mana-dena

Temple President

2011-01-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

I am a Temple President.

Before you congratulate me, so are you.

The great saints and sages explain that this body is a temple of Krishna who resides within as Paramatma, Supersoul. Not only that, but the body is made up of Krishna's material energy in the form of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. This concept is just starting to settle in. I'm living in my master's house and am in charge of keeping it clean and fit as a proper residence for Him, cleaning it inside and out.

Externally, I wash this temple with soap and water, then apply sacred tilak decorations. Internally, I apply the cleaning agent of Sri Krishna's Holy Name, who is all pure, all powerful, all cleansing, to sanctify this temple's atmosphere, mind, and heart and make it a suitable sitting place for Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara. After engaging this mind, ears and tongue in hearing and chanting, I make the rounds and engage the rest of this body's senses in the service of Krishna... sa vai manah krishna padaravindayor.

I am a temple president. Who would have thought. Yikes!

References: Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.11, purport:

"A devotee should see that because Krishna is present in everyone's heart as Paramatma, every body is the embodiment or the temple of the Supreme Lord; so as one offers respect to the temple of the Lord, he should similarly properly respect each and every body in which the Paramatma dwells."

As a point of interest, this concept is also taught in The Bible, 1 Cor. 3.16:

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

And: 1 Cor. 6.19: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

Don't waste time!

2011-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Srila Prabhupada repeatedly cautioned: "Don't waste time."

Lately I've been looking back at wasted time in my life, and it's renewed my determination to try to follow Srila Prabhupada's instruction.

Time is fleeting. Life is short. What use is my voice when it is not engaged in singing the kirtan of Sri Hari? (publicly in kirtan, or privately in japa)

Don't waste time, foolish mind. Take full shelter of Sri Harinama now.

Every moment spent uselessly now will be regretted later, as we look back on wasted time in our lives. "Vishaya chadiya..." we will lament that we were knowingly drinking poison when we could have been drinking nectar.

Today we are in the prime of our youth, in a human body with the ability to chant. (We could be in a cockroach's body!) We still have energy and enthusiasm. Let us utilize our bodies as an offering to Sri Hari. If we keep ourselves always in the company of the names of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, while walking, sleeping, cooking, shopping, walking about this world... then Their glory, brilliance, beauty, all-attractiveness will shine through us and we can act as transparent via-mediums, attracting other conditioned souls back to the shelter of Sri Radha and Sri Hari, and His transcendental flute playing.

(Late breaking news: Sri Krishna's flute playing incarnates in this age of Kali as the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. We can tune into the transcendental sound vibration of Krishna's flute by constantly keeping the sound vibration of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra on our tongues, in our minds and hearts.)

Euphoria and Mantra-meditation

2011-01-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, after a particularly energetic kirtan session, an older woman approached me and asked what she was supposed to have experienced. "You were chanting the same mantra over and over for about half an hour. Was I supposed to enter into a state of trance or euphoria?"

"Yes," was my simple answer, and I began to explain what we, as yogis, do when we enter that sacred inner space of samadhi through mantra mediation.

If you're a God-conscious person you may have already come across mantra meditation in various forms. Catholics chanting repetitive Hail Marys on rosary beads. Muslims repeating Allahu Akhbar, God is great, over and over, several times a day in contemplative meditation. Buddhists chanting "Om Mani Padme Hum" until that mantra merges into the very existence of their being. You may have heard about the name for God in the Jewish tradition that comes from the sound of our in- and outgoing breath, "Yah-weh!" Our conscious breathing of "Yah-weh" reminds us of the ever-present existence of a higher power. The 13th Century Indian saint Madhvacharya noted that every human being unconsciously chants the sacred sound "Hum-sah" 26,000 times a day... that's counting our average in- and outgoing breaths. "Hum-sah, hum-sah, hum-sah..." one of many sacred names for God in Hinduism, along the same lines as the Jewish "Yah-weh."

Sacred mantras are meant to bring us into a peaceful, meditative space by repeating sacred sounds, mantras, over and over. Setting the religious context aside for a moment, let's just look at this process on a purely bio-mechanistic level. We may or may not believe in a higher spiritual power, so what's going on in our bodies, physically, when we chant?

The effect mantras have on our psyche, biorhythms and physical bodies is much like the effect produced by repetitive sounds in nature.

Think of laying on the sands of a tropical beach, where you settle into the rhythm of the ocean's waves coming and going, crashing gently around you. The repetition of the sound of surging waves relaxes our bodies and puts us in a peaceful state of mind.

Think of a baby cuddled in the arms of its mother. The baby hears the mother's reassuring heartbeat, or her in- and outgoing breath, or the background murmur of her speaking in a language the baby doesn't yet understand. The mother may gently rock the baby back and forth, side to side, and these repetitive sounds and motions give the baby an existential sense of comfort, peace, and calm.

Think of sitting in a sun-kissed forest glade, listening to the chirping of the birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees, moved by the gently blowing wind. What effect does this scene have on us as human beings?

Mantras, experienced on a purely mechanical level, are meditation tools that calm the noisy chatter of our minds and allow us to enter a deep state of relaxation, while, at the same time (if we're well rested and wide awake), allowing us to experience a heightened sense of awareness of our immediate surroundings. We're able to "be here now," as Baba Ram Dass put it in the 60s, focused on the present, experiencing the simple joys of each moment. When we're fully aware of the moment, living in the present, we automatically neglect our mind's other paradigms of hankering for some pleasure in the future, or lamenting over opportunities missed in the past.

Mantras can bring us to a meditative state reducing stress and anxiety. And who doesn't want less stress, less anxiety? Some yogis say that true wealth in this world is "peace of mind," and mantras are made for that. In Sanskrit, the ancient language of the mantras, "man" means mind, and "tra" means to deliver or uplift our mind from everyday, mundane anxieties.

Now add to that the feeling of pleasure we get from being a part of a synergistic effort greater than ourselves: a group of people singing mantras together, dancing together, and having a good time.

Think of the uplifting feeling we may get in a church where a large group of people sing together in unison. Or the feelings we may experience at a rock concert, singing and dancing with thousands of people all tuned into the same song, melody and rhythm. We may feel a heightened sense of belonging, connectedness, happiness, singing and dancing together.

That sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it? Reduce stress and anxiety. Feel happy singing and dancing together. And we're still only talking about the bio-mechanical benefits of chanting mantras.

In a few minutes we'll dive right into the experience of chanting some powerful mantras together.
Let's now come back to the spiritual, metaphysical benefits. What are the more subtle benefits of chanting mantras?

Sacred mantras have been passed on to us from saints and sages who have experimented with and chanted these mantras for generations, spanning thousands of years, and who have achieved various states of enlightenment and spiritual awareness by doing so. These mantras are like fine-tuned precision tools, tweaked to perfection, that help us get from one state of consciousness to another in a short amount of time. Spiritual people, after all, such as yogis, saints and sages, are interested in raising our consciousness from the mundane to the spiritual, from base to sublime, from matter to spirit. And what are the tangible benefits?

When we come together on a spiritual level, it's all about raising consciousness, raising awareness. The more we become aware of the existence of an eternal spirit soul within all of us, and of a Supreme Spirit Soul in nature and the universe all around us, the more we become aware of our part in the grand scheme of a higher power, the more we feel that wonderful sense of comfort and peace a baby feels in its mother's arms. We realize that we are, in fact, always in the arms of that Supreme Spirit, guided and carried by It, a part and parcel of It, and eternally related to all spirit souls around us. We begin to feel a sense of deep unity, harmony and connectedness with our fellow brothers and sisters on this planet, with all of life, humans, animals, plants, and with nature and the universe. Sacred mantras can bring us to that space in a short amount of time–and what a healing, healthy space that can be.

Consider this. Imagine if everyone in the world stopped fighting over trivial differences–be that differences of race, religion, skin color, gender or ethnicity–because we all of a sudden realized that we are inter-related, dependent on each other, sharing this small planet, and charged with a responsibility as fellow human beings to live peacefully side by side, stewards of this earth, brothers and sisters coming from a common origin? Think about it. There would be no more wars. There would be no more violence and fighting if we were able to raise the consciousness of human beings to that level of maturity.

Sacred mantras have the power to raise our consciousness to such a sublime, transcendental reality. When we absorb ourselves in chanting sacred mantras, we can transcend petty differences that divide us as humans. It no longer matters that one of our brothers is white, or black, or red, or yellow, or brown. It no longer matters that some of us come from a Christian faith, or Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, animist, agnostic or atheist. There is no need to change our faith or religion. Anyone can chant these mantras and realize that we are fundamentally inter-connected as a human race. Whether you look at it mechanistically, considering our common DNA heritage as documented by modern science–or you add the spiritual dimension. What matters is that we are all in this together, seven billion people on this planet. No man is an island. As the French philosopher Chardin put it, "we are spiritual beings having a human experience"–together.

Now, with your permission, let us dive deep into the experiential part of this session. Let's practice mantra meditation together and experience its effects first-hand. Are you ready to try this experiment?

1) Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya (Notes: explain the meaning, briefly, and chant it with the audience.)

2) Hare Krishna Maha-mantra - leading into kirtana (Notes: explain primordial sound - Krishna's Flute - Om - Gayatri Mantra, in this age manifest as the Maha-mantra. Like the cry of a baby for its mother, the longing of the soul for its Supreme Mother and Father. Like baby birds crying for their parent birds to feed them. Like a baby calf mooing, longing for the nurturing milk from the udder of its mother cow. Like the forlorn calls of a lover for her beloved who has gone far away... "The soul's cry" in existential terms, our constant companion sound vibration. Tuning into the Maha-mantra is like tuning into the eternal love song of the Divine, the murmur of existence proper, the combined songs and symphony of nature. The Divine Couple, we learn from the great saints and sages, are non-different from Their divine sound vibration form. We connect with the primordial sound of the universe through the Maha-mantra. Like tuning into a radio message, chanting the Maha-mantra allows us to keep in constant connection with this invigorating, spiritual energy that comes to us directly from the spiritual world.

Bhagavad-gita FATE Exhibit (transcript)

2010-12-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

Setting the Stage

5000 years ago, at an ancient battlefield near what is now New Delhi, India, armies representing kingdoms from all over the world assembled for the greatest trial of arms in history. A family dispute over the throne had developed into a world-wide conflict between righteousness and tyranny.

Here between opposing armies, with friends and relatives on both sides, seeing brothers armed against brothers, the saintly Arjuna discloses his anguish to his intimate friend, who has assumed the role of Arjuna's chariot driver.

Arjuna: "Oh Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present on both sides and ready to lay down their lives, my whole body is trembling, my mind is reeling. It would be better for the enemy to kill me, unarmed and unresisting, than for me to fight with them."

Krishna: "Oh Arjuna, give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, oh protector of the righteous."

Arjuna: "How can I fight these men? I prefer to live by begging than at the cost of their lives. Even though they are avaricious, I shall not fight!"

"Now I have lost all composure because of weakness. Now I surrender unto You, as your disciple. Please instruct me."

Krishna: "While speaking saintly words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are truly wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings. Nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval."

Narrator: "And thus, Krishna begins to explain the first instruction of the Bhagavad-gita: that the perishable body and the eternal soul are not the same.

Changing Bodies

Who are you? First, look at yourself. Look at your hands. Go ahead, have a good look. Are you your hand? Are you your face? Are you your body? Are you your mind?

Are you the center of the universe? Or merely a tiny, insignificant creature in a remote corner of creation? These questions have challenged mankind's greatest thinkers since the dawn of civilization.

We are surrounded by material elements. These are the same elements that make up the bodies of all living creatures. And then there is mind, intelligence and ego. And beyond all that, consciousness. This is not material; it is the soul.

By nature's invincible laws, each soul passes through progressively higher species of life, until it inhabits a human form.

The soul cannot be measured with any scientific instrument. Yet, this minute non-material entity, the soul, is so powerful, that it unceasingly activates each body throughout its entire lifetime. This tiny little spark of life thus moves from one body to another. This is called reincarnation.

It is not difficult to understand. Even in our own life we live in different bodies. Medical science has demonstrated that all of our cells are replaced every seven years, including even the brain.

On the battlefield, Krishna tells Arjuna:

"As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from childhood to youth to old age, the soul likewise passes into another body at death. ... The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change."

And there you are, the soul with a human body, and the chance to break through the cycle of birth and death.

The Precarious Condition of the Embodied Soul

Here we see the precarious condition of the embodied soul. The Bhagavad-gita gives us this illustration to help us understand in more detail the relationship between the body and the soul.

The horses are the senses: sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. The reigns are the mind. The driver is the intelligence, and the passenger is the soul. In most cases, the soul does not control the intelligence, which in turn becomes bewildered and cannot firmly guide the mind. The mind, like the slackened reigns, does not control the senses, which become wild. This is happening to us every day, when the senses are irresistibly drawn to the sense objects. Thus the soul is forced into dangerous and unpredictable states of consciousness.

Choices on the Path of Life

Man can control his destiny. As a spiritual being, he can choose, by the expression of his free will, his path of life.

If he chooses to descend the staircase in pursuit of temporary and flickering objects of the senses, external forces take control of him, and his free will becomes severely restricted. He comes under the law of karma. Karma is the subtle but stringent law of action and reaction which operates even in the realm of consciousness. Under that law, the consciousness of one on the downward path degenerates to become like that of an animal. Such a person reincarnates after death into lower than human life forms. This is the result of misuse of free will.

The upward path begins with the acceptance of spiritual guidance, and leads to the ultimate liberation of the soul from the bodily concept of life. Such a person perceives his pure soul and its relationship with God.

Equal Vision of the Sages

Ordinarily, we see all around us many diverse forms of life. However, a person on the spiritual path sees the soul, not the body, as the real self of every living being. The soul, which is by nature full of bliss and knowledge, is an emanation from the supreme soul, present along with the soul. The supreme soul becomes visible to the eyes of a sage. This higher perception was exemplified and taught by all seers of the truth such as Moses, Buddha, Christ, and Mohammed.

The sage who thus is freed from physical repulsion and attraction, sees all living beings with equal vision and becomes a genuine lover of the universe.

Who is that supreme soul who is within all creatures as the in-dwelling guide, witness, maintainer, and ultimate friend? Who is that who is situated within all things, and yet everything resides in Him?

Krishna's Transcendental Manifestations

The localized expansion of the supreme soul is a spiritual reflection of Krishna. In His original form, Krishna resides eternally in His own transcendental realm called Goloka. He assumes varieties of spiritually perfect forms and appears in the physical universe to curb the rise of materialism and tyranny, which obstruct the spiritual progress of humanity. He does this in many different ways, which are always good and just.

Matsya appears at the time of the great inundation.

Kurma, who prevented the demonic rulers from gaining dangerous powers.

Varaha challenged the vicious giant Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha annihilated Hiranyakashipu, the great oppressor of the innocent.

Vamana, who saved the world from the despot Bali.

Parashurama, the warrior priest who drove out the brutal martial class.

Rama, exemplifying a perfect monarch, who sacrificed His own happiness to uphold the principles of righteousness.

Krishna appeared Himself to display His unsurpassed, celebrated pastimes of love with His devotees.

Buddha, the royal prince who renounced His kingdom and taught religious principles in the form of non-violence.

Kalki, still to come, will herald the change of universal time.

God's Universal Form

Arjuna: "My dear Krishna, I know you dwell in the heart of every living being as the Supersoul, and that You manifest Yourself in many different incarnations. Though I see You here before me, I wish to know how You pervade this entire cosmic manifestation. If you think that I am able to behold this truth, kindly reveal it to me."

Krishna: "My dear Arjuna, you cannot see this universal self with your present eyes. Therefore, I now give you divine eyes."

"Behold My mystic opulences, which no one has ever seen or heard before. You will see that everything is contained within Me."

Arjuna: "Oh Krishna, I see within You all living beings. I see Brahma sitting on the divine lotus. I see Shiva, many sages, celestial serpents. I see many forms, bellies, mouths, eyes expanded without limit.

You are inexhaustible. You are the origin, without beginning, middle or end. You are spread throughout the sky, the planets, and all space between.

Oh universal Lord, I am losing my equilibrium. Seeing your radiant colors fill the sky and beholding Your eyes and mouths, I am afraid.

I see all life flowing from you, and rushing back with great speed into Your divine form. Covering the entire universe with your immeasurable rays, scorching the world, You are manifest.

Oh Lord of Lords, please tell me who you are in this fierce form. Please be gracious to me. I desire to know your purpose."

Krishna: "Time I am, the mighty destiny. I have come to change all things."

"Oh Arjuna, behold My mystic plan. Through My own wisdom and love the souls of this world ever journey towards their supreme destination, Me, who am the reservoir of all pleasure.

Arjuna: "Oh unbounded power, You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation. No one can be greater than You, or equal to You. Although I am glad that You have shown me this form, yet fear disturbs me. Please bestow Your grace on me. Reveal again Your original form, oh abode of the universe!"

Krishna: "Let this horrible feature be finished. With a peaceful mind, you can now see My original form which is so dear to you."

"Oh Arjuna, only by undivided devotion can I be known as I am. Thus you can see me directly, sitting before you. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of understanding Me."

Ocean of Birth and Death

Imagine yourself adrift in the midst of the vast ocean. Even if you were the world's greatest swimmer, you would eventually drown, unless someone came to your rescue.

The material world is compared to a vast ocean, an ocean of birth and death. Souls trapped in this world cannot free themselves from the continuing cycle of birth and death. But they can be freed by the process of yoga.

Yoga means union with the supreme. This is the stage beyond all anxieties. Thus, the soul perfectly linked with the supreme soul through devotion is at once rescued from repeated birth and death by the mercy of Krishna.

Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan Festival

According to Bhagavad-gita, Krishna descends in many forms and places. Here in Bengal, in the latter part of the 15th century, Krishna descended in the form of Lord Chaitanya. By His personal example, He delivered the essence of Bhagavad-gita, loving devotional service to God, or Bhakti-yoga, the most practical means of achieving self-realization in the present age. He inaugurated the Sankirtan Movement, chanting the Holy Names of Krishna.

Wherever Lord Chaitanya led His sankirtan festival, spontaneous love of God and profound spiritual knowledge blossomed in the hearts of the people. But Sri Chaitanya's compassionate concern for humanity was not limited to India. Thus, He made it easy for everyone to break through the cycle of birth and death, causing the ocean of love of God to overflow throughout the world, and now reach the shores of America.

Goloka - the Spiritual Realm

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna promises that whoever perfectly and constantly meditates on Him, will ultimately come to Him. This is the highest evolution of the liberated soul: direct relationship with Krishna in His own planet.

This is Goloka, the spiritual realm. Here, in Krishna's abode, all water is nectar, every word is a song, and every step a dance.

Far from formless, the spiritual world is the origin of all form, emanating from the supreme form, Krishna. All forms here are eternal, fully conscious, and blissful.

Krishna is the original form, and the human form is the reflection of that form.

Here, standing on the bank of the Jamuna River with the exquisitely beautiful Radha at His side, Krishna smiles and plays His enchanting flute. He appears as the central attractive figure enjoying varieties of divine loving exchange with the whole spiritual world.

Every entity in the spiritual world, regardless of its particular form, enjoys full loving reciprocation with Krishna.

When the devotees, peacocks, swans, and all other living beings hear the sound of Krishna's transcendental flute, they swoon in ecstasy, and tears of love fall from their eyes.

All souls are potentially capable of reaching this state of love of God, and Krishna promises to help those who long for it. Those souls who follow the path of Bhakti yoga, devotional meditation, will at last evolve their original spiritual bodies.

All of us are parts of the supreme soul, Krishna, who is everlastingly beckoning us to return to His eternal abode.

Krishna's Wishlist

2010-11-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Sri Krishna expresses what He wants Arjuna to do, and all other parts and parcels of Him (like me), in the verses of His transcendental song, the Bhagavad-gita.

"Krishna consciousness is acting according to Krishna's order." (Bhagavad-gita, 18.73 purport)

I'm starting to collect a list of Krishna's wishes so I can try to fulfill them.

Krishna's Wishlist

4:34: "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth."

18.65: "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage to Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend."

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: "The most confidential part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of Krishna and always think of Him and act for Him. One should not become an official meditator. Life should be so molded that one will always have the chance to think of Krishna. One should act in such a way that all his daily activities are in connection with Krishna. He should arrange his life in such a way that throughout the twenty-four hours he cannot but think of Krishna. And the Lord's promise is that anyone who is in such pure Krishna consciousness will certainly return to the abode of Krishna, where he will be engaged in the association of Krishna face to face. .. Everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can become a dear friend to Krishna and obtain the same perfection as Arjuna. .. Concentration of the mind on the form of Krishna constitutes the most confidential part of knowledge."

18:66: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me."

Purport: ".. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of Krishna consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances Krishna will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. Krishna will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider Krishna the only basis for his progress in life."

18:68-70: "For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear. One who studies this conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence."

Krishna's wishlist as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

Trinad api sunicena... be more humble than a blade of grass in the street, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige (honor), and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind, chant the holy names of the Lord constantly.

Kirtaniya sadah harih... Chant Hare Krishna always, incessantly, without any other motive than to please Krishna.

Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa: wherever you go, whomever you meet, give them Lord Krishna's message. (Cc. Madhya 7.128)

Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama: In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard." (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126)

Purport: .. The followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu may therefore take this movement seriously and broadcast it throughout the world, from village to village and from town to town, just as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself did." (Cc, Madhya, 25.264)

The bottom line: Take up Krishna consciousness and distribute it to everyone you meet.

Water on a Lotus Leaf

2010-10-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

kamala dala jala, jivana tala mala... Life is tottering, like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, sings Govinda Dasa in Bhaja hu re mana.

Looking at the same picture, the materialist sees dollar signs, nano coatings, The Lotus Effect. Wonder cure to improve life in the material world. "You'll never have to clean again!" Non-stick windshields, clothing, furniture, cooking utensils.

The sage observes little drops of water, dancing precariously on a lotus leaf. Life's like that.

...bhajahu hari-pada niti re. Therefore let me always serve
the lotus feet of Lord Hari.

Cooked by Time

2010-09-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Lord Yamaraja, disguised as a Yaksha, once asked Maharaja Yudhisthira: ‘What is the most wonderful thing within this world?’

Maharaja Yudhisthira replied:

ahany ahani bhutani gacchantiha yamalayam
sheshah sthavaram icchanti kim ashcaryam atah param

“Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world.”

Yamaraja inquired further: Who in this world is happy?

Yudhisthira: He who is neither in debt nor exiled and who lives simply, eating simple food in his own home, is happy.

Yamaraja: What are the tidings [news] of this world?

Yudhisthira: The tidings are that in this world–—which is like a cauldron with the sun as its fire, days and nights as its fuel, and months and seasons as its wooden ladle—all creatures are being cooked by time.

Yamaraja: How can one find the eternal path of religion?

Yudhisthira: The eternal religious path is found only in the heart of great mystics.

Yamaraja: What makes the soul rise out of his entanglement in matter? Who keeps him company, who is his guide on that spiritual journey, and on what is he established?

Yudhisthira: It is knowledge of the Supreme Lord which makes the soul rise. Godly qualities are his companions, dharma is his guide, and he is established on truth.

Yamaraja: What makes one learned? How does one attain to that which is most exalted? How does one acquire a second self, and by what, O King, does one become wise?

Yudhisthira: One becomes learned by studying the Vedas. By asceticism one attains what is most exalted. Intelligence is like a second self, and serving one’s elders makes one wise.

(Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116)

The beautiful Srimad-Bhagavatam offers the following solace: (SB 2.3.17)

ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-kshano nita
uttama-shloka-vartaya

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jiva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gita (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: "Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears." As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Shukadeva Gosvami prepares one's complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.

.. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). .. A moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhama gatva punar janma na vidyate. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee's old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

Pleasing Sri Nama Prabhu

2010-09-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

"Constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all .." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 2.1.11)

In the purport, Srila Prabhupada elaborates on the ten offenses that should be avoided by chanters.

Three points that stood out:

- Consider all names of God as sacred. Quote: "Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood."

- Don't commit sinful acts. Quote: "One may be a sinful man before chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of chanting the holy name will give him protection."

- Don't use the Name in my service. Quote: "The eighth offense is to consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal to some material auspicious activity. There are various kinds of good works for material benefits, but the holy name and His chanting are not mere auspicious holy services. Undoubtedly the holy name is holy service, but He should never be utilized for such purposes. Since the holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one's servant or order supplier. Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one's personal service." (emphasis added)

http://vedabase.net/sb/2/1/11/en

Life, fame, success

2010-06-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

LIFE

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice. –Indian Saying

FAME

We should become famous as devotees of Krishna - that is real fame. –Srila Prabhupada

SUCCESS

Our measure of success should be, "How have I pleased Krishna today?" That's all. –Srila Prabhupada

Glitter like Gold

2010-05-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

The following reminded me of the devotees on the festival tour, glittering like a gold ring engaged in service to Lord Jagannatha, who is like a shining diamond.

"The very phrase "Kṛṣṇa consciousness" suggests that those who are in such consciousness are living transcendentalists, situated in Him. The Lord says here distinctly, mayi te: "They are in Me." Naturally, as a result, the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal. This also explains the words ye yathā māḿ prapadyante tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: "Whoever surrenders unto Me, proportionately I take care of him." This transcendental reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee are conscious. When a diamond is set in a golden ring, it looks very nice. The gold is glorified, and at the same time the diamond is glorified. The Lord and the living entity eternally glitter, and when a living entity becomes inclined to the service of the Supreme Lord he looks like gold. The Lord is a diamond, and so this combination is very nice. Living entities in a pure state are called devotees. The Supreme Lord becomes the devotee of His devotees. ... Devotional service to the Lord is not an activity of this material world; it is part of the spiritual world, where eternity, bliss and knowledge predominate." --Bhagavad-gita Chapter 9, text 29

Traveling on Lord Jagannatha's festival tour is an opportunity to shine like gold and engage this soul, body, mind and senses in His blissful service.

Time is fleeting

2010-05-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Moment to moment, the present turns into the past.
Chandragupta's keeping track.
This soul has wasted yet another moment. And another.
Each moment wasted, my eternal loss.
Each moment engaged in Your service, my eternal gain.
Oh the value of each moment.

Time is fleeting.

By good fortune I find myself in this human form of life.
So many opportunities to engage in Your service.
Today, my dear Lord Krishna, please allow me,
moment to moment,
to engage this mouth in glorifying You and Your devotees,
these eyes in seeing You,
these ears in hearing about You,
these hands, legs, mind and intelligence in carrying out Your mission.

Time is fleeting.

Moment to moment, please allow me to hear
Your prodding from within
to choose to serve You in one of many wonderful and varied ways
You have provided for this restless soul.

Allow me to develop nishtha, firm faith in Your instructions that
if I simply surrender unto You, You will protect me.

Time is fleeting.

A minute's value

2010-04-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

"Avyartha-kalatvam: a Krishna conscious person cannot bear to pass a minute of his life without being engaged in the service of the Lord." —Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 6.17, purport.

Welfare Work

2010-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Should I become an environmentalist? A peace corps worker in Romania? What about helping people become self-sufficient farmers in Ethiopia? Srila Prabhupada advises that if I want to help everyone in the world put an end to their suffering, I should take up the preaching of Krishna consciousness. In his purport to Chapter 5, text 25, of Lord Krishna's Bhagavad-gita As It Is, he writes:

"Only a person who is fully in Krishna consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually in the knowledge that Krishna is the fountainhead of everything, then when he acts in that spirit he acts for everyone. The sufferings of humanity are due to the forgetfulness of Krishna as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work.

.. "A person engaged only in ministering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind is not satisfactory. The real cause of one's difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one's forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord."

Quotes from SB 7.1&2 - Hiranyakashipu, King of the Demons

2010-04-08T02:58:00.000-07:00

One should always engage in Krishna-katha by chanting and talking about Krishna and hearing about Him. That is the only occupation of a Krishna conscious person. (SB 7.1.4-5, purport)

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Our only duty is to please the Supreme Godhead (samsiddhir hari-toshanam [SB 1.2.13]). Whatever we do and whatever our occupation, our main purpose should be to please the Supreme Lord. (SB 7.2.14, purport)

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All the living entities in this material world have come here only because they wanted to be equal to Krishna in enjoyment and have thus been sent here to be conditioned by material nature in different degrees. In the material world a so-called family is a combination of several persons in one home to fulfill the terms of their imprisonment. As criminal prisoners scatter as soon as their terms are over and they are released, all of us who have temporarily assembled as family members will continue to our respective destinations. Another example given is that family members are like straws carried together by the waves of a river. Sometimes such straws mix together in whirlpools, and later, dispersed again by the same waves, they float alone in the water. (SB 7.2.21, purport)

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As the great Bengali Vaiṣṇava poet, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, has said:

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

According to this statement from the Prema-vivarta, when a living entity is conditioned by material nature, he is exactly like a person haunted by a ghost. One should therefore understand the fixed position of the spirit soul and how he is carried away by the waves of material nature to different bodies and different situations under lamentation and hankering. One achieves the success of life when he understands the constitutional position of his self and is undisturbed by the conditions created by material nature .." (SB 7.2.23, purport)

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As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.84.13):

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

"A human being who identifies the body made of three elements as the self, who considers the by-products of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of his birth worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to bathe rather than to meet men of transcendental knowledge there, is to be considered like a cow or an ass." Although Hiraṇyakaśipu was a great demon, he was not as foolish as the population of the modern world. Hiraṇyakaśipu had clear knowledge of the spirit soul and the subtle and gross bodies, but now we are so degraded that everyone, including the exalted scientists, philosophers and other leaders, is under the bodily conception of life, which is condemned in the śāstras. Sa eva go-kharaḥ: [SB 10.84.13] such persons are nothing but cows and asses. (SB 7.2.24, purport)

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As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61), īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati: the Lord is present in the core of everyone's heart. Thus the Lord gives protection to everyone and gives the different types of bodies the living entity wants to enjoy. Everything is done by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not lament the birth and death of a living being, which have been arranged by the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), sarvasya cāhaḿ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaḿ ca: "I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." One must act according to the direction of the Lord within the heart, but because the conditioned soul wants to act independently, the Lord gives him the facility to act and experience the reactions. The Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaḿ śaraṇaḿ vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Give up all other duties and simply surrender unto Me." One who does not abide by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is given the facility to enjoy this material world. Instead of restricting him, the Lord gives the conditioned soul the opportunity to enjoy so that by mature experience, after many, many births (bahūnāḿ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]), he will understand that surrender to the lotus feet of Vāsudeva is the only duty of all living beings. (SB 7.2.38, purport)

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Since everything is dependent on the free will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our only duty is to surrender unto Him and seek His protection. (SB 7.2.40, purport)

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Even though we now seem neglected by the Lord, He is actually always alert to our activities. Under all circumstances, therefore, we should simply depend on the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus revive our intimate relationship with Him. We must depend upon the authority and control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.(SB 7.2.43, purport)

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The human form of body is valuable. One can use this body to go to the higher planetary systems, to Pitṛloka, or he can remain in this lower planetary system, but if one tries he can also return home, back to Godhead. This prowess is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Supersoul. Therefore the Lord says, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaḿ ca: [Bg. 15.15] "From Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." If one wants to receive real knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can become free from bondage to repeated acceptance of material bodies. If one takes to the devotional service of the Lord and surrenders unto Him, the Lord is prepared to give one directions by which to return home, back to Godhead, but if one foolishly wants to keep himself in darkness, he can continue in a life of material existence. SB 7.2.46 purport

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The living entity is bound by the subtle body, consisting of the mind, intelligence and false ego. At the time of death, therefore, the position of the mind becomes the cause for the next body. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (8.6), yaḿ yaḿ vāpi smaran bhāvaḿ tyajaty ante kalevaram: at the time of death the mind sets the criteria for the spirit soul's being carried to another type of body. If a living being resists the dictation of the mind and engages the mind in the loving service of the Lord, the mind cannot degrade him. The duty of all human beings, therefore, is to keep the mind always engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ). When the mind is engaged at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the intelligence is purified, and then the intelligence gets inspiration from the Supersoul (dadāmi buddhi-yogaḿ tam). Thus the living entity makes progress toward liberation from material bondage. SB 7.2.47 purport

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The best course is to engage the mind in the service of the Lord, Hṛṣīkeśa, and thus feel real blissful life.
SB 7.2.48 purport

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Yamarāja once asked Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, "What is the most wonderful thing within this world?"

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira replied (Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.116):

ahany ahani bhūtāni
gacchantīha yamālayam
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti
kim āścaryam ataḥ param

Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world. Everyone has to die because everyone is fully under the control of material nature, yet everyone thinks that he is independent, that whatever he likes he can do, that he will never meet death but live forever, and so on. So-called scientists are making various plans by which living entities in the future can live forever, but while they are thus pursuing such scientific knowledge, Yamarāja, in due course of time, will take them away from their business of so-called research. SB 7.2.57

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Therefore the duty of those advanced in knowledge in human society is to study the constitutional position of the imperishable soul and not waste the valuable time of human life in merely maintaining the body and not considering life's real responsibility. Every human being should try to understand how the spirit soul can be happy and where he can attain an eternal, blissful life of knowledge. Human beings are meant to study these subject matters, not to be absorbed in caring for the temporary body, which is sure to change. No one knows whether he will receive a human body again; there is no guarantee, for according to one's work one may get any body, from that of a demigod to that of a dog. --SB 7.2.58 purport

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Thinking of Krishna, hearing the holy name of Krishna or hearing the pastimes of Krishna will make one pure, and then he will become a devotee. Our Krishna consciousness movement is therefore trying to introduce the system of somehow or other letting everyone hear the holy name of Krishna and take Krishna's prasada. Thus one will gradually become a devotee, and his life will be successful. (SB 7.1.28-29, purport)

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In Kali-yuga, which is full of shudras and demons, the brahminical culture is lost and can be revived only by the chanting of the maha-mantra. Therefore the Krishna consciousness movement, or the Hare Krishna movement, has been inaugurated to revive brahminical culture very easily so that people may become happy and peaceful in this life and prepare for elevation in the next. .. "O King, the demons think that Hari, Lord Vishnu, exists because of the brahmanas and yajna, but factually Hari is the cause of everything including the brahmanas and yajna." Therefore, through the popularizing of hari-kirtana, or the sankirtana movement, the brahminical culture and kshatriya government will automatically come back, and people will be extremely happy. (SB 7.2.11, purport)

Barometer of my spiritual health

2010-04-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

I have recently been accused of practicing on a lower level of bhakti, adhama bhakti, desiring some profit by engaging in motivated devotional service.

I have been reminded that pure devotional service is defined by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and repeated by Srila Rupa Goswami as:

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama

"When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive actions. The devotee must constantly serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna desires." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.167)

I looked up this verse in CC and eagerly read the purport. Srila Prabhupada explains that Krishna desires that we think of Him always (BG 9.34 and 18.65) and that we preach Lord Krishna's glories, without any selfish motives.

In further purports in this blissful succession of verses wherein Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains the science of Krishna consciousness to Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada explains that even practicing devotional service with the desire to get out of the material world is "motivated" and not pure.

Back to the accusation that I am practicing on a low level of bhakti.

I was recently sitting across from a devotee during lunch prasadam at the temple. I asked him if he knew of any devotee who was good at carpentry work to help convert the Krishna Culture Festival Tour bus. He named several experts who charge only so much per hour. I then clarified that I am volunteering my time and that I was looking for volunteers, who might volunteer a couple of hours on a weekend, to which he responded "Oh, I don't know about that. Good luck."

Is this a sign of the times? In general, volunteering my time for devotional service without anything in exchange may be a barometer of my spiritual health, especially given that I belong to a movement that professes to practice and give to others the science of pure devotional service, Krishna consciousness.

How often do I volunteer my time for Krishna without any selfish motive? That means no money, no recognition, nothing in return but the satisfaction of engaging in an activity that I know pleases my spiritual master and Krishna?

Another purport I recently read in the Bhagavad-gita explained that a devotee may work all day in a factory or at a business, and at the end of the day he gives everything he earns for the benefit of the Krishna consciousness movement, for spreading Krishna consciousness. Such a devotee is as good as a sannyasi.

Barometer of my spiritual health:

- How much time do I volunteer for Krishna?
- How much of my hard-earned money do I give to projects that spread Krishna consciousness?
- How much of my day do spend absorbing my mind in thinking of Krishna?

man-manah bhava mad bhakto...

(And when will I give up this illusion of "my time," "my money," "my mind"? - it all belongs to You, Krishna.)

Who Should Become Guru?

2010-04-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

Quotes from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

761210DB.HYD Lectures

"So we got this information from His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and that knowledge is still going on. You are receiving through his servant. And in future the same knowledge will go to your students. This is called parampara system. Evam parampara prap… It is not that you have become a student and you’ll remain student. No. One day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still, I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification. Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana. We should be always prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Ara na kariha mane asa. So we should become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the qualification. That is the spiritual qualification."

660729BG.NY Lectures

"There is no consideration of material impediment. So it is open for everyone. Catur-varnyam maya srstam. That is a chance given, that you can become a brahmana, you can become a great devotee of Lord Krsna, and you can become the spiritual master of the world. That is the… And I think you should take seriously."

750406CC.MAY Lectures

"And to become acarya is not very difficult. First of all, to become very faithful servant of your acarya, follow strictly what he says. Try to please him and spread Krsna consciousness. That’s all. It is not at all difficult. Try to follow the instruction of your Guru Maharaja and spread Krsna consciousness. That is the order of Lord Caitanya."

680817VP.MON Lectures

"Now, this spiritual master’s succession is not very difficult. Of course, my students, they offer me so much respect, but all these respects are due to my spiritual master. I am nothing. I am just like peon. Just like peon delivers one letter. He is not responsible for what is written in that letter. He is not responsible for what is written in that letter. He simply delivers. But a peon’s duty is that he must sincerely carry out the order of the postmaster and deliver the letter to the proper person. That is their duty. Similarly, this parampara system is like that. Every one of us should become a spiritual master because the world is in blazing fire. (aside:) You can give them prasadam. Now, of course, time is very high. So to understand the spiritual master… Spiritual master is not a new invention. It is simply following the orders of the spiritual master. So all my students present here who are feeling so much obliged… I am also obliged to them because they are helping me in this missionary work. At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Every one of you should be spiritual master next. And what is their duty? Whatever you are hearing from me, whatever you are learning from me, you have to distribute the same in toto without any addition or alteration. Then all of you become the spiritual master. That is the science of becoming spiritual master. Spiritual master is not any… To become a spiritual master is not very wonderful thing. Simply one has to become sincere soul. That’s all. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that "By disciplic succession this yoga process of Bhagavad-gita was handed down from disciple to disciple. But in course of time that disciplic succession is now lost. Therefore, Arjuna, I am teaching you again the same philosophy."

Songs Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurvastakam 690102PU.LA

We should always remember that the spiritual master is in the disciplic succession. The original spiritual master is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He blesses his next disciple, just like Brahma. Brahma blesses his next disciple, just like Narada. Narada blesses his next disciple, just like Vyasa. Vyasa blesses his next disciple, Madhvacarya. Similarly, the blessing is coming. Just like royal succession–the throne is inherited by disciplic or hereditary succession–similarly, this power from the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to receive. Nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master, without obtaining power from the right source. Therefore the very word, it is stated here, praptasya. Praptasya means "one who has obtained." Praptasya kalyana. What he has obtained? Kalyana. Kalyana means auspicity. He has received something which is auspicious for all the human kind. Praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya. Here is another example. Gunarnava. Arnava means ocean, and guna means spiritual qualities. Just like the same example is going on. It is very nice poetry. There is nice rhethorics and metaphor. The example is set, blazing fire, and it is to be extinguished with the cloud. And wherefrom the cloud comes? Similarly, wherefrom the spiritual master receives the mercy? The cloud receives his potency from the ocean. Therefore the spiritual master also receives his power from the ocean of spiritual quality, that is, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya. Such kind of spiritual master, one has to accept, and vande guroh sri-caranaravindam, and one has to offer his respectful obeisances to such authorized spiritual master. (end)

710718RC.DET Conversations

"Prabhupada: Yes. All of them will take over. These students, who are initiated from me, all of them will act as I am doing. Just like I have got many Godbrothers, they are all acting. Similarly, all these disciples which I am making, initiating, they are being trained to become future spiritual masters."

770415rc.bom Conversations

"Prabhupada: "Like father, like son." You should be. Gaurangera bhakta…, jane. Everyone. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa. He asked everyone, "Just become guru." Follow His instruction. You become guru. Amara ajnaya. Don’t manufacture ideas. Amara ajnaya. "What I say, you do. You become a guru." Where is the difficulty? "And what is Your ajna?" Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Bas. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita. You simply repeat. That’s all. You become guru. To become a guru is not difficult job. Follow Caitanya Mahaprabhu and speak what Krsna has said. Bas. You become guru."

750302BA.ATL Lectures

"So you are hearing this philosophy daily. Try to understand more and more. We have got so many books. And this is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and, by disciplic succession, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then my spiritual master. Then we are trying our level best. Similarly, you will also try your level best on the same principle. Then it will go on. Same principle. It doesn’t matter whether one is born in India or outside India. No. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, “As many towns and cities and villages are there,” He did not say it to make a farce. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So sometimes I am very much criticized that I am making foreigners a brahmana. The caste brahmanas in India, they are very much against me. But this is not fact. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that all over the world His message will be broadcast, does it mean that it will be simply a cinema show? No. He wanted that everyone should become perfect Vaisnava. That is His purpose."

720518AR.LA Lectures

"So we have got this message from Krsna, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, from the six Gosvamis, later on, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura. And we are trying our bit also to distribute this knowledge. Now, tenth, eleventh, twelfth… My Guru Maharaja is tenth from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I am eleventh, you are the twelfth. So distribute this knowledge. People are suffering. They are simply fighting on some false thing, maya. They should be given the real fact of happiness."

68-12-03 Letter: Hamsaduta

"Next January there will be an examination on this Bhagavad-gita. Papers will be sent by me to all centers, and those securing the minimum passing grade will be given the title as Bhakti-sastri. Similarly, another examination will be held on Lord Caitanya’s Appearance Day in February, 1970 and it will be upon Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Those passing will get the title of Bhakti-vaibhava. Another examination will be held sometimes in 1971 on the four books, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Nectar of Devotion. One who will pass this examination will be awarded with the title of Bhaktivedanta. I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta, so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations. That is my program. So we should not simply publish these books for reading by outsiders, but our students must be well versed in all of our books so that we can be prepared to defeat all opposing parties in the matter of self-realization."

Pebbles and Stones

2010-03-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

A life-changing experience climbing a mountain on the bus tour.

My dear friends, fellow bus tourees, today we will have an extra ordinary adventure, climbing this mountain. It will be a life-changing experience for many of you, especially if you succeed and make it to the top. Once we reach the top, we will discuss some essential instructions from Bhagavad-gita that will hopefully stay with you for the rest of your life – as they will be deeply engrained upon your conscious memory through this exercise.

Are you ready to have this experience?

Here are the simple instructions. Everyone please take with you your backpack, along with sufficient water, some prasadam snacks, your japa beads, and your Bhagavad-gita.

Along the way, as we climb the mountain path, please collect as many pretty-looking pebbles and stones as you can find and carry. Stuff your pockets. Stuff your back packs. When we get to the top, you will use your pebbles and stones in a very important exercise and discussion about the future of your life.

As we progress up the mountain, please stop from time to time and wait for others to catch up who are slower than you. During the times when you stop to wait for others, please re-hydrate, eat a little snack, and feel free to search for some extra special pebbles and stones that will distinguish your collection from others.

(Halfway up the mountain… )

So, let’s take a look. How are you all doing? Tell me about your collections… Nice.

(At the top of the mountain…)

Okay, you’ve made it! Congratulations! Welcome to the top of this grand mountain on planet Earth, a small speck on Krishna’s universal form.

How was it? What were some of your challenges? Did you feel like turning back at any time? What strategies did you employ to convince your mind to keep on going?

Life is like that sometimes… success often means to keep on going along a good path, even when the going gets tough. But that’s not the main point we came up here to talk about.

You’re probably wondering by now about the grand significance of your collection of pebbles and stones. Please go ahead and pile them up in front of you so we can all see and admire them.

Would anyone like to share about the glories of their collection? Any pebbles or stones that stand out from the rest and are particularly interesting?

(After some comparison…)

The riddle revealed.

Please take out your Bhagavad-gitas and turn to Chapter 6, text number 8.

Would someone like to read the verse, translation and purport? Please listen carefully – as if your life depended on what is about to be said. This book is over two million years old… about as old as this mountain, and is still relevant today. So it’s very special. Observe intense silence so you catch every word of what Lord Krishna is saying, and what Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport.

jnana-vijnana-triptatma
kuta-stho vijitendriyah
yukta ity ucyate yogi
sama-loshtrasma-kancanah

SYNONYMS
jnana -- by acquired knowledge; vijnana -- and realized knowledge; tripta -- satisfied; atma -- a living entity; kuta-sthah -- spiritually situated; vijita-indriyah -- sensually controlled; yuktah -- competent for self-realization; iti -- thus; ucyate -- is said; yogi -- a mystic; sama -- equipoised; loshtra -- pebbles; asma -- stone; kancanah -- gold.

TRANSLATION
A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogi [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything -- whether it be pebbles, stones or gold -- as the same.

PURPORT
Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This is stated as follows:

atah sri-krishna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah

"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.234)

This Bhagavad-gita is the science of Krishna consciousness. No one can become Krishna conscious simply by mundane scholarship. One must be fortunate enough to associate with a person who is in pure consciousness. A Krishna conscious person has realized knowledge, by the grace of Krishna, because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized knowledge, one becomes perfect. By transcendental knowledge one can remain steady in his convictions, but by mere academic knowledge one can be easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to Krishna. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship. For him mundane scholarship and mental speculation, which may be as good as gold to others, are of no greater value than pebbles or stones.

Now please turn to Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 13, texts 8-12.

Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth — all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.

--------

So what is being said here? Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our Dearmost Friend and Eternal Well-wisher, is giving us some advice on what is valuable in life, and what is not.

Self-realization, transcendental knowledge (about our eternal relationship with Krishna), realized knowledge (Krishna consciousness and devotional service) is valuable, and as Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of the first verse we read, the association of a Krishna conscious person who has realized knowledge being satisfied with pure devotional service. This is the most valuable thing. This is the secret of success. THE SECRET! Now you know.

Because we are eternal spiritual living entities, by constitution joyful in service to Krishna, our temporary entrapment in these temporary bodies in this temporary material world on this temporarily manifest mountain in this temporarily manifest country is … temporary, transient, will end soon, and is therefore of not much importance in the grand scheme of our eternal life and relationship with Krishna.

Mundane scholarship – what is mundane scholarship in this context? Everything we learn about the ways and means of this temporary world, how to manipulate this world, how to do business in this world, how to make lots of money and exploit others in this temporary material world… how to enjoy temporary sense gratification in this world… this is mundane scholarship, or ignorance (according to the second verse we read.) All that relates to the temporary nature of this world, which is compared elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gita to a prison house meant to reform us truant living entities. The knowledge of how to live happily in this prison house is mundane scholarship, or ignorance. Everything we learn in public school, high school, college, has only to do with this temporary body and mundane world and how to stay here and exploit it for temporary sense gratification. This is mundane scholarship.

The devotee of Krishna, by engaging us in pure devotional service, gives us the way and the means out of this temporary existence, the way out of this prison house, placing us back into our eternal life of bliss and knowledge, serving our beautiful Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, the divine couple. The Bhagavad-gita, spoken by Lord Krishna Himself, is the most valuable book in this world – our most prized possession – because it contains the entire science of Krishna consciousness – all there is to know that is of real importance, in one beautiful, concise book. Imagine if God sat down to write a book and somehow you got a hold of that book. What would you do with it?

In contrast, all the riches, gold and mundane knowledge of this material world are compared to pebbles and stones. And how proud we are of our collection of pebbles and stones.

Now, with your permission, I’d like to expand on what we heard earlier, about Krishna Consciouseness being the MOST VALUABLE THING. I’d like to share with you a very special dialogue of Questions and Answers between Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ramananda Raya on this topic. If you pay close attention, these words can forever change your life. Seriously and sincerely. Please listen with rapt attention.

Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 8.244-260: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the questions, and Sri Ramananda Raya gave the answers. In this way they were engaged in discussion throughout the night.

On one occasion the Lord inquired, "Of all types of education, which is the most important?" Ramananda Raya replied, "No education is important other than the transcendental devotional service of Krishna."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then asked Ramananda Raya, "Out of all glorious activities, which is the most glorious?" Ramananda Raya replied, "That person who is reputed to be a devotee of Lord Krishna enjoys the utmost fame and glory."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Of the many capitalists who possess great riches, who is the topmost?" Ramananda Raya replied, "He who is richest in love for Radha and Krishna is the greatest capitalist."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?" Sri Ramananda Raya replied, "Apart from separation from the devotee of Krishna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then inquired, "Out of all liberated persons, who should be accepted as the greatest?" Ramananda Raya replied, "He who has love for Krishna has attained the topmost liberation."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu next asked Ramananda Raya, "Among many songs, which song is to be considered the actual religion of the living entity?" Ramananda Raya replied, "That song describing the loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna is superior to all other songs."

Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the living entity?" Ramananda Raya replied, "The only auspicious activity is association with the devotees of Krishna."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "What should all living entities constantly remember?" Ramananda Raya replied, "The chief objects of remembrance are always the Lord's holy name, qualities and pastimes."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired, "Out of many types of meditation, which is required for all living entities?" Srila Ramananda Raya replied, "The chief duty of every living entity is to meditate upon the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Where should the living entity live, abandoning all other places?" Ramananda Raya replied, "He should live in the holy place known as Vrindavana or Vrajabhumi, where the Lord performed His rasa dance."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Out of all topics people listen to, which is best for all living entities?" Ramananda Raya replied, "Hearing about the loving affairs between Radha and Krishna is most pleasing to the ear."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "Among all worshipable objects, which is the chief?" Ramananda Raya replied, "The chief worshipable object is the holy name of Radha and Krishna, the Hare Krishna mantra."

"And what is the destination of those who desire liberation and those who desire sense gratification?" Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked. Ramananda Raya replied, "Those who attempt to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord will have to accept bodies like those of trees. And those who are overly inclined toward sense gratification will attain the bodies of demigods."

Ramananda Raya continued, "Those who are devoid of all transcendental mellows are like the crows that suck the juice from the bitter fruits of the nimba tree of knowledge, whereas those who enjoy mellows are like the cuckoos who eat the buds of the mango tree of love of Godhead."

Ramananda Raya concluded, "The unfortunate empiric philosophers taste the dry process of philosophical knowledge, whereas the devotees regularly drink the nectar of love of Krishna. Therefore they are the most fortunate of all."

In this way Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya passed the whole night relishing the mellows of krishna-katha, topics about Krishna. While they were chanting, dancing and crying, the night ended.

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Discussion. What are your thoughts about this topic so far?

(At the end of the discussion.)

So now, what I’d like you all to do, is to slowly make your way back down this mountain and give your prized collection of pebbles and stones, which you endeavored so hard to acquire on the way up, a proper and deserving resting place, appropriate to their value. I’d like to you to take them one by one, as you slowly walk down the mountain, and meditate on each as you throw it into the wind, by the wayside… meditate how each of these pebbles and stones represents some mundane knowledge and scholarship that you may have acquired, that you may have been particularly proud of, and of what value it is, ultimately, in the grand scheme of things. Send your pebbles and stones into the wind – bidding farewell to those things that you once thought were of value… and keep close to you your copy of Bhagavad-gita, your guidebook to Krishna consciousness – REAL LIFE - and cherish it. Read it. Study it. Memorize it backwards and forwards. This beautiful gift of Transcendental Knowledge - Krishna consciousness, spoken by Lord Krishna Himself, is of real value in this world. Along with the association of Krishna conscious devotees who can engage our bodies, minds and senses in Krishna’s pure devotional service.

Is it clear? Don’t throw the pebbles and stones all out at once. Please do this mindfully, with concentration. Meditate on each pebble as you give it back to the mountain you took it from, and think about its significance, and which aspect of mundane knowledge, education and scholarship it represents for you. Think about the statements of Lord Krishna and the wise yogis… who compare mundane education and scholarship and even all the gold in this prison house material world (i.e. material wealth, money and riches) to nothing more valuable than pebbles and stones.

Think about the temporary nature of success and achievements in this material world. Think about how you’ve been here for millions of lifetimes and how in this one life, you have been blessed with transcendental knowledge and the association of devotees of Krishna. In this life you have a chance to stop the cultivation of ignorance, darkness, and take to the process of Krishna consciousness, full of light and eternal bliss. Count your blessings as you rid yourself of your material possessions, your pebbles and stones, the baggage weighing you down.

See you at the bottom of the mountain with your Bhagavad-gitas… and a little bit more self-realized by the time you get back on the bus.

Krishna Consciousness

2010-03-28T11:57:00.001-07:00

krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih

... "In another poetry Rupa Gosvami says, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. The, our this Krsna consciousness, I have taken this from this word krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. This is actual translation in Sanskrit or... Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih. So Rupa Gosvami advises that "Krsna consciousness, if it is possible, please purchase. Don't delay." Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam. "Purchase immediately!" Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi. "Where it is available? It is very nice thing." "Yes, it is available. You can purchase. The movement is going on." "And what is the price?" "Price?" "It is such a nice thing; you have to pay price." "Yes, there is price." "What is that?" Tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam: "Simply your eagerness. That is price. This price you have to pay." Then you get Krsna. Immediately. Krsna is not poor. And the Krsna-seller, the Krsna devotee, he is also not poor. He can distribute Krsna free. And he's doing that. Simply you have to purchase by your eagerness. That is wanted. Tatra laulyam." --Srila Prabhupada

http://www.prabhupadavani.org/main/Bhagavatam/028.html

Becoming Krishna Conscious

2010-03-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

(These are quick notes that have not yet been properly edited. I'm just placing this text here so I'll be able to easily reference it in the future.)

We would like to start a regular get-together with our youth group to discuss and study the following topics:

Becoming Krishna Conscious

How to:

1) Think of pleasing Krishna, moment to moment.

2) Chant Krishna's names constantly, attentively, avoiding offenses.

3) Serve Krishna's Devotees--Guru, Tulasi, Vaishnavas.

4) Serve Krishna's Deity, Temple and Holy Places.

5) Serve (read / study) Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc.

6) Spread Krishna's Glories: Tell everyone you meet about Krishna.

Motto: Be Krishna Conscious: Always Remember Krishna and Never Forget Him.

We will systematically study and discuss The Nectar of Instruction, Srila Prabhupada's translation and commentary of Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Upadeshamrita, alongside The Nectar of Devotion (Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu), Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita.

We will discuss the benefits of following, and try to implement in our own lives:

The Krishna Diet

Hear about Krishna - Shravanam.
Glorify Krishna - Kirtanam.
Remember Krishna - Krishna Smaranam.
Serve Krishna's Lotus Feet - Pada Sevanam.
Worship Krishna - Archanam.
Offer prayers to Krishna - Vandanam.
Become Krishna's servant - Dasyam.
Consider Krishna to be your best friend - Sakhyam.
Surrender everything unto Krishna (serve Krishna with body, mind and words) - Atma-nivedanam.

Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.5.23)

More specifics:

We will try to:

Study, become mindful of, and avoid the various offenses to the Holy Name, to the Deity... (See Nectar of Devotion.)

Mold our lives to work for Guru and Krishna. We will ask ourselves at the end of each day, "Have I pleased Guru / Krishna today?" That will be our measure of success.

Feed our bodies only Krishna Prasadam (that includes all sensory input, including food, music, movies, association.)

Avoid the six vices. Lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness, envy.

Avoid / reject those things unfavorable to devotional service of Krishna. Such as: 1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) overendeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements. (NOI 2)

Accept those things favorable. Such as: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles (such as shravanam, kirtanam, vishnoh smaranam [SB 7.5.23] — hearing, chanting and remembering Krishna), (5) abandoning the association of non-devotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. (NOI 3)

Practice the six exchanges of love among devotees: Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasada, and offering prasada.

Daily Meditations: "I am not this body. Noting is Mine. I am Yours, Krishna. I belong to You. This body belongs to You. "My" time belongs to You. All of my so-called possessions belong to You. Everyone and everything belongs to You. Please engage me in Your service."

Aspire towards cultivatinge / developing the 26 Qualities of a devotee of Krishna. (1) He is very kind to everyone. (2) He does not make anyone his enemy. (3) He is truthful. (4) He is equal to everyone. (5) No one can find any fault in him. (6) He is magnanimous. (7) He is mild. (8) He is always clean. (9) He is without possessions. (10) He works for everyone's benefit. (11) He is very peaceful. (12) He is always surrendered to Krishna. (13) He has no material desires. (14) He is very meek. (15) He is steady. (16) He controls his senses. (17) He does not eat more than required. (18) He is not influenced by the Lord's illusory energy. (19) He offers respect to everyone. (20) He does not desire any respect for himself. (21) He is very grave. (22) He is merciful. (23) He is friendly. (24) He is poetic. (25) He is expert. (26) He is silent.

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness —these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmanas work." (BG 18.42)

Cultivate real knowledge as defined by Krishna in Bhagavad-gita.

Study the great contribution of Krishna conscious literature that Srila Prabhupada translated and commentated for us, from Srimad-Bhagavatam to Chaitanya-charitamrita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Nectar of Devotion (Srila Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu), with essential verses such as:

anyābhilāshitā-shūnyam jñāna-karmādy-anāvritam
ānukūlyena krishnanushīlanam bhaktir uttamā

[Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 19.167]

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."

Keep in mind that Srila Prabhupada used "Krishna Consciousness" in close association with "pure devotional service." If we become conscious of Krishna, act for Krishna, it will soon become "pure" devotional service. The pure process in and of itself, if practiced sincerely under the guidance of our guru, in the association of other Vaishnavas, will purify our motivations and soon we'll be chanting to please Krishna, working to please Krishna, dancing to please Krishna, eating to please Krishna... and thinking about our own sense pleasure less and less.

We will discuss the importance of accepting, and taking shelter of, a spiritual master. Pleasing Krishna, in all humility, means to follow His instructions. Krishna says: "Accept a guru. Surrender unto him. Be guided by him on the path of devotional service." (BG 3.34)

In the Adi Purana, Krishna tells Arjuna that those who claim to be His devotees are not His devotees. But those who are the devotees of His devotees, are indeed His devotees.

Try to please Krishna by pleasing His devotees. How to please Krishna's devotees? Surrender our false egos and submit for humble service to His devotees, beginning with our guru. When His devotees are pleased, Krishna is pleased. When our guru is pleased, Krishna is pleased.

With all of his accomplishments, whenever he was praised, Srila Prabhupada would simply say "My only credit is that I have tried to follow the instructions of my spiritual master."

We will always wear this mantra around our necks:

trinad api su-nicena, taror iva sahishnuna
amanina mana-dena, kirtaniyah sada harih

One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi 17.31)

We will commit to chanting a fixed number of rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, attentively, while trying to avoid the offenses.

My Dear Lord Krishna

2010-03-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

'krsna, tomara hana' yadi bale eka-bara
maya-bandha haite krsna tare kare para

One is immediately freed from the clutches of maya if he seriously and sincerely says: "My dear Lord Krishna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service."

—Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 22.33

Predictions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the Puranas

2010-03-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

These citations should be of great interest to those who may have doubts about the divinity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or those who know someone that has such doubts.

May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacī-devī be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love. [CC, Ādi 1.4]

Prediction of Lord Gaurāṅga's advent in the form of a brāhmaṇa.

In the Adi-Purana and in the Nārada Purana, the Supreme Person says:

ahaṁ eva dvija-śreṣṭho
nityaṁ pracchanna-vigrahah
bhagavad-bhakta-rupena
lokam raksami sarvadā

I shall advent in the form of a Brāhmaṇa devotee [ahaṁ eva dvija-śreṣṭho] and I shall hide my factual identity [prachanna vigrahaḥ]. I shall deliver all the worlds [lokam raksami sarvadā].

Prediction of His advent as a sannyāsī.

** In the Upa-Puranas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa speaks to Śrīla Vyāsadeva:

ahaṁ eva kvacid brahman
sannyāsa āśramam āśritāḥ
hari bhaktim grāhayāmi
kalau pāpa-hatān narān

O Brāhmaṇa, I occasionally take the Sannyās Asram [sannyāsa āśrama āśritāḥ] in an attempt to bring the fallen people of Kali Yuga to take up the path of Bhakti or devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa [hari bhaktim grāhayāmi].

Prediction of His actual time of incarnation.

** In the Kūrma-Purāṇa, it is stated:

kalinā dahyamanam
uddhararaya tanu-bhṛtām
janma prathama sandhyāyām
bhaviṣyati dvijalaye

The Supreme Person will appear in the first part of the age of Kali [janma prathama sandhyāyām]. He will appear in the home of a Brāhmaṇa [bhaviṣyati dvijalaye], to save the embodied conditioned souls [uddharaya tanu-bhṛtām] burning in the troubles of Kali-Yuga.

Description of the purpose of Śrī Caitanya's incarnation.

** In the Garuda-Purana, the Supreme Person says:

kalinā dakyamananam
paritrāṇāya tanu-bhṛtām
janma prathama sandhyāyām
kariṣyāmi dvijatisu

In the first part [prathama sandhyā] of the age of Kali, I will come among the brāhmaṇas [kariṣyāmi dvijatisu] to save the fallen souls, [paritrāṇāya tanu-bhṛtām] who are being burned by the troubles of the age of Kali [kalinā dahyamānānām].

Prediction of the name of His mother and the actual name of His future birthplace.

** In the Garuda-Purana, the Supreme Lord says:

ahaṁ pūrṇo bhaviṣyāmi
yuga-sandhyau viśeṣataḥ
māyāpure navadvīpe
bhaviṣyāmi Śacī sutaḥ

I will take birth as the son of Śacī [bhaviṣyāmi Śacī sutaḥ], in Navadvip-Mayapur [māyāpure navadvīpe]. I will come in my complete spiritual form in the first part of Kali-Yuga.

Prediction of the name of His future first wife and His future assumption of the sannyāsa order.

** In the same Garuda-Purana, it is Also stated:

kaleḥ prathama sandhyāyām
Laksmi- kanto bhaviṣyati
daru-brahma-samipa-sthah
sannyāsī gaura-vigrahah

In the first part of Kali-Yuga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will come in a gold-like form. First He will become the husband of Lakṣmī [Śrīmatī Lakṣmī Devī, Lord Caitanya's first wife]. Then He will become a sannyāsī, near Lord Jagannātha who will appear in a divine wooden form.

Prediction of the bodily color of Śrī Caitanya and the nature of His future activities.

** In the Nṛsiṁha-Purāṇa, it is said:

satye daitya-kuladhi-nasa-samaye
simhordhva-martyakrtis
tretāyāṁ das-kandharam
paribhavan rāmeti namakrtih

gopalan paripālayan vraja-pure
bharam haran dvāpare
gaurāṅgaḥ priya-kirtanah
kali-yuge Caitanya-nāma prabhuḥ

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead who in the Satya-Yuga appeared as a half-man, half-lion to cure a terrible disease that had ravaged the daityas, and who in the Tretā-Yuga appeared as a person named Rāma [Lord Rāmacandra], the person who defeated the ten-headed Demon Rāvaṇa, and who in the Dvāpara-Yuga removed the earth's burden, and protected the Gopa [cowherd men] people of Vraja-pura, will appear again in the Kali-Yuga. His form will be golden, He will delight in chanting the Lord's holy names, and His name will be Caitanya."

Prediction of the future advent of Śrī Caitanya by His direct name.

** In the Padma-Purāṇa, it is said:

yatrayogesvarah sākṣād
yogi-cintyo janārdanaḥ
Caitanya vapur āste vai
sandranandatmakah

The Supreme Personality, Janārdana, who is the object of the yogis' meditation [yogi-chintyo- janārdanaḥ], who saves the devotees from various sufferings, and who is the master of all yogic practices [yogeśvaraḥ], who is always full of divine transcendental ecstasy and bliss [sandra-ananda-atmakah], will advent in His own divine form of Śrī Caitanya [Caitanya-vapah].

Description of the time and place Śrī Caitanya's future advent.

** In the Padma-Purāṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself states:

kaleḥ prathama-sandhyayam
gaurangotham mahī-tale
bhagirathi-tate ramye
bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ

I shall appear on this earth [mahī-tale] in the first part of Kali-Yuga [kaleḥ prathama sandhyāyām] in a beautiful place on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī [bhagirathi-tate ramye]. I shall have a golden form [gaurāṅgaḥ], and I shall take birth as the son of Śacī [bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ].

Prediction of the purpose of Śrī Caitanya's advents.

** In the Narada-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says:

ahaṁ eva kalau vipra
nityaṁ prachanna-vigrahah
bhavavad-bhakta-rupena
lokan raksami sarvadā

O Vipra, in the age of Kali, I will come disguised [nityaṁ prachanna vigraha] as a devotee [bhagavad-bhakta-rupena] and I will save all the worlds [lokan raksami sarvadā].

Prediction of His mother's name and the nature of His specific preaching method [saṅkīrtana].

** The Supreme Personality of Godhead states in the Narada-Purana:

divija bhuvi jayadhvam
jayadhvam bhakta rūpiṇaḥ
kalau saṅkīrtana ārambhe
bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ

O Divija (demigods), please come and advent as devotees on this earth [bhuvi jayadhvam jayadhvam] in the age of Kali-Yuga. I will incarnate as the son of Śacī [bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ] to inaugurate the congregational chanting of the name of Kṛṣṇa [kalau saṅkīrtana ārambhe].

Prediction of the revelation of Śrī Caitanya's form.

** In the Brahma-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says:

kaleḥ prathama sandhyāyām
gaurangotham mahī-tale
bhagirathi-tate bhūmni
bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ

I will reveal my eternal golden form [gaurangotham mahī-tale] in the first part of Kali- Yuga [kaleḥ prathama sandhyāyām]. I will advent on the earth on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī [bhagirathi-tate bhūmni] as son of Mother Śacī [bhaviṣyāmi Śacī-sutaḥ].

Prediction of the future sannyāsī role and ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya.

** In the Bhavisya-Purana, the Supreme Lord says:

anandasru-kala-roma
harsa-purnam tapo-dhana
sarve mama eva drakṣyanti
kalau sannyasa-rupinam

O austere sage, you should know that in the age of Kali, everyone will see my transcendental form as a sannyāsī [kalau sannyāsa rūpiṇam]. I will be exhibiting symptoms of ecstasy like shedding tears of bliss and hairs standing in ecstasy [anandasru-kala-roma-harsa

-purnam].

Prediction of the color of Śrī Caitanya and the nature of His future associates.

** In the Agni-Purāṇa, it is said:

praśāntātmā lamba-kanthas gaurāṅgas ca
suravrtah

The Supreme Personality of Godhead will come in a golden form [gaura-anga], full of peace [praśāntātmā], and a beautiful long neck [lamba-kanthah]. He will be surrounded by many saintly devotees [sura-avrtah].

Note: This is an indirect prediction of the future advent of the members of the Pancha-Tattva.

Prediction of the characteristics of Śrī Caitanya.

** In the Matsya-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says:

mundo gauraḥ su-dirghangas
tri-srotas-tira-sambhavah
dayāluḥ kirtana-grahi
bhaviṣyāmi kalau-yuge

In the age of Kali, I shall advent [bhaviṣyāmi kalau yuge] where the three rivers meet [tri-srotas-tira-sambhavah]. I shall have a shaven head [mundah]. I shall have a golden complexion [gauraḥ]. I will be very kind and always chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa [dayaloh kirtana-grahi].

Prediction of the name of the river where Śrī Caitanya will take his birth and other characteristics.

** In the Vayu-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead states:

śuddho gaurah-su-dirghango
ganga-tira-samudbhavah
dayaluh-kirtana-grahi
bhaviṣyāmi kalau yuge

In the age of Kali-Yuga, I shall come [bhaviṣyāmi kalau yuge] in a place on the bank of the Ganges [ganga-tira-samudbhavah]. I will be very pure [śuddhaḥ], have a golden complexion [gauraḥ], and be very tall [su-dirghangah] and chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. [Vyau Puran next quote]

Prediction that the Supreme Lord will leave Goloka and corne in a golden form.

** In the Markandeya-Purana, the Supreme of Godhead declares:

golokam ca parityajya
lokānāṁ trana-karanat
kalau gauranga-rupena
lila-lavanya-vigrahah

"In the Kali-Yuga, I will leave Goloka and, to save the people of the world, I will become the handsome and playful Lord Gaurāṅga."

Prediction of one of the purpose of Śrī Caitanya's appearance.

** In the Varāha-Purāṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:

ahaṁ eva dvija-śreṣṭho
lila-pracurya-vigrahah
bhagavad-bhakta-rupena
lokan raksami sarvadā

I shall come as the best of the brāhmaṇas [ahaṁ eva dvija-śreṣṭhā]. I will exhibit many pastimes [lila-pracurya-vigrahah] in the form of a devotee [bhagavad-bhakta-rupena]. I shall deliver the people of the world [lokan raksami sarvadā].

Prediction of the name of the mother of Śrī Caitanya and His future role as the deliverer of the darkness of Kali-Yuga.

** In the Vamana-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:

kali-ghora-tamas-channat
sarvān ācāra varjitan
Sacigarbhe ca sambhuya
tarayisyami nārada

O Nārada Muni, I will take birth in the womb of Śacī [Saci-garbhe ca sambhuya]. I shall save the people, who will give up all proper good conduct [sarvān ācāra varyitan], from the terrible darkness of the age of Kali-Yuga [kali-ghora-tamas-channan].

Prediction of the future advent of Śrī Caitanya, His birth time, His mother, His birth city, His name and His mission.

** In the Vayu-Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says:

paurṇamāsyāṁ phālgunasya
phalguni-rksa-yogatah
bhavisye gaura-rupena
Saci-garbhe purandarāt

svarnadi-tiram āsthāya
navadvīpe janasraye
tatra dvija-kulam prāpto
bhaviṣyāmi janalaye
bhakti-yoga-pradanaya

lokasyanugrahaya ca
sannyas-rupam āsthāya
Krsna-Caitanya-nama-dhrk

tena lokasya nistāras
tat kurudhvam mamajnaya
dharitrī bhavitā cabhir
mayaiva dvija-dehina

I shall advent in the month of Phālguna, when the star Phalgūni is conjoined with the full moon. I shall incarnate in a golden complexion in the womb of Śacī and Purandara Miśra. I will be born in the city of Navadvīpa,on the Ganges's shore, in a Brāhmaṇa's family. I shall take the renounced order of life [sannyāsa] and show kindness to the people in general and engage them in Bhakti. I will be known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. All of you should follow My order and deliver the people of the world. I shall appear as a Brāhmaṇa. I shall make this earth fearless. [Vāyu Puran previous quote]

Prediction of Śrī Caitanya's birth city, the name of the river close to His birth site, the name of His mother, His close associates and their divine roles in His līlā, His divine reason for incarnating as well as different names by which Śrī Caitanya will be known.

** In the Ananta-Saṁhitā, it is said:

svarnadi-tiram āśritya
navadvīpe dvijalaye
sampradatum bhakti-yogam
lokasyanugrahaya ca

sa eva bhagavān krmo
rādhikā-prāṇa-vallabhaḥ
srsty-adau sa jagannātho
gaura āsīn mahesvari

avatīrṇo bhaviṣyāmi
kalau-nija-ganaih saha
Saci-garbhe navadvīpe
svardhuni-parivarite

aprakasyam idaṁ guhyam
na prakasyam bahir mukhe
bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ
bhaktam bhakti-pradam svayam

man-maya-mohitah kecin
na jnasyanto bahir-mokhah
jnasyanti mad-bhakti-yuktah
sadhavo-nyasinotmalah

krmavatara-kale-yah
striyo ye puruṣaḥ priyaḥ
kalau te'vatarisyanti
sridama-subaladayah

catuh-sasti-mahantas te
gopa dvadas bālakaḥ
Caitanyera Siṁhera...

dharma-samsthapanarthay
a viharisyami tair ahaṁ
kāle naṣṭaṁ bhakti-patham
sthapayisyamy ahaṁ punaḥ

gacchantu bhuvi te putraḥ
jayantam bhakta-rupinah

dharma-samsthapanam kāle

kurvantu te mamajnaya
Kṛṣṇas Caitanya-gaurango
gauracandraḥ Śacī-sutaḥ
prabhur gauro gaura-harir

namani-bhakti-dani me

"To show mercy to the people and give them devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in a Brāhmaṇa's home in Navadvip by the Ganges' shore. The Supreme Person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, who is the life of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and is the Lord of the universe in creation, rnaintenance, and annihilation, appears as Gaura, O Mahesvari.

In Kali-Yuga, I will descend to the earth with My associates. In Navadvip, which is surrounded by the Ganges, I will take birth in Śacī-devī's womb.

They who are bewildered by My illusory potency will not understand the great secret of the appearance in this world of Me in My personal form,

1.in My form as the incarnation of devotion,
2.in My form as the incarnation of a devotee,
3.in My form bearing the name of a devotee,
4.in My form as a devotee, and
5.in My form as the giver of devotional service.

This secret is not to be revealed to them. Only the saintly, pure, renounced devotees, diligently engaged in My devotional service, will be able to understand Me in these five forms.

My dear male and female associates, headed by Śrīdāmā and Subala, who came to this world at the time of My advent as Lord Kṛṣṇa, will come again during the Kali-Yuga.

The Gopas will become the sixtyfour mahāntas and the twelve gopālas. To establish the truth of religion, I will enjoy many pastimes with them.

In this way I will again reveal the path of devotional service, which has been destroyed in the course of time. My sons should also descend to the earth, assume the forms of devotees, and, by My order, also work to re-establish the principles of true religion.

At this time My names will be: Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Gaurāṅga, Gauracandra, Sacisuta, Mahāprabhu, Gaura and Gaurahari.

Chanting these names will bring devotion to Me."

What other major vedic literatures also describe characteristics of the advent of Śrī Caitanya?

** The Great Epic Mahābhārata (Dāna-Dharma, Viṣṇu-Sahasra-Nāma Stotra) points out the divine characteristics of Śrīmān Mahāprabhu's appearance.

suvarṇa varṇa hemāṅgo
varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī
sannyāsa krt-chamah santo
niṣṭhā shanti parāyaṇāḥ

In His early activities Lord Caitanya comes as a householder. He has a golden complexion [suvarṇa varṇāḥ]. His limbs are very beautiful [vara-anga] and are smeared with sandalwood pulp [candana-aṅgadī]. He has the appearance of molten gold [hema-anga].

The Supreme Lord Caitanya accepts the renounced order of life [sannyāsa-kṛt]. He is fully sense-controlled or equipoised [sama], and is completely peaceful [santa]. He is completely fixed in the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, [niṣṭhā]. He is the highest abode of devotion and transcendental peace. He silences the māyāvādī impersonalists [niṣṭhā santi parāyaṇāḥ].

The sanskrit words suvarna-varna indicate one who has gold-like complexion. The Vedic text to support this point is:

yadā paśya paśyate rukma-varṇaṁ
kartāram īśam puruṣaṁ brahma-yonim

The words rukma-varṇaṁ kartāram īśam refer to the Supreme Person [Śrī Caitanya] who has a complexion like molten gold.

** Quotations of Lord Caitanya's bodily features according to some of the great devotees present at the time:

Śrīla Sārvabhauma Bhattacharya, one of the foremost disciples of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Jagannath Purī, composed an entire series of prayers describing in detail the various features of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, called Śrī Gauranga-Prati-Anga-Varnanakhya-Stava-Rajah, or the King of Prayers, proclaiming the glory of each limb of Śrī Gaurāṅga. Let us carefully present a few of these divine gems.

** Lord Caitanya's bodily luster.

Śrīla Sārvabhauma Bhattacharya has described the complexion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's body.

tapta hema dyutim vande
kali-Krsnam jagad-gurum
caru-dirgha-tanum srimac
chaci-hrdaya-nandanam

I worship Lord Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual master of the universe, who appears in the age of Kali with a luster like molten gold. His body is beautiful and tall. He is like molten gold, and He is the delight and the son of Śacīdevī.

Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also describes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's golden complexion.

ānanda lilamaya vigrahāya
hemabha-divya-cchavi-sundaraya

"O Lord Caitanyacandra, O Lord whose form is full of blissful pastimes, O Lord whose complexion is as splendid as gold..."

Śrīla Kṛṣṇa das Kavirāj Goswami similarly describes Lord Caitanya:

tapta hema sama kanti prakāṇḍa śarīra

"...the luster of His expansive body resembles molten gold..."

Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī also further describes Śrī Caitanya's golden complexion.

svayam devo yatra-kanaka-gaurah karuṇayā

"His complexion is as fair as molten gold."

** Śrī Caitanya's beautiful hair.

lasan-mukha-lata-naddha
charu-kuncita-kuntalam

"His lovely curling locks are interwoven with creepers of glistening pearls..."

** Śrī Caitanya's shoulders and chest.

Prabhodānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes the shoulders of Mahāprabhu.

siṁha skandham...

"May Lord Caitanya, whose shoulders are like a lion..."

Śrīla Kṛṣṇa das Kavirāj Goswami also points out the nature of Śrī Caitanya's shoulders and voice.

siṁha grīvā siṁha-vīrya siṁhera hunkar

"He has the shoulders of a lion, the powers of a lion, and the loud voice of a lion."

** Śrī Caitanya's arms.

ājānulambita-bhuja
His arms reach all the way to his knees.
ajanulambita bhūmau kanaka vadatau

Their arms (of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda) reach all the way to their knees.

kankanangada-vidyoti-janu-lambi-bhaja-dvayam

"....His two arms, glittering with bracelets and bangles, extend down to His knees."

** Śrī Caitanya's face

prema-pravaha-madhura
raktotpala-vilocanam
h la-prasuna-susnigdha
nutanayata-nasikam

His beautiful eyes are just like reddish lotus flowers. They are most beautiful, just like lakes of Kṛṣṇa Prema. His nose is arched and is resplendent just like the sesame flower.

sri-ganda-mandollasi
ratna-kundala-manditam
savya-karna-suvinyasta
sphurac-caru-sikhandakam

His cheeks are round and they shine brilliantly. He wears jeweled earrings. He has a peacock feather placed near His left ear.

madhura-sneha-susnigdha
praraktadhara-pallavam
isad-danturita-snigdha
sphuran-mukta-radoijvalam

His lips are tender and very lustrous. They resemble reddish blossoming flowers. He reveals his pearl-like teeth out His kindness.

** Caitanya-caritāmṛita, Ādi-Līlā 3.77

saṅkīrtana-pravartaka śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
saṅkīrtana-yajñe tāṅre bhaje, sei dhanya

"Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the initiator of saṅkīrtana [congregational chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa]. One who worships Him through saṅkīrtana is fortunate indeed"

** Susloka-Satakam -59- Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahimā

vintala-kamala-vaktrah pakva-bi
nbadharosthas
tila-kusu na-su-nasah katnbu-kanthah
su-dirghah

suvaliuta-bhuja-dando
nabhi-gambhira-rupah
sphuratu hrdaya-madhye
gaura-candro-natendrah

"His face is flawless like a blooming lotus and His lips are red as ripe as bimba fruits. His nose is as beautiful as the sesame flower and his neck is like a three-ringed conch. He is very tall and His rod-like arms make artistic movements while He dances. His navel is very deep.

May my Lord Gaura candra, the king of dancers, reveal Himself in the core of My heart."

Falling on my knees

2010-03-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

A devotee told me a story today of an alcoholic who falls on his knees every morning when he wakes up and prays to God to give Him the strength to make it through this one day, sober.

He's been doing this for forty years, every morning, and has stayed sober.

I'm thinking I'd like to fall on my knees every morning and pray to Krishna to allow me to make it through this one day, as His devotee. Let me not succumb to the addictions of selfish sense pleasures. Let me serve You, Krishna, with this heart and soul and senses you've provided. Let this one day be all about You, Krishna, from moment to moment, one day at a time.

I'm imagining what a wonderful forty years that would be, for me (and for Krishna).

Pure Bhakti in ISKCON

2010-02-16T02:58:00.000-08:00

Notes and reflections on Pure Bhakti - Pure Devotional Service - and how this phrase relates to ISKCON, ISKCON activities, and ISKCON devotees.

I begin my meditation on this subject by re-reading The Nectar of Devotion, Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu, by Srila Rupa Goswami, translation and commentary by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON. This was one of the first books Srila Prabhupada presented in English to his ISKCON movement of devotees, Srila Rupa Goswami's presentation of the entire siddhanta, teachings, on the science of devotional service. The first chapter begins with "Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service." Elaborating on the commentaries of previous acharyas, Srila Prabhupada goes into great detail explaining to us every nuance of pure devotional service, from the outset of our initial attraction to Krishna, all the way to pure, unmotivated, unalloyed devotional service with no other desire than to please Krishna. Every step of the way is outlined, like a road map back to Godhead.

Pure Bhakti - pure devotional service to Krishna exclusively, with no other desire - suddha or uttama bhakti - is not only the goal (prayojana), but also the process (abhideya) to reach that goal, and the basis of our eternal relationship (sambandha). Pure devotional service is not only the foundation of ISKCON, but the means and the end of everything we do. Srila Prabhupada took the five most important items conducive to pure devotional service (of the 64 delineated by Rupa Goswami), as well as the nine processes of pure devotional service (sravanam, kirtanam, vishnu smaranam, archanam, vandanam...) and created ISKCON's daily morning and evening program - a perfect package anyone anywhere in Kali Yuga can adopt and be assured of success.

1) To serve the devotee;
2) to chant the Holy Name according to a certain counting method;
3) to worship the Deity;
4) to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita from a realized person;
5) to live in a sacred place where devotional service is not disturbed.

These items are at the core of ISKCON's morning and evening program.

Srila Prabhupada incorporated ISKCON with the following seven purposes:

a) To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.

b) To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

c) To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).

d) To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

e) To erect for the members and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.

f) To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.

g) With a view towards achieving the aforementioned Purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.

Again included are the five most potent activities of devotional service that reform and purify even the hardest heart and re-awaken our pure devotion, pure loving service to Sri Krishna. In addition, Srila Prabhupada included active preaching activities of going out into the public and teaching the congregational chanting of Krishna's names to others. And to take Lord Krishna's glories in the form of sacred magazines and books, print and distribute them widely to alleviate the suffering of the conditioned souls of this world.

This is Lord Chaitanya's program.

This is ISKCON's business, ISKCON's mission, and to the degree that ISKCON leaders and followers, ISKCON devotees at all levels of dedication, young and old, are giving their best effort to push forward the above purposes, and try to live their lives by the standards ISKCON's Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada set, to that degree they are engaging in activities of devotional service that will lead to pure devotional service in this lifetime (Srila Prabhupada assued us that "if you follow this program I have given, you will go back to Godhead in this lifetime.")

ISKCON, it's programs, activites, and people, are all about devotional service, striving towards the goal of pure devotional service. Another synonym for pure devotional service is "Krishna consciousness," which Srila Prabhupada especially liked. Krishna consciousness leaves no doubt about Whom we are conscious, the Object of our devotion. In fact, it is also the prerequisite condition for pure devotional service. In his conversation with Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Ramananda Raya describes a pure devotee as: krishna bhakti rasa bhavita matihi... one whose intelligence has become absorbed in the mellows of executing devotional service to Krishna. (Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Madhya 8.70)

If we become conscious of Krishna, pure devotional service will follow. Therefore Srila Prabhupada named his society the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Krishna consciousness = Bhakti = pure devotional service

Another example: Srimad-Bhagavatam. ISKCON's Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada spent the last years of his life carefully translating and commenting on Srimad-Bhagavatam, the ripened fruit of all knowledge about Krishna, His devotees, and their exchange of love - pure devotional service. Srila Prabhupada often referred to this as his "life's work." He would rise early in the morning (in the middle of the night), compare the commentaries of exalted predecessor Acharyas like Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, Sridhara Swami, Baladeva Vidhyabhushana, and then translate, comment, purport on each verse, verse by verse. Scores of ISKCON devotees, his dear disciples and followers, would transcribe, edit, typeset and publish this great literary opus all about pure devotional service, the encyclopedia of pure devotional service, from A to Z.

Srila Prabhupada remarks that by carefully studying this Srimad-Bhagavatam, from start to finish, the sincere reader will be able to see God face to face. Srila Prabhupada had firm faith in the purificatory words of the pages of the ultimate treatise on pure bhakti, Srimad Bhagavatam--The beautiful pastimes of the Lord, Bhagavan, and of His devotees, the Bhagavatas, and of their loving exchanges, Bhakti, in pure devotional service. As per Srila Prabhupada's desires, ISKCON devotees study and discuss Srimad-Bhagavatam in every ISKCON temple, every day. The ISKCON temple morning and evening program is, in fact, the premier immersive university course on pure bhakti, available to all sincere souls at campuses worldwide.

In his introduction to Srimad-Bhagavatam (the first volume of the first book he brought with him to the West), Srila Prabhupada gives a summary of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings on pure devotional service "freed from all desires for sense gratification," and culminating in Lord Chaitanya's Sikshastakam Prayers, including:

"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."

Japa

According to our ISKCON siddhanta, the teachings given by Lord Chaitanya and our predecessor Acharyas through Srila Prabhupada, the prescribed method (yuga dharma) for this age is chanting of the Holy Name of Krishna. This is both the means and the goal of perfection in pure devotional service. Ideally, we are recommended to chant 24 hours a day, non-stop, like the Nama Acharya Srila Haridasa Thakura. Chanting the holy name while avoiding the ten offenses is the most potent, most powerful way in this age of Kali to cleanse the dust from the mirror of our hearts and reform our truant attitude (having turned our backs towards Krishna), and re-awaken our innate, pure love for Krishna.

(NOTE: I find it interesting that the seed of Krishna Bhakti is already there within our hearts, as we are eternally parts and parcels of Krishna with a relationship. Pure bhakti, it seems, is not given to us by someone else. Bhakti comes from bhakti, waiting to be re-awakened by our own intense desire, and by following the purifying, reformatory process of sadhana bhakti under the expert guidance of our spiritual master. And of these processes, chanting the Holy Name is the most powerful.)

Chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna, through japa and kirtan, as much and as often as possible, for the exclusive pleasure of Krishna, is the topmost activity and instruction in the matter of pure devotional service. The Holy Name is our guru, our teacher, our purifier, the "pure" in pure devotional service. If anyone can be considered the "giver" of pure bhakti, it is Him. He, who loves us more than anything we can imagine. Whom we have ignored for so long, who is doing everything for us. He who is the life air that sustains us. The Overseer and Permitter of all of our foolish activities. It is by His mercy that we stand any chance to become pure in our service. It is by serving Him, Sri Nama Prabhu, under the shelter and guidance of His pure devotees (our spiritual master, and the assembled Vaishnavas) that our hearts become gradually more and more pure until we reach the stage of uninterrupted pure devotional service in Love of God, Krishna Prema, exemplified by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srimati Radharani and the Gopis an Gopas of Vrindavana. (NOTE: I'm aware that our Acharyas explain that by the mercy of guru we get Krishna, and by the mercy of Krishna we get guru. Here I'd like to just give a shout out to emphasize the Holy Name Himself being the purifying agent in the process of purification. I'm assuming all along that we are submissively surrendering and being guided on this path by our gurus.)

ISKCON, and the body of devotees it encompasses, individually and collectively, is Srila Prabhupada's body (he often used that comparison) and is "all about pure devotional service." By its very definition--International Society for KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS--by its stated purposes and mission, by its principal morning and evening temple program recommended as practice to uplift all of mankind. The many sincere and dedicated devotees, disciples and grand-disciples of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON who are trying to follow the program he set up, the standards he set, following in his foot steps, the instructions he continues to give throughout the pages and purports of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Nectar of Devotion, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, The Nectar of Instruction, Sri Ishopanishad (to name a few), are all firmly established on the path of devotional service, are well on their way to purity and pure bhakti. (Srila Prabhupada would say, "you're pure so long as you keep yourself in the fire," comparing us to iron rods placed in the fire of Krishna conscious activities, activities and practices of devotional service for the pleasure of Krishna.)

The Gaudiya Vaishnava tree has many branches and sub branches. By Srila Prabhupada's potency, ISKCON is the most prominent trunk of this tree in Kali Yuga. The "secrets" of pure bhakti are being freely shared by all members of the family tree. Pure bhakti - devotional service in full Krishna consciousness - is not the sole prerogative of one branch or another. Pure bhakti is at the heart of ISKCON, is everything that ISKCON is about, and is the whole point and focus of ISKCON devotees. If you want pure bhakti, and you're looking for it in ISKCON, you're in the right place. You may not hear ISKCON devotees using the words "pure bhakti" as often because Srila Prabhupada preferred the terms "Krishna consciousness" and "pure devotional service" -- yet rest assured it's all about Krishna consciousness, pure devotional service for Krishna. Always has, always will be.

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Here are two beautiful jewels of verses from Srila Prabhupada's translations and purports to Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita and Srimad-Bhagavatam that elaborate on the process of pure devotional service, pure bhakti, Krishna consciousness; from sambandha (our relationship with Krishna) to abhideya (our commitment to work on reviving that relationship through sadhana) to prayojana (the goal of a loving relationship with Krishna through uninterrupted pure devotional service).

These verses are two samples from the treasure trove of teachings on pure bhakti contained within Chaitanya-Charitamrita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, the main text books of ISKCON. These verses, and the books that contain them, have been presented with elaborate commentaries for the benefit of the world by ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, available from 1975 onwards in printed book form, and have since been kept in print, published and distributed worldwide by ISKCON devotees on the streets of every major city to the tune of over 5 billion copies in 54 languages. These verses, and the books that contain them, are being published on the Internet via ISKCON websites, Krishna.com, Vedabase.net, to millions more who benefit from them daily.

Our relationship with Krishna: (sambandha)

jivera 'svarupa' haya -- krishnera 'nitya-dasa'
krishnera 'tatastha-sakti' 'bhedabheda-prakasa'
suryamsa-kirana, yaiche agni-jvala-caya
svabhavika krishnera tina-prakara 'sakti' haya

Translation and purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON:

"It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Krishna has three varieties of energy." Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Madhya 20.108-109

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains these verses as follows: Sri Sanatana Gosvami asked Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Who am I?" In answer, the Lord replied, "You are a pure living entity. You are neither the gross material body nor the subtle body composed of mind and intelligence. Actually you are a spirit soul, eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, Krishna. Therefore you are His eternal servant. You belong to Krishna's marginal potency. There are two worlds -- the spiritual world and the material world -- and you are situated between the material and spiritual potencies. You have a relationship with both the material and the spiritual world; therefore you are called the marginal potency. You are related with Krishna as one and simultaneously different. Because you are spirit soul, you are one in quality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because you are a very minute particle of spirit soul, you are different from the Supreme Soul. Therefore your position is simultaneously one with and different from the Supreme Soul. The examples given are those of the sun itself and the small particles of sunshine and of a blazing fire and the small particles of fire."

---

The next verse and purport by Srila Prabhupada covers the means to revive our relationship (abhideya), devotional service, and the goal (prayojana), Krishna, or for the pure devotee, more uninterrupted pure devotional service to please Krishna. It's a long purport, but well worth reading, and a glimpse of the incredible depth to which Srila Prabhupada went to give us a lot of detail on exactly how to get from sraddha (initial appreciation) to prema (love of God), pure bhakti. Is there pure bhakti to be had in ISKCON? Read this purport and let me know. (Of note again, is how Srila Prabhupada expertly incorporated many of the nine processes into the ISKCON morning and evening program.)

sri-prahrada uvaca
sravanam kirtanam vishnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita vishnau
bhaktis cen nava-lakshana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
tan manye 'dhitam uttamam

TRANSLATION

Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

PURPORT

When Prahlada Maharaja was asked by his father to say something from whatever he had learned, he considered that what he had learned from his spiritual master was the best of all teachings whereas what he had learned about diplomacy from his material teachers, Shanda and Amarka, was useless. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhag. 11.2.42). This is the symptom of pure devotional service. A pure devotee is interested only in devotional service, not in material affairs. To execute devotional service, one should always engage in hearing and chanting about Krishna, or Lord Vishnu. The process of temple worship is called arcana. How to perform arcana will be explained herein. One should have complete faith in the words of Krishna, who says that He is the great well-wishing friend of everyone (suhridam sarva-bhutanam). A devotee considers Krishna the only friend. This is called sakhyam. Pumsarpita vishnau. The word pumsa means "by all living entities." There are no distinctions permitting only a man or only a brahmana to offer devotional service to the Lord. Everyone can do so. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.32), striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te 'pi yanti param gatim: although women, vaisyas and sudras are considered less intelligent, they also can become devotees and return home, back to Godhead.

After performing sacrifices, sometimes a person engaged in fruitive activity customarily offers the results to Vishnu. But here it is said, bhagavaty addha: one must directly offer everything to Vishnu. This is called sannyasa (not merely nyasa). A tridandi-sannyasi carries three dandas, signifying kaya-mano-vakya -- body, mind and words. All of these should be offered to Vishnu, and then one can begin devotional service. Fruitive workers first perform some pious activities and then formally or officially offer the results to Vishnu. The real devotee, however, first offers his surrender to Krishna with his body, mind and words and then uses his body, mind and words for the service of Krishna as Krishna desires.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives the following explanation in his Tathya. The word sravana refers to giving aural reception to the holy name and descriptions of the Lord's form, qualities, entourage and pastimes as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and similar authorized scriptures. After aurally receiving such messages, one should memorize these vibrations and repeat them (kirtanam). Smaranam means trying to understand more and more about the Supreme Lord, and pada-sevanam means engaging oneself in serving the lotus feet of the Lord according to the time and circumstances. Arcanam means worshiping Lord Vishnu as one does in the temple, and vandanam means offering respectful obeisances. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Vandanam means namaskuru -- offering obeisances or offering prayers. Thinking oneself to be nitya-krishna-dasa, everlastingly a servant of Krishna, is called dasyam, and sakhyam means being a well-wisher of Krishna. Krishna wants everyone to surrender unto Him because everyone is constitutionally His servant. Therefore, as a sincere friend of Krishna, one should preach this philosophy, requesting everyone to surrender unto Krishna. Atma-nivedanam means offering Krishna everything, including one's body, mind, intelligence and whatever one may possess.
One's sincere endeavor to perform these nine processes of devotional service is technically called bhakti. The word addha means "directly" One should not be like the karmis, who perform pious activities and then formally offer the results to Krishna. That is karma-kanda. One should not aspire for the results of his pious activities, but should dedicate oneself fully and then act piously. In other words, one should act for the satisfaction of Lord Vishnu, not for the satisfaction of his own senses. That is the meaning of the word addha, "directly."

anyabhilashita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavritam
anukulyena krishnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[Madhya 19.167]

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." One should simply satisfy Krishna, without being influenced by fruitive knowledge or fruitive activity.

The Gopala-tapani Upanishad says that the word bhakti means engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not of anyone else. This Upanishad describes that bhakti is the offering of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To perform devotional service, one should be relieved of the bodily conception of life and aspirations to be happy through elevation to the higher planetary systems. In other words, work performed simply for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, without any desire for material benefits, is called bhakti. Bhakti is also called nishkarma, or freedom from the results of fruitive activity. Bhakti and nishkarma are on the same platform, although devotional service and fruitive activity appear almost the same.

The nine different processes enunciated by Prahlada Maharaja, who learned them from Narada Muni, may not all be required for the execution of devotional service; if a devotee performs only one of these nine without deviation, he can attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is found that when one performs one of the processes, other processes are mixed with it. That is not improper for a devotee. When a devotee executes any one of the nine processes (nava-lakshana), this is sufficient; the other eight processes are included. Now let us discuss these nine different processes.

(1) Sravanam. Hearing of the holy name of the Lord (sravanam) is the beginning of devotional service. Although any one of the nine processes is sufficient, in chronological order the hearing of the holy name of the Lord is the beginning. Indeed, it is essential. As enunciated by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ceto-darpana-marjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is cleansed of the material conception of life, which is due to the dirty modes of material nature. When the dirt is cleansed from the core of one's heart, one can realize the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- isvarah paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Thus by hearing the holy name of the Lord, one comes to the platform of understanding the personal form of the Lord. After realizing the Lord's form, one can realize the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and when one can understand His transcendental qualities one can understand the Lord's associates. In this way a devotee advances further and further toward complete understanding of the Lord as he awakens in realization of the Lord's holy name, transcendental form and qualities, His paraphernalia, and everything pertaining to Him. Therefore the chronological process is sravanam kirtanam vishnoh [SB 7.5.23]. This same process of chronological understanding holds true in chanting and remembering. When the chanting of the holy name, form, qualities and paraphernalia is heard from the mouth of a pure devotee, his hearing and chanting are very pleasing. Srila Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden us to hear the chanting of an artificial devotee or nondevotee.

Hearing from the text of Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the most important process of hearing. Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of transcendental chanting of the holy name, and therefore the chanting and hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam are transcendentally full of mellows. The transcendental holy name of the Lord may be heard and chanted accordingly to the attraction of the devotee. One may chant the holy name of Lord Krishna, or one may chant the holy name of Lord Rama or Nrisimhadeva (ramadi-murtishu kala-niyamenatishthan [Bs. 5.39]). The Lord has innumerable forms and names, and devotees may meditate upon a particular form and chant the holy name according to his attraction. The best course is to hear of the holy name, form and so on from a pure devotee of the same standard as oneself. In other words, one who is attached to Krishna should chant and hear from other pure devotees who are also attached to Lord Krishna. The same principle applies for devotees attracted by Lord Rama, Lord Nrisimha and other forms of the Lord. Because Krishna is the ultimate form of the Lord (krishnas tu bhagavan svayam), it is best to hear about Lord Krishna's name, form and pastimes from a realized devotee who is particularly attracted by the form of Lord Krishna. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, great devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami have specifically described Lord Krishna's holy name, form and qualities. Unless one hears about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord, one cannot clearly understand the other processes of devotional service. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that one chant the holy name of Krishna. param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam. If one is fortunate enough to hear from the mouth of realized devotees, he is very easily successful on the path of devotional service. Therefore hearing of the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord is essential.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.11) there is this verse:

tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo
yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api
namany anantasya yaso-'nkitani yat
srinvanti gayanti grinanti sadhavah

"Verses describing the name, form and qualities of Anantadeva, the unlimited Supreme Lord, are able to vanquish all the sinful reactions of the entire world. Therefore even if such verses are improperly composed, devotees hear them, describe them and accept them as bona fide and authorized." In this connection, Sridhara Svami has remarked that a pure devotee takes advantage of another pure devotee by trying to hear from him about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord. If there is no such opportunity, he alone chants and hears the Lord's holy name.

(2) Kirtanam. The hearing of the holy name has been described above. Now let us try to understand the chanting of the holy name, which is the second item in the consecutive order. It is recommended that such chanting be performed very loudly. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Narada Muni says that without shame he began traveling all over the world, chanting the holy name of the Lord. Similarly, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised:

trinad api sunicena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. adi 17.31]

A devotee can very peacefully chant the holy name of the Lord by behaving more humbly than the grass, being tolerant like a tree and offering respects to everyone, without expecting honor from anyone else. Such qualifications make it easier to chant the holy name of the Lord. The process of transcendental chanting can be easily performed by anyone. Even if one is physically unfit, classified lower than others, devoid of material qualifications or not at all elevated in terms of pious activities, the chanting of the holy name is beneficial. An aristocratic birth, an advanced education, beautiful bodily features, wealth and similar results of pious activities are all unnecessary for advancement in spiritual life, for one can very easily advance simply by chanting the holy name. It is understood from the authoritative source of Vedic literature that especially in this age, Kali-yuga, people are generally short-lived, extremely bad in their habits, and inclined to accept methods of devotional service that are not bona fide. Moreover, they are always disturbed by material conditions, and they are mostly unfortunate. Under the circumstances, the performance of other processes, such as yajna, dana, tapah and kriya -- sacrifices, charity and so on -- are not at all possible. Therefore it is recommended:

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Adi 17.21]

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one advances perfectly in spiritual life. This is the best process for success in life. In other ages, the chanting of the holy name is equally powerful, but especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is most powerful. Kirtanad eva krishnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: simply by chanting the holy name of Krishna, one is liberated and returns home, back to Godhead. Therefore, even if one is able to perform other processes of devotional service, one must adopt the chanting of the holy name as the principal method of advancing in spiritual life. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah: [SB 11.5.32] those who are very sharp in their intelligence should adopt this process of chanting the holy names of the Lord. One should not, however, manufacture different types of chanting. One should adhere seriously to the chanting of the holy name as recommended in the scriptures: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses. From Sanat-kumara it is understood that even if a person is a severe offender in many ways, he is freed from offensive life if he takes shelter of the Lord's holy name. Indeed, even if a human being is no better than a two-legged animal, he will be liberated if he takes shelter of the holy name of the Lord. One should therefore be very careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord's holy name. The offenses are described as follows: (a) to blaspheme a devotee, especially a devotee engaged in broadcasting the glories of the holy name, (b) to consider the name of Lord Siva or any other demigod to be equally as powerful as the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (no one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor is anyone superior to Him), (c) to disobey the instructions of the spiritual master, (d) to blaspheme the Vedic literatures and literatures compiled in pursuance of the Vedic literatures, (e) to comment that the glories of the holy name of the Lord are exaggerated, (f) to interpret the holy name in a deviant way, (g) to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name, (h) to compare the chanting of the holy name to pious activities, (i) to instruct the glories of the holy name to a person who has no understanding of the chanting of the holy name, (j) not to awaken in transcendental attachment for the chanting of the holy name, even after hearing all these scriptural injunctions.

There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book Nama-kaumudi it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaishnava, he should submit to that Vaishnava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses. In this connection there is the following statement, spoken by Daksha to Lord Siva: "I did not know the glories of your personality, and therefore I committed an offense at your lotus feet in the open assembly. You are so kind, however, that you did not accept my offense. Instead, when I was falling down because of accusing you, you saved me by your merciful glance. You are most great. Kindly excuse me and be satisfied with your own exalted qualities."

One should be very humble and meek to offer one's desires and chant prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as ayi mukta-kulair upasya manam and nivritta-tarshair upagiyamanad [SB 10.1.4]. One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name.

(3) Smaranam. After one regularly performs the processes of hearing and chanting and after the core of one's heart is cleansed, smaranam, remembering, is recommended. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.1.11) Sukadeva Gosvami tells King Parikshit:

etan nirvidyamananam
icchatam akuto-bhayam
yoginam nripa nirnitam
harer namanukirtanam

"O King, for great yogis who have completely renounced all material connections, for those who desire all material enjoyment and for those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord is recommended." According to different relationships with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are varieties of namanukirtanam, chanting of the holy name, and thus according to different relationships and mellows there are five kinds of remembering. These are as follows: (a) conducting research into the worship of a particular form of the Lord, (b) concentrating the mind on one subject and withdrawing the mind's activities of thinking, feeling and willing from all other subjects, (c) concentrating upon a particular form of the Lord (this is called meditation), (d) concentrating one's mind continuously on the form of the Lord (this is called dhruvanusmriti, or perfect meditation), and (e) awakening a likening for concentration upon a particular form (this is called samadhi, or trance). Mental concentration upon particular pastimes of the Lord in particular circumstances is also called remembrance. Therefore samadhi, trance, can be possible in five different ways in terms of one's relationship. Specifically, the trance of devotees on the stage of neutrality is called mental concentration.

(4) pada-sevanam. According to one's taste and strength, hearing, chanting and remembrance may be followed by pada-sevanam. One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord's lotus feet is called pada-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of pada-sevanam, this process gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the form or temple of the Lord, visiting such places as Jagannatha Puri, Dvaraka and Mathura to see the Lord's form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamuna. Bathing in the Ganges and serving a pure Vaishnava are also known as tadiya-upasanam. This is also pada-sevanam. The word tadiya means "in relationship with the Lord." Service to the Vaishnava, Tulasi, Ganges and Yamuna are included in pada-sevanam. All these processes of pada-sevanam help one advance in spiritual life very quickly.

(5) Arcanam. After pada-sevanam comes the process of arcanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. There are many books for arcana, especially Narada-pancaratra. In this age, the pancaratra system is particularly recommended for arcana, Deity worship. There are two systems of arcana -- the bhagavata system and pancaratriki system. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there is no recommendation of pancaratriki worship because in this Kali-yuga, even without Deity worship, everything can be perfectly performed simply through hearing, chanting, remembering and worship of the lotus feet of the Lord. Rupa Gosvami states:

sri-vishnoh sravane parikshid abhavad vaiyasakih kirtane
prahladah smarane tad-anghri-bhajane lakshmih prithuh pujane
akruras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dasye 'tha sakhye 'rjunah
sarvasvatma-nivedane balir abhut krishnaptir esham param

"Parikshit Maharaja attained salvation simply by hearing, and Sukadeva Gosvami attained salvation simply by chanting. Prahlada Maharaja attained salvation by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune, Lakshmidevi, attained perfection by worshiping the Lord's lotus feet. Prithu Maharaja attained salvation by worshiping the Deity of the Lord. Akrura attained salvation by offering prayers, Hanuman by rendering service, Arjuna by establishing friendship with the Lord, and Bali Maharaja by offering everything to the service of the Lord." All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

It is therefore recommended that initiated devotees follow the principles of Narada-pancaratra by worshiping the Deity in the temple. Especially for householder devotees who are opulent in material possessions, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. An opulent householder devotee who does not engage his hard-earned money in the service of the Lord is called a miser. One should not engage paid brahmanas to worship the Deity. If one does not personally worship the Deity but engages paid servants instead, he is considered lazy, and his worship of the Deity is called artificial. An opulent householder can collect luxurious paraphernalia for Deity worship, and consequently for householder devotees the worship of the Deity is compulsory. In our Krishna consciousness movement there are brahmacaris, grihasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis, but the Deity worship in the temple should be performed especially by the householders. The brahmacaris can go with the sannyasis to preach, and the vanaprasthas should prepare themselves for the next status of renounced life, sannyasa. Grihastha devotees, however, are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured. Deity worship means following the rules and regulations precisely. That will keep one steady in devotional service. Generally householders have children, and then the wives of the householders should be engaged in caring for the children, just as women acting as teachers care for the children in a nursery school.

Grihastha devotees must adopt the arcana-vidhi, or Deity worship according to the suitable arrangements and directions given by the spiritual master. Regarding those unable to take to the Deity worship in the temple, there is the following statement in the Agni Purana. Any householder devotee circumstantially unable to worship the Deity must at least see the Deity worship, and in this way he may achieve success also. The special purpose of Deity worship is to keep oneself always pure and clean. Grihastha devotees should be actual examples of cleanliness.

Deity worship should be continued along with hearing and chanting. Therefore every mantra is preceded by the word namah. In all the mantras there are specific potencies, of which the grihastha devotees must take advantage. There are many mantras preceded by the word namah, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, he receives the result of chanting namah many times. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can reach the platform of love of Godhead. One might ask, then what is the necessity of being initiated? The answer is that even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of Godhead, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of possessing a material body. Consequently, special stress is given to the arcana-vidhi. One should therefore regularly take advantage of both the bhagavata process and pancaratriki process.

Deity worship has two divisions, namely pure and mixed with fruitive activities. For one who is steady, Deity worship is compulsory. Observing the various types of festivals, such as Sri Janmashtami, Rama-navami and Nrisimha-caturdasi, is also included in the process of Deity worship. In other words, it is compulsory for householder devotees to observe these festivals.

Now let us discuss the offenses in Deity worship. The following are offenses: (a) to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin, (b) not to observe the prescribed festivals, (c) to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity, (d) to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's hands after eating, (e) to offer obeisances with one hand, (f) to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity, (g) to spread one's legs before the Deity, (h) to sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's hands, (i) to lie down before the Deity, (j) to eat before the Deity, (k) to speak lies before the Deity, (l) to address someone loudly before the Deity, (m) to talk nonsense before the Deity, (n) to cry before the Deity, (o) to argue before the Deity, (p) to chastise someone before the Deity, (q) to show someone favor before the Deity, (r) to use harsh words before the Deity, (s) to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity, (t) to blaspheme someone before the Deity, (u) to worship someone else before the Deity, (v) to use vulgar language before the Deity, (w) to pass air before the Deity, (x) to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it, (y) to eat something not offered to the Deity, (z) to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season, (aa) to offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the Deity), (bb) to sit with one's back toward the Deity, (cc) to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity, (dd) not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master, (ee) to praise oneself before the Deity, and (ff) to blaspheme the demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided.

In the Varaha Purana the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to eat in the house of a rich man, (b) to enter the Deity's room in the dark, (c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles, (d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food that has been seen by a dog, (f) to break silence while offering worship to the Deity, (g) to go to the toilet during the time of worshiping the Deity, (h) to offer incense without offering flowers, (i) to worship the Deity with forbidden flowers, (j) to begin worship without having washed one's teeth, (k) to begin worship after sex, (l) to touch a lamp, dead body or a woman during her menstrual period, or to put on red or bluish clothing, unwashed clothing, the clothing of others or soiled clothing. Other offenses are to worship the Deity after seeing a dead body, to pass air before the Deity, to show anger before the Deity, and to worship the Deity just after returning from a crematorium. After eating, one should not worship the Deity until one has digested his food, nor should one touch the Deity or engage in any Deity worship after eating safflower oil or hing. These are also offenses.

In other places, the following offenses are listed: (a) to be against the scriptural injunctions of the Vedic literature or to disrespect within one's heart the Srimad-Bhagavatam while externally falsely accepting its principles, (b) to introduce differing sastras, (c) to chew pan and betel before the Deity, (d) to keep flowers for worship on the leaf of a castor oil plant, (e) to worship the Deity in the afternoon, (f) to sit on the altar or to sit on the floor to worship the Deity (without a seat), (g) to touch the Deity with the left hand while bathing the Deity, (h) to worship the Deity with a stale or used flower, (i) to spit while worshiping the Deity, (j) to advertise one's glory while worshiping the Deity, (k) to apply tilaka to one's forehead in a curved way, (l) to enter the temple without having washed one's feet, (m) to offer the Deity food cooked by an uninitiated person, (n) to worship the Deity and offer bhoga to the Deity within the vision of an uninitiated person or non-Vaishnava, (o) to offer worship to the Deity without worshiping Vaikuntha deities like Ganesa, (p) to worship the Deity while perspiring, (q) to refuse flowers offered to the Deity, (r) to take a vow or oath in the holy name of the Lord.

If one commits any of the above offenses, one must read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gita. This is confirmed in the Skanda-Purana, Avanti-khanda. Similarly, there is another injunction, stating that one who reads the thousand names of Vishnu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Purana, Reva-khanda, it is said that one who recites prayers to tulasi or sows a tulasi seed is also freed from all offenses. Similarly, one who worships the salagrama-sila can also be relieved of offenses. In the Brahmanda Purana it is said that one who worships Lord Vishnu, whose four hands bear a conchshell, disc, lotus flower and club, can be relieved from the above offenses. In the Adi-varaha Purana it is said that a worshiper who has committed offenses may fast for one day at the holy place known as Saukarava and then bathe in the Ganges.

In the process of worshiping the Deity it is sometimes enjoined that one worship the Deity within the mind. In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, it is said, "All persons can generally worship within the mind." The Gautamiya Tantra states, "For a sannyasi who has no home, worship of the Deity within the mind is recommended." In the Narada-pancaratra it is stated by Lord Narayana that worship of the Deity within the mind is called manasa-puja. One can become free from the four miseries by this method. Sometimes worship from the mind can be independently executed. According to the instruction of Avirhotra Muni, one of the nava-yogendras, as mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam, one may worship the Deity by chanting all the mantras. Eight kinds of Deities are mentioned in the sastra, and the mental Deity is one of them. In this regard, the following description is given in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

In the city of Pratishthana-pura, long ago, there resided a brahmana who was poverty-stricken but innocent and not dissatisfied. One day he heard a discourse in an assembly of brahmanas concerning how to worship the Deity in the temple. In that meeting, he also heard that the Deity may be worshiped within the mind. After this incident, the brahmana, having bathed in the Godavari River, began mentally worshiping the Deity. He would wash the temple within his mind, and then in his imagination he would bring water from all the sacred rivers in golden and silver waterpots. He collected all kinds of valuable paraphernalia for worship, and he worshiped the Deity very gorgeously, beginning from bathing the Deity and ending with offering arati. Thus he felt great happiness. After many years had passed in this way, one day within his mind he cooked nice sweet rice with ghee to worship the Deity. He placed the sweet rice on a golden dish and offered it to Lord Krishna, but he felt that the sweet rice was very hot, and therefore he touched it with his finger. He immediately felt that his finger had been burned by the hot sweet rice, and thus he began to lament. While the brahmana was in pain, Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha began smiling, and the goddess of fortune inquired from the Lord why He was smiling. Lord Vishnu then ordered His associates to bring the brahmana to Vaikuntha. Thus the brahmana attained the liberation of samipya, the facility of living near the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(6) Vandanam. Although prayers are a part of Deity worship, they may be considered separately like the other items, such as hearing and chanting, and therefore separate statements are given herewith. The Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one who feels influenced by the Lord's qualities in various activities offers prayers to the Lord. In this way he becomes successful.

(7) Dasyam. There is the following statement in regard to assisting the Lord as a servant. After many, many thousands of births, when one comes to understand that he is an eternal servant of Krishna, one can deliver others from this universe. If one simply continues to think that he is an eternal servant of Krishna, even without performing any other process of devotional service, he can attain full success, for simply by this feeling one can perform all nine processes of devotional service.

(8) Sakhyam. In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend, the Agastya-samhita states that a devotee engaged in performing devotional service by sravanam and kirtanam sometimes wants to see the Lord personally, and for this purpose he resides in the temple. Elsewhere there is this statement: "O my Lord, Supreme Personality and eternal friend, although You are full of bliss and knowledge, You have become the friend of the residents of Vrindavana. How fortunate are these devotees!" In this statement the word "friend" is specifically used to indicate intense love. Friendship, therefore, is better than servitude. In the stage above dasya-rasa, the devotee accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a friend. This is not at all astonishing, for when a devotee is pure in heart the opulence of his worship of the Deity diminishes as spontaneous love for the Personality of Godhead is manifested. In this regard, Sridhara Svami mentions Sridama Vipra, who expressed to himself his feelings of obligation, thinking, "Life after life, may I be connected with Krishna in this friendly attitude."

(9) Atma-nivedanam. The word Atma-nivedanam refers to the stage at which one who has no motive other than to serve the Lord, surrenders everything to the Lord and performs his activities only to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee is like a cow that is cared for by its master. When cared for by its master, a cow is not in anxiety over its maintenance. Such a cow is always devoted to its master, and it never acts independently, but only for the master's benefit. Some devotees, therefore, consider dedication of the body to the Lord to be atma-nivedanam, and as stated in the book known as Bhakti-viveka, sometimes dedication of the soul to the Lord is called atma-nivedanam. The best examples of atma-nivedanam are found in Bali Maharaja and Ambarisha Maharaja. Atma-nivedanam is also sometimes found in the behavior of Rukminidevi at Dvaraka.

Unconscious vs. Conscious Association

2010-02-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

Isn't it amazing how rejuvenated we feel when we wake up from a good night's sleep? No matter how tired, jaded or emotionally drained we are the night before?

His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami once explained in a lecture that the soul retreats into the core of the heart and spends time with the Supersoul when we sleep.

Recently I asked His Holiness Sacinandana Swami about this, who clarified: "It's unconscious association. When we chant, we associate with Krishna consciously."

Maybe that's why the Six Goswamis didn't need much sleep–blissed out and rejuvenated by tapping into the Fountain of Youth, Sri Nama Prabhu.

Favorite Quotes

2009-09-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Oh there are so many... how to choose.

This morning I was listening to Dravida Prabhu's narration of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is audio book, Chapters 2 and 3. In just ten minutes I dashed over to the computer several times to write down interesting quotes I heard. There's so much nectar in the Bhagavad-gita, every sentence, every verse, every purport...

"The Krishna conscious person is concerned only with the satisfaction of Krishna, and nothing else." - BG 2.64, purport

"Unless one is Krishna conscious, there is no possibility of peace." - BG 2.66, purport.

"Unless all of the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, even one of them engaged in sense gratification can deviate the devotee from the path of transcendental advancement. As mentioned in the life of Maharaja Ambarisha, all of the senses must be engaged in Krishna consciousness, for that is the correct technique for controlling the mind." - BG 2.67, purport.

"One can curb the forces of sense gratification only by means of Krishna consciousness, or engaging all the senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord." BG 2.68, purport.

"The devotees of Krishna have no material desires, and therefore they are in perfect peace." BG 2.70, purport.

"Because Krishna is the proprietor of everything, everything must be used for the satisfaction of Krishna." BG 2.71, purport.

"There is no difference between the kingdom of God and the devotional service of the Lord. .. In the material world there are activities of sense gratification, whereas in the spiritual world there are activities of Krishna consciousness. .. One who is situated in Krishna consciousness has certainly already entered into the kingdom of God." BG 2.72, purport.

"Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Krishna." BG 3.9, purport.

ISKCON 2.0

2009-09-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Daydreaming of ISKCON 2.0. What would it look like? What services would it render the greater world - services that every person on the planet could appreciate and gain from? Community action projects that anyone anywhere can get involved with and utilize their talents, energy, resourcefulness to bring to fruition and improve upon?

The next generation ISKCON.

Here are the seven purposes of ISKCON laid out by our Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada during the incorporation of ISKCON in 1966:

a) To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.

b) To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

c) To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).

d) To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

e) To erect for the members and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.

f) To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.

g) With a view towards achieving the aforementioned Purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.

Taking to heart and expanding on the above purposes, ISKCON 2.0 might offer:

EDUCATION - All manners of multi-cultural, multi-ethnic diverse educational institutions and facilities that teach the underlying principles of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal nature of all souls, in a spirit of the common Fatherhood and thus brotherhood of all living entities. Human cooperation in God consciousness, on the level of "we are spirit souls, parts and parcels of, and servants of, the same God" and external, temporary designations do not much matter. Character and values education based on the Vedas. How to live in the mode of goodness and beyond (pure goodness, or sattva-guna, or our real, eternal sanatan dharma state of being.)

- leadership schools
- K-8
- colleges and universities
- traditional gurukula schools with gurus as the resident "acharyas"
- workshops, seminars, weekend retreats, monastic ashram seminaries (one month, six-month, one-year), teaching the principles, values, character traits and benefits of a Krishna conscious life, outlook, world view.
- Bhakti yoga teacher training courses

OUTREACH & NETWORKING - all manners of innovative outreach to connect with people, lend a helping hand, and at the same time educate about our sanatana dharma eternal nature - separate from this body and this world. From traditional preaching, to teaching, to sharing and friendship-building organizations and groups and clubs that connect devotees of Krishna with people in all walks of life - giving opportunity to show how Sanatana Dharma, or Krishna Consciousness, or Bhakti yoga, is relevant in every sphere of their lives at all times, at every moment. To help them improve their lives materially and spiritually, temporarily and eternally.

- Krishna Student Centers at every university.
- Community Bhakti-sanga groups in every city.
- Vegetarian restaurants and snack bars with reading rooms (audio / video) in pedestrian zones, shopping centers, airports...
- Food For Life done right.
- Feed the Soul campaigns. (Jiva Jago... wake up!)
- Community and Disaster Services providing the highest welfare work, that is, help for the soul, in addition to help for the body. Offering tangible solutions on how to stop our material miseries while making friends with people in need and lending a helping hand on a level they can relate to.
- Sanatana Dharma Initiative - A socio-economic-political initiative / think-tank / brain trust that can offer an alternative to communism, capitalism, anarchy, etc... based on hands-on, real-world implementable values. Krishna conscious economics, environmental policy, sociology, Krishna conscious community / country / nation. What would a Krishna conscious society look like, that accommodates other religions and faiths but is based on Sanatana Dharma commonalities? What three things can every man, woman and child in the world do today to work towards that better future?

SANKIRTAN / KIRTAN: We are the kirtan people. Kirtan means Hari kirtan, glorifying our common Father, Hari, God, Krishna, Allah, Jahwe.

- to systematically teach and propagate the kirtan (chanting) of Krishna's names as means, method and goal of meditation, bhakti yoga, as the most easy and sublime and practical method of meditation in this age.

- to become known for kirtan - pure, umotivated, service-driven Hari kirtan solely for the purpose of glorifying Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, in the mood of cultivating our love for Them, calling out to them in gratitude, connectedness.

- to teach mantra meditation retreats and workshops (japa / kirtan) to get free from stress and material misery, transcend this body and its limitations, connect to our eternal source of bliss and knowledge, the way to SAT CHIT ANANDA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

- to teach the world about the "Father of kirtan" - Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - and about the great spiritual teacher who brought kirtan to the west, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

- Sankirtan street parties inviting people by the thousands to join in the "march." 24-hour kirtan vigils in public places, embassies, malls... in the spirit of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's massive street sankirtan parties.

- Kirtan radio stations (Internet, satellite and terrestrial.)

COMMUNITIES:
- intentional communities based on Sanatana Dharma principles and values
- Varnashrama Dharma communities, workshops, seminars, retreats, educational campaigns.
- WOOFA friendly farm communities where volunteers can come and stay for a while.
- beyond organic, karma-free farms producing ethical vegan-friendly dairy products.
- devotee businesses of all types providing a Krishna conscious work environment, allowing devotees to have KC association in the workplace, observe devotional practices (time for the morning and evening programs), devotee cooks preparing the company prasadam lunch, etc.

TEMPLES:

- student centers, community gatherings, workshops, seminars, retreats would bring in a steady stream of interested people. Those who want to study more in-depth, seminary style, would spend a month, a semester, a year living in residence in an ashram at a temple and serve there, invigorating existing temples... There would be curriculum and degree programs at the temples giving people an incentive to come and study there. Bhakti Sastri, Bhakti Vaibhava, Bhakti Vedanta, Bhakti Sarvabhauma... along with hands-on, practical application of Bhakti yoga, devotional service to the Deity, the Holy Name, the Vaishnavas, the Dhama...

- new temples would be built as congregations develop in each city.

BOOKS / PERIODICALS:

- Bhagavad-gita As It Is for every human being on this planet - an organized effort to distribute Bhagavad-gitas (including the MP3 audio book bundled with it) in mass quantities, sponsored, donated, subsidized..., in the way another well-known organization rallies forces to distribute their literature.
- Krishna.com and related web projects, working hand-in-hand with local temples, community gatherings..
- Back to Godhead magazine alive, vibrant, relevant and relatable to the general public.
- Other publications for our internal "practicing devotee" audiences.
- Websites and magazines for different segments of society, for children, youth, business people, business leaders, managers, focusing on how to make the world, this life and the next successful through the principles and values and ethics of Sanatana Dharma.
- Books on every subject, written by ISKCON devotees, contributing the rich resource of Vedic knowledge to the global discussion on topics such as the environment, politics, leadership, success in life, love, marriage, etc.
- Full set of Srila Prabhupada's books (CC, SB, BG, NOD, ISO, NOI, KB, TQK, etc) in every library (university, college, public...)
- All books available as digital books for purchase through all available digital outlets (currently Amazon.com, Sony, Google, etc.)
- All books available as good quality audio books (MP3, MP4, etc) for listening on portable devices, smart phones, etc.
- Liberal "creative commons" license on mass-distribution friendly e-books, audio books, etc, to widely make these literatures available to anyone with an Internet connection. (What would Bhaktivinode Thakur have done with the Internet? The effort it took in those days to send just one book, "The Life and Precepts of Lord Chaitanya" to a handful of universities across the world... What would he do with the Internet, e-mail, e-books?)
- Follow-up services for people who have read a book and have questions, etc.

=========

In my ideal daydream, as wishes go, ISKCON 2.0 would have all types of engagement and interest / activist groups that any person anywhere on the planet could connect with, relate with, benefit from, get involved with, donate towards, volunteer for, feel like they can proudly tell their co-worker about.

God's Children

2009-06-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Another year of summer fun, excitement, adventure, serving Lord Jagannatha on His festival tour.

Two dozen spirit souls gather for their first bus tour orientation meeting. Expectant, curious, wide-eyed. What will this summer bring?

They're God's children, every one of them, sent on the festival tour for a short time, eight weeks, allowing my wife and I the privilege to serve them.

The tour unfolds, potential's fanned, character discovered, memories made, history written, devotees pleased, hearts shared, spirits uplifted, friendships forged.

I try not to get attached. They're God's children, here for a short while only, and when they leave the tour I may never see them again. Little blessings, fallen angels, dusting off their wings, preparing to take flight again.

And fly away they must, in pursuit of their own destiny. Each has their purpose to fulfill. June turns to July turns to August... the festival tour is over. It's time to say goodbye. Perhaps one of them will some day lead a festival tour spreading the Holy Name around in a far distant corner of the world. The thought comforts me.

Yet there's that anxious feeling I imagine a gander would have, tossing his young goslings out of the nest, encouraging them to fly, wishing them well, watching pieces of his heart scatter across the sky.

They're God's children, I remind myself, not mine. Let them fly. Let them fly.

Selflessness

2009-06-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Something I strive for.
Something I wish for.
Something I thought I had some understanding of.
Yet, from moment to moment, I perpetuate the illusion.

My self
My body
My time
My talents
My abilities

A little spark of Your splendor I am.

Noting is mine - "nirmama."

Everything is Yours.

This foolish miser keeps Your mercy from flowing.

To give of this self to others.
To use this body in Your service.
To use Your time in Your service.
To use the talents You give in Your service.
To use the abilities You give in Your service.

Selflessness.

A concept I struggle to comprehend.

Have mercy on me.

Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Dramas, Theatrical Performances

2009-04-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

In the course of my service with the festival tour, I've often wondered what Srila Prabhupada would suggest if he were organizing the stage presentations for the public. So I did some research and found the following excerpts of letters, conversations, and purports via two sources, Kaunteya Prabhu's Super Sunday guide book, and Radha Damodara Prabhu and Dasharatha Suta Prabhu's compilation of the below quotes for their work, Krishna Conscious Play Scripts, on the Internet at:
http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/

Here goes.

"By prasadam, by chanting, by drama, somehow or other bring them. That is our mission. Congregational chanting. Always festival, and we shall spend for that. Immediately arrange. If there is scarcity of money, I shall pay... I came here to see that, not to sit down in a room
peacefully. So there also we shall inform the meeting that we want to propagate this Krishna consciousness movement town to town, village to village, by attracting them with musical demonstration of sankirtana, dramatic play, movie, prasadam. Somehow or other they should come to the temple, to the pandal and congregationally chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra, hear Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavatam. For this purpose, whatever expenditure is required, that you should collect and spend. This is the scheme of Hare Krishna movement." –Room conversation, Hyderabad, December 10, 1976.

Srila Prabhupada encouraged devotees to perform dramas during Sunday programs. “I am pleased to learn that the Columbus center is improving gradually,” he wrote in 1969, “and now you have begun to perform plays for the guests at the Sunday feasts.” –Letter to Bhadra Bardhan, 4 December 1969

At that time drama was in full swing at ISKCON Los Angeles. In his book Servant of the Servant, His Holiness Tamala Krishna Maharaja wrote:

“Throughout the week we would rehearse plays dramatizing Krishna and Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes. While in college I had taken an interest in drama, and now I found that this could be dovetailed in the service of Krishna. In Seattle I had sat with Srila Prabhupada for several mornings at his house as he described the life of Lord Chaitanya, which I was writing as a drama for our devotees to perform. Srila Prabhupada very much appreciated our dramatic performances, as did all the guests. Although the plays were not very sophisticated—two devotees covered by a bed sheet became a cow—they were an enjoyable way of digesting the philosophy, and when Srila Prabhupada was in Los Angeles, generally after each play he would speak about the subject which had been dramatized.”

Several years later the tradition was still alive in Los Angeles, and the newly printed books offered more subjects for new plays. In 1975, during a walk on Monday morning, Srila Prabhupada spoke of the Sunday drama:

Srila Prabhupada: That play yesterday, last evening I saw. It was very nice. … Now we have got Caitanya-caritamrta and Bhagavatam. If such demonstrations are done very nicely, it will be very much appreciated even by the public.

Gurudasa: Yesterday at the Love Feast they did “Pralambasura” and the guests loved it. Wonderful.

Jayatirtha: They applauded.

Srila Prabhupada: They must love it. It is very nice, very nice. Organize this very nicely … and all over the world this will be appreciated. And now we have got so many books. From the book you get subject matter and make a playwright in all languages. It will be very nice.” –Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 10 February 1975.

Traditionally, by watching dramas, even simple people while having fun could imbibe spiritual knowledge and values. In the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada explained:

“Even one hundred years ago in India, all dramatic performances were centered around the superhuman activities of the Supreme Lord. The common people would be verily entertained by the performances of dramas, and yatra parties played wonderfully on the superhuman activities of the Lord, and thus even the illiterate agriculturist would be a participant in the knowledge of Vedic literature, despite a considerable lack of academic qualifications. Therefore, expert players in drama, dancers, singers, speakers, etc., are required for the spiritual enlightenment of the common man.” –Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.11.20, purport.

Lord Chaitanya Himself took part in dramas during His grihastha days: “Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to perform dramas with Adwaita Prabhu, Srivasa Thakura, and other devotees in the house of Chandrashekhara.” –Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.13, purport.

In this purport, Srila Prabhupada set high standards for actors:

“Dramatic performances were also enacted during the presence of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but the players who took part in such dramas were all pure devotees; no outsiders were allowed. The members of ISKCON should follow this example. Whenever they stage dramatic performances about the lives of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or Lord Krishna, the players must be pure devotees. Professional players and dramatic actors have no sense of devotional service, and therefore although they can perform very artistically, there is no life in such performances. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura used to refer to such an actor as yatra-dale narada, which means “farcical Narada.” Sometimes an actor in a drama plays the part of Narada Muni, although in his private life he is not at all like Narada Muni because he is not a devotee. Such actors are not needed in dramatic performances about the lives of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna.”

Yet in a letter Srila Prabhupada authorized minor parts for non-devotees: “While performing such dramas, always the actors must be Vaishnavas. Outsiders may help but devotees should have all the major roles.” –Letter to Vrindaban Candra, 13 April 1971.

Apparently Srila Prabhupada wasn’t much fond of elaborate outfits: “Make everything very simple, without too much fancy costumes, and the real message will come out very nicely.” –Letter to Nayanabhirama, 22 December 1971.

Srila Prabhupada stressed “catching their ears” more than catching their eyes:

“Emphasis should be given to the words of Bhagavatam, they are spiritual and will have powerful effect if someone only hears them with attention. Do not be very much enamored by fancy costumes and stage decorations, they will only distract. Real acting art is to know how to speak. The greatest dramas, even in your western culture, they can be played without any extra equipment. Just like your Shakespeare—sometime I saw they were playing one drama, I think Hamlet or something like that, and only two men were there on the bare stage and everyone was praising. So the art is catching their ears. Now in that spirit go on with your work and try to do something wonderful.” –Letter to Jayadharma, 13 December 1972.

Srila Prabhupada supported the use of recorded tapes instead of having the actors speak live:

“Srila Prabhupada: We have got so many boys and girls. They can play simply. And they haven’t got to speak. This system is very nice. Let them play. What is this called, system?

Hridayananda: Narration.

Srila Prabhupada: No, there is…

Jayatirtha: Like pantomime.

Gurudasa: Mime.

Srila Prabhupada: Even they play with tape. The tape is going on, and they are playing.” –Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 10 February 1975.

Srila Prabhupada also spoke of having a narrator off-stage while the players perform, especially in the case of a language barrier: “Dramas are alright if you can perform them nicely. Even if you don’t speak them in English, they can be rendered into Hindi on the microphone while the drama goes on.” –Letter to Aksayananda Maharaja, 13 January 1976.

Srila Prabhupada warned that Krishna’s personal pastimes should be presented carefully, otherwise better to show something else:

“So far these plays are concerned, they are not meant for ordinary people and if they laugh, then that is a great offense. Just like in your play “Putana Killed” there was so much laughing. So these plays are not meant for the public showing unless they are very nicely done. The audience must give grave attention. If they laugh, that is the greatest offense. Lord Chaitanya never played before ordinary men. Only before devotees. But for you to put on such plays for devotees only is not so practical. So plays of Krishna Lila should be avoided, unless it is very gravely performed.” –Letter to Vrindaban Chandra, July 23, 1971 Brooklyn.

"There are many professional chanters who can perform congregational chanting with various musical instruments in an artistic and musical way, but their chanting cannot be as attractive as the congregational chanting of pure devotees. If a devotee sticks strictly to the principles governing Vaishnava behavior, his bodily luster will naturally be attractive, and his singing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord will be effective. People will appreciate such kirtana without hesitation. Even dramas about the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya or Sri Krishna should be played by devotees. Such dramas will immediately interest an audience and be full of potency. The students of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should note these two points and try to apply these principles in their spreading of the Lord's glories." –Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 11.95, purport.

"Regarding the dramas, my point is not to deviate from gravity and compromise or distract from the situation. Keep this point in vision and continue. That is a very good proposal to stage one play based upon Lord Chaitanya. Read Teachings of Lord Chaitanya on the stage, just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is giving instruction to Sanatana Goswami, and the actors may speak little philosophy, without need for special costumes or other things. Then kirtana. There must be always kirtana. Dialogue, kirtana; then again dialogue, again kirtana; again repeat; like that. No humor should be there, just philosophy and kirtana. If it is successful, then the same dialogue-kirtana may be followed by other sankirtana parties in Europe and America." –Letter to Madhudvisa, July 29, 1972, Amsterdam.

"Regarding your question of dancing-show, whatever it may be, it may not deviate from the real Krishna Consciousness program. We are Hari-kirtana men, that's all. We can attract people by some gorgeous show, but inside there must be strict purity and seriousness, otherwise, we shall be attracted by the gorgeous show only. There are two energies always working simultaneously, and Maya means when we diminish the spiritual energy, then automatically we become attracted to the external dress of Maya. So I do not care very much for these plays and dramas unless they are coming directly from the Vedas. If we can recite from Bhagavad-gita the first chapter without any need for elaborate scenery or stage-props and gorgeous dresses, that is best. Just like your Shakespeare. Macbeth may be recited by two men, without anything else, and simply by their acting ability and the meaningful words alone, they can very easily capture the entire audience and give them real substance. We have so many stories, like Jagai-Madhai, Krishna departing for Mathura, like that. Satire will not help us. Our message is very grave, and because it is the Absolute Truth, it will work without any artificial presentation." –Letter to Madhudvisa, July 8, 1972, London

"Plays will be very successful and Vrindaban Chandra is very expert in this connection. One thing, though, is that nice plays should be written for showing in the villages. The plays should be done seriously so that they will not laugh." –Letter to Kirtanananda, November 6, 1971 Calcutta.

"You have got so many books. Either chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, or read books, discuss amongst yourself. Don't waste your time by so-called drama and play. It is simply waste of time. Don't waste your time in that way. If you have got inclination to enjoy some drama, then you should take hint how that drama should be written or played. Don't manufacture. You are not so expert that you can manufacture things. That is illegal... So don't waste your time. Simply always pour in, give aural reception to the message of Urukrama." –Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture, Los Angeles, June 17, 1972. (720617SB.LA)

About Hayagriva’s “Lord Chaitanya” play:

"I am just organizing a Sankirtana party and if you come here, then we can make a rehearsal of the Chaitanya drama which you have already made. My idea is, Sankirtana with some dramatic demonstration, by the members, will be attractive to the people in general. So I am trying to concentrate the idea at the present moment here in Montreal, because in the temple, we have got sufficient space and if the Sankirtana party is successful here, as we shall try to make some experiment in the local expo grounds, then we shall make a program to go to Europe, starting from London, and make demonstrations of this drama and Sankirtana in different places. I do not know how much you will appreciate this idea, but if you think it proper, you may come and join us here." –Letter to Hayagriva, July 10, 1968, Montreal.

Srila Prabhupada tells a story of how he once played the role of Adwaita Acharya in a Chaitanya Lila drama in his youth:

Gopala Krishna: The drama was very appreciated last night. Samayadi was watching it with us, and he said he would like to arrange a big program in his house.

Prabhupada: Old Samayadi or his son?

Gopala Krishna: His son. He liked the drama very much.

Lokanatha: It has become one of the main attractions of the public, this Vaikuntha Player performance. After... two nights after the program, I inquired from the public on the microphone, "Do you like this drama?" Immediately everybody raised their hands: "Yes!"

Prabhupada: They were asking me whether they are professional men. "No, no, these all my disciples."

Gopala Krishna: They're actually much better than any of the professional men.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. We played Chaitanya-lila in our younger days. So we brought one very famous man, Amritlal Bose. He is one of the three chief men who started theatrical performances in Bengal. Amritlal Bose, Girish Chandra Ghosh, and one some Pathan. This Amritlal Bose was a big author also, for writing comic books. And very expert lecturer. So somehow or other, we contacted him, and we used to call him, Dada-mahashaya. Dada-mahashaya means grandfather. He was of our grandfather's age. In the evening he was drinking. Very luxurious.

So when he came, he said, "Yes, I will give you direction. You are all aristocratic family. But you must know that what is the difference between this professional and this aristocratic family." So he explained that "Chaitanya-lila, in the public theater, anyone can pay eight annas." That eight annas was third-class ticket. Eight annas, one rupee, two rupees and five rupees. "So they can see Chaitanya-lila. Then where is the difference between your playing and their playing?" So he explained that "There must be some difference, that the public, after seeing your playing, they should appreciate so much that they will agree they will never see. So I want to train you like that. Are you prepared?" His first condition. So we were boys at the time... "Yes, sir. Yes. Whatever you say." Then he said, "Then I take charge of training you."

"So his next condition was that 'You cannot play unless I say it is all right.' So we practiced for more than one year. Still, he did not say that "You are all right." He did not say. By force, practically, that 'Now we shall play, sir.' 'All right, you can play, but it is not to my perfectional ideas.'

So I had the part of Advaita Acharya. So on the stage, when we saw, all the public, they are crying, the audience. Regularly crying. We could not understand how they are crying, because we are dry; we have learned how to play, that's all. But he has trained in such a way that we could appreciate everyone was crying by seeing Chaitanya, everyone was hanker to play, act. So it was due to training. He trained in such a way that we could not understand how we are playing, but the audience, they appreciated so much. Every one of them was crying.

And another effect was... Because sometimes there were need of proxy. Some player has not come, and the rehearsal is going on. So the result was that each and every one of us learned the play of others. There was no scarcity of duplicate."

"So that was the first and last of playing in dramatic drama in my life.

Chaitanya-lila. We had own club, Indian, Indian, like that... That was the point he stressed, that "You are from the selected aristocratic family of Calcutta. You shall play, and the public theater is also playing. What should be the difference?" That was his point. So that he gave us. They were so gorgeously played. And we received so many invitations: "Please come and play in our house." –Room Conversation, Bombay, March 30, 1977 (770330RC.BOM)

"So you have got some talent for writing and producing dramas and now Krishna has given you the opportunity for dovetailing your talents in His service. Very good. When I go there I shall be very glad to see these dramas enacted. Yes, I acted the part of Advaita Prabhu in one such drama. I organized that theater performance in my youthhood. My friends were trained up and we performed and it was very much appreciated by the highest class of men in Calcutta. We were invited to many places to perform the drama. Lord Chaitanya inaugurated these Vaishnava dramas, it is true, but where to obtain such copies of these plays I do not know. I shall try to find out in Calcutta when I go there. While performing such dramas, always the actors must be Vaishnavas. Outsiders may help but devotees should have all the major roles. So you may perform such plays conveniently. It is a very nice program, but do not sacrifice other programs on account of it." --Letter to Vrindaban Chandra, April 13, 1971 Bombay

You can find more instructions on drama performances and concrete guidance for theatrical projects in the book Krishna Conscious Play Scripts (included in the Bhaktivedanta VedaBase, FOLIO), a “collection of eighty-eight transcendental dramas assembled and presented for the pleasure of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,” by Radha Damodara Prabhu and Dasharatha Suta Prabhu.

Also available on the Internet at:

http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/

The Great King Ambarisha

2009-04-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

sa vai manah krishna-padaravindayor
vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane
karau harer mandira-marjanadishu
shrutim chakarachyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-lingalaya-darshane drishau
tad-bhritya-gatra-sparshe 'nga-sangamam
ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe
shrimat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite

padau hareh ksetra-padanusarpane
shiro hrishikesha-padabhivandane
kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya
yathottamashloka-janashraya ratih

Translation & purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Maharaja Ambarisha always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna.

He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna, Krishna's temples and Krishna's places like Mathura and Vrindavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasada.

He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisha never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.

Purport

In Bhagavad-gita (7.1) the Lord recommends, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-ashrayah. This indicates that one must execute devotional service under the guidance of a devotee or directly under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not possible, however, to train oneself without guidance from the spiritual master. Therefore, according to the instructions of Shrila Rupa Goswami, the first business of a devotee is to accept a bona fide spiritual master who can train him to engage his various senses in rendering transcendental service to the Lord.

The Lord also says in Bhagavad-gita (7.1), asamshayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tach chrinu. In other words, if one wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in completeness, one must follow the prescriptions given by Krishna by following in the footsteps of Maharaja Ambarisha. It is said, hrishikena hrisikesha-sevanam bhaktir uchyate: [Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 19.170] bhakti means to engage the senses in the service of the master of the senses, Krishna, who is called Hrishikesha or Achyuta. These words are used in these verses. Achyuta-sat-kathodaye, hrishikesha-padabhivandane. The words Achyuta and Hrishikesha are also used in Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is Krishna-katha spoken directly by Krishna, and Shrimad-Bhagavatam is also Krishna-katha because everything described in the Bhagavatam is in relationship with Krishna.

Excerpted from Shrimad-Bhagavatam 9.4.18-20.

No Time for Krishna - Got to Work Hard for Maya

2008-12-05T09:22:00.001-08:00

Today I came home from a hard day's work and had the following thought: "No time for Krishna. I work 12-hours at two jobs, and when I get home, I'm exhausted and just want to relax, watch some TV, eat, and go to sleep."

As I turned to The Nectar of Devotion, looking for some inspiration, the following passage appeared. Please help me by kindly sharing with me your thoughts and realizations on the following:

"A great authority like Bhishma has explained that love of Godhead means completely giving up all so-called love for any other person. According to Bhishma, love means to repose one's affection completely upon one person, withdrawing all affinities for any other person. This pure love can be transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead under two conditions--out of ecstasy and out of causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

"Ecstatic love of Godhead can be potently invoked simply by following the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are prescribed in scriptures, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. In the Eleventh Canto, 2nd Chapter, 38th verse, of the the Srimad-Bhagavatam this ecstatic love, born of the execution of regulative devotional service, is explained: "A devotee, in the course of executing the regulative principles of devotional service, develops his natural Krishna consciousness, and being thus softened at heart he chants and dances like a madman. While performing chanting of the holy names of the Lord, he sometimes cries, sometimes talks wildly, sometimes sings, and sometimes--without caring for any outsider--dances like a madman.

"In the Padma Purana there is a statement about ecstatic love born of spontaneous affection. Candrakanti, a celebrated fair-faced girl, rigidly observed celibacy in order to obtain Krishna as her husband. She always engaged herself in meditating on the transcendental form of the Lord and always chanted the glories of the Lord. She did not desire to accept anyone else as her husband. She had firmly decided that only Lord Krishna would be her husband."

... "From the example of Candrakanti as found in Padma Purana and from the example of the gopis as found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it appears that a devotee who always thinks of Krishna and who always chants His glories in ecstatic love, regardless of his condition, will attain the highest perfection of unalloyed devotional love due to Lord Krishna's extraordinary mercy." --The Nectar of Devotion, Chatper 19, Devotional Service in Love of God.

And as I was reading the statement above by Bhishma, one of the twelve great souls, mahajanas, I was reminded of a sermon by Lord Jesus Christ in his teachings to his disciples:

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ... The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single [focused on the Lord], thy whole body shall be full of light. ... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [maya]." --The Bible, Mattew, Chapter 6 (Jesus' Sermon on the Mount), Texts 20-24

As I continued reading from that passage, I was amazed that Lord Jesus goes on to give one of the most illuminating and Krishna conscious speeches, the contents of which were exemplified by Saint Francis of Assissi. I couldn't help but smile as I read these statements given 2000 years ago by Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. It's almost as if Jesus was quoting Lord Krishna's words from Bhagavad-gita :-)

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat [matter], and the body more than raiment [clothing]?

Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet our heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
[Yet I am very proud thinking that "I am the doer. I am the controller of my destiny. By my hard work I am achieving such and such."]

And why take ye thought for raiment [clothing]? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you. That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed [dressed] like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need for all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." --Lord Jesus Christ's Sermon on the Mount, The Bible, Matthew, Chapter 6, Texts 25-33.

As I read this, I couldn't help but think of the below verse, spoken by Lord Sri Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita, 9.22, "The Most Confidential Knowledge."

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

"But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form--to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have."

As well as, "vyavasayatmika buddhir, ekeha kuru nandana" (BG, 2.41). "Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one." ... In the purport, "As by watering the root of a tree one automatically distributes water to the leaves and branches, so by acting in Krishna consciousness one can render the highest service to everyone--namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. If Krishna is satisfied by one's actions, then everyone will be satisfied. ... Service in Krishna consciousness is however, best practiced under the able guidance of a spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Krishna, who knows the nature of the student and who can guide him to act in Krishna consciousness."

-------------------------------------------

I take it as my great misfortune, my hopeless addiction to mammon [maya], that even after hearing such divine instruction, receiving such causeless mercy, such great fortune, that I still have so little faith ("O ye of little faith") and turn away after reading the above and my mind notes "Very nice... but not practical. Now let me get back to my real work of endeavoring very hard for my own sense gratification."

In this way I continue to knowingly drink the poison of worldly pleasures that keep me in this prison cell of this temporary material mind, body, senses, fraught with the suffering of birth, disease, old age and death.

I need help.

Please help me. Shower me with your prayers and realizations.

Hedonism vs. Krishna Consciousness

2008-11-18T08:11:00.001-08:00

My new word for today is hedonism. I looked it up on Google (wikipedia, etc) after reading some of my friends' MySpace profiles and noticing a trend towards "I love anything that makes me feel good. Peace. Love. Fun, fun, fun."

It seems to me that hedonism, in its various forms, is an existential expression of my desire to be happy and to do things that make me happy. If I identify with this body as being me, and the senses and sense objects as being mine, if I am the enjoyer, if I am the doer, then happiness equals sense gratification, body gratification, mind gratification. Pleasing my senses, mind, and body will make me happy. I will pursue beautiful sunsets, cool ocean breezes, dance the night away till I drop... enjoy healthy food, be active, attend good parties, appreciate beauty, practice yoga, love nature... an live a happy, healthy, hippy life :-) If I'm feeling altruistic, I may extend my hedonsim to my friends, family, community, country... or the entire human race, and wish for them to live an equally happy, healthy, hippy life.

But wait, there's a problem.

Theoretically I understand I'm not this body. I'm not this mind. I'm not these senses. I am not the enjoyer. I am not the doer. I am not the owner of the beautiful sunsets, ocean breezes, and the permutations of matter around me. ("But it feels so good - it must be good.")

I'm the spirit soul within, servant of the servant of Krishna.

Can the very thought of focusing on "my pleasure" instead of Krishna's pleasure ever make me happy?

What if I think, "by serving Krishna, I will be happy." Krishna conscious, dovetailed hedonism?

Or if I approach kirtana, prasadam, festivals, devotee association with the desire to enjoy these things?

What are your thoughts on this topic?

Is there any scope for hedonsim in Krishna consciousness, or are the two ideas categorically opposed?

Demon, Demigod, Devotee

2008-11-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

demigod

1 : a mythological being with more power than a mortal but less than a god 2 : a person so outstanding as to seem to approach the divine the demigods of jazz>

When Srila Prabhupada comments that the demigods are lining up to take birth in the Hare Krishna Movement I look around at some of my generation / peers today, and I wonder...

Does any of the below sound familar to you?

Demigods like to enjoy in the mode of goodness. Sense gratification on a level no human can match. Music. Beauty. Wealth. Fame... Think of Indra, King of the Demigods, as an example.

Demigods seek pleasure in everything, including devotional service.

Demigods, as opposed to demons, are only 50% interested in being Krishna (demi-God).

Demigods who are frustrated with material enjoyment pray to take birth in the Hare Krishna Movement on planet Earth. What a great blessing. What a great fortune.

What a golden opportunity. Every moment bliss in Krishna consciousness. What an incredible loss to waste even a moment in material sense enjoyment.

Chanting Hare Krishna japa as our Rajasuya Sacrifice. Purifying our desire to be Krishna. 49%. 35% 25%.... the all-powerful, all-merciful, all-knowing Holy Name washes away at our steel-framed hearts.

Realization: Chanting nice japa is very pleasing to my spiritual master.

2008-10-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

I often wish that there was some special service I could do for my spiritual master. Something that would get his attention and put a smile on his face. :-)

Today I was chanting my japa in front of our bus tour Gaura Nitai deities and my eyes fell upon a greeting card with a photo of Srila Prabhupada on the front, my spiritual master's spiritual master. It was propped up next to the altar, and I could barely make out the text on the inside of the card -- I leaned forward and tried to make it out... it was a quote from a lecture:

"You are chanting. I am very much pleased. That's all. I came to your country to chant, that "You chant also along with me." So you are helping me by chanting. So I am pleased."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 71-16-07)

Am I cheating people?

2008-10-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Am I cheating people on the bus tours by sprinkling Krishna consciousness with enough salt of material sense gratification to attract people to come on the bus tours in the first place?

I may have answered my question in asking the above. At least the seed to the answer seems to be there.

But seriously... I am trying to figure this out. If what we do at every moment of our day influences how we think, feel, operate... how we treat our relationship with Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, with Their Holy Names, then surely how we spend the majority of our time, moment to moment, on the bus tours affects our consciousness, our attitude towards the times when we do try to engage more directly in conscious, mindful service to the Divine Couple.

Are the bus tours the way they are structured now really conducive to someone who is serious about developing their Krishna consciousness? Or am I cheating people out of that experience by giving them "mishra bhakti," mixed devotional service, sprinkled with a lot of blunt and obvious time for sense gratification.

For some time now I have been feeling disappointed in myself with the results of the bus tours. With the way I and others spend most of our "leisure" time on the tours. I know this may sound shocking to some who tell me what a great thing it is, how it has changed their lives in some ways.

Our stated mission for the tour is to "inspire, train, engage and empower youth in Krishna consciousness to their fullest potential." Am I doing enough to give people a fair chance at becoming inspired, trained, engaged and empowered in their loving relationship with Krishna through serving Him and His devotees? Am I, and are we collectively becoming more Krishna conscious? (Or are we watering the weeds of mishra bhakti, mixed devotional service infused with the goal of our own sense gratification, as opposed to for the pleasure of Krishna.)

Earlier today Jaya Radhe and I were trying to figure out why we ourselves sometimes do not feel so attracted to Krishna and the process of becoming more Krishna conscious. We came to this conclusion that what we do during the rest of our day affects what little time we set aside for our "Krishna conscious" compartmentalized aspect of our lives... What priority does Krishna have in our lives? We spoke about the powerful effect of association. That if we associate with non-devotees for most of our day, hearing and participating in their conversations, soaking up material music and sound vibration infused with an intent to satisfy our own senses, eating food cooked by non-devotees infused with their consciousness, just because our taste buds demand it... that these things rub off on our consciousness, on our mind, and they do affect our "taste" for engaging in activities centered solely on pleasing Krishna.

Back to how we spend time together on the bus tours. How much time do I spend consciously, mindfully engaged in trying to please Krishna? Versus how much time do I spend doing other things to try to please my own senses?

Ultimately it comes down to my own impurities. I lack taste and so I can't convince others of the priceless jewel of the sweet nectar of the Holy Names.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Haridasa Thakura and Lord Nityananda to go out and spread the chanting of the Holy Names door to door. He said that when the proud owners of the house open their doors, you should fall on your knees with tears in your eyes, grab hold of their feet and beg them to please discard everything they have learnt and to simply take up the most precious treasure of constantly chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

I lament because I don't have this strong conviction. I don't have a deep taste for chanting the Holy Names with tears in my eyes... begging you to take this up as your only means of happiness... and so it rubs off on each of you on the bus tour. I am not able to give this gift to you and I continue to be disappointed in myself. I find myself all too often looking for happiness in all the wrong places, anywhere and anything but Krishna (as the wonderful Mother Yamuna likes to say.)

There's hope. I'm getting tired of cheating myself, and thereby others. Slowly but surely. I'm attending japa retreat after japa retreat in the hope of focusing my own desires and consciousness more and more on sweet Radha-Krishna, Hare Krishna.

Please pray for me. If you have some faith, some taste for chanting Hare Krishna, please allow me to serve you in some way so that some of your taste may rub off on me. Share your realizations with me.

Do I want to be a devotee of Krishna?

2008-10-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today I had the good fortune of trying to help someone on Live Help at Krishna.com. I had a few minutes to spare, took a chance, loaded up live help, and waited. The "door bell" rang. A live help question came onto my browser screen. David from Hartford, CT. David was interested in doing some more service for Krishna. He'd been reading and chanting, but wondered what the next step woud be.

While trying to encourage David, I googled a familiar verse and, as I read over it, paused and meditated on its intensity... trying to see how to apply it in my life, and in David's life.

The immediate questions that arose in my mind were, "do I really want to do this? Is this practical? Is this what I want my life to be like? Do I want to be a devotee of Krishna?"

What verse? Oh, right... here it is.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spoke to Sanatana Goswami as follows:

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

"In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter, one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sadhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Krishna consciousness." –Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Madhya 23, 14-15

That chapter in Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta is called "Life's Ultimate Goal." Lord Chaitanya goes on to describe the symptoms of one who has the seed of transcendental emotion for Krishna in his heart. What are the symptoms of a devotee?

He manifests forgiveness. (I see...)

He is concerned that not a moment of time should be wasted. Every moment should be utilized for Krishna. (Yikes!)

He develops detachment. .. Material enjoyment, mystic power and sense gratification do not appeal to the devotee at all. (Hmmmm.) .. He is not agitated by material things. (Hmmmm.)

There is an abscence of false prestige [reputation, distinction... ]

(1. reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable
attributes. 2. distinction.)

(I am not the doer. I am not the doer. I am not the doer. Krishna is da Bomb :-)

The devotee manifests hope and eagerness, a taste for chanting the holy name of the Lord, attachment to the descriptions of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and affection for those places where the Lord resides...

(Hmmmm... I can see how this could potentially fill my whole day, every day. Is this what I really want?)

As I researched further I came across Srila Prabhupada's conversation with a guest about the "adau sraddha" verse, January 9, 1977:

Guest: Can you explain surrender?

Prabhupada: "Surrender, this is surrender, that... First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Krsna is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Krsna says, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Krsna will give me protection." To believe firmly... "Krsna is all powerful. Krsna is my master." .. First of all, you have to check yourself whether you firmly believe in the words of God. If you don't believe, there is no question of surrender. Then you remain where you are.

This is firm belief: "Krsna says that He will give me protection. So let me surrender. I have surrendered to maya. I have not become happy. So why not surrender to Krsna?" This is intelligence."

You are not free. Then why you are declaring yourself as free? This is your disease. So intelligent means that I have no freedom actually. I am acting under the dictation of my senses. I am servant of my senses. So why not become servant of Krsna? This is intelligent. Everyone is acting under senses, order of the senses. Kamadinam kathidha na kathida palita durni-desah. Even I don't want to do it, something wrong, but my senses are dictating, so "All right, let me do it." So we are... I am servant of the senses. My position is twofold. Either I become the servant of the senses or I become servant of Krsna. My position is the same. Simply I have to change it."

----------

My conclusion for today: Who was helping whom? Here I was trying to help David clarify his decision on his next course of action in his grand adventure into Krishna consciousness, and meanwhile David–and of course Krishna who is da Bomb diggity–was helping this lost soul clarify his own goals.

Finding a suitable, Krishna conscious partner

2008-08-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

I see many of my sisters and brothers struggling to find suitable partners. I pray that The Lord of Your Heart guides you in your pursuit. It’s not easy. Just as you think you’ve found one, s/he either gets cold feet or turns out not to be as good as you thought s/he would be.

Perhaps there is no perfect partner in this world. They say we're all here because we were envious and selfish and need to re-learn how to love Krishna, unconditionally. Sometimes Krishna may give us a partner who pushes all of our buttons, and forces us to become humble and take shelter of Him. Whatever challenges come our way, may those challenges remind us of our only shelter, our eternal partner, Sri Krishna! Govinda! Hari! Murari! He Natha! Narayana! Vasudeva!

I am reminded of something Mahatma Prabhu said during the Sharanagati Japa Retreat… “How you do anything, is how you do everything.” Using this simple measure we can sample what life would be like with a potential partner by taking inventory of how that person currently leads their life. It’s a good indication of things to come.

For a devotee, the measure of a good person is how much time this person spends pleasing Krishna, versus pleasing themselves. Is s/he mostly self-less and humble? Or pre-occupied with being selfish and proud?

(Imagine spending the rest of your life with a selfish and proud person?)

Some questions you might ask your aspiring partner:

1) How do you spend your spare time?

2) If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?

3) At the end of your life, looking back, what would you like to have accomplished?

--------------

26 Qualities of a Devotee

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), rate your potential partner on how well they exemplify each of the following qualities, in relation to Krishna consciousness. If the overall score is low, chances are it's not going to get much better.

(Wouldn't you rather know now?)

Kripalu - merciful

Akrita-droha - humble

Satya-sara - truthful

Sama - equal to all

Nidosha – faultless

Vadanya – magnanimous

Mridu – mild

Shuci – clean

Akinchana – without material possessions

Sarvopakaraka – performs welfare work for everyone

Shanta – peaceful

Krishnaika-sharana – surrendered solely to Krishna

Akama – desireless for material pleasures

Aniha – indifferent to material acquisitions

Sthira – fixed in devotional service

Vijita-shad-guna – control the six bad qualities (lust, anger, greed, and so forth...)

Mita-bhuk – eats only as much as required

Apramatta – not inebriated with sense gratification

Manada – respectful

Amani – without false prestige (i.e. not proud)

Gambhira – grave

Karuna – compassionate

Maitra – friendly

Kavi – poetic

Daksha – expert

Mauni – silent (does not engage in idle talk)

More Questions...

4) If you could earn three times as much money at a job far away from the temple, would you take the job? Why?

5) In your daily life, how much time do you allocate to performing devotional service to Krishna and His devotees?

6) How important, in your life, is surrendering to a spiritual master and serving him with humility?

7) Statement: “Anything done without the objective of pleasing Krishna is useless.”

Could you live your life by this statement?

---------------

In compiling the above, I read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 16, Divine and Demoniac Natures, describing the characteristics of a good person (in this context, good husband or wife).

I also read Vaishnava Behavior and the 26 Qualities of a Devotee, by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, elaborating on each of the 26 qualities mentioned above and how they are exhibited by a Krishna conscious person. This easy-to-read book is one of my all-time favorites.

I am not a devotee

2007-11-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

I am not a devotee.

This is quite possibly the most difficult thing I have ever written. In an effort to become humble, clear my heart of envy, and fall at the feet of every person in this world and beg selflessly for your mercy, I am begging for your mercy. I need your mercy.

There once was a time in Krishna consciousness when we loved selflessly, we gave our time and money freely in His service, we cared not about the past, about the future, but only about the present, making everyone happy, fulfilled, and satiated with the Holy Name, prasadam, festival after festival, gulabjamuns coming out of our ears! J

There was once a time, back in the spiritual world, when we did the same.

Today, I find myself in a world where I say I’m a “devotee” but really I am looking out for my own interest, I don’t trust anyone else, I fight about the past, I worry about the future, and I rarely stop to think about how I spend the present, day after day, moment after moment, struggling against all odds to take care of myself and build that nest egg because “gosh darn it if I don’t nobody else will.”

Stop! (I hear a voice inside me.)

I beg of you stop! (The voice grows louder.)

Turn back the clock. (The voice grows ever louder.)

Wake up! (He’s screaming now.)

It’s 1972 all over again. (The year I was born.) Krishna is my mother, Krishna is my father, Krishna is my best friend. Krishna is my protector. To the degree that I surrender unto Him, He rewards me accordingly. So He says. So He does. There is no religion in this world that I care for but Krishna. There is no rich man or retirement scheme richer than Krishna. The only thing worth talking about is Krishna. The only music worth listening to is Krishna Kirtana. The only food worth eating is what a devotee has cooked with love and devotion and Srila Prabhupada has accepted and offered to Krishna. The only entertainment worth seeing is that which reminds me of Krishna.

Balance. (Another voice inside of me mumbles.)

What happened to balance, prabhu? (The voice gets louder.)

We need to balance our material and spiritual lives. (The voice intensifies.)

Sense gratification in moderation has never hurt anyone. (It’s getting every louder in my head.)

If we try to renounce artificially, you know, you’ve seen what happens… (You’re screaming at me now, bro!)

Shut up! Oh wretched, foolish mind, shut up! I’m tired of you! Enough!

Balance.

A small word. A big trick of that lady who always wants to test my faith in You.

Balance is Lord Balarama, balancing the cosmos on His Ananta Shesha hoods. Balance is to live in this world but NOT be of this world. The lotus growing from the mud. Not a muddy lotus.

Balance is to live a regulated lifestyle (look at me, Krishna, I’m your living proof of imbalance.) To eat in moderation, only as much as required, only Your Krishna prasadam. Balance is to use at least 50% of my time and wealth and income and resources in Your pure devotional service. 51% would make me a devotee, at least aspiring. (I would like that.) Balance is to not let my demonic qualities get the upper hand.

How much wealth do I have today? How much more will I have tomorrow?

Such should not be the trick of the lady who likes to test my faith in You, that I succumb to those thoughts in the name of balance. Balancing my pleasure with Yours, Krishna, in equal proportions was never your devotee Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s idea of making progress on both the material and spiritual tracks of my life. Rather, not to lose touch with the world and still interact in the world yet always, always, always wear Your Lotus Feet on my forehead, and keep Your Holy Names at the forefront of my mind, words, and actions.

I need only take a look at the lifestyle of the proponent of balance.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Daily Schedule

7:30-8:00 PM - take rest.
10:00 PM - rise, light oil lamp, write.
4:00 AM - take rest.
4:30 - rise, wash hands and face, chant 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra japa'.
7:00 - write letters.
7:30 - read.
8:30 - receive guests, or continue to read.
9:30-9:45 - take rest.
9:45 - morning bath, breakfast of half-quart milk, couple of 'chapatis', some fruits.
9:55 - go to court in carriage.
He would wear coat and pants to court, with double-size Tulasi neckbeads, and Vaishnava Tilaka. He was very strong in his decisions; he would decide immediately. He did not allow any humbug in his court; no upstart could stand before him. He would shave his head monthly. He never allowed harmonium in his 'sankirtan', considering it a distraction from the sound of the 'Nama Prabhu'.
He never had any debts.
10:00 - court began.
1:00 PM - court finished. He'd come home and bathe and refresh.
2:00 PM - return to office.
5:00 PM - translate works from Sanskrit to Bengali.
Then take evening bath and meal of rice, couple of 'chapatis', half-quart (1 pint - 20 onces, or approx half litre) of milk.

He always consulted a pocket watch, and was always accountable keeping time very punctually.

Balance.

To my dear mind, who constantly reminds me that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura preached that I should lead a balanced life, I nod my head gently in the direction of his daily schedule.

Dedicate at least 50 precent of your life to selfless giving--dear mind--selfless love in Krishna consciousness. Do that – at the very least – do that much to live a balanced life.

Unalloyed, pure, unmotivated devotional service. Hear about Krishna. Read about Krishna. Write about Krishna. Serve Krishna. That is 12 hours of our day – oh capable mind – can we do that?

Take another look at Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura’s schedule. Add up the hours he gave to Krishna every day. How many hours a day?

Real balance.

Giving 12 hours a day, 50% of my life, to Krishna.

Impossible. (I hear you.)

Impossible. Never. I can’t. (I hear you loud and clear.)

So be at least 40% devotee, 60% demon. (Hmmmm… Nope.)

Or 30% of our time for Krishna, 70% time for yourself. (Nope… but I like where this is going...)

Still impossible? Can’t do it? (Sorry.)

10% ? (Nope. But incidentally, the Mormons do this in the way of tithing = 10%)

Can you give 10% of your life to Krishna?

Two and a half hours a day? (Now, now… you know how it goes…artificial renunciation Prabhu. How many of us can keep even that up for more than a week? Pffff. Two and a half hours a day for Krishna. We spend almost that much time on email every day. You’d have to give that up.)

And so I sit here and can simply weep.

I would like to say I’ve made progress in my Krishna consciousness. Progress in balancing my spiritual and material life.

I am all for balance. And I would like it to no longer be the 9 for me and 1 for You kind of balance.

Therefore I beg for the mercy of Your devotees, to please give me the strength to become a devotee someday. Please encourage them to take me under their wing. Guide me in what it is that they do.

That by the end of my life I’ll be at least at the 51% level, giving 1% more to You than I’m keeping for myself.

I am not a devotee.

Far from it.

I am, by all accounts, a Karmi (a worker for my own material sense gratification.)

Saragrahi Vaishnava

2007-11-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Alas for those who spend their days
In festive mirth and joy.
The dazzling, deadly, liquid forms
Their hearts fore'er employ.

The shining bottles charm their eyes
And draw their heart's embrace;
The slaves of wine can never rise
From what we call disgrace.

Was man intended to be
A brute in work and heart?
Should man, the Lord of all around,
From common sense depart?

Man's glory is in common sense
Dictating us the grace,
That man is made to live and love
The beauteous Heaven's embrace.

The flesh is not our own alas;
The mortal frame a chain;
The soul confined for former wrongs
Should try to rise again.

Why then this childish play in that
Which cannot be our own;
Which falls within a hundred years
As if a rose ablown.

Our life is but a rosy hue
To go ere long for naught;
The soul alone would last fore'er
With good or evil fraught.

How deep the thought of times to be!
How grave the aspect looks!
And wrapt in awe become, O, we,
When reading Nature's books.

Man's life to him a problem dark -
A screen both left and right;
No soul hath come to tell us what
Exists beyond our sight.

But then a voice, how deep and soft;
Within ourselves is left;
Man! Man! Thou art immortal soul!
Thee Death can never melt.

For Thee Thy Sire on High has kept
A store of bliss above,
To end of time, thou art Oh! His -
Who wants but purest love.

O Love! Thy power and spell benign
Now melt my soul to God;
How can my earthly words describe
That feeling soft and broad.

Enjoyment, sorrow - what but lots
To which the flesh is heir?
The soul that sleeps alone concludes
In them it hath a share.

And then, my friends, no more enjoy
Nor weep for all below;
The women, wine, and flesh of beasts
No love on thee bestow.

But thine to love thy brother man
And give thyself to God,
And God doth know your wages fair -
This fact is true and broad.

Forget the past that sleeps and ne'er
The future dream at all
But act in times that are with thee
And progress thee shall call.

But tell me not in reasoning cold,
The soul is made alone
By earth's mechanic lifeless rules
And to destruction prone.

My God who gave us life and all
Alone the soul can kill
Or give it all the joys above
His promise to fulfill.

So push thy onward march, O soul,
Against an evil deed
That stands with soldiers Hate and Lust -
A hero be indeed.

Maintain thy post in spirit world
As firmly as you can
Let never matter push thee down -
O stand heroic man.

O Sharagrahi Vaishnava soul
Thou art an angel fair;
Lead, lead me on to Vrindaban
And spirit's power declare.

There rests my soul from matter free
Upon my Lover's arms
Eternal peace and spirits love
Are all my chanting charms

How I came to Krishna Consciousness...

2007-11-16T10:11:00.001-08:00

Recently I've been writing to a lot of new friends on MySpace and Facebook and what invariably comes up in the discussion is this: How did you first come into contact with Krishna, with devotees, with Krishna consciousness?

I'm always fascinated to find out how people come back to Krishna and become attracted to take up devotional service again. What was it about ISKCON / and Krishna, that attracted you and made you stay attracted?

Personally, I was brought into Krishna consciousness by my mother, when I was six years old. She had been a yoga teacher and one of her students had obtained a random second canto of Srila Prabhupada's translations and purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam, in German, in a small village in southern Germany. The student didn't know what to think about the Bhagavatam, and gave it to his teacher, my mother, who read it from cover to cover, broke into tears, and called the temple and said "how can I join?" I still remember her lying on the living room couch, reading the Bhagavatam, and crying, and I was like "Why are you crying mom?" And she said "I have found what I was looking for all of my life."

So we stayed on in our little village in southern Germany for a couple of years more, and I went to first and second grade public school. When I was 8, we moved to Vrindavan, India, where I attended the Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula ("Ashrama" boarding school). Looking back at those days, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to live and study in Vrindavan at such a young age, and it has left a life-long impressing on me.

When I was 10, we moved to France, to the ISKCON farm community at New Mayapura, where I again attended the gurukula "ashram" boarding school. I stayed there for four years, and again have many fond memories of growing up among devotees, festivals, kirtanas, the deities there...

At 13, my mother passed away suddenly, and both myself and my brother were left orphans of the gurukula - the headmistress adopted us as her sons for a couple of years. When I was 15, my non-devotee father came to pick us up - custody had transfered over to him and he wanted to do the right thing and try to be a dad for us after all these years (he had divorced my mom when I was 3 and I had hardly seen him in the meantime.)

So at 15 I moved to Germany again, attended public middle school (what a change!), and struggled there for three years until I was 18.

At that time, we had a gurukula reunion at New Mayapura, and after three years of being away from devotees of Krishna, I had a very strong and lasting realization. I wanted to be a devotee of Krishna. I did not have much in common with my public school friends and with their career goals (becoming famous, wealthy, powerful, whatever...) The devotee youth at the gurukula reunion were my family. This is who I wanted to be with and live with and be around.

So shortly thereafter, at 18, I moved out and and back into a temple situation. I moved to England, and served with some devotees at a small preaching center in Romford, and later at Bhaktivedanta Manor in the Gurukula school there. Around that time I started a newsletter for ISKCON youth / gurukula alumni called "What's Up?" - in order to keep in touch and encourage communication among the devotee youth I had grown up with, and their friends and siblings.

This was in the days before Internet, before e-mail.

At age 20, I moved to Los Angeles and, with a team of wonderful people, helped with an international youth newsletter called AS IT IS, and later, SPIRIT NOT THIS BODY. There, I lived at the Los Angeles temple, helped run a "Vaishnava Youth Ashram" out of my apartment, and was somehow involved in helping to start ISKCON Youth Ministry and the Harinama Sankirtana Bus Tours (currently Krishna Culture Festival Tours.) That was back in 1995.

Today, my wife Jaya Radhe and I serve, work, and live in the New Raman Reti devotee community in Alachua, Florida. I'm still very active in promoting youth ministry work in ISKCON, trying to encourage the next generation of young people like yourself to organize and systematically create youth programs to inspire yourself and others in Krishna consciousness, and to go out there into the world and spread this enthusiasm to others. Give others the Holy Names, association of devotees, and prasadam.

So dear friends, kindly let me know how I can serve you. How can we inspire the youth in your community to get together more often, have bhajans to sing the Holy Names together, and start doing more inspiring, Krishna conscious, Krishna centered activities together?

Email me at youth at Krishna {dot} com

(oh the spammers... you should be able to decipher the email address from that, right?)

Your aspiring servant,

Manu dasa

volunteer at ISKCON Youth Ministry

My dream of being a famous rock musician...

2007-11-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm also a rock musician at heart - like many of you.

I've always idolized the fame that rock musicians enjoy, and have been tempted by the thought that "we could do so much preaching if we had famous devotee bands."

All you have to do is look around MySpace at the profiles of our siblings and you'll see just how attractive non-devotional music is - Maya is beatiful.

I play drums (trap set), keyboard / piano and harmonium and mridanga. As I get more and more into kirtana and japa in my life I have been losing my taste for playing drums (which invariably means listening to other famous non-devotee drummers and their music in order to learn.)

To the horror of any budding rock musicians among devotee youth reading this right now, I am slowly losing my taste for rock music - losing my taste for rehearsing with my fellow devotee rock musicians - as I see the need for kirtana in its simple form with traditional mridanga and kartals in the world.

In North America, there's a huge surge in the popularity of Kirtana. Yoga studios from New York City to San Francisco to Mexico City to Guatemala City are craving kirtana - not with western instruments - but with traditional instruments. On stage at Ratha-yatra festivals (and my life is putting on those festivals every summer for the past 12 years) when we have a rocking kirtan with traditional instruments and everyone dressed in saris and dhotis, we attract a crowd. Thousands of other musicians are so much better at rock music. I am waking up to the realization, slowly but surely, that what is unique, what we have to offer to the world, is sweet, traditional kirtana. We should be famous for having the best kirtana in the world. When people want kirtana, and they want the best kirtana, they should know to come looking for devotees of Sri Krishna, who is the object of Kirtana.

Anyhow, there are plenty of devotee bands who are preaching with rock music. But it's a long and tiring road to fame. (Dhira in Spain, Shelter in NYC - off and on) You may or may not become famous. In the meantime, while you wait for fame and fortune, you can walk the parallel track and hang out with the humble servants of the most famous and wealthiest person in the universe... Hang with the sadhus while you wait for material fame, and just put on a dhoti, tilak, and take a mridanga and kirtana party into any street and you're engaged in the Yuga Dharma, Harinama Sankirtana, the eternal occupation of all servants and lovers of Krishna. Sit under any tree and chant Hare Krishna sincerely and Krishna will send so many people to join in the chanting :-)

Yes, yes... so many devotees have desires to preach to the world through rock music. That is fine. It is also good. (At least let me rationalize it in this way - even though I am telling you I'm losing attraction to this type of music by the minute, as I get more and more attracted to kirtana.)

So I try to figure out what it is about kirtana that is so different, so unique, and so much more attractive. Here are my thoughts so far. You can probably add more.

Ultimately we strive to present ourselves in such a way that is genuinely attractive to Krishna, so that Krishna will take up residence in our heart.

We strive to perform activities that are attractive to the demigods and pure devotees, and attractive, in their pure form, to all living entities. After all, whatever we do is also a form of association for our self, our mind, and those who hang out with us. So presenting Krishna consciousness in the mode of shuddha sattva, pure transcendental goodness, and to bring it back to the topic, sincere devotional kirtana in the way Krishna and His devotees like Srila Prabhupada and all the previous acharyas like to do it, is most powerful.

You want people who will be attracted to music and activities and spiritual culture in the mode of shuddha sattva - pure devotional activity meant for pleasing Krishna and which is beyond the laws of karma, beyond even the mode of goodness. You don't want to mislead people to think that we are promoters of death metal, thrash, trash, punk, and its associated cultures in other modes of nature. So look at the culture that goes along with the types of music you play, and meditate on the whole package that you want people to become attracted to. What is unique about the Krishna conscious culture that we can offer people? What is the ultimate culture we would like people to live by? Once they become devotees, lovers of Krishna, what kind of music will they be hearing every morning and evening at the temple? What kind of bhajans should they become attracted to?

Devotees in the early days of the Hare Krishna movement once asked Srila Prabhupada about this, about whether or not they should play rock music on stage at the Ratha-yatra festivals... and his answer was interesting. "They will be attracted initially, but they will not stay." Because they will be attracted to the rock music, not to the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name.

In my quest for answers, I look to books like Harinama Chintamani by Bhaktivinode Thakura.

Bhaktivinode Thakur gives specific instructions for how to present kirtana to the public ("with khol and kartalas.") Even at his time there were so many other groups doing popular kirtana with other instruments. So attempting to faithfully follow in the footsteps of the previous acharyas, I am personally having to renounce my taste for rock and roll, my desire to become a famous drummer (like Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl or other famous drummers)... and simply transform that desire and play the brihad mridanga of Harinama Sankirtana, book distribution, of Harinama Sankirtana in the sense of singing the Holy Names in public, in the street (following in the footsteps of the most merciful incarnation of Krishna, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu), or on Krishna.com by promoting Krishna Kirtana, Japa, Bhajans, and chatting with visitors about Krishna via live help, instant messaging.

Krishna is the most beautiful, the most wealthy, the most famous, the most knowledgable, the most powerful, and the most renounced.

Whatever music would please him the most is what I should like to play for him. After all, it would seem, that love means to serve Krishna and try to please Him and fulfill His wishes. So, if Krishna was sitting in the room with me right now, what music do I think would please Him the most? That's a difficult question - because Krishna is so kind he would probably say play rock music with devotion and that's fine. But in the spiritual world, what music do I feel in my heart that the devotees are playing for Krishna? What music would please Srila Prabhupada and the other devotees the most?

I fall at your feet and beg your forgiveness for speaking such words that are probably discouraging you right now from pursuing your passions. I know I have so little time in this world and I am becoming more and more weary of activities that distract me from pursuing Krishna consciousness, and from sharing it with others in some way to repay my debt to those who gave me this gift... And so I share with you here my personal realizations about how and why I'm losing all taste for rock and roll music, even devotionally themed. (Try as I might, it no longer does the same thing for me as a sweet kirtana or bhajana with mridanga and kartals. I've gone over to the bright side. Kirtaniyas, you've finally done it to me. :-)

Career Choices: College degree to become a lover of the Lord?

2007-11-16T09:06:00.000-08:00

I've spent some years teaching career guidance classes at gurukulas. The subject of career guidance is one dear to the heart of anyone concerned about the future of the children in the Hare Krishna Movement.

I am torn these days about recommending that people stay in University when they have a current, burning desire to get more serious about their Krishna consciousness. I have seen at least three generations of youth now fall for this trap--so many hundreds of my friends, brothers, sisters... all similarly enthusiastic when they were 18--that they will get serious just as soon as they finish their schooling, settle down, get a job, get married... It doesn't seem to work. For most people the prolonged association with people interested primarily in sense gratification and material advancement seems to rub off and before you know it, by your choice of association, friends, and environment, you're floating waaaaay out there in material desire-land and are unable to find your way back to desiring the service and association of devotees of Krishna. So don't let that happen to you, please. (Sure, you say, I am strong. I can resist Maya's urges... Uh hmmm.)

I know H.H. Radhanatha Swami encourages new bhaktas to finish their university degree before he allows them to move into the ISKCON temple in Chowpatty... but I think for gurukulis and youth who have grown up in the movement, it is detrimental if we are not very, very vigilant to maintain our strength and spiritual life while out there in the world of people who are literally looking for happiness in ALL OF THE WRONG PLACES. You will be influenced by the association you keep.

Personally, I dropped out of school when I was 18 and moved back into the temple and have never regretted it. Not that I would ever recommend this to most people - only to those who already know that they just want to dedicate their life to Krishna (yes, to you I say quit the school of material life now and go for it, just do it, just surrender your life to Krishna and He is the most wealthy person in the universe, He will surely maintain you.)

Through my services at temples, at devotee businesses, at ISKCON Youth Ministry, I've learned so many real-world job skills that when I went to go and work at a karmi job for two years (some years ago), I had a resume that was better than any they'd seen in years and I got hired on the spot. We're getting to a point in ISKCON where there are plenty of devotee enterprises you can work for if getting rich is not your priority, and devotee association and service is your primary benefit and desire (BBT, Krishna.com, any ISKCON temple, ISKCON prasadam businesses, ISKCON restaurants, Festival Tours, etc.)

I am beginning to think that the career choices of so many young people today is nothing but another trick of Maya to keep you away from Krishna. Just like chanting japa... your mind will come up with so many excuses of why not to do it... and why to stop chanting. So collectively, our minds have come up with so many excuses of why not to give the best years of our lives to Krishna. "First we should get our college degree, and a good job, and then settle down, have kids, and then, sometime when we're 60 and the kids are out of the house and we're sufficiently tired of material life, at that time we'll think about doing some meaningful service in ISKCON."

That is the trap I see most of my peers, most of my younger siblings, brothers and sisters, falling into. The "chasing after Laksmi instead of Krishna" trap.

I wish they would have an epiphany and get firm faith by the association of sincere devotees... to please chase after Krishna - become a servant of the servant of Krishna - and Laksmi devi will follow.

Give the best years of your life to Krishna, now, when you're young, when your body is healthy, when you have life, enthusiasm, idealism... (because that idealism fades as you get jaded by the harsh nature of this world.)

Ask any army recruiter and he / she will tell you the same. Serve in the Army while you're finishing college, not after :-) They know exactly when the best time for service to God and country and freedom and justice is for young people.

I have so many kirtaniya friends who would love to travel and preach on a bus tour, but won't. Their excuses range from school to work to other responsibilities. Ultimately, the mind will come up with a million reasons why not to. Jaya Radhe and I work hard nine months out of the year in order to travel and preach as best we can for three months. Nobody is saying to be lazy for Krishna. (And I only bring this up in humility to show that I'm not promoting laziness.)

Do we offer a flower to Krishna when it is in its prime, just fresh, full of life and fragrance? Or do we wait until it is old and wrinkled?

So dear friend, offer your life to Krishna while you are in your prime, not when you're old and tired and worn out and don't have the physical stamina to travel and preach. You can always go back to university. (See the older devotees.) There are a million university graduates, but only one person like you, enthusiastic to share Krishna consciousness with others.

Sorry for preaching so strongly. I see tremendous potential within each of you. And you can put that to good use and spread Krishna consciousness now, while you're young and able. (See what the older devotees were able to do when they were 18, 19, 20, 21.... before they settled down and had kids.)

To look at it from another perspective, over the years I've worked with several aspiring youth ministers. Before they got married, they were very enthusiastic to organize youth ministry programs in their region. They did so for about a year or two. Then spouse and child came into their life, and I haven't heard from any of them since. Life has a way of getting to you before you know it and you're stuck for 20 - 30 years before you can again afford to reach out to anyone outside of your own immediate family and spread the Holy Name around, keeping only Krishna as your father, mother, protector, shelter, husband, wife, child...

So do what you want to do for Krishna and for Srila Prabhupada and for his sincere disciples, our parents, godfathers, gurus... before you find that girl friend or boy friend, settle down, get married, and have kids. Because it will take a great rajarshi to do all that and still travel and preach vigorously. There are spiritual warriors, and there are spiritual warriors. To take up Krishna consciousness fully and spread it to others is the most glories occupation - in the three worlds.

For any of you who are thinking about dedicating your life to preaching, Radhadesh Bhaktivedanta College is a great option, and gives you college credits.

Whatever time you've put into University / College up to this point will never be lost. You can always go back to that. Who knows where you'll be in two years time with your enthusiasm and commitment to Krishna consciousness? Don't take that risk. Immerse yourself now :-) Give the next four years to Krishna! (Then settle down and do whatever else you must.)

Again, sorry for being so strong in my words. I may be making a great offense to you and obviously Krishna has a plan for you... but my gut feeling is that Krishna is your servant. He lovingly carries out your plan for yourself and doesn't impose His love on yours. If you sincerely love Krishna and want to please Him, then do so. Nothing is holding you back. Not school. Not work. Not friends. Just do it. (He's there in your heart facilitating your every desire. He'll happily facilitate your desire to be a spiritual warrior for Him.)

And if there were a college where you could get a degree to become a lover of the Lord, I'd recommend it to you with full heart and conviction. Seems, at this point, that is what the school of life is all about, and the sooner you start living, the better.

The below poem by our great-grandfather spiritual master, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, is not as much about death as it is an instruction how to live our lives.

He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die
While thou art living still in sound.
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the Holy Name around.

- Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur