(4/4) Practise and Preach

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Speaking online to devotees in Caracas
27 April 2019, part 4

Question: How important is it to attend the programmes, arati, etc. for the devotees living in the temple?

Actually, the main rule is that whoever stays at the temple must come to the arati, but if somebody is any time busy with service, then it is not necessary for them to come. But those who are sleeping must come. Also, if you have no time to chant the Holy Name, you can chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra when you are in the toilet [but the beads are never to be taken to the bathroom].

Question: What do you expect from your disciples?

I expect that the disciples will follow all the rules and regulations, chant the Holy Name, serve the temple if there is one in their area, and that they will preach Krishna consciousness. They must practise and preach – these are the main two things.

Question: How can we help those who are not Krishna conscious?

By preaching and preaching. Preach, preach and preach again. You can also sometimes secretly give them some prasad. They are suffering from so many diseases... Those who are attacked by a disease must go to a doctor, so you can sometimes act as a doctor and give them medicine. The medicine is prasad. Take Krishna's prasad – what has been offered to Gaura-Nitai – and give it to them. 'Prasada-seva karite haya sakala prapancha-jaya (প্রসাদ-সেবা করিতে হয় সকল প্রপঞ্চ জয়): by honouring the Lord's prasad I shall conquer all worldly illusions' (Saranagati). If they keep taking prasad, they will be able to overcome their disease.

Question: How can we help our family members who have already passed away?

If you practise properly, they can get relief from their bad condition through you. But it is necessary to practise properly. If you practise Krishna consciousness properly, then your family members – those had some blood connection with you – can overcome the bad condition they can be suffering from after their death, and they can be born in a devotees' family and start practising themselves.

I would like to finish here as I have to go to the next programme.

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.
Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay.
Visva-varenya Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.
Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay.
Jay saparikara Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govinda-sundarjiu ki jay.
Jay saparikara Sri Sri Parama Karuna Nitai Gaurachandra Prabhu ki jay.
Jay Sripad Purujit Prabhu ki jay.
All the assembled devotees ki jay.
All the worldwide devotees ki jay.
Harinam sankirtan ki jay.
Nitai Gaura premanande Hari bol

Hari bol. Hari bol. Hare Krishna! Gaura premanande Hari bol.

— : • : —

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Length: 20 min
Language: English

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) No Rain, No Flowers
2) Handling Desires
3) Real Hunger
4) Practise and Preach