SB 6.2 Ajamila Delivered by the Vishnudutas
Chapter 6 started 5th May 2016 Lecture 1
  • We should work on yama and niyama, not on rights.
  • Leadership may do the best they can, but even during Lord Caitanya's time there were people like Ramacandra Puri - to show that we cannot please everybody.
  • We cannot satisfy anybody on the material platform - the material modes can turn things around too quickly.
  • Who are we to expect something from the devotees?

  • We expect much from the devotees because we think we are special.
  • Culture means to know what we can take from where.
  • By following dharma good qualities manifest, but actually the soul acquires good qualities only by devotional service.
  • Those coming to Krishna consciousness from the platform of dharma just have to add devotional service, but those who are not have to take devotional service and try to develop dharma.
  • Qualities on themselves are not bad - it's a matter of purity.
  • We like to look at devotional service as imposition because we came from a different culture, but actually it is the natural position of the soul.
  • If one has the character, one will work out the skills, but simply by skills one will not get anywhere.
  • In the modern scenario neither the citizens nor the leadership feel secure.
  • By chanting we are freed from sins of thousands of lifetimes, but we have been in the material world longer than that, so we have to chant longer.
v.1-21
  • One can only be blameless if one is connected to the Lord.
  • Even much more competent people than us have not worked out material solutions to material problems.
  • In the spiritual world there is only one perception, while in the material world there are so many.
  • A leader should be always giving direction and instructions. If one only deals with problems one will always have problems.
  • If everybody is improving their own life the management becomes easier.
  • When the character drops, there has to be more and more management dealing with the rules.
  • Unless shastra is the basis one cannot have a proper discussion.
  • To take the position of authority, but not accept authority is hypocritical.
  • The standard and common culture for the Krishna conscious society is actually madhyama adhikari platform.
  • Madhyamas don't require much control.
  • Degrading government, it becomes just an occupation, then it expands, then taxes increase, then everything just collapses.
  • One has to use shastra to run the madhyama platform.
  • To support one's attachments one has to encourage the neophyte platform.
  • Everyone deserves certain attention according to their nature and position.
  • Government should be trying to get people to the brahma-bhuta platform.
  • Krishna consciousness movement is supposed to influence the government, not take up their systems of management.
  • Our business is Krishna consciousness. Somebody with suitable qualification should run the government in a Krishna conscious way.
  • The Vedic system is run by knowledge, not fear.
  • Problems arise when the movement is viewed as an impersonal entity rather than individuals.
  • Rights means mode of passion.
  • Even namabhasa removes all sin. Any devotee can chant on the platform of namabhasa.
  • No devotee today has done anything near to what Ajamila has done.
  • Just taking shelter of the holy name in the association of devotees - that's what we are trying to get to.
  • Even the acaryas pray for chanting pure name.
  • Even though we are chanting the holy name, we still have to make effort - that's how we show that we have a relationship.
  • We endeavor to chant the pure name, even though there are distractions. 'It's about cooking, not washing the pots.'
  • Devotees only drive themselves nuts with management because they think it's the primary.
  • If somebody only manages and does not take part they are actually not good at managing.
  • In the Vedic system many people manage each their own area.
  • Only shudras need a degree for everything.
  • 01:25:00 Both the leadership and the dependents have to have the proper attitude - then things will work out. If attitude is right, holy name and service will purify us.
5th May 2016 Lecture 2
  • Even name which is not pure, but not offensive removes sins from many lifetimes, it is not a big deal.
  • Even from the point of sraddha one can chant the pure holy name.
  • Technically changing externals is not necessary.
  • Even for Yamadutas wh are following dharma it is difficult to understand the power of the holy name.
  • One doesn't have to physically go through all the places of the universe, but consciousness-wise one has to.
  • Rajasic and tamasic puranas still tell the truth, but they will put more emphasis on the aspects that can be interpreted in their own way.
  • If there is affection for juniors, one will always be able to deal with them properly.
  • Namabhasa is not at all difficult.
  • Vishnudutas are talking about taking full shelter of the holy name.
  • Full vow means a vow for 12 years.
  • Chanting destroys the roots of sin. Moreover, the Lord always thinks of that person who is chanting.
  • We think that the sins themselves are a problem, but the main problem is mentality. Only the holy name can correct it.
  • Chanting of the holy name is the main sadhana of a brahmana.
  • Justifying our behavior may be sinful and slow down giving up our attachments.
  • There is a difference between taking shelter of the holy name and not being able to follow rules, and purposely using the holy name and breaking rules.
  • Anything connected to sense gratification is very ritualized.
  • We should not use Ajamila's example to rationalize.
  • One can accumulate secondary aspects of bhakti, but to really make it happen one has to become conscious.
  • Due to the influence of New Testament we think that everything has to be squeaky clean in the life of a spiritual person.
  • Even future sins are destroyed by chanting, but to relay on that and continue sinning is offensive.
 Appendix A
  • The big thing is developing love for Krishna not getting rid of sin. We are only attached to enjoying and don't want to suffer, so we make getting rid of sin important.
  • For those who have taken up devotional service the taste always improves, so how sinful can they possibly get?
  • Ajamila's continuous sins were no longer having that effect, due to his chanting.
  • Bad conditions come from offenses to the Name.
  • There will be many disturbances if one uses the Holy Name for something else, or misinterprets it.
  • Holy Name cannot be used for oneself beyond Paramatma stage.
  • Devotees who strongly identify with mixed things are doing karma-mishra bhakti, or bhakti-mishra karma.
  • Technically everybody in the Vedic system is...
5th May 2016 Lecture 3
  • Sambandha-jnana also includes theory of the process and the goal.
  • Sambandha-jnana means one has to know all 4 aspects of the Catur-vyuha. Then, applying Vasudeva aspect, we get to Aniruddha.
  • We get experience both from abhideya and prayojana.
  • Prabhava - what is influencing
  • Anubhava - flavors, samvit, sandhini and hladini
  • Vibhava - jivas, energy and the Lord
  • Without Caturvyuha one cannot have a complete system. This is the system.
  • Offenses against the Name will keep us here, but it doesn't mean that we won't do well here.
  • Problem with Ajamila, with smartas etc is that they do not have devotee association.
  • Prabhupada created an international society from uneducated people. But as a devotee they can function anywhere.
  • Previously Ajamila was practicing bhakti as an anga of karma.
  • By bad association one commits all the greatest sins.
  • Secondary bhakti may be destroyed by improper acts.
  • The potency of anything getting accomplished is bhakti.
  • Devotional means we develop love for Krishna, offensive means we don't.
  • Karma and jnana are working due to devotion to the scriptures. If our bhakti is only an anga to what we do, we still get a reaction from what we are involved with.
  • Electrical appliances only work if the current is there. Similarly, only bhakti makes karma and jnana work.
  • Acaryas' understanding is not just the 6th canto, but the whole Bhagavatam.
  • When bhakti is treated as an anga of karma and one does not offend bhakti outside of that, one gets the results of karma very easily.
  • Using apara-vidyas for preaching we have to be very careful to make bhakti prominent.
  • The Vedic culture will be established and used properly only by those with pure bhakti.
  • We are used to using Vedic skills, not adopting the whole lifestyle.
  • As we remove offenses, the room frees up for prema.
  • At each step of direct devotional service we get devotion, experience of the Lord and detachment.
  • The sin is gone very easily for devotees, but what is left is aparadhas, and they start to go by sincere bhakti.
  • Seeds of desires can grow very big.
  • If our attitude is proper we may progress through the stages of bhakti without even distinguishing and noticing them.
  • All other processes mentioned in the Vedas are angas of bhakti, meant to be engaged for the sake of bhakti.
  • Yamaraja, Brahma, Varuna etc speak in their own specific grammar.
  • Those who have any connection with Madhusudhana never see Yamaraja.
  • Srila Prabhupada played ta-re-ke-ta as the first mrdanga mantra.
  • Bhagavad-gita, Kapila-gita and Uddhava-gita all have the same topic.
  • The worshipers of Vishnu do not take birth according to karma, but only to continue their bhakti.
  • By one's actions one is planting the seed of devotion, or the seeds of karma and jnana.
6th May 2016 Lecture 1
  • Happiness and distress is just what gives happiness or distress to the Lord.
  • The way materialists look at the world is not for anybody's benefit except their own.
  • No one will like what we do. Basis for right and wrong should be Krishna and His instructions.
  • A devotee is not worried about his past karma - good or bad.
  • 'Fitting in' usually means fitting in an environment of sense gratification, so we are not worried about fitting in.
  • Only pure goodness reconciles all contradictions.
  • West is only now taking fashion that devotees have been using for thousands of years.
  • Nothing bothers one who is absorbed in the Lord. If things are bothering us, we should simply improve our chanting. We only improve the situation as a matter of duty.
  • Goodness lifestyle makes the mind a little more stable, but ultimately we have to come to the platform of pure goodness. Modern lifestyle is mostly ignorance with a little passion.
  • The culture will take care of dharma, artha, kama and bhakti. The philosophy takes care of moksha and bhakti.
  • Americans, Westerners can adjust to anything.
  • By Krishna consciousness one can live in goodness in any environment.
  • Krishna consciousness works in all environments, but other things work only in their respective places.
  • If our consciousness hasn't changed we will not be able to take advantage of a better environment. Varna improves environment, ashrama improves consciousness.
  • By developing in ashrama we will depend less on proper external environment.
  • Midlife crisis is meant for moving into vanaprastha.
  • In vanaprastha one has less things, works more with companionship, less with emotion.
  • Material facilities devotees have come by bhakti, but we can still get into anxiety over them.
  • There may be attachment for material things, but that should not be the reason one performs bhakti.
  • Krishna is very expert in knowing what to do to increase person's devotion.
  • Having facility and being happy actually have nothing to do with each other.
  • We have to learn to be happy with relationship and interaction for Krishna's pleasure.
  • Upon reaching the stage of sraddha only Krishna-karma remains. Before that, in ajnata-sukrti, the sins are all gone, but one still has to take to the personal aspect of service.
  • Initiation means changing focus, getting serious.
  • Interpreting the Name, thinking His glories imaginary and equating the chanting to pious acts are all obstacles to becoming a proper Vaishnava.
  • Offenses to the devotees are the worst, since they will destroy the devotional credits we have.
  • Disturbance in the spiritual world only creates variety in pastimes, it is not actually disturbance.
  • Our faith in Krishna and devotees should always remain, although the faith in a particular person may be lost.
  • Actually devotee family is big, but we want to make it into just a nuclear family where it's just us and our guru.
  • Effects of the offenses of committing sins on the strength of chanting, and criticizing devotees, are destroyed by continuous chanting while suffering appropriately for the offense. The effects of other offenses are destroyed by chanting, but without suffering.
  • Any one of the senior Vaishnavas can take us back to Godhead.
  • All sampradayas talk what their founder said, but our own spiritual master sees that we are following those instructions nicely.
  • It's about developing love for Krishna, not making ourselves the center of attention due to our disappointment with our guru, with the management etc.
  • The potency of parampara is working independently of one or few people leaving the movement.
  • One who is devious himself does not trust anybody.
  • Doubting the whole system because our guru left, is a fault in ourselves.
  • There is only Krishna and His process - alternatives are illusion only.
  • If we are looking for an excuse, Maya will give it to us. So are we looking for Krishna, or looking for a reason to feel bad.
  • Looking for emotional support is a characteristic of arta, those who are suffering. We will get the emotional support from devotees, but that should not be the main reason for us taking devotee association.
  • Namabhasa is delivering. By chanting one will be freed from sin even without accepting a guru. But Guru will teach us how to worship the Lord and develop our love for Him.
  • Smartas are only chanting the form of the Name, so it only gives material, not spiritual benefit.
  • The Name will make us advanced, but then we have to be serious about advancement.
  • Devotees advance due to Holy Name.
6th May 2016 Lecture 2
  • Demigod worshipers are not interested in worshiping Krishna.
  • Those who want to be offenders are given that association and opportunity by the Lord, and continue to offend.
  • In whatever way one becomes absorbed in the Lord one gets purified and then one can have that affection. Otherwise, one just attains liberation.
Chapter 2 continued
 
  • Things are corrected materially by atonement, but one still continues to act materially.
  • No problem if someone is both emotional and analytical. Problem arises if there is only one of them.
  • Sinful acts for devotees come back 'with no teeth', even though it will still be an obstacle in developing pure love for Krishna.
  • The whole systems of karma and jnana are anarthas. Still, we can use the mechanics of how karma works to explain bhakti.
  • Hela is one of the sancari-bhavas, it means slight disregard.
  • One either has to grow up fully, or stay very simple and pure.
  • Discrimination goes both directions. One who does not discriminate is also not discriminated against.
  • There is no forum for discussing the faults of devotees.
  • Direct spiritual activities are always encouraged in children, but cultural aspects should also be taught to do properly.
  • Dealing with children can't be just sentimental or just dry.
  • When senior people start talks criticizing devotees - we pretend we just suddenly urgently have to leave.
  • In social dealings we can never support someone with whom our family member is upset.
  • One who is chanting will be saved from hellish life.
  • We will be doing austerity, charity and vows if they are recommended as duties.
  • The actual nitya-dharma is devotional service.
  • Desire to sin is removed by the Name. By pleasing the Lord we get control of the senses.
  • Actual awakening is the awakening of the soul in Krishna consciousness. It may happen in just a moment, or over many years.
  • Reappearance of sin in devotees is not at all the same as in karmis.
  • If we want to develop love for Krishna we have to constantly keep endeavoring for it.
  • We could attain pure love at any moment, but we have to want it. A fisherman caught Lord Caitanya and attained ecstatic love, but he was not comfortable with it.
  • If the proper mentality is there, everything else will come.
  • Krishna consciousness does not depend on the situation, but still there are situations that are recommended.
  • Yamadutas' faith in their master was thwarted.
v.22-38
  • Sinful reactions shorten our life from 100 years to less.
  • All Vishnu's names are great for Vaikuntha, but primary names are more emphasized for Vraja.
  • We have to be able to tell the difference between Vedic and devotional, otherwise we get into aropya.
  •  If varnashrama is rejected by pure devotees, everything below it is also rejected.
  •  Varnashrama is the most pious of identities. But still, we don't identify, we just use it.
  •  Regretting our wrongdoings does not mean lamenting.
  • Regret is knowledge - that's done, that's wrong, we move on.
  • Lamentation is illusion.
  •  Marriages in ISKCON worked when Krishna consciousness was the basis and devotees were engaged according to their nature.
6th May 2016 Lecture 3
  • Regret for devotees is there because activities we have done did not please Krishna.
  •  Caring about brahmanas means giving in charity.
  • With others one deals nicely.
  • Civilization is centered around women.
  • To establish varnashrama one has to take care of those 5 - brahmanas, women, children, old men, cows.
  •  Since Ajamila had not been offensive, his service had just stopped.
  •  Since every initiated devotee has a name connected to Krishna, everyone can remember Krishna.
  •  We should always remember what our position was before coming to Krishna consciousness and what did we deserve for that.
  • We think we know what the karmis think.
  • Everybody joins Krishna consciousness with their luggage, and some luggages are incompatible.
  • It's not that everybody has to agree. We find places and people where we fit.
  • If we identify with the body we have to engage the senses.
  • Those most vocal about impiety are those most attached to piety.
  • Attachment to dharma should also be given up.
  • Lamentation is all about us, it's an identification with what's wrong.
  • Regret is understanding ourselves as a soul and realizing what has gone wrong.
  • Devotees many times want to see lamentation in others for what they have done wrong, and this is ignorance.
  • Many times we are more attached to form than the activity itself.
  • 'Energy in form of a woman' refers to attachment.
  • Control and submission - women can come up, but men generally never do.
  • Sometimes brahmana women can give good advice to brahmacharis.
  • Ajamila's purification is now complete, since he has the determination to not repeat his mistakes.
  • It is not uncommon that one who is very focused in material activities doing all nonsense can also be focused in spiritual life.
  • All mantras other than Hare Krishna require some material qualification.
v.39-49
 
  • From a moment's association with Visnhudutas Ajamila came to nishtha because he took full advantage.
  • Before the processes of bhakti were described. Here, Ajamila's attitude is brought out. His attitude is changing therefore he becomes attached to Krishna and His devotees.
  • We only make up our own rules based on our own sense gratification.
  • By always remembering the Lord we get the benefit of being in all the holy places.
  • All material paths always come back to fruitive activities. Most time is spent in karma, and some in jnana and yoga.
  • Maya is running the modes to serve the Lord, and we can also engage the modes in the Lord's service.
  • The whole pastime of Ajamila is about exclusively taking shelter of the holy names.
6.2.14
  • We should just be focused on chanting the holy name.
6.2.15
  • For one who is chanting one need not worry distinguishing between heavier and lighter sins.
 6.2.17
  • By chanting once sins have gone away - how reactions will come depends on our mentality.
 6.2.35
  • The point of remorse is becoming serious in Krishna consciousness.
6.2.38
  • The false lure is that we will be happy by sense gratification, but we never do.
  • Full focus on the Lord will get us back to Godhead - we should try for this.
  • Devotional process is the only actual process that works.
  • Developing faith means that bhava has extended down.
  • If we still think that prayascitta has a value, it means we have not exclusively taken shelter of the Holy Name.
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