Sincerity in occupation by sincerity in devotional service

Sunil, Nov 6 2011

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Is it true that if a person is sincere in devotional service then that person would automatically be sincere in his or her occupation too?

Regards,

Sunil

Jagannatha Dasa, Nov 7 2011

Hare Krishna Sunil,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you for participating.

For a sincere practitioner of devotional service, all that one does is calibrated to fit into devotional service.

One’s work, diet, recreation, relationships and aspirations are all included in the course of their devotional service. Cf. Bhagavad-Gita 9.27

yat karosi yad asnasi

yaj juhosi dadasi yat

yat tapasyasi kaunteya

tat kurusva mad-arpanam

TRANSLATION

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.

I mention this because your question assumes a false distinction between devotional service and one’s occupation.

Since, one’s occupation is just as much a part of devotional service as, for example, chanting or book distribution, then it follows that our sincerity should manifest there to the same degree as in our chanting etc.

It is a common misconception that work is not part of bhakti, and Krishna takes the whole of Bhagavad-Gita to explain to Arjuna, and us, how work is in fact, perfected when performed under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Karma kanda and bhakti

Sanil Kumar, Sep 14 2011

Dear devotees,

Hare Krishna

Kindly accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

I am a little confused about Karma Kanda and bhakti. In BG, Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to continue his occupational duty as a Kshatriya and fight with Kauravas for Krishna with mind fixed on Him.

In line with recent Thought of the Day by Srila Gurudeva, If we do our normal occupational duties (with detachment) for Krishna with targeting 100% perfection to please Krishna 100%, and spending the opulence thus obtained in Krishna conscious way, does it not a bhakti yoga?

Is doing occupational duty karma yoga?

Kindly guide me.

Your humble servant,

Sanil kumar

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Sep 15 2011

Hare Krishna Sanil Kumar Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his glorious disciples.

Thank you for your question Prabhu. You do bring up an important point, what is the difference between Bhakti and Karma Kanda.

Yes, we all must perform our occupational duties, for a Grihastha, of working, maintaining family, and supporting Krishna conscious projects. Even Srila Prabhupada himself did this. My spiritual master did this also. Ideally, this means to get sufficient money ethically to advance Krishna Consciousness in ourselves, our family, friends, and society at large, according to our capacity.

But Karma Kanda sections of the Vedic literature are not really an occupational duty for most of us. Karma Kanda means those Vedic sacrifices which result in elevated birth, life in heavenly planet, etc. There are thousands of them, and if you try to perform them, it will be impossible to perform them perfectly, the required circumstances just don’t exist on this planet currently. Yes, Krishna asked Arjuna to perform his duty, and fight. But in the present day and age, even the so-called Brahmanas by birth are actually Shudras and lower than Shudras. Why is this? What is the occupational duty of a Shudra “paricharyatmakam”, means service to others in exchange for money. Practically the whole world population is doing this, simply serving someone else, and that someone else is serving someone else, and so on. There are practically no Kshatriyas left. Yes, there are some Brahmanas left, they don’t depend on anyone but the Lord for their livelihood, and they don’t do anything for the sake of earning money, if money comes they accept but they don’t avoid something just because there is/is not money involved. They don’t treat a money-giver separate from a no-money-giver. There are also some Vaishyas left, especially those who engage in cow protection. But otherwise, 99.9999% of population is pursuing Shudra occupations. So, most people in general are not even qualified to follow or lead the Vedic Karma Kanda sections which are very elaborate.

Bhakti is the bonus for this day and age, thanks to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy upon us. Anyone can practice it. No qualifications needed, except the greed to serve the devotees Prabhu. Laulyam. Greed. Also for the Holy Name, for Krishna, to please the spiritual master.

The main difference between Karma Kanda and Bhakti, is that Karma Kanda is for the satisfaction of the material senses, whether present or future, even though there is some purification.

However, Bhakti is 100% for the pleasure of Krishna, and there is natural transcendental pleasure in it, but it is not obtained by trying to get pleasure, rather by trying to give pleasure to Krishna and the devotees.

So if we are engaging in the occupational duty solely with the desire to please Krishna, then it is Bhakti, otherwise, it is just Karma.

And if we are using the proceeds of the activities for Krishna Conscious activities, then it is Karma Yoga. In fact, the perfection of Karma Yoga is Bhakti Yoga… in other words if someone is completely pure, then there is no question of anything other than pure 100% Bhakti. But if there is a tinge of tendency to mentally speculate, then it if jnana-mishra bhakti, not pure, and if there is a tinge of desire to enjoy the results, then it is karma-mishra bhakti, not pure Bhakti.

I am not pure by any stretch of the imagination; all sorts of contaminations are there. But I am not disheartened, because I see that by following the process of chanting, following the regulative principles, and obeying the orders of the Guru, some more attraction for Krishna and the Holy Name and service to the devotees and service to all the living entities is developing, even if it is 0.00001%, it was 0.0% before, so the process is working.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Premal, Sep 15 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu

All glories to Swami Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisances

Prabhu what does tinge of mental speculation and material desires by example if you could kindly give?

Ys servant

Premal

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Sep 15 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We must understand that pure bhakti is much higher than jnana which is higher than karma.

A pure devotee is very simple; they are not interested in philosophical speculation or any kind of opulence. They have a relationship with Krishna, and they will do whatever is needed in that relationship, but they are not interested in anything outside. Mother Yashoda is a pure devotee. If anyone tells her that her son is God, she will think they have lost their marbles. She thinks that Krishna will die if she does not feed Him milk sweets… their devotion is completely untinged. They want nothing from Krishna except to serve Him.

Example for the most advanced devotees with material desires, or “karma mishra Bhakta” are the “suras” or the demigods, like Indra, Chandra, Vivaswan (king of Sun planet), even Lord Brahma, etc. They are definitely devotees, but they have the desire to control, create, and enjoy, so therefore, according to their natures and according to their pious credits or “punya”, they are given the respective posts, a long life, etc. But after that life, if they have not become fully purified, then they must come back to material world in a lower position… this is an endless process of going up and down the ladder unless one regains pure devotional service.

Krishna says:

te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam

ksine punye martya-lokam visanti

evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna

gatagatam kama-kama labhante

“When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death.” BG 9.21.

In a lecture dated Feb 5, 2010, His Holiness Bhanu Swami is explaining this very nicely.

http://iskcon-transcriptions.com/transcriptions/mayapur_lectures/hh-bhanu-swami-sb-3-32-22/

Especially, see this section:

“The karmi goes to Svargaloka or Brahmaloka. So what does the karma misra bhakta get? He must get better than that. So yes he does. He can actually get sarupya, salokya, and sarsti in the spiritual world. That much he can get. What about the jnana misra bhakta? He is a little bit of jnana. Next to it is bhakti. Little bit of desire to escape from the material world and get peace and all that. He gets more than the jnani gets. The jnani has mostly jnana and a little bit bhakti. He gets liberation, impersonal liberation – merges in Brahman, sayuja. One who has bhakti with a little bit of jnana must go beyond that. So yes of course – spiritual world, develops a little relationship with the Lord, santa rasa.

Why santa rasa? Because he wants to be peaceful! That jnana mixture is there in his bhakti. So he wants peace. So he gets that in the spiritual world. This type of person will not appreciate the gopis. The gopis are not peaceful at all. They are always in anxiety. “Where is Krishna?” If they are separated from Krishna for one second they are disturbed. They pray that Brahma made a fault because he made eyelids. When we blink our eyelids we cannot see Krishna for a second so they curse Brahma because that one second when their eyelids close they cannot see Krishna causes separation. And they become very disturbed.

So the devotees of the spiritual world are subject to that especially when you go higher and higher in the rasas. So the people that want to be peaceful will not be very attracted to that. So they are very content with the santa rasa, a very peaceful relationship in the spiritual world. This is what happens when you get mixed bhakti. It is better than karma yoga, jnana yoga, astanga yoga with a little bhakti and of course if you do just without bhakti you get nothing. If you do karma yoga and astanga yoga with bhakti you get a result. If you do this you get better. All bhakti and no mixture then we get these develop relationships with the Supreme Lord, which is very satisfying.”

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Hospital in Goloka Vrndavana

Yogesh Purohit, Sep 13 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

When a person gets sick in material world due to material contamination, he is sent to a hospital to get back to his (physical) health. Similarly, is there any provision to send a person to Spiritual hospital, whenever a person misuses his free-will in spiritual world, before he is sent back to material world, to enjoy independent of God? Or, is that Hospital this material world itself?

Please correct my understanding.

Thank you very much.

Your aspiring servant,

Yogesh

Jagannatha dasa, Sep 13 2011

Hare Krishna Yogesh,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

In a Town Hall Lecture, from 1972, in Auckland, New Zealand, Srila Prabhupada said:

There are hundreds and thousands of hospital, but where is the hospital for treating the spirit soul? They have no knowledge. They have no knowledge even, what to speak of hospital. This is the hospital. This Krishna consciousness temple is the hospital for the diseased spirit soul. And everyone is diseased. Come to this hospital. We shall take care of you and cure your material disease.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Yogesh Purohit , Sep 14 2011

Hare Krishna Jagannatha Prabhuji,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you for your response.

However, my question was little different. I was asking isn’t there any hospital in Spiritual world (like we have in Material world), where the diseased spiritual being could be sent before it is sent down to material world to enjoy (miserably)? I have read that every living being originally was in Goloka Vrndavana, but due to misuse of free will, we are sent back in Material world to enjoy independently of God. My question is that, when that desire originated in Goloka Vrndavana, wasn’t there a provision to sent that soul in the Spiritual Hospital in Goloka Vrndavana itself and get cured there, instead of sending the soul to material world and awarding the material body and associated miseries?

Thank you very much.

Your aspiring servant,

Yogesh

Ashutosh Pandey, Sep 14 2011

Hare Krsna

All glories to Srila Prabhupada:

Actually this material world is the hospital of the spiritual world…Outside this hospital no one is sick (that is in spiritual zone).only those who are become diseased in the spiritual world are sent to this hospital….one more thing if you are assuming a spiritual hospital then you are on the wrong pathway as in spiritual axis no one is disease because the fundamental axiom of spiritual axis is that there is No BIRTH, DISEASE, OLD AGE and DEATH…..so no hospital only bliss and simply happy eternally.

Hope this helps you

Ashutosh

Yogesh Purohit , Sep 14 2011

Hare Krishna Ashutosh Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

So we are trying to enjoy in the hospital 🙂

Thank you for your kind reply. This definitely helps.

Your servant

Yogesh

Ashutosh Pandey, Sep 14 2011

Hare Krsna

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Ha ha ha……Yes now you got the point….. See how foolish it is to even think to enjoy in a hospital where one is diseased and staying with diseased…… but what to say about thinking we all have taken it as a fact…and hence suffer miserably…

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Sep 14 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhus,

The spiritual world is known as “Vaikuntha”, this is a combination of the words vai + kuntha.

“Vai” means without

“Kuntha” means miseries

Here is a reference by Srila Prabhupada in a lecture…

“So this whole material creation is like that. The creator of this universe, Krsna, He says, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] “This is the place for suffering.” And you are seeking after happiness. Just like in the prison house: it is the place for suffering, and if you want to be comfortable, this is called maya. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. The whole world is running after happiness what is not possible. Therefore they have been described as vimudhan, rascal. We sometimes use this word very frequently, “rascals,” and they become angry. But actually that is the description, “rascals.” All these so-called civilized men, so-called civilized men, they are not men even. They’re all animals. But in the sastra, they have been described as dvi-pada-pasu. They are animals, but they have got two legs. That’s all. That is the difference. Animals, generally, they have four legs, catus-pada, but these animals are two-legged. That is the difference. They’re animals because… The same example: In the desert there is no water, and the animal is running after it. Why he’s called animal? Because he does not understand that “In the desert, how there can be water?””

And he describes how the material world is just 1/4th of the total creation – just as hospitals occupy only a small part of our cities:

“So there is another world. That information is given here. Mayatite vyapi. Vyapi means very extensive. This whole material world is one-fourth of Krsna’s expansion, one-fourth. And that Vaikunthaloka is three-fourths. So therefore it is called vyapi. Vyapi means very extensive. We cannot calculate even this material existence. It is only one-fourth. Now, how it will be possible for us to calculate the vyapi vaikuntha-loka? Vyapi-vaikuntha-loka. Vaikuntha means… Vi means without, and kuntha means anxiety. So Vaikunthaloka means there is no anxiety. There is no anxiety. Here we are full of anxieties in this material… Even big, big businessman, who has got enough money, you’ll find he is in anxiety. He’s always thinking, “How this business will go on? How this, maintain so many men?” So I have seen it that our printer, Dai Nippon, the president, when we, for the temporary, we stopped our business, he was full of anxiety. Yes. Now they have agreed to reduce ten percent more than any printer. Why? He was full of anxiety. (Laughter) This is the fact. So don’t think that very big, big businessman or one who has got enough money, he has no anxiety. Anxiety there should be. This is the place of anxiety, kuntha. Prahlada Maharaja pointed it out that tat sadhu manye ‘sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. Here, in this material world, whoever is there… The Brahma is also anxiety, in full of anxiety. Indra… You know. Prthu Maharaja was sacrificing hundred times, and Indra became very much anxious that “If Prthu becomes so great, then he may occupy my seat.” So he wanted to put hindrances so that he may not fulfil the so many yajnas.”

And most importantly, Srila Prabhupada has also given the cure:

“So our Krsna consciousness movement is for that purpose. Increase Krsna consciousness and there will be no more kuntha, no more anxiety. People are trying to be anxiety-less, and that is only possible by this movement. Put always in touch with Krsna. And the method is very simple – Hare Krsna. That’s all. If you keep yourself in touch with Hare Krsna… We have already been known as Hare Krishna people all over the world, Hare Krishna people. So increase this population, Hare Krishna people, and it will be Vaikuntha.”

This is also the purpose of this group.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Spiritual Forms

Premal Shah, Sep 12 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu

All glories to Swami Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisances

In the spiritual world are there spiritual bodies in all forms like mountains, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams etc.?

Your servant

Premal prabhuji

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Sep 12 2011

Hare Krishna Premal Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

Yes, this is correct. In the spiritual world there is no inert matter. Every “thing” is an individual conscious living entity. The living entities are in the “swaroop” or original form, and take those forms to serve Krishna’s pastimes.

I heard a lecture by Srila Gurudeva, that there is full freedom to do what the devotee desires to serve Krishna… so it is not like someone is locked down, so the question arises, why everyone doesn’t want to be a Gopi? 🙂

For a pure devotee, it is all about Krishna’s pleasure… so some devotee *wants* to remain a cow, some devotee (notably, Lord Brahma and Sri Uddhava pray like this) prays to remain a blade of grass, yet others are streams, lakes, stones, rocks, hills, trees, birds, monkeys… and each one gives Krishna particular “rasa”, taste, flavour that only that particular living entity can give…

So at the moment, every living entity who is in material consciousness, Krishna is being deprived of that taste, that “rasa”, that particular type of enjoyment. So as devotees, we want Krishna to enjoy the full feast, smell the full bouquet, the perfect garland, so we are so eager that each person rediscovers their original identity and give Krishna that missing taste. Of course, Krishna is Atmarama, self-satisfied, still we are trying to please Him.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Tirtharaja Dasa, Sep 12 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu

Yes everything is spiritual and very aptly described by none other than Lord Brahma himself.

“I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, the First Progenitor Who is tending the cows, yielding all desires, in Abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of Purpose-trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of Laksmis or Gopis.

I worship that transcendental seat, known as Sveta-dvipa where as loving consorts the Laksmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krsna as their only Lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose-tree; where the soil is the purpose-gem, water is nectar, every word is a song; every gait is a dance, the flute is the favourite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milch-cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the duration of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.”

Always think and meditate daily on these words of Lord Brahma as found in the Brahma-samhita.

Be blessed.

Your lowly servant,

Tirtharaja Dasa.

Different ways to render devotional service

Sunil, Aug 28 2011

Please accept my humble obeisances

Which are the different ways in which one can render devotional service

Regards,

Sunil

Ashutosh Pandey, Aug 28 2011

Hare Krishna

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

*Sravanam kirtanam vishnoh, smaranam pada sevanam*

*archanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam*

*Sravanam* — by *hearing* the glories of Krishna from authorities (bona fide spiritual master or his representatives)

*Kirtanam-*by * congregational melodious chanting* of Hare Krishna Mahamantra

*Smaranam*- by *remembering* the pastimes of Krishna that you heard from authorities

*Pada Sevanam*- by offering *service to the lord’s lotus feet* (serving Vaishnavas, offering flowers, tulasi leaves etc.)

*Archanam – deity worship*(newbies can do the same with Photo-frames of lord or can perform worship of Gaura Nitai if allowed by authorities)

*Vandanam- praying *to lord for mercy (go in front of deities and say in your heart looking at them that you are here to be the object of His pleasure, tell me my lord how can I serve you, I am fallen but please engage me in your service and the service of your devotees, cry like a child…. it helps)

*Dasyam*- being *servant of the lord..*..perform duties of spiritual master…serve Vaishnavas….be humble like a blade of grass…tolerant like a tree..and think yourself to be simply insignificant

*Sakhyam- *being as a *friend *of Krishna glorify His name…tell about Him to others..how beautiful and merciful He is….

*Atma-nivedanam-* share your *thoughts and feelings* with the deities…confess your weakness…ask for mercy and promise yourself to rectify it…..

*As a practical guide::*

*Associate *with the devotees of the Lord Krishna

Read everyday (even one sloka or just two pages) of *Books *of Srila Prabhupada

*Chant *sixteen rounds of Hare Krsna mahamantra

*Diet *on Krsna prasadam——try to offer food to the lord in your home or whenever you get opportunity in temples

*Listen to the lectures* of Srila Prabhupada….or choose a bona fide master authorised by Srila Prabhupada if you like to listen in a particular language as Maharaja or Goswamis of ISKCON are from almost all parts of the world.

Out of this *Listening, Reading and chanting* are very important as these you can do wherever you are and whatever condition in you are living…… Whether in comfortable position or in times of pain….

Hare Krsna

Ashutosh

Sunil, Aug 29 2011

Thank you Ashutosh Prabhu very much for your answer

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Aug 29 2011

Very nice answers from Ashutosh Prabhu!

It is practically unlimited, in how many practical ways one can render devotional service…

Our collective mission is to take Krishna Consciousness to every living entity on this planet — so anything towards that goal is a service… speak about Krishna, show Krishna, give Krishna, share Krishna… and assist those who are doing it with body, words, and resources including time, money, facility, land, building, etc… whatever one can afford, whatever one has, engage wholeheartedly in service to the devotees of Krishna.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Is it necessary to live in a temple or monastery for spiritual progress?

Francisco, Aug 25 2011

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to the devotees of Krishna

Dear student group devoted to the SDA, I wish you a happy life with Krishna and took the opportunity to ask this question:

To be a good devotee of Krishna is it essential to live in a temple of Krishna? Hare Krishna

Your servant and friend
Francisco

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Aug 25 2011
Dear Francisco Prabhu,

Hare Krishna!

In today’s environment, over 99% of the devotees of ISKCON live outside the temple, as they are householders.

Temple environment is definitely most conducive to spiritual life, but it is not a prerequisite to a Krishna Conscious life. In fact, if someone is not ready, then temple environment can scare them, because it is very austere and one has to be very surrendered to stay on in a temple for all of one’s life.

I take it that you don’t live in a temple… you may have some way of earning a livelihood, think every morning who are you working for, not for your employer, not for your family, not for yourself, but for Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna minimum 16 rounds and follow the 4 regulative principles strictly. This is 50% temple life. In your home you have walls and book shelves, saturate them with Krishna and His devotees. You have some entertainment equipment? Listen to Krishna’s devotees speaking. You have some space in a clean comfortable corner of your home? Invite Krishna to come and live there, and care for Him at least as you would care for your dearest most respected human friend. Every day you eat something. So please cook for Krishna what He likes, and take only His remnants. Krishna Prasadam. Finally, according to your capacity, help the devotees who are not working to preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Go to temple whenever you can.

In this way, we can strive to make our heart and home into a temple for Krishna.

Your servant,
Mahabhagavat Das

Francisco, Aug 25 2011
Loved and admired Das Mahabhagavat

Hare Krishna!

Prabhu, I will, but how to offer the food to Krishna?

Your servant,
Francisco

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Aug 25 2011

Dear Francisco Prabhu,
Hare Krishna! You are very kind Francisco Prabhu.

Here is an introduction to how you may prepare and offer food to Krishna and take His Prasada.

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/how_to_offer_food.htm

For all, the website http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com is a wonderful website with a lot of information about basic things and advanced things in Krishna Consciousness.

Your servant,
Mahabhagavat Das

Francisco, Aug 25 2011

Dear Mahabhagavat Das:

Please extend your comment about whether it is possible for a devotee of Krishna who does not live in a temple to achieve self-realization, that is, become a pure devotee of Krishna? Are there examples of this?

Thanks for your time dedicated
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Your servant and friend
Francisco

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Aug 25 2011

Dear Francisco Prabhu,

Hare Krishna!

We have to understand that “becoming a pure devotee” is not something that is dependent on something external, like living in the temple. Otherwise it would be a really simple formula! 🙂 Otherwise, the millions of people in India who live in Holy towns would all be pure devotees.

Yes, there are many examples of persons who lived in their own homes and were pure devotees. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is such an example. He was a pure devotee even when running a pharmacy business and maintaining his family. Bhaktivinode Thakura is also such an example.

In my personal life, I have the great benefit of observing many such persons who are exceedingly pure in their devotion, but because these persons are very humble they will never advertise themselves. But I can see that their every thought, word and deed is dedicated to serving Krishna. They have never lived in a temple except for visiting other places, etc.

Your servant,
Mahabhagavat Das

Chanting – which hand to use and why?

Francisco Valencia Berrueta, 22^nd August 2011

Hare Krishna

My respectful obedience to all the devotees of Krishna

Para en canto de Mahamantra Hare Krishna con Japa, en la conciencia de Krishna, ¿ por que se recomienda utilizar la mano derecha y usar únicamente los dedos pulgar e indice?

(google translate: For in Mahamantra chanting Hare Krishna Japa, in Krishna consciousness, why it is recommended to use the right hand and use only the thumb and index?)

Your humble servant

Francisco

jagannatha dasa,22^nd August 2011

Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

The right hand is used for chanting japa because the left hand is reserved for personal hygiene and other less exalted things.

We dont use the index finger. The index finger is for pointing out faults in others, and for claiming pride and distinction for ourselves. Therefore, we chant using the thumb and middle finger. Please find attached an illustration.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

jagannatha dasa, 22^nd August 2011

Regarding the ring finger and smallest finger, it is very difficult to chant with them.

I have heard more esoteric reasons in a class, but I have not done research into scripture for those points personally.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Uddhava Presta Das, 23^rd August 2011

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

May I take the liberty of adding some comments that I heard from Sarvabauma prabhuji.

He mentions that the pointing/index finger is kept out of the chanting bag (in a way not used for chanting) to show the direction to a devotee who is asking the way to a Krsna/Vishnu temple and is in a place which is new to him. This explanation got inscribed on my mind as the statement is more PALATABLE.

Hare Krsna

Uddhava presta das

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 24^th August 2011

Uddhava Prestha Prabhu, hare Krishna! Please could you get a shastric

reference for this Prabhu? I have never heard it and would like to

understand the source of that information and be sure it is bona fide.

rAma Sita, 24^th August 2011

Hare Krsna.

All I know is tarjani (index finger) is not fit for japa as it is forbidden and only angustha (thumb) and madhyama (middle finger) are used with the support of anamika and kanishtika (ring and little fingers). I was told that it is to do with the energy centres and connection there with other nAdis of the body. The nAdi that tarjani connects to is not fit for japam.

To show the way to temple I am not sure 🙂

regards

rAma

Rodrigo, 24^th August 2011

All glories to Srila Prahbupada,

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,

Dear servants of Sri Bhagavan Krishna and Srila Prahbupada.I am left-handed and uhhh,as far as i have remembered i have wiped my bottom while doing toiletry actions with my right hand;and ,that is the way I think it is with all left-handed persons.It is vice-versa with right handed persons who wipe with their left hand .I don’t know why this is.Does anyone know.Does that mean I have been chanting all this time with the wrong hand?since I began chanting I have chanted with my right hand in a bead bag( when i procured one)so please tell me godbrothers and sisters which hand should I really be chanting with;the one I wipe with (the right hand)or the one i never have wiped with(the left hand).It is just a matter of natural dexterous inclination.Please someone tell if or not I have been doing wrong by chanting with the hand I wipe my bottom with in toiletry actions.Thank you .Dandavat Pranams.

Your Servant Eternally in Krishna Consciousness,

A humble,tolerant home worshipper of Sri Krishna

who is not yet initiated,have mercies and grace,

Rodrigo

Manian VB, 24^th August 2011

All glories to Gurudeva and Krishna

Which ever hand you do the Japa, purity of the hand and mind is

important. There are so many people left handers. If I am wrong,

devotees please forgive.

Hari Bol.

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 24^th August 2011

Rodrigo,

Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This discussion may feel petty, but there are some very nice principles involved here, so this group is fulfilling the purpose of helping us overcome practical day-to-day hurdles on the path of Krishna Consciousness.

The Vedic system is coming from the perfect source of all knowledge, Sri Krishna. There is a time, place, significance and reason for everything; this is not a whimsical system. Sometimes, the given reason is not reasonable to the material mind, but that is a conditioning. Ultimately, whether we are left-handed or right-handed, that is just a form of material conditioning as we got this present body.

One interaction I recall is when Srila Prabhupada was eating with a person of Indian origin who had become quite westernized in habits, after they were finished, Srila Prabhupada asked the person to wash his hands, the person replied that he had not eaten with his hand directly but used cutlery. Srila Prabhupada explained that the contamination was subtle, but it was there, that the hand was not clean by Vedic standards.

Yes sometimes, the spiritually perfect Acharyas, based on time, place, and circumstances, make some modifications but ensuring that the higher principle is kept. However, changes made by material considerations such as being left-handed or right-handed lead one to a slippery slope of where do we draw the line… Someone can say that they were born in the Middle East, and were brought up eating meat, therefore they should be allowed to eat meat? Someone can say they have been given a very beautiful or handsome body therefore they should be excused the no illicit sex regulation? Someone can say they love that intoxicants “relax” them so they request that they be allowed to continue with that habit? Someone can say they are left-handed therefore they want to offer worship to the deity with their left hand? Manian Prabhu does that make sense?

One positive example in the left-hand/right-hand chanting is a devotee in Toronto. His Grace Dharma Prana Prabhu is a direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Some years ago he suffered a stroke and much of his language and the mobility in the right side of his body was lost. Of course, he didn’t forget Krishna Consciousness, and has been a great inspiration to me (and hundreds of other people) for the last 8 years I have been at the Toronto temple. He chants Hare Krishna clearly, some other mantras are sometimes slurred, but he chants enthusiastically and can get many many people dancing with him in Kirtan. He showed me my first steps personally. With Japa, he cannot hold/move his beads in his right hand. So he uses the left hand. Someone can say he is breaking the rules, but the higher principle is that he needs to chant, and he is chanting, anyway that he can with his current physical condition which makes it impossible for him to hold beads in right hand.

So Prabhus, I would recommend that unless physically impossible, instead of changing the hand with which one chants, which is the right hand as explained by our Acharyas, and following their instructions, learning to use the left hand for less-than-pleasant necessities is a better thing… someone needs to learn to subdue their mind a bit, others need to control their tongue in eating or speaking, some others need to overcome pride on account of wealth or beauty or youth… everyone has some type of conditioning to overcome, the left-handed/right-handed thing is the same.

Does this help Rodrigo Prabhu?

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Manian VB, 24^th August 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu,

All obeisance to Gurudeva

I thank you very much for correcting me. Your knowledge is so profound

in Vedic systems, I admire you and will try to improve myself with

your blesings. You have corrected me on several occasions for which I

am grateful to you. Your servanat

Hare Krishna

rAma Sita, 24^th August 2011

Hare Krsna.

vAma is left hand; vAma hasta is used for one set of activities. While doing homam, taking theertham or taking prasAdam, etc we use the right hand as that is sadAchAra. As Mahabhagavat prabhu has already mentioned, these are all vedic standards. In cases, when only one hand works, the exceptions are fine.

On that note, the consort of the Lord is always on the left. For dharma activities like couple sitting to do sudarsana homam, etc in temples wife sits to the left of the husband.

Irrespective of the purity, etc the positions are better followed as per vedic standards.

regards

rAma

Uddhava Presta Das 25th August 2011

Hare Krsna Mahabhagavat Das prabhuji

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prbhupada

Excellent explanation and inspiration….

Thanks a lot. Really indebted…

your servant

uddhava presta das

Sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada

Francisco Valencia Berrueta,16^th August 2011

HARE KRISHNA

Su Santidad Sankarshan Das Adhikari, in The Ultimate Self Realization Course, “Is It Essential to Have a Living Guru?” (Lesson C24); wrote:

“One does not need to be spiritually disadvantaged by the physical disappearance of a great spiritual master, such as ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, thinking that now there is no more opportunity for spiritual progress. All one has to do is find a sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada and fully take shelter of him.”; my question is: How to recognize the sincere disciples of Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who have the qualifications to be a spiritual master?

I thank in advance for your kind comments.

Servant of the devotees of Krishna

Francisco

Mahabhagavat Das SDA,17^th August 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Yes, this is a very important question. Thank you very much Prabhu.

You can study the books of Srila Prabhupada, especially the Nectar of Instruction, which is a translation from the Sanskrit version Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami, and other instructions by Srila Prabhupada about the qualifications of the spiritual master, then you can assess any person you encounter who presents himself as a spiritual master, who is a personally initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada (not this bogus so-called initiation where a so-called disciple imposes himself upon Srila Prabhupada after he has entered Samadhi).

A spiritual master is 100% dedicated to spreading Srila Prabhupada’s mission all over this planet, every single moment of their day, this is their only business.

The spiritual master never deviates from the instructions of his own spiritual master, and never asks anyone to deviate also. For example, in South America there are some so-called disciples of Srila Prabhupada who are initiating disciples and saying that chanting 4 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra on the beads is alright. Such so-called spiritual masters may be sincere themselves, but by deviating, they make themselves unqualified to be spiritual masters. Some other spiritual masters, they left ISKCON and started their own organizations, such persons, even though they may be sincere devotees, are again not qualified to be spiritual masters themselves because they disobeyed the order of Srila Prabhupada to not leave ISKCON.

In other words, a spiritual master always remains a sincere disciple of his own spiritual master. But note that not every person who is eligible to bea spiritual master is actually willing to accept the responsibility of taking disciples.

In ISKCON, there is a very careful process that goes beyond emotion and sentiment, there is careful assessment and very very strong checks-and-balances, continual observation of the spiritual masters who are authorized to initiate. This process is accomplished via the ISKCON GBC which is how Srila Prabhupada instructed his disciples to manage ISKCON. In other words, no one who is not authorized by the ISKCON GBC is allowed initiate disciples within ISKCON.

Also, there is a personal component also – if you are really sincere, you can feel in your heart which spiritual master is connecting you to Krishna best. But when you meet such a person, carefully assess without wasting time, and then please do not hesitate. Don’t go by external things like name, fame, etc., as a spiritual master is a pure devotee. Do not lose the opportunity to be connected to the disciplic succession through a bona fide spiritual master.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Tirtharaja Dasa, 18^th August 2011

Yes another good source of information is the compilation of Srila

Prabhupada’s writings and sayings on this subject matter known as ‘The

Spiritual Master and The Disciple’. Thank you and happy, informed and

blessed reading.

Yls

Tirtharaja Dasa.

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 18^th August 2011

Here is a very good article:

http://www.krishna.com/finding-genuine-guru

ys,

MBD

Jagannatha dasa,18^th August 2011

Hare Krishna prabhus.

Here are some quotations by Srila Gurudeva on the topic.

Question: How to Find Guru?

Can you have more than one guru ?

How you can find guru?

How you can get faith and increase faith in guru and God?

Jayprakash

Answer: You Already Have

While we have only one initiating guru, we may have an unlimited number of instructing gurus.

You do not need to go looking for a guru. You have already found one.

The way to increase your faith in guru and God is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra on a regular daily basis.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

———-

Question: How to Find an Enlightened Guru?

Dear Swamiji,

I am really in need of your precious advice. For the last ten years I have been looking for an enlightened guru. In this regard I have met many monks, but I have found most of them fake. I want to live a spiritual life and want to know the Absolute Truth, but I have failed to meet a real guru. Kindly help me out and tell me the address of a real enlightened guru. I will very much obliged.

Thank you.

Shaminder

Patiala, India

Answer: You’ve Already Found One

I understand your frustration of encountering so many fake gurus because I was also disappointed in the same way when I was seeking a guru who could bless me with genuine spiritual enlightenment. By Krishna’s grace after four-and-a-half years of difficult struggle, I finally found such a bona fide spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness). He enlightened me with perfect spiritual knowledge and saved me from the vicious cycle of birth and death. If you will read his translation of the Bhagavad-gita known as Bhagavad-gita As It Is, you will find great joy and solace.

Before his left this world in 1977 he carefully trained me and his other disciples how to become gurus so that in his physical absence we could carry on with his mission of enlightening the human society. So there is no need for you to be frustrated anymore in your search for an enlightened spiritual master because you have already found one. You may consult with me and the other devotees of ISKCON regarding how to become free from all material miseries. There are many ISKCON temples throughout India. Is there one in your area?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

——

Who is the Real Guru?

Poojaneeya Swamiji,

Please accept my humble pranams.

In these days many people claim to be Gurus. And it is very difficult for an ordinary person to judge who is the real Guru

who is self-realized and can take his/her disciple to the highest truth. How one can find his/her Guru and how he/she will be sure that his chosen person is a real Guru who is self-realized?

With humble pranams

Devadas

The Real Guru is Realized in the Vedic Wisdom

My Dear Devadas,

Please accept my blessings.

If someone decides to be a gold merchant they must have some preliminary knowledge of what is gold, otherwise they will be cheated by so many people who will sell them imitation gold. In a similar way if we are going to seek out a guru or spiritual master we must have some preliminary knowledge of what is a guru or we will be cheated by so many imposters. We are currently living in the Kali Yuga, the Age of Quarrel and Cheating, so we must be very careful when seeking out a guru that we do not become cheated.

Guru is not an invented concept. The idea of guru comes from India’s ancient Vedic literature. If we want some preliminary knowledge to enable us to find out the bona fide spiritual master, then we simply must carefully study the Vedic literature to learn the method of discerning who is the bona fide guru. For the example, the following injunction is given in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

tasmad gurum prapadyeta

jijnasuh sreya uttamam

sabde pare ca nisnatam

brahmany upasamasrayam

“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”

SB 11.3.21

Note that the spiritual master must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures. Sadly, nowadays, the so-called gurus present conclusions which go against the authoritative Vedic literatures.

In this way they create societies of the cheater and the cheated. They are the cheater and their disciples are the cheated.

Therefore if you want to find out who is your actual proper guru you must become educated in the Vedic wisdom. In this way you can find out the real guru who is presenting the Vedic wisdom as it is without any distortion. There is a great need in the modern day society for real gurus and real disciples, but due to a lack of Vedic education we have a world full of cheating so-called gurus and their millions and millions of cheated disciples. This is why there is so much chaos in the world.

To try to bring relief to the suffering humanity we are trying to educate the mass of people what is the proper Vedic understanding. So my best advise to you in regards to finding out who is your guru is that first you should become learned in the Vedic wisdom. Then you will have no difficulty at all in discerning who is your guru. I am willing to give you all training and guidance to become expert in the Vedic wisdom. This why I am offering this e-course, the Ultimate Self Realization Course. Kindly take full advantage of it.

Hoping this meets you in good health and in a cheerful mood,

Your eternal well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

—–

There are also so many more quotes along these lines available.

One can search http://www.sda-archives.com in the search bar for keywords or questions. I got 10 pages of quotes on this topic by searching how to find a guru there.

I hope this is useful.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Caste System – Four divisions of human society

Sunil, 15^th August 2011

Respected Devotees and Disciples

Please accept my humble obeisances

I am not sure if you are aware and know about the caste system prevalent in India

If you do know then please answer the question:

Is the caste system which is prevalent in India, based on the four divisions of human society – as mentioned in Vedic Scriptures?

Sunil

jagannatha dasa, 15^th August 2011

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

The term caste is an english word. In this context it is intended to refer to the concept of varna, or social divisions of society. It is one half of varnasrama, the other consisting of spiritual orders of life.

According to Bhagavad-gita, 4.13

catur-varnyam maya srstam

guna-karma-vibhagasah

tasya kartaram api mam

viddhy akartaram avyayam

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.”

Guna and karma are very significant here. Guna is your qualities and karma, your work. There is no mention of janma, or birth, therefore the caste system as it is sometimes known today, being based on birth alone is a deviation from Krishna’s arrangement.

Varnas are distinguished by quality of work and situation with regard to the modes of nature (gunas). The brahmanas are the intellectual class and their occupation is hearing Vedic literature, teaching Vedic literature, learning deity worship and teaching deity worship, receiving charity and giving charity.

Ksatriya are warriors, inclined to fight and lead others. They form the administrative or protective occupation according to the system of four social and spiritual orders.

Vaisya (Vaishyas) are members of the mercantile or agricultural class.

Sudras are member of the labourer class. They are meant to render service to the three higher classes, namely the brahmanas, the ksatriyas, and the vaisyas.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Gopal Krishna Goswami, is a “Sannyasi” or renunciate monk. Monks like him adopt the entire world as their family

ashutosh pandey, 15^th August 2011

Hare krsna!

All glories to Srila Prabhupad

In addition to above reply,

caste was divided scientifically as HG Tirthraj Pr mentions the slokas as they appear..but in this kaliyug everybody is like sudra….as there activity and work resemble to the class of sudra..

Also now a days in INDIA (or anywhere else if applicable) the caste system is no more according to the Vedic philosophy. It has become hierarchical which is not acceptable at all and has become the reason of differences in material context which is again the cause of sufferings. Hence Scriptures cannot be held responsible for problems as some think.

So Srila Prabhupad said that in ISKCON we are making Brahmanas who could work as the brains of this society…

hare Krsna

Ashutosh

Manian VB, 15/08/2011

All glories to Srila Prabhupad

my obeisances to all devotees.

I regret to say that caste system prevalent in India is not based on vedic sysems. But a number of institutions in India teach and practice vedic system of Guruklam ( not caste system) and students grow up as very good citizens. All the political parties in our Country are afraid of taking the name : VEDA. But a small village in Karnataka ( Southern state of India) speak Sanskrit fluently and observe Vedic Rules. I am happy to say that Sanskrit (Vedic language) is spoken fluently in three villages in India, one in karnataka, Madhyapradesh and Uttar Pradesh where it is a spoken language amongst muslims also. You can go to the sites sankrit speaking villages in india and know about it.

your servant
Manian VB

Indresh and Kishori are in the “Grishastha Ashram” – they co-operate to raise children in Krishna conscious together, but still engage in missionary activities such as encouraging others to look into genuine spiritual life. With the results of their hard work, they support various spiritual projects around the world.

Tirtharaja Dasa, 18^th August 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu, kindly accept my humble obeisances. All glories

to Srila Prabhupada.

The caste system as practiced in India today has nothing to do with the four divisions of human society but is merely a pale shadow of the varna side of varnashrama dharma based on the bodily concept of jata. It is noteworthy to know that the four human divisions though divided according to qualification, quality, value and works have a literal representation of the complete human body in that the Brahmana’s represent the head, the Ksatriya’s the arms, the Vaisya’s the belly and Sudra’s the legs thus stressing that one part of society within the complete body of society cannot exist seperately and independently thus the head does not look down on the arms and the rest of the body nor vice-versa as inferior though each has a distinct function separate from other parts but are still inter-related and

interdependant. This is a systematic way of body and human society liberation both

individualy and collectively.

Hare Krsna.

Yls

Tirtharaja Dasa.

Radhika Raman Das and his wife Meenakshi are also Grihasthas, they work, maintain a household, dressed here in traditional clothing, also out on the street encouraging passersby to look into genuine spiritual life

Sunil, 19^th August 2011

Respected Devotees and Disciples

Please accept my humble obeisances

I read all the answers and felt satisfied and clarified

Thankyou and Regards,

Sunil
Uttamananda Das is a Brahmachari, a celibate monk who dedicates all his time and energy to serving Krishna, serving in the temple of Krishna, and studying spiritual knowledge very carefully. Monks like Uttamananda follow a strict regimented lifestyle that frees up a lot of time and energy for spiritual pursuits.

All photos by Rathin Mandal

Colour of Lord Krishna and Meaning of Plenary Expansion

Sunil, 20^th July 2011

Respected Disciples and Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances

On reading books of Krishna Consciousness I understand that amazing knowledge is shared in this group and I am thankful to all group members who do so

I would like to ask following two questions:

What is the colour of Lord Krishna? I think that I have read that Lord Krishna’s colour is black as cloud and in photos I have many times seen Lord Krishna is blue in colour, So I am confused

Please also tell what is meaning of plenary expansion

Regards

Sunil

Indira G, 20^th July 2011

Please accept my humble obeisances

I dont know whether my answer will help you or not but i think Shri Krishna , the brahma is symbol of infinity so he appears in color of some time in deep blue or some time in black, or some time in green all dark shades of all three hues reminds us the unfathomable depth of brahma.

Thanks & Regards

Indira G

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 21th July 2011

Dear Sunil Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you very much for your active involvement and participation. This shows that you are really engaging your intelligence in Prabhupada’s books.

Krishna’s color: Is not material in nature! It is a spiritual color, cannot be seen by anyone with material eyes. In various texts, Krishna is described as “blackish”, or “color of a newly formed rain cloud” or bluish in complexion, the color of the Tamal tree, etc. It is important to note that Krishna’s color is not static, for example, He may take the color that pleases Him most, and this could change – for example, the complexion of Radharani, or any other color that pleases Him. In deity form, it is said that the pure devotee sees Him as He is. So our goal should be to purify ourselves so that we may see Krishna face-to-face and see for ourselves what is really His color – as Lord Brahma says in the Brahma Samhita, and as Srila Gurudeva repeats often “Premanjana Chhurita Bhakti Vilochanena” – we can only see Him with eyes smeared with the ointment of Love, pure Love for Krishna. There is no mundane explanation for Krishna’s color. The impersonalists say that Krishna is a certain color because Krishna represents Brahman, but this is not correct. Krishna is the source of Brahman, the Brahmajyoti or Brahman effulgence emanates from His transcendental body, not the other way around – crude example: the sunshine exists because of the sun, not that the sun exists because of the sunshine.

Plenary expansion: Means expansion that carries the full potency of the original. This means that just because Sri Narayana is an expansion of Krishna, that does not mean that Sri Narayana is not all-powerful or omnipresent. Plenary expansion of Krishna means Vishnu-tattva. All the living entities are also expansions of Krishna, but we are not plenary expansions, we are jiva tattva, it means that we are one in quality with Krishna, that we are full of knowledge and bliss, but in quantity we are infinitesimal…

Dictionary meaning from dictionary.com is given below:

Origin: 1510s, earlier plenar (late 13c.), from M.L. plenarius “entire, complete,” from L. plenus “full,” from PIE *ple- “to be full”

as an adverb:

full; complete; entire; absolute; unqualified: plenary powers

attended by all qualified members; fully constituted: a plenary session of Congress.

As an adjective: full and complete in every respect

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

SUPARTHA RUDRA, 21th July 2011

Hare Krishna Sunil Prabhuji,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

The explanation given by Mahabhagavat Prabhuji is very nice and complete in sense.

With this may I most humbly add something that I recently read in this group?

It has been written by Jagannath Parbhuji. I’m just putting it below:

In Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila Chapter 9,

text 144 he compares the qualities of Vishnu and Krishna.

“Lord Narayana has sixty transcendental qualities. Over and above these,

Krishna has four extraordinary transcendental qualities absent in Lord

Narayana. These four qualities are (1) His wonderful pastimes, which are

compared to an ocean, (2) His association in the circle of the supreme

devotees in conjugal love (the gopés), (3) His playing on the flute, whose

vibration attracts the three worlds, and (4) His extraordinary beauty, which

surpasses the beauty of the three worlds. Lord Krishna’s beauty is unequaled

and unsurpassed.”

From this it is clear that even though Lord Sri Krishna & His unlimited PLENARY EXPANSIONS are at the same plane but their moods (bhava) are different. Srila Prabhupad used to give the example of a Supreme Court Judge in the office (comparable to Lord Narayan) and that same Supreme Court Judge in his home( comparable to Lord Shri Krishna). In the Court room every body has respect with awe & reverence for the Judge. But in home that same Judge is enjoying sweet loving reciprocation with all the family members. That graveness of court room is not their in home. Similarly with Lord Shri Krishna the loving devotional service attitude dipped in either of the above-mentioned FOUR TRANSCEDENTAL mellows can be sweetly reciprocated. But for us, we should consider ourselves as das anu das–servant of the servant of the Lord Shir Krishna and perform our devotional service following proper regulation prescribed in the scriptures under the expert and bonafide guidance of pure devotee (Spiritual Master) of Lord.

your servant,

supartha rudra

Sunil, 21^st July 2011

Respected Devotees and Disciples

Please accept my humble obeisances

When I have read your answers I have felt satisfaction

Maybe this is what is called Relishing the nectar of transcendental knowledge

Regards

Sunil

How does the Maha Mantra Work?

Priyesh Shah,30th June 2011

Hare Krishna

Please Accept my humble obeisances

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

I am a little confused as to how the Maha Mantra works. For the last 2 years, since I joined ISKCON, I was under the impression that when you chant the Maha Mantra, the roots of the sinful activities are destroyed, and therefore the fruits would also be destroyed. However, another devotee yesterday mentioned that actually the Karma does not go away. As long as you have the material body, the Karma will stay and continue to act as they were meant to. But when you chant and do devotional service, Krishna arranges the Karma to act in a way which is favourable to Krishna Consciousness. Would anyone kindly be able to tell me as to how this works?

Thank you,

Your Servant,

Priyesh

Jagannatha das,30th June 2011

Hare Krishna Priyesh,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Karma has two important meanings.

1. Action

2. Reactions

When we act in a certain way, that action is karma. The reaction to that activity will perpetuate further activity. The reaction is also karma. In this way actions create reactions and then further actions in a chain which *appears* endless. The seemingly eternal appearence of karma is however an illusion.

Of the five topics explained in Bhagavad Gita…

1. Isvara (Krishna)

2. Jiva (living beings)

3. Prakrti (material nature)

4. Kala (time)

5. Karma (fruitive activity)

…four are eternal, but karma is the one which is temporary.

When you act, the reaction only lasts so long, even in this life. Otherwise we would only need, for example, to eat once and we would be eternally satisfied.

Now, someone may argue using the following two questions:

1. “Fine, each action has a limited reaction in terms of both time and space. But isn’t there an eternal chain of actions and reactions which are always being manifested, one after another?”

and

2. “Even if karma is temporary, isn’t it influencing us at least for the duration of time in which we have a material body?”

In the spiritual world, the will of Krishna and his pure devotees who reside there are eternally enjoying without any question of karma. Therefore the chain of karma is itself limited, not eternal because it does not extend to the realm of Krishna.

Even in this world a pure devotee is free from karma. Otherwise, he would take birth again in this material world goaded on by a complicated network of material desires.

This is confirmed throughout Vedic literatures and by all acaryas:

Sri Brahma Samhita

yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma-

bandhanurüpa-phala-bhajanam atanoti

karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one’s activities, of all those who walk in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of indragopa than in that of Indra, king of the devas.

(emphasis added)

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita

sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

moksayisyami ma sucah

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

Srimad Bhagavatam

yan-namadheyah mriyamana aturah

patan skhalan va vivaso grnan puman

vimukta-karmargala uttamam gatim

prapnoti yaksyanti na tam kalau janah

Sri harinama is glorious! Chanted in any condition of life, whether almost dead, deathly sick, slipping, falling, or in any semi-conscious state, the name of SrI Bhagavän releases the chanting person from the bondage of karmic reactions and promotes him to the highest goal of spiritual achievement. The real pity is that the fallen people of Kali-yuga refuse to execute this devotional activity.

Srila Rupa Gosvami

yad-brahma-saksat-krti-nisthayapi

vinasam ayati vina na bhogaih

apaiti nama sphuranena tat te

prarabdha-karmeti virauti vedah

The seeds of sinful activities that cause rebirth for their fruition are not totally destroyed despite realization of oneness with Brahman through constant meditation. But, O Lord, as soon as Your holy names manifest on the tongue (even in the form of namabhasa) all seeds of sinful activities are totally uprooted. This is elaborately glorified in the Vedas.

There are more examples, but I hope this will help.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Raj, 30^th June 2011

Hare Krishna Prabhu ji,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

This is my first attempt to participate.

Thanks for providing details about Karma . u mentioned Karma has 2 meanings .(Action and Reaction ). Is it that Karma has 2 parts( Action and Reaction) . Pls clarify.

Also u mentioned that “When you act, the reaction only lasts so long, even in this life” ,does this mean that our action in this life has reaction limited only to this life.

Because on many occasions people state that this is because of urs past karmas, this mean that karmas are also carry forward.pls help

Chris Sookoo, 30^th June 2011

Sir

This is one beautiful and eloquent analysis that I have had the pleasure of reading.Thanks to the mind that put it together.

regards

csookoo

Mahabhagavat Das SDA,30^th June 2011

Jagannatha Dasa Prabhu,

Very grateful for that! I learned a lot from your detailed answer. Thank you.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Priyesh Shah,01^st July 2011

Hare Krishna Jagannatha Prabhu,

A wonderful answer. Thank you for clearing my doubt and enlightening me with that knowledge.

Your Servant,

Priyesh

Mahabhagavat Das, 16th April 2012

Dear Raj Kumar,

Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Due to the efforts of one of our other group members Dr. Sunil Vaswani, I realized that your questions below were not answered. Please forgive us for this oversight.

>u mentioned Karma has 2 meanings .(Action and Reaction ). Is it that Karma has 2 parts( >Action and Reaction) . Pls clarify.

Yes, this is correct. Every action has a reaction associated with it, and every reaction has another set of actions associated with it – this is like a seed which is thrown on the ground… after some time, the seed sprouts, and the plant grows, it becomes a tree, and the tree yields fruits, the fruits have seeds, which again fall on the ground, giving rise to more trees, and this cycle continues. There are more karmas than meet the eye… they are in unmanifest state.

One cannot counter karma with karma – it is an endless cycle – so if someone does something bad, to atone for it, they do something good – they don’t cancel each other out. The person will experience effects of both, the good karmas (karma) and the bad karmas (vikarma). Devotional service though, is without reactions, and eliminates accumulated reactions, so it is called akarma. This is also described in Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Sri Ishopanishad Verse 2:

“Actions that are performed in terms of one’s prescribed duties, as mentioned in the revealed scriptures, are called karma. Actions that free one from the cycle of birth and death are called akarma. And actions that are performed through the misuse of one’s freedom and that direct one to the lower life forms are called vikarma. Of these three types of action, that which frees one from the bondage to karma is preferred by intelligent men. Ordinary men wish to perform good work in order to be recognized and achieve some higher status of life in this world or in heaven, but more advanced men want to be free altogether from the actions and reactions of work. Intelligent men well know that both good and bad work equally bind one to the material miseries. Consequently they seek that work which will free them from the reactions of both good and bad work”

In the Padma Purana, it is stated:

aprarabdha-phalam papam kutam bijam phalonmukham

kramenaiva praliyeta vishnu-bhakti-ratatmanam

In this verse it states that karma can be lying in seed form, it can be dormant, or it can be bearing fruits. Nevertheless, whatever stage a karmic reaction may be in, it is gradually eliminated by performing devotional service.

Your second question:

>Also u mentioned that “When you act, the reaction only lasts so long, even in this life” ,does >this mean that our action in this life has reaction limited only to this life.

This is a misunderstanding of what Jagannatha Prabhu intended. He did not mean that the effects of karma last exactly not more than one lifetime. When you take his entire response and all the verses quoted into context, you can see that he is using that sentence just for example – like for example, if someone steals something, then they may be punished for a few days, few weeks, few months, few years, eventually they will be released – so he means that the reactions are temporary, even though sometimes they may transcend lifetimes. The example is that one child may be born to cultured parents, good chance of being cultured, though not always the case. Another child may be born to uncultured parents, good chance of being uncultured, but sometimes the child may become cultured through other association… same thing with bodily beauty, health, intelligence, etc.

I hope that this response was useful and you will resume your participation soon.

Sincerely,
Mahabhagavat Das

Experiencing Difficulty

Sunil, Jul 5 2011

Please accept my respectful obeisances

Is it true,that when one is experiencing difficulties then the intensity of devotion in chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra is enhanced?

Regards,

Sunil

Rahul Mangla, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna,

I also feel the same but if that is the case, it means that person is chanting for sense gratification. We should however feel eternal spiritual satisfaction while chanting.

Hare Krishna,

Rahul

Jagannatha dasa, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

This is a really nice question. Thank you for posting it.

Difficulty is material. This is explained in Bhagavad-Gita (8.15) by Lord Sri Krishna. He uses the phrase duhkhalayam asasvatam. The material world is both miserable and temporary. Whereas His own abode is free from misery.

Matter can’t give rise to spirit. Spirit is eternal. So it’s true that misery alone can’t make us more advanced in spiritual life, otherwise everyone who is intensely suffering would be more and more

Krishna conscious; however, that being said, misery can be used as a springboard to surrender, if we take it as the mercy of the Lord. This mood is perfectly shown by Srimati Kunti Maharani.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.24 and 25.

viṣān mahāgneḥ puruṣāda-darśanād

asat-sabhāyā vana-vāsa-kṛcchrataḥ

mṛdhe mṛdhe ‘neka-mahārathāstrato

drauṇy-astrataś cāsma hare ‘bhirakṣitāḥ

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaḿ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

My dear Krishna, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Asvatthama. I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

So the question may be raised, why do some persons take direct shelter of the Lord in times of miseries, whereas others do not?

The first paragraph of Srila Prabhupada’s purport to text 25 begins by dealing with this doubt. It says:

“Generally the distressed, the needy, the intelligent and the inquisitive, who have performed some pious activities, worship or begin to worship the Lord. Others, who are thriving on misdeeds only,

regardless of status, cannot approach the Supreme due to being misled by the illusory energy. Therefore, for a pious person, if there is some calamity there is no other alternative than to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.”

I hope this is helpful.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna Sunil Prabhu,

Yes, that is seen in the essence of Queen Kunti’s prayers… “vipadah santu” – “let there be calamities”,

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat

tatra tatra jagad-guro

bhavato darśanaḿ yat syād

apunar bhava-darśanam

“I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.” SB 1.8.25.

http://vedabase.net/sb/1/8/25/en

Sometimes, Krishna may “turn up the heat”, just to increase the devotee’s feelings of dependence upon Him, in this case, the difficulty provides impetus to getting closer and closer to Krishna.

From the Bhagavad Gita, it is understood that Krishna personally sanctions everything that happens in a devotee’s life, and everything is simply meant to completely purify the devote of all traces of material contamination.

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaḿ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” BG 10.11

http://vedabase.net/bg/10/11/en

Please read the purport to these two verses very carefully, it has many deep significant statements by Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Manian VB, Jul 5 2011

Hare Krishna,

An enlightening and helpful explanation given.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, and other great saints.

Do all paths lead to God?

Sen,16 May,2011

Sages of all ages preached to hold steadfastly to your own belief and through introspection one can reach the ultimate truth of self realisation.

This can be seen over the ages, for which different cults, sects, believers emerged in this world over, with different religions and variety of practices to help the mundane, the lowliest of the lowly, all children of god, to rise above the rest and be free.

This feeling of one-self to be one with the whole is the ultimate achievement in one’s life, be it through any means. One should not be dogmatic that my path is the best. It is for the learner to choose which path suits him best as per his self-like and dislike.

Through the passage of time, the more one progresses, more one becomes refined, silence and peace dwells within his heart and becomes above all these petty issues.

Whoever likes Krishna, let him come to this path. Whoever likes Shiva or Kali or any other form of god, let him or her choose the same and be free.

Does the Krishna Bhakta’s believe in this ideology or is there something more in their understanding on the path of realisation? Of course, the path of love is the shortest way to reach to the ultimate truth and the core of all religions preaches the same.

pranathi sundaragiri,16^th May,2011

Hare Krishna!

All glories to Guru and Gauranga 🙂

Religion is the order of God. Dharman tu sakshad bhagavat pranitam. So 1st of all, we must know who is God, then we take education about what His orders are and how to follow them. If we donot know who is God then where is the question of following His orders??

The orders of God are very clearly enunciated in our scriptures which tell us that the Supreme, the Highest, the Personality of Godhead is Lord Sri Krishna. We are also informed of the various prescribed ways to approach Him based on our currently prevalent material condition. The same has been advocated by sages of all times.

All this, IF we are serious about our spiritual life- our real life. If we want to imagine and manufacture, we can always do so. But the results are highly questionable.

Krishna is God. He is accepted by all the realized souls Including Shiva, Devi, Brahma and all the great acharyas including the famous mayavadi acharya, Sri Shankaracharya. God cannot be manufactured or imagined. Nor can someone become God just because a few people believe in them.

The idea of moksha as being fused with the Brahman aspect of God is highly prevalent but it is one of the five and, in fact, the least favoured type of liberation -known as sayujya mukti. The result of following a religion or dharma, the true test is whether we have learnt to love God, Adhokshaja.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokshaje -srimad Bhagawatam 1.2.6

Hare Krishna

Mahabhagavat Das SDA,16^th May,2011

Hare Krishna!

Thank you for this lively discussion.

It is best to also reflect on some writings by Srila Gurudeva, Sri Sankarshan Das Adhikari on this subject.

There are many many more writings on this subject as it is a common question.

Humbly,

Mahabhagavat Das

From 23 Sep 2009

Request: Help Me Get Out of Suffering

——————————————————————————–

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my deepest respects for your love and devotion to God and for delivering the human race from suffering.

If I can be granted any mercy or favor in your sight, please respond with patience and understanding for my ignorance and gross darkness; I am not a devotee.

1. I have the most difficult time trusting God since my prayers don’t get answered.

2. I gather that He is aloof and that there is no guarantee for salvation unless I earn it, and still there is no guarantee. Because of unanswered prayers in my practices, I struggle with trusting any deity though I thirst for a personal living God. I am told there is one, but He is not real to me. I am reluctant to surrender to a deity for fear of discouragement, and I am thus walking away from God like I have done many times in the past. Voidism is a ‘safe haven’ for avoiding this discouragement by putting my salvation all on me, but it does not fulfill the heart of craving for fellowship. Plus, I have been let down by false masters who have knowledge but no wisdom. Worse, they knock other religions and have monetary motivations. Please assist me in this search and help me get out of suffering.

Thank you.

Your student

——————————————————————————–

Answer: Follow My Instructions. You Will Be Saved.

——————————————————————————–

If you are prayers are not being answered, you are not praying properly. It is a fact that God is aloof from those approach Him to fulfill their material desires. But He becomes the intimate associate of those who approach Him to humbly submit themselves at His feet as His eternal servants. Your salvation is 100% guaranteed if you will simply surrender yourself to Him. Voidness or the philosophy of absolute nothingness can never bring happiness to your heart because it denies your very existence, which is an obvious absurdity. If a guru teaches that there are different religions, he is not bona fide because religion is one, to become a pure lover God. And he is after your money, he is also not bona fide because the bona fide spiritual master is attracted to Krishna and only to Krishna.

If you are ready to fully open heart and learn the science of bhakti, I am willing to teach you, but for the teachings to be effective you have to be willing to carefully and sincerely follow my instructions. If you will adopt the proper practice of bhakti under qualified guidance I can assure you that will gradually become free from all suffering.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

From June 4, 2006:

Why Does God Have Different Rules for Different Religions?…

Why do people fight in the name of religion? To stop doing such deeds, what are Krishna’s thoughts, as well as what do you feel about it? If God is one, then why Islamic people are so cruel for their religion? Why does god differentiate between Hindu, Muslim or Christian? Why does He have different rules for different religions?

What is the difference between religion, peace and love?

With regards,

Sangita

There Are Not Different Religions…

People who fight in the name of religion do so in complete ignorance of what is the meaning of religion. Religion means to obey the laws of God. It does not mean to exploit others. A devotee, a lover of God, does not even want to harm an ant because he sees every living being as a dear child of God.

God does not differentiate between religions because there is no such thing as different religions. It is man who has concocted these different so-called religions. God has given us one religion, to develop our pure love for Him.

True religion means to become a true lover of God and all of His creation. Only someone who comes to this platform can experience real peace. This is described by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam

sarva-loka-mahesvaram

suhrdam sarva-bhutanam

jnatva mam santim rcchati

“Only that person who knows Me to be the Supreme Enjoyer, the Supreme Proprietor, and the Supreme Friend can experience true peace.” Bhagavad-gita 5.29

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

From Aug 23, 2005

Which is the Best Religion?

Dear Prabhuji ,

Thanks for your reply. I was glad to receive your explanations. I am happy to read “Thought for the Day”, and I am benefiting from the same.

I would like to ask you a few more questions.

There are different religions in the world like Hinduism , Christianity, Islam , Buddhist , Sikhism , Jainism and a few other religions. Krishna says in the Gita he is supreme and similarly Christ and Allah are saying they are supreme in their religious books. How does an average neutral human being judge the major religions and decide which is the best way forward. I feel confused each religion is telling that their God is superior and to accept their ideology . Kindly advise me on this. Does this mean if a person accepts Krishna consciousness he is liberated and if he follows other religions he is not on the right track.

Hare Krishna

Regards,

Krishna

My Dear Krishna,

Please accept my blessings.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

In the Christian Bible and Islamic teachings there are statements indicating that is more knowledge beyond what those teachings are revealing. For example, the Bible Christ states, “There is so much that I have yet to tell thee, but you cannot bear to hear it now.”

Compare this with Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita:

jnanam te ‘ham sa-vijnanam

idam vaksyamy asesatah

yaj jnatva neha bhuyo ‘nyaj

jnatavyam avasisyate

“I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know.” Bhagavad-gita 7.2

So according to what the Christian, Islamic, and Vedic teachings say about themselves, the Vedas are giving the complete full knowledge and the Christian and Islamic teachings are giving a portion of it. This does not deny the validity of the Christian and Islamic teachings. This is simply to establish the more complete nature of the Vedic teachings. It is just like the difference between a pocket dictionary and an unabridged dictionary. Do you understand? Both dictionaries are valid, but one is more complete than the other one.

This is not our bias. This is according to the version of the teachings themselves. This is why I am following the Vedic teachings. If the Bible or Islamic teachings were more complete, I would follow them instead. I am not attached to any particular religion or any particular organization. I am simply attached to realizing and living the Truth in its most complete form.

My membership in ISKCON, the Hare Krishna Movement, is utilitarian, not blind. I participate in ISKCON because they have the most perfect and complete conception of the Absolute Truth and the most perfect and complete methodology for realizing the Absolute Truth.

Hoping this meets you in the best of health and in a cheerful mood,

Your eternal well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

From 23 Jan 2011

Today’s Thought:

Connecting with the Universal Religion

Uploaded from New Dwarka–Los Angeles, California, USA

There are many billions of people throughout the world who consider themselves religious. Generally each of them adheres to a particular religious tradition, which is in many ways similar and also in many ways different from other religious traditions. Often, they consider that their tradition is the only valid tradition, and that others who are not participants in their tradition are lost souls condemned to be denied access to the kingdom of God. In this way, they fail to see the true universal nature of religion. Unfortunately this exclusivist mentality leads to increasing chaos and conflict in a world that is already too much overburdened by chaos and conflict. Religion is supposed to be God’s gift to man so that he can have a heaven on earth and qualify to return to God’s kingdom upon leaving his current body. So what is going wrong? And what can be done to change it?

What’s going wrong is that we approach God to fulfill our desires instead of His desires. In other words we approach Him with our contaminated consciousness of subtly considering ourselves to be the Supreme. We place ourselves over Him by asking Him to serve us instead of us serving Him. This is selfishness, not selflessness. And this is what is going wrong in the hearts of practically everyone who approaches God. To change this we must teach that selfless service to Supreme Person is the only way that one can experience genuine complete happiness. If the hand wants to get nourishment, it must give the food to the belly. God is like the belly and we are like the hand. So we must give everything to God. In this way, we will be the best servants of God and all living beings including ourselves.

So, the universal religion is pure selfless service to the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. The language of the universal religion takes different shapes according to the different traditions. But when one goes deep enough into any one tradition, he will arrive at exactly the same conclusion as anyone else who follows his own religious tradition deeply enough. Therefore instead of getting side tracked by the differences of the religious traditions, we should immediately try to capture the pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure, unadulterated, selfless, loving service for the Supreme Person.

The difficulty is that we currently have a drastic shortage of enlightened teachers on this planet who are fully tuned into the original, pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure selfless devotion to God. An enlightened teacher is someone who has gone deep enough into his own tradition to find the one universal root of all traditions. He is a teacher who has fully realized the one universal or absolute truth underlying all relative truths. If planet earth had a sufficient abundance of such enlightened teachers in each tradition, there could be instituted a global educational system which would easily bring to this tattered global society a truly profound golden era of peace, prosperity, and happiness for all.

This is the day that we are praying and crying for, Lord. May it come soon! May it come soon! May it come soon!

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

From Aug 18, 2004

“Reviving the World Religion”

The Ultimate Self Realization Course, Lesson B32

by His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Under the sublime loving guidance of His Divine Grace

Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

There’s a lot of talk these days about bringing peace and unity throughout the world by establishing one World Religion. Many aspiring reformers are putting forward their proposals on what that World Religion should be. But what they fail to note is that man cannot invent Religion. Religion is given by God. Just as within a particular nation we must follow the established laws, we cannot invent our own laws and expect to be recognized as law-abiding citizens. It we neglect the existing laws we will be regarded as criminals and dealt with accordingly. It we disobey the laws of God we must suffer the karmic reactions for being out of harmony with the Supreme. This is why we see so much chaos in the world today.

While some want to invent a new World Religion others are pushing that their religious sect should become the World Religion. We see in many cases that such sectarianists will argue, fight, and even torture and kill others outside of their sect to push forward their own sect as the World Religion. Along with trying to invent a new World Religion this sectarianism is another type of madness. It has been going on for many, many centuries. Because of our tendency to place ourselves in the center instead of placing God in the center we may also try to establish our religious sect as the World Religion. This is not God consciousness. This is sectarian selfishness.

To clarify the situation there is one fact that we must carefully understand. That fact is that as soon as we talk about religions in the plural we are missing what is actual Religion. God is One. There cannot be two Supreme Beings any more than there can be two supreme courts. Since God is One, Religion, therefore, must also be One. Religion means simply to love God. When we consider religions in the plural we are not dealing with Religion. We are in the realm of religious sects. When we speak of Religion in the singular we are actually speaking about Religion.

After all, how many suns are there in the sky? There is only one. But how many different names are there for the sun? There are hundreds. Instead of fighting over what is the name of that fiery ball in the sky we should realize that we, along with everyone else, are the recipients of the rays of that same luminous object in the sky. The sun is not American. It is not Indian. It is not Christian. It is not Muslim. The sun exists beyond all the designations that we try to impose upon it. Similarly God exists beyond any designations that we try to impose upon Him.

Before the age of Kali began some 5,000 years ago the entire world was unified under one government centered in India and under one World Religion based on the Vedas. The Vedic conception of Religion does not restrict God to one name. The Vedic conception is the original religious teaching in this universe going back to the very beginnings of this universe some 155 trillion years ago. The religious conception described in the Vedas accepts all bonafide incarnations of God and all bonafide names of God. It does not allow anyone to concoct what is Religion according to his or her own imagination. It does present in a scientific way the detailed methodologies of how to dovetail perfectly your individual consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness. It can be practiced by anyone in any sect, whether they are Hindu, Christian, Jew, or Muslim. It is indeed the ultimate universal system for spiritual enlightenment, the true World Religion.

We are very fortunate to have been unlimitedly blessed with this knowledge by one of the greatest enlightened teachers in the history of the universe, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, through the many volumes of books that he has left behind for us to follow. Our course is meant to help you fully connect yourself with those teachings. Kindly take advantage of it and make your life sublime.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Bhaktivedanta Ashram

Austin, Texas, USA

August 18, 2004

Humbly,

Mahabhagavat Das

Compiled by Sunil Vaswani

What does “Prabhuji” mean? What is “Gauranga”? What is “Neophyte”? How to know if a person has surrendered to God?

Sunil, Jul 14 2011

Please accept my humble obeisances,

I am asking few questions below:

Frankly I do-not know the meaning of “Prabhuji” . Please tell.

I also do-not know the meaning of “Gauranga”. Please tell.

When one says neophyte devotee, then does the word refer to newly-initiated devotees or even to non initiated disciples or students of Krishna Consciousness?

How would a person know that he or she has surrendered to God?

Regards,

Sunil

I enjoy the atmosphere in this group:)

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, Jul 14 2011

Dear Sunil Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you very much for your active participation in this group. If you like the atmosphere, the credit goes to you and each and every sincere member of this group, due to the collective consciousness of the members, this group is a nice place for all of us to grow together in Krishna consciousness.

Q>Frankly I do-not know the meaning of “Prabhuji”

A: “Prabhuji” – the “ji” is a suffix in India to indicate respect, especially in North India, for example, if someone’s name is Sunil, then, respectfully, one may be address that person like “Sunil ji” or “Sunilji”. It is similar to the “san” suffix attached by Japanese persons, it is of cultural origin. The work “Prabhu” means “Lord”. This means of address is meant to remind us that we are meant to have the mentality of being a “das” or a servant, not a “boss” or a master. It is also an acknowledgement, that each and every living entity is a part-and-parcel of Krishna, and therefore deserves to be addressed respectfully. Not that we are saying everyone is Krishna, but we are honoring everyone as a dear servant of Krishna. Sometimes, we see some very senior devotees address others as “Prabhu” or “Prabhuji”, that is a sign of their advancement and humility, that they consider the other person “lord”. I have personal experiences, sometimes, a great devotee like His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami will address me, his junior in all respects, as “Prabhu”. My shiksha guru Rupanuga Das (disciple of His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja) addresses me as Prabhu, and when I offer him my obeisances, he gets on the ground and returns my obeisances, although, he is senior to me in all respects. Now one can see the effect of such senior devotees’ example, I feel humbled by their humility, and my false ego’s desire to enjoy respect offered by others can thus be overcome by following them.

Does this answer your question, Sunil Prabhuji 🙂

Q>I also do-not know the meaning of “Gauranga”

A: “Gauranga”, that is a most auspicious sound vibration. If all the persons of the whole world chant this sound vibration even once, then no more there will be Kali Yuga. Gauranga is a name of God, in His most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Gauranga is also known as Gaura Hari, or Sachi Suta or Sachinandana, or many many of His wonderful names filled with nectar. We know that the name of the Lord is non-different from HIm, the Lord is absolute. So whenever we chant Gauranga, we associate directly with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, in His transcendental mood of a devotee, and we feel great great bliss. So, try it out, say out aloud “Gauranga”! And see how persons become miraculously happy when that chant Gauranga. Please chant Gauranga now, then, all the time, chant Gauranga here, there everywhere.

Q>When one says neophyte devotee, then does the word refer to newly-initiated devotees or even to non initiated disciples or students of Krishna Consciousness?

A: Neophyte devotee has nothing to do with one’s external status like initiated or not, it has to do with one’s internal status… how much one has realized, and how much one is practicing, and what is one’s internal consciousness. Even a disciple for 50 years or more, even of a Guru as great as His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, could very well be a neophyte. And a person who is not even initiated could be an advanced devotee, this is not external at all. We should not in any case, treat anyone disrespectfully, even if they are apparently “new”. We don’t know what every soul’s previous journey has been, Krishna knows, and someone who joins the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, say, 20 years after us may actually be a great spiritual master resuming their service to Krishna, and someone who has been in the movement for 50 years may very well be a beginner in devotional service. One who has passed out of the neophyte stage, follows the orders of the spiritual master sincerely, never deviates from the regulative principles, even when no one is looking, is always burning with the desire to serve the orders of the spiritual master, is very humble, always eager to learn of Krishna, hear of Krishna, speak of Krishna, think of Krishna, not desiring anything for oneself except more and more service, is hankering for the association of the devotees every moment, is very very greedy for more and more and more devotional service, and is totally and completely dependent on Krishna in all situations, always chanting His names or engaged in one of the 9 processes of devotional service, is a friend to all, very dear to Krishna, never in material consciousness, is fully engaged in delivering Krishna’s message to one and all, and such a devotee is very rare.

Q: How would a person know that he or she has surrendered to God?

A: A person who has taken the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master in an authorized disciplic succession, and who takes the instructions of one’s spiritual master as one’s very life and soul, and is always engaged in the sincere, persistent, and honest attempt to fulfill the orders of the spiritual master, such a person is surrendered to God.

Please let me know if this answers your questions Prabhu.

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

Sunil, Jul 14 2011

Respected Mahabhagavat Das

Please accept my humble obeisances

You answered all the questions very nicely

Regards,

Sunil

Controlling lust

S K, 19^th May 2011

Hare Krishna

Humble obeisances to all devotees

All glories to Srila Gurudeva

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I find it difficult to control lust. What is the best and effective way to control lust?

Kindly advice

Humbly yours

Jagannatha dasa , 19^th May 2011

Hare Krishna prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please find below some advice from Srila Gurudeva on this topic. Although they are lengthy and heavy quotes, I am sure they will be helpful when applied. I have included the questions for context.

Question:

What Does Krishna Prescribe to Fight Lust?…

I would like to know how to fight against the greatest enemy of mankind, namely lust. Krishna says that the senses, the mind, and the intelligence are sitting places of lust. Even though it is 90% possible to fight against lust while we are awake and Krishna conscious, lust seems to be unconquerable while in dreams. In sleep I utterly fail.

Your student

Answer:

Purify Your Love…

Our nature is to love. When that love is selfish, it is lust. When it is selfless, it is pure love. Love become pure selfless love when it offered 100% in the Lord’s service.

It’s not that it is just 90% possible to fight lust when you are awake. It is 100% possible. Not only is it possible to fight lust. One can definitely 100% defeat lust by taking seriously to the pathway of Krishna consciousness.

When your waking consciousness is 100% immersed in Krishna bhakti, your dreaming consciousness will naturally mirror it and your dreams will be filled with thoughts of Krishna. This requires steady dedicated practice, but it most definitely attainable for those who are very serious about spiritual life.

(Thought For the Day Sep. 18th, 2006. Q and A section.)

—–

Question: How to Control Lust?

I am really not able to control my lust, Maharaja! Please guide me properly for controlling lust (illicit sex). I have heard that thinking about sex is also illicit sex.

Your student

Answer: Decide What You Want to Be

You simply have to decide whether you want to be human being or an animal and then act accordingly

(Thought For the Day

Dec. 18th, 2009. Q and A section.)

—–

Question: How Can I Give Up Lust?…

How can I give up lust? Sometimes it is very strong desire and still there within my heart. I really want to give up this desire and to be Krishna Consciousness. Please help me.

Your student

Answer: Experience Genuine Pleasure on the Spiritual Platform…

Lust is a desire to enjoy the contact between your material senses and the object of the material senses in the form of a member of the opposite sex. In order for sex pleasure to be enjoyable one has to come down to the platform of identifying the body with the self. This is a false concept which prolongs one’s enslavement within the cycle of birth and death. By coming down to the bodily platform, on which there is only a perverted reflection of actual pleasure, one simply cheats himself out of factual happiness in the worst possible way. Why it is the worst way? Because there is no material pleasure greater than sex pleasure, there is nothing that reinforces the false bodily conception of the self more than sex. It causes one to very strongly identity as a male or as a female making transcendental realization impossible.

The first step in giving up lust is remember that you are not your body and that therefore sex pleasure does not actually touch the soul. You should realize that it is superficial, not real pleasure and that therefore it is tenth class pleasure at best. Remember that the first class pleasure, the real pleasure, comes from re-establishing one’s lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no pleasure anywhere in the universe that comes even close to pleasure derived at every minute by one who has awakened the dormant love of God within their heart. So if one is seeking real and lasting pleasure and satisfaction, he should know that the best pleasure and satisfaction comes from developing one’s love for God.

The next step is to experience genuine pleasure on the transcendental platform. This pleasure, once tasted, will be experienced as a higher taste, a greater pleasure, that what can be derived by any amount of material sense gratification. This pleasure can be easily experienced by one who engages himself in the sankirtana yajna, the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of God in the association of advanced transcendentalists:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

(Thought For the Day Feb. 14th, 2007)

Please forgive the extra long post.

Your servant,

-Jagannatha dasa

Pranathi , 19^th May,2011

Hari bol prabhujis… essential question and amazing answers… thank you very very much for enlightening us… i am sure each and every one of us suffers from the inability to control lust… by Guru’s and Krishna’s immense grace i hope that we’ll all be able to love Krishna beyond this bag of flesh and bones!

Hare Krishna!

Vraja Kishor Das , 23^rd May,2011

If you have that wish to control it and that strong lust comes you

just shout

Jay Radha Madan Moahan!!!

and cupid will remove his piercing arrows 😉

Only by practising Krishna Consciousness you will able to purify from

lust.

Venudhari Krishna das, 24^th May,2011

Perfect Answer, Thanks Vraja Kishore Prabhu

(Conversation compiled by Sunil)

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