See verse and

purport to BG 13.21.

 

Spirit soul

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Q.5) In BG (1.32-35), Prabhupada mentions "At that point he (Arjuna) did not

know that Krishna had already killed them before their coming into the

battlefield...". My question is, if the soul is indestructible and if Bhisma

and Dronacarya were physically present on the battlefield then what did

Prabhupada mean by saying 'Krishna had already killed them'?

 

Ans.

The first part of your question is 'If the soul is indestructible, then how can

Krishna kill Bhisma and Drona?' For that matter, how can anybody be killed?

This killing does not refer to the annihilation of the soul, but just to the

destruction of material body.

 

The 2nd part of your question is 'Bhisma and Drona were present on the

battlefield, so how is that they are already killed?' Krishna is Time

personified, and He is knower of past, present and future. He had decided that

Bhisma and Drona should be killed in this battle, and just by His will, they

were already destined to die, whether Arjuna fought the battle or not. That is

what Srila Prabhupada means when he says that they were already killed. Krishna

Himself says so in a later chapter (refer to Ch 11, verses 27-33) where He

shows His universal form and Arjuna then sees all the soldiers being devoured

by the Universal Form in the manifestation of Time.

 

Spiritual World

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Q.6) On one hand Krishna has promised us that if we reach Goloka Vrindavan

through devotional process then we won't return to this world of birth and

death and at the same time we all are in this material world due to our envy

towards Krishna. Weren't we all originally residents of Goloka Vrindavan?

Ans.

Originally we are all pure Krishna conscious entities, but somehow or other due

to envy we came to the material world. This is true. But now if we reinstate

ourselves in proper devotional attitude and go back to Godhead, then it's

Krishna's promise to us that we don't have to come back, and on the strength of

Krishna's promise we can rest assured that we don't have to come back.

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Jan 08 2002, Tuesday Disappearance Sri Devananda Pandita

Jan 09 2002, Wednesday Ekadasi Saphala (Break fast 07:27-10:39) (Fast)

Jan 10 2002, Thursday Disappearance Sri Mahesa Pandita

Disappearance Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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