We do not know the power of what one book will do. The Bhagavad-gita made me a devotee! It was a Bhagavad-gita that I got from a friend. My friend bought it, read it and then passed it onto me. I have no idea where that Bhagavad-gita ended up after me. I still had it when I moved into the temple but what happened to it after that, I cannot remember.
The books we distribute lives a life of its own and goes from one person to another. It finds people. It is not just that we find people; the book finds people! Somebody will find it and pick it up. Sometimes it is very mystic – Krsna is also part of it. One book can find a hundred people or maybe a thousand. Who knows how many people can actually become devotees because of one book? A book will go here, there and everywhere. So many people may get influenced by it.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=54180

This talk centers on the spiritual significance of prasadam (food offered to God) within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, drawing from a passage in Chaitanya Charitamrita (Madhya-lila 14). The speaker begins by recounting how King Prataparudra, after receiving the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, humbly serves Him and later arranges an abundant offering of food for Lord Jagannath. The text vividly describes an extraordinary variety of offerings—fruits, sweets, milk preparations, grains, and delicacies—emphasizing both their quantity and quality. The speaker highlights that even this extensive list is only a “trailer,” suggesting the incomprehensible opulence of divine offerings.

The key philosophical point is that devotees find satisfaction not in eating for themselves, but in seeing food lovingly offered to Krishna. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself is described as fully satisfied simply by witnessing the offering. This establishes a core principle: prasadam is not ordinary food; it is spiritually transformed, having been touched by Krishna, and is therefore non-different from Him.

The speaker explains that a true Vaishnava does not crave variety for personal enjoyment but delights in offering variety to the deity. The spiritual master is pleased when disciples prepare and distribute prasadam, and even more so when devotees joyfully partake in it. An anecdote about A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada cooking and serving meals personally illustrates how spiritual joy is found in feeding others and witnessing their satisfaction.

A major theme is that prasadam is often underestimated. While chanting, worship, and philosophy are recognized as sacred, eating is sometimes seen as a mundane break. The speaker challenges this, asserting that honoring prasadam is itself a profound spiritual act—an intimate way of associating with Krishna. Stories like Madhavendra Puri tasting even the clay pot that held sweet rice demonstrate the depth of realization: everything connected to Krishna is spiritually potent.

The talk also explores the balance between relishing and regulating prasadam. While it is joyful and abundant, devotees are cautioned not to be driven by the tongue. True appreciation comes from purified senses and spiritual vision, not indulgence.

Finally, the speaker emphasizes the social and cultural power of prasadam. Sharing meals breaks impersonalism, fosters community, and becomes a medium for expressing love among devotees. Cooking, serving, and honoring prasadam together are essential practices that cultivate relationships and spiritual unity.

Key takeaway: Prasadam is not merely food but a sacred medium of divine connection, spiritual transformation, and loving exchange within a devotional community.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117858

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, 

On Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most auspicious days in the Vaishnava calendar, ISKCON Kolkata laid the foundation stone for a memorial at the birthplace of Srila Prabhupada in Tollygunge, South Kolkata, formally commencing a project that devotees hope to inaugurate on his 131st appearance anniversary in August 2027.

The foundation ceremony, which included Radhanath Swami installing an Anantashesha deity in the ground, drew Srila Prabhupada’s disciples from around the world. The project has been in the making for over two decades, its roots stretching back to a handwritten letter signed by Srila Prabhupada himself just months before he left the world.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-kolkata-lays-foundation-stone-for-prabhupada-memorial/

By Sulochana Kanu Das,

On the occasion of Narsimha Chaturdashi Mahotsav, the “Sarvabighn Binashan Maha Narsimha Yagya 2026” was held on April 29-30th for the first time in Bangladesh. In addition to the thousands of devotees, the event included 508 priests. It was held at the Sri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha and Gaur-Nitai Temple located at ISKCON Mirzapur, Tangail.

On the first day of the two-day event, there was a Sankalp and Adhivas Kirtan. The next day, the program included Mangal Arati, a Kirtan Mela, special worship of Lord Narasimhadev, the offering of food and thousands of Tulsi leaves, and a Mahalakshmi Narasimha Maha Yagna. In the afternoon, there was a discussion meeting with Bhakti Advaita Nabadwip Swami, Vice President of ISKCON Bangladesh, who was present as the chief guest. A Narasimha Mahima Kirtan was also held, followed by a Mahaabhisheka in the evening, and finally the distribution of Mahaprasad to about 5,000 devotees.

The evening also included a delightful cultural program and a Vedic drama performed by local devotees, which elicited a special response from the devotees.

Everyone participating in the yagna wore a unique type of dhoti and saree, creating a special devotional atmosphere. In addition, an image of Lord Nrisimhadeva was gifted to all the devotees present. The great yagna ceremony was officiated by Bhakti Advaita Navadwip Swami.

Also present online to bless the gathered devotees was Bhaktiprem Swami from Ujjain, India. Local guests, including Bimala Prasad Das, were present as special guests.

The meeting was presided over by Prem Swarup Das, Director of ISKCON Mirzapur. Through this great sacrifice, collective prayers were offered for world peace and the destruction of all obstacles.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/devotees-gather-for-maha-narasimha-yajna-in-bangladesh/

Maya’s Friend Norm

The Vedic scriptures reveal that Mayadevi, Lord Krishna’s deluding potency, works with certain energies that have the capacity to make material life seem like normal life.

As we go about our everyday activities in the material world, we are continuously confronted with the normality, or normalness, of material existence. In other words, we are constantly bombarded with the notion that material life, with all its mundane rationality, constitutes normal life and that this world is where we belong. As Srila Prabhupada affirms, however, material life, which is devoid of love of Lord Krishna and service to Him, is very abnormal.

Within the material realm of existence, it is Mayadevi, the personification of Krishna’s deluding potency, who convinces the materially embodied spirit souls that material life is normal. Consider the following conversation between Maya, Norm (a fictional character herein invented to represent Maya’s ability to normalize material life), and John (who represents a typical materially conditioned person):

Mayadevi: Hi, John, this is Norm. I told you about him. He’s one of my oldest friends.
John: Hello, Norm. Maya has told me a little about you. You’re a psychologist, is that right?
Norm: Yes … I work with people who have identity problems. I try to help them find themselves, to find their real selves.
John: Oh … that’s nice. Do you use any particular methods in your work?
Norm: Yes … Well, let’s say you were one of my clients. I would get you to think about what makes you feel the most normal. You know—in what circumstances do you feel the most habituated, the most ordinary? When is it that you feel the most comfortable?
John: I guess that would be when I am working at the office … or when I am playing with the kids … stuff like that.
Norm: But at which time do you feel the most normal, more than at any other time?
John: Hmm … I suppose it’s when I think about how I have succeeded in creating a good life for myself and my family, how it’s given me a sense of belonging in this world … a sense of achievement. I think that’s it. It’s also knowing that I have done it all by myself—I didn’t have to count on anyone else to do it.
Norm: Great! Well that’s who you truly are—a great achiever, capable of being successful in this world and independent of others. That’s who you really are, John, and you should be proud of it!
John: Wow, I guess you really know your stuff! I always thought that my true identity lay somewhere deep inside myself, in a place that I could only access by meditation and yoga … you know… a spiritual type of thing.
Norm: Well, John, the truth is that no one has ever found out who they are by doing yoga. It’s simply not the way. You need to find the thing that makes you feel familiar, when you feel the most relaxed and at ease. That’s when you are really in touch with yourself.
John: Yeah … I suppose so …

As a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord, it is Mayadevi’s service to Krishna to deceive materially embodied souls into thinking that their identity is material instead of spiritual and that the material environment is their normal environment. The potency by which she deludes the soul into such thoughts is called avaranatmika shakti, an energy given by Krishna that enables her to cover the individual soul’s original pure consciousness with whatever material desires are manifest within the individual’s heart. Mayadevi’s other potency, called prakshepatmika shakti, enables her to pull or throw the spiritual soul down into the material world, immersing the soul in materialistic life. By the combination of these two potencies, Mayadevi very skillfully dresses up the material energy to delude the materially embodied person into a false sense of what is normal.

Mayadevi’s avaranatmika potency instills the notion “I am comfortable within my current situation; everything is fine with my material life. Why should I change it?” As Srila Prabhupada explains:

This spell of maya is called avaranatmika shakti because it is so strong that the living entity is satisfied in any abominable condition. Even if he is born as a worm living within the intestine or abdomen in the midst of urine and stool, still he is satisfied.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.7.44)

In the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.30.4) Lord Kapila states that “the living entity, in whatever species of life he appears, finds a particular type of satisfaction in that species, and he is never averse to being situated in such a condition.” Overcome by such an illusion, materially embodied beings cannot understand whether they are happy or distressed, fortunate or unfortunate, and so on. Nor can they understand that Mayadevi’s avaranatmika potency has debilitated their capacity to distinguish between what is false and what is normal. Thus the materially embodied person consequently endures Mayadevi’s façade of ordinariness, rationality, and familiarity—i.e., normality.

Primarily the avaranatmika potency infiltrates the materially embodied soul’s consciousness by means of some form of material identity. After collecting countless impressions from the material world, the materially embodied person’s mind and intellect offer a type of “false identity package deal” to the pure spirit soul, based on these impressions. The inherently pure soul must thereby choose whether to accept or reject what is being offered. If the soul accepts the deal, Mayadevi’s avaranatmika potency makes the person’s choice seem like the normal, or natural, thing to do. Mayadevi thereby smoothes the soul’s path towards a life founded on a particular material identity. For souls who reject the deal, Mayadevi withdraws her potencies and allows them to progress toward realization of their spiritual identity, their actual identity. Such is the service of Mayadevi.

The Spell of Diversion

Through her prakshepatmika potency, defined as her “spell of diversion” (Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 20.6) Mayadevi throws spiritual souls down into material existence, compelling them to adopt reasons for remaining entangled in material life. By convincing them that spiritual life is for fools, the prakshepatmika energy propels spiritual souls away from religious activities through aversive arguments. The prakshepatmika energy thereby works as an antithesis to spiritual life by anti-normalizing or making unattractive the path of spiritual self-realization. The confused spiritual soul thereby learns to think of spiritual life as abnormal and unnatural, or perhaps as a life that befits fanatical, extremist, emotionally deprived, or less intelligent persons. At the very least, the materially embodied person who succumbs to the anti-normalizing influences of Mayadevi’s prakshepatmika potency is overcome with the thought that “spiritual life just isn’t for me”: Srila Prabhupada writes,

When somebody is trying to come to Krishna consciousness, the prakshepatmika-shakti will dictate, “Why are you going to the Krishna consciousness society? There are so many restrictions there, so many rules and regulations. Better give it up.” And the conditioned soul thinks, “Why, yes, this Krishna consciousness is nonsense. Let me give it up.”
(Dharma: The Way of Transcendence, Chapter 10)

Our conceptions of what constitutes our everyday mundane experiences are often distorted, perverted, and exaggerated due to the depth of our conditioning by the material energy. We perceive that we are experiencing the results of arrangements we ourselves have made for our own material prosperity, when in actuality we are experiencing reactions to our past sinful activities. Within this predicament we do our best to normalize our material indulgences and their subsequent consequences, according to the demands of our material senses. Such attempts by materially embodied souls to normalize their own suffering within the material world are also symptoms of contamination by Mayadevi’s avaranatmika and prakshepatmika potencies. Pitifully, these two potencies end up dictating our own arguments in favor of material life.

Sophisticated Illusions

We would be wise to not underestimate the sophistication and strength of Mayadevi’s normalizing and anti-normalizing capacities, her ability to confuse us about what is normal and abnormal for the eternally spiritual person. She has the capacity to bewilder and thereby encumber both the beginner and those more advanced on the spiritual path. Even though we may have been devotees for many years, we still risk being exposed to these potencies and overcome by them. They often gain ground in undetected and unanticipated ways. “Maya, the energy underlying all material existence, is more subtle than ordinary phenomena.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.85.44, Purport). Here’s an example of the subtle effects of Maya’s potencies: “Maya is so subtle that even if one is able to avoid hearing about sex, money, and atheists, and even if one joins a society of devotees, one may still become a victim of pride and hypocrisy.” (Narada-bhakti-sutra, 4.64, Purport). The qualities of pride and hypocrisy are certainly ominous enough to transform a spiritualist into a materialist.

In essence, the avaranatmika and prakshepatmika potencies challenge our experience of normality. While we may be able to understand the philosophy of what constitutes normal (or spiritual) life and abnormal (or material) life, our everyday experiences may very well leave us confused. As people dedicated to advancing spiritually, we want to feel comfortable yet not lax; we want to be dedicated yet not fanatical; we want to be surrendered to spiritual authority yet still maintain some independence; and we want to be assured that we are on the right path yet also go our own way. Within such circumstances we do our best to identify the fine lines that separate our spiritual consciousness from our material consciousness. That is, we do our best to perceive what constitutes our normal consciousness and what constitutes our abnormal consciousness. Reliance on relevant knowledge from the Vedic scriptures can enhance our perceptions of such differences.

According to Srila Prabhupada, normal life means to love Krishna. It means to experience the love that Krishna has for us as parts of Him. It means to be attracted to Krishna’s pastimes and to desire to please Krishna. When we are influenced by Krishna’s internal spiritual energy rather than by His external material energy, then we can be assured that we are experiencing normal life—spiritual life—which is synonymous with spiritual consciousness. By cultivating such an understanding of what is normal, what is usual, what is intrinsic to our spiritual selves, we can relinquish all of our cumbersome abnormalities and return to our inherent, peaceful existence of loving Krishna. As Srila Prabhupada said:

We being part and parcel of Krishna, our natural tendency is to serve Krishna. Natural tendency. It is not artificial. When you forget Krishna, that is artificial. So our normal life means to love Krishna, to serve Krishna. That is our normal life. Without serving Krishna our life is abnormal, madman’s life.
(Conversation, 1975, Nairobi)

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16755

Exploring Your Word of Honor Being Committed in a Non-Committal World

By Mahatma Das

Imagine this scene. After millions of lifetimes you finally make it back to the spiritual world. As you approach the gates of Goloka you are asked to wait because Krsna wants to come and personally greet you. You are getting more excited at every moment. You can hardly believe you have finally made it back to your eternal home.

In the distance you see a beautiful blue form coming towards you. Finally, after transmigrating through 8,400,000 species of life since time immemorial, you get a glimpse of your eternal Lover and Friend. His enchanting form captivates your eyes and mind. You drink in His beauty as if it were the sweetest nectar. Your heart begins to pound in anticipation of being able to talk to Krsna, to touch Him, to play and dance with Him.

You can’t stop crying as you reflect on the innumerable lifetimes you turned your back on Krsna and on the fact that you are now reuniting with Him. Finally, the supreme Lord, appearing as the most enchanting cowherd boy, approaches you. This is the greatest moment in your eternal existence. You stand anxiously waiting. You are speechless.

Krsna appears concerned about something. He is happy to see you, yet also has a serious look on His face. He remains looking at you for a few moments without speaking. As you wait you wonder what might be His first words to you. Each second feels like an eternity. You think, “Will He express His happiness in seeing that I returned to the spiritual world? Will He express His affection for me?” Yet He still looks concerned about something – and this puzzles you. Finally, looking compassionately into your eyes He tells you,

“I don’t know if I can trust you?”

You’re devastated. Your mind is reeling. You can’t stop crying. The fact that Krsna has doubts that He can trust you tears your heart apart. You want to disappear. The thought that you have let down the One who deserves all your trust is unbearable.

Krsna waits by your side as you gradually gain your composure. You want to say to Him, “No you can trust me.” Yet as you reflect on why He questions your trustworthiness, you think of promises you made to Him, your guru, your spouse, your friends – even to yourself – that you didn’t always keep. Of course, you had your reasons to not keep them. But whatever the reasons, you now know that you let Krsna down.

Can God Trust Me?
What if Krsna appeared before you today? Would He have reason to say the same thing to you? Thinking “Am I trustworthy to God and guru?” is a powerful meditation for bringing into focus our relationship with commitment. Do your activities demonstrate to Krsna that He can trust you, that you are true to the promises you have made and continue to make to Him, your guru and others? In other words, are you 100% committed to your vows? If not, you need to be or you’re asking for trouble.

Krsna tells us in the Gita to offer Him all we do, eat, offer and give away. Just as one can offer Krsna an existing thing or a present action, one can also offer Him a future action along with the perseverance to fulfill it. That offering of perseverance is characteristic of a vow. A subsequent change in one’s purpose is like taking away something that has been dedicated to Him. Think of it like taking food off Krsna’s plate as it is being carried to the altar.

Vows are Personal
When we make a vow to Krsna it helps to think of it in terms of our personal relationship with Him. For example, if you make a promise to a very dear friend and then find it difficult or inconvenient to fulfill, you’ll likely keep your promise if you know your friend will be upset if you don’t come through. We can think the same way about our promises to Krsna. When we are having trouble following our vows it’s helpful to think that we will be letting Krsna down if we break our promises. And if I let Krsna down, that damages my relationship with Him.

Steven Covey talks about the emotional bank account. Every time you do something positive in a relationship, you add deposits to your emotional bank account. And every time you do something negative, you make withdrawals. So if you find it difficult to maintain vows, it’s helpful to think in terms of your emotional bank account with Krsna. You can impersonalize your relationship with Krsna by thinking He really doesn’t feel bad when you don’t keep your spiritual vows and promises to Him. But since He wants you to love Him and come back to Him, don’t you think it hurts Him on some level every time you do something that moves you further away from Him?

How You Do Anything
Another thought to ponder is your relationship with commitment in general. Consider if not being able or willing to be trustworthy in your spiritual life also influences your trustworthiness in other relationships – and vice-versa. I think it does. As it is said, “How you do anything is how you do everything.”

Vows Empower Us
Prabhupada didn’t teach that people primarily keep vows because they are sense controlled or spiritually strong. He taught that people keep vows because they value their word or honor. Because they value their word of honor they tolerate provocations that could cause them to break their vows. He knew it wasn’t easy and he knew that many of those who took initiation had a very degraded past. But he also knew we could remain steady in Krsna consciousness if we took our vows to heart. He taught that vows empower us to do what ordinarily would be difficult; they make us rise beyond our normal abilities.

We can easily get this formula backwards. If we think we need spiritual strength to follow our vows it’s natural to blame a fall on spiritual weakness. But it is being committed to the promises we make to guru and Krsna that give us the power to be self-controlled. It’s just like fasting. Once you make the determination to fast on a particular day you get the strength to do it. If you think, “maybe I will fast the whole day,” the chances are you won’t make it. Would you loan money to a friend who brings in a contract that says, “Maybe I will pay you back?”

Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t have the energy to exercise?” It seems logical to them that energy is needed to exercise. But we know that the reason they don’t have energy is that they don’t exercise. Saying, “I don’t have the spiritual strength to follow my vows,” is exactly like saying, “I don’t have the energy to exercise.

When Prabhupada was asked how we become determined, he said we become determined by following the regulative principles. The devotee asking the question was confused because he really meant, “How do we get the determination to follow the principles?” Prabhupada said that it is not your business how to get the determination; it is Krsna’s business to give you the determination. Again, what he meant was that if we just commit to our vows Krsna will give us the strength and determination to follow them. Why? Because it is Krsna’s business to give us the strength. Prabhupada was pointing out that we can’t fight with maya but we can stand behind Krsna who dispels maya’s darkness. When you keep your vows and you are standing in Krsna’s light.

Getting a Perspective on the Four Regulative Principles
It seems impossible for most people in Kali-yuga to follow the four regulative principles. Because of this it can be easy to think that I am only human and it is “normal” that I can’t follow. Yes, it’s true that it is normal not to follow; but as devotees we are not meant to be “normal.” Normal in Kali-yuga means sex, drugs, meat and gambling. “Normal” means living under the influence of Kali, or as Prabhupada said, being a victim of Kali-yuga. Although following the four rules seems to be an elevated thing to do, Prabhupada’s take on it was different – these are simply the activities of pious human beings

Thinking this way about the regulative principles brings them down to earth. They are not a set of rules that only special souls can follow. Prabhupada even felt that through the establishment of varnasrama dharma, everyone could follow these principles. So it’s important not to put the four rules on such a high pedestal that following them seems like some super human task reserved for special devotees.

How Does it Make You Feel
Right now, think of all the promises you haven’t kept – the little and the big ones. Maybe you haven’t returned something you borrowed. Maybe someone is expecting you to call them or answer an email and you’ve been putting it off. It could be that you promised a friend or your spouse that you’d do them a favor, but haven’t found the time to do it. What’s on your list? And, of course, there are the obvious bigger promises and vows you may not have kept: chanting a fixed number of rounds, chanting your gayatri, following the regulative principles, chastity to your spouse, etc.

Take a minute to do this before reading on. You can do it in your mind if you wish.
This exercise will really help you. Can I trust you to do it before you go on?

Now, write down or think of the reasons you haven’t followed through on these promises and vows. These are the reasons you tell yourself you haven’t yet done them. Here are some of the reasons people give in my workshop for not keeping the little promises they make:

“I forgot,” “I am too busy,” I am lazy,” “I’m overwhelmed,” “it’s not important,” “I can’t find the time,” “it’s okay if I don’t do it,” “I don’t feel like doing it,” “it doesn’t matter,” “I’ll do it someday,” “I have more important things to do,” “I don’t know why I forgot.”

For the more serious promises or vows, participants have given these reasons:

“I just can’t do it,” “I am not that tolerant,” “it’s too difficult, “I am too weak,” “Krsna understands,” “I was young when I promised,” “I didn’t know what I was doing when I promised,” “I didn’t really mean it when I promised,” “I have enough trouble just keeping my material life together,” “I didn’t learn responsibility when I was growing up,” “I don’t know why I made that promise,” “I shouldn’t have made that promise,” “The person is not worthy of my former commitment.”

So make your list before you read on.

Now imagine this scene. Your best friend, someone you have known your entire life, is starting a business. And this is not just any business; it is a business in an emerging industry that has huge potential for growth. If your friend can get in on it now, it is certain that he will make a huge amount of money. He needs $100,000 to invest in the business. It just so happens that you have managed to save $10 a day over the last 20 years, and with the compounded interest you now have amassed a savings of $100,000. You plan to retire in two years and move to Vrndavana. You will be able to do this by living off the interest of this $100,000.

Your best friend approaches you with the idea for his business and asks you for a loan of $100,000. He promises he will pay you back within two years. The prospects of the business are so good that he offers to pay you 18% interest on the loan. Since you don’t plan to move to Vrndavana for another two years and you want to help him, you are happy to loan him the money. Plus, with the 18% interest you’ll be getting, it’s a win-win situation.

Excuses 
The agreement is that he will begin paying you $8500 a month in six months. By the time you are ready to retire you will have been paid back your $100,000 plus interest.

It’s now a year later and his business is not going as planned. Your friend has only paid you $8,500. You are becoming concerned, but since he is such a close friend you trust that he will stick to his word, you are not overly concerned. It is now 18 months later and he hasn’t paid you any more money. You have a serious talk with him and find that he isn’t going to be paying you any more money. You’re shocked. You can’t believe a friend would do that to you.

Now go back to your list of reasons for not always keeping your promises. Imagine that this friend is giving you those very same reasons to explain (or justify) why he won’t be paying you back.

How does that make you feel?

Vows, commitments and promises are about relationships. If you really value a person and the relationship you have with them, wouldn’t that be shown in how you value the commitments you make to them? Isn’t it a contradiction to some degree to say, “I value our relationship and I really love you,” yet at the same time not keep your word of honor to that person?

Acknowledging the truth in those questions (i.e. answering yes to them) has done amazing things to strengthen my commitment to the vows I made to Srila Prabhupada, as well as strengthen the commitments I make to others, especially those dear to me. In my exploration of my word of honor I have discovered that the reason I may not follow my vows perfectly (this includes thinking about not following them while I externally follow them) is because I am not 100% committed to the vows I made. If you can imagine a situation that would make it virtually impossible for you to keep your vows, then you too can acknowledge you are not yet 100% committed (if you had a zillion dollars, all the fame in the world, easy opportunities to enjoy the opposite sex, lived in the heavenly planets, etc.).

But if we are not committed 100% to guru and Krsna, maya will find that one tiny space to enter, that 1% percent of non commitment, that weak link, and that’s where she’ll enter. You know where your weak link lies. It’s where maya continually works on you. It is said you are only as healthy as your weakest organ. Similarly, we are only as strong as our weakest commitment to guru and Krsna.

Meditating on these questions has been helping me close those spaces in powerful ways. It’s almost mystical. Contemplate those questions. Take them with you. Ask them a hundred times a day. If you get nothing else from this newsletter but this, you have really gotten everything.

So ask yourself, “How much do I value my relationship with Krsna, my guru, my spouse, my friends, my business partners?” Do I value those relationships enough to keep all the promises I make to them?
________________________________________________________________________

Festival of Inspiration

If you are coming to New Vrndavana for the Festival of Inspiration May 11-13, I want to invite you to a couple of workshops I am doing. On Friday, May 11 at 11:45 I am giving a workshop on vows. The workshop is designed to help you explore your personal relationship with vows and with your word of honor. The workshop will help you become a more committed person, both in your spiritual life and in your personal relationships.

I was motivated to develop this workshop because I saw that our society needed structured systems that offer support for those who have taken vows (which is all of us because we either take formal initiation vows, vow to voluntarily follow some principles and chant a fixed number of rounds, or we make commitments within an asrama). The more I thought about it the more it seemed a paradox to encourage devotees to take vows that are difficult to follow, yet at the same time offer no structured support system to maximize the potential for their success.

This workshop is my personal attempt to offer that kind of support.

This workshop will help you:

1) understand what is preventing you from being 100% committed to others – and to yourself.
2) effectively deal with the guilt and feelings of failure that result from not following your vows.
3) see why you may be reluctant to take vows or make commitments.
4) explore new vows you may wish to make and how to understand when you are ready to make them
5) strengthen you resolve to continue following the vows you have made

If you can’t make it to the Festival of Inspiration this year, we plan to offer this workshop as an online course. I will keep you posted on its development but if this sounds like something you will be interested in, please email me and I will send you more details.

Education, Guidance and Support 
I will also be assisting a workshop on the topic of spiritual support and personal growth in Krsna consciousness. This will take place on Friday, May 11 at 4:45 pm. As you may know, I have been working with a group of devotees to develop online courses in conjunction with live presentations. In this seminar we explain the educational philosophy and how it is used to create a supportive network and community of practice. We will give a brief description of the kinds of courses we intend to offer. And you will have a chance to participate in discussions about your own educational needs and suggest courses you think are important for us to offer.

Seminar Package for Temples
I have developed a two day seminar package for temples. It consists of one introductory session online, a Friday evening workshop on self development, a Saturday seminar on forgiveness, a Sunday seminar on Prayer (approximately 9 to 5 each day) and then two online follow up courses over the next few weeks where we deal with the real life challenges of integrating the knowledge and techniques we gained in the seminar into our lives.

If you feel that your temple or community would benefit from this, please contact me and I will give you more information and details about this program. Note that openings for this seminar package this summer are limited, so if you are interested in doing something this summer, please contact me soon.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=84448

By Sankirtana Das (ACBSP)

1.Devotees need to educate the public as to why they are chanting on the public streets around the world. The holy name of Krishna is both a personal meditation for our own spiritual well-being and, as Prabhupada explains in the purport of Adi, 17.141, “for the reformation of all the anomalies of human society.” The chanting parties should distribute brochures or flyers to inform everyone who passes by and invite them to participate when they have the chance.

2. So many books are going out, but are devotees staying in touch with people who purchase them? Book distributors need to take time to get people’s contact info and follow up to encourage them to read or to see if they have any questions. Important to establish relationships. Devotees who distribute books and share Krishna Consciousness with people need to pass out their own contact cards.

3. The Back to Godhead (BTG) magazine that Prabhupada started in 1944 is vital to the Krishna Movement and must be maintained, even if in a modified way. He wanted it to be as popular as Time magazine. We also need articles about timely events.

4. In a letter of Dec 18, 1974, Prabhupada encouragingly writes, “In your country there is a very good system of democracy.” Devotees have to understand the potential he saw in the USA and encourage adherence to the US Constitution and protect religious freedom. Devotees should be aware of active elements in the administration that would undermine the Constitution and religious freedoms, and actually hinder the Sankirtana Movement in the public arena.

5. Over the years, many people were attracted to Krishna Consciousness (KC) and appreciated the Movement. But for one reason or another, they moved on. Devotees need to find ways to reconnect with these folks who are now in their 50s, 60s, & 70s. They might not be interested in institutions, organized religion or even yoga, but invite them back to experience the meditative path.

6. Prabhupada tells us not to do anything “hampering our reputation,” nor “deteriorating to the popular sentiments of the public in favor of our movement,” and “we should not become unpopular in the public eye.” This is an important factor in how we police our own movement.

Prabhupada cautions the devotees – “We must spread this movement in such a way that they will not misunderstand us and take offense.”

7. Communication is essential – on sankirtana, book distribution, college programs and outreach to the public. Devotees need to develop a variety of outreach programs, to establish relationships and create alliances. Prabhupada especially mentioned college students and the faith traditions. Devotees need to educate the public as to what is dharma and adharma to help people make informed decisions.

8. Prabhupada talks about “love and trust.” How devotees relate to one another is of the greatest importance.

9. Love will alter the dynamics of the world. Devotees need to be ambassadors of Krishna’s love. This also means creating Krishna Conscious communities and relationships. When Prabhupada established ISKCON in July of 1966 ISKCON was ONLY about community. Temple worship appeared several years later. Devotees need to re-create that atmosphere of community prominent in the early days. Three things Prabhupada focused on: to be inclusive, to be inspiring and to be empowering. In a letter to Bhagavan dasa,1969, Prabhupada wrote —“I am so glad to see that you have developed the art that whenever someone comes to serve Krsna, you know how to engage him as he likes to serve Krsna, not forcing him to do something that he does not like to do. No intelligent person will accept that process.”

10. Prabhupada’s disciples, now in their 60s, 70’s, and 80s, and still participating in the movement, are an invaluable asset to ISKCON. In any other community or culture, they would be considered elders who freely share their matured wisdom and experiences with anyone who enquires from them. These devotees have been meditating on the holy name of Krishna for a half century or more. In the early days of the movement, these devotees were ready to make any sacrifice to fulfill Prabhupada’s smallest desire. Many gave up ambitions, careers and college educations. And now, over 50 years later, it is certainly time for the movement to invest in these elders, men and women alike.

11. Over several years now my main focus has been writing numerous articles to show how dharma (or KC) is relevant to the concerns and issues of a western audience. We have to make KC timely and relevant.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117855

By Satyanarayana Dasa

Especially in this time of crisis, Arabs and Persians alike are desperately seeking guidance and knowledge of God from the wisdom of India, which they deeply respect: Ancient spiritual knowledge above religion. And that’s what we are all about, and they know it!

In fact that is the very order of the Prophet Mohammed: “If you seek knowledge, go to the East!” To facilitate these sincere souls in obtaining this transcendental knowledge worldwide, and especially in their sacred mother tongues which touch their hearts at the deepest level – we launch this first issue of the “Arabic and Farsi Book Distribution Mission” newsletter. This was lovingly put together by our dear and most dedicated Krishna Kumar Prabhu spontaneously after his latest tour. We humbly request our sincere readers to please just add these blessed Arabic and Farsi books to your bookbags and join together with us in helping Srila Prabhupada realize his fervent heartfelt desire to fully open up this planet’s last major frontier to Krishna’s Mercy!

Read more: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117960
 

By Gurmann Saini

ISKCON Helsinki has launched an extensive renovation project to restore and modernize its temple complex at Malmi Manor—one of Northern Europe’s most important centers for spreading Krishna consciousness. For more than four decades, the temple has served as a gathering place for spiritual learning, kirtan, festivals, and community outreach.

Set within heritage buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple is not only spiritually significant but also culturally protected. This means that every step of the renovation must carefully follow the City of Helsinki’s preservation guidelines.

“We feel very fortunate to have the wonderful place for Their Lordship Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and the devotee community. And to connect the Finnish heritage with the spiritual teachings of Srila Prabhupada,” says Tapo Divyam Dasa, Temple President.

The need for renovation is both urgent and unavoidable. The project, scheduled between 2025 and 2029, aims to bring the facilities up to modern safety and public-use standards. Without these upgrades, the temple may no longer be permitted to host public programs.

Planned improvements include structural reinforcement of aging wooden elements, upgraded ventilation and HVAC systems, enhanced fire safety measures, and repairs to floors and balconies. Interior spaces will also be reconfigured to better accommodate visitors and community activities.

At the same time, the vision goes beyond basic repairs. ISKCON Helsinki hopes to create a more welcoming and functional environment for guests, with improved visitor areas and, in the future, a new auxiliary building to support kitchen services and cultural programs.

To support the project, ISKCON Finland has launched an international fundraising campaign at GoFundMe. The estimated cost for the main temple renovation is 350,000 €+, of which around €50,000 has already been raised through local contributions. Steady, ongoing support will be essential to keep the project moving forward over the coming years.

Supporters can contribute through one-time donations, monthly sponsorships, volunteering, or by simply sharing the campaign within their networks. The fundraising page is available here: https://gofund.me/e54c9bbb1

“This renovation marks an important moment for the future of Krishna consciousness in Northern Europe. With collective effort, the Helsinki temple can continue

to serve as a place of spiritual nourishment, community connection, and cultural exchange for generations to come.” says Rahul Charlewar, project coordinator, ISKCON Helsinki

For more information,

please visit GoFundMe campaign page: https://gofund.me/e54c9bbb1 or
contact Guruttama Dasa Communications Manager, ISKCON Finland
gurmann.saini@krishna.fi

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117967

Malati was showing signs of labor when I went to check on her at 6:45 am Monday morning. I had to do an airport run for some devotees but I mentioned it to Anandavidya before I left for Pittsburgh. Malati proceeded to disappear from the barn. Anandavidya was unable to locate her as she was nowhere to be seen. Morning milking takes place at 7. He was however worried about her and ventured out into the horrendously muddy field to search. She was found down the hill behind the Palace. After herding her back into the barn he continued to milk the other 5 cows. She gave birth to her fourth calf on Monday Dec 4th at 11:20 am. I returned from the airport run just in time to see a brand new baby. Anandavidya reported that the rather large calf took some extra time getting out. Remaining half way in and half way out for sometime, with a little extra help she was gently pulled to delivery.
What a beautiful little girl and a healthy mother. We were counting our blessings for an easy birth free from complications. For the next day and a half we were immersed in appreciation of the sweetness of these two. Malati is a very strong cow and has so much affection for her calves. Around 1:00pm the afternoon of Dec 5, I was working in the barn and watched a wild turkey enter the field with Malati and her baby. Malati got up and chased that turkey with great speed and determination, clearing the field of any potential dangers for her little one. I was thinking how wonderful that she had recovered from birth and could run with such energy.
Evening milking is at 6:00pm. We noticed that Malati was uninterested in coming inside at milking time. We assumed she was tired as her calf had picked up on the drinking process and was likely keeping her busy. By the end of the milking Malati was in distress. She was showing signs of struggle being unable to stand. Within the next hour their was an incredible acceleration of problems. She was on her side all four legs sticking straight out. Her stomach was bloated and swollen. Her head lay flat on the ground as she struggled with each breath.
I called Hari Bhakti and asked that the vet be called. I was not able to sleep. I called Dr. Nick. He called Tom Bach. Dr. Nick asked for more details so we went down to access her situation again. I was just so sad to see her I was practically in tears trying to tell Dr. Nick that she was in trouble. I called Ranaka and let him know that we would surely be losing her over night. Dr. Nick called back with an idea. He suggested milk fever. I had thought that perhap there had been a birth complication internally or even a second calf that was struggling to exit. But the diagnosis of milk fever was something I hadn’t thought of. I researched it online and learned that she needed calcium. The stores were all closed it was around 11 at night. I searched our medicine cabinet at the barn and found a tube of calcium supplement. Anandavidya and I forced the tube down her throat and used a broom stick to get the calcuim gel out of the tube. (you are supposed to use a special gun which we didn’t have) Malati seemed to get better. She was able to pick her head up and we brought her water and hay. We treated her with uterine bolus’s just incase there had been an internal infection. She was shivering and shaking. We got her baby inside for the night. And had to try to get some rest ourselves. I woke up and drove to the barn to check on her every two hours. By the morning milking at 7 she seemed to be barely alive. We rushed through the morning milking. Malati had been struggling and her head was stuck under the fence.
I called Hari Bhakti to make sure the vet would be called ASAP. Instead of trying to make more calls with the bad cellphone reception I drove down to the big barn to ask for help. I went over to find some strong people to try and get her sitting upright. Anandavidya used the tractor and a rope to pull her out from the fence. John and Gintas came over to help just as Ray arrived. With the tractor, Ray was able to use the bucket to pull her into an upright position. If a cow is not sitting upright their organs will not work. Getting her into the upright position was great. She was able to breathe and even ate a little hay. She sat propped up against the tractor bucket and gradually the bloating decreased. We began to feel a little hope. I drove to the store to buy more calcium. And we gave her another tube.
By 3:00pm Dr. Mores our veterinarian arrived. He gave Malati an IV treatment of calcium. She was definitely improving. Her front legs were moving and she would occasionally struggle to stand. We milked the cows and went home for some such needed sleep.
In the morning we found Malati in a very precarious position. She had broken through the fence and in her struggle to pull herself up with her front legs she had scooted herself down hill and was headed down a very steep incline. I call it a cliff. What could we do? She weighs 1500 pounds. We had to milk the cows. By the end of milking she had slid entirely down to the bottom of the incline. I could barely get down the hill it was so steep. Yudhistur Prabhu was walking up to the temple and was very surprised to find her at the bottom of the hill. He stayed and chanted with her for a half an hour thinking that she didn’t have much of a chance of surviving. She had rolled to her side again and the bloating took over. Immediately after milking the entire maintenance crew came over to help. Her legs were very stiff and she was weak. However all signs of swelling had gone indicating the milk fever had been cured. Cows are very big and strong in so many ways but there they have so many weaknesses. If a cow remains sitting for 72 hours without standing their muscles degenerate and they lose their ability to stand. With Anandavidya, Bhagavan, John, Gintas, Dev, Moses and myself we were able to rock her back and forth, pushing her legs under her and bringing her to a sitting postion. Finally she could breath again! We gave her food and water. Gradually the bloating decreased and we were hopeful once again.
Raye arrived with the tractor, harness and the hip huggers. First he had to clear a road in order to reach Malati. Manuevering a large tractor on the side of the hill (I call it a cliff), he was able to turn around, and pick Malati up with hip huggers. The hip huggers are a metal device with two circles that fit over the cows’ hip bones. The tractor and the cow made their way up a very narrow steep incline balancing ever so carefully. Anandavidya walked calmly next to the tractor ensuring that the cows feet would not slip under the wheels. I closed my eyes, tried to breathe deeply and prayed that no one would get hurt.
By 12 noon Ray was able to set Malati down in front of the barn. She had been through a lot. We brought her baby out and the two were reunited. The maintenance crew came back to try and push Malatis legs underneath her. We were able to lift Malati again with the hip huggers and let the baby drink. We milked her. And then she seemed to get some enthusiasm and she began to use her back legs. She was already up in the air but she was standing on her own. She tried to walk. We yelled and cheered as she took a few steps.
Amazingly she was up and walking, she even ran a bit to keep up with her very energetic calf. We lead her around with enticement of grain and bananas encouraging her to keep moving and using those leg muscles.
We put her in the field and went home for some lunch. By evening milking she was sitting again. We tried to encourage her to stand. She got up on her own and walked into the barn for evenings milking. It felt so nice to have her back with the herd. What an adventure. She was able to get up and sit down on her own.
Saturday night we let her sleep in the barn with her calf as the temperatures took a dive. The floor inside the barn was too slippery and her weakened back legs could not find traction. She struggled for a good 24 hours. Finally I went for help once more. Sunday morning Anandaviya and I decided to bring the maintenance crew back as our levels of frustration were boiling over. Bhagavan, John, Dev, and the two of us struggled to get Malati outside to the earth were her legs could dig in and give her the support needed to stand. After a few hours we had dragged her about four feet. She had worn the skin off her legs trying to get up. Running low on ideas we called for more help. Malati (Prabhupada’s Malati) came over and gave some encouragement. I found Varsana Swami in the Prasadam room. And Ranaka came up to help.
Using a pulley and a chain through the barn ceiling, we used hip huggers to raise her off the ground. The boys took turns standing on a bench tightening the pulley and gradually lifting her up. We milked her to give her some relief. Malati looked so sad. She was hanging in the air but seemed to have given up on her desire to stand. It wasn’t until her calf rounded the corner that the life returned to her eyes. She saw her calf and she used her legs to stand up. We were able remove the support and she walked on her own. Thank the Lord! What a strong cow. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=54130

By Atma Tattva Das,

A large-scale public gathering, the March for Unity and Peace, is scheduled to take place in downtown Atlanta on Saturday, June 6, 2026, bringing together participants around themes of unity, healing, and collective action. The city, shaped by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., provides a fitting backdrop.

The event will begin at Walton Street and Forsyth Street, with gates opening at 9:00 AM and the march commencing at 12:00 PM. Organizers are calling for broad participation, inviting individuals, faith groups, and civic organizations to stand together in a shared call for unity and peace.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/atlanta-devotees-to-host-march-for-unity-and-peace-on-june-6/

“One day Srila Prabhupada asked me to paint a set of Radha-Krishna Deities that he was sending to Hamburg to have installed. When I informed him I was not an artist and didn’t feel I could do it, he said that he would show me what to do. So he told me to find a special black, white and red paint, and that evening we sat Them on his small desk and Srila Prabhupada personally painted the Deities and instructed me at the same time. I sat in front of him, and as time seemed to disappear, the lovely forms of the Lords slowly became manifest through the painting. After we were finished, I immediately went to my room and wrote what he had explained. He said that the painting of Radha and Krishna Deities is called Anga-Raga. Anga means ‘body’ and Raga means ‘painting of.’ So Radharani holds her fingers in a mudra. Mudras can also be used by the Spiritual Master when he is preaching, and different mudras have special meanings. And Srila Prabhupada held up his fingers just as Srimati Radharani’s were—with forefinger and thumb together. Srila Prabhupada often used that ‘mudra’ when he made a specific point.”

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=46837

Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/you-re-in-1

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

TEXT 1

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

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

 TEXT 243

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

TRANSLATION

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

TEXT 244

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

TRANSLATION

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

TEXT 245

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

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

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

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” (Gita 4.34) Pranipatena means “by offering obeisances”—by surrendering.

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

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

Now we shall proceed to the next question and answer.

TEXT 246

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PURPORT (continued)

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

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

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

The Garuda Purana similarly states:

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now we come to the next question and answer.

TEXT 247

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

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

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

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

COMMENT

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura prays,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXT 248

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

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

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

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
gauranga gunera nidhi kotha gele pabo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hare Krishna.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXT 1

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

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

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

 TEXT 243

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

TRANSLATION

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

TEXT 244

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

TRANSLATION

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

TEXT 245

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

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

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

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” (Gita 4.34) Pranipatena means “by offering obeisances”—by surrendering.

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

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

Now we shall proceed to the next question and answer.

TEXT 246

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

We are under the stringent laws of material nature.

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

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

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

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

PURPORT (continued)

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

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

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

The Garuda Purana similarly states:

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now we come to the next question and answer.

TEXT 247

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

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

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

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

COMMENT

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura prays,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXT 248

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

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

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

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
gauranga gunera nidhi kotha gele pabo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hare Krishna.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 TEXT 1

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

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

We shall read from the beginning of their discussion.

TEXT 56

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

TRANSLATION

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

TEXT 57

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

First Ramananda Raya quoted a verse from the Visnu Purana:

TEXT 58

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

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

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

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

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXT 59

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

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

TEXT 60

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

TEXT 61

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

TEXT 64

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

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

TEXT 66

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

TRANSLATION (continued)

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

COMMENT

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

TEXT 67

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

TEXT 68

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

TRANSLATION

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

COMMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SRI RAMANANDA RAYA

A MOST CONFDENTIAL ASSOCIATE OF LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

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

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

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

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

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

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

RAJAHMUNDRY YATRA

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

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

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

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

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

(5) Antarvedi-Godavari sangam;

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

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

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

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

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