Question: I have two questions. First question is what is the significance of breaking Ekādaśī-vrata on time? Is it an offence if I fail to do so? If it is so, what is my atonement? If at all we break fast after the said time, is it equivalent to not fasting at all?

Guru Maharaj: Apparently one should break the fast, at the time which is called parāṇa. At that time, one should take grain. If one doesn’t do that then I think they have to do the Ekādaśī fast again on the Trayodaśī. 29-Oct-2020 Śrīdhāma Māyāpur,...

Question: I try to chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa sitting still with straight back. But no matter how hard I try I cannot stand it and I have to get up. I do not have enough patience to endure the pain of the body. What to do?

Guru Maharaj: In chanting the holy names, there is no hard and fast rules. Apparently, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, He personally liked to walk and chant. So, it is not necessary that one has to sit down and chant. If it gives you pain to sit...