Inspiring Insights

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Lip Service or Real Service?

. “Some neophytes simply keep mouthing the words "I want to have pure love for Krsna”, all the while thinking about other things. Such lip service alone is not enough. We must train our mind to really think about serving Krsna. When other thoughts come, we must get them relegated to the level of secondary importance. We must keep thinking, "My priority is love for God/Krsna." We must continuously train our mind to think this way, until such a thought becomes part of our reflexes. As soon as the mind comes close to desiring something, we should automatically be able to desire love for Krsna.”

– Jayapatākā Swami

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami appeared in this world on April 9, 1949 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America. The day he was born was the Kāmadā Ekādaśī, the ekādaśī that immediately follows Rāma-navami. During his childhood, he displayed extraordinary intelligence and great interest in spirituality. When he was just eleven, at the suggestion of his grandfather, he cured himself of a skin disease by invoking the holy name of God.

At fourteen, he entered St. John's Academy, a college preparatory school, from where he graduated almost effortlessly, topping his class. Recognizing a student of great talent in him, several major American universities offered him scholarship. He enrolled in Brown University. As a fresher, he was so moved by a guest lecture on the life of Buddha that he lost all interest in his studies and began searching for a spiritual teacher. Since he could find no bona fide teacher in the West, he decided to go to India.

As he was preparing to go to India, he met the disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and joined them on the Ratha-yātrā day in San Francisco. Immediately thereafter, he moved to ISKCON's temple in Montreal, Canada, to meet Śrīla Prabhupāda. There he helped raise funds for the temple during a time of hardship. Śrīla Prabhupāda then initiated him, giving him the name Jayapatākā dāsa and soon sent him to India to expand his mission there. In 1970, Jayapatākā dāsa accepted sannyāsa from Śrīla Prabhupāda with the name Jayapatākā Swami.

In 1971, land for constructing ISKCON's international head established by Krşņa (the Supreme Soul) if we at all want to succeed in achieving our goal. In the fourth chapter, he tells us that we can cultivate Krsna consciousness as members of unified communities around the world. In the fifth chapter, he says that by cultivating Kșşņa consciousness, we can get closer to Kșşņa through the Yuga-dharma of chanting the Hare Krsna mahā-mantra and by hearing the teachings of the scriptures. Then, in the sixth chapter, he tells us that by chanting the holy name, Krsna's form is revealed. And in the seventh final last chapter, he ends his book by saying that we can have personal relationships with the Lord in different moods, which is what is meant by achieving Krşņa in the first chapter.

All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru and Gaurānga!

Every intelligent person doubtless enjoys some food for thought. But a select few enjoy it only when it is wholesome too, for it can nourish their intellect beyond their expectations, instead of spiraling it down a funnel of murky water. Books of wholesome recipes of life and beyond are few and far between, while books that are tailormade to confuse are dime a dozen. The search for genuine food for thought is therefore time-consuming and sometimes fruitless. That said, we are glad to bring you some refreshingly wholesome food for thought that will stimulate your “brain buds” and provide you with tasteful satisfaction. And you have just come into contact with this ambrosial brain food that's been packed into Inspiring Insights, the ingredients of which are the deepest spiritual realizations of His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami obtained through his long and selfless service to his guru and Krşņa, who is the ever-renowned protagonist in the pastimes He directs and enacts in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures.

Inspiring Insights is filled with food for deep spiritual thoughts. In this book, His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja walks the reader through spiritual life from the basic level to the most advanced. In the first chapter, he tells us that we are not the body but the soul within. In the second chapter, he tells us that our supreme goal is achieving Krşņa. In the third chapter, His Holiness takes us further on the spiritual path by pointing out to us that we must protect the religion Inspiring Insights

established by Krşņa (the Supreme Soul) if we at all want to succeed in achieving our goal. In the fourth chapter, he tells us that we can cultivate Krsna consciousness as members of unified communities around the world. In the fifth chapter, he says that by cultivating Kșşņa consciousness, we can get closer to Kșşņa through the Yuga-dharma of chanting the Hare Krsna mahā-mantra and by hearing the teachings of the scriptures. Then, in the sixth chapter, he tells us that by chanting the holy name, Krsna's form is revealed. And in the seventh final last chapter, he ends his book by saying that we can have personal relationships with the Lord in different moods, which is what is meant by achieving Krşņa in the first chapter.

To sum up, like the seven hues of the rainbow, these seven chapters will add several refreshing shades of vibrancy to our mediocre material existence and have us invigorated physically, mentally, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. Hare Krşņa!

**Contents and Sample Pages**