Question: One of my friends has this question that every time she gets a new Tulasi at home, it doesn’t stay so long. Just for a week, something and dies. This has been going on for about two years till now. Before there was one Tulasi plant which grew very nicely and it was removed due to some changes in their home. She feels this is happening due to removing that Tulasi devi from home. How to understand this guru maharaj? Is she cursed by Vrnda devi not to grow again?

Guru Maharaj: I don’t know what she did with the Tulasi, if she threw it or disrespected in some way, that naturally could be offensive. She should bow down and worship the new Tulasi, putting water every day, arati, beg for forgiveness and hopefully Tulasi will stay....

Question: Srila Prabhupada mentions in the book, Science of Self-realization, page 118, those who have firm faith in God and spiritual master, the meaning of Vedic scriptures is revealed. How to establish firm faith on guru and Krsna?

Guru Maharaj: So that is the secret, how to have firm faith. We have faith in so many things. We have faith in mundane things. Why don’t we have faith in God and the spiritual master? We should convince ourselves to believe in Bhagavan and Gurudeva. Just like why do...

Question: I heard from Srila Prabhupada’s lecture that if you want God realization, then we need to do austerity. But when I perform austerity, I become niyamagrahi. It gives me false ego and my mind becomes distracted thinking when will I come back to my normal life? So to get rid of this, I avoid extra austerities like taking havisanna, on special months. Will it be another type of sense gratification?

Guru Maharaj: Taking havisanna is not a great austerity. Doing such things are minimal austerities. So we can do some things, we fast on the Krsna Janamastami, on Gaura Purnima, on the day of our spiritual master, until noon, on the guru’s appearance day, and other...

Question: How to pray to Sudarsanaji when in fear?

Guru Maharaj: We can also say, cakra! Cakra! When you are feeling great fear, by saying cakra, cakre, you can invoke the presence of the Sudarsana cakra. As far as prayers, you can see the prayers in the Srimad Bhagavatam for Sudarsana cakra. 26-Oct-2020  Sridham...

Question: In a pastime Caitanya Mahaprabhu assured everyone of Sudarsana’s protection. The questions are sometimes the devotees tend to take risk quoting the awe-inspiring pastimes like that. How do we learn how to balance between responsibility and dependence on Lord Hari?

Guru Maharaj: We follow the instructions of the Lord by following the instructions of our spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada instructed us to do Harinama sankirtana so in that way we will be protected by Sudarsana. We should get permits and observe all the...