1. Fasting on Janmastami: Tapasya must be there

    Bhakti-yoga therefore requires little tapasya, not playthings, tapasya, that "We are addicted to so many sinful activities. We must give it up." That is tapasya. "We must observe fasting on ekadasi day, on Lord's birthday." These are tapasya. If we do not... "We must chant sixteen rounds. We must observe the rules and regulations." This is tapasya. Don't make God very cheap thing: "Oh, it is very cheap thing." No. It has been made very easy for the Kali-yuga...
  2. When was Janmastami?

    The question arose: When was Janmastami? Our calendar, put out by Pradyumna, said it was one day in the West and a different day in India. By astrological calculation he had worked out the world in time zones, and those who lived West of a particular time zone would observe it on the following day. Seeing the confusion, you said the calculation was "over-intelligent," and whatever day it was celebrated on in India, it should be celebrated the same...