Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.24 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | 15 June 2026
jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī
gopījana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī
yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana
yamunā-tīra-vana-cārī
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Jaya Prabhupāda Jaya Prabhupāda
Prabhupāda Jaya Prabhupāda
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 3 Verse 24.
ŚB 2.3.24
तदश्मसारं हृदयं बतेदं
यद् गृह्यमाणैर्हरिनामधेयै: ।
न विक्रियेताथ यदा विकारो
नेत्रे जलं गात्ररुहेषु हर्ष: ॥ २४ ॥
tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ
yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ
na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ
Synonyms
tat — that; aśma–sāram — is steel-framed; hṛdayam — heart; bata idam — certainly that; yat — which; gṛhyamāṇaiḥ — in spite of chanting; hari–nāma — the holy name of the Lord; dheyaiḥ — by concentration of the mind; na — does not; vikriyeta — change; atha — thus; yadā — when; vikāraḥ — reaction; netre — in the eyes; jalam — tears; gātra–ruheṣu — at the pores; harṣaḥ — eruptions of ecstasy.
Translation
Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one’s chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place, tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end.
Purport
We should note with profit that in the first three chapters of the Second Canto a gradual process of development of devotional service is being presented. In the First Chapter the first step in devotional service for God consciousness by the process of hearing and chanting has been stressed, and a gross conception of the Personality of Godhead in His universal form for the beginners is recommended. By such a gross conception of God through the material manifestations of His energy, one is enabled to spiritualize the mind and the senses and gradually concentrate the mind upon Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme, who is present as the Supersoul in every heart and everywhere, in every atom of the material universe. The system of pañca-upāsanā, recommending five mental attitudes for the common man, is also enacted for this purpose, namely gradual development, worship of the superior that may be in the form of fire, electricity, the sun, the mass of living beings, Lord Śiva and, at last, the impersonal Supersoul, the partial representation of Lord Viṣṇu. They are all nicely described in the Second Chapter, but in the Third Chapter further development is prescribed after one has actually reached the stage of Viṣṇu worship, or pure devotional service, and the mature stage of Viṣṇu worship is suggested herein in relation to the change of heart.
The whole process of spiritual culture is aimed at changing the heart of the living being in the matter of his eternal relation with the Supreme Lord as subordinate servant, which is his eternal constitutional position. So with the progress of devotional service, the reaction of change in the heart is exhibited by gradual detachment from the sense of material enjoyment by a false sense of lording it over the world and an increase in the attitude of rendering loving service to the Lord. Vidhi-bhakti, or regulated devotional service by the limbs of the body (namely the eyes, the ears, the nose, the hands and the legs, as already explained hereinbefore), is now stressed herein in relation to the mind, which is the impetus for all activities of the limbs of the body. It is expected by all means that by discharging regulated devotional service one must manifest the change of heart. If there is no such change, the heart must be considered steel-framed, for it is not melted even when there is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. We must always remember that hearing and chanting are the basic principles of discharging devotional duties, and if they are properly performed there will follow the reactional ecstasy with signs of tears in the eyes and standing of the hairs on the body. These are natural consequences and are the preliminary symptoms of the bhāva stage, which occurs before one reaches the perfectional stage of prema, love of Godhead.
If the reaction does not take place, even after continuous hearing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord, it may be considered to be due to offenses only. That is the opinion of the Sandarbha. In the beginning of chanting of the holy name of the Lord, if the devotee has not been very careful about evading the ten kinds of offenses at the feet of the holy name, certainly the reaction of feelings of separation will not be visible by tears in the eyes and standing of the hair on end.
The bhāva stage is manifested by eight transcendental symptoms, namely inertness, perspiration, standing of hairs on end, failing in the voice, trembling, paleness of the body, tears in the eyes and finally trance. The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments, both in steady and accelerating manifestations.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has very critically discussed all these bhāva displays in connection with some unscrupulous neophytes’ imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Viśvanātha Cakravartī but also Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī treated them very critically. Sometimes all the above eight symptoms of ecstasy are imitated by the mundane devotees (prākṛta-sahajiyās), but the pseudo symptoms are at once detected when one sees the pseudodevotee addicted to so many forbidden things. Even though decorated with the signs of a devotee, a person addicted to smoking, drinking or illegitimate sex with women cannot have all the above-mentioned ecstatic symptoms. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms are willfully imitated, and for this reason Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī accuses the imitators of being stonehearted men. They are sometimes even affected by the reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realization.
When Lord Caitanya met Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya of Kavaur on the bank of the Godāvarī, the Lord developed all these symptoms, but because of the presence of some nondevotee brāhmaṇas who were attendants of the Rāya, the Lord suppressed these symptoms. So sometimes they are not visible even in the body of the first-class devotee for certain circumstantial reasons. Therefore real, steady bhāva is definitely displayed in the matter of cessation of material desires (kṣānti), utilization of every moment in the transcendental loving service of the Lord (avyārtha-kālatvam), eagerness for glorifying the Lord constantly (nāma-gāne sadā ruci), attraction for living in the land of the Lord (prītis tad-vasati sthale), complete detachment from material happiness (virakti), and pridelessness (māna-śūnyatā). One who has developed all these transcendental qualities is really possessed of the bhāva stage, as distinguished from the stonehearted imitator or mundane devotee.
The whole process can be summarized as follows: The advanced devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord in a perfectly offenseless manner and is friendly to everyone can actually relish the transcendental taste of glorifying the Lord. And the result of such realization is reflected in the cessation of all material desires, etc., as mentioned above. The neophytes, due to their being in the lower stage of devotional service, are invariably envious, so much so that they invent their own ways and means of devotional regulations without following the ācāryas. As such, even if they make a show of constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord, they cannot relish the transcendental taste of the holy name. Therefore, the show of tears in the eyes, trembling, perspiration, unconsciousness, etc., is condemned. They can, however, get in touch with a pure devotee of the Lord and rectify their bad habits; otherwise they shall continue to be stonehearted and unfit for any treatment. A complete progressive march on the return path home, back to Godhead, will depend on the instructions of the revealed scriptures directed by a realized devotee.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj :
So this verse is talking about developing ecstatic symptoms or vikara. And of course, this word vikara or transformation refers to sattvika bhavas. And in the purport Prabhupada mentions these 8 symptoms, these are the common symptoms like crying and hair standing on end, change of color etc. So it is explained that these occur when there is intense spiritual emotions. And this causes disturbances to the elements in the body. And when a certain, let’s say, water is disturbed, then the crying or perspiration results [Laughs]. So, and these emotions that stimulate these bhavas, usually vyabhachari bhavas, are a part of the components of rasa. So the emotion that stimulates the sattvika bhava is the vyabhachari bhava. But that can only arise if we have the permanent bhava or the sthayi bhava.
So sthayi bhava is one component, vyabhachari bhava is another, sattvika bhava is another. But the sthayi bhava cannot exist unless we realize Krishna. There can be no sthayi bhava unless there is Krishna and the devotee. So if we realize Krishna and we serve him, then we develop, the sthayi bhava develops, and the vyabhachari develops, and the sattvika bhava develops. So they are all related to each other.
So the stage of bhava after sadhana is actually this bhava means sthayi bhava. So that means your permanent bhava. And the vyabhachari bhavas are temporary bhavas, they come and go. So you can’t have the vyabhachari bhavas unless you first have the sthayi bhava. And the sthayi bhava could be santa or dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya, but it’s not called rasa, that bhava. So in bhava stage, the sthayi bhava manifests, which ultimately means that Krishna must manifest, and jiva and his servant position must manifest. So that is called the vibhava, manifestation of Krishna and the devotee.
So we have four elements there of rasa. And then we have a fifth element called anubhavas. And actually in the purport Prabhupada mentions what are the anubhavas of bhava stage, and he gives these different elements, which are also mentioned in Nectar of Devotion. So the anubhavas are defined as say, conscious activities of the devotee. So for instance here we have chanting and remembering the Lord and living in the holy dham, it’s kind of external we can say. But the anubhavas can also be particular for particular rasas. So the anubhavas in sakhya rasa are playing games with Krishna. And the anubhavas of vatsalya rasa are cooking for Krishna or dressing Krishna. So when we get a combination of all these five, then we get rasa.
So in bhava stage, the rasa does not fully develop. The lord and the devotee are there. The sthayi bhava is there, the vibhava is there but one does not see Krishna all the time, maybe, Narada Muni saw him once in his life [Laughs]. So we can say that [Not clear] manifest, but not fully. So the sattvika bhavas manifest, but sometimes. In prema, if the prema is intense, then we get constant manifestation of these sattvika bhavas, and altogether even. So, because there is the sthayi bhava and the vibhava there, then we get vyabachari bhavas and we get some sattvika bhavas. So the sattvika bhavas are not, there is no conscious intent to cry or to faint or to quiver or whatever. It just happens because of the reactions in the body, so to speak. So we can say involuntary.
Of course, we can say that even the vyabhachari bhavas are unconscious. It’s not you’re trying to be angry or you’re trying to be joyous or you’re trying to be envious or whatever like that. Or you’re trying to be afraid. It just happens in certain circumstances. But they are prominently internal. So when those symptoms manifest externally as sattvika bhavas, that’s what we call a sattvika bhava. So though we can say that by seeing the sattvika bhavas, the more sattvika bhavas, the more advanced you are, we could say. But then you can’t say, okay, I’ll advance by crying more and fainting more [Laughs]. It’s all caused by that intense emotion for Krishna.
So Prabhupada talks here about the imitation of these symptoms. So this is explained or called in Nectar of devotion as bhava-abhas or rathi-abhas. So that means before the stage of bhava, before realizing Krishna, exhibiting symptoms like crying and fainting etc. So the word abhas means it’s not genuine because you’ve never seen Krishna, you don’t have a sthayi bhava or anything but suddenly you’re manifesting those sattvika bhavas which should arrive from a vyabhachari bhava which should arrive from a sthayi bhava which you don’t have. So you’re getting some external symptoms with nothing behind it. So it’s false.
So Rupa Goswami analyzes two types of these bhava-abhas or rathi-abhas. One is purely imitation, consciously. So we know that actors they can, on stage they can cry and faint and do so many things. So similarly a person can do the same thing and people will think oh he’s a great devotee [Laughs]. So people do this because they want to get some attention, they want to get some fame as being great devotees and consequently they may get some money. So this is condemned. So you’re artificially imitating something in order to get some material profit. So it’s got nothing to do with bhakti at all. Related to that then we have something very similar and that is particularly in Bengal and Bangladesh. And that is they do kirtans. And they may do 24 hour kirtans or 48 hour kirtans etc. Long kirtans. Different groups they will hire to do the kirtan. But these are all hired groups, professional kirtanier groups [Laughs]. So they are trained to do kirtan and play the mrdanga, play the kartal and sing all different ragas etc [Laughs]. And then part of their performance is somebody will start crying [Laughs]. And they may even faint. So this is part of their performance. But the people accept that.
So and then they think they are great devotees [Laughs]. So in this way this is condemned because it is not real and they are fooling people. There are other people who are beginning devotional service. They may also cry but they are not trying to imitate anybody or do it for profit. There are other people who are beginning devotional service. They may also cry but they are not trying to imitate anybody or do it for profit. But the sthayi bhava hasn’t manifested and these anubhavas like constantly chanting and living in the holy dhama and doing all these things, that has not manifested either. But they may cry or they may faint or whatever. So it is explained that yes it is not intentional as such but their nature may be very sentimental. So therefore they are subject to these different symptoms. So that does not get condemned so much as the real imitation. But still it is not genuine because they haven’t got to the stage of realizing Krishna and having a sthayi bhava and whatever [Laughs]. But still it is not genuine because they haven’t got to the stage of realizing Krishna and having a sthayi bhava and whatever.
So the devotees who are seriously practicing, their goal is not to simply cry. Of course it says here you should cry when you are hearing the name of the lord or whatever. But it is not that we are trying to intentionally cry and whatever. Through chanting the holy name we should attain bhava and if we attain bhava we will get the sattvika bhavas. Through chanting the holy name we should attain bhava and if we attain bhava we will get the sattvika bhavas.
So you cannot get to bhava more quickly and realize Krishna by trying to cry more [Laughs]. So instead we have to gradually develop our bhakti. And Prabhupada mentions in the purport that if we are free of aparadha then that development will be quicker, if we have aparadhs then it will be slower. So the only way we can progress and make it quicker is by more attentive and intense devotional service. So as well as Rupa Goswami criticizing and our other acharyas criticizing this imitation bhava, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur also heavily criticized.
So one reason was that such displays became synonymous with the Gaudiya Sampradaya. And therefore people would flock to see people who have these symptoms etc. and think this is great bhakti following Lord Caitanya [Laughs]. As well as this, as well as the external symptoms, there are other ways in which people artificially may try to imitate bhava. So people will reason that ok the goal is to be a gopi or a manjari. So we don’t have realization of bhava or anything yet but in order to speed it up then we will act like gopis or manjaris and we will dress up like them also. So this was one of the groups that arose after Lord Caitanya, people that dress up like gopis [Laughs] as part of their sadhana [Laughs]. So of course there are many different ways in which people can concoct things but all these get condemned. So as Prabhupada says at the end, we progress by following the revealed scriptures, under the direction of realized devotees. So we can’t invent our own methods of progressing.
Of course related to that is Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s and Prabhupada’s criticism of people who prematurely meditate on their siddha body etc. Certainly it is considered a method and mentioned in Nectar of devotion also that one should meditate on one’s siddha deha which is not yet siddha but you meditate on your perfected body in order to set the goal. But that is useful for people who can intensely meditate. And so people who get a siddha deha from a guru but don’t do anything with it, that’s also considered to be useless [Laughs]. But then they maybe feel very confident, I’ve got my siddha deha, you don’t have your siddha deha so I’m better than you are. So it becomes materialized.
Of course people can do the same thing with initiation. You think initiated, okay I’m better than this person because I’ve got initiation, you don’t have initiation. So we can materialize different processes also. So even if the processes are authorized, we have to be careful how we use them.
Hare Krishna !
Q & A :
1) Maharaj, regarding this, paying to the kirtaniyas, in outside it is very common, those who come for kirtan they pay and they do 24 hours, 48 hour kirtan. But this habit is right now started in ISKCON also.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: There’s nothing wrong with doing long kirtans, it’s just how you do them, that’s all [Laughs].
Devotee: We are also started paying them, they started demanding.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Oh, then it becomes dangerous also, it becomes professional.
Devotee: Sometimes people say he sings very nice, we should call him and there is a lot of argument happens we are paying him still he is giving us so much pleasure and happiness because of his singing but is it not material?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So there is nothing wrong with a devotee who also sings nicely. And if devotees invite him and they pay for his fare and they give a donation, nothing wrong with that. But if that becomes his profession, by which he supports his family, then we fall into a category where it can become very material. And then he may choose places which give more money [Laughs]. And those places may not even be devotional places at all [Laughs].
Devotee: Recently I went to Bengal for some preaching and I heard this kind of comments from many people outside, especially that they are saying, you know, that even these ISKCON people are started becoming very professional. If they, they are started demanding money, if they, you know, we give money and then only come for this program and other things. So it become very professional right now.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So then we avoid those people, then we save money [Laughs].
So, if we are willing to pay more money simply because if he comes, then we will attract more people then we get more money then that is also making us more material [Laughs].
Devotee: Problem is because they are very famous due to them, ISKCON is getting bad name. That is the problem.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Bad name [Not clear].
Devotee: Because they are identifying that we are ISKCON devotee and they are using ISKCON brand and they are demanding money and ISKCON is getting bad name because of them that is the problem here…
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So generally we say ISKCON but probably they are not sponsored by a temple but they are using ISKCON name or they identify as ISKCON. But if they do use ISKCON name they should be very careful.
2) In this regard, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur also told don’t go anywhere simply for cheaply calling for preaching or other things. You have to get money from them for temple related works, service.
Devotee 1 : It’s like if someone calling for some lecture if you don’t ask any money to them then they will take very lightly and very cheaply, so get some money and give it to temple. So that they will value you otherwise they don’t value that’s the problem So that’s the issue here. In this sense we can say that ISKCON also taking money that also coming on.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj : Well it is but in one sense it’s voluntary, It’s not set price that’s all.
Devotee: Sometime it happened when they use the ISKCON brand to earn more money, you know these people
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Then it becomes a problem.
3) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Maharaj, we see Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur says If you are not crying during chanting, you should cry for that Why I am not crying during chanting. And one more thing is Gaur govinda Maharaj says You should cry to Lord for your upliftment. So how do we understand Maharaj?
So what this means is that crying during chanting means you are in Bhava as mentioned here. So if you are chanting and you haven’t attained Bhava you should strive to attain that that’s all, not that you are just crying artificially. In other words, the desire to advance should be stronger than the desire to cry [Laughs].
4) Hare Krishna Maharaj. So this is in continuation with Shyam Balaram Prabhu’s question There are some ISKCON groups who have come out like famous bands and if we call them to our temple Like for a temple event also. They charge Maharaj and that too in lakhs?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Okay. So if you don’t like don’t take [Laughs] [Not clear].
Devotee : [Not audible].
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well that depends on what you want. So they may pull a crowd for fame or whatever not because of devotion. Just like previously they would invite Anup Jalota.
Devotees : [Laugh].
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So he is singing devotional songs but then he can do so many things and you pay a few lakhs..
Devotee 1: [Not Audible]
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Yeah whatever and you can sell tickets. You can make money but then what’s the benefit ultimately [Laughs].
Devotee 2: Maharaj also these bands they are invited for devotees’ marriage performances so marriages like generally they call DJ’s instead of DJ’s they call these groups and they perform and they are paid they get paid in return also. So is it all transactional or there are some devotional value there?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well we can say semi devotional since they are devotees.So its not meant to be main means of preaching but since they are having a wedding and they have bands and whatever If you have a devotional thing It’s at least a little better [Laughs].
5) Also Maharaj as a part of our youth preaching efforts So here in ISKCON Chennai We have started some workshops which are paid Like we are charging Rs.299 per person and we provide them some gift and prasadam and this we are charging only to ensure their attendance otherwise they would take it very cheaply. So is that ok Maharaj?
Well we are covering expenses basically. So there is nothing wrong with that.
6) Maharaj going to the class today We were talking about Sattvika Bhava, Vyabhachari Bhava etc., So as a Sadhaka what do I do with this information? Like what is the use as a Sadhaka for this information?
So they are elements of rasa and rasa manifests in prema. And prema is the goal of our sadhana. So we cannot practice sadhana without knowing something about our goal. Just like you can go to medical school and take all the courses but if you don’t know what the doctor is, the final result then your goal will not be very focused.
7) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Maharaj I have some confusion between what is Bhava and Sthayi Bhava.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Same
Devotee: Does rasa appear at the stage of Sthayi Bhava even temporarily.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So, as I mentioned all of the elements will manifest In Bhava stage. So the Sthayi Bhava is Bhava and then you have to have the vibhava because you have to realize Krishna and as a result of that there must be some emotions like Vyabhīcārī Bhavas and there will be a few Sattvika Bhavas. So the elements are there. But not fully manifested.
8) Hare Krishna Maharaj. I have a little confusion about. We know about the individual rasas. So is there a counterpart of rasa at the stage of Bhava ?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: There is a what?
Devotee : Something similar to rasa does it appear at the stage of bhava? that one recognizes.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well as I said the elements of rasa are there, so we can say it is rasa but not developed. So you get a few Sattvika Bhavas, a few anubhavas, A few Vyabhīcārī Bhavas
Devotee: Maharaj I specifically mean that Vatsalya Bhava, Sakhya Bhava, Madhurya Bhava like that does it..
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: That manifests because that is the sthayi Bhava. It has to be one or the other. It has to be something. So it has to be Santa, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya, Madhurya.
Devotee: But still it is not called Rasa Maharaj?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: No well the Bhava is one of the elements of rasa.
9) Hare Krishna Maharaj in Sadhana Bhakti we are following the rules and regulations at what stage even in Raganuga Bhakti or Bhava stage we are avoiding that rules and regulations that means spontaneously we are following the rules or we are discarding the rules and regulations?
So Bhava is the result of Sadhana and Sadhana can either Vaidhi or Raganuga. So Raganuga is also a type of Sadhana it is not a realization. And in Vaidhi Bhakti we are following rules and regulations and more or less this is the most Prominent element in our practice.
If the, in our practice, then we give more prominence to the spontaneous expression of the people in Vrindavan with less emphasis upon the lordly nature of Krishna that is called Raganuga. So because it is a practice it also has rules. You should not practice Raganuga because you are frustrated with the rules in Vaidhi Bhakti. We don’t have any rules and we just do Bhakti with no rules, that is Raganuga, no that is false. So generally one doing Raganuga will externally follow same things as the person following Vaidhi Bhakti. And simultaneously Internally then he will cultivate a more spontaneous relationship with Krishna.
10) Hare Krishna, Dandavat pranams Guru Maharaj. Please accept my humble obeisances. Guru Maharaj talking about the Kirtan what should be the standard of Kirtan and what sort of instruments can be allowed to play inside for the Kirtan. Today we see that people playing passionately on so many instruments and creating a sort of non-Kirtan moods. What should be the standard of Kirtan? How to follow it?
So ISKCON has a Kirtan ministry. So they published a book. There they have gone through all the different Prabhupada quotes to see what he preferred in the Kirtans plus going through scriptures etc., So then they give guidelines for all the different temples on how your Kirtan should be and what instruments you can use and how loud the microphone should be etc.,
11) Hare Krishna Maharaj when a person is trying to imitate the bhavas would not he know that It is an offence or Krishna would not accept this imitation?
Most people that do this are not aware of the definition of bhakti or pure bhakti at all. So just like musicians play instruments and whatever and actors have their profession so their profession is to do Kirtan and they do that everywhere and they cry and whatever. So if they get more money crying they will cry more [Laughs].
12) She is a devotee who has not taken initiation but she has all the opulence to have a deity and do devotional service. Now what should she do because she doesn’t know how to take care of the deities? She is still worshipping in the photos. She is worried because she is not able to do deity worship? What is the answer for her?
So by the question it is unclear that whether the money is a factor. So if she is poor and she wants to worship the deity, would the answer be different and if she is rich, is it different. So it shouldn’t really matter, according to your qualification and your understanding of what a deity is then you become qualified to worship. Now one of the qualifications in ISKCON of course is that in order to worship the deity you have to have the mantras the second initiation. So therefore if she wants to follow ISKCON standards then she has to take initiation and whatever like that.. If she is wealthy that means she doesn’t have to work for living so she get a lot of time anyway so she could do a lot of chanting and a lot of reading and become very qualified.
13) Hare Krishna Maharaj. So when we have started bhajan clubbing I have received so many comments that this is just entertainment this is not bhakti but the purpose we have done it because to pull youth for youth preaching. So is it right or how to take this maharaj?
So just to attract people originally so we can get serious people out of that then we have different methods which we call outreach. But the goal is out of that we get serious people who just depend on hearing and chanting etc.
Devotee 2: Maharaj one more benefit is there at least as an entertainment they are chanting holy name so they will get benefit out of that.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well we found that in the beginning of the movement, then George Harrison became a devotee and they made a Hare Krishna record and it was heard around the world. So obviously it had some impact on people can’t say it was without value. But all the people who heard on the radio about the record they were just taking it as entertainment.
14) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Please explain snigdha sattvika bhava. Does it refer to devotees who are following pure bhakti?
Sattvika bhava has many levels but they are all you have to have bhava first so it’s not something less.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!! Nitai Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!!!