Prabhupada: “Prasadam is the most important thing to bring people out of darkness.”
Sravanananda: In Vrindavan, we would go every morning in the early days when it was just huts and a little bit of cement and steel going up.
We would take a mat and Prabhupada would sit on the side of the road, call over mayavadis and then get into a heated debate with them.
They were always respectful, however, but Prabhupada was showing us the fierceness of challenging mayavadi philosophy.
I once asked, “Srila Prabhupada, people are so stuck in darkness.
How do you tell a person who’s blind, that there’s vision, that there’s light even though they’ve never experienced it.”
Prabhupada said, “Prasadam.”
He said, “Prasadam is the most important thing to bring people out of darkness.”
That hit home for me because that pretty much was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me joining the temple because the prasadam broke my attachment to anything.
It was Govardhan Puja.
Prabhupada’s program of prasadam cannot be found in any other yoga group.
In those early days in the temples, the prasadam was just amazing.
The devotees had so much love and devotion, and it was opulent.
We were violently sick at the Mayapur festival in either 1974 or 1975.
In those days, they were using very bad oils to cook with.
Literally everyone was so ill that we could barely pay obeisances to Prabhupada.
Prabhupada walked around where we were sprawled out and he was very disturbed that everyone was so sick.
He immediately ordered that the homeopathic doctor be called.
When the doctor arrived, he put a pill in everyone’s mouth as Prabhupada walked with him and watched over the process.
Literally within minutes after the pill went in our mouth, we woke up out of a slumber of unconsciousness and a horrific disease to being almost fully conscious.
We were bewildered and thought to ourselves, “What just happened?”
I never thought about it too much until decades later when I really felt that Prabhupada was performing a miracle.
To this day I don’t believe that one little white pill could have made us go from such a state of diseased consciousness and dysentery to be standing up and ready to do service again.
It was such a short time frame from being so bad to so good that it had to have been a miracle by Prabhupada’s grace.
There was a time in Mayapur that I remember with Srila Prabhupada that I can only describe as transcendental.
Prabhupada sat on the vyasasana and became very grave.
It was very bright outside but in a short period of time, the light in the temple seemed to be disappearing and dissipating, almost like a cloud covering the sun.
Everybody became very sober.
Instead of singing “Jaya Radha Madhava”, Prabhupada started talking and as the light changed within the temple, Prabhupada’s color also seemed to change.
Prabhupada said, “In your previous life, you were all associates of Lord Chaitanya.
He said, “Somehow or other, I have been designated or assigned as the captain of this ship.
But you have actually done everything to spread this Krishna consciousness.”
Then Prabhupada went into ecstasy.
He just sat there, went into ecstasy, and the whole room was frozen in time.
Everybody was feeling it because everyone was looking at one another and whispering, “Are you feeling this?”
Prabhupada didn’t speak for a long time.
I don’t think anybody wanted this experience to stop.
All of a sudden off to the right side of the temple, I remember Hamsadutta picked up a mridanga and he started to chant Hare Krishna.
His chanting seemed to break the almost samadhi like ecstatic mood.
I felt some anger towards Hamsadutta for breaking the ecstatic wave that we were all feeling together in this boat with our captain.
Later the devotees went to Prabhupada and asked, “Prabhupada, when this happens to you, is this what we should do?”
Prabhupada said, “Yes, that’s okay, but it doesn’t happen so often, does it?”
I can’t grade every experience but I would say this was one of the most directly ecstatic, powerful experiences that I have ever felt.
—Sravanananda

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=53943

CM Suvendu Adhikari performs Aarti at ISKCON in Mayapur, West Bengal

Channel: ANI News

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari paid visit to ISKCON Temple in Nadia district. He performed Aarti at the ISKCON temple, and paid tribute to Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The crowd cheered him up as soon as he entered in the Temple.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=118155

Source: https://www.asian-voice.com/Volumes/2026/30-May-2026/Festival-of-Chariots,-57-years-celebrating-on-the-streets-of-London

By Yogeshwar Krishna Das, 

In a historic spiritual celebration, ISKCON Patna organized the first-ever Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Nauka Vihar Festival in Bihar on Sunday, 24th May 2026. By the divine mercy of Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Ji and the blessings of Srila Prabhupada, the grand festival attracted an overwhelming participation of more than one lakh devotees from different parts of Bihar and nearby regions.

Grand Palki Yatra Filled Patna with Harinaam

The festival commenced with a magnificent Palki Yatra from the temple premises to Adalatganj Talab. Thousands of devotees enthusiastically participated in melodious Harinaam Sankirtana, dancing and chanting the holy names of the Lord throughout the procession. The entire atmosphere of Patna became spiritually surcharged with devotion and joy.

Mesmerizing Nauka Vihar of Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Ji

The main attraction of the festival was the enchanting Nauka Vihar (boat festival) of Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Ji. Beautifully decorated boats carrying the Lordships floated gracefully on the waters of Adalatganj Talab amidst ecstatic kirtan, devotional songs, flower offerings, and continuous chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Devotees described the divine darshan as spiritually unforgettable and unprecedented in the history of Bihar’s devotional tradition.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/thousands-join-first-ever-sri-sri-radha-banke-bihari-boat-festival/

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) has announced its latest course (online and in-person) lineup for June–December 2026, continuing its longstanding commitment to supporting devotees in their lifelong journey of spiritual education and growth.

Rooted in Srila Prabhupada’s mission to establish an institute in Vrindavan dedicated to serious students of sastra and the training of qualified preachers, VIHE offers a structured progression of foundational, intermediate, and advanced courses. Designed as a step-by-step study path, the curriculum guides participants from essential principles to deeper philosophical understanding and practical realization.

According to VIHE, the courses are intended to provide more than just academic learning. Through disciplined study, guided reflection, and personal application, the institute seeks to nurture growth in knowledge, character, and devotional practice, helping devotees prepare for responsible service and deeper engagement with sacred texts.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/vihe-opens-new-course-offerings-for-june-december-2026/

Question: Spiritual wisdom-traditions often glorify forgiveness as a virtue, but isn’t it impractical and foolish to forgive someone who repeatedly hurts us?

Answer:

When someone hurts us, forgiving that person is our best response. But often our indignant emotions make us overlook the subtle but vital line that differentiates forgiving a person from trusting a person: forgiveness is for the past; trust is for the future. We are urged to immediately forgive, but not immediately trust, the wrongdoer. Let’s explore this difference.

Whatever wrongs a person has done in the past can’t be changed; as long as we resent the past, we stay stuck in it. Consequently, our thoughts, words, actions and even lives may become resentment-driven, causing us to either clam up or blow up. When we clam up, we drive our anger deep within, thereby unnecessarily inflicting ugly scars on our psyches that may distort our personality. When we blow up, we drive our anger outward not just to the wrongdoer, but to whoever crosses our way at the time of blowing up, thereby creating an undesirable public image of being irritable. Thus both the resentment-driven responses – clamming up or blowing up – are unproductive, nay counter-productive.

Therefore, the best response is that which frees us from resentment – and forgiveness alone can do that. When we forgive a person, we accept the ground reality that the other person being a fallible human is imperfect – as are we. We too may err tomorrow and be in need of forgiveness. In fact, the logic of karma suggests that we may have hurt someone in the past, just as someone has hurt us now. We then see the wrongdoer not as the cause, but as the vehicle, of our suffering, which originated in our own past insensitivity. Underscoring this philosophically informed vision, Srila Prabhupada would recommend that we eschew becoming angry with “the instruments of our karma.” Even if our indignant feelings make the logic of karma difficult to digest, still forgiveness retains its potential to free us from resentment.

So, we needn’t make our forgiveness conditional to the other person’s seeking it, but we should certainly make our trust conditional to that person’s earning it by sustained improved behavior. Conveying our forgiveness helps that person avoid the pitfall of self-justification, and holding back our trust avoids the pitfall of that person remaining oblivious to the past wrongdoing. Forgiving a person certainly doesn’t mean that we let the other person continue the hurting behavior; that would be masochism and there’s nothing laudable or spiritual about masochism. At the same time, it needs to be stressed that there’s nothing intrinsically laudable or spiritual about cultivating and actualizing revenge fantasies. So, we need to find that balanced course of action which allows both us and the other person to grow spiritually. This balance can be better grasped through historical and practical examples.

1. A good scriptural example of offering forgiveness-but-not-trust comes in the tenth canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam in the dealings of king Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krishna, with the demoniac tyrant Kamsa. When due to an unexpected turn of events, the tyrant had an apparent change of heart and sought forgiveness from Vasudeva for the past atrocities. Vasudeva promptly forgave Kamsa, but didn’t naively trust him and divulge Krishna’s whereabouts; in fact, Vasudeva cautiously and tactfully did all that was possible for him to keep Krishna’s whereabouts hidden from Kamsa. It soon became evident that Kamsa’s change of heart had been only momentary; he relapsed into his past malevolence by re-imprisoning Vasudeva and by repeatedly sending deadly demons to kill Krishna. Thereupon Lord Krishna, taking cognizance of the demonstrated incorrigibility of Kamsa and the need to protect the innocent from his viciousness, chose the necessary punitive measure of freeing Kamsa’s soul from the vengeful mentality inherent in his material body, thereby enabling the thus-purified soul to progress on the onward spiritual journey. In this incident, we see that when Kamsa did not use the forgiveness graciously offered to him to mend his ways and re-earn the lost trust, then eventually he was administered the required purificatory punishment commensurate to his misdeeds.

2. Another example of giving forgiveness-without-trust, wherein the wrongdoer reformed himself, comes in the Mahabharata in the dealings of Vidura with his elder brother and the reigning monarch, Dhritarashtra. The saintly Vidura, who is also the speaker of the celebrated Vidura-niti (the moral codes of Vidura), repeatedly counseled the blind monarch, Dhritarashtra to choose morality over nepotism. Unfortunately, the kind, due to his attachment to his son, Duryodhana, continued tacitly sanctioning the latter’s nefarious schemes to harm the Pandavas, who were the rightful heirs to the throne. At one time after the Pandavas had been dispossessed and exiled in a rigged gambling match, Vidura’s beneficial but unpalatable pronouncements about the vicious nature of Duryodhana and its dire consequences became intolerable to the attached Dhritarashtra, who censured and banished his well-wishing younger brother. However, the king soon came back to his senses and sent his secretary, Sanjaya, to seek forgiveness from Vidura and to call him back. Vidura returned and forgave Dhritarashtra, but didn’t trust him; by withholding his trust, he was able to keep track of further recurrences of nepotism. But by not withholding his forgiveness, he was able to maintain a congenial relationship with Dhritarashtra, thereby eventually helping the king see the futility and folly of his attachment and to finally take up the path to wisdom and enlightenment.

3. Returning to our contemporary scenario, if the hurting behavior continues, we may need to create a safe, healthy distance between the person and the facility or the power or the position used to perpetrate the hurting behavior, so as to provide that person the room necessary to reform. If a spouse becomes overly dominant, we may have to do the needful to prevent abuse, but if we refuse to forgive our partner, who thereby feels branded as an abuser, we may soon find ourselves at the receiving end of a spate of counter-brandings, thereby taking the relationship on a doomed downward spiral.

4. If a child repeatedly neglects studies due to being infatuated with video games, we may have to restrict access to those games, but we needn’t restrict access to our love. A child who feels unloved, un-forgiven and labeled as irresponsible may get mentally caught up in trying to justify the video games, maybe as an ‘aid to learning’, instead of focusing on actual learning through studies. But a child who feels reassured of the parents’ love and forgiveness, and inspired by the opportunity to re-earn their trust by studying wholeheartedly, may secure good marks, get a taste for studies and thereby naturally give up the video-game infatuation.

5. On the spiritual path, if a practitioner misappropriates a resource meant for outreach for one’s personal benefit, we may have to withhold that resource till the errant tendency is reformed, but we needn’t withhold our forgiveness, for that forgiveness may well be the impetus necessary to inspire the desired reformation.

To summarize, forgiveness involves our cultivating virtue independent of the other person, whereas trust is our reciprocation conditional to that person’s cultivating virtue. By carefully understanding the difference between the two, we can transform unfortunate episodes in our relationships into spiritual growth opportunities at least for ourselves – and possibly even for the other person.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12404

Channel: Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta APS

Marco Ferrini, GLA University, Vedic philosophy, Vastu Shastra, sacred architecture, symbolic architecture, architecture and spirituality, architecture and meaning, Vedic architecture, sustainable architecture, civil engineering, built environment, architecture and human values, Bhagavad Gita, Bhakti Yoga, Srila Prabhupada, Indo-Vedic wisdom, traditional culture, space and symbol, Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta …

This lecture explores architecture as a profound organization of perception and meaning rather than a mere arrangement of physical matter. Drawing from Vedic traditions, modern science, and classical philosophy, Matsyavatara Prabhu explains how structural design influences human consciousness, memory, and emotional well-being. The speaker emphasizes the concept of convergence, suggesting that while technical engineering provides essential stability, the true purpose of a building is to facilitate a spiritual and symbolic relationship between the inhabitant and their environment. Using examples like the Vastu Shastra and the Pushpa Samadhi Mandir, the text illustrates how geometry, light, and proportion transform spaces into fields of experience. Ultimately, the source advocates for a holistic approach where utility, beauty, and stability unite to serve the deeper aspirations of human life. The lecture “The Form That Reveals Meaning” shares profound commonalities with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings on Bhakti Yoga, particularly in the belief that material forms can be spiritualized through consciousness and service. A primary connection is the speaker’s direct involvement in designing the Srila Prabhupada Samadhi Mandir in Mayapur, a project where architecture was treated not merely as a functional building but as a “spiritually expressive” laboratory for perception.

A fundamental philosophical intersection lies in the lecture’s reference to the Bhagavad-gita’s 13th chapter, specifically the distinction between kshetra (the field) and kshetrajna (the knower of the field). This aligns with Prabhupada’s teaching that the body and the physical world are fields of experience for the conscious soul. The speaker argues that architecture creates an external “field” that must interact with the “inward” experience of the observer, mirroring the Bhakti principle that our environment should be designed to support spiritual realization.

Furthermore, the concept of Sadhana is applied to the creative process, emphasizing that “intention matters” because it shapes the quality of the result. In Bhakti Yoga, Sadhana is the disciplined practice used to purify consciousness; similarly, the speaker describes the “sadhana of the architect” as one where conscious attention is paramount. This reflects Prabhupada’s insistence that the internal mood of service (Seva) is more vital than mere external quantity or mechanical performance.

The lecture also highlights sacred geography, noting that holy places like Vrindavan, Mathura, and Mayapur are not just locations but “meanings” carried within the consciousness. This echoes the Bhakti understanding of the Dhama as a transcendental space. Finally, the speaker links the Vedic concept of Sat-Chit-Ananda (eternal being, consciousness, and bliss) to the ultimate reality that architecture should reflect, suggesting that beauty, stability, and utility are part of a single essential reality. In both the lecture and Bhakti Yoga, the material world is seen as a “visible expression of the invisible,” intended to guide the soul toward its original spiritual orientation.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=118143

More than 250 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered on May 16 at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, for a large community day of service organized to support Vaibhavi Devi Dasi and honor the memory of her recently departed husband, Caru Das.

The effort brought together three local LDS Stakes and volunteers from across the community for a day dedicated to easing burdens at the temple and demonstrating solidarity during a difficult time. Monica Ringger-Bambrough, a local interfaith leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who organized the project, said the day was inspired by a desire to show love and support to longtime friends and neighbors.

“His loss was felt in our community and around the world,” Bambrough said of Caru Das. “We thought this was the least we could do to show our love and support in a time of need.”

Throughout the day, volunteers divided into 27 teams serving in 21 different project areas. Tasks ranged from shearing llamas and hauling away truckloads of trimmings and debris to planting a memorial garden in honor of Caru. Organizers estimated that volunteers completed approximately 800 hours of service between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.—an amount of work that would have been difficult to accomplish otherwise.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/latter-day-saints-and-krishna-devotees-unite-in-service-at-utah-temple/

Krsangi-Radhe Dasi, Vaishnavi Minister for ISKCON South Africa and a representative within the African Regional Governing Body (ARGB), continues to shape the development of Vaishnavi engagement across the continent through a leadership approach grounded in relationships, lived experience, and institutional responsibility.

A disciple of Indradyumna Swami, she also serves as Communications Director for ISKCON South Africa and has represented the movement internationally, including by participating in engagements with the United Nations. Her service reflects a growing effort within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to articulate and support women’s roles within its global mission.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/expanding-vaishnavi-leadership-in-iskcon-communities-across-africa/

It was wonderful to visit the many temples in Bali during the month of Purusottama. It is said that this month has the special favour of the Lord and anyone who performs devotional activities gets special mercy.

Our Sri Sri Radha Madhava temple in the Gianyar area is nicely developed and grhasthas have built houses around the temple compound. We had nice kirtan and then offered lamps to Their Lordships, followed by class and prasadam.

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/radha-madhava-temple-bali/

Through bhakti-yoga we can finally reunite with the person we’ve wanted all along.

The Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, discusses dhyana-yoga, or meditative yoga. Texts 13-14 say: “One should hold one’s body, neck, and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.”

Srila Prabhupada’s purport to these verses begins, “The goal of life is to know Krishna, who is situated within the heart of every living being as Paramatma, the four- handed Vishnu form.”

The same form of Vishnu or Narayana is existing within the heart of every living being as the soul of all souls, and He is directing the wanderings of all living being throughout the cosmic creation. There are two souls: the individual soul, the person looking out from the eyes; and the Supersoul, the Supreme Lord who resides within the heart of each of us.

Self-help advocates say, “I have to get in touch with my real self.” They’re thinking on the physical plane. “My real self is not a doctor but a lawyer, and as soon as I discover I’m a lawyer I’ll be happy.”

But it’s much, much deeper than that. The real self is aja, “unborn,” and nitya, “eternal.” The real self does not die when the body dies. The real self is hankering after a relationship with the Supreme Person, but we’re looking in the wrong place. All of us are looking for friendship, love, guidance, and knowledge, but we’re looking for these within the phenomenal world, and this is a mistake because our very best friend is within our own heart.

It is difficult to see the nose, which is right in front of you. Similarly, it is difficult for us to see is Supersoul, who is there within us. He is ishvara, the supreme controller, and not a blade of grass moves without His sanction. He’s controlling all the universes, gravity, time, but He makes Himself available. Have you ever worked for someone who doesn’t have time for you? Krishna is the controller of everything, but He has all the time in the universe for you. And not only for you but for me too. That’s the beauty of Krishna. He is with all of us individually.

The goal of yoga is to help us get in touch with the person who resides within our hearts. Yoga is the matchmaker, you could say.

Not more than a few hundred yards from this place a yoga class is going on. Most people think yoga is either a means to lose weight so that they can have good sex or to merge with Brahman and lose all individuality, which amounts to spiritual suicide. But they’re wrong about the goal, and they’re wrong about the practice. One has to practice sitting postures to breathe properly, but that is not the goal. Real yoga is ashtanga-yoga, the eight-fold process. It starts with yama and niyama, rules and regulations that require one to be a strict vegetarian and practice celibacy.

Sex is the highest material pleasure, and love of God is the highest spiritual pleasure. For some people it’s disheartening to learn that they have to make a choice. The real thing to understand is that the pleasure of sex life has a heavy downside. There’s an old saying that if you pick up one end of the stick you pick up the other end of the stick too. If you want sense pleasure, then you have to take sense pain—sukha and duhkha, happiness and distress.

Some of us have been to the school of hard knocks and have gotten a little realization. I’m not perfect in my understanding of it, but in my heart of hearts I know that when I’m free from lust, anger, greed, envy, that kind of purity will bring me happiness beyond compare. I want that. And I’m prepared to be patient, determined, and enthusiastic to achieve it, because I’ve seen that in this world, practically speaking, there is only suffering. You can say something brings less suffering and therefore it’s enjoyable. But I want a pleasure that is ever increasing. That plea-sure exists, but it requires effort to attain. By the process of sankirtana—by chanting and taking spiritual food and living a simple life and associating with other devotees and practicing sincerely—you can attain the perfection of pleasure.

Krishna says, “Of all yogis, he who in faith worships Me is the highest of all.” Krishna is the Supreme Person, the Supreme Lord. He is the speaker of the Bhagavad- gita, and He is telling us that of all yogas—jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, ashtanga-yoga, kriya- yoga, this yoga, that yoga—the highest yoga, the way to reach Him, is bhakti-yoga. After jnana, or knowledge, comes love. After many, many lifetimes of analyzing the material world, one will realize vasadevah sarvam iti: there’s nothing more than Krishna. He’s the goal. To love Krishna, to be loved by Krishna, to finally come back to Him after such a long time, to finally reunite with the person we’ve wanted all along, and to never be parted from Him ever again—that is beautiful. And that can be achieved through bhakti- yoga.

Read More https://www.dandavats.com/?p=4011

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting)

sanjaya uvaca
dantva tu pandavanikam
vyudham duryodhanas tada
acharyam upasangamya
raja vacanam abravit
[Gita 1.2]

Translation: “Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the following words:”

Srila Prabhupada

Prabhupada: Dhatarantra inquired from Sanjaya, kim akurvata: “After my sons and my brother’s sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?” Dhatarantra wanted the fight to happen and did not want his sons to compromise. That is the kshatriya spirit: “Let my sons and my brother’s sons fight. My sons are one hundred in number and they are only five, so certainly my sons will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured.” Because Sanjaya could understand the feelings of his master, and so in the beginning he says, “Don’t be discouraged. There was no compromise.” And to encourage him, he described Duryodhana as “raja,” so he could at least imagine Duryodhana becoming the king. Of course, in the end he would inform differently. “Yatra yogesvaram harim, my dear sir, do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because Krishna is on the other side. Yatra partho dhanur-dharam, and there is the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond your expectation of victory.”

So drstva tu pandavanikam [Gita 1.2]. Duryodhana did not expect that the Pandavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Krishna on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pandavas well-equipped with good number of soldiers pandavanikam he was a little surprised: “How they could gather so many soldiers?” So he immediately consulted his commander-inchief, Dronacharya.

Dronacharya was the acharya, or teacher, of both Kauravas and Pandavas. He was the military teacher. When all of them were children, they studied under Dronacharya. Dronacharya was a brahmana, but he knew the military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys. But Dronacharya joined with Duryodhana. Bhismadeva joined with Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna. Because Arjuna or Maharaja Yudhinthira was not the king at that time the financial control was not in their hands and these people, the sons of Dhatarantra, controlled government political power. The financial control too was in their hands. So they were giving enough money for maintenance to Dronacharya and Bhismadeva. So both Dronacharya and Bhismadeva felt obliged. Of course, they knew everything. But externally, they felt obligation: “Arjuna, I am getting money from Duryodhana. So in this point of danger, if I do not join him, it does not look well. I am getting financial maintenance.”

Of course, Arjuna did not ask him. Arjuna was satisfied with having Krishna. Krishna also divided Himself. Since it was a family quarrel, He said, “I cannot take part with either side, and even if I side with any of you, I shall not fight. Directly I shall not fight. I may be on your side or that side, but I’ll not fight.” Still, Arjuna was satisfied. So Krishna, in order to satisfy Arjuna, he agreed to become his charioteer. So in this way the battle was arranged, and when Dhatarantra inquired, kim akurvata sanjaya ”What did they do?” Sanjaya said, “Sir, don’t be disappointed. There was no compromise. Your son, immediately upon seeing the military arrangement of the Pandavas, went to Dronacharya to inquire and assess the situation.” Raja vacanam abravit: Duryodhana spoke the next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

pasyaitam pandu-putranam
acharya mahatim camum
vyudham drupada-putrena
tava sinyena dhimata
[Gita 1.3]

Translation: “O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada.”

Prabhupada:The son of Drupada was meant for killing Dronacharya. Drupada Maharaja was not in good terms with Dronacharya. So he performed a yajna to get a son who could kill Dronacharya. That son is Dhantadyumna, whom Duryodhana calls dhimata, “very intelligent. Dronacharya knew that Dhantadyumna is going to kill him. Still, when Dhantadyumna approached Dronacharya to become his disciple, to learn military art, Dronacharya accepted without hesitation. This is the qualification of brahmanas to be liberal: “Never mind, he would kill me in future. But if he has come to me seeking knowledge, I must teach him.” Duryodhana is trying to provoke Dronacharya by pointing out, ”After studying under you, intelligent Dhantadyumna has arranged our enemy’s army just to kill you.” But Dronacharya was duty-bound. After all, everyone must die; nobody will exist forever. So nobody should be afraid of death. Death is inevitable: “As sure as death.” Who can avoid death? So being afraid of death, we should not deviate from our duties, real duty. That is Vedic civilization.

Sanjaya with Dhrtarastra

Pasyaitam pandu-putranam acharya (Gita 1.3): “My dear teacher, just see how many military soldiers are standing there on behalf of the Pandavas, and they have been arranged by your disciple, who is meant for killing you. So just remember.” Duryodhana is trying to say, “You fight so strongly that this boy and the other party may not kill you.” But Duryodhana does not know that death does not depend on military strength or bodily strength. When death will come, nobody can check. Death is God. When Krishna desires that “This man should be killed now,” or “He must die now,” nobody can check. Rakhe Krishna mare ke, mare Krishna rakhe ke: If Krishna desires to kill somebody, nobody can give him protection, no power. And if He wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him. This is Krishna’s protection.

These warriors, like Dronacharya, Bhismadeva and Karna very, very, big, powerful commanders. Arjuna was nothing before them. Parikshit Maharaja compared Arjuna with others in this way: “My grandfather was just like an ordinary fish, and these soldiers, these commanders, were just like timingila.” Timingila is a fish we get information from Vedic literature a very big fish. They swallow up the whales. Timi means whale fish, and timingila means those who swallow whales, just as small fishes get swallowed up. So just imagine how big timingila is. So these commanders Karna, Dronacharya, and Bhisma were compared with the timingila. And Arjuna although very powerful was compared with timi. So Parikshit Maharaja admitted, “It was not possible for my grandfather to win over the battle before these big, big commanders. It is only by the grace of Krishna he was saved.”

So the conclusion is if Krishna saves, nobody can kill; and if Krishna wants to kill, nobody can save. Therefore our conclusion should be that we should always be under the protection of Krishna. Avasya raknibe Krishna this is saranagati, or surrender. Surrender means, “I am surrendering to Krishna with full faith that He is quite competent to give me protection.” This is called surrender. Not that hesitation: “Oh, I will surrender to Krishna, and in case of danger, He may not be able to give me protection.” That is not surrender. With full faith: “Yes, Krishna is so powerful, Krishna is so great, that I am surrendering to Krishna from this day. O Krishna, I have been wandering throughout the universe life after life without knowing my relationship with you. Now, today, I surrender unto you. Kindly accept me and engage me in your service.”

Thank you very much.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16072

Srila Prabhupada has told us that the culmination of all of our preaching in Krsna Consciousness is to induce people to wholeheartedly chant the holy names of Krsna. The chanting of the Holy names must continue. Srila Prabhupada said we can do without temples, we can do without everything. We don’t need money. If we can get it, we will use it. We don’t need property. If we get it we will use it. We don’t need vehicles. If we get it we will use it. We don’t need good PR, Public relations. If we get it we will use it.

But one thing at all times, we always need for our spiritual survival and that is the association of the devotees and the regular chanting of the holy names. If we lose either of these two principles which are actually one in essence, then we lose our connection to Krsna.

In this age of Kali, there are two deadly enemies that are always about to devour all the sanctity of our spiritual lives: egoism and lethargy.

Krsna tells us in Bhagavad Gita that we must give up egoism and lethargy. Wherever the false ego becomes prominent, we start thinking in terms of I and mine. Then there is no service attitude. We want to be master. We want to be enjoyer. We even see other Vaishnavas, even our old godbrothers and godsisters as competitors rather than worshipable Lords. We should see every Vaishnava with veneration. They should be objects of our worship. But where there is egoism, we start to see Vaishnavas as ordinary people. When the desire for our own prestige and enjoyment comes too much into our mind, then even great Vaishnavas appear to be insignificant. However, where there is a humble attitude of service, even the most ordinary, new beginning devotee, we see as someone very glorious and worthy of our respect. This is one of the barometers by which we can understand how we are progressing.

Due to egoism, everyone thinks “I can judge others. I am right. You are wrong. If you stand between me and my aspirations of profit, adoration and distinction then you become my enemy.” Where there is disunity amongst devotees there cannot be proper sankirtan. We cannot chant together in the proper spirit to please Krsna, we cannot serve together.

When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur saw his own devotees fighting amongst themselves, he was willing to sacrifice everything and anything he had, to bring about unity. Because he knew that unity alone would empower his movement to please Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and thus fulfill His mission. For Srila Prabhupada also, that was the great worry. “Show your love for me by how you cooperate.” This cooperation is not an ordinary material formula. You cannot cooperate unless you are really trying to follow the essence of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Without wearing this shloka around our necks, strung by the holy name: trinad api sunicena, taror api sahishnuna, amanina manadena, kirtaniya sada Hari, there can be no real cooperation, unless we are striving to be really humble devotees, putting aside this egoism. Trample it down!

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said that the desire for enjoyment, prestige, we must take the broom of the holy name, the broom of Vaishnava etiquette, we must sweep it out of our hearts hundreds and thousands of times every day because it keeps coming back in. He said, “You are delivered by Krsna the very day you are free from the desire for prestige. That is the day you will go back to Godhead, not until then”.

So this egoism is very prominent in Kali Yuga. Kali is trying to destroy everything sacred from inside out. We must be on guard at all times, to not be judgemental or make offenses, to be cooperative and eager to serve, eager to uplift, eager to encourage, eager to sacrifice for the benefit of other devotees.

Lethargy means laziness. We don’t want to chant, we don’t want to read and even if we chant, we chant lazily. We let our minds just slope along its own natural patterns for thoughts. Recently we were in the ocean near Udupi and it is easy to just float on the water of the ocean and the waves just take you wherever you go. It is very relaxing, so relaxing! There is nothing more relaxing than floating in the ocean. Except in Jagannath Puri, you cannot float. If you try to float you get crushed. But in Udipi, you can float.

And similarly it is very relaxing to chant our japa and let our minds just coast along upon the waves of maya and illusion, thinking of this, thinking of that and everything else. And meanwhile our mouths are moving and everyone in the temple is thinking, “Oh, a very strict devotee!” But we cannot deceive Krsna, we cannot be lazy. We have to keep bringing our minds back to Harinam. We have to come to satsangs. We may not like it, it may be inconvenient, but we need to hear and chant in the association of devotees. It is easy to talk different types of village talks when we have free time. But we should pick up the books and read or discuss Hari katha. We have to be awake and on guard. The chanting of the holy names and serving Vaishnavas is our basis.

Egoism and laziness is our downfall. Where there is egoism and laziness, there is also lust, anger, envy, pride, greed and illusion and so much envy. In Kali yuga, either you fill your mind with Krsna or your mind gets filled with maya. There is no in between. But somehow or other, we are here at this time, but there is one benediction. If we just remain united and keep up this principle of sincerely chanting Harinam, and hearing Hari katha in a spirit of servitude, Krsna will empower us to overvcome all the impediments of Kali. But we cannot do it only by ourselves. We should see that we need each other.

Srila Prabhupada was so gracious. He saw every disciple as the representative of his spiritual master. He would say that “My Guru Maharaj has sent all of you to help me to fulfill his mission.” And he was so grateful. Therefore even if one of his disciples fell into abominable activities, although he understood what is what, still that love and gratitude was always there, prominent in his heart. Not condemning, but praying to Krsna, “Please bring him back. He has done so much.” So if that is the way Srila Prabhupada saw each of his devotees, how much we should appreciate!

These days, there is so much confusion, conflict, rivalry, deviation right within every religious institution including ISKCON but that should not discourage us because we are not concerned with the deviation. We are concerned with the essence, with the real thing. As long as we have the holy names, as long as we have Srila Prabhupada’s books, as long as we have simple, sincere, humble devotees who want to serve, who want to chant, who want to dance, then we have Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. So please be strong! Guard against egoism, guard against offenses to devotees, guard against laziness in the basic principles of sadhana. If you do, by Mahaprabhu’s and Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy, you are guaranteed to go back to Godhead.

Their mercy is causeless. If we are simply sincere, they can make up for all of our deficiencies, and they will. So please take this very seriously every day for the rest of your lives. Never give up the mercy of Guru and Gauranga. It is the greatest loss. Know your real wealth to be the humility and sincerity with which you serve and chant the holy names. One of our great acharyas explained that one speck of dust of Srila Prabhupada has the power to deliver the entire universe. One single speck of dust from Sri Gurudev has the strength to deliver tens and crores of people and all the knowledge in all the Universities and all the reasonings of all the philosophers and all the wealth of the industrialists and all the politics of the politicians, all multiplied together, does not equal even a fraction of the weight of one speck of dust from the lotus feet of the previous acharyas. This is the statement that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati made about Gaur Kishore das Babaji. We can make the same about Srila Prabhupada.

Therefore it is my most honoured duty in life to sprinkle those particles of dust wherever we go, by our behaviour and by the sincerity and wish, we pray for the benefit of others and chant the Holy names Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, I thank you very much.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=3928

Some Burmese doctors were attending a medical convention in New York City and got a book from a devotee on the street. The book distributor showed them the Dasavatar painting in the Gita, pointed out Lord Buddha, and the doctors bought the book.
When they got back to their hotel and looked through the Gita, they thought “Wait a minute. This is not about Buddhism” but as they bought the book, they decided to take it back to Burma and give it to a Hindu doctor friend. The Hindu doctor friend turned out to be a staunch follower of Sankharacharya. He thought “Ah, this is a book about Bhakti. I have no interest in this” and he put it in one corner of his office, in a pile with so many other medical journals etc.
One day, the Hindu doctor’s son was visiting his father’s office. The young college student son wanted to learn English. He saw the big thick English language book sitting in the corner and thought “Hey, I will take this book. Look up all the words in a dictionary and teach myself English.” The son had no interest in the philosophy or studying the Gita. He simply saw it as a means to learn English.
Moving slowly, looking up every second or third word, by the time the young man finished the 6th chapter he had learned English–and become a devotee. He is now initiated as Srivas Pandit prabhu, the regional secretary for Burma, and has made waves of devotees and opened multiple temples and preaching centers all over Burma. He will tell you that it all came from one Gita distributed thousands of miles away in New York City. And I should mention–his father is now an initiated devotee as well.
Such is the potency of book distribution.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=54042

A new ISKCON preaching center has recently begun operating from a preserved 180-year-old samurai house in Tsukuba, Japan, marking a significant development for the growth of Krishna consciousness outreach in the country. The project, led by grihastha couple Sudama Das and Ujjvala Gopi Devi Dasi, along with their son Bhagavat-Marg, was formally inaugurated earlier this year during visits by Kavichandra Swami.

Located in Japan’s internationally recognized science and research hub, the new center represents years of grassroots outreach, cultural engagement, and community building carried out with the support of the broader Japanese Yatra. The property now serves as a space for kirtan, Bhagavad-gita discussions, vegetarian cooking programs, and cultural exchange activities aimed at introducing Krishna consciousness within a distinctly Japanese setting.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/krishna-bhakti-art-returns-to-manila-with-expanded-vision/

By Atma Tattva Das, 

After a one-year pause in 2025, Krishna Bhakti Art returned to Manila, Philippines, this year with renewed purpose and an expanded vision of devotional outreach through art, culture, and community.

Held on May 10 at Imanji Vegan Restaurant, Krishna Bhakti Art 5 brought together devotees, artists, musicians, underground creatives, and members of the local vegan community for an evening of exhibition, poetry, music, and service. The event also marked the launch of BRAJA-O-RAMA, a new photography and poetry book by Balaram Das, inspired by his years of immersion in Braja. Also known as Vraja or Vrindavan-dhama, Braja is the sacred place in India where Lord Krishna performed His intimate childhood and youth pastimes with His family, friends, and the residents of Braja.

This year’s exhibition carried an added devotional dimension. Portions of proceeds from participating artists and book sales were intended to support the education of young girls connected to the Braj Gopika Vidya Mandal school in Nandgaon, where Balaram has been engaged in service for nearly a decade.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/krishna-bhakti-art-returns-to-manila-with-expanded-vision/

From Back to Godhead

Krsna consciousness means God consciousness. We all have consciousness or awareness, but of what are we aware? For example, if you are pinched you will feel it that is consciousness. In our normal everyday activities we are conscious of so many things like our stomach, our dress, our relationship with others, and so on. This particular facility of consciousness is the symptom of life. Without it there exists only inert matter, lifeless and dull. What is absent from the corpse that qualifies it as “dead”? The missing ingredient is consciousness, or life. We all have consciousness, and furthermore we have free will. Just as with a T.V. set you can tune in any program you like, similarly, with our conscious mind we can pay attention to whatever we choose.

The Vedas and virtually all revealed scriptures of the world inform us that the perfection of our lives, the proper utilization of our consciousness, is to be Krsna conscious, or aware of God. And the perfection of this awareness is called samadhi, or trance. In this state one is never deviated from God, and his mind is always fixed in meditation upon the Lord.

The Lord is perfect and is the reservoir of all pleasure. When we can become totally aware of the Lord, who lies within our hearts as well as being present everywhere, then we share in that pleasure and perfection with the Lord, Krsna or God.

Who is Krsna? Who is God? If we want to meditate on Him always, how shall we do so? If I ask you, “Now you please meditate on my brother,” you would inquire, “Very well, what does your brother look like? What are his activities? Please give me some information about him.” In the same way, if we are to meditate on God we must have some information about Him. Our imagination will not be sufficient for this purpose because God lies beyond our imaginary powers. And where shall we find such information? The revealed scriptures teach us about God and His attributes.

The most complete and comprehensive of all revealed scriptures are the Vedas. The Vedas give us information not only of the greatness of God (all scriptures describe the greatness of God), but also such detailed information as what God looks like, what He does and what He eats; everything is included within the Vedic literatures. They are, therefore, the most valuable sources for learning about God. Other scriptures are not false. Revealed scripture is always perfect and absolute, but, at the same time, some are more complete than others. When you want knowledge of vocabulary, either a small pocket dictionary or a large library edition will do, but the latter gives the most complete knowledge. Similarly, all revealed scriptures will afford knowledge, but theVedas are by far the most complete. It is only the small mind which will discount the authenticity of the Vedas because they appear different from other scriptures, for the reason that they offer greater knowledge. Actually the apparent difference is only due to the observer’s lack of comprehensive perspective. For example, if I am in possession of the large dictionary and I quote some information from it, and if you are holding the pocket volume, you may try to find the same information. If what I have referred to is not mentioned in the small dictionary, you may conclude, “Oh, you are wrong, my good sir. I do not find what you say in my dictionary, so therefore it cannot be factual.” Is this very intelligent? No, The small dictionary and the large one are in absolute agreement; there is no contradiction, but greater knowledge is available in the large edition. It is only when a viewpoint is eclipsed from a lower platform that the discrepancy arises in our consideration.

The Vedas are the source of the most perfect knowledge, and therefore the intelligent person, seeking the most advanced knowledge of God, will do well to hear from them about the science of God.

And what is the information we receive from the Vedas? The Supreme Absolute Truth is an eternal person, fully possessing transcendental and spiritual qualities, and His form or body is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. The transcendental nomenclature ascribed to this transcendental Supreme Personality is given as Krsna. Krsna is God, and God is Krsna, I am a person, an individual, and I have my name. Similarly God also has a name, Krsna. This denotes that He is a person, an individual, just as my name denotes my individuality. Actually, there are unlimited names of God in every language and culture, but Krsna is all-inclusive because Krsna means all-attractive. Without being all-attractive, there is no meaning to God. We all possess some features or attractiveness. We might be very beautiful or very rich, very intelligent or very strong, but we cannot honestly claim that we possess all or even one of these qualities in fullness.

Who among us can say, “I am the most beautiful person in all the world; no one can match me in this opulence”? Even if we could make such a claim, then it would have to be asked, “Yes, you are very nice, but for how long will you be the most beautiful?” Soon your youthfulness will be gone, and, along with it, your so-called beauty will vanish. So our claim to greatness is very limited and temporary at best, but Krsna is not like that. “God” means that no one is equal to Him and no one is greater than Him and that His qualities are eternal. He is the supreme possessor of all opulences. Therefore He is the supreme object of worship and glorification.

The propensity to glorify is naturally present in everyone. We can see that people are always glorifying someone a movie star or a famous historical figure. How often have we heard the glories of Mahatma Gandhi or Socrates? How many advertisements have we seen or heard commending someone for his activities or personality? Everywhere this is going on. Generally, of course, people are most fond of glorifying themselves. Just listen to the subject matter of almost any conversation, and invariably you will notice that the topic concerns the individuals who are speaking. The perfection of this glorifying process is, however, to praise the greatest, the supreme object of glory, who is more worthy than anyone else. That is Krsna. Krsna is in that position. When we see someone who is very nice, we think, “Oh, he is so nice.” Similarly, when we can see Krsna we will understand that He is the nicest, the most beautiful, the richest, all wrapped into one. Actually, Krsna is the reservoir of all opulence. Whatever opulence we perceive around us is simply a tiny fraction of the total opulence of Krsna. For example, whatever quantity of money we may come across, we know that it has originally come from the Treasury Department, and it is only a portion of the total amount of money issued by the Treasury. Some less intelligent man may think, “Now that I have $100 I am certainly the richest person existing,” but it is to be understood that he is speaking with a poor fund of knowledge. Similarly if someone claims to be great in opulences, it only points out his ignorance of the opulence of Krsna. This program of Krsna consciousness is to worship and and become conscious of the highest person, the most perfect being, Krsna. This is not undesirable. It is the most advantageous position. If you worship a very strong person you may receive some protection from him. In the same way, if you worship Krsna you will share the unlimited opulences of strength, fame, beauty, wisdom, renunciation and wealth with Krsna.

Attaining to this platform of Krsna consciousness is the ultimate goal of everyone. Krsna is the perfection of everything; therefore every endeavor is meant to culminate in Krsna. What is the basic reason for all activity? Why do we get out of bed in the morning, work so hard and struggle for existence? What compels us? It is certainly the search for pleasure, the seeking of perfection. If I were to offer you, “Now you come, I will give you whatever you desire, and you will be perfectly satisfied,” would you not take the offer? Is that not your reason for living? Everyone is moving on this principle, whether it be the ant seeking the grain of sugar, or the dog the bone, or the adventurer wondering what lies beyond the next hill, or the artist trying to put into form the perfect artistic conception; everyone is trying to find perfection. But the anomaly is, as we actually experience, that we have not found that perfection in anything we have done. Even if we have achieved some projected goal, upon that achievement, we have instantly realized, “This is not perfection. I must find something more.” If we could factually run the gamut of all endeavors, fulfilling each one, and then aspiring to something more, something higher, all the way to the limit of experience, then at the end we would find Krsna. Krsna would be there, and upon attaining His association we would be completely satisfied. That is the position of Krsna consciousness. Thus instead of going the long route, which is troublesome and virtually impossible, the intelligent person will simply acknowledge, “Yes, it is only Krsna that will satisfy me; enough with all this other peripheral nonsense,” and then he will make a beeline to Krsna by practicing Krsna consciousness.

Krsna consciousness is the process for attaining Krsna. Another name for the process of Krsna consciousness isbhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means to link with Krsna through bhakti or devotion. This devotional, loving consciousness is the medium by which we make the connection with Krsna, We must apply our consciousness to Krsna and topics relating to Him in a devotional mood. Then Krsna consciousness naturally develops. If you want to become “President conscious,” then what would you do? Naturally you would study the President by hearing about him from authority, following his activities, watching his motions and analyzing his behavior. Or if you wanted to become law conscious, you would attend law school and learn the science by regulated, systematic research and study. Similarly, to become Krsna conscious, we must take to a systematic method of hearing from an authority, or guru, and following his instruction, just as one might take instruction from a law professor. He assigns, “Now you do this; read this book; take this test,” and in the same way the guru or spiritual master gives all necessary instruction to his disciple. If the disciple hears submissively and follows the instruction, then he is assured of success.

This process of bhakti-yoga is given by the spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as the curriculum for attaining God consciousness. It is a bona fide course of study, fully accredited. We should accept it like that, and if we really desire to attain the perfection of our lives, Krsna consciousness, then we should execute it with full-hearted faith and enthusiasm.

The basic principle is simply to fix the mind on Krsna. Bhakti-yoga is the practical way of doing this. In bhakti-yogathe idea is simply to direct our consciousness towards Krsna. And what are the faculties for accomplishing this? What instruments do we have at hand? Our senses. Sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing, are the instruments by which we perceive, or in other words, by which we are conscious. When we look at a billboard sign, our minds, receiving a perception from the eyes, automatically go into action, developing associations and making impressions, and thus we are thinking about or are conscious of that sign. Or if we eat an apple, we experience a particular sensation of taste which is another quality of consciousness. In this way, by dint of our senses of perception, we are conscious of so many things. Recently a specially designed space capsule successfully landed on the moon. Complete with a computer and various types of instruments, the complex machinery began to study the moon in various ways. The instruments would receive data by way of some type of sensitivity (heat sensitivity, light sensitivity, etc.) and would transmit the information to the computer. The computer would then analyze and synthesize this data and produce knowledge of the moon. This is a crude example of how the senses, sight, touch, smell, etc., which are sensitive to different types of energy, work in coordination with the mind and produce knowledge or consciousness.

From this, we can understand that consciousness merely reflects the experience of whatever it is directed towards, just as the space capsule reflects information from wherever it is directed. If you walk into a store, you can purchase whatever you like some ice cream, some fruit, or some milk. You make the choice. And according to whatever you select, you will have a certain taste experience. Similarly, in our lives and with our consciousness, we can be aware and have experience of whatever we choose. And the highest choice, that experience or taste which is the most perfect, the absolute and supreme, is Krsna, or God, and it is not abstract or impersonal. It is not some obscure conception. Krsna is never impersonal. He is a person, transcendental and complete.

The Vedas, and especially the Srimad-Bhagavatam (science of God), give us all this personal information about Krsna. Krsna’s qualities, form and attributes are described extensively in a simple and pure manner. Anyone can understand, and the result of exposing ourselves to this experience will be the perfection of our lives, God consciousness.

The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose of reviving our God consciousness. Only humans can practice bhakti-yoga because the better development of consciousness is only found in the human body. Animal propensities are found both in animal life and human life. Unfortunately people are nowadays more concerned with the principles of material sense gratification because they have no knowledge of spiritual or transcendental sense gratification. In other words they are only animal conscious and are negligent of God consciousness. This tendency is becoming more and more developed, producing an increasingly degrading effect. People are becoming more and more animalistic.

We should not continue on this path. We are all implicated. If we do not elevate ourselves in God consciousness, then we shall degrade ourselves to the level of dog consciousness.

Bhakti-yoga is the process of elevating oneself to the platform of Krsna consciousness. This cannot be artificially attained, but it is acquired by association with devotees of the Lord, hearing from authorized scriptures and chanting the holy names of the Lord. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the simplest and most expedient means for developing Krsna consciousness. And it is practical. Anyone can very easily master the practice and immediately feel the blissful results of transcendental experience. Krsna is there, right in front of you, and by this transcendental sound vibration, Hare Krsna, you gradually come to the position of realizing that fact. When you have mastered the chanting and are fixed in continuously resounding the name, Krsna will then appear in the soul’s eye, and He will dance upon your tongue. You will then taste the Supreme, your thoughts will be absorbed in Krsna, and your consciousness will be perfect.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=26331