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By Suresvara Prabhu

When I grew up in Krishna consciousness—in the 1970s—we were very sympathetic to the Vaiṣṇavas in the former Soviet Union. After all, they were persecuted, jailed, and tortured by the KGB. Yet, they remained seemingly indomitable and could not be broken. We would hear their stories and think, “Wow, this is amazing.”

In 1991, however, the Soviet Union disbanded, and we soon received word that the first group of Russian devotees would come to India.

Keshava Maharaj was one of the Vaiṣṇavas who greeted them in Kolkata when they first arrived. He told me a touching story:

“When the devotees from the Soviet Union came, we offered them a big feast. I sat next to one humble soul. He looked at his plate and picked up a piece of papaya in his hand and raised it up. He turned to me and asked, ‘A fruit?’ I nodded. He bit into it and cried. He had never seen a papaya in the Soviet Union. He never tasted anything so wonderful. I was shocked that his previous existence was so seemingly deprived.”

When the first contingent of devotees from the former Soviet Union visited Vṛndāvana, where I was living, we met them at Bhaktivedanta Gate on Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg and ushered them into the temple for darśana. We honored and glorified them. As they approached the front entrance to the temple, we showered them with rose petals from above.

Śivarāma Swami and B.B. Govinda Swami were especially eager to honor them. Govinda Swami, a gourmet Hare Krishna cook among his many talents, made them an amazing feast, which they served in Tamal Krishna Goswami’s house.

Their plan was to honor these devotees for their sacrifice. And while it may sound strange when I describe it, their plan represents how much we revered their courage and the suffering they underwent to spread the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Their plan was as follows: the two Maharajas would serve them so much prasāda that their plates would be piled with remnants. They also placed sand in front of the doorway so that when the Russian devotees left, the dust of their lotus feet would mix with that sand. After the Russian devotees departed, they would eat their remnants—and bathe in the dust of their lotus feet. And they did.

As for me, I was housing arguably the most persecuted and toughest of the Russian devotees: three Armenian brothers—Syamasundar Dāsa, Kamala, and another whose name I forget. One of them, Sarvabhauma, wrote the book Salted Bread.

After the feast at Tamal Krishna’s house, Syamasundar, who had been tortured in prison, started to complain to me. He was disturbed when he found out that the Maharajas had eaten their remnants and bathed in the dust of their feet. In general, the high level of respect he received since coming to India upset him.

In broken English with a heavy Russian accent, he expressed his feelings:

“I think it even more dangerous here than in prison. In prison, they can only harm your body, but here, with all this worship, they can kill your bhakti.”

Just as he was griping about the worship he was enduring, Kamala—very tall and imposing—was walking by. He overheard what his brother was saying, stopped, turned his head to me, and in a very heavy tone commented:

“Queen Kunti was right.”

For those unfamiliar with that reference, he was alluding to the famous statement by Queen Kunti, who lamented Krishna’s imminent departure at the end of the Mahābhārata war. She prayed:

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

We genuinely feel closer to God in times of tragedy—but how many of us value God’s presence and shelter to that degree?

Dear Lord Śrī Krishna, I pray that one day I can value Your presence in my life so much that I too may proclaim, “Queen Kunti was right.”

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115718

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By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

The ISKCON History Archive Project, led by Lokarama Das, is an initiative endeavoring to collect memories and build an archive about ISKCON’s history following Srila Prabhupada’s departure in 1977, which has remained largely undocumented.

While the early years of the movement, under Srila Prabhupada’s leadership, have been well-documented by multiple books, including the multi-volume Prabhupada Lilamrita, the decades that followed were not, explained Lokarama. His mission is to capture the voices, experiences, and sacrifices of the countless devotees who carried the torch of Krishna consciousness in those crucial years.

In January 2024, Lokarama launched the ISKCON History Archive Project in Mayapur, where he lives with his family and serves as an editor for the BBT Sanskrit Translation Department. “It’s a good place for this kind of project because there are a lot of devotees here, and it’s easier to meet devotees and get connected with others all over the world.”

The project’s core idea is to conduct interviews with devotees who actively served ISKCON in the late 1970s through the 1990s. These oral histories are being compiled in audio, video, and written formats, ensuring the preservation of the facts and the heartfelt devotion behind them. “The goal is to interview as many devotees as possible and create an online archive so that these interviews will be available to the public,” Lokarama shared. “And then eventually try to write a book or a series of books on the history of ISKCON after 1977.” The stories range from major preaching efforts and temple acquisitions to deeply personal journeys filled with both challenges and triumphs.

The response from the devotee community has been overwhelmingly positive. During the recent ISKCON Leadership Sanga (ILS) in Mayapur, many expressed support and eagerness to help. “Many were inspired to go back to their yatra and do more interviews with local devotees,” he said. “Kalakantha Prabhu from Gainesville at the Krishna House project said he was planning to interview a few of his godbrothers and godsisters in the area.” These initial responses are the seedlings of what Lokarama hopes will grow into a global grassroots movement.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/preserving-the-past-the-iskcon-history-archive-project/

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We shall discuss the conversation between Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ramananda-samvada, recorded in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya.”

TEXT 1

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
  sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
  taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in devotional service. He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya, who may be likened to a cloud of devotional service. This cloud was filled with the water of all the conclusive purports of devotional service and was empowered by the ocean to spread this water over the sea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Thus the ocean of Caitanya Mahaprabhu became filled with the jewels of the knowledge of pure devotional service.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

According to revealed scriptures, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, the origin of all knowledge—perfect knowledge. Here, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the ocean of knowledge of the conclusive purports of devotional service, is taking the part of a student and asking questions, and He has empowered Sri Ramananda Raya to give perfect answers. Thus, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is compared to an ocean and Ramananda Raya to a cloud that draws water from the ocean and then showers the water upon the ocean as rain.

 TEXT 243

anyonye mili’ dunhe nibhrte vasiya
prasnottara-gosthi kahe anandita hana

TRANSLATION

Thus they met time and time again, sitting in a secluded place and jubilantly discussing devotional service by the question-and-answer process.

TEXT 244

prabhu puche, ramananda karena uttara
ei mata sei ratre katha paraspara

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the questions, and Sri Ramananda Raya gave the answers. In this way they were engaged in discussion throughout the night.

TEXT 245

prabhu kahe,—“kon vidya vidya-madhye sara?”
raya kahe,—“krsna-bhakti vina vidya nahi ara”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Texts 245 to 257 are all questions and answers between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. In these exchanges there is an attempt to show the difference between material and spiritual existence. Education in Krsna consciousness is always transcendental and is the best of all forms of education. Material education aims at increasing the activities of material sense gratification. Beyond material sense gratification is another negative form of knowledge called brahma-vidya, or impersonal transcendental knowledge. But beyond that brahma-vidya, or knowledge of the impersonal Brahman, is knowledge of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Visnu. This knowledge is higher. And still higher is devotional service to Lord Krsna, which is the topmost form of education. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.49), tat karma hari-tosam yat sa vidya tan-matir yaya: “Work meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord is the best, and education that enhances one’s Krsna consciousness is the best.”

Also, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23–24):

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
  smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
  sakhyam atma-nivedanam

 iti pumsarpita visnau
  bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
  tan manye ’dhitam uttamam

This is a statement given by Prahlada Maharaja in answer to a question raised by his father. Prahlada Maharaja said, “To hear or chant about Lord Visnu, to remember Him, to serve His lotus feet, to worship Him, to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection.”

COMMENT

This is the first in the series of questions and answers, and it seems appropriate in this environment of education, but as Srila Prabhupada says at the beginning of the purport, these questions and answers are meant to highlight the difference between the material and the spiritual. Material existence begins from the basic misconception that “I am the body and everything in relation to the body is mine.” More or less everyone is in this bodily concept of life. They identify with the body and are deeply attached to things related to the body. And because they identify with the body, they think the goal of life is to give pleasure to the senses of the body. Whatever they do is more or less for the sake of the body.

Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if you are performing a mathematical calculation and you make a mistake in the first step, then even if you perform all the other steps perfectly, you will likely stray further and further away from the actual answer or solution. If we begin from the mistaken premise that “I am the body,” even if everything else we do is perfect in terms of the body, because we made the most fundamental error in the very first step, we will end up further and further away from the actual goal.

The body itself is full of miseries. As soon as we accept a material body, we accept the miseries of birth, death, old age, disease (janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi), and so many others (tapa-traya). Everyone wants relief from these miseries, but as long as they are in the body—in the bodily concept of life—although they may adopt some measures that may give some temporary relief, ultimately they cannot escape the miseries of material existence, and often the remedies they accept are more troublesome than the troubles they are meant to address.

That is the basic situation in material life, but because of maya, people are not aware of their actual position. Maya has two potencies: one throws us down, and the other covers us. Because we are covered, we think we are happy, even though any sane or sober person can see that we are not, that we are always subjected to various types of miseries. But because of the covering potency of maya, we think we are happy. Of course, things are getting so bad that it is becoming harder and harder to maintain the illusion of happiness, but even then, if you ask, “How are you doing?” most people will say, “Fine.”

Srila Prabhupada gives the example of a patient in a hospital. The patient has suffered a severe trauma and has tubes attached all over his body; his arm is in a cast, his leg is in traction, and he has contraptions around him to counteract the suffering. But if you ask him how he is, he will say, “I’m okay; I’m doing good.”

That is our position, and when one becomes a little sober and actually realizes his or her position, he or she will try to make a solution, to get out of the material miseries, the bondage of material existence. He or she will inquire, as Sanatana Gosvami inquired of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ke ami, kene amaya jare tapa-traya?—“Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? How can I get relief?” That is the beginning of human intelligence. Until we make such inquiry, we are engaged just like animals—eating, sleeping, enjoying sense gratification, and arranging for shelter and defense. When one actually inquires, as Sanatana Gosvami did of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one is considered to be a human being.

In answer to the question “Who am I?” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’: “The constitutional position of the living entity is to be an eternal servant of Krishna.” Krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’ means that we are servants of Krishna even after liberation.

Between the karmis, who work to earn money and spend it for gross and subtle enjoyment, and the bhaktas, who understand that they are eternal servants of Krishna and engage in devotional service—in between the karmis and the bhaktas are the jnanis. Because the jnanis recognize the miseries of material existence and want to escape them, they are more elevated than the karmis, but because they do not have knowledge of Krishna or of the living entity as the eternal servant of Krishna, their approach is negative. They think, “I am an individual and am suffering, so if I give up being an individual, I won’t have to suffer. I have desires and by pursuing them I suffer, so I will give up desire. I have thoughts and my thoughts lead to misery, so I will give up thinking. I have feeling and my feeling leads to misery, so I will give up feeling.” They want to negate their individual existence—no more feeling, no more thinking, no more desiring, no more working—and to merge and become one with God.

Ultimately, the principle is the same. The karmis want to become the chief (just like now there is so much competition to see who will become the president), and the jnanis, the impersonalists, also want to become the chief—by merging and becoming one with the Supreme. But the real solution is to become the servant of the Supreme (jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’). That is real knowledge. Therefore Sri Ramananda Raya says that other than knowledge of devotional service, which is the constitutional activity of the living entity, there is no real knowledge. The rest is illusion. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that material education makes one more and more foolish, because it is based on the body. To identify with the body is foolish, and mundane education, which reinforces the bodily concept of life and ultimately teaches one how to earn money and enjoy the body, makes one more foolish. The only real knowledge is knowledge of devotional service.

Before I met Srila Prabhupada and the devotees, I had been seeking. And when I met Prabhupada, I understood that he was the teacher for whom I was searching. And I surrendered to him. Without surrender, one cannot get knowledge. We see in the Bhagavad-gita that it was only after Arjuna surrendered that Krishna began to instruct him. Arjuna said,

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
  prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
  sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

“Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Gita 2.7)

Krishna immediately assumed the position of teacher and chastised His disciple:

asocyan anvasocas tvam
  prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
  nanusocanti panditah

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.” (Gita 2.11)

First is surrender. Without surrendering to an authority, a spiritual master, one cannot get transcendental knowledge.

tad viddhi pranipatena
  pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
  jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“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.” (Gita 4.34) Pranipatena means “by offering obeisances”—by surrendering.

So, I surrendered to Srila Prabhupada, and after serving in the Boston temple for some months, I got a letter from him: “I enclose a letter from your father, which will speak for itself. From this letter it appears that you are a good scholar with a good background in your education. So if you wish to make further progress in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna consciousness movement.” He continued, “You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice. Of course, our Krishna consciousness movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity.” Srila Prabhupada used the word divinity. Religious studies had not really begun or become very popular yet, but there were schools of divinity. Finally, he concluded, “I like the idea that you should make a thorough study of all theological schools, and in the future if you can explain our Krishna consciousness movement as the post-graduate presentation of all theological theses, it will be a great accomplishment.”

When I received the letter, I was unsure how to proceed. I did not want to go back to the university, but I knew that the order of the spiritual master was the first and highest consideration. Still, I wasn’t sure if Srila Prabhupada was giving me an order or just offering an option. I consulted my temple president, and he also couldn’t say. So, we concluded that I should write and ask Prabhupada directly. I wrote, “If you are instructing me to pursue my studies, then I will gladly do whatever you say, but if you are giving me the choice, then I would rather stay in the temple with the devotees and worship the Deities and go out for sankirtana.” A week later I heard back. “Yes,” Prabhupada wrote, “there is no need of any further education. . . . When Lord Chaitanya was discussing with Ramananda Raya who is the best-educated man, the answer was that a person who is Krishna conscious is the topmost educated man. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja stated before his father that one who has taken to Krishna consciousness is the best-educated man. I think therefore that in all circumstances you should steadfastly continue your Krishna conscious engagement, rather than joining any more universities.”

Now we shall proceed to the next question and answer.

TEXT 246

“kirti-gana-madhye jivera kon bada kirti?”
“krsna-bhakta baliya yanhara haya khyati”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna enjoys the utmost fame and glory.”

PURPORT

The greatest reputation a living being can have is to be a devotee of Krsna and to act in Krsna consciousness. In the material world everyone is trying to be famous by accumulating a large bank balance or material opulence. There is a steady competition among karmis attempting to advance in a wealthy society. The whole world is turning in accordance with that competitive mood. But this kind of name and fame is temporary, for it lasts only as long as the temporary material body exists.

COMMENT

It may not even last that long. For years, Bill Gates was reputed to be the richest person in the world, and then one year it was announced that the owner of Ikea was the richest. Then there was a whole confusion—was he or wasn’t he? After a few days, the statement was retracted: “Actually, much of his wealth is in the names of trusts; it is not his.” So, Bill Gates was back on top. Then there was a controversy over which was the tallest building in the world. For years it was the Sears Tower in Chicago. Then someone built one in Kuala Lumpur that, with its tower on top, was higher. In Chicago they continued to advertise the Sears Tower as the tallest building in the world, though, because they did not count the tower on the other building. And in Kuala Lumpur they advertised their building as the tallest in the world. There is always competition for reputation.

People want to be famous. Movies stars, sports heroes, rich people—all are famous. But the fame attached to being rich or glamorous lasts only as long as the body.

One of the founders of industry in the United States was Henry Ford, and he became one of the richest men in the world. Later, his great grandson Alfred Ford came to meet Srila Prabhupada. And the first thing Prabhupada said was, “So, you are the grandson of Henry Ford?” “Yes.” “And where is Henry Ford now?” Prabhupada’s statement immediately took the young man off the bodily platform. Yes, where is he now? That’s a good question. Is he an ant or a worm in stool? We don’t know where he is now.

At best, one’s fame will last only as long as one’s body. And then we don’t know where we will go or what we will be. We are under the stringent laws of material nature.

purusah prakrti-stho hi
  bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan
karanam guna-sango ’sya
  sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Gita 13.22)

Srila Prabhupada remarked that people are worrying whether their children and grandchildren will have gas to drive their cars, but parents are not thinking that they may become cockroaches in the back seat of the car. The son may be driving a big car while the father is in the back in the body of a cockroach. The fame that is attached to the body is short-lived—very short-lived. At most it lasts as long as the body, and often not that long.

Therefore Ramananda Raya says that one who is reputed as a devotee enjoys the utmost fame.

PURPORT (continued)

One may become famous as a brahma-jnani, an impersonalist scholar, or one may become a materially opulent person. In either case, such reputations are inferior to the reputation of Krsna’s devotee. In the Garuda Purana it is said:

kalau bhagavatam nama
  durlabham naiva labhyate
brahma-rudra-padotkrstam
  guruna kathitam mama

“In this Age of Kali, the fame of one who is known as a great devotee is very rare. However, such a position is superior to that of the great demigods like Brahma and Mahadeva. This is the opinion of all spiritual masters.” . . .

The Garuda Purana similarly states:

brahmananam sahasrebhyah
  satra-yaji visisyate
satra-yaji-sahasrebhyah
  sarva-vedanta-paragah

 sarva-vedanta-vit-kotya
  visnu-bhakto visisyate
vaisnavanam sahasrebhya
  ekanty eko visisyate

“It is said that out of thousands of brahmanas, one is qualified to perform sacrifices, and out of many thousands of such qualified brahmanas expert in sacrificial offerings, one learned brahmana may have passed beyond all Vedic knowledge. He is considered the best among all these brahmanas. And yet, out of thousands of such brahmanas who have surpassed Vedic knowledge, one person may be a visnu-bhakta, and he is most famous. Out of many thousands of such Vaisnavas, one who is completely fixed in the service of Lord Krsna is most famous. Indeed, a person who is completely devoted to the service of the Lord certainly returns home, back to Godhead.”

COMMENT

Because we identify with the body, we identify ourselves as residents of the planet Earth. But actually, we are not the body. We are spirit souls, meant to get out of this material world and return to our real home with Krishna. But we identify with the body and consider the Earth—or the United States, or California, or Los Angeles, or this neighborhood or street—to be our home. And we worry what the people think of us. Sometimes we don’t want to be too open about being devotees, because we don’t know what people will think of us or how what they think might affect our material advancement or the congeniality of our social interactions. So, we are very careful about how we present ourselves, so that people think we are okay, that we are like them, not different.

But the total population of living entities is so much greater than the population in our neighborhood or city or state or country or even planet. There are living entities—people—everywhere. And most of them are in the spiritual world. The whole material creation is just one fourth (ekamsa) of the kingdom of God. This one fourth is the prison house. We are the prisoners, and we are desperately trying to impress the other prisoners so they will think that we are like them. “We are as criminal as you are. We are as ignorant as you are. Don’t think we are any different from you.” We want to fit into that society. We are not thinking of the real population, the liberated souls who are outside the prison, that they are the people whom we should really be trying to impress—not the criminals, the fools and rascals.

The fame of a devotee goes beyond this planet. Narottama dasa Thakura glorifies the spiritual master—that his fame is spread throughout the three worlds (ebe yasa ghusuk tri-bhuvana). That is real fame. It is not dependent on the body or on the recognition of ignorant fools. And it extends beyond the material world to the spiritual planets, to the Lord and the pure souls who live with Him. “But what about the famous people here?” one may question. “The political leaders and intellectual giants—what about them? They are famous.” The Bhagavatam says that people who are not God conscious are like bigger animals that are praised by smaller animals. Such a statement might sound harsh, but if you identify with the body, you are an animal.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
  sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
  janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

“One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile, and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships, or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.” (SB 10.84.13)

Srila Prabhupada used to say that if a dog is thinking, “I am a bulldog,” and if a man is thinking, “I am a British man,” what is the difference? Both are on the bodily platform. So, the famous people of this world, who are praised in this world, if they have no spiritual consciousness, are nothing more than bigger animals being praised by smaller animals.

sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih
  samstutah purusah pasuh
na yat-karna-pathopeto
  jatu nama gadagrajah

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels, and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils.” (SB 2.3.19)

And after all, what is the significance of an animal? The lion is the king of the jungle, and the other animals are afraid of him—“The lion! The lion!” But what does it amount to? It has no significance, being king of the animals in the jungle.

We want to be famous in human society, and actual human society means God-conscious human society. Without religion, without God consciousness, there is no difference between a man and an animal (dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah).

Now we come to the next question and answer.

TEXT 247

“sampattira madhye jivera kon sampatti gani?”
“radha-krsne prema yanra, sei bada dhani”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna is the greatest capitalist.”

PURPORT

Everyone in this material world is attempting to acquire riches to satisfy the senses. Actually no one cares for anything other than acquiring material possessions and maintaining them. The wealthy are generally accepted as the most important personalities in this material world, but when we compare a material man of wealth to one wealthy in devotional service to Radha and Krsna, the latter is found to be the greatest capitalist. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.39.2):

kim alabhyam bhagavati
  prasanne sri-niketane
tathapi tat-para rajan
  na hi vanchanti kincana

“What is difficult for the devotees of Lord Krsna, who is the shelter of the goddess of fortune? Although such devotees can obtain anything, O King, they do not desire anything.”

COMMENT

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura prays,

bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
  daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate ’sman
  dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah

“If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think that liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me—and all material conveniences of dharma [religiosity], artha [economic development], and kama [sense gratification] stand with her.” (Krsna-karnamrta 107)

By engaging in devotional service, devotees are offered every facility, including liberation. Yet they are so satisfied in devotional service that they do not desire anything else—only more service.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, whereas materialists are never satisfied; they always want to increase their material acquisitions. Some decades ago, John Paul Getty was the richest man in the world. A newspaper reporter interviewed him: “You are the richest man in the world. You have everything you could possibly want. Can you give us your philosophy of life in one word?” He said, “Yes—‘More.’” He always wanted more. That means he never had enough. He was always in want.

“You have everything money can buy,” the reporter continued. “When you are alone—when there is no one around—what do you think about?” And he replied, “I think about how to pay the bills.” The same principle—the big animal and the small animals. The small man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the car? How to make the payment on the house?” and the big man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the multi-billion-dollar acquisition.” The consciousness is the same.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, so he is the richest. He has what he wants, whereas others, who always want more, are poor, always in want. The devotee has the treasure of love for Radha and Krishna within his heart, whereas others look for treasures outside of themselves, treasures meager and mundane in comparison.

There is a story about Emperor Akbar. Although a Muslim, he was open to Hindus, and among the Hindus in his court was the great singer Tansen. Akbar thought, “Tansen sings so beautifully, but what about his teacher? I wish I could hear him sing.” Tansen’s teacher was Haridasa, a saintly person who lived in Vrindavan. But he sang only for Krishna; he wouldn’t sing for the king. So the king disguised himself as an ordinary person and accompanied Tansen to Haridasa’s hut. According to one version, when Akbar heard the beauty (both spiritual and material) of Haridasa’s voice, he was overwhelmed and removed a royal pendant that was concealed under his cloth and threw it on the floor in front of Haridasa. Witnessing this, Haridasa knew that Akbar was the emperor.

Akbar wanted to reward Haridasa. “I can never repay you for this,” he said, “yet I want to give you something—whatever you want, whatever is in my power to give.” Haridasa took him a short distance to the Yamuna River and asked him to repair the cracks in the steps of the ghat. The emperor replied, “I could give you anything you want, and you are asking me just to repair some cracks in the steps?” Haridasa said, “Put your face in the water and see what is there.” The emperor put his eyes in the water to look at the steps beneath the surface, but by Haridasa’s mercy he was able to see the actual feature of the Yamuna River and the spiritual Vrindavan. He saw that that ghat was made of cintamani stones, spiritual gems more precious than anything the king had ever seen.

When the king raised his head from the water, he looked at Haridasa and said, “With all the wealth in my treasury, I cannot do what you have asked.”

Our standard of wealth and riches in the material world is so poor. Once, when Srila Prabhupada visited Hong Kong, the devotees arranged to receive him at the airport with a Rolls Royce. At the press conference that followed his arrival, a reporter said, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person. Why are you riding in a Rolls Royce?” In response, Srila Prabhupada cited a verse from the Brahma-samhita (5.29):

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
  laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
  govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, and always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune.” Srila Prabhupada said, “I come from the spiritual world, where everything is made of cintamani gems, which are more precious than gold and diamonds. Even if my disciples had received me in a solid gold car, it would not have been good enough, but because that was the best they could do, I had to accept it.” After Srila Prabhupada related this story to me, he looked at me and remarked, “What else can you say to such people?”

Although what Prabhupada told the reporter was spoken in an ironic way, it illustrates the point that this world of death (martya-loka) is not opulent. Matter is all so gross—even gold, platinum, and diamonds. Diamonds are just coal, compressed coal. All matter is dead. It has no life, and it can never satisfy the soul. Therefore Srila Prabhupada wrote, “One who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Krsna, in the course of his advancement in Krsna consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead, material things. . . . When one is actually Krsna conscious, he automatically loses his taste for pale things.” (Gita 2.59 purport)

Soon after I joined, I wrote Srila Prabhupada about the great gift that he had given us, the gift of Krishna consciousness. And in the same letter about the topmost educated man, he wrote, “I am so pleased to learn that you have taken Krishna consciousness as the most valuable gift. One who can understand this is not an ordinary living entity but is the most fortunate.”

TEXT 248

“duhkha-madhye kona duhkha haya gurutara?”
“krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

mam anaradhya duhkhartah
  kutumbasakta-manasah
sat-sanga-rahito martyo
  vrddha-seva-paricyutah

“A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaisnavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.”

There is also the following statement in the Brhad-bhagavatamrta (1.5.44):

sva-jivanadhikam prarthyam
  sri-visnu-jana-sangatah
vicchedena ksanam catra
  na sukhamsam labhamahe

“Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.”

COMMENT

The real life of the living entity is devotional service—jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa.’ Devotional service can be executed in the association of devotees. Without the association of devotees, there is no happiness, because there is no chance to hear and chant about Krishna. Such a so-called life is worse than death. Therefore Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati prays, kaivalyam narakayate. Kaivalya, merging into the impersonal Brahman, is worse than hell, because at least in hell you can preach—chant and hear the glories of the Lord—whereas in impersonal Brahman there is no devotional service, and there is no happiness. It is worse than hell.

That is the vision of a devotee. His life is devotional service, and he needs the association of devotees; he is addicted to the association of devotees, and if he doesn’t have it, it becomes very painful. As Srila Prabhupada said, “Instead of thinking, ‘Unless I have a drink, I will go mad,’ one should think, ‘Unless I associate with a sadhu, I will go mad.’ When we can think in this way, we will become liberated.” (TLK 24)

Unfortunately, as the verse in the purport says, in the bodily concept of life one who is unduly attached to family is bound to suffer, because in the end family members are bound to be separated. Death will separate us from all our mundane attachments (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham), and even apart from death we may be separated by other circumstances. Therefore we should transfer our attachment to devotees, sadhus.

prasangam ajaram pasam
  atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
  moksa-dvaram apavrtam

“Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.” (SB 3.25.20)

The Lord said, “A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person.” Without the association of devotees, one can neither take to devotional service nor continue in devotional service.

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Cc Madhya 22.83)

Prahlada Maharaja was born in a family of demons, but because he had the association of Narada Muni while he was in the womb, he became a devotee. And he could not live without the association of devotees, so he preached to his demonic classmates and got them to chant and dance and become devotees. Sometimes Prabhupada’s followers go to a new place where there are no devotees, but they cannot stay there unless they make devotees. They just cannot live without devotees.

Today I received a phone call from a devotee in South Africa, Ajita Krishna dasi. She had been living in one of the South African townships, or ghettos, but it became too oppressive for her. She wanted to move to a community of devotees, but it didn’t work out. Then she met a very pious, very good, wealthy lady who owned a large estate in the Knysna forest, which the lady had developed as a resort with many chalets. The lady is originally from England, and as a youth, as she made her way by land and sea to South Africa, she was robbed in Kenya. In desperation, she went to a Catholic church for help, but she was turned away. Then, by chance, she happened upon the Hare Krishna temple in Nairobi and spent three months there. She got the association of devotees, and although she did not become a proper devotee herself, she came to harbor a dream that the chalet at the bottom of her property would one day be used as a Krishna temple. So, when she met Ajita she offered her a place to stay for free. And now Ajita has a perfect situation—all facilities, natural beauty, and no expenses. Wealthy people own and rent houses in Knysna to be near the beautiful beach and forest. But there is one problem: there are no devotees there. Ajita will have to make them—or meet them.

Even I have my own little story. In Mauritius we had a patron, Mr. Gowtum Teelok, who was actually a friend of Srila Prabhupada’s. His family owned sugar plantations, and they held important positions in the government. Mr. Teelok had a second house on the seaside, and he was always inviting me to come and spend time there. So finally I went, with one other devotee. Although it was on the ocean, with a garden with plants and flowers and palm trees, to me it was like a desert. There were no devotees or Deities, so it was dry, like being in a desert. So I stayed for a few hours and then shifted to the temple.

In general, we need the association of devotees, and in particular we may have special relationships with specific advanced devotees—our spiritual masters and perhaps some dear friends. And when we feel separation from some particular devotee, we feel acute pain. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the most advanced devotee, one of the Six Gosvamis, but after Rupa Gosvami left this world, Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he wrote in a poem that Govardhana Hill, which he loved so much, had become like a python, and that Radha-kunda, which he loved as Srimati Radharani, had become like the gaping jaws of a tiger. There was no happiness for him, even in his beloved Govardhana Hill and Sri Radha-kunda.

Narottama dasa Thakura also lamented in separation from Lord Chaitanya and His associates. He wrote that, being unable to bear their separation, he would smash his head against the rock and enter into fire.

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
gauranga gunera nidhi kotha gele pabo

“I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

se-saba sangira sange je koilo bilas
se-sanga na paiya kande narottama das

“Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama dasa simply weeps.” (Prarthana, Saparsada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-vilapa, “Lamentation Due to Separation from the Lord and His Associates,” 4–5)

Such separation cannot be compared to material separation. In time, material separation dulls and one gradually forgets. One may even absorb oneself in other things—another person or some pursuit—to replace or forget the lost loved one. But in devotional service separation is not like that. In devotional service our relationships are based not on the body but on the eternal relation between the soul and the Supreme Soul. The relationships are eternal and continue even after death. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura sings, cakhu-dan dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei: “He who has opened my eyes with transcendental knowledge is my lord birth after birth.” And in service, that separation becomes blissful.

Once Srila Prabhupada established himself in America, he was with the devotees all the time. First he had only one center, in New York City, and there he was always with them. Then some devotees went and opened the second center, in San Francisco, and when Prabhupada went there, it was very hard for the New York devotees, because they were used to seeing him every day. And when Prabhupada went to India, it was even more difficult—for all of them. But he wrote to one disciple, “Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my guru maharaja since 1936, but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss.”

This is the mystery of separation in Krishna consciousness. Although externally there is separation and lamentation, internally there is association and bliss. The real thing is the soul, and association on the spiritual platform is based on the soul—and the Supreme Soul—and is not limited by the body or time or space. What Ramananda Raya said is certainly true—the most intense pain is separation from a pure devotee—but at the same time, the pain of separation can serve as an impetus in one’s devotional service, and when one becomes more absorbed in devotional service, the feelings of separation transform into transcendental bliss. One experiences meeting even in separation. Thus Srila Prabhupada often said that although he had been separated from his guru maharaja for so many years, he did not feel that they were apart, because he was connected to his guru maharaja by service, by following his instructions: “I have written in the first publication of Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘The spiritual master lives forever by his divine instruction and the disciple lives with him.’ Because I have always served my guru maharaja and followed his teachings, I am even now never separated from him. Sometimes maya may come and try to interfere, but we must not falter. We must always follow the chalked-out path laid down by the great acharyas, and in the end you will see.” (SP letter, November 25, 1973)

In general, we need the association of devotees to be happy. But among so many devotees, we may have a special relationship with a particular devotee, like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had with Rupa Gosvami. Then even in the association of other devotees we may feel separation from that one particular devotee with whom we have that special relationship. But even that separation can be reconciled through service.

“There are two ways of association—by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words, and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani.” (Cc “Concluding Words)” Further, by following the instructions of the spiritual master and previous acharyas, we become eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. And in the end we all will meet in the spiritual world, in service to Krishna. As Srila Prabhupada said, “We will have another ISKCON in the spiritual sky.”

Sometimes, because we are still affected by the bodily concept of life, we don’t see each other from the purely spiritual point of view. We identify with the body and have material desires, and naturally we want our desires to be fulfilled by the people around us—who may be devotees. And when our desires are not fulfilled, we may find fault or complain about those devotees, or we may look outside the association of devotees for satisfaction. And our desires may be subtle. We may want affection, appreciation, friendship, fellowship. These are natural human wants. And when we expect these things from devotees and don’t get them, we may feel frustrated and may find fault and complain, and we may even look for society, friendship, and love elsewhere.

In pure devotional service we want only to serve and please Krishna—and His devotees. Although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’—we are the eternal servants of Krishna—He stated further, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: “I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna”—not directly the servant. That is our actual position. We are servants of the servants of Krishna. How, then, can we place demands on our masters? The other devotees are our prabhus, our masters. How can we place demands on them, even in subtle ways, for our own gratification? We are meant to be their servants, and in that mood our relationships become very congenial.

Once, when there was some disagreement among the devotees, a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada, “What can we do to improve our relationships?” And Prabhupada replied, “If each devotee thinks, I am the servant of the servants, there will be no problem.” Unfortunately, to some extent we still have that conditioning that we want to be the master, and we want other devotees to serve us and give us what we want. But gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah; we are servants of the servants of the servants of Krishna. We should not place any demands on our masters—that is not pure devotional service.

After Nrsimhadeva killed Hiranyakasipu, He offered Prahlada, “You take any benediction you want.” And Prahlada replied, “I don’t want anything from You. By constitution You are my master, and by constitution I am Your servant. We have no other relationship. If I wanted something from You in exchange for my service, I would not be a servant; I would be a businessman. I do not want to do business with You, to take some reward from You in return for my service.” He said, “If a servant does service to get something in return, he is not a real servant, and if a master gives something in return in order to maintain his prestigious position as master, he is not a real master.” A real master doesn’t give anything except pure devotional service—more service. And a real servant doesn’t ask for anything except more service. That is the only exchange—nothing else.

Prahlada said to Nrsimhadeva, yas ta asisa asaste na sa bhrtyah sa vai vanik: “One who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be Your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service.” (SB 7.10.4)

asasano na vai bhrtyah
  svaminy asisa atmanah
na svami bhrtyatah svamyam
  icchan yo rati casisah

“A servant who desires material profits from his master is certainly not a qualified servant or pure devotee. Similarly, a master who bestows benedictions upon his servant because of a desire to maintain a prestigious position as master is also not a pure master.

aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
  tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
  raja-sevakayor iva

“O my Lord, I am Your unmotivated servant, and You are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally Your servant. We have no other relationship.” (SB 7.10.5–6)

In the mood of pure devotional service, our relationships are very congenial, with Krishna in the center. In the bodily concept, each one of us wants to be the center. I keep myself in the center—“I,” “me,” and “mine.” In the spiritual concept of pure devotional service, Krishna is the center and we all are His servants, but not direct servants—servants of the servants. When we serve in that mood of pure devotion, Krishna is pleased and His servants are pleased—everyone is pleased. And each of us automatically becomes happy and satisfied. We just have to keep Krishna in the center; then everything else will follow.

yatra yogesvarah krsno
  yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
  dhruva nitir matir mama

“Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.” (Gita 18.78)

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

Maha-sakti dasa: Going back to the earlier part of your lecture, about Prabhupada in the early days, his mission was to destroy impersonalism and voidism (nirvisesa sunyavadi). Back then, many of us were hippies and were into the idea of satiating our senses. And Prabhupada was talking about these impersonalists, who were trying to merge and refrain from desire. We were wondering, “Who is he talking about? Maybe they are in India, but in America we don’t have that experience.” In America back then everyone was into enjoying their senses and sense gratification, especially with free love. And that hasn’t changed much. In the New Age movement there is a big emphasis on not repressing your senses. “Engage your senses. Don’t restrain them, because that is artificial. Engage them, because that is the real path to understanding who you are and attaining happiness.”

I guess the question pertains to some degree to ourselves as devotees, because although there’s no ambiguity about the process, there may be a moment when we start to feel unhappy or unfulfilled—“Devotees are not giving me what I want.” So, how do we live a healthy, happy spiritual life without feeling “I am not getting what I want; I am feeling repressed,” with anger and so many things coming up in the mind—lust, anger, and different things? How do we grow as a society and attract new people, show that this is the right way of life and one can be happy at the same time?

Giriraj Swami: Do you have any ideas? I am sure you must have thought of it.

Maha-sakti dasa: I know that this is the right path. We may just need to learn how to relate to Vaishnavas more in the right way. In a sense, we are very new, and maybe we haven’t yet learned how to be a Vaishnava society. Rupa Gosvami talks about revealing one’s mind and that kind of thing, and I don’t think we are quite there yet, because if we were, maybe our mood would be a little more joyful. We would enjoy the service more than we actually do right now. So, maybe it is a matter of time—and continuing the preaching spirit. I don’t know.

In reality, we are not repressing our senses at all. We are really engaging our senses. With constant festivals, we are constantly glorifying devotees and different incarnations of Krishna, and we are always taking prasada. So, there is no question of repression. But still there is the problem that lies within, as you mentioned. There is the residual karma that seems to bother us, and that is the question—how devotees can deal with that within the society and not feel that they have to go outside in order to take care of that issue.

Giriraj Swami: I think of late 1969 or early ’70 in the Boston temple. Tamal Krishna Goswami had come for the first time. He was a legend from the West Coast, and Brahmananda Prabhu from New York, who was the legend on the East Coast, drove up to meet him. In the evening, after we had a little prasada—perhaps hot milk and puffed rice with peanuts—we were all standing in line to wash our plates in the sink, and Brahmananda Prabhu said to Tamal Krishna Goswami, “Everyone wants love, so if we just love each other, everyone will get what he wants and everyone will be happy.” It sounded logical and sensible—and true.

The only catch is that to really love someone, you have to be pure. Otherwise, what passes as love, as Srila Prabhupada said, is actually lust. For example, a boy tells a girl, “I love you,” and the girl tells the boy, “I love you,” but actually it is not love; it is lust. And if either partner does not get from the other what he or she wants, the relationship breaks. When we become more advanced, more pure in heart, we can actually serve with love. Love isn’t just a sentiment. It is a process that manifests in service. And to cleanse the heart (ceto-darpana-marjanam), we have the chanting of the holy name—offenseless chanting of the holy name. That will cleanse the heart, and that will create the type of relationships that we want.

We want to create a culture of service, vaisnava-seva. Even before deep love develops, we can create a culture of service and follow Vaishnava etiquette. Proper etiquette guides our relationships and makes our interactions more congenial. In Vedic culture people’s roles are defined, as is the behavior appropriate to each role—how to relate to others. It was mentioned in the quotation in the purport that one who does not serve a superior is a most unhappy person. In essence, there are three different relationships—a subordinate to a superior, an equal to an equal, and a superior to a subordinate. A subordinate should sincerely serve a superior, the superior should affectionately guide the subordinate, and equals should be friends. And we should carefully avoid the contaminated forms of those relationships, in which the subordinate is envious of the superior; the superior exploits the subordinate; or the equals, instead of having genuine, open friendship, feel proud of themselves.

So, we want to develop a culture of selfless service and proper etiquette. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are different levels of conversion. The first level is spiritual or religious, but the cultural level may take longer. Devotees may quickly grasp the fundamental spiritual principles—“I am the eternal servant of Krishna”—but it may take longer to understand and adopt the culture of service. And it has become even more difficult now, because with so much influence from the West, the sublime culture that existed in India is rapidly deteriorating. And the Indians who come to the West become further influenced by Western ways. So, we do not see the Vedic or Vaishnava culture in practice as much as before.

We are in Kali-yuga, and it is getting worse. But we need that Vaishnava culture, and we need spiritual purity. The main thing is purity of heart, and that comes from the process of devotional service, especially from offenseless chanting and hearing about Krishna and serving Krishna’s devotees.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
  asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
  mukta-sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (SB 12.3.51)

Maha-sakti dasa: And reading, too, is important. We have been reading today.

Giriraj Swami: Indeed. Reading, which comes in the category of hearing, teaches us who we are, who Krishna is, what the material world is, what the spiritual world is, and what our relationships are. It teaches us what the goal of life is and how to attain it. Reading is most important, and Srila Prabhupada advised that we should read for one or two hours every day.

We are in the age of Kali. Kali means “quarrel.” In the age of Kali people quarrel over the smallest thing. They make such a big thing out of a small thing.

Practically, I always feel that there are two things that can help devotees appreciate other devotees. The first is preaching. When you go out and meet people, you see the difference between the people you meet and the devotees, and you appreciate devotees more. Unfortunately, devotees don’t preach so much anymore. Most are grihasthas who live outside of temples, and not many are actively preaching. But if you go out and meet people and speak to them and see what kind of reactions you get, what kind of people you are dealing with, you come to appreciate devotees more.

The other way is to be separated from devotees for some time. You may end up in the beautiful Knysna forest without devotees. Then you appreciate devotees.

It is very important that we have good relationships. If we have strong sadhana—hearing and chanting—and loving relationships, we will grow and prosper. But if our relationships are poor and our sadhana is weak, we will tend to disintegrate.

Devotees are very nice. Sometimes we have to speak strongly to distinguish between the devotional creeper and the unwanted weeds, so we can grow and flourish. Otherwise, devotees are chanting, and they are serving. They are the best people in the world.

Hare Krishna.

[ A talk by Giriraj Swami on Sri Ramananda Raya’s Disappearance Day, June 1, 2008, Camarillo, California]

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=20013

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Five hundred years ago in the district of Puri, in the village of Bentapur adjacent to Brahmagiri Alalanatha, there lived a great devotee named Bhavananda Raya.

Bhavananda had five sons, the eldest of which was Ramananda. Descendants of this family-line are known as Choudhurya Pattanayaka. It is said that Lord Caitanya visited the birth-place of Ramananda in Alalanatha every year.

Ramananda was the Governor of East and West Godavari and a minister of King Prataparudra.
A great statesman of that period, Ramananda was also a poet and a scholar.

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When Bhavananda met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord embraced him and said, “Formerly you appeared as Pandu, and your five sons appeared as the five Pandavas.”

The Gaura-ganodesa-dipika (120-124) states that Ramananda Raya was Arjuna in his past incarnation. He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Visakha devi. He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya.

In Lord Caitanya’s final pastimes, both Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara were always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad Bhagavatam to pacify the Lord in His ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna.

Sri Ramananda Raya left this world after the disappearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

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Source: https://www.ramaiswami.com/sri-ramananda-raya-disappearance/

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We continue our discussion of the conversation between Sri Ramananada Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ramananda-samvada, recorded in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya.”

TEXT 1

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
  sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
  taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in devotional service. He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya, who may be likened to a cloud of devotional service. This cloud was filled with the water of all the conclusive purports of devotional service and was empowered by the ocean to spread this water over the sea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Thus the ocean of Caitanya Mahaprabhu became filled with the jewels of the knowledge of pure devotional service.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

According to revealed scriptures, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, the origin of all knowledge—perfect knowledge. Here, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the ocean of knowledge of the conclusive purports of devotional service, is taking the part of a student and asking questions, and He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya to give perfect answers. Thus Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is compared to an ocean and Ramananda Raya to a cloud that draws water from the ocean and then showers the water across the ocean as rain.

We resume our discussion of the conversation between Ramananda Raya and Lord Chaitanya.

 TEXT 243

anyonye mili’ dunhe nibhrte vasiya
prasnottara-gosthi kahe anandita hana

TRANSLATION

Thus they met time and time again, sitting in a secluded place and jubilantly discussing devotional service by the question-and-answer process.

TEXT 244

prabhu puche, ramananda karena uttara
ei mata sei ratre katha paraspara

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the questions, and Sri Ramananda Raya gave the answers. In this way they were engaged in discussion throughout the night.

TEXT 245

prabhu kahe,—“kon vidya vidya-madhye sara?”
raya kahe,—“krsna-bhakti vina vidya nahi ara”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Texts 245 to 257 are all questions and answers between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. In these exchanges there is an attempt to show the difference between material and spiritual existence. Education in Krsna consciousness is always transcendental and is the best of all forms of education. Material education aims at increasing the activities of material sense gratification. Beyond material sense gratification is another negative form of knowledge called brahma-vidya, or impersonal transcendental knowledge. But beyond that brahma-vidya, or knowledge of the impersonal Brahman, is knowledge of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Visnu. This knowledge is higher. And still higher is devotional service to Lord Krsna, which is the topmost form of education. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.49), tat karma hari-tosam yat sa vidya tan-matir yaya: “Work meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord is the best, and education that enhances one’s Krsna consciousness is the best.”

Also, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23–24):

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
  smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
  sakhyam atma-nivedanam

iti pumsarpita visnau
  bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
  tan manye ’dhitam uttamam

This is a statement given by Prahlada Maharaja in answer to a question raised by his father. Prahlada Maharaja said, “To hear or chant about Lord Visnu, to remember Him, to serve His lotus feet, to worship Him, to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection.”

COMMENT

This is the first in the series of questions and answers, and it seems appropriate in this environment of education, but as Srila Prabhupada says at the beginning of the purport, these questions and answers are meant to highlight the difference between the material and the spiritual. Material existence begins from the basic misconception that “I am the body and everything in relation to the body is mine.” More or less everyone is in this bodily concept of life. They identify with the body and are deeply attached to things related to the body. And because they identify with the body, they think the goal of life is to give pleasure to the senses of the body. Whatever they do is more or less for the sake of the body.

Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if you are performing a mathematical calculation and you make a mistake in the first step, then even if you perform all the other steps perfectly, you will likely stray further and further away from the actual answer or solution. If we begin from the mistaken premise that “I am the body,” even if everything else we do is perfect in terms of the body, because we made the most fundamental error in the very first step, we will end up further and further away from the actual goal.

The body itself is full of miseries. As soon as we accept a material body, we accept the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease (janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi), and so many other miseries (tapa-traya). Everyone wants relief from these miseries, but as long as we are in the body—in the bodily concept of life—although we may adopt some measures that may give some temporary relief, ultimately we cannot escape the miseries of material existence, and often the remedies we accept are more troublesome than the troubles they are meant to address.

That is the basic situation in material life, but because of maya, people are not aware of their actual position. Maya has two potencies: one throws us down, and the other covers us. Because we are covered, we think we are happy, even though any sane or sober person can see that we are not, that we are always subjected to various types of miseries. But because of the covering potency of maya, we think we are happy. Of course, things are getting so bad that it is becoming harder and harder to maintain the illusion of happiness, but even then, if you ask, “How are you doing?” most people will say, “Fine.”

Srila Prabhupada gives the example of a patient in a hospital. He has suffered a severe trauma and has tubes all over his body; his arm is in a cast, his leg is in traction, and he has so many contraptions about him meant to counteract the suffering. But if you ask him how he is, he will say, “I’m okay; I’m doing good.”

That is our position, and when one becomes a little sober and actually realizes his or her position, he or she will try to make a solution, to get out of the material miseries, the bondage of material existence. He or she will inquire, as Sanatana Gosvami inquired of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ke ami, kene amaya jare tapa-traya?—“Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? How can I get relief?” That is the beginning of human intelligence. Until we come to make such inquiry, we are engaged just like animals—eating, sleeping, enjoying sense gratification, and arranging for shelter and defense.

When one actually inquires, as Sanatana Gosvami did of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one is considered to be a human being. And in answer to the question “Who am I?” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’: “The constitutional position of the living entity is to be an eternal servant of Krishna.” Krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’ means that we are servants of Krishna even after liberation.

Between the karmis, who work to earn money and spend it for gross and subtle enjoyment, and the bhaktas, who understand that they are eternal servants of Krishna and engage in devotional service—in between the karmis and the bhaktas are the jnanis. Because the jnanis recognize the miseries of material existence and want to escape them, they are more elevated than the karmis, but because they do not have knowledge of Krishna or of the living entity as the eternal servant of Krishna, their approach is negative. They think, “I am an individual and am suffering, so if I give up being an individual I won’t have to suffer. I have desires and by pursuing them I suffer, so I will give up desire. I have thoughts and my thoughts lead to misery, so I will give up thinking. I have feeling and my feeling leads to misery, so I will give up feeling.” So they want to negate their individual existence—no more feeling, no more thinking, no more desiring, no more working—and to merge and become one with God.

Ultimately the principle is the same. The karmis want to become the chief (just like now there is so much competition to see who will become the president), and the jnanis, the impersonalists, also want to become the chief, by merging and becoming one with the Supreme. But the real solution is to become the servant of the Supreme (jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’). That is real knowledge. Therefore Sri Ramananda Raya says that other than knowledge of devotional service, which is the constitutional activity of the living entity, there is no real knowledge. The rest is illusion. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that material education makes one more and more foolish, because it is based on the body. To identify with the body is foolish, and mundane education, which reinforces the bodily concept of life and ultimately teaches one how to earn money and enjoy the body, makes one more foolish. The only real knowledge is knowledge of devotional service.

Before I met Srila Prabhupada and the devotees, I had been seeking. And when I met Prabhupada, I understood that he was the teacher for whom I was searching. And I surrendered to him. Without surrender, one cannot get knowledge. We see in the Bhagavad-gita that it was only after Arjuna surrendered that Krishna began to instruct him. Arjuna said,

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
  prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
  sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

“Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Gita 2.7)

Krishna immediately assumed the position of teacher and chastised his disciple:

asocyan anvasocas tvam
  prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
  nanusocanti panditah

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.” (Gita 2.11)

First is surrender. Without surrendering to an authority, a spiritual master, one cannot get transcendental knowledge.

tad viddhi pranipatena
  pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
   jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“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.” (Gita 4.34) Pranipatena means “by offering obeisances”—by surrendering.

So, I surrendered to Srila Prabhupada, and after serving in the Boston temple for some months I got a letter from him: “I enclose a letter from your father, which will speak for itself. From this letter it appears that you are a good scholar with a good background in your education. So if you wish to make further progress in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna consciousness movement.” Srila Prabhupada continued, “You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice. Of course, our Krishna consciousness movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity.” Srila Prabhupada used the word divinity. Religious studies had not really begun or become very popular yet. But there were schools of divinity. He concluded, “I like the idea that you should make a thorough study of all theological schools, and in the future if you can explain our Krishna consciousness movement as the post-graduate presentation of all theological theses, it will be a great accomplishment.”

When I received the letter, I was unsure how to proceed. I did not want to go back to the university, but I knew that the order of the spiritual master was the first and highest consideration. Still, I wasn’t sure if Srila Prabhupada was giving me an order or just offering an option. I consulted my temple president, and he also couldn’t say. So we concluded that I should write and ask Prabhupada directly. I wrote, “If you are instructing me to pursue my studies, then I will gladly do whatever you say, but if you are giving me the choice, then I would rather stay in the temple with the devotees and worship the Deities and go out for sankirtana.” A week later another letter came from Srila Prabhupada: “Yes, there is no need of any further education.” He wrote, “When Lord Chaitanya was discussing with Ramananda Raya who is the best-educated man, the answer was that a person who is Krishna conscious is the topmost educated man. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja stated before his father that one who has taken to Krishna consciousness is the best-educated man. I think therefore that in all circumstances you should steadfastly continue your Krishna conscious engagement, rather than joining any more universities.”

Now we shall proceed to the next question and answer.

TEXT 246

“kirti-gana-madhye jivera kon bada kirti?”
“krsna-bhakta baliya yanhara haya khyati”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna enjoys the utmost fame and glory.”

PURPORT

The greatest reputation a living being can have is to be a devotee of Krsna and to act in Krsna consciousness. In the material world everyone is trying to be famous by accumulating a large bank balance or material opulence. There is a steady competition among karmis attempting to advance in a wealthy society. The whole world is turning in accordance with that competitive mood. But this kind of name and fame is temporary, for it lasts only as long as the temporary material body exists.

COMMENT

It may not even last that long. For years Bill Gates was reputed to be the richest person in the world, and then one year it was announced that the owner of Ikea was the richest. Then there was a whole confusion—was he or wasn’t he? After a few days, the statement was retracted: “Actually, much of his wealth is in the names of trusts; it is not his.” So Bill Gates was back on top. Then there was a controversy over what was the tallest building in the world. For years it was the Sears Tower in Chicago. Then someone built one in Kuala Lumpur that, with its tower on top, was higher. In Chicago they continued to advertise the Sears Tower as the tallest building in the world, though, because they did not count the tower on the other building. And in Kuala Lumpur they advertised their building as the tallest in the world. There is always competition for reputation.

Somehow or other, people want to be famous. Movies stars, sports heroes—all are famous. But the fame attached to being rich or glamorous lasts only as long as the body.

One of the founders of industry in the United States was Henry Ford, and he became one of the richest men in the world. Later, his great grandson Alfred Ford came to meet Prabhupada. And the first thing Srila Prabhupada said was “So, you are the grandson of Henry Ford?” “Yes.” “And where is Henry Ford now?” Prabhupada’s statement immediately took the young man off the bodily platform. Yes, where is he now? That is a good question. Is he an ant or a worm in stool? We don’t know where he is now. In fact, none of us know where we will go or what we will be after we leave our current body.

We are under the stringent laws of material nature.

purusah prakrti-stho hi
  bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan
karanam guna-sango ’sya
  sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Gita 13.22)

Prabhupada remarked that people are worrying whether their children and grandchildren will have gas to drive their cars, but they are not thinking that they may become cockroaches in the back seat of the car. The son may be driving a big car, while the father is in the back in the body of a cockroach. The fame that is attached to the body is short-lived—very short-lived. At most it lasts as long as the body, and often not that long.

Therefore Ramananda Raya says that one who is reputed as a devotee enjoys the utmost fame.

PURPORT (continued)

One may become famous as a brahma-jnani, an impersonalist scholar, or one may become a materially opulent person. In either case, such reputations are inferior to the reputation of Krsna’s devotee. In the Garuda Purana it is said:

kalau bhagavatam nama
  durlabham naiva labhyate
brahma-rudra-padotkrstam
  guruna kathitam mama

“In this Age of Kali, the fame of one who is known as a great devotee is very rare. However, such a position is superior to that of the great demigods like Brahma and Mahadeva. This is the opinion of all spiritual masters.” . . .

The Garuda Purana similarly states:

brahmananam sahasrebhyah
  satra-yaji visisyate
satra-yaji-sahasrebhyah
  sarva-vedanta-paragah

 sarva-vedanta-vit-kotya
  visnu-bhakto visisyate
vaisnavanam sahasrebhya
  ekanty eko visisyate

“It is said that out of thousands of brahmanas, one is qualified to perform sacrifices, and out of many thousands of such qualified brahmanas expert in sacrificial offerings, one learned brahmana may have passed beyond all Vedic knowledge. He is considered the best among all these brahmanas. And yet, out of thousands of such brahmanas who have surpassed Vedic knowledge, one person may be a visnu-bhakta, and he is most famous. Out of many thousands of such Vaisnavas, one who is completely fixed in the service of Lord Krsna is most famous. Indeed, a person who is completely devoted to the service of the Lord certainly returns home, back to Godhead.”

COMMENT

Because we identify with the body, we identify ourselves as residents of the planet Earth. Actually we are not the body. We are spirit souls, meant to get out of this material world and return to our real home with Krishna. But we identify with the body and consider Earth—or the United States, or California, or Los Angeles, or this neighborhood or street—to be our home. And we are very concerned about what the people around us think of us. Sometimes we don’t want to be too open about being devotees because we don’t know what people will think of us, and what they think could affect our material advancement or the congeniality of our social interactions. So we are very careful how we present ourselves, so that people think we are okay, that we are like them—not different.

But the total population of living entities is much greater than the population in our neighborhood or city or state or country or even planet. There are living entities—people—everywhere. And most of them are in the spiritual world. The whole material creation is just one fourth (ekamsa) of the kingdom of God. This one fourth is the prison house. We are the prisoners, and we are trying to impress the other prisoners so they will think that we are like them. “We are as criminal as you are. We are as ignorant as you are. Don’t think we are any different from you.” We try to dress and speak and act like they do, to fit into that society. We are not thinking of the real population, the liberated souls who are outside the prison, that they are the people whom we should really be trying to impress—not the criminals, the fools and rascals. We should act to please guru and Krishna and their servants.

The fame of a devotee goes beyond this planet. Narottama dasa Thakura glorifies the spiritual master that his fame is spread throughout the three worlds (ebe yasa ghusuk tri-bhuvana). That is real fame. It is not dependent on the body or on the recognition of ignorant fools. And it extends beyond the material world to the spiritual planets, to the Lord and the pure souls who live with Him. “But,” one may question, “what about the famous people here, the political leaders and intellectual giants—what about them? They are famous.” The Bhagavatam says that those people who are not God conscious are like bigger animals that are praised by smaller animals. Such a statement might sound harsh, but if you identify with the body, you are an animal.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
  sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
  janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

“One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile, and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships, or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.” (SB 10.84.13)

Srila Prabhupada used to say that if a dog is thinking, “I am a bulldog,” and if a man is thinking, “I am a British man,” what is the difference? Both are on the bodily platform. The famous people of this world, who are praised in this world, if they have no spiritual consciousness, are nothing more than bigger animals being praised by smaller animals.

sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih
  samstutah purusah pasuh
na yat-karna-pathopeto
  jatu nama gadagrajah

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels, and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils.” (SB 2.3.19)

And after all, what is the significance of an animal? The lion is the king of the jungle, and the other animals are afraid of him—“The lion! The lion!” But what does it amount to? It has no significance, being king of the animals in the jungle.

We want to be famous in human society, and actual human society means being God conscious. Without religion, without God consciousness, there is no difference between a man and an animal (dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah).

Now we come to the next question and answer.

TEXT 247

“sampattira madhye jivera kon sampatti gani?”
“radha-krsne prema yanra, sei bada dhani”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna is the greatest capitalist.”

PURPORT

Everyone in this material world is attempting to acquire riches to satisfy the senses. Actually no one cares for anything other than acquiring material possessions and maintaining them. The wealthy are generally accepted as the most important personalities in this material world, but when we compare a material man of wealth to one wealthy in devotional service to Radha and Krsna, the latter is found to be the greatest capitalist. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.39.2):

kim alabhyam bhagavati
  prasanne sri-niketane
tathapi tat-para rajan
  na hi vanchanti kincana

“What is difficult for the devotees of Lord Krsna, who is the shelter of the goddess of fortune? Although such devotees can obtain anything, O King, they do not desire anything.”

COMMENT

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura prays,

bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
  daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate ’sman
  dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah

“If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think that liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me—and all material conveniences of dharma [religiosity], artha [economic development], and kama [sense gratification] stand with her.”

By engaging in devotional service, devotees are offered every facility, including liberation. Yet they are so satisfied in devotional service that they do not desire anything else—only more service.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, whereas materialists are never satisfied. They always want to increase their material acquisitions. Some decades ago, John Paul Getty was the richest man in the world. A newspaper reporter interviewed him: “You are the richest man in the world. You have everything you could possibly want. Can you give us your philosophy of life in one word?” He said, “Yes—‘More.’” He always wanted more. That means he never had enough. He was always in want.

“You have everything money can buy,” the reporter continued. “When you are alone—when there is no one around—what do you think about?” And he replied, “I think about how to pay the bills.” The same principle—the big animal and the small animals. The small man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the car? How to make the payment on the house?” and the big man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the multi-billion-dollar acquisition,” but the consciousness is the same.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, so he is the richest. He has what he wants, whereas others, who always want more, are poor—always in want. The devotee has the treasure of love for Radha and Krishna within his heart, whereas others look for treasures outside of themselves, treasures meager and mundane in comparison.

There is a story about Emperor Akbar. Although a Muslim, he was open to Hindus, and among the Hindus in his court was the great singer Tansen. Akbar thought, “Tansen sings so beautifully, but what about his teacher? I wish I could hear him sing.” Tansen’s teacher was Haridasa, a saintly person who lived in Vrindavan. But he wouldn’t sing for a king. He sang only for Krishna. So the king disguised himself as an ordinary person and accompanied Tansen to Haridasa’s hut. According to one version, when Akbar heard the beauty (both spiritual and material) of Haridasa’s voice, he was overwhelmed and removed a royal pendant that was concealed under his cloth and threw it on the floor in front of Haridasa. Then Haridasa knew he was the emperor.

The king wanted to reward Haridasa and said, “I can never repay you for this. Yet I want to give you something, whatever you want, whatever is in my power to give.” Haridasa took him a short distance to the Yamuna River and asked him to repair the cracks in the steps of the ghat. The emperor replied, “I could give you anything you want, and you are asking me just to repair some cracks in the steps?” Haridasa said, “Put your face in the water and see what is there.” The emperor put his eyes in the water to look at the steps under the water, and by Haridasa’s mercy he was able to see the actual feature of the Yamuna River and the spiritual Vrindavan. He saw that that ghat was made of cintamani stones, spiritual gems more precious than anything the king had in his treasury.

When the king brought his head out of the water, he looked at Haridasa and said, “With all the wealth in my treasury, I cannot do what you have asked.”

Our standard of wealth and riches in the material world is so poor. Once, when Srila Prabhupada visited Hong Kong, the devotees arranged to receive him at the airport with a Rolls Royce. At the press conference that followed his arrival, a reporter said, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person. Why are you riding in a Rolls Royce?” In response, Srila Prabhupada cited a verse from the Brahma-samhita (5.29):

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
  laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
  govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, and always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune.” He said, “I come from the spiritual world, where everything is made of cintamani gems, which are more precious than gold and diamonds. Even if my disciples had received me in a solid gold car, it would not have been good enough, but because that was the best they could do, I had to accept it.” After Srila Prabhupada related this story to me, he looked at me and remarked, “What else can you say to such people?”

Although what Prabhupada told the reporter was spoken in an ironic way, it actually illustrates the point that this world of death (martya-loka) is not opulent. Matter is all so gross—even gold, platinum, and diamonds. Diamonds are just coal, compressed coal. All matter is dead. It has no life, and it can never satisfy the soul. Therefore Srila Prabhupada wrote, “One who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Krsna, in the course of his advancement in Krsna consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead, material things. . . . When one is actually Krsna conscious, he automatically loses his taste for pale things.” (Gita 2.59 purport)

Somehow, soon after I joined, I wrote Srila Prabhupada about the great gift that he had given us, the gift of Krishna consciousness. And in the same letter about the topmost educated man, he wrote, “I am so pleased to learn that you have taken Krishna consciousness as the most valuable gift. One who can understand this is not an ordinary living entity but is the most fortunate.”

TEXT 248

“duhkha-madhye kona duhkha haya gurutara?”
“krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para”

TRANSLATION

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 Krsna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

mam anaradhya duhkhartah
  kutumbasakta-manasah
sat-sanga-rahito martyo
  vrddha-seva-paricyutah

“A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaisnavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.”

There is also the following statement in the Brhad-bhagavatamrta (1.5.44):

sva-jivanadhikam prarthyam
  sri-visnu-jana-sangatah
vicchedena ksanam catra
  na sukhamsam labhamahe

“Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.”

COMMENT

The real life of the living entity is devotional service—jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa.’ Devotional service can be executed in the association of devotees. Without the association of devotees, there is no happiness, because there is no chance to hear and chant about Krishna. Such a so-called life is worse than death. Therefore Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati prays, kaivalyam narakayate. Kaivalya, merging into the impersonal Brahman, is worse than hell, because at least in hell you can preach—chant and hear the glories of the Lord—whereas in impersonal Brahman there is no devotional service, and there is no happiness. It is worse than hell.

That is the vision of a devotee. His life is devotional service, and devotional service is performed in the association of other devotees. He needs the association of devotees; he is addicted to the association of devotees, and if he doesn’t have it, it becomes very painful. As Srila Prabhupada said, “Instead of thinking, ‘Unless I have a drink, I will go mad,’ one should think, ‘Unless I associate with a sadhu, I will go mad.’ When we can think in this way, we will become liberated.” (TLK 24)

Unfortunately, as the verse in the purport says, in the bodily concept of life one who is unduly attached to family is bound to suffer, because in the end family members are bound to be separated. Death will separate us from all our mundane attachments (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham), and even apart from death we may be separated by other circumstances. Therefore we should transfer our attachment to devotees, sadhus.

prasangam ajaram pasam
  atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
  moksa-dvaram apavrtam

“Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.” (SB 3.25.20)

The Lord said, “A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person.” Without the association of devotees, one can neither take to devotional service nor continue in devotional service.

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Cc Madhya 22.83)

Prahlada Maharaja was born in a family of demons, but because he had the association of Narada Muni while he was in the womb, he became a devotee. And he could not live without the association of devotees, so he preached to his demonic classmates and got them to chant and dance and become devotees. Sometimes Prabhupada’s followers go to a new place where there are no devotees, but they cannot stay there unless they make devotees. They just cannot live without devotees.

Today I received a phone call from a devotee in South Africa, Ajita Krishna dasi. She had been living in one of the South African townships, or ghettos, but it became too oppressive for her. She wanted to move to a community of devotees, but somehow it didn’t work out. Then she met a very pious, very good, wealthy lady who owned a large estate in the Knysna forest, which the lady had developed as a resort with many chalets. The lady is originally from England, and as a youth, as she made her way by land and sea to South Africa, she was robbed in Kenya. In desperation, she went to a Catholic church for help, but she was turned away. Then, by chance, she happened upon the Hare Krishna temple in Nairobi and spent three months there. She got the association of devotees, and although she did not become a proper devotee herself, she came to harbor a dream that the chalet at the bottom of her property would one day be used as a Krishna temple. So when she met Ajita, she offered her a place to stay for free. And now Ajita has a perfect situation—all facilities, natural beauty, and no expenses. Wealthy people own and rent houses in Knysna to be near the beautiful beach and forest. But there is one problem: there are no devotees there. Ajita will have to meet them—or make them.

Even I have my own little story. In Mauritius we had a patron, Mr. Gowtum Teelok, who was actually a friend of Srila Prabhupada’s. His family owned sugar plantations, and they held important positions in the government. Mr. Teelok had a second house on the seaside, and he was always inviting me to come and spend time there. So finally I went, with one other devotee. Although it was on the ocean, with a garden with plants and flowers and palm trees, to me it was like a desert. There were no devotees or Deities; it was dry, like being in a desert. So I stayed for a few hours and then shifted to the temple.

In general, we need the association of devotees, and in particular, we may have special relationships with specific advanced devotees—our spiritual masters and perhaps some dear friends. And when we feel separation from some particular devotee, we feel acute pain. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the most advanced devotee, one of the Six Gosvamis, but after Rupa Gosvami left this world Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he wrote in a poem that Govardhana Hill, which he loved so much, had become like a python, and that Radha-kunda, which he loved as Srimati Radharani, had become like the gaping jaws of a tiger. There was no happiness for him, even in his beloved Govardhana Hill and Sri Radha-kunda.

Narottama dasa Thakura also lamented in separation from Lord Chaitanya and His associates. He wrote that being unable to bear their separation he would smash his head against the rock and enter into fire.

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
gauranga gunera nidhi kotha gele pabo

“I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

se-saba sangira sange je koilo bilas
se-sanga na paiya kande narottama das

“Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama dasa simply weeps.” (Prarthana, Saparsada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-vilapa, “Lamentation Due to Separation from the Lord and His Associates,” 4–5)

Such separation cannot be compared to material separation. In time, material separation dulls, and one gradually forgets. One may even drown oneself in other things—another person or some pursuit—to replace or forget the lost loved one. But in devotional service separation is not like that. In devotional service our relationships are based not on the body but on the eternal relation between the soul and the Supreme Soul. The relationships are eternal and continue even after death. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura sings, cakhu-dan dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei: “He who has opened my eyes with transcendental knowledge is my lord birth after birth.” And in service, that separation becomes blissful.

When Srila Prabhupada first came to America, he was with the devotees all the time. First he had only one center, in New York City, and there he was always with them. Then some devotees went and opened the second center, in San Francisco, and when Prabhupada went there it was very hard for the New York devotees, because they were used to seeing Prabhupada every day. And when Prabhupada went to India, it was even more difficult—for all of them. But he wrote to one disciple, “Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my guru maharaja since 1936, but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss.”

This is the mystery of separation in Krishna consciousness. Although externally there is separation and lamentation, internally there is association and bliss. The real thing is the soul, and association on the spiritual platform is based on the soul—and the Supreme Soul—and is not limited by the body or time and space. What Ramananda Raya said is certainly true—the most intense pain is separation from a pure devotee—but at the same time, the pain of separation can serve as an impetus in one’s devotional service, and when one becomes more absorbed in devotional service, the feelings of separation transform into transcendental bliss. One experiences meeting even in separation. Thus Srila Prabhupada often said that although he had been separated from his guru maharaja for so many years, he did not feel that they were apart, because he was connected to his guru maharaja by service, by following his instructions: “I have written in the first publication of Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘The spiritual master lives forever by his divine instruction and the disciple lives with him.’ Because I have always served my guru maharaja and followed his teachings, I am even now never separated from him. Sometimes maya may come and try to interfere, but we must not falter. We must always follow the chalked-out path laid down by the great acharyas, and in the end you will see.” (SP letter, November 25, 1973)

In general, to be happy, we need the association of devotees. But among so many devotees, we may have a special relationship with a particular devotee, like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had with Rupa Gosvami. Then even in the association of other devotees we may feel separation from that one particular devotee with whom we have that special relationship. But even that separation can be reconciled through service.

“There are two ways of association—by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words, and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani.” (Cc Concluding Words) Further, by following the instructions of the spiritual master and previous acharyas, we become eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. And in the end we all will meet in the spiritual world, in service to Krishna. As Srila Prabhupada said, “We will have another ISKCON in the spiritual sky.”

Sometimes, because we are still affected by the bodily concept of life, we don’t see each other from the purely spiritual point of view. But we should try to see the good qualities and service of the devotees—and see ourselves as their servants. In pure devotional service, we want only to serve and please Krishna and His devotees. Although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’—we are the eternal servants of Krishna—He stated further, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: “I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna”—not directly the servant.

Once, when there was some dissension, or disagreement, among the devotees, a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada, “What can we do to improve our relationships?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “If each devotee thinks, ‘I am the servant of the servants,’ there will be no problem.” Unfortunately, if we still have that conditioning that we want to be the master, we may want the other devotees to serve us and give us what we want. But gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah; we are servants of the servants of the servants of Krishna. We place no demands on our masters—that is not pure devotional service.

After Nrsimhadeva killed Hiranyakasipu, He offered Prahlada, “You take any benediction you want.” And Prahlada replied, “I don’t want anything from You. By constitution You are my master, and by constitution I am Your servant. We have no other relationship. If I wanted something from You in exchange for my service, I would not be a servant. I would be a businessman. I do not want to do business with You, to take some reward from You in return for my service.” He said, “If a servant does service to get something in return, he is not a real servant, and if a master gives something in return in order to maintain his prestigious position as master, he is not a real master.” A real master doesn’t give anything except pure devotional service—more service. And a real servant doesn’t ask for anything except more service. That is the only exchange—nothing else.

Prahlada said to Nrsimhadeva, yas ta asisa asaste na sa bhrtyah sa vai vanik: “One who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be Your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service.” (SB 7.10.4)

asasano na vai bhrtyah
  svaminy asisa atmanah
na svami bhrtyatah svamyam
  icchan yo rati casisah

“A servant who desires material profits from his master is certainly not a qualified servant or pure devotee. Similarly, a master who bestows benedictions upon his servant because of a desire to maintain a prestigious position as master is also not a pure master.

aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
  tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
  raja-sevakayor iva

“O my Lord, I am Your unmotivated servant, and You are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally Your servant. We have no other relationship.” (SB 7.10.5–6)

In the mood of pure devotional service, our relationships are very congenial, with Krishna in the center. In the bodily concept, each one of us wants to be the center—“I,” “me,” and “mine.” In the spiritual concept of pure devotional service, Krishna is the center and we all are His servants, but not direct servants—servants of the servants. When we serve in that mood of pure devotion, Krishna is pleased and His servants are pleased—everyone is pleased. And each of us automatically becomes happy and satisfied. We just have to keep Krishna in the center; then everything else will follow.

yatra yogesvarah krsno
  yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
  dhruva nitir matir mama

“Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.” (Gita 18.78)

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

Maha-sakti dasa: Going back to the earlier part of your lecture, about Prabhupada in the early days, his mission was to destroy impersonalism and voidism (nirvisesa- sunyavadi). Back then, many of us were hippies and were into the idea of satiating our senses. And Prabhupada was talking about these impersonalists, who were trying to merge and refrain from desire. We were wondering, “Who is he talking about? Maybe they are in India, but in America we don’t have that experience.” In America back then everyone was into enjoying their senses and sense gratification, especially with free love. And that hasn’t changed much. In the New Age movement there is a big emphasis on not repressing your senses. “Engage your senses. Don’t restrain them, because that is artificial. Engage them, because that is the real path to understanding who you are and attaining happiness.”

I guess the question pertains to some degree to ourselves as devotees, because although there’s no ambiguity about the process, there may be a moment when we start to feel unhappy or unfulfilled—“Devotees are not giving me what I want.” So how do we live a healthy, happy spiritual life without feeling “I am not getting what I want; I am feeling repressed,” and anger and so many things coming up in the mind—lust, anger, and different things? How do we grow as a society and attract new people, show that this is the right way of life and that one can be happy at the same time?

Giriraj Swami: Do you have any ideas? I am sure you must have thought about it.

Maha-sakti dasa: I know that this is the right path. We may just need to learn how to relate to Vaishnavas more in the right way. In a sense, we are very new, and maybe we haven’t yet learned how to be a Vaishnava society. Rupa Gosvami talks about revealing one’s mind and that kind of thing, and if we did that more, our mood might be a little more joyful. We would enjoy our service more. So maybe it is a matter of time—and continuing the preaching spirit. I don’t know.

In reality, we are not repressing our senses at all. We are really engaging our senses. With constant festivals, we are constantly glorifying devotees and different incarnations of Krishna, and we are always taking prasada. So there is no question of repression. But still there is the problem that lies within. There is the residual karma that seems to bother us, and that is the question—how devotees can deal with that within the society and not feel that they have to go outside in order to take care of that issue.

Giriraj Swami: Somehow I think of late 1969 or early ’70 in the Boston temple. Tamal Krishna Goswami came for the first time. He was a legend from the West Coast, and Brahmananda Prabhu from New York, who was the legend on the East Coast, drove up to meet him. In the evening, after we had a little prasada—perhaps hot milk and puffed rice with peanuts—we were all standing in line to wash our plates in the sink, and Brahmananda Prabhu said to Tamal Krishna Goswami, “Everyone wants love, so if we just love each other, everyone will get what he wants and everyone will be happy.” It sounded logical and sensible—and true.

To really love someone, however, one must be pure. Otherwise, as Srila Prabhupada said, what passes as love is actually lust. For example, a boy tells a girl, “I love you,” and the girl tells the boy, “I love you,” but actually it is not love. It is lust. And if either partner does not get from the other what he or she wants, the relationship breaks. When we become more advanced, more pure in heart, we can actually serve with love. Love isn’t just a sentiment; it is a process that manifests in service. And to cleanse the heart (ceto-darpana-marjanam), we have the chanting of the holy name, offenseless chanting of the holy name. That will cleanse the heart, and that will create the type of relationships that we want.

We want a culture of service, vaisnava-seva. Even before love develops, we can create a culture of service and follow Vaishnava etiquette. Proper etiquette guides our relationships and makes our interactions more congenial. In Vedic culture peoples’ roles are defined, and the behavior appropriate to each role is defined—how to relate to others. It was mentioned in the quotation in the purport that one who does not serve a superior is a most unhappy person. In essence, there are three different relationships—a subordinate to a superior, an equal to an equal, and a superior to a subordinate. A subordinate should sincerely serve a superior, the superior should affectionately guide the subordinate, and equals should be friends. And we should carefully avoid the contaminated forms of those relationships, in which the subordinate is envious of the superior; the superior exploits the subordinate; or the equals, instead of having genuine, open friendship, feel proud of themselves.

We want a culture of selfless service and etiquette. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are different levels of conversion. The first level is spiritual or religious, but the cultural level may take longer. Devotees may quickly grasp the fundamental spiritual principles—“I am the eternal servant of Krishna”—but it may take longer to understand and adopt the culture of service. And it has become even more difficult now, because the sublime culture that existed in India is rapidly deteriorating, with so much influence from the West. And the Indians who come to the West become further influenced by Western ways. So we do not see the Vedic or Vaishnava culture in practice as much as before.

We are in Kali-yuga, and it is getting worse. But we need that Vaishnava culture, and we need spiritual purity. The main thing is purity of heart, and that comes from the process of devotional service, especially from offenseless chanting and hearing about Krishna and serving Krishna’s devotees.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
  asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
  mukta-sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (SB 12.3.51)

Maha-sakti dasa: And reading, too, is important. We have been reading today.

Giriraj Swami: Indeed. Reading, which comes in the category of hearing, teaches us who we are, who Krishna is, what the material world is, what the spiritual world is, and what our relationships are. It teaches us what the goal of life is and how to attain it. Reading is most important, and Srila Prabhupada advised that we should read for one or two hours every day.

We are in the age of Kali. Kali means “quarrel.” In the age of Kali people quarrel over the smallest thing. They make such a big thing out of a small thing.

Practically, I always feel that there are two things that can help devotees appreciate other devotees. The first is preaching. When you go out and meet people, you see the difference between the people you meet and the devotees, and you appreciate devotees more. Unfortunately, in some places devotees don’t preach so much anymore. Most are grihasthas who live outside of temples, and not many are actively preaching. But if you go out and meet people and speak to them—and see what kind of reactions you get, what kind of people you are dealing with—you come to appreciate devotees more. Otherwise, familiarity can breed contempt.

The other way is to be separated from devotees for some time. You may end up in the beautiful Knysna forest without devotees. Then you appreciate devotees.

It is very important that we have good relationships. If we have strong sadhana—hearing and chanting—and loving relationships, we will grow and prosper. But if our relationships are poor and our sadhana is weak, we will tend to disintegrate.

Devotees are very nice. Sometimes we have to speak critically to distinguish between the devotional creeper and the unwanted weeds, so we can grow and flourish. Otherwise, devotees are chanting, and they are serving. They are the best people in the world.

Hare Krishna.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami, June 1, 2008, Camarillo, California]

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=15784

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Today is an auspicious day in Krishna consciousness. Of course, every day is auspicious in Krishna consciousness. When we first arrived in India, in Bombay, Srila Prabhupada was invited to a program on the lawn of an aristocratic gentleman’s house. Most of us went ahead, and Srila Prabhupada followed with a few disciples. When we arrived, our hosts told us, “It is very auspicious that you have come today, because today is a holy day.” We had never heard of the holy day and were somewhat doubtful, so when Srila Prabhupada arrived I asked him, “Is it true that today is a holy day?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “For us, every day is a holy day; we are Krishna’s servants.”

But today is a special holy day, because it is the disappearance day of one of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s most confidential associates, Sri Ramananda Raya. Lord Chaitanya is Krishna Himself in the mood of Srimati Radharani, with Her bodily luster. Thus Lord Chaitanya is the combined form of Radha and Krishna (sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya). And in Krishna lila Ramananda Raya is the gopi Visakha, one of the most confidential associates of both Srimati Radharani and Krishna. Spiritually, Visakha enjoyed a very intimate relationship with both Sri Krishna and Sri Radha.

In His later years, after He toured South India, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu retired to Jagannatha Puri, and He experienced intense separation from Krishna, just like Srimati Radharani did after Krishna left Vrindavan. In that ecstatic mood of separation, He would confide in two very close associates—Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who in Krishna lila is the gopi Lalita, and Sri Ramananda Raya.

Today we shall read about the first meeting between Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya. Lord Chaitanya was just beginning His tour of South India. When He arrived in Jagannatha Puri from Navadvipa after taking sannyasa, He went straight to the Jagannatha temple, and as soon as He saw Lord Jagannatha He fainted in ecstasy. He had been in the mood of searching for Krishna, and when He saw Jagannatha He felt that He had found His Lord, for whom He was searching, and fell into a deep ecstatic trance. Eventually, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, the chief appointed pandit in the court of the king, Maharaja Prataparudra, removed Sri Chaitanya to his home, and there they had some discussions. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was about to depart on His tour of South India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya suggested that He meet and speak with Ramananda Raya, a most learned scholar and expert in the transcendental mellows of devotional service (bhakti-rasa).

Eventually Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya met on the banks of the Godavari. Their meeting is vividly described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. After their initial meeting, they decided to meet again in the evening to discuss confidential topics of Krishna. Their discussions, called ramananda-samvada, contain all the truths of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy (siddhanta) and, with Lord Chaitanya’s instructions to Rupa Gosvami (rupa-siksa) and His instructions to Sanatana Gosvami (sanatana-siksa), are most important for understanding Vaishnava siddhanta, both rasa and tattva.

We shall read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between the Lord and Ramananda Raya.”

 TEXT 1

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
  sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
  taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the reservoir of all conclusive knowledge in devotional service. He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya, who may be likened to a cloud of devotional service. This cloud was filled with all the conclusive purports of devotional service and was empowered by the ocean to spread this water over the sea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Thus the ocean of Caitanya Mahaprabhu became filled with the jewels of the knowledge of pure devotional service.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

In this discussion between Ramananda Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Chaitanya took the position of the student, or questioner, and Ramananda Raya was obliged to take the position of the teacher, or respondent. Ramananda Raya was hesitant, because apart from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in terms of the Vedic social system He was a brahman and a sannyasi, whereas Ramananda Raya, although a most learned scholar and exalted devotee, was a grihastha and was considered a sudra. So it was awkward for him to instruct Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but Mahaprabhu told him, kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya: it doesn’t matter whether one is a brahman, a sudra, a sannyasi, or whatever; yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya: anyone who knows the science of Krishna is a guru.

We shall read from the beginning of their discussion.

TEXT 56

namaskara kaila raya, prabhu kaila alingane
dui jane krsna-katha kaya rahah-sthane

TRANSLATION

Ramananda Raya approached Lord Sri Caitanya and offered his respectful obeisances, and the Lord embraced him. Then they began to discuss Krsna in a secluded place.

TEXT 57

prabhu kahe,—“pada sloka sadhyera nirnaya”
raya kahe,—“sva-dharmacarane visnu-bhakti haya”

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Ramananda Raya to recite a verse from the revealed scriptures concerning the ultimate goal of life.
Ramananda replied, “If one executes the prescribed duties of his social position, he awakens his original Krsna consciousness.

COMMENT

The original word in the text is sadhya—“the goal of life,” “that which is to be achieved.” Sadhana is the means by which we achieve the goal. Lord Chaitanya asked Ramananda Raya to say something about sadhya, the ultimate goal of life, and Ramananda Raya replied by citing different verses.

First Ramananda Raya quoted a verse from the Visnu Purana:

TEXT 58

varnasramacara-vata
  purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
  nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

TRANSLATION

“‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varnas and asramas.’”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This is a quotation from the Visnu Purana (3.8.9). As stated by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, “The purport is that one can realize life’s perfection simply by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13):

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
  varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
  samsiddhir hari-tosanam

“O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.”

COMMENT

The goal of all of our activities should be to please Krishna, and the verse quoted by Ramananda Raya recommends executing one’s duties according to one’s varna and ashrama. Prabhupada often said that varnashrama-dharma is the beginning of human life. Dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah: without dharma, men are on the level of animals. Why? Because dharma, religious principles, or varnashrama-dharma, occupational duties, regulate the activities of the living being. Without being regulated, a person is just like an animal. An animal eats whatever he wants, sleeps whenever he wants for as long as he can; has sex with whomever he wants whenever he can; and defends himself, arranges some shelter for himself, however he can. Even if a man engages his superior, human intelligence in these same activities, he is no better than an animal.

The human being may eat on a nice plate on a nice table, and the animal may eat on the floor of the jungle, but the animal enjoys his eating as much as the human being enjoys eating. The human may sleep on a nice mattress in a nice house, and the animal may sleep on the ground, but when asleep the animal doesn’t know he is sleeping on the ground, or the human that he is sleeping on a mattress. Sleeping is the same; in fact, the human’s sleep might be more disturbed than the animal’s, because he has so many worries and anxieties and causes of depression. And the animal might defend himself with his teeth and claws, and the human with sophisticated weapons of mass destruction, but it is the same principle—defending.

Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending are common to human beings and animals. What distinguishes a human from an animal is dharma, following religious principles to become God conscious. Otherwise, there is no difference.

ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca
  samanyam etat pasubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesam adhiko viseso
  dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah

“Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.” (Hitopadesa)

Now, one might question, “You mean to say that all the big leaders of the world—the presidents and prime ministers and scientists and Nobel Prize laureates—if they are not Krishna conscious, God conscious, they are no better than animals?” Srimad-Bhagavatam says that they are just bigger animals. In the jungle the small animals all fear the big animals—respect the big animals—and the Bhagavatam says that those who never engage in krsna-katha, who never hear the glories of the Lord, are just small animals who praise the bigger ones.

sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih
  samstutah purusah pasuh
na yat-karna-pathopeto
  jatu nama gadagrajah

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels, and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils.” (SB 2.3.19)

So, dharma is the beginning of human life, and one should execute one’s duties in varnashrama-dharma for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu. By that process one advances to the goal of life.

Here, Ramananda Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are discussing krsna-katha. And after hearing this verse, what does Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu say?

TEXT 59

prabhu kahe,—“eho bahya, age kaha ara”
raya kahe, “krsne karmarpana—sarva-sadhya-sara”

TRANSLATION

The Lord replied, “This is external. You had better tell Me of some other means.”
Ramananda replied, “To offer the results of one’s activities to Krsna is the essence of all perfection.”

COMMENT

Varnashrama-dharma is required, but following the regulations of varnashrama-dharma does not necessarily mean that one will be Krishna conscious. One can follow the rules and regulations, but if one is not in the mood of offering the results of one’s work to Krishna, he will not be Krishna conscious—directly Krishna conscious.

Ramananda Raya next quoted a verse from the Bhagavad-gita (9.27):

TEXT 60

yat karosi yad asnasi
  yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
  tat kurusva mad-arpanam

TRANSLATION

“‘O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering to Me.’”

COMMENT

Here we are going a step further. One still works according to one’s position in the varnashrama system, but one offers the results of one’s work to Krishna, as Krishna advises in the Bhagavad-gita. That is definitely a further development. And what does Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu say?

TEXT 61

prabhu kahe,—“eho bahya, age kaha ara”
raya kahe,—“svadharma-tyaga, ei sadhya-sara”

TRANSLATION

“This is also external,” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. “Please proceed and speak further on this matter.”
Ramananda Raya replied, “To give up one’s occupational duties in the varnasrama system is the essence of perfection.”

COMMENT

Ramananda Raya cited two verses in support of this proposal, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu responded:

TEXT 64

prabhu kahe,—“eho bahya, age kaha ara”
raya kahe, “jnana-misra bhakti—sadhya-sara”

TRANSLATION

After hearing Ramananda Raya speak in this way, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Go ahead and say something more.”
Ramananda Raya then replied, “Devotional service mixed with empiric knowledge is the essence of perfection.”

COMMENT

To offer the fruits of one’s work to Krishna is good, but even then one might be attached to one’s work. To give up one’s position in varnashrama-dharma is better, because it shows more detachment. But even if one has detachment, one may not have knowledge. So Ramananda Raya went further, including knowledge as part of the means, with reference to a verse from the Bhagavad-gita (18.54).

And what did Lord Chaitanya say? “Eho bahya, age kaha ara.” He wanted Ramananda Raya to go further. And Ramananda Raya responded.

TEXT 66

prabhu kahe, “eho bahya, age kaha ara”
raya kahe,—“jnana-sunya bhakti—sadhya-sara”

TRANSLATION

After hearing this, the Lord, as usual, rejected it, . . .

COMMENT

He rejected devotional service mixed with empiric knowledge (jnana-misra bhakti).

TRANSLATION (continued)

. . . considering it to be external devotional service mixed with knowledge. He again asked Ramananda Raya to speak further, and Ramananda Raya replied, “Pure devotional service without any touch of speculative knowledge is the essence of perfection.”

COMMENT

Ramananda Raya then quoted an important verse from the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.3):

TEXT 67

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
  jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
  ye prayaso ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyam

TRANSLATION

Ramananda Raya continued, “[Lord Brahma said:] ‘My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes, and qualities. They should follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words, and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.’”

COMMENT

Then Lord Chaitanya said, eho haya, “This is it!”—not eho bahya, “This is external.” But even then He added, age kaha ara: “Please speak further.”

TEXT 68

prabhu kahe, “eho haya, age kaha ara”
raya kahe, “prema-bhakti—sarva-sadhya-sara”

TRANSLATION

At this point, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “This is all right, but still you can speak more on the subject.”
Ramananda Raya then replied, “Ecstatic love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the essence of all perfection.”

COMMENT

In the purport Srila Prabhupada says, “In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizes the conversation up to this point, where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says to Ramananda Raya, eho haya, age kaha ara: ‘This is the process accepted in devotional service, but there is something more than this. Therefore please explain what is beyond.’”

The point is that although the verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the process of pure devotional service, in the neophyte stage devotional activities may sometimes appear impure; there may appear to be some material taint in one’s devotional activities. Therefore, although Lord Chaitanya said, “You have come to this point of pure devotional service, which I accept as the goal of life and simultaneously the means to achieve the goal,” He also said, “Go further,” because He wanted to make sure that we come to the goal, prema-bhakti.

Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.31) says, bhaktya sanjataya bhaktya: bhakti comes from bhakti. We have come to the point of bhakti, pure bhakti, but bhaktya sanjataya bhaktya—prema-bhakti, or sadhya-bhakti, comes from sadhana-bhakti. Sadhana-bhakti will lead to the goal, but one must stick to the process. If one does stick to the process, he will reach the goal, prema-bhakti.

Now we shall discuss the process of pure devotional service described in the verse cited by Sri Ramananda Raya, because that is a process that each and every one of us can and should follow. It is feasible for every one of us. We shall discuss each word, because each word is important.

Jnane here means “for speculative knowledge.” Speculative knowledge almost always leads to an imperfect, impersonal conclusion. Prayasam means “unnecessary endeavor”—it is unnecessary. And udapasya means “giving up completely.” The endeavor for speculative knowledge has absolutely no value for a devotee and should be given up completely. Namantah. In his synonyms, Srila Prabhupada writes, “completely surrendering.” More literally, namanta is translated as “offering obeisances.” Obeisances are an indication of submission and surrender. Once, Srila Prabhupada paraphrased these words: “You should give up the bad habit of speculation and just become submissive.”

San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. Bhavadiya-vartam means “discussions related to You [Krishna],” and san-mukharitam means “from the mouths of pure devotees [sat].” We should hear the messages of Godhead from the mouths of truthful devotees, not from professional reciters.

In India there are many professional reciters, and some tour. Although they may be very popular, hearing from them will not help. People go to them to be entertained, or they may feel that they are performing some pious activity. But what result do they want from such piety? Often they just want to be happy in the material world.

Srila Prabhupada spoke of one Bhagavata reciter who would tell his audience, “Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches that you should be happy in family life.” Now, the Bhagavatam is filled with stories of devotees who left their families to realize God, beginning with the speaker of the Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami. He did not remain at home long enough even to have his sacred-thread or other ceremonies. He just walked out of the house, and his father, Srila Vyasadeva, the literary incarnation of Godhead, went running after him into the forest, calling for him, but all he heard was the echoing of his voice in the trees.

yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta-krtyam
  dvaipayano viraha-katara ajuhava
putreti tan-mayataya taravo ’bhinedus
  tam sarva-bhuta-hrdayam munim anato ’smi

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto that great sage [Sukadeva Gosvami] who can enter the hearts of all. When he went away to take up the renounced order of life [sannyasa], leaving home without undergoing reformation by the sacred thread or the ceremonies observed by the higher castes, his father, Vyasadeva, fearing separation from him, cried out, ‘O my son!’ Indeed, only the trees, which were absorbed in the same feelings of separation, echoed in response to the begrieved father.” (SB 1.2.2)

Sukadeva Gosvami was gone. From the very beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam we hear the histories of great devotees who left hearth and home to realize God. All five Pandavas left for the Himalayas. And Maharaja Pariksit gave up his family and kingdom to sit on the bank of the Ganges and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Why did the professional reciter claim that the Bhagavatam teaches that you should remain happy in family life? Because, Prabhupada said, he wanted to get donations from the householders, so he wanted to say something that would please them. Sadhu means “to cut.” We have to hear from the mouths of sadhus (san-mukharitam). Then it will be effective. Srila Prabhupada said—and I saw it myself when I visited a large Bhagavata-saptaha—that immediately after the recitation, everything remains as it was. People do not change. After the recitation people light up their cigarettes and talk about what a nice katha they heard. This kind of katha—Bhagavata-saptaha or whatever—will not help. Sanatana Gosvami says, avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam sravanam naiva kartavyam: one should not hear talks about Krishna from a non-Vaishnava. San-mukharitam—one should hear from pure devotees, self-realized souls.

Sthane sthitah means “remaining in their position.” It doesn’t matter if one is a grihastha. One can remain a grihastha—he need not become a sannyasi. That is not the point. One can remain in his position in the varnashrama system (although in natural course one may change his position), because pure devotional service is transcendental. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam. It is not limited by any material condition; it cannot be covered by karma or jnana or anything else. It is transcendental. So you can stay in your position, but you must follow the process described here.

In his translation Srila Prabhupada writes, “You should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter.” Now, we don’t find these words in the Sanskrit. There are different types of translation, which have different names in Sanskrit. In one kind of translation one puts a bit of the purport into the translation, and that is what Srila Prabhupada did here. And I really appreciate it, because one can take this phrase sthane sthitah, “you remain in your position,” to mean, “Oh, I am fine as I am. I was getting worried for a while, but I can stay in my position and do everything the same.” Perhaps anticipating such a response from some readers, Srila Prabhupada qualified the phrase right in the translation. He did not take any chances that a reader would harbor any misconceptions going into the purport, but in the translation itself he says, “Yes, you can remain in your position, but you must follow the process of devotional service and refrain from illicit sex; gambling (and speculating); intoxicants, including tea, coffee, and cigarettes; and eating meat, fish, or eggs.”

If you do that, you can stay in your position and become Krishna conscious. That is the beauty of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement, the beauty of the bhakti cult, that one can remain in one’s position and execute devotional service in Krishna consciousness. A grihastha can become a pure devotee, and a sannyasi can become a pure devotee. Anyone can become a pure devotee if he or she follows the process. And anyone can follow. So it is very easy. One can remain in his or her position and simply follow. Jivanti means that a devotee who always hears about Krishna will go back home, back to Godhead. He or she must simply follow the regulative principles and remain alive in Krishna consciousness by hearing and chanting about Krishna.

Tanu-van-manobhih. Tanu means “body,” vak means “words,” and mana means “mind.” Our acharyas have explained how these words can relate to other words in the text. The basic meaning is that one should surrender fully, with body, words, and mind, to the topics of Krishna spoken by self-realized souls. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti says that one should offer all respects and obeisances (namantah) with one’s body, words, and mind. With one’s body one can offer obeisances to the Bhagavatam, to the speaker of the Bhagavatam, and to the holy place where the Bhagavatam is recited. With one’s words one can glorify the Bhagavatam and the speakers of the Bhagavatam, and one can repeat the message and narrations of Krishna. And with one’s mind one can feel reverence for and take pleasure in the topics of Krishna, and one can remember the instructions and pastimes of Krishna. Thus one can be fully engaged with one’s body, words, and mind—not that with our body we sit in the krsna-katha but with our mind we are somewhere else, calculating how much money we have in the bank and if we have enough to make the next payments. It is possible that one’s body could be in the krsna-katha but one’s words or mind could be somewhere else. But if we always engage everything (tanu-van-manobhih), our whole being, in krsna-katha, in Krishna consciousness, that is pure devotional service.

And what is the result? Ye prayaso ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyam. One of Krishna’s names is Ajita, “unconquerable.” Even though Krishna cannot be conquered by any means, He can be conquered by pure devotees who follow this process. That is the conclusion. In other words, they will come to the stage of prema-bhakti, because Krishna is conquered only by prema, the pure love of His devotees.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains tanu-van-manobhih (“by body, words, and mind”) in relation to conquering Krishna, who is unconquerable, in three ways. He says that nondevotees can never conquer Krishna. They cannot conquer Him by their physical strength (like Hiranyakasipu), by their verbal expertise, or by their mental power. Despite all their endeavors, the Absolute Truth remains beyond their grasp. But devotees, by engaging fully in devotional service, become perfect in Krishna consciousness, and thus they can conquer Him. Then they can touch His lotus feet with their hands, they can call Him to come with their words, and simply by thinking of Him they can gain His direct audience within their minds.

His Holiness Rtadhvaja Swami told me about a dream he had in which he was chanting Hare Krishna, and Krishna appeared. Scripture tells us, nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh—the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are the same. So, in his dream he was chanting Hare Krishna and Krishna appeared. And in his dream he thought, “Oh, it’s true!” This is an example of how Krishna can be conquered by one’s words. If we chant Hare Krishna purely, Krishna comes. He appears. And the pure devotee, the self-realized soul, if he just thinks of Krishna, Krishna appears in his mind—or in person. He remains by the side of His devotee.

Sanatana Gosvami further explains these words in relation to Krishna, that Krishna’s body is conquered because He always remains by the side of His pure devotee, His words are conquered because He always sings the praises of His devotees, and His mind is conquered because He always thinks of His pure devotees. One can completely conquer Krishna by pure devotional service.

In the discussion between Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya, this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam marks the beginning of pure devotional service. But the discussion goes further. Lord Chaitanya keeps saying, age kaha ara: “Speak more; go further.” Then we come to vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti, and then to santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa, and madhurya-rasa. In madhurya-rasa there are many gopis, and among them Srimati Radharani is the foremost. And Srimati Radharani Herself has various developments of ecstatic feelings, culminating in prema-vilasa-vivarta, the height of ecstatic love in separation. When Ramananda Raya came to that point, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu covered his mouth with His hand and said, “This is the limit of the goal of life. Only by your mercy have I come to understand it.”

At the end of their discussions, Ramananda Raya said to Lord Chaitanya, “At first I saw You as a sannyasi, but now I see You as Syamasundara, the cowherd boy, and now I see You with a golden luster. Please explain the reason.” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was playing the part of a devotee, and for a devotee to be addressed as Krishna or even considered on the same level as Krishna is anathema. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “You are an advanced devotee, and an advanced devotee—a maha-bhagavata—sees Krishna everywhere.”

sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti
sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti

“The maha-bhagavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.” (Cc Madhya 8.274)

Then Mahaprabhu quoted a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam that describes the maha-bhagavata, that he doesn’t exactly see the forms of the material world but sees Krishna manifest everywhere.

sarva-bhutesu yah pasyed
  bhagavad-bhavam atmanah
bhutani bhagavaty atmany
  esa bhagavatottamah

“A person advanced in devotional service sees within everything the soul of souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always sees the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes and understands that all things are situated in Him.” (SB 11.2.45, quoted as Cc Madhya 8.275)

Ramananda Raya replied, “Please give up these serious talks. Do not try to conceal Your real form. I know who You are.” Then, out of His causeless mercy, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revealed His combined form of Radha and Krishna (rasaraja and mahabhava). We have a relief on the wall of the temple here that shows Ramananda Raya witnessing Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu manifesting His form as Radha and Krishna. And Ramananda Raya became overwhelmed with transcendental bliss. There are some esoteric explanations of this pastime in which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the confidential truth of His identity—sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. On occasion He would manifest Himself, but He would always say, “Do not disclose this fact to anyone,” because He was playing the part of a devotee and wanted to maintain His role as a devotee, to fulfill His purpose to show by example how to be a devotee and practice pure devotional service.

Especially in Kali-yuga, people are so fallen and prone to become imitation gods or accept imitation gods that the Lord, as Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, hid His identity. He was a channa-avatara, a “concealed incarnation,” as mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srila Prabhupada told the story of a man in Calcutta who could imitate the barking of different types of dogs. He would hold programs in halls and sell tickets, and people would come to hear his demonstrations. Srila Prabhupada remarked that people would pay money to hear the imitation dog but that real dogs were barking in the street yet no one paid them heed. Similarly, the real God—Krishna—is there, but nobody cares. Yet if some imitation God comes, they flock. Get on a plane and go. Jump in a car and go. That is Kali-yuga.

That is why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s identity as Radha and Krishna was revealed only to certain select devotees such as Ramananda Raya, and it is by their mercy and by the mercy of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, who wrote Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, and by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, who translated and presented it to us in a most appropriate way, through parampara, that we are able to enter into these transcendental mysteries and have the opportunity to realize the most confidential service of Radha and Krishna—by their mercy, following in their footsteps.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Sri Ramananda Raya’s disappearance day, May 25, 2008, Houston]

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=15779

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SRI RAMANANDA RAYA

A MOST CONFDENTIAL ASSOCIATE OF LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

Sri Ramananda Raya was the Governor of the Rajamahendri (present day Rajahmundry of Andhra Pradesh at the bank of river Godavari), Godavari Province of Kalinga-Utkala Empire under the King Prataparudra. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was setting out on his tour of South India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya humbly requested his plea to Lord to meet Ramananda Raya. Ramananda Raya was one of the most intimate associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would discuss with him the most confidential topics of Krishna consciousness, and in his company Lord Caitanya would relish the deepest feelings of devotional service.

In Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya lila 8.23, Srila Prabhupada mentions: 'Srila Ramananda Raya was an incarnation of the gopi Visakha. Since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Lord Krishna Himself, there was naturally an awakening of love between Visakha and Krishna. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the combination of Srimati Radharani and Krishna, and the gopi Visakha is a principal gopi assisting Srimati Radharani. Thus the natural love between Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu awakened and they embraced.'

In Lord Caitanya's final pastimes, both Ramananda Raya and Sri Svarupa Damodara were always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam to pacify the Lord in His ecstatic feelings of separation from Krishna.

While touring South India Lord Caitanya met Ramananda on the bank of the Godavari. There they had a long discourse in which the Lord took the role of a student and Ramananda Raya instructed the Lord. During their ten day meeting in, Lord Gauranga and Ramananda Raya discussed all points of Krishna consciousness. Empowered by the Lord, Ramananda answered all questions posed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After finishing his talk, Ramananda Raya saw something never seen before. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed Himself as both Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna. Seeing this, Ramananda fell unconscious in transcendental bliss.

Lord Caitanya concluded these discourses by saying, "My dear Ramananda Raya, both you and I are madmen, and therefore we met intimately, on an equal level." Lord Caitanya advised Ramananda Raya to resign from his government post and come to Jagannatha Puri to live with Him. It was Ramananda Raya who tactfully arranged a meeting between Lord Caitanya and King Prataparudra of Orissa. Lord Caitanya advised Pradyumna Misra to learn the science of Krishna from Ramananda Raya. As Subala always assisted Krishna in His dealing with Radharani in Krishna-lila, so Ramananda Raya assisted Lord Caitanya in His feelings of separation from Krishna. Sri Ramananda Raya was the author of Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka.

Lord Caitanya's discussion with Raya Ramananda is fully described in Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya lila Chapter 8 “Talks between Lord and Ramananda Raya” as below.

 

RAJAHMUNDRY YATRA

The following places in and around Rajahmundry are covered below where transcendental pastimes took place by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Ramananda Raya, Lord Nrsimhadeva, Prahlad Maharaja, Lord Sri Kurmadeva and visiting of Vaishnava-acaryas Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

(1) Meeting of Lord Caitanya and Sri Ramananda Raya - Sri Ramananda Gaudiya Math, Kovvur;

(2) Sri Ghosapada - where sage Gautama Rsi lived; Lord Caitanya visited this place;

(3) Sri Varada Gopal Temple - Lord Caitanya visited this place;

(4) Sri Lakshmi Nrsimha Swamy Temple, Antarvedi - important temple of Lord Nrsimhadeva;

(5) Antarvedi-Godavari sangam;

(6) Lord Sri Jagan Mohini Keshava Swamy Temple, Ryali - important pastime of Lord Sri Krishna as Jagan Mohini and Lord Siva took place here as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 8 Chapter 12. Lord Caitanya visited this temple;

(7) Sri Kurma Ksetra - temple of Sri Kurma deva, the second incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna. Lord Caitanya visited this temple;

(8) Sri Varaha-Nrsimha Temple, Simhachalam - important pastime of Prahlad Maharaja took place here. Lord Caitanya visited here, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura visited here in 1905 and 1930 and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada visited this Temple in 1972;

(9) Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha Dashavatara Temple, ISKCON Rajahmundry

Read more: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12588

 

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Enthusiastic devotees from ISKCON Surkhet recently placed copies of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and the Krishna book in all the rooms of one of the city’s most beautiful hotels, the Siddhartha Resort.

Surkhet is located in a picturesque valley in the mid-western region of Nepal, about 600 kilometers west of Kathmandu. Known for its natural beauty and growing infrastructure, the city has seen significant growth in the past few decades, ensuring these books will be available to many thousands of visitors. The Surkhet devotees expressed their appreciation to the general manager and staff who cooperated in this effort.

To follow the outreach and events of ISKCON Surkhet, please visit them on Facebook and Instagram.   

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/grand-hotel-in-surkhet-places-prabhupadas-books-in-all-their-rooms/

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Perth, Australia — April 2025:

With hearts full of gratitude and spirits lifted in devotion, over one hundred devotees from across Perth gathered for the fourth annual Bhakti Vriksha Camp, organised by ISKCON Perth, held from April 19 to 21, 2025, at the scenic Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp in Perth Hills. The retreat marked another profound milestone in the community’s shared spiritual journey.

The event was guided by His Grace Gokuleswar Prabhu, whose insights, compassion, and wisdom infused every session with depth and clarity. What began four years ago as a modest vision to unite devotees and deepen spiritual practice has now matured into a flourishing tradition—where newcomers, long-time practitioners, youth, and elders all find a sacred space for connection, transformation, and joy.

A Retreat Rooted in Purpose

From its inception, the Bhakti Vriksha Camp was envisioned as a nurturing space for building strong relationships among Bhakti Vriksha servant leaders, uniting Bhakti Vriksha groups, inspiring children, and giving new members a glimpse of Krishna consciousness life. This year’s retreat saw that vision come to life in beautiful ways.

Each day began before sunrise, with devotional morning programs that brought everyone together in prayer, japa, and song. Notably, even the youngest attendees joined enthusiastically—some as early as 4 a.m., adding youthful energy and inspiration to the sacred atmosphere.

A Divine Presence

The spiritual ambiance of the camp was further elevated by the presence of nearly fifty Deities, lovingly brought by individual families. Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra, Krishna-Balaram, Laddu Gopal and Gaura Nitai graced the retreat, receiving heartfelt offerings, aratis, and sumptuous bhogas. For many, it felt as though the Deities themselves were actively participating—smiling upon the community and blessing their efforts.

Learning and Transformation

Over the three-day retreat, devotees were nourished not only by prasadam but by the rich teachings shared in classes on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, delivered by HG Gokuleswar Prabhu. His talks illuminated key principles of bhakti-yoga, with practical guidance for deepening one’s practice in everyday life.

A highlight of the learning experience was the extended Q&A sessions, totalling over 14 hours across the weekend. Devotees appreciated the opportunity to ask heartfelt questions and receive thoughtful, scripturally grounded answers in a safe and supportive environment.

Inner Battles and Outer Expressions

This year’s camp placed a special focus on the inner dynamics of spiritual life—particularly the challenges faced during japa and personal sadhana. Through theatrical presentations, devotees explored themes such as distraction during chanting, the influence of ego and mind, and the six divine opulences of the Lord.

The “Speaking Mind” drama stood out as a powerful enactment of the inner struggle between the chaotic mind, discerning intelligence, proud ego, and sincere heart. Each group presented scenarios rooted in real-life experiences—drawing laughter, tears, and reflection from the audience. These honest portrayals encouraged deeper self-inquiry and helped participants recognize shared struggles on the path of bhakti.

Other skits, such as The Japa Rollercoaster and The Festival of Ego, offered both humor and insight, while engaging the audience in relatable challenges many face during mantra meditation.

Evenings of Kirtan and Unity

As the sun dipped behind the hills of Bickley, devotees gathered around a crackling campfire each evening. The soft glow of the flames, under a sky full of stars, created the perfect backdrop for kirtan. Mridangas, kartals, and melodious voices blended harmoniously, invoking a divine atmosphere that touched everyone present.

For many, these moments of singing together beneath the open sky were the most memorable—where the spirit of bhakti and the unity of the community reached their peak.

A Community Strengthened

Throughout the retreat, bonds were strengthened across generations. Children ran through the open spaces, absorbed in play and Krishna consciousness. Youth stepped up as performers, facilitators, and participants. Bhakti Vriksha leaders connected deeply, exchanging ideas, encouragement, and inspiration. New members, attending their first retreat, expressed how welcomed and embraced they felt by the community.

Looking Ahead

As the camp drew to a close, the collective mood was one of gratitude and longing. No one wanted the experience to end. The final day was filled with reflections, warm farewells, and the unspoken question on many hearts: When can we gather like this again?

This retreat was more than a series of programs—it was a reaffirmation of why devotees walk the path of Krishna consciousness together. It demonstrated the power of association, the beauty of shared spiritual culture, and the enduring impact of gathering in the service of the Lord.

With renewed inspiration, the ISKCON Perth community returned to their homes—not only uplifted but united, with Krishna-conscious hearts and minds already envisioning the next Bhakti Vriksha retreat.


For more information about Bhakti Vriksha programs or upcoming events with ISKCON Perth, please visit

https://www.harekrishnaperth.com

  Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115715

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In New Jersey the people are encountering a second day of full-on drizzle and rain.  Haripad and I managed to sneak out of the house to do some walking around the lake.  Again, I informed him of some plants that, like most of us, we don’t notice or ignore as weeds.

“There’s the horsetail plant, good for the nervous system and your bones.  It can be used like a tea,” I explained.  I also cautioned, “There’s poison ivy.  Don’t touch!  The rash you’ll get is very irritating.  And there’s that invasive wild mustard, good for the health.”

Haripad was intrigued with it all.  We walked as I gained my number of steps, despite the dampness.

Most of my day was indoors, the house, but also some time was spent on the deck leaving me in nature’s embrace.  Both Haripad and Sandamani got all ready for the guests tonight nd that included setting up a screen for a combined Gita class, 9.12, with Zoom regulars for Tuesday night, mostly from Ontario and Quebec.  Now we have a room full of people from the Garden State facing the screen and looking at the followers from north of the border in Canada.  Each person had a soft or hard version of the verse in front of them.  It was wonderful as far as participation was concerned from both sides.

The prasadam prepared was just excellent.  It was delicious.  Some late comers ate and listened at the same time.   Those with me in the house continued in blissful kirtan chanting.

Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/a-damp-new-jersey

 

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A. Introduction

1. What is vanaprastha?

The word vanaprastha is composed of the words vana, meaning “forest” and prastha, meaning “to go,” so a vanaprastha is “One has gone to the forest.” Vanaprastha is an asrama in the Vedic varnasrama system. An asrama can be both a physical and mental place and refers to “a place where one cultivates spiritual life, where culture of the spiritual is foremost.”
The vanaprastha order is complete retirement from householder life, a time when one prepares oneself for going back to Godhead. It requires shedding one’s material attachments to become free of the repetition of birth and death (samsara). Every man and woman should be trained for this purpose.

2. Srila Prabhupada wanted to establish varnasrama-dharma, and specifically, daiva varnasrama-dharma, in ISKCON to save human society from gliding down to hellish life.

Vanaprastha is one of four asramas in the varnasrama system. Srila Prabhupada wanted to establish varnasrama-dharma, also known as the Vedic civilization. If established systematically, it will change humankind. He was confident that the varnasrama system would cleanse the hearts of everyone, allowing all to receive and understand spiritual knowledge.
(The grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacaris and sannyasis should endeavor together with their total energy to become Krsna conscious. This type of civilization is called daiva-varnasrama. One of the objectives of the Krsna consciousness movement is to establish this daiva-varnasrama-dharma society. This was the second half of my mission.)
“The Krsna consciousness movement, however, is being propagated all over the world to reestablish the varnasrama-dharma system and thus save human society from gliding down to hellish life.” (SB. 5.19.19, purport)

“Without cleansing the heart, it is very difficult to understand and receive spiritual knowledge. All these reformatory measures—brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha—they are simply the cleansing method. And bhakti is also a cleansing method, vidhi-bhakti.” (Lecture on SB. 6.1.34–39, Surat, December 19, 1970)

Daiva-varnasrama is defined as strictly following the principles of the Vedas and, particularly, becoming Krishna conscious:

“The grhasthas, brahmacaris, and sannyasis should endeavor together with their total energy to become Krsna conscious. This type of civilization is called daiva-varnasrama.” (SB. 7.14.10, purport)

“If we want to establish Vedic civilization, then we must follow strictly the principles of Vedas as it is described in the Bhagavad-gita. And if it is practiced, then it is daiva-varnasrama-dharma.” Lecture on BG. 2.2–6, Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972)

Asrama-dharma is a gradual process on the path of self-realization. The main purpose of asrama-dharma is to awaken knowledge and detachment. Varnasrama-dharma trains one to completely retire from worldly life in his or her remaining days of life and prepares one for going back to Godhead.
“The system of varnasrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead, and thus a householder is ordered to go to the forest as vanaprastha to acquire complete knowledge and then to take sannyasa prior to his inevitable death.” (SB 1.19.4, purport)

“(One should) prepare for the remaining days of one’s life for spiritual culture. That is called vanaprastha. So vanaprastha means retired life and training for completely renouncing this worldly life.” (Lecture on SB. 7.6.6–9, Montreal, June 23, 1968)

“The system of the sanatana-dharma institution is so made that the follower is trained for the better next life without any chance that the human life will be spoiled. The holy places all over the world are meant for the residential purposes of retired persons getting ready for a better next life”. (SB. 2.1.16, purport)

3. According to Vedic civilization one should get out of materialistic life by the age of 51. Doing so is compulsory; as well as the householders’ duty to take vanaprastha.

Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet means one must climb out of the grham andha-kupam (the “blind well of householder life”) and vanam vrajet (go to the forest). Vrajet means “compulsory.”

“The Vedic principle is that you remain in family life for some time, not for all the days. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. As soon as you’re fifty years old, you must give up family life. It is compulsory. (Lecture on SB. 3.25.22, Bombay, November 22, 1974)

This is an authoritative statement of the Vedas. (SB. 3.24.35, purport)
“Going to the forest is compulsory for everyone. It is not a mental excursion upon which one person goes and another does not. Everyone should go to the forest at least as a vanaprastha. Forest-going means to take one-hundred-percent shelter of the Supreme Lord, as explained by Prahlada Maharaja in his talks with his father.” (SB. 3.24.41, purport)

Therefore, it becomes all grhasthas’ duty to take Vanaprastha asrama because generally, we are not able to stay fixed in transcendence and tend to fall into maya. The duties in varnasrama, even though temporary, are God-given and serve to assist the conditioned soul to become unconditioned, or centered on the soul, if properly followed. The Vedas are the word of God. All devotees following the rules of varna and asrama should respect God’s words as they are given in the Vedas. In both the srutis and the smrtis, the Lord gives many prescribed duties, in varnasrama system especially for householders.

Srila Prabhupada gave all his disciples brahmana diksa. He wanted all brahmana men and women to accept vanaprastha, and then for the men to take sannyasa.
“I will suggest now in your old age (when your sons are grown up and well situated), why not join this movement and retire from family life? According to our Vedic principle, a person, especially a brahmana, should leave home after the 50th year and accept the order of vanaprastha” (Letter to Dinanatha, Honolulu, June 14, 1975)

“The brahmana, one who is qualified as a brahmana, he has to observe the four asramas, a brahmana: the brahmacari-asrama, the grhastha-asrama, the vanaprastha-asrama, and sannyasa-asrama.” (Lecture on SB. 1.8.41, Mayapur, October 21, 1974)

“For a brahmana, the four asramas are compulsory. He must become a brahmacari. Then from brahmacari he becomes grhastha. Then from grhastha he must become vanaprastha. Then he must become a sannyasi. (Lecture on SB 3.25.22, Bombay, November 22, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada compares taking vanaprastha to “civil suicide.”

My guru maharaja used to say, ‘Commit civil suicide.’… If you commit suicide it is criminal. It is also suicide – no more connection with family. This is also suicide, but it is civil. There is no criminal action against … But it is also voluntarily committing suicide – no more connection with anyone.” (Lecture on SB. 1.8.41, Mayapur, October 21, 1974)

4. According to Srila Prabhupada, the main goal of vanaprastha is to develop detachment from the material world.

Actually, the practice of detachment should begin even while one is still situated in family life. Controlling the senses is a preparation for sannyasa.

“The development of detachment should begin whilst living at home, without sex, and slowly moving to a more detached situation by association, study, traveling, preaching, etc.” (SB. 4.29.54, purport)

“Household life is for one who is attached, and the vanaprastha and sannyasa orders of life are for those who are detached from material life. The brahmacari-asrama is especially meant for training both the attached and detached.” (SB. 1.9.26, purport)
(It is a very good suggestion to open the vanaprastha institute. The elderly people can live there according to the Vaisnava principles and worship the Deity and take prasada.)

5. Attachment in householder life, and the position of an attached householder.

Srila Prabhupada condemned attachment in householder life and strongly recommended to get out of household life.

“One should not simply remain at home until the time of death, but should separate from family life at a timely moment and prepare himself to go back to Godhead.” (SB. 4.23.1–3, purport)

“Prahlada Maharaja has advised that one give up this blind well of home life as soon as possible and go to the forest to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But people are so attached to their homes that even up to the point of death they do not like to retire from home life.” (SB. 4.13.46, purport)

Lord Kapila (SB. 3.30.9–18) gives graphic descriptions of an attached householder, and Srila Prabhupada comments on those verses:

“An attached family man maintains his family members very diligently, but when he becomes old and is unable to earn, he is treated like a dog by the same family members. Before meeting death one is sure to become a diseased invalid and he is put into so many miserable conditions. The Vedic literatures therefore enjoin that before the arrival of such miserable conditions one should leave home and die without the knowledge of his family members. If a man leaves home and dies without his family’s knowing, that is considered to be a glorious death.”
6. Srila Prabhupada’s recommendations and encouragement to devotees in ISKCON as well as non-devotees. Everyone can benefit from this Vedic system of vanaprastha.

“In our Krishna consciousness movement, we therefore invite all the elderly persons of the world to come to Vrndavana and stay there in retired life, making advancement in spiritual consciousness, Krsna consciousness.” (SB. 7.5.5, purport)

“We do not have a center in Hardwar, but Vrndavana and Sridhama Mayapur are better for devotees than any other places. The Caitanya Candrodaya temple offers one a good opportunity to associate with devotees. Let us all take advantage of this opportunity.” (SB. 6.2.39, purport)

In the following letters to Dr. Y. G. Naik and Sri Srinivasan, Srila Prabhupada suggests that one take vanaprastha and to go to ISKCON centers in either Vrndavana, Mayapur, or Bombay to perform devotional service.

“I would suggest humbly that since you are already retired from service and your sons are well situated, that you may retire from your family life and live in Vrindaban in the vanaprastha order … I hope you will try to understand my point of view and join this movement to make it more appreciable by the people in general all over the world.” (Letter to Dr. Y. G. Naik, Toronto, August 7, 1975)

“Therefore, according to Varnasrama Dharma you should spend the rest of your life simply engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. The best thing is for you to either go to our Vrndavana center or our Mayapur center or our Bombay center and live there for the rest of your life, chanting Hare Krsna, feeling the bliss of being fully engaged
in the service of Sri Krsna … Then when it comes time to leave your body at the end of life you will go to Krsna.” (Letter to Sri Srinivasan, December 23, 1974)

7. Consequences of sense gratification.
Srila Prabhupada mentions many times that one should try to reduce sense gratification, which creates envy, destroys our spirit of devotional desire, and causes us to minimize our awareness of the need to preach Krsna consciousness. By indulging in material sense gratification, we become miserable and our remembrance of Krsna is covered over.

8. Srila Prabhupada was concerned for his young householder disciples.

Srila Prabhupada always thought of the spiritual welfare of his young married disciples who were sincerely engaged in the Supreme Lord’s service. He specifically instructed them to eventually disconnect from family life and take vanaprastha.

“It is not that a grhastha should live at home until he dies. Vanaprastha is preliminary to sannyasa. In the Krsna consciousness movement there are many young couples engaged in the Lord’s service. Eventually they are supposed to take vanaprastha, and after the vanaprastha stage the husband may take sannyasa in order to preach. The wife may then remain alone and serve the Deity or engage in other activities within the Krsna consciousness movement.” (Cc. Madhya 24.259, purport)

Srila Prabhupada propagated the idea that systematically planned separation is better than forced separation. He argued that if one will be separated from his or her family in one way or another, why not separate willingly?

“Being disgusted with family life, one separates from the family by divorce or some other means. If one has to separate, why not separate willingly? Systematic separation is better than forced separation.” (SB 5.13.8, purport)

9. The traditional vanprastha system and its present-day challenges.

The traditional vanaprastha system is described in SB. 7.12.17–22, and the traditional behavior of a vanprastha is described in SB. 11.17.33 and 11.18.1–12, 25, and 42, as well as in several other places in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
However, it is not feasible to follow these injunctions exactly as they are laid out today. Rather, we should follow Srila Prabhupada’s advice, which are given according to time, place, and circumstance.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states that those who are not transcendental to the three modes, including those who are in the vanaprastha-asrama, must go through all the asramas.

10. The goal of moving through the grhastha-asrama is to develop gradual detachment from householder life and to later adopt the detached asrama of vanaprastha.

Srila Prabhupada was very much concerned for the welfare of his Society and often appealed to his followers to gradually become detached from family life. He said there is no misery greater than material attachment and no happiness as fine as detachment.

“One should be very much ashamed of remaining a householder and not promoting oneself to the two higher stages, namely vanaprastha and sannyasa.” (SB. 9.19.2, purport)

“One should not, however, become self-complacent simply by leaving home or by creating another home at the holy place, either lawfully or unlawfully.” (SB 2.1.6, purport)
His Holiness Jayadvaita Swami was interested in making vanaprastha-asrama visible with official ceremony. During the ceremony of Vanapravesh for me and my wife he made the comments:
“In any case, one should wind down material life until nothing is left so that one will have to totally depend on the Supreme Lord’s mercy. Life is the preparation and death is the final examination.” (Talk given during an official ceremony for Vanapravesh, March 7, 2016, old gurukula grounds in Mayapur)
11. Srila Prabhupada himself took vanaprastha.
“I myself passed my life as a householder until 1950, when I retired from family life as a vanaprastha. I was preaching and writing for eight or nine years as vanaprastha. “Letter to Mahatma, Bombay, May 1, 1974)

12. The grhastha’s duty is to maintain the other three classes of people who strive only for advancement in spiritual life and to perform austerity.

According to Srila Prabhupada, all devotees should strive for spiritual advancement and stop sense gratification. Devotees in asramas other than the grhastha should not make money but should depend on householders. It is the householders’ duty to maintain brahmacaris, vanaprasthas, and sannyasis.

“The brahmacaris, vanaprasthas, and sannyasis – they don’t have to do anything but strive for spiritual advancement in spiritual life. This means that three-fourths of the entire population should stop sense gratification.”

“Only the grhasthas are allowed to earn money. But the brahmacari and the vanaprastha and sannyasis live at the cost of the grhasthas. That means it is the duty of the grhasthas, or the householders, to maintain the other three sections of the people. (Lecture on SB. 7.6.6–9, Montreal, June 23, 1968)
(In spiritual life, whether one is a grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi or brahmacari, everyone is under the control of the spiritual master.)
(The charity will be accepted by the brahmacari and sannyasa. Not the vanaprastha.)

In the vanaprastha stage of life tapasya, or austerity, is strongly recommended. Without it no human being can achieve liberation.
The duty of those in the vanaprastha-asrama is to undergo austerity:
(Austerity, study of Vedic literature, and philosophical research are meant for the vanaprasthas, or retired persons.)
“Brahmacari should offer yajna, grhastha should give in charity, and sannyasi, vanaprastha should undergo tapasya. Yajna-dana-tapah-karma. We should not give up this, these things.” (Lecture on SB. 5.6.2, Vrndavana, November 24, 1976)

“Human life is meant for tapasya, austerity, and penance. By tapasya, one can get out of the material clutches. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some inconveniences.” (SB 5.5.1, purport)

13. Qualifications for entering vanaprastha.

The main qualifications for entering vanaprastha for men are:

One must be sufficiently mature physically, mentally, and spiritually. Detachment from material life and dependence on Krsna are required.
Vanaprastha is not a change of dress or title but a change of mentality.
One’s senses should be sufficiently under control.
There should be a willingness and ability to cut attachment to family and home.
One should be determined not to engage in loose association, womanizing, idle talk, and any form of unnecessary sense gratification.
Association with one’s wife, if done at all, should be restricted and in order to gain her help in serving the Lord.

“One who is not married – a sannyasi, brahmacari, or vanaprastha – should rigidly avoid anything related to sex and of course should never see any living entity, whether bird, insect, or human, engaging in the various phases of sexual intercourse.” (SB. 11.17.33, purport)

Vanaprasthas should have good sadhana and a favorable devotional attitude. They have a responsibility as society’s elders to help care for their juniors.

14. Our recommendation and humble request to Srila Prabhupada’s followers is that they take his instructions regarding vanaprastha seriously.

As mentioned above, Srila Prabhupada was very much concerned for his disciples. Many of the devotee couples who were young during Srila Prabhupada’s time have been steadily practicing Krsna consciousness in the grhastha-asrama for years. Now, those devotees are in their fifties and sixties. It’s time for them to come forward and take Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on vanaprastha to heart. This will set an example for their younger counterparts and set a mood for future generations. And they could preach and help ISKCON’s members develop deeper roots, attract new people, share their wisdom and become mentors.
The prime benefit for those devotees who adopt Vanaprastha will be, because of their life experiences, they would be very good teachers, mentors or guide plus either alone or together they would be excellent gurus to help furthering our Gaudiya Vaishnava ‘parampara’.
Those who have accepted the responsibility of serving as spiritual masters for the generation of devotees after Srila Prabhupada’s departure have the duty of making sure their disciples adopt the vanaprastha which will help them in their journey to go back home back to Godhead. The spiritual master’s duty is to engage his disciples according to what is favorable for their spiritual advancement.

B. Visual presence of the vanaprastha-asrama in our society.

In the past, and except for the writings of Janananda Maharaja, there has been little written about the vanaprastha-asrama. Janananda Maharaja published a book on the subject in February 2007.
Currently, devotees are giving seminars and courses on and preaching about the vanaprastha-asrama in ISKCON. For example, Her Grace Devaki Devi Dasi has established the Institute for Spiritual Culture, where courses on varnasrama-dharma and the vanaprastha-asrama are taught. His Holiness Romapada Swami also recently conducted a seminar at Gita-nagari entitled “Exploring Varnasrama.”

Consequently, some devotees have developed a theoretical knowledge of vanaprastha. Others may even be quietly practicing vanaprastha in our Society. Unfortunately, because there are few visible examples of devotees practicing vanaprastha, the vanaprastha-asrama is not an officially established and visible asrama.

C. Benefits of the Vanaprastha-asrama.
Aspiring to the vanaprastha-asrama helps develop the mood of a gosvami, or controller of the senses. The preface to The Nectar of Instruction states: “First, one must become a perfect gosvami and then a pure devotee of the Lord.”

The natural progression of the winding down of family affairs prepares one for uninterrupted meditation on the purpose of life: to develop Krishna consciousness free from life’s material demands.

Vanaprastha is not recommended as a way to boost for one’s the ego but to facilitate one’s focus on self-realization, particularly on the exclusive service of the Supreme Lord. To gain that focus involves leaving the service of one’s grown family in the hands of those still engaged by age and inclination in family affairs.
Going through an official public ceremony is one method to confirm entrance into vanaprastha-asrama and would ease the transition both for the individual entering the asrama and those he or she is leaving behind.
One should accept vanaprastha naturally and without duplicity. It is not simply a formality but an internal state of detachment matched with appropriate external behavior. It is not an artificial social imposition.

D. Feasibility and mentality behind adopting the vanaprastha-asrama.

The sannyasa-asrama may be out of reach for many devotees – all women and most men – but adopting the vanaprastha-asrama is much more possible for anyone serious about their spiritual life, especially those who have practiced Krsna consciousness for years. His Holiness Janananda Maharaja writes:
“Those who have been steadily practicing Krsna consciousness in the grhastha-asrama for many years should have an irreplaceable depth of experience, conviction, and realization which is essential for the onward progress through the asramas and then back to Godhead. No amount of theoretical knowledge and sentiment can compare to that.”

E. Considerations for Practical Application.

1. Age:
Taking vanaprastha at age 51 may not be feasible in this day and age but at the latest, by 65.

2. Economic security
As far as vanaprasthas living dependent on householders, the main concern is economic security. Our ISKCON Society is not in a position to maintain a vanaprastha-asrama. As an alternative, we suggest that wherever there is facility near a temple, the temple should provide housing for retired devotees (similar to retirement or assisted-living facilities) so that devotees accepting vanaprastha can perform devotional service at the temple. If a temple cannot provide accommodations, then vanaprasthas can move to a nearby farm community and perform service there.

3. Association with the opposite sex.
Those who are not married should avoid associating with the opposite sex by glancing, touching, conversing, joking, or sporting while living in community or serving at a temple.

4. Detachment from wife and family.

According to Vedic principles, when retiring from family life one can take his wife with him, for the husband and wife are considered to be a unit and so can perform austerities for liberation together. One should not simply remain at home until time of death, but should separate from family life at timely moment and prepare himself to go back to Godhead. Vanaprastha means husband and wife give up sex. The wife is expected to give up any luxuries, remain austere, and only accept the bare necessities of life and the husband is expected to give up all the luxuries the wife provides.

1. The wife’s duty.

When both husband and wife follow the regulative principles of austerity, they remain silent – that is, they do not speak prajalpa – and are not agitated by sex desire. Then both husband and wife will receive spiritual benefit.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One who desires to adopt the third order of life, vanaprastha, should enter the forest with a peaceful mind, leaving his wife with his mature sons, or else taking her along with him.” (SB 11.18.1)

“Nonetheless, the wife is expected to give up all luxurious habits. In this way both husband and wife can advance in spiritual consciousness. This advanced stage is called the paramahamsa stage, and once it is obtained, both husband and wife can be actually liberated from bodily consciousness.” (S.B. 4.28.44, purport)

If the husband takes sannyasa, the wife would return to the protection of her eldest son (or her children).

“When the husband takes the renounced order of life, namely sannyasa, the wife is to return home and become a saintly woman, setting an example for her children and daughters-in-law and showing them how to live a life of austerity.” (SB 4.23.20, purport)

One can take ksetra-sannyasa, if it is feasible.

“When one takes ksetra-sannyasa, he leaves his household life and goes to a place of pilgrimage devoted to Lord Visnu. Such places include Purusottama (Jagannatha Puri), Navadvipa-dhama, and Mathura-dhama. The ksetra-sannyasi lives in these places alone or with his family. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura considers ksetra-sannyasa to be the preferable vanaprastha situation in this Age of Kali.” (Cc., Madhya 16.130, purport)

F. Overall Theme

“At the last stage of one’s life, one should be bold enough not to be afraid of death. But one must cut off all attachment to the material body and everything pertaining to it and all desires thereof.” (SB. 2.1.15)

G. Formal methods for transitioning into the Vanaprastha-asrama.

1. Ceremony
Currently, there is no vanaprastha ceremony to mark this transition, but there are two good reasons to create such a ceremony:

a. It will help devotees transitioning into the vanaprastha-asrama consider the importance of their commitment. Also, doing so allows and invites the blessings of the community so that devotees will be successful in their endeavor.

b. A ceremony would make the idea of vanaprastha visible to all members of society.

The ceremony can consist of a fire sacrifice similar to what we perform for brahmana initiation. There are many fire sacrifices performed in our Society to mark samskaras, including entrance into the grhastha-asrama and entrance into the sannyasa-asrama. There could be a similar ceremony for initiation into the vanaprastha-asrama.

2. Suggestion for adopting vanaprastha-asrama as an intermediate, preparatory step before sannyasa.

Currently, sannyasa candidates have a waiting period of several years, during which the Sannyasa Ministry observes the sadhana and service activities of the candidate and allows him to engage in the types of preaching activities he would perform as a sannyasi. During that waiting period a grhastha applying for sannyasa candidacy may accept vanaprastha as an intermediate preparatory state and make himself visible.
(Taking of sannyasa order is in one sense only a formality. After couple of years as Vanaprastha, sannyasa can be considered if one’s behavior is ideal.)

3. Receiving a title.
According to Gaudiya sampradaya tradition Vanaprasthas are known as Vanacaris or GauraVanacari, just as grhasthas are called Adhikari and sannyasis Swami or Goswami.
Vanaprastha devotees could receive their title depending on the location of initiation – those accepting entrance into the asrama in Vrndavana can be called Vanacari and those in Mayapur GauraVanacari. Outside these locations, grhastha the title can be left up to the initiating spiritual master.

(Gauravana is Lord Gauranga’s forest of Navadvipa and is described as the “shining golden tilaka covered with the white garments of Ganga’s waters, splendid with blossoming champaka flowers, filled with various rasas, and saturated with the sweetest nectar of krsna-prema, which is forever relished by the beloved son of Sri Jagannatha Misra. It is filled with the unlimited nectar of the sweet name of Radha.)

1. Dress code:
At the time of a formal ceremony, along with the required blessings of the spiritual master, appropriate clothing can also be presented. Men can wear yellow dhoti grhastha style, which symbolizes that one is undergoing a vow, and women can wear a simple sari. A married woman can wear plain white saris with a colored border when she is with her husband or family.
In all cases, simplicity and detached mentality would be the order.
“The dress code will create effective impressions on grhasthas’ minds that grhastha life is not everything and will not remain enjoyable forever, because as time goes by the body will have biological affects and become invalid in old age. Therefore, it is advisable to adopt vanaprastha, which is a winding down of the business of family life, and [coming to think], “I am not this perishable body – antavanta ime deha. This material body will die at any time, so I should develop vairagya vidya – spiritual knowledge in Krsna consciousness.” (Jayadvaita Swami, during an official ceremony for vanapravesh, March 7, 2016, on old gurukula grounds in Mayapur)

G. Specific Vanaprastha Behaviors and Practices

1. Specific behaviors and practices are found in the following scriptures:

“Tapas, or austerity, is especially meant for the retired life. A man retired from household life must practice austerities of the body, mind and tongue.” (BG. 16.1–3, purport)

“Similarly, austerity, study of Vedic literature, and philosophical research are meant for the vanaprasthas, or retired persons.” (SB. 3.32.34–36, purport)

“It is the practice of the yogi, brahmacari, vanaprastha,
and sannyasi to bathe at least three times daily – early in the morning, during noontime, and in the evening.” (SB 3.33.14, purport)

“The grhastha-asrama is a sort of concession combining sense gratification with a regulative life. Those in the renounced order of life (the vanaprasthas and sannyasis) must practice penance and austerities. These are the procedures by which everyone can be elevated to the spiritual platform.” (SB. 4.14.9, purport)

“Tapasya is meant for the renounced order of life; those who are retired from worldly activities should perform tapasya, penances and austerities.” (SB. 4.12.10, purport)

“When both husband and wife follow the regulative principles of austerity, they remain silent and are not agitated by sex impulses. At such a time both husband and wife are benefited spiritually. One can attain this stage of life by completely giving up a luxurious mode of life.” (SB. 4.28.44, purport)

Specific practices:
Based on the above quotes and elsewhere in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, specific ideal standard behaviors/the specific practices for vanaprastha can be summarized as:

1. Performing austerities related to the tongue, body, and mind.
2. Bathing three times a day or at least twice a day.
3. Cultivating brahminical qualities such as truthfulness, mildness, sincerity, tolerance, forgiveness, self-control, friendship, benevolence, and nonviolence.
4. Avoiding food from unclean places, eating more than required, and eating at night.
5. Honoring prasadam prepared by devotees who chant at least sixteen rounds a day, whenever possible.
6. Increasing austerities for self-purification.
7. Living simply and without wasting time, while fixing the mind on devotional service to Krsna.
8. Studying scripture, conducting philosophical research, and preaching. Vanaprasthas are usually teachers or mentors or guide. One advantage a vanaprastha has over someone in the sannyasa-asrama is that he or she can guide grhasthas through their difficulties with the wisdom of having lived through the asrama themselves. Because of their life experience Vanaprasthas either alone or together would make excellent gurus and help furthering our Gaudiya Vaishnava ‘parampara’.
9. Being simple and straightforward and not duplicitous when dealing with oneself and others
10. Avoiding managerial positions, because profit (labha), prestige (pratistha), and adoration (puja) are natural by-products of position. Best not to seek such positions out. Pratistha is called sukarera vistha (pig stool). If one must take management responsibilities, be attached only to serving and not to the position.
11. Avoiding association with the opposite sex whether by glancing, touching, conversing, joking, or sporting.
12. Sleeping separate from one’s spouse and, if possible, on the floor or in a simple bed.
13. Avoiding engagement in material, social, or family affairs.
14. Controlling the tongue (no more gramya-katha) and senses (vaco vegam). Don’t criticize anything or anyone.
15. As far as possible, try to live apart from the family, and practice remaining alone.
16. Sleep only six hours a day and rise during the brahma-muhurta.
17. Spending as much time as possible performing quality japa.
18. Reducing bodily needs. Simplify everything. Renunciation is the wealth of the brahmanas.
19. Serve, and whenever possible, travel with advanced Vaisnavas.
20. At the time of vanaprastha pravesh, following the example of Rupa Gosvami, divide your money: 50 percent distributed to qualified and pure devotees of the Lord or for the propagation of the Krsna consciousness movement; 25 percent given to family members; 25 percent kept for personal use in case of emergency. Don’t store provisions or have a large bank balance.
21. Dedicate as much as possible one’s time and efforts in preaching such as the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books, harinama, prasadam distribution, and home programs.

The purpose of this paper is to seriously consider taking up the practices of the vanaprastha-asrama.

I am presenting the ideal and standard behavior of a vanaprastha. The asrama is not meant as an imposition but a help. Since example is better than precept, I am trying to practice the points in this paper. His Grace Mahatma Prabhu writes in article “What you Live You give”: “We have not yet become what we believe.
It has become obvious to us that what our movement needs more than scholars are exemplars of our philosophy.
What we live is what we give. As we live bhakti, we give bhakti. Let us become what we believe.” This is my ambition.

I hope and pray that this presentation has awakened awareness in the minds of the readers of what’s possible for them, and will be helpful to eligible vanaprastha candidates on their spiritual journey. I am very fallen, and so I beg forgiveness for any offenses and ask everyone to please give me their mercy and blessings.
Dasanudasa,
Jaya Gaurasundara dasa Gauravanacari.

H. Our progress in Spiritual life leading to Vanprastha:
We took first initiation from HDG Srila Satsvarupa dasa Goswami Maharaja in 1982 in Baltimore temple a first time ever fire sacrifice for initiation was done in the small temple room. Right after first initiation I asked my Gurumaharaj “What do you want me to do now?” His answer was “Nothing special but be an ideal Grhastha”. Then we received second (Brahmana) initiation in 1983 in Gita Nagari on the auspicious day of Nrsimha Caturdasi.
In the year 2014 we went to see our Guru Maharaja on Radha Astami. During our conversation, he said he had heard that in August of previous year, we had celebrated our 50th Marriage anniversary. I replied that “It was last year gurumaharaja. Now it is 51st. year of our married life.” That magic number 51 somehow made me inquire from him about Vanprastha initiation in ISKCON. His answer was NO. There is no such procedure. Later that year (July, 2014) I heard that, HH Jayadvait Swami Maharaja was looking for volunteers who would take Vanprastha asrama to provide more visibility to that asrama. So, at the Harrisburg RathaYatra festival of 2015, when I met HH Jayadvait Swami Maharaja I volunteered to officially take Vanprastha. In order to know more about Vanprasth asrama, I gathered information from “Vanipedia” about what Srila Prabhupada had to say about Vanprasth asrama. From the gathered information, Srila Prabhupada’s following quotes made me think seriously about taking Vanaprasth. — “One should be very much ashamed of remaining a householder. It is not that a grhastha should live at home until he dies.” “Tapa, or austerity, is especially meant for the retired life. One should not remain a householder throughout his whole life with grandchildren.”
So, I was ready to go through the official process now with firm determination. Officially, mine and my wife’s life as Vanaprastha began on March 7, 2016 at noon on Old Gurukula Ground in Sri Dham Mayapur. I received a title GauraVanacari and accepted yellow dress just to distinguish from Grhatha and Brahmacari or Sannyasi.
In response to HH Jayadvaita Maharaja’s request our Gurumaharaj wrote following letter to be read during our Vanaprastha initiation:
Subject: Re: Vanaprastha initiation
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2016 12:03 -0500
From: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami (ACBSP) <satsvarupa.dasa.goswami@pamho.net>
To: JSwami <jswami@****.***>
Dear Jayadvaita Maharaja, Jaya Gaurasundara and Kaumodaki,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I want to congratulate you all and praise you for taking part in the first ISKCON *vanaprastha* ceremony. It is very auspicious, and the participants are all well-qualified. Jayadvaita Maharaja is very committed to giving *vanaprastha* initiations and has deep realizations on the subject in accordance with Prabhupada’s teachings and the revealed scriptures. Jaya Gaurasundara and his wife have always been ideal devotees and preachers.
They have welcomed me at their house on many occasions, and we have a long history of good association. I praise them, and I am proud of them. As they have been ideal *grhasthas, * I am certain they will be ideal* vanaprasthas.
*I wish them all success in their new lifestyle of detachment, simplicity and increased Krishna consciousness. You are all setting an ideal example for the entire ISKCON. I would like to have been present for the ceremony, but I am not able. I am with you in loving spirit. I offer you my humble obeisances.
Hoping this meets you all in good spirits.
Your servant,
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami</jswami@****.***></satsvarupa.dasa.goswami@pamho.net>

‘To study scripture and conduct philosophical research’ being one of the specific practices of Vanaprasthi, I am writing this paper entitled: “The Vanaprastha Asrama and Its Practical Application”

Begging everyone for their mercy and blessings again,
Dasanudasa,
Jaya Gaurasundara dasa Gauravanacari.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=84428

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Rasamandala dasa has offered us this article to help clarify some of the concerns and reservations that many of us may have with educational approaches to Vedanta and Hinduism. He reassures us with his positive treatment of the subject and with his obvious experience in the field of teaching Hinduism and Vaishnavism in British schools. He has systematised our objectives very well and marries this to the difficulty in interpretation experienced between members of the tradition and those non-practitioners who attempt to teach the tradition to others. This article is essential for those in our society engaged in the religious or academic fields.

 In my last article1, I applied modern communications theory to explore how presentations to school audiences can improve public perception of ISKCON. We also discussed how, within the statutory educational framework, there may be legitimate scope for teaching about Krishna Consciousness. We also heard how, in Britain, our Society has been fortunate to enjoy both these benefits.

However, right from the start, there were a couple of notable challenges. Firstly we were assumed, and required, to represent one of the principle world religions2, namely Hinduism. This raised pertinent, and sometimes controversial, theological questions about the identity of ISKCON and its members (we’ll come back to this later). Secondly and subsequently, this also meant that ISKCON Educational Services staff were required to make presentations not just on ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism, nor on broader Vaishnavism, but on the whole spectrum of Hinduism itself. I began to question whether this supported our Society’s aims or was even consistent with them. As I pondered, and read more school textbooks on Hinduism, I considered and noted down some of the possible benefits of speaking and writing about the subject. However, I also noticed in many school textbooks room for considerable improvement.

This concerned me. We were, whether we liked it or not, strongly identified with the broader tradition and any misrepresentation of that could reflect badly on ISKCON. On a positive note, it was evident that a large percentage of our presentation material on Hinduism per se was congruent with Krishna Consciousness, giving us ample scope to redress such errors. In other words, I concluded that the reputation of ISKCON, at least within the educational world3 , depended significantly on public perception of the broader tradition, which we had ample opportunity to influence.

What I intend to do here, therefore, is to discuss the educationalists perspective on the Hindu tradition, identifying areas of apparent misunderstanding or misrepresentation. This subject is presented mainly through the experience of our schools programme in the UK, though it naturally has implications on higher academic levels. Indeed, I hope this article, presented here principally for Krishna devotees, will form the basis of an extended study of interest to scholars (in both Religious Education and Religious Studies). My comments here are not intended to be a criticism of the educational and academic worlds, where there is increasing sensitivity towards multi-cultural issues. I hope, though, that by identifying possible shortcomings, in methodology, this article will be constructively challenging.

The subject is discussed in terms of the ten objectives which ISKCON Educational Services has formulated in teaching about Hinduism. Each objective (in bold type) is followed by a brief explanation including practical information for devotees making presentations in the educational sphere.

Read more: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31800

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The Highest Charity by Gautam Saha

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Every civilized person is familiar with the concept of seva or service. Service can be of different types and of different qualities. At home, every member of the family is serving everyone else. Traditionally, the father traditionally earns for the family and is therefore known as the “breadwinner,” while the mother takes care of the home itself by cooking, cleaning, and creating a comfortable and congenial atmosphere. The children obey their parents and perform basic chores or run minor errands, according to the desires of the parents. This kind of seva is at the level of interdependence, each family member is taking care of basic needs based on the principle of partnership. It is material seva. This sort of service, in varying degrees, is also observed in animals, aquatic creatures, birds, and so on.

When we serve our employers or, as a businessman, serve our customers, this type of service is perforce carried out by circumstance and need; it is not voluntary. In the broader society, locality, or community, recognizing common material goals, we sometimes serve on local committees, advisory bodies, NGOs, or otherwise engage in activities whose outcomes are intended to affect the community at large.

This principle can apply to the much larger national and international arena as well. Those who are of a charitable bent of mind, having sufficient disposable money, freely donate materials, money, time, and efforts to those in dire want, or institutions that take care of such needy persons, in the spirit of seva, without expecting anything in return.

And yet these activities concern doing good for the body, either of those who are near and dear or those who we are not directly concerned with but still feel sympathy for. Such service is considered also to be on the material platform. Activities of this sort do not provide any lasting benefit to the soul the actual, eternal person because we all are separate from our temporary material bodies.

This brings us to the question of whether the good we think we have done is going to benefit the recipient temporarily or permanently. Service on the material platform is certainly noble when seen in the context of present social norms and pervasive economic disparities. If we consider things dispassionately, however, we can see that the suffering and happiness of every creature in the material world is preordained, being the fruit of its past karma. Acts of charity may help us obtain pious credits, but they will not help the recipient in his or her spiritual evolution towards liberation. It is therefore better that we serve others in a way that will help them reach the highest perfection, the supreme destination.

Facing the Crucial Moment

At a deeper and more fundamental level, at the spiritual level, we need to nourish the well-being of the spirit soul in order to ensure that it does not again obtain a material body and remain enmeshed in the throes of material nature, which is attended by birth, aging, disease, and death. A living entity’s best interest lies in reconnection with the Supreme Lord Krishna, or Vishnu, the only true benefactor and friend to all living beings and the only one who can grant us liberation from this debilitating condition. At the time of death, the living entity’s salvation lies in recognizing Lord Krishna’s supreme dominion over the entire creation by total surrender to that Supreme Person (Gita 7.30). Whatever form of being we think of at the time of death, that form or body we shall receive in our next birth. In a similar vein, the Lord has promised that if at the time of death we think of Him alone, we shall attain His nature without fail (Gita 8.5–6 ).

Every human being is responsible for his or her activities and consciousness in this life. Although the gross material body is left behind at death, the living entity’s desires, as well as the reactions to his past activities, accompany him after death. However, the Lord guarantees protection to all those who surrender unconditionally to Him. Surrender to the Supreme Lord Krishna is very pleasurable, especially when we see His eternally youthful and beautiful face and His enchanting smile, which can dispel all the miseries of the material world. As Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows, suffering the pangs of pain due to mortal injuries, Lord Krishna appeared at his deathbed and gave him darshana. As a result, all of Bhishma’s pain vanished, and he smiled in anticipation of his glorious future.

Most of us hold very dear to us our spouse, children, pets, possessions, house, money, and so on; if we make the mistake of hankering for any one or more of these at the time of death, in our next incarnation we will get an appropriate body to fulfill our longings, thus continuing the cycle of birth and death. Sadly, we have no one to blame but ourselves for this mammoth blunder. After all, we came into the material world because we did not wish to be subservient to the Lord and instead wanted to enjoy separately from Him.

Lord Krishna is so magnanimous that even if we lead a life of indulgence and sin but think of Him only at the time of death, He will overlook all our sins, and our disrespect and indifference to Him, and consider us His pure devotees. This concept is exemplified in the story of Ajamila in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. When a person, however materialistic or ignoble he might be, approaches the Supreme Lord with sincerity, he is gradually purified as a result of this association, since everything about the Lord is transcendental, untouched by the three modes of material nature, just as all unclean things are sterilized by the powerful rays of the sun. If we spend even a small portion of our life in loving service to the Lord, the reward will be the sterilization of our consciousness of all unclean thoughts, words, and actions.

Since none of us has any inkling when and in what situation we shall quit our body, we should always be prepared to think of the Lord and we should do so as often as possible so that we do not forget Him at the instant of death, which can sometimes be very painful or distracting and hence prevent us from remembering Krishna.

Service to the Soul – Sharing Krishna Consciousness

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.9.29) says: “In human society there are various activities performed for the protection of one’s wealth and life by one’s words, one’s mind, and one’s actions, but they are all performed for one’s personal or extended sense gratification with reference to the body. All these activities are baffled because of being separate from devotional service. But when the same activities are performed for the satisfaction of the Lord, the beneficial results are distributed to everyone, just as water poured on the root of a tree is distributed throughout the entire tree.”

Hence the highest welfare activity anyone can perform for any other person is to bring him to Krishna consciousness; induce him to associate with devotees, encourage him to read the authorized scriptures, such as the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad- Bhagavatam, and listen to the discourses of advanced devotees and spiritual masters or acharyas, and also invite him to join in the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By one or more of these processes, anyone can be purified and steadily progress as a sincere and loving devotee of the Supreme Lord Krishna, firmly established on the path to salvation and eternal spiritual life. Since the Lord and His name are non-different, when we chant His name, Krishna actually dances on our tongue, cleansing it of all sinful propensities, just as He danced on the hood of the giant serpent Kaliya, thereby subduing and cleansing the demon of his evil and spiteful nature and paving the way for his salvation.

The Lord Himself states in the Gita (18.68–69), “For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, 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.” This shows how much the Lord loves us and wants to liberate us all from this enslavement by maya, His external illusory potency, so that we may join Him in a blissful and eternally lasting reunion. It is only our ignorance or indifference that comes in the way. Many times preachers face hostile audiences and sometimes even the threat of violence by persons inimical, even though devotee preachers have nothing but love and sympathy in their hearts for the fallen creatures of Kali-yuga. Hence those who go around explaining the glories and pastimes of Lord Krishna and the substance of the scriptures to the common man should be considered the most magnanimous and munificent persons. Those saintly souls have taken up the transcendental mission of bringing the Lord’s message to the common man, who is so deeply engrossed in material life, by bringing Krishna to his doorstep, thus empowering him to inculcate all the qualities required to cross over the ocean of material life, never to come back to this miserable world. Thus no person can show his love or charity for others in a better way.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16267

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By Bhakti-lata Dasi

In January 2022, the prison system in the USA started the process of converting all inmate mail to an electronic system. The state of Florida was the first to transition, gradually followed by Texas, then Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In the near future, the other states will follow this trend as well.

This means that most of the inmates in those states are no longer allowed to receive paper letters, books, magazines, and newsletters. All snail mail correspondence has to be sent to a post office box, from where letters are scanned and emailed to the different institutions. From there the mail is read, approved, and sent electronically to the individual inmates’ tablets.

Some institutions lend tablets to the inmates while they serve their time there. In other places, inmates either have their own tablets, or they have access to their mail at a kiosk within the prison. For inmates who, as a result of their housing designation or status, are not permitted to access tablets or kiosks services, mail is scanned, printed, and delivered to them.

A few of these already transitioned institutions make an allowance for religious material, as long as the package is stamped as such and that the sender is a recognized entity. Fortunately, most prisons recognize IPM as a legitimate book vendor, so most of the time we can take advantage of these exceptions.

When this trend started, I had an inkling that, most probably, all States would eventually follow suit. It then seemed logical that IPM should upload Śrīla Prabhupāda’s electronic books on the inmates’ tablets. After doing a little research and making some initial contact with the company Edovo, that provides tablets for the prison system, it became evident to me that this was a project that would require a substantial amount of time. Being already fully engaged, I asked for help in this undertaking in a 2023 IPM NEWS.

In July 2023, Chaitanya Visnu prabhu, from Nairobi, Kenya, volunteered for this project. He made some headway but that September he had to withdraw due to the difficulty of reaching out to an American company on a different time zone. I am very grateful for the progress he was able to make.

In August 2023, Premananda prabhu —who now lives in New Vrindaban and is a disciple of Varsana Swami—volunteered to take up the baton and continue to investigate and explore the labyrinth of the prison electronic system. He also had to facilitate communication between Edovo and Kaisori prabhu (from the European BBT). In her turn, Kaisori has been so very patient with this long-drawn process and facilitated the necessary permissions between the European BBT and the Edovo company, as well as with Bhaktivedanta Archives in North Carolina (Ekanatha Dasa and Nitya-trpta Dasi, to whom we are also indebted).

Thanks to Premananda’s staunch determination over the last year and a half, he was able to reach our goal of having Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books (plus a few of his lectures, bhajans and kirtans) uploaded to the prisons’ tablets.

On 3/21/25, Edovo emailed the following message to Premananda prabhu;

“We’re happy to share that all of your content has been reviewed, organized, uploaded, and published to the platform and is now available to nearly 1 million incarcerated learners across the country!

To view how learners are engaging with your materials, here is your custom data analytics dashboard (link below) that shows how many unique individuals have started and completed each item. It will start updating with Learner engagement within a few days and continue to update in real time after that.”

You can access that link for data usage at:

https://app.periscopedata.com/shared/06a20aa8-f038-4aa0-903f-8788e3b43c50

Many inmates have already enthusiastically written about using Edovo to read Prabhupāda’s books. Below are two of those letters:

“Krsna has now provided for us, on Edovo, many of Srila Prabhupada’s, books, lecture’s and even some kirtan and examples of Srila Prabhupada chanting the maha mantra (japa)! We have been so richly blessed. Please see for yourself if your facility provides EDOVO. Easiest access is typing “Kṛṣṇa ” into the platform. It will provide a greater way to not only absorb more of Srila Prabhupada’s works for us, it will also give a very important tool to share love of Krsna with others.
I’m really excited and adapting to reading much more on a tablet. This will probably be the way of the future as facilities are restricting mail access more and more.
Prayerfully hoping Back to Godhead and the Freedom Newsletter from IPM can be added sometime soon.
Forever grateful to IPM and the generous donors for providing for us in the prison house of the material prison!”

Rodney S. — Lincoln, Nebraska

[Since this letter from Rodney, we have indeed been able to upload the Freedom Newsletter to the tablets. Edovo will upload three issues at a time, four times a year.]

“Yesterday, March 20th, I discovered all of the transcendental content you have uploaded to the Edovo learning app. A collective effort, for sure. I express my deepest appreciation to each and every devotee that was and continues to be involved in service to Śrī Guru and Gauranga Nitai! Please know inmates here in South Carolina, including myself, are already so engaged. And I thank you so very much!”

Jason M. —Fairfax, South Carolina

We are celebrating the fact that a million inmates in 1,200 facilities nationwide have access to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s eBooks and audio. It is a great victory; a rhino I was so very much eager we catch for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s pleasure. My deepest thanks to Premananda prabhu for his determined and selfless service.

All content has to be re-uploaded every year at the cost of $2,000/year. A generous devotee (who desires to remain anonymous) wonderfully offered to sponsor the cost for this first year. At the beginning of 2026, I will be fundraising for a second year, to keep the door open for the inmates to receive Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy.

Below you can see the complete list of the uploaded material.

KRISHNA CONSCIOUS CONTENT UPLOADED TO EDOVO IN MARCH 2025

eBOOKS (29)

Beyond Birth and Death

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Sri Isopanisad

Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System

The Nectar of Devotion

The Nectar of Instruction

Perfection of Yoga

Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers

Raja-vidya: The King of Education

The Science of Self-Realization

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Queen Kunti

Teachings of Lord Kapila

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 1-12

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta

AUDIO TRACKS (20)

JAPA (1)

Japa by Example -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda – 30:58 mns

 

ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA Bhagavad-gītā As It Is LECTURES (6)

BG 2.13: This body is a bag made of blood and bones. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -Feb. 21, 1973 -Auckland

BG 4.7: Surrendering unto God is the real religion. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -June 13, 1968 -Montréal , Canada – 54:52

BG 7.1: We are always disturbed. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -July 29, 1971 -Gainesville, FL

BG 8.12-14: The examination at the time of death. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -October 26, 1966 -New York

BG 9.26-27: The process of peace. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -December 16, 1966 -New York

BG 12.13-14: God must be equal to everyone. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -May 12, 1974 -Bombay

 

ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA Srimad-Bhagavatam LECTURES (6)

SB 1.1.2: Everyone must commit mistakes. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -August 16, 1971 -London

SB 2.1.1-5: Everyone thinks ‘I am this body’. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -June 26, 1974 -Melbourne

SB 3.25.9: We do not die -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -November 9, 1974 -Bombay —41:54 mns

SB 5.5.1: We require eternal happiness. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -October 23, 1976 -Vrndavana, India

SB 6.1.6-7: There are millions of universes. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -June 8, 1975 -Honolulu

SB 7.5.22-32: The Lord appears with two purposes. -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda -May 27, 1972 -Los Angeles

 

ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA BHAJANS (7)

Hare Kṛṣṇa Maha Mantra – by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Purport on Hare Kṛṣṇa Maha Mantra -by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Prayers to the Six Goswamis (Śrī Śrī Sad-gosvamy-astaka) – by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Govinda (Śrī Brahmā-samhita) – by Radha-Kṛṣṇa Temple

Ceto Darpana Marjanam (Śrī Śrī Siksastakam) -A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Vande ‘ham (Prayers &amp; Kīrtana) A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda &amp; devotees

Hari Haraye Namah Kṛṣṇa (Nama-sankirtan) -A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda —16.45 mns

 

ISKCON PRISON MINISTRY

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NOTE:
This article is from IPM NEWS, the bi-monthly electronic newsletter of ISKCON Prison Ministry. To read whole issues, please go to: iskconprisonministry.org

If you wish to receive it in your mailbox, simply email me at iskconprisonministry@gmail.com with “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

More excerpts of inmate letters and also their artwork are available on our website at: iskconprisonministry.org

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WANT TO HELP?

4 Donation Options:

  1. Send check or postal money order to:
    ISKCON Prison Ministry
    PO Box 2676
    Alachua, FL 32616

  2. Donate through PayPal at: IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com

    ISKCON Prison Ministry
    By Bhakti-lata Dasi

  3. Donate through pay.google.com to iskconprisonministry@gmail.com

  4. For automatic, monthly donations, you can do so on our website (with the PayPal button), or through your bank “Automatic Bill Pay” option, which is free and easy.

We will send you a tax-deductible receipt at the moment of the donation, provided you give us your legal name and mailing address.

ISKCON Prison Ministry
PO Box 2676
Alachua, FL 32616
IskconPrisonMinistry@gmail.com
IskconPrisonMinistry.org

 

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115710

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In the Srimad Bhagavatam 7 canto it is said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee know how to use properly lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and envy.

In the Bhagavad Gita 3.37, Srila Prabhupada says: “…Therefore the origin of lust is also in the Supreme. If, therefore, lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Krishna consciousness – or, in other words, desiring everything for Krishna – then both lust and wrath can be spiritualized.
Hanuman, the great servitor of Lord Rama, exhibited his wrath by burning the golden city of Ravana, but by doing so he became the greatest devotee of the Lord. Here also, in Bhagavad-gita, the Lord induces Arjuna to engage his wrath upon his enemies for the satisfaction of the Lord. Therefore, lust and wrath, when they are employed in Krishna consciousness, become our friends instead of our enemies.”

Greed is the cousin of lust, but there is a difference: the lusty person likes to enjoy living things, persons and animals; the greedy one, inert things like money, properties. In ISKCON now we will require spiritual greed to please the guru parampara to make in Mayapur Dhama the biggest temple in the world. How does the devotee use illusion? The devotees who distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books are quite expert in using illusion in Krishna’s service, saying to the people, ‘Oh you look a nice person!’

Once I gave a Science of Self-realization book telling him: ‘Oh you look a nice person,you look like the pope Paul the Second. He took out immediately his wallet and gave 100$. Srila Prabhupada said: “You just have to glorify them”. Another time I gave a book to a girl saying: “You have a saintly look”.She at once cooperated.

Pride. Pride comes before a fall. We should be afraid of this kind of pride. But there is a healthy pride, to belong to a family of vaishnavas with so many wonderful acaryas, with all the 26 qualities of a Vaishnava visible in them in a excepcional way.

The Nectar of Devotion, cap. 29 says: “Pride. Expressions of ecstatic love in pride may be the result of excessive wealth, exquisite beauty, a first-class residence or the attainment of one’s ideal goal. One is also considered proud when he does not care about the neglect of others. Bilvamangala Thakura said, ‘My dear Krishna, You are leaving me, forcibly getting out of my clutches. But I shall be impressed by Your strength only when You can go forcibly from the core of my heart.’ This is an instance of feeling pride in ecstatic love for Krishna”.

Once during the rasa dance, when Radharani left the arena and Krishna went to seek Her out, one of the dear friends of Radharani addressed Krishna thus: “My dear Krishna, You have been very much obliging in serving the form of our Sri Radharani, and now You have left all the other gopis to search for Her. Please allow me to inquire how You want Her to treat You.” This is an instance of feeling pride on account of exquisite beauty.

Sometimes Radharani felt pride within Herself and said, “Although the cowherd boys prepare nice flower garlands for Krishna, when I present My garland to Him, He becomes struck with wonder and immediately accepts it and puts it on His heart.”

Similarly, in the Tenth Canto, Second Chapter, verse 33, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Lord Brahma says, “My dear Madhusudana, persons who are pure devotees of Your Lordship actually feel Your ecstatic friendship, and as such they are never vanquished by enemies. They know they are always protected by You, and so they can matter-of-factly pass over the heads of their enemies without any care.” In other words, one who has taken complete shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord is always proud of being able to conquer all enemies.

One weaver at Mathura addressed Krishna in this way: “My dear King of Vrindavana, I have become so proud of Your causeless mercy upon me that I do not even count upon the mercy of the Lord of Vaikuntha, which is sought after by many great sages in deep meditation.” In other words, although the yogis and great sages sit in meditation upon Lord Vishnu, who is residing in Vaikuntha, a devotee of Krishna is so proud that he does not consider such meditation to be very valuable. This feeling of pride is due to one’s having achieved the highest goal of life – Krishna.

And how to use envy? Once I went to Srila Prabhupada’s rooms in Mayapur Dhama,and HG Harikesa prabhu offered to Srila Prabhupada for his pleasure all the Caitanya Caritamrita in an eastern european language. When I saw those wonderfully binded books,I become transcendentally envious.I thougth: “Just see!, here all the Caitanya-caritamrita in a language that a few million people would speak,and it is not printed still for spanish speakers, who are 500 million”.

In the Padyavali, one of the friends of Radharani once addressed Her thus: “My dear friend, please do not be too puffed up because Krishna has decorated Your forehead with His own hand. It may be that Krishna is yet attracted by some other beautiful girl. I see that the decoration on Your forehead is very nicely made, and so it appears that Krishna was not too disturbed in painting it. Otherwise, He could not have painted such exact lines!” This is an instance of envy caused by Radha’s good fortune.

In the Tenth Canto, Thirtieth Chapter, verse 30, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is the following statement: “When the gopis were searching for Krishna and Radha after the rasa dance, they thus began to speak among themselves: ‘We have seen the footprints of Krishna and Radha on the ground of Vrindavana, and they are giving us great pain, because although Krishna is everything to us, that girl is so cunning that She has taken Him away alone and is enjoying His kissing without sharing Him with us!’ ” This is another instance of envy of the good fortune of Srimati Radharani.

Sometimes when the cowherd boys used to play in the forests of Vrindavana, Krishna would play on one side, and Balarama would play on another. There would be competition and mock fighting between the two parties, and when Krishna’s party was defeated by Balarama, the boys would say, “If Balarama’s party remains victorious, then who in the world can be weaker than ourselves?” This is another instance of envy in ecstatic love.

The conclusion is : yukta vairagya, everything can be used in Krishna’s service, except sinful activities.

Om Tat Sat.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=4244

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By Mohan Lila Das


Hema Malini is an Indian actress and politician currently serving as a member of the Lok Sabha, representing Mathura constituency, to visit ISKCON Naperville.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) of Naperville is delighted to announce a special celebration on Sunday, May 18, marking the second anniversary of the temple’s opening. This commemorative event will be an evening of inspiration, devotion, and community spirit, bringing together supporters and well-wishers from across the region.

The celebration will be honored by the presence of Smt. Hema Malini, an award-winning Indian actress, director, producer, and politician, and Gauranga Das, a globally respected Hindu monk, spiritual leader, and author. Their participation underscores the importance of this occasion and the temple’s growing role in the community.

Hema Malini Ji, a recipient of the Padma Shri and Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, has served as a Member of the Lok Sabha representing Mathura since 2014 and is a dedicated life member of ISKCON. She actively promotes spiritual and cultural initiatives within the ISKCON community.

Gauranga Das is a Governing Body Commissioner of ISKCON and Director of the ISKCON Govardhan Ecovillage, a UN-recognized sustainable community. He also serves as UNEP’s Faith for Earth Counsellor and is a prominent voice in ISKCON’s leadership development and global outreach programs.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-naperville-celebrates-second-anniversary-with-special-guest-appearances-on-may-18/

 

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By Purshotam Dasa and Nimai Devi Dasi 

This year, the annual four-day ISKCON Communications Conference was held at Prabhupada Desh, Vicenza, Italy, from May 3–6. It expanded this year to include guests from around the world, as well as eighty participants from Europe.

“It was a great success, thanks to the high numbers of participants,” said Mahaprabhu Dasa, the ISKCON Communications Director in Europe. “Both the topics addressed and the quality of the presentations were interesting and engaging. The topics allowed the participants to ask many questions and reflect on what they can apply in their own countries. Prabhupada Desh is a wonderful venue. The devotees took very good care of all of us with nice meals and facilities.”

Three days of panels and workshops took place, with topics ranging from education, youth, science, and human rights, to working with the United Nations. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-communications-conference-goes-global/

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16 years ago, after graduating from UCL with a management degree, I opted to leave it aside and embrace monastic life instead. Ironically, it’s all come full circle; dealing with people, projects and practicalities is a sizable section on the modern monastic menu. I must have some management karma to burn off. Balancing spiritual immersion and practical politics, however, is incredibly challenging.

You have to be alert, streetwise, tuned in, and sensitive enough to deal with the complexities and conflicts that harass every manager. Being a monk, however, you simultaneously try to live in a sacred space of consciousness, beyond the temporary phantasmagoria, with a broader vision and deeper meditation. Sometimes I feel like I’m living the life of a public hermit – ‘on the grid’ but simultaneously aloof.

While navigating the practical world and settling into my inner world, I encountered a useful mantra which I tried to embed within my mindset – “learn to live with chaos.” External circumstances are never perfect, prim and proper. Life just doesn’t work like that, and if we’re perpetually seeking the perfect resolution of everything around us, our attention will be perpetually diverted away from other parts of our life which need it.

Many things aren’t meant to be resolved – they just need to be managed and tolerated. We must cultivate resilience and steadiness of mind, even amidst unresolved problems, issues, obstacles and hostility. The entirety of our life can’t be spent putting out fires. Some will just have to burn, but we should continue progressing forward nevertheless.

Once, Swami Prabhupada was being driven to a public engagement. As they hit a series of roadworks, the traffic slowly built up, and within minutes all the vehicles were at a complete standstill. As they peered outside the windscreen, a luminous highway sign read “road works: temporary inconvenience, permanent improvements.” The Swami laughed heartily and exclaimed “the material world: temporary improvements, permanent inconvenience!” And so, learning to live with chaos is more realistic, progressive and pragmatic. Like running water effortlessly flows around the obstructing rocks, moving steadily to its destination, so in the face of inevitable challenges and unexpected reversals, we must march on.

I’m slowly learning the art of switching off, entering sacred space, and blocking out the chaotic noise of the buzzing world. I’m not suggesting irresponsible indifference, but I can’t allow my inner world to be permanently hijacked. That space is off limits. Otherwise, in the midst of the chaos, I may well miss the whole point.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=45376

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I’m a firm believer that everyone should take a break from the man-made world, even if just for a few minutes every day.  For the sake of sanity, the connection is essential.  I recall from my visit to Sparta last year, at this time there is a nearby body of water, Lake Sparta.  A walk around it is 1.12 kilometres.  Notable are the natural elements.  No wonder people have made their homes here.  Luckily for walkers like me, no homes are built on the lake’s edge, and plentiful gaps of nature between homes makes you feel like you’re not in suburbia.

At its beach, I noticed the gorgeous craftsmanship of a spider’s web work.  Being that this morning was of ultimate mist, tiny beads of water stuck to the web to pronounce more details.  I also spotted a heron.  The lake is its home.  I saw it with its expansive wings last year.  Resting from a past occupancy is a beaver lodge five metres from the lake’s border.  The mammals must have been shooed away, otherwise, all the trees would have been felled by now.

After a great walk and brunch with salad of the local garlic mustard leaves, my host, Haripad, took me to Montclair University where we met devotees for kirtan and book distribution on the campus.  During our chanting amongst the trees, a hawk flew low and perched on a branch with a prized possession – a robin.  Holding to its prey, it plucked at feathers and then guts.  Not nice to see. 

For the evening, I delivered a class at the Towaco temple to tell of the glories of Sita Devi on Her birthday, followed by a Zoom class on the Gita, 3.14.  Two straight hours of satisfaction!

Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/don-t-forget-nature

 
 

 

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As devotees around the world celebrate Nrsimha Chaturdasi, Director Ashwin Kumar announced the summer release date of Mahavatar Narasimha, a stereoscopic 3D film based on Lord Narasimha. The long-awaited film is set for theatrical release on July 25, 2025.  You can watch a promo video here

Recognized for its historical significance in Indian animation, the film was selected as one of the top five Hindi films at the 55th International Film Festival of India. Distributed by Hombale Films, it will be released in five Indian and several international languages.

The producer of the film, Shilpaa Dhawan, made both skill and financial arrangements for the film which was backed by her unflinching faith toward the Lord in their debut bootstrapped venture fighting through the rough tides of covid and other economic hurdles it bought.

In an earlier interview with ISKCON News, Ashwin said, “Lord Sri Narasimha’s blessings have been our strength and inspiration, and we hope that our film will be a worthy tribute to His and Prahalad Maharaj’s glory. We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve Lord Narsimha through this film,” he said. The filmmaker added, “The Lord’s divine presence has been felt throughout our journey.”

Reflecting on the impact of the process of making the film, Ashwin shared, “Srila Prabhupada has said that art is a window to the spirit world. We have to become mediums. When I embarked on this project, I decided to depend more on the shastras than mere concoctions. Srila Prabhupada, the Lord, and Srimati Radharani blessed me with visions, which I sketched and gave to my studio artists for production. This entire process—of cleansing, meditating, and creating—transformed me.” 

Stay tuned for more updates on Mahavatar Narasimha, and get ready to experience the magic of this unforgettable cinematic journey. To learn more about the film, visit their website, follow them on Instagram, or join this WhatsApp group

Source: https://iskconnews.org/mahavatar-narasimha-film-director-announces-theatrical-release-date/

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