Tag: Coronavirus

How to attain freedom from never ending suffering?

We all want freedom from never ending sufferings but in spite of that we are kncoked down by suffering again and again.

The Coronavirus pandemic has killed thousands of people all over the world. Even the wealthiest and the mightiest people of the world are helpless in front of it.

It has plunged the whole world into misery. As we are struggling for survival and trying our best to save ourselves from this tiny little virus, let us pause for a moment and ask ourselves as why we are always subjected to suffering in this world?

Or why suffering never ceases to end in this world? And is there any place in the entire creation of God where there is no suffering and where we can live fearlessly?

Its not that people were free from the diseases before the attack of the virus. It will also not happen that once the cure of the virus has been found people will never suffer from any diseases.  People were dying in the past; people are dying in the present and people will continue to die in the future.

Suffering in this world is everywhere

In fact, Bhagavad Gita 8.16 says that there are no planets in the entire material universe where there is no suffering and no death.

Miseries in this world follow us like a shadow.

We do not want to suffer from any disease but still we suffer. None of us want to grow old but every moment we grow old. In fact, a tiny little kid playing carelessly in its pram is also growing old every second.

We all want to live forever. We all want to remain united with our parents, with our spouse, with our siblings, with our children, with our friends forever. But we are forced to get separated. But we are not able to save them when the agents of death take them away from us. We helplessly watch as they are slowly devoured by death.

Their tears and our tears do not melt the heart of the cruel and emotionless death. A day will come when we will also be forced to leave this world.

As per the stringent laws of the material universe we cannot live here permanently. And as per the laws of this world as long as we live here, we will also have to undergo different types of sufferings.

Three types of sufferings

The scriptures tell about three types of miseries which always afflicts anyone and everyone in this world.

• adhidaivika-klesa: Sufferings caused by the higher powers like the demigods. Droughts, earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities come under this category.
• adhibhautika-klesa:  Sufferings caused because of other living beings like insects, mosquitoes, or fellow human beings.
• adhyatmika-klesa: Sufferings because of one’s own body and mind. For example, mental anxiety, fear, indecision, other mental illness or physical problems related to our body.

Everything ends one day

We make so many plans to mitigate these miseries.  We anchor our hope on technological advancement hoping that it will succeed one day in shielding us against all the miseries which nature inflict upon us. We believe that by creating more wealth, we will attain freedom from never ending suffering. Wealth will help us to secure our future and we can then celebrate our life.

And most importantly we desperately hope that a day will come when the medical science will discover an elixir which will make us immortal.

Like us, our forefathers too had the same wishes. They too did not want to suffer. They too did not want to die.

But history is testimony to the fact that no one has ever succeeded in bypassing the laws of this material world.

The Supreme Lord, our original father, and the architect of this world have clearly said that this world is temporary, this body of ours is temporary, this world is full of suffering, this body of ours is full of suffering and no matter how hard we try everything is going to come to an end one day.

The rebellious child

So, did God create us to live miserably and die miserably? Does God enjoy seeing us, his children, suffer? Definitely Not.

In fact, most of the children of God are supremely blissful and are celebrating their life in the company of God in the kingdom of God. But unfortunate souls like us decided to be here in this material world away from God.

Sometimes a child out of foolishness rebels against his family, rejects his father’s wise advice and runs away from his house. Away from his home, away from his family and away from his loving and caring mother and father he simply suffers.

Our condition is akin to that rebellious son. We are suffering because we ran away from our spiritual homes and came to this material world. In the spiritual world under the shelter of Krishna we were enjoying our life along with the residents of the spiritual world. And away from Krishna here we are suffering every moment.

Are we destined to suffer forever?

So, what is the solution? Are we condemned forever? Are we going to suffer forever.? Are we never going to attain freedom from never ending suffering? Not at all. Although we leave Krishna, but Krishna never leaves us. He always lives with us in our heart as Parmatma. He incarnates in this world again and again to invite us to return back to his abode.

And he is always accessible to us through his holy names. Padma Purana says that the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical.

So when we are chanting his names with sincerity, it means we are directly associating with him and taking his shelter. To live a life free of suffering and free of fear we do not have to wait to return back to the spiritual world. In fact, while living in this world, we can experience supreme bliss and live without fear.

Krishna frees us

Sufferings end when we reconnect with Krishna

When we practice devotion to Krishna our sufferings vanish because we get cleansed of all our sins. We eventually attain freedom from never ending suffering. Also, when we take shelter of Krishna then Krishna who is the controller of this material world takes charge of our life.

A tiny little fish can swim against the gigantic waves which can devour gigantic ships because it has taken shelter of ocean. Similarly, we too start living fearlessly in this world which is inundated with unlimited miseries by taking shelter of Krishna.

Prahlada Maharaj while offering his prayers to the Lord says, “O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities.”

Material solution to the material suffering can give temporary relief. But the suffering eventually comes in different form and continues knocking us down again and again.

But Krishna promises that if we turn towards him then he will free us from all past sins and will remove all sufferings from our life. Bhagavad Gita 18.66

Krishna also assures that once we return back to his abode then we will never come again to this material world which is full of suffering.

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.” Bhagavad Gita 8.16

So, let us worship the lotus feet of Krishna, the son of mother Yashoda, which makes one fearless and brings all auspiciousness.  This is the best solution to attain freedom from never ending suffering.

Iskcon Communication Ministry’s guidelines for speaking during COVID – 19 pandemic

COVID – 19 pandemic has killed thousands of people all over the world. It has brought a global crisis. Iskcon devotees too are suffering and unfortunately some have even lost their lives because of the pandemic.

Devotees do not want people to suffer. So, in Iskcon, devotees are trying their best to serve people of the entire world.

• At several Iskcon temples and Iskcon centres devotees are working hard to prepare food packets and are distributing it to the needy people.

As of now Iskcon in India is preparing meal for more than 5 lakh people daily.

• Iskcon devotees all over the world who are doctors, nurses and healthcare experts are working day and night to treat the patients. They are risking their lives and are serving wholeheartedly.
• Devotees are chanting extra rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra so that it creates auspiciousness in the whole world and end the pandemic.
• Iskcon Chowpatty has organized 1 crore japa yajna campaign where devotees from all over the world come in a conference call and chant and pray together for the people of the whole world.
• Some devotees have also taken the onus of helping elderly people who are extremely vulnerable during this time.
• Some devotees as per their capacity are trying their best to help people from humble background who are suffering because of no job.

But along with these commendable services, it is also important that devotees during their conversation with others or during classes (which are mostly happening online these days) speak in such a way that it should be soothing to the hearts.

Anuttama Dasa, GBC Member,  Minister of Communications, have advised that devotees should not speak anything which may appear insensitive and which tries to belittle the suffering of the people.

Sometimes neophyte devotees because of immaturity or lack of complete understanding of Krishna conscious philosophy may utter certain words which may appear insensitive. Mature devotees should guide them and make them understand that a devotee is always compassionate to others suffering.

Scriptures are filled with the stories of devotees who exhibited extraordinary compassion towards all.

Vāsudeva Datta had so much compassion for all the living beings of the world that with tears in his eyes he prayed to Lord Chaitanya, “Let me suffer for the sinful activities of all the people of the whole world. Let all their sins, all their karma fall upon me. Let me go to hell and suffer on their behalf. But please free them from all the sufferings. Please shower your mercy upon them. Please show your compassion to them.”

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was so moved hearing the prayers of Vāsudeva Datta that his eyes were filled with tears of love and he embraced him.

Mahārāja Rantideva whose glories are sung in Srimad Bhagavatam says, “I want only to stay among all the living entities and suffer all distresses on their behalf, so that they may be freed from suffering.” SB 9.21.12

Srila Prabhupada took all the pains to preach Krishna consciousness because he wanted to save entire humanity from degrading to hellish life.

The communication ministry quotes a lecture of Srila Prabhupada where he is speaking how a devotee should have feeling for others’ distress.

Vaishnava is always feeling for others’ distress. That is Vaishnava. Vaishnava—para dukha dukhi. They’re very much afflicted with others’, I mean to say, miserable life. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he presented himself as very much afflicted with others’ miserable condition of life. So all the Vaishnavas, devotees—It doesn’t matter which country he belongs to or which sect he belongs to. Anyone who is God-conscious or Krishna conscious. . . para dukha dukhi.  Lecture July 21, 1971 New York

Whole world is in great distress.

Thousands of people have already died. Thousands of people are dying daily. Lakhs of people are in hospitals or are quarantined. Millions of people are suffering financially. The situation is so bad that family members of those who are dying because of Coronavirus are not even able to see their dead bodies. For fear of spreading the infection, the government authorities cremate the dead bodies and just inform the family members.

During this global crisis devotees should exhibit complete maturity and show compassion to all through their words and actions.

Iskcon Communication Ministry has issued following guidelines to the leaders while speaking about the pandemic, but it is applicable to all the devotees:  

• Express first your heartfelt concern and prayers for those who are suffering.
• Advise all to strictly follow government guidelines/restrictions that promote public safety. 
• Avoid statements that may be interpreted as callous, or lacking empathy for others’ suffering.  
• While our tradition teaches that karma impacts our happiness and suffering, teach and highlight for devotees that a more essential principle for followers of Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada is karuna, compassion and mercy for others. This should guide all we do and say. 

How Lord Krishna is saving his devotees from COVID – 19?

The Coronavirus pandemic is affecting people all over the world including the devotees of ISKCON.

In UK many Iskcon devotees have got infected with Coronavirus and some have even passed away.

So, a natural question may come in the minds of the devotees, “Why is Krishna not saving his devotees from COVID – 19?”

To find answer to this question we need to dig deep into philosophy of Krishna consciousness.

Scriptures tell that all the living entity in this world suffer from four-fold miseries of birth, old age disease and death.

Just like a person who is not a devotee of Krishna grows old, get affected by disease and eventually die similarly a devotee of Krishna also grows old, may get affected by disease and will one day have to leave his body.

When Arjuna at the battlefield of Kurushetra got bewildered then the first lesson which Krishna taught to Arjuna was about the nature of the soul. Krishna explained that our body is temporary, and the soul is eternal.

Just like a person gives up its old and torn clothes similarly the soul gives up old and invalid bodies.

This world is temporary. None of us are going to live here forever.

An intelligent man should not get bewildered seeing death in this world.

With this understanding a devotee practices devotion to Krishna sincerely and as long as he lives in this world he lives as per the guidelines of the scriptures. And scriptures say that when we are living in this world then we should follow the laws of the material world.

Devotees do have to follow the material law

Srila Prabhupada in his book, Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers (PQPA) explains, that “As long as you are in the material world, you cannot neglect physical laws.”

Even the Supreme Lord Krishna who is the creator and controller of this material world and who is above all the material laws and even spiritual laws follows the laws of this world to teach us that we should also respect the material laws.  

• If a devotes goes out in the rain, then just because he is a devotee does not mean that he will not get wet.
• If a devotee jumps from a high-rise building, then he will also break his bones.
• Similarly, during this COVID – 19 crisis if devotees do not take precaution then he will surely get affected.

It is true that if Krishna wants, he can intervene and protect a devotee from COVID – 19. And in many cases, he might be protecting the devotees, its just that we do not know about it.

Lord Narasimhadev saves a little girl

One small girl with his father had gone to the farmland. The father got busy with his work and the little girl ran away from there and came on the road. When the father started looking for her, he saw her on the middle of the road. At that very moment a big truck was coming and the girl who was so small to understand the situation did not know what to do.

It was a highway. The truck was in full speed. The father was helpless. He prepared himself for the eventuality. He closed his eyes. How could he see his daughter being crushed by the truck?

He frantically started praying to Lord Narasimhadev.

He was shivering. After a few moments, he opened his eyes. He was so fearful. He was in great distress, deep agony.

But to his surprise he saw the little girl on the other side of the road. She was safe. He could not control his tears.

He ran to embrace her. He lifted her up and asked her what had happened to her? How did she come to the other side of the road?  The girl said one person who looked like a lion, had big teeth and long hair came and lifted her and put her beside the road. The girl could recognize lion because she had seen the picture of a lion in her schoolbook. 

The father was surprised but not convinced. Then he saw her shoulders. There were some marks. He immediately went to a doctor. The doctor was surprised, he said that this mark is not of any human being but is of a lion. Now the father understood that it was Lord Narasimhadev who came to save her daughter.

There are many such incidents which happen in devotees’ life.  When Krishna wants to protect devotes then Krishna surely protects.

But the way Krishna protects a devotee may be different.

Passing away of devotee is also glorious   

Even if a devotee meets with death then his death is also glorious. Srimad Bhagavatam narrates the passing away of great devotee of the Lord like Bhisma Dev, Parikshit Maharaj and Dhruv Maharaj. Their passing away from this mortal world was glorious and after leaving this world they went back home back to godhead. Even today there are many instances when devotees have left their body in a glorious way.

Lord Chaitanya comes for his devotee at his last moment

Once one devotee was on his death bed. He was in Mayapur. He was not from India. Srila Prabhupada had given him the service of distributing his books and had said that if you distribute these books then Lord Chaitanya will personally come to deliver you.

Now when he was sick then his desire was to come to India and leave his body in India. So, he was brought to Mayapur. During his last days, he was completely bed ridden.

For several weeks he was not able to get up from his bed. One day the doctor said that he may pass away at any moment.

So, all the devotees came together, they began doing kirtan in the room where the devotee was lying bed ridden. One devotee placed saligram sila in one of his hands.

When the kirtan was going on, the devotee who was bed ridden for several weeks and could not even move slightly, got up and looked towards the door and said Lord Chaitanya is here, he has come to take me back.

After saying these few words, he again lied down on the bed. And immediately left his body. Even the saligram sila which he was holding in one of his hands had also disappeared.

My husband’s life is successful

Once one devotee was on his death bed in Mayapur and his wife was holding a picture of Krishna and showing him. While seeing the picture of the Supreme Lord the person left his body. The wife with tears in his eyes said, “My husband’s life is now successful.”

Chanting at the last moment

In Bhaktivedanta hospital, Mumbai, doctors tell about many heart touching stories of the patients who leave their body and how Krishna at the last moment bestows his mercy upon them. I still remember one picture of a husband and wife which I saw there.  That picture was taken moments before the person’s death. The doctors at the hospital informed his family members that the person has only few minutes to live. Now what could have been done. So, the wife took beads in her hand and was helping her husband to chant the name of Krishna.  And the man who had just few minutes left, left his body chanting the names of Krishna.

Miseries will come. Death will come. But devotion to Krishna gives us solution by which we can free ourselves from this four-fold miseries of birth, old age, disease and death forever.

When we chant the holy names of Krishna and read literatures like Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam then it cleanses our hearts of all the impurities of lust, greed, pride, anger, envy, illusion and false ego.  Once our hearts start getting purified the knowledge of the scriptures start getting revealed in our hearts. And in that state, we start understanding the true nature of this material world, we start understanding that this world can never give us any joy, we start experiencing Krishna in our hearts which fills our hearts with unlimited bliss.

And while living in this world even if some suffering comes, a pure devotee is not bewildered because he knows that in this world suffering is inevitable and Krishna is always there to protect.

In the Light of the Bhāgavata, Text Twelve, Srila Prabhupada writes, “Even though a person takes to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, he may sometimes become diseased, impoverished, or disappointed by life’s events. A true devotee of the Lord always considers these sufferings to be due to past sinful activities, and thus without becoming disturbed he patiently awaits the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Such devotees are compared to high mountains, which are never agitated in any way, even when struck by powerful torrents of rain in the rainy season. Rather, such devotees remain humble in spiritual enlightenment. Free from pride and envy, they easily gain the mercy of the Lord and go back home, back to Godhead.”

Lord Krishna is protecting his devotees from deadly COVID – 19 by giving him/her a proper understanding that in this world suffering is inevitable and he also gives us a process by which we can free ourselves from all the miseries and live happily forever by returning back to the spiritual world where there is no disease, no epidemic, no pandemic, no calamity, no death,

Knowing the nature of this world, a devotee continues practicing devotion to Krishna in all situations and circumstances. So even if a devotee may be physically ill, he is not much disturbed by it. He remains always blissful by chanting Krishna’s holy names and by engaging himself in the service of Krishna.

In the present day we can learn a great lesson from the life of HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. From material point of view, he is physically not well, he has undergone many operations but with extraordinary enthusiasm he is not just practicing devotional life but is inspiring thousands of devotees all over the world to practice devotional life.

So those who are practicing devotional life live happily as long as they live in this world, and he gets so purified that he starts understanding that death is not the end of everything. He understands that as a soul he is eternal and never going to die. He even understands that his practice of devotional life will even liberate his family members. So, in a sense a devotee knows that if he becomes pure and his family members are also devotee of Krishna then they all will remain united in the kingdom of Krishna.

And even if the devotee has not completely perfected his life then in next life, he takes birth in the family of a pure devotee where he has great opportunity to practice devotional life. As Krishna explains in Bhagavad Gita 2.40, in practicing devotional life there is no loss.

We need to remember that as long as we are in this material world suffering is inevitable. So suffering may come in the form of COVID – 19 or some other calamity but if we take shelter of Krishna with proper understanding then we will be able to fearlessly face all the difficulties in life.

Once we establish Krishna in our hearts, we will remain happy in this world and after leaving this world we will reunite with Krishna and live blissfully in the kingdom of Krishna.

Related Articles

How spirituality can help fight Coronavirus effectively?

COVID – 19: Collective 1 Crore Japa Yajna Campaign

COVID-19: Sourav Ganguly lauds Iskcon’s efforts to serve the society

5 ISKCON devotees die of Covid – 19 in UK

5 ISKCON devotees die of Covid – 19 in UK

Iskcon devotees in UK have been badly affected by Coronavirus. As of now there are twenty-one confirmed cases and five devotees have died.

In this tragic situation when the whole world should unite to fight the pandemic some people with vested interest are trying to blame ISKCON UK devotees for the spread of Covid – 19 in UK. This is totally fake.

'ISKCON temple as a source of Coronavirus in UK' –
Andh Bhakti, blind faith is the source of all problems not TJ or ISKCON. https://t.co/tx9ahN3LUq

— shahid siddiqui (@shahid_siddiqui) April 7, 2020

But the facts are totally different.  

ISKCON devotees in UK and worldwide have always believed in following the law of the land and they work hard to create peace and harmony in the society.

• When Iskcon held its program in UK at that time the government of UK had not declared any lockdown or had not issued any directive to close the religious places.

• UK GBC Praghosa Prabhu said that ISKCON UK closed all its temples in UK on March 16th, a week before lockdown was declared by UK government

• Even before the lockdown was announced in UK, all the temples were following the guidelines given by the government and devotees were taking all the precautionary measures like washing hands with soaps, using sanitizers etc.

• None of the devotees who were infected tried to hide their disease.

• None of the devotees hid in the temples or took shelter in the houses of Iskcon congregation members.

• None of them deliberately tried to spread the disease.

• The devotees who got infected immediately contacted the doctors, quarantined themselves and followed all the guidelines.

• All the devotees of Iskcon UK have tried their best to cooperate with the government agencies.

• In UK, the total number of confirmed cases are 51,608 and number of Iskcon devotees affected is 21. So only 0.04% of the affected people in UK are from Iskcon.

• In UK, the total number of deaths due to Coronavirus is 5373, and the number of Iskcon devotees who have passed away is 5.  So only 0.095% people who have died because of Coronavirus in UK are from Iskcon.

• Now contrast this with the action of Tablighi Jamaat. Many of their members had violated their visas and were illegally staying in India.  And many of them have hid themselves in different parts of the country risking their own lives, lives of their family members and lives of others too.

Those who are supporting them do not know that in fact they are doing a great harm to the entire humanity and even to the Muslim community because if the affected members are not quarantined then thousands more will have to suffer.

Moreover, Iskcon in India and all over the world is trying their best to serve the society to fight Coronavirus. Many devotees who are doctors and nurses are spending days and nights to serve the Coronavirus affected patients.

Iskcon monks are putting their efforts to serve the society by cooking food by themselves and trying to distribute it free of cost to the needy people.

Any sane man will appreciate the efforts of the devotees of Iskcon in this difficult time.

ISKCON monks at ISKCON Kolkata Packaging food to be distributed amongst needy people during Corona Lockdown. Pan India ISKCON is serving free meal to over 5 lacs people daily as of now. They are scaling it up every day. #Coronafighters #CoronavirusLockdown #CoronaWarriors pic.twitter.com/Ab7cN0lkSZ

— Purushottam Nitai Das (@Discoverursupe1) April 7, 2020

Related Articles:

• COVID-19: Sourav Ganguly lauds Iskcon’s efforts to serve the society

• How spirituality can help fight Coronavirus effectively?

• Collective 1 Crore Japa Yajna Campaign

COVID-19: Sourav Ganguly lauds Iskcon’s efforts to serve the society

BCCI President and former captain of Indian Cricket team Sourav Ganguly thanked Iskcon for feeding the needy people during this Coronavirus crisis.

All over India Iskcon is arranging food for around four lakh people daily.

In Kolkata too Iskcon has been distributing food packets to thousands of people daily.

After Sourav Ganguly’s contribution Iskcon Kolkata will be able to feed 10,000 more people.

A team of Iskcon Kolkata devotees at Iskcon House in Gurusaday is putting their best efforts to prepare the sanctified vegetarian food for thousands of people.

The devotees while working are taking all precautions like wearing masks, wearing gloves, using sanitizers and soaps.

Anant Bhagavan Prabhu who is with the team of devotees at Iskcon Gurusaday said that we were able to feed 10,000 people daily in Kolkata but after Sourav Ganguly’s contribution we would be able to serve 10,000 more people i.e. total we will be able to prepare food for 20,000 needy people in Kolkata.

Scriptures tell that one of the qualities of a devotee is that he is para–dukha–dukhi i.e. when he sees other people suffering then he too feels pain and he tries to help that person.  So currently because of the pandemic when the country is under lockdown the devotees are not thinking much about themselves but are more concerned how best they can serve the people.

Sourav Ganuguly not just donated the amount so that thousands of more people can be served but he also visited the Iskcon centre to thank all the devotees.

HG Radharaman Prabhu who is the spokesperson and vice-president of ISKCON, Kolkata centre thanked Sourav Ganguly for the support. He said that under the captaincy of Dada the monks of Iskcon will be able to fight the battle of hunger confidently during this Coronavirus pandemic.

Thank u ISKCON .. keep serving the society https://t.co/alXyabQVcR

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 4, 2020

COVID – 19: Collective 1 Crore Japa Yajna Campaign

In this difficult time when scores of people are dying daily because of Coronavirus all over the world, Iskcon Chowpatty has come up with a novel idea of fighting this disease by invoking the mercy of the Lord.

To invoke auspiciousness saints and sages have always recommended that we should perform yajna.  And in this age of Kali Yuga scriptures recommend sankirtan yajna i.e. congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord like the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

The more we chant the names of the Lord, we create more auspiciousness.

Almost everyone agree that we are suffering from this pandemic because we the human beings have acted against the laws of nature. Our current suffering is because of the sins committed by mankind against other living entities.

And the best way to remove the sins from the world is by chanting the names of the Lord. If people from all over the world come together to call the names of the Lord, then soon the suffering caused by Coronavirus will end.

Iskcon Chowpatty is inviting everyone to participate in this japa yajna. The goal is to chant 1 crore Holy Names of the Lord from April 1st – April 15th.

One has to just invest 15 min daily in this campaign from 7:30 am – 7:45 am IST. The entire country is under lockdown. All educational institutions are closed, offices are closed. If people are working, then they are working only from their homes so taking out 15 minutes daily is not a very difficult thing to do.

It takes around 7 minutes to complete one round of chanting which consists of 108 beads. So in 15 minutes one can complete two rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra on the beads.

15 minutes is not mandatory. One can spend even 10 min or even 5 min for chanting.

The collective japa – yajna will start everyday from 7:30 am – 7:45 am IST or (GMT + 5.30).

Not just people from India but people from all over the world can participate in this yajna.

Japa Yajna Date and time

• Begins from 1st Arpil 2020 – 15th April 2020

• Time: 7:30 am – 7:45 am IST or (GMT + 5.30).

How to participate in the japa – yajna?

Step 1:

Android user: Download the app from google playstore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freeconferencecall.fccmeetingclient

iPhone users: Download the app from the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/free-conference-call/id1076834814?mt=8

Or else one can also join by calling the below number directly from the cell phone:

Dial-in number (IN): 0172 510 0948
Access code: 765009#

Online meeting ID: iskconchowpatty

Visit: https://www.freeconferencecall.com/wall/iskconchowpatty for more details about dial in number. In the link one can find the International dial-in numbersto connect to conference japa.

Step 2:

After the app is installed no need to signup.

Step 3:

Click on the link to join the online meeting: http://bit.ly/japayajna*

Step 4:

Select the tab to ‘call in’ using wifi or data. Enter your name

Step 5:

Click on ‘Lets go tab’ and begin your chant.

Chant with people from all over India and all over the world.

Step 6:

After completing the chanting submit your count at
Http://bit.ly/japacount

Everyone can participate in this japa – yagna. Men, women, children, Indians, non-Indians, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jews, Parsis everyone can participate to purify the world and to make it a better place for everyone to live.

How spirituality can help fight Coronavirus effectively?

1.3 billion Indians are observing Janata Curfew on 22nd March, to fight Covid-19. Billions of people in different parts of the world are already under lockdown.  Schools are closed, colleges are closed, offices are closed, malls and theatres are closed, flights have been canceled, trains and buses have stopped running. There is an undeclared curfew in almost all the parts of the world.

Coronavirus, the tiny little virus, which cannot be seen with our eyes have brought the whole world to a standstill.

Scientists are working to find a cure for the deadly disease and hopefully, they will succeed.

The virus is spreading because of human to human transmission and as of now there is no cure, so billions of people find themselves vulnerable.  Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, said in his nationwide address that this is more dangerous than World War 1 and World War 2.

As we are now locked down inside our houses it is the best time to ask ourselves as why such a calamity has dawned upon entire humanity. This disaster can also be a wakeup call for all of us.

The virus spread from seafood and animal market in Wuhan, China.  A report in CNN explains, “In the likely epicenter of the virus — the so-called wet-markets of Wuhan, China — where wild animals are held captive together and sold as delicacies or pets, a terrifying mix of viruses and species can occur.” 

It is now widely believed that bats are the carrier of the virus. They might have either directly passed it to humans or through some intermediate host.  Although as of now there is no conclusion about its origin but researchers agree that its origin is from non-human species.

It was transmitted to humans because some ate the animal which was carrying that virus.

Humans are not supposed to eat animals or drink their blood. But especially in China, the concept is – you can eat anything on the land except motorcars, anything in the sky except airplanes, anything in the sea except ships. Why blame China, people in many parts of the world are today practicing the same eating habits. Unfortunately, even in India too.  They are not just eating animals but are also drinking their blood. And surprisingly we call ourselves humans and them as animals.

Bird flu, swine flu, mad cow disease, and now coronavirus which have resulted in deaths of thousands of people all over the world have spread because human beings eat animals.

Have we ever read about potato flu, brinjal flu, tomato flu, milk flu, curd flu, paneer flu or mad cauliflower disease, mad spinach disease?

We are not supposed to kill animals and eat and drink their blood. We are supposed to live on food grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk.  As per my wife, Dr Ketaki, who is a dentist, “The human dentition and digestive system have been designed for the intake of vegetarian food and not non-vegetarian food.”

In fact, the scriptures go one step ahead and say that vegetarian food should first be offered to the Lord and then consumed. Bhagavad Gita 9.27.

The Lord purifies the food and when we take that pure food then we remain healthy. And a healthy body is generally free from diseases.

But if we go against the laws of the nature created by God, then nature will react. If we exploit the nature, then we will be exploited.

If we eat animals, we will have to live like animals in cages. Like animals we are now forced to lock ourselves inside our houses, we cannot go out. And eventually we will die like animals.

God has made us humans so why not live like humans?

Srila Prabhupada always cautioned that if we play with the nature then we will have to suffer. In one of the conversations, he explains, “We act according to our whims and the resultant action is there immediately. Nature’s law, God’s law, is there. It is not God’s creation that somebody is suffering from some painful condition and somebody is enjoying. No. We infect ourselves with some contamination because this material world is full of contamination. You must remain very cautious. Otherwise you will have to suffer.” — Conversation in Mayapur, 19th Mar 1976.

As we have isolated ourselves from the world to save ourselves from the virus it is also a time for us to go deep within and introspect why we are suffering and what steps we should take so that we do not suffer in future.

God does not want us to suffer. Therefore, he gave us sacred Vedas which explains how we can live happily in this world and how we can minimize our suffering. The Vedas elaborately explains how to live and how not to live, what to eat and what not to eat.

Srila Prabhupada writes in Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.24 Purport, "By practice, one should avoid eating in such a way that other living  entities will be disturbed and suffer. Since I suffer when pinched or  killed by others, I should not attempt to pinch or kill any other living  entity. People do not know that because of killing innocent animals  they themselves will have to suffer severe reactions from material  nature. Any country where people indulge in unnecessary killing of  animals will have to suffer from wars and pestilence imposed by material  nature. Comparing one’s own suffering to the suffering of others,  therefore, one should be kind to all living entities. One cannot avoid  the sufferings inflicted by providence, and therefore when suffering  comes one should fully absorb oneself in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra."

So if we want to free ourselves from the sufferings then we should try to reconnect ourselves to our roots, to the teachings of the Vedas and to the Supreme Lord who is our best well-wisher.

As we are locked inside our houses, we have an option to spend time watching news channels, movies, serials or programs like big boss. We can also spend time tweeting, updating status on Facebook, forwarding unlimited WhatsApp messages, watching funny TikTok videos, posting pictures on Instagram or Pinterest.

Or else we can spend time reading books like Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam which will nourish our intelligence and bring us closer to God. 

When King Parikshit faced the biggest challenge in his life then he without wasting even a single moment took shelter of the Supreme Lord.  He spent his days hearing the transcendental teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam from Sukhadeva Goswami, son of Ved Vyas.

If we take shelter of the Lord, shelter of the sacred Vedas and pray to the Lord then our miseries will surely vanish. In Bhagavad Gita 3.10 Krishna explains the process by which we all can be happy in this world,

“In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”

The best yagya in this Kali Yuga, the age of downfall and suffering, is the sankirtan yagya. In Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32 it is mentioned that in this age of Kali Yuga intelligent men and women chant the holy names of the Supreme Lord.

During World War 2, there was a danger that Kolkata may be bombed. Thousands of residents were fleeing Kolkata during that time but Srila Prabhupada was not afraid. He said let us do sankirtan and with few devotees he did sankirtan on the streets of Kolkata. No bombs were dropped on Kolkata.

As the coronavirus disease spreads from people to people contact so we cannot come together to perform sankirtan physically but each one of us can individually chant the holy names of the Lord.

As to protect ourselves from the coronavirus infection we are asked to wash our hands with soap constantly and also use sanitizer, similarly, we should clean our hearts and sanitize our consciousness from the contamination of the world by sincerely and regularly chanting the holy names of the Lord like the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

This will protect us, protect our family members, friends and relatives, and the entire world.  If we take shelter of Krishna, the Supreme Lord, he will protect us and the whole world from this pandemic.

Let us contemplate:

• Is God responsible for our suffering or we are responsible for our suffering?
• Why eat animals when sacred Vedas asks us not to do?
• Why not follow the teachings of sacred books like Bhagavad Gita which is a manual for humankind and live happily in this world?