PLEASE NOTE, *THIS DOCUMENT IS AT DRAFT (NOT PERFECT) STAGE. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO READ WITH GM’S VIDEO IN BACKGROUND. *

Mukham karoti vacalam pangum langayate girim
Yat kripa tam aham vande sri gurum dina tarinam
Paramananda Madhavam Sri Caitanya Isvaram

Are we online? Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. Here we had Ratha Yatra today in this community. More than 800 people took part and for a community Ratha Yatra, it was very nice. So I will just answer a few questions here tonight. Yesterday was the Padma Ekadasi, Devasayana Ekadasi and so the caturmasya has begun. Some do the fasting from Ekadasi, some do from the Purnima. First month no spinach, second month no yogurt, third month no milk and fourth month no urad dal. So happy Caturmasya! If you have a question, send it up on Facebook.

Question: Ram Sastri: Dear Gurudev, can we pray to Lord Jagannath to find a devotee boy for my daughter?

Guru maharaj: One can pray to Lord Jagannath for anything that is positive and helpful for their spiritual life. One should say, if You are pleased, then say your prayer. Next question.

Question: Can we give the Lord Jagannath some offerings and request to do the needful?

Guru maharaj: We should offer offerings to Lord Jagannath, He is used to getting many offerings per day. He is known to have Chappan Bhoga or 56 offerings a day. I don’t know what you mean to ask him to do the needful? That He is doing anyway! But if you have some specific request, if it so pleases the Lord, then you can ask Him. If you ask for something tamasic, then He many not listen to your prayer.

Question: Rudradvip Krsna Caitanya das: Dandavat Pranam Guru maharaj, why we always have a tendency to misuse our free will and how to overcome it?

Guru maharaj: You should know what is favorable to devotional service and what is unfavorable. Accept the favorable and reject the unfavorable. So since you want to progress in your devotional service, you should avoid the things which are unfavorable. Hare Krsna.

Question: Hare Krsna dear guru maharaj, PAMRO: Can non-initiated kids or youth wear one round kanti mala. What is the standard of number of strands and significance of the number in wearing Tulasi kanti mala? Your spiritual daughter, Kalindi Gopikantapriya devi dasi.

Guru maharaj: Normally one wears two to five Tulasi malas. Sometimes they prescribe one mala to be for new devotees. But where it is said in the sastra, I have never seen. More than five is considered as too much! And normally one wears Tulasi mala, kanti mala, around the neck from two to five. If one wears Tulasi necklace around the neck, it may be single. Just for practical reasons.

Question: Dear guru maharaj: PAMRO: If we happen to break any regulative principles, unknowingly, how to overcome or repent? Your servant from Nepal, Sadanandini Yogini devi dasi.

Guru maharaj: Repent, good idea! And avoid repeating that. Try to follow the four principles strictly. And if you have any question about one of the principles, you can write to me a personal letter.

Question: Dear guru maharaj: PAMHO: I remember that you had mentioned in one of your lectures, you had studies Buddhism, auras and cakras before coming to Krsna consciousness. How does it relate to our chore philosophy? Auras and cakras? Shabdabari das

Guru maharaj: The cakras are mentioned in the Vedas. They are more applicable to ashtanga yoga where you try to mechanically lift your pranas up to the cakras. In bhakti yoga, we try to offer our service and fix our consciousness on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So automatically the cakras are open then. Srila Prabhupada would tell us if someone was seeing auras, then they would soon pass over that stage. That devotional service is on a much higher platform. Hare Krsna. Shabdahari, I heard you want to see me tomorrow? And you are supposed to bring some cottage cheese?! Already given!!

Question: I don’t eat lettuce or basil leaves during the first month of Caturmasya. But can you eat fresh basil leaves and lettuce during the first month of Caturmasya. I don’t want to do anything that is not required. Please ask guru maharaj and reply asap. Caturmasya starts here on Tuesday. Thank you so very much. All Glories to your wonderful service and happy Ratha Yatra. Vijayaradha devi dasi

Guru maharaj: His Holiness Vidya Purna Swami says that lettuce is not a sak. Sak is prohibited in the first month. I don’t know what his reference is, but we accept him as an authority, and he tells us we can eat lettuce in the first month. Over.

Question: Hare Krsna guru maharaj: It is said that mental offences are not considered in this kali yuga as one is not able to control mind properly, but it is considered as a facility by the mind. Please guide us in this. Your sheltered servant, Swapnil Tikale

Guru maharaj: In other yugas if one would think of a sinful act, they would get the reaction. In Kali yuga, thinking about an act, would not not give a reaction. But doing it does. So that is one of the facilities of Kali yuga. Last question.

Message from Zelico. Audio break here

Guru maharaj: My blessings for the Serbian summer camp. I got no invitation this year. But anyway, I am not supposed to travel until August! So are they having the retreat in Serbia, in Puspagoda?

Question: Hare Krsna my dear spiritual father, AGTSP. Thank you very much for your merciful darshan. This is your fallen daughter Satyabhama Sadhvi devi dasi. Gurudev, can one keep deities without prana prastista? If yes, then what should be the standard of service?

Guru maharaj: Deities without prana pratista are considered as practice deities. Like Srila Prabhupada, he was given practice deities by his father when he was a child. Usually if someone is going install or worship practice deities, he would tell the spiritual master what worship they are going perform, and get that approved. Like when they will do abhishek, when they will change the clothes, how many offerings they will make in a day, how many aratis, and so on. Offering garlands, flowers, so they should tell the basic standards and get it approved. What you think you can do. Thank you very much.

Transcribed by Jayaraseshwari devi dasi
13 July 2019