Glorious Prahalada

In the Padma Purana, it mentions that Prahalada, Hiranyakashipu, Nrsingadev,

they appear many times. It’s not only this one time. At least 3 different…2

different incarnations in other days of Brahma are described in the Padma

Purana.

One of those times he (Hiranyakashipu) worshiped Shiva and got the blessing.

Another time he worshiped Brahma again. When he was worshiping Shiva and he

wanted Prahalada to admit that he was supreme, then he said that, “Well, ok

if you don’t want to admit I’m supreme at least admit that Shiva is

supreme..hes above Vishnu.” Prahalada didn’t accept that either.

Prahalada was very fixed up Vaisnava. He knew very clearly who the Supreme

was. He got prenatal instruction. In the womb of his mother Kayadu he was

instructed by Narada muni.

Narada is very merciful. So he saved Prahalada from the Devas and took her

to his ashram, when she was carrying Prahalada, and then instructed her. So

later she forgot a lot of the things but Prahalada remembered everything. So

before he was born, he was already trained up.

The teachers of Prahalada were amazed where did he get all this information

from? And they weren’t teaching all this Visnu-tattva. So they were

surprised!

            HH Jayapataka Swami

            Lecture

            Nrsimha Caturdasi, 2008

            Sridham Mayapur

Devotees are worth Dying For

 

“Lord Chaitanya said that if you want to develop Love for Godhead, you must know “Vaishnava Etiquette” – How to behave with Vaishnavas. That is more important. If we don’t know how to deal properly with Vaishnavas then we commit offenses and eventually we won’t be able to go very close to Krishna … So it is very important to know how deal with, behave with each other properly respecting.

 

Most of the weeds of devotional service are also dealing with behavior, Kutinaati – diplomatic behavior; play some political situation with someone. Jivahimsa – treating someone very aggressively to harm a person emotionally or physically. So lots of obstacles in our devotional service are there because of bad behavior.

 

In other case Krishna bhajana means normally practicing with properly dealing with vaishnavas and say that you are going to save a vaishnava who is being attacked by beast or wild animal then if we die trying to save a devotee then we go back to Godhead. Devotees are so dear that they are worth dying for. So if somebody is worth dying for then why would we offend or deal improperly with such a person.”

 

HH Jayapataka Swami

Lecture: August 20th 2005, Italy

Test of a devotee

"In good times anybody can serve Krishna. Difficult times are a REAL TEST of a devotee.

Sometimes because of our Karmas or something, the situation becomes very complicated. Krishna is just watching. He allows it to go on. But anyway nothing happens without His permission. When he sees that the devotee, even though in problem, is still thinking of Me and is wanting to serve Me, then he becomes 'purchased' and feels that this devotee is so determined to serve Me.

If you want to impress Krishna, you should serve Him not only in the good times but other times also. In difficult times if we say, "Forget it, I won't serve", that kind of friend you can get anywhere. You can buy people like that. Real Devotee means, that you serve anytime and in any circumstance.

Krishna promises He will protect you. He wants to see whether you believe Him or not. If He sees that this person even in distress is looking to Him for protection, then Krishna will protect. If he is not looking for protection, then why will He protect? We have to be fixed that we want Krishna's protection, then He will protect us, in His own way."

HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj