Istagosthi

Expressions researched:
"ista-gosthi" |"istagosthi" |"istagosti"

SB Canto 3

For a devotee, there is no point in making friendships with ordinary persons; he should make friendship with other devotees so that by discussing among themselves, they may elevate one another on the path of spiritual understanding. This is called iṣṭa-goṣṭhī.

SB 3.29.17, Purport:

According to devotional vision, a man is poor if he is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A man may be very rich materially, but if he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is considered poor. On the other hand, many ācāryas, such as Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, used to live beneath trees every night. Superficially it appeared that they were poverty-stricken, but from their writings we can understand that in spiritual life they were the richest personalities.

A devotee shows compassion to those poor souls who are wanting in spiritual knowledge by enlightening them in order to elevate them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is one of the duties of a devotee. He should also make friendship with persons who are on an equal level with himself or who have the same understanding that he does. For a devotee, there is no point in making friendships with ordinary persons; he should make friendship with other devotees so that by discussing among themselves, they may elevate one another on the path of spiritual understanding. This is called iṣṭa-goṣṭhī.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

First hearing, then chanting. Hear from the right source and discuss amongst yourselves. Iṣṭagoṣṭhi. Then the perfection.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So this is the thing, tad-viceṣṭitam. He's simply thinking of the activities of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. That's all. That is perfect reading of Bhagavad-gītā. It does not require to read Bhagavad-gītā by your academic education. If you simply hear from the authoritative source the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, and if you simply meditate upon that speech, that instruction, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa instructed like this. Arjuna received like this. He questioned like this. He answered like this," that is meditation, perfect meditation, and you become liberated. Tad-viceṣṭitam. It is not very difficult job. Simply you have to receive. Therefore satya-śravāḥ, śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. You have to hear from the pure source, give aural reception, and think of it, meditate upon it. Simply by doing this, you are liberated. These are not bluff. Here is the evidence. Simply receive the message from the right source and contemplate and meditate upon that instruction. You are liberated. Chanting and hearing. Hearing and... śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). First hearing, then chanting. Hear from the right source and discuss amongst yourselves. Iṣṭagoṣṭhi. Then the perfection.

So samādhinā anusmara tad-viceṣṭitam, śuci, śuddhyā, śravā, yaśa, satye rataḥ dhṛtāni ghṛtāni yasya bhavān, evaṁ mahā-guṇas tāvad atha urukramasya vidhitaṁ ceṣṭitaṁ līlā samādhinā citta, cittaika, aikāgrena.(?) This samādhi. Samādhi does not mean something artificial. Here Śrīdhara Swami says, citta aikāgrena. Citta means your mind, or heart, completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought. That means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is samādhi.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

I saw yesterday in your iṣṭagoṣṭhī you have tried to understand what is this Māyāvādī.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

There are two kinds of Māyāvādīs. The word Māyāvādī is very significant. I saw yesterday in your iṣṭagoṣṭhī you have tried to understand what is this Māyāvādī. Māyāvādī means materialist. Māyā, this matter, the external energy, the inferior energy, and those who want to stick to this inferior energy, never mind what class of philosopher, what section of philosophers they belong, if their idea is only within the boundary of this material energy, they are called Māyāvādī. They have no information of the spiritual energy. They are called Māyāvādī. So chiefly the impersonalists and the void philosophers, they are called Māyāvādī, because they have no other information. They want to simply negate, nullify, but they have no positive information, so they are called Māyāvādī. So the Śaṅkarites... Śaṅkarites, of course, they give positive information. Brahma satya jagan mithyā. They say that this world is false and Brahman is reality. But because we want reality in variety, therefore impersonal philosophy, although we take it as a matter of sectarian philosophy, it does not appeal to the heart because by nature we want enjoyment. And whenever there is question of enjoyment, there must be variety. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. So philosophically or theoretically, we may accept voidness, negation, out of frustration. When we are frustrated in these material varieties we adopt the suicidal policy, "Let me commit suicide, finish." This is called Māyāvāda. Actual spiritual variegatedness, unless one is informed about it and one is situated in spiritual varieties, there is no satisfaction.

Sometimes the teacher questions to the student, and student replies, and sometimes the student questions to the teacher, and teacher replies. This is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī. To develop knowledge, these questions and answers are required.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.66-96 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

The Lord was questioning Rāmānanda Rāya, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying and here, in the similar way, the Sanātana Gosvāmī will question and Lord Caitanya will reply. So sometimes the disciple and the spiritual master, the relationship is like that. Sometimes the teacher questions to the student, and student replies, and sometimes the student questions to the teacher, and teacher replies. This is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī. To develop knowledge, these questions and answers are required. According to system of accepting a spiritual master, it is said that just after acceptance... Ādau gurvāśrayam. One must have to accept a spiritual master. Then the next position is sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. Then he should be very much inquisitive. A student... Not finishing, that "Now I am initiated. Everything finished." No. He should be very inquisitive. Unless one is very inquisitive, there is no necessity of accepting a spiritual master. That is the instruction in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One has the necessity of accepting a spiritual master who is very much inquisitive about transcendental matter. Otherwise there is no necessity. Simply, "Oh, because so many people accept a spiritual master, so I'll have to accept somebody as spiritual master. My business finished"—no. One should be very much inquisitive. Yes. He must be very much eager to understand what is transcendental subject. Then his, this business of accepting a spiritual master will be fulfilled.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Therefore it is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī, or discussion. Discussion does not take place alone. There must be at least two.

Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Just before coming here we were in Laguṇa Beach, and Guru-kṛpa Mahārāja, Yaśodānandana Mahārāja, Paramahaṁsa Mahārāja, Viṣṇujana Mahārāja and myself, we got your new books, Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So we were reading constantly from early in the morning. We found it was very enlivening, the fact that we were reading amongst a number of devotees.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore it is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī, or discussion. Discussion does not take place alone. There must be at least two.

1968 Correspondence

I have made an Istagosthi file, and I shall go on putting the reports there as you send them.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1968:

The specimens of paper are all nice, any one of them will be suitable. But I prefer the 70 or 60 lb. Your letter to Village Voice is very nice, and is written right to the point. I have made an Istagosthi file, and I shall go on putting the reports there as you send them.

I have already sent copy of the instructions for celebrating my Guru Maharaja's Advent Day, to Syamasundara., as of yesterday, and you can read it to all the devotees at Istagosthi.

Letter to Uddhava -- Los Angeles 16 February, 1968:

I thank you very much for your nice letter, and have noted the contents. I have already sent copy of the instructions for celebrating my Guru Maharaja's Advent Day, to Syamasundara., as of yesterday, and you can read it to all the devotees at Istagosthi. Similarly, Malati has just recently asked about the 8 witnesses, and I have replied in her letter the question you may ask of Rayarama. I have written Upendra recently regarding the Sampradaya, and disciplic succession, and you may have gotten the information from him by now.

I thank you very much for the Istagosthi notes, and also your nice letter of Feb. 14, 1968. I have read them over.

Letter to Balai -- Los Angeles 19 February, 1968:

I thank you very much for the Istagosthi notes, and also your nice letter of Feb. 14, 1968. I have read them over, and the question which was asked about why people did not see Krishna as blue, question no. 5; you can't see Krishna with material eyes. Please continue sending the notes from the meetings; I am very pleased to read how my students are relishing the discussions of Krishna and His Associates.

I am very much satisfied with your replies on the questions made in the Istagosthi. The meeting is called "Istagosthi" and not "Istagosthi".

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1968:

I am in receipt of a copy of your last Istagosthi dated Jan. 27, and I am very much satisfied with your replies on the questions made in the Istagosthi. The meeting is called "Istagosthi" and not "Istagosthi". You may know also that Ramakrishna's worship of Kali makes him a third class man. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who worships the demigods just like Brahma, Siva, Indra, Candra or demigoddesses like Kali, Durga, Sarasvati, etc., are described as persons who have lost their intelligence. One person who has lost his intelligence, how he can become an incarnation of God? A person who has lost his intelligence, is not even counted amongst the higher section of society. So, the Ramakrishna is a bogus man according to the statement of Bhagavad-gita. Vivekananda was also not even intelligent man because he accepted Ramakrsna as incarnation of God.

Sometimes I receive many letters from devotees with questions which could be solved in the Istagosthi meetings.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968:

With reference to your Gaurasundara das letter, "I am being overloaded with mail lately" is not meant for you. I must have sufficient correspondence with the main pillars of the society. You are one of them, so you are at liberty to write me as many letters as it is required. Sometimes I receive many letters from devotees with questions which could be solved in the Istagosthi meetings.

Letter to Balai -- San Francisco 22 March, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 19th, along with Istagosthi notes, I am always so pleased to see how nicely the Istagosthi meetings are being carried on, so I am always anticipating your letters, along with Istagosthi reports. Thank you very much.

We cannot always understand the intricacies of such incidences. Sometimes they are enacted to bewilder persons who demons. You should therefore discuss in the Istagosthi from current reading matters from B.G. or S.B.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 3 April, 1968:

I am so glad to learn that he is taking part in Istagosthi. His answers are very much intelligent. I have fixed up date for going to N.Y. on the 17th.

One thing you may inform all devotees that Maya cannot touch a pure devotee: When you find a devotee is supposed in difficulty it is not the work of Maya but it is the work of the Lord by His Personal internal energy. The Pandava's tribulation in so many ways, Lord Ramacandra's departure to the forest, His wife the Goddess of Fortune's being kidnapped by Ravana, Lord Krishna's death being caused by the arrow of a hunter, Thakura Haridasa's being caned in 22 market or Lord Jesus Christ being crucified are all acts of the Lord personally. We cannot always understand the intricacies of such incidences. Sometimes they are enacted to bewilder persons who demons. You should therefore discuss in the Istagosthi from current reading matters from B.G. or S.B. We should only try to understand everything from the standard of devotional service. It is stated clearly in the B.G. that any one who is cent per cent engaged in the service of the Lord is transcendentally situated and the influence of Maya has no more any action on such body. The Lord and His pure devotees are always beyond the range of Maya's action. Even though they appear like action of Maya, we should understand their action of Yogamaya or the internal potency of the Lord.

Please inform Balai dasi with my blessings, that I have received the report of the Istagosthi, and it is very nice.

Letter to Advaita -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

Regarding binding: Some of our students also may learn the art, and so far I know, binding cost should not go beyond 40 cents. Please inform Balai dasi with my blessings, that I have received the report of the Istagosthi, and it is very nice. Especially the portion in which Rayarama and Purusottama's presentation to deal with newcomers is very nice. We should not disturb the newcomers immediately with opposite proposals, but tactfully we shall try to teach him in our ways, and gradually he will come to understand this policy is very nice, and approved by me.

I have very much appreciated your discussion in the Istagosthi and so also Rayarama's.

Letter to Purusottama -- Seattle 6 October, 1968:

P.S. I have very much appreciated your discussion in the Istagosthi and so also Rayarama's. We have to collect men for Krishna Consciousness & therefore we may not be harsh to them.

I have seen the Istagosthi notes of your meetings which were sent by Lilavati, and you are doing very nice in speaking on the principles of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 28 December, 1968:

I have seen the Istagosthi notes of your meetings which were sent by Lilavati, and you are doing very nice in speaking on the principles of Krishna Consciousness. So with your speaking talents there is so much valuable preaching work that you will have opportunity to do to relieve the burden of the suffering humanity. So more and more try to develop this skill, such able speakers as yourself are a great boon to spreading this movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

1969 Correspondence

Regarding your question about the 10 senses, such questions should be taken up at your Istagosthi meetings.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

Regarding your question about the 10 senses, such questions should be taken up at your Istagosthi meetings. I have already answered most of the questions you have asked in this connection in a previous letter, so you may refer to it.

Regarding your Istagosthi question, chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra can be done loudly or slowly, and in all conditions. There is no restriction.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

Uddhava das has not yet written me about possibilities of the building suggested by you, but if it is available at $1000, it must be purchased. Has Uddhava and the others seen this building also? Regarding your Istagosthi question, chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra can be done loudly or slowly, and in all conditions. There is no restriction. Lord Caitanya has said that there is no hard and fast rules for chanting this Maha Mantra.

The answer to your Istagosthi questions are as follows: Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance.

Letter to Mukunda -- New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969:

The answer to your Istagosthi questions are as follows: Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance. And who is a liberated person? One who knows Krishna. It is stated in BG, fourth chapter, anyone who knows Krishna in truth is immediately liberated, and after quitting the present body, he immediately goes to Krishna. That means he becomes a resident of Krishna Loka. As soon as one is liberated he is immediately a resident of Krishna Loka, and anyone who knows the truth of Krishna can become Spiritual Master. That is the version of Lord Caitanya. So to summarize the whole thing, it is to be understood that a bona fide Spiritual Master is a resident of Krishna Loka.

1970 Correspondence

It is better if simple questions are solved amongst yourselves in the Istagosthi class. Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice—in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.

Letter to Ranadhira -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1970:

I am very glad to learn that the small children are also increasing their dispositions and service attitude. Please get it recognized and increase the activities of the school more and more. All the devotees who desire to know may ask their questions to the elderly members but still they are open to write me for all their questions and there should not be any hesitation. I reply each and every letter that I receive, but sometimes it may be a little late due to pressure of work. But they should write; there is no checking. But it is better if simple questions are solved amongst yourselves in the Istagosthi class. Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice—in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.

1972 Correspondence

I have duly received your reports of Istagosti. They are very much interesting. Smt. Jadurani's replies are very appropriate also.

Letter to Radha Mohan -- ISKCON Los Angeles (after the 18th) 3764 Watseka Avenue Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 May 14, 1972:

I have duly received your reports of Istagosti. They are very much interesting. Smt. Jadurani's replies are very appropriate also(?). I am glad to learn that both in N.Y. and Boston the propaganda work is going on nicely. Similar reports are from Montreal. In San Francisco the kirtan is very nicely going on. I am leaving S. F. today. The tapes should be returned there hence forward. Hope you are well.

1973 Correspondence

One thing is though that we should not take such meetings and committees too seriously, as in the ultimate capacity our chanting is the only thing that will save us. However, if sometimes devotees should like to come together and chant Hare Krsna and discuss, just as we instituted our Istagosthi program, then this of course I have no objection to.

Letter to Umapati -- London 26 November, 1973:

As far as your grhastha community committee, I have no objection as it has the approval of Karandhara prabhu and he is there for you all to take advice from. One thing is though that we should not take such meetings and committees too seriously, as in the ultimate capacity our chanting is the only thing that will save us. However, if sometimes devotees should like to come together and chant Hare Krsna and discuss, just as we instituted our Istagosthi program, then this of course I have no objection to.

1975 Correspondence

Istagosthi means discussion between ourselves but that should not be taken as a competition.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

Regarding the topics of the Krsna book, this is Istagosthi. Istagosthi means discussion between ourselves but that should not be taken as a competition. It is not the subject matter for competition. It can be discussed in a small group of devotees. That is Istagosthi. This is better than competition.