Vaishnava Qualities explained by HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj - Compiled by Vishnukanta das

Vaishnava Qualities - The Life of an aspiring devotee of Lord Krishna

- by Vishnukanta das

This is a compilation of important points from the books and lectures of HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj.

Srila Prabhupada had always stressed on the importance of cultivating Vaishnava qualities that would please the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna. Following his footsteps, his faithful followers in Iskcon have been propagating this important aspect of devotional service. 

HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj explains different qualities that are absolutely necessary for an aspiring devotee to cultivate and serve selflessly. In this article, we shall see many such points.

Maharaj points out in his lecture in Sridham Mayapur, 2008 says:

“One time Prabhupada was sitting with his hand on his head and he was saying, “You don’t know what it is like to run a world-wide spiritual movement. You don’t know.” The inference, with the way that he was holding his head, was that it was a big headache.

Prabhupada was so concerned that we all stay together, that we all work together, that we all cooperate to spread the Krsna conscious movement. We have many, many devotees now and it’s important that the devotees get cared for, and feel cared for.

So part of the function to care for the devotees, is through the diksa guru. He is the manifestation of the Madana Mohana vigraha, the sambanda vigraha. There’s also the help of the many different instructing spiritual masters, or siksa gurus, who is a representative of Govindaji, the abidheya vigraha. The goal of life is Radha-Gopinatha.”

HH Jayapataka Swami

Vyasa Puja Lecture – 2008
Sridham Mayapur

Here, he explains the importance of caring for the devotees, helping them nurture the spiritual qualities that pleases Sri Krishna.
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Maharaj stresses on the importance of developing qualities such as meekness, humility, being merciful, etc. in his book Godruma Kalpatavi.

“Bhaktivinod Thakura says that one should try to develop good qualities, such as Meekness. One should give credit to others, without desiring aggrandizement or praise.

Another quality appreciated here is Mercy - to help others in Krishna Consciousness. With mercy comes Tolerance. Preaching to the conditioned souls is like being a spiritual doctor, and being intolerant makes it very hard to treat people. One should hate the disease, not the person suffering from the disease.

If we put people into some negative category – ‘These people are like that’ – how can we help them? Srila Prabhupada was very tolerant in facilitating people to chant and associate.”
HH Jayapataka Swami
From the book: Godruma Kalpatavi
Courtesy: ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry
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There are several other very important points explained by Maharaj.

“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

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“When we come to Krishna Consciousness, we have to also become responsible for what we do. If we are a little careful, Krishna will certainly protect us and then if we are careful about making mistakes and ask for forgiveness and avoid repeating in the future, then it is very easy to overcome any mistakes and get back home, Back to Godhead, and get purely Krishna Conscious.

But if we become careless, become impersonal or sahajiya, we just start offending Krishna, offending the Vaishnavas, it’s a dangerous thing. When we come before the deity, we should say that I am a soul surrendered unto you, we pray for our protection from offenses, from our ignorance and the power of the illusory energy.

Srila Prabhupada said that when we do Guru Puja everyday, we beg forgiveness from the Guru for all the offenses we make so that we can continue to make progress. We can’t even count how many offenses we make in a day. But we have to try to become more and more aware of them. If we don’t try to avoid them, then we are responsible.”

HH Jayapataka Swami

From the book: Vaishnava Vani
Courtesy: Mathuradesh Publications

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“Remembering the instructions of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to always be engaged in propagating the glories of Krishna’s holy names for the upliftment of the fallen souls is the only shelter for the fallen soul aspiring perfection in this present Age.

The alternative passages are actually traps of Maya which will lead one to fall:
1. Into the pit Mayavadi Conceptions or
2. Into Entanglement in Materialistic Activities under the three material modes.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has so kindly given the world a spiritual society in which every thought, word and deed can be engaged in Yukta-Vairägya — pure devotional activities offered to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

HH Jayapataka Swami

From the book: Vaisnava Ke
Verse 10 – Purport