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By Gandini Devi Dasi 

The Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS) invites you to the Summer Discovery Series, a free online event hosted via Zoom, unfolding over three weekends—July 12–13, July 19–20, and July 26–27. This global gathering brings together 18 distinguished speakers to share insights on some of the most pressing and profound questions of our time. Designed to explore the deeper dimensions of science, consciousness, and human values, the series features a diverse group of scholars engaging with topics that challenge conventional boundaries and offer new pathways for inquiry.

Presentations will address the search for a new scientific language, the philosophical analysis of moral categories like good and evil, and the role of reincarnation research in developing a more complete science of consciousness. Other talks explore molecular systems and functional plasticity, the epistemology of mathematics, neuroscience, and how ancient texts like the Srimad Bhāgavatam offer insights into truthfulness and personal integrity.

The series also examines ethical frameworks, aesthetic perception, and questions of purpose and meaning in the universe. Emerging research on animal ethics, nature’s intelligence, career dharma, and the integration of scientific openness with spiritual insight rounds out a program that is both intellectually challenging and personally relevant.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bihs-offers-free-global-series-on-consciousness-ethics-and-meaning-this-july/

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By Jaya Vamandeva Das

The ISKCON India Youth Council (North Wing) officially launched UDGAAR 2025, a major youth empowerment initiative aimed at addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by India’s young generation. The event in ISKCON Delhi was graced by senior ISKCON leaders, also serving as Advisory Committee Members for UDGAAR: Devakinandan Das (Zonal Secretary, ISKCON), Vrajendra Nandan Das (Communication Director, ISKCON India), Mohan Rupa Das (President, ISKCON Delhi), and Sundar Gopal Das (Chairman, IIYC). 

Scheduled for 12th October 2025 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, UDGAAR: The Festival of Culture and Wellness will bring together over 15,000 youth devotees from across North India.

In today’s fast-changing world, India’s youth face growing pressures—addiction, mental health challenges, unemployment, and social distractions. UDGAAR 2025 offers holistic, value-based solutions rooted in India’s timeless Vedic spiritual heritage. The festival aims to empower youth with spiritual strength, ethical values, leadership skills, and emotional resilience—preparing them to contribute meaningfully to India’s progress.

A key highlight will be a Guinness World Record attempt where 15,000 youth will take a collective pledge for an Addiction-Free India, sending a powerful message of unity and determination to the nation and the world.

UDGAAR 2025 is not just an event, but a movement inviting government, corporates, media, and educators to join this positive revolution—building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) led by empowered youth.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-india-youth-council-north-wing-launches-udgaar-2025/

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On July 26 and 27th, recent efforts of the BBT Youth For Book Distribution, an Initiative of the BBT MCI Team, will come to fruition in Global Youth Book Distribution Day. This project is being spearheaded by youth, for youth, in order to fulfill the deep desire of Srila Prabhupada that everyone regularly participate in book distribution. On those days, youth (loosely people ages 12-25, but anyone who identifies as “youth” is welcome) will go out with community support to distribute books and get a taste of book distribution in a supportive, safe framework. Youth will work alongside experienced distributors, parents, and temple community members for guidance and support. They will get a chance to engage in door-to-door book distribution as well as book distribution tables to accompany sankirtan. 

Local distribution coordinators and youth leaders in each community will organize the logistics, and members of the community will go out along with the youth. The aim is not a one-time event but the beginning of a regular, long-term support system for youth involvement in book distribution. Scores and participation will be tracked so that progress can be measured and improved over time, in line with Vaisesika Prabhu’s principle that “whatever gets measured gets improved.” 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bbt-youth-launch-global-book-drive-july-26-27th/

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I was invited to give a talk on the highest yoga principles at the new Bhakti Yoga Studio near downtown Seattle. It is a nicely set up facility and especially meant for young people who are searching for the meaning of life.

When I arrived there was already a blissful kirtan happening that lasted more than an hour. At the end everyone was so ecstatic that they spontaneously got up and danced with arms in the air.

The young devotees organizing the program told me that they took the lead from similar programs around the world. One of the key factors of the program was to finish with “devastatingly” sumptuous prasadam.

13649277668?profile=RESIZE_584xSource: https://www.ramaiswami.com/

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Part one: THE OPULENT ANSWER

Many devotees ask how we are to understand the Ulta, or Bahudha return Ratha-yatra in Jagannath Puri? If (as Gaudiya Vaishnavas state) we consider the Gundica-yatra, or Ratha-yatra to respresent the ecstatic emotions of the residents of Vrindavan taking Krishna home from Kuruksetra. How do we then understand the return Ratha-yatra?

Is it a festival celebrating taking Krishna away from Vrindavan?

There are two sides, two answers, that can be offered to this question. To understand them, one first needs to consider something about the nature of Sri Jagannath Puri Dham. In his book, “The Embankment of Separation” (chapter 7), Srila Prabhupada’s Orissan disciple, Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja describes Lord Jagannath and Puri as: aisvarya-madhurya yugala-milana – “The combination of both opulence and sweetness.” This point is substantiated by Srila Sanatan Goswami who writes in his Brhad-Bhagavatamrta (2.5.212):

sri-krsna-devasya sada priyam tat
ksetram yatha sri-mathura tathaiva
tat-paramaisvarya-bhara-prakasa-
lokanusari-vyavahara-ramyam

“Just as Mathura-Vrindavan is eternally dear to Sri Krishna, so too is his abode of Purushottam Kshetra Jagannath Puri. There in Puri, Krishna displays supreme opulence and while at the same time presents pastimes that are full of sweetness.”

This may strike the learned readers as confusing, for in terms of siddhanta, there is a vast difference between the qualities of aisvarya, opulence; and madhurya, sweetness. When jnana and aisvarya, knowledge of the Lord’s opulence and position, are present then rati-sankucita ? love is shrunken. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has described in (Cc madhya 19.194):

aisvarya-jnana-pradhanye sankucita priti
dekhiya na mane aisvarya?kevalara riti

“When opulence is prominent, love of Godhead is shrunken. According to kevala devotion, however, even though the devotee sees the unlimited potency of Krishna, he considers himself equal with him.”

How then do we understand Jagannath Puri and the return Ratha-yatra?

A few years ago we wrote an article in issue 13 of our “Sri Krishna Kathamrita” journal, called, “Only Hindus Allowed”, which addressed the subject of why Jagannath doesn’t allow foreign devotees inside of the temple. In the course of discussing that topic from various angles, another topic came up which is very central to the return Ratha-yatra:

The marriage of Lakshmi and Jagannath.

The Gundicha temple is said to be the place where Lord Jagannath was originally carved by Visvakarma and where he was initially installed by Lord Brahma. Hence, Gundicha represents the sweet home of Krishna’s Vrindavan.

What many devotees don’t know is that the events leading to the Ratha-yatra actually begin several days before the actual event. On the Sukla Ekadasi day of the month of Jyaistha (May June), better known to devotees as Pandava-nirjala Ekadasi, there is a festival Rukmini-harana or Rukmini-vivaha. This event takes place inside the Sri or Jagannath temple, and consists of the priests ceremoniously marrying Lord Jagannath with Goddess Lakshmi.

It is a very romantic festival, part of which entails the ceremonial tying together of the cloths of Jagannath and Lakshmi. Four days later is the day known as Snana-Purnima, wherein Lord Jagannath has a public bathing festival called, Snana-yatra. Snana-Purnima is considered to be the day that the deity of Lord Jagannath was first installed by Lord Brahma.

After his public bath of hundreds of pots of water, Lord Jagannath falls “sick” and goes into seclusion to regain his health. This time is called, anavasara. During this period the newly wedded Lakshmi acts as the ideal wife, and for the next fifteen days she doesn’t sleep, but only nurses her beloved husband.

After fifteen days without rest Lakshmi eventually falls asleep (you can’t blame her!). At that time her newly married husband quietly unties the knot in their cloth and leaves to go see his girl friends Radharani and the Vraja-gopis.

We call that Jagannath Ratha-yatra.

Lakshmi Devi wakes up a few days later to find her husband gone. When she inquires where he is, Jagannath?s servant nervously explains that he went to see his girlfriends. Hearing this, Lakshmi leaves the altar, and goes to stay in the storage room of the Jagannath temple ? like a depressed wife might. She refuses to take bath or eat any opulent food, and dines like poor Orissan people on simple village rice and spinach.

In Odisha there is a sthala-purana known as the Vamadev-samhita. This book describes many aspects of the worship and activities of Lord Jagannath and is one of the main texts followed by the priests in the Jagannath Mandir. Chapter sixteen therein offers many details of the Ratha-yatra (for a more elaborate exposition of the contents thereof, interested readers can see our article in Sri Krishna Kathamrita). It states that after a few days Lakshmi Devi goes to ask advice from Goddess Bimala inside of the temple. To paraphrase things, she basically says, “This is not right! I’m a newly wedded wife! Why did my husband leave me? I was being so good taking care of him. Moreover, he took Subhadra with him, at least he could have taken me!”

Bimala Devi offers some womanly advice saying something to the effect, that, “Yes. I understand. All men are like this.”

Bimala then offers some magic churna or powder to Lakshmi, which she says will, ?Help restore your husband’s intelligence.”

The following morning, on the fifth day after Jagannath?s departure, Lakshmi wakes up in a sulky mood. She finally has a bath and puts on ornaments. Then, collecting some of her associates (traditionally represented by the deva-dasis), she is carried on a palanquin to the Gundicha Mandir to see her newly-wedded husband. This festival is known as Hera-pancami, and takes place on the fifth day after Ratha-yatra. Hera means ?to behold?, while pancami means ?the fifth day?. The festival is also sometimes called, Laksmi-vijayotsava, or ?the victory celebration of Lakshmi?.

Angry and jealous, Lakshmi Devi is in the mood of an adhira nayika, a restless, aggrieved heroine. By the time she arrives at the Gundicha Mandir, Lord Jagannath is already inside with his brother and sister. At that time Lakshmi and her girl friends and her harass the Pandas outside who are taking care of Jagannath’s cart and they break part of the cart.

In her angry mood, Lakshmi then goes into the temple to see her husband. She does not speak to Jagannath, but merely comes before him bows her head. Then she blows the magic powder at the Lord that she received from Bimala Devi. Finally, still without speaking, her and her girl friends depart from the temple.

She tells some of the servants of Lord Jagannath, “Tell your master that his wife has returned to their palace.”

Perhaps this makes Lord Jagannath transcendentally nervous as two days later he decides to return to the Jagannath Mandir to see Lakshmi. While Jagannath is returning the king of Puri performs an important function and goes to see Lakshmi Devi. This ceremony is called, Laksmi Narayana Bhet, and the king acts as a kind of go-between marriage counselor.

He shows Lakshmi that her husband has returned, “See his cart.” And tells her that he loves her and she should forgive him. At this time Jagannath traditionally, (not followed any more) sends an elephant for Lakshmi to ride on to come and see him.

Still in a sulky mood, Lakshmi refuses, and when Jagannath requests her a second time she finally comes out of the temple, surrounded by her girlfriends on a palanquin, (not by the elephant sent by her husband). She goes to Jagannath’s cart circumambulates her husband and then quietly goes back inside of the temple. This generally takes place on the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Asadha.

Jagannath wears a special dress the next day known as suna vesa. That day is known in Orissa as Bahudha Ekadasi or the ?return Ekadasi?. Having returned to the Sri Mandir, Lord Jagannath wants to pacify his sulky newly-wedded wife. Some say that it is for this purpose that on the evening of Bahudha Ekadasi he wears the suna-vesa, golden dress. This most opulent of all Jagannath?s dresses consists of solid gold hands and feet, and many, many gold necklaces, earrings and various gold ornaments. It?s said that on this day, between the three deities they are wearing more than one ton of gold ? an appropriate dress to pacify the goddess of fortune and assure her that he has left his girl friends and fthe simple village of Vrindavan.

The following day, the deities go back inside of the Sri Mandir. First Balaram and Subhadra return to their places on the altar. However, when Jagannath is about to get down from his cart to go inside, Lakshmi’s maidservants slam the Lion-gate shut and bar Jagannath’s entry. Following this there is a dialogue carried out in the form of Sanskrit songs between a representative of Jagannath and a representative of Lakshmi. Jagannath’s spokesperson goes to the gate and loudly proclaims something to the effect of, ?Jagannath loves his wife Lakshmi very much. He feels very bad, and is begging for her forgiveness.?

Many things take place after this, which would make our article unnecessarily long. Suffice to say that after many sweet words (and presents!) from Jagannath, Lakshmi finally relents and allows her husband back inside (it’s not only foreign devotees who are barred entry into the temple!).

Jagannath’s triumphant return to the Sri Mandir, is called the Niladri Vijaya and commemorates the day that he was first installed in the temple by Lord Brahma. Once he has returned inside the temple there is another final ceremony wherein they again tie together Lakshmi?s and Jagannath?s cloth.

The couple is finally re-united.

This is a brief description of the opulent reason for the return Ratha-yatra. With the blessings of Hari, guru and the Vaishnavas we intend to present something in part two of this series about the sweet reason behind the return Ratha-yatra.

Jaya Jagannath!

Part two: THE SWEET ANSWER
In part one of this presentation we addressed a question that many devotees have: “How are we to understand the return Ratha-yatra in Jagannath Puri?” In the previous article we addressed the first, or opulent answer to that question, which is that Jagannath has to return to his newly married wife Lakshmi.

However, considering that Gaudiya Vaishnavas deem the Ratha-yatra to represent the ecstatic emotions of the residents of Vrindavan taking Krishna home from Kuruksetra, there is also a sweet, and more internal answer to the question. How do we understand the return Ratha-yatra from that perspective? Is it a festival celebrating taking Krishna away from Vrindavan?

We will also address a second important doubt in this final installment: “Did Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu take part in the return Ratha-yatra, and if so, how did he participate?”

It might be helpful if we first contemplate something about the profound mood and emotions experienced by the Vrajavasis at Kurukshetra. They were going through a wirlpool of conflicting ecstatic feelings. On one hand there was the sweet bliss of finally meeting with Krishna again after such a long time — a meeting that they were not even sure was going to ever happen. At the same time, there was some sulkiness, especially amongst the vraja-gopis: “You left us! You promised you would return, and you didn’t!”

Although they were experiencing the highest happiness of again meeting with their beloved Krishna. They also couldn?t forget the fact that he had left them.

Other emotions they were poignantly experiencing include the fact that although they were so, very, very happy to be reunited with Krishna, they were unhappy with the opulent regal atmosphere present there at Kuruksetra.

They wanted him to come home to Vrindavan.

Aside from this, there was yet another conflicting feeling churning the waves of their ocean-like hearts: They were painfully aware that soon, Krishna was going to leave them again to return to Dwarka. And after his departure, they didn’t know if they would ever see him again or not.

The atmosphere in Jagannath Puri is a kind of emotional mirror of the mood at Kuruksetra when Krishna met the Vrajavasis there.

These seemingly opposite emotions work together to help create an inconceivable atmosphere in Puri that Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja called, “aisvarya-madhurya yugala-milana ? a simultaneous combination of opulence and sweetness”, and the place of “Two opposites in one container — union and separation.” As the Vrajavasis experienced in Kuruksetra, there is union in Puri. Having darsan of Jagannath Krishna provides unlimited pleasure for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Yet at the same time, in Jagannath Puri, as in Kuruksetra there are also the pangs of separation.

So then what about our above question: “Did Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu take part in Lord Jagannath’s Bahudha or return Ratha-yatra, and if so what was his mood?”

Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami describes in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (madhya 15.16), that during the four month period of caturmasya, the associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took part in all of the festivals of Lord Jagannath in Puri. When I first came across that statement I remember thinking to myself, “ALL of the festivals? And if so then what about the return Ratha-yatra?”

Moreover, after contemplating further on the matter, it seemed obvious to me, that the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never would have attended the return Ratha-yatra if Mahaprabhu didn’t observe it. Kaviraj Goswami says that those devotees were more attached to his association than even having darsana of Lord Jagannath. So it seemed to me that Mahaprabhu must have attended the festival.

If so, what was Mahaprabhu’s mood at that time? Can we accept that he was helping to take Krishna away from the Vrindavan like Gundicha temple to return him to the Dwarka like atmosphere of the Sri or Jagannath Mandir?

With these thoughts in mind, I began further research on the subject. As part of that research, I inquired from many sadhus and learned persons in Puri, including the King of Puri and many of the mahunts, or spiritual leaders of various groups there.

Basically the reply I got was, “No. He didn’t observe that festival.”

Srila Murari Gupta was one of the personal associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Nabadwip. He wrote in Sanskrit, one of the first biographies of Lord Chaitanya, entitled, “Sri Krsna-caitanya-caritamrtam”. Therein he speaks about Mahaprabhu’s attendance at the return Ratha-yatra. He elaborates slightly on it saying, gaura-candro ratham anugata ? “Moonlike Gauranga followed *behind* the cart of Lord Jagannath.” (text 4.21.2)

Finally I had an answer that I found satisfying! In the same way that Radharani and the gopis followed behind the chariot of Akrura when he was taking Krishna away from Vrindavan, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu followed behind the cart of Lord Jagannath in Puri when he was leaving the Vrindavan like Gundicha Mandir. Neither, the gopis, nor Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu pulled the Lord’s cart to Mathura, or the Puri Sri Mandir. Rather, they were following behind (anugata); crying and pleading, “Don’t go! Don’t go!”

Jagannath Puri Dham has many names. It is called Purushottam Ksetra (the place of the Supreme Lord), Sri Ksetra (the place of Lakshmi Devi), Anna Ksetra (the place of prasadam rice), and Durlabha Ksetra (a difficult place to enter). Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati also addressed it as Vipralambha Ksetra, or the place of separation. Yet another name is Gupta Dham, a hidden mysterious place. I hope from this humble presentation that the Vaishnavas may have a deeper understanding of this festival and this very deep, mysterious abode of separation.

Vaisnava-krpa-prarthi (praying for the blessings of the devotees),
Madhavananda Das

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29556

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By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)

These days fewer people are interested in taking up anything that they cannot immediately apply to their lives. The common question is: “What is this going to do for me?” Or “What am I going to get out of this?” So if we cannot relate the purpose of Vedic culture or its spirituality to people today, especially to the youth, then it is not likely they will take an interest. Yet, everyone is interested in gaining more out of life, or reaching their higher potential, which, actually, has been the purpose of the Vedic system from time immemorial. Yet we have either forgotten that, or have failed to present that purpose properly. So this is one angle we can use to impress the importance of Vedic culture or Krishna consciousness and its spiritual philosophy to people today.

Everyone should want to reach their highest potential. But to do this we also need to focus on our spiritual potential, which is actually a way to become much more refined, developed and useful than merely focusing on our material possibilities, or only developing marketable skills for earning a big paycheck. 
The Sri Isha Upanishad, Mantra 11, explains: “Only one who can learn the process of nescience (or material knowledge) and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessing of immortality.”
So to start with one angle in reaching our highest potential, the point here is that through the advancement of material knowledge we do not solve the problem of our reincarnation or being completely free from repeated birth and death through numerous situations in this material world. We have no idea how many lives we have lived, nor how many more we will go through unless we add the study and application of spiritual knowledge to our lives. What is the point of this human existence if all we do is find better ways to eat, sleep, have sex, produce children, and advance our economic development and living condition? And then we simply repeat this pattern life after life? For what? Animals work in the same way, and often times with fewer problems. So what is the difference?
The way to solve all of the problems of life and to perfect this existence is the prime opportunity of human life, which is to become advanced in spiritual knowledge as well as in our material occupation. One without the other is incomplete. This is the only way we can reach our highest potential and not merely work at attaining success in a temporary material profession. 
Spiritual knowledge, Krishna consciousness, is also the means to attain real happiness, especially through realizing our true identity, and thus become fulfilled by our real mission in life. It is also the means to attain a permanent blissful life after we leave this body. If we forget our true identity as a spiritual being, we will think that this body and this life, and everything connected with it, is the all in all. We will think that the happiness of this mind, body and senses is the complete goal of everything we are meant to do here in this world. But this is like being caught in a dream, attached to clinging to a hologram, a false conception of life. No one is truly happy in such a fleeting situation since the happiness therein is always being interrupted by different forms of suffering, or stress, anxiety, worry, concern, and of course disease, old age and death. No one wants that because that is not our real nature, it is not our real identity, but it is forced on us from the beginning of simply having a material body. The human body is a wondrous machine, a means to accomplish the goal of life, but it is still a machine that we are situated inside. It is not who we really are, like a driver in a car. We may have a fabulous and beautiful car that we are proud of, or an old clunker we are ashamed to be seen in, but in either case we are only the driver. We are not the car itself. So we must realize who and what we are and regain our spiritual identity beyond the body we have, and also realize our connection with the Supreme. 
Real happiness is possible to experience when we rise above the limitations of our material condition and misidentification as a temporary material being. The modern trend of material civilization is to increase our material pleasures, which has brought about the false aim of life and the goal to acquire more money, more facilities, more consumerism, more manipulation of nature, etc. Whatever it takes. This has also brought about more problems in politics, economics, international relations and intrigue, lack of cooperation, and increases in corruption, pollution, the constant threat of war, terrorism, new diseases, a decrease in natural foods, and so on. And people call this progress? Is this any way to live? Is this the trend into the future?
Therefore, it is best to use this body and mind to live simply with an honest career and then cultivate spiritual knowledge and help others do the same.

INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS

1. Everyone wants to find joy and happiness. For what other reason are you working or studying? We are working to acquire money, security, a better future for ourselves or our family, or to make improvements in our occupation. Yet, we need to clearly understand that spirituality, Krishna consciousness, is the key to real happiness. And by that I mean the happiness that reaches the soul, and not that which merely occupies the ever-changing demands of our mind and senses. It is through spiritualizing our lives that we can change our attitude to joy, and not look at things with the humdrum attitude of “Another day, another dollar” or something similar. This is not unusual because we often see that without spirituality life becomes empty and without real purpose or any deep meaning. By adding Krishna consciousness to our lives, it often improves our attitude and is reflected in every other area of our life, including job performance, relations with others, family cooperation, our flexibility, the way we handle problems or inconveniences, and the way we may even inspire others to do the same. 
2. Spiritualizing our lives means to spiritualize our consciousness. It is through such spiritual awareness that we can recognize the transcendental essence of all beings. We are all spiritual in nature, but this remains invisible to us as long as we do not uplift the vibratory level of our consciousness. So if we want respect, and if we feel that people need to increase their appreciation and love for each other, this can easily be accomplished by recognizing the similarity we have with one another on the spiritual level. It is through Krishna consciousness that can most easily change the selfish interest we have toward ourselves and our clan to a broad or universal love. 
Most problems between people or countries or ethnic groups reflect the lack of love, compassion and understanding we have for each other, which is the essence of the Krishna conscious principles we need to be follow. 
3. Krishna consciousness also offers an uplifting view of life. Once we are truly spiritualizing our lives, whatever troubles we have begin to appear as if they are only an interesting play of energy in which we are temporarily involved. We can see that such difficulties are not actually part of our real identity. They are only going on around us and we take them seriously only to the degree that we feel they are affecting us and our bodily or mental happiness. In other words, they affect us to the degree in which we are in the illusion.
Krishna consciousness gives us the courage and lightheartedness to face the difficult situations in life, or the drama around us, and to realize we are different from such externals. By this I mean that we can perceive that we are spiritual beings that are interacting on the temporary material platform. Therein whatever joy or sorrow we experience comes and goes like the winter and summer seasons. It is temporary and that is all we can expect from it because that is all it can offer. But without spiritual understanding, we take these temporary ups and downs and the pursuit for material happiness very seriously. So if we want more than this, or something deeper, we need to reach our real identity through the spiritual path. 
4. Krishna consciousness teaches us the art of living, but also the art of dying. This is the means by which we recognize the temporary nature of life and that we must always be prepared for death and for attaining the best position in our next existence. It is considered that without such preparation our life is not complete and we have not used it properly, regardless of whatever else we may accomplish. 
5. Krishna consciousness means that you see the big picture. And what is the big picture? It is that this life is but a moment on our great path toward self-realization. That great path encompasses many lifetimes. Each one is like a flash of lightning in the span of eternity. So our progress through the big picture evolves around and depends on our spiritual development. That is all we carry with us from one life to the next. Whatever material assets we attain in this life ripens in this one existence only, whereas spiritual progress is viewed over many, many lifetimes. Whatever spiritual benefits we are experiencing now may have been developed many lifetimes ago. Similarly, our spiritual practice today may provide us with benefits in this life as well as many lifetimes that may follow.
The big picture is that all you have ever been through, including so many lives before this one, has brought you to this very moment. You are the son or daughter of the past, the product of all your experiences and actions. But you are also the father of your future, starting from this particular point in time. It is up to you to decide what to do and where you will take yourself from this point onward. Your possibilities are endless, and spiritual development only increases the possibilities that you have. 
6. Genuine spirituality also means that we accept responsibility for ourselves, what we do, how we affect others and our environment, and how we have the power to change our situation. So if we want to improve such things, then we can find that the basis of Krishna consciousness and genuine spirituality is also the foundation for the improvement of everything in this world, starting with our own sphere of influence, however big or small that may be. However, we need to emphasize that such spirituality is above the conventional form of most religions. Real Krishna consciousness means those spiritual principles that can be applied directly to the soul or real identity of the living being regardless of the temporary material condition or status in which he or she is presently found.

GLOBAL BENEFITS

Just as there are individual benefits to the practice of Krishna consciousness in one’s life, naturally there are also blessings that will manifest on a global level. 
First of all we have to understand that lust is public enemy number one. Most of the crimes that are committed in the world stems from individual or collective lust. We see around us that many advertising campaigns are based on invoking the desire to acquire something. This desire is based on satisfying the mind and senses for one’s own selfish happiness, and this pleasure is called lust. And we must look within ourselves to see how much lust is there and how to be free of it. 
If it is allowed to grow, this lust can develop into a covetousness over land, possessions and power. If we want something, we may work for it honestly, or we may make schemes involving corrupt activities to acquire it. If this sort of lust increases amongst people, the whole planet becomes chaotic. And when the rulers of the planet exhibit such tendencies, then there is no chance for peace in the world, as we can plainly see. Therefore, the collective practice of Krishna consciousness can help rid the world of such lust and its various damaging effects. 
We must also understand that the two prime factors that keep the world from being united is the presumption of racial superiority and the desire to conquer and convert. These are the antithesis of Dharmic or Krishna consciousness principles. But how many religious paths do we see that incorporate the idea of conquering regions of the world through religious conversions, or that even rejoice in the number of converts they have established? This is not the way of true spirituality. 
So it is time for a new breed of humanity, a new species of human beings. This doesn’t mean a new genetic code. It means the appearance of a new level of consciousness, a new level of awareness in which the principle of Krishna consciousness is a natural part of life and a natural part of our respect toward each other. And the freedom to pick one’s own level of spiritual development that one needs in this lifetime. This is the world of Krishna consciousness . 
Krishna consciousness is full of possibilities. It is open for the individual to develop as he or she needs to. It allows for a person to start at whatever level is best for him or her, and set the goal of one’s spiritual development that they find most suitable. Krishna consciousness does not involve teaching a dogma that must be adhered to in order to be “saved,” or suffer the threat of going to hell and eternal damnation if you don’t fit the mold. That is too limited for the Universal Spiritual Truths found in Krishna consciousness. We have to keep in mind the “big picture,” as previously mentioned. This means that spiritual progress is usually made over many lifetimes, as described in the Bhagavad-gita, and that this one life is only a small portion of the path we are on. 
We also have to be a clear channel through which the unconditional love from Lord Krishna flows through us toward everyone else. To do that we also have to recognize the Divine in all species of life. That can be done only through the serious application of spiritual principles. 
The point is that the more spiritual you become, the more you can perceive what is spiritual, and the more the spiritual strata becomes a reality to enter or experience rather than a mystery to solve. Plus, the more you spiritualize your consciousness, the less confused you will be about what is your true identity and, thus, the true purpose of life. It is an automatic process that the more spiritual you are, the more clear is everything else. If society could increase in the number of people who are evolving in this way, naturally the whole world will improve accordingly.

HOW DO WE DO THIS

So how do we manage our time to include the necessary spiritual practice? Spiritual practice means two things, the sadhana and the study. The sadhana itself can mean your meditation, your chanting of japa such as the Hare Krishna mantra, reciting your prayers, or doing your puja or worship. The value of this is often underestimated. What it does is incorporate the spiritual vibration into your consciousness. It raises the frequency level in which you perceive and operate. The next part is to do the study, reading the spiritual books to educate yourself in the tradition and your understanding of spiritual knowledge and of the importance of your Krishna conscious practice. Such books may include the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc.
So as we do this on a daily basis, we will naturally carry that spiritual consciousness with us wherever we go. For example, you may have a special room where you do your spiritual activities, and if you are burning incense, you might carry the scent with you in your clothes. Then wherever you go and whenever you smell the aroma, it makes you think of the atmosphere in your special room. When that happens you may feel the same uplifting mood that you felt when doing your spiritual practice in your room. So we have to learn how to carry that special atmosphere in our consciousness throughout the day. That becomes the nature of Krishna consciousness that you carry wherever you go. 
So if you are convinced as to why we should spiritualize our lives, then we have to make Krishna consciousness as one of the main foundations of our life. It must be viewed as a corner stone upon which we build everything else. So it must be one of the main ingredients in our daily schedule. 
You have a life with only so much time, which means you must be careful with how you spend it. An example is that your life can be represented by a glass of water. The glass can only hold so much, and once it is filled, that is it. You can’t put any more into it. So how will you fill it? If you have an assortment of stones, sand and water, what will you begin to put into it first? If you fill it with small stuff, then you will not have any room for the big things, the important items. So first you put in the rocks, or those things which are the most important. These may include school, work, family, but also your spiritual practice. These are four stones. So put those in the glass before you put in anything else. Then in between the stones will fit the sand, the small stuff. And even in between the sand will fit the water, the smaller and less important things. But first always include and make time for the important items, the rocks or foundation of your life, and your spiritual practice, Krishna consciousness, must be one of them. 
So you should set aside a couple hours or more in your daily schedule to do your spiritual practice. If you take an hour, for example, then you can divide it into a half-hour for your sadhana or meditation, and another half-hour for your study. Then as you develop, increase that. Spiritual life is like a train that runs on two tracks, and your sadhana and study together provide the necessary tracks for smooth progress for that train to keep on a rolling. The early morning is always the best time to do this. But some time in the evening also may be suitable for you. However, whatever time you choose, it is necessary to continue with it. Like a daily shower, you can’t stay clean unless you do it everyday. Similarly, you can’t stay spiritually purified or uplifted and enthused unless you are steady at it in your daily schedule. 
Furthermore, you may never know when you will need your Krishna consciousness. You may need it when dealing with others, settling disputes, carrying out your family duties, and so on. But most importantly, you will never know when you will meet with the final test when you die. That certainly separates those who are prepared from those who are not. I had a friend who spent all of his time on his college studies. Then with only six months left to go before qualifying for his Ph.D., he died in a car crash. Of course, it was completely unexpected. So you never know when death may strike. So the point is that you continue to make your plans for this life and take care of your responsibilities, but also make time for your spiritual development, which prepares you for everything else, this life and beyond. 
The final point to remember is that any path of accomplishment requires self-sacrifice, no matter whether you are attempting to acquire material benefits or spiritual advancement. We are always looking to develop our future, no matter whether it is with a better job, a nicer home, or financial security for our family, or other things. But if you can reach that strata where there is no more sacrifice, no more war, no more difficulties, but instead find universal love and understanding and cooperation, don’t you think that is a sacrifice worth doing? Don’t you think that is an endeavor worthy of attempting? Don’t you think the knowledge of this is worth spreading to let the whole world know of it or how to reach it?
There is no reason why we cannot bring an increasing amount of the spiritual atmosphere to this earth planet. We can indeed change things here and bring improvements in so many ways. But we need to start with ourselves first, and that depends on our spiritual practice and the Krishna conscious principles we incorporate into our own lives, which can bring about deep and personal spiritual realizations and insights. From there it can spread through our sphere of influence, however big or small that may be. We all want peace and cooperation, but you will never get that as long as we see and operate according to our differences, which will always be there on the material platform. So we must rise above that to a higher level of reality, the higher dimension. And this dimension is all around us. All we have to do is train our mind and consciousness to be able to tune into it so that it opens up to us. Then through our continued spiritual development, our Krishna consciousness, we can enter into it. That is the ultimate advantage of spiritualizing our lives and making time for it. And to do that most effectively is why the process of yoga has been provided and described by the great rishis and Vedic literature.
Plus, the easiest yoga to perform, especially in this age of Kali-yuga, is bhakti-yoga, the yoga of devotional love aimed at the Supreme Lord. This also includes the Yuga Dharma, which means the most effective path for this age, which is the chanting of the Lord’s holy names as found in the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. This is what should be studied, practiced and shared to provide the most practical level of spirituality for everyone. Then our higher potential in life can be attained and our superior purpose can be accomplished.

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13649145480?profile=RESIZE_584xFor the past 80 years, Back to Godhead magazine has served as a powerful medium for spreading Krishna consciousness around the world. First launched by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the magazine has become a cornerstone of devotional literature, offering timeless wisdom, inspiring stories, and updates on spiritual initiatives across our Society.

However, in recent years, annual subscriptions have declined. In order to continue publishing, Back to Godhead urgently needs 5,000 new subscribers. By subscribing, readers can help preserve Srila Prabhupada’s sacred legacy and ensure that his mission continues to reach seekers worldwide.

For just $37.95 per year, subscribers will receive a world-class, full-color magazine filled with articles that illuminate the philosophy and practice of Krishna consciousness. Supporters are also encouraged to sponsor bulk cases of the magazine for distribution through temples, giving others the opportunity to encounter Krishna’s teachings in a meaningful and accessible way.

To subscribe or to sponsor magazines for temple distribution, email btgsubs@krishna.com or visit their website With your help, it can remain a vibrant and enduring voice for generations of devotees and seekers to come.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/back-to-godhead-magazine-appeals-for-5000-new-subscribers-to-sustain-publication/

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By Atma Tattva Das

Mr. Champak Soni, an early and courageous supporter of the Hare Krishna movement in South Africa, passed away on June 25, 2025. He played a vital role in the establishment of Srila Prabhupada’s mission in the country, standing alongside ISKCON’s first pioneering preachers during a time of political division and legal risk.

In 1972, when Ksudhi Das, a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, arrived in South Africa, Champak Soni offered him shelter at his private beach house. This act of service, done during the apartheid era, was not only generous but illegal under segregation laws at the time. His bravery and unwavering support helped lay the groundwork for the ISKCON mission in South Africa.

In 1975, Champak Soni also assisted in the extraordinary effort to bring Srila Prabhupada to South Africa, no small feat given that India had banned travel to South Africa and the apartheid regime placed strict limitations on the entry of Indian nationals. His behind-the-scenes efforts helped overcome these obstacles, making Srila Prabhupada’s visit possible.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/pioneer-devotee-supporter-champak-soni-passes-away-in-south-africa/

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun a five-nation tour, during which he will attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil. Modi will visit Argentina, Ghana, Namibia, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago. Today, as he arrived in Ghana, he was greeted by Hare Krishna devotees singing the Maha Mantra. Recently, he also visited Croatia in June, a first for the European country.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/pm-modi-greeted-by-iskcon-devotees-in-croatia-and-ghana/

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Beautiful by Bhaktimarga Swami

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IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT AND HONOUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ON CANADA DAY IN THE SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION.

The drive to the capital city, Ottawa, population 1,000,000, is five hours, and in the early section of this national holiday, Canada’s birthday, was quiet and road friendly.  No roads are necessarily friendly for a pedestrian.  There’s always some kind of road rage.  In general, it is the happiest day of the year for Canucks (an affectionate term for ‘Canadians’).  I was able to fit in 8,000 plus on foot before getting into a set of wheels.

Our first stop was at the Ottawa temple on Somerset where we nourished ourselves with prasadam, and then to the Lyon exit off the commuter train for some hours of chant and dance.  Our lovely swami from Mauritius was with us to take some lead with the mantras.  I followed Sundar Chaitanya Swami with a continued beat and blast.  From the quaint stage, I could see the passersby, and those who stayed to watch.  If they were all smiles, I would invite them to dance along.  If a face exuded a grumpy tone, I would shout out a cheerful, “Happy Canada Day!” within the call-and-response.  Because it is a neutral and accepting phrase, such persons might just open up.

Our tail end of the day was spent at Muni’s Bay in the water.  After several hours with the public, our gathering of Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa devotees took that opportunity to bond in the splashing substance called water.  Imagine a group of the most jolly new Canadians (from India) and two swamijis having the time (and prime) of their lives.  This, and chanting with the public – high of the year.  The day was beautiful! Absolutely!

Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/beautiful

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7817479278?profile=RESIZE_400xWhy is devotee care important in our society?

We have the most complete philosophy, and Srila Prabhupada has given us the wonderful process of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Part of that process is taking care of the devotees. Actually, Krishna says that He has nothing else to do but to take care of His devotees. And since His devotees are always thinking about Him, He is also always thinking about His devotees. So actually, devotee care is one of the primary angas or aspects of Krishna consciousness.

However, I heard that there was a study by some outsiders where they said that of all the schools, ISKCON has the best philosophy, but when they talk about taking care of devotees, then ISKCON is way down the list. So serving the devotees and taking care of the devotees should be a part of our religion, and we should be doing that as daily work instead of feeling it is something that should be forced.

What areas need care?

Of course, we should take care of devotees in all aspects, but there are some areas that deserve extra attention, like the children, elderly, ladies, the sick, those who are entering into a new ashram — these groups especially need to be helped. People who are visiting and becoming new members of the congregation also need help. Of course, not everything is to be done by the devotee care ministry — some services can be taken up by congregational devotees or by the temple — but at least some areas that are not dealt with by others can be picked up by the devotee care committee.

How can leaders show they care?

Sometimes it’s the small things that count. In the year 2000, I did some brainstorming to find out how the GBC could consider this idea in all its aspects, and what they were willing to do. I was surprised to note that about 75% of what was needed was local; the rest was divided between 15% national and 10% international. So most of the dealings are at the local level. If our leaders understand this and take an interest in devotee care, they can make a big difference.
Devotees believe that leaders should care. For instance, someone said that when an ISKCON leader arrives and devotees offer obeisances, he might stop only to acknowledge them, whereas if the leader of a Christian or other religious group sees someone offering obeisances, they often stop and inquire, “How are you”?

How will this help our movement?

If devotees see that this movement actually cares, they will be more confident to give their lives to Krishna, to give their lives to devotional service. Some may have needs, which if answered, make them feel much more satisfied and willing to serve the movement. The greatest help that can be given is to unite everyone. We should take care of our devotees, especially those who have given their lives to ISKCON. The various activities of devotee care will go a long way toward making one feel that Krishna really cares, also.

How did Srila Prabhupada show devotee care?

I had the good fortune of being in Mayapur when Srila Prabhupada would visit twice a year, once he would come in the summer, during the month of August, and in December he would stay a month and a half. During these times he would work on translations and oversee various projects. Then he would come for about two weeks during the Gaura Purnima festival. Of course, Srila Prabhupada coming here was very much necessary to unite the devotees. He called this the United Nations of the Spiritual World. Sometimes when Srila Prabhupada saw that people were struggling to control their senses, struggling to become Krishna conscious, he actually was seen crying! He really cared about the devotees. And he would give some instructions either to those devotees or those who had already surrendered, how to somehow help them.

In what ways do you suggest each devotee engage In devotee care?

We should make it a major part of our daily culture — Krishna consciousness and caring. We need to learn how to take better care of each devotee, according to his or her requirements. And of course, those who are in a higher position of responsibility are more empowered to help devotees. Some people feel that caring for devotees is more on the sentimental platform and may spoil them. Actually, those who think that taking care of devotees is sentimental also want to be appreciated and cared for. Krishna wants us to take care of His devotees. If someone is leaving their body, we should create a nice environment so they can think of Krishna at the time of death. This will go a long, long way in benefiting the devotee. If someone desires to many and we can help them to find a devotee partner, the chances of them marrying a non-devotee are much lower. In these simple ways we can make a big difference and avoid having devotees put in difficult situations unnecessarily, due to not having a care system in place. This is not sentimental. It is something very much needed and real.

Can you suggest some ways in which we can make devotee care popular in ISKCON?

To start, we can make the temple of Radha-Krishna a center of the community, a place that is there to help you. When devotees get sick, sometimes they are asked to go home to their parents. That’s ridiculous. We don’t hesitate to take them when they want to do service, but when they become ill, we send them home. In some countries, devotees have health insurance; in others, at least some medical needs could be supplied by members of the congregation. These acts will go a long way toward healing wounds and proving that ISKCON cares.

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Name, fame, glory

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By HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

“Because of my state of complete foolishness and paucity of pious activities, although the Lord offered me His personal service, I wanted material name, fame and prosperity. My case is just like that of the poor man who, when he satisfied a great emperor who wanted to give him anything he might ask, out of ignorance asked only a few broken grains of husked rice.”

PURPORT

In this verse the word svārājyam, which means “complete independence,” is very significant. A conditioned soul does not know what complete independence is. Complete independence means situation in one’s own constitutional position. The real independence of a living entity, who is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is to remain always dependent on the Supreme Lord, just like a child who plays in complete independence, guided by his parents, who watch over him. The independence of the conditioned soul does not mean to fight with the obstacles offered by māyā, but to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. In the material world, everyone is trying to become completely independent simply by fighting against the obstacles offered by māyā. This is called the struggle for existence. Real independence is to be reinstated in the service of the Lord. Anyone who goes to the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Goloka Vṛndāvana planet is freely offering his service to the Lord. That is complete independence. Just contrary to this is material overlordship, which we wrongly take to be independence. Many great political leaders have tried to establish independence, but due to such so-called independence the people’s dependence has only increased. The living entity cannot be happy trying to be independent in the material world. One has to surrender, therefore, unto the lotus feet of the Lord and engage in his original, eternal service.

Dhruva Mahārāja regrets that he wanted material opulence and greater prosperity than that of his great-grandfather, Lord Brahmā. His begging from the Lord was like a poor man’s asking a great emperor for a few grains of broken rice. The conclusion is that anyone who is engaged in the loving service of the Lord should never ask for material prosperity from the Lord. The awarding of material prosperity simply depends on the stringent rules and regulations of the external energy. Pure devotees ask the Lord only for the privilege of serving Him. This is our real independence. If we want anything else, it is a sign of our misfortune.

SB 4.9.35

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=913

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One year, When I was leaving the Dallas/Fort Worth airport on July 4, a large American flag flying in the wind caught my eye, and I was surprised by how happy I felt. I reflected on how fortunate we were to live in a country where we have freedom of religion, and how Srila Prabhupada said, “America has been so good to me to give me money, men—everything. I have no designation that ‘this is my country,’ but because they have given me so much facility, I cannot forget my obligation to them. I want to make them happy and through them the whole world.”

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/reflections-on-independence-day-5

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This week in Bengaluru, Forbes India and Accel revealed their inaugural list of Top 30 Indian Minds in Artificial Intelligence ( AI). The announcement was part of a first-of-its-kind gathering of researchers, entrepreneurs, policy leaders, academics, and innovators who are shaping the future of AI. Among those selected for the honor was Ganesh Ramakrishnan (Gaura Hari Das), a member of ISKCON Chowpatty in Mumbai.

Forbes India highlighted Ramakrishnan’s role as Lead at BharatGen, India’s open-source multilingual AI initiative, which is advancing inclusive, data-efficient models tailored to the country’s linguistic diversity. It noted, “By enabling AI applications in sectors like education, healthcare, and governance, he’s empowering startups and researchers to build India-specific solutions—shaping a self-reliant, accessible AI ecosystem.”

Speaking of the honor, Ramakrishnan said, “I’m incredibly humbled to be named among the 30 Indian Minds in AI — a recognition that feels more like a responsibility than a reward.”

He shared with ISKCON News, “I remain extremely indebted to the teachings of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and to the most valuable satsanga of so many who aspire to sincerely serve and live by such teachings. Especially in the context of this important and kind recognition from Forbes India and Accel, I would like to quote one of my greatest inspirational teachings from His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj: ‘Krishna tells Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita – whether you win or lose is not important, what is important is that you perform your duty with the right attitude.'”

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-devotee-named-among-indias-top-30-ai-minds-by-forbes/

 
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13584748252?profile=RESIZE_584xBy Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

OmniLight Films Production, a Mayapur-based film production company, recently released “Three Nights,” a short film based on the story of Srila Haridas Thakur and the prostitute who was sent to defame him. Directed by Yadava Jivana Das (alias Shyamsundar), a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, the film presents a narrative that combines Krishna consciousness with cinematic storytelling and aims to engage both devotee and non-devotee audiences.

In an interview with ISKCON News, Shyamsundar shared the inspiration, creative process, and message behind his film. Originally from Pune, he moved with his family to Mayapur ten years ago. Although trained in computer science, his passion for videography began during his school years. “I’m not a professional filmmaker—this is just my hobby and passion,” he said modestly.

The idea for “Three Nights” began in August 2023 when Ekadashinath Das, a visiting devotee from Italy, came to Mayapur for his Bhakti Shastri course. Initially seeking only a mobile phone gimbal to record a short video, his conversation with Gaura Karuna Das, Shyamsundar’s brother, quickly expanded into a collaborative effort to create a short film aimed at international film festivals.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/omnilight-films-debuts-three-nights-exploring-the-story-of-srila-haridas-thakur/

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13584747452?profile=RESIZE_584xBy Atma Tattva Das

As the African Union (AU) assumes a permanent seat at the G20 table, faith leaders are stepping into a more prominent role in shaping global policy, and the 2025 G20 Interfaith Harmony Week, held this week in Addis Ababa, reflected that shift. Held just months before South Africa hosts the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the 2025 gathering brought together more than 350 religious leaders, diplomats, and policy experts. Among the standout voices was Salika Das of ISKCON Jos, whose decades of interfaith service across Nigeria spotlighted how spiritual communities can offer not just moral guidance but tangible strategies for education, empowerment, advocacy, and interfaith solidarity.

The G20 Interfaith Harmony Week has evolved significantly since its inception, aligning global faith-based dialogue with the broader economic and political priorities of the G20. Originally conceived as part of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week in 2010, the initiative gained new prominence when the African Union (AU) was admitted as a permanent G20 member in 2024. This inclusion granted Africa a direct voice at one of the world’s most influential economic forums, one that represents roughly 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the global population. As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025, Addis Ababa was selected to host the 2025 Interfaith Harmony Week conference from May 13 to 14, underscoring the city’s role as the AU’s political and diplomatic hub.

Held under the banner “Africa’s Faith Communities: Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063, and South Africa’s 2025 G20 Process,” this year’s gathising drew over 350 participants, including religious and traditional leaders, diplomats, policy experts, and representatives of faith-based and interfaith organizations, from across Africa and beyond. The conference was convened by the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, the United Religions Initiative–Africa, the G20 Interfaith Forum, and the AU’s Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) in partnership with ECOSOCC. Distinguihed figures such as Ambassador Taye Atsikesillassie (President of the Federal Government of Ethiopia), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (Chairperson of the African Union Commission), and Abune Tesfasillasie (Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa) offered opening remarks emphasizing the spirit of “ubuntu” and the Golden Rule, “treat others as you would like to be treated,” as foundational to interfaith cooperation and sustainable development.

Among the esteemed participants was Salika Das, a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Temple President at ISKCON Jos for the past 25 years. As an experienced interfaith practitioner, Salika has spearheaded intellectual preaching and community outreach across northern Africa, engaging both local and continental platforms, such as the African Union (AU). When asked to represent ISKCON on the panel “How Can Interreligious and Religious Actors Lead and Contribute to the Goal of Leaving No One Behind?”, he drew upon decades of grassroots and institutional interfaith work to illustrate the transformative power of faith-based collaboration. “Stepping onto the panel, I felt both excitement and responsibility, knowing that my contribution could influence perspectives and inspire collective action,” he wrote in his report, underscoring how his life’s mission has always been to bridge theological divides for social upliftment.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-champions-unity-at-g20-interfaith-harmony-week/

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Devotees walk together at Rondebosch Common during the SP50 Morning Walk Tribute in Cape Town, listening to Srila Prabhupada lectures and conversations.


By Kala Das  

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Srila Prabhupada’s 1975 visit to South Africa (SP50), the ISKCON Cape Town temple hosted a series of events in May 2025. These included a Devotional Practices Workshop, a memorial morning walk, and a movie night to commemorate the 100-day countdown to Srila Prabhupada’s historic arrival. The programs engaged over 100 participants in devotional culture and reflection.

A workshop emphasising traditional devotional practices was held on May 17th in the Cape Town temple courtyard. The event featured tutorials on Sari and Dhoti wearing, and Prasadam cooking, all aimed at strengthening daily spiritual habits and fostering a deeper connection to the Vaishnava tradition. Notably, this workshop has inspired the Cape Town Yatra to begin work on a cookbook, intended to encourage devotional vegetarian cooking both at home and for the service of the resident deities, Sri Sri Ntai Mayapur Chandan, at the Cape Town temple.

A highlight of the session was a hands-on prasadam demonstration featuring roti, subji, and halava preparation. Facilitators emphasised consciousness and care during cooking as offerings to the Lord. Attendees learned the correct way to wear traditional devotional clothing.

Two weeks later, on May 31st, over 35 devotees gathered for a Srila Prabhupada Memorial Morning Walk at Rondebosch Common. Inspired by the founder-Acarya’s morning walks in South Africa during 1975, this 2.7-kilometre walk lasted approximately 50 minutes and featured archival audio recordings of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and conversations.

Participants listened via headphones while walking in quiet remembrance. The event was led by Medhavi Das (74), an ISKCON initiating spiritual teacher and direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada, along with his wife, Lalita Devi Dasi. Their participation added authenticity and historical context to the walk. Devotees ranging from 10 to 74 years old took part.

Following their walk, participants enjoyed refreshments such as cupcakes and hot chicory. Medhavi Das then shared valuable insights on crafting heartfelt Vyasa Puja offerings for Srila Prabhupada. These offerings, due by June 1st, would be included in a special SP50 commemorative collection, coinciding with Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja in August 2025.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-cape-town-yatra-hosts-sp50-walks-and-workshops/

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13584746098?profile=RESIZE_400xSrimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

SB 4.8.5, Translation:

My dear Vidura, I have summarily explained the causes of devastation. One who hears this description three times attains piety and washes the sinful contamination from his soul.

By hearing the narration of Dhruva Mahārāja one can fulfill desires for wealth, reputation and increased duration of life. It is so auspicious that one can even go to a heavenly planet or attain Dhruvaloka, which was achieved by Dhruva Mahārāja, just by hearing about him.

SB 4.12.45, Translation and Purport:

By hearing the narration of Dhruva Mahārāja one can fulfill desires for wealth, reputation and increased duration of life. It is so auspicious that one can even go to a heavenly planet or attain Dhruvaloka, which was achieved by Dhruva Mahārāja, just by hearing about him. The demigods also become pleased because this narration is so glorious, and it is so powerful that it can counteract all the results of one’s sinful actions.

There are different types of men in this world, not all of them pure devotees. Some are karmīs, desiring to acquire vast wealth. There are also persons who are only after reputation. Some desire to be elevated to the heavenly planets or to go to Dhruvaloka, and others want to please the demigods to get material profits. Herein it is recommended by Maitreya that every one of them can hear the narration about Dhruva Mahārāja and thus get their desired goal. It is recommended that the devotees (akāma), the karmīs (sarva-kāma) and the jñānīs, who desire to be liberated (mokṣa-kāma), should all worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead to acquire their desired goals of life. Similarly, if anyone hears about the activities of the Lord’s devotee, he can achieve the same result. There is no difference between the activities and character of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and those of His pure devotees.

If one simply reads over and over again about Dhruva Mahārāja by hearing and reading this chapter, one can attain the highest perfection of life in any way he desires.

SB 4.12.46, Translation and Purport:

Anyone who hears the narration of Dhruva Mahārāja, and who repeatedly tries with faith and devotion to understand his pure character, attains the pure devotional platform and executes pure devotional service. By such activities one can diminish the threefold miserable conditions of material life.

Here the word acyuta-priya is very significant. Dhruva Mahārāja’s character and reputation are great because he is very dear to Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Lord are pleasing to hear, hearing about His devotees, who are very dear to the Supreme Person, is also pleasing and potent. If one simply reads over and over again about Dhruva Mahārāja by hearing and reading this chapter, one can attain the highest perfection of life in any way he desires; most importantly, he gets the chance to become a great devotee. To become a great devotee means to finish all miserable conditions of materialistic life.

Anyone who hears this narration of Dhruva Mahārāja acquires exalted qualities like him.

SB 4.12.47, Translation and Purport:

Anyone who hears this narration of Dhruva Mahārāja acquires exalted qualities like him. For anyone who desires greatness, prowess or influence, here is the process by which to acquire them, and for thoughtful men who want adoration, here is the proper means.

In the material world everyone is after profit, respectability and reputation, everyone wants the supreme exalted position, and everyone wants to hear about the great qualities of exalted persons. All ambitions which are desirable for great persons can be fulfilled simply by reading and understanding the narration of Dhruva Mahārāja’s activities.

Specifically, recitation is recommended on the full moon or dark moon day, on the day after Ekādaśī, on the appearance of the Śravaṇa star, at the end of a particular tithi, or the occasion of Vyatīpāta, at the end of the month, or on Sunday. Such recitation should of course be performed before a favorable audience. When recitation is performed this way, without professional motive, the reciter and audience become perfect.

SB 4.12.49-50, Translation and Purport:

Persons who have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord should recite this narration of Dhruva Mahārāja without taking remuneration. Specifically, recitation is recommended on the full moon or dark moon day, on the day after Ekādaśī, on the appearance of the Śravaṇa star, at the end of a particular tithi, or the occasion of Vyatīpāta, at the end of the month, or on Sunday. Such recitation should of course be performed before a favorable audience. When recitation is performed this way, without professional motive, the reciter and audience become perfect.

Professional reciters may ask money to extinguish the blazing fire within their bellies, but they cannot make any spiritual improvement or become perfect. It is therefore strictly forbidden to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as a profession to earn a livelihood. Only one who is completely surrendered at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, depending fully on Him for personal maintenance or even for maintenance of his family, can attain perfection by recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is full of narrations of the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees. The process can be summarized as follows: the audience must be faithfully receptive to the Bhāgavata message, and the reciter should completely depend on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhāgavata recitation must not be a business. If done in the right way, not only does the reciter achieve perfect satisfaction, but the Lord also is very satisfied with the reciter and the audience, and thus both are liberated from material bondage simply by the process of hearing.

The narration of Dhruva Mahārāja is sublime knowledge for the attainment of immortality.

SB 4.12.51, Translation and Purport:

The narration of Dhruva Mahārāja is sublime knowledge for the attainment of immortality. Persons unaware of the Absolute Truth can be led to the path of truth. Those who out of transcendental kindness take on the responsibility of becoming master-protectors of the poor living entities automatically gain the interest and blessings of the demigods.

Jñānam ajñāta means knowledge which is unknown almost throughout the entire world. No one knows actually what is the Absolute Truth. Materialists are very proud of their advancement in education, in philosophical speculation and in scientific knowledge, but no one actually knows what the Absolute Truth is. The great sage Maitreya, therefore, recommends that to enlighten people about the Absolute Truth (tattva), devotees should preach the teachings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the entire world. Śrīla Vyāsadeva especially compiled this great literature of scientific knowledge because people are completely unaware of the Absolute Truth. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, it is said that Vyāsadeva, the learned sage, compiled this great Bhāgavata Purāṇa just to stop the ignorance of the mass of people. Because people do not know the Absolute Truth, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was specifically compiled by Vyāsadeva under the instruction of Nārada. Generally, even though people are interested in understanding the truth, they take to speculation and reach at most the conception of impersonal Brahman. But very few men actually know the Personality of Godhead.

Recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is specifically meant to enlighten people about the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although there is no fundamental difference between impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Person, factual immortality cannot be obtained unless and until one attains the stage of associating with the Supreme Person. Devotional service, which leads to the association of the Supreme Lord, is actual immortality. Pure devotees, out of compassion for the fallen souls, are kṛpālu, very kind to people in general; they distribute this Bhāgavata knowledge all over the world. A kindhearted devotee is called dīna-nātha, protector of the poor, ignorant mass of people. Lord Kṛṣṇa is also known as dīna-nātha or dīna-bandhu, the master or actual friend of the poor living entities, and His pure devotee also takes the same position of dīna-nātha. The dīna-nāthas, or devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who preach the path of devotional service, become the favorites of the demigods. Generally people are interested in worshiping the demigods, especially Lord Śiva, in order to obtain material benefits, but a pure devotee, who engages in preaching the principles of devotional service, as prescribed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, does not need to separately worship the demigods; the demigods are automatically pleased with him and offer all the blessings within their capacity. As by watering the root of a tree the leaves and branches are automatically watered, so, by executing pure devotional service to the Lord, the branches, twigs and leaves of the Lord, known as demigods, are automatically pleased with the devotee, and they offer all benedictions.

SB 4.23.31, Translation:

Any person who describes the great characteristics of King Pṛthu with faith and determination—whether he reads or hears of them himself or helps others to hear of them—is certain to attain the very planet which Mahārāja Pṛthu attained. In other words, such a person also returns home to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, back to Godhead.

If one hears of the characteristics of Pṛthu Mahārāja and is a brāhmaṇa, he becomes perfectly qualified with brahminical powers; if he is a kṣatriya, he becomes a king of the world; if he is a vaiśya, he becomes a master of other vaiśyas and many animals; and if he is a śūdra, he becomes the topmost devotee.

SB 4.23.32, Translation and Purport:

If one hears of the characteristics of Pṛthu Mahārāja and is a brāhmaṇa, he becomes perfectly qualified with brahminical powers; if he is a kṣatriya, he becomes a king of the world; if he is a vaiśya, he becomes a master of other vaiśyas and many animals; and if he is a śūdra, he becomes the topmost devotee.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is recommended that one should become a devotee regardless of one’s condition. Whether one is without desire (akāma) or with desire (sakāma), or whether one desires liberation (mokṣa-kāma), he is advised to worship the Supreme Lord and execute devotional service unto Him. By so doing, one attains all perfection in any field of life. The process of devotional service—especially hearing and chanting—is so powerful that it can bring a person to the perfectional stage. In this verse brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are mentioned, but here it should be understood that that reference is to the brāhmaṇa who is born in a brahminical family, the kṣatriya who is born in a kṣatriya family, the vaiśya who is born in a vaiśya family and the śūdra in a śūdra family. But whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, he can attain perfection simply by hearing and chanting.

SB 4.23.33, Translation and Purport:

It does not matter whether one is a man or woman. Anyone who, with great respect, hears this narration of Mahārāja Pṛthu will become the father of many children if he is without children and will become the richest of men if he is without money.

Materialistic persons who are very fond of money and great families worship different demigods to attain their desires, especially goddess Durgā, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. Such materialistic persons are called śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. Śrī means “beauty,” aiśvarya means “riches,” prajā means “children,” and īpsavaḥ means “desiring.” As described in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one has to worship various demigods for different types of benedictions. However, here it is indicated that simply by hearing of the life and character of Mahārāja Pṛthu, one can have both riches and children in enormous quantities. One simply has to read and understand the history, the life and activities of Pṛthu Mahārāja. It is advised that one read them at least three times. Those who are materially afflicted will so benefit by hearing of the Supreme Lord and His devotees that they need not go to any demigod. The word suprajatamaḥ (“surrounded by many children”) is very significant in this verse, for one may have many children but may not have any qualified children. Here, however, it is stated (su-prajatamaḥ) that all the children thus attained would be qualified in education, wealth, beauty and strength—everything complete.

Also, one who hears this narration three times will become very reputable if he is not recognized in society, and he will become a great scholar if he is illiterate. In other words, hearing of the narrations of Pṛthu Mahārāja is so auspicious that it drives away all bad luck.

SB 4.23.34, Translation and Purport:

Also, one who hears this narration three times will become very reputable if he is not recognized in society, and he will become a great scholar if he is illiterate. In other words, hearing of the narrations of Pṛthu Mahārāja is so auspicious that it drives away all bad luck.

In the material world, everyone wants some profit, some adoration and some reputation. By associating in different ways with the Supreme Personality of godhead or His devotee, one can very easily become opulent in every respect. Even if one is not known or recognized by society, he becomes very famous and important if he takes to devotional service and preaching. As far as education is concerned, one can become recognized in society as a great learned scholar simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, wherein the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees are described. This material world is full of dangers at every step, but a devotee has no fear because devotional service is so auspicious that it automatically counteracts all kinds of bad luck. Since hearing about Pṛthu Mahārāja is one of the items of devotional service (śravaṇam), naturally hearing about him brings all good fortune.

SB 4.23.35, Translation:

By hearing the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja, one can become great, increase his duration of life, gain promotion to the heavenly planets and counteract the contaminations of this age of Kali. In addition, one can promote the causes of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Therefore from all sides it is advisable for a materialistic person who is interested in such things to read and hear the narrations of the life and character of Pṛthu Mahārāja.

If a king, who is desirous of attaining victory and ruling power, chants the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja three times before going forth on his chariot, all subordinate kings will automatically render all kinds of taxes unto him—as they rendered them unto Mahārāja Pṛthu—simply upon his order.

SB 4.23.36, Translation and Purport:

If a king, who is desirous of attaining victory and ruling power, chants the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja three times before going forth on his chariot, all subordinate kings will automatically render all kinds of taxes unto him—as they rendered them unto Mahārāja Pṛthu—simply upon his order.

Since a kṣatriya king naturally desires to rule the world, he wishes to make all other kings subordinate to him. This was also the position many years ago when Pṛthu Mahārāja was ruling over the earth. At that time he was the only emperor on this planet. Even five thousand years ago, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and Mahārāja Parīkṣit were the sole emperors of this planet. Sometimes the subordinate kings rebelled, and it was necessary for the emperor to go and chastise them. This process of chanting the narrations of the life and character of Pṛthu Mahārāja is recommended for conquering kings if they want to fulfill their desire to rule the world.

SB 4.23.38, Translation:

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, I have as far as possible spoken the narrations about Pṛthu Mahārāja, which enrich one’s devotional attitude. Whoever takes advantage of these benefits also goes back home, back to Godhead, like Mahārāja Pṛthu.

Whoever, with great reverence and adoration, regularly reads, chants and describes the history of Mahārāja Pṛthu’s activities will certainly increase unflinching faith and attraction for the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord’s lotus feet are the boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.

SB 4.23.39, Translation and Purport:

Whoever, with great reverence and adoration, regularly reads, chants and describes the history of Mahārāja Pṛthu’s activities will certainly increase unflinching faith and attraction for the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord’s lotus feet are the boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.

The word bhava-sindhu-pota-pāde is significant in this verse. The lotus feet of the Lord are known as mahat-padam; this means that the total source of material existence rests on the lotus feet of the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: everything is emanating from Him. This cosmic manifestation, which is compared to an ocean of nescience, is also resting on the lotus feet of the Lord. As such, this great ocean of nescience is minimized by a person who is a pure devotee. One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord need not cross over the ocean, for he has already crossed it by virtue of his position at the Lord’s lotus feet. By hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord or the Lord’s devotee, one can become firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. This position can also be achieved very easily by narrating the history of the life of Pṛthu Mahārāja regularly every day.

SB 4.24.69, Translation:

My dear sons of the King, just execute your occupational duty as kings with a pure heart. Just chant this prayer fixing your mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. That will bring you all good fortune, for the Lord will be very much pleased with you

SB 4.24.71, Translation:

My dear princes, in the form of a prayer I have delineated the yoga system of chanting the holy name. All of you should take this important stotra within your minds and promise to keep it in order to become great sages. By acting silently like a great sage and by giving attention and reverence, you should practice this method.

SB 4.24.74, Translation:

A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa whose mind is always absorbed in Him, who with great attention and reverence chants this stotra (prayer), will achieve the greatest perfection of life without delay.

SB 4.24.76, Translation:

Although rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worshiping Him are very difficult, if one vibrates or simply reads this stotra (prayer) composed and sung by me, he will very easily be able to invoke the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 4.24.77, Translation:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the dearmost objective of all auspicious benedictions. A human being who sings this song sung by me can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee, being fixed in the Lord’s devotional service, can acquire whatever he wants from the Supreme Lord.

SB 4.24.78, Translation:

A devotee who rises early in the morning and with folded hands chants these prayers sung by Lord Śiva and gives facility to others to hear them certainly becomes free from all bondage to fruitive activities.

SB 4.24.79, Translation:

My dear sons of the King, the prayers I have recited to you are meant for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul. I advise you to recite these prayers, which are as effective as great austerities. In this way, when you are mature, your life will be successful, and you will certainly achieve all your desired objectives without fail

SB 4.30.9, Translation:

The Lord continued: Those who remember you every evening of every day will become friendly with their brothers and with all other living entities.

SB 4.30.10, Translation:

Those who will offer Me the prayers composed by Lord Śiva, both in the morning and in the evening, will be given benedictions by Me. In this way they can both fulfill their desires and attain good intelligence.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.8.35, Translation:

Viśvarūpa continued: O Indra, this mystic armor related to Lord Nārāyaṇa has been described by me to you. By putting on this protective covering, you will certainly be able to conquer the leaders of the demons.

SB 6.8.36, Translation:

If one employs this armor, whomever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet is immediately freed from all the above-mentioned dangers.

SB 6.8.37, Translation:

This prayer, Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, constitutes subtle knowledge transcendentally connected with Nārāyaṇa. One who employs this prayer is never disturbed or put in danger by the government, by plunderers, by evil demons or by any type of disease.

SB 6.8.41, Translation:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear Mahārāja Parīkṣit, one who employs this armor or hears about it with faith and veneration when afraid because of any conditions in the material world is immediately freed from all dangers and is worshiped by all living entities.

King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Viśvarūpa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.

SB 6.8.42, Translation and Purport:

King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Viśvarūpa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.

This mystical mantric armor given by Viśvarūpa to Indra, the King of heaven, acted powerfully, with the effect that Indra was able to conquer the asuras and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds without impediments. In this regard, Madhvācārya points out:

vidyāḥ karmāṇi ca sadā
guroḥ prāptāḥ phala-pradāḥ
anyathā naiva phaladāḥ
prasannoktāḥ phala-pradāḥ

One must receive all kinds of mantras from a bona fide spiritual master; otherwise the mantras will not be fruitful. This is also indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.34):

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” All mantras should be received through the authorized guru, and the disciple must satisfy the guru in all respects, after surrendering at his lotus feet. In the Padma Purāṇa it is also said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. There are four sampradāyas, or disciplic successions, namely the Brahma-sampradāya, the Rudra-sampradāya, the Śrī sampradāya and the Kumāra-sampradāya. If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide sampradāyas; otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.23.28, Translation:

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, pleasure of your dynasty, I have now described to you everything about the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāmanadeva. Those who hear about this are certainly freed from all the results of sinful activities.

SB 8.23.30, Translation:

If one hears about the uncommon activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations, he is certainly elevated to the higher planetary system or even brought back home, back to Godhead.

Whenever the activities of Vāmanadeva are described in the course of a ritualistic ceremony, whether the ceremony be performed to please the demigods, to please one’s forefathers in Pitṛloka, or to celebrate a social event like a marriage, that ceremony should be understood to be extremely auspicious.

SB 8.23.31, Translation and Purport:

Whenever the activities of Vāmanadeva are described in the course of a ritualistic ceremony, whether the ceremony be performed to please the demigods, to please one’s forefathers in Pitṛloka, or to celebrate a social event like a marriage, that ceremony should be understood to be extremely auspicious.

There are three kinds of ceremonies—specifically, ceremonies to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead or the demigods, those performed for social celebrations like marriages and birthdays, and those meant to please the forefathers, like the śrāddha ceremony. In all these ceremonies, large amounts of money are spent for various activities, but here it is suggested that if along with this there is recitation of the wonderful activities of Vāmanadeva, certainly the ceremony will be carried out successfully and will be free of all discrepancies.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 12.10.42, Translation:

O best of the Bhṛgus, this account concerning Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi conveys the transcendental potency of the Supreme Lord. Anyone who properly narrates or hears it will never again undergo material existence, which is based on the desire to perform fruitive activities.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune.

CC Madhya 14.13, Translation and Purport:

“”My Lord, the nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those who are always aggrieved in this material world. These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Those who spread the message of Godhead are certainly the most munificent welfare workers.””

This verse is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.31.9.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=50569

 

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By Sacinandana Swami

There is one foundational principle of the Bhagavata philosophy, which is enacted and taught practically by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His earthly pastimes. By understanding it you will be able to live and apply what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come to teach us. This foundational principle is to establish a relationship with the Lord through the mood of separation. This is best practiced in kirtan.

RECEIVING THE HOLY NAME

We have heard it so many times – in order to receive the holy name we first need to become focused. By being mindful to the sound vibration of the holy name we will bring the mind into connection with Krishna. To do this we need to actually hear the mantra and stay with it all the time, which requires some focus, willingness, and prayer.

Our biggest problem however is that we feel disconnected and “dry” while applying ourselves to the practice of chanting. We try to focus our minds on the sound vibration, but alas – the mind seems to be more difficult to control than the wind! What should we do? Where is our hope?

Our hope and solution lies in learning to chant in the mood of separation. This feeling of separation from Krishna is possible for the conditioned soul because we have turned away from Him.

How do we come to this mood? It is by feeling: “Krishna, I really need You!”

LEARNING FROM THE LIVES OF GREAT DEVOTEES

After the death of his mother, the five-year-old boy Narada Muni left his home and went into the jungle. There, under a banyan tree, he sat down and meditated according to the instructions of the four great saints who had visited his home. While Narada Muni was meditating under the banyan tree, the Lord appeared to him.

Narada Muni was so overwhelmed by the darshan of the Lord, that he became so absolutely moved and lost both the vision of himself and the Lord. Everything disappeared. He became frantic and most eager to see the Lord again, but the Lord said to him:

“I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and are not completely free from all material things can hardly see Me. Oh Narada Muni, you are virtuous. Only once you have seen Me in person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.”
(SB 1.6.21, 22)

When the Lord disappeared, Narada Muni was thrown into an ocean of abject inner pain. Imagine what happens when a poor man receives a touchstone which can fulfill all of his desires, and then all of a sudden loses it. What will this poor man do? For the rest of his life, he will try to find this jewel again.

In the same way that Krishna disappeared from Narada Muni, He appears and disappears from our lives as well. For example, He appears to us at the beginning of our Krishna Consciousness by giving us some taste which is so strong that we leave the material world behind. Otherwise how could we attempt to live a life which is completely different from what we had learnt and seen before? Krishna is present to some degree or another when we read the Bhagavatam. It is said that by reading the Bhagavatam the Lord appears within our hearts. To some degree or another, we have experienced this as well. And Krishna also appears in our lives when we sing kirtans. At other times we have feelings of deep appreciation and connectedness. In this way we know Krishna is there.

But then He leaves us…And we experience states of dryness, separation, disconnectedness, etc. In Christian theology, these phases are known as the “dark nights of the soul.” You feel desperate because you don’t feel any love of Godhead left.

The question is what will you do then. Will you say: “Oh, I’ll get another Lord. This is just too much for me.” Or will you understand “I need to become purified now. There is a reason why the Lord does this to me. He wants to increase my hankering for Him.”

Don’t despair! Understand Krishna’s principle of wanting to increase your attachment to Him.

Krishna said to the gopis: “The reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopīs, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can’t think of nothing else.
[..] I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopīs, please do not harbour any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved. (SB 10.32.20, 21).

Let us see what Narada Muni did, when the Lord disappeared from Him: He became determined to meet the Lord again and concluded, “Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.” (SB 1.6.26)

Let us also choose this response to Krishna’s hiding and thus continue to worship him in this mood of separation.

What we can learn from Narada Muni is that:

1) We need to take shelter in Krishna by chanting in the mood of separation and

2) We need to be in a humble and non-envious state of mind while chanting

Narada Muni expressed this in his own words:

“Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. In doing so, I traveled all over the world, fully satisfied, humble, and unenvious.”
(SB 1.6.26)

THE MOOD OF SEPARATION

To come to this anticipating mood, or the mood of longing for Krishna, “Krishna I really need You” you can do the following:

* Hear about Krishna from the Bhagavatam. In this way you will develop
your taste for Krishna.

* Serve the Bhagavatas – devotees who talk about and live by the example of
the Bhagavatam. They can infuse us with the bhakti, which they have for Krishna.

In his lecture on Nectar of Devotion, (Sri Vrindavan Dhama, Oct 20th 1972), Srila Prabhupada explains that to read regularly from our acaryas means to associate with them and if we act accordingly, then we are serving their lotus feet .

By hearing the Bhagavatam and serving the devotee Bhagavata, we will come to understand that we belong to Krishna. This understanding will make us turn to Krishna for shelter. Hence a devotee will pray:

“Ayi nanda tanuja kinkaram . . . My dear Lord, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of this material world. Kindly pick me up and fix me as a speck of dust at Your lotus feet.”
(Siksastaka 5)

HUMILITY

Srila Prabhupada said in the purport to the text 1.6.26, that such devotees who take the chanting of the Lord’s names seriously have no desire for material gain. Because they have the highest aim of life, going back to Godhead, they are never envious of anyone, nor are they proud of being eligible to go back to Godhead

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expresses the same principle in His Siksastaka (3), where He says:

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada hari

“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw on the street, being more tolerant than a tree and always ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”

As we can see the way in which Narada Muni chanted ‘fully satisfied, humble and non-envious’, was also instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

• We must be free from pride like the straw on the street that people trample upon and

• We must be non-envious – in the words of Mahaprabhu, we must respect others, not be envious of them.

This instruction of Mahaprabhu does not refer only to social etiquette whereby we give respect to those ‘higher’ than ourselves, “Oh Sannyasi Maharaja, you are the best..” No, it means that we respect everyone, all souls without wanting anything else in return. So the next time we are disrespected, next time someone hurls insults upon us, we should just understand that it is not worth our while to fight. We want something much higher.

So let us get practical now!

1) When you sit down to chant your japa or kirtan, remember the Lord and how you are now separated from Him. Turn to Him for shelter:

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

“My dear Lord Krsna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.”
(CC M 22.33)

2) Then continue to chant by focusing on the maha-mantra. Try to hear each mantra all the while staying in the mood of longing.

3) When your mind starts to wander here and there and you cannot easily focus it on the holy name, then come to a humble state of mind. You may pray to the Lord, a prayer like:

aparadha-sahasra-bhajanam
patitam bhima-bhavarnaodare
agatim saranagatam hare
krpaya kevalam atmasat kuru

“O Hari! I am guilty of committing thousands and thousands of offenses thus I am drowning inside this terrible, turbulent ocean of material existence. I have lost my way, but I desire to find the right path and so I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet. Please accept me as Your own out of Your mercy alone.”
(Stotra-ratna 48)

If you continue to chant in this way, chanting from the heart and thus connecting with the Lord, miracles will unfold!

So far we have learnt from the example of Narada Muni how chanting in the mood of separation and in a humble state of mind forms the essence of our philosophy. This is exactly what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us, by establishing His sankirtan movement:

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Isvara Puri in Gaya, He received the Gopal mantra, which is chanted to worship Krishna. As a result, He wanted to run to Vrindavan to meet His Lord.

After travelling awhile, the Lord heard a voice from the sky—a representative of the demigods—saying, “O crest-jewel of the twice-born, do not go to Vrindavana now. You will certainly go when the appropriate time comes. Now just return to Your house in Navadvipa. You are the Lord of the spiritual world and have appeared with Your associates to deliver the people of the world. When You distribute the wealth of ecstatic love of God, Your chanting will inundate innumerable universes. We are Your servants, and thus we offer this reminder at Your lotus feet.”
(CB Adi 17.129-132)

So by this “higher intervention” the Lord did not go to Vrindavan. He went back to Navadvipa to start the sankirtana movement. After His return the devotees witnessed a distinct change in His character, because instead of engaging them in difficult debates, He was now crying “Krishna! Krishna! Where are you?”

The Lord wanted to explain to His devotees what had happened, thus He invited them to the cottage of Suklambara das on the banks of the Ganga. There He explained how on His way back from Gaya, He came to Kanai Natshala where He had the darshan of Krishna. He expressed in His own words:

“There I saw a young, beautiful boy, with a glowing, dark complexion, blackish like the bark of a tamal tree. His enchanting curly hair was decorated with wild flowers, a fresh garland of gunja berries, and a colourful peacock feather. His jewellery and gems were so bright that I could not see Him properly. Thus it is impossible for Me to describe the beauty of the delicately ornamented flute in His hand. His soft lotus feet were adorned with attractive ankle bells. His strong, graceful arms defeated the strength and beauty of blue pillars. How will I ever be able to describe the wonder of His golden-yellow silk dhoti, His dangling fish-shaped earrings, and His lotus-petal eyes with a beautiful, lazy expression? He sweetly smiled as He approached Me, and after embracing Me, He suddenly ran away.”

Sri Chaitanya then fainted. The devotees hastily picked Him up and chanted, “Krishna! Krishna!” They pacified Him to some extent, but He could not remain calm. He continuously cried, “Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?”

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 2.180–195)

“Nimai Pandit has become a great devotee,” the devotees said. And then they said to the Lord, “For one who associates with You, what is the value of Vaikuntha? A single moment with You gives us the fruit of devotion. We are now all dependent on You. You are our leader now. You lead us in Kirtan.”

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu then started his nocturnal kirtans in the house of Srivasa Pandit and chanted throughout the night. He said, “Why should we waste our nights with sleeping? Let’s chant!”

So this is how it all started. This is the underlying mood, the mood of separation. In the words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Where is Krishna?”

From Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu flows a river of the immortal nectar of bhakti. “Anyone who has taken a human form of life but does not take advantage of such a river, but instead drinks the poison of material life is baffled in his opportunity.” (CC Adi 13.123)

Do you want to live? Then come to drink from the nectarine river of the Holy Name. According to the Upanisads, we are all born in the ocean of nectar. We are not meant to be satisfied with anything else but nectar. This is our birthright.

By appearing in the land of Navadvipa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the chanting of the Holy Names as the means of obtaining this nectar of immortality and by taking on the role of a teacher He has revealed how to chant the Holy Names for the best results.

Gour-premanandi Hari Haribol!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=53847

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An allegory from the Srimad-Bhagavatam sheds light on the mind/body connection.

This article was originally presented at ‘Toward a Science of Consciousness,’ an international conference attended by leading scientists, physicians, philosophers, and other scholars, and hosted by the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Is There A Conscious Self distinct from the physical mechanism of the body? Is there a mind distinct from the brain? Those who answer yes to such questions are called dualists, and they are rare in contemporary science and philosophy.

Dualistic solutions to the mind/body problem are perhaps hampered by, among other things, inadequate analogies and allegories on the topic in Western thought. Whether we turn to Plato’s cave, to the formulations of Descartes, or to the proverbial little green man in the brain, there is apparently not enough substance to inspire the modern researcher of consciousness to seriously consider dualism. But if we turn to chapters 25-29 of Canto Four in the Bhagavata Purana, or Srimad-Bhagavatam, a Sanskrit text from India, we’ll find the elaborate allegory of the City of Nine Gates. The sophistication of this allegory challenges modern researchers to take a second look at dualism.

The central character in the allegory is a king named Puranjana. The Sanskrit word puran-jana means ‘one who enjoys in a body.’ So the king’s name hints at soul/body dualism. King Puranjana originally existed as a spirit soul in a purely spiritual realm in relationship with a supreme conscious being, God.

Materialists may oppose the introduction of this transcendental realm, which exists outside the material universe knowable by science. But even the materialist cosmology of modern science incorporates a ‘transcendental’ realm, that is to say, a realm that exists beyond the universe knowable by science, and from which that universe emerged at the time of the Big Bang. This transcendental reality, existing beyond time, space, and matter, is called the quantum mechanical vacuum and is pictured as a pure energy field in which particles appear and instantly disappear. From this sea of virtual particles some expand and continue to exist. According to many cosmologists, our universe is one such expansion.

So both the Bhagavata Purana and the Big Bang cosmology of modern science point to an eternal transcendental existence from which our universe of matter, with its features of time and space, arises. Now, which version of ultimate reality better explains the variegated reality of our experience’ Modern cosmologists and other theorists have a great deal of difficulty in coaxing enough variety from the rather smooth and featureless universe that, according to theory, expands from the quantum mechanical vacuum. The origin of consciousness also poses a difficult problem. In light of this, an ultimate reality that is itself conscious and variegated might offer a solution.

Having departed from the spiritual world, by misuse of independence, King Puranjana journeys through the material world, accompanied by Avijnata Sakha (‘the unknown friend’). The Unknown Friend corresponds to the Supersoul expansion of God. When Puranjana leaves God and the spiritual world, his memory of them becomes covered. But unknown to Puranjana, God accompanies him on his journey through the material world. According to the Bhagavata Purana, God accompanies all spirit souls in the material world as their Unknown Friend, who observes and sanctions their activities.

In the Western world, mind/brain dualism is identified with French philosopher Rene Descartes, who posited the existence of (1) matter extended in space and (2) mind existing outside space. Cartesian dualism is characterized by an interaction between mind and matter, but explaining how this interaction takes place has proved problematic for advocates of the Cartesian model. For example, how are impressions transmitted from the realm of matter to the completely different realm of mind’ Descartes thought the connection between mind and matter occurred in the pineal gland in the brain, an answer most scientists today reject.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, both matter and the souls in the material world are energies of God, and as such both have a single spiritual source. The philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana is thus both dualist and monist simultaneously. The interactions of matter and the soul in the material world are mediated by the Supersoul, who exists inside each material atom and also accompanies each spirit soul. By the arrangement of the Supersoul, impressions of material experience can be channeled to the soul. How this takes place is the subject of the allegory of Puranjana.

Having left the spiritual world, Puranjana, accompanied by Avijnata Sakha (the Supersoul), wanders through the material world. He wants to find a suitable place to enjoy himself. In other words, he searches for a suitable kind of body to inhabit. He tries many kinds of bodies on many planets.

Here we note that each species of life consists of a soul inhabiting a particular kind of body. In this respect, the Bhagavata Purana account differs from that of Descartes, who held that only humans have souls. For Descartes, animals were simply automatons. If one concedes that animals, with all their signs of life and consciousness, are simply automatons, then why not human beings as well’ The Bhagavata Purana model avoids this weakness of Descartes’s system.

The Attractive city

Eventually Puranjana comes to a place called Nava Dvara Pura, the City of Nine Gates. He finds it quite attractive. The City of Nine Gates represents the male human body, with its nine openings’two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus, and the genital opening. As Puranjana wanders through the gardens of the city, he encounters an extremely beautiful woman. Puranjana is attracted to her, and she is attracted to him. She becomes his queen.

Puranjana, as we have seen, represents the conscious self. The beautiful woman represents buddhi, intelligence. According to the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana, intelligence is a subtle material energy with discriminatory capabilities like those manifested by artificial intelligence machines. The attraction between King Puranjana and the queen (between the conscious self and the intelligence) is the root of embodied consciousness. The king, it should be noted, has distinct conscious selfhood, with nonmaterial sensory capability, but this capability becomes dormant when he begins his relationship with the queen.

The queen (the subtle material element called intelligence) allows Puranjana (the conscious self) to enjoy the City of Nine Gates (the gross physical body). Employing a computer analogy, we might say Puranjana represents the user, the City of Nine Gates the computer hardware, and the queen the software that allows the user to interface with the hardware and use it for practical purposes.

The queen is not alone, however, but is accompanied by eleven bodyguards and a serpent with five heads. The bodyguards comprise the mind and the ten senses. The ten senses are made up of five knowledge-acquiring senses and five working senses. The five knowledge-acquiring senses are the senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. The five working senses are those of walking, grasping, speaking, reproduction, and evacuation. All ten senses are grouped around the mind and are considered servants of the mind. Each of these servants has hundreds of wives. The wives represent desires for material experience, and the senses act under their pressure.

Senses and Sense Organ

According to the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana, the senses are different from the physical sense organs. The senses, along with mind and intelligence, are part of the invisible subtle material covering of the soul. The physical organs of sensation (eyes, nose, tongue, ears, skin, legs, arms, mouth, anus, and genitals) are part of the visible gross physical body.

The distinction between subtle senses and physical sense organs is important and offers consciousness researchers a valuable conceptual tool. Let us consider, for example, the problem of phantom limbs. Persons whose legs or arms have been amputated often report that they distinctly feel the missing limb, and even experience quite distinct sensations, such as twinges of pain or itching. The City of Nine Gates allegory provides an explanation for this mysterious phenomenon. Let’s take the case of someone whose arm has been amputated but who still feels the presence of the arm. The arm is one of the working senses. It is composed of two elements, the subtle grasping sense and the physical organ of the arm and hand. Amputation removes the physical organ through which the subtle sense operates, but the subtle sense itself remains, and therefore its presence may be mentally perceived.

Since the subtle sense is material, it may be able to act upon gross physical matter without going through the related physical sense organ. This model may therefore explain some of the phenomena reported in connection with ghosts and apparitions, and in connection with mediums, particularly the mysterious movement of physical objects. This model may also explain how persons are able to experience sense data during near-death experiences when the physical sense organs are incapacitated because of anesthesia or shock.

The senses are compared to attendants of the queen. They serve her by bringing information and performing activity. Together they comprise the array of material intelligence and sensory capabilities, all formed from subtle but nevertheless material energy. They combinedly manufacture a sense of self, with which the king becomes entranced and falsely identifies.

The body itself, the City of Nine Gates, is made of gross material energy, of the kind that can be manipulated by ordinary physics and chemistry. The body is powered by five subtle airs, listed in the AyurVeda, the Vedic medical science, as prana, apana, vyana, samana, and udana. In the Puranjana allegory the five airs, comprising the vital force, are represented by a five-headed serpent.

Unknown Origin

In the allegory, Puranjana asks about the identity and origin of the queen and her attendants. The queen replies,

O best of human beings, I do not know who has begotten me. I cannot speak to you perfectly about this. Nor do I know the names or the origins of the associates with me. O great hero, we only know that we are existing in this place. We do not know what will come after. Indeed, we are so foolish that we do not care to understand who has created this beautiful place for our residence.
My dear gentleman, all these men and women with me are known as my friends, and the snake, who always remains awake, protects this city even during my sleeping hours. So much I know. I do not know anything beyond this. You have somehow or other come here. This is certainly a great fortune for me. I wish all auspicious things for you. You have a great desire to satisfy your senses, and all my friends and I shall try our best in all respects to fulfill your desires. I have just arranged this city of nine gates for you so that you can have all kinds of sense gratification. You may live here for one hundred years, and everything for your sense gratification will be supplied.

The king’s questioning the queen represents the self’s asking material intelligence for the answers to ultimate questions. The answers provided by the queen, as well as her fundamental attitude, reflect those of modern science, which prides itself on avoidance of certain questions and the tentativeness of whatever answers it may provide. “I cannot speak to you perfectly about this. … We only know that we are existing in this place.” Essentially, the queen provides a monist, materialist answer to the king’s questions about his situation.

Description of the Gates

The Bhagavata Purana then provides a more detailed description of the nine gates of the city inhabited by the king and queen. Seven gates are on the surface (two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth), and two gates are subterranean (anus and genitals).

Five gates face east. The first two gates on the eastern side are called Khadyota (“glowworm”) and Avirmukhi (“torchlight”). To see, the king exits these two gates and goes to the city called Vibhrajita (“clear vision”). On this journey he is accompanied by his friend Dyuman (the sun, the ruler of the subtle visual sense).

In other words, the king encounters qualia by sensory contact through the physical gates of the body. Qualia are secondary properties of objects, such as color. In consciousness studies, the question of how we perceive qualia is a much debated topic. Do they exist in their own right, in the objects with which they are identified, or do they exist only in our own minds’ According to the Bhagavata Purana system, qualia, such as colors, exist as subtle sense objects. They have a reality of their own and are not simply produced within the mind.

That the king goes out through the gates of the eyes to contact subtle sense objects in a city of visual impressions suggests that the seeing process is not simply one of passive reception, but may involve an active process of image acquisition (as in sonar or radar). This may explain such phenomena as traveling clairvoyance, whereby a subject can mentally journey to a particular location, beyond the range of the physical sense organs, and then accurately report visual impressions. This model could also explain visual sensations reported during out-of-body experiences. The exact relationships between the physical sense organs, the subtle senses, and the subtle sense objects are not easily understood, but could perhaps be clarified by experimental work based on the overall model of the City of Nine Gates.

In the eastern part of King Puranjana’s city there are, in addition to the eyes, two gates called Nalini and Nalini, representing the nostrils. The king goes through these two gates with a friend called Avadhuta (representing breathing airs) to the town of Saurabha (“odor”). The last gate on the eastern side is Mukhya (“mouth”), through which the king goes with two friends to the towns of taste sensation and nourishment.

Through the two gates on the northern and southern sides (the ears), the king goes to places where different kinds of sound are heard. Through the gates on the western side of the city, the king goes to the towns where sensations of evacuation and sexual pleasure are experienced. During his journeys, the king takes help from two blind men, Nirvak and Peshaskrit, who represent the arms and legs.

Illusory Identification

In all his activities, the king follows the lead of the queen. In other words, the conscious self in the material world becomes conditioned by material intelligence. The Bhagavata Purana says,

When the queen drank liquor, King Puranjana also engaged in drinking. When the queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Puranjana used to chew along with her.
When the queen sang, he also sang, and when the queen laughed, he also laughed. When the queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the queen walked, the king walked behind her.
When the queen would stand still, the king would also stand still, and when the queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her.
When the queen sat, he would also sit, and when the queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing.
When the queen saw something, the king would also look at it, and when the queen smelled something, the king would follow her to smell the same thing.
When the queen touched something, the king would also touch it, and when the dear queen was lamenting, the poor king also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the queen was satisfied, the king also felt satisfaction.

As noted above, an important question that arises concerning dualist solutions to the mind/body question is how a nonmaterial conscious mind interacts with material sense objects. In this model, there is an answer to this question. As seen above, the interaction is based on illusory identification.

To understand the nature of this illusory identification, we first need to readjust the familiar mind/body dualism to a triadic conception incorporating (1) a nonmaterial conscious self, (2) a subtle material body formed of mind and intelligence, and (3) a physical body composed of gross matter.

In this model, the mind is a subtle material substance, associated with material intelligence. Mind is at the center of the subtle senses, which are in turn connected to the physical sense organs, which bring to the mind sense data in the form of subtle sense objects.

Here yet another question arises. In consciousness studies one is faced with the problem of how the various kinds of sense data are presented in an integrated fashion. Even various elements of the visual sense, such as the perception of color, movement, and form, are located in different parts of the brain. Sounds are processed in other parts of the brain. How are all these elements combined’

In the Bhagavata Purana model, the integrating function is performed by the mind, which receives sensory inputs from the subtle senses grouped around it. The mind is not, however, conscious. So the mind might be compared to multimedia computer software capable of integrating audio and visual materials into a single display, making use of a variety of inputs and source materials. The material intelligence, represented by the queen, directs the living entity’s consciousness to the integrated display of sense data. Intelligence, as a subtle material energy, is not itself conscious, but it mimics the behavior of consciousness. So the intelligence attracts the attention of the conscious self, causing the self to identify with it, just as we identify with the image of an actor on a movie screen.

By identification with material intelligence, which is in turn connected to the mind’s integrated display of sense data, consciousness is connected with the sense data. This connection is not direct. The indirect connection of the conscious self with gross matter arises from the self’s false identification with the action of a subtle material energy, intelligence. The extremely subtle material element that connects the conscious self with material intelligence is called ahankara, or false ego. The whole system is set up and directed by the Supersoul.

According to the Bhagavata Purana picture, the conscious self originally experiences nonmaterial sense objects through nonmaterial senses. This takes place in the spiritual world, with God. But having turned from this original situation, the self is placed in a material body in the material world. Identifying with this artificial situation, the self forgets its own nature and that of God. But God remains with the self as the Supersoul, the Unknown Friend. If the self tires of the artificial material reality and desires to return to its original position, the Unknown Friend will reawaken the original spiritual senses of the self and reconnect them with their spiritual sense objects.

The whole system therefore resembles a computer-generated virtual reality. In virtual-reality systems, the user’s normal sensory inputs are replaced by computer-generated displays. But just as a person can turn off the virtual- reality display and return to normal sensory experience, so the conscious self in the artificial sensory environment of the material world can return to its original spiritual sensory experience.

Attacked by Time

In the Bhagavata Puranaallegory, King Puranjana and his queen enjoy life for some time in the City of Nine Gates. Eventually, however, the City of Nine Gates comes under attack by a king named Candavega. Candavega represents time, and his name literally means “very swiftly passing away.” Candavega commands an army of 360 male Gandharva soldiers and their 360 female companions. Together these represent the days and nights of the year. When Candavega’s army attacks, the five-headed serpent (the vital force) tries to defend the City of Nine Gates. The serpent fights the attackers for one hundred years but eventually becomes weak, his weakness causing anxiety for the king and his associates. Finally, the attacking soldiers overwhelm the defenders and set the City of Nine Gates ablaze. As it becomes obvious that the battle is being lost, King Puranjana is overcome with anxious thoughts of his wife and his relatives and associates. Then the commander of the invading forces arrests the king and takes him away along with his followers, including the five-headed serpent. As soon as they are gone, the attackers destroy the City of Nine Gates, smashing it to dust. Even as he is being led away, the king cannot remember his Unknown Friend, the Supersoul. Instead, he thinks only of his wife, the queen. He then takes another birth, this time as a woman.

In this part of the allegory, we see how the conscious self, accompanied by the mind, intelligence, and subtle senses, leaves the gross physical body. When they leave, the gross physical body disintegrates. The conscious self then receives another gross physical body. The kind of body received depends on the condition of the subtle material body, composed of mind, intelligence, and subtle senses. The subtle material body is the template upon which the gross physical body is constructed. This model allows one to account for reports of past-life memories. In the Bhagavata Purana model, the mind is the storehouse of memory from past lives.

In his next life, King Puranjana becomes Vaidarbhi, the daughter of King Vidarbha. When grown, Vaidarbhi becomes the queen of King Malayadhvaja. At the end of his life, Malayadhvaja retires to the forest and takes up the process of mystic yoga. The Bhagavata Purana (4.28.40) informs us, “King Malayadhvaja attained perfect knowledge by being able to distinguish the Supersoul from the individual soul. The individual soul is localized, whereas the Supersoul is all-pervasive. He became perfect in knowledge that the material body is not the soul but that the soul is the witness of the material body.” In this state of higher awareness, Malayadhvaja, following the yoga process, deliberately leaves his material body and achieves liberation from material existence.

Queen Vaidarbhi (formerly King Puranjana) is overwhelmed with grief at her husband’s departure. At this point, King Puranjana’s Unknown Friend (the Supersoul) appears before Vaidarbhi as a brahmana sage. The brahmana says to Vaidarbhi, “My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can’t you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend’ Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world. … You were simply captivated in this body of nine gates.” The brahmana then instructs Vaidarbhi further about her original position as a purely spiritual self in the spiritual world.

I have extracted only the principal elements of the City of Nine Gates allegory. The complete account is much more detailed and allows one to make an even more subtle and refined model of self/mind/body interaction. This model does not fit easily into present categories of the mind/body debate. Although dualist, it partakes also of idealism and monism. It does, however, allow one to integrate many categories of evidence from normal and paranormal science, as well as evidence from humanity’s wisdom traditions, into a rich synthesis, providing fruitful lines of research confirming and refining a complex dualist model of mind/body interaction

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=23624

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